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Category Archives: Philippines
Traffic jams worsen air quality–study
Here's more bad news about the pesky heavy traffic in Metro Manila. A recent study by technical experts commissioned by the civic group Kaibigan ng Kaunlaran at Kalikasan (KKK) said traffic jams continue to worsen air pollution in Metro Manila, … Continue reading
Posted in Air Quality, Asia, Philippines Tagged Air Pollution, Manila, Philippines Leave a comment
China tops WHO list for deadly outdoor air pollution
More than 1 million people died from dirty air in one year, according to World Health Organisation China is the world's deadliest country for outdoor air pollution, according to analysis by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The UN agency has … Continue reading
Posted in Africa, Air Quality, Asia, Australia & Oceania, Chile, China, Europe, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Latin America, London, Mexico, Middle East, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, UK, USA & Canada, World News Tagged Air Pollution, China, Health Effects of Air Pollution, India, Indonesia, Nitrogen Dioxide NO2, Pakistan, PM2.5, Russia, UK, World Heath Organization (WHO) Leave a comment
Environmental advocates' coalition sues LTO for air pollution in Metro Manila
The Coalition of Clean Air Advocates of the Philippines (CCAAP) — a multisectoral oraganization made up of environmental advocates and transport groups — is suing the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for the air pollution in Metro Manila. "On Monday, June … Continue reading
New Year air pollution in NCR 13 times past safe level
The DENR says initial data covering 4 cities in Metro Manila show that Las Piñas and Marikina registered an over 4,000%-increase in air pollution in the first hours of 2015 The post-New Year air pollution level in parts of Metro … Continue reading
WHO study tags Baguio air as 'most polluted' in PH
Local government officials led by Mayor Mauricio Domogan here have called for a review in the recent findings of the World Health Organization (WHO) that Baguio City's air quality is more polluted compared to Manila and Cebu cities. This as … Continue reading
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2014 New Year air pollution in Metro Manila is triple last year's
Air pollution in Metro Manila after New Year celebrations this year was 3 times worse than the air pollution recorded on the same occasion last year, said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The agency found that the … Continue reading
Diesel-powered motor vehicles blamed for most of Philippines air pollution
More than 500,000 diesel-fueled jeepneys, buses, trucks and other vehicles in Metro Manila are responsible for about 70 percent of the total soot or black carbon emissions in the Philippines, according to Climate Change Commissioner Heherson Alvarez. In a speech … Continue reading
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Welcome to the three hundredth and thirty-first in a series of examinations of comic book legends and whether they are true or false. This week, shockingly enough, it is a LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE theme week! Did I just blow your mind? Good! This week, be shocked at the truth about whether Annie creator Harold Gray actually had Daddy Warbucks kill himself rather than suffer through a fourth term of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (the truth of this one is quite twisted), learn why you don't want to try to ration Harold Gray's gas and discover just who Little Orphan OTTO was.
Click here for an archive of the previous three hundred and thirty.
Let's begin!
COMIC LEGEND: Harold Gray originally pitched the strip as starring an orphan named Otto.
STATUS: True
Newspaper publisher and editor Joseph Medill Patterson was particularly involved in the comic strips that he featured in his newspapers (first the Chicago Tribune, which was founded by his grandfather and later, the New York Daily News, founded by, well, him). Through his diligence, he built the Chicago Tribune Syndicate into one of the most powerful comic strip syndicates around (it still is, just under its current name of Tribune Media Services). He either helped create or helped develop some of the greatest comic strips of all-time, including Gasoline Alley, Dick Tracy and Terry and the Pirates. One of his biggest early hits was The Gumps, which cartoonist Sidney Smith developed from a Patterson idea. The Gumps, a domestic comedy about "ordinary" people, was a national smash (in 1922, Smith signed a ten-year, $1 million dollar contract!) and when Patterson founded the Daily News in 1919, The Gumps was the only Chicago Tribune strip that he brought over to the new paper (at first).
Smith had an assistant on the strip named Harold Gray. Gray, naturally, wanted to have his own strip (as, well, who wouldn't?) and he would develop a number of ideas and go over them with Smith. Smith, to his credit, was quite helpful to his assistant in the development of Gray's ideas. Whenever Gray would come up with an idea that Smith liked, Gray would pitch it to Patterson. For months, Patterson shot down all of his ideas. Finally, in 1924, Gray pitched him on the notion of a strip about a young orphan boy named Otto who pulled himself up by his own bootstraps and went on a number of adventures. Patterson liked the novelty of an orphan lead, so he told Gray to work up a sample, but to make sure that it was a cute looking kid so that the strip would appeal to women readers (similar advice from Patterson to Gasoline Alley creator Frank King in 1921 led to the introduction of abandoned baby Skeezix, who was adopted by the single male lead of the strip, Walt Wallet. It turned a strip about cars that was clearly geared towards men into a cross-market hit). Once Gray delivered his drawings of young Otto (at this point, Gray apparently began to refer to him specifically as "Little Orphan Otto), complete with cute curls, Patterson opined, "The kid looks like a pansy to me. Put a skirt on him and we'll call it 'Little Orphan Annie'" (Patterson almost surely was also considering that there were many more strips about young boys than there were strips about young girls, making Little Orphan ANNIE stand out a bit).
And the rest, as they say, is history...
Here's one of the earliest strips, where young Annie is adopted (as a publicity stunt) by the wife of Oliver Warbucks. Warbucks takes to Annie quickly (click on the strip to enlarge - that goes for all the strips in this piece, they can be enlarged by clicking on them)...
Mrs. Warbucks was soon written out of the strip.
The name, "Little Orphan Annie" (and heck, Little Orphan Otto, as well) is a reference to James Whitcomb Riley's popular 19th Century poem, Little Orphant Annie.
Here's a snippet from Riley's poem:
To all the little children: -- The happy ones; and sad ones;The sober and the silent ones; the boisterous and glad ones;The good ones -- Yes, the good ones, too; and all the lovely bad ones.
LITTLE Orphant Annie's come to our house to stay,An' wash the cups an' saucers up, an' brush the crumbs away,An' shoo the chickens off the porch, an' dust the hearth, an' sweep,An' make the fire, an' bake the bread, an' earn her board-an'-keep;An' all us other childern, when the supper-things is done,We set around the kitchen fire an' has the mostest funA-list'nin' to the witch-tales 'at Annie tells about,An' the Gobble-uns 'at gits youEf youDon'tWatchOut!
Thanks to Robert C. Harvey's The art of the funnies: an aesthetic history for the Patterson quote!
COMIC LEGEND: Gray used his strip to specifically harass the clerk who turned him down for an increase in his gas rations during World War II.
STATUS: Bizarrely True
One of the main tenets of Gray's strip was the idea of self-reliance. Therefore, while many have written about how Gray would use his strip to express his political views (he was quite conservative and libertarian), it is worth noting that his political philosophies were integral to the very set-up of the strip, so it was not like it was not unnatural.
That said, while it was natural for his general views to make their way into the strip, Gray certainly took it to great extremes at time.
First off, it is important to note that Gray did extensive traveling across the United States researching story ideas for Little Orphan Annie. You see, the main structure of the strip was that Annie and Daddy Warbucks would be separated by some reason (various reasons over the years) and Annie would end up traveling to various spots of the country and having adventures (often they involved her jump-starting the economy of a small town just by her "get up and go" attitude) and then the pair would reunite (only to be separated again soon after).
Gray felt that this travel was integral to the strip (in fact, speaking of the first legend, years after the fact, Gray tried to give his own origin of how he came up with Little Orphan Annie, and it involved him talking to a young orphan girl - it is a dubious story at best). Well, during World War II, gas was rationed. Gray was already no fan of the federal government (as he viewed Franklin Delano Roosevelt as the enemy to basically all of his ideals of self-reliance for the American people), but when he requested and was denied extra gas ration coupons to effect his travel, he was furious. It was an Office of Price Administration clerk named Flack who turned Gray down, determining that Gray's cartoons were not vital to the war effort.
Gray, a great supporter of the war (Annie formed a group called the Junior Commandos to help the rationing effort in the United States and it soon grew from the strip into a reality) and he was outraged that what he felt were his great patriotic efforts were being unrecognized. Gray asked for a hearing and he received one, but Flack's decision stood.
Gray then took to his strip by starting a series of strips where he would berate a "fictional" character named "Fred Flask."
Editorials piled in denouncing Gray and a couple of papers even dropped the strip. Flack threatened to sue over libel. Gray never apologized, but he did drop the series of strips.
COMIC LEGEND: Gray had Daddy Warbucks kill himself rather than to live through another Presidential term of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
STATUS: False (but really, really close to True)
While he gave up on Flack, he never forgave Roosevelt.
My buddy Jeff Ryan has a new book out about the history of Nintendo. It is called Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America
. You ought to buy it!
With that plug done, let me note that Jeff asked me the other day if the following legend was true:
Harold Gray, Little Orphan Annie creator and quite the conservative, had Daddy Warbucks kill himself rather than live in FDR's America. He resurrected Warbucks only after FDR croaks...so does that mean he's a zombie now?
Not quite, Jeff! But bizarrely very, very, very close to the truth!
In a series of strips in 1944, upon Roosevelt receiving the nomination for his historic FOURTH term as President, Gray began a series of strips where Warbucks was slowly dying of a mysterious disease. The disease, clearly, was that of the country itself. The current generation was killing the hero of capitalism, Warbucks...
