7626
Good Saturday morning August 15, 2026 ...
It is supposed to be cloudy again most of the day until 10 or 11 when it
will be partly cloudy with a high today of 82 around 1 and then start
dropping off around 3.
Regards,
Skip
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This day in Naval and Marine Corps History (thanks to NHHC)
Here is a link to the NHHC website: https://www.history.navy.mil/. Go here
to see the director’s corner for all 100 H-Grams (99 is still in work)
July 15
1862 While CSS Arkansas makes her way down the Yazoo River, she encounters
the Union gunboats USS Carondelet, USS Tyler, and USS Queen of the West. In
the ensuing battle, CSS Arkansas damages the first two vessels and makes her
way into the Mississippi River, where she boldly fights through the Federal
fleet to find refuge at the Confederate batteries at Vicksburg, Miss.
1896 USS Oregon (BB 3) is commissioned.
1942 USS Grunion (SS 216) sinks the Japanese submarine chasers (25 and 26)
off Kiska, Aleutian Islands.
1942 USS Terror (CM 5), the first minelayer built as such, is commissioned.
During World War II she participates in Operation Torch, the Battle for Iwo
Jima, and the Okinawa Invasion, where she is struck by a kamikaze on May 1,
1945.
1943 TBF aircraft from (VC 29) from USS Santee (CVE 29) sinks German
submarine (U 509) south of the Azores.
1943 PBY (VP 92) and British destroyer HMS Rochester and frigates HMS
Mignonette and HMS Balsam sink German submarine (U 135) west of the Canary
Islands. Previously, (U 135) sank 3 and damaged 1 Allied vessels, none from
the United States.
2017 The guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn (DDG 113) is commissioned
in a ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The ship honors
Chief Aviation Ordnanceman John Finn, who received the Medal of Honor for
heroism during the first attack by Japanese airplanes at Pearl Harbor.
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Today in World History July 15
1099 Jerusalem falls to the Crusaders.
1410 Poles and Lithuanians defeat the Teutonic knights at Tannenberg,
Prussia.
1685 The Duke of Monmouth is executed in Tower Hill in England.
1789 The electors of Paris set up a "Commune" to live without the authority
of the government.
1806 Lieutenant Zebulon Pike begins his western expedition from Fort Belle
Fontaine.
1813 Napoleon Bonaparte's representatives meet with the Allies in Prague to
discuss peace terms.
1834 Lord Napier of England arrives at Macao, China, as the first chief
superintendent of trade.
1863 Confederate raider Bill Anderson and his Bushwhackers attack
Huntsville, Missouri, stealing $45,000 from the local bank.
1895 Ex-prime minister of Bulgaria, Stepfan Stambolov, is murdered by
Macedonian rebels.
1901 Over 74,000 Pittsburgh steel workers go on strike.
1942 The first supply flight from India to China over the 'Hump' is flown.
1958 President Dwight Eisenhower sends 5,000 Marines to Lebanon to keep the
peace.
1960 John F. Kennedy accepts the Democratic nomination for president.
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Rollingthunderremembered.com .
August 13
Thanks to Dan Heller and the Bear
When I called Micro yesterday he was already aware of the problem and the
folks were working on it
Thanks to Micro
From Vietnam Air Losses site for ..August 15
Vietnam Air Losses Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady’s work at:
https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
MOAA - Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Service members Killed in
the Vietnam War
(This site was sent by a friend . The site works, find anyone you knew in
“search" feature. https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/ )
articles/wall-of-faces-now-includes-photos-of-all-servicemembers-killed-in-t
he-vietnam-war/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=TMNsend&
utm_content=Y84UVhi4Z1MAMHJh1eJHNA==+MD+AFHRM+1+Ret+L+NC
By: Kipp Hanley
.
This is a list of all Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War . Listed
by last name and has other info https://www.vhpa.org/KIA/KIAINDEX.HTM
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. Thanks to Interesting Facts
You can hear the roar of Africa’s Victoria Falls from up to 25 miles away.
Sandwiched along the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe in Africa is one of the
greatest natural wonders of the world (literally). Nearly twice as tall as
Niagara Falls, Victoria Falls plunges some 350 feet down into the basin of a
vast gorge below. The steady stream of water is so powerful, it’s created a
rainforestlike microclimate, because its voluminous spray blankets the
surrounding area continuously. Although the world largely knows this wonder
as Victoria Falls (after Queen Victoria, naturally), locals have
traditionally called it Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning “The Smoke that Thunders.”
The name is arguably a better fit, as the “thunder” of this massive
waterfall can be heard from 25 miles away, and its “smoke” (aka water plume)
can be seen even farther.
Victoria Falls is actually several waterfalls in one. On the Zimbabwe side,
there’s Devil's Cataract, Main Falls, Rainbow Falls, and Horseshoe Falls,
and on the Zambia side lies the Eastern Cataract. If you want to see the
waterfall at its most dramatic, visit between February and May when the
summer rains, and by extension Victoria Falls itself, are at their highest
volume. However, other times of year have plenty to offer, too. Between
mid-August and mid-December, daring adventurers can take a dip in Devil’s
Pool, a swimming hole that brings those unburdened by acrophobia — fear of
heights — to the very edge of the Fall’s dizzying plunge.
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. Thanks to History Facts
"Take Me Out to the Ball Game" has a feminist twist.
B aseball is known as “America's pastime,” a tradition so embedded in U.S.
culture that the songwriters who penned “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” in
1908 did so even though they had never actually seen a game themselves. The
song’s familiar chorus about snacking on Cracker Jack and rooting for the
home team is often sung during the seventh-inning stretch at baseball games,
but the tune’s lesser-known verses have a surprisingly feminist twist.
