text:
The year of the big ball's up
by Denis Welch / 29 December, 2007
Another year, another high Kiwi dollar. As if we didn't have enough to worry about already. This year, we worried about global warming, the trustworthiness of our police, interest rates and saving for retirement - and whether Graham Henry was still the right person to coach the All Blacks.
Pride goes before a fall, they say, but in New Zealand's case this year it went before a ball: a ginormous rugby ball erected in front of the Eiffel Tower for all the world to see.
The ball, which could hold up to 200 people, with videos projected onto the ceiling and walls, was opened by Prime Minister Helen Clark with much huzzah just before the Rugby World Cup got under way in Paris in September.
The message was loud and clear: New Zealand kicks ass when it comes to rugby. Watch out.
Pause for reflection.
In the end, then, the difference between the excitement of "The big ball's up!" and the post-Cardiff deflation of "The big balls-up" turned out to be an apostrophe and a hyphen. On such tiny details the character of a year hangs.
While the world grew increasingly twitchy about global warming, and the war in Iraq ground on, and the US economy wobbled alarmingly, New Zealanders probably got more wound up about the All Blacks' quarter-final failure than anything else.
The only three domestic issues to match it for media mileage were the great smacking debate, the Electoral Finance Bill and the infamous "anti-terrorism" raids launched by the police principally against Tuhoe. Given that those arrested face charges of, at most, illegally possessing portable firearms, it seems that we can enter the New Year reasonably confident that al-Qaeda has not infiltrated the Ureweras.
The personal story that probably shocked the nation most was that of South Auckland woman Folole Muliaga, who died after the power was cut to her home - because of an overdue $168 Mercury Energy electricity bill.
Muliaga, obese and with respiratory problems, had been using an oxygen concentrator to help her breathe. Despite her family's pleas, Mercury went ahead with the disconnection; she died three hours later.
Parent company Mighty River Power eventually apologised - and changed its policy to ensure that never again are vulnerable consumers disconnected - but the Muliaga family are seeking compensation. Whether they get it depends on the inquest in 2008.
Politically, though bits kept dropping off, and the exhaust fumes got toxic at times, the Labour government somehow held the road, kept there by the steely grip of Helen Clark's hands on the wheel and Michael Cullen's savvy with the maintenance costs.
The National Opposition, meanwhile - to mercilessly change metaphors here - ran a tight ship with John Key on the bridge and Bill English in the engine-room, and was rewarded with opinion poll leads that left everyone else (including, unfortunately, its own potential coalition allies) sputtering in its wake.
The year had the feeling, however, of a phoney war before the real battle starts in election year. National pulled some of its punches (even tax cuts slipped down the agenda) while Labour tried to clear the decks of controversial stuff - only to end the year with a pile of doo-doo called the Electoral Finance Act on the Cabinet carpet.
Unemployment hit a record low, and the Kiwi dollar hit a record high, but moneywise the biggest day of the year was probably July 1, when KiwiSaver finally kicked off. Of all the changes and innovations in 2007, this was the one that will most affect future generations. By the end of October more than 260,000 people had signed up - three times as many as had been predicted.
The year was blighted, however, by a series of finance company collapses, bringing the total over the past two years to 13, including such big names as Bridgecorp and Capital & Merchant Finance. Expect some serious consolidation of the sector, as the wagons are drawn in a circle.
In education, the government unveiled changes to the controversial NCEA assessment system - changes that seemed to go some way towards mollifying critics. By the end of the year, however, in a further body blow to NCEA's integrity, more and more major schools were starting to offer the alternative Cambridge International Exams.
The educational year ended in further uproar, as tertiary institutions began to feel the pinch of the new policy that puts an end to funding based on student numbers alone.
The police, meanwhile, must wish they could file the past three years in a musty vault, label it CASE CLOSED, dust their hands and walk away from the seemingly endless round of scandal, shame and historical horrors triggered by Louise Nicholas's accusations of rape and sexual assault.
The ripples from those accusations continued to run right through 2007. Though Assistant Police Commissioner Clint Rickards, along with former police officers Bob Schollum and Brad Shipton, was found not guilty in 2006 of raping and sexually abusing Nicholas in Rotorua 20 years ago, all three were back in court again this year. They were cleared again - this time of kidnapping and indecently assaulting a teenage girl - but it was publicly revealed for the first time that Schollum and Shipton were already in jail for other rapes anyway.
In March, the long-awaited report of Dame Margaret Bazley's inquiry into police culture found, among other things, 141 sexual assault complaints with sufficient evidence to lay criminal charges or take disciplinary action against police officers. Bazley called for urgent changes to police disciplinary procedures - all of which, Police Commissioner Howard Broad assured the Listener in September, had been or were being actioned.
Then came the unhappy case of former Rotorua CIB head John Dewar, who was jailed for four and a half years for perverting the course of justice by deliberately mishandling Nicholas's original accusations; and Rickards, suspended from duty but on full pay since February 2004, finally quit the police rather than face a disciplinary tribunal.
Phew. Sure, it's mostly stuff that has come out of the woodwork since the 1980s - "an isolated incident from an era some time ago," according to Police Association president Greg O'Connor - but it's not really the kind of image the thin blue line would wish to see perpetuated through incessant bad publicity.
On top of all that, the "anti-terrorism" raids in October didn't exactly help the cops' cause, as it became clear to the public that not only had the Terrorism Suppression Act been used inappropriately but also the Act itself (we have the Solicitor-General's word for it) is a crock.
The one good piece of news for cops was the finding by the Independent Police Conduct Authority late in the year that the long investigation into the allegations by Nicholas and other women (alleged by Rickards to have been a "shambles") had been carried out in exemplary fashion.
Now, if they could just solve the Waiouru medal theft case and get those Victoria Crosses back ...
The term "carbon footprint" moved into common parlance bigtime in '07.
History will show that this was the year when, finally, most of us in the western world grudgingly accepted that possibly, just possibly, we each have an individual responsibility to do what we can in our own little way to tread more lightly on the Earth and think about the way we, well, you know the rest. You'd better.
In January, Prince Charles sought to set the tone for the year by cancelling his regular skiing trip to Switzerland, but alas, in the same month he and 12 staff flew to Philadelphia to pick up an environmental awareness award, emitting 20 tonnes of carbon in the process. Way to go yet, Charlie. By December, he was sending holograms of himself to international conferences.
As signalled by the Listener in its March 3 cover story, "food miles" became a stick for European producers to beat New Zealand exporters with: the latter will have their work cut out to show that their produce actually leaves less of a footprint, despite being shipped halfway across the world. But we're all thinking more carefully now about what we eat, where it comes from and what it costs - in all senses - to produce.
Nature rammed home the point that the ever-more-influential Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has been banging on about: the Arctic icecap shrank to a skeletal record low, the Northwest Passage was ice-free for the first time in recorded history, and Greenland began melting three times faster.
In October, oil prices hit a record high of $US90 a barrel, and we got an ominous preview of peak oil.
Here in (still relatively temperate) New Zealand, the government's much-heralded Emissions Trading Scheme has put industry on climate-change notice. Under a rolling schedule starting next year, greenhouse gas emitters - foresters, energy generators, transport - will have to start paying for their pollution.
But agriculture gets off scot-free: farmers are effectively licensed to pollute for another seven years while the rest of industry knuckles down.
New Zealand also flunked a United Nations survey of greenhouse gas emissions reductions. It reported that our emissions have grown by 12 percent since 1999 compared with Australia's eight percent and the United States' five. Britain actually reduced its emissions by two percent.
On the way: a vehicle emissions technology standard that will ban Japanese imports built before 2000. But sales of gas-guzzling cars like SUVs rose sharply in the second half of the year.
As years go, 2007 wasn't too bad in terms of natural disasters. Nobody died from floods, gales, cyclones or earthquakes. The worst weather hit Northland in March, when parts of the region were deluged with once-in-100-years rainfall. The North copped it again in July, around about the time that Taranaki was subjected to a flurry of freak tornadoes. As the year closed, eastern regions of both islands were getting twitchy about drought, but there's no sign yet of anything exceptional - unless you count the fact that Wellington has been unusually tropical.
It was (see above) a forgettable year in sport, with the most excitement being generated by a past-his-peak English footballer playing exhibition matches; and an even quieter year for the arts, with the most excitement being generated by our fourth most popular folk-comedy duo (see Diana Wichtel's TV highlights, p28) and the robust opinions of Hamish Keith.
Dynamic new forms of human activity continued to breed on the internet, however, with Facebook, Bebo and YouTube all becoming as familiar as CNN, the BBC and TVNZ. Even news stories are beginning to break on these social networking sites.
Finally, it wasn't such a good year for the following:
Gordon Copeland, the United Future MP who struck out (in both senses) as an independent and, as John Armstrong memorably observed in the New Zealand Herald, "in the space of a single, rambling press conference ... catapulted himself from political obscurity to political oblivion".
Grant Dalton, who strove to regain the America's Cup for New Zealand but came home empty-handed again.
Michael Fay and David Richwhite, offshore Kiwi entrepreneurs, who had to cough up $20 million to the Securities Commission in order to settle - without admitting liability - a charge of insider trading when Richwhite was a director of Tranz Rail.
Richie McCaw. Don't ask.
Trevor Mallard. Don't even begin to ask.
It was, however, a much better year for:
Ahmed Zaoui, Algerian refugee, who was finally allowed to walk free in New Zealand after five years of Kafkaesque proceedings against him on the grounds that he was a threat to national security.
Darren Hughes, red-headed Labour politician, the fourth youngest MP ever when elected to Parliament at 24 in 2002, who, not yet 30, became a minister outside Cabinet in Helen Clark's October reshuffle. Does this make him the nation's most powerful ginga? No, he told his party's conference, that honour still goes to Heather Simpson.
John Banks, who rose up from the electoral grave in which Auckland voters had laid him three years ago to re-emerge, somewhat quieter and more chastened, as Auckland's mayor again in October.
Kevin Rudd, button-down Australian politician, the man who led the Australian Labor Party back into power after 11 years of John Howard rule.
Michael Fay and David Richwhite, who pocketed something like $60 million - three times what they had to part with (see above) - when they sold off their shares in a British rail company in December. Choo choo.
Meanwhile, in other breaking news, the population of the South Island passed one million for the first time.


