Comments by "Kansas Rose" (@kansasrose2909) on "Prince Harry, Meghan Markle open training facility for veterans" video.
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Just finished the book. I find it is a quite balanced summary of the life and roles of courtiers. Sometimes very detailed, very lengthy, since Valentine Low starts with ancient history at court. The first two chapters were a bit dull because of that, but after reading on I understood it painted a complete picture of what a courtier is and is not. With that cleared up, you have a better understanding of their jobs and functions.
The book also offers a highly detailed description of what the various jobs of staff entails, and who held those jobs. A bit of a history lesson of who was where and did what, which was sometimes a bit dry to read. Starting at chapter 8, things starts to get a bit interesting IMO. (Still, I don’t need to know the political situation in 1910.)
Of course the whole Harry/Meghan saga is discussed, but not in a judgemental way. I think he paints a fair and balanced picture of what makes the ‘Firm’ work. Knowing that, the writer takes a closer look at why it didn’t work with Harry and Meghan Markle, and it is clear that there are two reasons for that, and those are not compatible with the monarchy. That explains why Queen Elizabeth as monarch put her foot down on various occasions, despite H+M blaming ‘the institution’ and courtiers. It was the Queen who said ‘no’ in several situations, not courtiers. Those courtiers bent over backwards to accommodate the couple, to no avail, probably because the two before mentioned reasons fundamentally did not fit into what the monarchy stands for.
Last but not least: The ‘lack of diversity’ is well explained in a few paragraphs and does the Queen justice.
Overall a well researched book on the inner workings of the monarchy, the behind-the-scenes of the Firm, but definitely not a summary of gossip, as some might expect.
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.//
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Well researched with personal insight from many of the individuals involved in the NASA Space program as well as lavishly illustrated with posed publicity photos and lots of candid shots of buildings, people and equipment from the beginning in 1962 through Apollo 11, the landing on the moon and further trips and discoveries until the program ended in 1972.
We are familiar with the image of the mission control room with dozens of wall monitors as well as individual monitoring stations manned by men with a pressed shirt, tie and massive headsets. In a photo from one of the Mercury missions in 1962, there are perhaps 15 people with chunky monitor desks with switches, one monitor and lots of underutilized gray space and even more empty floor. NASA grew to fill that space.
This was the same time where NASA could only afford to share two of the huge computers - one in Maryland, one in Florida. There were none in Texas or California. And this was when computers were room-filling behemoths with temperamental vacuum tubes and, in many cases, required notification of the local electric company before turning them on due to the massive power drain on the grid.
The beginning of the book drags a bit since literally, EVERYTHING, had to created basically from scratch.
- The Houston Mission control site was a cow pasture.
- Kennedy Space Center (called Cape Canaveral at that time) was a missile firing facility. All the launch pads and facilities for storage and assembly of the rockets as well as transportation and sturdy roads to move the tremendously heavy rockets.
- Rockets that were strong enough to leave Earth's gravity and be consistent in their work. More crashed and exploded than actually flew for a long time.
- Communications systems that would cover the distances as well as be as close to Real Time as they could be made.
- Tracking systems and their facilities across the world
- Maneuvering thrusters system
- Protective suits and eventually the isolation suits that those that actually set foot on the moon had to wear to protect the Earth from 'foreign' bio-organisms
- Simulations imagined and constructed for every possible experience
- Manuals to be written on every system, every happenstance especially the computers that were just beginning to come into the digital age but still very basic with limited memory and processing power.
- How the astronauts were to be able to rest, eat and even eliminate waste during the days-long missions
The public saw the end result of eight long years of work. Most never saw or even conceived of the obstacles that challenged the ingenuity of not only the employees of NASA but that of it's contractors across the U.S. and the world. Perhaps as the plaque that was left behind on the moon after that first trip stated: 'We came in peace for all mankind.' All of mankind is still benefiting from those discoveries and innovations to this day.
The only possible addition that I would like to have seen is an appendix of the various badges from the Mercury program through Apollo. Only one appears in the publicity photo of Apollo 14. Any others are small blobs of color on their suits.
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Failure Is Not An Option by Gene Kranz
This is a memoir by Gene Kranz who was an assistant flight director for the Mercury and Gemini programs and then led many famed Apollo missions as the flight director. This memoir is not very personal but rather focused on the space program. I have no idea if he had children. And I only know his wife knitted special mission control vests. In the 1960s WASPY men dominated the Space program. The U.S. would successfully land 12 men on the moon in the Apollo program. No other nation has successfully landed men on the moon.
There are many solid books on the Space Race and even those brave pre Space Race test pilots of the 1950s. I have always been a dreamer and have been interested in technology and history since a young age. I am especially drawn to the history of my parent's generation. This book checks those boxes.
My father-in-law was there in Cape Canaveral for the Apollo 11 launch in 1969. I have told him many times about how jealous I am. He was a young Aerospace engineering student. While he never got to work for NASA, I have been extremely fortunate to have visited some cool Space program sites with my children, his grandchildren.
At the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. there is a Lunar Rover complete with its tinfoil shield. Complete wow factor. It all seems so Rube-Goldberg, I can't believe they drove that across the moon.
At Cape Canaveral it is the impressive Launch Pad and structures that wooed us. My kids were more impressed by the feral pigs running around the cape. But my favorite NASA landmark of all is the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Beyond the mission control room on the 3rd floor which is straight out of the 1960s, there on the museum grounds rests a Saturn-V rocket. It is in its own massive building lying on its side measuring out at more than a football field in length. Having been to so many landmarks around the world, the Saturn V is one of the most impressive sights. It is the largest object to have ever flown from Earth's surface. It consumed 20 tons of fuel per second at takeoff. Not the greenest technology to be sure but impressive.
Back to the book, Kranz highlights the problems that plagued the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions (roughly thirty missions). That is the really unique aspect to this memoir. His memory is the connective tissue between the missions.
Instrumentation problems and false warnings were far away the most common problems in each of the Apollo missions beyond the launchpad disaster of Apollo 1. There is no Apollo mission that could have been successful without the non-stop troubleshooting experts on the ground and at the Mission Command Center. Interestingly, there were only two events on each manned Moon mission that did not have any redundancy built in: the lunar module ascent and the re-insertion into Earth's orbit and for which the engineers on the ground could help with. There were no Apollo accidents in either of these two situations.
Here are some more specific notes on many of the individual missions.
1. In May 1961, Alan Shepard became the first American in space (sub-orbital flight) with the Mercury-Redstone-3 mission. His flight reached an altitude of 116 miles above the Earth. The flight up took only two minutes, followed by five minutes of weightlessness and then some minutes for re-entry and splash-down. Eleven minutes after splashdown Shepard was safely aboard the aircraft carrier the Lake Champlain.
2. In November 1961, the Mercury Atlas-5 mission successfully saw Enos the chimpanzee orbit the Earth in a prequel to John Glenn's orbit of Earth in Mercury Atlas-6 in February 1962. The value of mission control was seen with the Atlas-5 mission and the decision was made to build a mission control center in Houston. One year later it was already employing 1,800 employees. Of course it would go on to be a fixture in the space program.
3. In February 1962, Glenn's three orbit mission did not go without problems. There was first an intermittent attitude adjustment problem and then a sensor problem indicating a detachment issue with the heat shield. This latter problem was ignored because nothing could have been done if the sensor was correct anyway. No problems were found on re-entry though.
4. John Glenn then became a national hero as a result of the mission. After three campaigns he became a U.S. Senator from Ohio. In 1998 he flew on the Space Shuttle at age 77 and lived to be 95 years old.
5. Scott Carpenter was pegged for the Mercury 7 mission in May. It was largely a repeat of Glenn's mission also with three orbits. There was a serious control systems issue that required so many refirings to line up with re-entry such that Carpenter came within seconds of running out and fuel and tumbling through space.
6. Gemini Titan-3 in March 1965 was the first manned Gemini mission. Gemini was to learn and perfect the docking, space walks and technology. The orbit mission with Grissom and Young went flawlessly. Gemini-4 in April 1965 would include 4 days of flight time.
8. By the time of the last Gemini mission in November 1966, the Gemini-12, the space program had achieved all their objectives in advance of the Apollo program. There were a few close calls and some aborted launches but the long flights, the EVA work and docking experiences would prove vital for the Apollo missions not just for feasibility but also the real-time troubleshooting. The next missions were all Apollo missions.
9. On January 27 1967 while Apollo 1 was on the launchpad at Cape Canaveral, the three Astronauts tragically burned up. Grissom, White and Chafee were all dead. This tragedy also created a significant delay in the program. The other Apollo missions, despite some close calls, all achieved their limited objectives.
10. Apollo 8 was led by Jim Lovell was the first manned spacecraft to go into lunar orbit. The flight was virtually flawless and was an enormous victory for the space program. Lovell is better remembered for Apollo 13.
11. Apollo 11 was the first manned mission to land on the moon. The book dedicates several chapters on this momentous occasion. It is far and away the best part of the book. I never knew that the Eagle Lunar Module only had a few seconds of fuel left when it landed on the surface and was such a hairy situation. The landing took so long because the LM had overshot the targeted landing zone and ended up landing in a crater. This gross error had more to do with orbiting errors than due to any fault on the part of the Astronauts.
12. There wasn't as much coverage on Apollo 13 as I would have preferred. But there is already been so much written about this mission that I am okay with that.
13. The final four Apollo missions (14-17) were largely lunar geology expeditions to gather space rocks and elements from around the moon. All of these missions (other than the last Apollo 17) had some close calls and near abort decisions and landed in some mountainous regions of the moon.
4.5 stars. This memoir would have been 5 stars if the writing were just a little better. However this is the most insightful book on the engineering behind the U.S. space program only possible because of the unique positions that Kranz held.
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.//
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How can I get rid of them on my own?
Most cases of hemorrhoids resolve on their own, but there are several things you can do to speed healing time and reduce discomfort.
Here are a few natural remedies that’re safe to use while pregnant and breastfeeding:
Avoid straining. Straining during a bowel movement puts more pressure on your rectal area. To give yourself time to heal, be mindful not to push, strain, or bear down when sitting on the toilet. Try to let gravity do most of the work.
Add fiber to your diet. Dietary fiber helps to soften your stool while also giving it more bulk. A high-fiber diet can help treat and prevent constipation, which makes hemorrhoids worse. High-fiber foods include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated also helps to prevent constipation.
Soak the area. Soothe pain and irritation by soaking the area in warm bathwater for 10 to 15 minutes, two to three times per day. You can use your bathtub or a sitz bath.
Keep the area clean. Keeping your anal area clean will help to prevent any additional irritation that might get in the way of the healing process. Rinsing the area with warm water should be enough.
Use moistened wipes. Moistened wipes are gentler than dry toilet paper. Opt for fragrance-free wipes to avoid any irritation.
Apply a cold pack. Use a clean ice pack or cold compress to reduce painful swelling. Just make sure to wrap it in a towel or cloth before placing it directly on your skin.
Topical medications and supplements can also help treat the symptoms of hemorrhoids. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor before using any new over-the-counter treatments.
These treatments include:
Stool softeners. Stool softeners help to moisten your stool so it can easily pass through your intestines.
Fiber supplements. If dietary adjustments aren’t enough, you can consider taking a fiber supplement. These come in a number of forms, including drink mixes. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, make sure to talk to your doctor first.
Medicated wipes. Medicated wipes, which often contain witch hazel, hydrocortisone, or lidocaine, can help relieve itchiness, pain, and inflammation.
Hemorrhoid creams and suppositories. Hemorrhoid creams and suppositories help reduce pain and inflammation both externally and internally.
Should I see a doctor?
If you know that you have hemorrhoids, there’s no need to see a doctor unless they become very painful or don’t seem to be going away after a few weeks. You should also see your doctor if you feel a hard lump around your anus, as this may be a thrombosed hemorrhoid.
Seek emergency medical attention if you experience any uncontrollable anal bleeding.
The bottom line
It’s not unusual to develop hemorrhoids during or after pregnancy, especially following vaginal delivery. Most hemorrhoids clear up on their own within a few weeks, though some may stick around for months.
If home remedies, such as eating more fiber and soaking the area, don’t help or your hemorrhoids don’t seem to be getting any better, follow up with your doctor for additional treatment.
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Napoleon was an energetic, meticulous and rebellious figure. He did away with most established conventions, dismissed most religious traditions (at times dabbling in Islam, and considering marrying a Russian Orthodox princess). He took personal control over much of the facets of his Empire, simultaneously fighting major campaign battles while engaging in reforms at home, offering advice to his subordinates and involving himself in minute disputes and issues. He married for love, and was with his wife, Empress Josephine, for 13 years before divorcing and marrying an Austrian princess in a political move to try and end Austria's stringent opposition of French power.
Napoleon was also Machiavellian to his core. Nothing was done if not for political gain. Every victory became a grandiose tale, and every defeat (what few there were) was played down or exaggerated. He arranged spectacles with his soldiers, awarded them for bravery on the battlefield (once quipping about how men would live or die for a bit of metal) and eating and sleeping in their camps on the battlefield. His long memory served him well, as he would remember details about individuals he had crossed briefly years before. He stacked the European states with his own family (much to his detriment) and espoused his liberal/revolutionary ideals only as long as it served. He quickly disposed of them after he became Emperor.
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ;;
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I knew only a little about Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works. Upon starting to read, I first thought it was going to be a ‘CEO ego trip’ kind-of book. Well, that might sometimes be the case, but “It ain’t bragging if you can do it.”. Wow! These guys were producing ADVANCED aircraft (and other stuff) 20 years before the government even admitting it was working on such things. And talk about secrecy. Yikes! Jimmy Carter was politically damaged for canceling the B1 bomber – but still didn’t expose the stealth technology. And stealth! The radar signature of the F117A stealth fighter aircraft is the size if a 1/8 inch ball bearing!! Aircraft, radar defenses, missiles – and even submarines and warships – all from the Skunk Works at the Burbank airport.
It's incredible stuff on many levels. Both the test and mission pilots were amazing. The U2’s were used to gather data by flying into Russian and Chinese nuclear test bomb clouds. Even after the Russians shut one down, unbeknownst to most people, the US continued to use the planes – and it still does today (e.g. drug interdiction surveillance). The Blackbird flew in 1962 – over 2,900 (!) mph which is about 3,000 feet a second (!) – too fast to be shot down. (It outpaced the rotation of the earth!) The next leap are drones flying Mach 3+ i.e. 2300+ mph. Sometime financed by the US government through various money laundering methods (!), the Skunk Works was working with the Washington DC bureaucracy AND a number of the Fortune 500 companies. (In today’s world, the tradeoff isn’t just “guns vs. butter” – but rather aluminum for stealth planes vs. beer cans!)
I was surprised that this book was SO good. Heck, it earns 5 stars just on the basis of “Wow, I never knew that.” – and I’m guess that most of the US public still doesn’t either. … And the author retired in 1990. Holy cow. Imagine what they’re working on now?! (BTW, one also has to wonder if parts of this book are the author’s purposeful disinformation so as to further vex enemies of the US.)
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It was interesting to contrast the tone of this book with Kai Bird's virtuoso Oppenheimer biography American Prometheus. Oppenheimer, the dovish intellectual, worked to prevent proliferation of the weapon he designed after the scientific and engineering obstacles had been cleared. By contrast, here is a book from the inner sanctum of the military-industrial complex, proud and unapologetic. Ben Rich spent several decades running Lockheed's (now Lockheed Martin) Skunk Works, the secretive team building projects such as the F-117A stealth bomber. A staunch hawk - like Edward Teller, his immigrant hyperpatriotism is akin to the zeal of the convert - he describes the (newly declassified) bombers raining death from the skies onto the militarily laggard Iraqis like a sports match, captivated by the push and pull, the absoluteness of the victory. This is not a book to reflect on how that war misled the Pentagon into the belief that America's technological edge had obviated another Vietnam, a lesson which has been painfully relearned in the ongoing, bloody and futile conflicts beginning in 2001. (To be fair, Rich also died in 1995.)
And it is also quite possible to be caught up in the thrill. Weird-shaped planes designed to scatter radar, that only get off the ground with computer-assisted stabilisation, are pretty cool. Rich is a storyteller to a fault, reducing everything to short anecdotes; but some of them are corkers. Finding piles of dead bats next to stealth planes each morning - they're invisible to sonar. Seeing a plane's stealth cloaking suddenly stop working, only because a tiny screw hadn't been completely fastened. Rich is not one of what he calls "nerd's nerds", who would dive deep on the physics (to my chagrin). With two engineering degrees, he is no slouch, but he seems like a backslapping good old boy who keeps his crew motivated with "farmer's daughter jokes" (should I ask?) and describes a tense moment as "you couldn't drive a needle up my ass with a sledgehammer". His coauthor, former LBJ speechwriter Leo Janos, does a fair job of shaping the book, adding "other voices" to flesh out the narrative.
Rich's version of the CIA's covert U2 surveillance program is also...quite different from that described in Legacy of Ashes, with the agency going behind Eisenhower's back and ultimately causing a fiasco when Francis Gary Powers was shot down. While admitting it was an embarrassment, Rich claims that the intelligence was priceless: for example, U2 reconnaissance led to the discovery of the Soviet missile buildup in Cuba several years later. (Happily, the Skunk Works gave the pilot a job after he returned to the US and was shunned by the CIA for embarrassing them.) Rich also discusses the SR-71 Blackbird, and aborted plans involving drones, liquid hydrogen fuel, and a stealth ship. (Never work with the Navy, is his advice.)
At the end Rich discusses what made the Skunk Works great and ways to improve defence manufacturing. He calls out excessive bureaucracy, which was caused by corruption and ballooning costs. Things seem only to have gotten worse. (When Peter Thiel sought an image of America's decline in his 2016 speech to the Republican National Convention, he lampooned Lockheed's latest model, the F-35, which cannot fly in the rain.) Rich worries that budget cost-cutting has caused manufacturing know-how and traditions to be lost in the US. But it also seems that the sector is much larger and less competitive than it needs to be, essentially operating as a sheltered jobs program in politically powerful states. Seemingly the overlap of military secrecy and large-scale manufacturing is a perfect formula for boondoggles.
Making large aeroplanes isn't like a start-up, and even the somewhat agile Skunk Works was never able to produce planes on the mass scale of its parent company. Besides, one might wonder if the Skunk Works really was like a Bell Labs of defence aeronautics as Rich claims, consistently innovating and coming in under budget. In a field with little competition and much secrecy, all we have is his word.
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Summary: The story of Lockheed’s secret “Skunk Works” operation that produced innovative planes and other products for the military including the U-2, the SR-71 Blackbird, and the F-117 Stealth fighter.
The term “skunk works” has become common parlance in the business and technical worlds for a group within an organization given a high degree of autonomy and freedom from bureaucratic control to work on advanced or secret projects. The development of the original Apple Macintosh computer is an example of a “skunk works” project. This book is the story of the original Skunk Works, a top secret operation with Lockheed responsible for building some of the most cutting-edge and innovative military aircraft. Ben Rich was the second boss over the Skunk Works, mentored under the legendary (and formidable) Clarence “Kelly” Johnson.
The book opens with the first test flight of the F-117, the first real stealth fighter, and the first plane built under Rich’s leadership after he took over from Kelly Johnson in 1975. He describes the process of winning the contract to develop the plane, and the incredible engineering work to make the plane practically invisible to enemy radar through a combination of flat surfaces and absorptive materials. One of the biggest problems turned out to be designing a canopy that would deflect radar while being able to be seen out of. Otherwise, the pilot’s head actually had a bigger radar profile than the plane! The biggest test of the plane was the bombing mission the first night of Operation Desert Storm, against heavily defended Baghdad, in which key command and control facilities, and communication facilities were taken out under heavy anti-aircraft fire without a single plane being lost, not only that night but throughout the conflict.
This was just one in a long line of innovative planes designed by the Skunk Works. Rich tells the story of how Kelly Johnson formed this secret operation within Lockheed in 1943 to develop a jet fighter (the P-80) to counter German development of similar technology. Rich describes his own initiation into the Skunk Works as a thermodynamicist brought on to help with the inlet design on the F-104 Starfighter, the first supersonic jet fighter. He was unsure how long he would work there.
Rich made the grade and goes on in the book to narrate the histories of two of the most innovative planes designed under Kelly Johnson’s leadership, the U-2 and the SR-71, both involved in overflights over the Soviet Union and other countries. The U-2 was designed to fly at 70,000 feet, with wings two-thirds as long as the fuselage which entailed special design challenges. It was put into use on overflights over the Soviet Union in 1956, securing critical intelligence on nuclear and conventional military capabilities until Gary Powers was shot down in 1960 (they actually thought they would only get two years of overflights in before this happened). Later it was used over Cuba, and the remarkable fact is that this plane is still in use, having gone through its latest upgrade in 2012.
Rich and his fellow engineers faced a whole different set of engineering challenges in designing the SR-71 Blackbird, capable of sustained Mach 3.2 speeds and flight at over 80,000 feet while taking crystal clear pictures. The plane still holds sustained speed records that have not been surpassed. It was the first titanium-bodied plane, used a special inlet cone design to force air into the engine at high altitudes, and one of the first to use stealth technology to reduce radar cross-sections.
The book mixes Rich’s narrative with “testimonials” from pilots who flew the planes, defense secretaries like Bill Perry, and national security figures like Zbigniew Brzezinski. More than simply a narrative of building innovative aircraft (and even a stealth ship), it is a narrative of what it was like to work under Kelly Johnson and how he shaped the Skunk Works. One of the most significant contributions Johnson made, referenced by many texts on “skunk works” was Kelly’s 14 Rules, that articulated the requirements of a top secret, lean, innovative, cost-effective organization free of bureaucratic control that inflates costs, bogs down development and stifles creativity. One of the rules also established alternative compensation policies that compensated for performance rather than number of reports.
Kelly was a formidable leader. He did not suffer fools gladly, losing him some contracts. He would not build a plane he didn’t believe in. He had zero tolerance for pretense. He had an amazing knowledge of every aspect of aviation engineering. He insisted that engineers work in close proximity to the shop floor. Rich speculates that such a leader probably would not be possible in his own era.
Rich’s concluding chapter, “Drawing the Right Conclusions” outlines his own ideas for more sensible procurement policies throughout the defense industry. He anticipates the widespread use of drones. I don’t know enough to determine whether any of his idea have been adopted, but they make sense if one wants both to control costs, and maintain a technological edge in weaponry.
It is fascinating to me that most of the applications of “skunk works” ideas have been in the technology world. I’m curious about the application of these ideas to the non-profit world, coming up with innovative ways to deliver services that better people’s lives. Often the challenge here is money to fund something outside of line management or support services, and satisfying funding entities that such an operation is not frivolous. My hunch is that there is a need for clear mission and bench marks, leadership that can manage lightly yet effectively a talented group of people, and good bridges back into the rest of the organization to test and implement ideas.
All that said, Rich has given us a fascinating narrative of the original Skunk Works, fascinating both for anyone interested in military aviation, and instructive for those wanting to learn key principles for skunk works-type operations.
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I wanted to read this book because I wanted an example of "nomad science", a kind of guerrilla approach to engineering and problem solving, where a relatively small group of intensely-involved engineers or scientists take on relatively large challenges-actually, nearly impossible looking challenges- and triumph...All innovation, all mobile strike force, no bureaucracy, no backbiting politics, no ego, no external reward,( this latter not entirely true, but relatively true - Ben Rich received recognition and rewards but sometimes he either couldn't tell others he'd received the award, or couldn't tell others why he had received the award because the work was classified.)
The "Skunk Works" is the nickname of a small aerospace engineering unit within Lockheed Corporation responsible for the development of the U-2 high altitude spy plane, the stealth bomber, and many other notable, breakthrough aerospace technologies. Ben Rich, the author of this book, specialized in thermodynamic engineering problems at the Skunk Works before eventually becoming head of the Skunk Works. This book is the story of his career there.
I resisted reading the book because this is in part a story of the development of military-industrial complex and the conflict of interest between the needs of the death industry and the real need for national security, and real economic needs (and career needs?) versus propping up vested interests. There is the exciting story of the development of spectacular technology in remarkably short periods of time,under budget, but one can't forget (actually, I found it quite easy to forget, I had to prod myself to remember, and this is significant,) the technology is weapon technology.
Everyone at the Skunk Works had high security clearance ( rightfully so); everyone was selected in part because of anti-Soviet sentiment. Ben Richardson seems to consider his greatest contribution being to help the US win the Cold War.
Therefore, I found these four items from the book, (which I hadn't known or fully appreciated before reading the book,)particularly striking:
1)During the 1950's, information from CIA director Allen Dulles supplied to US citizens regarding Soviet military strength suggested a crushing military superiority of the Soviets over the US...Dulles' data at the time did not support his conclusions... The CIA's misinformation helped to create a climate of fear in the US-- at this time, polls showed a majority of Americans believed death in a nuclear war was a likelihood;
2)During his time as President, Eisenhower was scoffed and resented by management in the aerospace industry because he moved slowly, cautiously, and was conservative on military spending;
3)The Eisenhower administration was not alarmed by the revelation of Soviet Sputnik technology because Sputnik technology was not superior to existing American satellite technology. The US had superior technology...Sputnik was not a demonstation of technological prowess; really, it was more of a public relations coup. Eisenhower wished to ignore it, in fact. He was finally persuaded to mount what was in essence a public relations counter-measure to the Soviets and also a strengthening of the hand of the political-economic element in the US which benefited from the crisis mentality of the Cold War.
4)Lockheed scientists and engineers and production craftsmen require continuing engineering and scientific challenges in order to keep their skills up. If they are engaged in developing military technology but military threats are not present, the government's motivation for developing military technology disappears; investment in these skills disappears, and the skills disappear. I consider keeping these skills up a very real consideration, but coupling this consideration to continuing an arms race very problematical.
5)Lockheed, a private corporation, makes its profits in production runs...For example, after the Stealth bomber design was completed, Lockheed made money building Stealth bombers. But it turned out that Stealth bomber design was completed when the Cold War was by and large over. There was, for Lockheed, an incentive to build large numbers of Stealth bombers anyway, to encourage policies where the building of Stealth bombers can be seen as necessary. Stealth bomber technology was "proven" in battle during the first Gulf War. Private profit incentivizes deployment of war technologies, and I am uncomfortable with this.
The story of the relationship between Ben Rich and his boss at the Skunk Works, Kelly Johnson, is touching. Two great men. Can I wholeheartedly honor them when I feel such reluctance and ambivalence about what was going on during the Cold War era, the role of the US in the world at that time?
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Kelly Johnson was synonymous with Lockeed’s “Skunk Works” since at least World War II. This was Lockheed’s R&D facility but it was more than that. Ben Rich understood this and understood some of his responsibilities to the entity as well as Lockheed and the job of defending the USA against attack.
Other aircraft manufacturers saw Ben Rich as a ticket to getting up to speed. This is what Kelly thought of them: "The bottom line is that most managements don’t trust the idea of an independent operation, where they hardly know what in hell is going on and are kept in the dark because of security. Don’t kid yourself, a few among our own people resent the hell out of me and our independence. And even those in aerospace who respect our work know damned well that the fewer people working on a project, the less profit from big government contracts and cost overruns. And keeping things small cuts down on raises and promotions. Hell, in the main plant they give raises on the basis of the more people being supervised; I give raises to the guy who supervises least. That means he’s doing more and taking more responsibility. But most executives don’t think like that at all. Northrop’s senior guys are no different from all of the rest in this business: they’re all empire builders, because that’s how they’ve been trained and conditioned. Those guys are all experts at covering their asses by taking votes on what to do next. They’ll never sit still for a secret operation that cuts them out entirely."
But Ben Rich’s time at the helm had different challenges: "If the Skunk Works hoped to survive as a viable entity, we somehow would have to refashion the glory years last enjoyed in the 1960s when we had forty-two separate projects going and helped Lockheed become the aerospace industry leader in defense contracts."
"Kelly was known far and wide as “Mr. Lockheed.” No one upstairs had dared to cross him. But I was just plain Ben Rich. I was respected by the corporate types, but I had no political clout whatsoever." Ben Rich was up to the challenge. (Would this book have been written otherwise?)
