TheList 7463

To All.

Good Tuesday Morning March 3 2026.

.Well the weather is going to be nice for the next week or so. With a lot of clear skies and comfortable temps in the low70s.

On March 3 1973 53 years ago  I had a blind date with Toni who would become my wife and we have been together ever since. Two kids and four granddaughters.

Warm Regards,

skip

Make it a GREAT Day

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HAGD

Thanks to Al

My apologies to Al

Subject: Monday Morning Humor--Next Sunday Spring Ahead

To:

 

Question of the Week:  Is it Daylight Saving or Daylight Savings?

 

 

If you really want to confuse people, tell them, "Remember, when you trip, you Fall Forward. And then you Spring Back up."

 

 

Many people say that daylight savings is such a great idea.  I give it six months.

 

 

Musings on DST:

•         Daylight Savings Time on Sunday should always be followed by a national holiday on Monday.

•         The hour I lost today was the hour I was planning on going to the gym. Darn.

•         Yes! It's Daylight Saving Time. The clock in my car will finally be correct!

•         Raise your hand if you've ever felt personally victimized by daylight savings time.

•         Don't forget to adjust all the clocks you never look at because you have a phone!

•         "I love Daylight Saving Time!" - No one ever

•         Just a reminder for your weekend: Monday will be happening an hour earlier.

•         Why can't we move the clocks forward by an hour on Friday at 4pm instead?

•         Is this the one where I get an extra hour of drinking or lose an hour of drinking?

•         Sunday is National "How Do I Change the Clock on my Microwave" Day!

•         Parents of young kids: I don't know how I could get more sleep deprived.

I went to bed last night and lost an hour while I slept.  If only losing weight were that easy!

•         Why do they consider less sleep and less light in the morning a good thing???

•         We lost an hour last night but look on the bright side.  We're that much closer to happy hour.

•         I never bother turning my clock ahead.  It's easier to show up for everything one hour late.

•         It's Daylight Savings time!  Remember to change your wine from red to white.

•         Forgot it's daylight savings and was confused how I spent an hour making this waffle.

•         This is the Mondayest Monday that ever Mondayed.

•         Daylight savings should be renamed aijedklcjrldhvtqbkcouzlalrbmzkzuwqblr because that's how my brain feels.

•         I'm not saying I love switching to daylight saving time, I'm just saying I never drink before noon

 

 

Coffee: the official sponsor of Daylight Saving time.

 

 

More thoughts on DST:

•         I don't mind going back to Daylight Saving Time. With inflation, the hour will be the only thing I've saved all year.

•         If we just stop saving all this daylight, we could end global warming forever.

•         Trying to explain Daylight Saving Time to an awakened toddler takes way more than an hour.

•         Daylight Saving is when everyone complains about losing one hour on Monday, like Sunday never even happened.

•         Daylight Saving yields as much interest as my actual savings account.

•         My heart goes out to the guys at Stonehenge who have to change the stones for Daylight Saving Time.

•         If you think people will have a rough Monday because of Daylight Saving Time, wait until next week when Monday is the day after St. Patrick's Day.

•         Someone tell the genius of Daylight Saving Time that my child is now standing at the bus stop in the dark but going to bed while it is still light out.

•         If it wasn't for spring forward and fall back, I'd never do any exercise at all.

•         For parents of small children, Daylight Saving Time is cruel and unusual punishment.

 

 

I'll send next week's MMH one hour earlier,

Al

 

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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 94 H-Grams. 

March 3,

1776 - First amphibious landing operation. Continental naval squadron under Commodore Esek Hopkins lands Sailors and Marines, commanded by Captain Samuel Nicholas, on New Providence Island in the Bahamas, capturing urgently-needed ordnance and gunpowder.

1871 - Navy Medical Corps established

1883 - Congress authorizes 4 modern ships of steel, "A,B,C, D Ships"; three cruisers, Atlanta, Boston and Chicago, and dispatch boat Dolphin

1915: The Office of Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) is established by Congress with Adm. William S. Benson named the first CNO.

1915 - Congress creates Federal Naval Reserve. Under it Naval Reserve Force built up

1960 - USS Sargo returns to Hawaii from arctic cruise of 11,000 miles,

6,003 miles under the polar ice

1973  52 years ago Met my wife on a blind date after returning from Vietnam on the USS Midway after 11/2 months

1931  "The Star-Spangled Banner" becomes official »

 

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This Day in World History

March 3

1791   Congress passes a resolution authorizing the U.S. Mint; legislation creating the mint will be passed on Apr. 2, 1792.

1803   The first impeachment trial of a U.S. Judge, John Pickering, begins.

1817   The first commercial steamboat route from Louisville to New Orleans is opened.

1845   Florida becomes the 27th U.S. state.

1857   Under pretexts, Britain and France declare war on China.

1861   The serfs of Russia are emancipated by Alexander II as part of a program of westernization.

1863   President Abraham Lincoln signs the conscription act compelling U.S. citizens to report for duty in the Civil War or pay $300.00.

1877   Rutherford B. Hayes, the republican governor of Ohio is elected president, his election confirmed by an electoral commission after disputed election the previous November.

1878   Russia and the Ottomans sign the Treaty of San Stefano, granting independence to Serbia.

1905   The Russian Czar agrees to create an elected assembly.

1918   The Soviets and Germany sign a peace treaty at Brest-Litovsk depriving the Soviets of White Russia.

1919   Boeing flies the first U.S. international airmail from Vancouver, British Columbia to Seattle, Washington.

1923   The first issue of Time magazine is published. It's editor, Henry R. Luce, is just out of Yale.

1931   President Herbert Hoover signs a bill that makes Francis Scott Key's "Star Spangled Banner," the national anthem.

1939   In Bombay, Gandhi begins a fast to protest the state's autocratic rule.

1940   A Nazi air raid kills 108 on a British liner in the English Channel.

1941   Moscow denounces the Axis rule in Bulgaria.

1942   The RAF raids the industrial suburbs of Paris.

1945   Finland declares war on the Axis.

1952   The U.S. Supreme Court upholds New York's Feinberg Law banning Communist teachers in the United States.

1969   Sirhan Sirhan testifies in a court in Los Angeles that he killed Robert Kennedy.

1973   Japan discloses its first defense plan since World War II.

1999   Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky appears on national television to explain her affair with President Bill Clinton.