text:
package com.amazonaws.services.apigateway.model;

/**
 *
 */
public enum Op {

    Add("add"),
    Remove("remove"),
    Replace("replace"),
    Move("move"),
    Copy("copy"),
    Test("test");

    private String value;

    private Op(String value) {
        this.value = value;
    }

    @Override
    public String toString() {
        return this.value;
    }

    /**
     * Use this in place of valueOf.
     *
     * @param value
     *        real value
     * @return Op corresponding to the value
     */
    public static Op fromValue(String value) {
        if (value == null || "".equals(value)) {
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Value cannot be null or empty!");
        }

        for (Op enumEntry : Op.values()) {
            if (enumEntry.toString().equals(value)) {
                return enumEntry;
            }
        }

        throw new IllegalArgumentException("Cannot create enum from " + value
                + " value!");
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
California power outages: Here's how you can keep the lights on next time
Maria Hernandez of Veronica's Kitchen in Descanso cleans tables at the restaurant on Oct. 24. The power was shut off by San Diego Gas & Electric because of high winds in the area.
(K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)
By Sammy RothStaff Writer
Millions of Californians have learned this month what it's like to live without electricity in the 21st century, as Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric have shut down power lines in an unprecedented effort to avoid starting wildfires.
These preemptive blackouts, known as public safety power shutoffs, are likely to continue until the utility companies have upgraded their infrastructure sufficiently to minimize the risk of fires. PG&E's chief executive, William D. Johnson, recently warned the use of planned outages could last another decade.
Experts say there are steps Californians can take to keep the lights on during the next planned outages — although some of those steps are expensive.
Here are some options:
Buy a backup generator
This can be the simplest and cheapest option. But it also comes with drawbacks.
A typical portable generator costs between $400 and $1,000 and runs on gasoline, according to a Consumer Reports buying guide. These types of units won't power your entire home — air conditioning is probably out of the question — but they should generate enough electricity for lights, a refrigerator and maybe some heating, said John Galeotafiore, associate director of product testing at Consumer Reports.
The main problem is pollution. Portable generators must be operated outside, with extension cords running into a home, because they produce deadly carbon monoxide. Consumer Reports recommends placing them at least 20 feet from a house, with the exhaust vent pointed away from any structures.
The sun rises over a smoke-filled canyon above the Getty museum as the Getty fire burns in Los Angeles on Oct. 28.
(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Generators also produce hazardous air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, a primary component of smog — which is a major health hazard in Southern California.
"They're a lot dirtier than an automobile," Galeotafiore said.
Must Reads: The war on Southern California smog is slipping. Fixing it is a $14-billion problem
The war on smog has been called one of America's greatest environmental successes.
A better backup power option, for households that can afford it, is a permanent standby generator that automatically fires up when the grid goes down and can supply more electricity than a portable generator. Standby generators run on natural gas or propane, and can take months to attain permits and install.
"You could end up spending $3,000 for the unit, and another $10,000 or $12,000 to have it installed," Galeotafiore said.
Go solar (with storage)
Solar panels paired with lithium-ion batteries can provide the same benefits as a portable generator, without the pollution concerns.
Rooftop solar was once considered the province of wealthy environmentalists, but solar costs have fallen dramatically over the last decade — and battery costs are beginning to do the same. Bernadette Del Chiaro, executive director of the California Solar & Storage Assn., said a typical home can get a four-kilowatt solar system with a 10 kilowatt-hour battery for about $25,000, or as low as $15,000 once state and federal incentives are factored in.
When you buy solar panels and storage — or when you add a battery to a preexisting solar system — your installer should ask which "critical loads" you'd like to keep powered during a blackout, Del Chiaro said. When the grid goes down, your battery will know to send electricity only to those appliances.
As with a portable generator, you'll probably be able to keep your food cold, and maybe run a TV and a few outlets to keep your phone charged.
"There's no standard, 'It will last for X number of hours,'" Del Chiaro said. "It depends on how big a battery you have, and how big your critical loads are and how long you want to run those critical loads during a 24-hour period before the batteries can be recharged," when the sun rises the next day.
A crew installs a solar power system in Van Nuys.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Brett Simon, a senior storage analyst at the research firm Wood Mackenzie, cautioned that solar-plus-storage can't guarantee uninterrupted power for multiple days because it takes several hours for a battery to recharge, and cloudy weather could get in the way. But he described a rapidly expanding market, with even Generac, a longtime manufacturer of portable generators, acquiring the battery storage company Pika Energy earlier this year.
"The different companies will all claim that their products are superior to the others," Simon said. "All of them can do backup."
Los Angeles OKs a deal for record-cheap solar power and battery storage
The Eland solar contract had been delayed due to concerns raised by the city electrical workers union.
Power your house with an electric vehicle
This one is still a challenge for non-engineers — at least for now.
Electric cars run on the same lithium-ion batteries that power energy storage systems, so in theory they should be able to provide as much backup power as a typical stand-alone battery, if not more. The concept is simple, said Eileen Tutt, executive director of the California Electric Transportation Coalition.
"It's a brilliant option," she said.
The electronics needed to facilitate "vehicle-to-home" power aren't yet widely available in the United States. But several automakers are working on it. The Nissan Leaf has been used for vehicle-to-home power in Japan, and Mitsubishi Motors began selling a vehicle-to-home package in Tokyo this month.
Let's face it: Preventing and fighting wildfires mean utility customers will have to pay more
There's one thing that hardly anyone — least of all politicians — is talking about publicly. And that's the inevitability of customers' monthly bills rising to pay for so-called hardening of the electrical grid to make it less likely to ignite wildfires.
Climate & EnvironmentBusiness
Toward a more sustainable California
Get Boiling Point, our newsletter exploring climate change, energy and the environment, and become part of the conversation — and the solution.
Sammy Roth
Sammy Roth covers energy for the Los Angeles Times and writes the weekly Boiling Point newsletter. He previously reported for the Desert Sun in Palm Springs. He grew up in Westwood and would very much like to see the Dodgers win the World Series again.
2020 ties 2016 as hottest year on record, even without warming boost from El Niño
Global warming pushed temperatures into record territory in 2020, in effect tying 2016 as the hottest year on record, according to new data.
Warm, dry conditions will elevate fire danger in Southland, forecasters say
Temperatures are expected to peak Friday at about 20 degrees above normal, said a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
Wildfire smoke now causes up to half the fine-particle pollution in Western U.S., study finds
A new study blames climate change for worsening pollution and health risks in both urban and rural communities in recent years
Latest Climate & Environment
State bullet train delays 'beyond comprehension,' contractor says in blistering letter
A top bullet train contractor is contradicting claims by the California high-speed rail authority that the construction pace of the project is on target.
They're climate scientists. They're mothers. Now they're joining the battle to get Americans to act
A new $10-million ad campaign features climate scientists who are mothers speaking directly to other worried moms.
Oil companies lock in drilling, challenging Biden on climate change
In the closing months of Trump term, energy companies stockpiled enough drilling permits for western public lands to keep pumping oil for years.
Frank Gehry's bold plan to upgrade the L.A. River seeks to atone for past injustices
Famed architect Frank Gehry's bold plan to overhaul the L.A. River would showcase long-neglected cities south of Los Angeles, but environmental groups are opposed to the idea of so-called platform parks above the flood channel.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Tag: Karen Gillan
Movie Review: Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Plot: After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' actions and restore order to the universe
After 10 incredible years of the MCU, it seems that every single moment has led up to this film. Fan or not, you have probably heard of the staggering success of this film the last weekend – 1.2 billion dollars within one weekend. It is absolutely insane, yet no one seems overly surprised. I am not. I got my ticket for the first release in South-Africa. I get grumpy with spoilers but I don't have meltdowns, yet I suspected I would have one if someone spoiled this form me. I will keep this review as spoiler free as possible, because if you have eagerly awaited each of these films as I have, you deserve to have it unspoiled for you.
Overwhelmed, emotional, shaken, surprised. That is pretty much how I felt. It became inevitable with the lead up to this film not to ask if a major superhero would die, but which one would. I will tell you that whatever happens feels completely right for that character, like they were always written for it. It is sad, but it feels like the perfect ending.
There are two character developments which feels… weird, even for Marvel. The one I will literally never be able to unsee but the actor involved handled it with charm and comedic ability. But still. It felt like a personal attack on the most beautiful character. The other one was quite hilarious but showed good character development. I am sorry, I am not really making any sense, am I?
It is a mammoth film, with a running time of three hours and 1 minute. It is a feat that I in particular didn't feel that the film was drawn out, it is written well enough and is entertaining enough that the film runs without ever feeling that unnecessary time was wasted.
What worked well in this film is that the focus was very much on the original 5 superheroes. The Avengers crew has become way too large over the last couple of years and Avengers: Infinity War's ensemble cast was large enough to host a high-school reunion of a really robust year. I don't think it is too much of a spoiler to mention that when the rest of the avengers return, it is worth it and at the exact right moment. It is also really beautiful with the focus on one character's reaction specifically, and you will have to have been dead inside for a thousand years not to be touched by it.
I will probably return with another review once the spoilers are out everywhere. Further than that, it was good and powerful and I enjoyed it. It has been a wild ride, and a beautiful one.
