To All
Good Wednesday morning June 24. Same weather different day. The clouds are clearing by 9 and we are heating up to 83 by 1
The ceremony for TR Swartz yesterday was well attended and as was the follow on at the 94th Aero Squadron. Thanks to the Swartz Family. As we were breaking up from the cemetery TR got an unscheduled flyover from a Marine jet on a departure from Miramar low and louid.
Warm regards and wishing you all a good weekend
skip
HAGD
.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
This day in Naval and Marine Corps History (thanks to NHHC)
Go here to see the director’s corner for all 97 H-Grams
History June 23
June 24
1833 The frigate Constitution is the first vessel to enter the newly-built dry dock at the Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston, Mass. for overhaul. A false rumor circulates in Boston in 1830 that the U.S. Navy intends to scrap the ship; young Oliver Wendell Holmes pens his poem "Old Ironsides", becoming a rallying cry to save the ship.
1944 Torpedo bomber TBM aircraft (VC 69) from USS Bogue (CVE 9) sink Japanese submarine (I 52), 800 miles southwest of Fayal, Azores.
1944 Navy submarines USS Grouper (SS 214), USS Redfin (SS 272) and USS Tang (SS 306) attack Japanese convoys off the coast of Japan, sinking seven enemy vessels.
1948 The Berlin airlift Operation Vittles is initiated to offset the Soviet Union's blockade access of the U.S., France, and Great Britain to their sectors of Berlin.
1952 During the Korean War, aircraft from USS Philippine Sea (CV 47), USS Bon Homme Richard (CV 31), USS Princeton (CV 37), and USS Boxer (CV 21) continue attacks on hydroelectric plants in North Korea from the previous day
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Today in World History JUNE 24
0217 Carthaginian forces led by Hannibal destroy a Roman army under consul Gaius Flaminius in a battle at Lake Trasimene in central Italy.
1314 Scottish forces, led by Robert the Bruce, win an overwhelming victory against English King Edward II at the Battle of Bannockburn.
1340 The English fleet defeats the French fleet at Sluys, off the Flemish coast.
1497 Explorer John Cabot lands in North America in present-day Canada.
1509 Henry VIII is crowned King of England.
1647 Margaret Brent, demands a voice and a vote for herself in the Maryland colonial assembly.
1664 The colony of New Jersey, named after the Isle of Jersey, is founded.
1675 King Philip's War begins.
1812 Napoleon crosses the Neman River and invades Russia.
1859 At the Battle of Solferino, also known as the Battle of the Three Sovereigns, the French army, led by Napoleon III, defeats the Austrian army under Franz Joseph I.
1861 Federal gunboats attack Confederate batteries at Mathias Point, Virginia.
1862 U.S. intervention saves the British and French at the Dagu Forts in China.
1896 Booker T. Washington becomes the first African American to receive an honorary MA degree from Harvard University.
1910 The Japanese army invades Korea.
1913 Greece and Serbia annul their alliance with Bulgaria following border disputes over Macedonia and Thrace.
1931 The Soviet Union and Afghanistan sign a treaty of neutrality.
1940 France signs an armistice with Italy.
1941 President Franklin Roosevelt pledges all possible support to the Soviet Union.
1943 Royal Air Force Bombers hammer Muelheim, Germany, in a drive to cripple the Ruhr industrial base.
1948 The Soviet Union begins the Berlin Blockade, America responds with the Berlin Airlift.
1953 John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier announce their engagement.
1955Soviet MIGs down a U.S. Navy patrol plane over the Bering Strait.
1964 The Federal Trade Commission announces that, starting in 1965, cigarette makers must include warning labels about the harmful effects of smoking.
1970 The U.S. Senate votes overwhelmingly to repeal the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Brett
June 23, 2026
What Investments Say About Central Asia
The growing interest in the region is difficult to ignore.
By: Ekaterina Zolotova
Last week, Uzbekistan hosted the Tashkent International Investment Forum, an event that strives to become the leading platform in Central Asia for investors seeking to enter one of the world's fastest-growing markets. The forum brought together more than 10,000 participants from more than 100 countries. Earlier, Kazakhstan hosted the latest round of the C5+1 critical minerals talks, in which Central Asian governments discussed issues related to geological exploration, geodesy, cartography, mining and processing, as well as global value chains and supply chains.
Both events are instructive for understanding the trajectory of the region. Governments there are shifting away from traditional partners in Russia and China toward a more diverse set of investors and patrons. The growing interest in Central Asia is difficult to ignore, especially for Western countries. Once firmly in Russia’s sphere of influence, the region is now teeming with opportunity as countries search for new routes from Asia to Europe that bypass Russia. Central Asia is rich in natural resources and supports growing economies. Average annual growth in capital investments in 2023-25 was 10.7 percent in Kazakhstan, 18 percent in Tajikistan and 21.7 percent in Uzbekistan. Crucially, the Russian invasion of Ukraine accelerated these trends. In Uzbekistan alone, FDI has increased by more than 45 times since 2016.
However, in reality, foreign investment remains fragmented and limited, and the recent double-digit growth has been driven not so much by foreign investment as by domestic investment. The most important source of capital investment in the region comes from businesses and households (more than 55 percent). The second most important source is public finance (just under 20 percent). In Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, preferential financing from international development institutions offers an alternative to borrowing on market terms.
Efforts like the Tashkent International Investment Forum are meant to attract external funding to boost domestic economies. Central Asian countries desperately need to maintain high rates of economic growth amid a population boom and expanding labor markets, both of which risk creating unemployment and declines in living standards that the regional governments are eager to avoid. The economy must grow at a rate that outpaces population growth, especially in a place with a relatively high potential for protest. The current investment environment, which focuses primarily on raw materials and energy, cannot provide employment for everyone.
