As shot at the Olympics, we can provide the facilities to start or practise this ISSF shooting discipline. It is shot at a distance of 10 meters (10.94 yards) with .177 (4.5mm) calibre pellets. There is a maximum weight limit on the rifle of 12.13lbs (5.5kg) and there are allowances for special clothing as in smallbore target rifle but with the added benefit of trousers. The speciality clothing is generally very strong and rigid to help keep a supported position as this discipline is shot from standing, so every bit of stability that can be gained is a benefit.
Course of fire for this event is different based on gender. Men shoot 60 shots (known as AR60) and Women shoot 40 shots (known as AR40) with each shot scoring a maximum of 10. The top 8 shooters in competition can then go on to shoot an additional 10 shots, each with a maximum score of 10.9. The Winner is determined by the highest aggregate score over the 60/40 + 10.
The target is a total diameter of the target is 45.5 mm and the 10 ring is a mere 0.5 mm
This has been an Olympic shooting discipline since 1984 and there have been World Championships since 1970.
If you'd like to give it a go, get in touch with our club secretary, alternatively, if you'd like more information on the subject, check out the 10 Metre Air Rifle Wikipedia page.


HoverTank Download (1994 Arcade action Game)
Download full HoverTank:
HoverTank screenshots:
HoverTank is a fun two-player split screen tank battle game, just like Atari's classic Combat, but with better graphics and more power-ups. You start out at either a random or a predetermined location depending on the map that you are on, then you must hunt down the enemy tank, which can be either human- or computer-controlled.
Aside from improved graphics and sounds compared to Atari's original, HoverTank introduces a few new features. For example, you can take advantage of the grey and red mines that are scattered throughout the map. One effective strategy is to hurl the enemy tank into a mine to zap life-force. You can also use WARP feature to warp to another part of the screen, but you only have a limited number of WARPs to use, so you must use it sparingly.
One of the things I really like about HoverTank is the great physics model. Your tank moves in a manner more akin to ships in Finnish cavefliers (e.g. V-Wing) than a tank game: that is, inertia is taken into account. If you are going very fast, don't expect to be able to make sharp 90-degree turns or abruptly stop. You can also bounce from certain surfaces and lose life force if you are not careful enough. Needless to say, the game is most fun with played against a friend on the same computer, but the computer "drones" also put up a good fight. If you like Atari's classic, HoverTank is one of the best fanmade clones you will ever come across.
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Back Women Crime Writers: Forty books, four pen names, and one enigmatic author Print
Women Crime Writers: Forty books, four pen names, and one enigmatic author
Fools’ Gold author Dolores Hitchens.
Published last week, The Library of America’s two-volume collection Women Crime Writers of the 1940s and 50s has already won praise from the Washington Post and the Charlotte Observer, which says that the anthology “revives many a forgotten masterwork.”
“Forgotten masterwork” is a helpful capsule description of the last novel collected in the set, 1958’s Fools’ Gold by Dolores Hitchens, which had effectively fallen off the cultural radar despite having been made into the film Band of Outsiders by Jean-Luc Godard in 1964. Readers may be curious to know more about Hitchens (1907–1973) beyond what’s contained in The Library of America’s biographical note, which lists the more than forty titles she published under four different names in a career that spanned thirty-five years.
So who was Dolores Hitchens, aka D. B. Olsen, aka Dolan Birkley, aka Noel Burke? Women Crime Writers editor Sarah Weinman has uncovered a 1952 letter from Hitchens to her editor at Doubleday, Isabelle Taylor, which explains at least one change of nom de plume and also serves as a witty miniature author bio. The letter originally saw the light of day in the privately published 1995 Doubleday Crime Club Compendium 1928–1991, edited by Ellen Nehr, and is here reprinted by permission of the Dolores Hitchens estate.
It’s no secret that I am also D. B. Olsen. In fact I’m glad to get away from the Olsen name for a change (not having been married to Mr. Olsen for some twelve years now makes the necessity of continuing to be D. B. Olsen literally a bit irksome). The books I do under the Hitchens label are not the same type. It gives me a fresh lease on life. A new reincarnation, book-wise.
The full name, and I’m not making this up as I go along, is Julia Clara Catherine Maria Dolores Robins Norton Birk Olsen Hitchens. The first five names have been whittled down to one—the only one I like. The five last names are accounted for by a series of step-fathers and two husbands.
I always hated the name Julia and the pay-off came, at a graduation party at High School, when names were used in rhymes on the place-cards, and some would-be poet rhymed Julia with fool-ya. That was the moment when I became, once and for all, Dolores. Wouldn’t you?
I’m taking psychology courses at the local college in my spare (joke) time with the ultimate aim of outfitting my characters with the latest in psychoses and fixations. Last time I wrote you we lived in Eureka but are now back in southern California on the outskirts of Long Beach in a district called Lakewood where the houses are laid overnight, like eggs. An estimated 3,500 people are moving in. We’re in an older district, however, and miss much of the excitement.
Fools’ Gold by Dolores Hitchens is also available as a Library of America e-book and audiobook. Click here (scroll down) for more information on both formats.
Visit the Women Crime Writers companion website for complete information on all eight novels and their authors, along with appreciations by contemporary writers and related contextual material.
Sarah Weinman: Women Crime Writers anthology tells a new story about genre fiction
Listen: Library of America makes rediscovered genre masterworks available in audio, digital formats
Related Volumes: Women Crime Writers: Eight Suspense Novels of the 1940s & 50s (boxed set) Women Crime Writers: Four Suspense Novels of the 1950s Dolores Hitchens: Fools’ Gold (LOA eBook & Audiobook Classic)
Forthcoming: Spring–Summer 2020
Forthcoming: Fall 2019
Wendell Berry: My literary friendships
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Over 250 veterans honored by donors to Library of America’s “L...


Systematic Dismantling of the Rose Art Museum Well Underway Even as Brandeis Claims Otherwise
by Art Fag City on April 23, 2009 · 3 comments Newswire
The following headline quotes verbatim the title of an email I received from Schwartz Communications, Inc., the PR team now representing the Rose Family. I’ve pasted the press release highlighting the most relevant information after the jump, but to sum up the basic points:
The Rose family was very clear about the integral role the museum was to play in the Brandeis community when it was founded.
The museum can’t function without a director, and to indicate otherwise is for the University to be completely disingenuous about its intentions.
The Committee for the Future of the Rose was founded after Brandeis’ announced that they would close the Rose Art Museum. Not only is the Committee prohibited from determining the fate of the works of art “that are the heart of the institution,” but the Museum itself was not allowed to chose its own representative.
