U.S. service member killed in Afghanistan
Military.com By Hope Hodge Seck
A U.S. service member has been killed in action in Afghanistan, the second American to die while supporting operations in the country in January 2019.
Officials with Operation Resolute Support announced Jan. 22, 2019, that the death of the service member, whose service branch was not identified, is under investigation.
It’s not clear where the service member was killed. Defense Department policy is not to release the names of those who died supporting combat operations until 24 hours after next-of-kin is notified.
This most recent death comes five days after Army Sgt. Sgt. Cameron Meddock, of the 75th Ranger Regiment, died from combat wounds at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany on Jan. 17, 2019. Meddock was shot during combat operations in Badghis province, Afghanistan, on Jan. 13, 2019.
Sgt. Cameron A. Meddock, 26, of Spearman, Texas.
(U.S. Army Special Operations Command)
Earlier January 2019, Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jonathan R. Farmer and Navy Chief Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive) Shannon M. Kent were killed, along with an American DoD contractor and civilian worker, in a bombing in the northern Syrian town of Manbij. Three other American troops were wounded in the bombing.
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Everything you need to know about the AC-130 Gunship
Airman Magazine By Hope Hodge Seck
The AC-130 gunship is a devastating display of force and firepower. Through the years, the aircraft has been equipped with an array of side-fired canons, howitzers, mini-guns, wing-mounted missiles and bombs, and laser guided-missiles launched from the rear cargo door, earning it the moniker the “Angel of Death.”
The primary missions of the gunship are close air support, air interdiction, and armed reconnaissance.
The heavily armed aircraft is outfitted with sophisticated sensor, navigation, and fire control systems, allowing it to track and target multiple targets using multiple munitions with surgical precision.
Another strength of the gunship is the ability to loiter in the air for extended periods of time, providing aerial protection at night and during adverse weather.
The AC-130 relies heavily on visual targeting at low altitudes and punishes enemy targets while performing pylon turns around a fixed point on the ground during attack.
The Air Force is the only operator of the AC-130 and the gunship has been providing close air support for special operators for the last 50 years.
During the Vietnam War, the C-130 Hercules airframe was selected to replace the original gunship, the Douglas AC-47 Spooky (Project Gunship I). The Hercules cargo airframe was converted into AC-130A (Project Gunship II) because it could fly faster, longer, higher, and with increased munitions load capabilities.
The gunship’s AC identifier stands for attack-cargo.
The aircraft is powered by four turboprop engines and has a flight speed of 300 mph and a flight range of 1,300 miles, depending on weight.
The AC-130 gunship’s primary missions are close air support, air interdiction and force protection. Missions in close air support are troops in contact, convoy escort and urban operations. Air interdiction missions are conducted against preplanned targets or targets of opportunity. Force protection missions include air base defense and facilities defense. (U.S. Air Force photo)
The AC-130A was equipped with down facing Gatling guns affixed to the left side of the aircraft with an analog fire control system. In 1969, the AC-130 received the Surprise Package, which included 20mm rotary autocannons and a 40mm Bofors cannon configuration.
The gunships have been modified with multiple configurations through the years with each update providing stronger avionics systems, radars and more powerful armament.
Currently, Air Force special operations groups operate the AC-130U Spooky II and the AC-130W Stinger II.
The Spooky II became operational in 1994, revitalizing the special operations gunship fleet as a replacement for the AC-130A aircraft, and to supplement the workhorse AC-130H Spectre, which was retired in 2015.
The Spooky II is armed with a 25mm GAU-12/U Gatling gun (1800 rpm), a 40mm L60 Bofors cannon (120 rpm), and a 10mm M102 howitzer (6-10 rpm). The AC-130Us have a pressurized cabin, allowing them to operate 5,000 feet higher than the H models, which results in greater range.
The AC-130W was converted from the MC-130W Dragon Spear, a special operations mobility aircraft and are armed with precision strike packages to relieve the high operational demands on AC-130U gunships until new AC-130Js enter combat-ready status.
Over the past four decades, AC-130s have deployed constantly to hotspots throughout the world in support of special operations and conventional forces. In South America, Africa, Europe and throughout the Middle East, gunships have significantly contributed to mission success.
An AC-130W Stinger II fires its weapon over Melrose Air Force Range, N.M., Jan. 10, 2013. The AC-130W is one of the newest aircraft being flown at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Ericka Engblom)
As of Sept. 19, 2017, the AC-130J Ghostrider, the Air Force’s next-generation gunship, achieved Initial Operating Capability and will be tested and prepared for combat deployment in the next few years. The AC-130J is the fourth generation gunship replacing the aging fleet of AC-130U/W gunships.