This memoir chronicles the development of “stealth technology” and the F-117A. The result played out years later in Iraq:
"In spite of undertaking the most dangerous missions of that war, not one F-117A was hit by enemy fire. I know that Colonel Whitley had privately estimated losses of 5 to 10 percent in the first month of the air campaign. No one expected to escape without any losses at all. The stealth fighters composed only 2 percent of the total allied air assets in action and they flew 1,271 missions—only 1 percent of the total coalition air sorties—but accounted for 40 percent of all damaged targets attacked and compiled a 75 percent direct-hit rate. The direct-hit rate was almost as boggling as the no-casualty rate"
The first third of this book takes us from the time Rich succeeded Kelly to the above successes with stealth aircraft. The next portion of the book takes us back to Rich’s family’s beginnings in the Philippines and his time as a student. We then learned how he got to Lockheed, joined the Skunk Works and almost left. "I had actually given notice to Lockheed, but at the last moment changed my mind: I loved building airplanes a lot more than baking bagels or curing corned beef."
"I enjoyed the goodwill of my colleagues because most of us had worked together intimately under tremendous pressures for more than a quarter century. Working isolated, under rules of tight security, instilled a camaraderie probably unique in the American workplace."
This memoir jumps back and forth, guided more by projects than by a timeline. The narrative is most Ben’s in the first person but there are over a dozen other voices inserted to expand on certain projects or events. Though they are mostly validations of Rich’s assertions by those in authority, they tend to make the narration choppy.
The last third of the book was a series of goodbyes – to Kelly, to the job, to a way of doing business that is no longer possible. It is the least interesting unless you are willing to suspend your imagination and think that speculations like shipping oil by dirigible are likely to happen.
Aside from that, this book appeals to the avio-geek in me and provide loads of interesting information on the how and why of exotic airplane development.
Additional quotations from this book mostly dealing with stealth applications and spyplanes:
"The Soviet SAM-5, a defensive surface-to-air missile of tremendous thrust, could reach heights of 125,000 feet and could be tipped with small nuclear warheads. At that height, the Soviets didn’t worry about impacting the ground below with the heat or shock wave from a very small megaton atomic blast and estimated that upper stratospheric winds would carry the radiation fallout over Finland or Sweden. An atomic explosion by an air defense missile could bring down any high-flying enemy bomber within a vicinity of probably a hundred miles with its shock wave and explosive power."
"As he was leaving, Brzezinski asked me a bottom-line question: “If I were to accurately describe the significance of this stealth breakthrough to the president, what should I tell him?” “Two things,” I replied. “It changes the way that air wars will be fought from now on. And it cancels out all the tremendous investment the Russians have made in their defensive ground-to-air system. We can overfly them any time, at will.”"
"Military aircraft were so expensive and complex and represented such a sizable investment of taxpayers’ money that no manufacturer expected to win a contract without first jumping through an endless series of procurement hoops, culminating in the flight-testing phase, that under normal circumstances stretched nearly ten or more years. From start to finish, a new airplane could take as long as twelve years before taking its place in the inventory and become operational on a flight line long after it was already obsolete. But that was how the bureaucracy did business."
Very interesting and geeky discussion of the attempts to build a hydrogen powered aircraft in the Sixties. "On the drawing boards was a design for the dart-shaped CL-400 that would fly at 100,000 feet at Mach 2.5 with a 3,000-mile range. The body was enormous, dwarfing any airplane on the drawing boards. On the playing field at Yankee Stadium, for example, the tail would cover home plate and the nose nudge the right-field foul pole, 296 feet away….And the reason the body was so gigantic was that it would carry a fuel load of liquid hydrogen weighing 162,850 pounds, making it the world’s largest thermos bottle. Flying at more than twice the speed of sound, the outer shell of the body would blaze from heat friction above 350 degrees F while the inside skin would hold the frosty fuel at temperatures of minus 400 F—an 800-degree temperature differential that represented an awesomely complicated thermodynamic problem."
"The drone we designed had the flat triangular shape of a manta ray, was forty feet long, weighed about seventeen thousand pounds, would be built from titanium, powered by the same kind of Marquardt ramjet we once used for an experimental ground-to-air missile developed in the 1950s, called Bomarc. The drone had the lowest radar cross section of anything we had ever designed and could cruise faster than three times the speed of sound. It was equipped with a star-tracker inertial guidance system that could be constantly updated via computer feeds from the system aboard the mothership until the moment of launch. The system was fully automated, and the drone’s steering was directed by stored signals to its hydraulic servo actuators. It was capable of a sophisticated flight plan, making numerous turns and twists to get where it was going, then repeating them in reverse to return to where it came from. The payload was detached on radio command after the mission and parachuted to a waiting cargo plane equipped with a Y-shaped catching device. After the nose detached, the drone self-exploded."
"Viewed from head-on the ship looked like Darth Vader’s helmet. Some Navy brass who saw her clenched their teeth in disgust at the sight of the most futuristic ship ever to ply the seas. A future commander resented having only a four-man crew to boss around on a ship that was so secret that the Navy could not even admit it existed. Our stealth ship might be able to blast out of the sky a sizable Soviet attack force, but in terms of an officer’s future status and promotion prospects, it was about as glamorous as commanding a tugboat."
"I took our design and test results to the Pentagon office of a Navy captain in charge of submarine R & D. By the time I left his office, I was grimly reciting Kelly’s Skunk Works Rule Number Fifteen. Fourteen of his basic rules for operating a Skunk Works had been written out, but the fifteenth was known only by word of mouth, verbal wisdom passed on from one generation of employees to the next: “Starve before doing business with the damned Navy. They don’t know what in hell they want and will drive you up a wall before they break either your heart or a more exposed part of your anatomy.” I’d been a fool to ignore Kelly’s wise words of warning."
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This is one of the best biographies I've ever read. If you are the least bit interested in aviation, you MUST read this book. It covers from his childhood through his retirement. He talks about flying in WWII, including getting shot down, escaping through the Pyrenee's into Spain, shooting down a German jet fighter, breaking the sound barrier in the X-1, flying several other X-planes, crashing and being severely burned, test flying a MiG, being stationed in Vietnam and Germany as well as his family life. I even wrote a poem in freshman composition based on what I read in this book, that even 25 years later I can still recite. I tried my first stick of Beaman's gum because of this book, and I still like it today. This is one of my favorites. A good companion to this if you are interested in experimental aircraft and the Lockheed Skunkworks is Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed by Ben Rich.
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If I could jump inside one person's head Being-John-Malkovich style and experience their entire life, beginning-to-end, without regard to anything but the sheer roller coaster thrill of it, I'd probably pick Chuck Yeager. (Granted, the guy's not dead yet. But unless he meets a truly horrendous end--eaten alive, say, by Bengal Tigers, while slow-roasting over a barbecue pit--I'd consider myself a truly lucky man to see everything he's seen and do everything he's done.)
Ripping through the sound barrier in a bullet-shaped orange rocket plane, battling Messerschmitts in the cold European skies, testing exotic aircraft of all shapes and sizes in the bleak Mojave desert, hunting and fishing and hiking the high Sierras, hooting and hollering with friends on crazy drunken misadventures--it all sounds too fun to be legal, and except for the hooting and hollering part, I haven't done any of it.
What's more, he lived the kind of life that people don't seem to believe in anymore, the life of the self-made man who rises from nothing, who picks himself up by his own bootstraps and succeeds through good ol' Yankee Doodle initiative, ability and gumption. One of the nice things about this book, though, is that he doesn't rub it in. He's the first one to acknowledge how lucky he's been to live the life he's lived and live to tell about it. An upside-down-bolt on an airplane aileron, parachute shroud lines that almost burnt through after an ejection gone awry--any of these things could have ended this remarkable life long before old age, and he knows it.
Beyond the good luck, though, he knew enough not to press his luck. One realizes, reading this book, that Yeager's flying career's remarkable not because he took chances, but because he didn't get so cocky and full of himself that he took one chance too many. In the test pilot business, it's better to fade away than to burn out (or up).
I last read this when I was a kid, not long after it came out--I'd been blown away by "The Right Stuff" and was nuts about everything aviation-and-space related. I don't think I've seen it in twenty years, but I've had a hankering to read it for a while now, so I picked it up, put down the boring weighty intellectual tomes I usually read, and ripped through it in a couple days, eagerly smuggling it into the bathroom at work to steal some pleasure out of the boring workday. I'll never live this life, never get a pilot's license--with my narcolepsy and my bad eyes, I probably shouldn't even have a driver's license--but thanks to this book I can live Chuck Yeager's life vicariously, for a couple days, anyway. ;
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I really liked this book. I had read Yeagers Wikipedia page and thought him a fascinating character. I really like autobiographies of interesting people and he certainly was that. It certainly isn’t warts and all but maybe he hasn’t any warts. If you like hunting, shooting, fishing, fighting, fast cars, fast planes, fast women, alpha male bonding, heroism, history and a nice unchallenging read, then this is the book for you. I do, and I liked this book.
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Brigadier General Charles Elwood "Chuck" Yeager, USAF.
Veteran of WWII and the Vietnam War. Achieved "ace" status during WWII, and post-war became the first pilot to break the sound barrier.
His decorations include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Air Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.//
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The organization, which is a membership-based organization devoted to keeping the memory deceased service members alive by working to help the military community, is located in Washington, D.C., and still operates today.
A few years later, in 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt built upon this growing movement to honor the mothers of deceased service members, and designated the last Sunday of September as National Gold Star Mother’s Day. Today, we still celebrate National Gold Star Mother’s Day and this year it is on Sunday, September 29, 2019.
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.//
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The cold war aspect was at its apex, and these men considered their mission a holy war against the Russians for control of space. At the time it was believed the winner could fling nuclear weapons at their opponent, so the men who succeeded were regarded as heroes (Wolfe explains how in some histories, e.g. David and Goliath, the best single warriors would sometimes fight to determine victors, avoiding the carnage of full army battles). He goes into gory detail on how the aircraft and their engines eventually made that first sonic boom and exceeded the speed of sound (Mach 1) which had been thought to be a natural barrier, and unachievable. Eventually they blew that away (Mach 6) as technology and know-how for controlling these machines improved. The race to put a man in space, at least 50 miles above the earth, became the focus. What surprised me was that the Russians basically won every contest in those times, they had better technology and would consistently embarrass the United States by winning at every turn (un-manned, then a dog in space, finally a man, then a woman, then multiple spacecraft).
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To read the reviews, you'd think this was just about the Sussexes but is, in fact, a strong overview of the roles of those who surround the principals of the Royal Family as paid advisors and fixers - the courtiers - primarily during the late Queen's long reign. They are to be distinguished from the staff - ie the servants - although the central premise is that they too serve. The book steers a skilful course through chatty anecdote and historical fact, making it both readable and informative. Striking features are the descriptions of the differing ethos' of the various Royal Households - from late Edwardian grandeur and high camp fun of the Clarence House of the Queen Mother to breezy informality of the younger Princes at Kensington Palace before their respective marriages, via the Queen's dutiful, often 50's mentality mired, Buckingham Palace - as well as their endless tensions and in-fighting. Some notable courtiers are familiar names to those with a penchant for history/Netflix, such as 'Tommy' Lascelles, or to more current political followers, such as Lord Geidt, but many are unknown powers behind the throne. The book also throws more light on the complexities behind the funding issues, usually so simplified in the debates about how much the RF costs 'us' and the sheer size of the operations required to run so many households and charitable endeavours. And for those interested in Megxit, especially those able to understand journalistic sourcing codes and bothered to follow footnotes, there is a fairly even handed and authentic account of what life was like for courtiers in the Sussex household. Very readable and better than expected given the Mail serialisation.
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Courtiers provides a historical account of the British monarchy's courtiers, the trusted advisers in the King or Queen's inner circle, from King George VI to the present.
"The courtier is there to guide, to open doors: it is up to the royal whether or they walk through."
Furthermore, a courtier's main job at all times while making decisions and recommendations is to consider the following: "Am I putting at risk the trust the nation places in Her Majesty?" but also, the relationships are complex and "the lines between service and friendship were often blurred."
The prologue begins with Harry being rude to the press, and then it goes back in time to work its way through the courtiers dating from Queen Elizabeth II’s parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, to the present. I found it interesting that each Royal runs their department differently, and it certainly explains why they are rarely on the same page. After reading this account and watching The Crown TV series, I'm begrudgingly liking Charles a bit more, mostly because of his strong work ethic and philanthropic ideas/programs.
About halfway through, I was bored by the content of two chapters, specifically The Golden Triangle (about Scotland voting to become independent from the UK) and Sticking the Knife In (about Christopher Geidt). I was also stunned that Courtiers referred to Harry and Meghan's departure from the Royal family as "Megxit." The use of this term feels rude, unprofessional, disrespectful, and misogynistic since one must assume that Harry and Megan decided TOGETHER to leave the establishment.
If you're a huge fan of the Royals, then I would recommend this book for its very unique stories and viewpoints. Lastly, I was surprised there wasn't more information about William and Kate, especially since they are featured prominently on the cover.
Location: England
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.
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The cold war aspect was at its apex, and these men considered their mission a holy war against the Russians for control of space. At the time it was believed the winner could fling nuclear weapons at their opponent, so the men who succeeded were regarded as heroes (Wolfe explains how in some histories, e.g. David and Goliath, the best single warriors would sometimes fight to determine victors, avoiding the carnage of full army battles). He goes into gory detail on how the aircraft and their engines eventually made that first sonic boom and exceeded the speed of sound (Mach 1) which had been thought to be a natural barrier, and unachievable. Eventually they blew that away (Mach 6) as technology and know-how for controlling these machines improved. The race to put a man in space, at least 50 miles above the earth, became the focus. What surprised me was that the Russians basically won every contest in those times, they had better technology and would consistently embarrass the United States by winning at every turn (un-manned, then a dog in space, finally a man, then a woman, then multiple spacecraft).
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ;;;;
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ;;
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end./
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ;;
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With the 50th anniversary of the successful Apollo 11 moon landing this summer I have been watching every documentary and reading books on this historic event. I’ve always been fascinated by the space program (I reviewed the book American Moonshot earlier this year). Yet the best material I have found on the Apollo program and the moon landing is Nancy Atkinson’s book “Eight Years to the Moon: This History of the Apollo Missions”.
As I retired software engineer I loved the technical details in the book, especially about the early years when NASA planners were debating the best way to meet John F Kennedy’s challenge, “Land a man on the moon by the end of the decade!” Atkinson quotes one engineer during this challenging time, “You get to do things that nobody has ever thought about and nobody has every deal with. And then you also have problems like nobody else too.”
Not into technical details? The book will appeal to you, too, with many photos from the Apollo era. The oversized “coffee table” book was worth it to me just to look at all the pictures.
I learned details of the Apollo missions that I was not aware of before. For example, when Neil Armstrong piloted Apollo 11’s lunar module Eagle five miles away from the original landing site, this presented a huge challenge for NASA. “In spaceflight, timing is everything. Knowing the Eagle’s exact location would establish the timing of lift-off from the Moon in order to meet with Columbia in lunar orbit,” Atkinson writes. She quotes flight dynamics officer Dave Reed in Mission Control who said to flight director Gene Kranz at the time, “We have a problem; we do not know where the hell they are.”
I relived the thrills and challenges of the Apollo missions by reading “Eight Years to the Moon”. Well worth it!
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I am a major fan of America's space program, especially the years we went to the moon. I've watched the TM shows and the movies and now I've listened to Gene Kranz's book. Comparing, I find the book is more complete. I enjoyed hearing about missions that didn't get a show, like the unmanned flights.
Astronauts get the ticker tape parades and mission control teams prepared future missions. It was an interesting perspective from the flight control console. Kranz outlined how the first American in space was such a short mission, only one team was needed in mission control. Each mission doubled in length, until more teams were needed. Handling of shifts and teams who covered major events in a mission were interesting items.
The epilogue was bittersweet as he exhorted Americans to return the space program to the gung-ho, explore the universe attitude we had, when we went to the moon. I agree, to a point, but I know it can't happen the same way, these days. We aren't the underdogs in space. We don't have a young, charismatic president setting a laudable goal and then being martyred, as Kennedy was. Even all those factors brought into today's political environment, and the economic situation may not be enough to put the space program high enough on the national priority list to get another big goal accomplished, the way it was, back in 1969.
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I was first introduced to the idea of Gene Kranz when I first saw the film Apollo 13, and then again shortly after I saw the excellent HBO miniseries, From the Earth to the Moon. I found his steely-eyed, take-no-bull, calm and collected attitude, portrayed by Ed Harris in Apollo 13 and Dan Butler in the HBO series, to be an integral part of the NASA equation.
So when this book, Failure is Not an Option, came up as a daily deal from Audible, I jumped on it. I couldn’t have made a better decision. This book is a personal memoir of Kranz, following his career at Nasa through the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs. The beginning of the book is a bit awkward, as it starts out immediately with the Mercury program, then provides an entire section on his own background, qualifications and training, then resumes with Gemini. It is a bit jarring at the point where you read it, but once you’re past it, you don’t think of it again.
The thing I like the best about this book is how it is not just effusive praise of the astronauts. This by no means diminishes their contribution, but Kranz seems to go out of his way to hammer into your head that everything was a team effort, and there were more people than you could possibly imagine who, working together, raced against the Russians to put a man on the moon. At one point, he says, “Chances are, you’ve never heard of Hal Beck.” This is just one of the many times he goes out of his way to describe the individuals who contributed to his team, praising their worth, their contribution and their ability.
Kranz seems selfless to a fault. He says, “I think everyone, once in his life should be given a ticker-tape parade.” I have a feeling the statuary of his controllers are polished with a little extra shine, but you can tell that he is the type of man who wants to make sure that everyone gets recognized. He jokes about how Alan Shepard says, “More people remember that I’m the guy who hit a golf ball on the moon, than that I was the first American in space.” Shift that back a few levels, and try to name any of the Flight Directors other than Kranz, or CAPCOMs that were not former astronauts, and you can see how he wants to make sure people don’t get forgotten.
And that’s the beauty of the book. It’s not about the astronauts; it’s about the people at Mission Control. The full name of the book is “Failure is not an Option: Mission Control From Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond,” and it is absolutely a recounting of the people who make up Mission Control - not the engineers who built the spacecraft, and not the astronauts who flew it - but the people who solved the problems mid-flight and kept everything together. When talking about how his flight director colors were retired, he says the retirement proclamation is “written by one’s peers, the only people who matter in our business.”
And problems there were, in spades. Apollo 13 stands out as one of the most celebrated successes pulled from the ashes of failure, but there were many other problems as well. All three Apollo 1 astronauts died before ever leaving the ground. Apollo 11 missed its landing zone by a large margin. Apollo 12 was struck by lightning before it ever left Earth’s atmosphere. It seems every mission had something that went wrong, and the Mission Control people worked the problems and fixed them with incredible efficiency.
This book is THEIR story. And it’s a fascinating one.
The book was written in 1999, and as such mentions the Challenger disaster, but was well before the Columbia disaster. It also is well before the privatization of space exploration, and the wonderful things being done by SpaceX. I would love to hear what he says about SpaceX, especially as the Afterword laments the current (1999) state of NASA and the country’s commitment to space exploration.
Audiobook note: The audiobook was very nicely narrated by Danny Campbell, who does a nice job of making it sound like he knows and believes the technical jargon sprinkled copiously throughout the book. The only negative is his rather poor British accent, which is thankfully kept to a minimum.
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What can you do for relief?
If you have hemorrhoids, lifestyle changes may help them heal faster. One cause of hemorrhoids is straining during bowel movements. Adding more high-fiber foods to your diet, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, can help soften your stool and make it easier to pass.
You should also drink plenty of water to help relieve constipation and reduce straining during bowel movements.
Here are some additional things that may help relieve symptoms:
Minimize the time you sit on the toilet.
When you feel the urge to move your bowels, go as soon as possible.
Put your feet on a small stool during bowel movements to change the position of your rectum.
If you’re pregnant, sleep on your side. This will help relieve some of the pressure around your anus.
Ask your doctor about taking a stool softener or a fiber supplement, such as psyllium (Metamucil) or methylcellulose (Citrucel). A tablespoon of mineral oil added to food can also help soften stools.
Keep the anal area clean. Take regular showers, and use moist wipes to clean the area around your anus after you pass a bowel movement.
Use a sitz bath or sit in a warm tub for a few minutes to bathe the anal area.
You may also try using over-the-counter (OTC) topical medications to ease discomfort, such as phenylephrine hemorrhoidal gel (Preparation H). These products are used if the hemorrhoids are bulging and inflamed.
Limit use of products that contain steroids because long-term use may cause thinning of the skin around the anus. If OTC medications aren’t helping, talk with your doctor to see if you need additional treatment.
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ;;;
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Pictured here is Willemien Rieken. She was only 9 years old when she first began laying flowers on the grave of William Edmond, a British soldier who fought and died to liberate her Dutch Village.
From the day he died, and for 75 years, she looked after his grave and kept his memory alive.
During WWII, William served with the 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron and took part in the Battle of Arnhem in the Netherlands. Sadly, on September 17, 1944, he was shot in the back by a German sniper and fell to the ground.
One of his comrades, St David Christie, rushed to his aid, but nothing could be done to save William. Seconds before dying, he said to David: "Tell my wife I love her." This British soldier was then buried at the Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery.
Willemien Rieken passed away in 2020. She was one of the last surviving Flower Children, young people who laid flowers at hundreds of graves of Allied casualties in a ceremony after the end of the war.
Niall Cherry, secretary of the Arnhem 1944 Fellowship, said: "She was one of the last surviving Dutch civilian links to the Battle of Arnhem. Willemien was a lovely lady who tended to the grave of Trooper Edmund for many years. She will be sadly missed."
SORRY, I DON'T HAVE THE PICTURE, but Harry should think about the true war heroes and not buy awards for
himself..... think about it Harry.......
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I’ve read many texts on British history, including biographies of the present and former Royals. I was more or less looking forward to reading this book, despite the pre-publication bad press. I’m about half way through, and all I’m reading are Scobie’s rants against the current Royals (except the Sussexes), including accusations of racism, elitism, bad judgment, stupidity; and jibes at Charles who, Scobie intimates - actually says - is old, out of touch, and on his way out (literally). Scobie doesn’t like the courtiers, either - the “grey men.” Basically, he doesn’t like anyone connected with the monarchy. You figure that out, however, by page 10. The rest is “and so on, and so on, and so on.”
This is, in other words, a long, repetitive, noisy op-ed. Since I am not really interested in Scobie’s personal opinion - who is he, anyway? - it’s also boring. If you are a republican, anti-monarchist, you may get a thrill out of his many anti-monarchy zingers. Otherwise, who cares what he thinks? He also bases his diatribe on multiple, anonymous sources. (Apparently, he interviewed nobody who’d speak on the record. Instead, he pumped everyone, but for the Palace lavatory attendants, for backroom gossip and thumbs-down opinions.)
Times are changing, true - but apparently, if Scobie is any example, envy, pomposity and malice live on. (He criticized them; they dumped him.) Nor merely are there more informative, credible books about the Royals, present and past - there are even more fact-based, better-sourced hatchet jobs. Save your bucks, readers!
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Not having bought "Finding Freedom" or "Spare", I finally broken down and spent the money for the Kindle version of "Endgame". Without a doubt, according to every post on You Tube regarding it, the reviews have been dismal. But most had read the other two so I went ahead and sloched through it. If any of the book should get a 5 star rating, the prolog regarding the author's views surrounding the passing of the Queen, his reaction to the visual of seeing the lying in state of the Queen, etc., I would give him 5 stars for just this because it was "first person" and came across as sincere regarding his feelings at the time. Because the remainder of the book could easily get zero stars, I have given it 1 star for his opening up about the passing of the Queen and how he weathered it personally.
Because I am an American and have no dog in the UK Royalty/Sussex fight, none of the rest of the book meant much to me. We, afterall, went to war in 1776 and won. Royalty is the thing other countries do but we don't. So, truly, the chapters read like Historical Fiction, which I read a lot of. I actually had to remind myself, every now and again, that I was supposedly reading "fact" not "fiction".
Lately I have been in an "I don't really care about this" mode with regard to most of what's in this book. NOW I am totally, 100% sure I no longer care. I'm not buying another book on the subject(s), not watching another You Tube about the subject(s), and hoping the "news" will have a short life span. The whole mess is just stupid.
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.
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The British Royal Family believed that the dizzy success of the Sussex wedding, watched and celebrated around the world, was the beginning of a new era for the Windsors. Yet, within one tumultuous year, the dream became a nightmare. In the aftermath of the infamous Megxit split and the Oprah Winfrey interview, the Royal Family's fate seems persistently threatened.
The public remains puzzled. Meghan's success has alternatively won praise, bewildered and outraged. Confused by the Sussexes' slick publicity, few understand the real Meghan Markle. What lies ahead for Meghan? And what has happened to the family she married into? Can the Windsors restore their reputation?
With extensive research, expert sourcing and interviews from insiders who have never spoken before, Tom Bower, Britain's leading investigative biographer, unpicks the tangled web of courtroom drama, courtier politics and thwarted childhood dreams to uncover an astonishing story of love, betrayal
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Most of the U.K. has already seen through Harry and Meghan’s constant act of whining and supposed victimization, hence their popularity rates currently hovering at around the 9-10% mark (in contrast to Kate Middleton, who is around 78%). I can’t understand why so many Americans still defend her, or the both of them, for that matter. You don’t have to know someone personally to see what kind of person they are. When certain incidents come to light, certain personality traits, contradictions and hypocrisies, which appear to be irrefutable – I believe it’s safe to say that one can accurately judge that person’s character, and whether or not they’d personally like such a person (providing the majority of the reports being issued on the celebrity were accurate).
I truly wanted Meghan to do well, just like I did with Kate. I found them both to be gorgeous, fashionable, and relatable. Fresh faces for a bit of an outdated institution. It’s actually quite exhausting to dislike people. I had every reason to believe that she and Kate would be some kind of fashion dream team BFFs in an otherwise bland monarchy.
It seems it’s really only Americans left that seem to believe the U.K. public prefers Kate to Meghan because Kate is some “ideal white English princess.’ No, it couldn’t be that Kate is adored by the public unlike Meghan because she doesn’t seek the limelight, carries out her charitable work (part of a working Royal’s duties, by the way!) in obscurity, and rarely complains. Meanwhile, Meghan is merely detested because of her mostly invisible “blackness”, which she has attempted to claim that people write her off because she’s “assertive”, likening it to the sickening stereotype of the “angry black woman.” She actually did a podcast on this a few weeks ago which I literally laughed out loud at when I saw the topic – really? That's been your "experience", your "truth", Meghan?
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Even though the writers have been cranking out scripts for a few weeks, and even though many scripts were ready to shoot when the actors walked out in mid-July, it’s not as simple as telling an entire production — literally hundreds of people, between cast and crew — to report back to work on Monday and get moving. As happened when production resumed following the initial Covid lockdown, there won’t be enough available soundstages for every project. Worse, there may not be enough crew people. Every gifted below-the-line worker is going to be in high demand, and as one source put it, some of those people left the business altogether over the past six months because they needed to find more stable income.
Between needing to find a place to work, needing to reassemble large workforces, and the bare minimum prep work needed to start or restart almost any film or TV shoot, most series are going to need 4-5 weeks at minimum to get started. And that brings us to the next wrinkle: the business traditionally takes most, if not all, of December off to give every actor, gaffer, and agent a breather from what can be very long days and weeks the rest of the year. Some producers will feel like they have no choice but to drastically trim down this winter break. But as with the crew and soundstage issues, there’s a basic infrastructure problem about getting people working at a time of year when everything is usually shuttered. So most things won’t even be able to shoot until January, and some substantially later than that.
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I don't know what more to say other than this was not only an excellent story, but the author did a wonderful job telling it.