Moreover, Central Asian economies are growing in certain sectors because of public spending and, consequently, increased private consumption. In recent years, Central Asian countries have had increased budget infusions, partially financed by high global gold prices, stimulating domestic demand faster than they can produce. Rising remittances are also driving heightened private consumption.
Relying on public spending in the near term is impossible, not only because of its limitations but also because of its impact on the economy. The International Monetary Fund has recommended that authorities limit the growth of public spending and balance the budget to contain inflation risks and protect the exchange rate. The continuation of a tight monetary policy with high interest rates is slowing domestic lending and financing, leaving Central Asia with only one option: attracting external financing and forcing partners to invest heavily in infrastructure, energy, transport corridors, logistics, construction, and housing and utilities.
So far, little of that investment has come from the West. Western countries are interested, but they are still very selective in terms of investing in Central Asia because doing so carries risk, despite the policy efforts to reduce it. There are two main concerns. First, the region has virtually no direct access to the sea. This significantly complicates direct interaction with Central Asian countries without intermediaries such as Russia and China.
Second, the region is sandwiched between major geopolitical players such as Russia, China and Iran, each with its own understanding of Central Asia's place and role in its own history. Historically, Russia and China have had greater influence there, and they remain key partners in economics, politics and military affairs. Economically, the region has historically been heavily dependent on Russia, even if Russian financial contributions have dried up somewhat after the invasion of Ukraine. Investors from the U.S. and the EU fear that they could run afoul of secondary sanctions, forcing them to carefully filter joint projects and partners.
These fears give China the opportunity to strengthen its position. To be sure, Central Asia is skeptical of increased
Chinese influence. A few years ago, under Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, an agreement to relocate 55 enterprises from China to Kazakhstan sparked prolonged protests, with demands to halt China's expansion. Uzbek farmers often complain that they are being forced to "voluntarily" hand over their land to local authorities, who then transfer the land to Chinese investors.
But under the current circumstances, in which Central Asia has only limited options for external financing, regional governments are encouraging projects they once criticized. Kazakhstan, for example, is building a metallurgical plant in conjunction with Beijing and negotiating the localization of production, including the creation of a lifting equipment production facility and engineering centers in partnership with Weihua Heavy Machinery; electrical products with Shenda Electric Group; and yarn production and processing with Jinyuan Textile Company. Particularly notable is the recent visit to Beijing by Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in May to meet with leaders and representatives of several Chinese companies.
Indeed, China is still the largest investor in the region. It’s interested in a few particular areas, the most important of which is energy. China National Petroleum Corp. and Sinopec are already spending big. About 90 percent of Chinese FDI in the region is concentrated in resource-rich Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Even so, weak domestic demand has forced Beijing to change its investment strategy in Central Asia, and preserving its own investments is becoming a particularly important task for Beijing. Over the past few years, China has been discussing relocating some manufacturing to the region and investing in mineral extraction instead of infrastructure megaprojects. Furthermore, Central Asia, which is generally energy deficient despite the availability of fossil fuels, is becoming a new market for Chinese solar panels and wind turbines.
The Eurasian Development Bank notes that the volume of accumulated Chinese investments in Central Asian countries by mid-2025 reached $35.9 billion, up from about $23 billion in 2020. The biggest hike came in 2022-25 and was aimed at energy, industrial and infrastructure projects. At the same time, China's investment activity has reached maturity in many projects and, in recent years, has shifted from launching new projects to exploiting previously created assets.
Central Asia's desire for large-scale investment to stimulate the economy demands that it find money as quickly as possible. However, current conditions are not conducive to diversification. If anything, they reinforce China’s primacy.
Despite preliminary agreements reached with Western governments, the economies of Central Asian countries are increasingly forced to interact with their eastern neighbor. This could set a precedent for more strained relations with external players, especially Russia.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
June 23
Hello All,
Thanks to Dan Heller and the Bear
Links to all content can now be found right on the homepage http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com. If you scroll down from the banner and featured content you will find "Today in Rolling Thunder Remembered History" which highlights events in the Vietnam war that occurred on the date the page is visited. Below that are links to browse or search all content. You may search by keyword(s), date, or date range.
An item of importance is the recent incorporation of Task Force Omega (TFO) MIA summaries. There is a link on the homepage and you can also visit directly via https://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/task-force-omega/. There are 60 summaries posted thus far, with about 940 to go (not a typo—TFO has over 1,000 individual case files).
If you have any questions or comments about RTR/TFO, or have a question on my book, you may e-mail me directly at acrossthewing@protonmail.com. Thank you Dan
Thanks to Micro
To remind folks that these are from the Vietnam Air Losses site that Micro put together. You click on the url elow and get what happened each day to the crew of the aircraft. ……Skip
June 24: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=2927
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.
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 Service members Killed in the Vietnam War
(This site was sent by a friend . The site works, find anyone you knew in “search" feature. https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/ )
Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Service members Killed in the Vietnam War
By: Kipp Hanley
AUGUST 15, 2022
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
To all my Aviator brothers…skip-
So On the First Friday of July ( July 3 )a number of ( I hope a big number ) us will join together for a Bubba Breakfast like we have continued to do for about 36 years on the first Friday of every month. The article below perfectly relates why we continue to do this.
Thanks to Dutch and JJ
It's a good time to recycle this one! Cheers, JJ
DEAD BUG! - A Tribute to Military Aviators
(In Victory, you deserve champagne. In Defeat, you need it!)
