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jokerfan99 · 6 years ago

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Dc+Marvel Character Fusions by RobertMacQuarrie1 Part 4

31. Namor + Black Adam= The Black Prince

Centuries ago, Prince Namor ruled the kingdom of Atlantis with a firm yet honorable hand. Renowned for both his skills as a warrior and as a just ruler, it was these qualities that he was chosen by the wizard Shazam to serve as his champion. Imbued with incredible magical energy, Namor's incredible power was magnified a thousand fold. Initially, Namor used his powers wisely and justly. But soon the power began to corrupt Namor, as he soon believed the best way to bring peace to the land was to use his powers to lead the armies of Atlantis to conquer the world. With Namor leading the way, the armies of Atlantis cut a bloody swath across the land, decimating entire nations. Soon, Namor became known as "The Black Prince," and civilizations began to fear his name. Eventually, the wizard Shazam intervened, and punished Namor and his kingdom for abusing his gifts. Shazam used his incredible might to sink Atlantis beneath the waves, while imprisoning Namor in a crystal sarcophagus deep beneath the ocean, hoping to teach the Black Prince humility and to respect the powers at his command. However, Shazam's punishment had the opposite effect, making Namor even more twisted and cruel. And when the Black Prince was accidentally revived by undersea explorers in the modern age, Namor swore to use his incredible might to conquer the world and restore the majesty of Atlantis to it's former glory.

32. Punisher + Deadshot = Deathwish

Floyd Castle was a former mercenary who gave up his former life when he fell in love. Marrying the love of his life, Floyd became a doting husband and eventual loving father. However, Floyd's life was changed forever when he and his family were caught in a crossfire of a political assassination, with only Floyd surviving. Enraged that the killer was to avoid punishment for his crimes due to his political connections, Floyd repurposed his old mercenary gear and became the bounty hunter known as Deathwish in order to hunt down the criminals out of the normal reach of the law. His name has a double meaning, however, as Floyd secretly wishes his time on earth to be over, so he can see his family again, caring little whether he lives or dies. Taking any job, as long as it allows him to eliminate the "right people," Deathwish cuts a bloody swath of destruction across the criminal underworld in any part of the world.

33. Deadpool + Harley Quinn = Jester

Harlene Wilson was a promising- if naive and gullible- scientist, working under the charismatic Dr. Killbrew. Harlene fell in love with Killbrew, never realizing that he didn't reciprocate her interest and was only using her for his own ends. When Harlene contracted an untreatable form of cancer, Killbrew manipulated her into being a guinea pig for his experiments with cellular regeneration, using the cells culled from the mutant Deathclaw. Killbrew had no intention of curing Harlene, but he hoped to learn from the experimentation on her form to further his research. His treatment on Harley ravaged her body and destroyed her mind, causing her to break from reality in order to cope with the pain. Finding out about Killbrew's betrayal of her trust, Harlene broke out of captivity and slew Killbrew in a rage. With her newfound abilities and a powerful healing factor, Harlene took up the identity of the Jester, becoming a merc for hire, figuring that if the world was one big joke, she might as well look the part.

34. The Leader + Hector Hammond = Hector Sterns

Hector Sterns was just an ordinary janitor of slightly low intelligence working at a government lab. Jealous of all the intelligent scientists working above him and secretly believing they were mocking him behind his back, Hector yearned for power to show up all he believed wronged him. He got his wish when he was exposed to a strange meteor that was brought to the lab he worked at for study. Hearing that the meteor had strange mutagenic properties, Hector broke into the storage chamber and exposed himself to the gamma radiation emitting from the stone under the hopes that it would grant him incredible powers. Hector got his wish, in that he developed increased intelligence and amazing telekinetic and telepathic abilities. However, it came at a horrible cost, as it caused him cranium to swell to a massive size, while atrophying his muscles and bones. He was gifted with a genius level intellect and powerful mental abilities, but at the cost of his physical form. But along with his mind, Sterns' ambition also increased. Now, simple revenge would not be enough to satiate him. Sterns wished to rule the world, and turned his incredible intellect towards that task. So far, only the might Orca has been able to halt his plans, pitting his brawn and Sterns' incredible brain.

35. Nova + Firestorm = Sunstorm

Travelling through space, a dying alien from the Nova Corps was searching for a suitable being to inherit his incredible abilities and take up his role of protecting his sector of space. Coming across Earth, the alien was met with a dilemma- he could not find one being who fit the specific requirements needed to inherit and use his abilities. The alien did find two people who had some of the traits he was looking for. Richard Raymond had the spirit to wield the powers of the Nova corp, and was a perfect physical specimen, but he did not have the discipline nor the intelligence. Dr. Martin Rider had the vast intellect and maturity to handle the powers, but was physically weak. Left with no choice, the alien made a desperate gambit, choosing to merge Richard Raymond and Martin Rider into one form, using the strongest elements from both- Richard's body and Martin's mind. Coming to term with their merging, the duo christened themselves Sunstorm, taking up their alien benefactor's mission to protect the solar system, using their newfound abilities of flight, super strength and the ability to alter the molecular makeup of any inorganic object.

36. Hawkeye + Booster Gold = Goldeneye Mockingbird + Blue Beetle = Bluebird

Clint Carter was born in the 25th century to a group of carnival performers. He had honed his natural abilities to become an incredible archer. However, in his time period, the common citizens weren't interested in stuntmen and feats of physical strength anymore, and were more interested in the popular holo-vids. Seeking fame and fortune, Goldeneye decided to head back to the 20th century to wow the audiences with his abilities. However, Clint landed late in the 21st century, where archery skills weren't as highly regarded as they once were. However, Clint decided to stay in this time frame and use his archery skills along with his futuristic technology to become a superhero, taking on the name and identity of Goldeneye. While initially using his abilities for fame and fortune, Clint eventually evolved into a true- albeit flawed- hero.

Bobbi Kord was a genius inventor and agent of SHIELD. When she was passed over for field work, she quit the agency and returned to head Kord Industries. Bobbi combined her combat training along with the resources of Kord Industries to develop a wide arsenal of crime fighting tools, and took up the identity of the Bluebird. She served as a solo adventurer for a while before eventually meeting up with Goldeneye. The two became crimefighting duo and eventually lovers, being partners both on and off the field.

37. Apocalypse + Vandal Savage = Vandal Sa'Vag Nur

The being who would become known as Vandal Sa'Vag Nur began life as an ordinary caveman. Brutal by even the standards of that more savage age, Vandal was cast out from his clan and became a nomad. His entire existence changed the day he investigated the site of what seemed to be a meteorite. In reality, it was the remains of a destroyed Celestial starship. Coming into contact with it, Vandal was exposed to the alien technologies and transformed. Wrapped in a life sustaining coccon, the ship slowly changed Vandal over the course centuries, eventually emerging into Ancient Egypt where he gained his name- Vandal Sa'Vag Nur. Transformed into a being of incredible power, Vandal realized the alien machine transformed him in order to improve the world and make it stronger and better than it was before. However, Vandal interpreted this directive as that the only way the world can improve is through struggle and conquest. By knocking down what came before in order for the world to build a better society in its' place. From that point on, Vandal would use his newfound might to topple civilizations and bring ruin and destruction to the world, under the belief that only the strong could survive, often returning to the same alien cocoon that birthed his new form to slumber for centuries between his conquests. Now, he has awoken in the modern day, and plans to once again destroy civilization as a whole in order for the weak to be weeded out and for the strong to survive. And in this new age of heroes, Vandal believes that with this new breed of humanity, it is the perfect opportunity to wipe the slate clean of humanity and populate the world with living Gods.

38. Arcade + The Riddler = The Gamemaster

Edward R. Cade was a spoiled brat of a wealthy New Gotham couple who grew up loving puzzles and games. The only thing that Edward loved more, however, was murder. After killing his parents to inherit their wealth at a young age, Edward dedicated his fortune in order create the most gruesome and imaginative murders possible. He enjoyed spending his fortune creating elaborate deathtraps to lure his victims into. His puzzles and mazes would be filled with lethal traps and consequences, but he always prided himself on playing "fair." If his victims solved his puzzles or escaped his mazes with their lives intact, he would let them go, no questions asked. Eventually, Edward- now calling himself the Gamemaster- solicited his services as a master assassin to wealthy clients around the world, under the condition that he is allowed to dispose of his targets his way. With this new source of revenue, the Gamemaster set up "Murderworld" amusement parks all over the world. His actions, however, would eventually draw the attention of many superheroes who would either be caught up or try to stop his insane schemes. The Gamemaster doesn't mind, however, as superheroes are just a new challenge for him to refine his skills and come up with even more creative puzzles and games to eliminate his foes.