Gray dragged the death out for some time, with many strips similar to the above.
However, as you all know, Roosevelt died early in 1945. Well, what do you know, Warbucks turned out to have faked his death!!
And then, Gray went even further by explaining how happy Warbucks was about a certain change in the "climate."
How twisted is that?
As an aside, though, Jeff, amusingly enough, Daddy Warbucks actually WAS killed earlier in the strip and brought back to life! You see, during the 1930s, Gray began to become interested in mysticism and worked a bunch of stories involving magic into the strip. In 1935 and 1937, Warbucks acquired two assistants named Punjab and The Asp (1935 for Punjab and 1937 for The Asp). Both had mystical powers and came from India and "the Orient," respectively. In 1937, Gray also introduced the powerful magical being Mr. Am. Here is Am with Annie...
In a 1937 series of strips, Warbucks and the Asp are killed by bad guys, but Mr. Am brings them back to life! So yes, I guess Warbucks was already a bit of a zombie before that darned FDR killed him!
Thanks to Jeff for the question and thanks to Stuart Liss and his brilliant Little Orphan Annie website for the strip scans throughout the piece!
Okay, that's it for this week!
Thanks to the Grand Comics Database for this week's covers! And thanks to Brandon Hanvey for the Comic Book Legends Revealed logo!
Feel free (heck, I implore you!) to write in with your suggestions for future installments! My e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.com. And my Twitter feed is http://twitter.com/brian_cronin, so you can ask me legends there, as well!
Follow Comics Should Be Good on Twitter and on Facebook (also, feel free to share Comic Book Legends Revealed on our Facebook page!). If we hit 3,000 likes on Facebook you'll get a bonus edition of Comic Book Legends the week after we hit 3,000 likes! So go like us on Facebook to get that extra Comic Book Legends Revealed! Not only will you get updates when new blog posts show up on both Twitter and Facebook, but you'll get original content from me, as well!
Also, be sure to check out my website, Legends Revealed, where I look into legends about the worlds of entertainment and sports, which you can find here, at legendsrevealed.com.
Here's my book of Comic Book Legends (130 legends - half of them are re-worked classic legends I've featured on the blog and half of them are legends never published on the blog!).
The cover is by artist Mickey Duzyj. He did a great job on it...(click to enlarge)...
If you'd like to order it, you can use the following code if you'd like to send me a bit of a referral fee...
See you all next week!

subset: commoncrawl


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Off the Road Again
Y'all I have been on the road. Sometimes it seems like everything happens at the same time. Since January I have been to Michigan, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania (about 10 times), DC, Kentucky, Tennessee, and another place I can't remember. On one of the trips, I dropped my phone inside the wall of a bus (I have no idea either) so there was a time in there with out phone. Luckily the nice bus fellows were able to pry it out of the wall and though my phone sort of looks like a dog has been chewing on it (or actually, like a bus has been chewing on it) I can instagram again! I have two glorious weeks at home stretching out ahead of me before I leave for California for another two weeks. So I thought I'd blog.
When I haven't been traveling, I've been doing lots of sewing, I just haven't been taking many picture. Oops! Here is a picture I took of a quilt I made for my nephew, who is in a big boy bed – I have to make some matching pillow cases for it and I'll bring it with me to California in a few weeks.
I used Eric Carle "Brown Bear What Do You See" (note this link is for the Eric Carle Museum in Amherst, Mass- I want to go there next time I am in Mass visiting family! ) for the center of the stars, and just your standard scrappy wonky star. The binding is from the same panel of fabric – it has stripes down the edges of the selvage. The fabric panel itself would make a lovely cheater quilt but I can't resist making things more complicated and I love wonky stars.
I wanted something that was timeless and child-y – and maybe something he could hand to his baby sister when he gets too grown up for animals and bright colors.
The white fabric is scraps from pillow cases – some of it is textured with stripes, which I liked. It's several different shades of white, which I really enjoy in a quilt, actually, I think it adds a nice subtle weirdness.
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Maui home sales remained steady in November, although the median price ticked up to $624,000, 4 percent higher than the same month a year ago and 6.7 percent higher than the $585,000 median in October.
Meanwhile, home prices and sales fell on both Kauai and the Big Island last month.
A total of 79 homes were sold in November, two more than in October but 34 less than a year ago.
Condo sales also remained steady, with only one more sold in November at a median of $647,656 compared to the same time least year, when the median was at $575,000.
But sales were 34 less than in October, when the median was at $552,000. The condo sales volume overall dropped to $76.6 million compared to $97.3 million in October, but was still higher than in November of last year.
Terry Tolman, chief staff executive at the Realtors Association of Maui, summed it up as: "A good time to buy ... and hold."
He said the inventory of condos, homes and land has grown somewhat, and that buyers still have plenty of options due to continued low interest rates. Sellers, however, who resist the realities of a softening market may be left behind. Realistic sellers can beat the competition with careful pricing, better property conditions, and flexible terms, he said.
As of Dec. 3, there were 1,046 homes, 1,325 condos and 492 lots on the market, all three categories offering more inventory than in August.
Year-to-date, the volume of sales for Maui County homes is up, but slightly down for condos and significantly down for land.
On Kauai, the number of home sales went down 27 percent to 24 in November, while condo sales fell a steep 66 percent to just 12.
The median price of a Kauai home was $515,150 last month, 14 percent lower than the same time a year ago. Condo prices, on the other hand, increased 40.4 percent to $772,000 last month compared to $550,000 a year ago.
Sales volume, year-to-date, was down for homes and vacant land, and most dramatically for condos on Kauai.
Sales also fell on the Big Island, 29 percent for homes (to 99), and 26 percent for condos (to 26) in November.
The median home price of a Big Island home was recorded at $363,600, down 3 percent from the same month a year ago. Condos, on the other hand, were recorded at $481,000 in November, up 30.5 percent from the same time a year ago.
Sales volume, year-to-date, was also down across-the-board for homes, condos and vacant lots on the Big Island.


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The security screening market has witnessed high growth over the last decade in the wake of growing terrorist threats and need for preventing unethical and unlawful acts. Security screening process involves scanning individuals and their belongings through several scanning equipment such as electromagnetic metal detectors, explosive trace detectors, full body X-ray scanners and biometric technology.
Easy availability of integrated screening systems due to technological advancements has enabled vendors to integrate traditional screening and scanning products, thereby driving market growth. Favorable government regulations supporting screening devices' installations to ensure public safety is expected to be a key driver for market growth. Other growth drivers mainly include; Growing security concerns in aviation and increased demand for large scale security surveillance at public gatherings are expected to encourage security screening systems' installation. Surge in biometric systems' installation in private sector offices is expected to favorably impact market growth.
The global security screening market is expected to be restrained by high installation costs, high risk of negative publicity of defense and fear of privacy interruption. Other major challenges for the security screening market include; competitive pressure on manufacturers and strong health effects of full body scanning.
The security screening market can be segmented on the basis of applications and products. Screening systems are used across several applications such as border check points, government buildings, educational institutes, and airports. Based on products, the market can be sub-divided into biometric system, X-ray screening system, electromagnetic detector and explosive trace detector.
North America is expected to be a key region adopting security screening systems as a result of government regulations directing stringent security checks, especially in public places. Asia Pacific is expected to witness high installation of security systems to address constant terrorist threats. Key market participants include Safran, Analogic Corporation, Digital Barriers, American Science and Engineering, OSI Systems, Implant Sciences Corporation, Aargus Global, Aware, Smiths Group, and Magal Security Systems.
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Beware populism fueled-inflation, warns ETF Securities
Investors should beware of inflationary pressure resulting from populist reforms, warns ETF Securities, provider of Exchange Traded Products (ETPs).
ETF Securities research shows a relationship between Quantitative Easing (QE) and inequality, which it believes will lead to a surge in support for populist policies and a more inflationary environment.
"As inequality issues cannot be reversed overnight, we believe uncertainty is likely to remain elevated at least in the coming year, favouring safer, lower volatility assets. Whilst rising populism doesn't always end up with the political incumbent losing, some populist policies are typically implemented to assuage the disenfranchised, which are inflationary," said James Butterfill (pictured), head of Research and Investment Strategy at ETF Securities.
"Investors can protect investment portfolios by gaining exposure to assets which perform well in inflationary or populist environments, such as equities, inflation linked bonds, precious metals and infrastructure," Butterfill added.
ETFS analysis found that the most commonly-used measures of inequality underestimated the strength of its recent rise and that inequality and QE appear to go hand-in-hand: as a result, a rise of populist policies and leaders, sparked by global concerns over rising inequality, is proving to be a powerful catalyst for reform and policy change.
"Regardless of the success of populism at elections, populist momentum can be a very powerful catalyst for reform, with incumbent parties scrambling to counter the populist wave. The end result is typically a rise in infrastructure spend to stimulate economic growth and social initiatives to combat inequality. Infrastructure spend creates additional demand whilst social initiatives are likely to lead to an increase in consumer spending with the end result being a likely rise in inflation," Butterfill said.
ETF Securities warns that populist policies in the US, which are likely to include tax cuts, prompting a widening of the budget deficit, could weaken the US dollar in the coming years. Globally, protectionist policies that could constrict international trade and investment are likely to exacerbate global currency volatility, in turn contributing to further investor uncertainty.
