text:
BACK TO THE BEEHIVE
Last night, at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Ronnie Spector performed her career retrospective, a live musical documentary, Behind The Beehive.
As recounted by Ronnie, when The Ronettes teamed up with Phil Spector, and in the early 1960s, they had huge hits with "Be My Baby", "Baby, I Love You", "The Best Part of Breakin' Up, "Do I Love You?" and "Walking in the Rain."
Heck, when they toured England in 1964, The Rolling Stones were THEIR opening act!
They partied with the Beatles, and Ronnie maintained a friendship with John and George for many years.
As their success faded, and Ronnie's relationship with Phil Spector turned romantic, Spector's jealousy grew. After they married, Spector's paranoid manifested in a threatening control of Ronnie's life– she wasn't allowed off their heavily guarded property with shoes, for example.
Ronnie started drinking. She recounted that the only way Phil would let her leave the mansion was for alcohol rehab. ("I loved rehab! It was like breaking free.") So she found that by continuing to drink, she would get out of the house for extended periods of time. But Phil's dark side finally prompted Ronnie to literally flee the house without shoes.
Ronnie spoke of her subsequent successes – recording with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, Southside Johnny and Eddie Money a healthy and stable second marriage – as triumphs over that relationship.
Because the spectre of Spector still looms over the Ronettes catalog-Spector refused from prison to grant permission for the use of their biggest hits in the production, songs like "Be My Baby," "Baby I Love You" and "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" were not included in the production. Ronnie's limited access to her hits didn't prevent her from bringing out a lot of audience favorites that she performed in between her narrative.
She sang "Time Is on My Side" after recounting the Ronettes' road adventures with the Rolling Stones. (Spector does a very good Keith Richards imitation.) After that came the Beach Boys' "Don't Worry Baby," which Brian Wilson wrote as a follow-up to "Be My Baby;" and, keyed to her finally leaving Phil's mansion, barefoot, Billy Joel's "Say Goodbye to Hollywood," which Spector recorded as an E Street Band-backed single in 1977.
After a brief intermission, Ronnie performed a brief concert set, and treated the crowd to "Be My Baby" and Baby I Love You" as part of that set.
Ronnie was amazing-I do not know if she is, in fact, a grandmother, but there were times during the narrative where that's how she came off.
While singing some of the earlier material, she still seemed like a shy teenager (albeit a sexy shy teenager), and on a few number she simply radiated sexiness.
Her voice has lost a little range with the years, but the big, yearning tone behind all those "whoa-whoa-whoa" sobs was still in good shape
"Phil Spector wanted to erase me from the public consciousness," the producer's ex-wife, Ronnie Spector, said with righteous indignation.
I am glad he did not succeed.
She was funny and engaging while telling her stories, and captivating to watch sing. If the show comes to your town, I'd recommend it.
Ronnie's web site offers some of her more recent recorded work, and you can still see some of the earlier albums on Amazon and eBay.
BE MY BABY
SAY GOODBYE TO HOLLYWOOD
LOVE ON A ROOFTOP
BEST PART OF BREAKIN' UP
DON'T WORRY BABY
A FINAL WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
(post was delayed to give readers a chance to find the Bromberg CD review, so this may not be news anymore...)
Lou Reed died Monday in Southampton, N.Y. of an ailment related to his recent liver transplant, according to his literary agent, Andrew Wylie, who added that Reed had been in frail health for months. Reed shared a home in Southampton with his wife and fellow musician, Laurie Anderson, whom he married in 2008.
Reed never approached the commercial success of such superstars as the Beatles and Bob Dylan, but no songwriter to emerge after Dylan so radically expanded the territory of rock lyrics. Indie rock essentially begins in the 1960s with Reed and the Velvet Undergrounds; the punk, New Wave and alternative rock movements of the 1970s, '80s and '90s were all indebted to Reed, whose songs were covered by R.E.M., Nirvana, Patti Smith and countless others.
"The first Velvet Underground record sold 30,000 copies in the first five years," Brian Eno, who produced albums by Roxy Music and Talking Heads among others, once said. "I think everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band!"
Reed's trademarks were a monotone of surprising emotional range and power; slashing, grinding guitar; and lyrics that were complex, yet conversational, designed to make you feel as if Reed were seated next to you.
Known for his cold stare and gaunt features, he was a cynic and a seeker who seemed to embody downtown Manhattan culture of the 1960s and '70s and was as essential a New York artist as Martin Scorsese or Woody Allen. Reed's New York was a jaded city of drag queens, drug addicts and violence, but it was also as wondrous as any Allen comedy, with so many of Reed's songs explorations of right and wrong and quests for transcendence.
He had one top 20 hit, "Walk On the Wild Side," and many other songs that became standards among his admirers, from "Heroin" and "Sweet Jane" to "Pale Blue Eyes" and "All Tomorrow's Parties."
An outlaw in his early years, Reed would eventually perform at the White House, have his writing published in The New Yorker, be featured by PBS in an "American Masters" documentary and win a Grammy in 1999 for Best Long Form Music Video.
The Velvet Underground was inducted into the Rock and Roll of Fame in 1996 and their landmark debut album, "The Velvet Underground & Nico," was added to the Library of Congress' registry in 2006.
THE RETURN OF THE MAD VIOLIN MAKER
David Bromberg has been around the folk and blues scene since the 1960's, when he played guitar for Jerry Jeff Walker.
He was a staple at the Philly Folk Festival after he started releasing albums of his own, although his first Grammy nomination did not come until 2008. He has also performed and recorded with such names and Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and jerry Garcia.
Bromberg took a sabbatical from the recording biz between 1989 and 2007, and learned the craft of violin making (he has a shop in WIlmington, Delaware).
Luckily, independent Pennsylvania-based label Appleseed Records brought him back to the shelves (or at least to internet sites).
Only Slightly Mad is his third release since his return, following the Grammy-nominated Try Me One More Time and 2011's critically acclaimed Use Me.
Simply put, this may his best album to date, with a brilliant choice of material in a wide variety of styles.
The CD includes more than an hour of top notch performances, and for those with better eyesight than me, song-by-song commentary from David on the CD digipak.
Bromberg takes you from the deep blues of "I'll Take You Back," the old time blues of Keep On Drinkin, to the bluegrass of the Stanley Brothers' "The Fields Have Turned Brown."
The musicianship is top notch, and Larry Campbell's production at Levon Helms' old studio brings out a little bit of everything in a lot of styles-in other words, the same recipe that made his old Fantasy albums so great.
Guest performers include Helms' daughter Amy on background vocals, John Sebastian and John McEuen.
Other albums may have songs that are as good, but every song on this release is great, with my highlight being "I'll Take You Back" with all of its tongue-in-cheek sarcasm.
If this is not his best album, it certainly has to be in the discussion.
A must own for any fan, and a great place to start for someone unfamiliar with his past work.
I'LL TAKE YOU BACK (live)
KEEP ON DRINKIN'
NOBODY'S FAULT BUT MINE
USA AND UK KALEID...UM...COLLIDE
Transatlantic reveal new studio album 'Kaleidoscope' and 2014 World Tour!
Progressive-rock super-group Transatlantic, featuring Pete Trewavas, Mike Portnoy, Neal Morse and Roine Stolt, will release their brand new fourth studio album 'Kaleidoscope' on the 27th January 2014. The track-listing for the forthcoming record is as follows:
1. INTO THE BLUE
3. BLACK AS THE SKY
4. BEYOND THE SUN
5. KALEIDOSCOPE
The band will also embark on a 6-week World Tour that will see them joined once again by Pain of Salvation's Daniel Gildenlöw as a 5th touring member.
As part of the extensive tour, the band will also headline the Progressive Nation At Sea 2014 Cruise from the 18th till the 22nd February alongside 22 other leading Prog acts including Adrian Belew Power Trio, Devin Townsend Project, King's X, Anathema, Spock's Beard and many more.
This unique performance will see the band performing a very special encore of classic Yes material with the legendary Jon Anderson on vocals. You can find more details on PN14 here: http://www.progressivenationatsea.com/
An Evening With Transatlantic 2014 World Tour:
Jan 31st - Los Angeles, CA - El Segundo Performing Arts Center
Feb 1st - San Francisco, CA
Feb 2nd - Seattle, WA
Feb 4th - Chicago, IL - The Arcada Theater
Feb 5th - Quebec City, Canada - Theatre Du Capitole
Feb 6th - Montreal, Canada - L'Olympia
Feb 8th - Philadelphia, PA - Keswick Theater
Feb 9th - New York City, NY - Highline Ballroom
Feb 11th - Mexico City, Mexico - Teatro Metropolitan
Feb 13th - São Paulo, Brazil - Carioca Club
Feb 14th - Buenos Aires, Argentina
Feb 15th - Santiago, Chile
Feb 18th to 22nd - Progressive Nation At Sea
Feb 27th - Madrid, Spain - La Rivera
Feb 28th - Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz 2
March 2nd - Milan, Italy - Alcatraz
March 3rd - Rome, Italy - Orion
March 5th - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
March 6th - Karlsruhe, Germany - Substage
March 7th - Munich, Germany - Muffathalle
March 8th - Berlin, Germany - Astra
March 9th - Cologne, Germany - E Werk
March 11th - Antwerp, Belgium - Trix
March 12th - London, England - The Forum
March 13th - Tilburg, Holland - 013
March 15th - Paris, France - Le Bataclan
June - Sweden Rock Festival
www.facebook.com/transatlanticmusic
www.transatlanticweb.com
www.progressivenationatsea.com
BOTB: CAN WE STILL BE FRIENDS
Here I am for the third time sneaking in the stage door at the Battle Of The Bands blog-hop!
These five bloggers are co-sponsoring a blog event on the first and fifteenth of each month, and I am once again hitching a ride on their parade because I seem to have no original ideas of my own!
Far Away Eyes
Stephen T. McCarthy
Arlee Bird
Robin (Your Daily Dose)
My entry is (go figure) once again a Todd Rundgren song, this time his single, "Can We Still Be Friends," which went all the way up to 29 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song was featured in the movie "Dumb And Dumber," as well as "Vanilla Sky" and the TV show "Nip And Tuck."
It has been covered by Mandy Moore, Vonda Shepherd and Rod Stewart, but Robert Palmer's version, released in 1979, brought the song back to the charts, peaking at number 52.
First, the Todd Rundgren version from the Hermit Of Mink Hollow album:
And next, Robert Palmer's version from the Secrets album
Mandy Moore's version...
...and Vonda Shepherd's...
...and finally, Rod Stewart's
R.I.P. JAN KUEHNEMUND
Vixen founder and lead guitarist Jan Kuehnemund lost her battle with cancer on Thursday, October 10, 2013.
Kuehnemund was known for her guitar playing in the all-female glam rock band Vixen, who achieved success in the late eighties and early nineties. Hailed as the "female Bon Jovi," the band's debut featured two hits, the Richard Marx penned single, "Edge Of A Broken Heart," and "Cryin."
Vixen also raised the question-is it still a "hair band" if it's all women?
Vixen followed up their breakout success with Rev It Up in 1990, which yielded two singles, "Love Is a Killer" and "How Much Love." The album did not have the same impact as the band's debut, however, and they were dropped shortly after.
Vixen disbanded for several years but reformed with various new members until Kuehnemund returned in 2001. The band had a brief reunion of the classic lineup for VH1's Bands Reunited in 2004, but soon went their separate ways.
Rest in peace, Jan!
from Rolling Stone Online
"This beats going to class," Paul McCartney said with a big smile after taking the stage for a surprise performance at a performing arts high school in Astoria, Queens this afternoon. The 400 students packing the Frank Sinatra School for the Arts' auditorium seemed very much to agree.
McCartney and his band played a full set of 13 songs, including three selections from his upcoming album New (due out next week) and plenty of Beatles and Wings classics – performing each one with all the boundless enthusiasm he brought to arenas and stadiums on his Out There world tour this year.
Astoria native Tony Bennett, who founded the school in 2001, was in attendance, as was McCartney's wife, Nancy Shevell, celebrating their second anniversary. (It was a day of many milestones: Today would also have been John Lennon's 73rd birthday.)
The show was filmed by iHeartRadio, and will be streamed on ClearChannel radio stations and online on Yahoo! on Monday, October 14th.
McCartney took the stage shortly after 2:00 P.M., launching directly into "Eight Days A Week" to rapturous applause – never mind that most of the crowd was born 30 years or more after the song's release.
He went on for 90 spirited minutes, with short breaks for questions from his student audience and longtime New York radio DJ Jim Kerr.
As always, McCartney seemed genuinely thrilled to be onstage, buoyed by the crowd's cheers. "I could be home watching the TV now," he said at one point. "I'd rather be here."
He clearly enjoyed bantering back and forth with his new friends during the Q&A sections. "How are you?" asked one high school senior. "Groovy!" McCartney replied.
The kids, aspiring artists themselves, seemed most interested in hearing about McCartney's younger days as a musician. "When we first started out, I was terrified of doing anything wrong on stage," he said after one girl asked for the greatest lesson he learned early on. "But then I learned that people don't mind. They actually kind of like it!"
Later, Kerr asked McCartney, in his sonorous radio voice, "How can one mind create so many memorable melodies?" McCartney paused. "Uh . . ." he began. "I don't know. Thank you for the compliment, but I don't really think about what I do." On reflection, he realized the answer was simple: "I just love what I do."
This much was obvious from watching him onstage. McCartney hopped from his Hofner bass to two acoustic guitars to his psychedelically-painted piano, singing his heart out all the while.
After closing with a heartfelt "Hey Jude" and taking a bow with his band, he seemed almost reluctant to leave the stage.
McCartney flashed a quick peace sign at the crowd on his way out, and the giddy students filing out of the auditorium raised an endless chorus of "na-na-na-na"s, echoing through the school's corridors.
"Eight Days a Week"
"Save Us"
"Jet"
(Q&A)
"New"
"Lady Madonna"
"We Can Work It Out"
"Everybody Out There"
"Blackbird"
"Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!"
"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
"Band on the Run"
"Back in the U.S.S.R."
"Hey Jude"
BOOKER T. PLAYED AT MY BIRTHDAY PARTY!
Ok, not really, but I did go to see Booker T. (he who used to be backed by the MG's) on my birthday at the Musical Instrument Museum's intimate 300-seat theater, accompanied by longtime friend and Hammond organ junkie Stephen T. McCarthy.
If you live in Arizona, the Musical Instrument Museum, or the MIM, as locals refer to it, has an incredible auditorium, with acoustics that every act I have seen here raves about. The museum subsidizes the ticket prices, so the shows are usually quite reasonable (often as low as $30), and while most of the acts are a little, shall we say, long in the tooth, they've featured Todd Snider, Edwin McCain, and in a couple of weeks, Vanessa Carlton. I've been to ten shows this year, and am considering becoming a donor. This photo gives you an idea of what the hall looks like (not a photo from the show, as cameras are prohibited)..
We sat in the front row pretty much at Booker T's right elbow, and while they weren't the MG's the band was tight and entertaining, and it was a great show.
The set list focused on title tracks from classic albums and tracks from his most recent two releases, "Road To Memphis" and "Sound The Alarm." There were also tracks from the various artists albums he was a creative voice when Booker T. And The MG's were basically the Stax Records studio band.
A great rendition of "Knocking On Heaven's Door" followed the revelation that Booker T. had played guitar on that song at Dylan's request.
His third most recent release (with the Drive-By Truckers) happened to be what I had in the car, so I got that signed after the show.
Stephen T. purchased the same title and got his signed as well (his second autograph request, Chuck Berry being the first).
Considering the show was how I celebrated my birthday, Booker T. did, sort of, play at my birthday party. It's just that I did not know 298 of the guests.
I've never done a proper review of Sound The Alarm, which was released in late June. For Booker T.'s tenth studio album, he returns to the scene of his first hit ("Green Onions"), Stax Records.
There are songs on Sound the Alarm that sound as though they could have been written back in those days.
"Feel Good" has a bit of a lazy feel that suits this week's Phoenix weather perfectly (we're finally below triple digits), and "Fun" is just that- a three-minute party of stomping percussion, irrepressible bass and jittery, dancing Hammond riffs. "66 Impala" is a cheesy blend of organ and sax.
Continuing in the spirit of his last two discs (where he was backed by The Drive-By Truckers and The Roots, respectively), most of the tracks find Jones collaborating with hot young artists, be it Bill Withers' daughter Kori, R&B singer Luke James, or guitarist Gary Clark Jr.
While I prefer Potato Hole (with the Truckers) of these three recent releases, all three are excellent, and you can't go wrong with Sound The Alarm.
So break out the bourbon, turn down the lights, and put this record on!
AUSTIN CITY BLUES
FISH'S FEAST
Regular readers of this blog will probably note that I mention the progressive rock band Marillion quite often. I was introduced to the band back in 1990, just as they were bringing in a lead singer to replace Fish, who had just embarked on a solo career.
Interestingly enough, whether by design or coincidence, both the band and the solo artist have managed to maintain careers in a declining music business through savvy use of the internet. And while I would characterize Marillion as having mastered the 'net, Fish certainly has managed a living via the use of the online community allegedly invented by Al Gore.
For A Feast Of Consequences, his tenth solo album. Fish delivers an album that will not disappoint.
With delicate and unhurried song construction, rich yet unimposing production and layered with mood, tempo and instrumental changes, the record rocks hard where it needs to, and is subtle as silk songs warrant a gentle touch.
The record opens with a dark and somber atmosphere, the opening track leading into a more upbeat number and then to the sparse beauty of Blind To The Beautiful, which, if there were justice in the world, would already be all over the radio. Next up is the title track, catchy and anthemic.
The album's progressive leanings shine on the five-part High Wood suite, five epic songs that tell a tale of war and it's horror. The album finishes with a ballad and a "proggy" final number.
Fish fans will love it, progressive fans should love it, and but there are songs here that would appeal to most rock and roll fans. Available at Fish's site in a deluxe version and standard jewel case edition.
FEAST OF CONSEQUENCES PREVIEW
BLIND TO THE BEAUTIFUL (live)
BOTB: WE GOTTA GET YOU A WOMAN
Here I am once again crashing the Battle Of The Bands blog-hop!
These five bloggers are co-sponsoring a blog event on the first and fifteenth of each month, and I am shamelessly leeching off of their idea because I am a bad person!
My entry is (surprise) once again a Todd Rundgren song, this time his first solo single, "We Gotta Get You A Woman," which went all the way up to twenty on the Billboard Hot 100.
Betcha didn't know that!
And didja know there was a remake of this tune by the Four Tops?
These are the two songs I am featuring today...
First, the Todd Rundgren version from the Runt album:
And next, the Four Tops version.... I could only find a clip of this in a medley, so WGGYAW starts at about the two minute point...
So what do you think? There is only one winner (to quote another Todd song) so which is it going to be?
For the heckuvit, here is the song performed by Todd for the first time ever in 2011 with the Metropole Orchestra (I just saw him perform it for the fifth time ever with the Akron Symphony Orchestra).


