#AND to have been a General-grade officer in a war several decades prior to it

[thetruearchmagos]

Fun fact: thanks to such things as 'the linear passage of time' and 'human aging', making a character exist at all in one WIP means putting an upper limit on how far back in time you can reasonably drag them and still have them actually be old enough to do anything interesting

[doomonfilm]

Ranking : Top Films of 2018

Here we are... that moment that every critic simultaneously loves and dreads : the Year-End Top 10 List.  At worst, we are forced to scrape the creative dredges and cobble together something that resembles a best of list that will bring glory and honor to the year.  At best (like this year), we are forced to leave personal favorites in the dust and judge the larger quantity of offerings on a much tougher scale in order to truly represent the top quality work of the year.

As I’ve said in many pieces this year, 2018 was a joy in terms of being a film-lover.  This list was not an easy undertaking, and it more so resembles a snapshot of how I’ve felt over a judging period than it does a concrete group of selections in a fixed order.  Take this list as more of a jumping off point for discovery than you do the gospel of DOOMonFILM. 

Note : I am not sure when I will get a chance to see Vice or The Favourite, which I am sure will skew my results once I do see them... I will address those films in their respective reviews, however.  Forgive me in advance.

Honorable Mentions

Damsel Even if the Zellner Brothers weren’t representing Austin beautifully with this gem of a film, it’d still be on my radar simply for the fact that it is a unique twist on a genre that most figured had seen every presentation imaginable.  Add to that a strong female lead character, and you’ve got a winner on your hands.

The Endless A science-fiction modern day classic, and apparently part of a possibly bigger line of stories (with some of the best integration of aspects from another film I’ve ever seen).  This film is chilling in its approach to the concept of cults, as well as its use of the concept of ‘the danger that lurks just off-screen’.

Isle of Dogs Had this year not been full of stellar animated films, this one probably would have made the main list.  More groundbreaking animated films, combined with personal feelings about the films of Wes Anderson, however, regulated this one to Honorable Mention status.

Mid90s I was all set for Eighth Grade to be my bit of nostalgia, or my reflection on what it’s like to be a kid again, and for what it’s worth, it was a great film.  The thing is, Mid90s directly spoke to me in a way that Eighth Grade unfortunately could not, simply because Mid90s was like looking in a time-traveling mirror. 

Thoroughbreds I really wanted this to be on my top 10, but ultimately, it was too ‘quiet’ of a film to make it in a year full of big noise.  Thoroughbreds will certainly be a future favorite for public screenings and friend viewings, but a couple of films this year hit the same notes on a higher frequency.

Black Panther The cultural impact of this film is one that cannot be ignored.  It took February, a month that is generally a box office bust, and it put up unparalleled numbers that not only lasted throughout the year, but were topped from within rather than by another Hollywood studio.  The respect given to the characters and their African heritage did not go unnoticed, either, as several think-pieces and a number of curriculum were spawned from those researching elements of the production design.  The narrative is strong, and it righted the Marvel villain boat prior to the big MCU bombshell that was lying in wait. 

The Favourite I really wanted this to make the top 10 of the year... I thought long and hard about what film I should remove or replace.  What I came to realize, however, is that despite The Favourite being a world-class comedy and production, it simply falls short in the realm of the spectacular : it does not contain visual innovations, it is not a reflection of the times, and it didn’t completely break my brain.  That being said, on any given day, I’d happily name this one of the top 10 films of 2018... it’s essentially like having 11 cakes on the table and having to pick the 10 best.

Avengers : Infinity War This movie was the true film event of the year.  Marvel has been building up to this singular event for nearly two decades, and in my opinion, the payoff more than succeeded.  Thanos tiptoed the line between anti-hero and villain with purpose perfectly, and the rapport between characters worked both in terms of advancing narratives and being mined for humor.  I am definitely looking forward to Avengers : Endgame this April, and I know the masses are right there with me.

10. BlacKkKlansman

Not that I ever doubted Spike Lee had it, but after a few abstract offerings and documentaries, one wonders if their style can translate into an ever-expanding world of film language.  Luckily for Lee, it seems the world has grown into his cinematic vision, with an older true story serving as the perfect backbone for many of Lee’s trademark tricks to be implemented for maximum effect.  The ending will put you in tears if you have anything closely resembling a soul.

9. Blindspotting

This film really deserved a bigger run than it got, as it hit race relations of today on the nose without coming off as preachy or heavy-handed.  Daveed Diggs proved that his charisma translated on both stage and screen, and his integration of hip-hop into both realms will hopefully have positive long-lasting effects.  The chemistry between all members of this cast is kinetic, the story is told with perfect pacing, and the movie rides visual highs that match the narrative ones.  I would love to see this movie receive some high-degree nominations.

8. Annihilation

I came into 2018 with high expectations for this film, as I’d spent the previous 16 months or so completing the Southern Reach trilogy in its book form.  Then I started hearing things about the production and the release that gave me a bad feeling : a Netflix distribution deal that seemed to all but kill a true theatrical run, trepidation from the studio in regards to the director’s vision, and other whispers that attempt to sink a film.  Then I saw this movie, and was taken away to a completely different world.  We may not be getting a faithful, trilogy-length adaptation of the series anymore based on what happens in Annihilation, but if these are the moments I’m left with, I’d consider myself happy in the long run. 

7. First Reformed

It took me longer than I intended to get around to this one, but knowing that Paul Schrader wrote and directed it made it a must-see.  The film was drawing comparisons to Taxi Driver (not a surprise, based on the aforementioned Schrader involvement), and surprisingly, it more than lived up to that hype.  The tension is equal, but updated to reflect the times in a way that could impact any of us.