On an editorial note, I find Brandeis’ shady representation of their intentions over the past few months very disturbing. When the University deliberately issues misleading statements about the future of the Rose Art Museum, you have to wonder what else they’re not being up front about.
Press release after the jump.
While Brandeis University Provost Marty Krauss claims in an April 17, 2009 letter to the Brandeis Board of Trustees that the “Rose Art Museum will remain a museum,” the University continues to take steps to dismantle the beloved institution, according to the Rose Art Museum Board of Overseers.
In her letter, Krauss attempted to clarify future plans for the Rose Art Museum once the University closes it on June 30, 2009. Despite the existence of the current Board of Overseers for the museum, Brandeis has named a new committee to “explore future options for the Rose.” In addition, the current position of museum director will be eliminated. According to Jon Lee, chair of the Rose Art Museum's Board of Overseers, “Without a director or curator, the Rose cannot continue to function as a museum under any meaningful definition. Since the University's announcement on January 26, 2009 that it would close the museum, membership and Rose Overseer dues, and all donations have ceased or been asked to be returned. This amounts to more than $2.5 million.”
“When the Rose family originally founded the Rose Art Museum, they were very clear about its mission and the integral role it would play as a part of the Brandeis community,” said Meryl Rose, a member of the Rose Art Museum's Board of Overseers and a relative to the original museum founders. “A museum with a collection and reputation such as the Rose needs a director, and while Krauss's letter states that the collection will be cared for, it does not erase the fact that the Rose as we know it will cease to exist under the administration's current plans. The administration is carrying out an elaborate charade, the first step of which is to turn the Rose from a true museum as its founders intended, into something quite different.”
Two months after first announcing and then restating its intentions to close the Rose and sell off the artwork, the University released the mandate for its “Committee for the Future of the Rose.” The group was established by Brandeis in the wake of its announcement that the Rose Art Museum would be closed and the Museum's art collectionâ”€valued at approximately $350 millionâ”€would be sold to defray the University's operating expenses.
According to Brandeis, the committee is designed to “explore options” for the future of the Rose, but is specifically prohibited from determining the fate of the works of art that are the heart of the institution, leaving that to the administration and Brandeis Board of Trustees. Although the committee includes representatives from various constituencies, including the Rose Art Museum Board of Overseers, members were hand-picked by the administration and the Rose was not allowed to choose its own representative.
“By forming the committee, Brandeis has turned a blind eye to the fact that the Rose already had an active board, in the Rose Art Museum Board of Overseers, to map out its future,” said Rose. “For decades, the museum has also had in place highly acclaimed programming and a dedicated staff to oversee its priceless collection.”
“What is also terribly saddening to us,” continued Rose, “is the role the Brandeis Board of Trustees played in this matter. We know that the trustees have only the best interests of the University at heart. They care about the arts, as many of them sit on the boards of prestigious arts institutions. Unfortunately, they have been led astray by a disingenuous administration motivated to push an agenda that involves looting the school's culture to simply balance the books. Brandeis is devoted to 'Truth, even unto its innermost parts,' but their actions, which always speak louder than words, are designed to do just the opposite, to hide true motives behind bureaucracy, highly paid Boston PR consultants and eventually to the end of a renowned and respected collection that can never be reassembled.”
“In January, the Brandeis Board of Trustees unanimously approved a proposal set before them by President Reinharz that called for the museum to be closed and the artwork sold off, ostensibly to meet a financial shortfall,” said Rose. “The intense negative public response prompted President Reinharz to undertake a series of public moves designed to quiet the anger while still moving forward with the overall plan.”
“As a museum of modern and contemporary art, a code of ethics in the arts community dictates that the Rose Art Museum cannot sell off art that is core to its mission,” continued Rose. “The University is taking steps to turn the museum into an arts center, which is entirely different from a museum. By making that one change the current collection would not fall under the same rules and codes of ethics, freeing the University to sell the art in two years. So the actions set in place by the administration today will lead directly to the sale of the artwork in 2011.”
“We can't let this happen, we won't let this happen,” said Rose. “Louis Brandeis understood the importance of art as part of a strong university. He wrote to his daughter to establish a strong collection as she built the University of Louisville. To think that the school that bears his name will lose its own art collection goes beyond words.”
About the Rose Art Museum
Located on the campus of Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass., The Rose Art Museum was founded in 1961. Over the past 40 years The Rose has earned a considerable reputation for its collections and exhibitions. The collection contains significant holdings in post-War American art including iconic works by Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Willem DeKooning, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol and numerous others.
vincent vallarino April 23, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Everything Brandeis has done to date pertaining the Rose has been utter lying bullshit. They have positioned themselves in an end game forcing their agenda as one would do in a chess game. They think no one actually understands their passive aggressiveness for their own good and they think they can wear everyone down, eventually getting all they wanted in the first place. This is actually a crime and they should be prosecuted for their role in attempting to dismantle something that was established with a set of rules & intentions many years ago by the Rose family, many donors and patrons and the art community. If this is stopped properly through the legal channels it will be a precedent setting case for institutions, museums and foundations in the United States and therefore establish a paradigm example so this doesn’t happen again to our cultural history in the arts.
vincent vallarino April 23, 2009 at 11:32 am
The Digest. 04.24.09. at C-MONSTER.net
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Astellas Announces Acquisition of Quethera
Acquisition furthers Astellas' commitment to innovation in ophthalmology with addition of novel gene therapy program for glaucoma
TOKYO and CAMBRIDGE, England, Aug. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Kenji Yasukawa,Ph.D., "Astellas") and Quethera Limited (CEO: Peter Widdowson, Ph.D., "Quethera") today announced that Astellas has acquired Quethera, a gene therapy company headquartered in the United Kingdom, that is focused on developing novel treatments for ocular disorders, such as glaucoma.
Through this transaction, Astellas has acquired Quethera's ophthalmic gene therapy program, which uses a recombinant adeno-associated viral vector system (rAAV) to introduce therapeutic genes into target retinal cells for the treatment of glaucoma. The lead pre-clinical candidate of the program has demonstrated significantly improved survival of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in pre-clinical models.
"This acquisition demonstrates Astellas' commitment to proactively incorporate state-of-the-art scientific and technological advances and turn them into VALUE for patients," said Kenji Yasukawa, Ph.D., President and CEO, Astellas. "We believe the rAAV program has potential as a new therapeutic option for the treatment of refractory glaucoma through an intraocular pressure (IOP)-independent mechanism. It would address a high unmet medical need in glaucoma patients who are at risk of losing their eyesight."