text:
Storia di Internet
A decade of webdesign
http://www.decadeofwebdesign.org/
In 1994 the world wide web crept out of its scientific and academic egg and entered the first phases of popular consciousness. At this point the web design explosion began. Ten years later, we would like to stand back and attempt to map something of these years of frenetic and inventive interdisciplinary work.
How Anarchy Works. On location with the masters of the metaverse, the Internet Engineering Task Force.
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/3.10/ietf.html
Borsook Paulina
JOHN PERRY BARLOW LIBRARY
http://homes.eff.org/~barlow/barlow/library.html
Barlow, John Perry
I libri e gli articoli pubblicati da Barlow.
Agenda di Tunisi
http://www.cybercultura.it/pdf/2006_Tunis_Agenda.pdf
Tunis Commitment and Tunis Agenda for the Information Society. Il documento finale del World Summit on the Information Society, svoltosi a Tunisi nel 2006
Governance of the Internet: the tasks ahead
http://www.cybercultura.it/pdf/2006_vinton_cerf_igfgreece.pdf
Cerf, Vinton
In occasione dell'apertura del forum mondiale per la Governance di Internet patrocinato dall'Onu, Vint Cerfmette in guardia dalle «manovre politiche» di governi ed enti internazionali per imporre l'uso di lingue non occidentali ai nomi dei domini dei siti Internet e ciò potrebbe portare a un collasso del sistema di indirizzamento della Rete, è il suo allarme al Forum di Atene.
History of Internet and WWW: The Roads and Crossroads of Internet History
http://www.netvalley.com/intval1.html
Gregory R. Gromov
The Atlantic cable of 1858 was established to carry instantaneous communications across the ocean for the first time. Although the laying of this first cable was seen as a landmark event in society, it was a technical failure. It only remained in service a few days.
La vera storia di Internet
http://www.apogeonline.com/ebook/90006/scheda
Gubitosa Carlo
L'avventura che ha dato vita alla "Rete delle Reti" non può essere ridotta alla semplice realizzazione di un progetto militare. Più che una conquista strategica delle forze armate, Internet è stata la conquista umana e culturale di un gruppo di persone che hanno creduto nel networking quando parlare di condivisione delle risorse suonava come un'eresia
Weaving the Web The original design and ultimate destiny of the World Wide Web, by its inventor
http://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/Weaving/Overview.html
This book is written to address the questions most people ask - From "What were you thinking when you invented it?" through "So what do you think of it now?" to "Where is this all going to take us?", this is the story.
Cybersociology Magazine
http://www.cybersociology.com/
Cybersociology Magazine was launched on 10 October 1997 as a forum for the cross-disciplinary academic discussion of life online. It ran for approximately two years, until 01 September 1999, and seven web based issues were published.
The Internet Protocol Journal
http://www.cisco.com/web/about/ac123/ac147/about_cisco_the_internet_protocol_journal.html
This journal is not intended to promote any specific products or services, but rather is intended to serve as an informational and educational resource for engineering professionals involved in the design, development, and operation of public and private internets and intranets. The journal carries tutorial articles ("What is...?") as well as implementation/operation articles ("How to..."). It provides readers with technology and standardization updates for all levels of the protocol stack and serves as a forum for discussion of all aspects of internetworking.
A Decade of Internet Evolution
http://www.cisco.com/web/about/ac123/ac147/archived_issues/ipj_11-2/112_evolution.html
In 1998 the Internet had about 50 million users, supported by approximately 25 million servers (Web and e-mail hosting sites, for example, but not desktops or laptops). In that same year, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) [1] was created. Internet companies such as Netscape Communications, Yahoo!, eBay, and Amazon were already 3 to 4 years old and the Internet was in the middle of its so-called "dot-boom" period. Google emerged that year as a highly speculative effort to "organize the world's information and make it accessible and useful." Investment in anything related to the Internet was called "irrational exuberance" by the then head of the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank, Alan Greenspan.
A Decade in the Life of the Internet
http://www.cisco.com/web/about/ac123/ac147/archived_issues/ipj_11-2/112_life.html
Huston Geoff
The evolutionary path of any technology can often take strange and unanticipated turns and twists. At some points simplicity and minimalism can be replaced by complexity and ornamentation, while at other times a dramatic cut-through exposes the core concepts of the technology and removes layers of superfluous additions. The technical evolution of the Internet appears to be no exception, and contains these same forms of unanticipated turns and twists.
A Little History of the World Wide Web from 1945 to 1995
http://www.w3.org/History.html
Cailliau Robert
1945 Vannevar Bush writes an article in Atlantic Monthly about a photo-electrical-mechanical device called a Memex, for memory extension, which could make and follow links between documents on microfiche..
The Birth of the Internet: An Architectural Conception for Solving the Multiple Network Problem
http://www.columbia.edu/~rh120/other/birth_internet.txt
Columibia University, USA
Section V of Computer Science and the Role of Government in Creating the Internet: ARPA/IPTO (1962-1986)
The Death Of The Internet, How Industry Intends To Kill The 'Net As We Know It
http://www.democraticmedia.org/news_room/articles/2002/death_internet
Chester Jeff
The Internet's promise as a new medium -- where text, audio, video and data can be freely exchanged -- is under attack by the corporations that control the public's access to the 'Net, as they see opportunities to monitor and charge for the content people seek and send. The industry's vision is the online equivalent of seizing the taxpayer-owned airways, as radio and television conglomerates did over the course of the 20th century.
I manager della rete
http://www.emsf.rai.it/grillo/trasmissioni.asp?d=776
Carlini Franco
Intervista - lezione di Franco Carlini alla trasmissione il Grillo del 7/3/2001
PROJECT XANADU - Founded 1960 * The Original Hypertext Project
http://www.xanadu.net/
Founded 1960 * The Original Hypertext Project
Lista di storie di Internet
http://www.isoc.org/internet/history/
Una lista di storie di Internet dalla Internet Society
History of the Internet
History of the internet" is an animated documentary explaining the inventions from time-sharing to filesharing, from Arpanet to Internet.
The history is told using the PICOL icons on picol.org , which are available for download soon. On blog.picol.org you can get news about this project.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Nearly 40 treated from Calif. fire
A mysterious chemical mixture that burst into flames sent nearly 40 people to hospitals
Nearly 40 treated from Calif. fire A mysterious chemical mixture that burst into flames sent nearly 40 people to hospitals Check out this story on detroitnews.com: http://detne.ws/1uQxn8Q
AP Published 10:07 a.m. ET Nov. 19, 2014
In this aerial still frame from video provided by Fox 11 LA, a waste treatment facility burns after an unstable chemical mixture exploded in Santa Paula, Calif., early Nov. 18, 2014, sending nearly 40 people to the hospital for decontamination and prompting an order to evacuate for a mile around the plant, authorities said. (Photo: AP )
Santa Paula, Calif. — A mysterious chemical mixture that burst into flames at a Southern California waste facility sent nearly 40 people to hospitals for decontamination and forced homes and businesses for a mile around to evacuate.
The flames and danger in Santa Paula, a city of around 30,000 about 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles, had mostly eased late Tuesday, Ventura County fire officials said.
A vacuum truck exploded about 3:45 a.m. at Santa Clara Waste Water Co., spreading about 1,200 gallons of chemical mixture that contained sulfuric acid and a highly combustible organic peroxide, fire officials said.
"As the liquid began to dry out, the (fire engine) companies on scene noticed that it was very unstable and reactive," Ventura County fire Capt. Mike Lindbery said. "And as they stepped on it, or tried to move their engine, it would spontaneously ignite under the tires of the engine or their boots."
No burn injuries were reported, but two drivers on the vacuum truck, three firefighters, hospital medical staff and a few nearby residents were washed down or treated for complaints such as breathing problems, red eyes and skin rashes, said Lori Ross, a spokeswoman for the Ventura County Fire Department.
Fire Engineer Rick Macklin said 37 people were taken to hospitals, including one from the initial blast who had non-life-threatening trauma injuries.
However, hospital and other estimates put the figure at 46, although by midafternoon, only one person remained at the hospital and was in stable condition, the Ventura County Star reported.
There was no immediate way to reconcile the different figures.
Firefighters backed off and let the fires burn themselves out rather than try to put water on the chemical and potentially flush it into the nearby Santa Clara River.
Concerned that toxic smoke might be drifting from the fires, authorities ordered the evacuation of the area within a mile of the plant, but it is mostly composed of farmland, light industrial businesses and only a few homes, Ross said.
Two schools were closed, along with the Santa Paula satellite campus of Ventura College.
As the day ended, the fires wound down, winds eased and the evacuation area was reduced to a half-mile, Macklin said.
"The weather is now in our favor," he said.
Hazardous materials teams entered the plant in the evening to sample the chemical mixture, Macklin said.
Read or Share this story: http://detne.ws/1uQxn8Q