I take it back, I do have a couple other things to add... Adam Brown was the kind of person that inspires others around him to want to be better people. This is not because he was a perfect person himself, far from it actually, but he tried, hard. In his efforts he motivated those around him to strive harder to become all they could. People like Adam Brown make me proud to not only be an American but his story provides us with hope that no matter how bad things are, no matter how low we sink, there is always a way out. In Adam's case he found Jesus. I can't say that I'm an overly spiritual person, but even if one doesn't have the same faith or beliefs as Adam the message is the same; keep trying and never give up.
Adam did some pretty horrible things in his short life. He hurt those he loved and those who loved him, repeatedly. His weaknesses however did not make him a bad person. I think in the end, for all his trials and failures they actually made him a better person. I for one took his story more to heart because he was not perfect. His efforts in overcoming huge obstacles, both self inflicted and those out of one's control should be a role model to us all.
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My emotions were moved to the point of tears at the end of the book as Adam made the ultimate sacrifice for this country, for you, for me. Because we are pulled into the story, the knock on the door to his wife to inform her felt like you were right there. He was father. He was a husband. He was a man of faith. To best describe it, I’ll share what the author wrote in his Afterward:
Despite the impact and magnitude of the bin Laden mission, Adam’s story stands on its own. Throughout his life he inspired scores of people, and his story has continued to change the lives of many – including mine. He’s reminded me to appreciate every moment with my family, to be goofy and not grumpy, to get back up no matter how hard I might get slapped down, to sometimes buy my children a cupcake when I pick up coffee in the morning but to call it a muffin “because”, as Adam would tell Savannah, “as long as you call them muffins, they’re okay to eat for breakfast.” And though I hadn’t opened a Bible in more than twenty-five years, his faith encouraged me to question my own questioning about religion.
I can’t think of a better way to describe this book than that. I too felt these same challenges after reading it. It’s fitting that I finished the final words of the book, closed it and spent the afternoon with my daughters doing crafts and played catch with my son. I did so, not out of guilt, but out of honor. I did so in a country where we are free to do whatever we dream and wish to do. I did so with the freedom of a father because the sacrifice of another. Friends, I HIGHLY recommend that you pick up a copy of this book. It will remind you how blessed we are as fathers, as wives, as Americans. Because of the fearless sacrifice of men and women like Adam Brown.
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Last week I received a copy of a book called “Fearless” by Eric Blehm to review. Little did I know when I started this book that by the end of it, I would be moved to emotion like I rarely am. This book is a game changer on so many levels. I honestly won’t be able to find the words in this review to express how much I wish people would get a copy and read it for themselves. It is the remarkable story of one man, his story, his struggles, his humility, his family, his addictions and oh, by the way, he was a member of the “Green Team” on SEAL team six (the same SEAL team that killed Osama Bin Laden). Again, I struggle with words to give this book a full review.
Author Eric Blehm takes us to the beginning, where it all started for Adam Brown. Early on, you are pulled into his life and his story. Blehm does an incredible job of crafting words in such a way that make you feel like you know Adam too. As you read you feel like you know his entire family. His failures frustrate you. His struggle with addiction saddens you. You feel the weight of pour decisions and repeated struggles to overcome “the voice” that is addiction. Not until about halfway through the book do we begin to share in his journey to become a Navy SEAL. An entire book could be written on the unbelievable physical and mental challenge involved in making it to the elite team which Adam Brown achieved. May we remember the Navy Seals.....
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ;;;
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Napoleon was one of the most consequential leaders the world has ever seen. He instituted the metric system, made French a standardized official language of the people and the government (Breton, German, Flemish, Basque and Celtic were spoken by different sections of the French society along with French before that), he set the strictly disciplined lycées (Secondary schools where Greek, Latin, Mathematics, physics and others were taught), built an extensive library system, reformed the military hierarchical structure, reformed and codified the French law system, laid the great architectural blueprint of Paris including the bridges on the Seine and the sewer system that serves the city to this day. He built institutions that will be, as he puts them, masses of granite in the soul of France.
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Թերևս պարտադիր ընթերցման գիրք քաղաքականությամբ, պատմությամբ զբաղվողների համար: Պելոպոննեսիան պատերազմները ոնց որ հաջորդած 2500 տարիների մինի, բետա տարբերակը լինեն:
Կարևորները
▶ հեղինակը` Վիկտոր Դևիս Հանսոնը ամերիկյան պահպանողական մտածող է, ռազմական պատմաբան, գրող: Հուվեր Ինստիտուտի գիտնական: Նաև Թրամփի աջակից
▶ Լեզուն հեշտ ընթեռնելի չէ: Ժամանցի համար չարժի կարդալ [ես էս սխալը արեցի]
▶ Պետք է կարողանաք Դեմոկրատիա ընդդեմ Օլիգարխիան չտեսնել լավ ու վատի, առաջադեմի ու հետադիմականի պայքար: Հանսոնը լինելով ամերիկյան դեմոկրատիայի ջատագով, չի նսեմացնում Սպարտայի առավելությունները: Նույնիսկ նկարագրում է, որ օլիգարխիկ Սպարտան ավելի ներողամիտ էր ու իր դաշնակիցների ներքին գործերին ավելի քիչ էր խառնվում:
▶ Սպատան չհաղթեց, Աթենքը պարտվեց
▶ Պարտությունը սկսեց սեփական գաղափարները և իդեալները դավաճանելուց, երբ Աթենական Կայրսությունը արշավեց դեմոկրատ Սիրակուզայի դեմ
Ու եզրափակեմ, չկա գրքում մի բանի նկարգրություն, որ ներկայի հետ զուգահեռներ ու պիտանի չլինի:
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Summary
Victor Davis Hanson tells the story of the Peloponnesian war which is the war where Sparta and Athens fought for close to 30 years. This war starts shortly after Sparta and Athens had united to repel a Persian invasion, partially depicted in the movie 300. Ironically, this war was ultimately decided by Persia backing Sparta which broke the Athenians. For many, this war marks the end of the Greek Golden age. Taking place shortly before Alexander the Great's campaigns, it included many Western superstars like Socrates, who participated in the early part of the war, Hippocrates, the father of medicine, and some of the eminent Greek tragedians like Sophocles and Euripides. Hanson recasts the Peloponnesian War as a Greek Civil War, because much like the American Civil War both sides shared language, culture, and many other inherited traditions, but they differed on governmental strategies. The Spartans are portrayed as being conservative oligarchs, while the Athenians were depicted as radical proponents of democracy. This difference in governing styles is often emphasized by Hanson, who uses it to explain the distinctive reactions of the two nation states to the challenges each in turn faced.
Thoughts
Hanson excels at setting the stage, making the job of seeing this slice of the Mediterranean easy. Sometimes feeling sweaty as you sympathize with a marching Hoplite Spartan soldier, wearing heavy bronze armor under a blazing sun in a windless valley, other times sympathizing with a sweaty Athenian oarsman in the bottom row of three rows, rowing for your life as your head is at "hip" level of the row of rowers above you. I am now realizing that you spend most of the time feeling sweaty and trying not to imagine what you would be smelling. Similar to one of those Triremes stuck in a doldrum, at times I felt like the book dragged under the sheer weight of Greek names and places, followed by the endless back and forth of attacks and retaliations. However, memorable events like the plague that ravaged Athens during a Spartan siege would breathe fresh air into the sails and we would be off again. One of my favorites of these memorable moments was the fascinating description of the siege on Plataea. The Peloponnesian War takes place at an interesting point in time where Greek siege craft technology had not caught up with Greek fortification technology. At this point there were no siege towers or torsion catapults. This detail means that the attackers were only left with ladders and rams as their siege weapons. Because of this in Plataea 400 defenders were able to hold off a sizeable Spartan army, even when they tried several other novel methods of breaching the city like tunneling, fire, and primitive chemical warfare. After these unsuccessful attempts the Spartan army gave up on a direct assault and built a wall around the entire city and then began the slow process of attrition. At one point during the siege two hundred and twelve men made a daring escape. Unfortunately, their success also meant that the number of the city defenders had been halved. In spite of such a stalwart resistance the city eventually fell when the remaining defenders became too exhausted to carry on. Layers of depth are added to this history by the larger-than-life characters like the Spartan general Brasidas and the romantic yet treacherous Alcibiades. Hanson extracts various morals from the historical events with varying degrees of success. While delving into "historical advice" for modern scenarios seems futile, as history rarely repeats itself identically, there appear to be general principles underscored in historical conflict that remain relevant across time. One such principle discussed by Hanson is the inherent self-preserving nature of nations, akin to living entities. When faced with existential threats, nations, much like individuals, may and often do swiftly abandon their principles to save themselves. One need not look too hard in history to find many reminders of this potentiality.
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end./
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Elaine Lowry Brye is a mom who knows about letting go. Like many moms, she cried when her kids left home, wishes they’d call and write more, and spends sleepless nights worrying about them. But Elaine’s tears and concerns are even more poignant than most mothers’—because Elaine is the mom of four military officers, one each in the Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marines.
An Army brat turned ROTC candidate turned military wife, Elaine never expected her kids to have a call to serve, and certainly didn’t expect all four to join up. Three of her kids—two sons and a daughter—attended the Naval Academy, and it was there that Elaine got her own calling: she joined the Naval Academy Parents’ Listserv, and began a fifteen-year journey of helping moms and dads adjust to their strange, new, lonely lives as military parents. She also spent a year teaching in Kabul, Afghanistan where she experienced life in a war zone. Her love of her country and desire to support her fellow parents led to her to write Be Safe, Love Mom: A Military Moms Stories of Courage, Comfort, and Surviving Life on the Homefront
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Be Safe, Love Mom: A Military Mom's Stories of Courage, Comfort, and Surviving Life on the Home Front
Elaine Lowry Brye
When you enlist in the United States military, you don't just sign up for duty; you also commit your loved ones to lives of service all their own.
No one knows this better than Elaine Brye, an "Army brat" turned military wife and the mother of four officers—one each in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. For more than a decade she's endured countless teary goodbyes, empty chairs at Thanksgiving dinners, and sleepless hours waiting for phone calls in the night. She's navigated the complicated tangle of emotions—pride, worry, fear, hope, and deep, enduring love—that are part and parcel of life as a military mother.
In Be Safe, Love Mom Elaine braids together her own personal experiences with those of fellow parents she's met along the way. She offers gentle guidance and hard-earned wisdom on topics ranging from that first anxious goodbye to surrendering all control of your child, from finding comfort in the support of the military community and the healing power of faith to coping with the enormous sacrifices life as a military mother requires. Readers looking for encouragement and hard-to-come-by information as they travel the challenging road of having a child in uniform will find Elaine a wise and trusted friend, and Be Safe, Love Mom an essential handbook to membership in a strong and special sisterhood.
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@ocdman202 Now that aRCHiewel Productions is bankrupt, where will I get my thirty dollar jar of jam or my
diamond encrusted toenail clippers???
The Sussex Faux-Royal Nigeria Tour/trip was punctuated terribly with the news that their charity, Archewell, is now delinquent. The promises they made just days ago in Nigeria can not be fulfilled due to the Sussex charity funds being frozen at this time.
During the trip however, Harry & Meghan gave a number of speeches, all with high levels of cringe, and made several cultural blunders. Nigeria & Invictus got completely lost amid the Meg's self-obsessed compulsive anecdotes as she (& Harold too) highjacked this trip and all the headlines in a hail-mary sort of attempt at salvaging some of Meghan's "popularity".
It's clear this trip's motives were very much for Sussex PR.,,,,
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@mommapanda5736 This is not just a book about the early days of the American space program, this is a book about the mental processes of speed-freak pilots with fire in their bellies and ice water in their veins back in the early days of the American space program, men who needed to put themselves out there, men with the right stuff!!
Tom Wolfe definitely has a way of putting you into the mindset of the people he’s chronicling. In some particularly entertaining parts of this book, he even managed to put us into the heads of some chimpanzees they shot into space. I guess that’s New Journalism. (Maybe not so new these days.) I’ve read some of the work of other heroes of this genre such as Hunter S. Thompson and Joan Didion. I can see why it was so popular. It takes what would be a good book and makes it an absolutely delicious read, which makes me want to read more of this kind of stuff.
When you talk about the right stuff in the context of this book you don’t need to ask, “The right stuff for what?” You know. The chosen men for NASA’s Gemini Program and Project Mercury certainly knew and they clearly had it. You get the sense that they felt that this made them a particularly superior form of human. I guess it’s nice to have pride in what you do. Still, when it comes to taking stupid chances with your own life and those of others (it was apparently okay with them to drink and drive.) I think a line needs to be drawn. These guys were idiots as often as they were heroic. Considering the risks they were taking, and the ensuing death toll, I suppose you needed some of that in your cold warriors but maybe not quite so much.
It’s true enough that they had the right stuff for sitting on top of a giant explosive cylinder and getting hurled into space. Tom Wolfe probably didn’t have the right stuff for that but he did have the right stuff to write this book and that’s not nothing. Could Chuck Yeager have written this book? Could Alan Shepard or John Glenn have written this book? I think you know the answer. We may not have the makings of astronauts, but we all have the right stuff for something.
This book is incredibly entertaining above and beyond its subject matter. Even if you’re not interested in hotshot test pilots or the lives of astronauts and their families, you will definitely have fun with this book. I know I did.
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The emergence of "Endgame" in every chapter is yet another addition to the arsenal of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's mouthpiece spewing their "truths." The book relies on questionable narratives, presenting an unbalanced portrayal that conveniently aligns with the couple's agenda—more victimhood. The book is a thinly veiled attempt to rewrite history according to Meghan and Harry's narrative, as they parade around the U.S as if they're on royal engagements while simultaneously disparaging the royal family, especially Princess Katherine and King Charles, seemingly aimed at dismantling the monarchy while accusing its members of racism. However, Harry admitted wanting to leave, and Scobie depicts that they were forced out. The book's omissions, selective contradictions, and presentation of information undermine its credibility, leaving readers to question the true motivations behind this seemingly biased portrayal. They left because of Meghan's ego that she was more important than the queen, by entering the car first to stay out of politics and before Harry as she barged ahead of him to be first.
One striking example of this bias, and they are holier than thou, is the book's handling of Meghan's claim of racist conversations within the royal family during her pregnancy with Archie. The inconsistency between Meghan's account in the Oprah interview, where she mentioned "several conversations" during her pregnancy, and Harry's assertion of it being a "single conversation in the beginning" while they "were dating" raises accuracy doubts, that were fueled again in another interview that he nor Meghan called the family racists, "it was the British press, that said that." The narrative conveniently overlooks these contradictions, leaving readers doubting the rest of the book's credibility, and for good reasons.
Scobie's failure to include Harry's racist statements in an interview for "Spare," stating that he and Meghan openly discussed concerns about Archie's potential looks. Harry stated that he'd questioned if his "ginger genes would be able to stand up to Meghan's genes." Then he was happy that "the ginger genes, the Spencer genes are strong." These omissions raise suspicions about the author's selectivity in presenting information, leaving readers with an incomplete and potentially skewed perspective.
Furthermore, the book neglects to address Meghan's choices through Meghan's multiple nose jobs and alterations to her hair, erasing any trace of her 25% ethnicity at best, showing she doesn't want the association, and weaponizing bronzer by putting on blackface, to appear darker than she is. "Endgame" also falls short in exploring Meghan's limited connections with her ethnicity, as evidenced by her apparent lack of relationships with black individuals, save for one friend at the time, Serena Williams. His lack of acknowledgment of Meghan's actions adds to the narrative's one-sidedness and attempt to reshape historical events to fit the couple's version of the "truth" throughout the book. This one-sided victimhood bias leaves the book susceptible to criticism for not providing a more comprehensive view of Meghan's personal choices and relationships.
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Not having bought "Finding Freedom" or "Spare", I finally broken down and spent the money for the Kindle version of "Endgame". Without a doubt, according to every post on You Tube regarding it, the reviews have been dismal. But most had read the other two so I went ahead and sloched through it. If any of the book should get a 5 star rating, the prolog regarding the author's views surrounding the passing of the Queen, his reaction to the visual of seeing the lying in state of the Queen, etc., I would give him 5 stars for just this because it was "first person" and came across as sincere regarding his feelings at the time. Because the remainder of the book could easily get zero stars, I have given it 1 star for his opening up about the passing of the Queen and how he weathered it personally.
Because I am an American and have no dog in the UK Royalty/Sussex fight, none of the rest of the book meant much to me. We, afterall, went to war in 1776 and won. Royalty is the thing other countries do but we don't. So, truly, the chapters read like Historical Fiction, which I read a lot of. I actually had to remind myself, every now and again, that I was supposedly reading "fact" not "fiction".
Lately I have been in an "I don't really care about this" mode with regard to most of what's in this book. NOW I am totally, 100% sure I no longer care. I'm not buying another book on the subject(s), not watching another You Tube about the subject(s), and hoping the "news" will have a short life span. The whole mess is just stupid.
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Recommended in Stanford Magazine and by Guy Kawasaki.
A very useful book about the growth mindset. Essentially, the book makes a case that those people who look at everything they do in life as a learning opportunity are much more successful.
I think where this comes into play most often is when we face a setback, or a failure. Whether thats getting rejected from something (a job, a team, etc), messing up at work, having your boss yell at you, losing at something, getting laid off, making a bad bet, etc - most of us have many setbacks in our lives. How we deal with those is incredibly important. If we let the setback define us, we might think we aren't talented after all, and lose confidence. If on the other hand, we look at it as something we can learn from, we improve as a person.
I came at the book as it was recommended to me as being good for parents. My daughter is only 1.6 years, but already she is learning fast. The book recommends praising our children's efforts, instead of their results. Telling them they are "amazing", and "smart" is so easy to do, but if you do that their whole lives they won't succeed when they get to the real world. What you want is to encourage a learning attitude. This quote sums it up:
"So what should we say when children complete a task—say, math problems—quickly and perfectly? Should we deny them the praise they have earned? Yes. When this happens, I say, “Whoops. I guess that was too easy. I apologize for wasting your time. Let’s do something you can really learn from!"
Looking at life as a constant challenge is fun. And you can't fail at a personal challenge! Here is a great mental imagery technique the book mentioned when you are doing something you are bad at:
"Picture your brain forming new connections as you meet the challenge and learn. Keep on going."
Another interesting bit was how people at the top of their game can get caught up in a fixed mindset. You see this in sports all the team - the champion team from last year thinks they can cruise through this year, doesn't work hard, and suddenly they are losing a lot. It's so hard to maintain the edge. John Wooden puts it best:
"I believe ability can get you to the top,” says coach John Wooden, “but it takes character to keep you there.… It’s so easy to … begin thinking you can just ‘turn it on’ automatically, without proper preparation. It takes real character to keep working as hard or even harder once you’re there. When you read about an athlete or team that wins over and over and over, remind yourself, ‘More than ability, they have character.'"
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.//
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Great overarching concept, lackluster execution. In Mindset, Professor of Psychology Carol S. Dweck discusses the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. The fixed mindset focuses on immovable measures of achievement and ability, such as the idea that everyone is born with a certain amount of unchangeable intelligence. The growth mindset advocates that everyone can improve themselves in any area of life through hard work. Dweck argues that we should adapt the growth mindset because it aids in parenting, academics, relationships, and more.
As a Psychology major I learned about growth and fixed mindsets in my classes, and it was cool to see Dweck apply the concepts to several different areas, such as sports, marriage, and politics. However, I wish she had done more with her main argument: instead of delving deeper into the psychology behind the mindsets, it felt like she stayed at the surface level of her ideas and applied them to a wide range of interesting yet repetitive anecdotes. She could have connected growth and fixed mindsets to mental health, stereotype threat, feminism, or an assortment of other topics that would have strengthened the thesis of her book.
After 276 pages, I did not feel like I learned anything new. It's not like anything Dweck wrote was wrong or bad, but I could capture her main argument and share it with people just by having them read an article or two, as opposed to this entire book.
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.
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Ця книга про Skunk Works - невелику компанію всередині Lockheed Martin, що славиться унікальним підходом до роботи. Секретний соус - щільна інтеграція інженерів-проектувальників та робочих потужностей. Команда інженерів має мінімальний розмір, але всі інженери - найвищого класу і працюють з мінімумом папірців.
В цілому найбільша цінність книги для мене - стиль і методологія праці інженерів. Гарна історія про будівніцтво літаків U2, Blackbird(мій улюблений літак) та F-117 а також трохи політики - приємний бонус. Також цікаво познайомитись з особистостями Келлі Джонса та Бена Річа, людьми що відкликаются на виклики і ставлять усе на те, в що вірять.
Кілька цитат:
> Over the years we had developed the concept of using existing hardware developed and paid for by other programs to save time and money and reduce the risks of failures in prototype projects.
Не дивлячись на те, що інженери створювали абсолютно нові, революційні літаки - ідеалогія Skunk Work диктувала по максимуму використовувати наявні деталі, які вже протестовані і є в наявності.
> “riot act”—ten basic rules we worked by. A few of them: “There shall be only one object: to get a good airplane built on time.” “Engineers shall always work within a stone’s throw of the airplane being built.” “Any cause for delay shall be immediately reported to C. L. Johnson in writing by the person anticipating the delay.” “Special parts or materials shall be avoided whenever possible. Parts from stock shall be used even at the expense of added weight. Otherwise the chances of delay are too great.”
Правила були записані і кожен їх знав.
>“I’ll teach you all you need to know about running a company in one afternoon, and we’ll both go home early to boot. You don’t need Harvard to teach you that it’s more important to listen than to talk. You can get straight A’s from all your Harvard profs, but you’ll never make the grade unless you are decisive: even a timely wrong decision is better than no decision. The final thing you’ll need to know is don’t half-heartedly wound problems—kill them dead. That’s all there is to it. Now you can run this goddam place. Now, go on home and pour yourself a drink.”
Ще трохи менеджерскої просвіти.
>We became the most successful advanced projects company in the world by hiring talented people, paying them top dollar, and motivating them into believing that they could produce a Mach 3 airplane like the Blackbird a generation or two ahead of anybody else.
>I don’t want to compare the small R & D operations, but they all consist of similar close-knit, can-do, highly technical groups working on advanced and complex problems. They are all self-contained and do not require many people or big budgets,
Про те що, потрібно наймати професіоналів, платити їм добре і не заважати.
І найголовніше:
>“Ben, if I teach you anything, it’s this: don’t build an airplane you don’t believe in. Don’t prostitute yourself for bucks.”
Те чого не вистачає у будь-якій області.
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Think about the SR-71 accomplishment for one moment - a plane that could go between DC and LA in about an hour - as a team of only 70 people built two of the first prototypes, recounted well by their boss here in this book, and what time we're in now.
Before business authors wrote about management frameworks like Andy Grove's style of using OKR's ( Measure What Matters ), and before the acryo-term of BHAG's came into existence ( Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies ), these engineerers, tinkerers, makers - had largely slide rules and drafting paper, and perhaps a good library of books. But no fancy management collaborative software and likely not even a fancy Gantt chart. Just a team with coup d'Espirit making a project happen by sheer the horsepower of what a team can do.
They built things that no longer exist today on technology which isn't even found in 3rd world nations. They bet big on being able to use an IBM 170 for a little while, which is the equivalent of today's pocket scientific calculator - and much harder to use. But much of the time, they didn't even have that.
I'm not a historian nor am I deeply fascinated by military or avionics history. Rather, for those trying to decipher the science of business or of leadership (as of yet, it's still an art), this is a example of doing something monumental without a specific methodology, a framework or even a collaboration technique. It was just getting it done.
What's splendid is a futuristic vision is presented at the end of this book (which isn't that old, this was written in 1994) of jets going hypersonic speeds and solving the challenge of stabilizing hydrogen fuel for combustion-powered engines, that we haven't reached yet. And we have all of this wonderful crap around us, iPhones, streaming movies, work-from-home abilities, simulation and 3D visualization applications available for free.. and where are we? Not that much farther along than 30 years ago when this book was written.
I think anyone who is in a leadership position, in business or in any position in the ladder of building a dream should read this book. It's not too heavy on the technical details and rather more of a look at an organization within Lockheed which, on it's surface, satisfies the thesis in The Innovator's Dilemma: The Revolutionary Book that Will Change the Way You Do Business. This is one of the best books of all time!
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This is a wonderful book, especially if you have a bit of interest in airplanes. Ben Rich was the head of Lockheed's Skunk Works in the late 70's to early 90's, and delivers interesting stories about the development of the U-2 spy plane, the SR-71 Blackbird, stealth technology (including the creation of the F-117), and his admiration for Kelly Johnson. Also included are short passages by other Lockheed employees and military officials, which give a slightly different spin on each given story. The explanations of how Lockheed worked, and Johnson's legendary achievements are related well, and Rich's own accomplishments with stealth are explained well, too. It ends with some suggestions on how to improve the defense acquisitions programs with lessons from Skunk Works (and really, suggestions for companies in general given the right circumstances). Some of them have been tried (such as concurrency with the F-35), but it's hard to say if they have been successful, as Rich makes it clear that one has to do concurrency in a specific way to be successful.
Mostly, though, it is a fun read to see US history through the lens of making amazing planes which were wonders for their time, and still impressive today. If that sounds interesting to you, I think you'll like it. If you don't care about airplanes and airplane technology, you probably will not like it.
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Skunk Works is one of those phrases which sets aviation fans' hearts a-flutter. The secretive engineering team from Burbank was responsible for some of the most incredible planes of all times. The SR-71 was built in the 1960s, and it remains the highest flying, fastest plane in aviation. It's a marvel of engineering built with slide rules.
Ben Rich, the second director of the Skunk Works, writes a fun account of his views on aviation, engineering, and procurement politics. The Skunk Works was an elite brotherhood devoted towards the best in aviation, with rules to minimize management bullshit and keep every engineer within a stone's throw of the production floor. Rich discusses in detail his work on the F-117 stealth fighter, the U-2, and the SR-71, with dips into Navy stealth boats ("never work for the Navy, they don't know what they want and they'll break your heart"), and the red tape of military bureaucracy.
Kelly Johnson stories are another major theme of the book. I've no doubt that Ben Rich is a great engineer, but Johnson, the founder of the Skunk Works, was a legend who won two Collier Trophies and could estimate an aviation problem to 95% accuracy that'd take hours of calculation to prove. Johnson was a genius, but his abrasive personality alienated Air Force generals, who hated a man who built the best planes for the CIA and castigated their procurement efforts as fuck-ups that'd kill pilots and lose wars. The book is lived up by 'other perspective sections', with pilots describing what flying these planes was like, and five or six Secretaries of Defense talking about how vital the planes were to US national security.
Rich also tries to get at the culture of engineering excellence that defined the Skunk Works. As someone with a sideline in organizational studies, this is really hard. How do you know your asshole leader is a real genius and not a cargo-culting lunatic (see Musk, Elon)? It's a difficult challenge, and one not quite clear aside from 'get good people, give them hard but specific goals, and get the hell out their way', but Rich tries. I just wonder what he'd think of Lockheed's latest stealth wonder-blunder, the F-35...
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Despite the Tom Clancy recommendation glaring on the cover of this edition, Skunk Works isn't a bad read. Whatever the writing skills of engineer Rich, cowriter Janos's collaboration with him resulted in an engrossing text. Of course I've long had a special interest in the history of espionage, so the subject-matter went far towards keeping me involved.
The Skunk Works is a part of the Lockhead Corporation, one of the few major contractors for high-tech defense contracts with the U.S. government--a relationship described as "paternalistic socialism". Unlike most corporate divisions, Skunk Works (named for a device in Al Capp's cartoons) operated semi-autonomously from the end of WWII until at least the end of the directorship of the author in 1991. During this period it developed the first military jet, the U-2, the SR-71 and the first stealth jets. Although most of this story is told by the voice of Rich, the book includes short sections from various individuals ranging from test pilots to Defense Secretaries who had meaningful association with the Works and its products.
Pointedly, the book ends with a lengthy section about how to do R&D, especially for defense and intelligence, with optimal accomplishment at minimal cost, using the Skunk Works' history as an example of success contrasted with normal corporate-government contracts as examples of inefficiency and waste.
Interestingly, the authors never once mention Nellis or Groom Lake (home of the fabled Area 51) in their text, although one of the minor contributors does. Instead, they refer to the "secret base" where the U-2 and other hush-hush products were flight tested.
