To All,
Good Thursday morning January 2. The weather is already clear and sunny and forecast to reach 77.
Tomorrow is the Bubba Breakfast Friday here in San Diego. I hope to see many of you there to start the year off right.
All the best to each of you as we all clean up after the Holidays. How many of you found something you thought you had lost for the last year that got packed up by mistake last year.
Warm Regards,
Skip
Make it a GREAT Day
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This day in Naval and Marine Corps History (thanks to NHHC)
Go here to see the director's corner for all 85 H-Grams
Here is a link to the NHHC website: https://www.history.navy.mil/
This day in Naval and Marine Corps History (thanks to NHHC)
Here is a link to the NHHC website: https://www.history.navy.mil/
January. 2
1943—USS Argonaut (SM1) sinks the Japanese guard boat Ebon Maru in the Bismarck Sea.
1944—Aerial mine laying operations continue in the Marshall Islands. Five PV-1s (VB 137) and one PBY-5 (VP 72) mine Jabor Anchorage, Jaluit.
1944—USS Finback (SS 230) sinks a Japanese merchant tanker in the East China Sea.
1969 - Operation Barrier Reef began in Mekong Delta, Vietnam
2000—Retired Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., the 19th Chief of Naval Operations, dies at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
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Today in World History January 2
1492 Catholic forces under King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella take the town of Granada, the last Muslim kingdom in Spain.
1758 The French begin bombardment of Madras, India.
1839 Photography pioneer Louis Daguerre takes the first photograph of the moon.
1861 The USS Brooklyn is readied at Norfolk to aid Fort Sumter.
1863 In the second day of hard fighting at Stone's River, near Murfreesboro, Tenn., Union troops defeat the Confederates.
1903 President Theodore Roosevelt closes a post office in Indianola, Mississippi, for refusing to hire a Black postmistress.
1904 U.S. Marines are sent to Santo Domingo to aid the government against rebel forces.
1905 After a six-month siege, Russians surrender Port Arthur to the Japanese.
1918 Russian Bolsheviks threaten to re-enter the war unless Germany returns occupied territory.
1932 Japanese forces in Manchuria set up a puppet government known as Manchukuo.
1936 In Berlin, Nazi officials claim that their treatment of Jews is not the business of the League of Nations.
1942 In the Philippines, the city of Manila and the U.S. Naval base at Cavite fall to Japanese forces.
1943 The Allies capture Buna in New Guinea.
1963 In Vietnam, the Viet Cong down five U.S. helicopters in the Mekong Delta. 30 Americans are reported dead.
1966 American G.I.s move into the Mekong Delta for the first time.
1973 The United States admits the accidental bombing of a Hanoi hospital.
1980 President Jimmy Carter asks the U.S. Senate to delay the arms treaty ratification in response to Soviet action in Afghanistan.
1981 British police arrest the "Yorkshire Ripper" serial killer, Peter Sutcliffe.
1999 A severe winter storm hits the Midwestern US; in Chicago temperatures plunge to -13 ºF and19 inches of snow fell; 68 deaths are blamed on the storm.
2006 A coal mine explosion in Sago, West Virginia, kills 12 miners and critically injures another. This accident and another within weeks lead to the first changes in federal mining laws in decades.
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Thanks to Chuck
Another great video from Ward Carrol
Iranian F-14 Tomcat Ace Reveals His Iraqi MiG-Killing Secrets - YouTube
Gents,
Ward does a superb job as always. Set speed to 1.25 and enjoy!
Happy New Year to you and yours!
All the best,
CAP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3HYrasBB4k
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Thanks to the Bear. .
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER ….
. rollingthunderremembered.com .
Thanks to Micro
To remind folks that these are from the Vietnam Air Losses site that Micro put together. You click on the url below and get what happened each day to the crew of the aircraft. ……Skip
From Vietnam Air Losses site for "Thursday 2 January
January 2: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=396
This following work accounts for every fixed wing loss of the Vietnam War and you can use it to read more about the losses in The Bear's Daily account. Even better it allows you to add your updated information to the work to update for history…skip Vietnam Air Losses Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
Vietnam Air Losses
Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
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
MOAA - Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Servicemembers Killed in the Vietnam War
(This site was sent by a friend last week and I forgot to forward. The site works, find anyone you knew in "search" feature. https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/ )
Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Service members Killed in the Vietnam War
By: Kipp Hanley
AUGUST 15, 2022
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From the Archives
Thanks to Carl…..
Arnold Palmer was my idol growing up and I played golf almost every day my last two years in High School. I even had Arnold Palmer golf clubs. I was part of Arnie's Army skip
Arnold Palmer, a Great Athlete who Died of Heart Failure | Dr. Gabe Mirkin on Health
(Note: Dr Mirkin is a vegetarian!)
https://www.drmirkin.com/histories-and-mysteries/arnold-palmer-the-king-of-golf.html
Arnold Palmer, a Great Athlete who Died of Heart Failure
December 26, 2022
Arnold Palmer was called "The King" because he was considered to be among the world's greatest and most popular golfers of all time. From 1955 to 1973, he won 92 national and international championships, with 62 of them on the U.S. PGA Tour. In 2004 at age 75, he gave President Bush golf tips before being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He also designed more than 300 golf courses in 37 states, 25 countries, and five continents. At the time of his death, his multiple business ventures left him with a net worth of $875 million.