As we get older and we experience the loss of old friends, we begin to realize that maybe we bullet-proof aviators won’t live forever. We aren’t so bullet-proof anymore. We ponder...if we’re gone tomorrow, “Did I say what I wanted to my Brothers?” The answer is “No!” Hence, the following random thoughts:
When people ask me if I miss flying, I always say something like, “Yes, I miss the flying because when you are flying, you are totally focused on the task at hand. It’s like nothing else you will ever do (almost). ” But then I always say, “However, I miss the squadron and the guys even more than I miss the flying.”
Why, you might ask? They were a bunch of aggressive, wise ass, cocky, insulting, sarcastic bastards in smelly flight suits who thought a funny thing to do was to fart and see if they could clear a room. They drank too much, they chased women, they flew when they shouldn’t, they laughed too loud and thought they owned the sky, the bar, and generally thought they could do everything better than the next guy. They flew planes that leaked, that smoked, that broke, that couldn’t turn, that burned fuel too fast, that never had working autopilots or radars, and with systems that were archaic next to today’s new generation aircraft.
But a little closer look might show that every guy in the room was sneaky smart and damn competent and brutally handsome in their own way! They hated to lose or fail to accomplish the mission and seldom did. They were the laziest guys on the planet until challenged and then they would do anything to win. They would fly with wing tips overlapped at night through the worst weather with only a little 'Form' light to hold on to, knowing their flight lead would get them on the ground safely. They would fight in the air knowing the greatest risk and fear was that another fighter would arrive at the same six o'clock at the same time they did. They would fly in harm’s way and act nonchalant as if to challenge the grim reaper.
When we flew to another base we proclaimed that we're the best squadron on the base as soon as we landed. Often we were not invited back. When we went into an O’ Club, we owned the bar. We were lucky to be the Best of the Best in the military. We knew it and so did others. We found jobs, lost jobs, got married, got divorced, moved, went broke, got rich, broke some things, and knew the only thing you could count -- really count on -- was if you needed help, a fellow aviator would have your back.
I miss the call signs, nicknames, and the stories behind them. I miss getting lit up in an O’ Club full of my buddies and watching the incredible, unbelievable things that were happening. I miss the crew chiefs saluting as you taxied out of the flight line. I miss lighting the afterburners, if you had them, especially at night. I miss going straight up and straight down. I miss the cross countries. I miss the dice games at the bar for drinks. I miss listening to BS stories while drinking and laughing until my eyes watered.. I miss flying below the rim of the Grand Canyon and hearing about flying so low that boats were blown over. I miss coming into the break hot and looking over and seeing three wingmen tucked in tight ready to make the troops on the ground proud. I miss belches that could be heard in neighboring states. I miss putting on ad hoc Air Shows that might be over someone’s home or farm in faraway towns.
Finally, I miss hearing DEAD BUG! called out at the bar and seeing and hearing a room full of men hit the deck with drinks spilling and chairs being knocked over as they rolled in the beer and kicked their legs in the air—followed closely by a Not Politically Correct Tap Dancing and Singing spectacle that couldn’t help but make you grin and order another round.
I am a lucky guy and have lived a great life! One thing I know is that I was part of a special, really talented bunch of guys doing something dangerous and doing it better than most. Flying the most beautiful, ugly, noisy, solid aircraft ever built ... an aircraft that talked to you and warned you before she spanked you! Supported by ground troops committed to making sure we came home! Being prepared to fly and fight and die for America. Having a clear mission. Having fun.
We box out bad memories from various operations most of the time but never the hallowed memories of our fallen comrades. We are often amazed at how good war stories never let the truth interfere and how they get better with age. We are lucky bastards to be able to walk into a Squadron or a bar and have men we respect and love shout our names, our call signs, and know that this is truly where we belong.
We are Carrier AVIATORS. We are Few and we are Proud.
I am Privileged and Proud to call you Brothers
Push it Up & Check SIX!
Don’t forget to set your alarm for July 3rd in the early morning
Right now I have to go do the chickens and take out the Dogs
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
From the archives
Thanks to Dr. Rich
We CARRIER aviators all knew how even a short "Combat Nap" could give you the energy you needed to get you through a regular cycle or a noon to midnight or Midnight to noon Fright Schedule...
However my brief combat naps are not so brief anymore skip
Previous studies have suggested that napping can boost cognitive performance, with a brief, five-to-15-minute nap providing a benefit that can last for between one and three hours. Aging reduces reaction times and memory and often sees an increase in the prevalence of cognitive impairment. With the world’s population aging, it’s important that modifiable risk factors associated with cognitive performance, such as sleep habits, are identified.
To that end, researchers from University College London have led a study looking at whether there is a causal link between daytime napping and brain health.
The researchers recruited 378,932 participants of European ancestry aged between 40 and 69, drawn from the UK Biobank. Using a technique called Mendelian randomization, they looked at snippets of DNA to determine people’s likelihood of habitual napping. Mendelian randomization is a method of using measured variation in genes of known function to examine the causal effects of modifiable risk factors.
Learn More
Partner with Mid-Michigan's highly skilled cardiology team.
Cognitive tests of visual memory and reaction time were administered to all participants, and the researchers viewed some participants’ magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans for structural brain changes. The participants were also asked to self-report their napping habits.
The researchers compared the brain health and cognitive functioning of people genetically ‘programmed’ to nap to those who weren’t and found that, overall, people programmed to nap had a larger total brain volume, a marker of brain health, especially in older adults. A reduction in brain volume, also called atrophy, is associated with cognition-related diseases such as mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
The researchers estimated that the average difference in total brain volume between predisposed and non-predisposed nappers was equal to 2.6 to 6.5 years of aging. But in other measures – hippocampal volume, reaction time, and visual processing – there was no difference in performance between the two groups. The hippocampus is a complex structure buried deep in the brain with a major role in memory and learning. Hippocampal volume, in particular, has been linked to a decline in cognitive function.