 

On March 3, 1887,

Anne Sullivan begins teaching six-year-old Helen Keller, who lost her sight and hearing after a severe illness at the age of 19 months. Under Sullivan's tutelage, including her pioneering "touch teaching" techniques, Keller flourished, eventually graduating from college and becoming an international lecturer and activist. Sullivan, later dubbed "the miracle worker," remained Keller's interpreter and constant companion until the older woman's death in 1936.

 

This Day in History: 03/03/1887 - Helen Keller meets her miracle worker

 

Sullivan, born in Massachusetts in 1866, had firsthand experience with being disabled: As a child, an infection impaired her vision. She then attended the Perkins Institution for the Blind where she learned the manual alphabet in order to communicate with a classmate who was deaf and blind. Eventually, Sullivan had several operations that improved her weakened eyesight.

 

Helen Adams Keller was born on June 27, 1880, to Arthur Keller, a former Confederate army officer and newspaper publisher, and his wife Kate, of Tuscumbia, Alabama. As a baby, a brief illness, possibly scarlet fever or a form of bacterial meningitis, left Helen unable to see, hear or speak. She was considered a bright but spoiled and strong-willed child. Her parents eventually sought the advice of Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone and an authority on the deaf. He suggested the Kellers contact the Perkins Institution, which in turn recommended Anne Sullivan as a teacher.

 

Sullivan, age 20, arrived at Ivy Green, the Keller family estate, in 1887 and began working to socialize her wild, stubborn student and teach her by spelling out words in Keller's hand. Initially, the finger spelling meant nothing to Keller. However, a breakthrough occurred one day when Sullivan held one of Keller's hands under water from a pump and spelled out "w-a-t-e-r" in Keller's palm. Keller went on to learn how to read, write and speak. With Sullivan's assistance, Keller attended Radcliffe College and graduated with honors in 1904.

 

Helen Keller became a public speaker and author; her first book, "The Story of My Life" was published in 1902. She was also a fundraiser for the American Foundation for the Blind and an advocate for racial and sexual equality, as well as socialism. From 1920 to 1924, Sullivan and Keller even formed a vaudeville act to educate the public and earn money. Helen Keller died on June 1, 1968, at her home in Easton, Connecticut, at age 87, leaving her mark on the world by helping to alter perceptions about the disabled.

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Thanks to the Bear and Dan Heller. We will always have the url for you to search items in Rolling Thunder

OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER …

. rollingthunderremembered.com .

.

 

 Thanks to Micro

From Vietnam Air Losses site for ..March 3 . .

March 3: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=2813 

 

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. Thanks to Interesting Facts

There are more trees on Earth than stars in the Milky Way.

Astronomer Carl Sagan wrote in his 1980 book Cosmos that there were more stars in the universe than grains of sand on beaches on Earth — a statement that's both wondrous and impossible to prove. But some scientists pondering similar ideas believe that there may be more trees on Earth than stars in the Milky Way galaxy. The theory stems from a 2015 study that attempted to determine how many living trees could be found on the planet, by estimating the number of trees living in different environments. Tropical and subtropical forests appear to have 43% of the world's tree population, nearly double that of frosty boreal forests found in places such as Canada, Russia, and Norway. Other regions, including the temperate biome (central Europe and the U.S. Northeast), generally have the fewest number of trees. The combined estimates per zone lead some scientists to believe that Earth is home to roughly 3 trillion trees. Compared to NASA's estimate of more than 100 billion stars in the Milky Way, it appears that trees far outnumber the Milky Way's sparkling orbs.

 

 

 

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. Thanks to Interesting Facts

The Stories Behind 5 Funny Nicknames for Body Parts

Imagine trying to tell someone who doesn't speak English well that after having your wisdom teeth removed, you slipped and hit your noodle, then banged your funny bone. It sounds more like a children's rhyme than a real-life accident, but quirky anatomical vocabulary has been commonplace for centuries. Let's dive deeper into the history of some unique nicknames for body parts in English.

1 of 5

Noodle

 "Noodle" is another word for "head," but a version of this nickname has been around for centuries longer than the better-known, pasta-related usage of the word (which first showed up in the mid-18th century). Various spellings of "noddle" (meaning "head" or "back of head") have been used since at least the mid-15th century, and the term turned into "noodle" by the mid-18th century (probably because of the similarity to the pasta word). The slang, which came from the Latin nodulus ("small knot"), was originally used pejoratively, in the context of stupidity. Today it has a milder usage, but it's still not wholly complimentary. Someone might say, "Use your noodle!" to urge another to pay more attention.

2 of 5

Wisdom Teeth

Our third and final set of four molars usually appears between the ages of 17 and 25. The "wise" name came from the timing of when the teeth are typically cut (that is, when they break through the gums). As adolescents approach adulthood, their knowledge (or wisdom) supposedly grows — as do their teeth.