6. Suspiria   

This movie will make it extremely hard for me to blanket-debate against remakes simply because it does all of the right things in regards to updating a classic.  The film does not rely on existence as a new millenium version of an old film... rather, it boldly takes concepts only touched upon in the original and fully embraces them, presenting a true psychological horror gem in a year full of them.  The film also looks amazing on top of everything, which was a high bar to meet considering the original movie is basically driven by its visual style.  A 2018 must-see, film buff or not.

5. Spiderman : Into the Spider-Verse

Easily the most fun I’ve had in a theater all year.  I was blown away by the animation, and can’t wait to see further installments of the Spider-verse specifically to see how that enhances over the years.  There was such a high volume of homage and Easter Egg placement in this film that it warrants repeat viewings, and it was one of a handful of films that I wanted to instantly own as I was walking out of the theater.

4. Mandy

Like Spider-Man : Into the Spider-verse, I wanted to own this movie the second I walked out of the theater as well.  The trailers intrigued me, a recommendation of Beyond the Black Rainbow fully sold me, and the final product did not disappoint.  This film certainly is not for everyone, and funny enough, the two biggest aspects that would place it on that ‘not for everyone’ list sit in opposition of one another : the film is a bit indulgent on the style at the sake of what would be considered normal pacing, and it has some extremely violent moments.  That being said, Mandy is easily one of, if not THE, most beautiful films of the year.

3. Roma

This seems like the closest thing to a Fellini film that us modern day film lovers will ever get.  The story itself is intriguing, as it juxtaposes class issues, political issues and the barrier of trying to raise a family in a crazy world all in an intriguing tapestry.  The cinematography is calculated, observational, and the choice to film the movie in black and white adds an instant timeless quality to it.  Director Alfonso Cuaron even manages to get in a little cinematic and visual humor, albeit mostly subtly, but it definitely pays off if you’re in tune to what he’s doing.  Easily one of the best pictures of the year, worldwide, and a party that I was certainly late to.

2. You Were Never Really Here

If Mandy is a bit too over the top for your tastes, then You Were Never Really Here may be the jarring experience you need in 2018.  This film is almost as visually stunning, but the narrative is far more calculating, deceptive and intriguing, both on the surface and as you dig deeper.  The hectic camera setups, editing and score put you in such a disjointed state of mind that Joaquin Phoenix becomes the only thing you can hang on to, and your involvement in his journey is completely immersive.  In a year of performances that focus on the anti-hero, this film found a way to scrape to the top of the pile.

1. Hereditary

Something strange is happening here... who would have thought that a horror film would be my favorite film of the year?  Hereditary is no run of the mill horror film, however... it treats its audience as intelligent, and there is so much texture in the film that it’s impossible to see it all without multiple viewings.  The close of the first third of the film is horribly unsettling, but it propels the narrative forward so abruptly and intensely that you’re locked in from there out.  A genius film, and an instant classic.

(Editor’s notes)

- Original post date : 12/27/18 - Revision date : 1/8/19 (Roma added to position 3, Black Panther moved to Honorable Mentions) - Revision date : 1/10/19 (The Favourite added to Honorable Mentions) - Revision date : 1/22/19 (Suspiria added to position 6,Avengers : Infinity War moved to Honorable Mentions)

[loudlytransparenttrash]

Are Blacks Being Unfairly Targeted?

The media have relentlessly fanned the flames of racial hatred, while engaging in a systematic pattern of misinformation and blatant suppression of facts surrounding the perpetrators and victims of crime. As a result, so-called “criminal justice reform” is now being proposed to release more criminals from prisons, supposedly to “make amends” for the unjust “mass incarceration” of black men.

The figures come quickly but are never subjected to the necessary scrutiny. For example, the George Soros-funded ProPublica published a claim that black youths are killed by the police at a rate 21 times higher than white youths. Mass media parroted that claim, but here’s the problem: The report only looked at just 1.2 percent of police departments nationwide, and only focused on reports from urban areas where the population is disproportionately black. 

CNN’s Marc Lamont Hill, a racial agitator fired by Fox News for defending cop-killers, spread another misleading statistic about police shootings, claiming that “Every 28 hours, an unarmed black person is killed by police.” This too was trumpeted in the media. It became a twitter hashtag, “#every28hours,” along with another false and deceiving mantra like “hands up, don’t shoot.” So how did they come up with this bogus stat that ultimately sparked Black Lives Matter? 

They cited 313 unarmed blacks who were killed not only by police, but also security guards and other “vigilantes” in 2012. Dividing 313 into the number of hours in a year yields 28. However, 177 of these “unarmed black persons” were actually armed with firearms. That leaves 136. Others such as Michael Brown were shot after attacking an officer and trying to steal his gun. Many more were not the result of shootings but accidents such as during car chases. Finally, not all of the shooters were police at all. When the hyperbole is removed, the facts present a much more reasonable explanation. Barring a small number of tragic cases, police shootings are usually justified. Proving combined with false statistics and false accounts of black shootings, BLM was founded on lies and continues to exist on this basis. 

Let’s look at the other side now. In 2013 alone, 49,851 officers were assaulted with firearms, knives and other weapons. On average, 150 police officers have been killed in the line of duty every year. These include being shot, stabbed, strangled or beaten. Of the several hundred officers feloniously killed in the past decade, 46 percent of the perpetrators were black, despite them representing only 13 percent of the population. Do we call this a black war against the police?