Love you 3000 😉
April 29, 2019 by Natasha Categories: 2019, Avengers, Movies, movies, Review, Reviews, Series, UncategorizedTags: Anthony Mackie, Anthony Russo, Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, Black Widow, brie larson, Bruce Banner, Captain America, Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers, Chadwick Boseman, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Danai Gurira, Dave Bautista, Don Cheadle, Elizabeth Wilson, Evangeline Lilly, Hawkeye, Iron Man, Jeremy Renner, Joe Russo, Karen Gillan, Mark Ruffalo, marvel, Marvel Comics, MCU, Movies, Natasha Romanoff, Paul Rudd, Robert Downey Jnr, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Steve Rogers, Tessa Thompson, The Hulk, Thor, Tom Holland, Tony Stark, Zoe Saldana	4 Comments
Movie Review: Avengers: Infinity War (2018) – Spoiler free –
Plot: The Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.
Well. I knew I had to get to cinema to watch Infinity War immediately after its release or else risk this film being spoiled by the internet for me. We've been waiting ages since the slightly lacklustre Age of Ultron for another instalment of the all powerful Marvel ensemble cast to once again fight some massive celestial being. Finally reunited, the Avengers and all their new superhero friends are forced to take on Thanos, the biggest and baddest of them all, who is also in running for the worst dad of all time to Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Nebula (Karen Gillan). Thanos (voiced by Josh Brolin), is collecting the Infinity Stones, very powerful stones (obviously), and you don't need a comic book background to know that it will be really bad when this genocidal maniac gets hold of all six stones. It's no spoiler that some of the stones are in the possession of a few Avengers, and they do an ultimately dismal job in protecting them. You will have to watch it if you want to know what happens at the end, but it was neither comfortable nor a quietly satisfying end.
Infinity War takes an age to get their superheroes together, which is not surprising, since they decided to include a massive amount of their star power in the film. Since Age of Ultron the original Avengers have scattered and hidden, and they aren't all super happy with each other. Tony (Robert Downey Jnr.) is still happy by being managed by Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow). Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is still dealing with the devastating destruction that happened in Thor: Ragnarok. Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johannson, this time blonde), Steve Rogers (Chris Evans, with deliciously longer hair) and Sam Wilson (Anthonie Mackie) are still (I think) in hiding. They all fall in at different stages of the film, and my sold out cinema was cheering as each original Avengers cast member was reintroduced.
It's impossible to write a short and concise review of the movie and to discuss the stars, because (nearly) the entire Marvel universe is in the film. However, here are a few thoughts on some of the characters:
Vision (Paul Bettany) comes across as awfully wimpy and I don't know how he was intended as a superhero in this film. He seems to just be there, and his moments of action aren't all that action packed.
If I could have had more of Danai Gurira as Okoye I would have, because she just has the best attitude and lines. Also good seeing T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman), but after the enormous success of Black Panther I would have loved to see more of the man.
It is the first film where the Three Chris-es are combined – Pratt, Evans and Hemsworth have so much charm between them it is a wonder that they aren't combined an Infinity stone themselves. There is delightful moments full of humour when Starlord meets Thor and needs to deal with all that muscle. I'll just say that there is a moment when Thor arrives that made me very, very thankful.
Thanos has character depth, and that is something that hasn't always been present with Marvel villains. He has layers and there are times when he actually almost makes sense, his reasoning behind his warlord status. There were a few moments where I legitimately felt sorry for him, and then had to remember what he had done.
I have some issues with the ending (really, who doesn't at this stage?). I don't want to say too much, but I really hope that they are planning to address some… events… in the next Infinity War instalment (there better be one), because they can not just do what they did. I am REALLY excited for the post credits scene, and I am optimistic that that will mean something overall for the drama levels in the last ten minutes of the film.
I liked Infinity War, except that ending. Thee CGI is insane and everywhere again, and that as well comes as no surprise – I mean, Josh Brolin doesn't really look like that, does he now? It is really long, again though, expected, and full of emotional upheaval. If you haven't watched it yet and you really dislike spoilers, I suggest getting to a cinema soon. It's a bit off the normal route for Marvel, and they've taken big risks, but if you look at the crowd response rate you can rest assured that Marvel has another hit on their hands.
April 29, 2018 April 29, 2018 by Natasha Categories: 2018, Avengers, Movies, movies, Review, Reviews, UncategorizedTags: Anthony Russo, Avengers: Infitity Stone, Benedict Cumberbatch, Bradley Cooper, Bruce Banner, Captain America, Chadwick Boseman, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Dr. Stephen Strange, Drax, Gamora, Groot, Gwyneth Paltrow, Iron Man, Joe Russo, Karen Gillan, Mark Ruffalo, marvel, Natasha Romanoff, Nebula, Pepper Potts, Robert Downey Jnr, Rocket, Scarlett Johannson, Sebastian Stan, Spiderman, Stan Lee, Star Lord, Steve Rogers, T'Challa, The Avengers, The Hulk, Thor, Tom Holland, Tony Stark, Vin Diesel, Zoe Saldana	2 Comments
Movie Review: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Plot: Set to the backdrop of Awesome Mixtape #2, 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' continues the team's adventures as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill's true parentage.
The Original Guardians of the Galaxy was celebrated far and wide as original, refreshing and pretty much different from any normal Marvel film. I mean we love them, but they aren't necessarily ground breaking in the stories they tell. I agreed mostly, but I also still felt that everyone and their grannies took the hype too far. Regardless of my opinion, the first film was a runaway success and since it is Marvel, a second one was inevitable.
The sequel is in many ways an equal to original. Chris Pratt is Chris Pratt and the lovable and very attractive goofball. He is still surrounded by his team – Gamora (Zoë Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Groot (Vin Diesel). They acquire more recruits this time – Kraglin (Sean Gunn) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff). It is starting to feel like the Space Avengers with such a large cast going on here, but I very much doubt that the majority of the audience worries about that too much.
Plenty of things work – Dave Bautista's literal minded Drax gets more dialogue and the things he says is what we think without saying it, making the situations he's placed in quite hilarious. Telling the creepy Mantis she's probably beautiful on the inside was quite funny and painfully blunt. Baby Groot is emotional manipulation – he's so cute he could have danced the duration of the film and I would have liked the movie. Chris Pratt loses his shirt and I couldn't complain about it. The directing is colorful and bright and suits the upbeat tone of the film. The dialogue is relatable and funny, the banter between the team easy and seemingly sincere. The soundtrack is a lot of fun and a continuation of the first film. Sylvester Stallone shows his face and boggles the mind that he's still looking smoking when he is six hundred years old now.
What lacks is an actual plot. The writers focused on the one thing left unanswered in Volume 1 – Starlord's patronage. Enter Kurt Russel, cool old-dude extraordinaire, as Ego the Living Planet. He's not much of a villain with a lot of ego and little grey areas, and it is pretty clear quite quickly that he doesn't want the best for his son. There are also gold people, led by Elizabeht Debicki's Kismet, who are angry that Rocket stole shit from them and are now determined to wipe out the team. It's a pretty weak story, sloppy in places and lazy writing. It doesn't particularly fit into the Marvel Universe that has so carefully been crafted. Some redemption is provided by the presence of Baby Groot, the fights between Starlord and Rocket and the chemistry between Starlord and Gamora. I also didn't particularly appreciate how every bad guy last time was sympathized with this time around – Nebula (Karen Gillan), the conflicted sibling of Gamora, is the grayest character of the lot. Her hatred towards her sister is based on her robotic punishment as a child, and we don't really blame her, but was it necessary to include it so much again into the second film? Yondu remains damn cool and everything for a blue guy, and Michael Rooker is cool enough to be him, but again, so much unnecessary things in this film piled it up to one long watch. I appreciated the cameo by Sylvester Stallone, but really, was it necessary?
I enjoyed GoTG II. It is not a particularly strong film but it is fun and really funny. Marvel took a chance changing so much from their usual formula, and despite following some of their renowned plot moves, it is still the most original work they've done in a while.
A 7.5/10 for me
Have you seen Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2? What did you think of it?
May 10, 2017 May 9, 2017 by Natasha Categories: 2017, Marvelous Mondays, Movies, movies, Review, Reviews, UncategorizedTags: 2017, Baby Groot, Bradley Cooper, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Drax, Ego the Living Planet, Elizabeth Debicki, Gamora, Groot, James Gunn, Karen Gillan, Kismet, Kraglin, Kurt Russel, Mantis, marvel, Michael Rooker, Movies, Nebula, Pom Klementieff, Reviews, Rocket, Sean Gunn, Stan Lee, Star Lord, Sylvester Stallone, Vin Diesel, Yondu, Zoe Saldana	10 Comments


The City of Seattle Landslide Mitigation Program recently received funding to address some of the long-standing issue of surface slides from the adjacent slope as well as significant overgrowth covering and obstructing the use of the adjacent sidewalk along segments of Rainier Ave S from S Carver St to the south City limits near S Ryan St.
Due to the limited amount of funds available for this project, the project team prioritized the problem areas. In early 2016, Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) completed the installation of a 60' segment of retaining wall. In fall 2016, SDOT crews cleared and recovered existing sidewalk so that the sidewalk could be used by pedestrians. This work also assisted in the final site evaluation to prioritize the remaining available funds for this project, which includes four sites proposed for new retaining wall construction.
The project will meet SDOT's goal of road and sidewalk maintenance, increasing the life of the streets and reducing impacts to pedestrians and traffic.
SDOT maintains almost 600 retaining walls, most protecting public streets. The average height is six feet, and if all the retaining walls and seawalls were lined up end to end, they would extend for 21 miles.
Information on construction impacts will be available closer to the start of construction in late 2017. General construction impacts will include: noise, dust, vibration, lane restrictions, and potential detours (vehicular, bike, pedestrian).
The project is being funded through the City's Landslide Hazard Mitigation Program and is being managed by SDOT's Street Use division.