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All I knew about Chuck Yeager when I picked up his autobiography was that he was famous for breaking the sound barrier — that's it. But I was instantly fascinated reading about his life in the Air Force, which spanned several decades, from World War II to Vietnam, and I was especially amused by the stories he told of his tricks and showing off and camaraderie, all of which seemed quite justified given his feats.
Yeager's autobiography covers his entire impressive career as a combat pilot, test pilot and squadron leader. His book could easily be a constant praise of himself and his feats, but his voice is very clear as a young man from West Virginia who really got lucky to be doing all the things he did — plus, the book includes the "other voices" sections with input from others, many of whom say Yeager was the best pilot they ever knew, so I suppose Yeager didn't have to toot his own horn. He was very honest in explaining everything in his life, and there was no spot in which he didn't sound genuine. And somehow, despite his wild antics and strong personality, his superiors usually tended to side with him even when he was in the wrong — because they knew he was too damn good to turn away.
Yeager was one hell of a pilot, and it's unfathomable to imagine some of the complicated flights he had to take, and his insistence of knowing everything on a plane, inside and out. The sound barrier flight was barely a blip in Yeager's extraordinary career, and still it set the stage for so much more in both Air Force flight and, eventually, space flight. One of the most interesting things about this book, to my outsider's mind, was how incremental Yeager's flights and advances were. For me, it seems like history is full of major milestones in air and space flight. But it's obvious, reading Yeager's autobiography, that nothing of the sort happened; it was more like constant testing year after year, painstakingly fixing problems and redoing it hundreds of times over and over again. Even Yeager himself says in the end, he flew about 10,000 test hours in 180 different vehicles. That's impressive.
"My appeal is courage: even those who are not particularly interested in aviation are fascinated by a guy who strapped his fanny inside a dangerous airplane."
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What a cool guy is Chuck Yeager (born 1923)! In the end he logged ten thousand hours flying in 180 different militairy aircraft. He loves flying, hunting and fishing. And he uses every change to do so. In the past and in the present.
A few days ago I finished reading his 'Yeager. An Autobiography' (1985).
He was not one of those guys who knew from the start that he wanted to become a pilot. It happened by accident. He wanted to pull out of guard duty and applied for a 'Flying Sergeant Program'. He got sick the first few flights.
Did he have the right stuff? Answer Chuck (page 407-408):
Ever since Tom Wolfe's book ['The Right Stuff' J.D.] was published, the question I'm asked most often and which always annoys me is whether I think I've got "the right stuff". (...) The question annonys me because it implies that a guy who has "the right stuff" was born that way. I was born with unusually good eyes and coordination. I was mechanically oriented, understood machines easily. My nature was to stay cool in tight spots. Is that "the right stuff"? All I know is I worked my tail off to learn how to fly, and worked hard at it all the way. And in the end, the one big reason why I was better than the average pilot was because I flew more than anybody else. If there is such a thing as "the right stuff" in piloting, then it is experience. The secret to my success was that somehow I always managed to live to fly another day.
Never tired of flying? Answer Chuck (page 421):
Life is as unpredictable as flying in combat. If the day comes when a flight surgeon tells me I can't fly anymore in high-performance jets, I can always sneak out back and fly ultra-lights. Just like when the day dawns that Andy and I can't manage our treks into the Sierra to fish for golden trout - hell, there are still nearby lakes and plenty of rowboats. You do what you can do as long as you can, and when you finally can't, you do the next best thing.
Why was Chuck in the cockpit of the X-1 - the first airplane that would break the soundbarrier in 1947? Answer Albert G. Boyd (page 125):
We had several other outstanding pilots to choose from, but none of them could quite match his skill in a cockpit or his coolness under pressure.
Breaking the sound barrier - on october 14, 1947 - was a let-down (page 164-165):
Suddenly the Mach needle began to fluctuate. It went up to .965 Mach - then tipped right off the scale. I thought I was seeing things! We were flying supersonic! And it was as smooth as a baby's bottom. Grandma could be sitting up there sipping lemonade. I kept the speed off the scale for about twenty seconds, then raised the nose to slow down. I was tunderstruck. After all the anxiety, breaking the sound barrier turned out to be a perfectly paved speedway. (...) Later on, I realized that this mission had to end in a let-down, because the real barrier wasn't in the sky, but in our knowledge and experience of supersonic flight.
In the house of Jacky Cochran (1906-1980) Chuck was always the star of her show. Noone could outrank Chuck there no matter who else was there.
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As soon as seeing the title of this book, people might think that it’s not their cup of tea. Many (who aren’t interested in aeroplanes and engineering) wouldn’t know who Chuck Yeager is. People who know about him don’t know him well — they think that he’s just a man who enjoyed his life by flying expensive toys. Many don’t understand what a legend he is. But, for the ones who know him well, he’s beyond a happy and successful human. He is a role-model. A hero. A man who shed light upon the dark path that led the world to the future of aviation.
People who had escalated themselves to this level of importance would be special people. So is General Chuck Yeager. This book doesn’t only make us realise how special he is. It also makes us understand the making of someone special. The book starts with the stories from Chuck’s notorious childhood that puts a smile on the readers face, while making a point that childhood is the most important part of anyone’s life. Chuck wasn’t an easy child that most parents of today desire to have. He was a real pain in arse. But as we progress into reading about his adulthood, and his early success stories, we begin to realise the fact that the only reason for his swift success is the individualism sculptured by his naughty and rough childhood — totally fearless adventure seeker who’s always thirsty for knowledge.
“The secret of my success is that I always managed to live to fly another day,” says Chuck. Throughout the book, he constantly speaks about the art of staying safe while exploring the limits of man and the machine. In Chuck’s vocabulary: “Being careful while busting arse.”
“Being careful” has a different meaning in Chuck’s dictionary. It just means “being aware” to him. In his life, Chuck Yeager accepted missions that many pilots refused to accept because of fear. The reason for that is, Chuck knew about the machines that he flew more than anyone else. He knew exactly about what they can do, and what they can’t do. He also knew what to do to make them do what he wants to do. He’s the perfect “aeroplane whisperer.” As a reader, while reading these episodes of days as a test pilot, we will realise the fact that nothing other than deep knowledge can propel a man towards success. Sensible work yields more than hard work.
Pages that tell the romantic story between Chuck Yeager and Glennis sound fantastic than most of the films and imaginary novels. Why wouldn’t it be, because it’s a story of a hero meeting an intelligent beauty and falling deeply in love with her — perfect recipe for making butterflies flutter in the heart of the reader. Chuck meets Glennis for the first time in a Gymnasium at Oroville. Glennis was a 18 year old high school graduate working at the gym’s office at that time, and Chuck was a 19 year old Airforce trainee pilot. He went to Glen’s gym to arrange an USO dance event, and this is how the conversation went:
Glennis: “You expect me to whip up a dance and find thirty girls on three hours’ notice?”
Chuck: “No. you’ll only need to come up with twenty-nine, because I want to take you.”
It’s a custom for airforce pilots to choose a name for their aeroplanes. Pilots decorated their aeroplanes by painting those chosen names on the noses of their aeroplanes. Many pilots chose many different names, but Chuck always chose to paint “Glamorous Glenn” in the noses of the aeroplanes that he flew. Kids, that’s how real men do it.
Chuck was a spirited warrior. He loved dogfighting in the skies. He loved his duty in World War 2. He loved his duty in West Germany. He loved his duty in Korea and Vietnam. He never bothered about politics and other stuff. He loved flying, and he did it without questioning. Nothing reflects his attitude more than his days in Pakistan. During the 1971 India-Pakistan war, because of the Cold War and the crazy stir it caused in the global politics, USA and China supported Pakistan, and USSR supported India. As a token of support, USA decided to send Chuck Yeager as an advisor to Pakistani airforce. Chuck admits that he knew nothing about Pakistan or its history or anything. He admits that he didn’t know on whose side the righteousness was. He says, he went to Pakistan looking forward to adventure, and eager to complete the task assigned by his country’s leaders. “You’re not to question why. You’re just to do or die!” — the kind of spirit every nation expects its soldiers to have.
He wasn’t only a spirited warrior. He had the qualities of a great soldier as well. “How he reacts to defeat” is the yardstick that measures the greatness of a soldier. The way he reacted to the Pakistani defeat in the 1971 India-Pakistan war defines his greatness. Indians kicked the Pakistani butts in every humiliating way possible in the 1971 war. Chuck Yeager wasn’t annoyed by this humiliating defeat. Instead, he, throughout the war, was admiring India’s fighting skills. While bombing the Islamabad airport, an Indian Sukhoi Su-7 bomber reduced Chuck Yeager’s personal Beechcraft plane to ashes. He reacts to this humiliating event cooly by saying: “Well, that’s the Indian way of showing Uncle Sam the finger.” He almost said, “Well done, India,” after the war. Admiring the adversary — only great soldiers have this quality. This quality made him become friends with many of India’s finest fighter pilots after the war, when the relationships between India and USA took a turn and started becoming friendly.
The way he dealt with the politics in the Airforce gives us many life lessons. I personally learned: “No matter what the situation is, just tell what is in your mind. What you say might get you enemies. At the same time it will also get you admirers who’ll support you! Speaking your mind gets you people who love you for what you are.”
This autobiography is a great read not only for engineering and aeronautics enthusiasts. It’s a great read for regular recreational readers as well. The story it says is fantastic than many imaginary novels out there. The man it speaks about is a real life hero. The lessons it teaches are worthy. If I ever become a father in future, this book would be in the “must read” list of my kids.
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Chuck Yeager was one of my boyhood heroes, ever since I saw the IMAX movie "Speed" in the summer of 1986 at age 10. It was shortly after seeing that movie that I first read this autobiography, and I was absolutely enthralled to read bout Chuck's exploits such as (1) becoming an ace in a day by downing 5 Me-109s in a single engagement, (2) shooting down an Me-262 German jet fighter while flying a prop-driven P-51D Mustang, and of course, (3) breaking the sound barrier.
Now, reading it 33 years later, this time with the perspective of an adult who served as an Air Force officer in my own right (albeit not as a fighter pilot, as alas my depth perception was the polar opposite of Chuck's), I have an even greater appreciation for both the book and Chuck's exploits, something I'm reminded of every workday during my job at the Pentagon as I view the segment of the 4th floor wall dedicated to General Yeager's accomplishments.
Favorite passages:
--p. 3: "When President Truman presented me with the Collier Trophy in 1948 for breaking the sound barrier, my Dad attended the White House ceremonies, but refused to shake hands with the President. He glowered at Truman, acting like a revival preacher trapped into meeting the pope. s far as Dad was concerned, the first good Democrat had yet to be born." Ha, ha!
p. 322: "The way the best of us fought in Europe so many years ago is how the best of us fought in Korea and Vietnam. World War II may have been the last popular war, but that made no difference to guys who flew balls-out in Korea or up north in Vietnam. Military guys don't get to veto what wars we fight. Once a policy is decided, we are sent to enforce it. Sure, there are some wars that are easier to get behind than others, but for the most part, the guys fighting are only concerned with two things: winning them and staying alive while doing it."
p. 330: "Living to a ripe old age is not an end in itself; the trick is to enjoy the years remaining."
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ;;;
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Chernobyl. 1986.
Aftermath
A woman loved her husband more than life itself, but because he had been to Chernobyl to help in the cleanup, and that, without any protective gear, she watched him slowly die, and in the end his once “beautiful face” became distorted like that of a monster. She kissed his body all over, just as she had always done. She may have cried as she told her story of their life, their love, that is, if she had any tears left to cry.
The men and women mostly all cried, when telling their own stories. Even I wanted to cry, but I held back my tears but felt them in my chest. The story above was the hardest to read. Every story was had its own sorrows and was beautifully written. The narrator spoke in such a way that the stories were mesmerizing, painfully so. I could not put the book down even though I wanted it all to stop. I just needed to know, but I do not know why. And in the end, their tears became myown.
Some people were moved out after the power plant blew up; some stayed. Some of the land was buried, as if that would help. They were supposed to bury the homes, trees, and the animals that they killed, and they did bury them, but they were not to be buried where they found water. They did not listen, nor did they understand the seriousness of it.
Some of the radiated food was fed to the Russian people in other towns: the meat, the milk and cheese, the vegetables and fruit, and other radiated food stuffs. While at other times they went into the villages and shot every cat, dog, chicken, horse, and cow that they could find and buried them all. A man spoke of witnessing these things, how he had watched a black poodle that had been shot, crawl back out of the trench, but they were out of bullets, so they threw him back in and covered him with dirt. The man could not get this out of his head, and never will, just as I will never get it out of my head that the Germans had done the same to the Jews, and how one man had crawled out of a trench and got away. What you read can stick with you for a lifetime.
Another woman stayed in her home in Chernobyl with her cat, but her cat soon disappeared. She fed her neighbor’s dogs and cats, as if their owners would be coming home. She would have anyway. The dogs waited in their yards for the same reason. Then the woman watched them die, one by one. The birds fell dead out of the sky, their bodies lay scattered on the ground. All life under and above ground had soon died as well.
The government sent men in to clean up, but they had no protective gear. They soon died, but maybe it took a few years. How could a country turn its back on its people, not care for them? Well, I am watching it now in America as our leader has turned his back on the people who have contacted or will contact the Corona virus. He even tries to hide the facts, all in the name of power and greed. Russia had done the same. Life means so little to them unless it is their own.
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ;;;
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'''
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The Gold Star and Next of Kin Deceased Personnel Lapel Pins
As the U.S. became involved in other global conflicts, particularly WWII, new organizations and ways to honor Gold Star Family members appeared as the number of grieving military families rose.
In 1945, the Gold Star Wives of America organization was created and in 1947, the Department of Defense (DoD) created the Gold Star Lapel Pin.
A Gold Star lapel pin | Photo credit DVIDS/Kevin Gaddie
The pin, which features a star on a purple circular background, can only be worn by the immediate family of service members killed in combat. In 1973, the DoD created a similar Next of Kin Deceased Personnel Lapel Pin to give to family members of service members who lose their lives while serving, but did not die in combat.
Today, the military continues to issue Gold Star Lapel Pins or Next of Kin Deceased Personnel Lapel pins to spouses, parents and children of fallen members of the military.
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' @mommapanda5736
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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Courtiers provides a historical account of the British monarchy's courtiers, the trusted advisers in the King or Queen's inner circle, from King George VI to the present.
"The courtier is there to guide, to open doors: it is up to the royal whether or they walk through."
Furthermore, a courtier's main job at all times while making decisions and recommendations is to consider the following: "Am I putting at risk the trust the nation places in Her Majesty?" but also, the relationships are complex and "the lines between service and friendship were often blurred."
The prologue begins with Harry being rude to the press, and then it goes back in time to work its way through the courtiers dating from Queen Elizabeth II’s parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, to the present. I found it interesting that each Royal runs their department differently, and it certainly explains why they are rarely on the same page. After reading this account and watching The Crown TV series, I'm begrudgingly liking Charles a bit more, mostly because of his strong work ethic and philanthropic ideas/programs.
About halfway through, I was bored by the content of two chapters, specifically The Golden Triangle (about Scotland voting to become independent from the UK) and Sticking the Knife In (about Christopher Geidt). I was also stunned that Courtiers referred to Harry and Meghan's departure from the Royal family as "Megxit." The use of this term feels rude, unprofessional, disrespectful, and misogynistic since one must assume that Harry and Megan decided TOGETHER to leave the establishment.
If you're a huge fan of the Royals, then I would recommend this book for its very unique stories and viewpoints. Lastly, I was surprised there wasn't more information about William and Kate, especially since they are featured prominently on the cover.
Location: England
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end./
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No better book has been written about flying or the space race. Tom Wolfe has what it takes, the bubbling enthusiasm and critical eye, to write properly about astronauts. The Right Stuff is about endurance, guts, reflexes, a cool head, and giant titanium testicles. It's about going up day after day in high performance jets that are trying their level best to kill you-and statistically will kill 23% of pilots in peacetime-and pushing them to the edge of the envelope and beyond. It's about sitting at home, waiting for a call or a knock on the door, saying that your husband's plane is lost and the man you love is nothing more than charred meat. It's Flying & Drinking and Drinking & Driving and Dicing with Death and doing anything to climb the pure pyramid of macho essence.
Most of us don't live in this world, but Wolfe reconstructs how for a few years in the early 60s, with the mighty and infallible Soviet Chief Designer beating the pants out of the American space program, the Mercury Seven became Cosmic Knights, Single Combat Champions of Truth, Justice, and the American Way, and the entire nation became caught up in the saga of The Right Stuff. Wolfe records the contradictions and absurdities of the fighter pilot lifestyle, and how they became tied up with America and the space race, with the utmost respect and tenderness.
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@ocdman202 Once upon a time there was a girl who fell in love with a boy in high school. The girl knew he was the one and the boy knew she was the one. When the time came, they graduated from high school and spent 4 years apart while the boy endured those years learning how to become an Air Force officer and a future Fighter Pilot at the United States Air Force Academy. The girl stayed behind in their home state of Kentucky going to college until they were married and moved to Wichita Falls, Texas where the boy went to pilot training at Sheppard AFB. The intense and grueling training program began for the boy and he studied and worked until he was at the top of his class. The boy had the choice of his dreams at Drop night when he found out that he would be selected to fly the F-15C. Twenty-four years and a whirlwind of a life later, the boy and girl could say they were pleased and happy.
Yes, that is me and my husband. I had no idea what kind of life we were getting ourselves into with the Air Force but looking back, it’s nothing I could ever have dreamed up. I can honestly say, reading this book, The Right Stuff, that there is truly a type and a mindset and Wolfe gets it 100% right. These men he writes about who were test pilots for the AF, Navy and Marines, were the ones who set the mold and created the category and standardized what a Fighter Pilot was back then and still is today. These guys were putting their lives on the line to test new aircraft on a daily basis. They loved the camaraderie with the other pilots, the shear thrill of taking a jet up and seeing what it could do. Let’s just say that they’d never have been the office type or the salesman. These men were extraordinary. They were cut from a different cloth and that is exactly what Wolfe writes about when he describes what makes them so different and special - these cool guys who seem to have this uniqueness - this Right Stuff.
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ;;
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@ocdman202 Now that aRCHiewel Productions is bankrupt, where will I get my thirty dollar jar of jam or my
diamond encrusted toenail clippers???
The Sussex Faux-Royal Nigeria Tour/trip was punctuated terribly with the news that their charity, Archewell, is now delinquent. The promises they made just days ago in Nigeria can not be fulfilled due to the Sussex charity funds being frozen at this time.
During the trip however, Harry & Meghan gave a number of speeches, all with high levels of cringe, and made several cultural blunders. Nigeria & Invictus got completely lost amid the Meg's self-obsessed compulsive anecdotes as she (& Harold too) highjacked this trip and all the headlines in a hail-mary sort of attempt at salvaging some of Meghan's "popularity".
It's clear this trip's motives were very much for Sussex PR.,,,,
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' '
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Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories That Make Us by Rachel Aviv
Sometimes a book club is all about the text, and sometimes it’s all about what people are bringing to it. This book, which has plenty to discuss between its covers, fell into the latter category when my group discussed it. The book is, loosely, an examination of the mental health industry, and in the opening essay, Aviv, a New Yorker journalist, discloses her own experience being deemed the youngest anorexia patient in America at the age of six—a diagnosis that was partly about a certain kind of medicine, but also about labels and stories, as is so much of the class of care that falls under mental health. Read this one to question the way we interact, categorize, and deal with people whose neurology isn’t quite “normal,” and also to (maybe) learn things about your fellow book club members that you never knew. —
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The film that cemented the image of Tom Cruise donning white briefs and a button-up into our collective pop culture pantheon, Risky Business is a cutting satire, one that dices up the privilege of rich suburban kids and feeds it to audiences with a dose of humor and some ridiculous hijinks. Cruise’s Joel is an overachieving high schooler hell-bent on enjoying his freedom when his wealthy parents leave on holiday. His pursuit of a good time leads to brushes with the city’s criminal underground, including sex workers, pimps, and the seedy company they keep. Despite the very real danger, Joel manages to outmaneuver every predicament, proving if you’re loaded (with money and confidence) escaping consequences really is possible. Tom Hanks reportedly wanted the lead role but, despite some disastrous auditions, Cruise nabbed the part after pestering director Paul Brickman to give him a chance. It’s a good thing too, since the film’s most iconic scene came thanks to the actor—who waxed the floor of Joel’s colonial living room and slid on some socks to guarantee his character’s smooth entrance.
By the way: If the way you remember that iconic dance scene includes Cruise wearing a pair of Ray-Bans, you’re misremembering. A lot of people do it—so many that it’s a prime example of the Mandela Effect.
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@malindaheadlee2470 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ;;;
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The story held the interest until about half-way through,, where the astute reader will have spotted the clue about what it was that separated the star-crossed lovers. Whether or not the author intended the reader to notice I cannot tell; but it does spoil the second half a little. I would call it a structural weakness. There are others.
Firstly, Hemi is introduced as a recently arrived Brit. Mention is occasionally made of his Britishness; but occasional mention is not enough to make him a convincing Brit. He speaks, always, just like the Americans with whom he deals. In 1941, English speech was very different from American speech, and for that matter different from modern English. He ought to have stuck out like a sore thumb, and he doesn't.
Secondly, this is 1941. England has been at war for two years; every able-bodied man, (and single woman), is either in the Forces or engaged in war work. Hemi is in his mid-twenties; so what has he been up to since 1939?
Thirdly, how did he get to America? In 1941 flying the Atlantic was not possible; you had to go by boat. But not from England, because of the U-boats. And not from France, which was under German occupation - and besides, the Normandie was in New York. You could cross by the Southern route, from neutral Spain - but how does Hemi get to Spain? A little basic research should have been undertaken here. Either that, or make Hemi a Canadian.
This book has a rather dark cast. I counted four mothers who died tragically early, three abusive husbands and/or fathers, one seriously weird sister - and, of course, the star-crossed lovers themselves, each prepared to believe the worst of the other.
A glance at the synopses of the author's other books suggests that all have rather similar themes; a pity, because her language is excellent. But I am not tempted.
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ;;;
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ;;;
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She claims her treatment in England was unfair when: she never tried to fit in with the Royal Family, she acted like a spoiled brat from day one, she bullied staff, demanding the family change for her instead of the other way around. She wanted to have her cake and eat it too. She wanted the fame, the money, the adoration, and none of the work.
And when she didn't get what she wanted, she ran away to whine about "racism" to Oprah. It seems like with Meghan, anything and anyone that doesn't kiss her ass is "racist". Give me a break.
Will Harry one day wake up and smell the roses, and realize the absolute mess he has made of his life? How big of a clown he is making himself out to be? The fact that he is now"Just Harry" while his social climing wife demands to be THE Duchess of Sussex, a place she probably could not find on a map of England.
Overall, if you know anything about Meghan and Harry, this book is nothing new. There are no bombshell revelations, mainly confirmation of what has up til now been mostly speculation. But, Tom Bowers has done his homework, and he's brought his receipts. It's well worth a read.
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' '''
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Černobilj: čudovišno (ne)pročita(va)ni znak; bubnjajući zaborav pod tepihom, beskrajno tinjanje katastrofičnosti; pucanje blokova, sovjetski raspad i belorusko utemeljenje; ljudski rasap - nuklearni reaktor je sigurniji od samovara i sijalice, uz mikro-napomenu da njima ne treba da rukovodi čovek; zračenjski retuš proleća u zoni, radioaktivna idila - obeščovečena budućnost nije li to apsolutnost idile?!; i pelen-stvarnost, segregacijski žig (protežan i u smrti!) i život i slatki dom i zacementirana patnja, znatno pre i znatno više od jezičkog (p)odupiranja, metafore i simbola; Černobilj: stvarnosno zbrajalište glasova kojima ne treba poetizacija, stvarnost urasla u metaforu, kadra da od sebe odbije ratnodopski diskurs - ništa apsurdnije od vojske u zoni koja (se) puškama štiti od radijacije - kadra da (u atmosferu) raspršuje paradokse, pregreva u umiranju, sahranjuje zemlju u zemlju, pospe zemlju zvezdama i zvezde zemljom, hijazam pluća i neba, zvezda i žlezda; poostvarenje naučne fantastike: sadašnja budućnost!, uroboros kraja sveta i kamenog doba, ukrštaj progresa i praistorije, tehnologije i metafizike, doticaj lopate i atoma; udivljenje nad čovečije herojskim i podvižničkim (perfektnim biostrojem ekskluzivno sposobnim da se žrtvuje i ne zakaže onde gde robotika omanjuje) i sablažnjenje nad odviše ljudskim (banalnost užasa besvešća, otupelosti i đavola perverznosti: zona je tretirana ljudima baš kao obudovela centrala peskom!);
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The Soviet Union was the worst place for Chernobyl to happen, and for the same reasons that’s why it happened there. The agrarian society suddenly pushed into the atom age, ignorant and stubborn. The corruption, favouring the party line over competence, fixing any problem with a kludge, but via central planning. And the Soviet man ethos of sacrificing oneself on the altar of the country. Russia has always had many souls to spare.
This book is as bad as some of the most horrific apocalyptic/dystopian novels out there. But of course, unless you’re an actual psychopath, you’re not going to get any titillation from it as you would from fictional disaster scenarios.
Alexievich received a Nobel Prize for literature, even though one might ask if she is actually a writer. We don’t read any of her words, only the words of her subjects. She is a collector of oral histories and her artistry lies in selecting, editing and pacing them. And, one could add, her ability to completely remove herself. She doesn’t even fact-check her subjects, not even in footnotes. Whether what they are saying is true or not, it’s their truth and she lets them say it. She doesn’t ease you in, either. She opens with a story of such a level of horror it left me crying on my morning commute. But what did I expect? It’s a story about a nuclear disaster and the Soviet Union.
Not that it gets easier after the first story, it’s all sadness, horror and disaster with occasional glimpses of melancholy and black humour.
There is a story about a man who was one of ‘liquidators’ (part of the Chernobyl clean-up team). When he returned, he binned all his clothes but his little boy loved his dad’s hat, so he let him keep it. The boy wore it all the time and a few years later he died of brain cancer. There are stories of children who talk about death casually, the Chernobyl children - children born to die. There are stories of earnest heroism of the common people and the calculating cynicism of the officials.
It’s a patchwork picture of people fighting an invisible enemy, the kind the Soviet Russia didn’t prepare them for. The kind that is hard to believe, because everything looks the same, the fields, the forests, the sky, their pets and their gardens, and yet it’s all poisoned, and tainted. It has to be left behind.
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This is a moving, often harrowing, oral history of the disaster at Chernobyl in 1986. It begins with the story of the young, pregnant wife of one of the first fire fighters, who responded to the fire at Reactor 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and of his slow, untimely death. This is hard to read, but also extremely humbling. The author allows the words of those who lived, and many who still live, in the affected areas to tell their own story. It is a catalogue of trauma – of lives which were disturbed by events so cataclysmic that the effects rippled around the whole planet.
Imagine that you are sitting at home, browsing through books on the internet, when you are told that you need to leave your home within the next two hours. You can take only a small amount of items with you – one bag. Yet the sun is still shining and the danger is unseen. Would you be happy to go? Would you refuse to leave? Would you realise that, when you closed your front door, you would never return?
Many of the locals affected by Chernobyl left their lives with no idea they would not go back. They abandoned houses, jobs, pets. Once they arrived at their destination, their luggage was taken – often buried. Houses, villages, were left abandoned, or buried in the earth. Yet people did return. One man actually reclaimed his front door – which his family had always laid the bodies of their dead relatives – snatching it in the night and taking it, like a thief, through the woods. Others did return; finding that relatives rejected them or they were tainted by association with the place they came from. Better to face an unseen enemy than to be exposed to constant taunts and fears. Others fled war zones, or racial intolerance, for the relative peace of this deserted area.