On Sept 19, 2016, Palmer was hospitalized, most likely for bypass surgery to increase blood flow to his heart, and he died of heart failure on Sept 25, 2016. Heart disease is the major killer of North American men today, and exercise markedly helps to prevent heart failure. Top level golf requires more than just coordination; it requires tremendous strength to drive a golf ball a great distance. Other professional golfers, including Gary Player, Greg Norman, and Tiger Woods, are avid weightlifters. Increasing strength can improve golf scores (International Journal of Golf Science, 2020;8(1)).
The legacy of Arnold Palmer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1rlkXoRNKw
A History of Poor Lifestyle Choices
How could one of the world's greatest and most famous athletes die of heart failure, a disease that is caused largely by an unhealthful lifestyle? There may have been a genetic component, since his father died at the age of 71 of a massive heart attack after playing 27 holes of golf. However, Palmer had several poor lifestyle habits in his lifetime:
• Cigarettes. He smoked one to two packs of cigarettes per day for about 15 years at the height of his professional career. He even made several television commercials endorsing cigarettes. In 1964, the Surgeon General's report encouraged him to start on the long fight to give up cigarettes and he urged the public to give up smoking because "Cigarette smoking has a negative effect on every organ in the body."
• Alcohol. He was a modest drinker of alcohol and he believed that it was safe to take one or two drinks a day. However, the recent literature shows that alcohol does not prevent heart attacks and there is no safe amount of alcohol. Even small amounts can increase risk for heart attacks and cancers.
• Overweight. If you look at his pictures over the years, you will see a very fit and slim athlete turn into a heavy person with a protruding belly. He talked about having a healthful diet with vegetables, fruits and nuts and avoiding fast foods, red meat and fried foods, but his excess weight indicates that he did not always follow his own advice. Having a big belly and small hips almost always means that a person has excess fat in his liver which can cause diabetes and, in turn, heart damage. A high rise in blood sugar after meals can damage every cell in your body. To prevent blood sugar levels from rising too high after meals, your pancreas releases insulin which lowers high blood sugar by driving sugar from your bloodstream into your liver. However, a liver full of fat does not accept the sugar and blood sugar levels remain high to cause plaques to form in arteries and damage the heart to cause heart attacks and heart failure.
• Inflammation. A person's own immune system can attack and destroy a person's arteries to cause plaques to form and block arteries. Then a plaque can break off to cause a heart attack. Any disease that damages tissues and any infection can turn on a person's immune system to cause inflammation.
Arnold Palmer Dies At 87 | Last Word: Obituaries | The New York Times - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXNe5eScsQI
Other Health Problems
• Prostate cancer diagnosed at age 67 in 1997: From age 30 onward, he had seen the same physician every year for his annual physical exam and each time had a PSA blood test that is used to screen for prostate cancer. At age 64, the PSA test started to rise and for the next three years he received prostate biopsies that all came back negative for cancer. On the fourth year, his biopsy did show prostate cancer and he had his prostate with its cancer removed surgically followed by radiation therapy for seven weeks. Eight weeks after finishing treatment, he was back on the Senior PGA Tour, continued to play for the next nine years, and retired in 2006. As far as I know, his prostate cancer never returned. More than 95 percent of prostate cancers will not kill, but a small number can progress rapidly to kill a man. The problem is that doctors do not have a definitive test to tell which prostate cancers are likely to spread rapidly, although they do have statistical signs such as how the cancer cells look under a microscope (Gleason Score), and whether they have spread. Today, most men over age 60 with prostate cancer should be treated with "watchful waiting" as the treatments cause a very high degree of pain, discomfort, impotence and incontinence.
• Irregular heartbeats and high blood pressure: In August, 2014, at age 85, Palmer had a pacemaker implanted to control irregular heartbeats that made him dizzy. For many years before that, he had been on medications to treat high blood pressure, a condition that increases a person's chances of developing heart muscle damage and irregular heartbeats. He had also gained a lot of weight in his belly which convinced me that his liver was also full of fat, the major cause of high blood sugar levels, diabetes and heart damage. He was also showing signs of unsteadiness on his feet, another consequence of irregular heartbeats. Each complete blockage of blood flow to the heart muscle can result in scarring that replaces the damaged part of the heart muscle to eventually cause heart failure.
• Falls and bone fractures: In December, 2014, he dislocated his shoulder and fractured his collar bone when he tripped over his Labrador retriever, Mulligan. He was apparently debilitated by his heart disease by that time as he was having difficulty with walking and coordination.
• Tooth infection, a deep clot in his leg and intestinal bleeding: In 2015, he had a severe tooth infection that could have been a warning that his immunity was not working properly. That same year, he developed a deep clot in a leg vein. Clots in the veins in the legs can spread through the bloodstream to go to the brain to cause a stroke or to the lung to cause severe shortness of breath, so he was treated with an anti-clotting drug called Xarelto. At this time he was terribly unsteady on his feet and people had to help him walk.
Lessons from Arnold Palmer's Heart Failure
A regular exercise program helps to prevent all sorts of diseases and prolong lives. However, even the world's greatest athletes still have to follow the rules for healthful living. I recommend that you should try to exercise every day, never smoke or spend time with smokers, avoid or severely restrict alcohol, maintain a healthful weight, and follow a plant-based diet.
Arnold Daniel Palmer
September 10, 1929 – September 25, 2016
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DR "handler"
Subject: Fwd: Not Just Another Story
From James Kunstler
No, The Truth Is Not Just Another Story
"The Democrats are self-immolating on the altar of their own tenuous relationship with common decency." — Tom Luongo
James Kunstler / 30 Dec 24
It must be obvious that the incoming government under Mr. Trump has one primary duty overall: sorting out truth from lies so the nation can reestablish a baseline reality to function upon. America is so punch-drunk from official lying that many intelligent people who ought to know better now proclaim that reality is unknowable, which is just a surrender to nihilism — the rejection of moral principle, a belief that the human project is meaningless.
