Needle

A needle is generally a thin, cylindrical object, often with a sharp point on the end.

Needle may refer to:

Crafting

Botany

Places

Needles (Black Hills)

The Needles of the Black Hills of South Dakota are a region of eroded granite pillars, towers, and spires within Custer State Park. Popular with rock climbers and tourists alike, the Needles are accessed from the Needles Highway, which is a part of Sylvan Lake Road (SD 87/89). The Cathedral Spires and Limber Pine Natural Area, a 637-acre portion of the Needles containing six ridges of pillars as well as a disjunct stand of limber pine, was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1976.

The Needles were the original site proposed for the Mount Rushmore carvings. The location was rejected by the sculptor Gutzon Borglum owing to the poor quality of the granite and the fact that they were too thin to support the sculptures. The Needles attract approximately 300,000 people annually.

Climbing

The area has a rich history of bold climbing by greatest climbers of their era, and has long been known for its purist ethics. In 1936 Fritz Wiessner climbed the Totem Pole and in 1937 Khayyam Spire with Bill House and Lawrence Coveney. In 1947 Jan and Herb Conn moved to the area and in next couple decades put up over 220 first ascents. In 1952 Fred Beckey and John Dudra climbed Rubaiyat Spire and Khayyam Spire. In the 1960s climbers such as Royal Robbins, and Henry Barber put up many bold routes. In 1961 John Gill made free solo ascent of class 5.12a route on The Thimble which is considered one of the first climbs at that grade and still is a formidable challenge. In 1970's and 1980's many climbs were added by local climbers, such as Paul Muehl, John Page, Bob Archbold and Pete Delonney. In 1991 John Sherman also made a free solo ascent of Gill's Route.

Needles station

Needles is an Amtrak train station in Needles, California, United States. The station consists of a platform adjacent to a small waiting area located at a BNSF Railway yard.

El Garces Hotel

The Needles station is near the historic El Garces Hotel, built by the Santa Fe Railroad in 1908 for the Fred Harvey Company. It is located near the original station, which closed in 1958 and underwent extensive restoration. The name El Garces was chosen to honor Father Francisco Garces, a missionary who arrived in the area in 1776.

El Garces reopened in 2014 as an intermodal transportation facility, but without the proposed on-site Needles Chamber of Commerce office, and without the original hotel and restaurant.

Platforms and tracks

References

External links

Needles (horse)

Needles (April 29, 1953 – October 15, 1984) was an American Hall of Fame Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. In 1956, he became the first Florida-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby and also won the Belmont Stakes.

Background

Needles was a bay colt bred and raised in Ocala, Florida. He was the descendant of Blenheim II and a son and grandson of Kentucky Derby winners Ponder and Pensive. Needles was a sickly foal who was given his name because of the numerous veterinary injections he was given to overcome broken ribs and pneumonia.

Racing career

At age two, Needles won six of ten starts, including the prestigious Hopeful Stakes. His performances that year earned him the 1955 championship as two-year-old colt.

Ridden by David Erb, Needles was a crowd favorite for his come-from-behind style, sometimes overcoming a 15-length deficit. The betting favorite, Needles won the 1956 Kentucky Derby by coming from 16th place in a field of 17 to make up 24 lengths and win going away. His victory marked the first time a Florida-bred horse won America's most prestigious horse race.

3 Needles

3 Needles is a 2005 Canadian drama film directed by Thom Fitzgerald. The title refers to the three main characters who make a deal with the Devil in order to survive a global epidemic. The plot deals with interwoven stories of persons around the world who are dealing with HIV and AIDS, and stars Shawn Ashmore, Olympia Dukakis, Lucy Liu, Stockard Channing, Chloë Sevigny, and Sandra Oh.

The film was screened at various film festivals, and was given a limited release in the United States on December 1, 2006.

Plot

A group of young men in Africa, undergo a rite of passage symbolizing their change from boyhood into manhood.

In rural China, a heavily pregnant Jin Ping is caught by Chinese military men with crates of black market blood in her van. The blood is destroyed and she is subsequently gang raped. Jin Ping is then shown visiting a village and convincing the inhabitants to give blood for $5 each. They all agree, except Tong Sam, a rice farmer, as he is unable to give blood as he is sick. However, as Jin Ping's equipment is not safe, most of the people in the village contract HIV and die of AIDS, including Tong Sam's family. The military men led by Xuan arrive in the village to help with the disease, and they help Tong Sam grow rice, which he then gives out to his remaining neighbors. Government officials arrive in the town to test people for AIDS, but the testing is $10 per person, which one neighbor thinks is a scam because it "cost $5 when she gave me the virus."

9000 Needles

9000 Needles is a 2009 documentary film about the story of a young husband and father and his family as they struggle to deal with the aftermath of a devastating stroke.

Background

The film documents the fate of Devin Dearth, a successful businessman and champion body builder who suffered a devastating stroke caused by a bleed in his brain stem which left him paralyzed on his right side, unable to walk, and with difficulty speaking. With the help of his brother Doug (film director), they then travel to Tianjian, China to try a stroke rehabilitation center that uses acupuncture and traditional Chinese Medicine.

Awards