Based on their findings, the researchers say there is a “modest causal association” between habitual daytime napping and larger total brain volume.
“This is the first study to attempt to untangle the causal relationship between habitual daytime napping and cognitive and structural brain outcomes,” said Valentina Paz, the lead author of the study. “By looking at genes set at birth, Mendelian randomization avoids confounding factors occurring throughout life that may influence associations between napping and health outcomes. Our study points to a causal link between habitual napping and larger total brain volume.”
While the current study didn’t specify the duration of naps taken by participants, previous studies suggest that naps of 30 minutes or less provide the best short-term cognitive benefits, with napping early in the day less likely to disrupt nighttime sleep.
The researchers note a particular limitation of their study, namely that all participants were of white European ancestry, meaning the results may not be generalizable to other ethnicities. Nonetheless, they say their study’s findings demonstrate the benefits that can be gained from taking short naps.
“I hope studies such as this one showing the health benefits of short naps can help to reduce the stigma that still exists around daytime napping,” said Victoria Garfield, one of the study’s co-authors.
The study was published in the journal Sleep Health.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
If you have not read the book or seen the latest series of Shogun you are missing out .....skip
A Samurai Sword is an incredible and deadly work of art one of mine came from my father in law who brought i back from the battle of Okinawa…..
5 Incredible Facts About Japanese Samurai
SAMURAI WARRIOR ARMOR
Though aristocratic warriors known as bushi had long existed in Japanese society, in the late 12th century a new warrior class emerged: the samurai. The word “samurai” itself can be translated as “one who serves,” and these warriors served their masters — the feudal landholders, or daimyo, who ruled much of Japan — with discipline and loyalty. For their service, they were well paid and highly respected in society.
The elite samurai warriors were meticulously trained in martial arts and military strategy. Their skill with the sword — be it a curved katana or the shorter wakizashi — is legendary. (By the late 1600s, the samurai carried two swords, known as daishō, as a symbol of status.) They also fought using tanto daggers, the naginata polearm and the yumi longbow. Altogether, they were a fearsome sight indeed — even more so in their flexible and ornate armor, the sight of which could instill fear in the bravest of enemies. The samurai were a fundamental part of Japanese society for centuries. But as Japan began to modernize and open its borders to foreign trade, the power of the clans diminished and the role of the samurai began to wane, especially with the rise of gunpowder weapons. Feudalism was officially abolished in 1871, and five years later the wearing of swords was outlawed for everyone except members of the national armed forces. The age of the samurai was over. The legacy of the samurai, however, remains culturally significant throughout Japan, and has also achieved iconic status in the West, not only in martial arts but also more broadly in popular culture, seen in movies, literature, video games, and more. Here are five little-known facts about the fearsome samurai, from their somewhat terrifying social privileges to their first and only colony in the United States.
Samurai Had the Right to Kill Citizens for Being Disrespectful
The high prestige and special social privileges enjoyed by the samurai are amply demonstrated in the tradition of kiri-sute gomen, roughly translated as “permission to slay.” This gave a samurai the right to strike anyone of a lower class with their sword if they slandered the samurai’s honor. If, for example, a farmer or artisan refused to bow, the samurai could rightfully kill the offender on the spot. It’s not known how often kiri-sute gomen was used, but when it was, the samurai had to follow certain rules. The strike had to be carried out immediately following the offense, and the samurai had to later prove the correctness of their actions in court. Samurai could, potentially, be severely punished for wrongful executions, so they couldn’t walk around willfully killing the commonfolk.
A Masterless Samurai Could Become a Wandering Rōnin
Both the status and salary of a samurai warrior came from the lord, or daimyo, they served. If their lord died, or if the samurai disgraced themselves and lost their patronage, they could find themselves masterless, at which point they became a rōnin. These rōnin often ended up traveling Japan, offering their services to anyone in need of a sword for hire. It was seen as a tragic position, and a far fall from grace for any former samurai. Rōnin were viewed as a problem. Highly trained, armed, and yet leaderless, they had a reputation for troublemaking, banditry, and mercenary activities — and there were a lot of them. At the time of the decisive Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, it’s estimated that there were some 400,000 rōnin in Japan.
Women Warriors Fought Alongside the Samurai
Within the traditional samurai class, women were typically charged with maintaining the household — as well as defending it. They were therefore trained to use the naginata and a dagger called the kaiken. Some of these women went a step further, receiving the same training in martial arts and strategy as male samurai. Known as onna-musha, female warriors engaged directly in offensive battles as the equals of their male counterparts. Arguably the most famous onna-musha in Japanese history was Tomoe Gozen, who came to prominence during the Genpei War in the late 12th century. Renowned for her bravery, horsemanship, and exceptional skill with a bow and arrow, she famously led 300 samurai against a force of 6,000 enemy fighters — and, according to legend, emerged victorious as one of only five survivors.
There Were Samurai From Africa, China, and Europe
The samurai were almost exclusively Japanese, but a handful of foreigners were accepted into their ranks. The first was Yasuke, a tall man of African origin (perhaps from Mozambique, according to historians) who arrived in Kyoto in 1579. He caused a sensation, initially due to his race and height — he was a foot taller than the average Japanese man. Under the rule of Oda Nobunaga, a powerful feudal lord, Yasuke was trained in martial arts and eventually became a fully fledged samurai warrior. After Yasuke came four samurai from Joseon (now South Korea), one from China, and four from Europe. This latter group included William Adams from England and Jan Joosten van Lodensteijn of the Netherlands, two navigators who were stranded in Japan together in 1600. When neither man was allowed to leave the country, they ended up serving the shogunate and rising to the rank of samurai.