The Ghostrider is outfitted with a Precision Strike Package, which includes 30mm and 105 mm cannons and precision guided munitions of GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs and AGM-176 Griffin missiles. The 105mm M102 howitzer system is a devastating weapon that can fire off 10 50lbs shells per minute with precision accuracy.
There are 10 Ghostrider gunships in the current fleet and the Air Force plans on purchasing 27 more by fiscal year 2021.
The AC-130 Gunship operational history includes:
1960s/70s – Vietnam/Laos
1983 – Grenada – Operation Urgent Fury
1989 – Panama – Operation Just Cause
1991 – Persian Gulf – Operation Desert Storm
1993 – Somalia – Operation Restore Hope
1995 – Bosnia – Operation Deliberate Force
2001 – Present – Afghanistan – Operation Enduring Freedom
2003 – Present – Iraq – Operation Iraqi Freedom
An AC-130U Gunship aircraft from the 4th Special Operation Squadron jettisons flares over an area near Hurlburt Field, Fla., on Aug. 20, 2008. The flares are used as a countermeasure to heat-seeking missiles that can track aircraft during real-world missions. (Air Force photo/Senior Airman Julianne Showalter)
Air Force units that operate the current fleet of AC-130Us and AC-130Ws include:
AC-130U Spooky – 1st Special Operations Group, Hurlburt Field, Florida
AC-130W Stinger II – 27th Special Operations Group, Canon Air Force Base, New Mexico
AC-130A Spectre (Project Gunship II, Surprise Package, Pave Pronto)
Conversions of C-130As; 19 completed; transferred to the Air Force Reserve in 1975, retired in 1995
AC-130E Spectre (Pave Spectre, Pave Aegis)
Conversions of C-130Es; 11 completed; 10 upgraded to AC-130H configuration
AC-130H Spectre
Upgraded AC-130E aircraft; eight completed; last aircraft retired in 2015
AC-130U Spooky
Operational aircraft (active duty USAF); 17 in service
AC-130J Ghostrider
Based on MC-130J; 32 aircraft to be procured to replace AC-130H
AC-130W Stinger II (former MC-130W Dragon Spear)
Conversions of MC-130Ws (active duty USAF)
Also Read: This was the badass predecessor to the AC-130 Spooky gunship
– The original and unofficial nickname for the AC-130 gunship was “Puff the Magic Dragon” or “Puff.”
– The AC-130H Spectre was introduced in 1969 and was used for 46 years in service; the longest service time of any AC gunship.
– Air Force Special Operations Command plans to install combat lasers on AC-130 gunships within a year.
AC-130U Spooky Fact Sheet:
Primary function: Close air support, air interdiction and force protection
Builder: Lockheed/Boeing Corp.
Power plant: Four Allison T56-A-15 turboprop engines
Thrust: 4,300 shaft horsepower each engine
Wingspan: 132 feet, 7 inches (40.4 meters)
Length: 97 feet, 9 inches (29.8 meters)
Height: 38 feet, 6 inches (11.7 meters)
Speed: 300 mph (Mach .4) at sea level
Range: Approximately 1,300 nautical miles; limited by crew duty day with air refueling
Ceiling: 25,000 feet (7,576 meters)
Maximum takeoff weight: 155,000 pounds (69,750 kilograms)
Armament: 40mm, 105mm cannons and 25mm Gatling gun
Crew: AC-130U – pilot, co-pilot, navigator, fire control officer, electronic warfare officer (five officers) and flight engineer, TV operator, infrared detection set operator, loadmaster, and four aerial gunners (eight enlisted)
Deployment date: 1995
Unit cost: $210 million
Inventory: Active duty, 17; reserve, 0; Air National Guard, 0
The 8 most useless pieces of gear ever issued
Blake Stilwell By Hope Hodge Seck
Quality of gear aside, when the U.S. military is equipping its troops, it tries to ensure they have everything they need to defeat the enemy and – if funding permits – not be entirely miserable in the meantime. Given the Pentagon’s track record with winning battles, one would have to concede they’re doing a pretty good job. Operationally, however, the troops figure out very quickly what’s going to work and what they need to improvise.
Somewhere in there is a troop still trying to get out of his mosquito net.
Mosquito Nets – Vietnam
One private in the Army who was deployed to an aircraft maintenance detachment in Vietnam mentions using the mosquito net diligently, just as he was trained. Except, when the base was attacked, he stumbled in the dark looking for the zipper, nearly getting himself killed in the process.