I just wanted to share something with you because I know how hard it can be when you are faced with a 'barrier' to running.
I just wanted to share some of the main barriers that we all face to running and how we can challenge them.
'I don't have time' - whether it's due to working full time (and then some), family commitments, occasions, children's bed times, appointments and meetings or getting stuck in traffic. We have all been there and sometimes it's true, we genuinely don't have time. But how can we stop this barrier becoming the thing that puts us back or stops us running all together?
As running has become part of my life I have started planning my weeks so I can see where I might struggle or when I can make time. On days where I am working late I set the alarm 45 mins earlier and now with the weather changing hopefully the thought of heading out at 6am is more appealing than when it was freezing cold! If I know there is no way I will get up that early then I make sure my evening has space for that run. Sometimes if I can't fit in a run when I know I should I will sneak in a 15 minute hiit workout. Or maybe you could go out for a family walk or take the kids out on their bikes. For me this is better than putting my run off completely as it is easy to fall into the 'I'll go tomorrow' mindset.
This was a common thought that popped into my mind most mornings while training over winter for Coventry Half. Overcoming this came down to rational speaking. I knew that I would warm up once I started, I just had to start. If you look outside and think it's too cold, put your layers on, lace up and just step outside. Now you will be cold, so the only option to warm up will be to run!
Sometimes we all feel demotivated. We have days where we just can't be bothered at all. But these are the days where getting out for a run is the best answer. The runners high is one of the best motivators for me to go out the next time and the next. Imagine how you will feel once you get back from your run. Visualise yourself finishing. Music is also a good motivator, getting together a good playlist that will keep your mind occupied and get you through those miles. Use your run to clear your mind, use it as 'you' time, getting out the house and de-stressing after a busy day.
What I love about RLAG is that you all motivate each other, so if you don't already, arrange some runs between you and use each other. Find out what motivates you and use it! Keep track of your runs and reward yourself (with trainers or running gear or even a piece of cake!) for your progress and goals that you achieve.
When I'm struggling on a long run and feel as though I 'can't do it' or lose motivation I think about something close to my heart. I'm running the GNR to raise money for Bowel Cancer Uk because my mum was diagnosed and so when I struggle I think about this amazing cause and tell myself if mum can fight that, I definitely have no excuse not to finish this run. That might sound crazy to some but we all have something that drives us, whether it's a person, a charity, a good cause or simply our family.
Harriette Thompson - 92yrs - ran a marathon. Enough said.
Unfortunately this is one we will all come across and this needs to be acknowledged. If you are ill or have an injury your body needs to rest and needs time to recover. The most important thing here is to listen to your body. A week of missed runs because of the flu is better than a month off with a chest infection caused by pushing yourself. Likewise a week off due to foot pain is better than months off due to a stress fracture caused by pushing your body when it had a weakness.
Who cares if people stare- I used to be very self conscious about this but then I started focusing on myself and how I was making myself better and it didn't matter what people thought. Everyone will feel self-conscious at first. If I went out and got on a horse to go horse riding I would feel self-conscious!
On a serious note you are all capable, you will all have barriers, even us running leaders are hit with these barriers. Just remember when you find yourself doubting whether to go for that run, Often the biggest barrier is the mind not the legs!
I have always been into fitness but running was always something I found difficult. Last year however, I joined Run Like a Girl as a way of meeting people and doing something as a group, and after that first 5km run I never looked back! I loved how running made me feel and the sense of achievement after every run. I wanted to do something good with it and prove to myself that I could take on a challenge, and at the same time raise money for charity, so I signed up to the Great North Run for Bowel Cancer UK this year. To help prepare for this I also signed up to Coventry Half Marathon, my first ever half! When I joined Run Like a Girl I never dreamed of running that far, but it soon became possible. Running has become a huge part of my life and I can't wait to see where it takes me.
It's an honour to be a Running Leader for such an amazing group. Join Run Like A Girl and you won't just be joining a running group but you will become part of something much bigger. A supportive group of friends, running for fun!