There Was a Samurai Colony in California
The only settlement established by samurai outside of Japan — and the first Japanese colony in North America — was the Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Colony in Gold Hill, California. Established on June 8, 1869, the settlement was comprised of 22 people from samurai families (they even brought their swords with them), including farmers and carpenters, who had fled the Boshin War, a civil war that was a precursor to the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877 that effectively ended the samurai class. The colony got off to a bright start, with the planting of tea plants, mulberry trees, and bamboo, all in anticipation of the arrival of further colonists from Japan. But the influx of fresh settlers never came, and the farm soon began to fail. It’s unclear what happened to most of the settlers, but we do know that the historic site is home to the grave of Okei Ito, the first Japanese woman buried on American soil. The colony was also the birthplace of Mary Schnell (the daughter of the colony's founder, John Schnell), the first naturalized Japanese American citizen.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Nice News
Environment
________________________________________
How Beavers Are Keeping Flooding at Bay in the London Underground
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
In a west London neighborhood, constant flooding on city streets and in the local Tube station had become such an issue that officials considered creating an artificial reservoir to address it. That likely won’t be necessary anymore, as beavers are handling the soggy situation just by doing what the flat-tailed ecosystem engineers do best.
In 2023, a family of five beavers was introduced to a 24-acre site as part of the Ealing Beaver Project, which is working to bring back the species after it was driven to extinction in London 400 years ago. Since the reintroduction, they’ve chopped down trees, built dams, and turned the area into a sponge-like natural wetland that has successfully abated flooding, much to the delight of commuters using the Underground.
“Everything downstream is much more protected from flooding than it was before, all because they want to hold that water back so that they have enough water to swim in and feel safe,” Şeniz Mustafa, with the Ealing Beaver Project, told CBC News.
The new neighbors have also been a hit among locals, even prompting “beaver safari” tours to spot the hardworking heroes. “We’re demonstrating here that actually it’s not that wild an idea to live alongside beavers,” Sean McCormack, another employee with the project, added to CNN.
Humanity
________________________________________
Vast Majority of Fathers Find Deep Happiness in Caring for Children, Report Finds
Halfpoint—iStock/Getty Images Plus
More men are stepping up to provide childcare, according to the 2026 State of the World’s Fathers report published this spring, and they’re finding fulfillment in it. Researchers interviewed more than 8,000 parents and caregivers across 16 countries, shedding light on the emotional, economic, and social pressures that fathers face.
One of the most encouraging takeaways from the report is that men are not only more involved in childrearing today compared to the past, but 9 out of 10 fathers also find that caring for their children is a deep source of happiness. “We didn’t see that one coming,” Gary Barker, the CEO of the advocacy group behind the report, told NPR.
While the report found that men’s stress levels increase as they engage more in childcare, researchers noted that the data tells a story of hope: “In a world at war, facing economic uncertainty, in which climate disasters are real, and AI is confusing us all, we all find meaning and hope in caregiving.”
Hear from three new fathers on the joys of parenthood.
In Other News
________________________________________
1. A single blood test that detects multiple types of cancer at once could be greenlit by the FDA later this year
2. Lionel Messi broke the record for the most goals in World Cup history after scoring his 18th on Monday
3. San Francisco has a bright new art installation with beams of light representing each square mile of the city
4. A Coast Guard officer who rescued 165 flood victims in his first mission will be honored at the ESPY Awards
5. Eaglets named Sid and Maz took their inaugural flights from their Pennsylvania nest — watch the milestone
Inspiring Story
________________________________________
Meet “Elevator Bob”
Bob Lane is a volunteer who sits near an elevator at a North Carolina clinic to support newly diagnosed cancer patients and their families. It’s a topic he knows all too well, having been diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer in 2014. “When they do come to me, I’m just someone who has been living with this for 13 years and is still here to talk about it,” Lane said, estimating he’s helped more than 500 patients and their families..
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Interesting Facts
Palm trees are not native to Los Angeles.
There are an estimated 75,000 palm trees in Los Angeles, all of which have one thing in common: They aren’t native there. Despite being an L.A. icon on par with the Hollywood sign and Dodger Stadium, the tropical tree is no more a native Angeleno than, well, the Dodgers. Not unlike the Hollywood sign, palms were originally a marketing technique for developers hoping to attract newcomers to the area in the late 19th century. They got the idea from the French Riviera — another area palms aren’t actually native to — where like-minded developers had successfully used them just a few decades before to cultivate an image of glitz and glamour. In addition to being beautiful, palms are surprisingly easy to uproot and transport from their native tropical and subtropical environments in the Middle East, Mexico, and elsewhere, so tens of thousands of them were planted all across the California city that had once been desert scrubland.
It seems fitting that one of Los Angeles’ most enduring symbols was essentially a branding strategy chosen for its aesthetic appeal, doubly so because palm trees’ association with the city was (and is) further cemented by their ubiquity in the many films shot there. After all, most of the directors, actors, and studio executives who made Hollywood what it is today weren’t originally from the City of Angels either.
All palm trees grow edible fruit.
Numbers Don’t Lie
Species of palm tree
2,500
Species of palm tree native to California (the California fan palm)
1
Height (in feet) the Quindio wax palm can reach
200
Award won by “Palm Trees and Power Lines” at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival
1
Palm trees were a symbol of victory in ancient Rome.