The research, published in ETF Securities latest triannual outlook, used a number of measures, including the Palma ratio, a measure of inequality, to show a correlation between deprivation and QE in a number of European countries alongside an increase in significant populist party traction.


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HighWired, an online community of high schools, in conjunction with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), AOL@SCHOOL and T.H.E. Journal, recently announced the winners of the second annual Technology Excellence Awards. The awards recognize middle and high school principals who have implemented new technology initiatives in their schools. This year, 16 principals across the U.S. were recognized with an award.
To be considered for the award, principals submitted essay applications that detailed the impact their technology initiative had on student learning, professional development or their school community as a whole. Applications were judged by a number of criteria, including planning and implementation of the technology initiative, commitment to technical excellence and overcoming a lack of resources or other obstacles. Winners are awarded an all-expense paid trip to the NASSP convention in Ph'enix, AZ, along with a $500 stipend towards technology in their school.
AOL@SCHOOL content is accessible anytime, anywhere at www.school.aol.com. Schools can order free AOL@SCHOOL software that provides a customized K-12 browser, e-mail, content filtering and local account management. Six online portals are designed for four different student levels, as well as for teachers and administrators. Launched in April 1998, HighWired.com provides easy-to-use Web-based tools and subscription-based class management systems for high schools. To date, the network includes more than 14,400 schools in all 50 U.S. states and 76 foreign countries. HighWired, Watertown, MA, www.highwired.com.
This article originally appeared in the 03/01/2001 issue of THE Journal.
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Accurately predicting the cost of projects is vital to the survival of construction firms. This is the job of a cost estimator. Estimators compile and analyze data on all factors that can influence costs – materials, labor, location, special machinery requirements, subcontracts, overhead, taxes, insurance, markup and any other costs that may affect the project.
Do you have an aptitude for mathematics? Are you interested in computers? Then estimating might be the profession for you. Estimators must be able to quickly analyze, compare and interpret detailed and sometimes poorly defined information, and be able to make sound and accurate judgments based on this knowledge. Assertiveness and self-confidence in presenting and supporting their conclusions are important, as well as strong communication and interpersonal skills. Computers play an integral role in estimating, so skills in this area are essential. While in high school, you can prepare for a career in cost estimating by doing well in mathematics and science, and taking electives in areas such as computers, drafting and business.


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Grobag Baby Sleep Bags were launched in 2000 by the Gro Company and have changed the way babies sleep forever. Starting out as a safer concept to sheets and blankets, Grobags are now the market leaders in baby sleep bags, conforming to a new British Standard (BS8510:2009) for baby sleep bags.
While I was aware of baby sleep bags while pregnant I didn't know much else about them and wasn't really considering the for BattleKid until a friend gifted me one. Along with other gifts she sent me a Carnival 2.5 tog 0-6 months travel Grobag.
It was to be the first of many for BattleKid.
As per the guidelines, we had to wait until BattleKid reached a weight of 8.8lbs (at 1 month old) before we could use it but we've been using Grobag Baby Sleep Bags as part of our nap and bedtime routine ever since!
As already mentioned, Grobags are the market leaders in baby sleep bags, having won four Mother and Baby good awards and two Practical Parenting Holds. Over 3 million have been sold to date*, with the BattleHousehold owning quite a few over BattleKid's short life so far!
Grobags are extremely useful and versatile and negate the need for copious amounts of baby sheets and blankets. We have used them in BattleKid's Sleepyhead™ sleeping pod and in his cot, only ever alternating two sheets at a time. That said I have spare sheets in case of illness or tears in the current ones. Grobags are also much safer than blankets as BattleKid can never get tangled up in them or have his face covered by them. Their design also stops a baby from wriggling down into them so their face will never accidentally get covered during their sleep. The design of Grobags are such that they still allow your baby to move around during their sleep, important as your little one grows up if they like sleeping on their front as BattleKid does.
Grobags do not have arms to allow a baby to regulate their temperature, important for the prevention of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). That said, if the temperature in your baby's room drops significantly during the night, the Gro company do sleepsuits with padded arms designed especially for use with Grobags.
Grobags come in a range of TOG ratings depending on the temperature conditions in which your baby sleeps these range from between 0.5 tog and 3.5 tog. These ratings are much lower than a bed duvet tog rating as Grobags are designed to trap a pocket of warm air around your baby and provides insulation from both above and below. In combination these are more than sufficient to help your baby sleep comfortably.
Each Grobag Baby Sleep Bag comes with a handy free room thermometer to help you decide which tog to use when and what clothes to dress your baby in for the tog rating and temperature conditions of their room.
In the UK, the most versatile tog is 2.5. Your baby's clothes can easily be adjusted to suit the room temperature without needing to change the Grobag itself. Although we have had a range of togs, the 2.5 tog is the one we use 90% of the time, for both naps and bedtime. That said, we have had Grobags in all tog ratings and found the 0.5 and 1.0 tog great for warmer climates when we've been to the Canaries, and the 3.5 tog came in very useful last winter on very cold nights, especially when it snowed. If I was to recommend only one for UK and Ireland readers it would be a Grobag with a tog rating of 2.5.
Grobags come in a range of 3 sizes; 0-6 months, 6-18 months and 18-36 months. UPDATE: Grobag Baby Sleep Bags are now available in sizes 3-6 and 6-10 years! I found the 0-6 months quite a generous size, with BattleKid in these until nearly 8 months old. At almost 18 months old he is still in his 6-18 months bags with a little room left at the toes. I have bought some 18-36 months Grobag Baby Sleep Bags in preparation for our move up and they look huge!
Grobags also come in two types; normal and travel versions. The normal version has a zip around the side of the body from the feet to under the arm and has two armholes, secured over the shoulder with poppers which conform to British Safety Standards.
The travel version is designed to be used with the 5-point harness of car seats and prams/buggies. This type has proper armholes and a front zipper which also conforms to the BSS. We've used this type in the car seat on occasion. Both versions fit securely around your child at the arms and neck, and the 0-6 months has an additional popper under the arm for babies at 8.8lbs for extra safety. So you see, there is no way for your baby to wriggle down into Grobags.
Grobags come in a range of designs for girls, boys and several which are unisex. There is lots of choice so I'm sure you'll find one you like. I would recommend you buy two as that way you will have a spare when the other is in the wash.
I've always found Grobags to be excellent quality. They wash very well, and if you wash them with appropriately matched colours, they keep their colours and whites quite well. They dry well either out on the line or on a clothes horse (as I do). You can also tumble dry them on a low heat setting too, which I have done from time to time. You can even iron them, although I've never done this!
Since we got our first Grobag I've been a big fan with BattleKid owning (but not limited to):
- Alphabet 0.5 tog
- Day & Night Hippo Ho Pack 1.0/2.5 tog
- Hippo Friends 2.5 tog
- Carnival Travel 2.5 tog
- Jolly Jungle Pals 2.5 tog
- Fly a Kite 3.5 tog
- Mr. Moose 3.5 tog
We also have the following in the next size up ready to go:
- Jungle Friends 1.0 tog
- Carnival Travel 2.5 tog
- Rascal Racoon 2.5 tog
- Monkey Magic 2.5 tog
- Fly a Kite 3.5 tog
Grobags vary in price depending on size, tog rating, design and where you buy them from. The average price of a 2.5 tog, current season Grobag in the 6-18 months range, through the Gro Company website is £28.99, depending on design as mentioned. I have bought Grobags from the Gro Company website, from their Amazon shop and also from TK Maxx, who occasionally sell previous seasons Grobags half-price.
I recently got two 2.5 togs and one 1.0 tog in 18-36 months size from TK Maxx. The RRP was £101, and I got all three for £50. You can also keep an eye on the Gro website as they often sell Grobags at reduced prices. So if the initial price frightens you, rest assured you can buy genuine Grobags for less if you shop around and check for sales. Either way I think they are great value-for-money. If you only ever buy two in the size you need, that would work out at £1.12 per week for a 6-18 months size if you used them for one year. That is great for peace of mind from a safety point of view if nothing else. Plus, you could sell them on or gift them after your baby has outgrown them.
What I love about Grobag Baby Sleep Bags
- Value for money
- Excellent quality
- Wash and Dry really well
- Huge range of designs to choose from
- Variety of tog ratings
- Normal and travel versions
- Range of sizes
- Safe to use from 8.8lbs
- No need for loads of sheets and blankets
- Award winning Baby Sleep Bags
- Conform to British Safety Standards (extra plus in my books)
- Free room thermometer
- Easily incorporated into your baby's nap and bedtime routine.
What I don't like about Grobag Baby Sleep Bags
- That they aren't available in adult sizes! (Not really). There's nothing we don't like about them as a family.
As you can tell I am a big fan of Grobags ever since that first one. They've become a firm favourite and a big part of our nap and bedtime routines. They have travelled with us wherever we go to keep those routines going including Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Ireland. I highly recommend Grobags as the only bed-clothes you need for your baby. You'll never look back, I promise!
Cath x
* Gro Company website at the time of writing.