This is a tragic book, but an important one. It tells not only of the tragedy of the disaster, but of the aftermath. Of illness, death, birth defects, the loss of loved ones, the way the disaster was not dealt with effectively and of the heroism of those who went in, trustingly, to try to stop the unbelievable being even worse. One man, who worked at the plant, knew his wife and daughter were out and about in the town. Should he call, and warn them, or take the party line and pretend nothing was wrong? He called – then he went home and called everyone he could contact. Undoubtedly, he saved lives, but so many lives were lost and the effects are certainly still affecting so many people today. I found this a hard read, but I could not put it down.
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The first interview is with the widow of one of the firemen who were sent in on the first day. He'd been shoveling radioactive sludge dressed in only jeans and a t-shirt, his skin turned grey over an afternoon, he literally fell apart within days. She caught cancer from sitting at his bedside as he died.
The second interview is with a psychologist who lived through World War II in the Ukraine and still can't find anything that compares to working in the Zone.
The third is with one of the old women who moved back a few years later, lives illegally in her little cottage out in the woods. What else is she supposed to do? The radiation can't be that bad if you can't see it.
The fourth is with a father trying to explain how it feels to bury his daughter, dead from a disease that, officially, cannot exist.
And so on and so on and so on.
Voices From Chernobyl is one of the harshest reportage books I've read. Aleksievich doesn't try for objectivity, for a whole picture, for a rational explanation of the hows and whys and the why nots of what happened on 26 April 1986 outside Pripyat, Ukraine, and the aftermath. The coverups, the reassurances, the suicidal heroism, the disintegration of the USSR along with the people who had to keep on living on radioactive ground. Chernobyl is too big, she argues; its a trauma of mythical proportions, one whose full effect we don't even know yet (certainly not in 1997), it cannot be understood with mere numbers anymore than the Holocaust or the plague can, you need stories. So the book consists of only that; interviews, with Aleksievich's own questions removed, leaving only a chorus of disembodied voices identified only by their first name and a title. Some have enough distance to it to offer their ideas of how it could happen (blame communism, blame decadence, blame deep-rooted Russian fatalism, blame alcohol, blame...), while others cannot look away from their own memories. What it all means to them.
The soldiers who dove, voluntarily, into the cooling tank to vent it manually. Dead now, of course.
The people sent in with orders to find entire cities clean. Who measured lethal radiation in breast milk and could do nothing about it.
The flag they raised over the reactor when the sanitation was supposedly finished, to celebrate the Soviet state's victory.The radiation annihilated it within days. So they raised another one.
A joke: both the Japanese and the US donated experimental remote-controlled robots to be used in the cleanup. The Japanese robot lasted an hour before the radiation fried it. The US robot lasted three hours. The Soviet robot worked for 8 hours, then its commanding officer said "Good work, Private Ivanov, you may take a break." The soldiers were told vodka was good for flushing the radiation out of your system.
The teacher who thought she would be safe by only buying the most expensive food, surely that would be OK... until she found out that the officials had raised the prices on food from contaminated areas to make sure people ate less of that.
The official who realised, to his horror, that the pits they dug to bury the tools and machines they used at the accident site were empty; everything sold on the black market, spread all around the Union, with no way to tell a highly radioactive tractor from a normal one.
The mother, fighting desperately for the life of a daughter born without a lower body; forget walking, she can't even take a dump.
And so on and so on and so on.
It's not the book you should read to get an overview of what happened. It doesn't have any answers, any conclusions, its subjectis too big to do anything but start to outline the questions surrounding a trauma that, argues Aleksievich, hasn't been dealt with yet. 25 years on, 15 years after being written, it's probably in dire need of a sequel. But it is an absolutely bone-chilling documentary.
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A few years ago, I left a copy of Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History out on the table. It was designed as a sort of breadcrumb trail for my teenaged son who didn’t need to read since he already knew everything. I hoped he might be sucked in by the pictures.
A week later my son walked out of his bedroom clutching the book. “Have you read this!?” he was nearly yelling with urgency. “This guy…I can’t believe…shit! I’m telling my English teacher that he needs to make everyone in the class read this book!”
The Chernobyl nuclear disaster needs its Maus if only because so many young people in America have never even heard of it. (I actually asked a bunch.) There’s been documentaries, novels, nonfiction accounts, and even a horror movie, but none carry the gravitas of a really important historical retelling.
Luckily Voices from Chernobyl comes very close.
The author is a journalist from Belarus who won the Nobel Prize in 2015. For this account, she interviewed hundreds of residents, people on the cleanup teams, politicians, scientists, the list goes on. She sets them here as monologues from ordinary people, some horrific, some disjointed, some philosophizing, and some darkly funny.
Many of the passages are almost unbearable to read like this quote from a solider on clean up duty.
We came home. I took off all the clothes that I had worn there and threw them down the trash chute. I gave my cap to my little son. He really wanted it. And he wore it all the time. Two years later they gave him a diagnosis: a tumor in his brain…you can write the rest of this yourself. I don’t want to talk anymore.
In another section a soldier describes killing the household pets left behind in villages that had been evacuated. The animals were radioactive and residents weren’t allowed to take them.
The dogs were waiting for people to come back. They were happy to see us, they ran toward our voices. We shot them in the houses, and the barns, in the yards. They couldn’t understand why are we killing them? They were household pets. They didn’t fear guns or people. They ran toward our voices…
One dog—he was a little black poodle. I still feel sorry for him. We loaded a whole dump truck with them, even filled to the top. We drove them over to the “cemetery.” To be honest it was just a deep hole in the ground even though you’re supposed to dig it in such a way that you can’t reach any ground water, and you’re supposed to insulate it with cellophane. But of course those instructions were violated everywhere….If they weren’t dead, if they were just wounded, they’d start howling, crying. We’re dumping them from the dump truck into the hole, and this little black poodle is trying to climb back out. No one has any bullets left. There’s nothing to finish him with. Not a single bullet. We push him back into the hole and just buried him there. It was just a little household poodle, a spoiled poodle. This one thing stuck in my memory. Twenty guys. Not a single bullet at the end of the day. Not a single one.
Yet, as an American who doesn’t know enough about Chernobyl, I wish the book had contained more historical information. A map would have been helpful, along with an explanation of what exactly happened and an estimate of how many people were affected across what distance. Also, I couldn’t find any structure to the monologues. They blend together with no sense of chronology or related themes, which was hard on my order-seeking brain.
That said, reading this is intense and deeply emotional. I’m thankful to Svetlana Alexievich for putting Voices from Chernobyl into the world because I believe every one of us should know what happened in Pripyat, Ukraine. It should be required reading.
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Το βιβλίο αυτό δεν σηκώνει κριτική. Ποιος να κριτικάρει τη ζωή, τον πόνο, τη δυστυχία και τις αναμνήσεις αυτών των ανθρώπων; Στις εξιστορήσεις τους ανατριχιάζεις...μένεις άφωνος... σοκαρισμένος...
Στο βιβλίο αυτό είδα έναν άνθρωπο που βασιζόμενος στα ψέματα, την προπαγάνδα, την παραπληροφόρηση, την ελλιπή ενημέρωση και πατώντας στο βαθύ πατριωτικό ένστικτο των ανθρώπων και στην τυφλή πίστη τους στο κράτος δε διστάζει να παίξει με αθώες ζωές και να ρισκάρει ακόμα και το μέλλον της αθρωπότητας, απλά και μόνο για να μην αποκαλυφθεί το αποτρόπαιο έγκλημα που έγινε λόγω της αμάθειας και της ανευθυνότητας των εμπλεκόμενων προσώπων και να μη χάσει την εξουσία απο τα χέρια. Να μην εκτεθεί στα μάτια του εχθρού.
Το βιβλίο αυτό για να το διαβάσεις πρέπει να είσαι προετοιμασμένος να γονατίσεις συναισθηματικά. Εγώ δεν ήμουν. Το διάβασα και σε μικρό χρονικό διάστημα απο το ''Άουσβιτς'' του Rees Laurence, οπότε πόση πίστη να σου μείνει για την ανθρωπότητα. Παρ'όλα αυτά το γεγονός αυτό με βοήθησε να καταλάβω πως τελικά δεν είναι θέμα πολιτικών πεποιθήσεων. Και στο Άουσβιτς των Ναζί όπως και στο Τσέρνομπιλ της ΕΣΣΔ αυτός που εξάντλησε την ευφυϊα του στο κακό, η πηγή του κακού, αυτός που δεν υπολόγιζει τίποτα στο πέρασμά του όταν διακυβεύεται ο τίτλος του, το αξίωμά του, ο μισθός του, τα προνόμιά του, οι ωραιές διακοπές με την οικογένειά του, ένα καινούριο αμάξι, μια προαγωγή, το εξοχικό που πάντα ονειρευόταν, είναι πάντα ο ίδιος ο άνθρωπος.
Όπως πολύ σωστά είχα διαβάσει κάπου ''Αν θες να δεις τέρατα μην τα ψάχνεις στο Τσερνομπιλ, ρίξε μια ματιά στον καθρέφτη''.
''Αν αυτό ήταν πόλεμος τότε εγώ τον είχα φανταστεί εντελώς διαφορετικά... Εκρήξεις παντού, βόμβες να σφυρίζουν πάνω άπ'το κεφάλι μου... Έτσι φανταζόμουν τον πόλεμο''
Δεν μπορώ να συλλογιστώ τη φρίκη που ένιωσαν αυτοί οι άνθρωποι όταν ξεριζώθηκαν από τους τόπους τους, χωρίς κανείς να τους εξηγεί το γιατί. Για αυτούς ήταν άλλη μια συνηθισμένη ανοιξιάτικη μέρα, με τον γαλάζιο ουρανό, με τα πράσινα δέντρα, τα λουλούδια, τα πουλιά. Δεν υπήρχε πόλεμος. Ή μάλλον υπήρχε απλώς αυτη τη φορά �� εχθρός ήταν ''άοσμος, αόρατος, άυλος''.
''Γνώριζα πώς να εγκαταλείψω το σπίτι μου, πώς να φύγω με τα παιδιά μου, τι θα έπαιρνα μαζί μου, τι θα έγραφα στη μητέρα μου. Κι όλα αυτά σε μια εποχή που η ζωή κυλούσε ομαλά και η τηλεόραση έπαιζε κωμωδίες''.
Και απ'την άλλη μεριά μια αχτίδα φωτός στο σκοτάδι, το μεγαλείο της αυτοθυσίας των εκατοντάδων χιλιάδων ανθρώπων που με αυταπάρνηση θυσιάστηκαν για το μέλλον της ανθρωπότητας. Μια υπόνοια πως ίσως δικαιούμαστε ακόμα να θεωρούμαστε το πιο εξελιγμένο είδος αυτού του πλανήτη.
Και κάτι ακόμα: όταν συγκρίνουμε το Τσερνομπιλ με τον εξίσου αποτρόπαιο και φρικιαστικό πόλεμο, αφαιρούμε απ'το πρώτο ένα ολόδικό του χαρακτηριστικό. Την ικανότητα του να σκοτώνει σε βάθος χρόνου. Τη στιγμή που όποιος επιστρέφει από έναν πόλεμο ξέρει πώς εφόσον ο πόλεμος έληξε είναι ασφαλής, το ίδιο δεν συμβαίνει με το Τσερνομπιλ που θύματά του βλέπουμε ακόμα και σήμερα και θα βλέπουμε για πολύ καιρό ακόμη.
Θέλω να παραθέσω λίγα ακόμα αποσπάσματα από αυτό το βιβλίο:
''Δεν είναι δύσκολο να κατασκευάσεις ένα καλύτερο και πιο άνετο σπίτι, αλλά είναι αδύνατο να μεταφέρεις σ'ένα νέο τόπο το σύμπαν που έχασαν. Αυτοί οι άνθρωποι ήταν δεμένοι με τη γη τους. Η απομάκρυνσή τους απ'αυτή ήταν ένα βίαιο ψυχολογικό χτύπημα. Κάθε δεσμός τους με μια παράδοση αιώνων έσπασε σε μια νύχτα, ένας ολόκληρος κόσμος χάθηκε στο άγνωστο.... Κανείς δεν έχει τον τρόπο να εγκαταστήσει αυτούς τους αθρώπους σ'ένα μέλλον που δεν τους ανήκει''.
''Το Τσερνομπιλ είναι το μαύρο κουτί της ανθρωπότητας, αυτό που περιέχει την αφήγηση της καταστροφής. Ως εκ τούτου η μαρτυρία των θυμάτων του είναι η μόνη πυξίδα για να αποτρέψουμε την επανάληψή της. Καθώς η μόνη ηθική που μπορεί να μεταφέρει το φορτίο μιας τέτοιας προσπάθειας είναι η ηθική ιερότητα ετούτων των θυμάτων''.
''Είμαστε σαν τα μαύτα κουτιά που έχουν τα αεροπλάνα στο πιλοτήριό τους... Αυτά που καταγράφουν τι συμβαίνει σε κάθε πτήση. Εμείς νομίζουμε ότι ζούμε, ότι μιλάμε, περπατάμε, τρώμε... Νομίζουμε ότι κάνουμε έρωτα...Στην πραγματικότητα όμως καταγράφουμε πληροφορίες για την ανθρωπότητα''
Και μια συγκλονιστική μαρτυρία ενός παιδιού:
''Η γιαγιά γονατιστή μας έλεγε: Προσευχηθείτε! Ήρθε το τέλος του κόσμου. Ο Θεός μας τιμωρεί για τις αμαρτίες μας.
Ο αδελφός μου ήταν οκτώ χρονών και εγώ έξι. Θυμηθήκαμε τις αμαρτίες μας: αυτός είχε σπάσει ένα βάζο με μαρμελάδα βατόμουρο... Κι εγώ δεν είχα πει στη μαμά μου πως είχα σκίσει το καινούριο μου φόρεμα............''
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Napoleon was to a great degree self educated. His idols from youth were Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great. This would not distinguish him from many other boys, but his phenomenal talent on the battlefield made him one of a kind.
I cannot understand how in a time before airplanes and instant communication a general could have any idea what tens of thousands of troops were doing and where they were doing it let alone command them in a timely enough manner to counter, even to anticipate what the enemy was doing. It all relied on finding some high ground for an overlook, even if it were only a church tower, and to send and receive messengers on horseback. This could not be done effectively if the commander were away from the scene, nor could a commander have the respect of his troops were he not seen in action.
Napoleon was heedless of danger. He had horses killed under him and he regularly saw people at his side wounded or killed, on occasion being dismembered or disemboweled in the act of taking his orders. If any environment could bring on post traumatic stress disorder, this would be the one yet he functioned effectively for many years in it, and after, never suffering more than a grazing wound.
His ability as a commander is legendary. The British general, Wellington, who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo, remarked that in battle he would rather hear that tens of thousands of enemy reinforcements had arrived than that Napoleon had come to direct the fight. Andrew Roberts relates how Napoleon achieved this fame.
Consider his qualities.
He had a compartmentalized mind that could put everything else aside for the subject at hand. He had a phenomenal memory and a love of detail, particularly helpful on the topography of battlegrounds. He was never emotional in action, remaining cool and collected even when it seemed that everything was going wrong. He did not hesitate to use the lives of his troops as a tool when a costly maneuver was called for (as did Grant in the American Civil War). He continually asked himself "what if" questions. What if another army appears on my left? What is my plan Y and Z if my plan X is not successful? He was incessantly active, never taking a break. He had a sense of humor even under the worst conditions. He verbally encouraged his officers and men and accepted even their negative comments to him without the least resentment. He would not tolerate incompetence and he rewarded bravery and initiative. He had no vanity on the battlefield, dressed without ostentation with no care for a chest bedecked with ribbons or signs of rank. He routinely interacted with his men, asking them how they were doing, what they needed, and responded by seeing that they were taken care of. His speeches before battle were electrifying. No one could complain that he thought he always had the right idea, because time and again he had proven that he did.
In addition to all of this, he was trustworthy and pleasant to be with, knowledgeable on many topics that would engage intellectuals. He earned the devotion so many felt for him who saw him regularly if not daily. War was an adventure that made life vivid and demanding. He was not vindictive, even to the point of trusting some, like his foreign minister, Tallyrand, that he should not have trusted. Only his family members would have reason to complain of him ordering their lives.
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Throughout the pages of history, one will find that there are stories of individuals who leave indelible marks on the world; these people had capabilities and skills that surpassed those of their time, and they are revered even today. To my mind, I think of generals like Alexander, Cesar, Frederick the Great, or I think of men like Washington, but this list wouldn’t be complete without Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon Bonaparte truly deserves to belong in the pantheon of great generals, but not even this, he deserves recognition for his political, and social prowess that was just as truly exceptional. He was a man who possessed a wealth of knowledge that was truly impressive, a man of action, a man with unbounded charisma , and a man who deserves to be looked at in a more positive light.
For so long, we have seen and heard this idea that Napoleon was a precursor to the 20th century totalitarian dictator, and he has been compared to Adolf Hitler, the bloodthirsty maniac of the 20th century. Napoleon was a man of the enlightenment, who pushed fourth enlightenement values, and created a lot of reforms that benefited Europe immensely. Napoleon was not a racist, genocidal maniac, and unlike Hitler, Napoleon Bonaparte will be remembered in a positive way lightyears from now.
Yes, Napoleon was flawed as an individual, but aren’t we all? That shouldn’t stop us from examining and admiring his many talents, and viewing him not as a monsterous madman but as an innovator and a visionary. His few criticisms I have are that he put his siblings in charge of various European countries, and when he invaded Russia, he had the chance to get support from the populace by calling for abolishment of serfdom, on top of him not really using Marshal Davout effectively in the sixth and seventh coalitions. I will say his stubbornness did sometimes muddle his chances of success later on, but then again, looking at the bigger picture, it doesn’t detract from his skill and abilities.
This is the view that Andrew Robert’s presented in his book, and it is one that for the most part I can agree with.
Before this, I had never really read anything on Napoleon, and I was really apprehensive about picking this book up. I’ve always been interested in the Napoleonic wars and Napoleon himself, and I’ve always wanted to get an understanding of his life, his campaigns, and what exactly it was he left the world as a legacy?
Another one of the reasons I’ve been interested in the napoleonic wars is because so many generals from the American Civil War tried fashioning themselves after Napoleon, and at West Point they studied his campaigns a great deal, I wanted to see if I could find instances where I could find a comparison between Napoleon and someone like Robert E Lee or Stonewall Jackson PGT Beauregard, or George Thomas. I have to say, I found quite a few instances where I could see Napoleons strategy and tactics being used in the ACW.
I found out so much from this book, and I have to say that it was worth reading. It has started me down a rabbit hole of studying the Napoleonic Wars
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The one thing the Russians could count on was that the winter would prove to be their best defense. They could lose all the battles, and they generally historically did, but the cold would destroy their enemies.
By the time Napoleon extracted his men from Russia, he had left over 500,000 of them as frozen corpses behind him. France was weary of war, and this defeat truly showed his vulnerabilities. He was no longer seen as invincible. In his conquests for the edification of France Bonaparte, he was a burden France was not able or willing to bear any longer.
Sensing correctly that the timing was right, a massive coalition of European powers attacked, and despite a series of losses inflicted upon them, due to sheer numbers, they steadily pushed Napoleon’s dwindling forces back to Paris. Now as defeat seemed eminent, French generals started defecting to the Coalition, but this might have been Napoleon at his best. He was outnumbered and outgunned and was still managing to find ways to win battles. Strictly from a historical perspective, I do wonder, if France hadn’t turned against against him, what would have happened if he had managed to keep finding ways to win?
Napoleon abdicated and accepted exile to Elba, but it was a short lived stay. Most men would have been content with their place in history. They would write a few books, enjoy the company of fawning women, drink too much wine, tell outrageous stories of their conquests to groups of adoring fans, become corpulent, and dream about how close they came to world domination.
But then few men were Napoleon.
Napoleon escaped, raised an army, and made one more attempt to win back all that he had lost. The fascinating thing was that he was even able to make a comeback at all. Given the mental state of the French at this stage, they would have to be insane to let this “madman” have another army.
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Napoleon Bonaparte may never have stalked so largely through the pages of early 19th century history if not for the French Revolution. He almost didn’t survive it. He was even arrested at one point by the counter-revolutionists as a collaborator with Robespierre, which even for a man of Napoleon’s self-assurance must have been a moment of uncertainty. The trials of this period were mere shams, so regardless of your level of guilt or innocence, it was hard to gauge what would be your fate. I was not surprised, of course, that he did reassure his captors and was liberated. In the military he benefited from the mass retirements of many overaged commanders that helped clear the way for his ascension. Timing is everything, as they say, and certainly, Napoleon picked a good time for a man to be alive who had aspirations to be the next Julius Caesar or Alexander the Great.
Napoleon proved himself more than adept on the battlefield, even as a second lieutenant, and rose quickly through the ranks. Being successful in the military was not enough for him. With the annihilation of most of the powerful men in France, who lost their heads to the guillotine, yet again another power vacuum created an audacious opportunity for the young Napoleon. Fresh off recent military victories, he used that success to propel himself to the forefront of an audacious coup d'etat that put him in the First Consul’s chair at the tender age of 30.
Obviously, he was a man who, by the force of his personality, convinced everyone around him of his capabilities. The consulship was supposed to be a single term, but when the time came for the position to switch to someone else, Napoleon remained. The administration was disguised as a republican government, but in reality, it was a dictatorship. The men around him, forming this new government, were older and more experienced than he was, but they ended up deferring to Napoleon’s wants and desires, and by doing so let the last line of defense against his attainment of complete power crumble without a fight. I don’t know if I was more amazed or baffled at this revelation.
Napoleon declared himself emperor for life in 1804.
He certainly did not win all of his battles, but he won many of them in spectacular fashion. His tactics and the outcomes of his battles still continue to be studied today. When people run simulations of his final defeat at Waterloo, they show the French winning. So why did he lose? The better question to ask is, Why did he win all those other battles? Yes, there were brilliant military decisions made, but what really made the difference was the speed with which he implemented those tactics. At Waterloo, his brilliantly developed battle plan was circumvented by sluggish responses to his commands. The command structure was not as well oiled as it had been before his abdication. It seems to me that Napoleon might have lost some of his edge as well. Long before the Prussians arrived to break his flank, he had ample opportunity to rout the Austrians and the British.
So, did Wellington defeat Napoleon, or did Napoleon defeat himself? I’d say both, which is usually the case of most battles. One side makes critical errors, and the other side capitalizes on those mistakes. The Duke of Wellington on hearing about the death of Napoleon said: ”Now I may say I am the most successful general alive.” Long before Waterloo, Wellington had proven himself one of the greatest generals of that age, or really any age. Was he being modest, or was he quite possibly one of the best qualified men who faced Napoleon to recognize his genius?
An odd little tidbit about Wellington that I found amusing was that he slept with two of Napoleon’s mistresses.
As close as one can come to sleeping with the man himself. shiver
In my opinion, the Russian campaign should have been the end of his rule as Emperor, and in many ways it was. The constant wars had weakened not only his army but France as well. In 1812, he decided to invade Russia with a massive army. He pushed the Russians back at the heavy cost of men and supplies and captured Moscow, only to watch the Russians burn their own city. There were lots of tactical decisions for burning Moscow to keep the French from using the city to supply their army, but when I thought about the long term cost to the Russian people, it left me shaking my head.
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The Peloponnesian War pitted Athens and her empire against Sparta, Thebes, Syracuse, Corinth, and various other city states. Lasting 27 years (431-404 BC), it was, as VDH points out in the title, like no war before it. It was not short, or honorable, and lacked the moral clarity of previous conflicts. It was fought because fear and a desire for hegemony blotted out all over motives. Because this type of war was a new war, VDH walks us through specifically how it was fought. Sieges, hoplite warfare, trireme battles at sea, the necessity of horses, etc. We see the war from the ground, as if we stood in rank with the Mantineans as they marched to annihilation against Sparta's red-cloaked professionals in 418, or rowed in a trireme in Syracuse's Great Harbor as Athen's mission in Sicily was shattered in 413.
We meet many unforgettable characters, such as Pericles, Archidamus, Cleon, Nicias, Lysander, Demosthenes, Socrates (yes, that Socrates), and Alcibiades. Some were honorable men, while others were scoundrels and megalomaniacal killers.
Something that VDH does very well is placing this conflict in the greater scope of the story of ancient Greece. This conflict lies almost directly in the middle of the Persian wars of 490,480-79, and the Macedonian invasion of Greece in the 330s. How the former impacted the Peloponnesian War, and how the Peloponnesian War impacted the latter are critical details. Also, it has long been presumed that the Peloponnesian War marked the end of the Greek "Great Century," but when one looks at the excellent drama that was produced directly because of the war, how Platonic thought was influenced both by Socrate's and Plato's lives during the conflict, and how Thucydides's narrative was produced (as well as Xenophon's additions, as Thucydides narratives stops in 411), and finally when one examines the resurgence of culture in Athens following their defeat in 404, one must ask: would much of Greek history and the arts even exist without this war? It is not quite a counterfactual, but something that must be considered. I won't even get into the rise of Theban democracy--ultimately stemming from the war--that eventually dismantled a tyrannical Spartan state within 40 years.
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.
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There is a certain romanticism I associate with any quest to push the limits of what is possible. Skunkworks is a living embodiment of that very quest - it is a subdivision of Lockheed Martin dedicated to building experimental aircraft designed to push the envelope in so many different arenas, whether it be speed, stealth, agility, or so many other important attributes in military aircraft.
Ben Rich, who worked for Skunkworks for several decades (and eventually led it), takes us through 3 of the organisation's major triumphs and the history associated with these aircraft.
We start with the F117A a.k.a the Nighthawk, which was designed to be a stealth bomber with the radar cross-section of a ball-bearing! He walks us through the challenges he faced getting the Air Force to see the strategic value of the Nighthawk as the head of Skunkworks and nicely weaves in accounts from pilots who ended up flying this legendary bomber.
Next, the infamous U2 - the spy plane Gary Powers was shot down in while flying over the USSR. This was Rich’s first real project with Skunkworks, so it was a fascinating contrast to his higher level involvement with the development of the Nighthawk.
Finally, Rich wraps up with what I spent most of the book waiting for - the SR-71 Blackbird. This engineering triumph gets the rightful amount of attention it deserves in the book, with the almost insurmountable challenges faced during its gestation laid bare, declassified after decades. The final product (produced in the 1960s!) remains the fastest air breathing manned plane in the world, with a top speed of Mach 3.3. Rich’s account of the Blackbird’s birth and deployment nicely complement Brian Schul’s Sled Driver: Flying the World's Fastest Jet which was largely a pilot’s account of his time flying this legendary plane.
On the whole, a must read for anyone interested in experimental aircraft or the history of aviation. I think those with engineering backgrounds would particularly enjoy this book - they would probably understand and appreciate the finer details discussed about the design of these planes more than this reader was able to.
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.''
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.//
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end./
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'''
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.
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You don't need to look further than the first page of this book to realize what it's about. The whole thing starts with a photo of Scobie's press passes from covering royal events - from Queen Elizabeth II's funeral to the groundbreaking and historical event that was the premiere of the live-action Lion King movie.
What follows is what can only be described as a petty revenge from a journalist who went from being in the front row of one of the most famous institutions in the world to being relegated to Sussex cheerleader because he "chose the wrong side", according to one of the palace courtiers he gleefully trashes throughout the book.
Although a lot of what he says will be hailed as brave (Scobie himself believes he is brave because he "knows and shares too much", while others are forced to say nice things about the Royal Family in order to maintain their access), the truth is "Endgame" reads more like a teenager's burn book than anything else. Charles is a "stubborn eccentric" who would have preferred a "life as Queen Camilla's tampon" and is "jealous of Harry's popularity". Camilla is "a chain-smoking adulteress who made Diana's life hell". William has a "fiery temper" and his calm public persona is only a facade, he cares more about the throne than he does his own brother and he is a lazy sod who may or may not have had an affair. As for Catherine (who he stubbornly refers to as Kate Middleton throughout the book because apparently he knows people who say she doesn't mind being called that), she is only a "shiny ornament" and a "Stepford wife" who never gets criticized because she always looks so perfect. Also nobody cares about the work she does, because she doesn't really do anything.