He, like many in Vietnam, never used the mosquito net again.
“Bring out the E-3”
Army Cold Weather Mask
Are you into bondage? Then this is the issued gear for you. If you hate how much it itches your face or if you wear glasses, it definitely is not.
If they only wore them in dress blues, that would be one thing.
Patrol caps and boonie hats serve the dual purpose of protecting your head from the sun while giving your kevlar a place to rest. They’re also both breathable and prevent the interior of the hat from becoming a swampy mess. The beret did none of these things, but the Army insisted every soldier wear one.
Sun-Wind-Dust Goggles – Iraq & Afghanistan
The only Sun-Dust-Wind goggles that couldn’t protect your eyes from sun, dust, or wind. All that and after a while, the padding slips out of place, the elastic wears out, and they become unwearable. Which isn’t a big deal because they get so scratched up you can’t see from them anyway.
NBC Gear – U.S. Navy
The U.S. military’s old MOPP system used what is essentially a charcoal suit to protect troops from chemical agents in the air. The only problem was they were useless when wet – which is exactly what happened to the sailors during nuclear, biological, chemical warfare drills when they had to start cleaning the ship.
Black Leather Gloves with Wool Inserts
The dual glove system pretty much meant any fine motor skills you needed weren’t going to happen while wearing these things. Many troops would take off the leather gloves to use their fingers, which promptly froze because the liners themselves were useless in the cold.
Have at it hipsters, you poor deserving bastards.
M65 Field Jacket
Speaking of things that are useless in the cold, there was a time when the only jacket issued for the battle dress uniform was this cruel joke.
Presenting the most miserable troop of the 1980s.
Load-Bearing Equipment
This is a great way to carry many different kinds of gear. Until someone starts shooting at you and you need to get down on the ground, stay low, and/or maneuver while you’re down there.
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The North Korean cold war will be paused for the Olympics
Business Insider By Hope Hodge Seck
The Trump administration has agreed to delay joint military exercises with South Korea until after the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics next month, the Pentagon said Jan. 4.
A Pentagon spokesman, Col. Rob Manning, said President Donald Trump agreed to the delay in consultation with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
“The Department of Defense supports the President’s decision and what is in the best interest of the ROK-U.S. alliance,” Manning said, referring to the U.S. defense treaty with the Republic of Korea.
President Donald J. Trump and President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea at the United Nations General Assembly (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)
The decision pushes back a set of annual military exercises known as Foal Eagle, which normally are held between February and April. Foal Eagle is a series of exercises designed to test the readiness of the two countries’ militaries. North Korea routinely objects to such maneuvers as a rehearsal for an invasion.
The Jan. 4 decision came as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reopened a key cross-border communication channel with South Korea for the first time in nearly two years.
In a tweet early Jan. 4, Trump claimed his tough stance on nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula is helping push North Korea and South Korea to talk.
Trump tweeted, “Does anybody really believe that talks and dialogue would be going on between North and South Korea right now if I wasn’t firm, strong, and willing to commit our total ‘might’ against the North.”
Earlier this week, Trump seemed open to the possibility of an inter-Korean dialogue after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare overture toward South Korea in a New Year’s address. But Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations insisted that talks won’t be meaningful unless the North is getting rid of its nuclear weapons.
Also Read: South Korea wants North Korea to host some 2018 Winter Olympics events
The overture about talks came after Trump and Kim traded more bellicose claims about their nuclear weapons.
In his New Year’s address, Kim repeated fiery nuclear threats against the U.S. Kim said he has a “nuclear button” on his office desk and warned that “the whole territory of the U.S. is within the range of our nuclear strike.”
Trump mocked that assertion Tuesday evening, tweeting: “Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger more powerful one than his, and my Button works!”
Kim Jong Un is embarrassed by North Korean infrastructure
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare, revealing admission when discussing the state of his country with South Korean President Moon Jae-in: He’s “embarrassed” by his country’s infrastructure.
As Kim and Moon held a historic summit on April 27, 2018, the South Korean president told North Korea’s supreme leader he’d like to visit his country in order to climb Mount Paektu, a mountain that plays a significant role in Korean folklore. Kim then said, “I feel embarrassed about the poor transit infrastructure,” BBC reports.
This was an out-of-character moment for Kim, as North Korean leaders have long been well-known for boasting about their country (and themselves) in an exaggerated fashion.