**I was not asked to write this post.


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3/26 – 3/30/17
New Mexico!! After 5+ weeks in Texas we were finally into a new state! First stop? Brantley Lake State Park near Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The campground was great! We snagged a spot with a lake view and a great picnic shelter that was perfect for holding 2 hammocks. Shannon got some work in and after the boys finished school we spent the afternoons making friends at the playground. They met a buddy, Lucas, who was camping with his family in a seriously cool camper-van for spring break and they were all instant friends.
A visit to Carlsbad Caverns was pretty high on our must-see list and we figured it would be pretty cool. It was cooler than cool. It was ice cold. Or something. We took the long way in (the "Natural Entrance"—a 1.25 mile hike winding down, down, down 1000+ feet into an inky underground abyss) and the easy way out (the elevator!). Unfortunately we were a little too early in the season to see the big Bat Flight Program which was a bummer—I love bats (for real). But the caverns themselves were unreal.
Next up…alien invasion. -_-


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One of LA's top urban lifestyle magazines, Rime, just featured a 5 page spread on Roland and his collaboration with Mister Cartoon. Check it out below…
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Chapter XVII
Battle of the Airstrips
Immediately after Pearl Harbor, American submarines began to attack Japanese shipping to the Netherlands Indies. From the beginning they were successful. In September 1943 the submarines accelerated the tempo of their attack. The Japanese lost to the submarines "tremendous tonnages of shipping . . . all over the ocean. No route was secure from their attack; no ship was safe south of Honshu."1 By the early fall of 1944 the Japanese line of communications to the Netherlands Indies was virtually cut.
With American land-based air strength on Leyte increasing steadily, a strong possibility existed that the line of communications between the Japanese homeland and the South Pacific area would be completely severed, especially if the main American air force should move up from New Guinea to Leyte. Imperial General Headquarters felt, therefore, that the Dulag and Tacloban airfields must be neutralized, and the Burauen airfields in southern Leyte Valley seized before the American air force could establish itself in strength on the island. Japanese control of the airfields would also facilitate the movement of Japanese supplies to the island and greatly assist the ground operations of the 35th Army.2
In the latter part of November, Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita, commanding general of the 14th Area Army, sent a liaison officer from his headquarters in Manila with orders to Lt. Gen. Sosaku Suzuki, the 35th Army commander, at Ormoc. General Yamashita is quoted as saying: "If the construction of air bases on Leyte is permitted to continue, the communications between the Southern areas and the homeland will be cut and this would be a serious situation. Therefore, we must occupy Burauen airfield as soon as possible and at the same time neutralize Tacloban and Dulag airfields. Moreover, we must annihilate the enemy's air power."3
Therefore, in a desperate attempt to gain the initiative, the Japanese embarked on a rash scheme to seize the airfields of Leyte. Their plan entailed a co-ordinated effort by both the ground and air forces. Beginning on 23 November and continuing through 27 November, the army air force was to launch a campaign to eliminate American air resistance. On the night of 26 November, aircraft carrying specially trained demolitionists were to crash-land on the Dulag and Tacloban airstrips and put them out of commission.4
Map 18
Japanese Attack on Burauen Airfields
6 December 1944
Plans were made for the 3d and 4th Airborne Raiding Regiments to descend from Luzon on the Burauen airfields. The 26th Division, together with the 16th Division, which had fought the Americans in Leyte Valley, and the 68th Independent Mixed Brigade of the 35th Army were to infiltrate through the mountains and attack and capture the Burauen airfields. The 16th Division was to move from its position in the mountains west of Dagami toward Buri, the northernmost of the Burauen airfields. Elements of the 26th Division which were engaging the 7th Division on the shores of Ormoc Bay were to break off the fight, move over the mountains, and attack Bayug and San Pablo, the southernmost of the Burauren fields. (Map 18) If all went well they were to proceed east and capture the Dulag airfield, on the shores of Leyte Gulf. The airborne assault was to be made on the night of 5 December. The ground troops were to arrive early on the morning of 6 December and assist in the attack.
Because he felt that he had not made sufficient preparation, General Suzuki requested that the attack be postponed until 7 December. General Yamashita disapproved this request, but since bad weather was forecast for 5 December, he sent a message to General Suzuki changing the date of attack to the night of 6 December. This information was immediately transmitted to the 26th Division. At the same time, efforts were made by General Suzuki's headquarters to relay the information to the 16th
Division, but because of radio difficulties General Makino never received the message.
General Makino, after receiving the order for the airborne attack on the night of 5 December to be followed with an attack by his forces on the following morning, concentrated the remaining strength of the 16th Division into one battalion. General Suzuki personally took command of the Burauen operation, and on 1 December he and a part of his staff moved east into the mountains near Burauen. General Tomochika was left in command of the Ormoc forces.5
Unwittingly, the Japanese were flogging a dead horse. General Krueger had stopped all work on these airfields on 25 November.
The American Dispositions
The Sixth Army planners for the Leyte operation had not envisaged the employment of the 11th Airborne Division during the campaign. This division, commanded by Maj. Gen. Joseph M. Swing, was to have staged on Leyte for subsequent operations.6
On 22 November, however, General Hodge ordered the relief of the 7th Division, minus the 17th Infantry, by the 11th Airborne Division in order to free the 7th Division for the drive up the eastern shore of Ormoc Bay. On the same day the 11th Airborne Division, along with the 17th Infantry, less the 2d Battalion, was ordered to seize and secure all exits from the mountains into Leyte Valley in its area. The division was then to advance through the central mountain range, and secure the western exits from the mountains in order to assist the attack of the 7th Infantry Division in its drive north toward Ormoc.7 Upon receipt of this order, General Swing assigned to the units of the 11th Airborne Division the mission of securing the mountain exits.
General Swing immediately started to relieve elements of the 7th Division and by 28 November the relief was completed. For several days the 11th Airborne Division sent patrols to the west and maintained small security guards at the Buri and Bayug airfields.
There were three airstrips--San Pablo, Bayug, and Buri--north of the Dulag-Burauen road in the area between San Pablo and Burauen. Both the Bayug and San Pablo airfields were on the Dulag-Burauen road. The Buri airstrip was almost directly north of the Bayug airstrip. The land between the Bayug and Buri airstrips was flat for a distance of about 800 yards. The northern half of this flat land was a swamp, sometimes five feet in depth. At the northern end of the swamp was a narrow stream, about fifteen feet wide, which ran along the base of a plateau. This plateau, which was directly north of the Buri airfield, was forested with palm trees and jungle growth. Buri airfield lay between the swamp and the plateau.8
By 27 November information from captured documents and prisoners interrogated by units of the Sixth Army indicated that the enemy was planning a co-ordinated ground and airborne attack to seize the airfields in the Burauen area. The intelligence officers of the XXIV Corps, however, thought that the Japanese were not capable of putting this assault plan into effect. The American patrols operating west of Burauen had found no new trails being constructed
nor any old ones being extensively used. Furthermore, the American forces had blocked all known trails leading east over the mountains into the area. Although the enemy might be able to make an airborne attack, "he is not at this time capable of launching a co-ordinated ground airborne attack of major proportions in the Burauen area."9
Despite the trail blocks, however, elements of the 16th Division were able to descend upon the Buri airstrip from the mountains southwest of Dagami. Only one battalion of the 26th Division, which was to have attacked the airfields in the Burauen area on 7 December, ever reached the area. The movement over the mountains was difficult, and it was not until the night of 10-11 December that the unit arrived west of Burauen. It made a half-hearted attack, which was repulsed by elements of the 11th Airborne Division.10
Although the intelligence officers of the XXIV Corps believed there was no possibility of a co-ordinated ground and aerial assault, General Hodge alerted the XXIV Corps to a possible enemy paratroop landing. All units were directed to strengthen local defenses and establish in each sector a twenty-four-hour watching post. All men were to be armed and wear helmets, or to have arms and helmets within reach at all times. In the event of any unusual enemy activity, the headquarters of the XXIV Corps was to be notified immediately.11
In order to protect the airfields more adequately, a company of the 77th Division was furnished to the 11th Airborne Division to defend the Dulag airfield, while the latter division held one battalion alerted at Burauen in readiness to move against hostile forces at any of the three airfields in the area.12 One battalion of the 306th Infantry Regiment and a platoon each from Companies A and B of the 767th Tank Battalion were stationed north of Burauen; the regiment was to be prepared to assemble two companies near the headquarters of the Fifth Air Force for motor movement in defense against airborne attack, and to maintain security detachments at the Bayug and Buri airstrips.13
First Japanese Effort
In the meantime the first phase of the Japanese plan to regain the initiative had begun. At 0245 on 27 November, three enemy air transports with lights on flew over Leyte Gulf at an altitude of about fifty feet. Ten minutes later one of these aircraft crash-landed in the water about twenty-five yards offshore in the area of the 728th Amphibian Tractor Battalion, which was about two miles south of Rizal and about three miles north of Tarragona.
A guard from the battalion, assuming the plane to be friendly, approached it and climbed on the wing to offer assistance. The Japanese emerged from the plane and threw grenades at the guard. The men of the tractor battalion, hearing the noise, came on and killed two Japanese with small arms fire. Three others, however, escaped and reached a swamp west of the landing point.