The term "wisdom teeth" has been used in English since the mid-19th century, but people have been nicknaming these molars for thousands of years. The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates was one of the first documented sources to name the teeth, referring to them as sophronisteres, or "prudent teeth." In ancient Rome, the Latin phrase was dentes sapientiae, which means "wisdom teeth." The Latin phrase was translated directly into English. Several other languages borrow the same sentiment for their versions of "wisdom teeth":

Spanish: Muelas del juicio ("teeth of judgment")

French: Dents de sagesse ("wisdom teeth")

Arabic: Ders-al-a'qel ("teeth of the mind")

Japanese: Oyashirazu ("unknown to the parents")

Korean: Salangni ("love teeth")

Turkish: Yirmi yaş dişleri ("20th-year teeth")

3 of 5

Achilles Tendon

The Achilles tendon, located at the back of the leg, connects the calf muscle to the heel. Its name is rooted in Greek mythology, after the hero Achilles, whose one vulnerability was a spot located just above his heel. Legend says that when Achilles was a baby, his mother dipped him into the River Styx to make him immortal and impervious to injury. However, she held baby Achilles by his heel, which left him vulnerable there and eventually led to a mortal injury. The phrase "Achilles' heel" is not an anatomical term, but it metaphorically refers to a weak point.

4 of 5

Funny Bone

If you've ever accidentally hit your funny bone on the edge of a table, you know the tingling sensation is anything but funny. This spot at the back of the elbow gets its name from an anatomical play on words. It's not a literal bone; rather, it's the spot where the ulnar nerve rests unprotected against the humerus (the upper arm bone), making it especially susceptible to pain. The wordplay comes from the homophones "humerus" (referring to the bone) and "humorous" (an adjective meaning "funny"). Using "funny bone" to describe this part of the elbow began in English in the 1820s.

 

5 of 5

Adam's Apple

A visible bump at the front of the throat is a laryngeal prominence, better known as an "Adam's apple." Everyone has this piece of cartilage that covers the voice box (or larynx), but it grows in size during puberty and typically becomes larger in males, which is where the moniker stems from.

In Judeo-Christian tradition, Adam and Eve were the first man and woman. Their story says that a forbidden fruit (often depicted as an apple) became stuck in Adam's throat when he ate from the Tree of Knowledge after being forbidden to do so by God, and this is the origin of the term "Adam's apple." The anatomical nickname has been used in English to describe a laryngeal prominence since the mid-18th century.

 

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Thanks to Brett

 

The fighting has spread into several Gulf countries.

 

By: Geopolitical Futures

 

Daily Memo: Fallout From the Attack on Iran

 

Developments. A flurry of activity has followed the U.S. and Israel's launch of strikes against Iran over the weekend. Iranian attacks on Gulf countries continued into Monday, targeting the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar. Tehran has said it will attack U.S. assets in the region in response to the U.S. and Israeli strikes, which killed several top Iranian officials and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Also on Monday, Israeli military chief of staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Israel launched an "offensive campaign" against Hezbollah, after the group fired rockets and a drone at Israel overnight. The operation will involve "several days of fighting," according to Zamir. Defense Minister Israel Katz said Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem is now a "marked target for elimination."

 

Economic fallout. On the economic front, an Iranian drone struck Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura refinery, one of the largest in the Middle East. The company has reportedly shut down the facility, located on Saudi Arabia's Gulf coast, following the attack. Shipments of oil, gas and other goods from the Middle East through the Strait of Hormuz have been halted since Saturday following Iran's warning that the area would be closed to shipping. Markets reacted on Monday, with stock prices falling in several regions, while oil prices soared. Members of OPEC+ agreed to a modest production increase of 206,000 barrels per day for April. Iranian strikes also temporarily took offline a data center in the United Arab Emirates owned by Amazon Web Services. According to the company, the fire department shut off power to the facility after "objects" struck the center and ignited a fire. In Turkey, passenger traffic has been suspended at all three border crossings with Iran, according to Turkey's trade minister. The official said, however, that Iran was allowing its citizens to enter the country through Turkey, while Turkish citizens and third-country nationals are still allowed to enter Turkey from Iran.

 

Diplomatic fallout. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke by phone with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan. Araghchi briefed Fidan on the latest developments, while Fidan expressed his condolences over the death of Khamenei. Araghchi also spoke with the foreign ministers of Iraq and Armenia. Meanwhile, the president of Kazakhstan sent personal messages to the leaders of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, expressing his country's support and solidarity. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev sent his condolences to the president and the people of Iran following the death of Khamenei, who was partly of Azeri heritage.

 

Europe's take. Participating in strikes against Iran is "not in the U.K.'s interests," British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said. Her comments came after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was "very disappointed" in British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for initially refusing U.S. access to British bases to carry out strikes on Iran. On Sunday, Starmer somewhat backtracked, saying he would allow the U.S. access to the base at Diego Garcia for "specific and limited defensive purposes." French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Paris would help defend Gulf nations and Jordan against Iran if necessary. He expressed France's "full support and complete solidarity" with the countries that were "dragged into a war they did not choose." Germany's foreign minister said his government had "no intention" of participating in the strikes on Iran.

 

Russia and China. The Russian and Chinese foreign ministers discussed the situation in a call on Sunday. The Chinese minister called the U.S. and Israel's launch of an attack amid ongoing negotiations with Iran "unacceptable." Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan spoke by phone. The talks focused on Iran's attacks on the UAE and several other Arab countries, as well as major security developments. Putin also spoke with the leader of Qatar.

 

Public opinion. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted on Sunday, only 27 percent of Americans support U.S. strikes on Iran, while 43 percent disapprove and 29 percent are undecided. About half of those surveyed believe President Donald Trump is too willing to use military force to pursue U.S. interests abroad.

 

Clarification. Pentagon officials said in closed-door briefings with congressional staff that the U.S. had no intelligence that Iran was planning to strike American forces first, according to a Reuters report. Senior Trump administration officials had previously said that the president decided to attack Iran in part because of indications that Tehran might launch a preemptive strike.

 

Pyongyang's support for Moscow. According to South Korea's Defense Intelligence Agency, North Korea has shipped around 33,000 containers of military supplies, including weapons and ammunition, to Russia in support of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The agency estimated last July that North Korea had shipped 28,000 containers of military supplies to Russia.    .