"Quethera's novel technology approach is focused on exploring potential treatment options for common ophthalmic diseases, such as glaucoma, that can cause blindness and severely affect the quality of life for patients," said Peter Widdowson, Ph.D., CEO, Quethera. "This deal enables us to accelerate our evaluation of this investigational technology program to see if we can slow or prevent disease progression for these patients."
Founding investor UK Innovation and Science Seed Fund (UKI2S) backed the company with co-investment from Cambridge Enterprise in August 2015 and followed with subsequent investment.
Under the terms of the purchase agreement, Astellas may pay up to £85 million in aggregate consideration (upfront and contingent payments) to Quethera shareholders to acquire Quethera. Upon the closing of the transaction, Quethera has become a wholly owned subsidiary of Astellas.
The impact of this transaction on Astellas' financial results for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, is expected to be immaterial.
Astellas Pharma Inc., based in Tokyo, Japan, is a company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products. For more information, please visit our website at https://www.astellas.com/en.
About Quethera Limited
Quethera Limited, based at the Babraham Research Campus in Cambridge, United Kingdom, is a gene therapy company dedicated to improving the future treatment of common blinding eye diseases. Quethera was co-founded in 2013 by Dr. Peter Widdowson (Quethera's CEO) and Professor Keith Martin (Professor and Head of Ophthalmology, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge). Founding investor, UK Innovation and Science Seed Fund (UKI2S), backed the company with co-investment from Cambridge Enterprise in August 2015 and followed with subsequent investment.
About UKI2S
Since 2002, UKI2S has been investing in the earliest and riskiest stages to build world-leading companies from world-leading UK science. As a leading 'patient capital' investor UKI2S has leveraged more than £330 million private investment. UKI2S works closely with its partners - led STFC, BBSRC and NERC, which are all part of UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) and Dstl — and is aligned with the Catapults and Innovate UK to create the best environment for innovation to flourish and in turn, boost the UK's competitiveness and productivity by commercialising key technological advances in industrial biotech, ag tech, healthcare, medicine, clean energy, materials, artificial intelligence, software and space. For more information, please visit www.ukinnovationscienceseedfund.co.uk.
About Cambridge Enterprise
A wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Cambridge, Cambridge Enterprise Limited is responsible for the commercialisation of University intellectual property. It provides access to early stage capital through the Cambridge Enterprise Seed Funds, University of Cambridge Enterprise Funds and Cambridge Enterprise Venture Partners, and offers business planning, mentoring and related programmes. Activities include management and licensing of intellectual property and patents, proof of concept funding and support for University staff and research groups wishing to provide expert advice or facilities to public and private sector organisations. For more information, please visit: www.enterprise.cam.ac.uk.
Astellas Forward-Looking Statement
In this press release, statements made with respect to current plans, estimates, strategies and beliefs and other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements about the future performance of Astellas. These statements are based on management's current assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to it and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: (i) changes in general economic conditions and in laws and regulations, relating to pharmaceutical markets, (ii) currency exchange rate fluctuations, (iii) delays in new product launches, (iv) the inability of Astellas to market existing and new products effectively, (v) the inability of Astellas to continue to effectively research and develop products accepted by customers in highly competitive markets, and (vi) infringements of Astellas' intellectual property rights by third parties.
Information about pharmaceutical products (including products currently in development), which is included in this press release is not intended to constitute an advertisement or medical advice.
For further information: Contacts for inquiries or additional information: Astellas Pharma Inc., Corporate Communications, Tel: +81-3-3244-3201 FAX: +81-3-5201-7473, Corporate Communications (Europe), TEL: +44-7919-302926, contact.emea@astellas.com, Corporate Communications (Americas), TEL: +1 312-772-0050, corporate.communications@astellas.com, OR Contacts for inquiries or additional information: Quethera Limited, Catherine Aman, Press and Media Manager, University of Cambridge Enterprise, Tel: +44-1223-760335, catherine.aman@enterprise.cam.ac.uk, or Sarah Collins, Communications Officer, Tel: +44-1223-765542, sarah.collins@admin.cam.ac.uk


Galaxy Quest TV Show Will Continue Where the Film Left Off
by Anthony Couto
in Movies, Movie News, TV, TV News
In a new interview, writer of the upcoming Galaxy Quest TV adaptation, Paul Scheer, provided new details surrounding the project's development, and clarified where the series fits in the film's timeline.
Scheer, famous for his sketch work with Human Giant and for creating NTSF: SD: SUV at Adult Swim, said he's handed in the first script to Amazon, which will house the new series. He also confirmed that the show will be set after the original film, and involve two separate casts that eventually meet up as the series progresses.
RELATED: Paul Scheer Joins Amazon’s Galaxy Quest Reboot Show as Writer
“Right now, I just handed in my first script to Amazon, so I’m in that zone," Scheer revealed (via /Film). "I’m excited about it. It’s a bigger idea that’s kind of morphed and changed a little bit. Not much. The thing I keep on saying about it, without giving too much away – because it’s going to be so long before people get to see it, I don’t want people to get too burnt out on me telling you what it’s about before it gets to that point – but for me, it was really important to do service to a Galaxy Quest story that gives you everything that you want and indoctrinates people who have never seen Galaxy Quest into what the fun of that world is. That Tropic Thunder, Galaxy Quest world. And also to continue the story of our original characters and have consequences from the first film."
He added, "So it is mixing two casts. It’s separate kind of adventures that kind of merge, and I’m looking at this first season not as episodic, but as a serialized story. So, the only way I’ve been looking at it is, using everything from the first movie and making the reasons for everything not just – I want to avoid anything that could be viewed as a reboot for reboot’s sake. There are real reasons behind these choices – maybe too much so.”
A parody of Star Trek and other sci-fi classics, Galaxy Quest starred Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell and Daryl Mitchell as the cast of the long-canceled TV show who become reluctant heroes when an alien race in need mistakes the series for a historical documentary.
Financially successful and critically acclaimed at the time of its release (it even won a Hugo Award), Galaxy Quest has developed a cult following over the past 16 years, particularly among Star Trek fans.
Tags: galaxy quest
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Cairngorms land based workers asked to Share Stories
The next in the series of creative writing workshops for the ‘Shared Stories: A Year in the Cairngorms’ project are exclusively for the Park’s land based workforce. Gamekeepers, stalkers, ghillies, farmers, rangers, outdoor instructors, forestry workers, ecologists, wildlife guides – and many more – are encouraged to come along to one of four sessions being led by the Cairngorms National Park’s Writer in Residence, Merryn Glover.
