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July 18, 2023 The Hill Live brings together caregivers, patients, clinical experts, and lawmakers to answer these questions and more as we discuss the fight against Alzheimer’s and breakthroughs in providing relief to those who suffer from agitation and aggression.
Alzheimer’s disease affects about 55 million people worldwide, including 6.5 million Americans, and has no cure. Some patients with Alzheimer’s sometimes show signs of extreme aggression or become restless and anxious as their brains lose the ability to negotiate with new stimulus.
Agitation is a common neuropsychiatric symptom in Alzheimer’s dementia and one of the most complex and stressful aspects of caring for people living with the condition. It is reported in approximately half of people with Alzheimer’s dementia and is associated with earlier alternative living placement.
What do patients, caregivers and families navigating the complexities of agitation associated with Alzheimer’s need to know? How are researchers and doctors better understanding risk factors and diagnoses? What policy actions can prioritize research, detection and treatment? And what are the access considerations for patients and their caregivers as they navigate this difficult symptom?
LOCATION
National Press Club Holeman Lounge, 529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor, Washington, DC 20045
OCTOBER 13, 2022 - WASHINGTON DC. 2022 IMF/WORLD BANK ANNUAL MEETINGS: Investing in People and Planet: Financing the Low-carbon, Resilient Transition
Climate action is in danger of stalling with profound consequences for all countries, particularly the poorest. Overlapping crises—the war in Ukraine, COVID-19, surging inflation — could derail the investments required to tackle the climate crisis. It is vital to improve not only the quantity but also the quality of climate finance, making sure it reaches those most affected by climate impacts, prioritizing adaptation and resilience. This event focused on ways to address climate and development needs together, supporting people and communities in the low-carbon, resilient transition.
Speakers: David Malpass, President, World Bank Group; Annette Nazareth, Chair, Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market; Dirk Forrister, President and CEO, International Emissions Trading Association (IETA); Makhtar Diop, Managing Director, IFC; Slawomir Krupa, Head, Global Banking & Investor Solutions, and future CEO, Société Générale; Mari Pangestu, Managing Director, Development Policy and Partnerships, World Bank; Nicholas Stern, IG Patel Professor of Economics and Government, London School of Economics. Host: Mercy Niwe, Stakeholder Engagement Lead, External and Corporate Relations, World Bank Group. Photo: World Bank
DEL RIO, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Eagle Pass Station Marine Unit rescued 13 individuals who attempted to cross the Rio Grande River, Sept. 3. At approximately 10:20 a.m., Border Patrol agents spotted a group of suspected illegal aliens attempting to cross the Rio Grande River near the Eagle Pass Port of Entry. Due to the river’s depth and swift current, responding agents assisted the group, including several small children on board their vessel. “Del Rio Sector agents continue to remain vigilant and prioritize safety for all people encountered,” said Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent Raul L. Ortiz. “The river can be extremely dangerous for those who attempt to traverse it. Smugglers continue to put other lives in danger for their own financial gain.” Agents rescued a total of 13, including six children, all Honduran nationals. All 13 were offered medical assistance, however, no injuries were reported. The group was transported to the Eagle Pass South Station and processed per CBP guidelines. Border Patrol agents in the Del Rio Sector have already rescued over 470 individuals in fiscal year 2019, after only 125 total rescues for fiscal year 2018. Nationally, the Border Patrol has over 4,200 rescues in fiscal year 2019, compared to 3,661 in fiscal year 2018.
Photo provided by: U.S. Customs and Border Protection
To help keep people safe and re-establish the movement of critical goods and services following severe flooding and landslides, the Province is taking temporary measures to ensure fuel (gas and diesel) is prioritized for essential vehicles, while keeping it available to British Columbians.
Learn more: news.gov.bc.ca/25774
Madame Paul Escudier (Louise Lefevre) Date:
1882
Artist:
John Singer Sargent
American, 1856–1925
ABOUT THIS ARTWORK
In this depiction of Frenchwoman Louise Escudier, John Singer Sargent undercut traditional portrait conventions by prioritizing the dramatic effects of light and dark in a Parisian apartment. The picture grew out of a series of atmospheric views of working-class women in darkened interiors that the artist produced on two trips to Venice between 1880 and 1882. It combines the Impressionists’ gestural brushwork with a heightened chiaroscuro (light and shade) drawn from Spanish Old Masters such as Diego Velázquez. These compositions helped to establish Sargent’s reputation in Paris as a daring and original painter.
The Abolition of Sex
An unabashed American feminist lawyer lays out how trans ideology is abolishing biological sex in favor of gender identity now being written into law. She points out that gender ideology wants to abolish sex whereas feminists want to abolish gender. Gender is a prison that keeps women in a position of subservience to men is what feminists are saying.
The term “gender identity” has no legal definition so can mean anything which makes it very hard to protect woman (and men) on the basis of their sex. As has been done in the past. This is of concern to the author because of the issue of women’s safety. Specifically of men being allowed into women’s bathrooms, changing rooms and locker rooms where women and girls expect to have privacy and security from male bodied persons. She addresses how if passed the Equality Act would prioritize gender identity over biological sex and thus no one would have the legal right to protect women’s spaces from men.
The following are court cases used to support Biden’s executive act.
Bostock vs Clayton case in 2020 in which two gay men sued for wrongful termination on the basis of their sexual orientation and won. Then followed Aimee Stephens case suing for sex discrimination owing to his transgender status. He was employed at a funeral home. When he came out as female and insisted that he should be able to wear the women’s uniform and use the women’s restroom he was fired. WolF the feminist organization defended women’s sex based rights by stating that 1) sex does not mean gender identity, 2) sex stereotyping is unlawful, 3) and would have dangerous implications for women’s employment, education and other arenas, 4) a ruling in favor would result in government compelled speech i.e. pronouns. The court specifically limited its ruling to Title VIII the employment sector. Biden expanded this to mean all sectors of society. It also did not include protection of gender identity only transgender status.
Gloucester County School Board vs Grimm (2020). Gavin Grimm a MtF student sues for the right to use the boys bathroom even though a gender neutral bathroom was available. Appeals court declares that a transgender identity is ambiguous. WoLF argues that enshrining gender identity would destroy the concept of sex discrimination but lost. Bostock ruling is now extended to Title IX in the Fourth Court Circuit. Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North and South Carolinas.
Doe vs Boyertown School District (2017). A boy Joel Doe plus others sues his school for allowing girls in locker room per the girls gender identity. The judges forbid the use of the phrase “opposite sex” because it interfered with the concept of gender identity and the students lost twice. The Supreme Court refused to take the case. Thus the question of whether schools can legally acknowledge the material reality of sex. Thus no more single sex facilities in schools in the Third Circuit—Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and the Virgin Islands.
Soule v. Connecticut Association of Schools filed 2021. Four female track athletes sued because two boys were being allowed to compete as girls. Judge forbids the boys to be referred to as male, only as transgender females. He was asked to recluse himself but denied that motion. Thus severing judgement from material reality. Subjective belief is more important than objective scientific truth when deciding matters under the law. Case dismissed because boys had graduated. Girls appealed. Case still pending in Second Circuit court.
Hecox v. Little. Idaho signs into law the Fairness In Women’s Sports Act in 2020 along with 37 other states. A man claiming transgender status sues aided by ACLU describing him as an “adult woman” and that gender identity is a medical term and argues that sex is an internal, innate sense and that biological sex is imprecise. He wins. Sex is abolished. The state and two female athletes appeal. The Ninth Circuit sends it back to find out if still relevant since Hecox had dropped out of college.
B.J.P. v. West Virginia State Board of Education filed 2021. Another younger boy who was on puberty blockers sues the state for its woman’s sports law. And again the court blocks the law by deeming biological sex irrelevant.
Other issues: Reporting crime and crime statistics. Health statistics and research. Abolition of sex in journalism thus obscuring material reality. Also the prisons and women’s shelters. And the erasure of lesbians. Lesbian family shot in 2016 by trans woman Dana Rivers protesting Michfest. Lesbians are erased and can’t find each other.
Cancelling of dissenting feminists through deplatforming. The social media version of the medieval scold. A woman, Thistle Petersen charged with disorderly conduct and property damage as a hate crime for placing a sticker with the words “TERF collective “on a media box. Dismissed on first amendment grounds.
Preferred pronouns mandated city wide in San Francisco in 2021. Not yet challenged under First Amendment.
Ohio 2019. Professor of Philosophy Nicolas Merriwether sues school for disciplining him over his refusal to use a trans students pronouns. He lost but won an appeal.
Kara posits that the goal of the gender industry is to abolish material reality in order to favor lived experience over objective reality in order to “create a new reality of godlike freedom in which all have the ability to remake themselves in their own projected freedom”. Motivated by “the denial of nature and the limits it places on our ability to reimagine ourselves and the world”.
She quotes analysis of Foucault as having claimed that societal contingencies such as age of consent just happened by chance as opposed to being intentionally set by society. And quotes Judith Butler that women are discriminated against not because of exploitation by men, but because of the existence of the sex binary.
Kara’s theory of why this academic virus escaped from the lab is due to three factors. 1) The invention of the word transgender. 2) The explosion of corporate driven tech and medical practices. 3) The thorough embrace of the sexual exploitation of women and girls by the Left.
Points out that the word “transgender” created a fantasy that individuals could transcend gender norms, but was still attached to gender stereotypes so was more style than substance while successfully abolishing biological reality. The AGP driven industry objectifies women because being a sex object is what turns them on. Forced feminization is erotic. Turns women out of their category and turns them into a concept that anyone can inhabit.
The investment project will finance the first of three prioritized corridors of the planned regional rapid transit system (RRTS) network in India's National Capital Region (NCR). The Delhi-Meerut RRTS will pass through the densely populated sections of the NCR, connecting Delhi to Meerut in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The 82-kilometer corridor will provide safe, reliable, and high-capacity commuter transit services between various locations along the corridor. The investment project will finance rail track, signaling, station buildings, and maintenance facilities. It will also support capacity and institutional development of the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), a joint venture company of the Government of India and states of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, that is mandated to implement the RRTS project across the NCR.
Read more on:
Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System Investment Project
Every year in 50 countries across the world, more than 5 million mothers and children die from preventable conditions and their economies lose billions of dollars to poor health and nutrition. This is in large part due to a significant financing gap for health and nutrition.The Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents (GFF) is a multi-stakeholder partnership that is helping governments in low-income countries transform how they prioritize and finance the health and nutrition of their people. The GFF supports governments to bring partners together around a country-led plan, prioritizing high-impact but underinvested areas of health, such as primary health care, nutrition, and sexual and reproductive health and rights. The GFF partnership supports countries by:
1. Developing an investment case and implementation plan for prioritizing reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition and a strong primary health care system;
2. Strengthening a country-led platform that aligns all key stakeholders around this investment case and plan; and
3. Mobilizing and coordinating the financial resources needed to accelerate progress for the most vulnerable populations, often in the hardest-to-reach regions.
The GFF Trust Fund acts as a catalyst for financing, with countries using modest GFF Trust Fund grants to significantly increase their domestic resources alongside World Bank financing, aligned external financing, and private sector resources.The work of the GFF partnership touches the lives of women and girls in some of the worldʼs poorest countries and regions. The photos in this exhibit tell just Photo © Dominic Chavez/GFF
Thousands of Nurses Hold National Day of Action Aug. 5 to Save Lives During COVID-19 and Beyond
As firsthand witnesses and actual victims during this COVID-19 crisis of a health care and economic system that prioritizes money over people, registered nurse members of National Nurses United (NNU) held on Aug. 5 more than 200 actions inside and outside hospital facilities in at least 16 states and the District of Columbia to demand that our elected leaders, government, and hospital employers take immediate action to save lives.
#ProtectNurses
#SaveLives
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 20: VP of Science & Technology at Pharmavite Dr. Susan Mitmesser speaks onstage during the Women's Wellness Prioritized session at BlogHer 22 Health on May 20, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for BlogHer)
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This series of images delves into the enigmatic beauty and layered history of Venice, Italy, through an abstract lens, employing the scumbling and dry brush oil painting techniques. Each piece is a study in contrasts and textures, evoking the city's unique spirit and its constant dance with the elements. The use of cold, detached atmospheres alongside distressed and weathered surfaces speaks to the resilience and survival of Venice amidst its challenges. The incorporation of "havencore" and "warmcore" elements, along with a palette that prioritizes white and saturated blues, adds depth and emotion, inviting viewers to experience the city's dual nature of refuge and exposure.
The artworks move beyond traditional representations, infusing each scene with dramatic intensity and hyperbolic expressions to capture the essence of Venice's struggle and splendor. Labor is depicted not just as a physical act but as a poignant part of the city's soul, rendered through rough gesturalism that strips away the gloss to reveal raw, compelling truths. The dazzling chiaroscuro and striking contrasts of light and dark masterfully highlight the city's architectural marvels and the ephemeral beauty of its everyday moments, creating a harmonious chaos that is both unsettling and captivating.
This series aims to transport viewers to a Venice reimagined, where the interplay of light and shadow, the richness of saturated pigment pools, and the tactile quality of the painting techniques combine to offer a new perspective on the familiar. Through these images, Venice is seen as a living, breathing entity, marked by centuries of wear but standing resilient, its beauty undimmed by the passage of time. The absence of heavy paint strokes emphasizes the subtlety and complexity of the city's narrative, inviting a closer look and deeper reflection on its enduring allure and the stories etched into its very stones.
Poem: The Quiet Hours
In the quiet hours of the fading night,
Where shadows dance in the moon's soft light,
And the world whispers in tones so slight,
There lies a beauty unseen, out of sight.
Beneath the velvet cloak of the starry sky,
Where dreams take wing, and thoughts fly high,
The silent streets hold secrets, by and by,
As the gentle breeze sings a lullaby.
In the heart of the forest, where ancient trees stand,
Their leaves tell tales of a distant land,
A place where time holds still its sand,
In the quiet hours, so grand and so bland.
By the murmuring streams, under the watchful moon,
Where flowers bloom in the light of June,
The night unfolds its hidden boon,
In whispers of the dark, a silent tune.
In the quiet hours, there's a deep connection,
A moment of peace, in introspection,
A journey within, in quiet reflection,
Finding solace in nature's perfection.
As dawn breaks, and the night fades away,
The quiet hours gently sway,
Leaving behind the tales of the grey,
In the warmth of the coming day.
Haiku: Twilight's Whisper
Twilight's soft whisper,
Day and night's fleeting kiss,
Silent beauty speaks.
OCTOBER 13, 2022 - WASHINGTON DC. 2022 IMF/WORLD BANK ANNUAL MEETINGS: Investing in People and Planet: Financing the Low-carbon, Resilient Transition
Climate action is in danger of stalling with profound consequences for all countries, particularly the poorest. Overlapping crises—the war in Ukraine, COVID-19, surging inflation — could derail the investments required to tackle the climate crisis. It is vital to improve not only the quantity but also the quality of climate finance, making sure it reaches those most affected by climate impacts, prioritizing adaptation and resilience. This event focused on ways to address climate and development needs together, supporting people and communities in the low-carbon, resilient transition.
Speakers: David Malpass, President, World Bank Group; Annette Nazareth, Chair, Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market; Dirk Forrister, President and CEO, International Emissions Trading Association (IETA); Makhtar Diop, Managing Director, IFC; Slawomir Krupa, Head, Global Banking & Investor Solutions, and future CEO, Société Générale;Mari Pangestu, Managing Director, Development Policy and Partnerships, World Bank; Nicholas Stern, IG Patel Professor of Economics and Government, London School of Economics. Host: Mercy Niwe, Stakeholder Engagement Lead, External and Corporate Relations, World Bank Group. Photo: World Bank / Simone D. McCourtie
With coastal and southwestern BC facing heavy rainfall while recovering from severe flooding, the Province is extending the temporary measure to prioritize fuel for essential vehicles and the provincial state of emergency.
Learn more:
This series of images delves into the enigmatic beauty and layered history of Venice, Italy, through an abstract lens, employing the scumbling and dry brush oil painting techniques. Each piece is a study in contrasts and textures, evoking the city's unique spirit and its constant dance with the elements. The use of cold, detached atmospheres alongside distressed and weathered surfaces speaks to the resilience and survival of Venice amidst its challenges. The incorporation of "havencore" and "warmcore" elements, along with a palette that prioritizes white and saturated blues, adds depth and emotion, inviting viewers to experience the city's dual nature of refuge and exposure.
The artworks move beyond traditional representations, infusing each scene with dramatic intensity and hyperbolic expressions to capture the essence of Venice's struggle and splendor. Labor is depicted not just as a physical act but as a poignant part of the city's soul, rendered through rough gesturalism that strips away the gloss to reveal raw, compelling truths. The dazzling chiaroscuro and striking contrasts of light and dark masterfully highlight the city's architectural marvels and the ephemeral beauty of its everyday moments, creating a harmonious chaos that is both unsettling and captivating.
This series aims to transport viewers to a Venice reimagined, where the interplay of light and shadow, the richness of saturated pigment pools, and the tactile quality of the painting techniques combine to offer a new perspective on the familiar. Through these images, Venice is seen as a living, breathing entity, marked by centuries of wear but standing resilient, its beauty undimmed by the passage of time. The absence of heavy paint strokes emphasizes the subtlety and complexity of the city's narrative, inviting a closer look and deeper reflection on its enduring allure and the stories etched into its very stones.
Poem: The Quiet Hours
In the quiet hours of the fading night,
Where shadows dance in the moon's soft light,
And the world whispers in tones so slight,
There lies a beauty unseen, out of sight.
Beneath the velvet cloak of the starry sky,
Where dreams take wing, and thoughts fly high,
The silent streets hold secrets, by and by,
As the gentle breeze sings a lullaby.
In the heart of the forest, where ancient trees stand,
Their leaves tell tales of a distant land,
A place where time holds still its sand,
In the quiet hours, so grand and so bland.
By the murmuring streams, under the watchful moon,
Where flowers bloom in the light of June,
The night unfolds its hidden boon,
In whispers of the dark, a silent tune.
In the quiet hours, there's a deep connection,
A moment of peace, in introspection,
A journey within, in quiet reflection,
Finding solace in nature's perfection.
As dawn breaks, and the night fades away,
The quiet hours gently sway,
Leaving behind the tales of the grey,
In the warmth of the coming day.