You'll appreciate its safety and convenience features! With fewer than 15,000 miles on the odometer, this 4 door sport utility vehicle excels in its class, and is equipped to provide comfort, safety and style. It includes leather upholstery, a rear window wiper, a trip computer, and air conditioning. It features a front-wheel-drive platform, an automatic transmission, and a 2.4 liter 4 cylinder engine.


The Dow Jones Industrial Average once again sits above 25,000 following today's monster rally.
Analysts point to renewed hopes for trade negotiation talks with China; strong Q4 2018 earnings reports from Apple, Boeing, and McDonald's; and a rosy outlook from a meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee Wednesday, along with the announcement that interest rates would remain stable for the time being.
The Federal Reserve's announcements Wednesday were the most conspicuous driving force behind the Dow rally. Many analysts, however, have mentioned China in passing, suggesting markets may have been buoyed in part by renewed hopes as investors await a resolution to U.S.-China trade negotiations.
Top officials from the United States and Chinese government sat down Wednesday in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building for two days of talks to negotiate an end to months of trade wars that have cost companies in both economies billions of dollars in lost business. They're aiming for a March 2 deadline to reach an agreement.
Apple (blue) and Boeing (red) surged on strong earnings reports, though McDonald's shares failed to rise on better-than-expected earnings.
Seeing the two world economic powers come together is promising, but hardly definite. If they don't reach an agreement by the deadline, the U.S. will enact tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports. But last quarter's strong earnings by three of the Dow's 30 blue chip stocks are very definite, and stirred markets Wednesday.
Boeing (BA) stock rose Wednesday like a plane taking off with its flaps down, posting an over 6 percent gain over the trading session after the aeronautics and arms manufacturer reported fourth-quarter revenues that rose far above expectations.
McDonald's (MCD) report Wednesday of Q4 profits also beat expectations with 103 percent growth in earnings for the fourth quarter brought on by lower operating expenses and taxes for the fast food giant.
Apple Inc. (AAPL) shares were a major driver of the Dow rally Wednesday, rising nearly 7% on news of better than expected fourth quarter earnings as Apple guides toward a solid March quarter, typically its weakest of the four.
But the really big force behind the strong updraft in prices for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, as well U.S. equities overall Wednesday, was the rosy outlook of the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee in its meeting today and its announcement that interest rates will remain relatively stable.
Markets fearful of a more bullish Federal Reserve monetary regime (like UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti, who told Davos-goers last week that liquidity can "freeze like the water in Davos") are relieved to see a slightly dovish turn to the spigot knobs of monetary liquidity, along with a pleasantly rosy outlook.
The Fed and Jerome Powell give the financial markets just about everything they wanted.
The Fed dropped talk of rate hikes from its language Wednesday in favor of an ample balance sheet and "patient" approach.
That's even better than strong earnings from Boeing and Apple last quarter. Those earnings are in the past already, and today's rally profited investors who bought Boeing and Apple in December, not those who bought it today. And there's no way even Apple could trade world-class computers and phones for cash faster than a Fed accountant could type some more zeros into the bank's balance sheet.
That's where the big money is, and it sounds like more of it is heading the US stock market's way this year.