39. Ghost Rider + Demon = Demon Rider

In medieval Camelot, Sir Jason Blood was one of the most noble Knights of the Round Table. When his son was stricken ill, however, Sir Jason turned to the dark arts in order to find a way to save him. Summoning a powerful demon, Jason pledged his soul to find a way to save his son. The demon agreed, curing Jason's son of his ailment. However, Jason was later betrayed, in that while his son was cured, the demon arranged it so that he would later die from accident while riding a horse. Calling upon his payment, Jason was bonded with a powerful demon called Zarathigan, transforming him into a mindless, savage monstrosity who then proceeded to ravage the kingdom. Jason's rampage came to a end when the wizard Merlin cast a spell to separate Zarathigan from Jason, transforming Jason back to normal. However, Merlin's spell could not completely sever the tie, only weaken it, as Jason's bloodline would forever be tainted with Demon blood. And some day, a future generation would one day again be bonded to Zarathigan and once again be transformed into a powerful demon. That day came centuries later when Sir Jason's descendant, Jason Blaze, would be transformed on his 18th birthday and once again be bonded with Zarathigan. But having never pledged his soul to the darkness, Jason Blaze still retains some control over Zarathigan's bloodlust. As such, Jason Blaze uses his newfound powers as the Demon Rider to avenge the innocent and wage war on evil, while struggling to control the demon within.

40. Psylocke + Huntress = Mindhunter

Helena Braddock was the daughter of a notable crime boss in New Gotham. Under siege by other mobsters, Helena's father turned to the mystical sect known as the League of the Hand for help. The League agreed to wipe out his enemies, but for a price- he would turn his daughter over to them. Helena's father agreed, and she was taken by the League and trained to become their greatest assassin. Undergoing a brutal regime to make her into one of the greatest warriors on the planet, the League also tried to transform Helena mystically, to give her even greater power. Their efforts paid off, and Helena's latent mutant abilities were activated, granting her incredible psionic powers. The League trained her to refine her powers, eventually allowing her to focus her telepathic abilities into her Psionic Knife, the focused totality of all her telepathic abilities. However, Helena was never loyal to the League, filled with a burning hatred for both them and her father. After a decade of training, Helena broke free of her captivity, slaying her captors, and returned to New Gotham to avenge herself on her father and his organization. Now, as Mindhunter, she wages a brutal war against the criminals who take advantage of the innocent, and isn't afraid to use lethal measures to end a threat.

#dc comics #fusion #marvel comics

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yahooin-travel-inspirations · 7 years ago

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10 winter adventures to put on your bucket list

While the northern hemisphere makes its way to summer, winter adventures are about to get even cooler. Tourism to once-remote destinations is booming — Antarctica saw 38,478 visitors during the 2015-2016 season, according to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), and the total number of foreign overnight visitors to Iceland notched around 1.8 million in 2016. Boutique-style adventures that combine luxury with daredevil sports are also gaining traction among millennials.

For some, that means catching a speedy two-hour flight from Punta Arenas, in Chilean Patagonia, to King George Island to explore the glassy landscape on snowshoe. For others, it means swimming the Blue Lagoon, set in Iceland’s south west, away from the bustling crowds. Whether you crave a midnight dip, or powder skiing by water, the adventures gathered here are sure to get your pulse racing.

We’ve rounded up everything from private yacht charters that attempt the Northwest Passage — a 900-mile “shortcut” above North America that eluded seafarers for centuries — to the rare opportunity to explore a dormant volcano. Like your adventure glammed up? The Blue Lagoon’s first luxury hotel has you covered, with Lava Cove, a subterranean spa nestled deep in volcanic rock. Here are 10 chilly weather adventures you’ll want to put on your bucket list now.

Source: Travel+Leisure

Sea Kayaking in Antarctica

“Antarctic tourism” may sound like an oxymoron, but that’s exactly what ANTARCTICA XXI offers: over 20 air-cruise departures each season that avoid the historically stormy Drake Passage. For an extra $895 per person, you can tack on sea kayaking to your excursion, which is “really peaceful,” says Brooke Garnett, the founder of MAYAMAYA travel agency in New York. “You’re off in the icebergs with penguins swimming by.”

Source: Travel+Leisure

Sailing the Northwest Passage

Attempting the Northwest Passage is not for the faint of heart. But if you fancy yourself a modern-day Sir Humphrey Gilbert, whose treatise on the passage inspired many other explorers, EYOS Expeditions, which specializes in super-yacht expeditions, offers private yacht charters. Time on the water is spent tracking polar bears and voyaging to rarely seen Inuit communities. On helicopter, you’ll get jaw-dropping views of the towering mountains below.

Source: Travel+Leisure

Exploring the Hjørenfjord

Tucked away in the ragged Sunnmøre Alps is the 21-mile-long Hjørenfjord, one of the longest fjords in Norway and a bit of a national secret. Garnett recommends booking a private boat tour through 62° Nord to see the glaciers and villages like Øye, where Hotel Union Øye, built in 1891, features 27 ravishing guest rooms and countless sites to explore — including the ancient Norangsdalen valley and the famously steep Slogen mountain.

Source: Travel+Leisure

Sailing Around Ålesund

62° Nord offers sailboat tours around Ålesund, a sea port known for its colorful Art Nouveau district, built after a fire around the turn of the century. Here you’ll find a higher level of accommodation and service than in touristy Bergen, notes Garnett, with clearer skies and spectacular views of the mountains and fjords. On land, fuel up on a bowl of fish soup, then wander downtown — it’s incredibly walkable — and pop into the one of the many record shops.

Source: Travel+Leisure

Kayaking at Tutka Bay Lodge

Set on the tip of the Kenai Peninsula, across Kachemak Bay from Homer, chef Kirsten Dixon and her husband Carl offer meaningful ways to connect with the land — like digging for steam clams and picking mussels — as well as a boathouse with kayaks. “You get that big, wide-open spaces feeling,” says Garnett, speaking of the breathtaking scenery. Often, she’ll combine visits with stays at the couple’s other remote property, Winterlake Lodge, on the Iditarod Trail.

Source: Travel+Leisure

Heli-skiing in Iceland

Deplar Farm, a converted sheep farm in the Fljót Valley on the Troll Peninsula in northern Iceland, offers snowy, unspoiled runs for serious skiers. “The slopes are right on the coast,” says MAYAMAYA partner Matthew LaPolice, so you’ll be zig-zagging against the deep-blue of the North Atlantic Ocean. Legs feeling tired? Spend a day in the spa, bouncing from Deplar’s geothermal-heated indoor/outdoor pool (with a swim-up bar) to the outdoor Viking sauna and i-sopod flotation tanks.

Source: Travel+Leisure

Soaking in the Blue Lagoon

The five-star Retreat, which opened in April, offers private access to the Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spring in the Reykjanes Peninsula. “It’s easy to get to, but quite touristy,” warns LaPolice, but don’t let that deter you from the stunning views of the landscape — especially from the lounge — or an in-water massage.

Source: Travel+Leisure

Snowmobiling in Jackson Hole

Minutes from the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Tram in Teton Village, Caldera House offers iconic attractions — like Chef Paulie O’Connor’s Old Yellowstone Garage — as well as an alpine club with a private club lounge, spa and fitness studio. (Members also get access to Snake River Sporting Club.) Book one of the stylish two- or four-bedroom suites, then spend a day zooming around the backcountry.

Source: Travel+Leisure

Snowboarding in Gstaad

The village in southwestern Switzerland is a mecca for skiers, says Garnett: “The Alps are just stunning, and having that backdrop on a nice bluebird day is special.” Gstaad Palace boasts 100 well-appointed guest rooms and no shortage of winter activities — from ice skating by the promenade to snowboarding in the Bernese Oberland. For the truly adventurous, there is heliskiing, which entails a helicopter dropping you off in no man’s land.

Source: Travel+Leisure

#1197772589 #Travel Ideas #adventure #winter #wanderlust #travel + leisure #glam

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afoolandathief · 3 years ago

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Anyway, I'm procrastinating on things so here's some others -

Andrei Albescu - Biowitch (lefven), healer

City/country/region of origin - Matruscan foothills

Native language - Matruscan, Yazian; speaks Jotuntung and has picked up languages spoken by other witches

Ray of sunshine in a dark world. Liked by almost everyone. Keen sense of humor hidden under a sweet exterior. Able to see someone's true potential.

◎⨕◎

Hildr Helsdattr - Jotunn, scientist (volka), heiress

City/country/region of origin - Utgard

Native language - Jotuntung; used translating witches when she took her own Midgardian excursion

Grown-up schoolyard bully (but, like, the kind that spread nasty rumors or poured milk on you). Fascinated with the theory Jotunn once possessed magic the way humans do. Would pull the wings off a bluebird to hear how it would sing.

Ivar Berisen - Jotunn, head of a newly-formed detective agency

City/country/region of origin - Utgard

Native language - Jotuntung

Iron fist. Belief in punitive justice and crushing uprisings before they start under his very large bootheels.