Critics argue that blacks making up 40 percent of the U.S. prison populations is direct evidence of institutional racism. In a color-blind society, they argue, incarcerated black populations would reflect their 13 percent share of the general population. However, if black crime rates were the guide, it would seem that blacks are if anything underrepresented in prison populations. Blacks murdered a thousand more people than any other race in 2013 and in prior years it was actually much worse, despite making up 13 percent of America. 

In 2007, the CDC broke out total homicide numbers and rates by age and race. The murder rate among blacks is similar to the rates in some of the most violent third-world nations. No other racial or ethnic group comes close. Note that for 20 to 24-year-olds, the murder rate among blacks (109.4/100,000) is 17 times higher than the rate for whites (6.4/100,000). Among 15 to 19-year-olds, it is over 20 times higher. The average for all ages is 13 times higher.

Also, black-on-white crime is substantially greater than the reverse. Black-on-white murder is more than double the rate of white-on-black murder (409 to 189). Similar results were found for 2012, 2011, 2010 and prior years. If these rates were to hold, and the roles were reversed i.e, if blacks represented 64 percent of the population while whites comprised only 13 percent, black-on-white murder would have exceeded 2,000 killings in 2013, while white-on-black murder would have resulted in only 39 deaths. Finally, in the other categories of violent crime - rape, robbery and aggravated assault - blacks consistently committed a staggering disproportion of the total (40 percent while making up just 13 percent of the population) in 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010. 

So the disproportionate arrests, incarcerations and shootings of blacks should come as no surprise. Their 40 percent representation among the prison population fairly reflects the proportion of crimes committed by blacks in the U.S. This is not evidence of institutional racism, but rather a social pathology evident within the black community. They have been committing crimes at the highest rate by far of any racial/ethnic group for decades. Black activists argue that it does not give a true reflection when you point out more whites are shot by police but they all of a sudden stop caring about race and population proportions when it exposes the epidemic of black crime. 

In recent years, blacks have committed unspeakably heinous acts against whites and other racial/ethnic groups. I made a post last month showing that in just the first five months of this year alone, only 7 blacks were killed by whites, most of them were committed by white girlfriends, while over 130 whites were killed by blacks in the same time.

And yet, we are told that white people are the violent, deadly ones that all minorities have to live in fear of. Grade school kids, especially in inner city neighborhoods are subjected to anti-white racist indoctrination. Students from Booker T. Washington Middle School in Baltimore attended an event titled “Re-Claim, Re-Pair, Re-Form, Re-Produce - REPARATIONS Now!” at Morgan State University. Louis Farrakhan was the keynote speaker. He called whites crackers and told the audience: “As long as they kill us and go to Wendy’s and have a burger and go to sleep, they’ll keep killing us. But when we die and they die, then soon we’re going to sit at a table and talk about it! We’re tired! We want some of this earth or we’ll tear this goddamn country up!” 

There also dozens of college curriculum, as you have will have noticed in my college posts, that focuses on the horrors of white people and their annual “White Privilege Conferences” which teaches white people to come together to express their hatred of themselves and come up with ways to please and earn a pet on the head by their minority victims who they are oppressing and torturing by merely existing. White people have become so disgusted and ashamed of themselves, when they’re the ones being wiped off the face of the planet. 

[kansascityhappenings]

Trump issues pardons for 3 war crime cases, including one soldier in Ft. Leavenworth prison

WASHINGTON �� President Donald Trump ignored Pentagon advice Friday to pardon two officers and restore the rank of a third after all faced war crimes allegations.

Trump granted a full pardon to Army 1st Lt. Clint Lorance, a full pardon to Army Major Mathew Golsteyn, and restored the rank of Navy SEAL Eddie R. Gallagher, who had been demoted.

President Donald Trump (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Defense Secretary Mark Esper and other senior military leaders had told the President that a presidential pardon could potentially damage the integrity of the military judicial system, the ability of military leaders to ensure good order and discipline, and the confidence of US allies and partners who host US troops.

​A US Defense official told CNN that the leadership of the Defense Department made every effort to ensure that the President had all the necessary information at his disposal prior to making this decision. ​

Even so, the President moved ahead with the decision, acting on the second day of the House impeachment inquiry’s public hearings.

It was also the day that his longtime political adviser and friend Roger Stone was found guilty of lying to and obstructing Congress in a case related to Trump and the release of stolen Democratic emails in 2016 by WikiLeaks. ​​

“The President, as Commander-in-Chief, is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the law is enforced and when appropriate, that mercy is granted,” the White House said in a statement.

“For more than two hundred years, presidents have used their authority to offer second chances to deserving individuals, including those in uniform who have served our country. These actions are in keeping with this long history. As the President has stated, ‘when our soldiers have to fight for our country, I want to give them the confidence to fight.’ ”

“The Department of Defense has confidence in the military justice system. The President is part of the military justice system as the Commander-in-Chief and has the authority to weigh in on matters of this nature.” Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman.

The Navy tweeted Friday it has received Trump’s order to restore the rank of Navy SEAL Edward “Eddie” Gallagher and is “implementing it.”

Undermining authority of command

Privately wary that the President would move against their recommendations, military officials had considered in advance what public posture to take if Trump refused to listen to their advice. Rather than try to explain a decision they cannot endorse, Pentagon officials are expected to simply refer questions to the White House.

“This goes directly to our military culture,” one official told CNN. Another official said, “We all view this possibility as undermining the authority of command” in military units.

The White House statement noted that “the United States military justice system helps ensure good order and discipline for our millions of uniformed military members and holds to account those who violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Due in part to this system, we have the most disciplined, most effective, most respected, and most feared fighting force in the world.”

The statement did not acknowledge Pentagon worries that the President’s actions could undermine that discipline and culture.