Relatedly, in December 2017, North Korean state media reported Kim had climbed Mount Paektu and seemed to suggest he has the power to control “nature” given the good weather at the time. Images of the alleged climb also showed Kim in dress shoes and slacks, with no mountaineering equipment.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un poses on Mt. Baekdu.
North Korea is notoriously impoverished. When a North Korean soldier defected to South Korea in 2017, doctors removed an 11 inch parasitic worm from his stomach and also discovered he’d consumed corn kernels, offering a glimpse into how difficult life can be in North Korea. Correspondingly, Chinese tourists have been known to visit the reclusive country almost solely to see how poor North Koreans truly are.
At April 27, 2018’s summit, Kim and Moon made a joint announcement the Korean Peninsula would be completely rid of nuclear weapons and also pledged to work toward formally ending the Korean War, which has technically been ongoing since fighting ceased via an armistice in 1953.
Later in the day, as President Donald Trump met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Washington DC, Trump sounded cautiously optimistic about his impending meeting with Kim. But he said the US would continue its campaign of “maximum pressure” until the Korean Peninsula is completely denuclearized.
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We decided to make the best fictional fighter squadron ever
Harold C. Hutchison By Hope Hodge Seck
The fighter squadron has long been a staple of the military in the real world – as well as in fiction. When you think “Star Wars,” you think Red Squadron making the trench run. “Robotech” had Skull Squadron. “Baa Baa Black Sheep” had a very fictionalized version of VMF-214, the “Black Sheep.”
There are real squadrons with legendary track records as well. VMF-211 is the famous “Wake Island Avengers,” there are the “Jolly Rogers” from the U.S. Navy, as well as the “Black Aces” of VF-41. The Air Force has the 555th Fighter Squadron (the “Triple Nickel”), as well as the “Juvats” from the 80th Fighter Squadron.
Fighter squadrons can have anywhere from 12 to 24 planes. In this case, we will go with four flights of four planes each. We’ll also add the CO, XO, and Ops Officer slots as well in what we will call All-Star Squadron.
Commanding Officer – Greg “Pappy” Boyington from “Baa Baa Black Sheep”
(Photo from Wikimedia Commons)
The real Pappy Boyington was the top Marine Corps ace – and he had a good run as the commander of VMF-214. The fictionalized version played by Robert Conrad was a superb tactician – cooking up a version of “Operation Bolo” in the pilot of the series, then pulling off several other operations. Also, his experience riding herd on the motley crew of VMF-214 will help with this unit as well.
Executive Officer – Wilma Deering from “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century”
(Youtube Screenshot)
A good pilot in her own right, Wilma also can backstop Boyington’s weaknesses. Notably the paperwork and all the other mundane details that Boyington either got bored with, or may be too hung over to deal with.
Operations Officer – Chappy Sinclair from “Iron Eagle”
Chappy Sinclair is here as a superb operational planner. In all four “Iron Eagle” movies, he is a mover and shaker — often able to accomplish missions despite long odds and being outnumbered and outgunned. Who else could you pick as the Ops O?
All-Star One-One – Jeffrey Sinclair from “Babylon 5”
With a long family tradition of fighter pilots, Sinclair was no slouch himself, being one of the few survivors from the Battle of the Line. However, in more even fights, he held his own.
All-Star One-Two – Luke Skywalker from “Star Wars”
This farm kid has been lucky and has a few kills, but he is clearly a raw talent who could learn from being on the wing of a more experienced fighter pilot. This kid will get his own squadron – someday.
All-Star One-Three – David Campbell from “The Longest Day”
One of “The Few” who had fought off the Nazis in the Battle of Britain, he can be an excellent element lead. Tends to be up for a sortie – unless he’s drinking a beer.
All Star One-Four – Christopher Blair from “Wing Commander”
He is fresh out of flight training but clearly has some natural ability. Like Skywalker, he is best suited as a wingman for now, but has the ability to rise through the ranks.
Second Flight
All-Star Two-One – Roy Fokker from “Robotech”
He has seen a lot of combat, and has been a father figure to younger pilots. Given his extensive combat experience, he can lead a flight, no problem.
All-Star Two-Two – Lieutenant Starbuck from the original “Battlestar Galactica”
A sharp pilot who can sometimes get himself in too deep (he’s crashed his fighter a number of times), Starbuck is not quite yet flight or element lead material.
All-Star Two-Three – Wedge Antilles from “Star Wars”
This guy has plenty of experience, and he has managed to survive two Death Star runs. That said, his units have taken heavy casualties in the past. Good enough to command an element, but flight lead may be a stretch for now.