Haiku: Twilight's Whisper
Twilight's soft whisper,
Day and night's fleeting kiss,
Silent beauty speaks.
1-Apr-11 Mr. Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt (nook)
A somewhat mad book, but with delicious writing style. Depression is like a black dog. What if it were an actual big black dog?
Quotes from the book:
I’m a specialist. I provide specific services for varying lengths of time to specific individuals.
Our time together is a tourniquet of wire around my head, but it never leaves me so mentally destitute that I would allow myself to be led by you.
"I'm reading". This was a tart and clear instruction to leaver her alone. Shoving the door open, Black Pat burst through like a bowling ball smashing into fresh pins.
Thinking again of tomorrow, he let the crab claws of his imagination make exploratory nips over Monday's agenda, investigating the shape of it.
"The eyes are a window to the soul and I see them all." "In that case your eyes are a derelict staircase leading to a barren landing."
It's an enduring bruise on my conscience that our vile alliance has had such impact upon her. I worry about the sacrifices she has made for me, aware that I can't hope to replay them, and the gratitude terrifies me. It devours me.
That is Johnnie Walker Red Label, an exemplary blended Scotch. And not a drink I would offer to you. I'd rather use it to kill my plants."
4-Apr-11 The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (nook)
A simple, beautiful, and heartwarming tale, of a man, his dog and his family, and about the art of racing in the rain. This is one of the best books I have read so far this year, and I say this as someone who has never watched the Grand Prix, and doesn't even have a driver's license.
Quotes from the book:
I admire the female sex. The life makers. It must be amazing to have a body that can carry an entire creature inside. ( I mean, other than a tapeworm, which I've had. That doesn’t count as another life, really.)
For me, a good story is all about setting up expectations and delivering on them in an exciting and surprising way.
Grandparents are like that. Grandparents are convinced they're better parents than their own kids, whose lives they've already fucked up.
"You'll be all right? We don’t have to worry about the gas oven being left on and you lighting a cigarette or something?"
"It's electric. And I don't smoke."
Success at any endeavor on an elite level demands selfishness.
Many of us have convinced ourselves that compromise is necessary to achieve our goals, that all of our goals are not attainable so we should eliminate the extraneous, prioritize our desires, and accept less than the moon.
There is no dishonor in losing the race. There is only dishonor in not racing because you are afraid to lose.
I pieced together those days as one conjures a partially completed jigsaw puzzle - the frame is finished, the corners filled in, but handfuls of the heart and belly are missing."
7-Apr-11 John Russel 03 Stettin Station by David Downing
The third part of this amazing four part series about a British-American journalist living in Berlin during WWI, who gets drawn into reluctant espionage in spite of himself.
But this time round, I found myself comparing Downing's writing with that of Sarah Blake. In The Postmistress, Blake brought the war home in a way Downing somehow hasn’t. But Downing is definitely, definitely worth a read!
15-Apr-11 Swamplandia! by Karen Russell (nook)
Coming of age books are really really not my cup of tea. And Russell's constant use of quirky adjectives and adverbs seems to be vivid narration at first but becomes merely tedious a few chapters into the book - there is the sense of stretching out a thin plot over a large number of pages. Plus there's a vein of cynicism running pretty deep for a supposedly 10 year old narrator. Fond as I am of ghosts and crocodiles, I still can't say I really liked this book. And the exclamation mark appearing after each and every mention of Swamplandia bugged me very very much.
All in all I'd say this would have been a fun quirky book.... except that it was about 200 pages too long. I did like the bits with Kiwi though, with its spectacularly vivid moments of human truths. And no, I didn't guess the truth about the Bird Man. Not once.
Quotes from the book:
When the Chief put an asterisk next to something, it meant that he was only telling you the best part of the truth. The asterisk, the Chief taught us, was the special punctuation that God gave us for neutralizing lies.
Eight days later, Grandpa bit a man. On his face and neck, mostly.
Every day, Kiwi's colleagues taught him what you could and could not say to another person here on the mainland. This was a little like having snipers tutor you on the limits of the prison yard.
Leonard Harlblower was a park greeter, a loud, obnoxious young man who would probably go through life disliked by everyone he met and never know it.
Kiwi was paying city and state taxes now. He was also, unwittingly and against his wishes, saving for retirement.
How could you make a mistake when you had one option?
I had to explain to him about Mom's death, which was always hard to do. It felt like killing her again.
Black and white specklings covered the walls, these grim starbursts of mold on the pale wood that made me miss with a random stab my acned brother. [Enough with the adjectives already!]
After a few hours of cleaning the tunnels and slippery chutes in the Leviathan, Kiwi found he couldn't worry about his family anymore - it was as if his mind itself got soapy-fingered. His mind lost its grip on the future.
The office was in the fanciest part of Loomis, where the buildings were identical pastels and weepy-eyed with windows; even their decorative plants had this sort of futuristic sheet that said, ""I'm germless.""
Lately Kiwi felt like an understudy in his own life on the mainland, stumbling over his lines and missing important cues and waiting with less and less patience for the real actor to show up.
Kiwi had created a scale model of the Golden Gate Bridge out of dry fettuccine. This was a supplement to the actual assignment. The actual assignment had been to describe the Golden Gate Bridge in three paragraphs.
The road spun behind us like something the car was secreting, yards and yards of black filament.
18-Apr-11 Across The Universe by Beth Revis (nook)
Nice sci-fi thriller, except that Revis really hams it up with the violence in the climax. The rest of the book is enjoyable, and not too young-adultish overall. The plot is a bit thin at times though - like having just one doctor for the hundreds of passengers on board the spaceship. And the hero's intermittent bouts of self-doubt and self-pity doesn't win him too many fans either.
Quotes from the book:
And I guess it doesn’t matter that I had a life on Earth, and that I loved Earth, and that by now, my friends have all lived and gotten old and died, and I've just been lying here in frozen sleep.
The first cause of discord is difference. There is no religion on Godspeed. We all speak the same language. We're all monoethnic. And because we are not different, we don’t fight.
Or did he see it as I do: people boxed in trailers that are boxed in city blocks that are boxed in districts that are boxed in a ship, surrounded by metal walls?
"He hates you, too, huh?" I ask. Orion nods. "What'd you do?"
"It's mostly just the problem of my existence."
"Yeah, me too."
My voice comes out low and deep. I wonder if the doctor realizes that this is how my voice gets before I get very, very angry.
A leader isn't someone who forces others to make him stronger; a leader is someone willing to give his strength to others so that they may have the strength to stand on their own.
The glitter in the sky looks as if I could scoop it all up in my hands and let the stars swirl and touch one another, but they are so distant, so very far apart, that they cannot feel the warmth of each other, even though they are made of burning.
19-Apr-11 The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood (nook)
A bittersweet little book, about loving, living, sailing, and about a few ghosts.
Quotes from the book:
Life goes on., infinite, irrepressible.
Marblehead was indeed an ancient and cloistered place, where only fourth-generation residents earned the right to call themselves true ""Headers."" Everyone else was considered a new arrival.
Over the years, she had given a good look at every eligible guy in town, all seven of them.
"Sailing,"" he liked to joke, ""is the fine at of getting wet and becoming ill, while going nowhere slowly at great expense."
Twice before, doctors had taken extraordinary measures to bring her back from death's door, and each time there was a little less of her left. Now the small sign next to her bed said simple: DNR - DO NOT RESUSCITATE
It was Minty Weeks, a retired fisherman and one of the better drinkers around. He had earned his nickname back in the great freeze of '79 when he was spotted ice-skating, half-naked on the frozen harbor with a bottle of peppermint schnapps in each hand. An editorial in The Marblehead Messenger had called it the most scandalous display of public nudity since the actress Tallulah Bankhead had run through town with no clothes on and was locked up in the BB-gun closet at the police station because there was not jail for women.
That is the inescapable math of tragedy and the multiplication of grief. Too many good people die a little when they lose someone they love.
24-Apr-11 John Russel 04 Potsdam Station by David Downing (nook)
Though one of the 4 John Russel books, this one is not about espionage during WWI. Not really. This is about war, the cost of war, the heartbreak, the tragedies and about the sheer, inhuman brutality that is war. Not sure I'd want to read this again.
Quotes from the book:
But a sunny day was a sunny day, with a power all its own.
But they were out of luck. The only hot water in town came complete with a queue, and was already brown.
No doubt the various immigration butreaucracies would recover their essential nastiness in due course, but for the moment everyone seemed to exhausted by the war to care.
Russel wondered how many arms and legs had been detached from their bodies in the last five years. They weren't the sort of statistics that governments publicised, always assuming they bothered to collect them.
Their governments might still be talking like allies, but already they acted like future enemies.
He wondered if she had been faithful to him, and how he would react if she hadn't. At this moment in time, he just needed to know she was alive.
There was only one meal on the menu, and by the time it eventually arrived, he was drunk enough not to notice the taste.
He had no knowledge of the current details, but the gist was unlikely to have changed - foreign journalists would be allowed to prop up the main hotel bars, sit quietly at official press conferences, and have spontaneous conversations with specially selected model workers at tractor assembly plants. anything else would be forbidden.
Men behaved badly in wars, partularly in their final days, when neither winners nor losers had much to gain by behaving well.
If any country's bomber command had won medals for precision in this war, then Russell hadn't heard about it. The fact that they'd been aimint at the Institute seemed a near-guarantee of its survival.
27-Apr-11 Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy (nook)
This was like Enid Blyton for grown ups. In spite of the faulty plotlines, and unbalanced characterizations, I liked spending time with this book. Frankie herself had a small role though.
Quotes from the book:
Noel had decided that the very best way to cope with things not being so great was not to think about them at all. It had worked well so far.
In the middle of the night, Noel woke up and decided that giving up drink was something that should not be taken lightly or casually. He would do it next week, when the world had settled down.
"I don’t know how I survived it," Declan's father said, and told the old, familiar story again from the point of view of the father of the baby. The mother's role in the birth had been merely minimal, apparently.
I have so little sex, Emily, that I'm not likely to forget the little bit I do have.
"You'll need to show them what you're made of." "It's better they don't know."
American's always dressed properly for the Irish weather. Irish people themselves were constantly being drenched with rain.
"Suppose she just took him out to lunch one day?" "Oh, she does much more than that. She sleeps with him. But its not use."
He thought morosely about the women after Rita and before Clara. A line, not a long line, but they all had one thing in ocmmon: they were incredibly hard to understand.
No point in destroying Wednesday thinking about Friday.
I have much more the personality of a grandmother than a mother. I like a baby who goes home in the evening.
OCTOBER 13, 2022 - WASHINGTON DC. 2022 IMF/WORLD BANK ANNUAL MEETINGS: Investing in People and Planet: Financing the Low-carbon, Resilient Transition
Climate action is in danger of stalling with profound consequences for all countries, particularly the poorest. Overlapping crises—the war in Ukraine, COVID-19, surging inflation — could derail the investments required to tackle the climate crisis. It is vital to improve not only the quantity but also the quality of climate finance, making sure it reaches those most affected by climate impacts, prioritizing adaptation and resilience. This event focused on ways to address climate and development needs together, supporting people and communities in the low-carbon, resilient transition.
Speakers: David Malpass, President, World Bank Group; Annette Nazareth, Chair, Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market; Dirk Forrister, President and CEO, International Emissions Trading Association (IETA); Makhtar Diop, Managing Director, IFC; Slawomir Krupa, Head, Global Banking & Investor Solutions, and future CEO, Société Générale; Mari Pangestu, Managing Director, Development Policy and Partnerships, World Bank; Nicholas Stern, IG Patel Professor of Economics and Government, London School of Economics. Host: Mercy Niwe, Stakeholder Engagement Lead, External and Corporate Relations, World Bank Group. Photo: World Bank
An appreciation for beauty and inner stillness could be antidotes to violence and fear, even in beings engineered for utility or control.
Scene: A roadside rest area in Vermont, early afternoon. The trees are ablaze with color. Maria sits on a blanket, sipping cider. Her robot companion, designated Luma-3, sits beside her, motionless but alert.
Maria: “Look at that ridge. It’s like the forest is on fire—but gentle, like it’s remembering something.”
Luma-3: “Visual input confirms high saturation in red-orange spectrum. Atmospheric conditions stable. You appear calm.”
Maria (smiling): “I am calm. This place does that to me. It’s not just the colors—it’s the quiet. The way everything slows down.”
Luma-3: “Would you like me to initiate a stillness protocol?”
Maria: “Sure. Just sit with me. You don’t have to do anything.”
Luma-3 (after a pause): “Stillness protocol engaged. Recording ambient sound. Logging emotional indicators.”
Luma-3, intelligent but not sentient, doesn’t feel awe or nostalgia. But it observes Maria’s reactions, catalogs the colors, notes the temperature shifts, and perhaps even records the cadence of her voice as she speaks about the beauty around them
Even without sentience, Luma-3 is participating in the moment—not as a fellow feeler, but as a witness, a mirror, a quiet presence. It’s not that the robot understands beauty, but it understands Maria’s experience of beauty. And that, in itself, shapes its behavior. And perhaps Luma-3 begins to prioritize these moments, not out of longing, but because its algorithms recognize that Maria’s well-being improves in them.
An appreciation for beauty and calmness through meditation should be a top priority in training any robot, or a human. I can't imagine an intelligence, even an artificial one, posing a threat after successfully completing this training.
This series of images delves into the enigmatic beauty and layered history of Venice, Italy, through an abstract lens, employing the scumbling and dry brush oil painting techniques. Each piece is a study in contrasts and textures, evoking the city's unique spirit and its constant dance with the elements. The use of cold, detached atmospheres alongside distressed and weathered surfaces speaks to the resilience and survival of Venice amidst its challenges. The incorporation of "havencore" and "warmcore" elements, along with a palette that prioritizes white and saturated blues, adds depth and emotion, inviting viewers to experience the city's dual nature of refuge and exposure.
The artworks move beyond traditional representations, infusing each scene with dramatic intensity and hyperbolic expressions to capture the essence of Venice's struggle and splendor. Labor is depicted not just as a physical act but as a poignant part of the city's soul, rendered through rough gesturalism that strips away the gloss to reveal raw, compelling truths. The dazzling chiaroscuro and striking contrasts of light and dark masterfully highlight the city's architectural marvels and the ephemeral beauty of its everyday moments, creating a harmonious chaos that is both unsettling and captivating.
This series aims to transport viewers to a Venice reimagined, where the interplay of light and shadow, the richness of saturated pigment pools, and the tactile quality of the painting techniques combine to offer a new perspective on the familiar. Through these images, Venice is seen as a living, breathing entity, marked by centuries of wear but standing resilient, its beauty undimmed by the passage of time. The absence of heavy paint strokes emphasizes the subtlety and complexity of the city's narrative, inviting a closer look and deeper reflection on its enduring allure and the stories etched into its very stones.
Poem: The Quiet Hours
In the quiet hours of the fading night,
Where shadows dance in the moon's soft light,
And the world whispers in tones so slight,
There lies a beauty unseen, out of sight.
Beneath the velvet cloak of the starry sky,
Where dreams take wing, and thoughts fly high,
The silent streets hold secrets, by and by,
As the gentle breeze sings a lullaby.
In the heart of the forest, where ancient trees stand,
Their leaves tell tales of a distant land,
A place where time holds still its sand,
In the quiet hours, so grand and so bland.
By the murmuring streams, under the watchful moon,
Where flowers bloom in the light of June,
The night unfolds its hidden boon,
In whispers of the dark, a silent tune.
In the quiet hours, there's a deep connection,
A moment of peace, in introspection,
A journey within, in quiet reflection,
Finding solace in nature's perfection.
As dawn breaks, and the night fades away,
The quiet hours gently sway,
Leaving behind the tales of the grey,
In the warmth of the coming day.
Haiku: Twilight's Whisper
Twilight's soft whisper,
Day and night's fleeting kiss,
Silent beauty speaks.
SUN VALLEY - LAFD responded to 9360 North Telfair Avenue at 1:02 AM on Wednesday, June 9, 2021 for an auto fire that spread into nearby vegetation. Firefighters prioritized the brush first, then extinguished the burning auto, without injury. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
© Photo by Ismael Miranda
LAFD Incident: 060921-0073
Connect with us: LAFD.ORG | News | Facebook | Instagram | Reddit | Twitter: @LAFD @LAFDtalk
On January 25, 2022 a coalition of community organizations under the banner Climate Can't Wait 2022 gathered outside Governor Hochul's office in midtown Manhattan to demand that the state legislature and governor prioritize climate justice in the 2022 budget and legislative session. (Photo by Erik McGregor)
July 18, 2023 The Hill Live brings together caregivers, patients, clinical experts, and lawmakers to answer these questions and more as we discuss the fight against Alzheimer’s and breakthroughs in providing relief to those who suffer from agitation and aggression.
Alzheimer’s disease affects about 55 million people worldwide, including 6.5 million Americans, and has no cure. Some patients with Alzheimer’s sometimes show signs of extreme aggression or become restless and anxious as their brains lose the ability to negotiate with new stimulus.
Agitation is a common neuropsychiatric symptom in Alzheimer’s dementia and one of the most complex and stressful aspects of caring for people living with the condition. It is reported in approximately half of people with Alzheimer’s dementia and is associated with earlier alternative living placement.
What do patients, caregivers and families navigating the complexities of agitation associated with Alzheimer’s need to know? How are researchers and doctors better understanding risk factors and diagnoses? What policy actions can prioritize research, detection and treatment? And what are the access considerations for patients and their caregivers as they navigate this difficult symptom?
LOCATION
National Press Club Holeman Lounge, 529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor, Washington, DC 20045
SoulRider.222 / Eric Rider © 2020
Coronavirus = COVID-19 = SARS-CoV-2
Shelter In Place Orders
Executive Order 20-12
Office of the Governor
State of Oregon
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 20-12
STAY HOME, SAVE LIVES: ORDERING OREGONIANS TO STAY AT HOME, CLOSING SPECIFIED RETAIL BUSINESSES, REQUIRING SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES FOR OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FACILITIES, AND IMPOSING REQUIREMENTS FOR OUTDOOR AREAS AND LICENSED CHILDCARE FACILITIES
On February 28, 2020, I appointed the State of Oregon's Coronavirus Response Team.
On February 29, 2020, the Department of Human Services issued strict guidelines, restricting visitation at congregated care facilities, including nursing homes.
On March 2, 2020, the State of Oregon Emergency Coordination Center was activated.
