Tuesday August 9, 2005, Sparks, Nevada, USA

Scenes of the American trucking industry

Truck driver Aaron Friend with his travel companion at the Petro Truck Stop in Sparks.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Tuesday July 12, 2005, Palo Alto, California, USA

Murderball challenges handicapped men in the arena of contact sports

The California Quake Murderball team regularly trains at a Palo Alto VA Medical Center. Murderball, also refered to as Quad Rugby, pits quadriplegics against one another in 4-man teams that compete to get a volleyball past a goal line. Depending on their impairment, players are given a classification number ranging from 0.5 to 3.5. A maximum total of 8.0 impairment points can exist between two teams, no more. Players pass the volleyball back and forth attempting to cross the goal line with the ball in one player's possession. The game, played since 1979, now has over 45 national and 22 international teams.

Earl Bowser (L) takes possession of the ball as Nick Springer attempts to block him during a Murderball training session at the VA Medical Center.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Saturday June 4, 2005, Helendale, California, USA

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Burlesque dancer Mark Brown from Toronto, Canada, performs at the Miss Exotic World Pageant.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Thursday March 4, 2004, Orania, South Africa

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Farm laborers, who have to be white, preferably Afrikaans, finish work for the day at the pecan tree nursery, at the all-Boer private town of Orania, in the semi-desert Karoo region of South Africa.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Thursday June 16, 2005, Helendale, California, USA

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Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Thursday June 2, 2005, Los Angeles, California, USA

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Wards offer each other comfort and support before entering the Sweat Lodge. No blood has ever been spilt in the Sweat Lodge area, and gang rivalries and personal disputes are often resolved during this time. Since 1991 Native American Spiritual Leader Jimi Castillo has conducted this ceremony each Thursday at the Herman G. Stark Youth Correctional Facility in Chino, CA, east of LA. The ceremony is open to all wards, irrespective of race.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Thursday June 16, 2005, Helendale, California, USA

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Saturday February 21, 2004, Kalahari, South Africa

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San medicine man Jan van der Westhuizen, who hopes one day to take the remnants of his tribe back to their traditional land in the Kalahari desert from where they were expelled during the apartheid years.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Tuesday May 17, 2005, San Francisco, California, USA

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Lauren Bunker, 22, was hit by a truck six months ago whilst riding her bicycle.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Thursday March 4, 2004, Orania, South Africa

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A farm laborer cycles to work in the all-Boer private town of Orania, in the semi-desert Karoo region of South Africa.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Tuesday March 22, 2005, San Francisco, California, USA

iPod Portraits by Jan Sturmann

Arbella Malike got an iPod for her 18th birthday, and listens to Kelly Clarkson play Break Away. "I'm in my own little bubble when i listen to my Pod," she says. "I don't hear or look around what's going on around me. It's kind of sad and depressing. There is less unity between people on campus."

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Tuesday October 19, 2004, San Francisco, California, USA

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Tatoos and leather.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Wednesday June 2, 2004, Colusa, California, USA

Mixed Martial Arts fights are gaining popularity

Mixed Martial Arts fights are becoming increasingly popular in the United States. Fights such as the Gladiator Challenge Fight Fest, which are illegal in all states except Nevada, Florida and New Jersey, are often held on sovereign Indian land, unaffected by state regulations. Fights are held within the confines of octagonal chain-link cages and last for two five-minute rounds. Championship matches go for three rounds and the more popular fighters can earn as much as $1500 for a win. The Gladiator Challenge Fight Fest was held at California's Colusa Casino.

Bloody bandages and a towel lie on the dressing tent floor after fights conclude at the Gladiator Challenge Fight Fest.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Wednesday June 2, 2004, Colusa, California, USA

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Rashad Evans, left, and Jamie Jara fighting for the Light Heavy Weight Championships at the Gladiator Challenge Fight Fest held at the Colusa Casino, June 2-3. Rashad Evans won by judge's decision.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Saturday June 4, 2005, Helendale, California, USA

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Exotic dancers being photographed after their performance at the Miss Exotic World 2005 Burlesque Pageant. Exotic World USA is home to the world's only Burlesque Museum and Striptease Hall of Fame.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Saturday May 1, 2004, Utah, USA

Scenes of the American trucking industry

A truck on Interstate 80 along the Great Salt Lake in Utah.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Saturday May 1, 2004, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

Scenes of the American trucking industry

A tanker truck behind a dinosaur sculpture at the Lincoln Westbound rest stop of I80 in Nebraska.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Tuesday May 20, 2003, Warsaw, Poland

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Street scene in Warsaw.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Wednesday June 2, 2004, Colusa, California, USA

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With his back to the cage, fight doctor Frankie Bollinger awaits the first contestants. Around him are the ring attendants or "blood guys" who clean up after each fight.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Monday November 15, 2004, Berkeley, California, USA

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Dopy, left, Lo, center, and Piss-Mouth on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, CA. They are part of a group of transient youth who survive off panhandling, petty crime and dumpster diving. Many see their lifestyle as a choice of freedom over security, and identify with a Gypsy, troubadour or buccaneer mythology. Each has lived on the streets for over eight years.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Sunday April 3, 2005, Douglas, Arizona, USA

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Minutemen volunteers Ron Mills, left, from Phoenix, and Bill Breaux, from Texas, on patrol along the US/Mexico border near the town of Douglas, AZ. For the month of April up to 400 Minutemen will patrol the border searching for illegal immigrants crossing into the US.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Friday November 5, 2004, San Francisco, California, USA

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Bast Dakini, a tantric healing practitioner, naked therapist and esoteric dominatrix, in her San Francisco studio.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Monday October 4, 2004, Mojave, California, USA

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Pilot Brian Binnie makes a victory laps after successfully piloting the second flight of SpaceShipOne into suborbital space to win the $10 million Ansari X Prize.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Friday October 15, 2004, Mountain View, California, USA

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At the controls of the Reality Center, David Walford, Manager, Technology and Corporate Reality Center, demonstrates three-dimensional imagery at Silicon Graphics, Inc., in Mountain View, California.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Friday November 5, 2004, San Francisco, California, USA

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Former philosophy student, Charmed Mistress Shiris, a transsexual prostitute and professional submissive, in her San Francisco Tenderloin District apartment.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Sunday August 15, 2004, San Francisco, California, USA

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A Street preacher outside The Gap on Market Street.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Sunday August 15, 2004, San Francisco, California, USA

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Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Saturday July 3, 2004, San Francisco, California, USA

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April Kimball, Partner Account Executive, at Novell, walks past laptop users at the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo, held from August 2nd to 5th at the Mascone Center. The penguin on the bag is the Linux icon.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris

Sunday February 29, 2004, Majuba, South Africa

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Boer-Afrikaners celebrate on Majuba Hill, South Africa, where on February 26, 1881, the Boers won a decisive battle against the British who had annexed their republic.

Credit: Jan Sturmann / Polaris