text:
Tag: assassination
October 4, 2011 5:24PM
Four Thoughts on the Anwar Al-Awlaki Assassination
By Julian Sanchez
As Bob Levy has already ably probed the legal issues surrounding the killing of Anwar al-Awlaki, I'll just append a few miscellaneous thoughts.
First, over the last decade we have been repeatedly told by foreign policy hawks that it is foolish, and even borderline offensive, to suggest that aggressive U.S. action abroad may have the counterproductive and unintended consequence of swelling the ranks of terror groups. When evaluating the wisdom of drone strikes or invasions of other countries, we need not even factor in the downside risk of "blowback" stemming from such actions, because "they hate us for our freedoms." In other words, radical Islamist terrorists are fundamentally motivated by a vision of a global caliphate, not by any grievances stemming from real or perceived injuries inflicted by U.S. policy. I think of this as the "No Marginal Terrorist" Theory, because it posits that people are motivated to join terror groups strictly for reasons connected with either personal psychology or theology, such that reactions to specific U.S. actions never make the difference at the margin.
At the same time—and often by the same people—we are told that Anwar al-Awlaki posed a grave threat to the United States, not so much because of any particular logistical genius he possessed, but because he was so dangerously effective as a recruiter and propagandist who could inspire people already living in the West to jihad. Surely, then, it's relevant to inquire into the nature of this lethally effective propaganda. Here is an excerpt from what The Guardian calls one of "his most direct, English-language statements endorsing terror attacks on Americans":
With the American invasion of Iraq and continued U.S. aggression against Muslims, I could not reconcile between living in the U.S. and being a Muslim, and I eventually came to the conclusion that jihad against America is binding upon myself just as it is binding on every other Muslim….
To the Muslims in America, I have this to say: How can your conscience allow you to live in peaceful coexistence with a nation that is responsible for the tyranny and crimes committed against your own brothers and sisters?
Possibly al-Awlaki is just a sort of Salafist James Earl Jones, and the sheer hypnotic beauty of his voice is what compels people to sacrifice their lives for him, without regard to the specific contents of his sermons. Still, it seems to be a problem for the No Marginal Terrorist Theory if a propagandist who was believed to be uniquely effective at motivating people to become terrorists used rhetoric like this to do it.
Second, a good deal of the coverage I've been seeing has treated the conclusions of U.S. intelligence analysts about al-Awlaki's role and status within al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) as ironclad facts rather than contestable inferences from necessarily patchy data—even though the past decade should have made it abundantly clear that analysts sometimes get it wrong. Certainly al-Awlaki is no "innocent" in any sense of the word, but on the crucial claim that he'd progressed from terrorist mascot to mastermind, it's worth noticing how much of the case depends on plots that the cleric was "linked to" or "believed to have had a hand in planning." At least one Yemen expert has argued that al-Awlaki's status within AQAP has been wildly inflated, describing him as a "midlevel religious functionary."
While there is some public evidence that certainly seems to support the conclusion that al-Awlaki had gone "operational"—that he did not merely advocate jihad in principle, but played a key role in planning and directing terrorist acts—the bulk of it remains classified. As we learned to our great cost after the invasion of Iraq, a top secret clearance does not actually grant omniscience, and sometimes a case that seems like a slam-dunk on the surface falls apart under impartial scrutiny. Paradoxically, the administration's refusal to submit to that scrutiny seems to have given its determinations an aura of oracular certainty.
Third, the case for targeted killing here relies very heavily on the fact that al-Awlaki had put himself beyond the reach of feasible arrest. The most ardent hawk would recoil at the prospect of simply dropping a bomb on a citizen suspected of al Qaeda ties in New Jersey, or London. But as Robert Farley notes, what is "feasible" is at least in part a matter of judgments about the risks and benefits of attempting a capture. So we're required to entrust to the executive branch to determine not just when a particular citizen has joined the enemy, but under what conditions it's worth the risk of attempting to take them alive.
In al-Awlaki's case, one can at least say—as the judge who rejected a lawsuit brought by his father did—that the target was plainly aware the government was after him, and in theory could have offered to surrender himself if he'd been interested in seeking his day in court. (I stress "in theory" because it's hard to imagine AQAP looking favorably on such a decision in the wildly improbable event al-Awlaki had been inclined to make it.)
But remember that this was supposed to be a wholly covert operation, and would (according to the administration) imperil national security if discussed in any way—even though the national security risk appears to have diminished a great deal now that it's a matter of taking credit rather than blocking litigation. There was an advance leak in this instance, but the next citizen on the list may have no idea there's a Hellfire missile with his name on it. What we think about the specific instance of al-Awlaki, then, seems less important than how we feel about a case in which everything goes according to plan. That is, an American citizen is simply killed abroad with no advance warning, on the basis of an executive determination that he has joined an enemy power and poses an imminent threat, and no guarantee that the United States will acknowledge (let alone justify) the operation even after the fact.
Fourth and finally, the debate after the fact has been a reminder of how utterly useless conventional war metaphors are for grappling with the unique problems presented by the present conflict. Anyone who imagines the very thorny issues presented in the current case are somehow illuminated by analogies from World War II is just kidding themselves: if this conflict were not so plainly unlike World War II and other conventional conflicts between nation states, on so many salient dimensions—if we could straightforwardly treat an ever-shifting array of emerging terror groups as equivalent to a sovereign country's uniformed military—everything would be a good deal simpler.
Foreign Policy and National Security, General, Constitution, the Law, and the Courts
Awlaki and Due Process
By Robert A. Levy
The administration argues that suspected al Qaida terrorists – even U.S. citizens – can be targeted for assassination because they either (a) pose an imminent threat or (b) are part of an enemy army; and (c) other governments are unwilling or unable to act. Although the Fifth Amendment ensures that persons not be denied due process, it's unclear what process is "due" – especially when the person is a citizen. For example, a U.S. citizen who threatens hostages with imminent loss of life can be killed by law enforcement authorities. Similarly, an American who serves in a foreign army against which the United States is at war is plainly a legitimate target.
Moreover, under the Nationality Act, a citizen can lose his citizenship if he intends to do so (although intent can be inferred by actions) and he either (a) declares allegiance to a foreign state, (b) serves in a post requiring such a declaration, (c) serves in armed forces in combat with the United States, or (d) serves as an officer or NCO in the armed forces of a foreign state.
Still, the killing of Awlaki is a close legal call. On balance, it's probably unlawful. The imminent-threat contention isn't credible. To my knowledge, no one has identified a threat that is imminent (meaning: about to happen). The part-of-an-enemy-army claim and the loss-of-citizenship argument raise several questions: First, is the Nationality Act itself constitutional? The Constitution establishes criteria for citizenship. Stripping someone of citizenship effectively changes those criteria, and Congress may not have that power. Second, even if the Nationality Act is constitutional, does al Qaida qualify as a foreign state for purposes of the Act? Are al Qaida agents equivalent to soldiers engaged in combat with the United States? Third, even if the Nationality Act might apply in Awlaki's case, how do we know that he triggered the provisions of the Act? Can the administration simply assert that he met one of the tests for loss of citizenship, or must there be some threshold process to make that determination?
Finally, the Authorization for the Use of Military Force sanctioned force against those involved in the 9/11 tragedy. Awlaki, although not directly involved, probably qualified as part of an "associated force"; but actions that might self-evidently be lawful if Awlaki were actively fighting on a battlefield are less so when he's allegedly plotting attacks from Yemen.
All told, when U.S. citizens are targeted, I'd be more comfortable with somewhat more process – not a trial before an Article III court, of course, but perhaps the equivalent of an assassination warrant that required a non-executive-branch body with relevant expertise to certify sufficient cause. Anything less risks disrespect for the Constitution, which could have regrettable implications in other areas. The separation of powers doctrine, if it means anything, stands for the proposition that citizens cannot be killed on command of the executive branch alone, without regard to the Fourth and Fifth Amendments. Naturally, exceptions are justified for truly imminent threats. If I were convinced that involvement of another branch might result in Awlaki-types escaping punishment, I'd be more willing to invoke "emergency" powers – similar to hot pursuit – but not in this case.
Foreign Policy and National Security, Constitution, the Law, and the Courts
Measuring Progress on Violence against Union Members in Colombia
By Juan Carlos Hidalgo
During a recent Congressional hearing on President Obama's trade agenda, Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mich.) stated his continued objections to the FTA with Colombia:
"Union worker violence in Colombia remains unacceptably high - if not the highest in the world. Limited progress is being made in the investigation and prosecution of those responsible. Additionally, reports indicate that threats against union workers and others have increased, and there has been little concrete action today to pursue these cases." [Emphasis added].
Levin warned that, despite signs of a more constructive approach to this issue from Colombia's new president Juan Manuel Santos, "The only adequate measuring stick is progress on the ground."
Rep. Levin should take a look at the Free Trade Bulletin that my colleague Dan Griswold and I published this week: "Trade Agreement Would Promote U.S. Exports and Colombian Civil Society." When it comes to progress on the ground regarding violence against union members, Colombia already has a remarkable record. The number of assassinations of trade unionists has dropped 77% since its peak in 2001, compared to the total number of homicides in the country, which declined by 44% in the same period.
Sources: National Union School (ENS) and Ministry of Social Protection (MPS).
If we look at the homicide rate as defined by the number of murders per 100,000 inhabitants, the rate for union killings was 5.3 per 100,000 unionists in 2010, six times lower than the homicide rate for the overall population (33.9 per 100,000 inhabitants).
In our paper, we present evidence that shows that union members enjoy greater security than other vulnerable groups of Colombian civil society, such as teachers, councilmen and journalists. Also, we highlight research conducted by economists Daniel Mejía and María José Uribe of the Universidad de los Andes in Colombia, which found no statistical evidence supporting the claim that trade unionists are targeted for their activities. Instead, their results show that "the violence against union members can be explained by the general level of violence and by low levels of economic development."
As for Rep. Levin's claim that there has been "little concrete action" to pursue crimes against trade unionists, once again the evidence says otherwise. In 2010 there were over 1,400 trade unionists under a government protection program—more than any other vulnerable group of Colombia's civil society. In 2007, a special department was created in the Office of the Prosecutor General dedicated exclusively to solving crimes against union members and bringing the perpetrators to justice. Close to 85 percent of the sentences issued since 2000 for assassinations of trade unionists were issued after the creation of this department.
If Rep. Levin's "adequate measuring stick is progress on the ground," then he should recognize the tremendous achievements made by Colombia so far in reducing violence against trade unionists, and solving the crimes committed against them.
You can read the full paper here.
International Economics, Development & Immigration, Trade Policy
Government and Violence
By Jason Kuznicki
Radley Balko writes:
[I]t's worth remembering that the government initiates violence against its own citizens every day in this country, citizens who pose no threat or harm to anyone else. The particular policy that leads to the sort of violence… is supported by nearly all of the politicians and pundits decrying anti-government rhetoric on the news channels this morning. (It's also supported by Sarah Palin, many Tea Party leaders, and other figures on the right that politicians and pundits are shaming this weekend.)
I hope Rep. Giffords—and everyone wounded yesterday—makes a full recovery. It's particularly tragic that she was shot while doing exactly what we want elected officials to do—she was making herself available to the people she serves. And of course we should mourn the people senselessly murdered yesterday, government employees and otherwise: U.S. District Judge John Roll, Dorothy Murray, Dorwin Stoddard, nine-year-old Christina Green, Phyllis Scheck, and Gabe Zimmerman.
That said, I long for the day that our political and media figures get as indignant about innocent Americans killed by their own government—killed in fact, as a direct and foreseeable consequence of official government policy that nearly all of those leaders support—as they are about a government official who was targeted by a clearly sick and deranged young man. What happened this weekend is not, by any means, a reason to shunt anti-government protest, even angry anti-government protest, out of the sphere of acceptable debate. The government still engages in plenty of acts and policies—including one-sided violence against its own citizens—that are well worth our anger, protest, and condemnation.
The worst outcome would be for all dissent to become suspect. "Anti-government" is a concept used, essentially, to stifle debate, by conflating reasonable criticisms with the actions of lunatics. Both — of course! — are "anti-government," and both are therefore guilty. It should be obvious what sort of agenda this furthers: Everything "government" is good.
Government and Politics, Constitution, the Law, and the Courts, Political Philosophy
Targeted Killing of U.S. Citizen a State Secret?
By David Rittgers
That's the claim the Obama administration made in court. As Glenn Greenwald puts it:
[W]hat's most notable here is that one of the arguments the Obama DOJ raises to demand dismissal of this lawsuit is "state secrets": in other words, not only does the President have the right to sentence Americans to death with no due process or charges of any kind, but his decisions as to who will be killed and why he wants them dead are "state secrets," and thus no court may adjudicate their legality.
Italics in the original. My colleagues Gene Healy and Nat Hentoff have expressed concerns about targeted killings. Charlie Savage wrote a good piece on this that highlights how even the most ardent defenders of executive power may blush at this broad claim of power.
The government's increasing use of the state secrets doctrine to shield its actions from judicial review has been contentious. Some officials have argued that invoking it in the Awlaki matter, about which so much is already public, would risk a backlash. David Rivkin, a lawyer in the White House of President George H. W. Bush, echoed that concern.
"I'm a huge fan of executive power, but if someone came up to you and said the government wants to target you and you can't even talk about it in court to try to stop it, that's too harsh even for me," he said.
In fairness, Rivkin would defend the administration's claim of power on other grounds – that targeting is a "political question" for the elected branches of government – but this approach seems to have lost out because it invites the judiciary to determine whether the U.S. is at war in Yemen.
Amending the Authorization for the Use of Military Force passed by Congress after 9/11 is long overdue. What groups are we truly at war with, where does the line between war and peace sit, who can we detain and kill, and what process is owed before a citizen may be targeted with lethal force? Questions of war are political in nature, and if we don't know the answers, it is Congress' role to step in and provide them.
'Collateral damage worries you Americans. It does not worry me.'
By Malou Innocent
Earlier this year, both The New York Times and The Washington Post confirmed that the Obama administration authorized the CIA to kill American-born, Yemeni-based Islamic cleric, Anwar al-Awlaki.
Several people I admire and respect—and who are far more versed in the legal aspects of the "war on terror"—have already weighed in on whether the U.S. Government is authorized to kill U.S. terror suspects abroad, so I defer to those experts.
But what's interesting is that the U.S. Government has killed "many Westerners, including some U.S. passport holders" in Pakistan's tribal areas dating all the way back to the Bush administration, according to Bob Woodward's new book.
Jeff Stein over at WaPo's SpyTalk writes that according to Woodward, on November 12, 2008, then-CIA Director Gen. Michael Hayden disclosed the killings to Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari during a meeting in New York. At the meeting, Zardari allegedly said, "Collateral damage worries you Americans. It does not worry me."
It now appears that two human rights groups are challenging the legality of the Obama Justice Department's right to kill U.S. citizens abroad. Will these groups now do the same with former Bush officials, too?
Foreign Policy and National Security, Government and Politics, Constitution, the Law, and the Courts
April 7, 2010 2:02PM
A Government of Laws, Not Men
In the government of this commonwealth… the executive shall never exercise the legislative [or] judicial powers… to the end it may be a government of laws and not of men. – The Constitution of Massachusetts, 1780, drafted by John Adams, Samuel Adams, and James Bowdoin
In contrast, consider today's news:
The Obama administration has taken the extraordinary step of authorizing the targeted killing of an American citizen, the radical Muslim cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who is believed to have shifted from encouraging attacks on the United States to directly participating in them, intelligence and counterterrorism officials said Tuesday.
Americans, this is what arbitrary government looks like. As a simple matter of fact, even George III was never this arbitrary. Even he didn't make individual colonists' lives depend merely on an act of his own will.
Indeed, if I wanted a perfect example of what a government of men, not laws, looked like, I could just glance at the newspapers today and see what our government is doing right at this moment.
Do not respond that this power will only be used wisely and sparingly. Doing so just admits my basic point, namely that we now depend purely on the wisdom and restraint of our individual leaders. We depend on their wisdom and restraint – to check their own worst impulses. All power, both for and against, is contained in one individual. No legal processes, and no guarantees, separate us from them. And the stakes are life or death.
Likewise, do not respond that this power will only be used against very bad people. Again, doing so just admits that we now depend on an unreviewable judgment of character, not on a legal system with formal procedures and safeguards. Even in the dark days of the Cold War – even during the Revolution itself – we never ceded so much power to so few.
To those who think our leaders' prudence is a sufficient check on their own power, consider this. Let's both grant that Barack Obama is basically a decent, well-meaning guy (apart from the fact that a decent, well-meaning guy would never want a power like this). If he's a decent guy, then perhaps he'll use his newly claimed power wisely, insofar as such an atrocious power can be used wisely. But on the other hand, if I were truly evil, and if I wanted to assassinate with impunity all the people I hated… Suddenly now I'd be very interested in running for president.
Glenn Greenwald has a lot more on the issue, including evidence that Barack Obama was apparently against this power… before he was for it.