 

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Thanks to 1440

. Need To Know

 

 

Middle East Conflict Widens

President Donald Trump said yesterday the US' war with Iran is expected to continue for four to five weeks and could extend past that point if needed. The statement came as Iran continued to launch retaliatory attacks, including in Israel, and countries hosting US bases like Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE.

Trump outlined four objectives: destroying Iran's missile capabilities, wiping out its navy, preventing access to a nuclear weapon, and removing its ability to fund proxy militias. The administration did not rule out sending ground troops, though Trump later said they would likely not be necessary.

Iran meanwhile continued to launch retaliatory strikes, including sending two warplanes into Qatari airspace, drone attacks against a Saudi oil refinery and the US Embassy in Riyadh, missile strikes in Kuwait and the UAE, and ongoing strikes toward Israel. Israel carried out attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon after the Iranian-allied militia launched rockets into the country.

 

 

 

Lone Star Primaries

Voters in Texas cast ballots today in a pair of hotly contested primary races, choosing their candidates to face off for a US Senate seat in November. They are the most expensive such races in US history, with more than $110M spent in total.

For Republicans, incumbent John Cornyn is seeking his fifth term in the seat and has been locked in a combative three-way race with Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt (TX-38). Paxton, who survived a 2023 impeachment on bribery and corruption charges, enters the day with a four-point lead over Cornyn (40% to 36%). On the Democratic side, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (TX-30) faces state Rep. James Talarico, with each trying to build a multiracial coalition in a state where Democrats haven't defended a statewide office since 1994. See polling for each race here.

Separately, Rep. Ryan Zinke (R, MT-1) announced he will not run for reelection, citing health issues. He joins a growing list of Republicans retiring before the 2026 midterms.

 

 

Concert Colossus in Court

Opening statements begin today in a federal antitrust trial against Live Nation. The Justice Department, 39 states, and the District of Columbia allege the entertainment giant pressured venues and artists into exclusive deals, stifling competition and driving up ticket prices.

Founded in 1996 as a concert promoter and venue operator, Live Nation expanded into ticket sales after a $2.5B merger with Ticketmaster in 2010. The DOJ approved the deal on the condition that Live Nation not force venues to use its ticketing services—a term officials accuse the company of repeatedly violating. The DOJ claims, for example, that Live Nation diverted tours from New York's Barclays Center after it briefly left Ticketmaster for SeatGeek in 2021. Live Nation denies the accusation.

If the DOJ prevails, consumers may be entitled to damages, and Live Nation and Ticketmaster could be split up. The combined company reported roughly $25B in revenue last year, hosting about 55,000 events and selling 646 million tickets worldwide. .

 

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Thanks to Nice News

 

"Every Child Deserves a Fair Chance": Tennessee Hospital Renamed in Honor of Dolly Parton

 Jason Kempin/Getty Images

 

Dolly Parton is bringing us nice news yet again. Last week, a hospital in East Tennessee announced it has renamed its facility the Dolly Parton Children's Hospital, honoring the Queen of Country's commitment to advancing pediatric care in the region where she grew up.

 

Philanthropy has long been part of Parton's ethos — she funds scholarships, runs a free book program, and invests in children's initiatives across her home state. "Ever since I've been in a position to do my part, to help others, I have tried to do just that, especially when children and families need it most," Parton said in a video announcement. "I've always believed that every child deserves a fair chance to grow up healthy, hopeful, and surrounded with love."

 

Hospital leaders say the partnership goes beyond a name change — it marks a new era of improving children's health care. "This is a generational collaboration that will transform pediatric care in this region," Adam Cook, the chief development and public affairs officer, said in a statement to the Associated Press. "It will positively impact patients and families for decades to come."

 

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Thanks to Mugs…The loss of the three F-15 strike Eagles

. This guy does a good job on his videos

This makes a great case for what caused those Strike Eagles to be shot by the Kuwatis. 

 

https://youtu.be/1PAfUIgLIH0?si=qcbNi9tELlxNQltG 

 

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Thanks to Live Science

 A bit about Polar Bears for your reading this morning

Polar bears: The largest land carnivores

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Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are the largest bear species and the biggest land carnivores in the world. The enormous bears live in the Arctic, where they prowl the icy expanse searching for seals, their preferred prey.

 

Polar bears likely evolved within the last 500,000 years when a population of brown bears traveled north into the Arctic during a warm period and became isolated. When temperatures dropped again, the bears were forced to adapt to the colder environment, according to Aarhus University's Arctic Research Centre in Denmark.

 

Polar bears have many adaptations for life in the frigid Arctic, including dense fur and a thick layer of fat to keep them warm, as well as small bumps under their paws to stop them from slipping on the ice, according to Polar Bears International. They are excellent swimmers, and their scientific name, Ursus maritimus, translates to "sea bear," according to the San Diego Zoo. Polar bears depend heavily on the ocean environment and are the only bears to be considered marine mammals.

 

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SIZE & APPEARANCE

Polar bears are usually 3.5 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) tall at the shoulder on all fours, but an adult male may reach more than 10 feet (3 m) when standing on its hind legs, according to Polar Bears International. In 1960, a polar bear that was killed in Alaska stood 12 feet (3.7 m) tall on its hind legs, according to the National Wildlife Federation.

 

Male polar bears usually weigh between 770 pounds and more than 1,300 pounds (350 to 600 kilograms). The 12-foot-tall Alaskan bear shot in 1960 is the heaviest recorded bear and weighed 2,210 pounds (1,000 kg). Females weigh half as much as their male counterparts, at 330 to 650 pounds (150 to 295 kg), according to Polar Bears International.