Ten or twelve more of the enemy moved south along the beach in the surf and also disappeared into the swamp.14
One of the other two planes crash-landed on the Buri airstrip and all its occupants were killed. The remaining plane crashed on the beach near the Bito River, north of Abuyog. Opposite, across the river, elements of the 11th Airborne Division were encamped.15 With the exception of one soldier, who was killed at dawn, all of the Japanese in this plane escaped. The 728th Amphibian Tractor Battalion found many demolition charges abandoned in the plane. In view of this discovery, and the fact that the enemy made no attempt to follow up the landing by an airborne attack in force, the Americans concluded that the Japanese were on a suicide mission of demolition and destruction in the Dulag and Burauen airfield areas. Although the operation caused no damage, Radio Tokyo informed the Japanese people that it was "most successful." If the enemy believed that his attempt had been successful, however, the possibility existed that other airborne troops would be landed, either as raiding parties or in force.16
By 5 December the XXIV Corps was lulled into a sense of false security. The 2d Battalion, 511th Parachute Infantry, which had been in the Burauen area, had rejoined its regiment, which was fighting for the mountain passes on the trail to Albuera. The 3d Battalion, 306th Infantry, on the northwestern approaches to the airfields, reverted on 5 December to the control of the 77th Infantry Division, which was embarking for the Ormoc operation. The only infantry unit in the Burauen area at the time of the Japanese attack was the 1st Battalion, 187th Glider Infantry (less one company), which was on San Pablo airfield. The G-2 periodic report on 5 December at 2000 stated with regard to the general situation in the Burauen-Dagami-Mount Alto area: "An examination of reports of action in this area since 1 Nov may well warrant the assumption that organized resistance has about ceased."17 But before morning, the remnants of the Japanese 16th Division hit the Buri airfield.
Battle of Buri Airstrip
On or about 2 December General Makino, commanding general of the 16th Division, had assembled from the hills southwest of Dagami the remaining elements of the division. The total strength thus massed was only about 500 men. The men rested, and then marched on toward the Buri airstrip. On the way, American artillery and tank fire killed approximately 200 of them. The remaining force moved to a new location--a deep gorge about 6,500 yards southwest of Dagami. On 5 December, this force was to move out of the gorge, join the paratroopers, and launch a combined assault against the Buri airstrip.
BURI AIRSTRIP as it appeared in 1946.
The Americans later learned from interrogated prisoners that the morale of the men of the 16th Division was very low at that time. They were living on coconuts and bananas, since the officers had taken the few remaining rations. Wounded men in the force had been abandoned.18
The 16th Division was still unaware that the target date for the Burauen operation had been postponed to the night of 6 December, and consequently proceeded with its plans to attack the Buri airstrip on 6 December at 0630--over fourteen hours before the paratroopers were scheduled to land. On the night of 5-6 December, approximately 150 Japanese made their way quietly toward the Buri airstrip.
At 0600, the 287th Field Artillery Observation Battalion, northwest of Burauen, saw elements of the Japanese 16th Division crossing the main road south of the battalion's position and heading east toward the Buri field. The battalion immediately relayed this information to the XXIV Corps headquarters.19 After crossing the road, the enemy moved into the swamp near the airfield. One Japanese unit of about 15 men, armed with a machine gun, stationed itself at a Filipino shack 300 yards west of the highway in order to cover the road.20
At the Buri strip were about 47 men from the 287th Field Artillery Observation Battalion
and 157 miscellaneous troops.21 Small units of engineering troops and a signal company were at the foot of the bluff, on the northern edge of the strip.
At 0630, the 16th Division launched its surprise attack. Led by a Filipino,22 the Japanese broke into the American bivouac area while the men were still asleep. Some were bayoneted while in their blankets, or before they could seize their weapons. Others held the Japanese off until they could retreat, shoeless and in their shorts and undershirts, either up the bluff to the headquarters of the V Bomber Command, or to the road, where an infantry company had come up in support.23 The service troops were "firing at everything that moves and . . . probably inflicting casualties among our troops."24 The Japanese from the 16th Division entrenched themselves in the woods north of the airstrip.
Meanwhile, General Hodge ordered that the 1st Battalion, 382d Infantry, be released from the 96th Division and placed under the operational control of General Swing of the 11th Airborne Division. The battalion was to proceed immediately to the aid of the two companies of the 11th Airborne Division in the Buri airfield area. General Hodge emphasized that the area was "critical" and "must be kept closed." It would be "dangerous" to let the enemy "get into the service troops along the road and around airfields."25 One reinforced company of the 1st Battalion was already in the area and the rest of the battalion made ready to follow.26
Small patrols of combat troops held the enemy forces in check. At 1030 one patrol killed seventeen Japanese north of the Buri airfield, and another killed three of the enemy west of the airstrip. The 1st Battalion of the 187th Glider Infantry was moved from the San Pablo airfield to the Buri area and went into position near the airfield.27 By 1800 on 6 December, the enemy had been driven off the Buri airfield, though pockets of resistance still remained on the edges of the airstrip. The battalion encountered a portion of the 16th Division east of the strip and destroyed it.28 Forty of the enemy were known to be dead, and it was believed that as many more had also been killed.
Attack From the Sky
San Pablo Airstrip
The Japanese air transports were scheduled to be over the airfields at 1840 on 6 December, with an escort of fighter aircraft. Fighters were to neutralize the airstrips and, just before the paratroopers jumped, medium bombers were to strafe the Buri, San Pablo, and Bayug airstrips. At the same time light bombers were to hit antiaircraft positions between San Pablo and Dulag and points west. Fifty-one aircraft in all (transports, bombers, and fighters) were assigned to the operation. The transports were allotted as follows: twenty to the Buri airstrip, nine to San Pablo airstrip, six to Bayug airstrip, and two each to the Tacloban and
SAN PABLO AIRSTRIP as it appeared in 1946.
Dulag airstrips. Each transport carried fifteen to twenty men.29
The Japanese parachutists were well drilled as to their mission. The operation was to be divided into five phases. The first phase was to begin with the jump-off. The men, immediately after landing, were to attack and destroy aircraft on the ground, and one element was to attack the barracks and communications. This phase was to end when the moon rose. In the second phase, ending about 2230, the troops would destroy matériel, ammunition dumps, bridges, and remaining barracks. During the third phase, from 2330 to 0300, the paratroopers were to destroy the remaining aircraft and installations. In the fourth phase, lasting from 0300 to 0600, they were to build defensive positions. In the fifth phase, from 0600 on, preparations were to be made for future operations.
There were to be three assault waves. The first wave would consist of the headquarters unit with approximately 25 men; the signal unit with 7; the 1st Company with 100; the 2d Company with 86; the construction company with 97; and a platoon with 50 men. The second would be composed of 9 men from the headquarters unit; the 3d Company; the Heavy Weapons Company; and the signal unit. The final wave would consist of the remaining troops--about 80 men.30
Just before dark, thirty-nine Japanese transports with supporting bombers and fighters roared over the Burauen airfields. Several incendiary bombs fell on the San Pablo strip, setting a gasoline dump afire and burning a liaison plane. Approximately eighteen enemy aircraft were shot down. Parachutists began to descend from the transports. The commander of the 3d Regiment with about 60 of his men dropped on the Buri strip, while between 250 and 300 parachutists landed near the San Pablo strip.31
The parachutists, immediately after landing, ran up the north and south sides of the San Pablo strip. They talked in loud tones and allegedly called out in English, "Hello--where are your machine guns?" Most of the enemy forces assembled on the north side of the airstrip. They burned three or four more liaison planes, a jeep, several tents, and another gasoline dump, throwing ammunition on the latter.
The only American troops in the area, a small detachment of the 11th Airborne Division, consisted of elements of the 127th Airborne Engineer Battalion, the signal company, Headquarters Battery of the division artillery, special troops as well as Air Corps service troops. During the night of 6-7 December, confusion reigned on the airstrip. There was uncontrolled and disorganized firing and much difficulty arose in establishing a co-ordinated command.32
At dawn, after most of the paratroopers had assembled on the San Pablo airfield, they moved north and west to the northern edge of the Buri airstrip and joined elements of the 16th Division.
At the San Pablo airstrip, Lt. Col. Douglas C. Davis, the commanding officer of the 127th Airborne Engineer Battalion, organized the miscellaneous service troops into an infantry unit to protect the San Pablo airstrip. The 674th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, which was at the mouth of the Bito River, north of Abuyog, was to leave its guns at that place and come to the assistance of Colonel Davis' force. At daylight, the troops of the 127th Airborne Engineer Battalion moved out toward the airstrip and met the 674th Field Artillery Battalion, under Col. Lukas E. Hoska. The artillery battalion swung into line and the two units moved out as a provisional infantry regiment under Colonel Davis--the airborne engineers on the left and the artillery battalion on the right.
They encountered strong resistance to the west of the San Pablo airstrip. After advancing north of the strip, the engineers ran out of ammunition. The field artillery battalion went forward to a coconut grove, also to the north of the airstrip. The gap between the two units was closed by a strong patrol. Since the food and ammunition situation remained uncertain, the composite force went into a perimeter in defense of San Pablo strip, where it remained for the next few days.33
Buri Airstrip
On the night of 6-7 December, the Air Corps service personnel had abruptly quitted the Buri airfield, leaving behind carbines, rifles, grenades, small arms ammunition, and machine guns. 2d Lt. Rudolph Mamula of the 767th Tank Battalion had been ordered
to take charge of the situation, co-ordinate the action of forces on the airstrip, and recover abandoned armament and ammunition. Apparently he was unsuccessful, because later in the day the Japanese made "the best use" of the same arms and ammunition. By the middle of the morning, on 7 December, the enemy had completely occupied the Buri airstrip.