Romans who emerged victorious in battle or athletic contests didn't just receive the admiration of their peers — they also received palm branches, which were a symbol of victory and triumph in the Roman Empire. So close was the association that the Latin word palma was nearly synonymous with victory, and generals would wear a special toga known as the tunica palmata after successful campaigns. The garment, which had a purple background embroidered with gold thread, was loaned to the generals for special ceremonies and was later worn exclusively by the emperor.
I have 5 sets of three on my property and they have become an expensive yearly cost to keep them trimmed …..skip
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
From the archives….In case you forgot
Thanks to Shadow
FYI... From the lovely Tricia... Shadow
The URL below still works
Don’t try at home …
AA lithium battery
AND, make sure your lithium batteries are not exposed to damage, esp. when wet!!
https://youtube.com/shorts/yGDkiUAwxRs?feature=share
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
1997: U.S. Air Force reports on Roswell
On June 24, 1997, U.S. Air Force officials release a 231-page report dismissing long-standing claims of an alien spacecraft crash in Roswell, New Mexico, almost exactly 50 years earlier.
Public interest in Unidentified Flying Objects, or UFOs, began to flourish in the 1940s, when developments in space travel and the dawn of the atomic age caused many Americans to turn their attention to the skies. The town of Roswell, located near the Pecos River in southeastern New Mexico, became a magnet for UFO believers due to the strange events of early July 1947, when ranch foreman W.W. Brazel found a strange, shiny material scattered over some of his land. He turned the material over to the sheriff, who passed it on to authorities at the nearby Air Force base. On July 8, Air Force officials announced they had recovered the wreckage of a “flying disk.” A local newspaper put the story on its front page, launching Roswell into the spotlight of the public’s UFO fascination.
The Air Force soon took back their story, however, saying the debris had been merely a downed weather balloon. Aside from die-hard UFO believers, or “ufologists,” public interest in the so-called “Roswell Incident” faded until the late 1970s, when claims surfaced that the military had invented the weather balloon story as a cover-up. Believers in this theory argued that officials had in fact retrieved several alien bodies from the crashed spacecraft, which were now stored in the mysterious Area 51 installation in Nevada. Seeking to dispel these suspicions, the Air Force issued a 1,000-page report in 1994 stating that the crashed object was actually a high-altitude weather balloon launched from a nearby missile test-site as part of a classified experiment aimed at monitoring the atmosphere in order to detect Soviet nuclear tests.
On July 24, 1997, barely a week before the extravagant 50th anniversary celebration of the incident, the Air Force released yet another report on the controversial subject. Titled “The Roswell Report, Case Closed,” the document stated definitively that there was no Pentagon evidence that any kind of life form was found in the Roswell area in connection with the reported UFO sightings, and that the “bodies” recovered were not aliens but dummies used in parachute tests conducted in the region. Any hopes that this would put an end to the cover-up debate were in vain, as furious ufologists rushed to point out the report’s inconsistencies. With conspiracy theories still alive and well on the Internet, Roswell continues to thrive as a tourist destination for UFO enthusiasts far and wide, hosting the annual UFO Encounter Festival each July and welcoming visitors year-round to its International UFO Museum and Research Center.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
This Day in Aviation History” brought to you by the Daedalians Airpower Blog Update. To subscribe to this weekly email, go to https://daedalians.org/airpower-blog/.
June 23, 1961
Maj. Robert M. White became the first person to exceed Mach 5 when he flew the X-15 to a speed of Mach 5.27 (3,603 mph) at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Flights during this phase incrementally increased the speed and altitude of the X-15 up to its design limits of Mach 6 and 250,000 feet. The second North American Aviation X-15A, 56-6671, was air-dropped from the NB-52A Stratofortress mothership, 52-003, over Mud Lake, Nev. White fired the Reaction Motors XLR99-RM-1 engine for 78.7 seconds, reaching Mach 5.27 (3,603 miles per hour) and climbed to 107,700 feet. Ten minutes, 5.7 seconds after being dropped from the B-52, White touched down on Rogers Dry Lake at Edwards. White was the first pilot to exceed Mach 4, Mach 5 and Mach 6. He also flew an X-15 to an altitude of 314,750 feet, qualifying for U.S. Air Force astronaut wings. Maj. Gen. White was Daedalian Member Number 1332.
June 24, 1949
The Air Materiel Command commander at Wright Field, Ohio, was officially directed by HQ U.S. Army Air Forces to take over responsibility for conduct of the X-1 transonic flight research program. This meant that, instead of a Bell test pilot, it would be an AMC test pilot who would make the initial assault on Mach 1. Capt. Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager had already been selected as project officer for this effort.
June 25, 1928
The Boeing P-12 made its maiden flight. Developed as a private venture to replace the Boeing F2B and F3B with the United States Navy, the Boeing Model 99 first flew on this date. The new aircraft was smaller, lighter and more agile than the ones it replaced, but still used the Wasp engine of the F3B. This resulted in a higher top speed and overall better performance. As a result of Navy evaluation, 27 were ordered as the F4B-1; later evaluation by the United States Army Air Corps resulted in orders with the designation P-12. Boeing supplied the USAAC with 366 P-12s between 1929 and 1932. Production of all variants totaled 586.
June 26, 1909
The first commercial sale of an airplane in the United States is made as Glenn H. Curtiss sells one of his planes to the Aeronautic Society of New York for $7,500. This action spurs the Wright brothers to begin a patent suit to prevent him from selling airplanes without a license.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
This day in US Military History
1664 – New Jersey, named after the Isle of Jersey, was founded.