The song tells the tale of a baseball-loving woman named Katie Casey,
described in the lyrics as “mad” for the sport. Katie saw every game, knew
all the players, and was confident enough in her knowledge of the rules to
“[tell] the umpire he was wrong.” The portrayal of a passionate female
sports fan was progressive for its time, but it was not exactly factual.
Instead, the lyrics are believed to have been inspired by actress and
activist Trixie Friganza, who songwriter Jack Norworth was believed to be
having an affair with at the time. Friganza was involved in New York’s
suffrage movement, and was reportedly a fan of the New York Giants. Her
image also appeared on two early editions of sheet music for the song. In
1927, long after his alleged affair with Friganza had ended and seven years
after women won the right to vote, Norworth slightly reimagined some of the
lyrics to the famous song. He did keep his female protagonist, but
inexplicably changed Katie Casey’s name to Nelly Kelly.
By the Numbers
Earliest known use of the word “feminist”
1852
Amount of the largest free-agent contract in MLB history
$700 million
Years the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League existed
(1943-1954)
12
Baseball cards in the National Baseball Hall of Fame collection
140,000
DID YOU KNOW?
“Happy Birthday” was originally known as “Good Morning to All.”
Along with “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” “Happy Birthday” is one of the
most recognizable songs in history, sung in many different languages all
around the world. Written in 1893 by Patty Smith Hill, a director at the
Louisville Experimental Kindergarten School in Kentucky, and her sister
Mildred J. Hill, an educator and musician, the song originally appeared in a
book of music titled Song Stories for the Kindergarten — at least, the
melody did. The tune was actually titled “Good Morning to All,” and it was
meant as a cheerful classroom greeting for young children, with the lyrics:
“Good morning to you/Good morning to you/Good morning, dear children/Good
morning to all.” By March 1924, the melody appeared in a songbook with
altered lyrics opening the second verse: “Happy birthday to you.” It was
published with incremental lyrical changes over the years, and by 1933, 40
years after its inception, the song was widely known as “Happy Birthday to
You.”
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. This Week in American Military History Thanks to Thomas W. Smith
July 11, 1864: Confederate Army forces under the command of Lt. Gen. Jubal
Early reach the outskirts of Washington, D.C.
Brief skirmishing follows. Artillery fire is exchanged. But a previous delay
at nearby Monocacy Junction, Maryland, caused by a sizeable, but numerically
inferior Union Army force under the command of Maj. Gen. Lew Wallace (future
author of Ben Hur) buys time for Union defenders to strengthen their
positions around the nation’s capital.
Early will withdraw the following day, commenting to one of his officers,
“Major, we haven't taken Washington, but we scared Abe Lincoln like hell.”
The New York Times will refer to Early’s drive toward D.C., “the boldest,
and probably the most successful of all the rebel raids.”
July 11, 1955: The first U.S. Air Force Academy class begins with 306 cadets
at the Academy’s temporary site, Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado.
The Academy will be moved to its permanent site at Colorado Springs in 1958.
July 11, 1798: The U.S. Marine Corps – born as the Continental Marines Nov.
10, 1775 (the official birthday of the Corps) and disbanded at the
conclusion of the American Revolution – is reestablished by an act of
Congress.
July 12, 1862: The U.S. Army version of the Medal of Honor – the nation’s
highest award for valor in combat – is signed into law, stipulating that the
decoration be awarded “to such noncommissioned officers and privates as
shall most distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action, and other
soldierlike qualities, during the present insurrection.”
The Navy version (awarded to both sailors and Marines) had become law more
than six months earlier, on Dec. 21, 1861.
July 14, 1813: Lt. (future Lt. Col.) John M. Gamble becomes the first – and
thus far only – U.S. Marine to command a ship in action. Gamble’s vessel,
the captured British whaler Greenwich, captures the British whaler
Seringapatam.
Gamble – a Lieutenant (though several reputable sources say, captain) of
Marines aboard USS Essex – had been awarded command of Greenwich by U.S.
Navy Captain (future commodore) David Porter, who was the father of the
Civil War’s famous Admiral David Dixon Porter.
Gamble’s exploits will become legendary, though few know of him outside
Marine Corps circles.
July 16, 1862: The U.S. Congress establishes the rank of rear admiral for
David G. Farragut, who will become best known for purportedly uttering the
command, “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!,” or the more likely
command, “Damn the torpedoes! "Four bells. Captain [Percival] Drayton, go
ahead! [Lt. Commander James] Jouett, full speed!” during the 1864 Battle of
Mobile Bay, Alabama.
Farragut (destined to become admiral) is the nation’s first rear admiral
July 17, 1898: Spanish forces under the command of Gen. José Toral surrender
Cuba to U.S. forces under Gen. William R. Shafter during the Spanish
American War.
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Thanks to Interesting Facts
. Pizza And Other Bizarre Things We Have Sent Into Space
NASA has strict rules about non-essential items. And yet, over the decades,
astronauts have managed to bring along all sorts of odd objects in their
Personal Preference Kits. Sure, some may have been marketing stunts—like the
time Pizza Hut delivered a meal to the International Space Station—but
others were personal caprices, like David Walker’s gorilla suit smuggled
onboard in 1984. Read on to discover the full list!
.
A gorilla suit
Space can get boring. It got a little more entertaining for astronaut Scott
Kelly in 2016, when his twin brother, Mark Kelly, sent him a vacuum-sealed
gorilla suit all the way to the ISS for his birthday.
Kelly’s crewmates didn’t know about it, so he had fun pranking them by
suddenly appearing in the suit aboard the station. One of the prank videos
went viral. As Kelly put it: "How can you not like space gorilla?"