All-Star Two-Four – Doug Masters from “Iron Eagle”
Another natural stick with a high kill count. Still, there is a distinct need for more seasoning. Though Masters does seem to enjoy playing tunes while flying.
Third Flight
All-Star Three-One – Tyrus Cassius McQueen from “Space: Above and Beyond”
He’s taken on an enemy ace and lived, plus he has a track record of being a mentor to younger pilots. McQueen’ll be able to handle the other pilots in this flight.
All-Star Three-Two – Steven Hiller from “Independence Day”
He’s a good pilot – scoring a maneuver kill against an enemy that had a means to neutralize other weapons. Then he readily adapted to flying an alien craft. While he may get his own squadron some day, right now, he needs someone more experienced to get him to settle down and get over his obsession with the Fat Lady.
All-Star Three-Three – Cameron Mitchell from “Stargate: SG-1”
He’s had combat experience on Earth and against the Gou’ald, as well as some small-unit leadership experience. Mitchell also received the Medal of Honor for heroism.
All-Star Three-Four – Pete Mitchell from “Top Gun”
(WATM photo archive)
No relation to Cameron Mitchell, Pete is a very good pilot with three kills in one engagement over the Indian Ocean. That said, some view his unorthodox style as “dangerous,” and he has made high-speed passes on various towers.
Fourth Flight
All-Star Four-One – Brad Little from “Fire Birds”
Okay, he mostly flew rotary-wing aircraft, but he has extensive experience as an instructor, and did score a kill on a fighter with an Apache.
All-Star Four-Two – Harmon Rabb, Jr. from “JAG”
Rabb’s shown some skill, but had a lengthy layoff due to his assignment to the Judge Advocate General corps for an extended period. He’ll catch on quick, but let’s season him under Little.
All-Star Four-Three – Blaine Rawlings from “Flyboys”
The combat experience Rawlings has is substantial, and he did down a pair of German aces. He was also awarded the Croix de Guerre for a daring rescue.
All-Star Four-Four – Tom Kazanski from “Top Gun”
The man flies by the book, and has very rarely made a mistake (over the Indian Ocean, he got target-fixated and a MiG-28 damaged his bird). We figure he’s best suited to flying as someone’s wingman until he can loosen up a little.
Who do you think we should add? Let us know in the comments below.
These legendary squadrons are being featured by Ace Combat for its 25th Anniversary
When did having a prisoner’s last meal be anything they want start?
Today I Found Out By Hope Hodge Seck
If you happen to ever find yourself slated to have society as a whole decide it would be best if they killed you, the silver lining is that in many parts of the world where this is still a thing, the last meal you ever eat is likely to be significantly better than the ones you’ve been consuming up to that point in prison. So how did this rather odd meal tradition come about and is it actually true death row inmates can get anything they want to eat?
To begin with, while it’s commonly stated that the whole idea of the last meal request came about due to Christ’s famed last supper, there doesn’t seem to be any direct evidence of this.
So how did the tradition actually start?
While history is absolutely littered with various cultures having feasts associated with death, such as the public feast for Roman gladiators the night before their potential date with death, called the coena libera, it wouldn’t be until slightly more modern times where we start seeing those being executed widely granted such a courtesy en masse. Once this did start to become a thing, in the early going, while wealthy individuals slated for execution, as ever, could generally request whatever they wanted any time, and were even often allowed servants to attend them as they awaited their execution, common things granted to the poor before their execution seem to have been at best a swig of some alcohol or the like.
Things began to pick up steam considerably on this front around the 16th century, however. Or, at least, things appear to have. It is entirely possible that such courtesies were widely granted before this to even the poor, with documented evidence of it simply not surviving. On that note, things like the printing press’ invention in the 15th century began making documented history of rather mundane events like the executions of random Joe Citizens more, well, documented. Thus, it may or may not be coincidence that accounts of such courtesies started to pop up more and more around the 16th century and progressing from there.
Whatever the case, by the 18th century, particularly in places like England, such practices were definitely around and relatively common. For example, in London it was common to allow the condemned to enjoy a meal with various guests, generally including the executioner, on the eve of the execution. Further, there is record of Newgate Prison death row inmates being allowed to stop at a pub on their march to their death at the Tyburn Fair gallows. At the pub, they would typically share drinks with their guards and executioner.