1675 – In colonial New England, King Philip’s War begins when a band of Wampanoag warriors raid the border settlement of Swansee, Massachusetts, and massacre the English colonists there. In the early 1670s, 50 years of peace between the Plymouth colony and the local Wampanoag Indians began to deteriorate when the rapidly expanding settlement forced land sales on the tribe. Reacting to increasing Native American hostility, the English met with King Philip, chief of the Wampanoag, and demanded that his forces surrender their arms. The Wampanoag did so, but in 1675 a Christian Native American who had been acting as an informer to the English was murdered, and three Wampanoag were tried and executed for the crime. King Philip responded by ordering the attack on Swansee on June 24, which set off a series of Wampanoag raids in which several settlements were destroyed and scores of colonists massacred. The colonists retaliated by destroying a number of Indian villages. The destruction of a Narragansett village by the English brought the Narragansett into the conflict on the side of King Philip, and within a few months several other tribes and all the New England colonies were involved. In early 1676, the Narragansett were defeated and their chief killed, while the Wampanoag and their other allies were gradually subdued. King Philip’s wife and son were captured, and on August 12, 1676, after his secret headquarters in Mount Hope, Rhode Island, was discovered, Philip was assassinated by a Native American in the service of the English. The English drew and quartered Philip’s body and publicly displayed his head on a stake in Plymouth. King Philip’s War, which was extremely costly to the colonists of southern New England, ended the Native American presence in the region and inaugurated a period of unimpeded colonial expansion.
1930 – The 1st radar detection of planes was made at Anacostia, DC.
1941 – President Franklin Roosevelt pledged all possible support to the Soviet Union.
1943 – Allies began a 10-day fire bombing of Hamburg.
1944 – The battle for Cherbourg continues. American forces of US 7th Corps (part of 1st Army) continue to make progress. The German garrison commander, General Schlieben, refuses to surrender.
1944 – The battle for Saipan continues as US 5th Amphibious Corps makes progress. The 27th Division clears the southern part of the island and most of the division moves northward. The 2nd Marine Division continues to battle for Mount Tapotchau.
1944 – Japanese bases on Iwo Jima and Chichi Jima are raided by American carrier aircraft. The planes are from Hornet, Yorktown, Bataan and Belleau Wood (a force commanded by Admiral Clark). Japanese losses are 66 aircraft.
1948 – One of the most dramatic standoffs in the history of the Cold War begins as the Soviet Union blocks all road and rail traffic to and from West Berlin. The blockade turned out to be a terrible diplomatic move by the Soviets, while the United States emerged from the confrontation with renewed purpose and confidence. Following World War II, Germany was divided into occupation zones. The United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and, eventually, France, were given specific zones to occupy in which they were to accept the surrender of Nazi forces and restore order. The Soviet Union occupied most of eastern Germany, while the other Allied nations occupied western Germany. The German capital of Berlin was similarly divided into four zones of occupation. Almost immediately, differences between the United States and the Soviet Union surfaced. The Soviets sought huge reparations from Germany in the form of money, industrial equipment, and resources. The Russians also made it clear that they desired a neutral and disarmed Germany. The United States saw things in quite a different way. American officials believed that the economic recovery of Western Europe was dependent on a strong, reunified Germany. They also felt that only a rearmed Germany could stand as a bulwark against Soviet expansion into Western Europe. In May 1946, the Americans stopped reparations shipments from their zone to the Soviets. In December, the British and Americans combined their zones; the French joined some months later. The Soviets viewed these actions as a threat and issued more demands for a say in the economic future of Germany. On June 22, 1948, negotiations between the Soviets, Americans, and British broke down. On June 24, Soviet forces blocked the roads and railroad lines into West Berlin. American officials were furious, and some in the administration of President Harry S. Truman argued that the time for diplomacy with the Soviets was over. For a few tense days, the world waited to see whether the United States and Soviet Union would come to blows. In West Berlin, panic began to set in as its population worried about shortages of food, water, and medical aid. The United States response came just two days after the Soviets began their blockade. A massive airlift of supplies into West Berlin was undertaken in what was to become one of the greatest logistical efforts in history. For the Soviets, the escapade quickly became a diplomatic embarrassment. Russia looked like an international bully that was trying to starve men, women, and children into submission. And the successful American airlift merely served to accentuate the technological superiority of the United States over the Soviet Union. On May 12, 1949, the Soviets officially ended the blockade.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
HUGHES, OLIVER
Rank and organization: Corporal, Company C, 12th Kentucky Infantry. Place and date: At Weldon Railroad, Va., 24 June 1864. Entered service at: Albany, Ky. Born: 21 January 1841, Fentress County, Tenn. Date of issue: 1 August 1865. Citation: Capture of flag of 11th South Carolina (C.S.A.).
SMITH, CHARLES H.
Rank and organization: Colonel, 1st Maine Cavalry. Place and date: At St. Mary’s Church, Va., 24 June 1864. Entered service at: Maine. Birth: Hollis, Maine. Date of issue: 11 April 1895. Citation: Remained in the fight to the close, although severely wounded.
WEIR, HENRY C.
Rank and organization: Captain and Assistant Adjutant General, U.S. Volunteers. Place and date: At St. Mary’s Church, Va., 24 June 1864. Entered service at: ——. Birth: West Point, N.Y. Date of issue: 18 Nay 1899. Citation: The division being hard pressed and falling back, this officer dismounted, gave his horse to a wounded officer, and thus enabled him to escape. Afterwards, on foot, Captain Weir rallied and took command of some stragglers and helped to repel the last charge of the enemy.