Dirt from Yankee Stadium
Astronaut Garrett Reisman, a lifelong Yankees fan, of course, took a little
piece of the Bronx to orbit. In 2008, aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour on
mission STS-123, he brought a vial of dirt from Yankee Stadium’s pitcher’s
mound—along with other Yankees memorabilia, including items autographed by
players.
Amelia Earhart’s watch
In 2010, astronaut Shannon Walker brought Amelia Earhart’s watch to the
International Space Station. The legendary aviator had worn it during two
transatlantic flights, and it traveled to space on the 82nd anniversary of
her first historic solo flight across the Atlantic.
.
Pizza
Space pizza finally became a reality in 2001, when Pizza Hut paid millions
to deliver a vacuum-sealed pizza to the International Space Station.
It was, quite literally, a publicity stunt out of this world. The
pizza—topped with salami to withstand space conditions—was eaten by Russian
cosmonaut Yuri Usachov aboard the ISS.
Pieces of the Wright Brothers’ first plane
Tucked into Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit was a small piece of fabric and a
fragment of wood from the Wright Brothers' 1903 Flyer—carried all the way
from Kitty Hawk to the Sea of Tranquility. He took them with him as he
became the first person to step onto the Moon in 1969.
A set of instruments to play "Jingle Bells"
Just before Christmas in 1965, astronauts Wally Schirra and Tom Stafford
pulled off a surprise serenade in space.
They had smuggled a harmonica and a set of sleigh bells aboard their Gemini
6A mission and played "Jingle Bells" for Mission Control—creating the first
musical performance ever in space. The instruments are now on display at the
Smithsonian Institution.
Several LEGO pieces
NASA's collaboration with LEGO took a literal leap when, in 2011, sets of
LEGO bricks were sent to the International Space Station aboard mission
STS-133.
Astronauts assembled models—such as the Hubble Space Telescope—in
microgravity, engaging students around the world in STEM education.
A Buzz Lightyear toy
Buzz Lightyear truly went "to infinity and beyond" when a 12-inch action
figure flew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in 2008. Spending 15 months on
the International Space Station, Buzz was part of NASA’s educational
outreach efforts.
Upon return, he was honored with a parade at Disney World and now resides in
the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
A lightsaber
In a nod to sci-fi fandom, a lightsaber prop used by Mark Hamill in Return
of the Jedi journeyed to space aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in 2007.
The initiative celebrated the 30th anniversary of Star Wars, symbolizing the
intersection of science fiction and real-world space exploration.
Dinosaur bones
In 1985, during NASA's SpaceLab 2 mission, astronaut Loren Acton brought
aboard a fossilized bone and a piece of eggshell from Maiasaura peeblesorum,
a dinosaur species known for nurturing its young.
These fossils, discovered in Montana, were sent to space to symbolize the
connection between Earth’s prehistoric life and space exploration.
Communion bread and wine
In a very profound gesture, Buzz Aldrin privately took Christian communion
aboard Apollo 11. As a Presbyterian elder, he carried a tiny wafer and a
small pouch of wine, blessing them while orbiting the Moon shortly after the
lunar landing.
.
Golf clubs (and golf balls)
During Apollo 14, Alan Shepard secretly packed a makeshift 6-iron—a golf
club head duct-taped to a lunar tool—and two golf balls.
On live TV, he took a couple of awkward, one-handed swings while wearing his
stiff spacesuit. The first ball flopped; the second soared "miles and
miles," Shepard joked. It actually traveled about 40 yards, which is quite
impressive in lunar terms.
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Thanks to Interesting facts
In World War II, the British had a plan to make aircraft carriers out of
ice.
History
It was 1942, and among many other challenges, wartime Great Britain had a
big problem: Nazi U-boats. These German submarines destroyed U.K.-bound
merchant ships laden with much-needed food and supplies, and the attacks
became so frequent that from March to September of that year they sank close
to 100 merchant ships a month. Airplanes at the time couldn’t fly far enough
from land-based airstrips to protect these ships in the ocean, and this
aviation limitation left a 300-mile lane of unprotected waters known as “the
mid-Atlantic gap.” Britain’s legendary prime minister, Winston Churchill,
was desperate to close this gap by any means necessary, and dreamed of
building floating islands where planes could refuel. Unfortunately, aircraft
carriers were few and far between, and steel was hard to come by during the
war effort because it was needed for weapons, tanks, ships, and more.
It takes more than 20 years for some modern aircraft carriers to run out of
fuel.
FACT
In the decades following WWII, aircraft carriers increased in size and
complexity. Today, a modern aircraft carrier uses nuclear power for fuel, an
energy source so dense that these massive ships — some weighing 97,000 tons
— don’t need refueling for more than 20 years.
One day, a potential solution arrived when Lord Louis Mountbatten, the head
of Britain’s Combined Operations Command (and beloved uncle of the future
Prince Philip), presented Churchill with a strange chunk of ice. This wasn’t
any normal piece of ice, however: It was pykrete (named after its creator,
Geoffrey Pyke), which was a type of ice reinforced with wood pulp. The
result was a material that melted very slowly. For Churchill, a vision of a
fleet of aircraft carriers made from pykrete came into focus. The proposed
pykrete ship would’ve been the biggest “ship” ever constructed, displacing
26 times more water than the largest ship at the time and requiring 26
electric motors for propulsion. A 60-foot-long prototype was soon
constructed in Alberta, Canada, that weighed as much as five blue whales.
But by 1943, things had changed. Escort carriers had arrived in the Atlantic
and long-range aircraft such as the B-24 Liberator had closed the gap for
good. Despite pykrete’s amazing ability to hold its shape, the dream of an
iceberg aircraft carrier soon melted away.