‘Broad support’

Lorance was found guilty in 2013 of second-degree murder for ordering his men to fire on three men on a motorcycle in Afghanistan and will have his sentence commuted to likely time served.

Trump and Vice President Mike Pence spoke with Lorance by phone Friday night and told him to “get his uniform.” Lorance’s legal team interpreted that to mean that he will be going free shortly, according to his lawyer John Mayer.

Gallagher was demoted after being found guilty for posing for a photo with a casualty. Gallagher had faced a court-martial for premeditated murder and attempted murder, but was acquitted. “Given his service to our Nation, a promotion back to the rank and pay grade of Chief Petty Officer is justified,” the White House said.

Golsteyn has been charged with the murder of an Afghan man in 2010. He pleaded not guilty in June, according to the Army Times. His lawyer, Phillip Stackhouse, has maintained that the death occurred during a mission ordered by his superiors.

After nearly a decade, “a swift resolution to the case of Major Golsteyn is in the interests of justice,” the White House said. Clemency for Major Golsteyn has broad support,” the statement continued, naming five Republican House members, an author and former Marine, and the Fox News contributor and Army veteran Pete Hegseth.

Last week CNN reported that after Army and Navy leaders were surprised by media reports that the President might intervene in the three cases, they called a meeting with Esper.

Those leaders, like most Army and Navy military and civilian officials, expressed extreme dismay about the possibility that the soldiers’ sentences could be dismissed or changed, according to several sources directly familiar with their thinking.

In an effort to educate and dissuade Trump, the Defense Department put together an information package to convey to him their concerns and educate him on the issues. Esper met with Trump to urge the President to let the Uniform Code of Military Justice prevail.

He said he had “a robust discussion” with the President and offered Trump “the facts, the options, my advice, the recommendations.”

Officials all pointed to a central concept that informs the US military ethos: that US forces are highly trained to operate in a legal and disciplined manner and if they are found guilty of violations, they must face punishment.

If the President “were to overuse his pardon power and in fact release soldiers who have, in every other way, have the evidence stacked against them, there certainly could be an impact on the military judicial process going forward,” said John Kirby, a retired admiral who has served as both Pentagon and State Department spokesman.

“There could be an impact on military leaders and their ability to enact measures of good order and discipline. There also could be a potential crisis of confidence in the potential countries we’re operating in,” Kirby added.

Commander in chief

One reason US troops are as welcome as they are worldwide is because hosting nations “know the American military administers itself according to a very strict code of justice and we have a very good record of holding those troops accountable,” Kirby said, even for minor scrapes such as “drunken driving overseas or getting into a fistfight in a bar.”

Stackhouse, the defense counsel for Golsteyn, rejected the concerns of military leaders and veterans such as Kirby, ignoring their arguments to say essentially that Trump can do whatever he wants as commander-in-chief.

“To the naysayers who say dismissing the charge will undermine commanders or military justice, they still incredulously refuse to accept that President Trump is the Commander in Chief of our military and a General Court-martial Convening Authority,” Stackhouse said in a statement last week.

Speaking of the career officers who lead the Army and Navy, Stackhouse said their narrative “is meant to do nothing but undermine [Trump’s] leadership and pit civilian leadership against uniformed leadership.”

John Maher, an attorney for Lorance, told CNN that his legal team and immediate family were all in Leavenworth, Kansas, last week waiting for Lorance’s possible release. On Friday, the inmate administration ordered Lorance to start packing up his bags, forward his mail and close his back account to prepare for out processing, Maher said.

Lorance “never got a fair trial,” according to Maher, who said the Army lieutenant and his family have been waiting for five years for this day.

Before the decision was announced, Timothy Parlatore, an attorney for Gallagher, said his legal team had not communicated with the White House and “don’t presume to know what the President is thinking,” but said, “I certainly think Eddie Gallagher was treated poorly, as should every American.”

Perceptions in the military differ though and the disconnect with the President’s thinking about troops was on clear display after Trump tweeted on October 12 that “the case of Major Mathew Golsteyn is now under review at the White House. Mathew is a highly decorated Green Beret who is being tried for killing a Taliban bombmaker. We train our boys to be killing machines, then prosecute them when they kill!”

Soldiers objected quietly, but with emphatic certainty. One young officer, referring to Trump’s “killing machines” comment, said, “that is not who we are.”

An official explained that “the President might think they acted in patriotism, but these were war crimes.” Speaking of Trump’s plans to act on the three service members’ sentences, this official added that “just because he can do it doesn’t mean he should.”

from FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports https://fox4kc.com/2019/11/15/trump-issues-pardons-for-3-war-crime-cases-including-one-soldier-in-ft-leavenworth-prison/

from Kansas City Happenings https://kansascityhappenings.wordpress.com/2019/11/16/trump-issues-pardons-for-3-war-crime-cases-including-one-soldier-in-ft-leavenworth-prison/

[jacewilliams1]

On becoming an old, new pilot

We’ve all got our stories as to how we got into general aviation. This is mine. I just started a bit later. OK – a LOT later than most. OK – virtually later than all other folks I have since met who fly. I was 56 when I started my flying instruction and 57 when I passed my licensing check ride. The key is, it doesn’t matter when or how you started – what matters is that you stuck with it and finished. Even if you’re starting a lot later than just about everyone else.

I’d always been fascinated with airplanes. As a young boy growing up near Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, seeing the Vietnam-Cold War era fighters and transports constantly going in and out, the whole notion of flying was stuck in my brain. But, by the 9th grade, glasses on my nose, I knew that becoming one of those guys was just not in the cards.