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Q: Exception building tensorflow 2 gpu from source: pyconfig.h no such file or directory I'm using a server with ubuntu 16, and have python 3.6 installed for my user
after installing cuda 10, cudnn7 and other required packages as root, I cloned tensorflow 2 beta from github and successfully ran the ./configure command.
However, when I try to build the source with bazel (as regular user)
(with this command: bazel build --config=opt --config=cuda //tensorflow/tools/pip_package:build_pip_package)
I get the following error

ERROR:
  /misc/home/thisuser/.cache/bazel/_bazel_thisuser/c065c6438711f6aa7a5cb8d6f2f657a0/external/protobuf_archive/BUILD:670:1:
  C++ compilation of rule
  '@protobuf_archive//:python/google/protobuf/internal/_api_implementation.so'
  failed (Exit 1): crosstool_wrapper_driver_is_not_gcc failed: error
  executing command   (cd
  /misc/home/thisuser/.cache/bazel/_bazel_thisuser/c065c6438711f6aa7a5cb8d6f2f657a0/execroot/org_tensorflow
  && \   exec env - \
      PATH=/home/thisuser/Python-3.6.3/bin:/home/thisuser/Python-3.6.3:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/games:/snap/bin:/home/thisuser/bin:/opt/jdk/bin
  \
      PWD=/proc/self/cwd \   external/local_config_cuda/crosstool/clang/bin/crosstool_wrapper_driver_is_not_gcc
  -MD -MF bazel-out/host/bin/external/protobuf_archive/_objs/python/google/protobuf/internal/_api_implementation.so/api_implementation.pic.d
  '-frandom-seed=bazel-out/host/bin/external/protobuf_archive/_objs/python/google/protobuf/internal/_api_implementation.so/api_implementation.pic.o'
  -iquote external/protobuf_archive -iquote bazel-out/host/bin/external/protobuf_archive -iquote
  external/local_config_python -iquote
  bazel-out/host/bin/external/local_config_python -iquote
  external/bazel_tools -iquote bazel-out/host/bin/external/bazel_tools
  -isystem external/local_config_python/python_include -isystem bazel-out/host/bin/external/local_config_python/python_include
  '-std=c++11' -Wno-builtin-macro-redefined '-D__DATE__="redacted"'
  '-D__TIMESTAMP__="redacted"' '-D__TIME__="redacted"' -fPIC
  -U_FORTIFY_SOURCE '-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=1' -fstack-protector -Wall -fno-omit-frame-pointer -no-canonical-prefixes -fno-canonical-system-headers -DNDEBUG -g0 -O2 -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -g0 '-march=native' -g0 -DHAVE_PTHREAD -DHAVE_ZLIB -Wall -Woverloaded-virtual -Wno-sign-compare -Wno-unused-function -Wno-write-strings -DPYTHON_PROTO2_CPP_IMPL_V2 -c external/protobuf_archive/python/google/protobuf/internal/api_implementation.cc
  -o bazel-out/host/bin/external/protobuf_archive/_objs/python/google/protobuf/internal/_api_implementation.so/api_implementation.pic.o)
  Execution platform: @bazel_tools//platforms:host_platform In file
  included from
  external/protobuf_archive/python/google/protobuf/internal/api_implementation.cc:31:0:
  bazel-out/host/bin/external/local_config_python/python_include/Python.h:8:22:
  fatal error: pyconfig.h: No such file or directory compilation
  terminated. Target //tensorflow/tools/pip_package:build_pip_package
  failed to build INFO: Elapsed time: 169.767s, Critical Path: 30.68s
  INFO: 2251 processes: 2251 local. FAILED: Build did NOT complete
  successfully

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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• Special Hosted Safaris
• Photographic Safaris
• Birding Safaris
• Add-on side trips
• Photo Galleries
• Who we are
• Notes from the bush
• What our guests say
• Special lectures
• Facts about Botswana
• Buy Crafts from Botswana
Botswana Adventure By Nancy Rhodes
Previously published in Fairview Town Crier
Fairview, NC
Breakfasting under the mopane trees, game drives over sand tracks, bush showers, evenings around the campfire ("bush TV"), and sleeping to the bass notes of hippos in a nearby river, our Botswana safari was a magical dream-come-true. My sister, Barbara, and I agreed a year ago to plan a trip to Africa. Her impetus was reading the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency book series by Alexander McCall Smith. A devotee of book tours, she said that we could combine a safari with a two-day "No. 1 Ladies" tour in Gaborone, the capital and site of Mma Ramotswe's fictional detective agency. After the fortunate discovery on line of African Excursions headed by a man who used to live in Botswana, our trip started to take flight. Our itinerary would include two days in Maun, gateway to the Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve, a six-day "comfort" safari for just my sister and me, followed by a flight to Gaborone for our two-day "Mma" tour. After numerous phone calls and emails, shots and malaria pills, trip insurance, and a serious talk with my health insurance provider, I was ready to go. Barbara and I shot our carefully packed duffle bags onto the beltway at JFK Airport Sunday morning, July 18th, for the 18+ hour trip to Maun on South African Airways and little Botswana Air. By the evening of July 19th, we were sitting in the circular open-air bar at Marina's Camp, sand in our shoes, and stars in our eyes. The adventure had truly begun.
Our trip coincided with Botswana's dry season, which lasts generally from May to November. While night temperatures can drop into the 40's, days are warm under clear blue skies. The Okavango Delta, Africa's largest inland delta, and Moremi Game Reserve have permanent water all year, hosting large populations of animals. These populations are also swelled in the dry season by animals from the Kalahari desert searching for water. On the morning of the 22nd, Barbara and I were picked up at Marina's by our safari guide, Mike, and Bailey, a 23-year-old New Zealander and daughter of tour operator. On the road we met up with Fred, our cook, and Bollie, our camp assistant, driving the support truck loaded with food and camp supplies. We caravaned past traditional villages of small thatched-roof homes, donkeys and goats grazing by the roadside. Fairly quickly, the gravel road ended, and we drove over sand, passing through clouds of dust thrown up by oncoming vehicles. Nearing the Moremi gate we had our first look at wildlife, a waterhole enjoyed by a herd of zebra and giraffes. Mike shut off the truck engine and we watched the animals. It was as though we had been dropped into the Garden of Eden, albeit glossing over the eat or be eaten aspect of the animals' lives. Mike told us that the giraffe's spots darken as they age, which explained the wide variation of colors we saw, from the softest brown to black. After growing up with years of nature documentaries, suddenly we were seeing the real thing! To say that my mind was blown away was an understatement.
Our safari days started with an early morning wake up in our tent where we'd slept warmly under wool blankets. Breakfast was at a table under the trees, joined by Mike and Bailey. Morning game drive began around 7:30. We would lumber over sand tracks and through deep puddles of standing water, stopping to watch animals we encountered along the way. Mike was a knowledgeable and kind safari guide with an engaging sense of humor. His insights about animal behavior and his willingness to share his progress towards becoming a highly licensed safari guide were just two of the unexpectedly wonderful aspects of our trip. Morning tea, served out of a thermos and accompanied by biscuits, balanced on the hood of the truck, happened each morning about 11:00. Around 1:00 or 1:30, we would make our way back to camp, eat lunch and shower in our canvas stall under a bag of water that had been heated on the fire. One of our favorite Mike stories was of a lady on another safari who was just beginning to enjoy her bush shower when she suddenly ran out of water. Looking up in puzzlement, she saw an elephant trunk reaching over the canvas wall sucking up the last of her water. Mike never said what happened after that. His advice to us was if you hear a noise in camp, don't unzip your tent and stick your head out. Otherwise you would be safe.
Around about 4:00 or 4:30, Bailey would get out the tea things, and we would have refreshments before setting off on our evening game drive. One night we had Fred's "bush pizza," a beautiful creation of homemade dough, ham, and feta cheese, cooked in a pot over a wood fire. Then we would set off into the bush again, occasionally encountering other safari vehicles. Mike and the other driver would have a brief conversation in Setswana, and he might say, "They heard there's a leopard ahead," and we would be off at top speed to join a small group of other vehicles watching a leopard in a tree. By 6:30 or 7:00 we would return to camp and eat by lamplight, served by Fred in his white chef's coat. Baked chicken with wild sage, potatoes au gratin, roast vegetables, pasta Bolognese with meatballs, sausages, squash soup, salads, and hot bananas drenched in bittersweet chocolate and nuts enchanted our nights. The man was a genius! One night we toasted marshmallows around the fire. Evenings we slept to the sounds of territorial hippo grunts or the trumpeting of elephants far off in the trees.
Highlights of our game drives included twice being surrounded by a large breeding herd of elephants, the two times I ever felt scared, a close encounter with a mated pair of lions who lay down beside our truck, his low rumbling growls clearly audible to our ears, and sipping a glass of South African wine next to a serene hippo pool as the sun set. We also watched a sleepy leopard on a tree branch suddenly tense and stare down at a herd of impala grazing closer and closer to his tree. A fluid movement to standing position and a leap off the branch came to nothing, and he ambled off without his dinner. Giraffes, antelopes, baboons, and zebra were frequent sights. We even spotted a pack of African wild dogs, colorful with their white, brown and black spots. On our last night in the bush, hyenas circled around our campsite, their eyes glowing in the beam of Mike's flashlight. Only after we all zipped ourselves into our tents did they come into camp and sniff around the fire.
After our safari ended, we took a short flight to Gaborone, where our "No. 1 Ladies" tour would begin. We were picked up at our bed and breakfast by Joe, our Botswana guide, for a tour of the city and locations central to the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. Of course, we stopped at Zebra Drive, the fictional home of Mma Ramotswe. The city had recently renamed the road Zebra Way in hopes that tourists would stop ripping the signs off their posts to take home as souvenirs. We also stopped at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Mma Ramotswe's church, and were dumbfounded to meet the Bishop of Botswana, Trevor Mwomba, outside the church door. Given Alexander McCall Smith's habit of putting some real characters in his books, we shouldn't have been completely speechless to meet someone who played a role in the series, most especially when he married the fictional Mma Ramotswe and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni. Bishop Mwomba graciously shook our hands and asked us where we were from. When I introduced myself and told him North Carolina, he said, "Oh I know where that is. Botswana has a companion relationship with a diocese in your state.
At each place we stopped, by the trees in front of the Parliament building, at the Botswana Defense Club, on the road to Mochudi, Mma Ramotswe's ancestral home, or by the railroad tracks where her mother died, Joe would read an excerpt from the series in his beautifully accented English. We also stopped at the set of the television series filmed in 2007, now surrounded by a chainlink fence with guard, the trees growing in around the little detective agency at the foot of Kgali Hill. We also visited the Mokolodi Nature Reserve, featured in the book "Blue Shoes and Happiness," for a game drive, giraffe tracking , and picnic lunch under the trees. We also got to pat the two tame cheetahs that had been orphaned as babies.
On the taxi radio, our last day in Botswana, "Country Roads," "take me home; to the place I belong. . .," our feelings were bittersweet. It was difficult to leave behind the places and people that we had come to know. Our first days back in the USA, an adrenalin rush of trip experiences shared with family and friends. My advice to you is simple; go and do what you dream.
For more information about Cecilia's project to help remote area dwellers and women in Botswana!
Womens Work Botswana
©2006-2010 African Excusions All rights reserved