Jan Eirsen - Jotunn, politician (jarlmann/alderman)

City/country/region of origin - Utgard

Native language - Jotuntung

Old money. Kind of a prick. Easily molded and persuadable.

◎⨕◎

Some others (mostly just thinking of names for smaller characters* now while I have my research tabs open):

Leif Litrsen - Jotunn, traveling salesman, conman (deceased)

Skadi Sigindattr - Jotunn

Zaid Al Baetra

Ismena Thermopoli (deceased)

Sofya - Ship captain (deceased)

Dufa - Jotunn, tailor

Unn - Jotunn, tailor

Atla - Jotunn, tailor

*smaller not necessarily referring to actual size

Trying to get through these asks but tbh I had a few drinks and I'm absolutely distracted by a completely different idea involving worldbuilding a story involving giants, witches and gunpowder fantasy, so -

#untitled giants wip #that only exists in my head and sticky notes #plz excuse that my worldbuilding is not great esp when it comes to language n country names #I mostly just wanted to talk about how horrible Hildie is

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antoine-roquentin · 8 years ago

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The two agencies [CIA and Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency] worked together inside a clandestine intelligence facility in the American zone informally called Camp King. The activities there between 1946 and the late 1950s have never been fully accounted for by either the Department of Defense or the CIA. Camp King was strategically located in the village of Oberursel, just eleven miles northwest of the United States European Command (EUCOM) headquarters in Frankfurt. Officially the facility had two other names: the U.S. Military Intelligence Service Center at Oberursel and the 7707th European Command Intelligence Center. A small plaque in a park outside the officers’ club explained to visitors the significance of the informal name. Colonel Charles B. King, an intelligence officer, had been in the process of accepting the surrender of a group of Nazis on Utah Beach in June 1944 when he was double-crossed and slain by a “strong and concentrated barrage of enemy artillery fire.” There was tragic irony in the name. Camp King had become home to many well-intentioned American officers trying to make deals with untrustworthy enemies. Many of these American officers would be double-crossed and at least one of them would be killed. A lot had changed at Camp King since John Dolibois had personally delivered six Nazi Bonzen here in August 1945. The interrogation facility had become one of the most clandestine U.S. intelligence centers in Western Europe, and for more than a decade it would function as a Cold War black site long before black sites were known as such. Camp King was a joint interrogation center and the intelligence agencies that shared access to prisoners here included Army Intelligence, Air Force Intelligence, Naval Intelligence, and the CIA. By 1948, most of its prisoners were Soviet-bloc spies. How the CIA used Camp King remains one of the Agency’s most closely guarded secrets. It was here in Oberursel that the CIA first began developing “extreme interrogation” techniques and “behavior modification programs” under the code names Operation Bluebird and Operation Artichoke. The unorthodox methods the CIA and its partner agencies explored included hypnosis, electric shock, chemicals, and illegal street drugs. Camp King was chosen as an ideal place to do this work in part because it was “off-site” but mainly because of its access to prisoners believed to be Soviet spies. When the Americans captured the facility in the spring of 1945, the Nazis had been using it as an interrogation facility for Allied fliers. Camp King’s first commanding officer was Colonel William Russell Philp, and through the fall of 1945, Philp shared the Military Intelligence Service Center at Oberursel with General William J. Donovan, founding director of the Office of Strategic Services. General Donovan oversaw an operation here whereby high-ranking Nazi generals, including those dropped off by John Dolibois, were paid to write intelligence reports on subjects like German order of battle and Nazi Party chain of command. Dolibois, fluent in German, acted as Donovan’s liaison to the Nazi prisoners during this time. General Donovan kept an office at Oberursel until the OSS was disbanded in September 1945, after which he returned to Washington, D.C., and civilian life. Colonel Philp’s job was to handle the rest of the prisoners. In the months that followed war’s end, the Camp King prisoner population grew to include Russian defectors and captured Soviet spies. There was valuable intelligence to be gained from these individuals, Philp learned, willingly or through coercion. But Philp also found that his officers lacked a greater context within which to interpret the raw intelligence being gathered from the Soviets. Russia had been America’s ally during the war. Now it was the enemy. The Soviets were masters of disinformation. Who was telling the truth? The Nazi prisoners claimed to know, and Colonel Philp began using several of them to interpret and analyze information from Soviet defectors. These Nazis were “experts in espionage against the Russians,” Philp later said. Two of them seemed particularly knowledgeable: Gerhard Wessel, who had been an officer in the German intelligence organization Abwehr, and Wessel’s deputy, Hermann Baun. Philp put the men to work. What started out as a “research project using POWs” became a “gradual drift into operations,” said Philp. He moved the Nazis into a safe house on the outskirts of Camp King, code-named Haus Blue, where they oversaw counterintelligence operations against the Soviets under the code name Project Keystone. Philp found that working with Nazis was a slippery slope, and in a matter of months the Germans had transformed from prisoners to paid intelligence assets of the U.S. Army. In the summer of 1946 a major event occurred that influenced the CIA’s future role in Operation Paperclip and Camp King. Major General Reinhard Gehlen, former head of the Nazis’ intelligence operation against the Soviets, arrived at Camp King. Gehlen had been in the United States under interrogation since 1945. Here at Oberursel, Army Intelligence decided to make Gehlen head of its entire “anti-Communist intelligence organization,” under the code name Operation Rusty. Eventually the organization would become known simply as the Gehlen Organization. A network of former Nazi intelligence agents, the majority of whom were members of the SS, began working out of offices at Camp King side by side with army intelligence officers. Colonel Philp was in charge of overall supervision. By late 1947, the Gehlen Organization had gotten so large it required its own headquarters. Army intelligence moved the organization to a self-contained facility outside Munich, in a village called Pullach. This compound was the former estate of Martin Bormann and had large grounds, sculpture gardens, and a pool. The two facilities, at Oberursel and Pullach, worked together. Gehlen and Baun claimed to have six hundred intelligence agents, all former Nazis, in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany alone. According to documents kept classified for fifty-one years, relations between Gehlen and Philp declined and became hostile as Philp finally realized the true nature of who he was dealing with. The Gehlen Organization was a murderous bunch, “free-wheeling” and out of control. As one CIA affiliate observed, “American intelligence is a rich blind man using the Abwehr as a seeing-eye dog. The only trouble is—the leash is much too long.”... That same summer, the CIA created the Office of Scientific Intelligence (OSI), and its first director, Dr. Willard Machle, traveled to Germany to set up a program for “special interrogation methods” against Soviet spies. The CIA had intelligence indicating that the Soviets had developed mind control programs. The Agency wanted to know what it would be up against if the Russians got hold of its American spies. In an attempt to determine what kinds of techniques the Soviets might be using, the CIA set up a Top Secret interrogation program at Camp King. The facility offered unique access to Soviet spies who had been caught in the Gehlen Organization’s web. Revolutionary new interrogation techniques could be practiced on these men under the operational code name Bluebird. A limited number of official CIA documents remain on record from this program. Most were destroyed by CIA director Richard Helms. Initially the CIA envisioned Operation Bluebird as a “defensive” program. Officers from Scientific Intelligence were “to apply special methods of interrogation for the purpose of evaluation of Russian practices.” But very quickly the Agency decided that in order to master the best defensive methods it needed to first develop the most cutting-edge offensive techniques. This sounded like doublespeak and was indicative of the Cold War mind-set that was taking hold in intelligence circles and also in the military. The CIA believed it needed to develop the sharpest sword to create the strongest, most impenetrable shield. Operation Bluebird was just the beginning. Soon the program would expand to include mind control techniques and Nazi doctors recruited under Operation Paperclip.