At college I decided being a Cadet would be fun, and did the extra coursework to earn my Army commission, eventually becoming an infantry officer. From 1979-1987, military transports and Army helicopters were my method of going up, landing, and sometimes parachuting out as an Airborne Infantryman. Still, I looked at those guys who got to drive and wondered about becoming one of them; maybe a medical wavier for the glasses on my nose? But it still wasn’t in the cards.

My army stint came to a close and I still had the bug, now for general aviation – all I needed was the time, money, and opportunity to achieve that goal, that dream, of piloting an airplane. I was pretty sure that when the time was right, it would happen. It didn’t: all the usual excuses of work, kids, and other priorities – for the next twenty years. I mean, it’ll happen, right? Hang in there, it’ll come. So I did – and the years became decades and my feet were still on the ground.

The couple that flies together…

Fast forward to October of 2015. I was at a GA airport to meet some executives flying in for a company meeting. The airport had a small restaurant for the hundred dollar hamburger crowd and several retired folks were there who wanted to show off their planes that were parked on the grass apron. I had some time and I looked at their planes and they told me how long they’d been flying, from 20 to 45 years. They obviously loved what they did. That evening I made a frank appraisal of my situation and all my excuses to that point with a conclusion I could no longer ignore: I wanted to be like them and that meant I needed to create the opportunity and go to it – quit expecting it to come to me.

Six months later, at the end of April, accompanied by my wife, all my ground school and manuals digested, dissected, and memorized, we arrived at First Landings Aviation (FLA) in Apopka, Florida. We were living in Chicago and looked at flight school options there, but none met our criteria and winter weather was not a desirable prospect if we could avoid it. I’d researched for a place that had full-time immersion instruction available with a first-class facility, comfortable weather, and a good reputation. After a few calls to the FLA staff and aligning a couple of weeks’ vacation for the two of us, we finalized our plan. It was finally in the cards.

For me, that first Monday – 2.1 hours of flying! Yet, what was I thinking? The cabin was small, you bounced around in the winds, and that runway came up awfully fast for landings, where exactly was I if something went wrong, and there was so much to know! I’m not saying I was thinking of quitting after the first day – it wasn’t scary or anything – it just wasn’t what I expected and it was a wee bit intimidating. OK, a lot intimidating.

We were flying a Tecnam P2004 Bravo with a six-pack as a trainer. Nimble, forgiving, but still daunting to a guy in his late 50s who had a highly experienced 22-year old as his instructor pilot. My wife wasn’t really sure if she’d like it, had not done much of the pre-work despite my insistence, but her first hour in the air had her totally hooked! As the week progressed things became less intimidating, even enjoyable, as basic maneuvers were mastered and the ability to understand and respond to cockpit information improved. Weather and winds didn’t let us fly all of our allotted slots, but we got in a good ten hours that first week. You know, I might be able to do this!

The following Monday things were clicking. The instructor pilot and I were approaching Apopka from Leesburg airport where we’d been doing touch and go’s. My instructor said, “The crosswinds are going to be a little hairy, you do the set up and I’ll take it once we’re on final.” It was our third training flight of the day. The prior Monday, when the instructor suggested he could talk me through my first landing, I’d looked at him and asked if he was crazy. Now, a week later I looked at him and told him he was definitely crazy, “I had this!” And, with him ghosting on the controls, I did.

Finally achieving the dream – pilot in command.

At the end of our two weeks, the weather went bad for the back half of the week and my initial goal for that trip, to solo, couldn’t happen. I’d passed my FAA written and I was ready, but it wasn’t in the cards. Our upcoming work schedules – and less than comfortable central Florida summer weather – would mean no return visits to Apopka until fall. No problem: there was a flying club at the Racine, Wisconsin, airport, a little over an hour from our home in Chicago. We could keep stirring the pot there until we got back to Florida, so we did. Different aircraft type, instructor, and flying environment. The key was that we wanted to really do this now. “Do it,” which, initially really meant “Try it,” now definitely meant DO IT. Complete the training and get the license.

It took a couple of more trips to Florida that fall to solo, finish all the training requirements, and get ready to test. But getting it done before the end of the year was not going to happen: a couple of maintenance and weather issues didn’t align with work and travel back and forth from Chicago, so my wife and I continued to stir the pot at Racine.

The key is persistence. Finally, in March of 2017, eleven months from when we started this journey, we were back in Apopka for a four-day weekend with the goal of passing that check ride. It was a tad windy, but I was out of time to get it done before we had to fly back to Chicago the next day. The oral and practical exam were deservedly high pressure, but I passed: I was now a licensed pilot.

A new, old pilot of 57, soon to be 58! For those considering doing this – be you 14 or 80 – there is no more amazing a feeling of satisfaction than having that FAA inspector tell you those magic words: You passed. You can now legally fly yourself and your passengers in an airplane wherever the limitations of your license and ratings allow.

So that’s my story. My wife still has a bit to do to finish her license, but she will. Later that spring of 2016, we purchased our first plane, full of all the modern Garmin avionics and other cool stuff that we then had to be taught how to use. Some 300 hours (I don’t think in “years” anymore) later we are cruising across the country as the weather allows, enjoying our plane, and simply the sheer joy of flying. And still learning. A lot of pilots have flown a lot of years to get to 60: I made it in less than three. I guess it was in the cards.