This awful condition has led to the point where you know for sure that "Joe Biden" cannot possibly discharge his duties as chief executive, and yet nobody cares enough to investigate who is running things behind the front he puts up. That would generally be the job of the news media, which is supposed to function as the public's auditor. Now, of course, you are persuaded that this was never really their job, that it was a sham, but that is just another lie.
The news was not flawless, but neither was it presented as nothing more than opinion. The news existed to register what happened day-to-day. It was not so much concerned with why things happened, which was much more difficult to establish, and usually reserved for the pages labeled "opinion," so that you knew it was somebody's conjecture. I know this because I worked as a newspaper reporter in the 1970s. I actually found out what was going on about this-and-that, wrote it up, and saw it in print hours later. The facts.
Journalism had some simple rules for reporting the facts about anything — and it's hilarious that anyone thought it required a graduate degree from some credentialing mill like the Columbia U. School of Journalism. The news was often meddled-with by interested parties, government and business, but they did not completely overwhelm the ant-like labors of x-thousands of reporters in the field, and the stream of fact they circulated. Not all of it was subject to dispute, meddling, or opinion because it was self-evident: Joe Blow got shot. . . a helicopter crashed in Ohio. . . a volcano erupted in Peru. . . .
Only over time, the past thirty years especially, our government grew and grew and one of the things that grew out of it was the nefarious "blob" dedicated to protecting the self-enlarging perquisites and interests of that government. Blobs will absorb things they encounter, and in a predatory way, the US government blob absorbed the US news media. The blob transformed the news into an engine for suppressing the facts or spinning them narratively when they could not be suppressed, in order to maximize the advantage of the government and to protect the operations of the blob itself.
It is also a fact that this blob is aligned mostly with Democratic Party, because that party is most avid for the continuing growth of government, and its members overwhelmingly dominate in the officialdom that dwells inside the DC Beltway. The numbers speak for themselves on the DC voter rolls.
So, a new government under Mr. Trump is feared cringingly by the news media. For one thing, the incoming government has tasked itself with reducing government substantially, eliminating many of its perquisites, and surgically excising the nefarious blob that is draining the purpose, meaning, and vitality out of our national life. The news media is terrified of being found-out for having acted as the blob's chamberlain. We may find out exactly how that worked — how, for example, professional liars such as Joy Reid and Rachel Maddow of MSNBC were paid. What accounted for the amazing coordination of talking-points from day-to-day across all networks and newspapers?
We are about to find out how a whole lot of mystifying things have happened in recent years. For instance, those fantastic vote switcheroos in "Joe Biden's" favor that occurred visibly right on TV in the wee hours of November 4, 2020? How did William Barr conceal the existence of Hunter Biden's laptop from Mr. Trump's defense attorneys in the 2019 impeachment over a phone call to Ukraine? Who really has been making "presidential" decisions behind the false front of "Joe Biden?" Who in White House news reporters' pool among the Cable News networks, the New York Times, and the Washington Post happened to know which officials were running the White House operation (did they not have sources)?
How did the FBI engineer the Jan. 6, 2021, riot and with how many agents and operatives on-site? Who was in charge of the DNC pipe bomb caper? How has George and Alex Soros's network of money-dispensing NGOs been allowed to buy law enforcement offices all over country? How did Merrick Garland's errand boys get to New York Attorney General Letitia James and Fulton County DA Fani Willis? What has been done with the billions of dollars sent to Ukraine? Why is the CDC still advertising and promoting mRNA Covid vaccines that they must know have killed and disabled millions of people? Who thought it was a good idea to instill the ranks of the US military with transexuals? How did the order to throw the US-Mexican border wide open move through the chain-of-command, exactly? Things like that.
It is going to be a great shock for many to hear the facts about these things and a lot more and to learn that we don't just dwell in some matrix of tales told by idiots. The nihilism will eventually dissipate. Many enterprises in the news business won't survive this, but human beings will insist on being informed, and the news business has been very busy rearranging itself. Even the body politic is capable of self-healing
Meanwhile, the "Joe Biden" Catering Company, Inc, has been busy preparing a whole lot of shit sandwiches to serve at the Trump inauguration, mostly in the form of financial chaos. The catering staff better be cognizant that their pranks will be found-out, too, along with all the other treasonous business of the wicked times we've lived through.
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Walk Down The Paws Of Fame: Which Of These Furry Stars Is The Best?
Who doesn't love a good dog story? Dogs have been our loyal companions for centuries, but a few have carved out their own slice of fame in American culture. We bet you're already thinking of someone, right? From Hollywood stars to real-life heroes, these special dogs have stayed in people's hearts across generations. So, today, we're taking a walk down memory lane to honor some of the most famous canines to grace our screens and, in some cases, change our lives: Lassie, Balto, Scooby-Doo, and more! Each of these dogs has a unique tale, so let's dig into these stories that show us how much dogs bring to our lives!
Lassie: TV's Most Loyal Friend
Lassie is the ultimate hero in a fur coat. The famous Rough Collie first appeared in a 1938 short story before becoming the star of her own TV show. Week after week, Lassie showed audiences how a dog's loyalty and bravery could save the day.