The free creative writing workshops are taking place on Wednesday 5th June at Balmoral, Monday 1st July at Blair Atholl Estate and Wednesday 18th September at the Glen Esk Retreat & Folk Museum (all 2pm-6pm) with a fourth date to be confirmed.
Through guided story-telling and writing activities, land based workers will be encouraged to draw from their close relationship with the land to express the joys and challenges of a life in nature. Bringing together a range of voices to celebrate common ground in the Park, the workshop will culminate in pieces of writing that reflect the richness of the land-based worker experience.
Cairngorms National Park Writer in Residence Merryn Glover said: “I am excited about delivering these workshops as land based workers have the most amazing stories to tell. They have experience of the challenges of a career spent in the outdoors with stories about the wonderful sights and sounds they experience on a regular basis that the rest of us can only dream about.
“Absolutely no experience is necessary to take part in the workshops and they are completely free with all resources provided. Whether you already dabble in a bit of creative writing or are totally new to it, this is a great chance to explore your relationship with nature in your work in the National Park through fun and supportive creative writing activities.”
‘Shared Stories: A Year in the Cairngorms’ has been organised – and part funded – by the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) with a funding award of £8,000 from Creative Scotland and £10,000 from the Woodland Trust. Led by the Park’s first ever Writer in Residence, the project aims to encourage people to put pen to paper to share and explore the ways in which people and nature thrive together in the Cairngorms National Park.
Whether attending workshops or not, people are encouraged to submit their writing on the themes of people’s relationship to nature in the Cairngorms National Park to the ‘Shared Stories’ project, some of which will be published online, on displays and in an end-of-year anthology. Through the year, Merryn is also working on her own writing around people, nature and place, which can be followed on her blog.
Booking for the land based worker workshops is essential so please email [email protected] as soon as possible. There is more information on the Shared Stories project here.


Bensman testifies before Congress
I testified before the House Oversight and Reform Committee about my experience combating domestic extremism while working for the Texas Department of Public Safety. The testimony took place Tuesday, June 4, 2019 in the Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C.
The topic of testimony for two panels (mine was the second) was “White Supremacy, Adequacy of the Federal Response.”
PURPOSE OF HEARING:
The hearing will examine the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to combat white supremacist extremist violence, including their budgets and allocations of personnel, data collection practices, and strategic plans.
Under the Trump Administration, DHS appears to have significantly reduced resources and infrastructure that would address the increasing threat of white supremacist extremism. Reportedly, DHS recently disbanded a group of analysts focused on domestic terrorism in the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, reducing the number of analytic reports on white supremacists.
Last month, the Subcommittee held its first hearing on this issue to examine the rising threat of white supremacist violent extremism in the United States and the impact on communities frequently targeted by white supremacists. Witnesses included Susan Bro, the mother of Heather Heyer who was killed in Charlottesville, and former DHS official George Selim.
Video of the full hearing can be found here, starting at Minute 3:24:00
A long version of my written testimony, which is now entered into the Congressional Record, can be accessed here.
My five-minute opening statement is below:
Chairman Raskin and Subcommittee Members, thank you for inviting me to discuss the important issue of countering hate-based domestic extremism in all of its forms, which presents a steady threat to public safety.
I am here to share insights from my decade-long work countering domestic extremism with the FBI and DHS through August 2018 with the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division. I helped build and manage a counterterrorism unit of intelligence analysts for one of the country’s most muscular fusion centers, the Joint Information Crime Center in Austin. With security clearances, we worked under one roof with the FBI, DHS Intelligence and Analysis officers and many other federal agencies.
Texas certainly has its share of racially motivated extremists, and we worked hard to learn their criminal intentions.
Neither we nor the FBI ever dismissed the domestic extremist threat or violent white supremacists, as some suggest, but faced them at every turn during my service from 2009-2018.
I personally saw to it that some of my analysts were always dedicated to this threat problem. We worked hand-in-glove with the FBI’s five Joint Terrorism Task Forces in Texas, each of which maintained its own domestic terrorism squad. For an idea of how hand in glove, Texas DPS investigators were assigned to all five JTTFs, usually to the domestic terrorism squads. Information sharing was strong both ways in our system.
What I can tell you from my experience is that:
Our collaborative arrangements remained in place after the 2016 election. At the line level, we created intelligence, passed information to the FBI on the e-Guardian system or in person, and filled their requests for their case needs. Good things happened as a result.
For a number of years after 2010, DHS Intelligence & Analysis was not as helpful due to an order under Secretary Napolitano for the domestic threats group to stand down research and analysis. This was due to controversy over a leaked 2009 paper that returning military veterans might join extremist groups. In recent years, DHS I&A did begin to provide value.
The number of racially motivated criminal events is now higher than what we were used to. A pivot is necessary to reverse the trend. But any effort must account for the fact that not all dangerous domestic extremists are motivated by racist or religious animus. In Texas, anti-government extremists not animated by racism threatens public safety too, as evidenced by black nationalist extremists who have murdered and wounded 25 police officers since 2016, including five in one horrific Dallas ambush.
It would be a mistake not to recognize this diversity. We certainly worked on cases involving racial motivations, like:
The Atomwaffen Division (Neo-Nazis), which thinks violence will ignite a race war to establish national socialism in the United States. Some have been implicated in murders, building a dirty bomb, and wanting to destroy infrastructure. Some of its national leaders are based in Texas.
But we worked on others not squarely in the white supremacist rubric.
Sovereign citizen movement, which features anti-government, anti-tax extremists who mostly reject government authority over them.
Anti-government militias. Texas residents have been linked with anti-federalists who carried out the 2014 Bundy Ranch standoff in Nevada and the 2016 Malheur National Wildlife Refuge standoff in Oregon.
Anarchist extremists (Antifa movement) From November 2016 through the spring of 2017, masked anarchist extremists continually assaulted DPS troopers and peaceful demonstrators at the Texas State Capitol, harassed businesses in gentrifying neighborhoods, trained in live-fire military assault tactics, are on terror watch lists, and some currently fight with communist Kurdish groups in Iraq.
As the FBI pivots to meet an up-cycling domestic extremism, it should be remembered that a national fusion center infrastructure, with well-oiled collaborative practices are in place as a result of 9/11. I recommend that the homeland security enterprise:
1. Mobilize the nation’s 78 fusion centers to focus them on increased support to FBI JTTFs on this problem set.
2. Conduct a national risk assessment of bias-motivated criminality to build knowledge of the problem set.
3. Require police agencies to report bias crime to the FBI’s Unified Crime Report system. Currently, voluntary reporting is not reliable enough to do much of anything.