Annie Jacobsen, Operation Paperclip

Operation BLUEBIRD was later renamed Operation ARTICHOKE and then Operation MKULTRA as it expanded

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artwecrave · 5 years ago

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ABOUT THIS VIDEO: This video explains the creative process behind bluebird series. ABOUT CHANNEL: On this channel, you will have the opportunity to see behind the sciences of the creation of my art. ABOUT ART WE CRAVE: I create energizing art that you can connect with. I founded Art We Crave Atelier to help you find powerful and relevant art for your home. From originals to limited edition prints my aim is to create high-quality art that can bring positive energy into your life. ABOUT ART: Ink art in empowering style: Depiction of life’s energy through unique mix of techniques, shapes and lines. Feng Shui, Qi and Wabi-Sabi synergy: Using Energy forces to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment. Innovative Approach: Exploration thru the process of research, conceptualisation and creation. Relatable Subjects: A unique modern interpretation of core human values like: freedom, love, courage and peace. ABOUT ARTIST: ‘Art We Crave’ is a project created by Michal Kubacki, born in Poznan, Poland. Graduated with a Master’s degree from the University of Arts. Michal has been mastering his painting technique since 2008. He has travelled(London, Mexico, Texas, Spain and currently Germany) worldwide searching for what unites us all and transmitted this through his art. This journey has led him to ‘Art We Crave’. His vision is to bring powerful art into our homes. Previously I worked in the digital advertising industry as a Creative Director on award-winning projects for brands like Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Hugo Boss, and Paramount Pictures. In the past, I co-founded “Myth Agency” a branding and design studio that was helping startups in finding their brand positioning and identity. Currently in parallel to Art We Crave I work as the head of brand and art director supporting the Berlin furniture startup in establishing and securing company positioning. NETWORK: Shop art online: https://bit.ly/2WWiK6C Save art to your Pinterest board: https://bit.ly/36OTyUj Join the Facebook community and create better art together: https://bit.ly/2K58fbR Explore sneak peeks and daily art on Instagram: https://bit.ly/34Jl9UP Chat with me directly https://bit.ly/2WW5O0J by Michal Kubacki

#IFTTT #YouTube

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bluebirdconsulltancy · 11 months ago

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#bluebirdconsultancyfze #visaservices #uzbekistan #uzbekistanworkpermitvisa #bluebird travel agency

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orrohbhutantravel · 3 months ago

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A Birder's Paradise: Unleashing the Magic of Bhutan with Orrog

For passionate birdwatchers, the world holds few destinations as alluring as Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon. Nestled amidst the majestic Himalayas, Bhutan boasts a breathtaking tapestry of landscapes – from subtropical jungles teeming with life to alpine meadows echoing with ethereal bird calls. With over 770 recorded avian species, Bhutan is a haven for bird enthusiasts from the USA, UK, Australia, France, and beyond.

Cultural Tours in Bhutan, culture trips in Bhutan, cultural activities in Bhutan, Cultural Sightseeing Adventures in Bhutan, Religious Heritage Tours in Bhutan

Orrog: Your Guide to Bhutan's Birding Symphony

At Orrog, your trusted Bhutan Travel Agency (Orrog.com), we understand the thrill of birdwatching. We curate unforgettable Birding Tours in Bhutan that cater to your specific interests and skill level. Our expert guides, many of whom are seasoned birders themselves, possess an in-depth knowledge of Bhutan's diverse ecosystems and the birds that call them home.

A Tapestry of Habitats:

Bhutan's diverse geography offers a unique opportunity to witness a spectacular range of birds. Here's a glimpse into some of the birding havens you can explore with Orrog:

Subtropical Paradise: The Southern Foothills:

Embark on a journey through the verdant southern foothills, where lush jungles teem with exotic birdlife. Keep your eyes peeled for the elusive Rufous-necked Hornbill with its vibrant casque, the dazzling Emerald Dove flitting through the foliage, and the melodic call of the Asian Fairy-bluebird.

Serene Valleys: A Symphony of Song:

Venture into the serene valleys, where shimmering rivers snake through fertile farmlands. Here, you might encounter the stunning Himalayan Bulbul with its vibrant plumage, the melodious call of the Grey-capped Prinia, and the majestic Brahminy Kite soaring overhead.

Cloud Forests: A Realm of Enchantment:

Ascend into the mystical cloud forests, where mist-shrouded trees create a magical atmosphere. Look out for the elusive Ward's Trogon with its dazzling red plumage, the Himalayan Cuckoo with its haunting call, and the enchanting Rufous-bellied Woodpecker with its distinctive drumming.

High-Altitude Meadows: Where Eagles Rule:

Hike to the breathtaking high-altitude meadows, where the air thins and the views become even more spectacular. Here, you might spot the majestic Himalayan Griffon soaring on thermal currents, the Golden Eagle with its piercing gaze, and the Blood Pheasant, a true avian jewel with its crimson plumage.

Tailored Birding Tours for Every Enthusiast:

Whether you're a seasoned birder with a keen eye for rare species or a beginner captivated by the beauty of birds, Orrog crafts Birding Tours in Bhutan to cater to your needs:

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lodelss · 5 years ago

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Sarah Trent | Longreads | November 2019 | 22 minutes (4,920 words)

Jack Thomas was home in time for dinner, but he wasn’t really home. His head was still in the fire, gnawing on the details of what his strike team had accomplished, hazards they’d found, a care facility they’d partially saved from the flames. For 19 hours of their nine-day deployment, his team had fought to save those 25 senior apartments, which had somehow been spared when the wildfire tore through town. Thomas knew that if they could stop the fire at the building’s central atrium, these homes would stay standing. And they did.

Walking through his front door, in a suburban Santa Rosa, California, neighborhood the weekend before Thanksgiving, Thomas still smelled of smoke.

He had dinner with his wife, shared photos from the fire, and talked through their holiday plans. Afterward, he unfurled parcel maps across the table while his bags waited, packed, on the couch. After more than a week fighting the most destructive wildfire in California history, the Santa Rosa fire captain had just a few hours to study the maps and get some rest: His deployment on a fire crew was over, but hundreds of people were missing, and FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue Task Force #4 needed someone to help manage the search.

Thomas set his alarm for 3 a.m. He was going back to Paradise.

That night, the next morning, and for many days after, trained search and rescue professionals and volunteers from across California and beyond drove into the smoldering heart of catastrophe. The Camp fire, which started the morning of November 8, 2018, and within hours had overtaken the town of Paradise, was unprecedented: in size, pattern, intensity, damage, and number of people missing, which climbed as high as 1,300. It required the largest search in state history — in conditions few of the searchers were trained for. But to leaders like Thomas, it seemed a portent of things to come: Wildfires are becoming more common and worse. And other disasters are, too.

Rachel Allen got to Paradise two days before Thomas, after dark on Friday, November 16, joining the first wave of volunteer searchers responding to the call for mutual aid. It was the earliest she could arrive, leaving her postdoc research behind for the weekend. A member of the Bay Area Mountain Rescue (BAMRU) team since 2012, she has deployed to dozens of searches across the state, usually for one person missing in the wilderness: a snowshoer lost in a storm, a hiker injured and stuck off-trail, or a person with Alzheimer’s who wandered away from home.

She and her team spend hundreds of unpaid hours each year practicing specialized search and rescue skills. But in Paradise, little of their training in snow conditions, rope systems, or tracking was relevant. Allen wore a white Tyvek suit over her hiking boots and learned how to identify what was typically the only trace of people who hadn’t escaped the blaze: small fragments of bone.

When Thomas arrived Sunday morning, just in time for the morning briefing, searchers in a rainbow of high-viz red and orange agency-branded jackets filled the Tall Pines Entertainment Center parking lot: county search teams, mountain rescue teams, law enforcement, the National Guard, all ready for the day’s assignments.

Thomas joined the fray with USAR Task Force #4 — one of 28 teams in the nation equipped for large-scale disaster relief. Most USAR members, like Thomas, are professional firefighters. On top of a grueling season fighting record-setting wildfires, this was his team’s third urban search deployment in as many months. They’d been to the sites where Hurricane Florence made landfall that September. Where Michael had hit in October. And now this.

New kinds of disasters require new response plans and training, and bigger ones need more people who know what to do.

All weekend, the air was thick with smoke and a pervasive otherworldliness. “If you had told me I was on Mars, I’d be like, ‘OK, right,’” Allen told me. She searched for two days, mostly in silence, wearing a mask she had to remove to speak. Her hiking boots sank with every step into ash up to eight inches deep. The sky was a murky orange. Trees were still green. Everything else was gray. It was a town like any other. But everything had changed.

In 2018, wildfires swept not only California, Australia, and Greece, but also the colder, wetter landscapes of England, Ireland, and Sweden. Kerala, India, was hit by one of the worst floods ever recorded, killing more than 500 people; a heat wave hospitalized 22,000 in Japan; and a series of tropical storms and typhoons affected more than 10 million across the Philippines. A bomb cyclone slammed the U.S. Northeast. Avalanches crushed Colorado. Mudslides buried Montecito, California. Record-breaking hurricanes battered the Southeast. As of this writing, what has come to be known as “fire season” is well underway in California, and fires blaze in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia.

To climate scientists, the pattern of increasing extremes comes as no surprise — it’s in line with projections for life on a warming planet. And at 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit above average, according to NASA, 2018 was one of the hottest years on record. 2019 is on track to be hotter.

When disaster strikes, rescuers like Thomas and Allen drive toward the danger the rest of us are desperate to escape. They’re trained to find us when we’re stuck somewhere — lost, injured, or worse. But a changing planet has raised the stakes: Avalanches, tornadoes, fires, and floods fill news cycles with counts of the missing and cell phone footage of neighborhoods turned to wilderness. The U.N. warns that climate catastrophes are now happening once a week across the globe. And unpredictable shoulder seasons — the busiest months for search and rescue calls — are getting longer. New kinds of disasters require new response plans and training, and bigger ones need more people who know what to do.