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Nakheel Hotels plans to launch shareholding fund
Criselda E. Diala
Dubai-based hospitality management firm Nakheel Hotels has no immediate plans to go public but it may eventually consider establishing a shareholding fund from its collective assets, a senior executive said.
"In terms of an IPO, there is nothing planned at the moment. What we're likely to do is to bundle up our investments and create a shareholding fund, such as a real estate investment trust (Reit), which we will manage," Joe Sita, Chief Executive of Nakheel Hotels (pictured above), told Emirates Business in a telephone interview today.
A Reit is a trust fund that is used to own and manage a real estate portfolio and can be listed on bourses.
Sita's statement came a few days after Nakheel announced it will raise a Dh2.8 billion Reit. The chief executive did not provide a timetable or details about Nakheel Hotels' Reit plan.
Nakheel Hotels, which was formed by its parent company Dubai World in November 2007 by merging the investment and management firm Istithmar Hotels with property developer Nakheel, has a portfolio of global luxury properties worth more than $3 billion (Dh11bn).
Sita said the company is continuously eyeing the acquisition and management of luxury hotel properties across the world. "With our partner Kerzner International, we're trying to get a significant stake in high-end resorts in Asia, Africa and North America in the next few months. We're anticipating a number of projects this year," he said.
"North America is still the biggest consumer market in the world. As a long-term investment option, you can't ignore it," he said. Nakheel Hotels has four properties in North America. Sita said the firm is expecting an estimated $300 million to $350m annual revenue from the region.
The company's projects include The Trump International Hotel and Tower, which is under development on The Palm Jumeirah, while the group has acquired several luxury hotels in the US, including Mandarin Oriental, W Union Square and Hotel Washington.
QE2 Enterprises, which has acquired the QE2, is also part of Nakheel Hotels.


Rachel Ashwell is an author, designer, and entrepreneur woman who has great many inspirations about home decoration. She founded the shabby chic brand in 1989 with her kids. She decorate her home uniquely and feminine. She has many antique things that she sold via internet or online. For example, she sold unique pillow, antique chairs, bed, lounge, hand kit, wallet, and many other things. We can follow her as the example when we want to decorate our home. She is one of many well inspiration, we can get many ideas how to design and decorate our home or our room uniquely or femininely from her inspiration.
Into the bargain, we can consider Rachel Ashwell shabby chic furniture. It's furniture which has an antique look but also a soft feminine charm. For example, we can put a big classic mirror (buffet mirror) in our living room, as always, many people loved to check their appearance before meet and circulate. The other attractive thing is Prairie Mug and Tea Pot. We can use it to serve tea or other drinks to our guests. Rachel Ashwell has much furniture which we can use to decorate our house, create a unique decoration, and overawing our guests. It's some particular piece of house decoration.
Is it interesting information about our home furniture? We can shop those furniture via internet or online at Rachel Ashwell's online shop. It is http://rachelashwellshabbychiccouture.com. There are many interesting things that we can find in Rachel Ashwell's online shop. Moreover, we can get those fantastic things easily, with the low prices. So, do not overlook this change to shop many things to decorate our home nicely. But, be wise when choosing the things, suit them with your home atmosphere and do not spend too much money to buy unimportant things.
Posted by Cons at Monday, June 11, 2012 09:51:03 AM. Category: Furniture.
This The Fantastic Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Furniture is being categorized within art and craft concept plus different design niche and choosing furniture area also design matter also drinking glass area of interest .


Scottish Country 'Dancing' (Ceilidh) Lessons Week 3.
You must be a member of the Edinburgh City Trotters Group to attend this activity. Would you like to join this group?
There will be 3 × 2 hour sessions on the nights of Monday Sept 3rd, 10th and 17th by which time we are confident that all attendees will have managed to learn 7 of the main and most popular reels that are danced at ceilidhs, highland balls, etc. The 4th Monday (24th) will then be an InterNations "aye-pad Ceilidh" and you will dance all of the 7 reels.
Dress code: casual and whatever is comfortable for dancing, I recommend taking water and a hand towel.


All interpreters are entitled to good training and that all interpreting clients are entitled to trained interpreters. I also believe that interpreting should be properly paid. Interpreting is a profession and should be treated as such.


LoanStar is attending and exhibiting at ICBA Live in San Antonio From March 15 through to March 18th. If you are attending, please visit us on the expo floor to see the latest evolution of the MerchantLinQ toolset!
LoanStar Technologies is a proud Corporate Associate member of the Independent Community Bankers of America.


The US ambassador to Poland has said Israel should apologise to the country for remarks suggesting anti-semitism was ingrained in Polish society.
Georgette Mosbacher said that Israeli Acting Foreign Minister Israel Katz's comments on Monday had hurt diplomacy between the two countries, leading as they did to the cancellation of a planned summit in Israel.
"I just felt that two strong allies like Israel and Poland, of course they are strong allies of the United States, shouldn't be using that kind of rhetoric," Mosbacher told reporters.
"We are too important to each other not to work these things out."
On Sunday, Katz, who had been appointed by Netanyahu on the same day, said in an interview with Israel's i24 News: "I am the son of Holocaust survivors, we will never forgive and never forget, and there were many Poles who collaborated with the Nazis."
He went on to quote late prime minister Yitzhak Shamir, saying: "Shamir said that every Pole suckled anti-semitism with his mother's milk.
"Nobody will tell us how to express our stance and how to honour the dead."
Katz, whose remarks led to Poland summoning Israel's ambassador Anna Azari, then told Israel's Army Radio on Monday that he was in favour of maintaining relations with Poland, but repeated his earlier opinions.
"Historical truth cannot be changed. Many Poles collaborated with the Nazis and took part in the destruction of the Jews during the Holocaust... Anti-semitism was innate among the Poles before the Holocaust, during it and after it, too," he said.
Following the remarks, Poland announced its withdrawal from the Visegrad summit between the leaders of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Shortly after, the summit was cancelled altogether.
"It is really astonishing that the newly appointed foreign minister of Israel quotes such a shameful and racist remark. Utterly unacceptable," Marek Magierowski, Poland's ambassador to Israel, tweeted, following Katz's comments.
Israel and the Czech Republic said on Monday that though the summit was cancelled, they will hold bilateral meetings this week alongside Hungary and Slovakia.
The dispute dented Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attempts to forge deeper links with all four countries as part of his strategy to build alliances with governments that strongly back Israel within the European Union.
Netanyahu frequently lashes out at what he calls the EU's "hypocritical and hostile attitude", referring to the bloc's criticism of Israel's treatment of the Palestinians.
The fresh controversy in Polish-Israeli ties follows a row last year over a Polish law that made it illegal to accuse the Polish nation or state of complicity in Nazi German crimes.
Netanyahu then agreed to drop the issue, sparking criticism at home - including from Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial and research centre.
Netanyahu's relations with leaders such as Hungary's Viktor Orban has also drawn criticism.
Orban's visit to Israel in July provoked concern because of allegations he has stoked anti-semitism in Hungary with nationalist rhetoric and a campaign against US Jewish billionaire philanthropist George Soros.
But Netanyahu has highlighted Hungary's pledged support for Israel, and both men have been at odds with the EU establishment.
When attending a Visegrad group summit in Hungary in 2017, Netanyahu was overheard, in closed-door remarks picked up by a microphone, denouncing EU demands of Israel as "absolutely crazy".