On March 8, 2020, I declared an emergency under ORS 401.165 et seq. due to the public health threat posed by the novel infectious coronavirus (COVID-19).
On March 12, 2020, I prohibited gatherings of 250 or more people, and announced a statewide closure of Oregon K-12 schools from March 16, 2020, through March 31, 2020.
On March 13, 2020, the President of the United States declared the COVID-19 outbreak a national emergency.
On March 16, 2020, the Department of Human Services imposed its most recent protective measures to restrict visitors to long-term care facilities and other residential facilities. The Oregon Health Authority has adopted similar measures at the Oregon State Hospital and other behavioral health settings and has limited admissions to the Oregon State Hospital. The Oregon Department of Corrections has suspended all visits to state prisons.
On March 17, 2020, I prohibited gatherings of 25 or more people, banned on-site consumption of food and drink at food establishments statewide, and extending school closures until April 28, 2020. I also encouraged all businesses not subject to the prohibitions to implement social distancing protocols.
On March 18, 2020, I suspended in-person instructional activities at higher education institutions through April 28, 2020.
On March 19, 2020, I ordered the postponement of non-urgent health care procedures, in order to conserve personal protective equipment and hospital beds for the state's COVID-19 emergency response efforts. I also directed the Oregon Health Authority to provide guidance regarding limitations and screening for visitors to hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers.
COVID-19 may cause respiratory disease leading to serious illness or death. The World Health Organization considers COVID-19 to be a global pandemic. COVID-19 spreads person-to-person through coughing, sneezing, and close personal contact, including touching a surface with the virus on it and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.
To reduce spread of COVID-19, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended community mitigation strategies to increase containment of the virus and to slow transmission of the virus, including cancellation of gatherings of people and social distancing in smaller gatherings.
State and local public health officials advise that the virus is circulating in the community and expect the number of cases to increase. The CDC reports that COVID-19 is most contagious when the individual is most symptomatic but may also spread before symptoms appear.
The number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Oregon. On March 8, 2020, at the time I declared an emergency, there were 14 presumptive or confirmed cases in Oregon.
In a short time, COVID-19 has spread rapidly. Additionally, some Oregonians are not adhering to social distancing guidance provided by the Oregon Health Authority, as represented by crowds this last weekend at the Oregon Coast, Smith Rock State Park, the Columbia River Gorge, and other places around the state. To slow the spread of COVID-19 in Oregon, to protect the health and lives of Oregonians, particularly those at highest risk, and to help avoid overwhelming local and regional healthcare capacity, I find that immediate implementation of additional measures is necessary. The purpose of this Executive Order is to reduce person-to-person interaction with the goal of slowing transmission.
NOW THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DIRECTED AND ORDERED THAT:
Stay Home, Save Lives
1.It is essential to the health, safety, and welfare of the State of Oregon during the ongoing state of emergency that, to the maximum extent possible, individuals stay at home or at their place of residence, consistent with the directives set forth in my Executive Orders and guidance issued by the Oregon Health Authority. To that end, pursuant to ORS 433.441(3),
ORS 401.168(1), ORS 401.175(3), and ORS 401.188(2) to (3), I am ordering the following:
a.Non-essential social and recreational gatherings of individuals outside of a home or place of residence (e.g., parties, celebrations, or other similar gatherings and events) are prohibited immediately, regardless of size, if a distance of at least six feet between individuals cannot be maintained.
b.Individuals are prohibited from patronizing businesses that are closed pursuant to paragraph 2 of this Executive Order, and from engaging in conduct prohibited by prior Executive Orders or inconsistent with guidance provided by the Oregon Health Authority.
c.When individuals need to leave their homes or residences, they should at all times maintain social distancing of at least six feet from any person who is not a member of their immediate household, to the greatest extent possible, and comply with the other Social Distancing Requirements guidance issued by the Oregon Health Authority.
d.Individuals may go outside for outside recreational activities (walking, hiking, etc.), but must limit those activities to non-contact, and are prohibited from engaging in outdoor activities where it is not possible to maintain appropriate social distancing (six feet or more between individuals).
e.Failure to comply with any of the provisions of this Executive Order constitutes an imminent threat and creates an immediate danger to public health. Any person found to be in violation of this Executive Order is subject to the penalties described in ORS 401.990.
Closure of Certain Businesses
2. Pursuant to ORS 433.441(3)(a), (b), (d) and (f), ORS 401.168(1), and ORS 401.188(1) to (3), and effective 12:01 a.m. on March 24, 2020, I prohibit the operation of the following businesses, for which close personal contact is difficult or impossible to avoid:
Amusement parks; aquariums; arcades; art galleries (to the extent that they are open without appointment); barber shops and hair salons; bowling alleys; cosmetic stores; dance studios; esthetician practices; fraternal organization facilities; furniture stores; gyms and fitness studios (including climbing gyms); hookah bars; indoor and outdoor malls (i.e., all portions of a retail complex containing stores and restaurants in a single area); indoor party places (including jumping gyms and laser tag); jewelry shops and boutiques (unless they provide goods exclusively through pick-up or delivery service); medical spas, facial spas, day spas, and non-medical massage therapy services; museums; nail and tanning salons; non-tribal card rooms; skating rinks; senior activity centers; ski resorts; social and private clubs; tattoo/piercing parlors; tennis clubs; theaters; yoga studios; and youth clubs.
3.Paragraph 2 of this Executive Order does not apply to restaurants, bars, taverns, brew pubs, wine bars, cafes, food courts, coffee shops, or other similar establishments that offer food or drink, which remain subject to Executive Order No. 20-07 (prohibiting on-premises consumption of food or drink, but allowing take-out or delivery service).
4.Indoor and outdoor malls, and other businesses subject to paragraph 2 of this Executive Order, are not prohibited from operating to provide food, grocery, health care, medical, pharmacy, or pet store services.
5.Subject to approval by the Governor, the Oregon Health Authority has the authority to determine if additional business closures are necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19 during the ongoing state of emergency.
Required Social Distancing for Other Retail Businesses
6.Pursuant to ORS 433.441(3)(a), (b), (d) and (f), ORS 401.168(1), and ORS 401.188(1) to (3), and effective 12:01 a.m. on March 24, 2020, I prohibit the operation of any other retail business not subject to paragraph 2 of this Executive Order, unless the business designates an employee or officer to establish, implement, and enforce social distancing policies, consistent with guidance from the Oregon Health Authority.
7.Retail businesses that fail to comply with paragraph 6 of this Executive Order will be closed until they demonstrate compliance.
8.Paragraphs 6 and 7 of this Executive Order do not apply to grocery, health care, medical, or pharmacy services, which also are encouraged to comply with social distancing guidelines.
Workspace Restrictions
9.Pursuant to ORS 433.441(3)(a), (b), (d) and (f), ORS 401.168(1), and ORS 401.188(1) to (3), and effective March 25, 2020, all businesses and non-profit entities with offices in Oregon shall facilitate telework and work-at--home by employees, to the maximum extent possible. Work in offices is prohibited whenever telework and work-at-home options are available, in light of position duties, availability of teleworking equipment, and network adequacy.
10.When telework and work-from-home options are not available, businesses and non-profits must designate an employee or officer to establish, implement, and enforce social distancing policies, consistent with guidance from the Oregon Health Authority. Such policies also must address how the business or non-profit will maintain social distancing protocols for business-critical visitors.
11.Businesses and non-profits that fail to comply with paragraphs 9 and 10 of this Executive Order will be closed until they demonstrate compliance.
Government Buildings
12.Pursuant to ORS 433.441(3)(a), (b), (d) and (f), ORS 401.168(1), and ORS 401.188(1) to (3), and effective March 25, 2020, all state executive branch offices and buildings, to the maximum extent possible, shall close to the public and provide public services by phone and online during regular business hours. To the extent that closure is not feasible, in-person interactions between staff and the public should be by appointment, whenever possible. When public services require in-person interactions, social distancing measures must be established, implemented, and enforced, to the maximum extent possible.
13.State executive branch offices and buildings shall facilitate telework and work-at-home by employees, to the maximum extent possible. When telework and work-from-home options are not possible, agencies must designate an employee or officer to establish, implement, and enforce social distancing policies, consistent with guidance from the Oregon Health Authority.
14.Paragraphs 12 and 13 of this Executive Order apply to all offices and buildings owned or occupied by the state executive branch. This Executive Order does not apply to offices and buildings owned or occupied by the state legislative and judicial branches, federal government, local governments, and tribal governments, but those governments are nonetheless strongly encouraged to adhere to the policies underlying these directives.
Childcare Facilities
15.Pursuant to ORS 433.441(3)(a) and (d), ORS 401.168(1), and ORS 401.188(2) and (3), it is ordered that any childcare facility licensed under ORS 329A.030 and ORS 329A.250 to ORS 329A.450 that does not meet the requirements of paragraph 16 of this Executive Order shall close from March 25, 2020, through April 28, 2020 ("effective period"), unless that period is extended or terminated earlier by the Governor.
16.Notwithstanding paragraph 15, childcare facilities are allowed to remain open during the effective period if they meet the following requirements:
a.Childcare must be carried out in maximum stable groups of 10 or fewer children ("stable" means the same 10 or fewer children are in the same group each day), and in a classroom that cannot be accessed by children outside the stable group; and
b.Facilities must prioritize the childcare needs of first responders, emergency workers, health care professionals, followed by critical operations staff and essential personnel, consistent with guidance provided by the Oregon Department of Education, Early Learning Division.
17. I delegate authority to the Oregon Department of Education, Early Learning Division, to set forth exceptions to the rules provided by paragraph 16 of this Executive Order, if it becomes necessary to do so.
Outdoor Recreation and Travel
18.Pursuant to the powers vested in me by ORS 433.441(3), ORS 401.168(1) and (3), and ORS 401.188(1) to (3), I hereby order all private and public campgrounds to be closed immediately. This order does not prohibit camp hosts or veterans from remaining in state campgrounds, nor does it extend to RV parks and other housing.
19.I authorize the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department to close any property or facility, when proper social distancing cannot be maintained.
20.I order the immediate closure of all pools, skate parks, outdoor sports courts, and playground equipment areas.
21.For public recreational areas that are permitted to remain open subject to this Executive Order, signs requiring social distancing must be posted at all entrances, exits, and in prominent areas. On-site restrooms must have trash cans, and soap and water or hand sanitizer available. Users of open public recreational areas must strictly adhere to social distancing guidelines.
22.Individuals are directed to minimize travel, other than essential travel to or from a home, residence, or workplace; for obtaining or providing food, shelter, essential consumer needs, education, health care, or emergency services; for essential business and government services; for the care of family members, household members, elderly persons, minors, dependents, persons with disabilities, or other vulnerable persons, pets or livestock; travel as directed by government officials, law enforcement, or courts; and other essential travel consistent with the directives of my Executive Orders and guidance from the Oregon Health Authority.
Enforcement
23.The directives in this Executive Order are effective statewide.
24.This Executive Order is a public health law, as defined in ORS 43 lA.005, and may be enforced as permitted under ORS 43 lA.0 10. Additionally, any person found to be in violation of this Executive Order is subject to the penalties described in ORS 401.990.
This Executive Order is issued under the authority conferred to the Governor by ORS 401.165 to 401.236. Pursuant to ORS 401.192(1), the directives set forth in this Executive Order have the full force and effect of law, and any law, ordinances, rules and orders shall be inoperative to the extent that they are inconsistent with this exercise of the Governor's emergency powers.
This Executive Order is effective immediately, and remains in effect until terminated by the Governor.
Done at Salem, Oregon this 23rd day of March, 2020.
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In project management, a timebox is a period of time in which to accomplish some task. The end date is set in stone and may not be changed. If the team exceeds the date, the work is considered a failure and is cancelled or rescheduled. Some timeboxes allow the team to adjust the scope of the task in order to meet the deadline.
Timeboxes are used as a form of risk management for tasks that easily run over their deadlines. Timeboxes are commonly used in agile software development to manage software development risk. In agile development, the team is repeatedly tasked with producing a releasable improvement to software, timeboxed to a specific number of weeks.
When considering the traditional triple constraints of Project management (time, cost and scope) the time and cost constraints are fixed in this type of project contracting, but the scope (requirements) constraint is not. Therefore, timeboxing is the favorable type of contracting for projects in which the deadline is the most critical aspect and when not all requirements are completely specified upfront. A lack of detailed specifications typically is the result of a lack of time, or the lack of knowledge of the desired end result (solution). In many types of projects, and especially in software engineering, analyzing and defining all requirements and specifications before the start of the realization phase is impossible.
The advantages of timeboxing over working with more traditional methods - in which there is a need to specify all details and features upfront - are that work can be started on the actual solution, or product, sooner, because less requirements and specifications gathering is necessary upfront. There is also a better structure for allowing for new insights that are developed during the project to be reflected in the end result.
This goes hand-in-hand with MoSCoW prioritization of deliverables. Time Boxing is a core element of the rapid application development software development process and of DSDM.
Time boxing and agile software development techniques go hand-in-hand: With time boxing regular delivery of working software is ensured, and agile software development ensures the delivery of the highest priority value as defined by the stakeholders.
15 February 2016, Rome, Italy - FAO International Symposium on “The Role of Agricultural Biotechnologies in Sustainable Food Systems and Nutrition”. Parallel Session 3.1. Social and economic impacts of agricultural biotechnologies for smallholders: Taking stock of the evidence and prioritizing future assessments. FAO headquarters (Green room).
Photo credit must be given: ©FAO/Pier Paolo Cito. Editorial use only. Copyright ©FAO.
As the President has stated, the Ebola epidemic in West Africa and the humanitarian crisis there is a top national security priority for the United States. In order to contain and combat it, we are partnering with the United Nations and other international partners to help the Governments of Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Senegal respond just as we fortify our defenses at home. Every outbreak of Ebola over the past 40 years has been contained, and we are confident that this one can—and will be—as well.
Our strategy is predicated on four key goals:
· Controlling the epidemic at its source in West Africa;
· Mitigating second-order impacts, including blunting the economic, social, and political tolls in the region;
· Engaging and coordinating with a broader global audience; and
· Fortifying global health security infrastructure in the region and beyond.
The United States has applied a whole-of-government response to the epidemic, which we launched shortly after the first cases were reported in March. As part of this, we have dedicated additional resources across the federal government to address the crisis, committing more than $175 million to date. We continue to work with Congress to provide additional resources through appropriations and reprogramming efforts in order to be responsive to evolving resource needs on the ground. Just as the outbreak has worsened, our response will be commensurate with the challenge.
New Resources to Confront a Growing Challenge
The United States will leverage the unique capabilities of the U.S. military and broader uniformed services to help bring the epidemic under control. These efforts will entail command and control, logistics expertise, training, and engineering support.
· U.S. Africa Command will set up a Joint Force Command headquartered in Monrovia, Liberia, to provide regional command and control support to U.S. military activities and facilitate coordination with U.S. government and international relief efforts. A general from U.S. Army Africa, the Army component of U.S. Africa Command, will lead this effort, which will involve an estimated 3,000 U.S. forces.
· U.S. Africa Command will establish a regional intermediate staging base (ISB) to facilitate and expedite the transportation of equipment, supplies and personnel. Of the U.S. forces taking part in this response, many will be stationed at the ISB.
· Command engineers will build additional Ebola Treatment Units in affected areas, and the U.S. Government will help recruit and organize medical personnel to staff them.
· Additionally, the Command will establish a site to train up to 500 health care providers per week, enabling healthcare workers to safely provide direct medical care to patients.
· The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps is preparing to deploy 65 Commissioned Corps officers to Liberia to manage and staff a previously announced Department of Defense (DoD) hospital to care for healthcare workers who become ill. The deployment roster will consist of administrators, clinicians, and support staff.
Simple and scalable strategies that complement the use of Ebola Treatment Units are urgently required to disrupt the disease’s transmission. A community- and home-based strategy that supports household and communities is a critical step to moving forward:
· USAID is supporting a Community Care Campaign, which will provide communities and households with protection kits, appropriate information and training on how to protect themselves and their loved ones. In partnership with the United Nations Children Fund, the Paul Allen Family Foundation, and other key partners, we will immediately target the 400,000 most vulnerable households in Liberia. The package will subsequently be scaled to cover the country and the broader region.
· As part of this effort, this week, USAID will airlift 50,000 home health care kits from Denmark to Liberia to be hand-delivered to distant communities by trained youth volunteers.
A Complement to Efforts To-Date
Applying this whole-of-government approach, we have been engaged on this outbreak since March when the first cases were reported in West Africa. We currently have in the affected countries more than 100 specialists from multiple U.S. departments and agencies, including the Departments of State and Health and Human Services (HHS), the CDC, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and DoD. We also are working intensively on this effort with the United Nations, including the World Health Organization, the governments of the affected countries, and other partners, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Norway, the Africa Union, and European Union.
· To date we have spent more than $100 million to address this challenge, including the purchase of personal protective equipment, mobile labs, logistics and relief commodities, and support for community health workers. USAID also has announced plans to make available up to $75 million in additional funding to increase the number of Ebola treatment units, provide more personal protective equipment, airlift additional medical and emergency supplies, and support other Ebola response activities in collaboration with the UN, including the World Health Organization, and international partners.
· CDC has provided on the ground expertise in the largest international response in its history. More than 100 CDC personnel are on the ground in West Africa, and hundreds of personnel at their Emergency Operations Center in Atlanta have provided around the clock logistics, staffing, communication, analytics, management, and other support functions. The Administration has asked Congress for an additional $30 million to send additional response workers from the CDC as well as lab supplies and equipment
· In August, USAID deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to West Africa to coordinate and prioritize the U.S. government’s response to the outbreak. The DART assesses and identifies priority needs and coordinates key areas of the response, such as planning, operations, and logistics. The 28-member DART team is comprised of staff from USAID, CDC, DoD, and the U.S. Forest Service. The DART will be airlifting 130,000 sets of personal protective equipment to ensure that health care workers have the resources needed to safely do their jobs. The DART is also in the process of procuring generators that will provide electricity to Ebola treatment units and other response facilities.
· The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is developing an investigational Ebola vaccine, including recently starting phase 1 clinical trials, as well as supporting efforts to develop additional Ebola antivirals and therapeutics candidates. The Administration has asked Congress for an additional $58 million to support the development and manufacturing of Ebola therapeutic and vaccine candidates through Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.
