A Boeing B-47 Stratojet taking off with the assistance of JATOs (Jet Assist Take off), from the Portsmouth Air Force Base, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Date: February 8, 1956

NARA: 6925452

Shōgun!

Shōgun: The much-anticipated Japan-set show has finally landed.—Cosmo Jarvis as the English ship pilot John Blackthorne, whose vessel was wrecked upon the Japanese coast in the early 17th century. After losing his ship to a violent storm, the English navigator finds himself in an endless web of complex politics and power play in Japan and is forced to deal with the two most powerful men in Japan these days. He is thrown amid a war between Toranaga and Ishido, who struggle for the title of Shōgun which will give ultimate power to the one who possesses it.

The term shōgun, which means “general who quells barbarians,” is an ancient military term that was adopted in the twelfth century for the dominant warlord who held political and martial power in Japan while the emperor in Kyoto maintained his position as figural head of state and cultural leader.

Shōgun (1980)

Richard Chamberlain at an event for Shōgun 1980) Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images - © 2012

The original Shōgun, a five-part miniseries based on James Clavell’s best-selling 1975 doorstop, was a massive hit when it aired on ABC in 1980. Nearly a third of American households tuned in to watch a cast led by Richard Chamberlain and the iconic Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune retell the tale of an English navigator’s adventures in feudal Japan. The series won three Emmys and three Golden Globes. The series and book triggered a wave of interest in feudal Japan.

Toshirô Mifune at an event for Shōgun (1980) Photo by NBC/NBCUniversal via Getty Images © 2012

Shōgun: The First Novel of the Asian saga. Set in the year 1600, it tells the story of a bold English pilot whose ship was blown ashore in Japan, where he encountered two people who were to change his life: a warlord with his own quest for power, and a beautiful interpreter torn between two ways of life and two ways of love.

Shōgun is a 1975 historical fiction novel by James Clavell, set during the late Sengoku period in Japan. It serves as the first novel in the internal chronology of the author's Asian Saga. A notable best-seller, by 1990 the book had sold 15 million copies worldwide.

About the author

James Clavell, the son of a Royal Navy family, was educated in Portsmouth before, as a young artillery officer, he was captured by the Japanese at the Fall of Singapore. It was on this experience that his bestselling novel KING RAT was based. He maintained this oriental interest in his other great works: TAI-PAN, SHOGUN, NOBLE HOUSE and GAI JIN.

Clavell lived for many years in Vancouver and Los Angeles, before settling in Switzerland, where he died in 1994.

Shōgun (2024)

The new Shōgun, whose two-episode premiere comes to FX and Hulu, is not a remake so much as a radical reimagining. Adapted directly from Clavell’s novel, this sprawling, 10-part historical drama takes a far broader view than its predecessor. The series will have a total of 10 episodes, releasing a new chapter every week following the premiere. The release of its first two episodes is on Tuesday, February 27th 2024.

Shōgun is a historical drama based on James Clavell's novel, focusing on English sailor John Blackthorne's experiences in Japan and the power struggle among various leaders. Pilot John Blackthorne, also known as Anjin-san, is the protagonist of James Clavell's 1975 novel Shōgun.

The novel is inspired by the real-life story of William Adams, an English sailor who travelled to Japan in the 1600s played a crucial role in Japan's overseas trading, and rose to high rank in the service of the shōgun. The series follows fictional Englishman John Blackthorne's (Cosmo Jarvis) transforming experiences and political intrigues in feudal Japan in the early 17th century. Shōgun assigns details to characters that match their historical counterparts and has influenced other works, such as video games and films.

Hiroyuki Sanada headlines Shōgun as Lord Yoshii Toranaga. The Japanese actor and world-renowned martial artist is most known for his roles in films such as John Wick: Chapter 4, Bullet Train, Mortal Kombat, 47 Ronin, Army of the Dead and The Last Samurai . Shōgun isn't his first foray into television either, having appeared in Season 3 of The Last Ship, Seasons 2 and 4 of Westworld, and Season 6 of Lost.

With Shōgun, for the first time after more than three decades of work in his nearly 60 years of acting, the icon Hiroyuki Sanada took on the project of a lifetime. He received his first-ever producer credit on the show, painstakingly poring over every detail of the production’s lavish, nuanced portrait of feudal Japan. And he found himself giving a performance unlike any he’d given before.

To this end, actor Hiroyuki Sanada was brought on board not only to play the lead role of wise, strategic Lord Yoshii Toranaga, but also as an executive producer. Sanada, a major star in his native Japan, has enormous experience in period dramas there.

The main cast of Shōgun also features Cosmo Jarvis, British actor playing the lead in the series, which was shot over 11 months in Vancouver. Jarvis featured in Ridley Scott’s sci-fi series Raised By Wolves, as well as Peaky Blinders, where he was the tragic, shell-shocked Barney, part of the plot to assassinate Oswald Mosley.

Cosmo Jarvis, as John Blackthorne, his bestial and brooding, vibe couldn’t be any more different from Richard Chamberlain’s slickness. When John Blackthorne’s beleaguered ship drifts into a Japanese harbour where his ailing crew are taken hostage, he finds himself first used as a pawn in the local power struggles, before being appointed a samurai complete with his own army.

Anna Sawai (Monarch: Legacy of Monsters) as Toda Mariko, Tadanobu Asano (Thor) as Kashigi Yabushige, Hiroto Kanai as Kashigi Omi, Takehiro Hira (Gran Turismo) as Ishido Kazunari, Shinnosuke Abe (13 Assassins) as Toda Buntaro. Moeka Hoshi as Usami Fuji, Tokuma Nishioka as Toda "Iron Fist" Hiromatsu, Yasunari Takeshima (Silence) as Muraji, Yuki Kura as Yoshii Nagakado, Fumi Nikaido as Ochiba No Kata, Tommy Bastow (EastEnders) as Father Martin Alvito, Yuka Kouri as Kiku, Yoriko Dōguchi as Kiri No Kata, and Ako (30 Rock) as Daiyoin / Lady Iyo.

Shōgun is Epic! Strap yourself in for a wild adventure in feudal Japan. This lavish adaptation of the classic samurai novel is a beautiful, intellectual fare that amply rewards your full attention. But be warned: it’s gruesome from the get-go. Highly recommended if you enjoy top tier drama 🎭

“Shōgun” is created for television by Rachel Kondo & Justin Marks, with Marks serving as Showrunner and Executive Producer alongside Michaela Clavell, Edward L. McDonnell, Michael De Luca, and Kondo. The series is produced by FX Productions. “SHŌGUN” PREMIERES EXCLUSIVELY ON DISNEY+ IN THE UK AND IRELAND TODAY 27th FEBRUARY 2024.

#Shōgun #general #JamesClavell #book #pilot #RichardChamberlain #JohnBlackthorne #Ishido #Toranaga #LordYoshiiToranaga #Japan #series #feudalsystem #HiroyukiSanada #CosmoJarvis #AnnaSawa #TadanobuAsano #HirotoKanai #TakehiroHira#ShinnosukeAbe #FX #Hulu #Disney+ #RichardChamberlain #ToshirôMifune

Iranian Air Force Starts "War Games"

Diego Alves By Diego Alves 23/07/2023 - 13:00in Military

The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force - IRIAF (Air Force of the Iranian Islamic Republic) began a national military exercise in the central province of Esfahan on Sunday (23). The maneuver was initiated following an order from the commander of IRIAF, Brigadier General Hamid Vahedi, with the aim of strengthening the country's defense readiness and sending the message of "friendship, peace and calm" to the region.

Previously, Brig. General Vahedi said his forces will employ 92 aircraft in military practice, including various fighters, interceptor aircraft, bombers and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The officer added that the units of the Iranian Air Force will carry out a wide range of simulation operations, such as aerial reconnaissance and imaging, destruction of aerial and ground targets, electronic warfare, defense tactics and testing of new modern systems.

Iran operates an unknown number of Western aircraft, acquired before the Islamic revolution.

He noted that air force units will also perform various combat tactics and distance attack operations with drones to destroy targets accurately.