4. Require military services to collect and share disciplinary case information and suspicious behaviors as potential early warning, since service is a common circumstance among extremists.
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West African Teen Taunted With Chants of ‘Ebola’ at High School Soccer Game
Ibrahim Toumkara
One Pennsylvania teen, who is originally from Guinea, recently had to endure his high school rival's soccer team chanting “Ebola” at him during a match, WPVI reports.
According to the station, Ibrahim Toumkara, a Nazareth Area High School student and soccer player, got into a fight last week after he heard players from rival Northampton High School taunting him about the deadly virus, which has killed more than 4,000 people across West Africa, including in his home country.
"Being from western Africa and having family in that area, he didn't take too kindly to those remarks and went after one of the players on the Northampton team," the boy's coach, Edward Bachert, explained. Bachert is also Ibrahim's legal guardian, as well as a police chief for Lehigh County.
The 16-year-old moved away from Guinea three years ago, the station notes.
"There were tears coming down his eyes. He was visibly shaken by this, that it got to that level on the field," Bachert added.
Ibrahim's parents are still in West Africa, and according to WPVI, he is constantly worrying for them.
After the tasteless incident, both Northampton's head soccer coach and its assistant coach resigned. Some of the student athletes are also expected to face disciplinary action, according to the station.
"This is part of the educational process to make sure that students are understanding sportsmanship and what's happening out there in the world," Northampton Area Superintendent Joseph Kovalchik said.
"I want them to know we are all the same; nothing can make us be different," Ibrahim said.
Read more at WPVI.


Michael Corleone
CFM Team
Lessons We Learned from 50 Years of The Godfather
Few films of any generation have had the lasting impact as The Godfather, which turns 50 this year. Amid all the violence, crime and intrigue, the movie conveys phrases and life lessons that have become everyday expressions and bedrock beliefs for many Americans.
The Godfather turns 50 this year, which is a reminder of how influential the trilogy has been, even though it tracks the lives and travails of a mobster family.
Phrases derived from The Godfather such as “an offer you can’t refuse,” “it’s not personal, it’s business” and “time to hit the mattresses” have become everyday expressions. But the movie’s influence runs deeper to life lessons about power, family and even capitalism, according to Iris Milanova. “It has so much substance, and it offers some very important life lessons. That’s certainly an offer you can’t refuse.”
Here are some of the life lessons Milanova identified:
Don’t make promises you cannot keep. Your word is the most important thing that you have to offer.
Don’t involve yourself in other people’s personal lives. “Sonny, don’t get involved,” advised Carmela Corleone.
Family is the most important thing in life. “A man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man,” says Don Vito Corleone.
Don’t go against your own family. “Fredo, you’re my older brother and I love you. But don’t you ever go against the family again. Ever.” – Michael Corleone.
Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. Always keep a watchful eye on your enemies and play life’s game of chess with precision, dedication and tact.
Establish friendships out of respect, business and trust. “Friendship is everything. Friendship is more than talent. It is more than the government. It is almost the equal of family.” – Don Vito Corleone.
Violence is the last option. “I don’t like violence, Tom. I’m a businessman. Blood is a big expense.” – Solozzo.
Build a powerful community. “Someday, and that day may never come, I’ll call upon you to do a service for me.” – Don Vito Corleone.
Don’t take things too personal. “it’s not personal, it’s business.” – Michael Corleone.
Francis Ford Coppola gained fame by directing the three Godfather films, which he readily admitted “made me,” not the reverse.
Francis Ford Coppola, who directed The Godfather movies, wrote a new introduction to Mario Puzo’s novel to mark its 50th anniversary. One of his more interesting observations is that many of the life lessons espoused by Don Vito Corleone were actual expressions Puzo heard from his own mother.
“Mario told me that all of the great dialogue, those quotable lines he put into the mouth of Don Corleone, were actually spoken by Mario’s mother. Yes, ‘an offer he can’t refuse,’ ‘keep your friends close but your enemies closer,’ ‘revenge is a dish that tastes best cold,’ and ‘a real man takes care of his family,’ among many others, were sayings he heard from his own mother’s lips. Mario later wrote, ‘Whenever the Godfather opened his mouth, in my own mind I heard the voice of my mother. I heard her wisdom, her ruthlessness, and her unconquerable love for her family and life itself. Don Corleone’s courage and loyalty came from her, his humanity came from her.’”
Coppola revealed it was his sister who suggested the idea that Kay, Michael Corleone’s long suffering wife, would abort their unborn son. “I loved it because it seemed symbolic and the only way a woman married to such a man could halt the satanic dance continuing generation after generation.”
Many films are unforgettable and have intergenerational appeal. The Godfather is that rare cultural phenomenon that became part of our lives for 50 years – and counting. To turn Michael Corleone’s phrase, “It’s not business, it’s personal.”
Tagged: The Godfather, life lessons, Francis Ford Coppola, Mario Puzo, iconic phrases, ‘hit the mattresses, ’ Vito Corleone, Michael Corleone, family, violence, CFM Research


EDITORIAL: Farewell to 2018
Published: Dec 28, 2018 at 6 a.m.
Updated: Dec 28, 2018 at 10:17 a.m.
(stock photo). - Contributed
As 2018 draws to a conclusion, Atlantic Canadians try to find a little time between the hectic Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays for some quiet reflection. It’s a chance to look back on the past year and decide whether we are better or worse off today than when the year began.
Our thoughts cover a wide range of topics. We often think in economic terms, such as changing jobs or getting a promotion, food costs, purchasing the latest electronic gadgets, the cost of gasoline or moving into a new house. Perhaps even the weather.
Others will rate 2018 on a more personal level, such as the loss of a loved one, the arrival of a new baby, making new friends or even a great family vacation. It’s really about what we feel is important in our lives.
There is a general sense that Atlantic Canadians feel 2018 wasn’t a bad year, nor was it a good year. Perhaps just holding our own made it a successful year.
The topic that dominated newscasts in Atlantic Canada concerned trade and tariff uncertainty with NAFTA. It was a relief when a new deal was finally signed although dairy, egg and poultry farmers were hurt. They must be fairly compensated.
New Brunswick had an interesting year, highlighted by a provincial election. Former premier Brian Gallant won the popular vote by six full percentage points but trailed the Progressive Conservatives by a seat and was eventually forced to resign. He was hurt by economic issues — lumber tariffs, the collapse of the Energy East pipeline, the potash mine closure in Sussex and carbon pricing. New Brunswickers voted on pocketbook issues.