Numbers Don't Lie
Wingspan (in feet) of the Spruce Goose, a successful attempt to build a WWII
plane without steel
320
Size (in square miles) of the world’s current largest iceberg
1,180
Height (in stories) of the proposed WWII iceberg ship’s rudder
15
Approximate percentage of an iceberg that’s below the water’s surface
90%
MORE INTERESTING READS
When an iceberg breaks off from a glacier, it’s called calving.
Some scientists think the moon might be partly responsible for the Titanic’s
demise.
On January 4, 1912, a celestial event occurred that hadn’t happened for more
than a thousand years. The moon made its closest approach to Earth in the
last 1,400 years while it was almost full, only a day after the Earth made
its own annual close approach to the sun. According to Texas State
University scientists, this one-of-a kind cocktail of astronomical
activities created an exceptionally high tide. Their theory posits that this
tide allowed some icebergs that would usually get stuck on their journey
south from Greenland to be refloated, pushed into southbound currents, and
put in the path of unsuspecting ships crossing the Atlantic. One such ship
was the Titanic, which famously — and tragically — struck an iceberg that
April.
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Thanks to Geopolitiks
August 15, 2026
The Kuril Islands dispute
Why is this island chain so important to Russia and Japan?
Few facts on the Kuril Islands
The Kuril Islands are a chain of islands stretching from Kamchatka Peninsula
in Russia to Hokkaido in Japan. They separate the Sea of Okhotsk from the
north Pacific Ocean. It is composed of 56 islands and many minor islets.
They have about 20 thousand inhabitants.
Source: AsiaTimes
Origins of the dispute between Russia and Japan
In 1855, a treaty set the border between Japan and the Russian Empire.
Iturup and the islands south belonged to Japan. The rest of the islands
north belonged to Russia. Japan later gained control over the entire Kuril
chain.
But WWII changed that. The USSR entered the war against Japan. It occupied
all the Kuril Islands. Thousands of Japanese were removed from their homes.
Russia and Japan have been locked in a dispute since.
The Kuril Islands are still under Russia’s control. But Japan claims the
four southernmost islands:
• Iturup
• Kunashir
• Shikotan
• Habomai islets (unpopulated)
Japan calls them its Northern Territories. They include two of the three
largest islands in the chain. These are Iturup and Kunashir.
The legal dispute is tough. Under a 1951 treaty, Japan gave up its claims to
the Kuril Islands. But Japan says its Northern Territories were not part of
the islands it renounced. It says these islands belonged to Japan since the
1855 treaty with Russia, so they were de facto not included in the post-war
treaty.
It is the main reason why they did not sign a peace treaty after WWII. They
just ended their formal state of war with a declaration.
Dear Reader,
There’s a strategy behind the Iran war. I know because I heard it directly.
In a closed-door meeting with a source whose connections run deep into
global power networks.
He walked me through the real purpose.
The real objective.
And the massive deal tied to it.
I verified every piece.
And what I found confirms it:
This isn’t random.
It’s planned.
Tensions around these islands since Ukraine
There have been periods when a compromise seemed possible. But since the war
in Ukraine, tensions between Russia and Japan increased. Japan joined
Western sanctions. Russia stopped the peace negotiations with Japan. It also
ended the visa-free visits for some citizens to the disputed islands. Before
Ukraine, both states had special arrangements. Deals from the 90’s eased
visits for former Japanese residents and their families. They did not need a
normal Russian visa.
The most recent event is Putin’s visit to Iturup this week. It is his first
trip to the disputed islands as president. As a reminder, Putin has spent 22
years as president of Russia and 4 years as PM. Japan strongly protested the
visit. The U.S. backed Japan by recognizing its sovereignty over islands
visited by Putin.
An island chain with strategic importance
For Japan, the dispute is about getting back territories it sees as
occupied. But these islands also have a growing strategic importance. Japan
faces a tough security environment. China expands its military power. North
Korea continues to develop missiles and nukes. Russia strengthens its forces
in the far East. Its forces are at a short distance from Japan. Plus, all
three of them are increasingly cooperating. This creates security concerns
for Japan.
For Russia, the Kurils have a strategic value. They separate the Sea of
Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean. They give Russia access to passages
connecting the sea and the ocean. But the Sea of Okhotsk is also crucial for
Russia. It provides a protected area for its Pacific Fleet. This is
especially the case for its nuclear submarines. For these reasons, Russia
reinforced its presence across the islands. It has built new bases, deployed
air defense and anti-ship systems.
What to expect?
Russia has many reasons to keep control of the Kurils:
• Military
• Economic
• Political
It will not give them away to Japan, particularly in the current context.
Japan sided with the West on Ukraine. It is strengthening its longstanding
alliance with the U.S. At the same time, Russia develops closer ties with
China and North Korea, Japan’s regional rivals.
Japan is unlikely to abandon its claims. It sees these islands as part of
the state. Plus, this stronger cooperation between Russia, China and North
Korea creates more security concerns for Japan.
For now, the islands are likely to remain under Russia’s control. The
relations between Russia and Japan will likely remain strained. But this
dispute’s geopolitical scope might increase due to overlapping troubles. The
Indo-Pacific region is becoming more and more militarized. Blocs are
forming. Tensions are not easing. Plus, regional tensions are also
increasingly connected to conflicts elsewhere. This can be seen with Japan’s
sanctions against Russia or North Korea’s involvement alongside Russia in
the war in Ukraine. This overlap of tensions, disputes, and rivalries
increases the risk of escalation.