Apparently the only good people in the House of Windsor are Harry and Meghan, who Scobie describes with the same fervor a BTS fan describes any member of the group. They were single handedly on their way to save the monarchy because they were so modern, and kind, and hardworking. Meghan was just as shiny an ornament as Kate was, but, unlike her sister-in-law, she also has "leadership skills" and was very good at speaking in public and she was diverse and looked like most people in the Commonwealth. They were so hot and so good, that the others got so jealous and were mean to them.
Honestly, it's exhausting. In one chapter Scobie is criticizing Charles because he "meddled in politics" and the Royal Family is supposed to be a neutral institution with no public opinions of any kind, but in another he is criticizing the family for not speaking out publicly against the supposed racism Meghan suffered. Which is is it? He also claims to be a feminist, but the way he describes women in this book is appalling.
Scobie claims the monarchy is a dying institution, and I'm not arguing with that. There's a myriad of reasons why the monarchy is on its way out, but I'm pretty sure it won't be because the current King had a temper tantrum over a pen.
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irst of all I got this book from the library, so that is why I am not a "verified" reviewer. I checked out the book instead of buying it, because I expected it to be filled with lies. I was certainly correct in that assumption.
However as much as I was expecting a bad book. Nothing could prepare me for the crazed misogyny in the book. I don't know Scobie's problems with women. But he comes off as the most sexist author I've ever read. It is as if Andrew Tate, Andrew Dice Clay and Harvey Weinstein collaborated on this book.
Except for his beloved Markle, every woman in the Royal family is attacked in this mean girl's burn book. The late Queen, the current Queen, The Duchess of Edinburgh and of course most of all Catherine, The Princess of Wales. Scobie attacks the "laziness" of the Princess of Wales. If the Princess of Wales is lazy, then every mom in the world is lazy.
The Princess of Wales is a full time mom. She worked less hours as a Royal when her very young children were not in school. She has not sent her children off to boarding school, so she balances work life and home life. Scobie attacks her for this. He attacks the Princess of Wales for loving her children and he attacks Queen Camilla for loving her husband. I get the distinct impression that Scobie hates all women, especially those who put their families first above all else.
If you enjoy this book, I can only assume you share the author's misogyny and how disgusting of you. This is not a thought out, well researched, unbiased book. This is a jr. high, mean girl's burn book. Scobie hates women. That's the whole point, the entire point of this hate filled screed.
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Since its somewhat confused beginnings in November 1775 when the Second Continental Congress almost absentmindedly authorized two battalions of American marines, the U.S. Marine Corps has participated in all the nation's wars from the American Revolution through Desert Storm. This compact yet complete study focuses on the big wars but never slights events in between: the little wars, campaigns, punitive expeditions, showings of the flag, protection of American lives and property, and humanitarian missions that help define the corps. Nor does the author neglect the intermittent but never-ending fight for the corps's survival at home where it faces periodic challenges from Army, Navy, Air Force, and on occasion, unfriendly presidents. This third edition brings the popular and accessible history fully up to date. Because the previous edition left off at 1975, new chapters have been added to cover the tumultuous events of the last quarter-century, including Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, the Persian Gulf, Bangladesh, Somalia, and Haiti. Other chapters have been revised in light of new scholarship.
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@mommapanda5736 You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse
Jen McDonald
"If the military wanted you to have a spouse, they would have issued you one." -Uncle Sam
When you marry a military member, your life is suddenly no longer your own. You not only marry the one you love, but also a whole new way of life—one filled with separations, moves, deployments, and other challenges.
How to cope with this ever-changing life? Jen McDonald is right there with you. For three decades as a military spouse, she was in the trenches of this unique military world and carved out her own rewarding life, all while moving around the globe and raising four children.
In You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse, Jen offers a helping hand and a whisper of "You've got this!" as you make your own way. She celebrates the great moments with you, commiserates when it's not so easy, and points you to hard-won wisdom and helpful resources. Most of all, she reminds you that you're not alone on this military spouse journey.
Each of the 30 daily readings is written from the perspective of faith. In her warm, authentic style, Jen offers practical tips (“Basic Training for Spouses”), related Scripture, and journal prompts for further reflection. Whether it's a deployment, move, or raising military kids, you’ll find real-life inspiration and hope from someone who's been there.
Since its first publication in 2016, You Are Not Alone has resonated with military spouses, both new and experienced, and ranked as a bestseller in the Military Family and Christian Devotionals category.
What Others Are Saying
"Jen McDonald's words often bring tears and laughter of reliability within the same sentence. For years, she has been delighting audiences with the knowledge that they are not alone on this journey. Once again, she does it here."
- Kate Dolack, former Editor-in-Chief, Military Spouse Magazine
“It is not often that a book can reach the new military spouse as well as ones like myself whose spouses are nearing retirement, but You Are Not Alone has done just that. The author does a fantastic job of drawing you in with very transparent examples of her journey, has you ask yourself how you can grow or change, and closes with relevant Scripture and a thoughtful prayer.
This would have been great as a brand-new Army wife, and yet here is EXACTLY what I needed as the looming retirement has me feeling unstable. You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse is exactly that—an amazing encouragement grounded in experience, wisdom, and Scripture. I will be buying this for friends in all seasons of life.”
- Tara Howes, Army spouse and co-host of Military Life Radio
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What's the best way to treat mold and mildew?
When dealing with mold and mildew, safety should be a priority. Wear protective gear such as gloves, goggles, and a mask to avoid inhaling spores. For small, surface-level infestations, a solution of water and detergent will often do the trick. However, larger or persistent growth may require professional remediation.
To safely remove mold on your own, Parnell recommends the following:
Put on rubber gloves and N95 masks to protect skin and lungs from mold.
To clean mold, use sodium percarbonate, a non-toxic, oxygen-based bleach such as Humble Suds Illuminate.
Dissolve 1.5 Tbsp. per 16 oz. in hot water in a spray bottle. Remove the spray nozzle every so often to let any air out of the bottle so pressure does not build up, and do not leave the sprayer on the bottle.
Spray the area you are trying to treat and leave it for 30 minutes. Spray it again with hot water and scrub with a sponge. Rinse. Check areas to ensure mold has been removed. If not, repeat or try the cleaning paste below.
For grout, mix sodium percarbonate with a store-bought cleaning paste or make your own paste blending sodium percarbonate, baking soda, and hot water. Scrub with a small brush, let it sit and then rinse.
Do NOT mix sodium percarbonate with bleach, ammonia, or any other chemical agents.
By understanding the nature of mold and mildew and taking proactive measures to address them, you can ensure a healthier and safer environment for you and your family.
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.
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t was truly sickening to hear about their trip to South Africa, where Meghan was supposed to be addressing impoverished, oppressed women. Women who have actually been oppressed to the point where they’re homeless, terminally or chronically ill, starving, abused, etc. – ending up this way after some major trauma was inflicted upon them by the men of their country. Yet Meghan used the backdrop of this poor African village (styled and outfitted in a $20,000+ designer dress, no less) to apparently link the problems within her own life to those of the population she was addressing.
Your royal servants speak out when you treat them like dogs, and Kate Middleton was apparently “mean” to you and didn’t show you around like you expected her to (even though she had just gone through an incredible difficult pregnancy and was known to have been bedridden during that time). Hardly the same thing as being beaten, raped, or killed for speaking out against your oppressor. It's absurd.
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@ocdman202 Can people honestly say they believe Meghan, when she says she’s faced with the same kind of racism as dark-skinned black women are?! Oh, her tantrums over not being able to accept free designer goods from fashion houses such as Chanel, Dior, Celine while serving in her official royal capacity, and having to walk behind Kate instead of BESIDE her – those aren’t merely complaints made by an entitled brat who thought marrying a prince would buy her adoration and everything she ever wanted. Nope. They’re legitimate claims of targeted racism. Never mind that Kate never accepted any gifts, or that the order in which they walk has been a matter of royal protocol for centuries. Meghan is the new face after all, and the British public want to meet the latest member of the royal family (at least, in her mind - and likely hers alone).
Harry complains about being the “spare heir” and even has a book by the name being released in January. Maybe he was a bit unhappy with life before Meghan came along, feeling lost as to his purpose within it, especially when so much attention was being given to his older brother. Oddly enough, it wasn’t until Meghan and he were together that he decided it would be a fantastic idea to slander his entire family in front of the entire world. That’s the kind of stuff any classy family should keep private – so I can only imagine what a horrific nightmare all of this egotistical whining has created for Harry’s family, who have, until now, mastered the art of keeping things private.
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.//
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ''''
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@ingridpaluzzi4524 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'''
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ;;
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@ocdman202 Do they deserve each other? Oh yes for sure, its actually scary how identical they are....I keep getting stronger and stronger Wallis and Edward vibes the more this soap opera advances.
This will end one of two ways I believe - eternal happiness because he's why she's famous, and she will never let go of that fame, or a spectacular divorce followed by a 50/50 asset split...Bless those California divorce laws....and a very bitter custody battle with few chances of him succeeding, I think.
Why is this book different? For starters it is, blessedly in my opinion, devoid of any sensational language and "histerical tone", it simply picks up the thread of how it all began and brings it almost to present day. I for one being ignorant of several details have to say thanks for such a detailed timeline, since it puts the pieces together from all those lurid headlines we've been bombarded with and, with a lot (seriously A LOT) left unsaid, it confirms pretty much my own personal (and interely irrelevant) opinion.
Bower is extremely careful in his language, in how he describes both of them, and even on ocasion makes a point of showing positives actions that they took, to then surgically pinpoint all the flaws and inconsistencies, not through insults but through facts with dates, names, places and testimonies.
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ''''';
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A rich history of Lockheed's Skunk Works told from the perspective of Ben Rich, former head of the operation. Every chapter covers an interesting section of the program's history centered on a project (the F-117, the U-2, the SR-71, etc.).
Each section provides a fascinating view on the process of developing and selling military aircraft and equipment. Readers will absorb a breadth of knowledge from manufacturing issues and troubleshooting, managerial efficiency, and the often political process of getting contracts.
Chapters also include interesting contributions from government officials and pilots which provide observations and anectodes ranging from insightful to amusing.
The trials and achievements of Skunk Works were exciting to read about, I easily read the book cover to cover.
The last chapters are particularly interesting as they reveal the author's experience with the troubling nature of how the military procures new projects and contracts - including the egos, self-interest, and corporate politics involved.
Those reflections as well as Ben Rich's final ruminations on the military-industrial complex were quite interesting - with many of his points proving at least somewhat prescient, especially when compared with the F-35, Lockheed's most recent project. We won't know for sure for decades, but it's hard not to think that some of the book's final points went unheeded in regards to recent controversies (for example, concurrency in manufacturing, p.332).
Overall, this is a super interesting book mixing military, engineering, and personal history. I highly recommend it.
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For anyone who likes aviation, Chuck Yeager has a ton of insight and the book practically bursts with adventure stories. Yeager the pilot was in the right place in the right time, with the right skills and training, to become a bad-ass and make his mark on the world. I understand that his personality, ach-hem, is less than gentlemanly, but what does that matter, since his airmanship is so impeccable? The man was brave, and the death-defying stunts depicted in his test-pilot chapters boggles the mind. He'll pepper the stories with spot-on (or so it seems) analysis of why such-and-such pilot was able to save himself from a hellish, scorched death followed by bluntforce trauma, when so-and-so unfortunately "augured in" and had an air force base named after him (an honor no pilot in Yeager's day was foolish enough to want, since those props were given out solely to the fallen). Chuck Yaeger invented the language of flying, and for that, I'm grateful to him. It's beautiful, in its "cool clipped jargon of aviation" way (that's a reference to the sad events of September 11th, 2001, incidentally). And it's southern-tinged and blunt, just like Chuck Yaeger.
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This book moved me. From General Yeager's humble West Virginia upbringing to getting shot down in WW2 & evading the Germans, breaking the speed barrier, helping train NASA pilots, fighting in Vietnam and his UNREAL wife raising the family. It really is a must-read. Oh wait, he is still living too!!
#LIVINGLEGEND
"He was, without question, the best pilot this country ever produced" Dick Frost
"If you love the hell out of what you're doing, you're usually pretty good at it, and you wind up making your own breaks. Other than being forced by circumstances to live apart from Glennis, I was happy as I ever was... Rank didn't mean a whole helluva lot, except that I needed more money. If they had decided to make me a general, my first question would've been: Do general get to fly? I wasn't a deep sophisticated person, but I lived by a basic principle: I did only what I enjoyed. I wouldn't let anyone derail me by promises of power or money into doing things that weren't interesting to me.
That kept me real and honest." Gen. Chuck Yeager
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Now that aRCHiewel Productions is bankrupt, where will I get my thirty dollar jar of jam or my
diamond encrusted toenail clippers???
The Sussex Faux-Royal Nigeria Tour/trip was punctuated terribly with the news that their charity, Archewell, is now delinquent. The promises they made just days ago in Nigeria can not be fulfilled due to the Sussex charity funds being frozen at this time.
During the trip however, Harry & Meghan gave a number of speeches, all with high levels of cringe, and made several cultural blunders. Nigeria & Invictus got completely lost amid the Meg's self-obsessed compulsive anecdotes as she (& Harold too) highjacked this trip and all the headlines in a hail-mary sort of attempt at salvaging some of Meghan's "popularity".
It's clear this trip's motives were very much for Sussex PR.,,,,
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ;;
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'''
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Personal Review of "Failure is Not an Option"
This fantastic book outlines the major milestones of the American Space Program and the author, Gene Kranz, describes what it was like before the first rockets have ever flown at NASA and the administration's legacy from Skylab and beyond. The balls, courage, and in-the-moment decision making was not just apparent in the astronauts, but also instilled in everyone sitting behind every Mission Control console, wether in Huston or at the Cape.
The book is not only a personal account inside some organization but details some of the most historical moments not just in American but in human achievement and exploration especially under the most adverse conditions possible. This was definitely apparent in training the Apollo 1 crew when Kranz accounts, "Nothing could be done for the crew... [we need] to protect the living and keep moving forward. Death had come to the Space Program in the most unimaginable way possible" (Kranz 199). The people of NASA were continuously put under the tightest constraints ever seen in aerospace engineering where technological progress was just barely enough to simply get the mission done; the rockets were borderline "a flying-coffin"(199). In fact just a week before John Glenn flew to space, the type of rocket he was going to go on malfunctioned and had to self destruct. This level of risk-taking is apparent when Kranz mentions,"With only seven days to prepare for our first manned flight...would we be crowning our first space hero—or picking pieces of him along the eastern seaboard?"(Kranz 42) to which he then expresses "We simply could not accept, or even contemplate, another failure" (Kranz 42). Inversely to the occasional setback, there were many miracles that should never have happened but made the finer points in NASA's history of doing the impossible. It was just about to the point of sending prototypes instead of well-revised final design.
Overall, the development of NASA was entirely political, "winners" of space milestones were being made just days apart between the USSR and the United States. Any self-respecting world power would want to be the dominate force in any, especially untried, field. Furthermore, not being the defined champion of the Space Race would show weakness and in terms of politics and warfare, if you are weak you are dead. This was of course, the ultimate motive. Above all, getting to the moon would show ultimate superiority.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know what it's like doing the impossible. In a way this is a story I believe, is stranger than fiction, in terms of not setting limits to what can be done but proving that you-yourself determines how far you can achieve in life and exhibits that anything is possible. Some people today ask, 'Why go to space?'. In short, we 'go to the Moon', not just because it is there, but for exploration, humanity, science, and to make the world a better place.
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I picked this as my first "fun book" to read on my Kindle. It was a good read. Kranz was a flight director during the Apollo mission, and is best known to most people as the character played by Ed Harris in "Apollo 13." This book is a good addition to the popular literature on the space program, focusing on the heroic and inspirational efforts of the men and some women who worked as a team to put men on the moon.
This notion of teamwork and really hard work under stress and risk is the most impressive part of this book. Kranz is unfailingly gracious about everyone he worked with, and is quite kind to people with whom he sometimes had disagreements. It's impressive to see this sort of evenhandedness in a memoir, although some might like their memoirs more "dishy." Indeed, he is nice to a fault--it would be interesting to learn more about conflicts between smart, strong-minded people about important matters. But this is less Kranz's goal than is the idea that a team can come together and build something as prodigious as a system for putting people on the moon, and getting them home.
For space geeks who revel in the technical aspects of the space program, this book may not be fully satisfying, as interesting material is not fully explained or covered, while some technical terms are assumed to be known by the reader. And as space history or policy, this isn't at the same level as some of the more expansive works on the subject. But, again, this isn't Kranz's goal. This is an interesting and fun read.
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Wstrząsające historie osób, które zostały najbardziej dotknięte wybuchem reaktora w Czarnobylu: żon strażaków, likwidatorów, czy mieszkańców skażonych terenów. Choć minęło już 25 lat od pierwszego wydania tej książki, świadectwa świadków są wciąż żywe, wciąż aktualne. Propaganda, zatajanie informacji, bagatelizowanie problemu, bo przecież go nie widać. Nie widać, znaczy nie ma. To wszystko brzmi tak okrutnie znajomo. Tym bardziej, że między wierszami można wyczytać obraz 'człowieka radzieckiego' i chociaż częściowo zrozumieć skąd biorą się obecne problemy krajów byłego ZSRR. Uderzył mnie cytat o tym, że ci ludzie boją się wolności, bo przez dekady uczeni byli żyć w strachu. Dużo jest też tutaj nawiązań do wojny i tego, czym ona może być w przyszłości: "Teraz wiemy, że będziemy siedzieli, pili herbatę przy świątecznym stole. Będziemy rozmawiali, śmiali się, a wojna już będzie się toczyła. Nawet nie zauważymy, kiedy znikniemy...". To tak bardzo rezonuje z tym, co obecnie dzieje się w Ukrainie, że serce się ściska. Nie da się czytać tej książki bez emocji, trzeba sobie ją dawkować...
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No one wants to be a Gold Star Family.
The title, which is reserved for families of military members who have died in the line of duty, is meant to honor the service member’s ultimate sacrifice while acknowledging their family’s loss, grief and continued healing.
Even though the nation isn’t currently part of a conflict as all-encompassing as World War II – only 1% of the U.S. population serves in the military today, versus the 12% that served during WWII – there are more living Gold Star Families than you might think.
According to a Military Times article, since 9/11, more than 16,000 troops have died in non-combat circumstances and 7,000 died in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars alone. There are also thousands of living Gold Star Family members who lost loved ones in WWI, WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and other conflicts throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.
To honor these, and all Gold Star Families, here is a look at the history and significance of this somber designation.
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.//
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.
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Poetic, historical, with a wry humor. A few too many exclamation points!
I really enjoyed this overview of the early days of the space race - all of the Mercury program, plus some of what led up to it and also what came after. Chuck Yeager plays a major part. The writing style is breezy and conversational, while somehow touching on most of the facts. I also enjoyed the pilot's humor.
Sometimes the prose went past poetic and into repetitious. While I don't always understand why the NASA administrators fought astronauts (Deke Slayton), I really didn't get why Wolfe seems to have gone after Gus Grissom. I look forward to reading a recent bio of him (Calculated Risk: The Supersonic Life and Times of Gus Grissom) this year for a better story.
Overall rating, a solid Mach 4. I plan to rewatch the film also - it's been decades.
Addendum June 2017 - read the referenced biography and another book on the early space program (Into That Silent Sea: Trailblazers of the Space Era, 1961-1965). Wolfe may have taken a few liberties, and the film took several more. In Grissom's case, for example, the book mentioned panic (and then pride) as a possibility, where the film made it a certainty. While I wouldn't advise a reader take The Right Stuff as gospel history, it is a very poetic portrayal of the people involved.
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No better book has been written about flying or the space race. Tom Wolfe has what it takes, the bubbling enthusiasm and critical eye, to write properly about astronauts. The Right Stuff is about endurance, guts, reflexes, a cool head, and giant titanium testicles. It's about going up day after day in high performance jets that are trying their level best to kill you-and statistically will kill 23% of pilots in peacetime-and pushing them to the edge of the envelope and beyond. It's about sitting at home, waiting for a call or a knock on the door, saying that your husband's plane is lost and the man you love is nothing more than charred meat. It's Flying & Drinking and Drinking & Driving and Dicing with Death and doing anything to climb the pure pyramid of macho essence.
Most of us don't live in this world, but Wolfe reconstructs how for a few years in the early 60s, with the mighty and infallible Soviet Chief Designer beating the pants out of the American space program, the Mercury Seven became Cosmic Knights, Single Combat Champions of Truth, Justice, and the American Way, and the entire nation became caught up in the saga of The Right Stuff. Wolfe records the contradictions and absurdities of the fighter pilot lifestyle, and how they became tied up with America and the space race, with the utmost respect and tenderness.
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end./
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.//
1
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'''
1
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.''
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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Way back in 1979, Tom Wolfe packaged together an exciting story about the initial fleeting moments of the space race, as well as a delightful sense of humor, within the two covers of a non-fiction book. But don’t let the narrative’s 33 year-old publishing fool you. The Right Stuff aged well, managing in this recent read to deliver relevant and insightful commentary about an intensely fascinating historical period amidst the Cold War. From Edwards Air Force Base in the high desert of southern California to the new space centers at Cape Canaveral and Houston, this story is packed full of colorful topics, including early spaceflights, astronaut rivalries and astronaut wives, the end of the golden age of flight, and the author’s chosen super-pilot, Chuck Yeager.
Much of the work’s magic comes from the wondrous way in which Wolfe blended teaching and entertaining. He delved into the concept of the “righteous stuff,” perhaps understood to be cool bravery, which the author suggested separated the best pilots from everyone else. He studied the subculture among these men and the mass hysteria, driven by fears of Soviet Communist space supremacy, which surrounded these original seven astronauts. It’s as much an examination of American culture as a history book. But throughout, the pace never slows, the read never grows dull, and the text’s amusing wit and charm never fails.
Among other fun techniques, Wolfe employed a unique stylistic repetition of his favorite words and key phrases. Page after page sees reference to the “single combat warrior,” “flying and drinking and drinking and driving,” “our rockets always blow up,” “wipe away a tear,” “the mighty [Soviet] Integral,” move “up the ziggurat,” “the little Indians,” “West Virginia drawl,” and of course “the right stuff.” This curious practice bolstered his commentary while often acting the part of a fun delivery device for humor and amusement in a non-fiction book.
For the first time in memory, I don’t have a single negative comment or complaint to make about a book. Though writing literary criticism may be as important as delving out acclaim, this read left me feeling a rare sense of awe for the author. As a history fan, I’ve never encountered a non-fiction work as much fun as this and can’t find the right stuff to do it justice now. Additionally, if you haven’t seen it, there is a great movie made in the early 1980s, bearing the same name and closely adapted from this incredible book.
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This is ultimately a story of the personalities and habits of the seven men, notably John Glenn who became the best known, though not the first man in space (Alan Shepard). Perching a human atop a giant rocket with tons of liquid oxygen is astonishing, when you think about it. At first the fighter pilots amongst these candidates were appalled to learn they were not to actually operate the craft, which would be automated and controlled outside of human intervention. However, quickly they became celebrities to the public, and their contract with Life magazine assured that their narrative as cold war heroes was controlled and carefully manicured (Wolfe calls this the old “Victorian Gent” who writes history behind the scenes).
I had not read any of Wolfe since the 1980s when, as a young man, I loved The Electric Koolaid Acid Test. I enjoyed his style, he’s a fine writer and gets under the skin of these men and the human aspect of the whole experience. He puts the historical context of their mission nicely but really shines in describing the human element involved. Interestingly, chucking a main for a few minutes into the earth’s orbit and dropping him in the ocean by parachute was not considered by the pilots or the experts as all that incredible, vs. the pilots who could already get there in controlled aircraft and then return and land on earth under their own command. Incredibly the trained chimpanzees, and how they used operant conditioning (shocks to their feet), that went up first was fascinating. These poor beasts were raised from infancy to learn how to collect data by throwing switches and carrying out basic tasks.
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@Snookums680 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'''
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.''
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
1
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.''
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@ocdman202 The more serious you and your book club become about reading, the more hopeless you may end up feeling about all the books you will never, even with the best of intentions, have time for. How to Talk About Books you Haven’t Read by Pierre Bayard will make you feel much better about this and, indeed, let you beautifully off the hook if you haven’t managed to finish your book club read in time. That’s ok, you can skim, flip through, read the end, or even just hold the book, unopened in your hands, all are fine with Bayard and he makes a compelling case for why you might be better able to discuss the book if you haven’t actually read it. Although Bayard’s credentials as a reader and academic are serious, his book is delightfully mischievous and funny. Give it a try and see if you agree with him or not. You might want to adopt his notation system for future reference: UB: book unknown to me; SB: book I have skimmed; HB: book I have heard about; and FB: book I have forgotten.
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@mommapanda5736 Now that aRCHiewel Productions is bankrupt, where will I get my thirty dollar jar of jam or my
diamond encrusted toenail clippers???
The Sussex Faux-Royal Nigeria Tour/trip was punctuated terribly with the news that their charity, Archewell, is now delinquent. The promises they made just days ago in Nigeria can not be fulfilled due to the Sussex charity funds being frozen at this time.
During the trip however, Harry & Meghan gave a number of speeches, all with high levels of cringe, and made several cultural blunders. Nigeria & Invictus got completely lost amid the Meg's self-obsessed compulsive anecdotes as she (& Harold too) highjacked this trip and all the headlines in a hail-mary sort of attempt at salvaging some of Meghan's "popularity".
It's clear this trip's motives were very much for Sussex PR.,,,,
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@mommapanda5736 What are hemorrhoids?
Hemorrhoids are swollen veins inside your rectum or in the skin surrounding your anus. They’re usually caused by increased pressure on your lower rectum.
When you’re pregnant, the baby puts extra pressure on this area. As a result, hemorrhoids can develop both during and after pregnancy. They’re especially common after vaginal deliveries.
Hemorrhoids can cause several symptoms, including:
bleeding during bowel movements
swelling
itching
Read on to learn more about hemorrhoids after pregnancy and how to manage them.
Will they go away on their own?
Hemorrhoids will usually go away on their own. Depending on their size, location, and severity, this can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks.
Occasionally, hemorrhoids form a painful blood clot. This is known as a thrombosed hemorrhoid. While these clots aren’t dangerous, they can be extremely painful. A doctor can treat this type of hemorrhoid with a minimally invasive in-office procedure.
In addition, some hemorrhoids that become chronic, lasting several months or more. Like thrombosed hemorrhoids, these can usually be treated by a doctor.
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.''
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Researcher and thought leader Dr. Brené Brown offers a powerful new vision that encourages us to dare greatly: to embrace vulnerability and imperfection, to live wholeheartedly, and to courageously engage in our lives.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; . . . who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.” —Theodore Roosevelt
Every day we experience the uncertainty, risks, and emotional exposure that define what it means to be vulnerable, or to dare greatly. Whether the arena is a new relationship, an important meeting, our creative process, or a difficult family conversation, we must find the courage to walk into vulnerability and engage with our whole hearts.
In Daring Greatly, Dr. Brown challenges everything we think we know about vulnerability. Based on twelve years of research, she argues that vulnerability is not weakness, but rather our clearest path to courage, engagement, and meaningful connection. The book that Dr. Brown’s many fans have been waiting for, Daring Greatly will spark a new spirit of truth—and trust—in our organizations, families, schools, and communities.
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Readers have long known the gift, the lasting legacy of books, but few readers know, experience, the full riches of the readers of books, of the connections, emotions, and memories, the bonds formed between reader and book. However, one owner of a bookshop and restoration shop has a rare gift that sets her on a journey to solve a mystery of two books about a very special couple presented in two opposing perspectives, a love story that ended leaving both blaming the other, never fully learning the truth.
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ;;
1
-
Now that aRCHiewel Productions is bankrupt, where will I get my thirty dollar jar of jam or my
diamond encrusted toenail clippers???
The Sussex Faux-Royal Nigeria Tour/trip was punctuated terribly with the news that their charity, Archewell, is now delinquent. The promises they made just days ago in Nigeria can not be fulfilled due to the Sussex charity funds being frozen at this time.