Search and rescue teams train for the worst conditions. But the worst conditions are getting worse. Search teams are stretched. Rescuers are burning out. We are all less safe.

***

On a May 2013 day in Naujaat, in the Canadian province of Nunavut — an Inuit hamlet known at the time as Repulse Bay — the local search and rescue team was called after a nearby traveler activated an emergency GPS beacon. It was a day with almost 18 hours of sunlight, but blizzard conditions postponed the search.

The call itself was unremarkable — Nunavut search and rescue records are full of similar reports: emergency signals turned on in harsh weather, hunters who’ve run out of gas, a group trapped by moving ice. Nearly everyone is brought home safe. But one trend is nonetheless alarming: In 2016, researchers showed that search and rescue calls in the province had doubled over a decade.

The reasons were complex. More powerful boats and snowmobiles carried hunters, fishers, and travelers farther from safety; people’s preparedness for harsh conditions had not kept pace with their ability to travel so far; high costs to maintain equipment led to makeshift repairs and more frequent breakdowns. But one factor stood out: As the Arctic warms — and it’s warming faster than anywhere else on earth — weather and ice conditions have become less and less predictable.

“It’s the perfect storm” for accidents and the ensuing calls for rescue, researcher Dylan Clark told a Canadian Senate committee in 2018. And this storm is anything but localized.

In Iceland, where tourism is booming and glacier driving tours are popular, the ice is melting, opening crevasses that threaten vehicles and people. A woman died in 2010 after falling into one with her 7-year-old son just a short distance from a tour jeep.

In the Alps, retreating glaciers have changed popular climbing routes, increasing exposure and difficulty on nearly all alpine climbs. Where there once was snow, there’s now ice. Where there once was permafrost, there’s now unstable rock. One catastrophic rockfall in Bondo, Switzerland, killed eight hikers in 2017. Their bodies were never found.

Search and rescue teams train for the worst conditions. But the worst conditions are getting worse.

Eddy Cartaya, a Portland Mountain Rescue volunteer and expert on glacier cave exploration and rescue, says that across the Pacific Northwest, more and more people are exploring the backcountry. Outdoor equipment is better and less expensive than ever, cultural interest in the outdoors is surging, and longer summers mean more access to beautiful, wild places.

Normally, “deep snow-pack insulates some of these locations from inexperienced people,” Cartaya said. But that’s changing. Hiking into areas with now-melting glaciers — in which ice caves are prone to sudden collapse, volcanic gas-filled fumaroles are becoming exposed, and flash floods of glacial melt can occur on the bluest of bluebird days — even an expert outdoorsperson is more likely to run into trouble.

Many of these hazards are new to rescuers, too, making operations riskier for everyone. Now, Cartaya said, his team trains in glacier caves — areas most mountaineers spend their entire careers trying to avoid. After two rescues in noxious fumaroles, the team has purchased new equipment to measure crevasses for hydrogen sulfide. And with a higher volume of calls than ever before — to a group of volunteers in an industry where burnout is already high (few last more than a couple of years) — they’ve increased their recruitment efforts, tripling their most recent cohort of trainees.

But you don’t need to be a backpacker, hunter, or mountaineer heading deep into the wilderness to require rescue from a disaster compounded by climate change. Increasingly, that disaster is coming to us.

In Switzerland, rockslides have buried villages and stranded residents. In Alabama, devastating tornadoes have cut swaths through towns and neighborhoods. Across the Midwest, floods have done the same. In Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean, residents have evacuated from record hurricane after record hurricane. And all of this, according to climate scientists, is at least partially attributable to a warming planet, in which ice is melting at record speed and rising levels of atmospheric water are strengthening storms and producing unprecedented rainfall.

While the Eastern U.S. is inundated with water, the Western states suffer without it: As temperatures rise, the snowpack melts faster and forests dry out. By late summer, much of California is a tinderbox. Any spark — lightning, a barbecue, a faulting power line — can set the whole thing off.

***

Ten of the 20 most destructive wildfires in California’s history have occurred since 2015. They include the two most destructive (2018 Camp and 2017 Tubbs fires), the two largest (2018 Mendocino Complex and 2017 Thomas fires), and the deadliest by far: In Paradise, searchers found 85 people dead. Two remain missing. This is more than the previous three deadliest fires combined.

For Thomas and his team, the Camp fire set another kind of record and, leaders believe, a precedent: It was the first time FEMA USAR teams had ever been called to a fire. Thomas and others doubt it will be the last. The federal program, which launched in 1991, was designed primarily to respond to catastrophic earthquakes. But as the nature of disasters has evolved, USAR task forces have too. In 1994, teams deployed to the Northridge quake in Los Angeles. A year later, to the Oklahoma City bombing, and in 2001, to downtown Manhattan after the World Trade Center attack.

In 2005, all 28 teams went to Hurricane Katrina, and as the size and severity of hurricanes have increased since, so have the calls to USAR: Sandy in 2012. Matthew in 2015. Harvey, Irma, and Maria in 2017; Florence and Michael a year later; Dorian this fall.

Thomas went to most of them. “We’re in the water business now,” he said. And the fires? “I totally think that’s going to be in our scope now.”

As a firefighter of more than 30 years who fought the 2017 Tubbs Fire in his own city and countless more around the state, Thomas knows firsthand the ways wildland fires have changed. “It never used to be like this,” he said. When he first started, he’d go to one, maybe two “mutual aid” calls (that is, requests to help other agencies) per season, fighting wildland fires to the scale of around 10,000 acres. “Since 2015 it’s just been non-stop with these major fires,” he said.

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In 2018, between USAR calls and wildland fire response, Thomas spent 75 days working outside Santa Rosa County, including 21 days in a row at the Mendocino Complex fire. When he came home from that blaze — which burned nearly 460,000 acres before it was finally contained — he had just enough time to move his daughter to college before he was deployed again.

“It pulls on your heartstrings to go help,” he said. But every time he arrives at base camp for another wildland fire, he sees the same guys, grim with fatigue.

“You can see it in guy’s eyes,” he told me. “It seems like it’s more and more and more and more.” Between fighting fires around the state, flying east for hurricane missions, and expecting that USAR’s scope will grow, the effort is not sustainable, he said. “But you know the thing is, who are you going to call? With the amount of missing residents, the amount of destroyed homes — who’s going to do that work?”

Headquarters for Thomas’s team — one of eight in California — is tucked between I-880 and the train tracks in East Oakland, behind a city vehicle maintenance facility. On a cold March morning, a dozen men and women in dark shirts and caps emblazoned with their agency logos — Pittsburg Fire, Sonoma Fire, Contra Costa Fire — ambled from room to room, catching up and collecting signatures for their annual reorientation exercise.

Each member checked the fit of their issued full-face air mask, re-upped their baseline EKG test, and verified, essentially, that they knew the drill: Every checkpoint is a step they’ll repeat in the hours before an actual deployment. In the garage, Thomas signed off on helmet fits and asked each member if their go-bag was ready.

“97 you said?” He searched for Tracey Chin’s duffel among the hundreds of numbered red bags on the shelves surrounding the garage. He found it and pulled it down, and she unzipped the pockets to inspect what was inside. She checked the size of the clothing, in case it had changed, and the toothpaste’s expiration date. The team has just four hours to deploy when a call for mutual aid comes in, and they must be prepared for 72 hours of self-sufficiency. The “creature comforts,” as Chin calls these basic necessities, are nearly as important as a tightly sealed air mask.

She zipped the bag closed over carefully folded T-shirts, and Thomas snapped a red plastic lock seal through the zipper pull. Her mask fit. Her photo had been taken. Her sign-off sheet was full. Chin was ready to deploy.

And this team fully expects to — though until recently, that was far from their norm.

“We went eight years without deploying,” said Oakland Battalion Chief Robert Lipp, who leads the task force. But since 2017, they’ve fielded six calls. Now, come autumn, when hurricane and wildland fire seasons are both in full swing, he said he’s “more surprised if we don’t go somewhere than if we do.”

To climate scientists, the pattern of increasing extremes comes as no surprise — it’s in line with projections for life on a warming planet.

As the need for rescuers goes up, the whole response system is stretched thin. Two Southern California USAR teams, which largely pull on members from one fire department each, were undeployable for USAR calls last fall while wildfires raged in Riverside and Orange counties. The Oakland team is more insulated from that pressure: Its 230 members — enough for three full rescue units — come from 15 different departments. The team has never had to turn down a call for mutual aid, Lipp said. “But we’ve been awful close.”

“When there’s a disaster, we all want to go.” But, he added, “anyone who says it’s not worsening is not paying attention.”