Maybe she was alerting her family to danger or helping strangers; in any case, she was always there to lend a paw. Lassie's adventures inspired generations of viewers and cemented her place as a true American icon. She was a devoted friend with a loving nature and a natural instinct to know when to act. She became more than just a dog; she became a family member to millions.
Rin Tin Tin: From Battlefield to Box Office
Rin Tin Tin's journey is one for the history books. He was rescued by a soldier during World War I. This German Shepherd was brought to America and became a Hollywood sensation in no time.
With his expressive eyes and fearless nature, Rin Tin Tin starred in over 25 silent films, performing stunts that left audiences in awe—can you believe that? He helped shape the early days of cinema and became a household name of its own.
Rin Tin Tin was more than a movie star, he was a hero in his own right, and that is what guaranteed his name is still popular today.
Toto: The Little Dog with a Big Heart
Toto, Dorothy's loyal companion in The Wizard of Oz, may have been small, but he was packed with personality. A Cairn Terrier named Terry actually played Toto in the iconic 1939 film, winning hearts with her expressive face and boundless courage.
Toto stuck by Dorothy through all of her Oz adventures. Regardless of his small size, his impact was completely the opposite! And we're not just talking about the movie. Of course, in each scene, Toto showed loyalty and an instinct for getting into and out of trouble, much like our own beloved pets. But his bond with Dorothy was genuine, and fans could feel that connection. Toto's spirit made him unforgettable, and he's still celebrated as one of America's favorite movie dogs.
Old Yeller: The Ultimate Frontier Hero
Only a few dogs stuck and became part of America's identity like Old Yeller. Set in the rugged Texas frontier, his story was all about bravery, family, and love in a world that was nothing but harsh.
The big, yellow dog feared nothing. He didn't back down from protecting his family from wild animals, sickness, and any threat that came their way. He taught the family he lived with about sacrifice and courage. And we all learned that too!
When you think of Old Yeller, you think of resilience, even though his tale is bittersweet. Even decades later, people remember Old Yeller as a classic story of love and loss.
Balto: The Husky that saved a village
If a dog has a statue, he certainly must have earned it, right? Balto for sure did. His heroic journey is as inspiring as it is legendary.
Back in 1925, a diphtheria outbreak in Nome, Alaska, needed urgent medicine, and Balto led the sled dog team through snow and freezing temperatures to deliver it. This brave Siberian Husky's courage in the face of life-threatening conditions not only saved lives but also made him a hero.
Naturally, his success story spread across America, and New York's Central Park even built a statue in his honor. Balto became the face of courage and teamwork, and his story has been immortalized in books, movies, and history.
Benji: Hollywood's Lovable Underdog
Has your heart melted already? We certainly have, like two dogs ago, but let's keep it going with the next one on our list: enter Benji.
Benji charmed his way into American hearts in the 1970s with his scruffy, humble looks and sharp problem-solving skills. This mixed-breed dog starred in a series of movies where he often found himself rescuing people or outsmarting bad guys.
Benji wasn't big or flashy, but he didn't need that. He made up for it with his resourcefulness and charm. Viewers loved his quiet bravery and knack for getting out of sticky situations. And of course, that little charming face of him, duh!
Eddie: Frasier's scene-stealing sidekick
Regardless of the director's intention, dogs will always find a way to become the star of the show. Eddie is an example of that! The Jack Russell Terrier from the hit sitcom Frasier stole scenes with his hilarious antics and unforgettable stares.
In the series, Eddie kept Frasier on his toes, and audiences couldn't get enough of him. His expressions were worth a thousand words, bringing both humor and heart to the show. The show was a hit, but this character made it relatable. Who hasn't experienced the mischief of a furry friend? For such a small dog, Eddie made a huge impact and is still fondly remembered.
Hachiko: Loyalty That Knows No Boundaries
Hachiko's story isn't just famous in Japan; it resonated deeply with American audiences, too. An Akita known for waiting for his owner each day at a train station, Hachiko continued his routine for years after his owner's passing. How moving is that?
His loyalty became legendary and eventually inspired the American film Hachi: A Dog's Tale, which introduced his story to US viewers.
If there was any doubt concerning the kind of bonds formed between a human and a dog, Hachiko got rid of all of them! Even in America, Hachiko is celebrated as a symbol of unwavering dedication.
Buddy: America's first guide dog
Speaking of special bonds, Buddy, a German Shepherd, changed countless lives in the 1920s by becoming America's first official guide dog.
Her owner, Morris Frank, helped establish guide dog schools across the country, proving the incredible help dogs could offer to the visually impaired. Buddy's intelligence and dedication paved the way for service dogs, and her influence continues to shape assistance programs today.
Her gentle guidance provided not only hope but also independence to many people with disabilities. Buddy's groundbreaking work showed what dogs could do beyond companionship, which was an invaluable gift in itself!
Scooby-Doo: The Detective dog
America has more than just 10 beloved dogs, and the ones we've mentioned so far were all real-life dogs. But let's not forget that cartoon dogs also hold a special place in America's heart. Take Scooby-Doo, for example.
Scooby-Doo is a fun-loving Great Dane who has been solving mysteries with his human friends since the 1960s. Yes, he was a detective. And yes, he was also very much afraid all the time!
Scooby has become a cartoon favorite and has starred in countless TV shows, movies, and comic books. With his human friend Shaggy by his side, Scooby always stumbled upon clues that saved the day—usually with a few treats along the way. Scooby-Doo's legacy as a cartoon icon endures, and he has lots of fans around the globe!