During the trip however, Harry & Meghan gave a number of speeches, all with high levels of cringe, and made several cultural blunders. Nigeria & Invictus got completely lost amid the Meg's self-obsessed compulsive anecdotes as she (& Harold too) highjacked this trip and all the headlines in a hail-mary sort of attempt at salvaging some of Meghan's "popularity".
It's clear this trip's motives were very much for Sussex PR.,,,,
1
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' '''
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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@mommapanda5736 Now that aRCHiewel Productions is bankrupt, where will I get my thirty dollar jar of jam or my
diamond encrusted toenail clippers???
The Sussex Faux-Royal Nigeria Tour/trip was punctuated terribly with the news that their charity, Archewell, is now delinquent. The promises they made just days ago in Nigeria can not be fulfilled due to the Sussex charity funds being frozen at this time.
During the trip however, Harry & Meghan gave a number of speeches, all with high levels of cringe, and made several cultural blunders. Nigeria & Invictus got completely lost amid the Meg's self-obsessed compulsive anecdotes as she (& Harold too) highjacked this trip and all the headlines in a hail-mary sort of attempt at salvaging some of Meghan's "popularity".
It's clear this trip's motives were very much for Sussex PR.,,,,
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I am not a royal-watcher at any level. Nor do I follow the celebrity news. I have never watched the Kardashians and can only name one of the sisters. So why did I buy and read this book?
I am an armchair philosopher and student of people. And I have been intrigued as to why a prince and his wife would walk away from one of the plushest gigs on the face of the planet and I thought this book might provide some philosophical insight. If it did provide insight it didn’t provide any rational explanation. (And, yes, you can call me a hypocrite that I even knew that all of this de-royaling had transpired, not being a celebrity-watcher and all, but I haven’t been living under a rock.)
The author seems well informed and the writing is okay. But why? That is the question, at so many levels, that this book leaves me with. Why, most of all, does the monarchy continue to exist? The idea that the monarchy provides some level of reassurance in an unsettling world, which the author seems to support at some level, seems beyond comprehension to me.
What does come through loud and clear, among all of the protagonists, is that life really is personal. It is all about us. And I don’t mean that as disparagingly as it may sound. This is the message of Darwin, after all.
If you are looking for a message or redemption or self-sacrifice, however, you won’t find it here. That’s not to say that the royals are all bad people at every level. But they are royal. You can’t say that you are for ecology and helping the poor and buy a LA mansion with 12 bathrooms or jet around the world in private aircraft. As someone whose name I can’t remember once said, people don’t remember you for what you say or you do, they remember you for how you made them feel. When I turned the last page, to be honest, I felt angry. How can we still buy into this version of caring? It’s not.
The self-righteousness and the self-pity are beyond unseemly. Bright smiles are not what goodness is all about.
But I will stop now. If you do care about the royals and their trials and tribulations I encourage you to read the other reviews. I am going back to my preferred genres of applied mathematics and philosophy.
I wish none of these people ill will. That is not what I believe in. And they apparently don’t need my help anyway.
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British author Robert Lacey was a familiar name to me as I own a lot of hardcover books from back in the 80s and 90s about The Windsors- in particular Princess Diana. I just perused my bookcase and found a beautiful cocktail book about Princess Diana from this author dated 1982. Boy, has so much happened in this family since then!
Although this book ends around the summer of 2020 and focuses on the "Mexit" of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Harry and Meghan), it still felt very current. There is a more updated kindle version of this book which I don't own. I've read a couple of other fairly recent books covering the fractured relationship between Princes William and Harry in the wake of Harry's marriage to Meghan Markle, but this one had the best information on the exodus of the Sussexes. Like most of these kinds of royal biographies, it starts in the present and then backtracks, providing a synopsis of the royal players like Princess Diana and Princes Charles' failed marriage and their affairs, the current marriage of Camilla and Charles, Princess Catherine's parentage and her college romance with Prince William. It also covered Meghan Markle's upbringing and her whirlwind romance with Prince Harry ending in marriage. The cover of the book is visually arresting, showing the final royal engagement Harry and Meghan were involved with. You can clearly see the seething anger on Harry's face and the strained facades of William and Kate as well.
This book triumphs in explaining in great detail the events leading to Meghan and Harry's split from Great Britain and the royal family. It came down to the people involved with negotiating their exit, Prince Williams's apathy in getting more involved with that, and The Crown's reaction to the Sussexes making moves like launching their "Sussex Royal" website before informing The Queen about it first. When Meghan and Harry first broached the idea of being part time royals, they kept being postponed about a date to meet with the Queen to discuss it. In their frustration this led to the Sussexes making impetuous moves on their own which prompted the upper echelon of royals to finally meet with them. It seems that it all could have been handled better on both sides.
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.//
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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This is one of the most harrowing and frightening books I’ve read in a very long time. Alexievich spent three years interviewing a host of people who were involved in the Chernobyl disaster—plant workers, first responders, soldiers and cleanup workers, refugees, villagers, scientists, bureaucrats, surviving spouses—and she has put together a book that is gut-wrenchingly powerful. While the power of the text comes primarily from the observations of those interviewed, Alexievich of course deserves mountains of credit not just for collecting the material but also for editing it into its final shape. In her afterword, she explains the principle that has guided her work here and elsewhere: “I often thought that the simple fact, the mechanical fact, is no closer to the truth than a vague feeling, rumor, vision. Why repeat the facts—they cover up our feelings. The development of these feelings, the spilling of these feelings past the facts, is what fascinates me. I try to find them, collect them, protect them.”
It's a commonplace that in times of crisis people most reveal their true natures, and that certainly seems confirmed here, with people emerging as heroes, fools, scoundrels, cowards, crooks—and as utterly shattered common folk struggling to endure incomprehensible pain and loss. It’s impossible not to be deeply moved by the suffering of so many innocent people, particularly the first responders (who went in thinking they were only fighting a regular fire, not knowing that they were standing amidst scattered parts from the reactor core—gruesome deaths, with their bodies essentially liquifying, soon followed) and those living in the nearby area whose lives were forever changed from both radioactive-induced illnesses (their own and their loved ones) as well as their permanent relocations from their homes and way of life. One is left speechless with some of the stories: A soldier, years after the accident, loses his son to brain cancer after his son wears the cap the soldier had worn while working on a clean-up crew (those on these crews were called liquidators, a designation at once crushingly appropriate and absurdly ironic). People sell contaminated apples from Chernobyl in markets outside the zone, openly hawking their origin—and the apples sell briskly, because, as one tradesman says, “Some need them for their mother-in-law, some for their boss.”
There are so many striking and often wise observations from Alexievich’s witnesses. Here are a few:
“Death is the fairest thing in the world. No one’s ever gotten out of it. The earth takes everyone—the kind, the cruel, the sinners. Aside from that there’s no fairness on earth.”
“We’re often silent. We don’t yell and we don’t complain. We’re patient, as always. Because we don’t have the words yet. We’re afraid to talk about it. We don’t know how. It’s not an ordinary experience, and the questions it raises are not ordinary. The world has been split in two: there’s us, the Chernobylites, and then there’s you, the others. Have you noticed? No one here points out that they’re Russian or Belarussian or Ukrainian. We call ourselves Chernobylites. ‘We’re from Chernobyl.’ ‘I’m a Chernobylite.’ As if this is a separate people. A new nation.”
“You immediately found yourself in a fantastic world, where the apocalypse met the stone age.”
“I’ve wondered why everyone was silent about Chernobyl, why our writers weren’t writing much about it—they write about the war, or the camps, but here they’re silent. Why? Do you think it’s an accident? If we’d beaten Chernobyl, people would talk about it and write about it more. Or if we’d understood Chernobyl. But we don’t know how to capture meaning from it. We’re not capable of it. We can’t place it in our human experience or our human time-frame. So what’s better, to remember or to forget?”
“People talk about the war, the war generation, they compare us to them. But those people were happy! They won the war! It gives them a very strong life-energy, as we say not, it gave them really strong motivation to survive and keep going. They weren’t afraid of anything, they wanted to live, learn, have kids. Whereas us? We’re afraid of everything. We’re afraid for our children, and for our grandchildren who don’t exist yet. They don’t exist and we’re already afraid. People smile less, they sing less at holidays. The landscape changes, because instead of fields the forest rises up again, but the national character changes too. Everybody’s depressed. It’s a feeling of doom. Chernobyl is a metaphor, a symbol. And it’s changed our everyday life, and our thinking. Sometimes I think it’d be better if you didn’t write about us. Then people wouldn’t be so afraid. No one talks about cancer in the home of a person who’s sick with it. And if someone is in jail with a life sentence, no one mentions that, either.”
While most of Alexievich’s witnesses share personal stories of loss and suffering, there are several who zero in on the incompetence and cowardice of the administrators overseeing the evacuations and clean-up operations. Few of these administrators apparently made decisions based on the welfare of the people—like those who decided not to distribute iodine because the Soviet bureaucracy didn’t want to acknowledge to the world the seriousness of the accident and also didn’t want to panic the local people. The priority of most of the decision-makers, it seems clear, was making sure they did what it took to keep their jobs.
By the end of Voices from Chernobyl, utterly shaken, you completely understand the response of an old woman who, upon seeing a visiting scientist in full protective gear (while the local people have been given none), chases after him with a stick. As the liquidator who witnessed the scene observes: “I’ve thought a few times that someday they’re going to start hunting the scientists the way they used to hunt the doctors and drown them in the Middle Ages.”
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Journalist Svetlana Alexievich spent ten years working on this book. She interviewed hundreds, individuals from all walks of life, those affected by the worst nuclear reactor accident in history--the Chernobyl meltdown of April 26, 1986. Through this book, they are given the opportunity to have their voices heard, and we are given the opportunity to hear what those who have lived through the Chernobyl meltdown have to say.
I am interested in how historical events affect people’s lives, and this is exactly what is delivered here.
It is the wide range of those interviewed, the diversity of the interviewees, that makes this book outstanding. We hear from children and the elderly, those who worked on the site, those involved with the cleanup, nurses and doctors, politicians and physicists, those who strove to coverup and those who sought to reveal exactly what had happened, those focused upon blame and those interested in figuring out how the land might be safely put to use in the future.
Chernobyl is in Ukraine, on the border to the Republic of Belarus. With winds as they were on that day, almost one fourth of Belarus land was contaminated.
The author has not written the book’s contents, but she is ultimately the one responsible for the interviews used and those discarded, their order and presentation. The book both begins and ends with a long interview, passages that are extremely emotive. Shorter interviews are collected and titled effectively. We hear a group of children speaking in a chapter entitled something like “the children’s chorus.” Those critical of the authorities are followed by interviews with those supporting them. The order of the interviews is well thought out.
Emotions—anger and fear, confusion, anxiety and stress, as well as extraordinarily deep love and self-sacrifice—are a prominent feature, clearly evident in all of the interviews. This is an emotional read.
The book is informative and interesting. It opened my eyes to themes I had not considered before. One example is the extent to which Chernobyl was at least partially responsible for the fall of the Soviet state and the communist party. After Chernobyl, Soviets questioned authority to a much larger extent and in a way they had never done before.
I like that the author chose to include interviews that show the interviewees awareness and appreciation of nature, of insects, birds and animals. We hear also of Russian people’s love of their homeland, an essential element of who they are.
The book is relevant to the situation we find ourselves in today. The coronavirus has infected the entire world. The Chernobyl meltdown had detrimental consequences on a worldwide scale too. Radiation is invisible, as is the virus to the naked eye. What we see then and now are the deaths, uncertainty and the pandemonium that follows. Then and now, experts are groping for understanding and the public does not know whose advice to follow.
I cannot judge the translation from Russian to English. Keith Gessen and Alma Lapinskiene are the two translators given the task. What I can say is that the words flow naturally. Expressing emotions properly is no easy task, and here it is done with finesse. Emotions are not exaggerated, not overblown, and yet they are felt strongly by the reader. The balance is perfect.
Sasha Alexis and Andrew Byron narrate the audiobook. Having both a male and a female narrator is good. I prefer Byron’s narration; it is consistently strong and clear, easy to follow. Alexis occasionally mumbles. Her voice is feminine, weaker, which is appropriate for some passages, but I want to always hear exactly what is said. The narration, the two together, I have given four stars.
If you are interested in how Chernobyl affected individual people’s lives, I am sure you will value this book. I see it as an important book, a book that needed to be written.
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@natureallseasons As I watched the HBO miniseries about Chernobyl, I thought incessantly about the people: the first responders, the farmers, the children. In short, the entire affected population. Lies were told, contaminated food consumed, lives were lost and are still being lost. The human cost is incalculable and ongoing to this day. Chernobyl should not be referred to as an “accident.” It was, and is, an unimaginable disaster. It destroyed an empire, demoralized a people and shocked the world. This anthology (published in 1997) makes public the profound physical and psychological effects both during and after the disaster. The people speak. Over and over again you read “We didn’t know. We believed. You can’t understand. It was like a war zone.” Their experiences are difficult to read, searing, and essential. Let us hope Fukushima Daiichi is the last nuclear disaster to occur.
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Various different editions of this book exist all over the world, and it can't be denied how much influence "The Art of War" had on many events throughout the history of the world.
What I found most interesting was that it could be read in so many different ways. More obviously, it's a guide on military and war, on how to win battles and how to efficiently make use of spies, fire, nature or the weather. But all around those aspects, the text is filled with words of advice which could be adapted to pretty much every scenario of life affected by opposition or antagonism. I can't pretend being eager to adapt those messages to my own life, and I'd definitely argue against living by the rules suggested by this book, but as a historical manuscript, it is incredibly important - and, to my personal surprise, also surprisingly short, meaning that it can be read over the course of one to three hours, depending on how fast you read and how thoroughly you want to explore the book. Furthermore, even if you may expect something completely different from such an old text, the sentences are well-structured, constructed in a very understandable way and generally very comprehensive, though that could be the advantage of the translated edition I've read.
Unless you read it for historical or educational purposes, "The Art of War" can be a very entertaining experience. The proposed tactical advices are interesting and provide some fascinating insight into what people thought 2,500 years ago - and since the book doesn't feel like it's as old as it is at all, also into how people might be thinking nowadays. My highest recommendation; this is definitely one of the important classics everyone should at the very least have taken a look at.
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After reading his excellent account of the Storm Of War, I had high expectations of Robert's newest release, his biography of Napoleon. I was not dissapointed.
I suspect you can fill half of the New York's library with books dealing with Napoleon and as I understood these can be divided in two sorts: you either hate him, or you love him.
Andrew Roberts is comfortably between these two camps. He does not praise him, but is here and there rather critical of Napoleon's decisions. He is unbiased and stays to the facts, but while reading the book my admiration for Napoleon has grown quite a bit. I mean, who can compare his self to this guy, who was emperor at 38? I'm 38, and all that I've managed is to become a consultant at an energy company.
As a novice reader in the Napoleon subject (I am ashamed to admit) Andrew stays to the facts, which is quite comfortable in that respect. He does deliver his tale with objective reasoning, introduces a lot of names that I've never heard of, but this is not a hinderance. Andrew Roberts seems to have had access to a lot of letters from Napoleon to various friends and relatives, which gives you the feeling that you to get to know Napoleon quite personally. Also, here and there you can't supress a quick smile if Andrew mentiones some nice anecdotes and some interactions between Napoleon and the common soldier.
So this book met in all aspects my expectations. I can imagine that for the more experienced Napoleon reader, this will not hold many suprises, but for a beginner in the Napoleon subject, this is an excellent introduction. Al in all, 5 stars!
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What is undeniable is that Napoleon changed history. The world was turned upside down by his time in power, his genius in the early days has been unmatched. The political matter was competed reshaped, he dismantled the thousand year old Holy Roman Empire and the ancient Republic of Venice, changed Italy and the Netherlands. He brought stability to the French after years of political unrest by reversing some of the most extreme policies of the regime and making peace with the Catholic Church. He was a strategic genius and his military tactics have been studied ever since. He also created a number of lasting reforms such as centralising government administration, created a law code and national bank alongside other infrastructural systems, such as sewage works and education systems. He also awarded people on merit (revolutionary at the time), although some of his marshals were definitely over promoted so this didn’t always work. But he did also display nepotism, his family was the great chain around his neck and by installing his brothers as kings of Spain and Holland he was caused no end of issues.
The story of Napoleon is so fascinating, he is one of the most influential figures in history. His name defines an age. He was not short, average height for the time, the British propaganda of George Cruikshank et al worked a treat here. He was not French, he was Corsican and spoke French, his second language with an accent all his life. Josephine and Napoleon was not a great love story either, she never loved him. She was an opportunist for an up and coming man. Both nearly got executed after being imprisoned during the revolution. But the history is larger than life, it is amazing what he and those around him accomplished. Marengo, Austerlitz and Jena are three brilliant victories. The Battle of Leipzig was also another achievement for Napoleonic, only messed up by his own mistake and allowing a break in the fighting he snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. But there were also other talented men of the age, military men such as Wellington or Viscount Horatio Nelson or political schemers such as Prince Klemens von Metternich or Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand who in their own ways were geniuses and scuppered Napoleon’s grand plan.
This is worth reading because Roberts is a good writer. But it is not the ultimate or complete book on Napoleon Bonaparte, for the reasons I have mentioned above. It should be handled with care and other biographies of the man are more balanced and provide the full view of how history should judge him. I disagree that he should be called 'the Great' as he contributed to his own decline and made too many mistakes in the later years. He simply didn’t know when to stop. As I have said above the arrogance got him in the end. Therefore I would recommend Michael Broers or Philip Dwyer first and then read this for the literary skill.
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An account of the Peloponnesian War tracing the history, the politics, the strategies, key figures, battles, and how the war was fought.
The war went on for twenty-seven years toward the end of the fifth century BC. One of the first great works of history by Thucydides chronicled the battle. Both Athens and Sparta experienced horrendous losses culminating in the near total destruction of the once-great Athenian naval power at Aegospotami in 405.
Victor Davis Hanson, a noted classical scholar, renders an account both of the history of the war but also who fought it and how they fought. The two principle powers were quite different. Sparta was an oligarchy, Athens a democracy. Sparta had a more powerful land army. Athens was a sea power with a protected port and good walls allowing them to endure siege as well as project their power. To begin, Sparta invaded every year or two overland, ravaging the countryside but exhausting itself while the population of Attica sheltered in Athens. Very few Athenians died in battle but the city was eviscerated by plague resulting from crowded and unhygienic conditions. Meanwhile the Athenian navy raided the coastal cities of Sparta. They fought ten years to a draw ending with the temporary Peace of Nicias.
The peace lasted until 415 when Athens decided to mount an attack on Sicily, a Spartan ally, stirred up by charismatic general Alcibiades. A diffident landing followed by an inconclusive siege gave time for Syracuse to arm and be reinforced. In 413 they defeated Athens navy and then chased down the land forces for a crushing defeat. Still Athens rebuilt while Sparta, aided by Alcibiades, who had changed sides, and material help from Persia, finally built a navy to rival what was left of the Athenian navy. They fought a series of battles in Ionia culminating in the utter defeat at Aegospotami in 405, and Athens surrender to Sparta, led by Lysander.
War has always been gruesome. Hanson describes the particular gruesomeness of war in this time, whether it was destruction by fire or the ravages of disease, which took Athens singular leader Pericles. War unravels any war ethic. Hanson chronicles the killing of civilians and captives, especially in later stages of the war. He considers the hoplites and the vulnerabilities of their armor to thrusts to the groin and neck, and lightly armored fighters with spears or armors. Hoplites were mostly fitted to fight other hoplites, and often suffered relatively light losses. They need mounted forces to protect their flanks. The lack of horses was a key factor in the defeat at Syracuse. Siege warfare had not yet been mastered. Siege towers and catapults emerged after these wars. Mostly, they built siege walls, rams, and tried to penetrate walls and gates with rams.
Ultimately the war hinged on the trireme, the three-tiered rowing vessel. The impasse between the two powers ended when Alcibiades, rejected by Athens, persuaded the Spartans that only by becoming a sea power could they defeat Athens. The defeat at Syracuse pointed the way. The trireme depended mostly on slaves, up to 200 per vessel in three banks of rowers. A rammed trireme could quickly sink with the likely death of all. This happened to 170 of 180 triremes of the Athenians at Aegospotami.
The fall of Athens resulted from a variety of unforeseen errors. Pericles was an unparalleled leader, but with no able successor. Alcibiades was brilliant but never trusted, and often absent at key moments. The Sicilian venture spelled the beginning of the end, depleting both manpower and treasury. The Athenians ignored Alicibiades, once again on their side, exposing themselves to surprise attack at Aegospotami.
Hanson traces the errors that arise from both hubris and the “fog of war.” These wars, like many were filled with folly. The protracted conflict inevitably deteriorated to greater and greater brutality. Mediocre leadership cost the lives of thousands. The inadequacies of the technology of war led to innovation and more effective ways of killing. Alliances end up feeding the allies. Eventually both Persia and Thebes become the real threat.
It all began with the decision of Sparta to challenge the growth of Athenian power. A venture intended to last a few months turned into a 27 year conflict. Such are often the illusions of war. Hanson uses the lens of one protracted war to challenge us to ask the same questions about war in our own day.
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@ocdman202 Now that aRCHiewel Productions is bankrupt, where will I get my thirty dollar jar of jam or my
diamond encrusted toenail clippers???
The Sussex Faux-Royal Nigeria Tour/trip was punctuated terribly with the news that their charity, Archewell, is now delinquent. The promises they made just days ago in Nigeria can not be fulfilled due to the Sussex charity funds being frozen at this time.
During the trip however, Harry & Meghan gave a number of speeches, all with high levels of cringe, and made several cultural blunders. Nigeria & Invictus got completely lost amid the Meg's self-obsessed compulsive anecdotes as she (& Harold too) highjacked this trip and all the headlines in a hail-mary sort of attempt at salvaging some of Meghan's "popularity".
It's clear this trip's motives were very much for Sussex PR.,,,,
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Who's this for:
Besides the story part, and if you are interested in the specifics about airplanes, military or espionage, the book is a very interesting case of how to tackle innovative projects with as little budget and time as possible. It's comparable with the now very current lean methodologies and prototyping. They "cobbled together" functioning airplanes with of the shelf parts where they could to proof their new technologies or assumptions (speed of the Blackbird, stealth of the Nighthawk, etc.) and only then increased costs for things that were not essential (apparently at some point an ejection seat for test pilots was not essential).
I liked:
- I really liked that there were "other voices", so people that told their view of the particular time/part of the story. So you have a bit a broder account than just the view of the author.
- While it's of course partially a book containing a lot of military parts and patriotism, it does not only glorify the US and their part but also shows the weaknesses (governance in general, oversight, regulations, secrecy, etc.).
- While the book shows many "macho" traits (understandingly given the time, industry and type of customers) it also shows a lot of very personal and human aspects. In particular towards the final chapters it gets very moving and I got mixed feelings. On the one hand I don't like the military/war, tough guy attitude etc. on the other hand it's moving to hear the story and the strong bond of the team, the respect they had for each other. They are/were humans and in the end they did what they could do very well and certainly were sure was the right thing to do, even when that was spy planes, bombers and fighters. It's kind of the same feeling like if the movie villain turns good but then again suffers. You kind of feel bad but on the other hand you aren't allowed to. But this range of mixed feelings and emotions not only make a good story but are, like the book, a reflection of life. That's why the book surprised me as a read, expecting it to be only "technical".
I didn't like:
- For the fact that a lot of their work and operations at the time were top-secret the book missed a bit going into more detail how they kept it so secret. They had whole stations in allied countries while nobody there had a clou what they did there. How did they do that?
Things I learned:
- The above mentioned weaknesses and too much politics/top-down-management is exactly what the Skunk Works were good at not having and made them so successful. And this in the end is that "Skunk Works" should be taken as an example of a modus operandi for technical challenging and highly complex projects.
- The world was much closer to a nuclear war than I had imagined. Russia even would have been ready to use nuclear warheads over their own cities to stop certain attacks of the US, underestimating the effect of a likely nuclear fallout.
- Without the Skunk Works the world most likely would look differently today. Be it that we would have seen a nuclear war, Russia actually "winning" the cold war or plainly that the US would never have gotten the power it became.
- The blackbird leaks fuel sitting on the ground. Only in flight the heat of the friction seals it properly.
- They found insects in the stratosphere (20KM height) that smashed on the windows of the Blackbird. They were catapulted there from atomic tests in Russia and China.
- The Blackbird could fly consistently Mach 3.1 (3'800 KM/h) while taking high resolution pictures from the height of >20KM. That still sounds like an incredible technical feat but having done that in 1964 is just beyond belief. Now think where the current secret technology must be.
- The last point seems even crazier when you think that for proper navigation the Blackbird locked onto stars. Satellite based navigation systems were nowhere near ready.
- Last interesting point was for me how separated certain military government parts are, in particular how distant the Navy and the Air Force and even the CIA are from each other.
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Quoting Colonel Barry Horne on the F-117's stealthiness: "Bats were the first visual proof I had that stealth really worked... At night the bats would come out and feed off insects. In the mornings we'd find bat corpses around our airplanes inside the open hangars. Bats used a form of sonar to "see" at night, and they were crashing blindly into our low-radar cross-section tails."
This book is filled with amazing stories about the several projects Ben Rich and his colleagues (from Lockheed, the Air Force, White House, etc.) worked on during his years at the Lockheed's Skunk Woks advanced tech branch, first as a young engineer at the mercy (and later advise) of the legendary Kelly Johnson, and then as the head himself of one of America's most prolific R&D divisions.
As in all great success stories, Ben's road through the Skunk Works did not go without bumps. He also tells the several (and sometimes crippling) obstacles imposed by the bureaucratic machine into the projects he was part of: from budget cuts, shrank orders, sci-fi-inspired secrecy procedures to keep blueprints, pieces, suppliers and more out of the public radar (no pun intended) that only increased costs and time, to the multiple and unavoidable negotiations with the Pentagon, CIA, "blue-suiters", etc. he and Kelly had to go through in order to get a bit of independence to get their marvel flying machines as untouched as possible from those not involved into the actual design process. Ben couldn't have described it in a better way: "For better or worse, we were stuck inside a Kafkaesque bureaucracy demanding accountability for every nut, screw, and bolt. In between all these distractions we were trying to build an airplane".
Absolutely inspiring, charming and even heart-breaking at some parts, this read is an absolute must for any engineer looking for leaving a mark inside the R&D world, as well as anyone remotely interested in aerospace and cold-War history. It tells how giving a good amount of independence and low managerial turmoil can be the basis for a bunch of high-skilled technicians, brilliant engineers and the toughest and most stubborn leaders to create some of the greatest prowesses of human kind.
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If you were wondering why Elon Musk wanted to name his most recent child A12 then read this book. One would not believe that such "rocket science" was already possible in 1950s and 60s. The book illustrates the technical concepts and challenges of stealth bombers and spy planes and the struggle to stay ahead in the cold war weapons race with USSR, definitely enlightening and also inspiring. Since all those projects were initially classified then even today you cannot be sure how much in the details has been edited out or changed but regardless the narrative is very well written with enough jokes on the way. I still find it hard to believe that the failure rate of such machines and hundreds of missions ended up with so low incident rate.
“When Congress approved the decision to retire the SR-71, the Smithsonian Institution requested that a Blackbird be delivered for eventual display in the Air and Space Museum in Washington and that we set a new transcontinental speed record delivering it from California to Dulles. I had the honor of piloting that final flight on March 6, 1990, for its final 2,300-mile flight between L.A. and D.C. I took off with my backseat navigator, Lt. Col. Joe Vida, at 4:30 in the morning from Palmdale, just outside L.A., and despite the early hour, a huge crowd cheered us off. We hit a tanker over the Pacific then turned and dashed east, accelerating to 2.6 Mach and about sixty thousand feet. Below stretched hundreds of miles of California coastline in the early morning light. In the east and above, the hint of a red sunrise and the bright twinkling lights from Venus, Mars, and Saturn. A moment later we were directly over central California, with the Blackbird’s continual sonic boom serving as an early wake-up call to the millions sleeping below on this special day. I pushed out to Mach 3.3.”