In anticipation of the landing of Japanese paratroopers, General Krueger had requested General MacArthur to release elements of the 38th Division for employment against the enemy airborne troops. The 38th Division had arrived on Leyte to stage for future operations. General Headquarters assigned the 149th Infantry to the control of the commanding general of the Sixth Army; two battalions of the 149th Infantry were in turn released on 6 December to the control of General Hodge, the commanding general of XXIV Corps, who put them under the operational control of the 11th Airborne Division for employment against parachutists in the Burauen area. The remaining battalion of the 149th Infantry was alerted for the movement in the Burauen area on twenty-four hours' notice.34
The 1st and 2d Battalions of the 149th Infantry, 38th Division, were alerted at 0200 on 7 December for movement to the San Pablo airstrip. The advance elements of the 1st Battalion were greeted at the San Pablo airstrip by General Swing, who is reported to have said: "Glad to see you. I am General Swing of the 11th Airborne Division. We've been having a hell of a time here. Last night approximately seventy-five Jap paratroopers dropped on us of which we have accounted for about fifty. Fifteen hundred yards from here on an azimuth of 273° is another airstrip just like this one. Between here and there are about twenty-five Jap troopers. It is now 1400. I want that strip secure by nightfall."35
The commanding officer of the 1st Battalion decided to attack with Companies A and C abreast, Company A on the right, with approximately a 200-yard frontage for each company. A section of heavy machine guns was attached to each unit, and a platoon of 81-mm. mortars from Company D was to support the attack from positions on the San Pablo airstrip.
Moving out at 1430, the troops covered the first 400 yards without incident but were stopped by a rain-swollen swamp. Since attempts to bypass the swamp were fruitless, the men were forced to go through it. The water was shoulder-high in places, and the companies lost contact during the crossing. Company A proceeded to the Buri airstrip, arriving there about 1630. Company C, which had been delayed by a slight skirmish with the enemy, did not arrive until about 1800. Because of the lateness of the hour and the fact that observation had shown there were "many more Japanese" on the north of the airstrip than had been estimated by General Swing, it was decided to establish perimeters for the night.36
By the end of 7 December the 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry, had established a toe hold on the southwestern fringe of the Buri strip. During the day the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry, northwest of the Bayug airstrip, had received machine gun fire from an estimated enemy platoon just west of the Burauen-Dagami road. This enemy force was contained throughout the day as advances
were made southeast toward the Buri airstrip. At 1630 the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry, and the 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry, established contact at the western end of the Buri airstrip. The 1st Battalion, 382d Infantry, 96th Division, had been placed under the control of the 11th Airborne Division. At dusk of 7 December, it took a position near the 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry.37 At 2000 the sector was reported quiet. It was impossible to estimate the total number of American and Japanese casualties for the day, but it was believed to be large.38
During the night of 7-8 December, the Japanese brought forward two machine guns and emplaced them directly in front of Company A of the 1st Battalion, 382d Infantry. At dawn the machine guns opened up. Their low, grazing fire pinned down the company, but Pfc. Warren G. Perkins, in the face of enemy bullets, located the guns and called mortar fire upon the site. The mortar concentration, falling within fifty yards of Perkins, silenced the machine guns and startled the Japanese. Pvt. Ova A. Kelley took advantage of the confusion and charged with his M1 rifle and a carbine. Kelley killed eight of the enemy before he himself was slain.39 The rest of Company A followed Kelley and secured the edge of the airstrip where it set up a perimeter. During 8 December the Americans consolidated their positions.
At 1045 on 9 December the 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry, attacked north with Companies A, B, and C on a line. The companies got across the airstrip but then came under fire from Japanese weapons emplaced on high ground to the north. The 1st Battalion therefore withdrew to the southern edge of the strip. During the day it had killed fifty of an enemy force estimated to consist of two hundred men. The 2d Battalion remained in position throughout the day.40
At twilight the assault companies of the 1st Battalion, 382d Infantry, were sent out in various directions to locate enemy patrols said to be converging upon the airfield. Only a few mortar men and headquarters personnel were left behind to guard the perimeters. At midnight approximately 150 Japanese attacked. The headquarters and service troops with rifle fire, together with the mortar men, stopped the charge. They killed fifty of the enemy and suffered seven casualties.41
On 10 December, after a half-hour artillery concentration, the 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry, attacked with Companies A and C abreast, and Company B in the rear. After the 1st Battalion had pushed north 300 yards across the airstrip, Companies A and C moved northwest while Company B went to the northeast. The companies cleared the airfield area of individual riflemen and destroyed small pockets of enemy resistance. The 1st Battalion went into perimeter at 1700 on the Buri airstrip. The 2d Battalion remained in position throughout the day.42
At 1930 the Japanese launched their final concentrated attack against the airfields. They began to fire at the administration buildings of the Fifth Air Force, and some of the bullets went through the plywood walls of the house of Maj. Gen. Ennis C. Whitehead. "The General ducked a bullet, ordered
someone to find out who the blankety-blank was responsible and that he'd blankety-blank better stop or think up a blankety-blank good reason."43
A staff officer immediately started to investigate the situation. He got Lt. Col. Paul V. Kaessner of the 8th Aviation Signal Battalion on the telephone. The following conversation is reported to have ensued:
"Colonel," he said sternly, "you've got to stop that promiscuous firing down there immediately!"
"Like to, sir," answered the colonel, "but the Japs . . ."
"Japs," shouted the staff officer, "that can't be Japs. That fire is coming from our fifties."
"That's right . . . and the Japs are doing the shooting!"
"Where in the hell did the Japs get our machine guns?"
"How in hell should I know, sir?"
"The bullets are coming right through the general's quarters."
"Tell the general to get down on the floor. Incidentally, that yelling you hear is a Banzai raid on our mess hall."44
The air force personnel were pushed back until they reached the hospital, where they halted and held. They then counterattacked and drove the enemy away from the area. The Japanese left thirty of their dead behind them.
This action was the last major effort of the Japanese against the Burauen airfields. Only a little more than a battalion of the 26th Division, which was to have assisted the 16th Division, managed to reach the airstrips, and it had arrived in a very disorganized condition. Immediately afterward, General Suzuki, the commanding general of the 35th Army, learned that the 77th Division had landed just below Ormoc on the eastern coast of Ormoc Bay. Since Ormoc was the southern entrance to Ormoc Valley, it was highly important that the town be defended at all costs. General Suzuki therefore ordered that the operations against the Burauen airfields be discontinued and that all troops repair to Ormoc Valley. The return through the mountains was difficult. Nearly all organization was lost, and the Japanese made their way back through the mountains as scattered individuals.45
The air transports allotted to Tacloban were destroyed by antiaircraft fire, while those destined for Dulag crash-landed, killing all their occupants.46
The Japanese had failed to achieve any major objective. Though they had destroyed minor fuel and supply dumps and a few American aircraft, delayed airfield construction, and isolated Fifth Air Force headquarters for five days, they had not appreciably delayed the Leyte operation.47
The Japanese attempt to take the initiative away from the Americans had failed. The Sixth Army was at the northern and southern entrances to Ormoc Valley. Elements of the X Corps had been battering for a long time at the northern portal. With the capture of Ormoc, the XXIV Corps had sprung the lock on the southern doorway and was in a position to drive north and thus relieve some of the pressure being exerted against the X Corps.
The arrival of the XXIV Corps at the entrance to Ormoc Valley brought the critical logistical situation on the island of Leyte to the fore. The tenuous supply line already had been stretched very thin, and, with the 77th Division extending its lines, a strong possibility existed that it might snap altogether.
1. USSBS, The War Against Japanese Transportation, 1941-1942 (Washington, 1947), p. 48.
2. Japanese Studies, II, 35th Army Operations 1944-45, p. 74, OCMH.
3. Tomochika, True Facts of Leyte Opn, p. 23.
4. Japanese Studies in World War II, 7, 14th Area Army Operations on Leyte, p. 11; 10th I&HS, Eighth Army, Stf Study of Japanese 35th Army on Leyte, Part III, The Part Played by the Japanese Air Force . . . p. 5.
5. 35th Army Opns, pp. 80-84.
6. Sixth Army Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 62.
7. XXIV Corps FO 28, 22 Nov 44.
8. 149th Para-Glider Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 1.
9. XXIV Corps G-2 Periodic Rpt 39, 27 Nov 44.
10. 11th Airborne Div After Action Rpt, 18 Nov-11 Dec 44.
11. Msg, CG XXIV Corps to CG 7th Div et al, 27 Nov 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 27 Nov 44.
12. Msg, G-3 XXIV Corps to CG 11th AB Div, 28 Nov 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 28 Nov 44, and Sixth Army G-3 Periodic Rpt 528, 28 Nov 44.
13. 11th Airborne Div FO 3, 29 Nov 44.
14. 728th Amph Tractor Bn Unit Rpt 30, 27 Nov 44, and 20th Armored Gp Unit Rpt 5, in 20th Armored Gp Opns Rpt Leyte.