***

On the first day of SAR-Basic — required for anyone who hopes to join Bay Area Mountain Rescue — 15 recruits listened and took notes as veteran members explained the weekend training. Wearing an array of technical fleeces and down coats, it was obvious that they were the newbies: Every sworn-in member wore a red jacket — BAMRU patch on one shoulder and the San Mateo County Sheriff star on the chest — to insulate against the early morning chill.

The first lesson in every emergency response training — from first aid through wilderness paramedicine — is the same, though every teacher has their own way to phrase it: The most important person at the scene is you; don’t let someone else’s emergency become your own; your safety comes first. Adrenaline and the powerful urge to help someone in need can be difficult to overcome — and dangerous to everyone.

Under the county park picnic shelter, Nathan Fischer sat atop a long wooden table, his gray waffle fleece and close-cropped beard blending into this year’s cohort of mostly twentysomething men. With one leg casually folded, he absorbed the morning lectures. He, like everyone seated around him, was there in part to fulfill that urge to help. “Other people adopt kittens or mentor kids,” he told me. “I’m awful with kids, but maybe I can stop the bleeding.”

An instructor addressed the group. “The first rule of search and rescue,” he said, “is don’t create more subjects.”

This year’s safety talk was unusually personal for the team. Just months earlier, a Ventura County mountain rescuer was killed and two teammates were injured in a storm while trying to help the victims of a rollover crash. The team was en route to a training exercise. The roads were slick. Another vehicle lost control.

At every training station at SAR-Basic, the safety talk was reinforced. Fischer and the other recruits learned to perform a fine grid search, crawling shoulder to shoulder looking for shell casings in the dirt and leaves — while also scanning for poison oak. They learned how to load and carry a person in a titanium-frame litter — along with effective communication to spread the load, and to lift and move as one. Navigation skills, radio skills, tracking skills. And then, finally, a mock search.

Fischer, leading a team of three, talked his group through the details of the briefing. Two trail runners were missing. Their team had been assigned a trail to search. They grabbed a radio and a map and set out for the trail, flanked by mentors.

’It’s the perfect storm’ for accidents and the ensuing calls for rescue.

The mock search is an audition of sorts, at which members and the soon-to-be can feel out their future colleagues. Trust, teamwork, and leadership are as important as technical skill and search savvy. Those who are accepted to train with BAMRU will start deploying on calls as soon as they wish: Trainees join searches while they work through a long list of skill sign-offs and training exercises that typically take a year to complete. The best lessons — and the hardest — will come in the field.

After a morning of searching for the “missing” runners, Fischer’s team broke for lunch. Mentor Eric Chow — just a year into his own tenure on the team — knew that the action would soon pick up. He pulled Fischer aside. “What do you have for PPE?” Chow asked, using shorthand for personal protective equipment — namely, in this case, nitrile gloves. Fischer had none. Chow found a pair in his radio chest harness and handed them over.

Then the radio blared, cutting into the quiet on the trail. Another team had found the last missing subject. Fischer looked at the map. They were close. When they arrived on scene, his wilderness medical training kicked in. He went straight toward the subject — a woman who had fallen off-trail and injured her leg — and joined another rescuer assessing her injuries. He removed her shoe and checked the circulation in her foot.

Uphill, proctors were watching. One of them whispered: “Where are his gloves?”

Blood is a hazard. Smoke is a hazard. Needles, nails, cornices, rocks, hypoxic subjects, moving vehicles. The powerful urge to help someone can come at profound personal cost. Forgetting safety precautions in an exercise merely means failure. Being without them in the field can mean creating more subjects.

Physical safety is paramount, but psychological preparation is important as well: The emotional costs can be just as high.

This team typically deploys to difficult, far-away searches — ones that have already gone on for days without success. Stopping the bleeding (or rescue at all) is not usually involved: Often, they recover bodies.

Veteran team member Alice Ng is haunted by the search for a young mountaineer crushed by an avalanche. The recovery of a body brings closure to everyone, but this one hit her hard: The traumatic stop of this boy’s life, while doing something she might have done too; his family, walking in circles around the airfield, with nothing to do but wait. The day after finding him, while chopping vegetables for dinner, she suddenly broke down in tears. The task was so normal, she told me: “That can be taken away from you so quickly.”

For Eric Chow, one of the mentors who took part in the mock rescue, one search near Lake Tahoe was especially memorable. “We were in our element there,” he remembered. It was high angle, high altitude, in avalanche conditions, a search for one missing person. It was everything this team trains for. The Paradise fire, on the other hand, felt like the opposite. There were scores of bodies reduced to bone fragments, cesspits hidden under the ash, and “widowmakers” — the precarious branches of burned trees — that could fall at any moment. “We don’t know any of those hazards,” he said.

***

It’s difficult to plan or train for what’s never been experienced before, and in climate-influenced disasters, nothing is as it was. The Camp fire was apocalyptic. Michael St. John, long-time leader of Marin Search and Rescue and newly retired from the Mill Valley Fire Department, deployed to Paradise on day five of the blaze to help Butte County search coordinators and state search and rescue leaders wrap their collective heads around organizing such a massive search.

“What’s your PPE plan?” he recalled asking the leaders at search command. He knew they’d need air masks. Tyvek. Steel-shanked boots if they could find them fast enough. And decontamination facilities. When a forest burns, the smoke is dangerous. When a city burns — with all its plastics, paints, chemicals, and more — it’s deadly. If not today, then perhaps years from now when the cancers start growing, St. John said. And while many teams like BAMRU and Marin SAR have limited county insurance for in-field accidents, volunteers don’t get workers’ compensation. They just get sick.

You don’t need to be a backpacker, hunter, or mountaineer heading deep into the wilderness to require rescue from a disaster compounded by climate change. Increasingly, that disaster is coming to us.

From search headquarters at the Tall Pines bowling alley, where cots were set up in the bar and a rec room was converted to mission command, St. John searched Amazon for boots. A dozen deputies raided every Home Depot in the Central Valley for supplies. The National Guard was called to set up mass decontamination tents.

On the first day of the search, central command ran out of P-100 masks, which offer more protection than the N-95 masks the public was encouraged to wear. Some rescuers who couldn’t get masks in the first days of the search, before donations poured in, turned around and went home. The air was so thick with smoke and particulate matter that it choked out even the sun. Just a few hours in Paradise was too much for some: The personal risk was just too great.

Over the week, St. John and search leaders troubleshot challenges. They had state, county, and federal resources at their disposal, and while every one of them was trained in the same incident command structure — a logistics and hierarchy system built to scale to any emergency — each group had its own culture, communications, and even GIS mapping systems.

Leaders struggled to manage the growing list of missing people — and to commit enough resources to sort all 1,300 reports, winnow out redundancies, and narrow the search. As best they could under pressure, they integrated lessons from failures along the way, improving the system a little bit more every day.

And every day, the massive search continued across 240 square miles, where homes, stores, schools, and retirement homes — more than 18,000 structures in all — were now gone. Just the grid of streets remained, along with stone, metal, and randomly spared objects. Chimneys stood like sentries. So did radiators. Mailboxes. The intricate metalwork of a headboard. Cars had melted by the roadside, their metal shells resolidified as river-flows on pavement.

As a USAR search manager, Thomas worked “forward reconnaissance,” evaluating structures and triaging search efforts before larger teams were assigned to move through. Allen, with BAMRU, led one of those teams, each member carrying a shovel or rake. In full, hooded Tyvek, with double-canistered P-100 masks on or around their necks, they searched house by house, block by block, using rake tines to pick through the dense mixture of ash and nails and metal debris.

They’d been trained on arrival to look for one thing only: yellowed or charred fragments of bone, just inches long, and barely recognizable.

They searched most carefully near the remains of beds. The fire had begun around 6:30 a.m., and by 8, it had rushed into Paradise. Mattress coils were easy to spot. Bathrooms were recommended as focus areas, too, but toilets were harder to find. Somehow, Allen said, most of them were gone.

On Sunday afternoon, on their last assignment of the day, Allen led eight BAMRU members to Cape Cod Mobile Estates, two miles up the road from search command. The sign was intact at the entrance, and the office was still mostly standing. They parked on the H-shaped road of the park, where every other structure had been flattened, their corrugated metal roofs collapsed onto the nothingness of ash. The group moved through quickly, in pairs, spending a few minutes at each structure before they focused on two that a deputy requested. As they finished each search, one member spray-painted an X on the driveway: standard communication in bright orange paint. At the top of the X, the date. At the bottom, a zero. No bodies found.

It’s difficult to plan or train for what’s never been experienced before, and in climate-influenced disasters, nothing is as it was.

Allen drove home that night with teammates, her Prius covered in gray, toxic ash. Once home, she struggled to explain the experience. The fires are too big, she’d told her friends and, later, me. The resources — masks and people and insurance coverage — are just not going to be enough, she said. “Now I know how the world ends.”