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History Facts
There were female gladiators in ancient Rome.
WORLD HISTORY
I f you learned everything you know about gladiators from a certain Ridley Scott movie, there's a lot left to discover about the ancient Roman blood sport. Most compelling, perhaps, is the fact that there were female gladiators. Details of their exploits are scant compared to those of their male counterparts, but scholars and historians agree that gladiatrices had their share of glory in the arena. Though most came from lower classes, including enslaved women, some middle- and upper-class women also took up the sword and sandal, despite their lifestyle being frowned upon by Roman society, where they had far fewer freedoms than men and were defined in relation to them.
As for why women of means would choose to enter the arena, the University of Michigan's David S. Potter offers this timeless explanation to History.com: "It's exciting. It's different. It pisses off their parents." Though these female fights were relatively rare and mostly presented as novelty acts, literary and archaeological evidence suggests that a select few women received as much reverence as the men did. The most famous example is a bust depicting two gladiatrices using the stage names Amazon and Achillia, who fought to a noble draw — proving what we do in life really does echo in eternity.
By the Numbers
Year female gladiatorial combat was banned by Septimius Severus
200 CE
Year all gladiatorial combat was banned by Honorius
404 CE
Maximum capacity of the Colosseum
50,000
Box-office gross of Ridley Scott's Gladiator
$503 million
DID YOU KNOW?
Most gladiator fights weren't to the death.
Though it makes for compelling drama, the idea of gladiators fighting to the death simply wasn't practical, and most of their bouts did not end in loss of life. For one, fighters were expensive investments for the men who promoted (and, in many cases, owned) them; if the sponsor of an individual fight (known as a munerarius ) decided that a defeated gladiator was to be killed, he would have to compensate said combatant's owner (or lanista ). Which isn't to say that a gladiator could expect to live a long life. Quite the opposite — few made it past their 20s, and it's estimated that anywhere from one in five to one in 10 fights did end in death.
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Today's Interesting Fact
15 Geography Facts You've Always Wondered About
Have you ever wondered about the difference between an ocean and a sea? Or questioned why Australia is a continent instead of an island? You're not alone. The Earth is so mind-boggling in its size and scope that it fosters genuine curiosity. From the deepest point in the world to the Earth's real age, here are 15 geography facts you've always wondered about.
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How Old Is the Earth? (And How Do We Know Its Age?)
Although there is no way to know the Earth's exact age, scientists have calculated it to be roughly 4.54 billion years old, give or take 50 million years. But how did they arrive at this number? Although scientists have pondered this question for centuries, more recent technological advances have made it easier for researchers to understand the Earth's age. Above all else, radiometric dating has been the most helpful in figuring out the Earth's birthday because it allows scientists to pinpoint the age of rocks. The oldest rocks on Earth — 4.03 billion years old — were found in Canada, while Greenland, Australia, and Swaziland are home to rocks that range from 3.4 to 3.8 billion years. To top that, scientists have discovered stardust that's a staggering 7 billion years old, which means the Earth is relatively young in comparison to the rest of the universe.
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What Does the Prime Meridian Denote?
A meridian is an imaginary line that runs from north to south on a map. With 360 meridians around the globe, the prime meridian is the starting point for measuring all other meridians. At a longitude of 0 degrees, it also denotes the separation between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres — with 180 meridians to the east and 180 meridians to the west. The implementation of the prime meridian in Greenwich, England, in 1884 unified the globe in its time and space measurements, resulting in all maps being drawn according to the prime meridian's longitudinal location.
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What Is the Tropic of Cancer?
The Tropic of Cancer is a latitudinal line, also known as a parallel, that runs from east to west around the globe. In addition to the equator, it is one of the five major parallels on Earth (the other three being the tropic of Capricorn, the Arctic Circle, and the Antarctic Circle). Located 23.5 degrees north of the equator, the Tropic of Cancer plays an important role in the sun's geographical relationship to the Earth. It denotes the northernmost point on Earth where the sun is directly overhead at high noon, which happens annually on the summer solstice (for the Northern Hemisphere) in June. After reaching this point, the sun's rays travel south until they reach the same angle at the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere, which happens in December on the winter solstice.
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Why Is the International Date Line Where It Is?
After the world was divided into time zones, the International Date Late (IDL) became one of the most important meridians on Earth. Located halfway around the globe from the Prime Meridian, the IDL approximately follows the 180-degree meridian, with a few zig-zags here and there. Despite its significance, the IDL's location was chosen arbitrarily, as it can be found in a section of the globe that is almost entirely ocean. In a sense, the International Date Line also makes time travel real — when you cross it, travelers will either add or subtract 24 hours from their day. However, since the International Date Line has no legal status, countries are free to choose which side they are on, which accounts for the IDL's disjointed course.
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What Is the Difference Between an Ocean and a Sea?
In everyday vernacular, the words "ocean" and "sea" are often used interchangeably. But in geographical terms, the two are quite distinct. While oceans are referred to as the large bodies of water that take up much of the globe, seas are much smaller entities, a term geographers use to describe the location where the land meets the ocean. For example, the Bering Sea is part of the Pacific Ocean, but since it is located between the landmasses of Alaska and Russia, it is classified as a sea.
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What Is the Deepest Point in the Ocean?