 

KEY FACTS

Size: 3.5 to 5 feet (1.5 m) tall at the shoulder (all fours)

 

Life span: 15 to 18 years 

 

Conservation status: Vulnerable 

 

Polar bear fur appears to be white but it's actually transparent; the white appearance is due to visible light scattering and reflecting back off clear, hollow strands of hair, according to Polar Bears International. Their white appearance enables the bears to blend in with their snow-covered, icy environment. Polar bears can also appear yellowish or even brown and gray, depending on the season and light conditions. Polar bear skin is black and absorbs the heat of the sun, which helps keep the bears warm.

 

POLAR BEARS VS. KODIAK BEARS

Polar bears are the biggest bear species, but Kodiak bears, a subspecies, or type of brown bear, can grow to about the same size as some polar bears. Kodiak bears live on islands in the Kodiak Archipelago off southern Alaska, where they have been isolated from other brown bears for about 12,000 years, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. These brown bears can stand over 10 feet (3m) tall on their hind legs and weigh up to 1,500 pounds (680 kg), according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

 

Some sources, such as the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, claim that Kodiak bears are the largest bears on Earth. The confusion is partly due to the way that "largest" is defined, because the answer varies depending on whether bears are measured by length, weight, or by the largest individual ever recorded, according to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Polar bears are heavier and taller on average, but individual Kodiak bears may be larger than average-size polar bears. 

 

WHERE DO POLAR BEARS LIVE?

Polar bears live on the ice-covered waters of the Arctic and countries around the Arctic Circle, including Canada, Alaska in the U.S., Greenland (part of Denmark), Norway, Russia and occasionally Iceland, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They are not found in Antarctica, where penguins live.

 

Some polar bears stay on permanently frozen sea ice in the Arctic Basin, but most live on the annual sea ice that forms around the Arctic Basin. This annual sea ice melts in the summer, so polar bears are forced to spend several months on land while they wait for it to freeze over again, according to the IUCN.

 

Polar bears swim between sea ice and the shore, hunting down prey, searching for mates, or just cooling off. They paddle through the water with their big front paws and use their back legs as rudders, according to Sea World. They also have webbing between their toes, similar to ducks' feet, which helps them swim.

 

Polar bears have been recorded swimming for nearly 10 days at a time and traveling up to 427 miles (687 kilometers) in a single swim without stopping to rest, Live Science previously reported. Long swims like this put polar bears at risk of drowning, but they may be forced to undertake such great journeys more often as warming temperatures associated with climate change melt sea ice in the Arctic.

 

WHAT DO POLAR BEARS EAT?

Polar bears are the most carnivorous bear species and almost exclusively eat meat. Their primary prey are ringed seals (Pusa hispida), according to the National Wildlife Federation. Polar bears will sit by a seal breathing hole waiting for a seal to pop up so they can grab it. The bears will also sniff out seal dens, then crash through the roof and kill the seals inside.

 

If polar bears have a plentiful supply of seals and are in good health, they'll only eat the seal's blubber, according to Polar Bears International. This is the highest calorie meal available to polar bears and helps them build up fat reserves and stay healthy between feedings. Polar bears can consume 4.4 pounds (2 kg) of fat each day, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

 

Polar bears will also hunt walruses, sea birds, fish and small mammals such as rodents; scavenge on whale carcasses and other dead animals; and eat small amounts of vegetation, according to the University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web (ADW). However, these are alternative food sources when seals aren't plentiful; seals are crucial to sustaining a polar bear population. Polar bears are top of the food chain and have no natural predators other than humans.

Related: Polar bears now eat dolphins, thanks to global warming

LIFE IN THE COLD

Polar bears are solitary except for when a mother is raising her cubs. However, unrelated bears will occasionally be seen together, such as when they share a large whale carcass or garbage dump, or when they are waiting on land for sea ice to re-form, according to Sea World. They do not defend territories, but polar bears may occasionally fight over a carcass, and males may fight over a female during the breeding season, between March and June.

Male polar bears find females by following their scent, and the pair may spend a week or more with each other. After mating, fertilized eggs don't enter the female's uterus straight away, and this process is delayed until usually September or November, according to the San Diego Zoo. Polar bears have a gestation period of up to about seven months including this delayed implantation. Pregnant females will dig a cave in a snowbank to give birth in; called a maternity den. Polar bears do not hibernate in winter, unlike most brown bears and black bears, and will continue to hunt unless the weather is extremely harsh.

A female polar bear gives birth in her den, typically to twins in December or January. Newborn polar bear cubs usually weigh just 1.3 pounds (0.6 kg), according to the San Diego Zoo. The cubs grow quickly on their mother's milk and will start exploring outside their den by spring, although they don't travel far for the first 12 days or more and still sleep inside the den at night, according to Sea World. Polar bear cubs stay with their mother for up to three years learning how to survive. Wild polar bears usually live for 15 to 18 years but can survive into their 30s, according to Polar Bears International. A captive polar bear called Debby lived to be 42 years old in Assiniboine Park Zoo in Canada. She was believed to be the world's oldest polar bear when she died in 2008, according to Reuters.

 

ARE POLAR BEARS DANGEROUS TO HUMANS?

Polar bears rarely attack humans. A 2017 study published in the journal Wildlife Society Bulletin cataloged 73 confirmed polar bear attacks between 1870 and 2014, including 20 fatalities. The researchers found that nutritionally stressed male bears were most likely to attack humans and that most attacks were predatory, meaning the bear was killing for food. Polar bear attacks increased over the study period, which is likely due to changes in their environment.

"The danger is the proximity to people, coupled with an increasing number of polar bears in poor body condition spending more time on shore. Both people and bears are trying to adapt to rapid changes on the ground and at sea," Geoff York, study co-author and senior director of conservation at Polar Bears International, said in a statement at the time. As sea ice declines and moves further from the shore, more polar bears spend longer periods on land, such as in Hudson Bay in northeastern Canada.

"Bears are now having to make a choice as the ice melts each year: Do they stay on the ice and retreat with it into deep Arctic waters or do they jump, come to shore, and take their chances on land?" York said. "Those who come ashore may come into conflict with human communities or activities. And as they get more desperate for food, they may well take higher risks."