The post On becoming an old, new pilot appeared first on Air Facts Journal.

from Engineering Blog https://airfactsjournal.com/2019/05/on-becoming-an-old-new-pilot/

[whittlebaggett8]

A Conversation With Lollywood Screenwriter Nasir Adeeb

With 412 films to his credit history, veteran Pakistani author, Nasir Adeeb, wants no introduction, in particular soon after not long ago getting awarded the Presidential Pride of Performance award for his contributions to Pakistani cinema. Owning started off out as a clerk in the after prolific Pakistani movie industry, Lollywood, Adeeb’s early times as a having difficulties writer ended up filled with hardships and self-doubt. At the time, the movie field was extremely difficult to crack into. Even while he had a selection of published novels to his credit – the first becoming a spy fiction story that was released when he was just a pupil in ninth grade – the author dreamed of scripting blockbuster hits for the large screen.

Adeeb bought his first significant break in the 1970s, when his movie, the 1975 Punjabi cult common, Wehshi Jatt, took nearby cinema by storm. But he truly turned a composing star only just after his next film, the iconic Maula Jatt, a abide by-up to the initially. Maula Jatt broke box workplace data and ran for two a long time in cinemas across the region, despite various tries by the federal government to ban it for becoming way too violent. Now, 40 decades afterwards, Adeeb is awaiting the June 2019, release of young director Bilal Lashari’s reboot of Maula Jatt, titled The Legend of Maula Jatt, with a script also penned by Adeeb.

The writer — whose job arc spans in excess of five a long time — sat down with The Diplomat in an unique job interview about his interesting career, the demise and rebirth of Pakistani cinema, and Adeeb’s job in generating a new subculture of movie, known as gandasa, which eternally changed the facial area of Lollywood.

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Nasir Adeeb and Bilal Lashari. Photo by Meem Midday Pictures.

Your foray into the film marketplace begins with a incredibly intriguing incident. Could you notify us what drove you from writing novels to crafting for film?

I experienced just been employed as an assistant plan producer for PTV [the state-owned Pakistan Television Corporation] in 1971 when a good friend of mine advised me that he’d lately witnessed an advertisement in a community newspaper about a motion picture getting made centered on my novel, Aswa. When I observed it, I noticed I hadn’t been offered any credits for the movie and immediately went to the producer’s business. When I fulfilled him, I politely requested the producer to give me credits for the movie it was the minimum he could do. Not only was he dismissive, but he also threatened to throw me off the next ground of his making.

I was furious and went straight to a senior civil choose, Sheikh Abdur Rashid. I advised him I wanted justice but didn’t have any cash to fork out for his solutions. The decide, God bless him, despatched me with a police officer back to the producer’s place of work with orders to handcuff the director, producer, and writer of the film and bring all of them to the law enforcement station. When we obtained to the place of work, it just so occurred that all 3 of the gentlemen were being there and ended up promptly taken into custody. They had been terrified. Inside of an hour, the make a difference was solved not only was I confident that I’d be credited for the movie, but I was also compensated on the location. That unpleasant incident marked my formal introduction into Lollywood.

How did your to start with movie, Wehshi Jatt, occur about?

I was in my 30s at the time and it was the 1st tale I’d penned for cinema. After writing it, I study it out to 1 of the industry’s movie directors, who mentioned I had no hope in hell if I thought I was heading to make it as a writer in Lollywood. Heartbroken and dejected, with tears streaming down my experience, I bumped into the renowned Pakistani actors, Mohammad Ali and his spouse, Zeba, alongside with a director, Hassan Askari. Ali hugged me and requested me what was completely wrong. I advised him all the things. That is when Askari stated he’d use my script for his upcoming film. On August 8, 1975, Wehshi Jatt was produced and was an instant hit. At that level, my profession as a writer really took off. It was unbelievable.

Some critics say that right after the ‘70s the films staying produced in Lollywood have been violent, vulgar, and had been a much cry from the relatives movies and like stories getting created prior to this new style of gandasa productions.

In the early ‘70s I started combating a war – a war that I still combat – against the evil in society, by my films. In just about every just one of my movies the hero usually takes on the lousy fellas. What violence have I spread as a result of my operate? There were being killings in my films but is not there violence and bloodshed all all-around us in modern society? I have only mirrored what I have been looking at in our country. Why is Maula Jatt alive now? Mainly because Maula Jatt’s every dialogue is in opposition to the corrupt program.

You had been talking before about the outcome of partition on community cinema and how it developed from there…

Soon after the partition of the subcontinent the to start with movie to be launched in Pakistan was Teri Yaad in 1948. Incredibly several know the reason behind the title [which means “Memories of You” in English]. Now notify me who do you try to remember fondly? People today you have beloved and dropped, suitable? Hundreds died through partition. Homes ended up uprooted. Families were being ruined. The movie was based mostly on this really emotion. That is why it did not do effectively. The wounds of partition ended up far too clean and individuals have been grieving, owning witnessed trauma firsthand. Even so, Pheray, Lollywood’s first-at any time Punjabi film [released in 1949] did exceptionally well simply because it was a comedy and created men and women forget their soreness. It manufactured them chortle. Movie mirrors modern society. It usually does. I wrote Wehshi Jatt when the atmosphere in Pakistan was tense simply because we’d long gone to war with India 2 times in 1965 and 1971.

What do you make of the film marketplace now in comparison to that of the previous, when you experienced just begun out?

Not only are the tickets expensive, but also when you go to the cinema, you come to feel you’ve watched an high priced tv drama on the major monitor – not a film. That mentioned, judging by the response to The Legend of Maula Jatt, I explained to Lashari that his film doesn’t have to have any publicity mainly because it has two audiences those people who gave up seeing movies and people that however view films. This output has to strike the 100-crore [1 billion] mark, if not extra. I have higher hopes.

A however from the future Bilal Lashari movie, The Legend of Maula Jatt.

What assistance would you like to give Pakistan’s new generation of young, impartial filmmakers who are birthing a new wave of area movie in the place?