Located in the Mariana Trench southwest of Guam, the Challenger Deep — named for the first crew to record its depth — measures an astounding 36,200 feet deep, which is three times deeper than the average depth of the ocean floor. Using a sounding rope, the HMS Challenger calculated the trench's depth to be 26,850 feet in 1875. As more teams flocked to the western Pacific over the years, researchers used advanced sonar techniques to measure the current recorded depth. To this day, the Challenger Deep is the deepest known point on Earth. But with an astounding percentage of the ocean yet to be explored, we never know what other fathomless depths will be discovered in the future.
7 of 15
Is a Marsh the Same as a Swamp?
While they may appear similar, marshes and swamps are technically quite different. Although they both are a type of wetland, a swamp can also be compared to a lowland forest, as it is classified based on the type of tree that grows in its ecosystem. For example, depending on the predominant tree, a swamp can be classified as a hardwood swamp, a cedar swamp, or a cypress swamp (like South Florida's Big Cypress Swamp). On the other hand, a marsh has no trees and instead is dominated by plants and grasses that thrive on the waterlogged soil. Although many people believe the Everglades to be a swamp, it is actually the largest marsh system in the U.S. — before it was partially developed, it took up an astonishing 4,000 square miles of the Florida landscape.
8 of 15
What Is (Actually) the Tallest Mountain on Earth?
Most people already know that Mount Everest, with a peak that sits 29,035 feet above sea level, soars above any other mountain on the planet. However, if we're talking about mountains that exist below sea level, then Hawaii's Mauna Kea blows Mount Everest out of the water, so to speak. At 32,696 feet from base to summit, Mauna Kea is approximately 3,661 feet taller than Everest. The reason Mauna Kea doesn't receive more recognition for its size? Most of the mountain exists underwater, with only 13,796 feet rising above sea level.
9 of 15
What Is a Geyser? (And Is It the Same as a Volcano?)
A geyser is a hot spring that erupts water and steam, due to pressure that is created underground. Formed as a water-filled tube that connects the atmosphere to the Earth's crust, a geyser erupts when magma heats the water, forcing it upward towards the Earth's surface. Although a geyser is not the same as a volcano, they are somewhat related, as a geyser manifests the same sort of activity, with eruptions fueled by magma. However, unlike a volcano, it is easier to predict when a geyser will blow, as it produces notable seismic activity prior to an eruption. As a result, some researchers study geysers to help them understand more information about volcanoes. There are also certain geysers that blow in a timely manner, like the aptly named Old Faithful — a Yellowstone National Park attraction that erupts roughly 20 times a day.
10 of 15
How Is a Cay Different Than a Key?
If you're curious as to the geographical distinction between Key West in Southern Florida and Ambergris Cay in Turks and Caicos, here's the short answer: There is no difference. The geographical terms cay and key are a little bit like "tomato, to-mah-to" — the use of the term depends on where you are. Both are derived from the Spanish word cayo, which translates to "key," and they're used interchangeably to describe a low-lying island, sandbar, or coral reef. As a tropical destination with over 60 islands and keys, the British Virgin Islands is also home to a "Key Cay," making it the only place in the world where both terms are used to describe a single place.
11 of 15
Which River Is Bigger — the Amazon or the Nile?
Measuring 4,130 miles in length, the Nile River in Africa is often considered to be the longest river in the world, while the Amazon River in South America comes in at a close second. Although past data has shown that the Amazon River is anywhere between 3,980 and 4,000 miles in length, a 2007 expedition claimed the length of the Amazon to be an astonishing 4,225 miles. However, since this measurement has not been internationally recognized, the debate over the longest river in the world continues. As a result, many recognize the Nile as the longest river, but give Amazon the title of the largest river by volume.
12 of 15
Why Is Australia a Continent and Not an Island?
Australia is Earth's smallest continent — closer in size to Greenland than any other continent. So why did geographers decide Australia was a continent instead of an island like Greenland? For starters, Australia has a much larger landmass than Greenland: roughly 3 million square miles compared to Greenland's 836,000 square miles. It also sits on a tectonic plate, which is partially shared with Asia, while Greenland is on the same tectonic plate as all of North America. Also, much of Australia's plant and animal life is endemic to the country, including its Indigenous people. The Aboriginal people of Australia are found nowhere else in the world, while the Indigenous people of Greenland, the Inuit, live on different continents in the Arctic. Altogether, these facts led geographers to classify Australia as a continent, although it is technically an island as well.
13 of 15
Where Does One Ocean End and Another Begin?
Despite being divided into sub-oceans, there is only one ocean in the world, which scientists refer to as the "world ocean." Historically, cartographers and government officials found it helpful to divide the massive ocean into smaller entities, which is how the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, and Indian Oceans were named. More recently, the ocean surrounding Antarctica, dubbed the Southern Ocean, has been added to the list. Despite being located in different regions, there is actually no way to tell when one ocean ends and the other begins — because the ocean is a singular continuous body of water. However, there is one exception to this rule. The Southern Ocean is radically different from the rest, with a strong current that surrounds it and notably frigid water, making it easier to recognize where this sub-ocean begins.
14 of 15
How Do Hills Become Mountains?
To learn how a hill becomes a mountain, one must first understand the difference between the two. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there is no official distinction between a hill and a mountain, since they are both classified as naturally forming landforms that occur as a result of geological activity. However, traditionally a hill is not considered to be a mountain if the summit is under 1,000 feet. For a hill to eventually become tall enough to be generally classified as a mountain, it must be located on shifting fault lines that cause an increase in size. For example, the Himalayas once used to be small hills that grew — over millions of years — into the tallest mountain range on Earth, thanks to ongoing collisions between two large tectonic plates. Conversely, mountains can become hills after millions of years of erosion cause them to shrink.