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Thanks to Nice News
If your life has gotten so busy that it no longer includes space for
the things you value most, it might be high time for a time audit. The
concept, recently outlined in NPR by psychotherapist Niro Feliciano,
involves listing out the people and activities that are most important to
you, and then taking stock of how much time you’re actually dedicating to
them in your day-to-day. From there, you can work on making more time for
the essentials. “When your schedule begins to align with your values is when
we begin to feel inner peace,” Feliciano said. Read about more strategies
for managing busyness.
Must Reads
________________________________________
• Drone footage captured hundreds of stingrays swimming off the New
York coast
________________________________________
Astronomers Discover New Class of Cosmic Object the Size of Our Entire Solar
System
Jose-Luis Olivares, MIT
Deep space is full of surprises, and astronomers recently discovered a new
one hiding in plain sight. Dubbed a “black hole star,” the cosmic object
resembles a star the size of our entire solar system, but produces energy at
levels closer to that of a black hole — over 100 billion times more than any
known star.
Nestled in the constellation Cetus, billions of light-years from Earth, the
object is thought to consist of a black hole with a mass about 100,000 times
that of our sun, enveloped in a cloud of hydrogen gas. Scientists believe
the object formed around 660 million years after the Big Bang, and it could
explain the presence of mysterious dots in images of the early universe that
have long perplexed scientists.
Perhaps its most striking characteristic? Its red hue. “The way its light is
almost entirely red, and abruptly disappears below a certain wavelength, is
so dramatic that there is no comparison among any known class of objects,”
Rohan Naidu, a researcher involved in the discovery and co-author of a
corresponding study, told The Guardian.
He noted that black hole stars may play an important part in galaxies’
formation. “For decades, we have anticipated something spectacular must be
afoot in the very early universe. Black hole stars may be the ‘something
spectacular.’”
Together With ButcherBox
________________________________________
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and you can pause or cancel whenever you like. Use code NICENEWS to save $20
on your first three boxes — plus, get your choice of free ribeyes, New York
strip, or filet mignon for a year.
Try ButcherBox
Environment
________________________________________
Good Dog! How Some Canines Are Being Taught to Avoid Snakes
drferry—E+/Getty Images
Snake sightings and bites have surged this year, an increase experts
attribute to warmer weather. That’s a recipe for worry for those of us with
furry family members that love exploring the world with their snouts, but
dog training programs aimed at preventing potentially devastating reptile
run-ins can help ease some of those worries.
One method enlists the help of actual snakes that have had their venom
glands removed. The dogs are trained to associate the sight, sound, and
smell of a snake with a negative consequence, like a quick, mild zap. In
turn, pups learn to steer clear of snakes and hopefully avoid being one of
the 150,000 dogs bitten by venomous snakes each year in the U.S.
(thankfully, the vast majority of dogs that receive prompt treatment recover
from bites).
J.J. Belcher, a trainer based in Tucson, Arizona, explained to the
Associated Press that just one lesson with an electronic collar can be
enough to teach a pup the lifesaving skill, but noted that positive
reinforcement training can work as well — it just takes more time. Wendy
Timm, one of Belcher’s clients, said, “We are doing this because we want to
keep our dog safe.” Learn more tips to prevent encounters between dogs and
snakes.
Health
________________________________________
These Molecules Could Bust Apart the Toxic Protein Clumps Causing
Parkinson’s
Juan Gaertner—Science Photo Library/Getty Images
This article was written by Sunil Kumar, an associate professor of natural
sciences and mathematics at the University of Denver, for The Conversation.
Current therapies for Parkinson’s disease and related conditions primarily
treat symptoms but don’t stop the underlying process causing the disease.
Increasing evidence suggests that toxic clumps of proteins called
alpha-synuclein are among the primary drivers of damage to neurons. My team
and I developed a synthetic molecule that can block these proteins from
clumping and spreading in the brains of mice, ultimately reducing symptoms
of disease.
This molecule, called SK-129, acts like a molecular brace: It binds to
several parts of alpha-synuclein and holds the protein in a shape that makes
it less likely to stick to other ones. It binds especially strongly to early
forms of these toxic clumps, preventing them from growing and forming new
ones.
In Other News
________________________________________
1. Anthropic will watermark AI-generated text, making it more
detectable even when it’s copied and pasted (read more)
2. Newark Airport may become safer thanks to a new surface radar system
for reducing runway accidents (read more)
3. Montana State University’s “wool lab” aims to revive a declining
industry amid the rise of synthetic fibers
________________________________________
Keeping the ball rolling
When her local candlepin bowling alley in Ellsworth, Maine, was set to be
demolished in 2020, teenage employee Autumn Mowery begged the owner to give
her just three months to keep it up and running. Not long after, a storm
hit, then COVID — still, she persevered. Six years and several broken
fingers later, 24-year-old Mowery — who repairs the old-school pin machines
herself alongside running the business — has transformed the establishment
into a community haven for all, using what little profits she earns to
support those in need.
Patrick Pleul—picture alliance/Getty Images
In addition to the rare total solar eclipse on Wednesday, some stargazers
experienced another cosmic treat later that evening: the Perseid meteor
shower’s climax. While the eclipse was only total in certain parts of the
world, millions more people across the Northern Hemisphere got a magnificent
view of the Perseids overnight, as up to 100 shooting stars per hour
streaked through the sky. If you missed it, the shower will still be active
for another 10 days or so, just not as active as Wednesday’s peak.
Quote of the Day
________________________________________
“We can express passion in calmness.”
– YOKO MORISHITA
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Quick Hits
Trump takes White House ballroom construction to Supreme Court.
Trump officials yesterday petitioned the high court to allow the White House
to resume its $400M ballroom project. A lower court halted the project last
week, ruling it requires congressional approval. The Trump administration
says the project is a national security matter, citing the need for a more
secure event space following incidents like the White House Correspondents'
Association dinner shooting.