Related: 52 polar bears 'invade' a Russian town to eat garbage instead of starve to death

ARE POLAR BEARS ENDANGERED?

Polar bears are vulnerable to extinction, according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Climate change poses the biggest threat to their long-term survival as increasing temperatures cause the Arctic sea ice they depend on to shrink. They are also threatened by other human-related activities, such as oil and gas drilling in the Arctic, which increases the risk of negative human-bear interactions.

 

There are only about 26,000 polar bears living in the wild, according to the IUCN. However, estimating the number of polar bears is difficult because they live in such remote habitats at low densities, and information about their subpopulations is often poor or outdated. Polar bears are listed on the U.S. Endangered Species List as threatened and are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

 

Inuit and Indigenous people still hunt polar bears for food and clothing as part of long-held cultural traditions, but this hunting is carefully regulated. The Inuit people have long believed that polar bears, which they call "Nanuq," are wise, powerful and almost human, according to Polar Bears International. 

 

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This Day in U S Military History

March 3

1945 – Japanese resistance in Manila comes to an end after a month-long battle. Most of the 20,000 Japanese defenders have been killed and the town has been devastated. Troops from the Americal Division are landed on Ticao and Burias Islands to the west of the San Bernadino Strait.

1945 – On Iwo Jima, an area of the island which has become known as "the Mincer" is cleared by the marines of US 5th Amphibious Corps. The third airfield is completely occupied by the American.

1945 – Troops of Canadian 1st and US 9th Armies link up near Geldern. Farther south, units of the US 12th Corps from US 3rd Army capture a crossing over the KyllRiver. Meanwhile, elements of the US 7th Army take Forbach.

1980 – The USS Nautilus is decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register. USS Nautilus (SSN-571) was the world's first operational nuclear-powered submarine. The vessel was the first submarine to complete a submerged transit to the North Pole on 3 August 1958. Sharing names with the submarine in Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and named after another USS Nautilus (SS-168) that served with distinction in World War II, Nautilus was authorized in 1951 and launched in 1954. Because her nuclear propulsion allowed her to remain submerged far longer than diesel-electric submarines, she broke many records in her first years of operation, and traveled to locations previously beyond the limits of submarines. In operation, she revealed a number of limitations in her design and construction. This information was used to improve subsequent submarines. Nautilus was a component of SubRon Ten (Submarine Squadron Ten). Nautilus was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1982. The submarine has been preserved as a museum of submarine history in Groton, Connecticut, where the vessel receives some 250,000 visitors a year.

1991 – American General H. Norman Schwarzkopf and Saudi Lt. Gen. Prince Khalid discussed cease-fire terms with Iraqi commanders Lt. Gen. Mohammed Abdez Rahman al-Dagitistani and Lt. Gen. Sabin Abdel-Aziz al Douri. The Iraqis' astonishment at the disparity involved in the prisoner exchange demonstrated how ignorant they still were of the magnitude of their own defeat. Iraq accepts the terms of ceasefire.

Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day

Three more of the 27 Medals of Honor for Iwo Jima are on the list today

FOLLETT, JOSEPH L.

Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company G, 1st Missouri Light Artillery. Place and date: At New Madrid, Mo., 3 March 1862; at Stone River, Tenn., 31 December 1862. Entered service at: St. Louis, Mo. Birth: Newark, N.J. Date of issue: 19 September 1890. Citation: At New Madrid, Mo., remained on duty though severely wounded. While procuring ammunition from the supply train at Stone River, Tenn., was captured, but made his escape, secured the ammunition, and in less than an hour from the time of his capture had the batteries supplied.

*BERRY, CHARLES JOSEPH

Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 10 July 1923, Lorain, Ohio. Accredited to: Ohio. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as member of a machinegun crew, serving with the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the seizure of Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, on 3 March 1945. Stationed in the front lines, Cpl. Berry manned his weapon with alert readiness as he maintained a constant vigil with other members of his guncrew during the hazardous night hours. When infiltrating Japanese soldiers launched a surprise attack shortly after midnight in an attempt to overrun his position, he engaged in a pitched hand grenade duel, returning the dangerous weapons with prompt and deadly accuracy until an enemy grenade landed in the foxhole. Determined to save his comrades, he unhesitatingly chose to sacrifice himself and immediately dived on the deadly missile, absorbing the shattering violence of the exploding charge in his own body and protecting the others from serious injury. Stouthearted and indomitable, Cpl. Berry fearlessly yielded his own life that his fellow marines might carry on the relentless battle against a ruthless enemy and his superb valor and unfaltering devotion to duty in the face of certain death reflect the highest credit upon himself and upon the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

*CADDY, WILLIAM ROBERT

Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Born: 8 August 1925, Quincy, Mass. Accredited to: Massachusetts. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a rifleman with Company 1, 3d Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the seizure of Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, 3 March 1945. Consistently aggressive, Pfc. Caddy boldly defied shattering Japanese machinegun and small arms fire to move forward with his platoon leader and another marine during the determined advance of his company through an isolated sector and, gaining the comparative safety of a shell hole, took temporary cover with his comrades. Immediately pinned down by deadly sniper fire from a well-concealed position, he made several unsuccessful attempts to again move forward and then, joined by his platoon leader, engaged the enemy in a fierce exchange of hand grenades until a Japanese grenade fell beyond reach in the shell hole. Fearlessly disregarding all personal danger, Pfc. Caddy instantly dived on the deadly missile, absorbing the exploding charge in his own body and protecting the others from serious injury. Stouthearted and indomitable, he unhesitatingly yielded his own life that his fellow marines might carry on the relentless battle against a fanatic enemy. His dauntless courage and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of certain death reflect the highest credit upon Pfc. Caddy and upon the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his comrades.