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Wild Salute
Today on Memorial Day, we remember, thank, and honor all of the men, women, and military working dogs who lost their lives in service to our country.
Wolf Statue for Sale to Support Wolf Recovery
On their way to meet Ambassador wolves Zephyr, Alawa, and Nikai, most visitors to the Wolf Conservation Center walk by a beautiful bronze statue depicting a gray wolf and a dog looking at each other. Artist Colleen Rudolf created "Encounter" to express the themes of nonverbal communication and how humans (and dogs) relate to their…
Eight Endangered Mexican Gray Wolves Found Dead in Opening Months of 2021
The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) announced in the Mexican Wolf Recovery Program Quarterly Update that eight endangered Mexican gray wolves were found dead in Arizona and New Mexico in the first quarter of 2021. The incidents are under investigation. One of the wolves, the breeding male of the Elk Horn pack, died after…
Scientists Urge Biden Administration to Restore Gray Wolf Protections
115 scientists, with expertise in wolf ecology, population dynamics, and genetics, authored a letter urging Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to restore gray wolf protections. In one of its final acts, the Trump Administration announced its decision to remove the gray wolf from the federal endangered species…
Historic Release Of Eight Endangered American Red Wolves
History was made on April 30 and May 1, 2021 when four American red wolves (Canis rufus) from the Endangered Wolf Center, Wolf Conservation Center and Wolf Haven International were released in a protected refuge of North Carolina, and four American red wolf pups from the Akron Zoo were fostered to a red wolf female…
Wishing red wolf Charlotte and all the mothers out there a wonderful Mother's Day!
Last-Minute Gift: Sponsor an Endangered Wolf Mom for Mother's Day
Wolves are essential. Moms are too. It's the season of recognizing mothers for their strength, dedication, and love! Need a last-minute meaningful gift? Sponsor one of the Wolf Conservation Center's critically endangered wolf moms to show your appreciation for the strong, fierce women in your life! Choose from four moms – Charlotte, Belle, Rosa, Trumpet…
Wolves Need Federal Protections Now
Within weeks of the Trump delisting rule taking effect, Wisconsin slaughtered hundreds of wolves – Idaho and Montana began taking steps to kill even more. In one of its final acts, the Trump Administration announced its decision to remove the gray wolf from the federal endangered species list, ending longstanding federal safeguards for wolves across…
Who Really Pays for Wildlife Conservation in the United States?
A common myth is that hunters are the primary funding source for wildlife conservation efforts in the United States, thanks to hunting license fees, excise taxes, and more. This misconception has resulted in hunting groups receiving far too much influence over wildlife policies, especially in states where hunting of "game" species and "non-game" species is…
Mexican Gray Wolf Trumpet Turns Five, Red Wolf Jack Fourteen
Spring is the season of rebirth and renewal, but for wolves it's also the season of birthdays! Happy 5th Birthday to Mexican Gray Wolf Trumpet! Trumpet (F1505) has always been a trailblazing wolf. Named so for her eruptive squeaks and howls as a newborn pup, she was the sole pup born to Diego (M1059) and…


Getting real for the day | Are You Real?
Good point. I think of this often. I've wondered why it seems so much easier for people (myself included) to be nice to a stranger during a 2 minute interaction than to the ones we dearly love. So how much of our "sweetness" is just a fake facade in the midst of an internal storm. How real are we? The more time I've spent reflecting on this- the deeper it goes into the soul and the genuine love and respect our families deserve.
I am guilty as charged and I may be the worst offender of all! It shouldn't be easier to be short to the ones we are closest to, but I find myself doing exactly this. Maybe it's because we know them so well and know they will love us regardless so we let that guard of nice down because we know we will be forgiven. Or are we trying to impress everyone else as to not be judged. I'll dig into this. Thank you for bringing it up. I'm curious as to what others think as well.
No more excuses from me. I'm going to change this and be the best and most patient with those the closest to me.
Years ago I found myself being that way but, I figured it out 🤔thanks to my wife.


Dr. Reagan: I would say that the most unique aspect of you book, 12 Faith Journeys of the Minor Prophets, is the way you introduce each of these prophets. I have read probably every book ever written about the Minor Prophets, and this aspect was the thing that immediately grabbed my attention when I started reading it. I've never seen anything like it. Nathan, explain how you and your co-author introduced these prophets.
Now what that means is that the biblical prophets, both major and minor, had major stories happening in their lives. They suffered for their faith, and they grew in their faith through those sufferings. But, like I said in an earlier segment, the books of the Minor Prophets don't always come with a story. Hosea came with a story. So, too, Jonah came with a story. But Habakkuk? Zephaniah? Not quite so much.
So, what Steve Howell and I did is dedicate two or three pages to introduce each chapter based on what we had learned from the Minor Prophet. There's hints about their personalities and deeds they did in each book. So, we wrote historical fiction stories to introduce each of the Minor Prophets. We did this in order to give them some kind of grounding in what their life story was all about, what faith challenge they were about to embark on, who they were as people, and give a taste of their time period. We wrote these intro stories before getting into the facts about their ministry and messages.
Dr. Reagan: These stories that you put together, which as you said they are historical fiction, are really based on the era in which the Minor Prophets were living and events they experienced. Your stories really brought these guys to life! They also give the reader a really good feel for these men before getting down into what they actually wrote.
Dr. Reagan: Well, the stories are very creative and very imaginative, but also not off the wall. As I read them I thought these stories really could have happened to those guys. And, this is probably what did happen to them.
Nathan Jones: The author of Hebrews, being the Holy Spirit, knew what happened to these prophets. Their messages weren't well received. Other than Zechariah, the prophets were not well received by the people.
Dr. Reagan: Prophets never are well received, even today.
Nathan Jones: No, and the prophets were persecuted terribly for sharing God's messages. There's something to be learned from that.
Dr. Reagan: Well, you certainly provided all of those in each of the chapters.
Nathan Jones: We tried to be a one-stop shop for all the different types of learning styles.
In the sixth and last segment of our look at why the Minor Prophets are relevant to us today, Nathan shows how many of the teachings of the Minor Prophets ended up in the New Testament.