15 of 15
What (and Where) Is an Esker?
Composed of gravel, sand, and silt, eskers are formed after a glacier stops flowing, resulting in long, narrow ridgelines that appear snake-like from the sky. Sweden is home to one of the longest eskers in the world, which stretches for 155 miles and passes through the city of Uppsala. In the state of Maine, eskers often resemble a long, skinny peninsula that divides lakes and bogs, which is why eskers were traditionally used as trade routes for early settlers. Eskers also can also play an important role in road construction. In rugged destinations like Canada and Alaska, builders have used the landform in order to lower construction costs — for example, part of the Denali Highway was built on top of an esker.
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Thanks to Mud
This is interesting. I recall there is a private aircraft that has a built-in parachute for emergencies, but I can't remember it's name. I wonder how a person happened to be there with a video camera to photograph its descent. Perhaps the pilot was able to radio ahead before he ran out of fuel. Glad it wasn't me.
S/F,
- Mud
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBzTQL7yxL8/?igsh=MXYxZ3MybGZtNHg5NA==
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January 2
This Day in U S Military History
1942 – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) convicts 33 members of a German spy ring headed by Fritz Joubert Duquesne in the largest espionage case in United States history—the Duquesne Spy Ring. Of those arrested on the charge of espionage, 19 pleaded guilty. The remaining 14 men who entered pleas of not guilty were brought to jury trial in Federal District Court, Brooklyn, New York, on September 3, 1941; and all found guilty on December 13, 1941. On January 2, 1942, the group was sentenced to serve a total of over 300 years in prison. The German spies who formed the Duquesne spy ring were placed in key jobs in the United States to get information that could be used in the event of war and to carry out acts of sabotage: one person opened a restaurant and used his position to get information from his customers; another person worked on an airline so that he could report Allied ships that were crossing the Atlantic Ocean; others in the ring worked as delivery people so that they could deliver secret messages alongside normal messages. William G. Sebold, who had been recruited as a spy for Germany, was a major factor in the FBI's successful resolution of this case through his work as a double agent for the United States government. For nearly two years the FBI ran a radio station in New York for the ring, learning what Germany was sending to its spies in the United States while controlling the information that was being transmitted to Germany. Sebold's success as a counterespionage agent was demonstrated by the successful prosecution of the German agents. One German spymaster later commented that the ring's roundup delivered "the death blow" to their espionage efforts in the United States. FBI director J. Edgar Hoover called his concerted FBI swoop on Duquesne's ring the greatest spy roundup in U.S. history.
1943 – Japanese positions at Buna, New Guinea are stormed by troops from Eichelberger's US 1st Corps. Fighting continues around Sanananda.
1943 – US troops on Guadalcanal launch another assault up Mount Austen. Some progress is made but the Gifu strongpoint remains in Japanese control.
1944 – On New Britain, the American 7th Marine Regiment launches attacks to expand its beachhead near Cape Gloucester but fails to meet its objectives.
1944 – US Task Force 38 (Admiral Barbey) lands 2400 troops of the 126th Regiment (General Martin) of the 32nd Division at Saidor. Both the airfield and the harbor are secured. An Allied cruiser and destroyer force, led by Admiral Crutchley, provides cover for the landing. To the east, Australian forces advance to Sialum.
1945 – In the Ardennes, Third Army troops take Bonnerue, Hubertmont and Remagne. In Alsace Seventh Army withdraws under German pressure.
1945 – About 1000 USAAF bombers nominally attack troop concentrations and communications in western Germany while about 1000 RAF bombers strike Nuremburg and Ludwigshafen.
1945 – An American Sikorsky helicopter is used in convoy escort duties for the first time.
1945 – In the Carolines, Fais Island is occupied by an American amphibious force.
1951 – For the first time, a C-47 dropped flares to illuminate B-26 and F-82 night attacks on enemy forces. The flares also deterred enemy night attacks on U.S. troops. Fifth Air Force withdrew forward-based F-86s assigned to the 4th FIW from enemy-threatened Kimpo Airfield near Seoul to the wing's home station at Johnson AB, Japan.
1967 – Operation Bolo: 30 US Air Force F-4 Phantom jets, operating from Ubon in Thailand, shoot down a third of North Vietnam's MiG-21s, loosing only one Phantom. Over the previous two years of Air Force and Navy air strikes, only 10 planes had been lost to enemy MiGs. American pilots were forbidden from attacking Hanoi's airfields fearing that killing Soviet or Chinese advisers that could be there would draw those nations more directly into the war. Knowing this, the Vietnamese People's Air Force would simply fly their MiGs through the American bombing formations and loiter just long enough to get the crews to drop their bombs and extra fuel early, preventing the strategic strikes without firing a shot. US 7th Air Force selected Colonel Robin Olds to lead an ambush to stop the harassment. To lure out the North Vietnamese, American F-4s would fly the same routes into the country as the heavyset F-105 bombers—and at the same altitudes and speeds while using the same radio call signs. Meanwhile, signal-snooping aircraft would keep track of the MiGs. Special C-130B-IIs would listen in on enemy radio chatter and feed information straight to American pilots throughout the mission. These specialized aircraft and personnel not only made sure the Vietnamese were responding as expected, but also kept watch in case Chinese jets decided to join the battle. Olds wanted to know if Russian or North Korean advisers were actually in the cockpits when the fighting started. Hanoi's pilots were caught completely off guard. When Olds' strike team started its attack, the C-130s picked up enemy pilots shocked to find that "the sky is full of F-4s," according to the declassified report. "Where are the F-105s? You briefed us to expect F-105s!" Seven MiGs were shot down. After a series of additional aerial ambushes, the Vietnamese People's Air Force grounded its MiGs and completely revised its procedures. At the end of the year, Washington approved strikes on Hanoi's air bases. During this operation, Col. Robin Olds shot down one of the MiGs, becoming the first and only U.S. Air Force ace with victories in both World War II and Vietnam.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
LENIHAN, JAMES
Rank and organization: Private, Company K, 5th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Clear Creek, Ariz., 2 January 1873. Entered service at: – – – . Birth: Ireland. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallantry in action.