HARRELL, WILLIAM GEORGE

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 1st Battalion, 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division. Place and date: Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 3 March 1945. Entered service at: Mercedes, Tex. Born: 26 June 1922, Rio Grande City, Tex. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as leader of an assault group attached to the 1st Battalion, 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division during hand-to-hand combat with enemy Japanese at Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, on 3 March 1945. Standing watch alternately with another marine in a terrain studded with caves and ravines, Sgt. Harrell was holding a position in a perimeter defense around the company command post when Japanese troops infiltrated our lines in the early hours of dawn. Awakened by a sudden attack, he quickly opened fire with his carbine and killed 2 of the enemy as they emerged from a ravine in the light of a star shellburst. Unmindful of his danger as hostile grenades fell closer, he waged a fierce lone battle until an exploding missile tore off his left hand and fractured his thigh. He was vainly attempting to reload the carbine when his companion returned from the command post with another weapon. Wounded again by a Japanese who rushed the foxhole wielding a saber in the darkness, Sgt. Harrell succeeded in drawing his pistol and killing his opponent and then ordered his wounded companion to a place of safety. Exhausted by profuse bleeding but still unbeaten, he fearlessly met the challenge of 2 more enemy troops who charged his position and placed a grenade near his head. Killing 1 man with his pistol, he grasped the sputtering grenade with his good right hand, and, pushing it painfully toward the crouching soldier, saw his remaining assailant destroyed but his own hand severed in the explosion. At dawn Sgt. Harrell was evacuated from a position hedged by the bodies of 12 dead Japanese, at least 5 of whom he had personally destroyed in his self-sacrificing defense of the command post. His grim fortitude, exceptional valor, and indomitable fighting spirit against almost insurmountable odds reflect the highest credit upon himself and enhance the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

WAHLEN, GEORGE EDWARD

Rank and organization: Pharmacist's Mate Second Class, U.S. Navy, serving with 2d Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division. Place and date: Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands group, 3 March 1945. Entered service at: Utah. Born: 8 August 1924, Ogden, Utah. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 2d Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima in the Volcano group on 3 March 1945. Painfully wounded in the bitter action on 26 February, Wahlen remained on the battlefield, advancing well forward of the frontlines to aid a wounded marine and carrying him back to safety despite a terrific concentration of fire. Tireless in his ministrations, he consistently disregarded all danger to attend his fighting comrades as they fell under the devastating rain of shrapnel and bullets, and rendered prompt assistance to various elements of his combat group as required. When an adjacent platoon suffered heavy casualties, he defied the continuous pounding of heavy mortars and deadly fire of enemy rifles to care for the wounded, working rapidly in an area swept by constant fire and treating 14 casualties before returning to his own platoon. Wounded again on 2 March, he gallantly refused evacuation, moving out with his company the following day in a furious assault across 600 yards of open terrain and repeatedly rendering medical aid while exposed to the blasting fury of powerful Japanese guns. Stouthearted and indomitable, he persevered in his determined efforts as his unit waged fierce battle and, unable to walk after sustaining a third agonizing wound, resolutely crawled 50 yards to administer first aid to still another fallen fighter. By his dauntless fortitude and valor, Wahlen served as a constant inspiration and contributed vitally to the high morale of his company during critical phases of this strategically important engagement. His heroic spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of overwhelming enemy fire upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

*WILLIAMS, JACK

Rank and organization: Pharmacist's Mate Third Class, U.S. Naval Reserve. Born: 18 October 1924, Harrison, Ark. Accredited to: Arkansas. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 3d Battalion 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division, during the occupation of Iwo Jima Volcano Islands, 3 March 1945. Gallantly going forward on the frontlines under intense enemy small-arms fire to assist a marine wounded in a fierce grenade battle, Williams dragged the man to a shallow depression and was kneeling, using his own body as a screen from the sustained fire as he administered first aid, when struck in the abdomen and groin 3 times by hostile rifle fire. Momentarily stunned, he quickly recovered and completed his ministration before applying battle dressings to his own multiple wounds. Unmindful of his own urgent need for medical attention, he remained in the perilous fire-swept area to care for another marine casualty. Heroically completing his task despite pain and profuse bleeding, he then endeavored to make his way to the rear in search of adequate aid for himself when struck down by a Japanese sniper bullet which caused his collapse. Succumbing later as a result of his self-sacrificing service to others, Williams, by his courageous determination, unwavering fortitude and valiant performance of duty, served as an inspiring example of heroism, in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

*STONE, LESTER R., JR.

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, 1st Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry, 11th Infantry Brigade, 23d Infantry Division (Americal). Place and date: West of Landing Zone Liz, Republic of Vietnam, 3 March 1969. Entered service at: Syracuse N.Y. Born: 4 June 1947, Binghamton, N.Y. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Stone, distinguished himself while serving as squad leader of the 1st Platoon. The 1st Platoon was on a combat patrol mission just west of Landing Zone Liz when it came under intense automatic weapons and grenade fire from a well concealed company-size force of North Vietnamese regulars. Observing the platoon machinegunner fall critically wounded, Sgt. Stone remained in the exposed area to provide cover fire for the wounded soldier who was being pulled to safety by another member of the platoon. With enemy fire impacting all around him, Sgt. Stone had a malfunction in the machinegun, preventing him from firing the weapon automatically. Displaying extraordinary courage under the most adverse conditions, Sgt. Stone repaired the weapon and continued to place on the enemy positions effective suppressive fire which enabled the rescue to be completed. In a desperate attempt to overrun his position, an enemy force left its cover and charged Sgt. Stone. Disregarding the danger involved, Sgt. Stone rose to his knees and began placing intense fire on the enemy at pointblank range, killing 6 of the enemy before falling mortally wounded. His actions of unsurpassed valor were a source of inspiration to his entire unit, and he was responsible for saving the lives of a number of his fellow soldiers. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military profession and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

*WILSON, ALFRED M.

Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, Company M, 3d Battalion, 9th Marines, 3d Marine Division. Place and date: Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, 3 March 1969. Entered service at: Abilene, Tex. Born: 13 January 1948, Olney, Ill. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a rifleman with Company M in action against hostile forces. While returning from a reconnaissance-in-force mission in the vicinity of Fire Support Base Cunningham, the 1st Platoon of Company M came under intense automatic weapons fire and a grenade attack from a well concealed enemy force. As the center of the column was pinned down, the leading squad moved to outflank the enemy. Pfc. Wilson, acting as squad leader of the rear squad, skillfully maneuvered his men to form a base of fire and act as a blocking force. In the ensuing fire fight, both his machine gunner and assistant machine gunner were seriously wounded and unable to operate their weapons. Realizing the urgent need to bring the weapon into operation again, Pfc. Wilson, followed by another marine and with complete disregard for his safety, fearlessly dashed across the fire-swept terrain to recover the weapon. As they reached the machinegun, an enemy soldier stepped from behind a tree and threw a grenade toward the 2 marines. Observing the grenade fall between himself and the other marine, Pfc. Wilson, fully realizing the inevitable result of his actions, shouted to his companion and unhesitating threw himself on the grenade, absorbing the full force of the explosion with his own body. His heroic actions inspired his platoon members to maximum effort as they aggressively attacked and defeated the enemy. Pfc. Wilson's indomitable courage, inspiring valor and selfless devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

 

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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for March 3, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY

3 March

1911: Lt Benjamin D. Foulois and civilian pilot Phillip O. Parmalee made a 106-mile nonstop flight from Laredo to Eagle Pass, Tex., in the Collier Wright B, trying to prove to ground forces the usefulness of the airplane. The two men dropped messages and received radiotelegraphic messages in return. (24) Congress authorized $125,000 for air operations for first time in the Army budget of Fiscal Year (FY) 1912. (11) (24)

1915: The Advisory Committee for Aeronautics is established by Congressional approval as part of the Naval Appropriations Act. Later renamed to include the word "National" in its title, the NACA would lead the integration of theoretical aeronautical science to practical applications for the next four decades. The NACA is the first ever government organization created to support aviation research and development.

1952: Operation SATURATE. FEAF initiated this round-the-clock interdiction effort against North Korean railroad lines. Fighter-bombers attacked during the day and B-26 bombers at night. The attacks were carried out with intensity through May, and continued periodically thereafter. The B-26's increased vulnerability to communist ground fire provoked a reassessment of the night interdiction campaign in the spring of 1952. (17)

1953: North American Aviation's missile booster engine for the Navaho fired for the first time at the Experimental Rocket Engine Test Station on Luehman Ridge at Edwards AFB. (3)

1959: Cape Canaveral launched the Pioneer IV space probe to within 38,000 miles of the moon. It eventually went into a solar orbit. Radio contact with Pioneer IV continued to a record distance of 406,620 miles from the earth. (12)

1969: APOLLO IX. Through 13 March, a Saturn V launched from Kennedy Space Center carried Apollo IX astronauts James A. McDivitt (Colonel, USAF), the commander; David R. Scott (Colonel, USAF), the command module pilot; and Russell L. Schweickart (a civilian), the lunar module pilot, into space. The mission's achievements included the first manned flight of the Apollo lunar module and the first transfer between space vehicles via an internal connection. After 152 orbits, or 241 hours 53 seconds in space, the command module splashed down in the Atlantic 180 miles east of the Bahamas. (8) TRW Systems Group received a $74 million contract to develop and produce six communications satellites for the Defense Satellite Communications System Phase II (DSCS II). (5)

1971: Exercise FREEDOM VAULT. Through 7 March, PACAF tactical aircraft and forces participated in a JCS-directed, joint Republic of Korea-US exercise at Osan AB. Events included an airborne assault by 683 US paratroopers from Fort Bragg, who flew to Korea aboard 12 MAC C-141s and were dropped at Osan AB. A Republic of Korea battalion also parachuted from 9 C-46s. (17)

1982: COMMANDO VULCAN. The first six A-10 Thunderbolts arrived at Suwon AB to bolster PACAF forces in South Korea. The USAF built more than 50 facilities, totaling 700,000 square feet, at Suwon to support the A-10 beddown project. (16)

1986: TAC's first OT-37 Tweet replaced the Cessna O-2 aircraft at Shaw AFB.

1988: The Pioneer 8 solar orbiter finally ceased operations. When launched on 13 December 1967, it had a six-month life span, but lasted more than 20 years. (20) (Note: Only one instrument, the electric field detector, remained operational past 1982. During tracking on 23 July 1995, NASA could not switch on Pioneer 8's transmitter, probably because the spacecraft was too far away from the Sun to charge its solar panels. On 22 August 1996, NASA reacquired contact via a backup transmitter. The electric field detector remained functional through June 2001.)

1991: At Safwan in Iraq, General Schwarzkopf and associates from other coalition countries, meet eight Iraqi officers, led by Lieutenant General Sultan Hashim Ahmad, commander of Iraqi III Corps in Iraq. Military leaders discuss cease-fire arrangements, and the formal cease-fire is signed. CENTCOM reports Iraqi equipment destroyed or captured increased to 3,300 tanks, 2,100 armored vehicles, 2,200 artillery pieces, and number of POWs is estimated at 80,000.

 2001: COLLIER TROPHY. The FAI awarded the 2000 Robert J. Collier Trophy to the Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle system as the nation's greatest achievement in aeronautics. (3)

2003: Operation SOUTHERN WATCH. Global Hawk AV-3 left Edwards AFB for the Persian Gulf area, arriving in the United Arab Emirates on 8 March, to fly reconnaissance missions as part of the prewar air campaign against Iraq's air defenses. The sorties identified Iraqi surface to-air missile locations and potential SCUD missile sites. (3)

 

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