text:
Battleground 2020
Civil SocietyHealthcareIssuesLocal NewsStatewide NewsHearing for Tinslee Lewis' Life Support Case Extended to December
A hearing for 9-month-old Tinslee Lewis originally scheduled for this Friday has been moved to December, giving the family more time to search for an alternate care provider.
Sarah McConnellNovember 20, 2019
9-month-old Tinslee Lewis (Photo courtesy of Texas Right to Life)
Days before a hearing was scheduled for the case of 9-month-old Tinslee Lewis, the temporary restraining order preventing Cook Children's Hospital from withdrawing treatment was extended.
Last week, a temporary restraining was issued by Tarrant County Judge Alex Kim hours before baby Tinslee was scheduled to be taken off of life support, preventing the hospital from withdrawing treatment under the Texas 10-Day Rule.
Originally effective through November 23 with a hearing set for this Friday, November 22, the extension sets the new hearing date on December 10, giving the family an additional two and a half weeks to find another medical facility for baby Tinslee.
"We praise God for this extension of time, which grants Tinslee more than a month of life after the hospital was initially set to pull the plug on the baby on November 10," a statement from Texas Right to Life reads.
Suffering from a rare heart defect called Ebstein's anomaly, Tinslee is dependent on a ventilator and other medical devices that replace the function of her heart and lungs.
In July, Tinslee "suffered further deterioration of a pulmonary hypertensive crisis due to severe chronic lung disease that resulted in respiratory arrest," according to Cook Children's, who has been caring for Tinslee since her premature birth in February.
Believing that they had provided all the medical care they could for baby Tinslee, the hospital informed Tinslee's mother, Trinity, at the end of October that treatment for the child would end a mere 10 days later, despite the family's opposition to ending treatment.
Texas Right to Life, a non-profit advocacy organization currently providing legal counsel to the Lewis family, accompanied by state representatives Tony Tinderholt (R-Arlington) and Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound), urged the public to call and appeal to hospital administrators to keep baby Tinslee on life support.
Trinity Lewis alongside state representative Tony Tinderholt (R-Arlington) at a press conference announcing the issuance of a temporary restraining order. (Bobby Rodriguez / The Texan)
With the issuance of the temporary restraining order, the last-minute push proved to be a success.
Following the issuance of the order, however, Cook Children's filed a motion to have Judge Alex Kim recused from the case.
The filing contends that the manner in which Judge Kim issued the temporary restraining order and his perceived connection with Texas Right to Life raise questions about his impartiality in the case.
Furthermore, the motion argues for the case to be heard by a randomly assigned judge rather than Judge Kim who was scheduled to hear the case on November 22.
Despite this legal action, sources at Texas Right to Life informed The Texan that the extension and new hearing date set for December have provided the Lewis family more time to search for an alternate care provider for baby Tinslee.
Texas Right to Life also says that although the transfer process is lengthy, the family has been working with Cook Children's to find another facility and is hopeful one will accept her before the scheduled hearing.
Because of the media attention garnered by Tinslee's case, the Lewis family is reportedly feeling encouraged and hopeful as leads for new hospitals continue to surface.
Under the Texas 10-Day Rule, if hospitals conclude that a path to recovery is not possible for a patient in their care, they are allowed under the statute to provide 10 days of advanced notice to the families in order for the families to seek an alternate healthcare provider or a court injunction.
The controversial rule, however, has faced criticism from many who believe 10 days to be an inadequate amount of time to find a different facility or seek help through legal channels.
Texas is one of a small number of states, including California and Virginia, to have such a law.
Cook Children's, a non-profit organization located near downtown Fort Worth, touts itself as one of the largest freestanding pediatric health care systems in the southwest and boasts seeing more than 1 million patients annually across more than 60 medical offices and clinics.
Following the issuance of the restraining order on November 10, the hospital reiterated their original stance regarding Tinslee's medical treatment saying, "As medical professionals, our responsibility – our highest duty – is to save lives. We are still working with Ms. Lewis and Texas Right to Life to find alternative care, however, it is our sincere belief that further medical intervention is not in Tinslee's best interest. With the temporary restraining order in place, we are continuing to treat and care for Tinslee as we always have. Nothing has changed."
Cook Children's pushed back against claims that only recently were conversations about Tinslee's condition undertaken.
"It's been misreported that we only recently discussed the gravity of Tinslee's condition with Ms. Lewis, but the truth is we've been engaged in these conversations for months. Throughout Tinslee's life here at Cook Children's, we've had multiple ongoing conversations with Ms. Lewis and her extended family regarding our concern for Tinslee's long-term survival."
The hospital also claims to have reached out to more than 20 other medical facilities across the country, all of which they said agreed with the administration's decision to end treatment.
Despite this statement and the legal filings, however, Cook Children's says their "efforts to find another facility to care for Tinslee have not stopped and will not."
While the new hearing is not officially set, it is scheduled to occur between December 4 and December 10, during which time a judge will either grant a temporary injunction in favor of Tinslee or allow Cook Children's to withdraw treatment.
Get "KB's Hot Take"
A free bi-weekly commentary on current events by Konni Burton.
Alex Kim
Cook Children's
Tan Parker
Texas 10-Day Rule
Tinslee Lewis
Tony Tinderholt
Trinity Lewis
Sarah McConnell
Sarah McConnell is a reporter for The Texan. Previously, she worked as a Cyber Security Consultant after serving as a Pathways Intern at the Department of Homeland Security – Citizenship and Immigration Services. She received her Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Texas A&M as well as her Master of Public Service and Administration degree from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M. In her free time, Sarah is an avid runner, jazz enthusiast, and lover of all things culinary.
Texas Education Agency Proceeds with Takeover of Houston Independent School District
President Trump Visits Apple Facility in Austin as Impeachment Hearings Continue in DC
The Texan's Podcast
Our podcast includes roundups of important news, additional insights from our reporters, and exclusive interviews with the people who have direct influence on politics and policy in Texas. Subscribe on your platform of choice!
Republican Candidates Vying to Replace Olson Face-Off at Richmond Forum
Dallas ISD Considering $3.7 Billion Property Tax Bond, Largest in Texas History
Texas Delegation Responses to Soleimani's Death Reveal Deep Partisan Divide As Impeachment Trial Looms
The Back Mic: Fundraising Numbers in the 12 House Districts Democrats Flipped in 2018
Trump Announces Revised Guidance on Prayer and Religious Expression in Public Schools
Holly Hansen
Press Releases & Media Coverage
AllSocial
© 2019 The Texan. All Rights Reserved.


text:
"""

Python Interchangeable Virtual Instrument Library

Copyright (c) 2012-2014 Alex Forencich

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
THE SOFTWARE.

"""

import time
import struct

from .. import ivi
from .. import dmm
from .. import scpi

class agilent34410A(scpi.dmm.Base):
    "Agilent 34410A IVI DMM driver"

    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
        self.__dict__.setdefault('_instrument_id', '34410A')

        super(agilent34410A, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)

        self._memory_size = 5

        self._identity_description = "Agilent 34410A/11A IVI DMM driver"
        self._identity_identifier = ""
        self._identity_revision = ""
        self._identity_vendor = ""
        self._identity_instrument_manufacturer = "Agilent Technologies"
        self._identity_instrument_model = ""
        self._identity_instrument_firmware_revision = ""
        self._identity_specification_major_version = 4
        self._identity_specification_minor_version = 1
        self._identity_supported_instrument_models = ['34410A', '34411A']

        self._add_method('memory.save',
                        self._memory_save)
        self._add_method('memory.recall',
                        self._memory_recall)
        self._add_method('memory.set_name',
                        self._set_memory_name)
        self._add_method('memory.get_name',
                        self._get_memory_name)

    def _initialize(self, resource = None, id_query = False, reset = False, **keywargs):
        "Opens an I/O session to the instrument."

        super(agilent34410A, self)._initialize(resource, id_query, reset, **keywargs)

        # interface clear
        if not self._driver_operation_simulate:
            self._clear()

        # check ID
        if id_query and not self._driver_operation_simulate:
            id = self.identity.instrument_model
            id_check = self._instrument_id
            id_short = id[:len(id_check)]
            if id_short != id_check:
                raise Exception("Instrument ID mismatch, expecting %s, got %s", id_check, id_short)

        # reset
        if reset:
            self.utility.reset()

    def _memory_save(self, index):
        index = int(index)
        if index < 1 or index > self._memory_size:
            raise OutOfRangeException()
        if not self._driver_operation_simulate:
            self._write("*sav %d" % index)

    def _memory_recall(self, index):
        index = int(index)
        if index < 1 or index > self._memory_size:
            raise OutOfRangeException()
        if not self._driver_operation_simulate:
            self._write("*rcl %d" % index)

    def _get_memory_name(self, index):
        index = int(index)
        if index < 1 or index > self._memory_size:
            raise OutOfRangeException()
        if not self._driver_operation_simulate:
            return self._ask("memory:state:name? %d" % index).strip(' "')

    def _set_memory_name(self, index, value):
        index = int(index)
        value = str(value)
        if index < 1 or index > self._memory_size:
            raise OutOfRangeException()
        if not self._driver_operation_simulate:
            self._write("memory:state:name %d, \"%s\"" % (index, value))

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This page shows a map with an overlay of Zip Codes for Winter Park, Orange County, Florida.
Winter Park, Orange County, Florida Zip Code Polygon Map Version 4.1 Copyright © 1996-2019 USNaviguide LLC. All rights reserved.