· In addition to the measures announced today, DoD plans to send a field-deployable hospital to Liberia and has provided more than 10,000 Ebola test kits to the Liberian Institute of Biological Research and to Sierra Leone's Kenema Government Hospital. DoD also has provided personal protective equipment and training to local medical professionals in affected regions.
· DoD also has requested to reprogram $500 million in Fiscal Year 2014 Overseas Contingency Operations funds for humanitarian assistance, a portion of which will be used to fulfill requirements identified by CDC, USAID, the Joint Staff, and U.S. Africa Command to provide military air transportation of DoD and non-DoD personnel and supplies; medical treatment facilities (e.g. isolation units), personnel protective equipment, and medical supplies; logistics and engineering support, and; subject matter experts in support of sanitation and mortuary affairs.
· DoD’s Cooperative Threat Reduction program is redirecting $25 million to provide personal protective equipment and laboratory reagents, support for technical advisors, and other requests as validated by the DART. DoD has also requested to reprogram an additional $60 million to enable the CTR program to address urgent biosafety, biosecurity, and biosurveillance needs in the three countries most affected by the Ebola outbreak, as well as bolster the capabilities of neighboring countries and other partners in Africa.
· Last month, USAID airlifted more than 16 tons of medical supplies and emergency equipment to Liberia, including: 10,000 sets of personal protective equipment, two water treatment units and two portable water tanks capable of storing 10,000 liters each, and 100 rolls of plastic sheeting which can be used in the construction of Ebola treatment units. Additionally, in late August the DART airlifted 5,000 body bags to step up support for the safe removal and transport of the bodies of Ebola victims and 500 infrared thermometers to bolster Ebola screening efforts. These supplies will be distributed and used by the WHO and Liberian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
· USAID and the State Department are providing up to $10 million to support the deployment of an African Union mission sending more than 100 health care workers to the region. The State Department also has encouraged other governments to increase assistance; coordinate delivery of critical resources, including personnel, equipment, and medical supplies; and encourage airlines operating in the region to maintain or reinstate service while ensuring appropriate precautions.
· Additionally, the State Department has supported public education efforts in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea regarding prevention and treatment of the disease. The effort has included radio and television messages in local languages, the production of nearly 100 billboards and thousands of posters, program support to local non-governmental organizations and a special song commissioned by a popular local musician.
· Earlier this month, President Obama released a message to the people of West Africa to reinforce the facts and dispel myths surrounding Ebola. The video was transcribed into French, Portuguese, and other local languages and was distributed to television and radio stations across the region. Tens of thousands of West Africans viewed or listened to the message.
Screening Efforts Overseas
In addition to our efforts to help the affected West African countries bring this outbreak under control, we have taken steps to fortify against the introduction of Ebola cases into the United States. It is important to note that Ebola is not highly contagious like the flu; to the contrary, the virus is spread through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of a symptomatic individual.
· CDC is working closely with Customs and Border Protection and other partners at ports of entry—primarily international airports—to use routine processes to identify travelers who show signs of infectious disease. In response to the outbreak, these processes have been enhanced through guidance and training. If a sick traveler is identified during or after a flight, the traveler will be immediately isolated, and CDC will conduct an investigation of exposed travelers and work with the airline, federal partners, and state and local health departments to notify them and take any necessary public health action.
· CDC is assisting with exit screening and communication efforts in West Africa to prevent sick travelers from boarding planes. It also has issued interim guidance about Ebola virus infection for airline flight crews, cleaning personnel, and cargo personnel.
· CDC also has issued advice for colleges, universities, and students about study abroad, foreign exchange, and other education-related travel, as well as advice for students who have recently traveled from a country in which an Ebola outbreak is occurring. Similarly, CDC has developed recommendations for humanitarian aid workers traveling to Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone during the Ebola outbreaks in these countries. The recommendations include steps to take before departure, during travel, and upon return to the United States.
Preparedness at Home
Despite the tragic epidemic in West Africa, U.S. health professionals agree it is highly unlikely that we would experience an Ebola outbreak here in the United States, given our robust health care infrastructure and rapid response capabilities. Nevertheless, we have taken extra measures to prevent the unintentional importation of cases into the United States, and if a patient does make it here, our national health system has the capacity and expertise to quickly detect and contain this disease.
· CDC has worked to enhance surveillance and laboratory testing capacity in states to detect cases and improve case finding. CDC is developing guidance and tools for health departments to conduct public health investigations and improve health communication and continues to update recommendations for healthcare infection control and other measures to prevent the disease from spreading. Similarly, HHS’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and CDC are providing guidance documents to hospitals and other health care partners to support preparedness for a possible Ebola case.
· CDC also has prepared U.S. healthcare facilities and emergency medical service systems to safely manage a patient with suspected Ebola virus disease. CDC communicates with healthcare workers on an ongoing basis through the Health Alert Network, the Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity, and a variety of other existing tools and mechanisms. CDC developed Interim Guidance for Monitoring and Movement of Persons with Ebola Virus Disease Exposure to provide public health authorities and other partners with a framework for evaluating people’s level of exposure to Ebola and initiating appropriate public health actions on the basis of exposure level and clinical assessment.
· The Food and Drug Administration is monitoring for fraudulent products and false product claims related to the Ebola virus and is prepared to take enforcement actions, as warranted, to protect the public health.
Securing the Future
The Ebola epidemic reminds us that our global efforts to build the capacity to prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to infectious disease threats like Ebola have never been more vital. In February, we came together with nations around the world to launch the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) as a five year effort to accelerate action.
· CDC is contributing to the GHSA by partnering with nations around the world to help them establish measurable global health security capacity. This includes core CDC partnership programs like the Global Disease Detection Centers and Field Epidemiology Training Program, which enable the laboratory systems, disease surveillance workforce, emergency operations center capacity, and biosafety and biosecurity best practices required to counter Ebola and other biological threats.
· Over the next five years the United States has committed to working with at least 30 partner countries to invest in model systems to advance the Global Health Security agenda. CDC and DoD will work with other U.S. agencies and partner countries to establish emergency operations centers, build information systems, and strengthen laboratory security to mitigate biological threats and build partner capacity.
# # #
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
The Saber Dart is a compact, highly maneuverable fighter designed for short-range combat support. Lacking FTL capability, it excels in defensive operations and hit-and-run strikes when deployed from larger capital ships. Its sleek design prioritizes agility, making it a formidable asset in fast-paced skirmishes.
Unlike standard fighters, the Saber Dart features a low-profile canopy, reducing its visibility and making it harder for enemies to lock onto. This unique design requires pilots to adopt a prone position, accessing dual flight sticks and a streamlined control panel for maximum efficiency in tight, high-speed engagements. Additionally, the fighter’s advanced articulating wings fold seamlessly to minimize its footprint within the hangar bays of the assault carriers it typically serves, ensuring rapid deployment and optimized storage capacity.
instructions found here:
rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-201913/Rics%20Chaos/saber-dart/#...
Target appears to have prioritized Lego sales. From top to bottom: Star Wars, DC & Marvel, Minecraft, Disney Princesses, and last but least Trolls
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The CAC Sabre, sometimes known as the Avon Sabre or CA-27, was an Australian variant of the North American Aviation F-86F Sabre fighter aircraft. In 1951, Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation obtained a license agreement to build the F-86F Sabre. In a major departure from the North American blueprint, it was decided that the CA-27 would be powered by a license-built version of the Rolls-Royce Avon R.A.7, rather than the General Electric J47. In theory, the Avon was capable of more than double the maximum thrust and double the thrust-to-weight ratio of the US engine. This necessitated a re-design of the fuselage, as the Avon was shorter, wider and lighter than the J47.
To accommodate the Avon, over 60 percent of the fuselage was altered and there was a 25 percent increase in the size of the air intake. Another major revision was in replacing the F-86F's six machine guns with two 30mm ADEN cannon, while other changes were also made to the cockpit and to provide an increased fuel capacity.
The prototype aircraft first flew on 3 August 1953. The production aircrafts' first deliveries to the Royal Australian Air Force began in 1954. The first batch of aircraft were powered by the Avon 20 engine and were designated the Sabre Mk 30. Between 1957 and 1958 this batch had the wing slats removed and were re-designated Sabre Mk 31. These Sabres were supplemented by 20 new-built aircraft. The last batch of aircraft were designated Sabre Mk 32 and used the Avon 26 engine, of which 69 were built up to 1961.
Beyond these land-based versions, an indigenous version for carrier operations had been developed and built in small numbers, too, the Sea Sabre Mk 40 and 41. The roots of this aircraft, which was rather a prestigious idea than a sensible project, could be traced back to the immediate post WWII era. A review by the Australian Government's Defence Committee recommended that the post-war forces of the RAN be structured around a Task Force incorporating multiple aircraft carriers. Initial plans were for three carriers, with two active and a third in reserve, although funding cuts led to the purchase of only two carriers in June 1947: Majestic and sister ship HMS Terrible, for the combined cost of AU£2.75 million, plus stores, fuel, and ammunition. As Terrible was the closer of the two ships to completion, she was finished without modification, and was commissioned into the RAN on 16 December 1948 as HMAS Sydney. Work progressed on Majestic at a slower rate, as she was upgraded with the latest technology and equipment. To cover Majestic's absence, the Colossus-class carrier HMS Vengeance was loaned to the RAN from 13 November 1952 until 12 August 1955.
Labour difficulties, late delivery of equipment, additional requirements for Australian operations, and the prioritization of merchant ships over naval construction delayed the completion of Majestic. Incorporation of new systems and enhancements caused the cost of the RAN carrier acquisition program to increase to AU£8.3 million. Construction and fitting out did not finish until October 1955. As the carrier neared completion, a commissioning crew was formed in Australia and first used to return Vengeance to the United Kingdom.
The completed carrier was commissioned into the RAN as HMAS Majestic on 26 October 1955, but only two days later, the ship was renamed Melbourne and recommissioned.
In the meantime, the rather political decision had been made to equip Melbourne with an indigenous jet-powered aircraft, replacing the piston-driven Hawker Fury that had been successfully operated from HMAS Sydney and HMAS Vengeance, so that the "new jet age" was even more recognizable. The choice fell on the CAC Sabre, certainly inspired by North American's successful contemporary development of the navalized FJ-2 Fury from the land-based F-86 Sabre. The CAC 27 was already a proven design, and with its more powerful Avon engine it even offered a better suitability for carrier operations than the FJ-2 with its rather weak J47 engine.
Work on this project, which was initially simply designated Sabre Mk 40, started in 1954, just when the first CAC 27's were delivered to operative RAAF units. While the navalized Avon Sabre differed outwardly only little from its land-based brethren, many details were changed and locally developed. Therefore, there was also, beyond the general outlines, little in common with the North American FJ-2 an -3 Fury.
Externally, a completely new wing with a folding mechanism was fitted. It was based on the F-86's so-called "6-3" wing, with a leading edge that was extended 6 inches at the root and 3 inches at the tip. This modification enhanced maneuverability at the expense of a small increase in landing speed due to deletion of the leading edge slats, a detail that was later introduced on the Sabre Mk 31, too. As a side benefit, the new wing leading edges without the slat mechanisms held extra fuel. However, the Mk 40's wing was different as camber was applied to the underside of the leading edge to improve low-speed handling for carrier operations. The wings were provided with four stations outboard of the landing gear wells for up to 1000 lb external loads on the inboard stations and 500 lb on the outboard stations.
Slightly larger stabilizers were fitted and the landing gear was strengthened, including a longer front wheel strut. The latter necessitated an enlarged front wheel well, so that the front leg’s attachment point had to be moved forward. A ventral launch cable hook was added under the wing roots and an external massive arrester hook under the rear fuselage.
Internally, systems were protected against salt and humidity and a Rolls-Royce Avon 211 turbojet was fitted, a downrated variant of the already navalized Avon 208 from the British DH Sea Vixen, but adapted to the different CAC 27 airframe and delivering 8.000 lbf (35.5 kN) thrust – slightly more than the engines of the land-based CAC Sabres, but also without an afterburner.
A single Mk 40 prototype was built from a new CAC 27 airframe taken directly from the production line in early 1955 and made its maiden flight on August 20th of the same year. In order to reflect its naval nature and its ancestry, this new CAC 27 variant was officially christened “Sea Sabre”.
Even though the modified machine handled well, and the new, cambered wing proved to be effective, many minor technical flaws were discovered and delayed the aircraft's development until 1957. These included the wing folding mechanism and the respective fuel plumbing connections, the landing gear, which had to be beefed up even more for hard carrier landings and the airframe’s structural strength for catapult launches, esp. around the ventral launch hook.
In the meantime, work on the land-based CAC 27 progressed in parallel, too, and innovations that led to the Mk 31 and 32 were also incorporated into the naval Mk 40, leading to the Sea Sabre Mk 41, which became the effective production aircraft. These updates included, among others, a detachable (but fixed) refueling probe under the starboard wing, two more pylons for light loads located under the wing roots and the capability to carry and deploy IR-guided AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, what significantly increased the Mk 41's efficiency as day fighter. With all these constant changes it took until April 1958 that the Sabre Mk 41, after a second prototype had been directly built to the new standard, was finally approved and cleared for production. Upon delivery, the RAN Sea Sabres carried a standard NATO paint scheme with Extra Dark Sea Grey upper surfaces and Sky undersides.
In the meantime, the political enthusiasm concerning the Australian carrier fleet had waned, so that only twenty-two aircraft were ordered. The reason behind this decision was that Australia’s carrier fleet and its capacity had become severely reduced: Following the first decommissioning of HMAS Sydney in 1958, Melbourne became the only aircraft carrier in Australian service, and she was unavailable to provide air cover for the RAN for up to four months in every year; this time was required for refits, refueling, personnel leave, and non-carrier duties, such as the transportation of troops or aircraft. Although one of the largest ships to serve in the RAN, Melbourne was one of the smallest carriers to operate in the post-World War II period, so that its contribution to military actions was rather limited. To make matters worse, a decision was made in 1959 to restrict Melbourne's role to helicopter operations only, rendering any carrier-based aircraft in Australian service obsolete. However, this decision was reversed shortly before its planned 1963 implementation, but Australia’s fleet of carrier-borne fixed-wing aircraft would not grow to proportions envisioned 10 years ago.
Nevertheless, on 10 November 1964, an AU£212 million increase in defense spending included the purchase of new aircraft for Melbourne. The RAN planned to acquire 14 Grumman S-2E Tracker anti-submarine aircraft and to modernize Melbourne to operate these. The acquisition of 18 new fighter-bombers was suggested (either Sea Sabre Mk 41s or the American Douglas A-4 Skyhawk), too, but these were dropped from the initial plan. A separate proposal to order 10 A-4G Skyhawks, a variant of the Skyhawk designed specifically for the RAN and optimized for air defense, was approved in 1965, but the new aircraft did not fly from Melbourne until the conclusion of her refit in 1969. This move, however, precluded the production of any new and further Sea Sabre.
At that time, the RAN Sea Sabres received a new livery in US Navy style, with upper surfaces in Light Gull Gray with white undersides. The CAC Sea Sabres remained the main day fighter and attack aircraft for the RAN, after the vintage Sea Furies had been retired in 1962. The other contemporary RAN fighter type in service, the Sea Venom FAW.53 all-weather fighter that had replaced the Furies, already showed its obsolescence.
In 1969, the RAN purchased another ten A-4G Skyhawks, primarily in order to replace the Sea Venoms on the carriers, instead of the proposed seventh and eighth Oberon-class submarines. These were operated together with the Sea Sabres in mixed units on board of Melbourne and from land bases, e.g. from NAS Nowra in New South Wales, where a number of Sea Sabres were also allocated to 724 Squadron for operational training.
Around 1970, Melbourne operated a standard air group of four jet aircraft, six Trackers, and ten Wessex helicopters until 1972, when the Wessexes were replaced with ten Westland Sea King anti-submarine warfare helicopters and the number of jet fighters doubled. Even though the A-4G’s more and more took over the operational duties on board of Melbourne, the Sea Sabres were still frequently deployed on the carrier, too, until the early Eighties, when both the Skyhawks and the Sea Sabres received once more a new camouflage, this time a wraparound scheme in two shades of grey, reflecting their primary airspace defense mission.
The CAC 27 Mk 41s’ last carrier operations took place in 1981 in the course of Melbourne’s involvements in two major exercises, Sea Hawk and Kangaroo 81, the ship’s final missions at sea. After Melbourne was decommissioned in 1984, the Fleet Air Arm ceased fixed-wing combat aircraft operation. This was the operational end of the Sabre Mk 41, which had reached the end of their airframe lifetime, and the Sea Sabre fleet had, during its career, severely suffered from accidents and losses: upon retirement, only eight of the original twenty-two aircraft still existed in flightworthy condition, so that the aircraft were all scrapped. The younger RAN A-4Gs were eventually sold to New Zealand, where they were kept in service until 2002.
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 37 ft 6 in (11.43 m)
Wingspan: 37 ft 1 in (11.3 m)
Height: 14 ft 5 in (4.39 m)
Wing area: 302.3 sq ft (28.1 m²)
Empty weight: 12,000 lb (5,443 kg)
Loaded weight: 16,000 lb (7,256 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 21,210 lb (9,621 kg)
Powerplant:
1× Rolls-Royce Avon 208A turbojet engine with 8,200 lbf (36.44 kN)
Performance:
Maximum speed: 700 mph (1,100 km/h) (605 knots)
Range: 1,153 mi, (1,000 NM, 1,850 km)
Service ceiling: 52,000 ft (15,850 m)
Rate of climb: 12,000 ft/min at sea level (61 m/s)
Armament:
2× 30 mm ADEN cannons with 150 rounds per gun
5,300 lb (2,400 kg) of payload on six external hardpoints;
Bombs were usually mounted on outer two pylons as the mid pair were wet-plumbed pylons for
2× 200 gallons drop tanks, while the inner pair was usually occupied by a pair of AIM-9 Sidewinder
AAMs
A wide variety of bombs could be carried with maximum standard loadout being 2x 1,000 lb bombs
or 2x Matra pods with unguided SURA missiles plus 2 drop tanks for ground attacks, or 2x AIM-9 plus
two drop tanks as day fighter
The kit and its assembly:
This project was initially inspired by a set of decals from an ESCI A-4G which I had bought in a lot – I wondered if I could use it for a submission to the “In the navy” group build at whatifmodelers.com in early 2020. I considered an FJ-3M in Australian colors on this basis and had stashed away a Sword kit of that aircraft for this purpose. However, I had already built an FJ variant for the GB (a kitbashed mix of an F-86D and an FJ-4B in USMC colors), and was reluctant to add another Fury.