Separately, the Trump administration announced the arrest of a woman on
felony charges for allegedly vandalizing the World War II Memorial in
Washington, DC.
US missionary freed after nine months in captivity in Niger.
Kevin Rideout, 50, is in good health and back in US custody after being
kidnapped by three armed individuals in Niger's capital city, Niamey, in
October. As of this writing, no armed group has claimed responsibility and
the details of Rideout's release are unknown. Niger has been ruled by a
military junta since 2023 and has long faced attacks from militants linked
to al-Qaida and the Islamic State organization. (More)
Jeff Bezos buys a minority stake in Liverpool FC.
A group of investors, including Bezos and Facebook cofounder Eduardo
Saverin, bought around 30% of the Premier League club yesterday. The deal
values the team at just over $7B and marks the Amazon founder's first foray
into sports ownership. It comes days after venture capitalist Joshua Kushner
and former Disney CEO Bob Iger bought the Los Angeles Lakers for a record
$12.5B; why are billionaires buying sports teams? (More)
Spain removes remains of 11th-century kings as wildfires spread.
An emergency military unit temporarily relocated the remains of three kings
and some historical paintings from a monastery threatened by a wildfire in
northeastern Spain to a museum 50 miles south. The rescue operation comes as
over 1.4 million acres have been burned by wildfires this year, fueled by
record heat and persistent drought. (More)
Over in Sicily, more than 700 flights have been canceled this week as Mount
Etna—Europe's most active volcano—spews an unusually large amount of ash.
(w/photos)
Tiny satellite will listen for a faint whisper from the very early universe.
Researchers are developing a satellite the size of a carry-on suitcase to
explore the period between the big bang and the appearance of the universe's
first stars, according to a study published this week. The CosmoCube will
orbit the far side of the moon to block interference from Earth as it
searches for never-before-observed signals from hydrogen atoms in the early
universe. (More)
Italian police recover $10M worth of paintings stolen in three-minute heist.
The paintings by Renoir, Cézanne, and Matisse were stolen from a private
museum north of Parma, Italy, in March. Authorities yesterday said the works
were recovered during searches ordered by prosecutors, but provided no
further details. They also released security footage from the heist (watch
via X). Meanwhile, police in Brazil this week recovered eight Matisse
illustrations stolen in December.
Humankind
A Chicago father inspires other middle-aged parents to join him in a
triathlon to raise $100K for epilepsy research, in honor of his 14-year-old
son.
Cleveland teens develop and deliver 3D-printed prosthetic hands to pediatric
patients in Ecuador.
Historybook: Napoleon Bonaparte born (1769); Iconic chef and TV host Julia
Child born (1912); Panama Canal opens (1914); Woodstock music festival
begins (1969); Civil rights activist Julian Bond dies (2015).
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This Day in U S Military History…….July 15
1941 – Master spy Juan Pujol Garcia, nicknamed “Garbo,” sends his first
communique to Germany from Britain. The question was: Who was he spying for?
Juan Garcia, a Spaniard, ran an elaborate multiethnic spy network that
included a Dutch airline steward, a British censor for the Ministry of
Information, a Cabinet office clerk, a U.S. soldier in England, and a
Welshman sympathetic to fascism. All were engaged in gathering secret
information on the British-Allied war effort, which was then transmitted
back to Berlin. Garcia was in the pay of the Nazis. The Germans knew him as
“Arabel,” whereas the English knew him as Garbo. The English knew a lot more
about him, in fact, than the Germans, as Garcia was a British double agent.
None of Garcia’s spies were real, and the disinformation he transmitted to
Germany was fabricated-phony military “secrets” that the British wanted
planted with the Germans to divert them from genuine military preparations
and plans. Among the most effective of Garcia’s deceptions took place in
June 1944, when he managed to convince Hitler that the D-Day invasion of
Normandy was just a “diversionary maneuver designed to draw off enemy
reserves in order to make a decisive attack in another place”-playing right
into the mindset of German intelligence, which had already suspected that
this might be the case. (Of course, it wasn’t.) Among the “agents” that
Garcia employed in gathering this “intelligence” was Donny, leader of the
World Aryan Order; Dick, an “Indian fanatic”; and Dorick, a civilian who
lived at a North Sea port. All these men were inventions of Garcia’s
imagination, but they leant authenticity to his reports back to Berlin–so
much so that Hitler, while visiting occupied France, awarded Garcia the Iron
Cross for his service to the fatherland. That same year, 1944, Garcia
received his true reward, the title of MBE-Member of the British Empire–for
his service to the England and the Allied cause. This ingenious Spaniard had
proved to be one of the Allies’ most successful counterintelligence tools.
1942 – The first supply flight from India to China over the ‘Hump’ was flown
to help China’s war effort.
1943 – General Griswold replaces General Hester in command of operation in
New Georgia. There is an air battle over Rendova in which the Americans lose
3 aircraft and claim to shoot down more than 40 Japanese planes.
1945 – American naval vessels bombard Muroran, the second biggest steel
center in Japan, lying in Volcano Bay on the east side of the island of
Hokkaido. Three battleships bombarded the Muroran and some 1000 carrier
planes bombed the cities of Hakodati, Otaru, Abashiri, Kushiro, Asahigawa
and Obihiro, all on Hokkaido.
1945 – American B-29 Superfortress bombers, based in the Marianna Islands,
raided an oil refinery at Kudamatsu on Honshu Island while fighters and
bombers from Okinawa attacked objectives on Kyushu and southern Honshu.
1950 – F-80s accounted for 85 percent of the enemy’s losses to air attack.