Iran has held several "war games" in recent years amid military threats against the country by foreign opponents. The military doctrine of the Islamic Republic maintains that the country's armed capacity serves only for defensive purposes.

Recently, Iran announced the purchase of 24 Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E fighters produced for Egypt.

In recent years, the Iranian industry has made substantial progress in the manufacture of a wide range of equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient in the sphere of armament.

The Iranian authorities have repeatedly stressed that the country will not hesitate to increase its military capabilities, including its missile and drone power, which are entirely intended for defense, and that Iran's defense capabilities will never be subject to negotiation.

Tags: Military AviationIranIRIAF - Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force/Iran Air ForceWar Zones - Iran

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FOUR THINGS YOU NEED TO TELL YOUR HYDRAULIC EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER

For beginners, getting your head around hydraulics can be confusing. Hydraulics have a vast range of applications in our daily life; industries that use hydraulics include construction, automobile, mining and defense. Hydraulics is an area of civil engineering that deals with fluids and various applications related to it.

Below, we’ve put together four things you need to tell your hydraulic equipment supplier.

WHAT IS HYDRAULICS?

A hydraulic system uses compressed fluid to transfer force applied at one point to another point. A hydraulic machine gains controlled motion through the use of a transmitted fluid. There are various components that make up a basic hydraulic system: reservoir, pump, valves, fluid, motor, hose, filter and cylinder.

FOUR THINGS TO TELL YOUR HYDRAULIC EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER

When sourcing a piece of hydraulic equipment, it’s important to tell your supplier a few things about the environment the machine will be operating in.

MINIMUM & MAXIMUM AMBIENT TEMPERATURE

In order to determine the correct hydraulic fluid type, viscosity grade and viscosity index, you’ll need to tell your supplier the minimum and maximum ambient temperature. This also helps to determine whether tank heating is required at minimum ambient temperature, or whether a cooling capacity is required at maximum ambient temperature.

HUMIDITY CONDITIONS

If the machine is operating in an environment where humidity levels are high (for example, marine or tropical environments), a moisture absorbing tank breather may be required. Polymeric filters may also be required to limit water content.

DUST LEVELS

Environments with high dirt and dust levels may require contamination exclusion and control. From a sealed and pressurised reservoir, or a vented reservoir with a bladder (creating a barrier between the air in the tank and the oil), to a cylinder-rod wiper seal arrangement, there are plenty of ways to control airborne contamination.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

You should also inform your supplier of any special conditions. For example, if the location is hazardous, there is a high pollution spill risk or presence of ignition source (fire risk).

At Sonu Hose Hydraulics, we’re experts in the design, manufacture and installation of quality hydraulic systems. Based in Hampshire, we’re proud to be one of the leading hydraulics manufacturers across Portsmouth, Southampton and Fareham. For more information, visit our website

CONTACT US:

Call Now: +91 9311288288

Website: https://sonuhose.com

G-mail: [email protected]

Events 11.21 (after 1960)

1961 – The "La Ronde" opens in Honolulu, first revolving restaurant in the United States. 1962 – The Chinese People's Liberation Army declares a unilateral ceasefire in the Sino-Indian War. 1964 – The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge opens to traffic. At the time it is the world's longest bridge span. 1964 – Second Vatican Council: The third session of the Roman Catholic Church's ecumenical council closes. 1969 – U.S. President Richard Nixon and Japanese Premier Eisaku Satō agree on the return of Okinawa to Japanese control in 1972. The U.S. retains rights to bases on the island, but these are to be nuclear-free. 1969 – The first permanent ARPANET link is established between UCLA and SRI. 1972 – Voters in South Korea overwhelmingly approve a new constitution, giving legitimacy to Park Chung Hee and the Fourth Republic. 1974 – The Birmingham pub bombings kill 21 people. The Birmingham Six are sentenced to life in prison for the crime but subsequently acquitted. 1980 – A deadly fire breaks out at the MGM Grand Hotel in Paradise, Nevada (now Bally's Las Vegas). Eighty-five people are killed and more than 650 are injured in the worst disaster in Nevada history. 1985 – United States Navy intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard is arrested for spying after being caught giving Israel classified information on Arab nations. He is subsequently sentenced to life in prison. 1986 – National Security Council member Oliver North and his secretary start to shred documents allegedly implicating them in the Iran–Contra affair. 1990 – Bangkok Airways Flight 125 crashes on approach to Samui Airport, killing 38. 1992 – A major tornado strikes the Houston, Texas area during the afternoon. Over the next two days the largest tornado outbreak ever to occur in the US during November spawns over 100 tornadoes. 1995 – The Dayton Agreement is initialed at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, near Dayton, Ohio, ending three and a half years of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 1996 – Humberto Vidal explosion: Thirty-three people die when a Humberto Vidal shoe shop in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico explodes. 2002 – NATO invites Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia to become members. 2002 – Arturo Guzmán Decena, founder of Los Zetas and high-member of the Gulf Cartel, is killed in a shoot-out with the Mexican Army and the police. 2004 – The second round of the Ukrainian presidential election is held, giving rise to massive protests and controversy over the election's integrity. 2004 – Dominica is hit by the most destructive earthquake in its history. The northern half of the island sustains the most damage, especially the town of Portsmouth. In neighboring Guadeloupe, one person is killed. 2004 – The Paris Club agrees to write off 80% (up to $100 billion) of Iraq's external debt. 2006 – Anti-Syrian Lebanese politician and government minister Pierre Gemayel is assassinated in suburban Beirut. 2009 – A mine explosion in Heilongjiang, China kills 108. 2012 – At least 28 are wounded after a bomb is thrown onto a bus in Tel Aviv. 2013 – Fifty-four people are killed when the roof of a shopping center collapses in Riga, Latvia. 2013 – Massive protests start in Ukraine after President Viktor Yanukovych suspended signing the Ukraine–European Union Association Agreement. 2014 – A stampede in Kwekwe, Zimbabwe caused by the police firing tear gas kills at least eleven people and injures 40 others. 2015 – The government of Belgium imposes a security lockdown on Brussels, including the closure of shops, schools, and public transportation, due to potential terrorist attacks. 2017 – Robert Mugabe formally resigns as President of Zimbabwe, after thirty-seven years in office. 2019 – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is indicted on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. 2019 – Tesla launches the SUV Cybertruck. A gaffe occurs during the launch event when its "unbreakable" windows shatter during demonstration. 2021 – An SUV plows through a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, killing six and injuring 62.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps: Supporting UK's Armed Forces

  Putting People First

In his inaugural month as Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps embarked on a mission to underscore the pivotal role of personnel within the British Armed Forces. Emphasizing the enduring significance of servicemen and women, Shapps conducted his maiden visits to the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force, reiterating his unwavering commitment to supporting serving personnel and their families.   Prioritizing Personnel Engagement During these visits, Shapps prioritized meetings with Armed Forces personnel, seeking to gain insight into their experiences and concerns. His primary objective was to assure them that they remained at the core of the nation's defense efforts.  

Shapps' Pledge of Support

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps expressed his gratitude for the dedication and expertise of each member of the Armed Forces. He affirmed his pride in leading this remarkable organization, stressing his dedication to safeguarding the nation's security and prosperity. Simultaneously, he vowed to enhance the experiences of personnel and their families, addressing various aspects, from childcare and accommodation to compensation and equipment.  

A Day Aboard the Royal Navy in Portsmouth

One leg of Shapps' tour took him to the bustling naval base in Portsmouth, where he engaged with serving Navy personnel. Here, he delved into their experiences and the opportunities the service provides. Shapps had the privilege of touring the Type 45 HMS Defender, a vessel that has recently played a central role in joint operations alongside the UK's allies. Notably, the ship had completed four operations and four exercises in the year preceding its refit, including the pivotal Exercise Formidable Shield. The Defence Secretary received briefings on Navy priorities and held discussions with representatives from BAE Systems, a vital defense partner supporting numerous jobs and livelihoods across the UK.  