Shannon McEvoy in action at High Point Regional HS in 2007. She is nominated for outstanding performances in track and field and in soccer.
SUSSEX COUNTY — The Sussex County Sports Hall of Fame honors those deserving athletes, coaches and sports benefactors each year with induction into the Hall. This year's ballots are due by August 24th, and there is a list of very deserving candidates.
This year's candidates are: Connor Fox, Kevin Pokrywa, Ryan Olsen, Joe Pilewski, Shannon McEvoy and Alexis Johnson. You must be a member of the Sussex County Sports Hall of Fame to vote.
Fox is a 1998 graduate of Pope John XXIII High School. He graduated from Rutgers University with honors in 2002. Fox is nominated for his accomplishments in high school in cross-country, basketball, and track; and at Rutgers for basketball. At Pope John, Fox was a four year varsity starter in cross country and the only runner to finish in the top ten at the Sussex County Championships four years in a row, All Area first three times, and captain twice. In basketball, he was a three-year starter, two time leading scorer, and All West Jersey first team twice, and West Jersey Player of the Year as a senior. In track, Fox was a four-year varsity athlete. He was one of the few Sussex County athletes to compete in the prestigious New Jersey Meet of Champions in two separate events, the high jump and the 400-meter, in different years. He was twice captain, twice leading scorer, and twice MVP. At time of graduation, he was number one or number three in seven different events.
At Rutgers, Fox was a four time scholarship letter winner, the only Pope John basketball player to play in the Big East Tournament besides Troy Murphy of Sparta, and was on three Rutgers NIT teams. Fox is part of an accomplished Sussex County sports family. His brother, Jamie, and sister, Bridget, were both 1,000 point scorers at Pope John, and his sister, Erin, was the scholar-athlete at Morris County College. He currently is a resident of Rutherford, where he lives with his wife, Christina, and daughter Dylan, and works in Manhattan.
Pokrywa is a 2001 graduate of Newton High School, and a 2005 graduate from Villanova University, where he earned his bachelor's degrees in History and Business, and attended Western Carolina University where he earned his Master's Degree in Construction Management. He competed in football, basketball, and baseball at Newton High School, and football at Villanova. As a junior, Pokrywa led the Newton High School basketball team in scoring, averaging 15 points per game and earning second team All League and all-area selections. As a senior, Pokrywa averaged 20 points per game leading Newton to a 21-5 record, Sussex County Interscholastic League (SCIL) tournament championship, and runners up in Group II Section 1. In the state playoffs, Pokrywa averaged 24 points per game with a game high 27 points in the Group II Section 1 Finals against Linden. Pokrywa earned numerous awards during his senior year including First Team all-league, First Team all-area, First Team all-West Jersey, and Second Team all-state Group II. Pokrywa earned all-tournament team honors as a Junior and Senior at the Randolph Holiday Tournament, and at the SCIL Festival Tournament. Pokrywa was team captain and team MVP during his Junior and Senior seasons and was selected to the Morris/Sussex Senior All-Star game where he led the Sussex County team in scoring.
On the baseball field, Pokrywa played varsity for three years playing both outfield and first base. The team reached the state playoffs all three years. During his senior season, Pokrywa helped lead the Braves to the SCIL team title, sectional title, a 19-0 start where the team was ranked #1 in the State and advance to the state finals. Pokrywa earned all-league and all-area selections. Pokrywa currently resides in Carlsbad, California with his wife, Katie, and six-month-old son, Chase. He works as a Project Director for Kitchell CEM.
Pilewski is a 2002 graduate of Pope John High School and a 2006 graduate of Marist College. He is being nominated for his accomplishments in swimming in both high school and college. At Pope John, he still holds three individual team records out of the eight individual events. Those team records include the 200 individual medley (1:58.52), the 100 butterfly (:52.97) and the 100 breaststroke (1:02.62). As a senior, in 2002 at the Sussex County High School Swimming Championships, he won the 00 individual medley setting the meet record with a time of 1:58.95 and also won the 100 butterfly in 59.24. In his freshman, sophomore and junior years, he never finish lower than third at the County Meet in his six individual events taking four silvers and two bronze medals in those years. At the New Jersey High School Meet of Champions in 2002, he was third in the 100 yard butterfly. He is generally regarded as the best male swimmer in Pope John history going back to 1981.
At Marist College, Pilewski was the ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) Champion in the 200 individual medley (1:52.13) and 100 breaststroke (:56.97) in 2006. That same year he was the MAAC (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) Champion in the 100 breaststroke (:57.68). He is fourth on the Marist College All Time Top Times list in the 100 breaststroke (:56.97) and third on the list in the 200 individual medley (1:52.13). After College, Pilewski coached the swim team at the Randolph (West Morris) YMCA from 2006-2011. He occasionally participated in swim meets with his swimmers in open events. He is currently Director of Product Development for Nutri-Force Nutrition, and he lives in South Miami, Florida. Pilewski and his wife, Alicia, had their first child, Ivette Janet, on August 17, 2017.
McEvoy is a 2007 graduate of High Point Regional High School. She is nominated for her accomplishments as an athlete in two sports: track and soccer. She holds the record at High Point for her triple jump set in 2007 (35'7"), shares the 3 x 400 record from 2005, SCIL record in 100 HH in 2007 and Team Triple Jump and Team Long Jump record holder for High Point and the SCIL. McEvoy was an integral member of the 2004 soccer team as SCIL Champions (the first in HPRHS History). Shannon continued her athletic accomplishments at Moravian College as the 2010 Captain of the Soccer Team, playing NCAA Division III National Championship and ECAC Division III Post season. On to track; McEvoy ualified for ECAC Division III Championship meet in 2008, 2009 & 2011 both indoor and outdoor. She continues coaching, life-guarding, teaching swim, and is the adviser for a Boys Running Club all while teaching Kindergarten. McEvoy finds the time to run, hike, bike, snowboard and play soccer.
Olsen was a 2004 graduate of Vernon High School. He lived in Sussex County from 1986 until his passing in 2008. He is nominated for his accomplishments on the Vernon High School swim team from 2000-2004. He is nominated by Bob Trenz, his four-year swim coach.
Johnson is a 2001 graduate of Newton High School. She competed in both field hockey and basketball, earning numerous awards throughout her high school career. In 1998, her sophomore year, she was selected to First Team all SCIL league and Second Team all-area. She led the team in scoring and finished second in the SCIL scoring charts. In 1999, her junior year, she was selected Second Team all-state, First Team all-area, First Team North Jersey and West Jersey and First Team offense group II.
Johnson set the new single season scoring record with 64 points and was selected as Star Ledger 'forward of the year' and led both Morris and Sussex County in scoring with 27 goals and 10 assists. Johnson was selected Channel 8 Sports Player of the Year, and she also participated in many indoor hockey leagues and participated in the 1999 National Hockey Festival in West Palm Beach, Florida. In 2000, her senior year, she was selected First Team all-state, First Team all-area, First Team North Jersey, First Team West Jersey and First Team all SCIL.. Johnson was known for scoring goals, setting the SCIL scoring record with 34 goals and 15 assists for 83 points. She was ranked Third in state for scoring during her senior year.
Johnson was also the point guard for the varsity girls' basketball team for four years. Her junior and senior year awards included; First Team all-area, First Team all SCIL and she was a co-captain. In the fall of 2001, Johnson received a scholarship to play division one field hockey at the University at Albany. She started almost every game throughout her career and led the team in scoring. In 2003, she was selected America East Second Team all-conference. She participated in the America East conference tournament in 2004 and was a co-captain her junior and senior year. She was also nominated the University of Albany 2005 Chancellors Scholar-Athlete. Johnson currently lives in Bradenton, Florida with her husband Seamus and two sons Grady (5) and Ryland (3). She works as a deputy for the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.
The annual induction banquet will be held Saturday, November 10 at the Lake Mohawk Country Club, on the Boardwalk. Hold your seat for the banquet or direct any questions to: Catherine Stone (973) 534-2114 or Maryann Roe (973) 383-4230 or contact: scshof@gmail.com No seating will be available at the door. Reservations will be accepted until October 28 . The cost per person is $60.
To become a member of the Sussex County Sports Hall of Fame, contact Catherine Stone at (973) 534-2114. Annual dues are $25 and membership entitles you to nominate deserving athletes, coaches, sports benefactors, vote for your choices for annual induction, pride in the museum located in the Cochran Building and support the Scholar/Athlete program for local High School athletes. You must be 18 to join.


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Latest Law Amendments Include A Clamp Down On Play Acting
Home|International|Internationals|Latest Law Amendments Include A Clamp Down On Play Acting
World Rugby have today confirmed their determination to stamp out playacting in the global game after the summer Tests.
In a series of minor law changes that will come into effect on July 1, 'Play acting or "simulation" is specifically outlawed in the game in a move that formalises resistance to a practice that has been creeping into the game in recent years. Any player who dives or feigns injury in an effort to influence the match officials will be liable for sanction.'
A number of minor law amendments, approved and announced in September 2015, come into effect involving northern hemisphere sides on July 1 having already been implemented in the southern hemisphere since the start of the year and will apply to the upcoming June internationals.
The main amendments are:
1) The replacement of a player injured following foul play does not count as one of the allotted number of replacements available to that team.
2) Advantage may be played following a scrum collapse if there is no risk to player safety.
3) Play acting or "simulation" is specifically outlawed in the game in a move that formalises resistance to a practice that has been creeping into the game in recent years. Any player who dives or feigns injury in an effort to influence the match officials will be liable for sanction.
4) Teams must be ready to form a scrum within 30 seconds of the scrum being awarded, unless the referee stops the clock for an injury or another stoppage.
5) At a re-set scrum following a 90-degree wheel, the ball is thrown in by the team that previously threw it in rather than the team not in possession.
6) The scrum-half of the team not in possession at a scrum may not move into the space between the flanker and number eight.
7) When the ball has been at the number eight's feet in a stationary scrum for 3-5 seconds, the referee will call "use it" and the attacking team must use the ball immediately.
Read more on Wales Online.
By In The Loose Team|2016-06-01T19:35:01+00:00June 1st, 2016|
About the Author: In The Loose Team
Folau ups compensation demands as wheels appear to be falling off Rugby Australia
South Africa's World Cup win makes the 2021 Lions tour all the more exciting, asserts Gatland
Victory against France tops off whirlwind week for Emily Scarratt


We accept Magellan, Medicaid (Cardinal Innovations), MedCost, BCBS (All but HMO plans), Tricare, ATENA, Compsych, and self-pay clients only. If you have another private insurance, you can pay out of pocket and get reimbursed by your insurance.
Keys to Recovery Counseling Services, PLLC is looking to partner with agencies in the Louisburg area.
Keys to Recovery Counseling Services, PLLC, offers limited services in the Alliance Behavioral Health catchment area.
We are accepting new patients at our new locations, in Louisburg, NC.
Keys to Recovery Counseling Services, PLLC is closed on 7/4/2018.
Copyright 2015 © Keys to Recovery Counseling Services, PLLC. All rights reserved.