"We became the most successful advanced projects company in the world by hiring talented people, paying them top dollar, and motivating them into believing that they could produce a Mach 3 airplane like the Blackbird a generation or two ahead of anybody else. Our design engineers had the keen experience to conceive the whole airplane in their mind’s-eye, doing the trade-offs in their heads between aerodynamic needs and weapons requirements. We created a practical and open work environment for engineers and shop workers, forcing the guys behind the drawing boards onto the shop floor to see how their ideas were being translated into actual parts and to make any necessary changes on the spot. We made every shop worker who designed or handled a part responsible for quality control. Any worker—not just a supervisor or a manager—could send back a part that didn’t meet his or her standards. That way we reduced rework and scrap waste. We encouraged our people to work imaginatively, to improvise and try unconventional approaches to problem solving, and then got out of their way. By applying the most commonsense methods to develop new technologies, we saved tremendous amounts of time and money, while operating in an atmosphere of trust and cooperation both with our government customers and between our white-collar and blue-collar employees. In the end, Lockheed’s Skunk Works demonstrated the awesome capabilities of American inventiveness when free to operate under near ideal working conditions. That may be our most enduring legacy as well as our source of lasting pride.”
“Overnight, however, he apparently had second thoughts, or did some textbook reading on his own, and at the next meeting he turned to me as the first order of business. “On the black paint,” he said, “you were right about the advantages and I was wrong.” He handed me a quarter. It was a rare win. So Kelly approved my idea of painting the airplane black, and by the time our first prototype rolled out the airplane became known as the Blackbird. Our supplier, Titanium Metals Corporation, had only limited reserves of the precious alloy, so the CIA conducted a worldwide search and, using third parties and dummy companies, managed to unobtrusively purchase the base metal from one of the world’s leading exporters—the Soviet Union. The Russians never had an inkling of how they were actually contributing to the creation of the airplane being rushed into construction to spy on their homeland.”
“He told me later that he was surprised to learn that with flat surfaces the amount of radar energy returning to the sender is independent of the target’s size. A small airplane, a bomber, an aircraft carrier, all with the same shape, will have identical radar cross sections.”
“We completed our pass over Beirut and turned toward Malta, when I got a warning low-oil-pressure light on my right engine. Even though the engine was running fine I slowed down and lowered our altitude and made a direct line for England. We decided to cross France without clearance instead of going the roundabout way. We made it almost across, when I looked out the left window and saw a French Mirage III sitting ten feet off my left wing. He came up on our frequency and asked us for our Diplomatic Clearance Number. I had no idea what he was talking about, so I told him to stand by. I asked my backseater, who said, “Don’t worry about it. I just gave it to him.” What he had given him was “the bird” with his middle finger. I lit the afterburners and left that Mirage standing still. Two minutes later, we were crossing the Channel.”
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@ocdman202
Harry what does it mean to be a real pilot?
It was interesting to contrast the tone of this book with Kai Bird's virtuoso Oppenheimer biography American Prometheus. Oppenheimer, the dovish intellectual, worked to prevent proliferation of the weapon he designed after the scientific and engineering obstacles had been cleared. By contrast, here is a book from the inner sanctum of the military-industrial complex, proud and unapologetic. Ben Rich spent several decades running Lockheed's (now Lockheed Martin) Skunk Works, the secretive team building projects such as the F-117A stealth bomber. A staunch hawk - like Edward Teller, his immigrant hyperpatriotism is akin to the zeal of the convert - he describes the (newly declassified) bombers raining death from the skies onto the militarily laggard Iraqis like a sports match, captivated by the push and pull, the absoluteness of the victory. This is not a book to reflect on how that war misled the Pentagon into the belief that America's technological edge had obviated another Vietnam, a lesson which has been painfully relearned in the ongoing, bloody and futile conflicts beginning in 2001. (To be fair, Rich also died in 1995.)
And it is also quite possible to be caught up in the thrill. Weird-shaped planes designed to scatter radar, that only get off the ground with computer-assisted stabilisation, are pretty cool. Rich is a storyteller to a fault, reducing everything to short anecdotes; but some of them are corkers. Finding piles of dead bats next to stealth planes each morning - they're invisible to sonar. Seeing a plane's stealth cloaking suddenly stop working, only because a tiny screw hadn't been completely fastened. Rich is not one of what he calls "nerd's nerds", who would dive deep on the physics (to my chagrin). With two engineering degrees, he is no slouch, but he seems like a backslapping good old boy who keeps his crew motivated with "farmer's daughter jokes" (should I ask?) and describes a tense moment as "you couldn't drive a needle up my ass with a sledgehammer". His coauthor, former LBJ speechwriter Leo Janos, does a fair job of shaping the book, adding "other voices" to flesh out the narrative.
Rich's version of the CIA's covert U2 surveillance program is also...quite different from that described in Legacy of Ashes, with the agency going behind Eisenhower's back and ultimately causing a fiasco when Francis Gary Powers was shot down. While admitting it was an embarrassment, Rich claims that the intelligence was priceless: for example, U2 reconnaissance led to the discovery of the Soviet missile buildup in Cuba several years later. (Happily, the Skunk Works gave the pilot a job after he returned to the US and was shunned by the CIA for embarrassing them.) Rich also discusses the SR-71 Blackbird, and aborted plans involving drones, liquid hydrogen fuel, and a stealth ship. (Never work with the Navy, is his advice.)
At the end Rich discusses what made the Skunk Works great and ways to improve defence manufacturing. He calls out excessive bureaucracy, which was caused by corruption and ballooning costs. Things seem only to have gotten worse. (When Peter Thiel sought an image of America's decline in his 2016 speech to the Republican National Convention, he lampooned Lockheed's latest model, the F-35, which cannot fly in the rain.) Rich worries that budget cost-cutting has caused manufacturing know-how and traditions to be lost in the US. But it also seems that the sector is much larger and less competitive than it needs to be, essentially operating as a sheltered jobs program in politically powerful states. Seemingly the overlap of military secrecy and large-scale manufacturing is a perfect formula for boondoggles.
Making large aeroplanes isn't like a start-up, and even the somewhat agile Skunk Works was never able to produce planes on the mass scale of its parent company. Besides, one might wonder if the Skunk Works really was like a Bell Labs of defence aeronautics as Rich claims, consistently innovating and coming in under budget. In a field with little competition and much secrecy, all we have is his word.
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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@ClaireM2345 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.''
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end./
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Tom Wolfe set out to find out what went on in the minds of the Mercury 7 astronauts (and to a lesser extent, the pilots of the hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft (think X-15)). What were they thinking while they waited through the countdown and lift-off; while they were in space; while training for breaking the sound barrier; or testing the space craft in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs aimed at landing on the moon?
For that matter, what were they thinking during escapades at pool-side in Florida, or in cocktail lounges at Edwards Air Force Base, or in NASA meetings in Cocoa Beach (or in Houston), or at meet and greet receptions at the White House (right here, on earth)? What did the astronauts' wives think about meeting Jackie Kennedy, and making small talk with the First Lady?
How did Tom Wolfe find out the answers? As the Apollo Moon Landing Program came to an end in the 1970s, Tom Wolfe went to NASA, and to affiliated Air Force bases or Corporate facilities, found the astronauts, and asked them.
Tom Wolfe describes the inner life of the astronauts, and their wives, and offers the reader an up close and personal report on what REALLY was going on behind the headlines.
The Right Stuff is a good read!
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There are few modern writers as talented as Tom Wolfe, who manages to create his own style, in addition to a depth of thought and characters, while writing in a vernacular understandable to his readers. In fact, after reading The Right Stuff, I decided that Mr. Wolfe has earned the spot of my favorite living author.
The novel opens where navy pilots push the science of flight beyond the envelope, just prior to the advent of the US Space Program. These daredevils were men of talent, grit and without fear - they had "the right stuff" as author Wolfe proclaims. From these hotshots, Wolfe tells the story of breaking the sound barrier - of Chuck Yeager pushing Mach 1 in the Mojave Desert, and the daring pilots who came after him, pushing faster and faster speeds and pushing higher and higher into the earth's atmosphere. Then, as the natural progression of flight science occurred, the advent of the Space Program. Wolfe tells the story of the astronauts who, although they were these same men with the "right stuff," were now glorified monkeys strapped to rockets. They needed no talent at all, just a willingness to face the danger of travelling into space.
Tom Wolfe's portrayal of these men and their story was mesmerizing, humorous and a brilliant blend of literary panache and historical fact. I wasn't old enough to remember most of these events, but I am aware of the awe and excitement that people felt during this time. Tom Wolfe was able to carry that through to the written page.
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ;;;
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end./
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ''''
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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Yee-hawwww!!! Tom Wolfe's 1979 book about the American space race is a high-octane non-fiction masterpiece.
Wolfe's maximalist style – full of exclamation marks!!! ... ellipses ... and repeated italicized phrases that take on the rhythm of great jazz – is perfectly suited to his gargantuan, ego-driven, patriotic, rah-rah subject matter.
He has a voice like no one else's, and although he obviously did tons of research, he imparts his facts clearly and gets inside the heads of the scientists, astronauts and their wives like a great novelist.
His narrator is part anthropologist, part satirist, part historian, and nothing escapes his eye. Even if you've seen the terrific Philip Kaufman film, I highly recommend reading this ridiculously entertaining and informative book that tells you a lot about the space program, the Cold War, the rise of mass media, gender roles and even (near the end) the race issue.
And just for fun, try reading some passages aloud. It's – excuse the pun – a blast.
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@mommapanda5736 The Right Stuff
Tom Wolfe
Tom Wolfe at his very best" (The New York Times Book Review), The Right Stuff is the basis for the 1983 Oscar Award-winning film of the same name and the 8-part Disney+ TV mini-series.From "America's nerviest journalist" (Newsweek)--a breath-taking epic, a magnificent adventure story, and an investigation into the true heroism and courage of the first Americans to conquer space. "Millions of words have poured forth about man's trip to the moon, but until now few people have had a sense of the most engrossing side of the adventure; namely, what went on in the minds of the astronauts themselves - in space, on the moon, and even during certain odysseys on earth. It is this, the inner life of the astronauts, that Tom Wolfe describes with his almost uncanny empathetic powers, that made The Right Stuff a classic.
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Where are mold and mildew most commonly found in the home?
Mold and mildew thrive in areas with high moisture levels, such as bathrooms, kitchens, basements, and attics. They can also lurk in less obvious places like behind wallpaper, under carpets, or inside air ducts.
You may also be surprised to learn that mold spores are actually present in every home. "But they only become activated in the right conditions, like when moisture is present," Parnell says. "When activated, mold not only grows on the surface but also penetrates them, making it very difficult to remove."
It's important to be vigilant, because mold and mildew can pop up in other unexpected places as well, says Kimberly Button, a green living and healthy home expert who runs the website Get Green Be Well. "Mold or mildew can easily grow in rooms where there is no water present," she cautions. "For instance, closets can have mold growing on the walls behind the clothes because there is lack of air ventilation and moisture may build up, especially a closet located next to a bathroom."
Button recommends decluttering your living spaces so there is proper ventilation in closets, cupboards, and against walls. "While a closet packed with tons of stuff is not only stressful emotionally, it can also be a health hazard if mold is given an environment to grow in," she says.
How can mold and mildew be prevented?
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What are mold and mildew?
Mold and mildew are two common types of fungi that thrive in damp, humid environments. While they may seem like harmless nuisances, they can pose serious health risks and damage to your home if left untreated.
What are the differences between mold and mildew?
Though often used interchangeably, mold and mildew have distinct characteristics. Mold tends to be fuzzy or slimy in texture and can appear in various colors, including black, green, or white. Mildew, on the other hand, typically appears as a powdery substance and is usually white or gray in color.
According to Jennifer Parnell, co-founder of Humble Suds, a line of non-toxic plant-based cleaning products, mildew is an early-stage form of mold that is much milder in nature, less harmful to one’s health, and easier to clean and remove.
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Now that aRCHiewel Productions is bankrupt, where will I get my thirty dollar jar of jam or my
diamond encrusted toenail clippers???
The Sussex Faux-Royal Nigeria Tour/trip was punctuated terribly with the news that their charity, Archewell, is now delinquent. The promises they made just days ago in Nigeria can not be fulfilled due to the Sussex charity funds being frozen at this time.
During the trip however, Harry & Meghan gave a number of speeches, all with high levels of cringe, and made several cultural blunders. Nigeria & Invictus got completely lost amid the Meg's self-obsessed compulsive anecdotes as she (& Harold too) highjacked this trip and all the headlines in a hail-mary sort of attempt at salvaging some of Meghan's "popularity".
It's clear this trip's motives were very much for Sussex PR.,,,,
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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I gave this five stars because I’m a space junky, and I salivate over anything that has to do with the American Space program. For those not so interested, this is still a four star read.
Kranz effectively helped create America's space exploratory program from scratch. When he arrived at NASA in 1963, he had no guidance. There was no memo awaiting his arrival on his desk to walk him through what to do. In short, as a budding "Flight Director" (The guy in ultimately in charge of the mission) he had to create a program of endless countdown “Go Nogo” checklists and procedures out of nothing with no one else to count on but himself.
With that said, that he and his team of brainy 20-somethings managed to steer our country’s highly complex (Mercury, Gemini and Apollo) space exploratory efforts thorough the missions they did (while doing much of the necessary trajectory math by HAND!) in the 1960's with minimal human casualties is nothing short of miraculous.
In such an exciting time in this country's history, Kranz was smack in the middle coordinating it all, (while the astronauts got the glory.) He is, perhaps, one of the most spell binding American heroes out there that the general population will never know about.
Highly, highly recommend...
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I am a major fan of America's space program, especially the years we went to the moon. I've watched the TM shows and the movies and now I've listened to Gene Kranz's book. Comparing, I find the book is more complete. I enjoyed hearing about missions that didn't get a show, like the unmanned flights.
Astronauts get the ticker tape parades and mission control teams prepared future missions. It was an interesting perspective from the flight control console. Kranz outlined how the first American in space was such a short mission, only one team was needed in mission control. Each mission doubled in length, until more teams were needed. Handling of shifts and teams who covered major events in a mission were interesting items.
The epilogue was bittersweet as he exhorted Americans to return the space program to the gung-ho, explore the universe attitude we had, when we went to the moon. I agree, to a point, but I know it can't happen the same way, these days. We aren't the underdogs in space. We don't have a young, charismatic president setting a laudable goal and then being martyred, as Kennedy was. Even all those factors brought into today's political environment, and the economic situation may not be enough to put the space program high enough on the national priority list to get another big goal accomplished, the way it was, back in 1969.
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I was first introduced to the idea of Gene Kranz when I first saw the film Apollo 13, and then again shortly after I saw the excellent HBO miniseries, From the Earth to the Moon. I found his steely-eyed, take-no-bull, calm and collected attitude, portrayed by Ed Harris in Apollo 13 and Dan Butler in the HBO series, to be an integral part of the NASA equation.
So when this book, Failure is Not an Option, came up as a daily deal from Audible, I jumped on it. I couldn’t have made a better decision. This book is a personal memoir of Kranz, following his career at Nasa through the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs. The beginning of the book is a bit awkward, as it starts out immediately with the Mercury program, then provides an entire section on his own background, qualifications and training, then resumes with Gemini. It is a bit jarring at the point where you read it, but once you’re past it, you don’t think of it again.
The thing I like the best about this book is how it is not just effusive praise of the astronauts. This by no means diminishes their contribution, but Kranz seems to go out of his way to hammer into your head that everything was a team effort, and there were more people than you could possibly imagine who, working together, raced against the Russians to put a man on the moon. At one point, he says, “Chances are, you’ve never heard of Hal Beck.” This is just one of the many times he goes out of his way to describe the individuals who contributed to his team, praising their worth, their contribution and their ability.
Kranz seems selfless to a fault. He says, “I think everyone, once in his life should be given a ticker-tape parade.” I have a feeling the statuary of his controllers are polished with a little extra shine, but you can tell that he is the type of man who wants to make sure that everyone gets recognized. He jokes about how Alan Shepard says, “More people remember that I’m the guy who hit a golf ball on the moon, than that I was the first American in space.” Shift that back a few levels, and try to name any of the Flight Directors other than Kranz, or CAPCOMs that were not former astronauts, and you can see how he wants to make sure people don’t get forgotten.
And that’s the beauty of the book. It’s not about the astronauts; it’s about the people at Mission Control. The full name of the book is “Failure is not an Option: Mission Control From Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond,” and it is absolutely a recounting of the people who make up Mission Control - not the engineers who built the spacecraft, and not the astronauts who flew it - but the people who solved the problems mid-flight and kept everything together. When talking about how his flight director colors were retired, he says the retirement proclamation is “written by one’s peers, the only people who matter in our business.”
And problems there were, in spades. Apollo 13 stands out as one of the most celebrated successes pulled from the ashes of failure, but there were many other problems as well. All three Apollo 1 astronauts died before ever leaving the ground. Apollo 11 missed its landing zone by a large margin. Apollo 12 was struck by lightning before it ever left Earth’s atmosphere. It seems every mission had something that went wrong, and the Mission Control people worked the problems and fixed them with incredible efficiency.
This book is THEIR story. And it’s a fascinating one.
The book was written in 1999, and as such mentions the Challenger disaster, but was well before the Columbia disaster. It also is well before the privatization of space exploration, and the wonderful things being done by SpaceX. I would love to hear what he says about SpaceX, especially as the Afterword laments the current (1999) state of NASA and the country’s commitment to space exploration.
Audiobook note: The audiobook was very nicely narrated by Danny Campbell, who does a nice job of making it sound like he knows and believes the technical jargon sprinkled copiously throughout the book. The only negative is his rather poor British accent, which is thankfully kept to a minimum.
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.''''
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The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
Sometimes a book works its way inside your heart, and it doesn’t really leave. Well, James McBride’s The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store is that book. It’s a big American novel. A great one, too. It tackles issues related to love, race, and community, and mostly, it’s a book that’s brimming with compassion. It won the Kirkus Prize. Time, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, NPR named it as one of the best. Barnes & Noble named it “Book of the Year.” Amazon did the same. It’s loved.
Like I mentioned earlier, I try to keep my personal feelings out of these predictions as much as I can, and I have for the most part. If I’m being honest, though, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store is my favorite book of the year. It’s many people’s favorite book of the year. I think it’ll be the Pulitzer folks’ favorite book of the year.
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The more serious you and your book club become about reading, the more hopeless you may end up feeling about all the books you will never, even with the best of intentions, have time for. How to Talk About Books you Haven’t Read by Pierre Bayard will make you feel much better about this and, indeed, let you beautifully off the hook if you haven’t managed to finish your book club read in time. That’s ok, you can skim, flip through, read the end, or even just hold the book, unopened in your hands, all are fine with Bayard and he makes a compelling case for why you might be better able to discuss the book if you haven’t actually read it. Although Bayard’s credentials as a reader and academic are serious, his book is delightfully mischievous and funny. Give it a try and see if you agree with him or not. You might want to adopt his notation system for future reference: UB: book unknown to me; SB: book I have skimmed; HB: book I have heard about; and FB: book I have forgotten.
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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Prince Harry & Meghan Markle's terribly embarrassing weekend, just got worse. The true motives for the Nigeria trip are clear, so many awful Sussex speech fails & Archewell puts a SOUR spin on their big PR vacation. Today's video reviews the Nigeria trip and the news about the Sussexes' Archewell Foundation.
The Sussex Faux-Royal Nigeria Tour/trip was punctuated terribly with the news that their charity, Archewell, is now delinquent. The promises they made just days ago in Nigeria can not be fulfilled due to the Sussex charity funds being frozen at this time.
During the trip however, Harry & Meghan gave a number of speeches, all with high levels of cringe, and made several cultural blunders. Nigeria & Invictus got completely lost amid the Meg's self-obsessed compulsive anecdotes as she (& Harold too) highjacked this trip and all the headlines in a hail-mary sort of attempt at salvaging some of Meghan's "popularity".
It's clear this trip's motives were very much for Sussex PR.,,,,
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.' ''
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.//
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'''
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'''
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end./
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.
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@ocdman202 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.//
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.
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@ocdman202 Now that aRCHiewel Productions is bankrupt, where will I get my thirty dollar jar of jam or my
diamond encrusted toenail clippers???
The Sussex Faux-Royal Nigeria Tour/trip was punctuated terribly with the news that their charity, Archewell, is now delinquent. The promises they made just days ago in Nigeria can not be fulfilled due to the Sussex charity funds being frozen at this time.
During the trip however, Harry & Meghan gave a number of speeches, all with high levels of cringe, and made several cultural blunders. Nigeria & Invictus got completely lost amid the Meg's self-obsessed compulsive anecdotes as she (& Harold too) highjacked this trip and all the headlines in a hail-mary sort of attempt at salvaging some of Meghan's "popularity".
It's clear this trip's motives were very much for Sussex PR.,,,,
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Last year when my great granddaughter was born, I started writing letters to her every month. I do not live near her, and this would be my way of sharing family stories and whatever else I might think of as time moves on. This month marks the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. I wanted to be sure to share my memories of that day and also of the early space program in general. I was in high school when Alan Shepard became the first American in space. The more I thought about what I wanted to tell her, I realized I wanted to go back and fill in a lot of what I do not remember.
I remembered all the highlights of this time period, but the book filled in so many details. What Kranz does so well is to put the reader at the console along with the flight controller. Flight controllers need to know about every aspect of the flight from liftoff to touchdown. Simulation was preparation. They sat in a mock up of the capsule so that they could envision every light and switch the astronauts saw. They knew timeframes in which maneuvers could happen. It was their call whether a mission could be continued or aborted.
Even though I knew the outcomes, Kranz well conveyed the tension for him and others. Things could and did go wrong, not just on Apollo 13, but on all of the flights. I found it fascinating to learn how they went about preparing for the flights and then working through problems. Technical references could not be left out and there were a lot of acronyms. I did my best to follow the narrative, and there is a glossary at the back in case I didn't remember what some initials meant.
Kranz lets us see the human side of things, too. The early Mercury capsule was small.
The interior of the space capsule that Alan Shepard would soon climb into was so small that a human being could barely fit. The back of his couch was within inches of the heat shield. The instrument panel was less than two feet from his face and the parachutes only five feet forward. John Glenn had hung a sign on the panel: "No Handball Playing in This area."
I marked (and failed to mark) several passages that I found meaningful.
Apollo 11 would be the flight for the ages, but Apollo 8 was a very big leap that drew on one's spiritual and moral resolve. For us it would become the second greatest Christmas story ever told. Think about the imagery of a rocket soaring through limitless space, so close to heaven the passengers could reach out and touch the face of God.
Having been originally published in 2000, it isn't a recent addition to books about America's early space program. I'm very glad of the opportunity to read this. It is very readable. Although it just barely crosses the threshold, I'm happy to give it 5-stars.
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existe um lado humano em projetos de engenharia que é difícil de entender a não ser que você já tenha se envolvido em um: as discussões e conversas entre membros de áreas diferentes em busca de um equilíbrio, reações a problemas repentinos que vão surgindo, coisas assim. acho que esse livro soube expressar bem isso, se aproveitando de um dos contextos mais fascinantes na engenharia aeronáutica. algumas das minhas anedotas favoritas:
-a revolta do time de aerodinâmica com a proposta do protótipo do f-117 (o que é compreensível)
-a equipe sendo forçada a projetar um poste furtivo devido ao fato de ele ter uma sessão transversal de radar muito mais alta que o protótipo do f-117, prejudicando os testes
-a margem curtíssima de velocidade de cruzeiro do u-2 a 70 mil pés, de tal modo que pilotos já relataram que, durante certas curvas, a asa dentro da curva vibra por buffet de estol, e a asa de fora vibra por buffet causado por ondas de choque
-basicamente tudo sobre o blackbird, mas em especial o difusor de geometria variável do motor, e o fato de que a aeronave vaza combustível no solo, pois os painéis se dilatam até as dimensões corretas quando se aquecem no voo a mach 3
-problemas sem lógica aparente surgindo do nada, com explicações obscuras (como peças de borracha utilizadas como vedação que começaram a oxidar em poucas semanas devido à exposição à poluição atmosférica)
-a intuição do kelly pra deduzir estimativas de grandezas físicas muito acuradas
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A truly fascinating read if you have any kind of affinity for aircraft like the SR-71 and early stealth aircraft. Most of the technical information is presented as neat anecdotes rather than technical detail - it never really bogs down or gets into the weeds beyond a layman level of understanding. The frequent interjections of one-two page notes from pilots, politicians, and other engineers also sprinkle colour throughout the book and provide some vital in-the-cockpit perspectives that Rich can't.
In some ways, it's very prescient (drones, stealth, etc.) and in some ways dated (the prognostications about the post-Soviet world, some of the political and social views). There's definitely a braggadocio to it (understandable given the accomplishments involved), as well as glorification of some figures and viewpoints that are probably a lot more complicated than they're presented here. I doubt I would have much enjoyed dealing with someone like Rich or Johnson, but their team's achievements are undeniable and they make for great characters in this context. Twenty years from the time of publication, it's disappointing to see Rich's warnings about inefficient military bureaucracy, short-sighted and politicized views of procurement, and corporate greed have largely gone unheeded.
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It's a great book, interweaving the history of aviation with the history of the Cold War, then adding a lot of hands-on advices for business leaders and then talking about massive systemic problems, corroding the modern world of military airplanes production, suffocated by the bureaucracy and wasting millions of dollars on busywork. In fact, at the end of the book when I actually did some additional research I was really sad to learn that the venerable F-35 is a product of the same Skunk Works design bureau. I don't think Kelly Johnson and Ben Rich would approve what happened to the F-35 program.
It's also fascinating to compare the aerospace engineering with the modern software engineering. I was shocked, while reading the scene, where Ben Rich is describing how Northrop was trying to steal him from L-M to build their own Skunk Works and they offered him to pay extra $10K on top of what L-M was paying him. Granted that was early 70s, so that 10K was probably around $50K now, but it is not uncommon for a fairly regular software engineer (one of many thousands of the same caliber) to get a similar raise while being poached, but a person of Ben Rich caliber.... They probably had a dozen people like him for the entire industry...
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Há um lote de livros que, na minha opinião, pelo tema que abordam e a forma como o fazem, deviam ser de leitura obrigatória em todo o Mundo. “Vozes de Chernobyl” é, sem dúvida, um deles. É um livro duro de ler, que me provocou náuseas mais do que uma vez, que incomoda e magoa. Mas ainda bem que o faz, apenas faz jus ao prémio que a autora ganhou, o Prémio Nobel da Literatura.
Já muito se falou acerca do tema, porque o livro é uma colectânea de testemunhos que a autora recolheu ao longo de vários anos, e não um livro escrito por ela. Polémicas à parte, acho que este é o formato perfeito e possível para abordar um tema de que todos já ouviram falar, certamente, mas será do conhecimento geral o que aconteceu depois? Será do conhecimento geral a falta de informação que foi prestada às populações, porque não se queria gerar uma onda de pânico que perturbasse o poder governamental? Será que o Mundo sabe as consequências que milhares de pessoas sentiram e ainda continuam a sentir, por terem sido expostas à radiação? E será que se sabe que a Europa ainda existe, porque houve um grupo de heróis que se sacrificaram pelo bem de todos?
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Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
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@mommapanda5736 Me Gain is an example of what not to do in life. There will be books and classes that use her as an example of
reaching the pinnacle in life and then throwing everything away and descending to the nadir. We should all
tell our daughters to use her as a good example of exactly how NOT to behave. As far as using the race card,
she claimed she was white on her California driver's license , but said she was black to hurt the Royal family.
She did not realize that she was playing cards, but everyone else was playing the long game of 3D chess.
There are only so many times you can write books complaining you were a victim, when everyone knows
you were not, and expect them to make money. She reminds us of the mythical character of Icarus who had
wings of wax, and flew too close to the sun and came back down to earth, only to find a tragic end. She had
such a wonderful gift in life, came close, became petty, and alas, found a tragic end.'
1