Never make all the things an ego challenge be humble. Consider Lashari for instance: he appears to be like for the ideal in almost everything and usually takes constructive criticism incredibly effectively. When I arrived on board for this movie, I informed him I was building a re-entry into Pakistan’s new movie market with his upcoming generation. There was a time when I’d have at least 10-14 administrators and producers ready in my dwelling space each and every early morning to satisfy me. Since this task commenced, I’ve visited Lashari’s household a grand whole of 408 situations (I journal every little thing)! Films are my passion I don’t shell out heed to nearly anything else but the final product or service. As much as the youthful blood goes, I never doubt their do the job on the other hand, they really should make it a position to discover from all those before them.

Sonya Rehman is a journalist primarily based in Lahore, Pakistan.

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US President DONALD TRUMP CAREER AND LIFE AND EDUCATION

New York City real estate developer and reality TV star Donald Trump (1946- ) was elected America’s 45th president in November 2016. The billionaire businessman ran as a Republican and scored an upset victory over his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. Trump began his career working for his father’s real estate development firm, taking over its leadership in the 1970s. In the ensuing decades, he acquired and built hotels, office towers, casinos and golf courses and also appeared on 14 seasons of “The Apprentice.” He is the first person ever elected to the U.S. presidency without any previous government or military experience.

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION

Donald John Trump, the son of Fred, a real estate developer, and his wife, Mary, a homemaker and Scottish immigrant, was born on June 14, 1946, in Queens, New York. The second youngest of five children, he attended private school in Queens before enrolling in the New York Military Academy for eighth grade through high school. Afterward, Trump studied for two years at New York City’s Fordham University then transferred to the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Finance and Commerce, where he earned an undergraduate degree in 1968. During the Vietnam War, he received four student deferments and one medical deferment and wasn’t drafted for military service.

BUSINESS CAREER

After college, Trump joined his father’s company, which developed apartments for the middle-class in New York City’s outer boroughs. He became president of the firm in 1974 and went on to make a name for himself in the Manhattan real estate world with the construction of such high-profile projects as the Grand Hyatt New York hotel, which opened in 1980, and Trump Tower, a luxury high-rise that opened in 1983. Also in the 1980s, Trump opened hotel-casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey; acquired Manhattan’s storied Plaza Hotel; and bought the Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, which he renovated and turned into a private club. Among other ventures, he briefly owned an airline and a professional football team in the short-lived United States Football League. In 1987, “The Art of the Deal,” Trump’s memoir and business-advice book, was published and became a best-seller. In 1989, his net worth was $1.5 billion, according to Forbes, and he made his first appearance on the cover of Time magazine.

However, in the early 1990s, following an economic downturn and slump in the real estate market, Trump was deeply in debt and several of his casinos filed for bankruptcy. In 1995, he reported a nearly $1 billion loss on his taxes. Trump eventually made a financial comeback, in part with a business model that involved licensing his name for a wide variety of ventures ranging from condominiums to steaks and neckties. He continued to acquire and develop real estate properties, and in 2016, when he became the first billionaire elected to the White House, his empire included office buildings, hotels and golf courses around the world.

ENTERTAINMENT CAREER

In 2004, Trump started hosting a reality TV show, “The Apprentice,” in which contestants vied for a management job at one of his companies. The show featured Trump’s catchphrase “You’re fired” and drew big ratings. The business mogul eventually raked in $1 million per episode and became a household name. He hosted 14 combined seasons of “The Apprentice” and a spinoff show, “The Celebrity Apprentice.”

In addition to starring on “The Apprentice” and making cameo appearances in other TV shows and movies, Trump owned several beauty pageants from 1996 to 2015, including Miss Universe and Miss USA. In 1999, he founded a modeling agency that continues to operate.

FAMILY

In 1977, Trump married Czech model Ivana Zelnickova, with whom he went on to have three children, Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric. The pair divorced in 1992 and the following year Trump wed actress Marla Maples, with whom he has a daughter, Tiffany. After Trump’s second marriage ended in 1999, he tied the knot with Slovenian model Melania Knauss in 2005. The couple’s son, Barron, was born in 2006.

2016 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

Before winning the U.S. presidency, Trump never held any elected or appointed government office. He had considered a presidential bid on at least several earlier occasions prior to the 2016 race but ultimately opted not to run. In 2011, Trump began questioning in TV interviews whether President Barack Obama was born in the United States. In the following years, he harnessed rumors about Obama’s birthplace to help grow his audience on social media and gain notice in the world of conservative politics. (The White House released the Hawaiian-born president’s short-form birth certificate in 2008 and his long-form birth certificate in 2011.)

In June 2015, the real estate developer announced his presidential candidacy in a speech at Trump Tower. His ran his campaign on a pledge to “Make America Great Again,” the slogan emblazoned on the baseball hats he often wore at his public rallies, and spoke out against political correctness, illegal immigration and government lobbyists, while promising to cut taxes, renegotiate trade deals and create millions of jobs for American workers. His brash, unapologetic style and sometimes-controversial comments garnered widespread media coverage. In May 2016, he cinched the Republican nomination, beating out a field of 16 other candidates, including Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and John Kasich.

In the general election, Trump ran against Democrat Hillary Clinton, the first female presidential candidate from a major political party. The race was divisive, in part due to a number of inflammatory remarks and tweets made by Trump about minorities and other groups. While some members of the Republican establishment distanced themselves from the candidate, Trump’s supporters admired his outspokenness and business success, along with the fact that he wasn’t a politician.