This spontaneously changed after (thanks to Corona virus quarantine…) I cleaned up one of my kit hoards and found a conversion set for a 1:72 CAC 27 from JAYS Model Kits which I had bought eons ago without a concrete plan. That was the eventual trigger to spin the RAN Fury idea further – why not a navalized version of the Avon Sabre for HMAS Melbourne?
The result is either another kitbash or a highly modified FJ-3M from Sword. The JAYS Model Kits set comes with a THICK sprue that carries two fuselage halves and an air intake, and it also offers a vacu canopy as a thin fallback option because the set is actually intended to be used together with a Hobby Craft F-86F.
While the parts, molded in a somewhat waxy and brittle styrene, look crude on the massive sprue, the fuselage halves come with very fine recessed engravings. And once you have cleaned the parts (NOTHING for people faint at heart, a mini drill with a saw blade is highly recommended), their fit is surprisingly good. The air intake was so exact that no putty was needed to blend it with the rest of the fuselage.
The rest came from the Sword kit and integrating the parts into the CAC 27 fuselage went more smoothly than expected. For instance, the FJ-3M comes with a nice cockpit tub that also holds a full air intake duct. Thanks to the slightly wider fuselage of the CAC 27, it could be mounted into the new fuselage halves without problems and the intake duct almost perfectly matches the intake frame from the conversion set. The tailpipe could be easily integrated without any mods, too. The fins had to be glued directly to the fuselage – but this is the way how the Sword kit is actually constructed! Even the FJ-3M’s wings match the different fuselage perfectly. The only modifications I had to make is a slight enlargement of the ventral wing opening at the front and at the read in order to take the deeper wing element from the Sword kit, but that was an easy task. Once in place, the parts blend almost perfectly into each other, just minor PSR was necessary to hide the seams!
Other mods include an extended front wheel well for the longer leg from the FJ-3M and a scratched arrester hook installation, made from wire, which is on purpose different from the Y-shaped hook of the Furies.
For the canopy I relied on the vacu piece that came with the JAYS set. Fitting it was not easy, though, it took some PSR to blend the windscreen into the rest of the fuselage. Not perfect, but O.K. for such a solution from a conversion set.
The underwing pylons were taken from the Sword kit, including the early Sidewinders. I just replaced the drop tanks – the OOB tanks are very wide, and even though they might be authentic for the FJ-3, I was skeptical if they fit at all under the wings with the landing gear extended? In order to avoid trouble and for a more modern look, I replaced them outright with more slender tanks, which were to mimic A-4 tanks (USN FJ-4s frequently carried Skyhawk tanks). They actually come from a Revell F-16 kit, with modified fins. The refueling probe comes from the Sword kit.
A last word about the Sword kit: much light, but also much shadow. While I appreciate the fine surface engravings, the recognizably cambered wings, a detailed cockpit with a two-piece resin seat and a pretty landing gear as well as the long air intake, I wonder why the creators totally failed to provide ANY detail of the arrester hook (there is literally nothing, as if this was a land-based Sabre variant!?) or went for doubtful solutions like a front landing gear that consists of five(!) single, tiny parts? Sadism? The resin seat was also broken (despite being packed in a seperate bag), and it did not fit into the cockpit tub at all. Meh!
Painting and markings:
From the start I planned to give the model the late RAN A-4Gs’ unique air superiority paint scheme, which was AFAIK introduced in the late Seventies: a two-tone wraparound scheme consisting of “Light Admiralty Grey” (BS381C 697) and “Aircraft Grey” (BS 381C 693). Quite simple, but finding suitable paints was not an easy task, and I based my choice on pictures of the real aircraft (esp. from "buzz" number 880 at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, you find pics of it with very good light condition) rather than rely on (pretty doubtful if not contradictive) recommendations in various painting instructions from models or decal sets.
I wanted to keep things simple and settled upon Dark Gull Grey (FS 36231) and Light Blue (FS 35414), both enamel colors from Modelmaster, since both are rather dull interpretations of these tones. Esp. the Light Blue comes quite close to Light Admiralty Grey, even though it should be lighter for more contrast to the darker grey tone. But it has that subtle greenish touch of the original BS tone, and I did not want to mix the colors.
The pattern was adapted from the late A-4Gs’ scheme, and the colors were dulled down even more through a light black ink wash. Some post-shading with lighter tones emphasized the contrast between the two colors again. And while it is not an exact representation of the unique RAN air superiority scheme, I think that the overall impression is there.
The cockpit interior was painted in very dark grey, while the landing gear, its wells and the inside of the air intake became white. A red rim was painted around the front opening, and the landing gear covers received a red outline, too. The white drop tanks are a detail I took from real world RAN A-4Gs - in the early days of the air superiority scheme, the tanks were frequently still finished in the old USN style livery, hence the white body but fins and tail section already in the updated colors.
The decals became a fight, though. As mentioned above, the came from an ESCI kit – and, as expected, the were brittle. All decals with a clear carrier film disintegrated while soaking in water, only those with a fully printed carrier film were more or less usable. One roundel broke and had to be repaired, and the checkered fin flash was a very delicate affair that broke several times, even though I tried to save and repair it with paint. But you can unfortunately see the damage.
Most stencils and some replacements (e. g. the “Navy” tag) come from the Sword FJ-3. While these decals are crisply printed, their carrier film is utterly thin, so thin that applying esp. the larger decals turned out to be hazardous and complicated. Another point that did not really convince me about the Sword kit.
Finally, the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (Italeri) and some soot stains were added around the exhaust and the gun ports with graphite.
In the end, this build looks, despite the troubles and the rather exotic ingredients like a relatively simple Sabre with Australian markings, just with a different Navy livery. You neither immediately recognize the FJ-3 behind it, nor the Avon Sabre’s bigger fuselage, unless you take a close and probably educated look. Very subtle, though.
The RAN air superiority scheme from the late Skyhawks suits the Sabre/Fury-thing well – I like the fact that it is a modern fighter scheme, but, thanks to the tones and the colorful other markings, not as dull and boring like many others, e. g. the contemporary USN "Ghost" scheme. Made me wonder about an early RAAF F-18 in this livery - should look very pretty, too?
Mastering Layout, Mike Stevens on the Art of Eye Appeal. Copyright 1986. Approx. 8" x 10.75". I had followed Mike's career and untimely death through the pages of SignCraft magazine. Even though many sign artists featured in the magazine credit this book as having opened their eyes to proper sign design and layout, I was reluctant to purchase it, feeling I already knew how to prioritize copy on a sign. Recently, however, I decided I should at least investigate and read his design principles for myself. The book is still in print as a paperback, but of course that wouldn't do for me. I found an out of print first edition hardbound copy on ebay that stayed week after week with no one bidding on it. It couldn't compete with the new paperback copies of the same book for less than half the price. Finally the price was dropped to a level I felt I could justify and I purchased it. I am reading it now for the second time and attempting to slowly implement its design principles in my own work. I am so glad I sprung for the hardbound copy. Its true condition as seen in the picture above is much better than that reflected in the poor quality pic used to advertise it on ebay.
This series of images delves into the enigmatic beauty and layered history of Venice, Italy, through an abstract lens, employing the scumbling and dry brush oil painting techniques. Each piece is a study in contrasts and textures, evoking the city's unique spirit and its constant dance with the elements. The use of cold, detached atmospheres alongside distressed and weathered surfaces speaks to the resilience and survival of Venice amidst its challenges. The incorporation of "havencore" and "warmcore" elements, along with a palette that prioritizes white and saturated blues, adds depth and emotion, inviting viewers to experience the city's dual nature of refuge and exposure.
The artworks move beyond traditional representations, infusing each scene with dramatic intensity and hyperbolic expressions to capture the essence of Venice's struggle and splendor. Labor is depicted not just as a physical act but as a poignant part of the city's soul, rendered through rough gesturalism that strips away the gloss to reveal raw, compelling truths. The dazzling chiaroscuro and striking contrasts of light and dark masterfully highlight the city's architectural marvels and the ephemeral beauty of its everyday moments, creating a harmonious chaos that is both unsettling and captivating.
This series aims to transport viewers to a Venice reimagined, where the interplay of light and shadow, the richness of saturated pigment pools, and the tactile quality of the painting techniques combine to offer a new perspective on the familiar. Through these images, Venice is seen as a living, breathing entity, marked by centuries of wear but standing resilient, its beauty undimmed by the passage of time. The absence of heavy paint strokes emphasizes the subtlety and complexity of the city's narrative, inviting a closer look and deeper reflection on its enduring allure and the stories etched into its very stones.
Poem: The Quiet Hours
In the quiet hours of the fading night,
Where shadows dance in the moon's soft light,
And the world whispers in tones so slight,
There lies a beauty unseen, out of sight.
Beneath the velvet cloak of the starry sky,
Where dreams take wing, and thoughts fly high,
The silent streets hold secrets, by and by,
As the gentle breeze sings a lullaby.
In the heart of the forest, where ancient trees stand,
Their leaves tell tales of a distant land,
A place where time holds still its sand,
In the quiet hours, so grand and so bland.
By the murmuring streams, under the watchful moon,
Where flowers bloom in the light of June,
The night unfolds its hidden boon,
In whispers of the dark, a silent tune.
In the quiet hours, there's a deep connection,
A moment of peace, in introspection,
A journey within, in quiet reflection,
Finding solace in nature's perfection.
As dawn breaks, and the night fades away,
The quiet hours gently sway,
Leaving behind the tales of the grey,
In the warmth of the coming day.
Haiku: Twilight's Whisper
Twilight's soft whisper,
Day and night's fleeting kiss,
Silent beauty speaks.
The Cornwall Air Ambulance is a vital emergency medical service that provides rapid air transportation to critically injured or ill individuals in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom. Established in 1987, the organization has a rich history and has played a crucial role in saving numerous lives over the years. In the following 2000-word essay, we will explore the history of the Cornwall Air Ambulance, highlighting its inception, development, milestones, and the impact it has made on the local community.
The Cornwall Air Ambulance traces its roots back to a tragic incident in 1986 when a young girl named Rosalind Willsher lost her life due to the lack of a readily available air ambulance service in the area. This incident prompted local businessman and pilot, David Ray, to establish the Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust with the aim of providing emergency medical services by air. Ray's vision was to create a service that could quickly transport medical professionals to the scene of an incident and swiftly transfer patients to appropriate medical facilities.
In 1987, the Cornwall Air Ambulance became a reality with the purchase of a yellow Gazelle helicopter, equipped with medical equipment and staffed by a team of dedicated professionals. Based initially at St. Mawgan RAF base, the helicopter could quickly respond to emergencies throughout the region, significantly reducing transportation times and saving precious minutes that were crucial for saving lives.
The early years of the Cornwall Air Ambulance were marked by numerous challenges, including funding constraints and the need to establish a strong network of support. The trust relied heavily on public donations and fundraising events to sustain its operations and expand its services. With the support of local communities, businesses, and volunteers, the trust gradually gained momentum and began to make a noticeable impact on emergency medical care in Cornwall.
In 1991, the Cornwall Air Ambulance achieved a major milestone by acquiring its first dedicated air ambulance helicopter, a Bell 206B Jet Ranger. This aircraft provided enhanced capabilities for medical transport, with larger cabins and improved equipment. It allowed for the transportation of patients alongside a medical crew, ensuring the provision of immediate care during transit.
Throughout the 1990s, the Cornwall Air Ambulance continued to evolve and refine its operations. The trust established a close partnership with the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, ensuring seamless coordination between ground and air emergency services. This collaboration facilitated the rapid dispatch of the air ambulance, with the helicopter often being called upon for incidents such as road traffic accidents, medical emergencies, and search and rescue missions.
To further enhance its capabilities, the Cornwall Air Ambulance introduced night flying operations in 1993, thanks to the installation of advanced lighting systems and pilot training. This development was a significant step forward, enabling the air ambulance to respond to emergencies round the clock and significantly expanding its scope of operations.
In 2000, the Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust achieved a significant milestone with the introduction of a new helicopter, the Eurocopter EC135. This state-of-the-art aircraft represented a substantial upgrade in terms of technology, performance, and capacity. With its twin-engine design, improved range, and advanced avionics, the EC135 provided enhanced safety and reliability, allowing for the transportation of patients over longer distances and in more challenging conditions.
The new helicopter also featured a bespoke medical interior, specifically designed to accommodate the needs of the air ambulance service. Equipped with cutting-edge medical equipment and staffed by highly trained paramedics and doctors, the Cornwall Air Ambulance was now equipped to deliver advanced pre-hospital care, including interventions such as advanced life support, blood transfusions, and pain management.
The 2000s saw the Cornwall Air Ambulance continue to strengthen its operations and expand its reach. The trust established additional landing sites strategically located throughout the region, enabling faster response times and improving coverage in rural areas. The air ambulance also started participating in collaborative initiatives, such as the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS), which allowed for mutual support and cooperation between different air ambulance services.
The Cornwall Air Ambulance has consistently prioritized the ongoing development and improvement of its services. In recent years, the organization has focused on the integration of technology and innovation into its operations. This includes the use of advanced navigation systems, night vision equipment, and telemedicine capabilities, which enable medical professionals to consult with specialists in real-time while on board the helicopter.
Beyond its primary mission of providing emergency medical care, the Cornwall Air Ambulance has actively engaged with the local community through various initiatives. The trust organizes fundraising events, offers educational programs on first aid and emergency response, and collaborates with schools and youth groups to raise awareness about its work. These efforts have helped foster a strong sense of community involvement and support for the air ambulance service.
In conclusion, the Cornwall Air Ambulance has come a long way since its establishment in 1987. From humble beginnings, it has grown into a highly respected and indispensable emergency medical service in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Through the dedication of its staff, the support of local communities, and ongoing advancements in technology and expertise, the Cornwall Air Ambulance continues to save lives, provide critical care, and make a lasting impact on the well-being of the region.
030819 - WASHINGTON DC., Managing Director and Chairwoman of the IMF Christine Lagarde and Interim WBG President Kristalina Georgieva engage in a conversation on their pioneering leadership and challenges they and other women have faced, the economic issues they’re dealing with and how they prioritize gender both through operations and in walking the talk within the IMF and WBG.
Photo: World Bank / Simone D. McCourtie
Muni's red carpet which runs along Church Street, from Duboce Avenue to 16th Street, was painted red to clearly identify the center lanes prioritized for public transit and taxi's. | July 30, 2013
Note:
This is RAW straight out of camera processed with default settings in Sigma Pro Photo 4.1 software.
The result seems a little warm, but I like it.
---
Every year, I go to Burma/Myanmar and I only take a carry on and a hand bag. Taking a large camera like the 5DMk2 (even a T2i size camera) with a lens or two is not an option for me since I like to go travel light (especially to Myanmar). I wanted a small camera that could produce great quality images, good bokeh when needed, and good colors; l knew not to prioritize it based on high ISO quality. I'll have to give that up for a small camera.
I bought/sold/tried shooting with several cameras--from small, point and shoot size sensor to micro-four thirds. Among the ones I tried, my favorite was the E-PL1 with Panasonic 20/1.7. I wanted to see if I could find something even SMALLER than the Oly/Panny combo without giving up too much on image quality.
I debated between the Samsung TL500 / EX1 and the Leica Dlux4. I was impressed with the quality of Samsung's images I saw on the web (and also the cheaper price). But, I ended up getting the Dlux4 because it had been around longer (RAW files supported by most software), and knew I could get good quality images out of it.
By the time I got the Dlux4, I was already inflicted with Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS)--I wanted another camera of that size that could produce images with even BETTER image quality. Since I couldn't afford a Leica X1, I wanted to try out the Sigma DP2s.
---SIGMA DP2s---
It's "different."
The user interface isn't bad, but not as intuitive as others I have tried. I got used it in a couple of days and I find no issues.
LCD screen is so-so. I can still view images on the LCD under a bright sun--better than E-P2. Image quality could be better, but with low-res screen, it's hard to see whether I've nailed the focus point. I also have the external optical viewfinder. It's small, with nice bright frame lines, but it's not really that accurate. If the camera could auto focus well, it'd be more useful.
The build seems fine. It's similar in size to the DLux4 but a little thicker but lighter. The battery life is average for small cameras (not great but not bad).
Performance-wise, it's a hit or miss. In good light, focus is quick but not instant-quick. In lower light, it takes its time locking focus--I'd say average of about a second or sometimes even two. As a range finder camera user, I don't mind taking a little time to shoot since I'm just looking for a good composition and good image quality. This is perfectly fine for stills but not the best for fast paced kids in action. These days, I shoot mostly my kids but I still find DP2s more than usable. I accept and forgive all the quirkiness of the camera since I know I'll get a few really good shots with it. Maybe it's a personal thing--I prefer it over the Oly E-PL1 because it's a little more "challenging" to use and the reward is much more satisfying.
The software that came with it works amazingly well. In fact, if I try to process the DP2s RAW files in Lightroom, my results won't be as good--or at least, it would take me a lot of time to get it right like SIGMA Pro Photo 4.1 software. Simga Pro Photo processing speed is fast--about 3-4 seconds on my 17" Macbook Pro 2.8Ghz Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM laptop. I can see why many people go goo goo over the FOVEON sensor. The colors are, indeed, rich and the POP of the focused subject is quite similar to what I would get with a Leica Summicron 50/2 lens.
All in all, I'm glad I found the DP2s.
//dedicated to the spirit of 'being a woman'//
Woman & Earth... they share a lots of traits of life...
we can learn many a things which is not taught in schools/colleges..
both are creative, nurturing & powerful..
yet so sensitive & fragile... so needs our respect n care,
& not at all an entity to be taken granted for...
well, its peak-time to prioritize our way thinking as a whole human society...
as a human race... or else we will eventually reach that brink of total destruction of our only home...
& soon the inevitable will follow... the total wipe-out; extinction!!
Anyway, I love this song & its soul inspiring poetic lyrics...
hope i could explore more of the music world eventually...
with music in your heart, you are being content, happy & strong...
& thats what all matters, at the end of the day!