A few days later, Thomas went home to channel everything he had left into hosting 20 guests for Thanksgiving. When the last one left, he collapsed. For two whole days, he felt awful, and it took weeks to recover. Next year, he told his wife, he’ll turn down some of the calls. But that’s easy to say in the off-season — that annual period of rest which is, of course, getting shorter.

***

Months after the fire, on a sunny day in April, Michael St. John, enjoying retirement, was home from an early morning run up Mount Baldy. His neighborhood — and all of Marin County — was lush and green from heavy winter rains, and while fire danger was no doubt out of mind for most, it was weighing on his. California, after all, doesn’t stay green for long. He searched the state website from his couch, and even he was shocked to see that the first wildland fires of the year had already begun — weeks ahead of normal.

St. John worries that the lessons from Paradise can’t be integrated fast enough: The season is too much of a crush. He worries about the Santa Ana winds — those northeasterly gusts that every autumn fan the flames. He worries that his county, too, is at risk.

When I asked him where he most worries about being affected by future wildland-urban fires, he climbed onto a table to read the small print on a huge wall map of California. He ran one finger up the entire eastern edge of the Central Valley, reading out the name of every major town it crossed. Porterville. Mariposa. Sonora. Placerville. This state was built to burn.

The Santa Ana winds are blowing again. National Weather Service meteorologists have called this season’s gusts dangerous, extreme, and historic. Across the state, vegetation is parched, humidity is low, temperatures have hit record highs, and some 60 miles north of St. John’s kitchen table, Sonoma County is smoldering. At the height of the October Kincade blaze, the evacuation zone covered some 180,000 people. 78,000 acres are black. The latest Predictive Services report, released November 1, says large fire potential could last through the end of the year.

And in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, major storms are brewing. In Japan, Washington state, and the Gaza Strip, flood banks are breaking. Everywhere, rocks and mud and gas are being freed from the ice. And every town, like Paradise one year ago, is on a precipice: It’s a place like any other, in a world that has already changed.

***

Sarah Trent is a freelance journalist covering the environment, food systems, economic development, and the ways everyday people around the world are affected by the climate crisis and environmental degradation.

Editor: Kelly Stout Fact checker: Steven Cohen Copy editor: Jacob Gross

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cathrynstreich · 5 years ago

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Some Great Travel Spots for the Holiday Season

(TNS)—Tie a bow around your travel plans. Here are five family-friendly ways to share the gift of travel with those you love.

1. Snow Lovers: For those who relish the white stuff, the gift of travel to Colorado ski country will be a high-altitude hit. At multiple resorts throughout the state, kids under various ages are offered the opportunity to ski free. For example, kids under 5 always ski free at Arapahoe, Aspen Snowmass and Loveland. Steamboat’s Kids Ski Free and Grandkids Ski Free programs enable children 12 and younger to ski free the same number of days as their parent/grandparent with the purchase of a five-or-more-day adult lift ticket. In Vail, family activities might center around Adventure Ridge, a mountaintop snow park reached by gondola with activities that include ski biking and tubing to a mini snowmobile course and a zipline. Adventure Ridge is open into the evening, providing a family-friendly add-on to the ski day. Other resorts offer lift ticket deals as well as lodging, lesson and gear discounts. Contact www.coloradoski.com.

2. National Park Lovers: In Williams, Ariz., board a historic train for a 65-mile scenic adventure across the Kaibab Plateau to the awe-inspiring South Rim of the Grand Canyon. In Georgia, bypass the crowds and head for the Cumberland Island National Seashore, the state’s largest and southernmost barrier island. Pristine beaches, mud flats, dune fields and salt marshes provide respite for shore birds, sea turtles, wild turkeys and wild horses. Kayak, fish and hike by day. Enjoy the bounty of stars visible from your family’s campsite. (No other lodging is available on the island.) Accessible only by float plane or boat, the Katmai National Park and Preserve on the Alaskan Peninsula near Kodiak Island, spans nearly 5 million acres. Families visit to observe the dense population of brown bears and to fish for trophy rainbow trout, salmon and Dolly Varden trout that run in Katmai’s streams and rivers. Contact thetrain.com.

3. Museum Lovers: Make a plan to visit our nation’s capital with your family and immerse yourselves in the depth and breadth of opportunity provided by the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum, education and research complex. From art and history to the National Zoo and the Air and Space Museum, where kids can climb aboard an interactive flight simulator or take an exciting virtual trip on board a passenger ride, there is plenty to explore in Washington, D.C. At the National Museum of the American Indian, families can sample basketry or sit inside a full-size tipi to learn about Comanche life. Before your trip, consider a review of the online resources that inspire, prepare and educate. Contact www.si.edu.

4. Music Lovers: In Nashville, Tenn., home of the Grand Ole Opry and the best in country music, learn how a simple radio broadcast spawned a global entertainment phenomenon. From industry legends to the latest luminaries, you’ll get a taste of history along with a contemporary dose of the genre in the “home of American music.” Take in the Country Music Hall of Fame, Ryman Auditorium, the Bluebird Cafe and the Johnny Cash Museum. Ask about backstage passes, behind-the-scenes tours and family packages. Or, indulge your teen with tickets to see his or her favorite pop star on stage in Vegas. Avoid some of the bright lights by staying at the Four Seasons, a nongaming oasis. Contact www.opry.com.

5. Island Lovers: Pack your sandals and sunscreen and enjoy quality island time. In Hawaii, explore torch-lit paths, indigenous birds and flora and a world-famous luau at the Big Island’s Hilton Waikoloa Village. Dig in for toes-in-the-sand dining and hula dancing on Kauai, snorkel on Maui or surf and swim while relaxing on Oahu. In Costa Rica, wake to a chorus of tropical wildlife in the only lodge located inside the Arenal Volcano National Park. The majestic and perfectly shaped volcanic centerpiece, in a rich rainforest setting, can be observed from most guest rooms, the dining room and an expansive deck. Horseback riding, biking and hiking trails wind through old lava fields and soft jungle trails where howling monkeys, slithering snakes, butterflies and colorful birds beckon visitors. Contact www.gohawaii.com.

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meticulousresearch-blog · 6 years ago

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Global Automatic Identification & Data Capture (AIDC) Market Worth USD 71.74 Billion By 2022

The Global AIDC Market will grow at a CAGR of 11% in the next five years to be valued at USD 71.74 billion in 2022, according to this latest publication from Meticulous Research®. The growth of this market is mainly driven by the exponential growth in the adoption of biometric systems in various industries across the globe. In addition, factors such as rising need to eliminate manual data capture & entry errors, increasing government legislatives on the use of AIDC technology, various technological advancements, and growing e-commerce industry are expected to further propel the growth of this market. However, lack of awareness and high upfront investments associated with the installation of certain AIDC products such as RFID and biometric systems are the major pain points, restraining the adoption of this technology.

The global AIDC market is mainly segmented by product (barcode printers, barcode verifiers, barcode scanners, RFID devices, magnetic stripe readers, smart card readers, biometric systems, Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and mobile computers), by vertical/industry (manufacturing, retail, transportation & logistics, banking & financial, healthcare, and others), and by geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa).

Browse in-depth Report on //www.meticulousresearch.com/product/automatic-identification-data-capture-aidc-market/

On the basis of product type, biometric systems segment dominated the global AIDC market and is also expected to continue its dominance during the forecast period, owing to their rising adoption by various industries such as banking & financial institutes, government agencies, healthcare facilities, offices, and travel & immigration sector to improve overall security; to keep track of staff, patients, and customers; and for identification of individuals.

On the basis of industry/vertical, retail industry commanded the largest share in the global AIDC market, owing to the higher adoption of automatic identification & data capture technologies such as barcode & RFID for billing, supply chain management, staff & asset tracking, and replenishment ordering in the retail value chain. Moreover, with the growing urbanization and rising demand for various consumer goods, the retail industry is experiencing significant growth in various countries across the globe, thereby increasing the adoption of AIDC technologies in this sector.

Request-Sample-Report :https://www.meticulousresearch.com/request-sample-report/?cp_id=3176

North-America accounted for the major share in the global AIDC market in 2016, followed by Europe, and Asia Pacific. The major share of the North American region is mainly attributed to the well-established industrial infrastructure in the region, higher adoption of advanced IT & automation technologies to ensure operational efficiency, favorable government regulations, and easy accessibility to advanced products due to the presence of key players in the region. However, Asian countries are slated to register the fastest growth during the forecast period, primarily due to rising need for automatic data capture technologies to reduce manual errors, continuous shift of manufacturing industry to emerging countries, significantly growing retail industry, and increasing transportation & logistics sector supporting growing manufacturing & retail industry.