Far East Air Forces Commander, Lieutenant General George E. Stratemeyer,
stated that he wouldn’t trade the F-80 for all the F-47s and F-51s he could
get. “It does a wonderful job in ground support and can take care of the
top-side job if enemy jets appear.”
1953 – U.S. Air Force Captain James Jabara, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing,
qualified as the second and last “triple ace” of the war — 15 kills. He also
was the second ranking jet ace of the war.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
MORRISON, JOHN G.
Rank and organization: Coxswain, U.S. Navy. Entered service at: Lansingburg,
N.Y. Born: 3 November 1842, Ireland G.O. No.: 59, 22 June 1865. Citation:
Serving as coxswain on board the U.S.S. Carondelet, Morrison was commended
for meritorious conduct in general and especially for his heroic conduct and
his inspiring example to the crew in the engagement with the rebel ram
Arkansas, Yazoo River, 15 July 1862. When the Carondelet was badly cut up,
several of her crew killed, many wounded and others almost suffocated from
the effects of escaped steam, Morrison was the leader when boarders were
called on deck, and the first to return to the guns and give the ram a
broadside as she passed. His presence of mind in time of battle or trial is
reported as always conspicuous and encouraging.
ROBINSON, THOMAS
Rank and organizarion: Captain of the Afterguard, U.S. Navy. Born: 17 May
1837, Norway. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 77, 1 August 1866.
Citation: For heroic efforts to save from drowning Wellington Brocar,
landsman, of the Tallapoosa, off New Orleans, 15 July 1866.
BUCHANAN, DAVID M.
Rank and organization: Apprentice, U.S. Navy. Born: 1862, Philadelphia, Pa.
Accredited to: Pennsylvania. G.O. No.: 246, 22 July 1879. Citation: On board
the U.S.S. Saratoga off Battery, New York Harbor, 15 July 1879. On the
morning of this date, Robert Lee Robey, apprentice, fell overboard from the
after part of the ship into the tide which was running strong ebb at the
time and, not being an expert swimmer, was in danger of drowning. Instantly
springing over the rail after him, Buchanan never hesitated for an instant
to remove even a portion of his clothing. Both men were picked up by the
ship’s boat following this act of heroism.
HAYDEN, JOHN
Rank and organization: Apprentice, U.S. Navy. Born: 1863, Washington, D.C.
Accredited to: Washington, D.C. G.O. No.: 246, 22 July 1879. Citation: On
board the U.S. Training Ship Saratoga. On the morning of 15 July 1879, while
the Saratoga was anchored off the Battery, in New York Harbor, R. L. Robey,
apprentice, fell overboard. As the tide was running strong ebb, the man, not
being an expert swimmer, was in danger of drowning. David M. Buchanan,
apprentice, instantly, without removing any of his clothing, jumped after
him. Stripping himself, Hayden stood coolly watching the 2 in the water, and
when he thought his services were required, made a dive from the rail and
came up alongside them and rendered assistance until all 3 were picked up by
a boat from the ship.
HAYS, GEORGE PRICE
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army 10th Field Artillery, 3d
Division. Place and date: Near Greves Farm, France, 14-15 July 1918. Entered
service at: Okarche, Oklahoma. Born: 27 September 1892, China. G.O. No.: 34,
W.D., 1919. Citation: At the very outset of the unprecedented artillery
bombardment by the enemy, his line of communication was destroyed beyond
repair. Despite the hazard attached to the mission of runner, he immediately
set out to establish contact with the neighboring post of command and
further establish liaison with 2 French batteries, visiting their position
so frequently that he was mainly responsible for the accurate fire
therefrom. While thus engaged, 7 horses were shot under him and he was
severely wounded. His activity under most severe fire was an important
factor in checking the advance of the enemy.
Another Nise
*OTANI, KAZUO
Staff Sergeant Kazuo Otani distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in
action on 15 July 1944, near Pieve Di S. Luce, Italy. Advancing to attack a
hill objective, Staff Sergeant Otani’s platoon became pinned down in a wheat
field by concentrated fire from enemy machine gun and sniper positions.
Realizing the danger confronting his platoon, Staff Sergeant Otani left his
cover and shot and killed a sniper who was firing with deadly effect upon
the platoon. Followed by a steady stream of machine gun bullets, Staff
Sergeant Otani then dashed across the open wheat field toward the foot of a
cliff, and directed his men to crawl to the cover of the cliff. When the
movement of the platoon drew heavy enemy fire, he dashed along the cliff
toward the left flank, exposing himself to enemy fire. By attracting the
attention of the enemy, he enabled the men closest to the cliff to reach
cover. Organizing these men to guard against possible enemy counterattack,
Staff Sergeant Otani again made his way across the open field, shouting
instructions to the stranded men while continuing to draw enemy fire.