B&H Photo is offering new discounts on the most recent models of Apple's 12-inch MacBook, with instant savings of as much as $600 off for a limited time. Each discount represents the lowest price available on these MacBook models, which were last updated in June 2017 with Kaby Lake processors, USB-C, faster SSDs, and more.
B&H Photo's new sale includes the Rose Gold color option on the MacBook, which Apple has stopped selling as of October 2018. Check out each MacBook on sale in the list below and be sure to head to B&H Photo soon before the discounts expire.
Read: $500 off your first keyboard replacement.
I own a lot of Macs, but I can't recommend any of their laptops that continue to use these switches. It's a faulty design and it's a shame they refuse to change it in any meaningful way that isn't a band-aid.
I love macs but a used 2015 I7 2.2 MacBook air smokes this and has more ports.


text:
Anthony William Dare Peacey
Anthony William Dare Peacey was born in London on 6th March 1929.
He joined the RAF in 1948. He was first a wireless operator for several years before becoming an Officer and pilot in 1953. He met his wife, Rosemary, at a policeman's ball in Oxford and they married in February 1959.
Tony flew a wide variety of planes from early fast jets in Fighter Command, including the Meteor and Hunter, to his later career in Transport Command where he flew the Argosy and Hercules C130. He left the RAF in 1976 and he and Rosemary moved from South Luffenham to King's Cliffe in the early 1980s.
Here Tony entered fully into the life of the community including with King's Cliffe Active and with the Church. Tony was a great supporter of the Village Heritage Group and in recent years his company was enjoyed alongside the members of the Old Blokes Group.
Tony's kind, thoughtful and wise council was appreciated by many. He had a quiet but firm faith in God's love which did seem to continue to help and guide him as he lived with his illness and its consequences.
His funeral was in King's Cliffe Church on Wednesday 29th July. He and Rosemary are survived by their three children and two grandsons.


Who said that a table should be always rectangular or round?
Isola is a table designed by the artist Roderick Vos for Linteloo, the Dutch company which realizes design items for more than 20 years with showrooms in over 30 countries worldwide. This table, as suggested by the name, was inspired by the soft and sinuous shapes of nature, a new way to share meals on an unusual table!
The structure is linear to balance the organic shape of the floor, the result is a fluid and modern piece of furniture. The Isola collection includes two tables, two small tables and a side table, available in natural or anthracite oak.


text:
Q: OnMouseOver and OnMouseOut on the same element to create hover effect using javascript only? I am new to javascript and for practice, I am using javascript to stripe even rows for tables with a particular class. Besides that, I am trying to create a 'hover' effect on table rows using javascript only.
I was able to create the onmouseover effect, however, I am having a very difficult time going back to the default style onmouseout of the table row.
Please keep in mind that I know this can easily be achieved with css or JQuery; however, for this, I would like to stick to javscript only.
What I tried:
    function alternate(){
        var tables = document.getElementsByTagName("table");

        //apply the code to ALL tables on the page with a particular class
        for (var ti = 0; ti < tables.length; ++ti) {
            if (tables[ti].className == "striped"){ //stripe tables
                var rows = tables[ti].getElementsByTagName("tr");
                for(i = 0; i < rows.length; i++){
                    //change style of even rows to create striped effect
                    if(i % 2 == 0){
                        rows[i].className += "even"; //stripe even rows while maintaining default style to odd rows
                    }
                    rows[i].onmouseover = function() {
                        this.className="";
                        this.className="hovered";
                    }
                    rows[i].onmouseout = function() {
                        if(i % 2 == 0){
                            this.className="even";
                        }else{
                            this.className="odd";
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }

A: I'm not sure if I quite understood your question, but I have created a jsfiddle which does what I think you meant.
The problem, from what I could tell, was that when row[i].mouseout is triggered, the value of i is the number of tables rows in your table. The fix is, to save the original classname on mouseover, and then re-assign that classname onmouseout. Here is the fiddle. http://jsfiddle.net/LBaZu/4/
function alternate() {
    var tables = document.getElementsByTagName("table");
    for (var ti = 0; ti < tables.length; ++ti) {
        if (tables[ti].className == "striped") {
            var rows = tables[ti].getElementsByTagName("tr");
            var cls; // Variable to save the className
            for (var i = 0; i < rows.length; i++) {
                if (i % 2 == 0) rows[i].className = "even";
                rows[i].onmouseover = function() {
                    cls = this.className;  // Assign the className here
                    this.className = "hovered";
                }
                rows[i].onmouseout = function() {
                    this.className = (cls == 'even') ? cls : 'odd';
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

Edit: I re-read your question and it occurred to me that you only wanted to set the odd table rows classname to odd on mouseout, not before.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


I don't cook ham too often, in the past my recipe was basically brown sugar on the bottom of a crock pot, the ham, and a few pineapple slices and more brown sugar on top. That ham was good, this recipe I found before Thanksgiving is even better and more moist.
I spent a hour or so looking for a ham recipe online and now I can't find the exact one again. There are several variations so I will just give you the information on the one I made most recently and it's pretty simple.
We purchased a smoked ham, small enough to fit in an average size crock pot. I took a cup of packed brown sugar, 1 can of Coke, and 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard. You bring that to a boil until all the sugar is dissolved, then pour it over the ham facing down in the crock pot. Then take another cup or so of brown sugar and cover the ham with it. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. That's it! You'll get a juicy, flavorful ham. You may need to remove some juices as it cooks, fyi, keep an eye out for that, don't just set it and forget it.
What's your favorite ham recipe?


In late May I was flying to Bangkok (BKK) from Frankfurt (FRA) on a cheap Gulf Air fare via Bahrain (BAH). Unfortunately I was at the other side of Germany and the flight left rather early in the morning, too early to make it to Frankfurt on the same day.
While I would have loved to fly from an airport near to where I was, that doesn't work as Germany has basically only two points from where to fly to Asia which is Frankfurt and Munich. To make sure I would be at the airport on time I decided to stay nearby the night before.
B&B Hotels is a relatively new hotel chain in Germany aiming to capture the market segment of budget conscious travellers that look for an overall decent standard and amenities.
I would put it in the same market segment as the Ibis hotels from Accor, which it seems to exceed as far as I see from pictures and reviews. However I wanted to check for myself and chose the newly opened B&B Hotel Hamburg Wandsbek.
After a short stay in Dresden I took the Euro City train to Prague, which has been on my list for a long time, to spend another two nights in the Ibis Prague Wenceslas Square.
While the Ibis brand is more catering to budget travel the rates for all hotels in Prague during my stay were off the charts and as I just wanted to get an impression of this vibrant city I gave the Ibis a try.
I have stayed in the Pullman Dresden Newa once before and wrote a review about the suite back then. For a quick two nights stay in this May I returned to Dresden and stayed once again at the Pullman.
As the hotel itself didn't change since my last stay I will just keep this short and focus on the room itself. The Pullman is right behind the central station and extremely convenient to walk in the city centre and to the main attractions of Dresden.
For a short two nights stay in Hamburg in late summer last year I booked the INNSIDE by Melia Hamburg Hafen due to the reasonable price tag and it being a new hotel in a central location that I thought would be nice to check out.
From the pictures I could see that this hotel is following a very basic, northern sleek style, which I usually like. While the style was as expected everything else was unfortunately quite unpleasant.
After returning from a trip to Europe in September thanks to the cheap Qatar Airways fare sale ex Ho Chi Minh City I needed a room for one night before taking my flight back to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, this time hopefully in a slightly more modern plane than the outbound flight.
Normally the Pullman Saigon Central is my go-to place in Ho Chi Minh City, it is easily one of the best Pullmans out there and I have stayed countless times at this property. For the date I was in Saigon tho it turned out to be outrageously expensive and I decided to branch out into a non chain property this time.
I recently returned to the beautiful city of Munich in Germany and needed a hotel. On my last stay I booked the Novotel Munich City Arnulfpark and was very positively surprised. I also noticed that the building hosts an Ibis hotel as well, which takes up one half of the property.
As this was just a one night stay and Ibis hotels are very 'upscale' for the 3-stars category I decided to shake things up a bit and see how this hotel would compare to the Novotel.
For a long weekend in April I decided to explore Johor Bahru since I haven't been there, despite living in Malaysia for years, as well as spending a day in Singapore which is right next to Johor Bahru town.
Johor Bahru does not have that many hotels especially if you are looking for something more upscale. The only chain hotel I found was the DoubleTree by Hilton which was somewhat pricey for a town like Johor and since I am not a member anyway I decided it wasn't worth the money. Instead I went with the 4 star Amerin Hotel, which I booked through AirAsiaGo, that is located a short drive of 10 minutes away from Johor town.
Over a long weekend in April 2017 I spent a night in Singapore after my short trip to Johor Bahru, Malaysia. As it was just one night and I did not need anything fancy I decided to go for the cheapest 5 star option Accor Hotels had on offer for that night, which ended up being the Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy.
I paid a part of the rate with points which gave me a rather unpleasant experience before at the Pullman Riga Old Town which really made me feel anything but welcome, while later resolved I assume at least partially the unpleasant service was due to my "lack of spending" at that property.