CHURCH, JAMES ROBB
Rank and organization: Assistant Surgeon, 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry. Place and date: At Las Guasimas, Cuba, 24 June 1898. Entered service at: Washington, D.C. Birth: Chicago, Ill. Date of issue: 10 January 1906. Citation: In addition to performing gallantly the duties pertaining to his position, voluntarily and unaided carried several seriously wounded men from the firing line to a secure position in the rear, m each instance being subjected to a very heavy fire and great exposure and danger
*BENNETT, EMORY L.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company B, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Sobangsan, Korea, 24 June 1951. Entered service at: Cocoa, Fla. Born: 20 December 1929, New Smyrna Beach, Fla. G.O. No.: 11, 1 February 1952. Citation: Pfc. Bennett a member of Company B, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an armed enemy of the United Nations. At approximately 0200 hours, 2 enemy battalions swarmed up the ridge line in a ferocious banzai charge in an attempt to dislodge Pfc. Bennett’s company from its defensive positions. Meeting the challenge, the gallant defenders delivered destructive retaliation, but the enemy pressed the assault with fanatical determination and the integrity of the perimeter was imperiled. Fully aware of the odds against him, Pfc. Bennett unhesitatingly left his foxhole, moved through withering fire, stood within full view of the enemy, and, employing his automatic rifle, poured crippling fire into the ranks of the onrushing assailants, inflicting numerous casualties. Although wounded, Pfc. Bennett gallantly maintained his l-man defense and the attack was momentarily halted. During this lull in battle, the company regrouped for counterattack, but the numerically superior foe soon infiltrated into the position. Upon orders to move back, Pfc. Bennett voluntarily remained to provide covering fire for the withdrawing elements, and, defying the enemy, continued to sweep the charging foe with devastating fire until mortally wounded. His willing self-sacrifice and intrepid actions saved the position from being overrun and enabled the company to effect an orderly withdrawal. Pfc. Bennett’s unflinching courage and consummate devotion to duty reflect lasting glory on himself and the military service.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR June 24
THANKS TO HAROLD “PHIL” MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
24 June
1914: The Signal Corps Aviation School at San Diego received its first Curtiss J tractor (Signal Corps No. 29). It was the forerunner of the “Jennies.” (21)
1943: Near Ephrata, Wash., Lt Col William R. Lovelace made a record parachute jump of 40,200 feet. (24)
1952: KOREAN WAR. Far East Air Forces flew 1,043 sorties, the highest daily total for the month. Fifth Air Force fighter-bombers flew over 250 sorties against N. Korean hydroelectric power plants, four of them having been targets the previous day. (28) KOREAN WAR. Throug 25 June, 26 B-29s flew close air support sorties, one of the largest such medium bomber missions since the early days of the war. Fifth Air Force fighter-bombers rendered temporarily unserviceable the Samdong-ni rail complex, the choke point of the eastwest and north-south rail lines in North Korea. Night-flying B-26s seeded the area with delayedaction bombs to hamper repair efforts. (28)
1963: SAC accepted the first flight of 10 Minuteman I (Model B) missiles at Ellsworth AFB with the 66 SMS. (6)
1978: The Sea Satellite (SEASAT), with remote sensing and monitoring of the world's oceans, launched.
1987: President Ronald Reagan signed National Security Decision Directive No. 280, National Airlift Policy, to redefine the roles of military and commercial airlift. It made both “important and interdependent” for fulfilling national security mobility requirements. (18)
1993: The USAF authorized the destruction of B-52 Stratofortress bombers and LGM-30F Minuteman II silos. The Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan AFB started destroying the 363 B-52s immediately. (16)
1996: Exercise MARCOT '96. On a global power mission, SECAF Sheila E. Widnall flew on one of three B-52s from the 5 BMW at Minot AFB. Widnall and her crew took off from Andrews AFB on an eight-hour mission for the exercise. The flight included anti-ship operations in the North Atlantic, live MK-82 bomb drops at Gagetown Range, Canada, aerial refueling over western New England and fighter intercepts. Lt Kelly Flinn, a co-pilot of the 23 BS at Minot, joined Widnall on the flight. Flinn was the first B-52 combat-qualified woman. (AFNEWS)
1997: Operation PROVIDE COMFORT/NORTHERN WATCH. EF-111A Ravens from the 429th Electronic Combat Squadron (ECS) at Cannon AFB left Turkey for home after nearly 2,100 days of deployment to support the two operations. (AFNEWS, 26 June 1997)
1998: AMC announced a modernization program to re-engine its entire C-5 fleet over 10- to 12-year period. Besides new engines, the modernization included a comprehensive avionics upgrade with the new All Weather Flight Control System and Global Air Traffic Management equipment. (22)
1999: Operation ALLIED FORCE. Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen authorized the redeployment of 315 aircraft, including the 18 A-10s from the 104th Expeditionary Operations Group (ANG), to their home stations. As of this date, the ANG activated 4,227 Guardsmen under the Presidential Selected Reserve Call-Up for Kosovo operations. Of those, the ANG deployed 2,976 people to support those operations and the activities of 73 KC-135s and 18 A-10s. (32)
2001: Lockheed Martin’s X-35B (STOVL) concept demonstrator made its first vertical takeoff and landing, at the contractor’s facility at Plant 42 in Palmdale. The event validated the aircraft’s unusual shaft-driven lift fan propulsion system, marking the first time in aviation history that a shaft-driven lift fan propulsion system had lifted an aircraft off the ground. (3) During a flight at NAS Patuxent River, Boeing test pilot Dennis O'Donoghue flew the X-32B through its first successful transition from horizontal flight to a jetborne hover. Altogether, the plane hovered four times in five flights.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "SkipsList" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to skipslist+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/skipslist/CACTjsm3_NqSDRq10Sh8U4hNJbi9ccTM7KMFNmHpQv3K%2B_MFJpQ%40mail.gmail.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.