15. The history of the 11th Airborne Division tells the following story about the landing of the third plane. "An antiaircraft machine gun crew, which outfit is forgotten now, was in position on the alert for enemy aircraft. When the plane landed and came to a halt, they called across the small river: 'Need any help?' 'No, everything OK,' someone yelled back, and the machine gun crew went back to watching the skies for enemy aircraft." Maj. Edward M. Flanagan, Jr., The Angels, a History of the 11th Airborne Division, 1943-1946 (Washington, 1948), p. 34.
16. XXIV Corps G-2 Periodic Rpt 43, 1 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 2 Dec 44; XXIV Corps G-2 Periodic Rpt 45, 3 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 4 Dec 44.
17. XXIV Corps G-2 Periodic Rpt 47, 5 Dec 44.
18. XXIV Corps G-2 Periodic Rpt 50, 8 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 9 Dec 44.
19. Msg, Corps Arty to G-2 XXIV Corps, 0710, 6 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 6 Dec 44.
20. Msg, 96th Div to CG XXIV Corps, 1350, 6 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 6 Dec 44.
21. Msg, 287th FA Obsn Bn to XXIV Corps, 1350, 6 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 6 Dec 44.
22. This man was later caught and turned over to the Filipino guerrillas.
23. Combat History, 5th Bomber Command, 8 June 44-May 45, pp. 5-6, AAF Archives.
24. Msg, 11th Airborne Div to XXIV Corps, 1220, 6 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 6 Dec 44.
25. Msg, CG XXIV Corps to CG 96th Div, 1400, 6 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 6 Dec 44.
26. 96th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 47, 6 Dec 44.
27. XXIV Corps G-2 Periodic Rpt 48, 6 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 7 Dec 44.
28. Flanagan, The Angels, p. 49.
29. Air Evaluation Board, SWPA, Leyte Campaign, p. 174, AAF Archives.
30. Msg, GG XXIV Corps to CG Sixth Army, 1440, 9 Dec 44, XXIV G-3 Jnl, 9 Dec 44; XXIV Corps G-2 Periodic Rpt 50, Incl 1, 8 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 9 Dec 44. Both are translations of Japanese documents giving plans for the airborne attack.
31. Davidson et al., The Deadeyes, pp. 67-68; Flanagan, The Angels, pp. 40-50; 408th Airborne QM Co, Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 10-11; CG 11th AB Div to CG XXIV Corps, 2205, 6 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 7 Dec 44.
32. Rpt, Capt Charles Bellows to G-3 XXIV Corps, 8 Dec 44, Investigation of Enemy Paratroopers, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 8 Dec 44.
33. 127th AB Engr Bn Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 1-2; Flanagan, The Angels, p. 51.
34. Sixth Army Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 72.
35. Maj Martin C. Grigg, The Operations of the 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry . . . in the Battle for the Buri Airstrip . . ., pp. 6-7, OCMH.
36. Ibid.
37. Davidson et al., The Deadeyes, p. 67.
38. Rpt, Capt Charles Bellows to G-2 XXIV Corps, 8 Dec 44, Investigation of Enemy Paratroopers, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 8 Dec 44.
39. Private Kelley was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
40. 149th Inf S-3 Periodic Rpt, 9 Dec 44, 149th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte.
41. Davidson et al., The Deadeyes, p. 69.
42. 149th Infantry S-3 Periodic Rpt, 1800, 10 Dec 44, 149th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte.
43. Maj Herbert O. Johansen, "Banzai at Burauen," Air Force, Vol. 28, No. 3, March 1945, p. 7.
44. Ibid.
45. Japanese Studies, II, p. 86, OCMH.
46. Air Evaluation Board, SWPA, Leyte Campaign, p. 174, AAF Archives.
47. Ibid.


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Apple Music is one of the most talked-about technology product launches of the year, and many of you will be working your way through the three-month trial dished out to all iOS users at the end of June. Have you taken the time to explore everything the service has to offer, though? Here are seven Apple Music tips and features you might not yet know about.
- Check out Apple Music vs Spotify vs Tidal
1. Tell Apple more about what you like
There are a lot of benefits to having access to millions of songs on demand, but there are some downsides too - such as the question of how you're supposed to find your way around this cornucopia of musical delights. Streaming music services stand or fall on the strength of their recommendation engines, and Apple Music is no different.
You won't get a decent selection of tunes in your For You tab unless you tell Apple what you do and don't like - you should've done this already when you signed up, but you can tweak your choices by tapping your avatar on the front screen of the app, then tapping Choose Artists For You. Tapping the heart next to songs and artists you like helps too.
2. Get music from Beats 1
Whether or not you spend much time listening to the Beats 1 radio station, you can still plunder some playlists and song recommendations from it. If you tap the Radio icon at the bottom of the Apple Music interface and then tap on the Beats 1 logo, you can scroll down to the Featured shows section to see some recent playlists.
When you're actually listening to Beats 1 or any other radio station, bring the Now playing window up to full-screen size (by tapping on the playback bar), tap the More menu (the three horizontal dots in the lower right-hand corner) and you can add the current track to your music collection or to a specific playlist.
3. Decide to disconnect
Connect is Apple Music's way of bringing you closer to the artists you care most about - it works a little bit like a social network and enables bands and singers to post exclusive content you won't get anywhere else. By default, Apple Music signs you up as a follower of anyone who appears in your music library.
If you don't want to use Connect and you'd rather free up the interface space for something else, you can switch it off: from the Settings app tap General and then Restrictions. Once you've enabled restrictions on your device, disable Apple Music Connect and it disappears from the app interface.
4. Take your music to go
On-demand music streaming is all well and good until you lose phone signal or Wi-Fi. To make sure the music keeps playing, cache songs for offline listening in advance - if you open up the More menu next to a song, album, playlist or artist you'll see a Make Available Offline option to save the music locally.
If you follow the iTunes & App Store link inside the Settings app, then turn on the option marked Use Mobile Data, Apple Music will download songs for offline listening over your phone's data connection as well as Wi-Fi. If you do switch this option on, make sure you have a data plan that can handle it.
5. Organise your own library
We've already spoken about the vast amount of choice you have when there are millions of streaming songs to choose from, and picking out the tracks you like or have actually paid money for can be tricky in the new Apple Music interface. There are a couple of ways to make it easier to get to your own collection.
First, you can move anything from the Apple Music library to your own library via that ubiquitous More menu (those three horizontal dots). Then, from the front page of the My Music screen, choose Music Available Offline from the top drop-down menu to focus on local music rather than everything Apple has in its cloud.
6. Shuffle all of your songs
It can be quite a jolt going from the old iOS 8.3 Music app to the brand new iOS 8.4 Apple Music app, especially if you've signed up for the three-month trial and suddenly find your library invaded by millions of new songs you didn't ask for.
One of the features that's been moved around is the option to shuffle all the songs in your library. To do this in the new Apple Music app, open the My Music tab and tap on Songs from the drop-down menu at the top. Choose a track, open up the Now playing screen, and enable the shuffle function.
7. Apple Music on the desktop
Apple Music for Android hasn't shown up yet, but it is available in iTunes 12.2 for Windows and Mac. If you haven't used the desktop software in a while, it might be time to dust off the download button and give it another whirl.
Sign in with your Apple ID and you get all of the same tabs as on the mobile app - My Music, Playlists, For You, New, Radio and Connect, and they all work in the same way. Of course, in the desktop software, it's all integrated with your movies and television shows too.
Liked this? Why not read Apple Music has already won the streaming war


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Waiting for Godot has achieved a theoretical impossibility — a play in which nothing happens, that yet keeps the audience glued to their seats. What's more, since the second act is a subtly different reprise of the first, he has written a play in which nothing happens, twice.
Recall the old story of the rather refined young man who preferred sex dreams to visiting brothels because he met a much nicer type of girl that way.
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An article about worldwide conflict resolution
This content was COPIED from BrainMass.com - View the original, and get the already-completed solution here!
Locate a scholarly article concerning conflict resolution and peacemaking. Describe the elements of conflict resolution and peacemaking.
Analyze the article. An analysis may include whether or not the methods used in the article should be effective, where they may need further modification, how well you believe the article will apply in real world situations, and whether or not the article effectively captured the essence of the conflict, to name some areas to consider.
Solution Preview
* This article delves into a worldwide conflict resolution with a focus on the regions of Eastern Europe and the Middle East. However, the information contained in this article is usable fully to all areas of conflict
* This article discusses the means in which peacemaking and conflict resolution applying the ideology of restorative justice and criminology can be explored
* The author of this article, Robert Hanser, ...
Solution Summary
An article about worldwide conflict resolution is presented; help is further given to explicate the article.


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De clouseaux Surname Ancestry Results
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de clere de clergis de clerk de clermont de clervall de clervant de clery de cleve de cleves de clifford de clo de clou de cloudt de clue de clynton de cobham de coca de cocellis de cocquerel de coehorn de coetlegon de coetlogon de coeuvres de coiny declermonts decleve declew decley declifford declo decloseaux declozets declue declux decluzeau decly decoate decock decoerdeux decoeurdoux
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text: Across the United States and around the world there are incredible "faith spots," if you will. An area may be known for a very special retreat house, or a shrine, or a giant statue on a hill overlooking the freeway. So often, these are very little known outside the local areas. Yet, people could benefit from including visits to these places during their work trips or vacations. For those who can't make a pilgrimage to Lourdes, or Fatima, or Rome, there are a lot of places in our own backyards where the presence of God is very profound. Share your take on this on Friday with Jerry and Debbie at Noon ET!