Newfoundland and Labrador was caught up with a public inquiry into Muskrat Falls. Many residents wondered how the project could run billions of dollars over budget, while others just want to move on and stop wasting money on an inquiry into how money was wasted. The province feels the worst is over, the severe belt-tightening and austerity programs are easing and the economic outlook for 2019 is much brighter.
Prince Edward Island continued to enjoy a strong economy but it’s finally starting to cool; although the housing sector remains hot. For the first time, Premier Wade MacLauchlan had to deal with economic setbacks, such as several plant closures. The potato industry is reeling from the loss of an estimated 7,000 acres of spuds left in the ground.
Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil’s biggest concern centres on the future of the pulp mill in Abercrombie, which is pitting fishermen and environmentalists against forestry workers. There is intense pressure against a company plan to dump waste water into the Northumberland Strait, putting the mill’s future at risk. But exports are up and Michelin is expanding. A major call centre in Sydney is set to re-open — a most welcome Christmas gift for Cape Breton.
Overall, Atlantic Canadians can confidently raise a glass on New Year’s Eve and bid a generally fond farewell to 2018.
Read more editorials here.
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Woody Harrelson joins Netflix assassin thriller 'Kate'
Woody Harrelson attends the SXSW premiere of the Netflix original film "The Highwaymen" on March 10, 2019 in Austin, Texas. Getty Images
Woody Harrelson will star opposite Mary Elizabeth Winstead in Netflix’s upcoming assassin thriller Kate.
The film will follow ruthless criminal operative Kate, as played by Winstead, who has less than 24 hours to exact revenge on her enemies after she is irreversibly poisoned.
During the process, however, the assassin forms an unexpected bond with the daughter of one of her past victims.
The flick will be directed by filmmaker Cedric Nicolas-Troyan from Umair Aleem’s script and is set to be produced by Bryan Unkeless, Kelly McCormick, and Patrick Newall.
Little more is known about the movie, including details of Harrelson’s character.
The actor has had a busy few years, starring as Beckett in 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story and Maney Gault in Netflix film The Highwaymen.
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He also received his third Oscar nomination for his role as Bill Willoughby in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and is currently in the post-production phases on Zombieland: Double Tap and Midway.
Production on Kate is due to kick off in the near future, with some scenes to be shot in Asia.


Schools, farms and voting machines in Gov. Tom Wolf's budget sights
Updated: 1:03 PM EST Feb 5, 2019
MARK SCOLFORO and MARC LEVY, Associated Press
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf is seeking hundreds of millions of dollars more for schools in his budget proposal released Tuesday, as well as a sprinkling of money for new voting machines and programs to improve worker training and the agricultural sector.The Democrat is also seeking new college benefits for members of the National Guard who re-enlist and tuition aid for community college students who remain in Pennsylvania.FULL VIDEO: Tap the video player above to watch the governor's budget address.In his budget address to a joint session of the Republican-controlled Legislature, Wolf said the most significant element of the $34.1 billion budget plan, his first since winning a second term, is its efforts to help Pennsylvanians compete in a changing economy by bolstering skills and education.He called it "a plan to create a new generation of prosperity in our commonwealth by building the strongest workforce in the nation.""Our challenge demands an all-hands-on-deck approach," Wolf told lawmakers in the address. "And this budget proposal itself asks Pennsylvanians to come together - business leaders, educators, students, workers - to address the challenge of renewing our prosperity for another generation."Including nearly $500 million in supplemental cash for the current fiscal year, Wolf is seeking authorization for another $1.9 billion in new spending, or nearly 6 percent more.The proposal would not increase the state's taxes on income and sales. But Wolf last week laid out a parallel plan to impose a severance tax on Marcellus Shale natural gas production to finance borrowing for an ambitious capital plan that would fund a wide range of projects.Wolf's first term was marked by long, drawn-out budget fights with Republican lawmakers. The new proposal is modest in comparison to his earliest plans, which carried multibillion-dollar tax increases, and seems to reflect Wolf's shift in strategy in the past couple years to the realities of negotiating with big Republican majorities.The extra spending would largely go toward public schools, prisons, pension obligations, health care for the poor, mental health services and social services for children, the elderly and disabled. The administration said the plan carries a half-billion dollars in new initiatives.To help fund it, Wolf's administration is counting on tax collections to rise by a solid 3 percent, plus hundreds of millions of dollars from money already appropriated, higher assessments on Medicaid providers and a fee on municipalities that rely only on state troopers to provide police coverage.Pennsylvania's tax collections are perhaps in their best shape since the recession a decade ago. But the state is facing challenges, including rising borrowing costs, a ballooning retirement-age population and a static working-age population.Most of the new money in Wolf's budget would go to public schools, including $200 million for general operations and instruction. About $13 million of that would finance a boost in the state's decades-old minimum wage for teachers from $18,500 to $45,000, a provision officials said would mostly benefit rural school districts.Schools would get another $50 million for special education and $45 million for school safety, a higher priority after last February's mass high school shooting in Parkland, Florida.Wolf also wants to lower the age at which children in Pennsylvania must attend schools, currently age 8, to age 6, a change projected to affect about 3,300 children. He also wants to raise the permissible dropout age from 17 to 18. State officials said nearly 4,400 17-year-olds left school without graduating in the 2016-17 school year.Another $50 million would go toward expanding the number of state-subsidized slots for pre-kindergarten, while the state would borrow more money for school construction projects.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) —
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf is seeking hundreds of millions of dollars more for schools in his budget proposal released Tuesday, as well as a sprinkling of money for new voting machines and programs to improve worker training and the agricultural sector.
The Democrat is also seeking new college benefits for members of the National Guard who re-enlist and tuition aid for community college students who remain in Pennsylvania.
FULL VIDEO: Tap the video player above to watch the governor's budget address.
In his budget address to a joint session of the Republican-controlled Legislature, Wolf said the most significant element of the $34.1 billion budget plan, his first since winning a second term, is its efforts to help Pennsylvanians compete in a changing economy by bolstering skills and education.
He called it "a plan to create a new generation of prosperity in our commonwealth by building the strongest workforce in the nation."
"Our challenge demands an all-hands-on-deck approach," Wolf told lawmakers in the address. "And this budget proposal itself asks Pennsylvanians to come together - business leaders, educators, students, workers - to address the challenge of renewing our prosperity for another generation."