A Visit to Salisbury Plain: Meeting the Army

Journeying to Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, Shapps, accompanied by Chief of the General Staff General Sir Patrick Sanders, met with British soldiers at the heart of a UK-led training program. This initiative has successfully trained more than 26,500 Ukrainian recruits to date. Shapps heard inspiring stories from these soldiers and observed world-leading training practices before receiving briefings on the Army's priorities, particularly its modernization efforts.  

Taking to the Skies with the Royal Air Force

At RAF Waddington, Shapps, accompanied by Chief of the Air Staff, and Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, actively engaged with personnel serving at the station. This included those from 51 and XIII Squadrons, who are responsible for operating Rivet Joint and Reaper Aircraft, respectively. During this visit, the Defence Secretary listened attentively to their experiences and took note of the recent accomplishments of the Royal Air Force. Additionally, he received briefings on the RAF's intelligence-gathering roles crucial for national defense.  

Unseen Guardians of Defense: Strategic Command

Strategic Command, headquartered at Northwood, London, and under the leadership of General Sir Jim Hockenhull, plays a pivotal role in providing often-unnoticed elements of defense. During his meeting with General Jim, the Defence Secretary was briefed on the work carried out by specialists within the organization, including cyber operators, intelligence analysts, medics, and logisticians. Strategic Command's integration of capabilities across defense ensures that the Armed Forces stand ready to respond at any time and in any place. Shapps discussed the multitude of ongoing initiatives aimed at attracting, upskilling, and retaining individuals, particularly those with expertise in science, digital, and technical fields.  

A Visit to Kyiv: Reinforcing Support for Ukraine

This week, in a significant development, the Defence Secretary extended his reach beyond the UK, embarking on a journey to Kyiv alongside Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin. The primary purpose of this noteworthy visit was to emphatically reiterate the UK's steadfast and unwavering support for Ukraine during these challenging times.   Chief of the Defence Staff's Perspective Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, expressed his satisfaction with the Secretary of State's visit, underscoring its significance in the context of the evolving global security landscape. Furthermore, he highlighted the UK's substantial investments in its Army, Royal Air Force, and Royal Navy, clearly outlining plans for increased lethality and strength within NATO. Admiral Radakin also touched upon the transition to fifth-generation aircraft in the Royal Air Force and advancements in space capabilities. Ultimately, he credited the commitment and skill of the Armed Forces, as well as their international and industry partnerships, for safeguarding the nation. In conclusion, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps' initial month in office has been characterized by a strong emphasis on personnel and their importance in the broader defense strategy. As he tours military bases and engages with servicemen and women, Shapps leaves no doubt about his dedication to ensuring their well-being.   Sources: THX News, Ministry of Defence & The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP. Read the full article

Brittany: Britanny Ferries will fly its boats by 2028

TRANSPORTATION OF THE FUTURE The Breton company has joined forces with an American start-up to design an electric flying ferry

Code name: Seagliders. Special features: Can both fly and glide on water. By 2028, it is a strange machine that will ensure maritime links between the United Kingdom and France. Based in Roscoff ( Finistère ), Brittany Ferries has teamed up with the American start-up Regent to develop an electric flying ferry, halfway between the hydrofoil and the plane.

"The Seaglider principle combines the maneuverability of ferries with the air efficiency of hovercraft and the speed of planes," the company said in a statement. With a capacity of 50 to 150 passengers, these aircraft, equipped with wings and propellers, could reach 290 kilometers per hour. Thus, the crossing between Cherbourg and Portsmouth, in the south of England, could be done in only forty minutes.

Foils to raise the boat

Seagliders will move a few meters from the surface of the water to take advantage of the ground effect, this aerodynamic concept known to pilots which increases lift by compressing a mass of air under the wings. "The Seaglider rises on its foils, and in the open sea it takes off on its air cushion while flying at low altitude, which allows comfortable navigation above the waves", underlines the shipping company, which specifies that the The energy required is supplied by electric batteries recharged at the quayside.

"For Brittany Ferries, the energy transition is a priority," assures the company, which recently invested in two new vessels powered by liquefied natural gas, whose deliveries are scheduled for 2022 and 2023.

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CDR Brian Ellis, NC, USN

Executive Officer​

Commander Ellis is a native of Wichita Falls, TX. He enlisted in the Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion Pipeline in 1989 and served on the USS Daniel Boone (SSBN 629 Gold) and the USS Alabama (SSBN 731 Gold). From his first shore duty assignment at Trident Refit Facility, Bangor Washington he was selected for Medical Enlisted Commissioning Program and attended Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA.

Following graduation, he was commissioned an Ensign in 2002 and reported to Naval Hospital, Bremerton, WA, where he gained first-hand experience in medical, surgical, and emergency nursing. During this tour he deployed to Fleet Hospital 8, Rota Spain in 2003. In 2004, he transferred to Naval Hospital Twenty Nine Palms, CA to serve as a medical-surgical and emergency staff nurse and deployed to Expeditionary Medical Facility Kuwait in 2005.

In 2007 he reported to 3d Medical Battalion in Okinawa, Japan serving serial year-long assignments as Commander for all three companies. During this tour he was deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan in 2008 where he served as Executive Officer of a Shock Trauma Platoon and helped develop tactics, techniques and procedures for the armored Mobile Trauma Bay; a new capability designed to bring critical care to wounded Marines in areas of high IED concentrations. CDR Ellis also completed professional military education through the Expeditionary Warfare School’s Distance Education Program.

In 2011 he reported to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth and served as Manager of the Family Medicine Clinic during Medical Home Port realignment, Joint Commission survey, the merger of Deployment Health and Primary Care, and NCQA submission. In 2012 he was selected as Senior Nurse for the Oceana Triad of clinics, a position normally held by a full Commander, and oversaw the Triad’s realignment of Mental Health, Obstetrics, Physical Therapy, and Chiropractic services under Primary Care.

In 2015 he graduated from Air Command and Staff College in Montgomery, AL and reported to Naval Hospital Naples, Italy where he served as the Quality Manager, Risk Manager, and the command’s Inspector General Representative. In 2018 he reported to the Nurse Corps’ only Joint Duty Assignment List billet as a Medical Planner and then Secretary to the Joint Staff for Joint Task Force - Civil Support on Fort Eustis, VA, completing Joint Professional Military Education phase II through the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, VA. In 2020 he deployed to Djibouti, Africa as the Officer In Charge for the Expeditionary Medical Facility, the Navy’s sole OCONUS Role II trauma facility.  He currently serves as the Executive Officer for Navy Medicine Training Support Center on Joint Base San Antonio, Texas.

CDR Ellis’ decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (five awards), and the Combat Action Ribbon. He is the proud Gold Star Father of Army PFC Vincent J. Ellis who was killed in action in 2012 and is interred in Arlington National Cemetery. CDR Ellis is a member of the Emergency Nurses Association, and the American College of Health Care Executives.

And we're going to press charges on lots of them and we're going to open lawsuits for harassment and for the whole trip out here and for sitting there doing with the advance air guys doing cuz we see him harassing and it's not really a small money and it's not Small Time stuff and you gamble your life and it was lose and just keep doing it even after you see it very expensive behavior to do right in front of court and by the way we have another 50 lawsuits in and they haven't even sent the checks out yet cuz they're afraid of mohawk who attacked their bases and ruined them also know where we building them one by one and Corky can't get to it and where appearing is Max any kind of Mac and they think it's all of them so they sent out this alliance stuff this morning he have 2,000 very large bases of theirs and we have about 2,500 no we have 3500 medium and that leaves them only 300 or so very large bases the rest are on fire or half broken or hours and I'll leave them about 1200 medium but half of those are half on fire and be gone shortly and we decided to put them out from below and execute all the molak and say we're Max cuz these people don't even care for our son is an ally they have absolutely no hope in winning wasn't necessarily our plan the works like a thing of beauty. And none of the 30,000 small bases we have 20,000 and 5,000 of them are half on fire mostly in minutes they catch on fire so by the end of the day we'll have the rest of the 500 and will be built by the end of the day and we'll make them a much larger. Also adding to people's finds and punishments and so forth when they continuously do it and don't listen if this idiot is. Simone 1600 right now and it's going to go up to 2000 a second she don't care if she's an idiot so I'm going to p**** envelope I feel it at 2500 3000 I'm going to find her a friend double and she thinks that she's doing something for herself threatening our son to force us to take over the bases what we say is we're not only taking over the basis we're taking all the hardware below all the tanks they're huge and there are tons of them and Jager and we know how to use some properly it's enough to take over the world like 10 times and keep a huge reserve but half at all times.