As the election neared, almost all national polls predicted a victory for the Democratic nominee. However, on November 8, 2016, in what was viewed by many people as a stunning upset, Trump and his vice-presidential running mate, Governor Mike Pence of Indiana, defeated Clinton and her running mate, Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia. Trump won reliably red states as well as important swing states including Florida and Ohio, and racked up 306 electoral votes to his rival’s 232 votes. Clinton won the popular vote.

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New Post has been published on http://theincidence.com/us-president-donald-trump-career-and-life-and-education/

US President DONALD TRUMP CAREER AND LIFE AND EDUCATION

New York City real estate developer and reality TV star Donald Trump (1946- ) was elected America’s 45th president in November 2016. The billionaire businessman ran as a Republican and scored an upset victory over his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. Trump began his career working for his father’s real estate development firm, taking over its leadership in the 1970s. In the ensuing decades, he acquired and built hotels, office towers, casinos and golf courses and also appeared on 14 seasons of “The Apprentice.” He is the first person ever elected to the U.S. presidency without any previous government or military experience.

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION

Donald John Trump, the son of Fred, a real estate developer, and his wife, Mary, a homemaker and Scottish immigrant, was born on June 14, 1946, in Queens, New York. The second youngest of five children, he attended private school in Queens before enrolling in the New York Military Academy for eighth grade through high school. Afterward, Trump studied for two years at New York City’s Fordham University then transferred to the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Finance and Commerce, where he earned an undergraduate degree in 1968. During the Vietnam War, he received four student deferments and one medical deferment and wasn’t drafted for military service.

BUSINESS CAREER

After college, Trump joined his father’s company, which developed apartments for the middle-class in New York City’s outer boroughs. He became president of the firm in 1974 and went on to make a name for himself in the Manhattan real estate world with the construction of such high-profile projects as the Grand Hyatt New York hotel, which opened in 1980, and Trump Tower, a luxury high-rise that opened in 1983. Also in the 1980s, Trump opened hotel-casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey; acquired Manhattan’s storied Plaza Hotel; and bought the Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, which he renovated and turned into a private club. Among other ventures, he briefly owned an airline and a professional football team in the short-lived United States Football League. In 1987, “The Art of the Deal,” Trump’s memoir and business-advice book, was published and became a best-seller. In 1989, his net worth was $1.5 billion, according to Forbes, and he made his first appearance on the cover of Time magazine.

However, in the early 1990s, following an economic downturn and slump in the real estate market, Trump was deeply in debt and several of his casinos filed for bankruptcy. In 1995, he reported a nearly $1 billion loss on his taxes. Trump eventually made a financial comeback, in part with a business model that involved licensing his name for a wide variety of ventures ranging from condominiums to steaks and neckties. He continued to acquire and develop real estate properties, and in 2016, when he became the first billionaire elected to the White House, his empire included office buildings, hotels and golf courses around the world.

ENTERTAINMENT CAREER

In 2004, Trump started hosting a reality TV show, “The Apprentice,” in which contestants vied for a management job at one of his companies. The show featured Trump’s catchphrase “You’re fired” and drew big ratings. The business mogul eventually raked in $1 million per episode and became a household name. He hosted 14 combined seasons of “The Apprentice” and a spinoff show, “The Celebrity Apprentice.”

In addition to starring on “The Apprentice” and making cameo appearances in other TV shows and movies, Trump owned several beauty pageants from 1996 to 2015, including Miss Universe and Miss USA. In 1999, he founded a modeling agency that continues to operate.

FAMILY

In 1977, Trump married Czech model Ivana Zelnickova, with whom he went on to have three children, Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric. The pair divorced in 1992 and the following year Trump wed actress Marla Maples, with whom he has a daughter, Tiffany. After Trump’s second marriage ended in 1999, he tied the knot with Slovenian model Melania Knauss in 2005. The couple’s son, Barron, was born in 2006.

2016 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

Before winning the U.S. presidency, Trump never held any elected or appointed government office. He had considered a presidential bid on at least several earlier occasions prior to the 2016 race but ultimately opted not to run. In 2011, Trump began questioning in TV interviews whether President Barack Obama was born in the United States. In the following years, he harnessed rumors about Obama’s birthplace to help grow his audience on social media and gain notice in the world of conservative politics. (The White House released the Hawaiian-born president’s short-form birth certificate in 2008 and his long-form birth certificate in 2011.)

In June 2015, the real estate developer announced his presidential candidacy in a speech at Trump Tower. His ran his campaign on a pledge to “Make America Great Again,” the slogan emblazoned on the baseball hats he often wore at his public rallies, and spoke out against political correctness, illegal immigration and government lobbyists, while promising to cut taxes, renegotiate trade deals and create millions of jobs for American workers. His brash, unapologetic style and sometimes-controversial comments garnered widespread media coverage. In May 2016, he cinched the Republican nomination, beating out a field of 16 other candidates, including Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and John Kasich.

In the general election, Trump ran against Democrat Hillary Clinton, the first female presidential candidate from a major political party. The race was divisive, in part due to a number of inflammatory remarks and tweets made by Trump about minorities and other groups. While some members of the Republican establishment distanced themselves from the candidate, Trump’s supporters admired his outspokenness and business success, along with the fact that he wasn’t a politician.

As the election neared, almost all national polls predicted a victory for the Democratic nominee. However, on November 8, 2016, in what was viewed by many people as a stunning upset, Trump and his vice-presidential running mate, Governor Mike Pence of Indiana, defeated Clinton and her running mate, Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia. Trump won reliably red states as well as important swing states including Florida and Ohio, and racked up 306 electoral votes to his rival’s 232 votes. Clinton won the popular vote.

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