"mmmmm... mmmmm...
mmmmmmmmmmmm
i get wings to fly
oh, oh... i'm alive... yeah
when you call on me, when i hear you, breathe..
i get wings to fly, i feel that i'm alive.
when you look at me, i can touch the sky
i know that i'm alive, mmmmm ohhhhh ahhhhhh
when you bless, the day, i just drift away, all my worries die.
i'm glad that i'm.. alive
you've set my heart, on fire
filled me with love, made me a woman on, clouds above
i couldn't get, much higher
my spirit takes flight, cause i am alive, ohhhhh
when you call on me, when i hear you breathe
i get wings to fly (fly)
i feel that i'm alive (i'm alive)
when you reach for me, raising spirits high
god knows that, that i'll be the one, standing by
through good and, through, trying times
and it's only begun, i can't wait for the, rest of my life
when you call on me, when you reach for me
i get wings to fly, i feel that i'm alive, yeah
when you bless the day, i just drift away
all my worries die, i know that i'm alive
i get, wings to fly, god knows that i'm alive."
Singer: Celine Dion
Songwriters: Carlsson, Andreas / Lundin, Kristian
hmmm... so as this journey continues... hour to hour... day to day... year to year..
the small things... its those small small things...
which makes it meaningful 'n' beautiful all the time...
Wish you a great weekend..
Hope you enjoy this life, when you are.... Alive!
So come on.. ;-)
s/n 0585GT
240 bhp, 2,953 cc single overhead camshaft V-12 engine with three Weber carburetors, four-speed all-synchromesh manual gearbox, independent front suspension with unequal-length A-arms and coil springs, live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs and parallel trailing arms, and four-wheel drum brakes. Wheelbase: 2,600 mm
• Very first of the second series 14-louver design
• One of nine examples built
• Featured in the Hollywood Classic, The Love Bug
• Matching numbers, extensively documented, and complete with full Ferrari Classiche certification
• Received a class award at the 2011 Quail Motorsports Gathering
• Single ownership for 14 years and offered for the first time ever at auction
• Pristine example of Ferrari’s most revered berlinetta
The tragic accident at the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans that claimed the lives of one driver and 79 spectators had a profound effect on the shape of racing, one that ultimately led to the creation of one of Ferrari’s most celebrated models. Racing enthusiasts and competitors alike agreed that the crash was ultimately the result of the increasingly potent powertrains of the Le Mans sports cars, and in order to prevent further disaster, new regulations would be required to veer from the path of these thinly veiled race cars, which were essentially grand prix cars packaged with two-seater bodies.
The following year, the FIA responded by creating new gran turismo classes that not only prioritized safety, but also re-established the concept of competitively racing a road-based production car. Ferrari, of course, was well prepared for the challenge, having just debuted its new series-production 250 GT at the Geneva Motor Show of 1956. While the coupe on display featured an elegant body that would go on to be produced in quantity by Boano, thus providing necessary homologation, the underlying chassis proved to be the basis for the competition car, or berlinetta, that Ferrari sought to enter into the FIA’s new racing classifications. Pininfarina designed a new lightweight body that was built by Scaglietti, using thin-gauge aluminum and Perspex windows and a minimally upholstered cabin. The finished car, then known officially as the 250 GT Berlinetta, was ultimately made in a sparing quantity of 77 examples that are further sub-divided by subtle differences in coachwork over the model’s four-year production run.
Ferrari’s hopes for competitive success were quickly realized when Olivier Gendebien and Jacques Washer co-drove the very first car, chassis number 0503 GT, to a First in Class and Fourth Overall at the Giro di Sicilia in April 1956, with a Fifth Overall (First in Class) at the Mille Miglia later that month. But the model’s defining success didn’t occur until September, during the 1956 Tour de France Automobile, a grueling 3,600 mile, week-long contest that combined six circuit races, two hill climbs, and a drag race. The Marquis Alfonso de Portago, a Spanish aristocrat and privateer racer, drove chassis number 0557 GT to a dominating victory that sealed the dynamic model’s reputation. Enzo Ferrari was so pleased with the outcome that the 250 GT Berlinetta was subsequently and internally, though never officially, referred to as the Tour de France. The moniker proved to be quite fitting, as Gendebien took First Overall at the 1957, 1958, and 1959 installments of the French race, as well as a Third Overall at the 1957 Mille Miglia, a triumph that witnessed the defeat of many more purpose-built sports racers.
With the introduction of a short-wheelbase 250 GT in late-1959, the outgoing platform became retrospectively labeled as the long-wheelbase version, though the original car’s designation of 250 GT LWB Berlinetta is now largely simplified with the name ‘Tour de France.’ Through its brief production run, the TdF underwent several external body modifications, ultimately resulting in four different series-produced body styles (not including a handful of Zagato-bodied cars). The alterations in appearance are most easily recognizable in the so-called sail panels, the rear ¾-panels of the c-pillar that adjoin the roof. Initially produced with no louvers at all, these panels featured 14 louvers in the second-series cars, followed by a series with just three louvers, and ending with a series that featured just one sail-panel louver. Of all of these series, the 14-louver cars are the rarest, with only nine examples produced, and are judged by many enthusiasts to be the handsomest of the group.
This fabulous, early Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France is the very first example constructed of the second series design that featured 14-louver sail-panels. On November 15, 1956, the stunning TdF was purchased by Tony Parravano, the Italian national and Southern California building construction magnate who is better known among 1950s racing enthusiasts for the numerous Italian sports cars that he campaigned in the area’s SCCA circuit. 0585 GT was entered for the Palm Springs road races in early April of 1957, before being disqualified because the sanctioning body did not recognize it as a production car. Changing hands among a couple of Los Angeles-based owners during the early-1960s, 0585 GT eventually came into the possession of Walt Disney Studios for use in the 1966 film The Love Bug, the celebrated Disney classic about “Herbie,” the racing VW Beetle with a soul.
Following its memorable Hollywood turn, this important 250 GT fell on hard times, passing through the Schaub family, of Los Angeles, before reportedly being abandoned on the side of the Hollywood freeway. Records indicate two more owners during the 1970s and 1980s. In September 1994, the car surfaced and was offered for sale in an unrestored state by David Cottingham’s DK Engineering in Watford, England. Unable to sell 0585 GT for its true value, DK, in late-1996, elected to totally restore the historically significant Tour de France, a freshening that debuted to overwhelming acclaim at Coy’s International Historic Festival at Silverstone in July 1997. The festival proved to be a perfect stage for the immaculate car, as it was sold the following October to its current owner, a well-respected Southern California-based collector who has a 40-year history of collecting and caring for some of the most recognizable and important Ferrari cars ever built.
Registered under license plate “MY 56 TDF,” 0585 GT was soon campaigned in a number of vintage rallies, including the Tour Auto of April 1998, as well as the Mille Miglia of the following May. The car also participated in the Tour Auto in 1999 and 2000, and placed 39th Overall at the 2000 Shell Ferrari/Maserati Historic Challenge at Le Mans. 0585 GT returned to the Tour Auto in 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2006 and was displayed at Car Classic: Freedom of Motion, the 2010 exhibition held at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. The following August, 0585 GT’s extreme quality and rarity were confirmed with the ultimate in exhibitive recognition, a class award at the 2011 Quail Motorsports Gathering in Carmel, California, where the car won “The Great Ferraris” class, honoring some of the marque’s earliest and important sports and racing cars.
In addition to all of these awards and racing achievements, 0585 GT has also gone under the scrutiny of the Ferrari factory’s certification program and easily received the full “Red Book” certification through Newport Beach Ferrari specialist, John Amette. For the certification process, the original gearbox was put in the car; however, the current owner has since removed it and put a more user-friendly synchromesh gearbox in the car for much better drivability purposes. It must be noted that the original unit will be supplied with the sale of this car. A full set of original tools and a jack will also be included, as well as a booklet of documentation and various trophies and awards that the car has received over the years. In preparation for the sale, 0585 GT has also just been completely detailed and sorted at well-respected Junior’s House of Color in Long Beach, California, so it will look stunning in presentation.
On a recent track drive in preparation for RM’s video and photography efforts, the car performed flawlessly, handling directly and powering through all of the gears with ease. As the RM specialist describes, “The four-wheel drum brakes and skinny tyres can sometimes provide a different driving experience for those familiar with later cars fitted with disk brakes and wider stances; however, it allows the pilot to become much more intimate with the driving experience and to engage the engine in a much different way, creating a completely different awareness of timing and speed…The most beautiful thing about these early TDs is what most Ferraristi will attest to, and that is the sound of the exhaust note when the car breaches 3500 rpm. As you power out of the corners, there is that point when the car just feels and sounds right! All the noises, the vibrations, and the elements of speed come together to create a symphonic harmony that is unlike anything else. Moreover, the sound is not too overpowering and is pleasurable for extended periods of time, which cannot be said for many other race-bred cars. It is the ultimate dual-purpose Ferrari!”
Impeccably cared for and stunningly restored, 0585 GT is a beautiful and rare example of the second series 14-louver Tour de France, one of Ferrari’s greatest sports cars of all time. This car’s next owner can look forward to continued warm receptions at the world’s finest automotive events, including rallies such as the Tour Auto and Mille Miglia, and premium exhibitive venues, such as Pebble Beach, Amelia Island, and the Palm Beach Cavallino Classic. It is a truly unique representative of one of Ferrari’s most revered models, and in many ways, it is the ultimate symbol of Ferrari’s long pursuit of dual-purpose sports cars that can be seriously campaigned as easily as they can be road driven. Given their extremely low production numbers and desirability, these cars rarely come to the market. The availability of 0585 GT after 14-years of single ownership offers an unbeatable chance to acquire one of the most storied machines to emerge from Maranello’s legendary motoring lore.
[Text from RM Auctions]
www.rmauctions.com/lots/lot.cfm?lot_id=1052658
This Lego miniland-scale Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta 'Tour de France' (1956 - Scaglietti), has been created for Flickr LUGNuts' 89th Build Challenge, - "Over a Million, Under a Thousand", - a challenge to build vehicles valued over one million (US) dollars, or under one thousand (US) dollars.
This particular vehicle was auctioned by the RM Auction house on Saturday, August 18, 2012, where it sold for $6,710,000.
The bike lane ends prematurely to ensure that there's parking space available under the L tracks.
The L track columns narrow the roadway. Either the bike lane or the parking lane would have to be
discontinuous for 30 feet. What do you think wins?
to river.
"nothing will ever accidently drop. not from me. ever."
food > fetch.
and that is how all dogs prioritize.
my site:
facebook:
twitter:
twitter.com/iamboey
04/52.
It was fun taking this camera out into the snowy weather. This is SOOC except for the crop. This has definitely been a hectic week, but I'm learning how to prioritize my time. Just have to take things in stride.
008
McKinsey Global Infrastructure Initiative Summit
Tokyo, Japan
Wednesday, October 19th, 2022
15:10–15:30
PRIORITIZING THE PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE
The combined impacts of COVID-19 and net-zero commitments have resulted in an unprecedented disruption of the $11.6 trillion global infrastructure industry. Meeting net-zero targets will require the industry to transform project development and delivery to deliver a global portfolio of projects at an unprecedented scale and pace. What are the pivotal actions we need to take now to enable sustainable infrastructure for the decades to come?
Facilitators:
Tip Huizenga, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company; Co-chair, GII
Detlev Mohr, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company; Co-chair, GII
In this interactive session, Detlev and Tip will briefly frame the topic with a few slides to set the context. This will be followed by them asking the question to the audience, “What are the pivotal actions we need to take now to enable sustainable infrastructure for the decades to come?” The audience will be requested to discuss the question for ~7 minutes in their pods, submitting their ideas through the GII app to form a Word Cloud on the screen.
Photograph by McKinsey Global Infrastructure/Stuart Isett
More people in BC will start to receive invitations for a COVID-19 booster shot as the Province continues its COVID-19 immunization plan, prioritizing BC’s elderly and most at-risk through to the December holiday.
Learn more:
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The CAC Sabre, sometimes known as the Avon Sabre or CA-27, was an Australian variant of the North American Aviation F-86F Sabre fighter aircraft. In 1951, Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation obtained a license agreement to build the F-86F Sabre. In a major departure from the North American blueprint, it was decided that the CA-27 would be powered by a license-built version of the Rolls-Royce Avon R.A.7, rather than the General Electric J47. In theory, the Avon was capable of more than double the maximum thrust and double the thrust-to-weight ratio of the US engine. This necessitated a re-design of the fuselage, as the Avon was shorter, wider and lighter than the J47.
To accommodate the Avon, over 60 percent of the fuselage was altered and there was a 25 percent increase in the size of the air intake. Another major revision was in replacing the F-86F's six machine guns with two 30mm ADEN cannon, while other changes were also made to the cockpit and to provide an increased fuel capacity.
The prototype aircraft first flew on 3 August 1953. The production aircrafts' first deliveries to the Royal Australian Air Force began in 1954. The first batch of aircraft were powered by the Avon 20 engine and were designated the Sabre Mk 30. Between 1957 and 1958 this batch had the wing slats removed and were re-designated Sabre Mk 31. These Sabres were supplemented by 20 new-built aircraft. The last batch of aircraft were designated Sabre Mk 32 and used the Avon 26 engine, of which 69 were built up to 1961.
Beyond these land-based versions, an indigenous version for carrier operations had been developed and built in small numbers, too, the Sea Sabre Mk 40 and 41. The roots of this aircraft, which was rather a prestigious idea than a sensible project, could be traced back to the immediate post WWII era. A review by the Australian Government's Defence Committee recommended that the post-war forces of the RAN be structured around a Task Force incorporating multiple aircraft carriers. Initial plans were for three carriers, with two active and a third in reserve, although funding cuts led to the purchase of only two carriers in June 1947: Majestic and sister ship HMS Terrible, for the combined cost of AU£2.75 million, plus stores, fuel, and ammunition. As Terrible was the closer of the two ships to completion, she was finished without modification, and was commissioned into the RAN on 16 December 1948 as HMAS Sydney. Work progressed on Majestic at a slower rate, as she was upgraded with the latest technology and equipment. To cover Majestic's absence, the Colossus-class carrier HMS Vengeance was loaned to the RAN from 13 November 1952 until 12 August 1955.
Labour difficulties, late delivery of equipment, additional requirements for Australian operations, and the prioritization of merchant ships over naval construction delayed the completion of Majestic. Incorporation of new systems and enhancements caused the cost of the RAN carrier acquisition program to increase to AU£8.3 million. Construction and fitting out did not finish until October 1955. As the carrier neared completion, a commissioning crew was formed in Australia and first used to return Vengeance to the United Kingdom.
The completed carrier was commissioned into the RAN as HMAS Majestic on 26 October 1955, but only two days later, the ship was renamed Melbourne and recommissioned.
In the meantime, the rather political decision had been made to equip Melbourne with an indigenous jet-powered aircraft, replacing the piston-driven Hawker Fury that had been successfully operated from HMAS Sydney and HMAS Vengeance, so that the "new jet age" was even more recognizable. The choice fell on the CAC Sabre, certainly inspired by North American's successful contemporary development of the navalized FJ-2 Fury from the land-based F-86 Sabre. The CAC 27 was already a proven design, and with its more powerful Avon engine it even offered a better suitability for carrier operations than the FJ-2 with its rather weak J47 engine.
Work on this project, which was initially simply designated Sabre Mk 40, started in 1954, just when the first CAC 27's were delivered to operative RAAF units. While the navalized Avon Sabre differed outwardly only little from its land-based brethren, many details were changed and locally developed. Therefore, there was also, beyond the general outlines, little in common with the North American FJ-2 an -3 Fury.
Externally, a completely new wing with a folding mechanism was fitted. It was based on the F-86's so-called "6-3" wing, with a leading edge that was extended 6 inches at the root and 3 inches at the tip. This modification enhanced maneuverability at the expense of a small increase in landing speed due to deletion of the leading edge slats, a detail that was later introduced on the Sabre Mk 31, too. As a side benefit, the new wing leading edges without the slat mechanisms held extra fuel. However, the Mk 40's wing was different as camber was applied to the underside of the leading edge to improve low-speed handling for carrier operations. The wings were provided with four stations outboard of the landing gear wells for up to 1000 lb external loads on the inboard stations and 500 lb on the outboard stations.
Slightly larger stabilizers were fitted and the landing gear was strengthened, including a longer front wheel strut. The latter necessitated an enlarged front wheel well, so that the front leg’s attachment point had to be moved forward. A ventral launch cable hook was added under the wing roots and an external massive arrester hook under the rear fuselage.
Internally, systems were protected against salt and humidity and a Rolls-Royce Avon 211 turbojet was fitted, a downrated variant of the already navalized Avon 208 from the British DH Sea Vixen, but adapted to the different CAC 27 airframe and delivering 8.000 lbf (35.5 kN) thrust – slightly more than the engines of the land-based CAC Sabres, but also without an afterburner.
A single Mk 40 prototype was built from a new CAC 27 airframe taken directly from the production line in early 1955 and made its maiden flight on August 20th of the same year. In order to reflect its naval nature and its ancestry, this new CAC 27 variant was officially christened “Sea Sabre”.
Even though the modified machine handled well, and the new, cambered wing proved to be effective, many minor technical flaws were discovered and delayed the aircraft's development until 1957. These included the wing folding mechanism and the respective fuel plumbing connections, the landing gear, which had to be beefed up even more for hard carrier landings and the airframe’s structural strength for catapult launches, esp. around the ventral launch hook.
In the meantime, work on the land-based CAC 27 progressed in parallel, too, and innovations that led to the Mk 31 and 32 were also incorporated into the naval Mk 40, leading to the Sea Sabre Mk 41, which became the effective production aircraft. These updates included, among others, a detachable (but fixed) refueling probe under the starboard wing, two more pylons for light loads located under the wing roots and the capability to carry and deploy IR-guided AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, what significantly increased the Mk 41's efficiency as day fighter. With all these constant changes it took until April 1958 that the Sabre Mk 41, after a second prototype had been directly built to the new standard, was finally approved and cleared for production. Upon delivery, the RAN Sea Sabres carried a standard NATO paint scheme with Extra Dark Sea Grey upper surfaces and Sky undersides.