Also going to start moving on here and get them out of there robots in the Jager and the tanks and the idiots we're going to do that by sending foreigners by s*** well they're going by ship tons of them and a whole bunch of molar too and this idiot on the phone is bothering us it says let's move on it have to get a little faster in here somehow and we agree it's huge Army is heading north gigantic armies there's about 700 octillion an area that's going north because I heard it was in Portsmouth and that they're fools and it's fueling right now by the end of the day it'll be tanked up and they're all going to fight over this 5 mi ship that's how big it is and it has been gathering his clan yes they're about 50% in the end of the day they'll all be in cuz you guys really don't do your job you just have big mouths walk around with your chest out of it Mr Crowley

Thor Freya

A Boeing B-47 Stratojet taking off with the assistance of JATOs

Photographed at the Portsmouth Air Force Base, Portsmouth, New Hampshire on February 8, 1956.

NARA: 6925452

Arthur Conan Doyle on Anti-vaxxers

From time to time some champion of the party which is opposed to vaccination comes forward to air his views in the public Press, but these periodical sallies seldom lead to any discussion, as the inherent weakness of their position renders a reply superfluous. When, however, a gentleman of Colonel Wintle's position makes an attack upon what is commonly considered by those most competent to judge to be one of the greatest victories ever won by science over disease, it is high time that some voice should be raised upon the other side. Hobbies and fads are harmless things as a rule, but when a hobby takes the form of encouraging ignorant people to neglect sanitary precautions and to live in a fool's paradise until bitter experience teaches them their mistake, it becomes a positive danger to the community at large. The interests at stake are so vital that an enormous responsibility rests with the men whose notion of progress is to revert to the condition of things which existed in the dark ages before the dawn of medical science.

Colonel Wintle bases his objection to vaccination upon two points: its immorality and its inefficiency or positive harmfulness. Let us consider it under each of these heads, giving the moral question the precedence which is its due. Is it immoral for a Government to adopt a method of procedure which experience has Proved and science has testified to conduce to the health and increased longevity of the population? Is it immoral to inflict a Passing inconvenience upon a child in order to preserve it from a deadly disease? Does the end never justify the means? Would it be immoral to give Colonel Wintle a push in order to save him from being run over by a locomotive? If all these are really immoral, I trust and pray that we may never attain morality. The colonel's reasoning reminds me of nothing so much as that adduced by some divines of the Scottish Church, who protested against the induction of chloroform. "Pain was sent us by Providence," said the worthy ministers, "and it is therefore sinful to abolish it." Colonel Wintle's line of argument is that smallpox has been also sent by Providence and that it becomes immoral to take any steps to neutralise its mischief. When once it has been concisely stated, it needs no further agitation.

In the second place is the mode of treatment a success? It has been before the public for nearly a hundred years, during which time it has been thrashed out periodically in learned societies, argued over in medical journals, examined by statisticians, sifted and tested in every conceivable method, and the result of it all is that among those who are brought in practical contact with disease, there is a unanimity upon the point which is more complete than upon any other medical subject. Homoeopath and allopath, foreigner and Englishman, find here a common ground for agreement. I fear that the testimony of the Southsea ladies which Col. Wintle quotes, or that of the district visitors which he invokes, will hardly counter-balance this consensus of scientific opinion.

The ravages made by smallpox in the days of our ancestors can hardly be realised by the present sanitary and well-vaccinated generation. Macaulay remarks that in the advertisements of the early Georgian era there is hardly ever a missing relative who is not described as "having pock marks upon his face." It was universal, in town and in country, in the cottage and in the palace. Mary, the wife of William the Third, sickened and died of it. Whole tracts of country were decimated. Now-a-days there is many a general practitioner who lives and dies without having ever seen a case. What is the cause of this amazing difference? There is no doubt what the cause appeared to be in the eyes of the men who having had experience of the old system saw the Jennerian practice of inoculation come into vogue. When in 1802 Jenner was awarded £30,000 by a grateful country the gift came from men who could see by force of contrast the value of his discovery.

I am aware that Anti-Vaccinationists endeavour to account for the wonderful decrease of smallpox by supposing that there has been some change in the type of the disease. This is pure assumption, and the facts seem to point in the other direction. Other zymotic diseases have not, as far as we know, modified their characteristics, and smallpox still asserts itself with its ancient virulence whenever sanitary defects, or the prevalence of thinkers of the Colonel Wintle type, favour its development. I have no doubt that our recent small outbreak in Portsmouth would have assumed formidable proportions had it found a congenial uninoculated population upon which to fasten. In the London smallpox hospital nurses, doctors and dressers have been in contact with the sick for more than fifty years, and during that time there is no case on record of nurse, doctor, or dresser catching the disease. They are, of course, periodically vaccinated. How long, I wonder, would the committee of the Anti-Vaccination Society remain in the wards before a case broke out among them?

As to the serious results of vaccination, which Colonel Wintle describes as indescribable, they are to a very large extent imaginary. Of course there are some unhealthy children, the offspring of unhealthy parents, who will fester and go wrong if they are pricked with a pin. It is possible that the district visitors appealed to may find out some such case. They are certainly rare, for in a tolerably large experience (five years in a large hospital, three in a busy practice in Birmingham, and nearly six down here) I have only seen one case, and it soon got well. Some parents have an amusing habit of ascribing anything which happens to their children, from the whooping-cough to a broken leg, to the effects of their vaccination. It is from this class that the anti-vaccinationist party is largely recruited.

In conclusion I would say that the subject is of such importance, ancestors call and our present immunity from small pox so striking, that it would take a very strong case to justify a change. As long as that case is so weak as to need the argument of morality to enforce it I think that the Vaccination Acts are in no great danger of being repealed.

It was Yours faithfully,

A. CONAN DOYLE, M.D., C.M.

Bush Villa, July 14th, 1887(x)

[...] As new data published by Bennington College this week documents, the US military ordered the clandestine burning of over 20m pounds of AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foam) and AFFF waste between 2016-2020. That’s despite the fact that there is no evidence that incineration actually destroys these synthetic chemicals. In fact, there is good reason to believe that burning AFFF simply emits these toxins into the air and onto nearby communities, farms, and waterways. The Pentagon is effectively conducting a toxic experiment and has enrolled the health of millions of Americans as unwitting test subjects.

AFFF was invented and popularized by the US Armed Forces. Introduced during the Vietnam War to combat petroleum fires on naval ships and air strips, AFFF was the whizz kid of chemical engineering that forged a synthetic molecular bond stronger than anything known in nature. Once manufactured, this carbon-fluorine bond is virtually indestructible. Refusing to become fuel, this herculean bond overpowers and tames even the most incendiary infernos.

Almost from the moment they started using AFFF, the military amassed worrisome evidence about the environmental persistence of synthetic carbon-fluorine compounds, their affinity for living things, and their impact on human health. As the US Armed Forces became the largest consumer of AFFF in the world, troubling questions about what happens after the fire were brushed aside. US military bases at home and abroad encouraged the promiscuous spraying of AFFF in routine drills while firefighters were told it was as safe as soap.

Synthetic carbon-fluorine chemistry, now classified as per- and poly- fluorinated compounds (PFAS), are coming into focus today as fuelling an unprecedented environmental crisis. After the briefest moment of practical utility, PFAS compounds come to haunt life with roving mobility, torpid toxicity, and a monstrous immortality. As we now know, exposure to trace amounts of these “forever chemicals” is strongly linked to a host of cancers, developmental disorders, immune dysfunction, and infertility. Exposure has also been linked to aggravated Covid-19 infections and weakened vaccine efficacy.