Over in Germany, perhaps the best documented case of the food practice around this time was that of Susanna Margarethe Brandt of Frankfurt. On January 14, 1772, Brandt, a poor servant girl, was executed for allegedly killing her newborn child. Eight months before this murder, she’d become pregnant by a journeyman goldsmith who she never saw again after they had sex. She subsequently successfully hid her pregnancy all the way to the eighth month when she gave birth secretly and alone in a laundry room on August 1, 1771. Unfortunately, when the baby came out, whether because newborn babies are insanely slippery or she just failed to realize it was about to drop, it fell from her and smacked its head against the stone floor. The child then, according to her, wheezed momentarily and then ceased to breathe. Brandt subsequently panicked, hid the baby in a stable and fled the scene. However, having no money or means to support herself, the next day she returned to Frankfurt where she was eventually arrested for murdering the child. Whether she did or not, and even if it would have survived anyway given it was premature, is a matter of debate even today, but she was nonetheless convicted of the murder and sentenced to death.
Shortly before her execution, however, she was the guest of honor at what has been dubbed the “Hangman’s Meal”- a rather large feast prepared for the condemned and various officials who had condemned her. If you’re curious, the meal in this case supposedly was “three pounds of fried sausages, ten pounds of beef, six pounds of baked carp, twelve pounds of larded roast veal, soup, cabbage, bread, a sweet, and eight and a half measures of 1748 wine.” Of course, the young Susanna reportedly ate none of it, merely drinking a little water as the officials feasted around her. Not long after, her head was lopped off.
Moving over to the United States where the idea of the “last meal” is perhaps best known today, it would appear this tradition did not initially jump across the pond when Europeans began setting in the Americas. Or, at least, surviving accounts of executions don’t seem to mention such courtesies, with some exceptions usually having to do with drink or something to smoke. For example, in 1835, the New York Sun reported shortly before his execution, murderer Manuel Fernandez requested and was granted a bit of brandy and some cigars, courtesy of the warden at Bellevue prison.
As the 19th century progressed, this sort of thing became more and more reported, as did eventually the practice of granting last meal requests, which by the early 20th century became quite common.
This all leads us to why. Well, as far as more historic cases, such as the early known instances in Europe, it’s generally hypothesized that people did it as a way for officials and executioners to more or less say to the prisoners “We’re going to kill you, but it’s nothing personal.” In essence, offering a bit of kindness to the condemned before their death with the prisoners themselves seemingly appreciating the courtesy, at least when it came to the alcohol.
On that note, it’s widely reported from this that the practice was instituted as a way to ensure the ghosts of the executed would feel friendly towards their condemners and executioners and thus not come back and haunt them, but we couldn’t find any primary documentation backing such a notion.
Whether that’s true or not, moving on to more modern times, the underlying reason why prison officials started doing this is not any better documented and there doesn’t ever seem to have been any laws requiring it, for instance. It’s just something people did on their own and the idea spread, presumably thanks to the media’s then love of reporting everything about the last hours of those being executed, and the general public eating it up across the nation.
Whatever the case, law professor Sarah Gerwig-Moore, co-author of Cold (Comfort?) Food: The Significance of Last Meal Rituals in the United States, posits of all this,
Last meals may be an offering by the guards and prison administrators as a way of seeking forgiveness for the impending execution, signaling that ‘it’s nothing personal.’… There are standard operating procedures that put up a wall between guards and prisoners, but nevertheless, there is a fondness between them… The last meal as a tradition is really a way of showing humanity between the caregivers of people on death row who are completely powerless and who come to care about these people — they feel complicit, and conflicted. The last meal is a way to offer, in a very, very small way, a show of kindness and generosity.
On this point, she also notes from her research, “The most generous meals correlate to the states that execute the most people — except for Texas…”
Texas, of course, having executed about 1,300 people in the last two centuries and trending the opposite of everyone else- actually increasing the number of executions in recent decades. For reference here, they’ve conducted 562 executions (almost half their couple century total) since 1982- apparently doing their best to adhere to the supposed 13th century Papal decree at the Massacre at Béziers, “Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius.” This translates to, “Kill them. For the Lord knows those that are His own.” Or to put it in the form that is apparently Texas’ state motto- “Kill ’em all and let God sort ’em out.” (Joking asside, Texas’ state motto is actually the single word- “friendship”, owing to the fact that the name of the state derives from the Caddo word for “friends” or “allies”.)
On the note of Texas, last meals, and being friendly, in 2011 Senator John Whitmire very publicly pushed for an ultimately got the special meal requests for those about to be executed abolished, at least officially. He noted of this, “It is extremely inappropriate to give a person sentenced to death such a privilege… enough is enough… If you’re fixing to execute someone under the laws of the state because of the hideous crime that someone has committed, I’m not looking to comfort him… He didn’t give his victim any comfort or a choice of last meal.”