*EDWARDS, JUNIOR D.
Rank and organization: Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, Company E, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Changbong-ni, Korea, 2 January 1951. Entered service at: Indianola, Iowa. Born: 7 October 1926, Indianola, lowa. G.O. No.: 13, 1 February 1952. Citation: Sfc. Edwards, Company E, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. When his platoon, while assisting in the defense of a strategic hill, was forced out of its position and came under vicious raking fire from an enemy machine gun set up on adjacent high ground, Sfc. Edwards individually charged the hostile emplacement, throwing grenades as he advanced. The enemy withdrew but returned to deliver devastating fire when he had expended his ammunition. Securing a fresh supply of grenades, he again charged the emplacement, neutralized the weapon and killed the crew, but was forced back by hostile small-arms fire. When the enemy emplaced another machine gun and resumed fire, Sfc. Edwards again renewed his supply of grenades, rushed a third time through a vicious hail of fire, silenced this second gun and annihilated its crew. In this third daring assault he was mortally wounded but his indomitable courage and successful action enabled his platoon to regain and hold the vital strongpoint. Sfc. Edwards' consummate valor and gallant self-sacrifice reflect the utmost glory upon himself and are in keeping with the esteemed traditions of the infantry and military service.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for January 2 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
2 January
1933: Orville Wright received the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences' first honorary fellowship. (24)
1942: Gen Henry H. Arnold established a new Air Force, which later became Eighth Air Force. (4)
1948: In Japan, two USAF P-80 Shooting Stars attained 778 miles per hour with aid of tail winds. (24)
1951: KOREAN WAR. A C-47 dropped flares for the first time to illuminate B-26 and F-82 night attacks on enemy forces and deter enemy night attacks on U.S. troops. Fifth Air Force withdrew the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing and its F-86s from Kimpo Airfield near Seoul, S. Korea, to Johnson AB, Japan. (28)
1952: A Sikorsky H-19 helicopter flew 1,800 miles from Great Falls, Mont., to Ladd AFB, Alaska, in five days. This was probably the longest flight made by a rotary wing aircraft to date. (5)
1953: Cessna Aircraft's T-37 design won the competition for the Air Force's primary jet trainer over 14 other entries. (5)
1954: Willard Wesley Millikan established a new West to East speed record of four hours and six minutes flying a combat-equipped F-86F Sabre from Los Angeles International Airport to Floyd Bennett Field in New York, with one refueling stop at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. He was a command pilot with more than 5,200 hours of fighter time, 1,500 of these in the F-100 Super Sabre.
Millikan retired as a USAF Maj Gen and a flying ace. During World War II, Millikan flew over 200 combat missions and was credited with the destruction of 13 enemy aircraft in aerial combat plus 2 destroyed on the ground while strafing enemy airfields. While serving with the 4th FG, he flew P-47C (seen here) and P-51B bearing the name "Missouri Mauler."
He joined the District of Columbia Air National Guard as a captain in October 1946. Upgraded once more to the grade of major, he was appointed commander of the 121st Fighter Squadron in May 1948. Promoted to lieutenant colonel, he commanded the 121st when this unit was activated in February 1951 for Korean War service. In June 1951, he became commander of the 33rd Fighter Interceptor Group at Otis Air Force Base in Massachusetts. He later became Deputy for Operations of the 33rd Fighter Wing at Otis before his release from active duty in October 1952. He assumed command of the 113th Fighter Interceptor Wing (Air Guard) at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, on November 1, 1952.
1957: Cessna's model 310 won the competition to provide a light, twin-engine administrative liaison and cargo plane to the Air Force. (5)
1962: PROJECT MULE TRAIN. The first 4 of 16 C-123 assault transports of the 346th Troop Carrier Squadron arrived at Tan Son Nhut AB, S. Vietnam. (17)
1967: OPERATION BOLO. F-4 Phantom pilots from the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing shot down seven North Vietnamese MiG-21s in a sweep mission over the Red River valley to set a one-day aerial victory record. This MiG suppression operation, dubbed the largest air battle of the war, and the most dramatic use of tactical deception, resulted in the downing of the MiGs. In the successful ruse, F-4C pilots simulated Rolling Thunder F-105 strike aircraft to draw the MiGs out. Colonel Robin Olds, the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing Commander, shot down a MiG and became the only USAF ace with aerial victories in World War II and the Vietnam War. (16) (17) (21)
1968: Col Henry Brown and Lt Col Joe B. Jordan became the first USAF pilots to use an F-111A's emergency escape module when their plane crashed near Edwards AFB, Calif. (3)
1980: Through 4 January, two C-141s from the 437th Military Airlift Wing at Charleston AFB, S.C., delivered 700 tents and 1,000 blankets to the homeless on Terceira Island in the Azores following an earthquake. (16)
1994: The F-4G Wild Weasel flew its last combat mission over Southern Iraq.
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