From Portsmouth, New Hampshire to Colorado Springs, Colorado, the last decade has witnessed communities near military bases waking up to a nightmare of PFAS contamination in their water, their soil and their blood. “Mapping the sites of PFAS contamination in the United States, the Department of Defense stands out as a significant contributor to this dismal list,” Dave Andrews of Environmental Working Group (EWG) told me.

In its initial survey of military bases in December 2016, the Armed Forces identified 393 sites of AFFF contamination in the United States, including 126 sites where PFAS compounds infiltrated public drinking water. (The Department of Defense has active remediation plans at a small fraction of those sites.) In 2019, DOD admitted those numbers were “under-counted.” The Environmental Working Group’s popular map of PFAS contamination puts the current number of polluted military sites at 704, a number that continues to rise.

As does potential liability. While some states file suit against the manufactures of AFFF, the fingerprints of the US Armed Forces are all over the scene of the crime. When federal scientists moved to publish a comprehensive review of the toxic chemistry of AFFF in 2018, DOD officials called that science “a public relations nightmare” and tried to suppress the findings.

HMS Queen Elizabeth sails to northern European waters

Diego Alves By Diego Alves 11/12/2022 - 10:00 in Military, War Zones

HMS Queen Elizabeth left Portsmouth today for operations in northern European waters with F-35 Lightning jets, the Royal Navy reported.

The aircraft carrier recently returned from the United States, where it participated in a high-level security conference between the United Kingdom and the U.S. in New York, in place of its sister ship currently out of action.

HMS Queen Elizabeth has already sailed to the next phase of its fall program, which will lead it to lead a powerful Carrier Striker Group of warships, helicopters and F35B stealth jets in Operation Achillean.

According to a statement from the Royal Navy:

“The Carrier Strike Group will work closely with NATO and Joint Expeditionary Force allies, as the United Kingdom highlights its commitment to safeguarding European security. The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) is a coalition of ten nations with similar ideas, which are dedicated to maintaining the security of northern Europe. This latest deployment is based on a series of operations and exercises with JEF allies this year for the Royal Navy, including maritime patrols in the Baltic Sea.

HMS Queen Elizabeth will be at the center of the Carrier Strike Group, with Commander UK Carrier Strike Group, Commodore Angus Essenhigh, and his team commanding the aircraft carrier. The F-35B Lightning jets of the 617 Squadron will perform flight operations, while the helicopters of the 820, 845, 815 and 825 Naval Air Squadrons will carry out missions from a busy flight deck."

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A jornada interrompida do casal Betty e Barney Hill: Os 60 anos do caso que inaugurou a Era das Abduções e atiçou o ativismo pró-direitos civis dos negros nos EUA

Os Hill era um dos raros casais interraciais norte-americanos. Barney, de 39 anos, era negro, e Betty, de 41 anos, branca. Ele era empregado do Serviço Civil dos Correios em Boston, capital de Massachusetts, e ela trabalhava na Segurança Social em New Hampshire, região de New England, nordeste dos Estados Unidos. Não tinham filhos, e naquela noite de 19 de setembro de 1961 em que voltavam de uma breve estadia no Canadá, levavam no carro Delsey, a cadela de estimação.

Haviam atravessado a fronteira de Colebrook, cidade de Coos County, New Hampshire, por volta das 22 horas e rodavam em direção sul, ao longo da região de White Mountains, cadeia montanhosa que cobre cerca de um quarto do estado de New Hampshire e uma pequena porção do oeste do Maine; depois de Lancaster, chegaram a Groveton, ambas ainda em Coos County. Nesse lugar, Betty avistou no céu um ponto luminoso um pouco abaixo da Lua que voava de um modo bastante incomum: ora em frente ao carro, desaparecendo em seguida atrás das árvores, ora atrás, ora dos lados.

A cadela se agitava e latia, manifestando inquietude. Na altura de Cannon Mountains, a cadela ficou ainda mais nervosa. A luz, vista pelo binóculo, mostrava uma forma pontiaguda, alongada; alinhadas ao longo da “fuselagem”, pequenas “lâmpadas” piscavam alternadamente, em cores que iam do vermelho ao amarelo e do verde ao azul. Pararam em Indian Head, sem desligar o motor. Barney saiu e começou a caminhar em direção ao objeto, atraído de modo irresistível. Betty, vendo-o desaparecer na escuridão, chamou-o. Barney agora distinguia melhor o objeto, cinturado por uma fileira de janelas iluminadas através das quais avistou pequenos vultos, um dos quais fitava-o hipnoticamente.

Gritando à sua mulher que seriam capturados, Barney correu de volta ao carro e arrancou a toda velocidade. De súbito, o casal ouviu um ruído vibratório repercutindo na lataria, uma espécie de “bip-bip” insistente. Sentindo um comichão ou formigamento, a visão foi pouco a pouco se embaralhando, até que acabaram perdendo completamente a consciência. Meio tontos e fatigados, voltaram progressivamente a si. Perto de Ashland, ainda ouviam o zumbido eletrônico. Adiante, uma placa indicava Lincoln a 30 quilômetros. Ou seja, haviam percorrido cerca de 50 quilômetros sem se darem conta disso; seus relógios estavam parados; aliás, nunca mais voltariam a funcionar.

Quando chegaram a casa, nos arredores de Portsmouth, o relógio da sala marcava 5 horas da manhã. Uma lacuna de duas horas se abrira em suas vidas. Ambos sentiam-se sujos, pegajosos. Betty estava com as roupas rasgadas. Os sapatos de Barney estavam arranhados. Betty constatou que algumas partes da lataria do carro estavam fortemente imantadas. Notificaram a Base Aérea de Pease (Pease Air Force Base), cujos oficiais acorreram tentando acalmá-los e registraram os fatos em relatório.

Nos dias subsequentes, o casal teve uma série de pesadelos e ficou num estado anormal de ansiedade. A saúde de Barney foi se degradando. Insônia, perturbações psicossomáticas diversas, hipertensão e uma úlcera no estômago o debilitavam. Em janeiro de 1962, uma verruga circular surgiu no seu baixo-ventre. Um médico tratou a hipertensão e a úlcera e o encaminhou a Duncan Stephen, um psicoterapeuta da cidade Exeter, no condado de Rockingham, New Hampshire. Após um ano de tratamento, Stephen, insatisfeito com os resultados, transferiu-o a Benjamin Simon, de Boston, que tinha um consultório muito frequentado em Bay State Road. O tratamento formal começou em 14 de dezembro de 1963 e terminou em 27 de junho do ano seguinte. Simon submeteu o casal à hipnose, gravando as sessões em fita magnética.

Com base nesses registros, o jornalista John Grant Fuller Jr. (1913-1990), da revista Look, escreveu o livro The Interrupted Journey (A Viagem Interrompida), que logo se tornou um best-sellere rendeu polpudos royalties aos Hill, que haviam feito um acordo prévio com a editora para que recebessem parte dos direitos autorais.[1] Certos trechos das gravações, no entanto, por conterem detalhes considerados por demais íntimos, jamais foram divulgados ao público.

A versão construída ao longo das sessões tornou-se definitiva. O mundo logo ficaria sabendo que Barney foi ao encontro da nave instado por seres de aspecto perturbador. O que estava mais próximo, disse-lhe, em inglês, sem mexer os lábios: “Não tenha medo, não se mexa!” A voz ressoava em sua mente e o olhar penetrava em sua alma. Em pânico, Barney correu de volta ao carro. A estrada perto de Indian Head estava iluminada como se fosse dia; o veículo parou, alguns “homens” avançaram, abriram a porta e jogaram sobre o casal um objeto longo – “poder-se ia confundi-lo”, disse Betty, “com um grande lápis”. Barney foi arrastado, ao passo que Betty, acalmada por um dos “homens”, foi conduzida caminhando até a clareira onde havia aterrissado o “crepe luminoso”. À mercê dos captores, Barney, mantendo os olhos fechados quase todo o tempo, sentiu quando colocaram um “objeto frio” sobre o seu baixo ventre, onde iriam surgir as verrugas.