When does the Talent Program start?
A new group starts every year in January, but you start working in your job as soon as you have been hired for it. For example, you can be hired as Leveraged Finance analyst on the 1st of July 2018 and you will start the development with other analysts from other teams in the bank from January 2019. This development program lasts 1 year.
How long does the Talent Program last?
1 year, but if you are invited to join the program then it means you have received a contract for a specific job for an indefinite period.
Are there rotations in the program?
At NIBC we don't offer a program with mandatory rotations. The advantage is that it enables you to consciously choose a team that matches your talents, personality and ambitions and develop yourself into a specialist.
Which hard criteria are there to be selected for the Talent Program?
You need to be hired for a specific vacancy that gives you access to the Talent Program. The vacancies that mention "Talent Program" in their title could give you access to this program! If this is not mentioned you probably will not be able to participate in the program.
You need to speak the languages that are required for the vacancy you are applying for. Most vacancies in the Netherlands require a proficiency in the Dutch language.
You can apply through our website by clicking on the vacancy you are interested in.
Upload your CV, motivation letter and grade lists. Otherwise we cannot take your application into consideration.
If you don't find a suitable vacancy please check our website again in the near future for possibilities. If you are looking for an internship, it is also possible to send an open application through our website and mention your possible start-date, the length of the internship you are looking for (minimum 3 months and maximum 6 months) and send your CV, grade lists and a motivation in which you write which team(s) you prefer.
How long does it take to receive a reply on my application?
After receiving your application, we will give you a response in 2 weeks.
What does the recruitment procedure usually look like for the Talent Program?
If your CV, motivation and assessment is reviewed by both HR and the team with a positive outcome, you will receive a telephone call to schedule a round of interviews.
Round 2: 2-3 interviews of one hour each on one day with professionals from the team your applying for.
Round 3: final round of interviews. Again 2-3 interviews of one hour each with professionals from the team and our recruiter from Human Recourses.
I am looking for an internship, what are the possibilities?
You can find our internships on our career website.
What is the period of time for an internship?
Minimum of 3 months and maximum of 6 months.
Can I write my thesis at NIBC?
What does the recruitment procedure typically looks like for an internship?
Round 2: Two interviews of 45 minutes each on one day with professionals from the team your applying for.


text:
Is Netflix Dominating Brazil
Article Author: Murillo Dias and Rodrigo Navarro
This article investigates the challenges that Netflix faced while consolidating its strategic operations in the Brazilian streaming video content market (Over-the-Top – OTT). North American entertainment company, Netflix was founded in 1997 in Scotts Valley, California, to initially provide DVD sales and rental by mail. In 2007, after delivering its billionth DVD, Netflix changed its business model, and introduced video on demand via streaming on the Internet. In 2011, one year after its first attempt at international expansion, Netflix entered the Brazilian market, offering streaming video content. On December 2017, Netflix had approximately 110 million subscribers worldwide (six million in Brazil), available in 190 countries. Despite its remarkable business performance, Brazilian Netflix operation faces several pitfalls and challenges. In recession since 2015, Brazil is experiencing a turbulent and unprecedented economic crisis due to the downfall in domestic consumption and decline in investment, followed by governmental corruption scandals and one presidential impeachment. Contrary to expectations, Netflix is doing quite well, even facing strong local competition from Pay-Tv providers, in a newly regulatory environment, yet to be fully developed. Also, Netflix is being accused of tax evasion and unfair competition in the country. Findings suggest that the Brazilian OTT market should be further regulated in the near future, and players must be strategically ready for this scenario.
Keywords: Brazilian OTT Market, Netflix, Streaming Video
Article Review Status: Published
Pages: 19-32 (Download PDF)
This work by European American Journals is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License
2017 Best Publication Award released
2015 Best Paper Award Announced
2000 Pounds research grant awareded for the 2013 best theoretical paper


I am getting to work on a base set of webhook specification for my human services data API work, and I wanted to take a fresh drive through a handful of the leading APIs I'm tracking on. I'm needing to make some recommendations regarding how human services data APIs should be pushing information via APIs, as we as providing APIs. Webhooks are fascinating to me because they really are just APIs in reverse. Webhooks are just an API request, where the target URL is a variable, allowing an API call to be made from a platform, to any target URL, on an triggering events, or on a schedule as a job.
Object - The object in which an event is occurring. For this project it is organizations, locations, services, contacts, and potentially other elements of API operations.
Events - This is a list of events that can occur against all the objects that will trigger the execution of a webhook.
Target - The URL of the webhook. This is the variable of the outgoing API call, allowing them to be defined by API consumers, nd executed by the API provider.
Fat - The webhook will carry a payload, submitting a predefined schema, usually of the associated object to the target.
Ping - The webhook does not carry a payload, simply pinging the target of a webhook, letting API consumers know an even has occurred.
Status - The ability to identify the status of a webhook.
Errors - The errors that should be returned as part of webhook execution, and shared as it's status.
Retries - Allowing for webhook execution to be replayed, executing a specific event that occurred in the past.
Signatures - Allowing for the signature of each webhook request to be verified for security and integrity purposes.
Test - Enable API cnosumers to test a webhook and see if it will work, sending over real or sample data.
History - Providing a complete history of webhook execution for API consumers to search, browse, and review.
The external focus, and their event based nature are the most notable characteristics of a webhook, but it is the transactional nature of their supporting systems that seem to make them such a utility that can help alleviate the load on APIs. There are a number of other characteristics of webhooks, but this gets at the core of what they do, and provide me with what I need to move my human services API conversations forward. I'm looking to have a handful of examples of webhook implementations for well-known API platforms to share with folks, and begin setting the stage for an initial API design and definition for a human services webhook implementation, based upon common practices already in use.
I find webhooks interesting because are not a standard, and there really aren't much in the way of best practices. Just some common examples of how they are used by existing API providers. Webhooks are just APIs. It is just the target URL that is variable, and the objects and events that can be unique to each API platform. In human services implementations I don't just see webhooks as being about making API calls to other applications. I see webhooks as something that can satisfy pushing of data between many different API implementations, beginning to set the stage for interoperability between hundreds or even thousands of human service providers, pushing and pulling data as needed, and prescribed by each API provider. Allowing human service providers to speak a common language and seamlessly share information across a variety of partnerships. Getting closer to Greg Bloom's vision, the creator of Open Referral, and the person behind the Human Services Data Specification (HSDS), for how all of this should be working.


Stuart, H. July 8, 1843.
Stuart, H. The Civilian and Galveston City Gazette. (Galveston, Tex.), Ed. 1 Saturday, July 8, 1843, newspaper, July 8, 1843; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth177260/: accessed April 21, 2019), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.


text:
Aces Collection
Autographed Propellers
Aviation Prints
Gathering of Eagles
Home Products To Fly and Fight: Memoirs of a Triple Ace
To Fly and Fight: Memoirs of a Triple Ace
1A-TFF
"To Fly and Fight" Memoirs of a Triple Ace Bud Anderson is a flyer's flyer. The Californian's enduring love of flying began in the 1920s with the planes that flew over his father's farm. In January 1942, he entered the Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Program. Later, after he received his wings and flew P-39s, he was chosen as one of the original flight leaders of the new 357th Fighter Group. Equipped with the new and deadly P-51 Mustang, the group shot down five aircraft for each one it lost while escorting bombers to targets deep inside Germany. But the price was high. Half of its pilots were killed or imprisoned, including some of Bud's closest friends. In February 1944, Bud Anderson entered the uncertain, exhilarating and deadly world of aerial combat. He flew two tours of combat against the Luftwaffe in less than a year. In battles sometimes involving hundreds of planes, he ranked among the group's leading aces with 16 ¼ aerial victories.He flew 116 missions in his "Old Crow" without ever being hit by enemy aircraft or turning back for any reason, despite one life or death confrontation after another. A well known 357th Ace, who flew with Anderson in the 357th says, "In an airplane, the guy was a mongoose...the best fighter pilot I ever saw." Bud's years as a test pilot were at least as risky. In one bizarre experiment, he repeatedly linked up in midair with B-29 bomber, wingtip to wingtip. In other tests he flew a jet fighter that was launched and retrieved from a giant B-36 bomber. As in combat, he lost many friends flying tests such as these. Bud commanded a squadron of F-86 jet fighters in post-Korea, and a wing of F-105s on Okinawa during the mid-1960s. In 1970 – at age 48 – he flew combat strikes as a wing commander against Communist supply lines. "To Fly and Fight" is about flying, plain and simple: the joys and dangers and the very special skills it demands. Touching, thoughtful, and dead honest, it is the story of a boy who grew up living his dream. Autographed by C.E. "Bud" Anderson
Collections: Aces Collection, Autographed Books, Aviation Books, C.E. "Bud" Anderson, Special Items
Category: ace, Aces Collection, Aces Collection: C.E. "Bud" Anderson, Autographed, Aviation Books, Aviation Books: Autographed Books, Bud Anderson, Fighter pilot, Limited Edition, P-51, Special Items, WWII
Type: Aviation Books
Doolittle Raiders Print Pay Back Time $200.00
Doolittle Raiders Print Pay Back Time
Artist Jay Ashurst has created an authentic print of the lead aircraft that took part in the first bombing of Japan in World War II....
Warbirds in Review 2017 Program $15.00
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If you missed EAA AirVenture 2017 and the Warbirds in Review presentations or just didn't get a chance to purchase the unique Warbirds in Review...
To Fly and Fight: Memoirs of a Triple Ace (Leather Edition) $145.00
To Fly and Fight: Memoirs of a Triple Ace (Leather Edition)
Description: The flying life of a real American Hero. C.E. "Bud" Anderson tells his story in terms that every reader will thoroughly enjoy. Fly along...
Aviation Autographs is the premier collection of items autographed by some of Aviation's legendary aviators includes personal memoirs, definitive histories and compelling stories along with limited edition prints and the famed Gathering of Eagles Collection.
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