In the meantime, the political enthusiasm concerning the Australian carrier fleet had waned, so that only twenty-two aircraft were ordered. The reason behind this decision was that Australia’s carrier fleet and its capacity had become severely reduced: Following the first decommissioning of HMAS Sydney in 1958, Melbourne became the only aircraft carrier in Australian service, and she was unavailable to provide air cover for the RAN for up to four months in every year; this time was required for refits, refueling, personnel leave, and non-carrier duties, such as the transportation of troops or aircraft. Although one of the largest ships to serve in the RAN, Melbourne was one of the smallest carriers to operate in the post-World War II period, so that its contribution to military actions was rather limited. To make matters worse, a decision was made in 1959 to restrict Melbourne's role to helicopter operations only, rendering any carrier-based aircraft in Australian service obsolete. However, this decision was reversed shortly before its planned 1963 implementation, but Australia’s fleet of carrier-borne fixed-wing aircraft would not grow to proportions envisioned 10 years ago.
Nevertheless, on 10 November 1964, an AU£212 million increase in defense spending included the purchase of new aircraft for Melbourne. The RAN planned to acquire 14 Grumman S-2E Tracker anti-submarine aircraft and to modernize Melbourne to operate these. The acquisition of 18 new fighter-bombers was suggested (either Sea Sabre Mk 41s or the American Douglas A-4 Skyhawk), too, but these were dropped from the initial plan. A separate proposal to order 10 A-4G Skyhawks, a variant of the Skyhawk designed specifically for the RAN and optimized for air defense, was approved in 1965, but the new aircraft did not fly from Melbourne until the conclusion of her refit in 1969. This move, however, precluded the production of any new and further Sea Sabre.
At that time, the RAN Sea Sabres received a new livery in US Navy style, with upper surfaces in Light Gull Gray with white undersides. The CAC Sea Sabres remained the main day fighter and attack aircraft for the RAN, after the vintage Sea Furies had been retired in 1962. The other contemporary RAN fighter type in service, the Sea Venom FAW.53 all-weather fighter that had replaced the Furies, already showed its obsolescence.
In 1969, the RAN purchased another ten A-4G Skyhawks, primarily in order to replace the Sea Venoms on the carriers, instead of the proposed seventh and eighth Oberon-class submarines. These were operated together with the Sea Sabres in mixed units on board of Melbourne and from land bases, e.g. from NAS Nowra in New South Wales, where a number of Sea Sabres were also allocated to 724 Squadron for operational training.
Around 1970, Melbourne operated a standard air group of four jet aircraft, six Trackers, and ten Wessex helicopters until 1972, when the Wessexes were replaced with ten Westland Sea King anti-submarine warfare helicopters and the number of jet fighters doubled. Even though the A-4G’s more and more took over the operational duties on board of Melbourne, the Sea Sabres were still frequently deployed on the carrier, too, until the early Eighties, when both the Skyhawks and the Sea Sabres received once more a new camouflage, this time a wraparound scheme in two shades of grey, reflecting their primary airspace defense mission.
The CAC 27 Mk 41s’ last carrier operations took place in 1981 in the course of Melbourne’s involvements in two major exercises, Sea Hawk and Kangaroo 81, the ship’s final missions at sea. After Melbourne was decommissioned in 1984, the Fleet Air Arm ceased fixed-wing combat aircraft operation. This was the operational end of the Sabre Mk 41, which had reached the end of their airframe lifetime, and the Sea Sabre fleet had, during its career, severely suffered from accidents and losses: upon retirement, only eight of the original twenty-two aircraft still existed in flightworthy condition, so that the aircraft were all scrapped. The younger RAN A-4Gs were eventually sold to New Zealand, where they were kept in service until 2002.
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 37 ft 6 in (11.43 m)
Wingspan: 37 ft 1 in (11.3 m)
Height: 14 ft 5 in (4.39 m)
Wing area: 302.3 sq ft (28.1 m²)
Empty weight: 12,000 lb (5,443 kg)
Loaded weight: 16,000 lb (7,256 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 21,210 lb (9,621 kg)
Powerplant:
1× Rolls-Royce Avon 208A turbojet engine with 8,200 lbf (36.44 kN)
Performance:
Maximum speed: 700 mph (1,100 km/h) (605 knots)
Range: 1,153 mi, (1,000 NM, 1,850 km)
Service ceiling: 52,000 ft (15,850 m)
Rate of climb: 12,000 ft/min at sea level (61 m/s)
Armament:
2× 30 mm ADEN cannons with 150 rounds per gun
5,300 lb (2,400 kg) of payload on six external hardpoints;
Bombs were usually mounted on outer two pylons as the mid pair were wet-plumbed pylons for
2× 200 gallons drop tanks, while the inner pair was usually occupied by a pair of AIM-9 Sidewinder
AAMs
A wide variety of bombs could be carried with maximum standard loadout being 2x 1,000 lb bombs
or 2x Matra pods with unguided SURA missiles plus 2 drop tanks for ground attacks, or 2x AIM-9 plus
two drop tanks as day fighter
The kit and its assembly:
This project was initially inspired by a set of decals from an ESCI A-4G which I had bought in a lot – I wondered if I could use it for a submission to the “In the navy” group build at whatifmodelers.com in early 2020. I considered an FJ-3M in Australian colors on this basis and had stashed away a Sword kit of that aircraft for this purpose. However, I had already built an FJ variant for the GB (a kitbashed mix of an F-86D and an FJ-4B in USMC colors), and was reluctant to add another Fury.
This spontaneously changed after (thanks to Corona virus quarantine…) I cleaned up one of my kit hoards and found a conversion set for a 1:72 CAC 27 from JAYS Model Kits which I had bought eons ago without a concrete plan. That was the eventual trigger to spin the RAN Fury idea further – why not a navalized version of the Avon Sabre for HMAS Melbourne?
The result is either another kitbash or a highly modified FJ-3M from Sword. The JAYS Model Kits set comes with a THICK sprue that carries two fuselage halves and an air intake, and it also offers a vacu canopy as a thin fallback option because the set is actually intended to be used together with a Hobby Craft F-86F.
While the parts, molded in a somewhat waxy and brittle styrene, look crude on the massive sprue, the fuselage halves come with very fine recessed engravings. And once you have cleaned the parts (NOTHING for people faint at heart, a mini drill with a saw blade is highly recommended), their fit is surprisingly good. The air intake was so exact that no putty was needed to blend it with the rest of the fuselage.
The rest came from the Sword kit and integrating the parts into the CAC 27 fuselage went more smoothly than expected. For instance, the FJ-3M comes with a nice cockpit tub that also holds a full air intake duct. Thanks to the slightly wider fuselage of the CAC 27, it could be mounted into the new fuselage halves without problems and the intake duct almost perfectly matches the intake frame from the conversion set. The tailpipe could be easily integrated without any mods, too. The fins had to be glued directly to the fuselage – but this is the way how the Sword kit is actually constructed! Even the FJ-3M’s wings match the different fuselage perfectly. The only modifications I had to make is a slight enlargement of the ventral wing opening at the front and at the read in order to take the deeper wing element from the Sword kit, but that was an easy task. Once in place, the parts blend almost perfectly into each other, just minor PSR was necessary to hide the seams!
Other mods include an extended front wheel well for the longer leg from the FJ-3M and a scratched arrester hook installation, made from wire, which is on purpose different from the Y-shaped hook of the Furies.
For the canopy I relied on the vacu piece that came with the JAYS set. Fitting it was not easy, though, it took some PSR to blend the windscreen into the rest of the fuselage. Not perfect, but O.K. for such a solution from a conversion set.
The underwing pylons were taken from the Sword kit, including the early Sidewinders. I just replaced the drop tanks – the OOB tanks are very wide, and even though they might be authentic for the FJ-3, I was skeptical if they fit at all under the wings with the landing gear extended? In order to avoid trouble and for a more modern look, I replaced them outright with more slender tanks, which were to mimic A-4 tanks (USN FJ-4s frequently carried Skyhawk tanks). They actually come from a Revell F-16 kit, with modified fins. The refueling probe comes from the Sword kit.
A last word about the Sword kit: much light, but also much shadow. While I appreciate the fine surface engravings, the recognizably cambered wings, a detailed cockpit with a two-piece resin seat and a pretty landing gear as well as the long air intake, I wonder why the creators totally failed to provide ANY detail of the arrester hook (there is literally nothing, as if this was a land-based Sabre variant!?) or went for doubtful solutions like a front landing gear that consists of five(!) single, tiny parts? Sadism? The resin seat was also broken (despite being packed in a seperate bag), and it did not fit into the cockpit tub at all. Meh!
Painting and markings:
From the start I planned to give the model the late RAN A-4Gs’ unique air superiority paint scheme, which was AFAIK introduced in the late Seventies: a two-tone wraparound scheme consisting of “Light Admiralty Grey” (BS381C 697) and “Aircraft Grey” (BS 381C 693). Quite simple, but finding suitable paints was not an easy task, and I based my choice on pictures of the real aircraft (esp. from "buzz" number 880 at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, you find pics of it with very good light condition) rather than rely on (pretty doubtful if not contradictive) recommendations in various painting instructions from models or decal sets.
I wanted to keep things simple and settled upon Dark Gull Grey (FS 36231) and Light Blue (FS 35414), both enamel colors from Modelmaster, since both are rather dull interpretations of these tones. Esp. the Light Blue comes quite close to Light Admiralty Grey, even though it should be lighter for more contrast to the darker grey tone. But it has that subtle greenish touch of the original BS tone, and I did not want to mix the colors.
The pattern was adapted from the late A-4Gs’ scheme, and the colors were dulled down even more through a light black ink wash. Some post-shading with lighter tones emphasized the contrast between the two colors again. And while it is not an exact representation of the unique RAN air superiority scheme, I think that the overall impression is there.
The cockpit interior was painted in very dark grey, while the landing gear, its wells and the inside of the air intake became white. A red rim was painted around the front opening, and the landing gear covers received a red outline, too. The white drop tanks are a detail I took from real world RAN A-4Gs - in the early days of the air superiority scheme, the tanks were frequently still finished in the old USN style livery, hence the white body but fins and tail section already in the updated colors.
The decals became a fight, though. As mentioned above, the came from an ESCI kit – and, as expected, the were brittle. All decals with a clear carrier film disintegrated while soaking in water, only those with a fully printed carrier film were more or less usable. One roundel broke and had to be repaired, and the checkered fin flash was a very delicate affair that broke several times, even though I tried to save and repair it with paint. But you can unfortunately see the damage.
Most stencils and some replacements (e. g. the “Navy” tag) come from the Sword FJ-3. While these decals are crisply printed, their carrier film is utterly thin, so thin that applying esp. the larger decals turned out to be hazardous and complicated. Another point that did not really convince me about the Sword kit.
Finally, the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (Italeri) and some soot stains were added around the exhaust and the gun ports with graphite.
In the end, this build looks, despite the troubles and the rather exotic ingredients like a relatively simple Sabre with Australian markings, just with a different Navy livery. You neither immediately recognize the FJ-3 behind it, nor the Avon Sabre’s bigger fuselage, unless you take a close and probably educated look. Very subtle, though.
The RAN air superiority scheme from the late Skyhawks suits the Sabre/Fury-thing well – I like the fact that it is a modern fighter scheme, but, thanks to the tones and the colorful other markings, not as dull and boring like many others, e. g. the contemporary USN "Ghost" scheme. Made me wonder about an early RAAF F-18 in this livery - should look very pretty, too?
***UPDATE**Doug and Tim always prioritize their agenda, and news flash....they found a great pair. Thank you both for your continued support!
Nice little character piece.
Thomas Nides
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State with NZ Foreign Affairs Minister, Hon Murray McCully.
The United States Government, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme Announce Climate Adaptation Partnerships - September 8, 2011
September 7, 2011: U.S. Engagement in the Pacific: Fact Sheet
Partnerships Are Part of Larger (USD) $21 Million U.S. Government Climate Assistance Program in the Pacific Small Island Developing States
AUCKLAND, NZ - The United States Government today formally joined forces with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP) to advance climate change adaptation. These partnerships are part of a larger (USD) $21 million “fast start” finance commitment made by the United States for a Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) climate change program.
Through these partnerships, the United States, SPC and SPREP will strengthen the capacity of the countries and communities in the Pacific Islands to improve food security and water security, and to protect critical ecosystems. The partnerships will also help these countries access information about climate impacts to make more effective and sustainable decisions in the face of climate change. Representatives from the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development were joined by representatives from SPC and SPREP to announce the partnership at a formal signing ceremony on the margins of the Pacific Island Forum and Post-Forum Dialogue.
Rainfall changes and extreme weather events will cause heightened food security challenges for the PSIDS in the coming decades. As a result, the United States and SPC have partnered to strengthen food security among communities in Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu. The United States and SPREP will help improve the ability of communities in Kiribati to address the impact of climate change on water resources as well as help Kiribati’s Ministry of Health integrate adaptation into national health planning and policies. The United States and SPREP also will work together to promote healthy ecosystems in the Solomon Islands.
The United States will manage the $21 million program through the U.S. Agency for International Development, which will open an office in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea in the coming months.
Last year, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced the $21 million U.S. “fast start” finance assistance for the PSIDS over two years (2010-2011). The PSIDS funding is a part of a larger commitment from the United States to work with developed country partners to provide “fast start” financing from 2010-2012. The “fast start” financing was included in the negotiated packages agreed to at the UN climate talks in Copenhagen and Cancun.
###
Quotes:
Thomas R. Nides, Deputy Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State:
“The United States recognizes that climate change poses a significant threat to the development and security of Pacific islands. We have prioritized efforts to expand U.S. bilateral and multilateral adaptation assistance and are committed to helping Pacific Small Island Developing States adapt to the impacts of climate change.”
Nisha Biswal, Assistant Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development:
“USAID is committed to the success of these programs. As the implementing U.S. government agency, USAID looks forward to collaborating with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Program and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community to combat the climate adaptation challenges of the Pacific islands.”
Jimmie Rodgers, Director General, Secretariat of the Pacific Community:
“The impacts of climate change are more pronounced in the Pacific Small Island Developing States. For many of their citizens, climate change touches and impacts their lives on a regular basis. For them it is about how food security can be sustained, how health is protected, how education is enhanced, how safe water supply is safeguarded, how coastal areas are protected, how human settlements are climate proofed and how the impact of high water surges and flooding are reduced. This support from the United States is historic. It represents a new partnership approach of working with regional organisations which will help bring together the many aspects of the climate change support aimed primarily at complementing and further strengthening the capacity of the participating countries to respond effectively to the challenges of climate change.”
David Sheppard, Director, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme:
“Climate change poses major challenges for the people and environments of the Pacific. In many cases it is a matter of survival. SPREP, working with SPC and other agencies, is developing and implementing practical approaches to help countries adapt to climate change. This landmark and most welcome support from the United States will make a major contribution to these efforts to respond to climate change. This support will focus on the priorities identified by countries, with a particular emphasis on practical programmes which will help building local capacity.”
******************************************
U.S. Engagement in the Pacific: Fact Sheet
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
September 7, 2011
The United States is a Pacific nation with deep, enduring, and historic ties to the countries of the Pacific region. As the region adapts to face the challenges of the 21st century, the United States is committed to engaging closely with friends and partners in all areas - diplomatic, defense, and development – to meet those challenges. To underscore this, Deputy Secretary of State Tom Nides is leading the largest and highest-level U.S. delegation ever to participate in the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) in Auckland, New Zealand from September 8-10. The size and scope of the delegation - which includes senior officials from the White House, Departments of State, Defense, Commerce, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Coast Guard, and the Peace Corps - demonstrate U.S. commitment to the security and economic prosperity of the Pacific.
Enhanced U.S. Engagement: Deputy Secretary Nides’ delegation is the latest step in U.S. efforts to enhance engagement in the Pacific. It follows the June visit to eight Pacific island countries by Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Patrick Walsh, USAID Assistant Administrator Nisha Biswal, and Brigadier General Richard Simcock. That trip, the first of its kind, represented a whole of government approach encompassing diplomacy, defense, and development. It also coincided with Pacific Partnership 2011, the latest in a series of Pacific Partnership deployments that collectively have provided medical, dental, and educational services to more than 250,000 people and completed more than 150 engineering projects in 15 countries. This year, Pacific Partnership included ships and personnel from five countries, treated over 50,000 patients and worked with Pacific Islanders to construct or improve community centers, schools, healthcare facilities, and water systems.
Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change: USAID will open a Pacific Office in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea before the end of 2011. The office will administer a $21 million grant to support climate change adaptation in the Pacific Small Island Developing States and strengthen the region’s capacity to improve food and water security, protect ecosystems, and access global climate change information and resources.
Improving the Environment: The United States supports programs across the Pacific on weather services and disaster preparedness, coral reef and marine conservation, invasive species, pollution and waste, and forests. USAID is partnering with the New Zealand Aid Program on a cooperative waste management project in Kiribati that will help the Government of Kiribati tackle municipal waste management issues, including collection, segregation, and proper long-term disposal.
Removing the Explosive Remnants of War: Many of the United States’ strongest bonds to the Pacific were forged in the battles of World War II yet many Pacific Island countries continue to deal with the legacy of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other remnants of war. Since 1993, the U.S. Department of State has spent over $1 billion on humanitarian mine and UXO action, in over eighty countries around the world. During the same period, other U.S. agencies including the Department of Defense, USAID, and the Centers for Disease Control have spent an additional $800 million on related humanitarian mine/UXO efforts. State Department projects in the Pacific region have been conducted in Palau, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands. The United States is exploring with friends and partners new initiatives to address this challenge including the launch of a new regional project to remove UXO from Tarawa, Kiribati.
Maritime Security: Enhancing maritime security and maritime domain awareness is critical to combating piracy, illegal fishing, and transnational crime in the Pacific. The U.S. Coast Guard partners with six Pacific Island countries through Shiprider Agreements which extend the reach and power of partner nation law enforcement officers by hosting them on U.S. Coast Guard vessels and aircraft to patrol national Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs). At the PIF, the Coast Guard will sign two new Shiprider Agreements with Nauru and Tuvalu. Since 2009, the U.S. Coast Guard has also conducted eight joint operations with Australia, France, and New Zealand, part of an ongoing effort to increase maritime domain awareness and surveillance. We are working with these and other partners to develop new multilateral approaches in the western and central pacific.
Women’s Empowerment: In November 2010, the State Department launched a “Women’s Empowerment Initiative in the Pacific Region” in collaboration with the governments of Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea, and the World Bank Group. This year the Initiative will sponsor three policy dialogues, the third of which will be hosted by the United States and Australia in November. This dialogue will bring together government officials, NGOs, and academics from 14 countries to focus on effective means to prevent and address gender-based violence in the Pacific region.