Ao contrário do marido, Betty permaneceu consciente a maior parte do tempo, motivo pelo qual se recordaria de mais detalhes. Do seu braço rasparam pedaços de pele que foram depositados em um “pequeno saco plástico”. Deitada em uma “mesa de operações”, examinaram seus olhos, nariz, boca e orelhas. O corpo inteiro foi auscultado por um feixe de agulhas ligadas por um fio. Um dos seres enfiou uma longa agulha com cerca de 12 centímetros de comprimento em seu umbigo. Betty gritou de dor, ao que imediatamente um dos assistentes passou a mão em seu rosto fazendo com que a sensação de desconforto amainasse. Ela conversou com aquele que parecia ser o “chefe” e que não entendia quando falava em “tempo”, “anos” e “minutos”. Ignoravam nossos hábitos e quase nada sabiam de nossa fisiologia. A certa altura, trouxeram-lhe a dentadura de Barney para que dissesse do que se tratava. Betty pensou em levar como prova uma espécie de “livro” que trazia em suas páginas ideogramas incompreensíveis escritos na vertical.

A compleição física dos seres era marcante: 1,50 metros de altura, tronco largo, cabeça grande, queixo pontiagudo, maçãs do rosto salientes, nariz pequeno, boca diminuta – como um estreito traço limitado por duas pequenas comissuras verticais –, olhos grandes – extremamente móveis, de pupila muito escura, lembrando a dos gatos, e estirados para os lados – e pele acinzentada – quase metálica.

Perguntado de que planeta vinham, o “chefe” mostrou um mapa estelar afixado ou projetado numa das paredes. Betty reproduziu-a sob hipnose, e vários especialistas dedicaram anos de suas vidas tentando identificar a que parte da galáxia corresponderia.

Marjorie Fish (1932-2002), uma astrônoma e professora de Oak Harbor, Ohio, partiu de um postulado lógico: o mapa retrataria a porção do espaço tal como seria vista pelos alienígenas desde a sua estrela de origem e não da perspectiva de nosso Sol. Fish só conseguiu chegar a um bom termo com a publicação do Catálogo Gliese, em 1969, concluindo que os alienígenas haviam iniciado a viagem na constelação Zeta Reticuli – a 30 anos-luz da Terra – e passado por 82 Eridani e Tau Ceti.

A questão cultural

Certos temas do relato de Betty, conforme o jornalista Keith Thompson apontou em seu livro Anjos e Extraterrestres: OVNIs e a Imaginação Mítica [2], assemelham-se sobremaneira aos do filme Invaders from Mars (Invasão de Marte), de William Cameron Menzies (1896-1957), rodado em 1954. Betty foi deitada sobre uma mesa de operações onde espetaram-lhe agulhas na nuca e no abdome. No filme, uma mulher abduzida é posta sobre uma mesa de operações e um aparelho é implantado em sua nuca com o auxílio de uma agulha. Em uma das cenas anteriores, passada num observatório, o Doutor Kelston mostra aos protagonistas um grande mapa estelar enquanto discutem acerca da proximidade Marte-Terra. Quando ele aponta para o mapa, o espectador desatento não nota se a Terra aparece ou não. O alienígena perguntou a Betty se ela sabia apontar onde ficava a Terra no mapa. Não sabia. Ela não sabia porque seguia inconscientemente o tema da Terra ausente do roteiro do filme.

O céptico culturalista Martin Kottmeyer, autor de obras como Guache Encounters: Badfilms and the UFO Mythos, Dying Worlds, Dying Selves eEntirely Unpredisposed, ofereceu uma solução imagética às perturbações dos Hill. Em um antigo episódio da antológica série The Outer Limits (Limites Externos, conhecida no Brasil como Quinta Dimensão)[3] intitulado The Bellero Shield, aparece um extraterrestre dotado de olhos “que viam tudo ao mesmo tempo”, o que corresponde à descrição dos seres com olhos que “viam tudo ao mesmo tempo” de Barney. Escreveu Kottmeyer em Guache Encounters: “Barney não disse nem desenhou nada sobre olhos ‘envolventes’ até ser hipnotizado, em 22 de fevereiro de 1964. O episódio Bellero Shield foi ao ar em 10 de fevereiro. Como se isso não bastasse, Barney disse: ‘Os olhos estão falando comigo’. Na série, o alienígena Bifrost afirma explicitamente que ‘fala com os olhos’.” Criações transculturais bombardeadas continuamente por meio da televisão, acarretaram modificações substanciais em nossos modos de pensar cotidianos. Kottmeyer acusou os ufólogos de cortarem deliberadamente essas referências dos relatórios. Não exatamente porque queriam enganar o público, mas para atender uma crença pessoal inconsciente.[4]

Martin Landau (Richard Bellero) e Sally Kellerman (Judith Bellero) com o alien dotado de olhos “que viam tudo ao mesmo tempo” no episódio The Bellero Shield, que teria influenciado o relato dos Hill.

Atentos somente aos aspectos psicossociais do fenômeno, os pesquisadores dessa linha marcadamente céptica rechaçam e até ignoram deliberadamente os dados físicos, não conferindo nenhuma importância a eles. É certo que a psicologia do final século XIX já lidava com pacientes que apresentavam lapsos de memória, denominados de délire ecmnésique. Sigmund Freud (1859-1939) em seu livro Textos Escolhidos de Psicanálise: Casos Clínicos 3, 4 e 5, cita Pitres (1891), que definia esse distúrbio como uma “forma de amnésia parcial em que a lembrança dos acontecimentos anteriores a um período específico na vida do paciente é preservada em sua totalidade, ao passo que a lembrança dos acontecimentos subsequentes a esse período é completamente abolida.”[5] Nenhum deles, no entanto, se deu conta de explicar, por exemplo, de que forma os abduzidos, apenas pela ação do imaginário, infligem a seus corpos tantas sequelas, as quais, não raro, terminam por matá-los precocemente. Cabe lembrar que Barney Hill faleceu em 25 fevereiro de 1969, sete anos e cinco meses depois do contato, com tenros 46 anos de idade, vítima de hemorragia cerebral.

A questão racial

Na avaliação do médico Benjamin Simon, o casamento interracial não estava ligado à perturbação dos Hill. Ocorre, entretanto, que essa união entre duas “almas ativistas” era tangencial. O que os ufólogos sempre procuraram obliterar, cientes de que tais detalhes esvaziariam em muito o aspecto ufológico do caso e conduziriam a campos não coadunados com o objetivo principal de convencer a população de que a Terra estava sendo escrutinada por extraterrestres, é que mesmo antes da abdução – real, imaginária ou inventada –, Betty e Barney Hill eram ativistas pró-direitos civis que lutavam contra a discriminação racial. A questão dos direitos civis dos negros e suas reivindicações por igualdade de oportunidades e de cidadania tinham se constituído em um dos principais focos de tensões e agitações nos Estados Unidos desde o final da década de 30, tensões e agitações que se agravaram sobremaneira no pós-guerra, período de avanços e realizações sem precedentes para os negros norte-americanos que, cada vez mais conscientes de sua condição, estavam mais do que nunca determinados a derrubar de uma vez por todas as velhas barreiras da discriminação racial, para o que tinham de fazer frente a uma imensa resistência.

Eunice Elizabeth “Betty” Hill havia nascido em 28 de junho de 1919 e crescido – junto com seu irmão Robert Barrett e suas irmãs June Barrett Lazos, Janet Barrett Miller e Norma Barrett Sears Coats – em uma fazenda em Kingston, cidade do condado de Rockingham, New Hampshire. Esperta, ágil, inteligente e criativa, sempre se vira como alguém diferente, especial, destinada a grandes realizações. Ansiosa por deixar a fazenda, Betty chegou a pedir a seus pais Raymond Barrett e Florence Rollins, que a deixassem “fugir” com um circo, onde tencionava ser acrobata. Seus pais, sensatamente, não permitiram tal loucura.