That said, proponents on the other side of that argument generally state that part of the point of offering such courtesies is to demonstrate that while the state is killing someone on behalf and with the express consent of the public as a whole, if it’s not done in a humane way, the public and the state are no better than the person being killed. As Professor Kathy Zambrana of the University of Florida sums up, “It comes down to how do you treat one human being when you’re about to take someone’s life.”
History professor Daniel LaChance of Emory University further chimes in, “These last meals — and last words — show the state is democratic and respects individuality even as it’s holding people accountable. As horrible as the deed they’ve been convicted of [is], the person still has some kind of dignity that we’re acknowledging.”
As to what drew the ire of Senator Whitmire to come against the then almost century old Texas tradition of the last meal, it was the meal request of death row inmate Lawrence Russel Brewer, who was sentenced to death for taking part in the rather horrific and senseless racially motivated murder of James Byrd Jr in 1998. So what did Brewer ask for? A couple chicken fried steaks, a triple decker bacon cheeseburger, a beef and cheese omelet, fried okra, a full pound of BBQ, a half loaf of bread, three fajitas, and a meat lover’s pizza. For dessert, he requested a container of Blue Bell ice cream and peanut-butter fudge. To wash it all down, he asked for three root beers.
When the time came, however, he ultimately ate nothing.
This all brings us to whether inmates can actually request and receive basically anything they want. While the media widely reports this is the case, including with this specific example of Brewer, this isn’t correct at all. In fact, in the vast majority of cases where inmates request something elaborate like this, what they actually get is just a simple, one-person version of it.
As famed “death row chef” Brian Price, who prepared well over 100 such meals, states, “The local newspaper would always say they got 24 tacos and 12 enchiladas, but they would actually get four tacos and two enchiladas… They only get items in the commissary kitchen. If they order lobster, they get a piece of frozen pollack. They quit serving steaks in 1994. If they order 100 tacos, they get two or three.”
That said other states and prisons sometimes do it differently. For example, in nearby Oklahoma, they allow the meal to be purchased from a local restaurant if desired, though capping it at … Other states that allow similar, such as Florida, are more generous, allowing for a budget of .
Of course, as you might have guessed from all we’ve said so far, those actually involved in making or acquiring the last meal may or may not pitch in if they so choose to go beyond. For example, in Cottonport, Louisiana, when one unnamed death row inmate requested lobster, the warden at the Angola prison, Burl Cain, went ahead and paid for a full lobster dinner, with Cain then dining with the inmate. You see, much like many historical instances of this sort of thing, before Cain’s recent retirement, he would always extend an invitation to the condemned to have their last meal with him and sometimes other select guests.
Of course, as with Susanna Brandt and Lawrence Brewer, it’s quite common for death row inmates to forgo eating their “last meal”, as the whole impending death thing generally leaves many without an appetite. To try to get around the problem, the so-called last meal is sometimes not actually the last meal at all, with it generally designated the “special meal” by prison officials. Even when it is literally the person’s last meal, it is usually scheduled far enough ahead that they might still be able to eat, but not so far away that they’ll have to go an extended time without eating before their execution. For example, in Virginia the rule is the meal must be served at least four hours before the execution. In Indiana, they go even further with the special meal often coming a few days before the big show, in a time when the person can actually enjoy it on some level.
For those who don’t have an appetite, they often share. For example, in places like Florida, in certain cases family or friends may be allowed to enjoy the meal with the condemned. Some inmates instead donate it to others. For example, in 1951, Raymond Fernandez, one of the “Lonely Hearts Killers” along with his lady love Martha Jule Beck, made a request that his meal be given to another inmate to enjoy.
On a similar note, in the early decades of this tradition in Texas, it was relatively common for the condemned to order and be given large portions of food for their special meal precisely so they could have enough to share with every other inmate on death row in the prison. This extra food request was usually honored by prison officials because it was seen not just as a mercy, but something that helped keep all those on death row in line directly before executions.
That said, not all inmates have trouble eating. Perhaps the most famous case of this was murderer Rickey Ray Rector. After committing two rather senseless murders, he attempted to kill himself by shooting himself in the head. However, he ended up living through the ordeal owing to shooting himself in the temple- a common way to kill one’s self in the movies, but in reality very survivable if medical aid is nearby, with the person effectively having just given themselves a lobotomy.
Despite his rather deficient mental faculties as a result of the whole bullet through the brain thing, Rector was controversially sentenced to death. The issue became even more of a media sensation after the fact when it was learned that while he happily ate his last meal, he chose not to eat the pecan pie that he got with it. Why? He told the guards he was “saving it for later.”