text:
Part 2- Warbirds Over Wanaka, 2016
Warbirds Over Wanaka, 2016 continued on from Part 1...
Air War in the Pacific; Avenger, Corsiar and the P40 Kittyhawks-
Grumman Avenger- one of the largest single engine fighters of its time. Used by the RNZAF in the Pacific campaigns of WWII.
Corsair FG-1D- The Corsair is my most favourite plane (ahead of the Harvards), I fell in love with it at the Tauranga Air Show a few years ago.
I love the wing shape, how it dips down near the plane body. And although rather quiet, I also like the deep throaty grumble of the 2000hp Pratt & Whitney radial engine (I looked that up!)
The Corsair was nicknamed "Whistling Death" by the Japanese because of it's stealthy approach.
I failed to get photos this time, of the wings folding on the Corsiar & the Avenger (I was just too far away) but here are photos I took of them during the 2014 Warbirds.
The Curtiss P-40N and P-40E Kittyhawks
The RNZAF operated 297 Kittyhawk fighters in the Pacific during WWII.
Eventually replaced by the Corsiar, the Kittyhawks returned to NZ to be used as advanced fighter trainers.
Another iconic aircraft; the Douglas Dakota C-47 - DC3. The Dakota C-47 was a modified version of the civilian DC-3. This particular C-47 was delivered to the US Army Airforce in 1944. After being decommissioned in 1959 it was commercially used in the Phillipines, New Guinea and Australia before being retired and becoming a static display. The New Zealand Warbird Group then brought it to NZ and performed an extensive rebuild. It was repainted to represent the aircraft NZ3546 from No.42 Squadron of the RNZAF.
This DC3 has a 100% New Zealand pedigree. Currently owned & flown by Air Chathams, it left the USA and flew to Hamilton, NZ in April, 1945. In May 1945, it became known as RNZAF Dakota NZ3543. Once decommissioned it was flown by our very own NAC (National Airways Corporation).
The Catalina Flying Boat and the DC3s put on a great flying display and took many visitors for the ride of their lives.
Often used as a bomber escort, the American built P51 Mustang was armed with six .50 calibre Browning machine guns.
It was fitted with long range fuel tanks and modified to perform at high altitudes.
The Mustang was a formidable game-changer in the latter stages of WWII.
The Mustang was known as the "Cadillac of the Skies" I think it looks like one of those model aircraft you make up; the air intake underneath looks like a clip that holds the wings in place! Add to that the little model man in the cockpit and it could have come straight out of a box.
Next up are the "Air Bandits", Jurgis Kairys & Rob Fry, and their aerobatic planes performing some death-defying maneuvers. These are two very brave men.
Jurgis Kairys, is a Lithuania national is one of the most experienced aerobatic pilots in the world. Jurgis is an aeronautical engineer and he helped develop the Sukhoi aerobatic aircraft (the blue plane flown by Rob). This Warbirds Jurgis has brought his very own aircraft; the Juka to perform in. The Juka weighs less than the lightest Sukhoi and is powered by a 400hp Russian M14PF engine.
That's an impressive eleven turn cork screw Jurgis is performing on the right.
Later in the programme Jurgis sneeked in on the DC3, tucking in under the belly as they flew passed the crowd and then barrell rolling around the large plane on their way back down the runway.
Two Strikemaster Jets put on a fast and furious display...
...highlighting the incredible skill level of their pilots.
They were then joined by two De Havilland Vampires for some precision flying.
The Vampire was considered highly experimental in its developmental stages and came on line too late to see any action in WWII.
The Vampire was used as a training aircraft and remained in service in NZ until 1972. And they still look futuristic to me!
The grand finale saw the airfield under attack by enemy aircraft (poor lonely Messerschmidt) and the Fighters scramble to do battle.
Followed by a mass flypast and a massive explosion, that caught many on the hop.
And again on Sunday.... and that was Warbirds Over Wanaka for another two years.
Here are a couple of other aircraft that took part in the Classic Flypast...
This one made me giggle...it looks like he's peering over the top of the screen...
And in a paddock at the end of the runway; a plane park- for those that arrived by wing.
Labels: aerobatic, air bandits, Air Chathams, Corsair, Dakota, DC3, de Havilland, Douglas, Grumman Avenger, jet, kittyhawk, mustang, Queenstown Lakes, RNZAF, strikemaster, vampire, warbirds over Wanaka
Drum roll please........
In no particular order and a brief description where possible, I present to you a collection of photos from Warbirds Over Wanaka, 2016. I'm by no means an expert but this being my fourth New Zealand airshow and I'm beginning to recognise many of the planes.
Many of you will know that the Yak52 is the plane that Jim Hickey, TV1's former long time weatherman, owned for many years. Jim was one of the commentators for the show and his old plane performed in the acrobatic display.
With precision timing and trails of smoke, the Yaks put on an impressive flying display.
The Royal New Zealand Airforce displayed a number of their aircraft along with thrilling displays from the French, Australian & the United States Airforces.
Top left- Armee De L'Aire with their CASA CN-235-300 did an aerial display.
Top Right- RNZAF's T-6C Texan II aircraft are used to train pilots and are purpose built for military training with all the latest technology.
Bottom left & right- The NH90 helicopter replaced the very familiar and much loved Iroquois.
It was about here that I decided to vacate the show proper and move to the fenceline in the carpark at the end of the runway. There was no way on earth, without being rude and trampling over and pushing through people twenty deep, that I was going to get to the front along side the runway. And the sun was all wrong for taking good photos too.
The RNZAF's C-130 Hercules flew in from Whenuapai, Auckland to do a magnificent display and then finished with a brilliant blast of flares.
Next up is one of my favourites; the North American Harvards with their loud and throaty roar.
The Roaring Forties Team but on an awesome display in their fully aerobatic Harvards.
The Harvard was used as the primary trainer for most Commonwealth aircrew during WWII.
First flown in 1937, the RNZAF Harvards were used as pilot trainers for over 30 years.
And just because I love Harvards, here are a couple more. I love seeing the pilots in the cockpit.
The US Airforce's C-17 Globemaster made a spectacular and impressive sight as it approached the airfield, doing a low pass followed by a few maneuvers for the crowd. Obviously it wasn't able to touchdown due to the size of the runway and flew off, back to Christchurch once it had finished it's display.
This Globemaster is based in Hawaii and attends numerous airshows around the world as an ambassador for the US Airforce.
C-17 Globemaster III facts (from the programme) and because I find them fascinating-
Primary function- Cargo & Troop transport
Prime Contractor- Boeing Company
Power Plant- Four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan engines
Thrust- 40,440 pounds, each engine
Wingspan- 51.75 metres to winglet tips (the commentator mentioned that the winglets are 2 metres high)
Length- 53 metres
Height- 16.79 metres
Speed- 450 knots at 28,000 feet (8,534 meters) (Mach .74)
Service Ceiling- 45,000 feet a cruising speed (13,716 metres)
Range- Glocal with in-flight refueling
Crew- Three (two pilots & one loadmaster)
Load- 102 troops/paratroops; 36 litter & 54 ambulatory patients & attendants; 77,519 kilograms of cargo (18 pallet positions)
First Deployed- June 1993
The Royal Australian Airforce put on a fast and furious display in their Hawk 127 fighter-trainer jets.
One of the start attractions at Warbirds this year is the Messerschmitt Buchon ME-109, the last time one flew in New Zealand was 20 years ago in 1996 at Warbirds, when the airshow founder Sir Tim Wallis brought one out.
The German ME-109 has the distinction of being the most produced fighter aircraft of all time with over 33,000 built and was the main rival of the Allies Spitfire during WWII.
This particular model, the Buchon, was developed by the Spanish Airforce following WWII with the original German airframe paired with a Rolls Royce Merlin 500-45 engine. This particular aircraft is also a movie star, appearing with 27 others in the 1968 film "Battle of Britain".
The beautiful & graceful bomber Avro Anson MKI (can a bomber be graceful?) with it's prominent gun turret bubble, is always a popular sight at the airshow as it seems to 'lumber' along with it's smaller fighting buddies, the Corsair & the Kittyhawks.
This aircraft is the only remaining wartime Avro Anson MKI in the world that is airworthy.
The RNZAF used 23 of these aircraft as navigation trainers during WWII.
The iconic Spitfire...
And it's highly recognizable wing shape; something I manage to capture too many times. Talk about fast on the fly past!
The Yak 3; a nimble "Russian Spitfire"
I caught this fly-past with just a little too fast a shutter speed, although there is a hint of a blur; a purist aircraft photographer likes to catch some blur from the props to give the plane a sense of movement otherwise it can look like the plane is suspended in mid air or it looks like a toy! Especially when you can see the pilot.
Yak 3
And here is the famous (or is that infamous) Martin Jetpack. This is what David was wanting to see at it's Wanaka debut. It was a little disappointing in that it was unable to have a pilot, as it needed, for safety, a low-altitude parachute fitted or it could only fly over water- neither were at the show. It did lift off with one heck of a noise that could be heard all over the airfield, from up on the terrace and back in our paddock where we stayed. I wasn't nearby to catch it's flight when it lifted off. And it had malfunction problems on Sunday so didn't lift off either, which disappointed many.
Another visitor to the show was the iconic Catalina Flying Boat. The 70 year old Catalina last appeared at the show in 2010 and has since under gone an extensive $250,000 renovation.
With its amphibious qualities and a flying range of over 3000 miles the Catalina was the most widely used seaplane of WWII
The RNZAF had 56 Catalina aircraft between 1943 and 1953 and used them extensively in the Pacific for rescue, reconnaissance and anti-submarine missions.
This particular Catalina started it's flying career with the Canadian Airforce in 1944 for anyti-submarine duties. I like how you can see the passengers in the bubble.
Warbirds Over Wanaka, 2016- Part 2 is here.
Labels: 2016, avro anson, Buchon, C-130 Hercules, CASA, catalina, globemaster, harvard, Hawk 127, jetpack, martin, Messerschmitt, NH90, Queenstown Lakes, RNZAF, spitfire, T-6C Texan II, warbirds over Wanaka, yak 3, YAK 52
Exploring Glendhu Bay, Wanaka
Sunrise at the Clay Cliffs
Clay Cliffs of Omarama
Return to Poolburn Dam
Next Stop- Omarama
Birding Bonanza, Stewart Island- Part 3