Reaching the rear of the platoon position, he took partial cover in a
shallow ditch and directed covering fire for the men who had begun to move
forward. At this point, one of his men became seriously wounded. Ordering
his men to remain under cover, Staff Sergeant Otani crawled to the wounded
soldier who was lying on open ground in full view of the enemy. Dragging the
wounded soldier to a shallow ditch, Staff Sergeant Otani proceeded to render
first aid treatment, but was mortally wounded by machine gun fire. Staff
Sergeant Otani’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping
with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on
him, his unit, and the United States Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for July 15, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT
ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD “PHIL” MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE
INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
15 July
1920: KEY EVENT. Capt St. Clair Street led a flight of four DH-4s from
Mitchel Field, New York, to Nome, Alaska, and back to Mitchel Field,
covering 8,690 miles in 110 flying hours. (U.S. Air Service, “To Nome and
Back,” Clifford A. Tinker, Vol 3, No. 5) 1925: Dr. A. Hamilton Rice’s
Expedition, with Lt Walter Hinton piloting the Curtiss Seagull plane,
returned from the Amazon after discovering the headwaters of the Amazon
River. Rice’s expedition was the first to use a plane for exploring. (24)
1933: Through 22 July, Wiley Post completed the first solo global flight in
a Lockheed Vega, the “Winnie Mae.” He flew the 15,596 miles in 7 days 18
hours 49 minutes at an average speed of 134.5 MPH. (9) (20)
1950: KOREAN WAR. The 51 FS (Provisional) at Taegu flew the first F-51
Mustang combat missions in Korea. Fifth Air Force assigned the “Mosquito”
call signs to airborne controllers in T-6 aircraft. This name later became
the aircraft’s identifier. (28)
1952: KOREAN WAR. Fifth Air Force fighter-bombers flew approximately 175
sorties against the Sungho-ri cement plant and a nearby locomotive repair
facility. (28)
1954: The first jet-powered transport built in the US, the Boeing 707, the
prototype for the KC-135 Stratotanker and the commercial Stratoliner,
underwent flight testing near Seattle. (16) (24)
1958: Operation BLUE BAT. After the Iraqi government fell, tensions
increased in Lebanon. This strain led Lebanon’s President to seek US
security assistance. TAC dispatched its Composite Air Strike Force BRAVO to
the Middle East in 12 hours. By the 8 September end of the crisis, MATS
aircraft had moved 5,500 passengers and 5,500 tons of cargo in 314 missions
to support the strike force. (2) (24) 1961: The 341 SMW activated at
Malmstrom AFB as SAC’s first silo-based Minuteman wing. (1) (6)
1965: The Air Force awarded the first Minuteman III R&D contract to Boeing.
(6)
1968: Commercial air service between the US and USSR began when an
Ilyushin-62 aircraft of the Soviet flag carrier Aeroflot left Moscow. The
aircraft landed at Kennedy IAP on 16 July after a 13-hour, 17-minute flight
via Montreal. Pan American World Airways, the US flag carrier, flew two
Boeing 707s from New York on 16 July to Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport via
Copenhagen.
1970: Deputy SECDEF David Packard approved the Subsonic Cruise Aircraft
Decoy (SCAD) for development. (6)
1973: LAST SEA COMBAT MISSION/VIETNAM SUMMARY. All US bombing in Cambodia
ended after eight years of conventional operations in SEA. An A-7D from 354
TFW flew the last combat mission in SEA. Altogether, the USAF flew 5.25
million sorties over South Vietnam, North Vietnam, northern and southern
Laos, and Cambodia. The USAF lost 2,251 planes—1,737 to hostile action and
514 for operational reasons—at a cost of $3,129,948,000. During the Vietnam
War, tactical or intratheater airlift carried 7 million tons of passengers
and cargo between 1962-1973. The Air Force Reserve made valuable
contributions to strategic airlift operation. By October 1972, reserve
aircrews had made 1,294 trips to Vietnam, delivering 30,434 tons of cargo
and 3,600 personnel. Between 1964 and mid-August 1973, air rescue operations
in Southeast Asia saved 3,883 lives. And from 9 June 1964 through 15 August
1973, KC-135s flew 194,687 sorties to supply 8,964 million pounds of fuel
during 813,878 refuelings. They also routinely airlifted people, equipment,
and aircraft parts between the US, forward bases, and bases in the Far East
and Southeast Asia. (16) (26)
1975: Apollo XVIII. Astronauts Thomas Stafford, Vance Brand, and Donald
“Deke” Slayton launched from Cape Canaveral to meet up with the Soyuz 19
cosmonauts. Mr. Slayton, at 51, became the oldest man to fly in space. He
was also one of the original seven astronauts. This Apollo mission, when it
ended on 24 July, was the last US manned space mission until the first space
shuttle launch in 1981. (8: Jul 90)
1976: Mather AFB started interservice navigator training for Navy and Marine
personnel. (16) (26)
1981: The first TR-1, a high-altitude tactical reconnaissance aircraft
rolled out at Lockheed's plant in Palmdale. (12)
1982: SAC launched its 1,500 missile from Vandenberg AFB. (16) (26)
1985: Exercise READEX 85-2. Two B-52s from the 42 BMW simulated Harpoon
launches as part of this US Atlantic Command exercise. The event marked the
first Full Operational Test and Evaluation (FOT&E) of the Harpoon anti-ship
missile. (16) (26)
1998: Raytheon Aircraft Company’s first T-6A Texan II aircraft, or the Joint
Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS), successfully completed its initial
flight at Wichita, Kan. To meet Air Force and Navy primary aircraft training
needs, the DoD decided to buy 740 T-6A aircraft, along with the accompanying
JPATS Ground Based Training System. (AFNEWS Article 981039, 17 Jul 98)
2000: Whiteman AFB received the final B-2A from Northrop Grumman. It was the
first test vehicle (AV-1 or Tail No. 82-1066), named Fatal Beauty. With its
assignment to the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, the aircraft received a
new name, Spirit of America. (21)
2002: The first production C-17 (P-86), fitted with the Block 13 software
upgrade, arrived at McChord AFB. The Block 13 upgrade included a
state-of-the-art Terrain Awareness Warning System (TAWS) and improved
Station Keeping Equipment (SKE). The TAWS featured a terrain map to help
aircrews detect and avoid terrain, while the upgraded SKE had a
multi-functional display that enabled 18 aircraft to fly in formation within
10 nautical miles and up to 100 aircraft to fly in formation within 100
nautical miles. The new SKEs also allowed C-17 aircrews to perform formation
airdrops in nearly all types of weather. (22)
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