Mais tarde, Betty foi cursar sociologia na Universidade de New Hampshire. Lá fez amizade com Franklin, o único negro do campus, a quem apoiava nos momentos difíceis, isso numa época em que o simples fato de uma branca ser vista em companhia de um negro já soava como um acinte. Insatisfeita com o curso e mais afeita a seguir seus impulsos, Betty largou a universidade e foi trabalhar como garçonete em um restaurante à beira-mar. O cozinheiro, que tinha três filhos, propôs-lhe casamento, e ela aceitou. Quando o casamento acabou em divórcio quatorze anos depois, Betty retornou à Universidade de New Hampshire e se formou em 1958. Logo em seguida arranjou um cargo de assistente social e adquiriu uma casa em uma rua movimentada de Portsmouth. Interessada em construir um posto de gasolina no local, a Gulf Oil fez-lhe uma oferta em dinheiro; Betty barganhou e obteve o dobro do valor, com o qual adquiriu uma outra casa nas proximidades onde viveria até sua morte – decorrente de um câncer de pulmão – em 17 de outubro de 2004.

Três anos mais jovem, Barney Hill havia nascido em 29 de julho de 1922 na cidade de Newport News, Virgínia, e desde cedo se tornado um ativista em prol dos direitos dos negros. Convocado pelo Exército, serviu durante dois anos nos campos de batalha da Segunda Guerra Mundial como motorista de caminhão. Não é de surpreender, portanto, que viesse a descrever os captores alienígenas como tendo traços orientais e uniformes semelhantes aos dos soldados nazistas. Ele acabou acidentalmente ferido por uma granada em 1943 e retornou a Filadélfia, vindo a casar-se e a constituir família. Betty o conheceu em meados dos anos 50 quando ele passava férias em New Hampshire com sua primeira esposa. Assim que se divorciou, Barney se casou com Betty, mas demorou meses até que se decidisse mudar para Portsmouth, pois além de não suportar ficar longe de seus amigos e de seus dois filhos, temia por sua sorte em uma cidade de população predominantemente branca.

Casados há apenas dezesseis meses e trabalhando em turnos distintos – Barney só conseguira arranjar um emprego de carteiro no turno da noite –, os Hill tinham se visto pouco até então, quando, no outono de 1961, resolveram sair para uma rápida “lua de mel”, levando junto a sua cadela Delsey.

Depois de uma breve estada em Niagara Falls (as Cataratas do Niágara, localizadas na província canadense de Ontário, perto da fronteira com os Estados Unidos) e em Montreal (maior cidade da província canadense de Quebec), Barney estava nervoso, com receio de que os hotéis canadenses não aceitassem hospedar por apenas uma noite um casal que além de interracial ainda traziam consigo um cão. O casal decidiu então dirigir madrugada adentro direto para casa em Portsmouth. Eles levavam no carro, por precaução, o revólver de Betty, daí que tivessem de rodar por um caminho mais longo de modo a evitarem os postos de inspeção da fronteira. Eles estavam tensos e discutindo quando Betty viu luzes estranhas no céu de New Hampshire.

Com a divulgação do caso, os Hill tornaram-se um dos casais mais famosos dos Estados Unidos. Se, por um lado, ao exporem sua experiência ao público despertavam sentimentos de apoio e solidariedade por haverem sofrido horrores nas mãos de “estupradores cinzentos” – os alienígenas, portanto, não eram nem brancos nem negros, mas apresentavam uma cor intermediária, o cinza! – que em termos de violência sádica em nada ficavam devendo àquela praticada pela Ku Klux Klan, por outro corriam o risco de agravarem as condições que um casamento misto entre uma branca e um negro já representava. Barney, líder da luta pelos direitos civis em sua comunidade, receava que a publicidade sensacionalista abalasse a sua credibilidade. E foi o que aconteceu. Suas batalhas legais para acabar com práticas discriminatórias de contratação de funcionários por parte das empresas, bem como sua nomeação para líder da Associação Nacional para o Progresso de Pessoas de Cor [National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)] em New Hampshire, foram imensamente prejudicadas.

A morte súbita de Barney em fevereiro de 1969 devastou Betty, que começou a apresentar sintomas típicos do que ficariam caracterizados como a “síndrome dos contatados”. Em visita ao túmulo de Barney, ela alegou ter visto a mesma nave que os sequestrara atravessando a rodovia em direção ao cemitério, como se os extraterrestres os acompanhassem até mesmo naquele momento de dor. Incentivada por um grupo crescente de adeptos e seguidores, em sua maioria místicos, Betty começou a “canalizar” mensagens que ela acreditava serem extraterrestres. Nas décadas de 70 e 80, acompanhada de curiosos, jornalistas e ufólogos, Betty retornou várias vezes ao local do sequestro onde invariavelmente garantia ver discos voadores. Apenas entre 1982 e 1989, ela e sua equipe realizaram 204 viagens, durante os quais registraram um total de nada menos do que 2.998 OVNIs!

Ao longo dos anos, Betty continuou se apresentando e contando sua história para um público cada vez maior. John Fuller chegou a implorar para que fosse mais reservada e evitasse publicidade excessiva para proteger sua própria reputação, mas Betty não lhe deu ouvidos. Era como se toda aquela superexposição de alguma maneira compensasse a ausência do companheiro perdido. Betty concedeu centenas de entrevistas a jornais, revistas (incluindo a Playboy), programas de rádio e de TV.

O ator negro James Earl Jones, mais conhecido por ter feito a voz de Darth Vader nos filmes da saga Star Wars, comprou os direitos de adaptação para as telas do best-seller de Fuller. The UFO Incident, um filme televisivo, foi produzido e lançado em 1975. O próprio Jones fez o papel de Barney. A cena mais angustiante e uma das mais difíceis de assistir é aquela em que Betty (interpretada por Estelle Parsons), chorando e sob hipnose, diz ter sido submetida, por meio de uma agulha enfiada em seu umbigo, a um teste de gravidez a bordo da nave. O filme foi ao ar pela primeira vez pela rede NBC na noite de 20 de outubro de 1975.

Notas

[1] Fuller, John G. A Viagem Interrompida, Rio de Janeiro, Record, s.d.

[2]Thompson, Keith. Anjos e Extraterrestres: OVNIs e a Imaginação Mítica, Rio de Janeiro, Rocco, 1993, p.88-89.

[3] Criado e produzido por Leslie Stevens (1924-1998), The Outer Limits foi ao ar, originalmente, na rede norte-americana ABC de 16 de setembro de 1963 a 16 de janeiro de 1965, num total de 49 episódios. Semelhante em estilo à série clássica anterior, Twilight Zone [Além da Imaginação (1959-64)], que se centrava na exploração de alguma faceta da natureza humana, diferenciava-se desta por trazer mais histórias de ficção científica – tendendo para a ciência, viagem espacial, viagem no tempo, extraterrestres e evolução humana – do que de fantasia. A abertura mostrava imagens de um osciloscópio com uma voz ao fundo em tom realista que procurava convencer o espectador de que seu aparelho de TV estava agora sob o poder de uma força desconhecida: “Não tem nada errado no seu aparelho de tevê… Não faça qualquer ajuste na imagem... Controlamos toda a transmissão... O horizontal e o vertical... Você está entrando na Quinta Dimensão...” A série, em preto e branco, foi exibida no Brasil pela Rede Globo por volta de 1975.

[4] Thompson, Keith, op.cit., p.90-91.

[5] Freud, Sigmund. Textos Escolhidos de Psicanálise: Casos Clínicos 3, 4 e 5, Rio de Janeiro, Imago, 1987, p.110.