Food Security: The U.S. Department of State, USAID and the New Zealand Aid Program have begun work on a collaborative assessment of agricultural policy constraints in Papua New Guinea affecting food security. The resulting analysis and recommendations will be used by PNG and its development partners to pursue reforms benefitting the agriculture and agribusiness sectors.
Peace Corps: Since 1966, more than 12,500 Peace Corps Volunteers have served throughout the Pacific Islands providing capacity building and training in areas such as business development, environment, health, and education. Peace Corps currently operates in Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu though in the past also had programs in the Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Marshall Islands, and Niue.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The CAC Sabre, sometimes known as the Avon Sabre or CA-27, was an Australian variant of the North American Aviation F-86F Sabre fighter aircraft. In 1951, Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation obtained a license agreement to build the F-86F Sabre. In a major departure from the North American blueprint, it was decided that the CA-27 would be powered by a license-built version of the Rolls-Royce Avon R.A.7, rather than the General Electric J47. In theory, the Avon was capable of more than double the maximum thrust and double the thrust-to-weight ratio of the US engine. This necessitated a re-design of the fuselage, as the Avon was shorter, wider and lighter than the J47.
To accommodate the Avon, over 60 percent of the fuselage was altered and there was a 25 percent increase in the size of the air intake. Another major revision was in replacing the F-86F's six machine guns with two 30mm ADEN cannon, while other changes were also made to the cockpit and to provide an increased fuel capacity.
The prototype aircraft first flew on 3 August 1953. The production aircrafts' first deliveries to the Royal Australian Air Force began in 1954. The first batch of aircraft were powered by the Avon 20 engine and were designated the Sabre Mk 30. Between 1957 and 1958 this batch had the wing slats removed and were re-designated Sabre Mk 31. These Sabres were supplemented by 20 new-built aircraft. The last batch of aircraft were designated Sabre Mk 32 and used the Avon 26 engine, of which 69 were built up to 1961.
Beyond these land-based versions, an indigenous version for carrier operations had been developed and built in small numbers, too, the Sea Sabre Mk 40 and 41. The roots of this aircraft, which was rather a prestigious idea than a sensible project, could be traced back to the immediate post WWII era. A review by the Australian Government's Defence Committee recommended that the post-war forces of the RAN be structured around a Task Force incorporating multiple aircraft carriers. Initial plans were for three carriers, with two active and a third in reserve, although funding cuts led to the purchase of only two carriers in June 1947: Majestic and sister ship HMS Terrible, for the combined cost of AU£2.75 million, plus stores, fuel, and ammunition. As Terrible was the closer of the two ships to completion, she was finished without modification, and was commissioned into the RAN on 16 December 1948 as HMAS Sydney. Work progressed on Majestic at a slower rate, as she was upgraded with the latest technology and equipment. To cover Majestic's absence, the Colossus-class carrier HMS Vengeance was loaned to the RAN from 13 November 1952 until 12 August 1955.
Labour difficulties, late delivery of equipment, additional requirements for Australian operations, and the prioritization of merchant ships over naval construction delayed the completion of Majestic. Incorporation of new systems and enhancements caused the cost of the RAN carrier acquisition program to increase to AU£8.3 million. Construction and fitting out did not finish until October 1955. As the carrier neared completion, a commissioning crew was formed in Australia and first used to return Vengeance to the United Kingdom.
The completed carrier was commissioned into the RAN as HMAS Majestic on 26 October 1955, but only two days later, the ship was renamed Melbourne and recommissioned.
In the meantime, the rather political decision had been made to equip Melbourne with an indigenous jet-powered aircraft, replacing the piston-driven Hawker Fury that had been successfully operated from HMAS Sydney and HMAS Vengeance, so that the "new jet age" was even more recognizable. The choice fell on the CAC Sabre, certainly inspired by North American's successful contemporary development of the navalized FJ-2 Fury from the land-based F-86 Sabre. The CAC 27 was already a proven design, and with its more powerful Avon engine it even offered a better suitability for carrier operations than the FJ-2 with its rather weak J47 engine.
Work on this project, which was initially simply designated Sabre Mk 40, started in 1954, just when the first CAC 27's were delivered to operative RAAF units. While the navalized Avon Sabre differed outwardly only little from its land-based brethren, many details were changed and locally developed. Therefore, there was also, beyond the general outlines, little in common with the North American FJ-2 an -3 Fury.
Externally, a completely new wing with a folding mechanism was fitted. It was based on the F-86's so-called "6-3" wing, with a leading edge that was extended 6 inches at the root and 3 inches at the tip. This modification enhanced maneuverability at the expense of a small increase in landing speed due to deletion of the leading edge slats, a detail that was later introduced on the Sabre Mk 31, too. As a side benefit, the new wing leading edges without the slat mechanisms held extra fuel. However, the Mk 40's wing was different as camber was applied to the underside of the leading edge to improve low-speed handling for carrier operations. The wings were provided with four stations outboard of the landing gear wells for up to 1000 lb external loads on the inboard stations and 500 lb on the outboard stations.
Slightly larger stabilizers were fitted and the landing gear was strengthened, including a longer front wheel strut. The latter necessitated an enlarged front wheel well, so that the front leg’s attachment point had to be moved forward. A ventral launch cable hook was added under the wing roots and an external massive arrester hook under the rear fuselage.
Internally, systems were protected against salt and humidity and a Rolls-Royce Avon 211 turbojet was fitted, a downrated variant of the already navalized Avon 208 from the British DH Sea Vixen, but adapted to the different CAC 27 airframe and delivering 8.000 lbf (35.5 kN) thrust – slightly more than the engines of the land-based CAC Sabres, but also without an afterburner.
A single Mk 40 prototype was built from a new CAC 27 airframe taken directly from the production line in early 1955 and made its maiden flight on August 20th of the same year. In order to reflect its naval nature and its ancestry, this new CAC 27 variant was officially christened “Sea Sabre”.
Even though the modified machine handled well, and the new, cambered wing proved to be effective, many minor technical flaws were discovered and delayed the aircraft's development until 1957. These included the wing folding mechanism and the respective fuel plumbing connections, the landing gear, which had to be beefed up even more for hard carrier landings and the airframe’s structural strength for catapult launches, esp. around the ventral launch hook.
In the meantime, work on the land-based CAC 27 progressed in parallel, too, and innovations that led to the Mk 31 and 32 were also incorporated into the naval Mk 40, leading to the Sea Sabre Mk 41, which became the effective production aircraft. These updates included, among others, a detachable (but fixed) refueling probe under the starboard wing, two more pylons for light loads located under the wing roots and the capability to carry and deploy IR-guided AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, what significantly increased the Mk 41's efficiency as day fighter. With all these constant changes it took until April 1958 that the Sabre Mk 41, after a second prototype had been directly built to the new standard, was finally approved and cleared for production. Upon delivery, the RAN Sea Sabres carried a standard NATO paint scheme with Extra Dark Sea Grey upper surfaces and Sky undersides.
In the meantime, the political enthusiasm concerning the Australian carrier fleet had waned, so that only twenty-two aircraft were ordered. The reason behind this decision was that Australia’s carrier fleet and its capacity had become severely reduced: Following the first decommissioning of HMAS Sydney in 1958, Melbourne became the only aircraft carrier in Australian service, and she was unavailable to provide air cover for the RAN for up to four months in every year; this time was required for refits, refueling, personnel leave, and non-carrier duties, such as the transportation of troops or aircraft. Although one of the largest ships to serve in the RAN, Melbourne was one of the smallest carriers to operate in the post-World War II period, so that its contribution to military actions was rather limited. To make matters worse, a decision was made in 1959 to restrict Melbourne's role to helicopter operations only, rendering any carrier-based aircraft in Australian service obsolete. However, this decision was reversed shortly before its planned 1963 implementation, but Australia’s fleet of carrier-borne fixed-wing aircraft would not grow to proportions envisioned 10 years ago.
Nevertheless, on 10 November 1964, an AU£212 million increase in defense spending included the purchase of new aircraft for Melbourne. The RAN planned to acquire 14 Grumman S-2E Tracker anti-submarine aircraft and to modernize Melbourne to operate these. The acquisition of 18 new fighter-bombers was suggested (either Sea Sabre Mk 41s or the American Douglas A-4 Skyhawk), too, but these were dropped from the initial plan. A separate proposal to order 10 A-4G Skyhawks, a variant of the Skyhawk designed specifically for the RAN and optimized for air defense, was approved in 1965, but the new aircraft did not fly from Melbourne until the conclusion of her refit in 1969. This move, however, precluded the production of any new and further Sea Sabre.
At that time, the RAN Sea Sabres received a new livery in US Navy style, with upper surfaces in Light Gull Gray with white undersides. The CAC Sea Sabres remained the main day fighter and attack aircraft for the RAN, after the vintage Sea Furies had been retired in 1962. The other contemporary RAN fighter type in service, the Sea Venom FAW.53 all-weather fighter that had replaced the Furies, already showed its obsolescence.
In 1969, the RAN purchased another ten A-4G Skyhawks, primarily in order to replace the Sea Venoms on the carriers, instead of the proposed seventh and eighth Oberon-class submarines. These were operated together with the Sea Sabres in mixed units on board of Melbourne and from land bases, e.g. from NAS Nowra in New South Wales, where a number of Sea Sabres were also allocated to 724 Squadron for operational training.
Around 1970, Melbourne operated a standard air group of four jet aircraft, six Trackers, and ten Wessex helicopters until 1972, when the Wessexes were replaced with ten Westland Sea King anti-submarine warfare helicopters and the number of jet fighters doubled. Even though the A-4G’s more and more took over the operational duties on board of Melbourne, the Sea Sabres were still frequently deployed on the carrier, too, until the early Eighties, when both the Skyhawks and the Sea Sabres received once more a new camouflage, this time a wraparound scheme in two shades of grey, reflecting their primary airspace defense mission.
The CAC 27 Mk 41s’ last carrier operations took place in 1981 in the course of Melbourne’s involvements in two major exercises, Sea Hawk and Kangaroo 81, the ship’s final missions at sea. After Melbourne was decommissioned in 1984, the Fleet Air Arm ceased fixed-wing combat aircraft operation. This was the operational end of the Sabre Mk 41, which had reached the end of their airframe lifetime, and the Sea Sabre fleet had, during its career, severely suffered from accidents and losses: upon retirement, only eight of the original twenty-two aircraft still existed in flightworthy condition, so that the aircraft were all scrapped. The younger RAN A-4Gs were eventually sold to New Zealand, where they were kept in service until 2002.
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 37 ft 6 in (11.43 m)
Wingspan: 37 ft 1 in (11.3 m)
Height: 14 ft 5 in (4.39 m)
Wing area: 302.3 sq ft (28.1 m²)
Empty weight: 12,000 lb (5,443 kg)
Loaded weight: 16,000 lb (7,256 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 21,210 lb (9,621 kg)
Powerplant:
1× Rolls-Royce Avon 208A turbojet engine with 8,200 lbf (36.44 kN)
Performance:
Maximum speed: 700 mph (1,100 km/h) (605 knots)
Range: 1,153 mi, (1,000 NM, 1,850 km)
Service ceiling: 52,000 ft (15,850 m)
Rate of climb: 12,000 ft/min at sea level (61 m/s)
Armament:
2× 30 mm ADEN cannons with 150 rounds per gun
5,300 lb (2,400 kg) of payload on six external hardpoints;
Bombs were usually mounted on outer two pylons as the mid pair were wet-plumbed pylons for
2× 200 gallons drop tanks, while the inner pair was usually occupied by a pair of AIM-9 Sidewinder
AAMs
A wide variety of bombs could be carried with maximum standard loadout being 2x 1,000 lb bombs
or 2x Matra pods with unguided SURA missiles plus 2 drop tanks for ground attacks, or 2x AIM-9 plus
two drop tanks as day fighter
The kit and its assembly:
This project was initially inspired by a set of decals from an ESCI A-4G which I had bought in a lot – I wondered if I could use it for a submission to the “In the navy” group build at whatifmodelers.com in early 2020. I considered an FJ-3M in Australian colors on this basis and had stashed away a Sword kit of that aircraft for this purpose. However, I had already built an FJ variant for the GB (a kitbashed mix of an F-86D and an FJ-4B in USMC colors), and was reluctant to add another Fury.
This spontaneously changed after (thanks to Corona virus quarantine…) I cleaned up one of my kit hoards and found a conversion set for a 1:72 CAC 27 from JAYS Model Kits which I had bought eons ago without a concrete plan. That was the eventual trigger to spin the RAN Fury idea further – why not a navalized version of the Avon Sabre for HMAS Melbourne?
The result is either another kitbash or a highly modified FJ-3M from Sword. The JAYS Model Kits set comes with a THICK sprue that carries two fuselage halves and an air intake, and it also offers a vacu canopy as a thin fallback option because the set is actually intended to be used together with a Hobby Craft F-86F.
While the parts, molded in a somewhat waxy and brittle styrene, look crude on the massive sprue, the fuselage halves come with very fine recessed engravings. And once you have cleaned the parts (NOTHING for people faint at heart, a mini drill with a saw blade is highly recommended), their fit is surprisingly good. The air intake was so exact that no putty was needed to blend it with the rest of the fuselage.
The rest came from the Sword kit and integrating the parts into the CAC 27 fuselage went more smoothly than expected. For instance, the FJ-3M comes with a nice cockpit tub that also holds a full air intake duct. Thanks to the slightly wider fuselage of the CAC 27, it could be mounted into the new fuselage halves without problems and the intake duct almost perfectly matches the intake frame from the conversion set. The tailpipe could be easily integrated without any mods, too. The fins had to be glued directly to the fuselage – but this is the way how the Sword kit is actually constructed! Even the FJ-3M’s wings match the different fuselage perfectly. The only modifications I had to make is a slight enlargement of the ventral wing opening at the front and at the read in order to take the deeper wing element from the Sword kit, but that was an easy task. Once in place, the parts blend almost perfectly into each other, just minor PSR was necessary to hide the seams!
Other mods include an extended front wheel well for the longer leg from the FJ-3M and a scratched arrester hook installation, made from wire, which is on purpose different from the Y-shaped hook of the Furies.
For the canopy I relied on the vacu piece that came with the JAYS set. Fitting it was not easy, though, it took some PSR to blend the windscreen into the rest of the fuselage. Not perfect, but O.K. for such a solution from a conversion set.
The underwing pylons were taken from the Sword kit, including the early Sidewinders. I just replaced the drop tanks – the OOB tanks are very wide, and even though they might be authentic for the FJ-3, I was skeptical if they fit at all under the wings with the landing gear extended? In order to avoid trouble and for a more modern look, I replaced them outright with more slender tanks, which were to mimic A-4 tanks (USN FJ-4s frequently carried Skyhawk tanks). They actually come from a Revell F-16 kit, with modified fins. The refueling probe comes from the Sword kit.
A last word about the Sword kit: much light, but also much shadow. While I appreciate the fine surface engravings, the recognizably cambered wings, a detailed cockpit with a two-piece resin seat and a pretty landing gear as well as the long air intake, I wonder why the creators totally failed to provide ANY detail of the arrester hook (there is literally nothing, as if this was a land-based Sabre variant!?) or went for doubtful solutions like a front landing gear that consists of five(!) single, tiny parts? Sadism? The resin seat was also broken (despite being packed in a seperate bag), and it did not fit into the cockpit tub at all. Meh!
Painting and markings:
From the start I planned to give the model the late RAN A-4Gs’ unique air superiority paint scheme, which was AFAIK introduced in the late Seventies: a two-tone wraparound scheme consisting of “Light Admiralty Grey” (BS381C 697) and “Aircraft Grey” (BS 381C 693). Quite simple, but finding suitable paints was not an easy task, and I based my choice on pictures of the real aircraft (esp. from "buzz" number 880 at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, you find pics of it with very good light condition) rather than rely on (pretty doubtful if not contradictive) recommendations in various painting instructions from models or decal sets.
I wanted to keep things simple and settled upon Dark Gull Grey (FS 36231) and Light Blue (FS 35414), both enamel colors from Modelmaster, since both are rather dull interpretations of these tones. Esp. the Light Blue comes quite close to Light Admiralty Grey, even though it should be lighter for more contrast to the darker grey tone. But it has that subtle greenish touch of the original BS tone, and I did not want to mix the colors.
The pattern was adapted from the late A-4Gs’ scheme, and the colors were dulled down even more through a light black ink wash. Some post-shading with lighter tones emphasized the contrast between the two colors again. And while it is not an exact representation of the unique RAN air superiority scheme, I think that the overall impression is there.
The cockpit interior was painted in very dark grey, while the landing gear, its wells and the inside of the air intake became white. A red rim was painted around the front opening, and the landing gear covers received a red outline, too. The white drop tanks are a detail I took from real world RAN A-4Gs - in the early days of the air superiority scheme, the tanks were frequently still finished in the old USN style livery, hence the white body but fins and tail section already in the updated colors.
The decals became a fight, though. As mentioned above, the came from an ESCI kit – and, as expected, the were brittle. All decals with a clear carrier film disintegrated while soaking in water, only those with a fully printed carrier film were more or less usable. One roundel broke and had to be repaired, and the checkered fin flash was a very delicate affair that broke several times, even though I tried to save and repair it with paint. But you can unfortunately see the damage.
Most stencils and some replacements (e. g. the “Navy” tag) come from the Sword FJ-3. While these decals are crisply printed, their carrier film is utterly thin, so thin that applying esp. the larger decals turned out to be hazardous and complicated. Another point that did not really convince me about the Sword kit.
Finally, the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (Italeri) and some soot stains were added around the exhaust and the gun ports with graphite.
In the end, this build looks, despite the troubles and the rather exotic ingredients like a relatively simple Sabre with Australian markings, just with a different Navy livery. You neither immediately recognize the FJ-3 behind it, nor the Avon Sabre’s bigger fuselage, unless you take a close and probably educated look. Very subtle, though.
The RAN air superiority scheme from the late Skyhawks suits the Sabre/Fury-thing well – I like the fact that it is a modern fighter scheme, but, thanks to the tones and the colorful other markings, not as dull and boring like many others, e. g. the contemporary USN "Ghost" scheme. Made me wonder about an early RAAF F-18 in this livery - should look very pretty, too?