Including nearly $500 million in supplemental cash for the current fiscal year, Wolf is seeking authorization for another $1.9 billion in new spending, or nearly 6 percent more.
The proposal would not increase the state's taxes on income and sales. But Wolf last week laid out a parallel plan to impose a severance tax on Marcellus Shale natural gas production to finance borrowing for an ambitious capital plan that would fund a wide range of projects.
Wolf's first term was marked by long, drawn-out budget fights with Republican lawmakers. The new proposal is modest in comparison to his earliest plans, which carried multibillion-dollar tax increases, and seems to reflect Wolf's shift in strategy in the past couple years to the realities of negotiating with big Republican majorities.
The extra spending would largely go toward public schools, prisons, pension obligations, health care for the poor, mental health services and social services for children, the elderly and disabled. The administration said the plan carries a half-billion dollars in new initiatives.
To help fund it, Wolf's administration is counting on tax collections to rise by a solid 3 percent, plus hundreds of millions of dollars from money already appropriated, higher assessments on Medicaid providers and a fee on municipalities that rely only on state troopers to provide police coverage.
Pennsylvania's tax collections are perhaps in their best shape since the recession a decade ago. But the state is facing challenges, including rising borrowing costs, a ballooning retirement-age population and a static working-age population.
Most of the new money in Wolf's budget would go to public schools, including $200 million for general operations and instruction. About $13 million of that would finance a boost in the state's decades-old minimum wage for teachers from $18,500 to $45,000, a provision officials said would mostly benefit rural school districts.
Schools would get another $50 million for special education and $45 million for school safety, a higher priority after last February's mass high school shooting in Parkland, Florida.
Wolf also wants to lower the age at which children in Pennsylvania must attend schools, currently age 8, to age 6, a change projected to affect about 3,300 children. He also wants to raise the permissible dropout age from 17 to 18. State officials said nearly 4,400 17-year-olds left school without graduating in the 2016-17 school year.
Another $50 million would go toward expanding the number of state-subsidized slots for pre-kindergarten, while the state would borrow more money for school construction projects.


1/20 oz 1990 Chinese Panda Gold Coin
Added 1/20 oz 1990 Chinese Panda Gold Coin
The Chinese Panda coin is one of the only government issued bullion coins to change the reverse design every year.
The obverse features the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (The Temple of Heaven), the title of the People's Republic of China in Chinese characters, and the year 1990.
This coin's reverse design depicts a panda bear gazing over it's shoulder from atop a rock face. The Reverse also includes the coin's face value, weight and purity.
This coin is legal tender of the People's Republic of China. This beautiful release continues a more than thirty-year old tradition which began in 1983.
Reverse Panda standing on a rock with a bamboo background
Legal Tender CNY 5
Panda standing on a rock with a bamboo background
CNY 5
1/20 oz 1990 Chinese Panda Gold Coin The Chinese Panda coin is one of the only government issued bullion coins to change the reverse design every year. The obverse features the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (The Temple of Heaven), the title of the People's Republic of China in Chinese characters, and the year 1990. This coin's reverse design depicts a panda bear gazing over it's shoulder from atop a rock face. The Reverse also includes the coin's face value, weight and purity. This coin is legal tender of the People's Republic of China. This beautiful release continues a more than thirty-year old tradition which began in 1983.


Private & Independent Schools for Orielton & Pembrokeshire
One stop shop for Orielton independent, fee-paying, private boarding & day schools - plus their ISI inspections reports & International Baccalaureate status
Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools - AGBIS
Boarding Schools Association
Gabbitas Education Consultants - Gabbitas
Girls’ Schools Association - GSA
Headmasters' & Headmistresses' Conference - HMC
Independent Association of Prep Schools - IAPS
Independent Schools Career Guidance - ISCO
Independent Schools Council - ISC
Independent Schools Inspectorate - ISI
International Baccalaureate - IB
ISEB - Independent Schools Examinations Board
Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools
The Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools (AGBIS) supports and advises governing bodies of schools in the independent sector on all aspects of governance, under the umbrella of the Independent Schools Council. The charitable objects of the Association are the advancement of education and the promotion of good governance in independent private schools.
Five really great tips on how to choose a school
Best Schools nationwide area and in the Orielton.area
Website features 12 separate exam league tables of almost all UK private schools in terms of A levels, GCSEs, UCAS tariffs, SATS tests, International Baccalaureate points and Scottish Higher results. There are also three exam league tables for boarding schools and one league table for private preparatory schools. You can search for prep and senior schools, those teaching International Baccalaureate and 6th form colleges near Orielton or anywhere in the UK.
Gabbitas Education Consultants
Gabbitas is the UK's premier independent education consultancy, specialising in: school search and placement advice, guardianship for international students, recruitment and tutoring, higher education and careers advice, summer schools, school start-ups, development and improvement, special educational needs, independent school and SEN guides
Girls’ Schools Association
The Girls’ Schools Association (GSA) represents independent girls’ schools in the UK - use their school finder to search for girls' schools near Orielton or anywhere in the UK.
My Daughter Website
Expert guidance on education for girls helping parents raise happy, fulfilled daughters. Packed full of information, expert opinion and useful advice. This website is an offshoot of the GSA.
The Good Schools Guide offers lots of expert help and advice on schools and schooling ; school admissions advice, tutoring and school entry examinations, special educational needs, how to find the right school... The Guide covers both state and private fee-paying independent schools and has a good search facility so that you can find schools local to Orielton Field Centre or further afield.
Headmasters' & Headmistresses' Conference
HMC (the Headmasters' & Headmistresses' Conference) is a professional association of Heads of many of the world's leading independent schools. It has provided support and advice to Heads for over 100 years and is the oldest and most influential association of its kind in the English speaking world. HMC’s membership includes the Heads of co-educational schools, single sex schools and diamond schools where both single sex and co-educational teaching takes place. The association also includes Heads of schools with a particular religious affiliation or with dedicated provision for children with special educational needs. Use the search facility on the site to find HMC schools near Orielton or worldwide.
Independent Association of Prep Schools
The Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS) is the professional association for Heads of the leading independent preparatory schools and pre-preparatory schools in the UK and worldwide. Click on the Schools Tab to search for prep and pre-prep schools near Orielton or further afield. To find suitable IAPS schools, simply choose whether you wish to consider day or boarding schools and if the school is for your son or daughter. Enter the distance (in miles) from your location to narrow down the search.
ISCO is the independent schools career guidance service - a not-for-profit organisation founded in 1942 to provide careers education and guidance for young people. The foundation provides in-school services and advice.