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Myrtlewood Rewards Golf Package - Myrtle Beach, SC
4 Nights, 4 Rounds & Much More!
What's Included for Each Golfer?
What's The Pricing?
The golf accommodations included in the Rewards Package are golf villas at Myrtlewood Resort, with your choice of a 1,2 or 3 bedroom layout. Myrtlewood Resort is a golf course community that is located at the extremely popular North End of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
|1 Bedroom Condo
(Based on 2 Golfers)
|2 Bedroom Condo
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The pricing above is an all-inclusive, rate per golfer. This total includes golf rounds, accommodations, taxes and fees. Addititonally, each golfer will receive (4) Breakfast Voucher and (1) $100 Rewards Gift Card, redeemable at any of the golf courses included in this package. Rewards Cards will be given out at the golf course.
What Accommodations are Provided?
Accommodations Overview:
If you're heading to Myrtle Beach for a golf trip, Myrtlewood Resort is an excellent choice for accommodations. This golf community offers a true "stay and play experience", with 2 golf courses on-site and within a short driving distance to area attractions and restaurants such as Broadway at the Beach, Mellow Mushroom and the Hollywood Wax Museum. Itching to get to the beach? No worries! Access to the oceanfront is approximately 3 miles away.
Learn More: View more details about Myrtlewood condo rentals
Featured Amenities: Myrtlewood Resort is packed with amenities. The 1,2, and 3 bedroom golf villas have fully-equipped kitchens and spacious layout, perfect for golf groups of all sizes. The resort itself has the following amenities:
What Golf Courses Will I Be Playing?
The Myrtlewood Rewards golf package offers a great selection of area courses. Outlined below are the 4 golf courses you'll be playing during your trip to Myrtle Beach, SC.
The Golfers Blog
- Save Up To 50% Early Bird and Late PM Fall Tee Times with East Coast Golf Courses 2017
East Coast Golf Management, a full service golf management company based in Myrtle Beach South Carolina, has announced a new Fall 2017 that allows Myrtle Beach Golfers a savings of up to 50% on early […]
- Kids Play Free* Golf This Summer in Myrtle Beach plus more Summer 2017 Specials
The Founders Group International has announced their Summer 2017 Kids Play Free Program and two other specials to help golfers enjoy the game of golf with their very own junior golfers. Summer 2017 Junior […]
- MyrtleBeachGolfPackages.com partners with Enterprise and National Rental Car
MyrtleBeachGolfPackages.com has partnered with Enterprise Rent A Car and National Rental Car to give golfers traveling to Myrtle Beach discounted rental cars for their golf trip. Click here to start your booking –> Myrtle Beach […]
- The Carolinian Oceanfront Rewards Stay and Play
The Oceanfront Carolinian Resort in the heart of Myrtle Beach features one and two bedroom oceanfront and ocean view condos perfect for golf groups. With a few prime weeks remaining in the Fall 2016 Myrtle […]


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Gorgeous heart shaped pendant, featuring a heart shaped brown amber stone set within a patterning Sterling silver casing.
With 17" Chain
Please get in touch if your require a difference chain length
Learn more about our Artico Amber:
Amber is the fossilised plant resin from ancient forests.
This beautiful stone when worn helps balance the emotions and release negative energy.
Emma lovingly chooses each piece of amber for its clarity, inclusions and colour.


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After their father's death, Jack, Julie, Sue and Tom's mother takes to her bed – and never really leaves it again. When she also dies unexpectedly, none of the children are willing to let her go. Instead of surrendering her body to the real world, Jack insists upon burying her. Not in the garden, however, but in a large wooden chest in the cellar, filled with cement he mixes himself.
At first Jack, Julie and their siblings want to maintain the visage of being a normal family for the benefit of an outside world they don't want to interfere with the world within their home. They have got a taste of the freedom all teenagers yearn for, and don't want to lose that. But theirs was never a normal family to begin with.
Julie assumes the role of mother and Jack father, whilst Tom not only becomes the baby (being the youngest), but a baby girl. Their fluid roles slowly dissolve into a general rolelessness, and their sense of individual identity wanes. Total freedom gradually imprisons those left unprepared for it by parents who perhaps never were part of the normal, real world to begin with.
Unfortunately Jack's cement mix was incorrect, and it never properly sets. His mother decomposes down in that cellar, and her strange, strange smell starts to seep through the house like a spectral presence.
Ian McEwan was one of those authors I first encountered via a university syllabus, which is never a good way to find any writer. So this is the first novel of his I've read in almost 15 years. It's a slight tale, at times more about atmosphere than character. A whiff of decay lingers around its almost post-apocalyptic world of near-empty streets and demolished prefabs, let alone inside the walls of Jack's house, where casual grotesqueries start to seem quite domestic.


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Happy New Year, and all that jazz. Welcome to 2012: the Year of Dota 2. We've got Clockwerk today, as suggested by BlastPT. Head over to r/Dota2 and vote for tomorrow's hero!
I really admire the ingenuity of the classic Dota development community when it comes to sourcing models. There's a fairly limited pool of units that they could pull from, yet they always managed to surprise me and pull out something I wasn't expecting. The original Clockwerk model (who was actually called Clockwerk Goblin) was a unit that the WC3 Tinker summoned from his Pocket Factory ability. The units themselves were kinda like techies, in that they could self-destruct, but they were summons, so they had a set duration. As a result, the units themselves didn't really get all that much screen time. In fact, I had pretty much forgotten about the unit when they released him in Dota the first time around.
Because of the reasons I mentioned before, the original WC3 model had an incredibly low poly count (in a game that was already notorious for low poly counts). I think it was probably one of the worst looking models in the game, and subsequently one of the ugliest Dota heroes. The Dota 2 model is a huge improvement over the original, in my books. I was in the model viewer looking at Clockwerk's animations, and they're just so much more detailed. The hookshot animation is particularly great.
What hero do you think has been most improved in Valve's handling of Dota 2? Are there any models that you think look worse?
Wallpaper. 1920×1080.
Valve has done a good job with doombringer – he just looks way more badass. However, I think they could have done a better job with sven – he doesn't look as fearsome as he did in Warcraft
I think the new Storm Spirit has the most heart put into it. He just exudes personality.
I also really dig Gondar now. He has a pretty cool cat-person thing going on. Far better than the Draenei model of WC3. Same with Dark Seer, his new model is infinitely better.
Really, I could sit hear all day gushing over the new models. I'll say it now, every single new model in Dota 2 is a vast improvement over the, by now, horribly dated WC3 models. In general, they all are pretty awesome.
If I had to nitpick, Morphling looks a little awkward ingame. But I'm fine with it, there's only so much you can do with a man made of water.
I'd have to say that I love Void's new model. The old look was good, but the new one is so awesome now.
Also, just a quick question: is there any reason you switched to .pngs from .jpgs? I have some issues with pngs whereas I am fine with jpgs. It's not a big deal or anything, but I was just curious.
Ah. Someone had requested pngs earlier… and I am too lazy to do both.
Maybe I'll switch back to jpgs. Thanks for the input…
ive asked my friends this when it came out and opinions were all over the place like how i think it is now from the comments. i loveeeee sven and i really dislike void and storm. some of my friends agree that storm looks hella weird. we laughed when pudge was given hair, but that was a given. my favorite has to be dazzle. i never liked playing him before but daaaayumm he looks freaking sweet now.
anyways this is a great clock pic!
My personal favorite of the new models has to be Rhasta or Storm spirit, they are both absolutely amazing!
In my opinon valve is spot on when it comes to models and voice acting.
My wife, who's a… uhh, semi-part-time Dota enthusiast… was playing her dozenth game of Dota1, and picked Faerie Dragon on a whim and instantly fell in love.
But I'm not talking "finished a game doing well" fell-in-love. I'm not talking "felt in-tune with the skill set" fell-in-love.
I'm talking she picked the hero, clicked around the fountain, heard the unit responses for the first time, and fell-in-love with Puck's SOUND SET. The proclaimed immediately that it was her 'favorite hero of all time'.
Now for those of you who've played Dota1 you might recall that the old Puck only has about 5 responses; they range from "Rrrrr?" to "Rrr-rrr".
But that's what she likes.
So come Dota2 beta, which I was all stoked to get into, and she's looking over my shoulder as I'm watching old clips of the International or something, and she says,
"They made Puck a girl?…"
"I instantly don't like this game."
…No, she's not in beta.
Hey man, just wanted to let you know that you are one awesome guy. These wallpapers are great and i anxiously await every new one. Definitely keep it up!
I realy like the new necro model, since the old one was just a big range creep, now he totally fits the lore and his skill, looking like a corrupted acolyte.
Just to weigh in on the .png vs .jpeg debate, I prefer png's, which can be converted to jpegs with no downside, whereas a jpeg converted to a png never recovers the lost information(from the jpeg compression).
When I first saw nevermore ult in dota 2, I audibly shrieked at how cool it was when the demon wings sprouted. As far as my favorite model right now, I LOVE how shadow shaman looks! Those two sparklers he carries really made it for me.
i think bounty hunter is the worst..:P