Events 12.18

1271 – Kublai Khan renames his empire "Yuan" (元 yuán), officially marking the start of the Yuan dynasty of Mongolia and China. 1499 – A rebellion breaks out in Alpujarras in response to the forced conversions of Muslims in Spain. 1622 – Portuguese forces score a military victory over the Kingdom of Kongo at the Battle of Mbumbi in present-day Angola. 1655 – The Whitehall Conference ends with the determination that there was no law preventing Jews from re-entering England after the Edict of Expulsion of 1290. 1777 – The United States celebrates its first Thanksgiving, marking the recent victory by the American rebels over British General John Burgoyne at Saratoga in October. 1787 – New Jersey becomes the third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. 1793 – Surrender of the frigate La Lutine by French Royalists to Lord Samuel Hood; renamed HMS Lutine, she later becomes a famous treasure wreck. 1833 – The national anthem of the Russian Empire, "God Save the Tsar!", is first performed. 1854 – The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada abolishes the seigneurial system. 1865 – US Secretary of State William Seward proclaims the adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment, prohibiting slavery throughout the United States. 1867 – A magnitude 7.0 earthquakes strikes off the coast of Taiwan, triggering a tsunami and killing at least 580 people. 1878 – The Al-Thani family become the rulers of the state of Qatar. 1892 – Premiere performance of The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in Saint Petersburg, Russia. 1898 – Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat sets the first officially recognized land speed record of 63.159 km/h (39.245 mph) in a Jeantaud electric car. 1916 – World War I: The Battle of Verdun ends when the second French offensive pushes the Germans back two or three kilometres, causing them to cease their attacks. 1917 – The resolution containing the language of the Eighteenth Amendment to enact Prohibition is passed by the United States Congress. 1932 – The Chicago Bears defeat the Portsmouth Spartans in the first NFL playoff game to win the NFL Championship. 1935 – The Lanka Sama Samaja Party is founded in Ceylon. 1939 – World War II: The Battle of the Heligoland Bight, the first major air battle of the war, takes place. 1944 – World War II: XX Bomber Command responds to the Japanese Operation Ichi-Go offensive by dropping five hundred tons of incendiary bombs on a supply base in Hankow, China. 1958 – Project SCORE, the world's first communications satellite, is launched. 1966 – Saturn's moon Epimetheus is discovered by astronomer Richard Walker. 1972 – Vietnam War: President Richard Nixon announces that the United States will engage North Vietnam in Operation Linebacker II, a series of Christmas bombings, after peace talks collapsed with North Vietnam on the 13th. 1973 – Soviet Soyuz Programme: Soyuz 13, crewed by cosmonauts Valentin Lebedev and Pyotr Klimuk, is launched from Baikonur in the Soviet Union. 1977 – United Airlines Flight 2860 crashes near Kaysville, Utah, killing all three crew members on board. 1977 – SA de Transport Aérien Flight 730 crashes near Madeira Airport in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, killing 36. 1981 – First flight of the Russian heavy strategic bomber Tu-160, the world's largest combat aircraft, largest supersonic aircraft and largest variable-sweep wing aircraft built. 1995 – A Lockheed L-188 Electra crashes in Jamba, Cuando Cubango, Angola, killing 141 people. 1999 – NASA launches into orbit the Terra platform carrying five Earth Observation instruments, including ASTER, CERES, MISR, MODIS and MOPITT. 2002 – California gubernatorial recall: Then Governor of California Gray Davis announces that the state would face a record budget deficit of $35 billion, roughly double the figure reported during his reelection campaign one month earlier. 2005 – The Chadian Civil War begins when rebel groups, allegedly backed by neighbouring Sudan, launch an attack in Adré. 2006 – The first of a series of floods strikes Malaysia. The death toll of all flooding is at least 118, with over 400,000 people displaced. 2006 – United Arab Emirates holds its first-ever elections. 2015 – Kellingley Colliery, the last deep coal mine in Great Britain, closes. 2017 – Amtrak Cascades passenger train 501, derailed near DuPont, Washington, a city in United States near Olympia, Washington killing six people, and injuring 70 others. 2018 – List of bolides: A meteor exploded over the Bering Sea with a force over 10 times greater than the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima in 1945. 2019 – The United States House of Representatives impeaches Donald Trump for the first time.

Allies in Arms: UK Helicopters Join NATO Forces for Naval Assault Practice

  RAF Typhoon fighter jets and Army Air Corps Apache helicopters concluded a training exercise off the coast of Estonia on Friday, in which they practiced firing their heavy machine guns and advanced missiles at targets in the sea. The exercise, named Spring Tempest, was conducted jointly with Estonia and France and demonstrated the ability of the UK and its Allies to deliver precision strikes while operating deep in enemy battlespace. The Apache attack helicopters, from the Army Air Corps Aviation Taskforce (1AAC ATF), were armed for their mission with Hellfire missiles, CRV7 rockets and 30mm rounds, while the Typhoon jets, from 140 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW), were armed with Paveway IV laser guided bombs and 27mm armour piercing rounds.  

UK foreign secretary visits the RAF serving in Estonia on NATO. Photo by AS1 Natalie Adams. RAF.   Wing Commander Scott MacColl, 140 Expeditionary Air Wing’s Commanding Officer, said: Exercise Spring Tempest has been an outstanding opportunity to integrate effects across the Land, Maritime and Air domains. Working with the Royal Navy and Army has allowed us to exercise high-end skill sets, while enhancing interoperability across a broad range of NATO allies. The flexibility to operate effectively across differing environments demonstrates our key contribution to collective defence and regional security. As important, the scale of this exercise further develops Alliance cohesion and cross nation understanding.   The mission was supported by a Forward Air Controller, operating nearby from a Wildcat helicopter. Both types of helicopter worked in tandem with ground-based personnel to refuel and rearm before transiting back to the mission area. This training follows on from Exercise Spring Storm, the largest annual military exercise in Estonia involving the UK-led NATO enhanced Forward Presence (eFP), which saw more than 1,500 UK soldiers training alongside more than 10,000 personnel from 11 NATO countries. At last year’s NATO Leaders Summit in Madrid, the UK committed to increase the size of its contribution and capability, with this year’s exercise marking the first time the UK has conducted a brigade-level deployment to Estonia – involving hundreds more personnel being deployed from the UK. Land-based training exercises saw UK soldiers, deployed to bolster the eFP under the Army’s Operation CABRIT, as well as tanks and armoured vehicles, practicing live firing in a series of different scenarios, conducting trench assaults, reconnaissance missions, vehicle manoeuvres, and combined arms warfare.

Brigadier Giles Harris. Photo by British Army. Facebook.   Commander of Op CABRIT, Brigadier Giles Harris, said: Exercise Spring Tempest clearly demonstrates the successful integration of our land, aviation and air capabilities. It comes as we end Exercise Spring Storm 2023, the largest iteration of its kind with some 14,000 personnel taking part across land, sea and air domains. Through rigorous training with our allies, we prove we are a capable, flexible multinational force.   The Royal Navy’s amphibious assault ship, HMS Albion, carrying approximately 550 sailors and Royal Marines, has joined up with the RAF and the Army to take part in the NATO training exercises happening in the region. During recent weeks, she has landed marines from 45 Commando for a dawn beach raid exercise. The ship and crew also supported a further training exercise last weekend off the coast of Paldiski, which saw the three services testing their capability in a fully-integrated manner. Typhoon jets, Apache, and Wildcat helicopters flew in a tight, programmed formation overhead, as the Royal Marines transported soldiers from the Queen’s Royal Hussars and their 62-tonne main battle tanks from the shore into HMS Albion’s dock.  

HMS Albion-Portsmouth. Photo by David Crochet. Wikimedia.   Captain Marcus Hember, HMS Albion’s Commanding Officer, said: It is not often the Royal Navy, RAF and Army are in the same place at the same time with major assets. This gave us the opportunity to test how we can work together at sea, proving again the Royal Navy can move Army heavy equipment on and off a shoreline whilst being safely covered air by the RAF and Army Air Corps.   The eFP provides a continuous NATO presence along its eastern border, with deployed troops acting as a deterrence against any aggression towards the Alliance’s borders. The RAF has also been bolstering NATO’s presence, currently leading the Alliance’s air policing mission in Estonia with more than 200 personnel based at Amari Air Base, which has led to several air intercepts of Russian aircraft by RAF fighter jets. The operational activity underlines the UK’s commitment to European security, which is vital to delivering on the Prime Minister’s priority of growing the economy.   Sources: THX News & Ministry of Defence.   Read the full article