Independent Schools Council
The Independent Schools Council (ISC) brings together eight associations of independent schools, their heads, bursars and governors. OSC provides research, legal, regulatory and press services to ISC schools. The site has a Find A School tab so you can search for private schools near Orielton or throughout the UK
ISI - Independent Schools Inspectorate
The ISI is responsible for the inspection of independent schools which are members of organisations affiliated to the Independent Schools Council. Use this site to find up-to-date inspection information, support and resources for independent schools around Orielton - and discover why their work matters to you!
Use this site to find schools near Orielton offering the International Baccalaureate Programme
Independent Schools Examinations Board - ISEB
ISEB offers examinations for pupils transferring from junior to independent senior school at the ages of 11+ and 13+. The main examination is Common Entrance, established in 1904. See resources, syllabi, past papers and general information for parents.


November 10, 2015 by Chester S
Should you learn to scuba dive this summer?
Australians are well accustomed to beach life. But while sunbathing, swimming and surfing are second nature to many, a significantly lower number have properly experienced life underwater.
Enter scuba diving. Whether you're a visitor to the east coast or you've lived there your whole life, you'll see a new side to Australia when you experience its marine world. For this reason, a scuba diving expedition should be on your to-do list this summer. Grab a mask, scuba tank and a couple of friends, hop into your rental, and learn to dive these holidays.
What does learning to dive involve?
First things first, you'll need to know how to scuba dive. Unlike snorkelling, there are certain regulations and requirements that have to be met before hitting the water. A licence from the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) is what you'll need to spend summer exploring the land below ground.
A PADI license lets you dive anywhere in the world. Getting one of these licences is also particularly convenient in Australia, as we have numerous dive centres scattered all over the place.
While diving is relatively easy, there are a few things that need to be confirmed before you've even put on a wet suit. Being comfortable in deep water and having a reasonable level of swimming ability is important. There's also a small amount of study involved before the first lesson (don't worry, not much!).
Now comes the fun part. Starting in a swimming pool, you'll get used to the equipment and breathe underwater for the first time. After this is the open water course which involves a dive in the ocean. Most people will find that this first dip leaves them starving for more.
Where can you learn?
The east coast's proximity to the ocean means you'll find no shortage of places that will teach you to dive.
The east coast's proximity to the ocean means you'll find no shortage of places that will teach you to dive. Sydney, Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast all have PADI-certified beginners diving courses, usually just a short drive from the city centre.
Dive Centre Manly, for example, is located in Sydney's popular eponymous beach. Alternatively, there are a huge number of learn-to-dive PADI courses available in beautiful holiday spots such as the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Furthermore, these programmes often offer courses taught in German or Japanese, so tourists can join in the fun. Hire a car in Cairns, or one of our many other car rental facilities along the east coast, and start your summer holiday with a proper splash.
Best dive spots in Australia's East Coast
About 70 kilometres from Cairns, you'll find a luxe holiday town. With many gorgeous resorts and hotels, Port Douglas is a great place to relax and unwind. It also offers excellent access to the GBR making it the perfect spot to start your scuba adventure.
Booking with a reliable company such as Blue Dive is the best way to get you out to the most exciting parts of the reef. You and your group will head out on a boat to the Agincourt Ribbon Reefs, where the stunning visibility makes it easy to see the array of wildlife, including numerous species of fish, coral, turtles, reef sharks and if you're lucky, whales and manta rays. Indeed, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority hails Agincourt as the "best and most pristine examples of coral reefs in the whole GBR".
A photo posted by Jo Eyles (@joeyjoey75) on
Nov 6, 2015 at 3:09am PST
HMAS Brisbane, Sunshine Coast
For a dive site that satisfies your inner Indiana Jones, you can do no better than the HMAS Brisbane. A former Navy vessel, the HMAS Brisbane was launched in 1966 according to the Queensland government's National Department of Parks, Sport and Racing. The ship served dutifully until it was decommissioned, then sunk in 2005 to create an artificial reef and diving site.
Since then, all manner of marine life has moved in. The Parks department noted that within a year, the ship was entirely covered in plant life and that countless fish had already made their homes there. You'll see turtles, fish and a range of live coral all amongst the ruins of a war ship – does it get more intrepid?
North Stradbroke Island, Brisbane
Park your rental in the marina and board a ferry for a day trip to this picturesque little island. While North Stradbroke Island is a destination in its own right; it's waters are particularly renowned for their abundant wildlife. Manta rays, dolphins, turtles and, according to Lonely Planet, humpback whales between June and November.
In particular, Manta Bommie, as the name would suggest, is home to a huge host of manta rays, as well as numerous reef sharks and turtles. Swimming alongside these wonderful animals is bound to make for an unforgettable summer.
A photo posted by Maduro Dive (@madurodive) on


taliban-al qaeda
Senior al Qaeda official praises Taliban’s ‘victory’ in Afghanistan
Asim Umar, a senior al Qaeda official, has released a lengthy statement praising the Taliban’s “victory” in Afghanistan. He claims that America’s “defeat” proves that its superior technology is no match for the jihadists’ faith,…
Ayman al-Zawahiri eulogizes Jalaluddin Haqqani
On May 10, al Qaeda’s propaganda arm, As Sahab, released Ayman al-Zawahiri’s eulogy for Jalaluddin Haqqani — an early ally of Osama bin Laden who also served in the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Haqqani and his eponymous…
Al Qaeda video emphasizes unity with Taliban’s Islamic emirate
Al Qaeda rarely advertises its presence on the Afghan battlefields. But that is what the group does in a new video: “Under the Shade of the Islamic Emirate.”Al Qaeda’s As Sahab media has released a new video advertising the group’s…
Turkistan Islamic Party head decries Chinese occupation
root	 Mar 19, 2019 0
Abdul Haq al-Turkistani’s message is addressed to the leader of the Taliban, the head of al Qaeda and a number of al Qaeda ideologues.Abdul Haq al-Turkistani, the emir of the al Qaeda-affiliated Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP), has…
Al Qaeda-linked group in Syria praises Taliban, Shabaab operations
“Guardians of Religion” fighters train for operations in Syria.The Guardians of Religion Organization (Tanzim Hurras al-Din) has praised recent operations by the Taliban in Afghanistan and Shabaab in Somalia. The one-page statement…
UN: Al Qaeda continues to view Afghanistan as a ‘safe haven’
The United Nations Security Council warns in its latest report on al Qaeda and the Islamic State that both groups maintain a significant presence in Afghanistan. The UN describes al Qaeda’s relationship with the Taliban as…