Speak-To-Analyst :https://www.meticulousresearch.com/speak-to-analyst/?cp_id=3176

The leading companies operating in AIDC market have employed various strategies to expand their product and application offerings, global footprint, and augment their market share. The key strategies followed by most companies in the global AIDC market were new product launches & product enhancements, partnerships & agreements, mergers & acquisitions, and expansions. The key players in the global AIDC market are Zebra Technologies Corporation, Honeywell International Inc., Datalogic S.p.A., Bluebird Inc., Godex International, Code Corporation, Toshiba Tech Corporation, SATO Worldwide, JADAK Tech, Axicon Auto ID Ltd., Microscan System, Inc., Unitech Electronics Co. Ltd., Opticon Sensors Europe B.V., Impinj Inc., Better Online SolutionsLtd., TSC Auto ID Technology Co., Ltd., Epson America Inc., Allien Technologies Corporation, Avery Dennison Corporation, Newland Europe B.V., and Seagull Scientific Inc.

About Meticulous Research®

Meticulous Research® is founded in 2010 and incorporated as Meticulous Market Research Pvt. Ltd. in 2013 as a private limited company under the Companies Act, 1956. Since its incorporation, the company has become the leading provider of premium market intelligence in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa.

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#automatic identification #Data Capture #AIDC market

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almatypackage-blog · 7 years ago

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Top 5 Must Visit Places in Almaty

Almaty is a mountainous town in Kazakhstan. It is central hub of culture and trade transaction. Almaty is covered by snow capped Alatau Mountains in the south. The metropolitan city is located in the middle of central Asia and exhibits perfect blend of eastern and western culture It is stacked between Europe and Asian continent and is heaven for skiing and snowboarding lovers.

There are multiple online travel agency offering Almaty tour packages from India. Comfortable stay is ensured by plenty of Kazakhstan Hotel Almaty ranging from simple budget friendly hotels to 5 Star hotels to various resorts. Intercontinental hotel Almaty is one of the famous luxurious 5star hotels of the city. There are various activities visitors can indulge in during their stay at Almaty; some of them are as follows:

Skiing and snowboarding

Almaty is famous for its snow capped Trans-lli Alatau Mountains, Shymbulak most famous alpine ski resort located at the height of 2500 meters above sea level and at the distance of just 16 miles from Almaty. it is like a heaven for Skiing and snowboarding lovers.

Arasan Baths

On cold winter day nothing seems to be as good as luxury spa to stretch your muscles and relax. It provides an experience of soothing massage at affordable prices. It is one of the kind of experience which every visitor coming to Almaty must experience.

IIe-Alatau National Park

Ile Alatau National park is the national Park of the Kazakhstan spread over 200-thousand-hectare area. The park has rich flora and fauna with different varieties of Apples, Apricots etc. and is home to 300 species of animals and birds like snow leopards, mountain goat, golden eagle, bluebird of happiness etc.

Central Park

Central Park also known as Gorky Park is very popular park in Almaty, it is kind for recreational park with lot of activities going around. It covers an area around 100 hectares.

Fantasy World, Almaty

Fantasy World Almaty is popular tourist destination among tourists having variety of rides for persons of all age groups. It is perfect to spend some fulfilled leisure time with the family.

Source : http://almatypackage.wikidot.com/top-5-must-visit-places-in-almaty

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atthismoment1d · 7 years ago

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New Forest Alpaca Farm Suris

New Forest Alpaca Farm Suris Alpacas In OH Tumbler Chute

The Alpaca trade supplied an awesome business investment opportunity for us several years in the past, after we decided we wanted to think about a alternative profession somewhere down the street. We started out with simply 5 alpacas in our backyard. We expanded the herd through the years on a part time foundation and at last grew to become full time alpaca breeders after 6 years. Many breeders have completed this identical dream. The keys to success within the alpaca business, like most other enterprise, lay with the breeder's personal virtues of Ardour , Patience, and Focus . The remaining is all very simply realized by our mentorship applications. You do not need any prior knowledge of farming or animal husbandry. Infact, most alpaca breeders come from all totally different walks of life. Teachers, Accountants, Professors, Machinists, Airline Pilots, Business Managers, Executive Assistants, Challenge Engineers, and Veterinarians are examples of those who've went on to develop into very profitable in the alpaca trade. It appears that the birds have been busily pulling items from the ball! I am so happy that you simply enjoyed this hub. How candy to put out supplies for birds to use in nest building. I can remember finding abandoned chicken nests as a child and seeing bits of acquainted string, yarn and other stuff. I have also seen nesting balls made by merely utilizing cotton. They have been wonderful wanting, created to extend awareness and funds for an intellectually challenged group. That is an superior article! I love the concept of a grapevine nesting ball. I used to be lucky enough this yr to provide nesting supplies for a Northern

Alpaca Farm New Forest

Oriole. I first seen her when she was scolding a long piece of 'thread' from a tarp my husband had over the woodpile. It was not letting go, and neither was she. Nonetheless, she did finally have to relent. I busied myself chopping lengths of jute and cotton yarn, as well as tufts of leftover quilt batting. Fastidiously approaching the woodpile, I draped the pieces over that tarp. Earlier than I reached the house, she was gathering up some of the treasures I had left for her. As I watched I determined to time her. It took precisely 8 minutes for her to return for extra. Each time she rigorously gathered up bits of all my choices. I knew I had time to renew the stash earlier than she returned. This went on for two days from early morning to late afternoon. I felt superb about supplying comfortable materials for the subsequent generation of beautiful orioles! I am undoubtedly going to supply these grapevine balls to my birds within the spring. Yours are so stunning and so properly made! I really applaud your efforts towards our wonderful avian mates. Voted Up, beautiful, interesting and awesome. Absolutely beloved your friendly and comical bluebird illustrations!

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Writer: Gracy Martin Ecuador is a deadly mixture where you find the chances. You will discover here anything from snow capped mountains to huge beaches, bird watching, the great Amazon jungle to different such interesting sights. Some of the superb and interesting sights is the Ecuadorian Andean attraction. Publisher: Ryan Coisson You may have seen some commercials on Television advertising the benefits of elevating alpacas on farms and puzzled the way it was that these superb animals at the moment are part of the American livestock scene? This is a short look on the wonderful, undeniably adorable alpaca. Publisher: Gary Sargent One of the good points of interest of Peru is its meals. You would want several weeks to try all of the dishes on provide and you'll make sure that there's plenty of selection to keep your style buds fascinated. Get an introduction to the world of Peruvian meals in this article. Publisher: mugoshal Alpaca is a kind of South American camelid and it's a domesticated species, it seems like a small llama. Publisher: Hortense Soulier Discover what exotic animals you're probably to spot whereas on your exciting Amazon tour in Peru, with this information by a Peru For Less travel knowledgeable. Writer: Richard Trott Alpaca breeding makes sure that you're going to get the perfect fiber that you just need with the intention to cope along with your needs of such fiber in your daily activities. Why Is It That You want to Led Lighting? How to save Cash On-line by using Coupon Codes 2. Style For Ladies On the Age Of 30 3. Why do girls love shoes and hand luggage so much? Suggestions for the best Instyler Hair 5. The idea Behind Online Purchasing!

It sounds like an interesting concept, however like something, it is advisable to evaluate the small print,” stated Mike Fraysier, a director with the state Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, which manages the Quechee Gorge as a part of the state park. There’s a potential for it to be a complementary useful resource for the state parks,” he stated. Fraysier stated he hoped Neil would involve the department along with his plans, and that representatives can be more likely to take part within the conversation during public hearings because the music bowl venture moved by way of the town allowing course of. The utmost nighttime noise degree allowed below city ordinance is 40 decibels — comparable to the background noise of a library, in keeping with noise comparability descriptions used in academic and business research of noise. The maximum daytime noise degree is 45 decibels, comparable to the sound of chook calls. Whereas Act 250 considers noise impacts at the site of the receiver, the town considers impacts on the property line. The RSG research shows that at the property line of the standard Inn, the noise influence can be 70 decibels, the equal of a vacuum cleaner. On the property line of different nearby residences, the research predicts sound ranges of about forty five decibels, which is throughout the daytime limits, however above nighttime limits. Hartford’s zoning administrator, Jo-Ann Ells, stated on Wednesday that she remains to be reviewing the doc submitted by Neil. During the Planning Commission assembly, Ells advised Neil he’d need a letter from the Vermont Agency of Transportation, as well as a photometric plan that would map out the light impression. Standing in his discipline final week, Neil said he’s actively working to address these considerations. He’s met with Hartford Fire Marshal Mike Bedard, and has begun reaching out to neighbors. He’s drafted preliminary emergency access plans, and begun work on a visitors study. He says the Quechee Gorge Village’s current 250 parking areas can be sufficient to accommodate event attendees.

#suri farm #suri alpacas #suri alpaca farm

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