Once again showing the humanity of the guards involved, they went ahead and saved the piece of pie just in case there was a last minute stay of execution.
This all brings us to what prisoners actually usually request for their last meal. While exact fare is rather diverse (for example in one case a person simply requested a “jar of pickles” according to the aforementioned Brian Price), if categorizing this into groups, it often comes down to either things you’d find at McDonald’s or KFC (or literally McDonald’s or KFC meals in many cases), something fancy, or a favorite home cooked meal from the person’s childhood or the like.
As for the first two categories there, it’s noted that the vast majority of death row inmates come from rather impoverished backgrounds, and thus often go with favorite food items they are accustomed to and haven’t gotten while in prison- things like fried chicken, cheeseburgers, french fries, and soda, or the like. That said, some go the other way, picking foods they couldn’t really afford when in the land of the free, or may have never even tried at all, like lobster or filet mignon. As for favorite home cooked meals, the aforementioned Brian Price states when he prepared these meals, he always did his best to make it just as the inmate described, or even potentially getting a specific recipe from the condemned’s loved ones.
Regardless of what camp one goes with, some choose their last meal not on what they necessarily intend to eat, but rather to make a statement.
As for such statements, going back in time a bit in 1963, murderer Victor Feguer requested nothing more than a single solitary unpitted olive for his last meal. He then requested the seed be buried with him in the hopes that it would grow an olive tree as a symbol of peace and rebirth.
On a similar note, one Jonathan Wayne Nobles, who apparently had been on drugs since he was 8 years old living in foster homes, as an adult murdered two women while high on a cocktail of substances. In prison, however, he got off the drugs and became a devout Catholic and, not just model inmate, but model person. As one example, at one point he attempted to save the life of a random woman he heard about who was dying from kidney failure. However, while he did successfully find a doctor willing to perform the procedure to take one of his kidneys out and give it to the woman, it ultimately turned out the pair were did not have matching blood types and the woman died. Doubling down, Nobles later attempted to have all his organs donated after his execution, but this request was denied as Texas did not allow death row inmates to donate their organs. Going back to his last meal request, he simply asked for the Eucharist (communion).
To end on a lighter note- well… relatively speaking…- in the 1940s Wilson De la Roi, who murdered a man while in prison, was slated to be killed via a somewhat newly minted poison gas chamber in San Quentin. When asked what he wanted for his last meal, he merely requested a bunch of indigestion tablets. When asked why, he stated that he felt sure he was soon to have rather severe case of gas…
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‘South Park’ banned in China after most recent episode
The most recent episode of “South Park,” called “Band in China,” mocked Hollywood’s submission to the country. Now the long-running Comedy Central animated series has seemingly been banned in China itself.
Episodes, clips, and online discussions of the show have been removed from the Chinese internet, according to The Hollywood Reporter. THR reviewed the Chinese social network Weibo and found zero mention of the series; clips and episodes on Chinese streamer Youku didn’t work; and “South Park” discussion forums on Tieba had been closed.
“According to the relevant law and regulation, this section is temporarily not open,” a note on the platform says when you search for a “South Park” discussion thread, according to THR.
In the episode, Hollywood wants to make a biopic of Stan Marsh’s band, but must alter the movie to fit China’s regulations. Meanwhile, Stan’s dad, Randy, attempts to sell marijuana in the country after people in South Park stop buying his and start growing their own.
The Return of Fingerbang – “Band in China” – s23e02 – South Park
China is currently the second-largest theatrical market in the world and Hollywood has increasingly relied on the country’s box office to give potential blockbusters a boost. A report from Ampere Analysis last year predicted that China would surpass the US as the world’s box office leader by 2022.
The “South Park” episode is heavily critical of China’s censorship and references the country’s crackdown on Winnie the Pooh imagery. After China’s ruling Communist Party announced it wanted to eliminate presidential term limits last year, photos comparing its leader Xi Jinping to Pooh popped up online.
Disney’s “Christopher Robin,” a live-action take on the Winnie the Pooh characters, was not released in China last year because the character was such a symbol of resistance, according to THR.
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This Green Beret invented a flag that can’t – and won’t – burn
Tessa Robinson By Hope Hodge Seck
When 10th Group Special Forces soldier Kyle Daniels returned from his last combat deployment, he was frustrated by what he saw. He understood that he’d been fighting for America’s freedom, including the important freedom to protest. But he didn’t like seeing the American flag burned.
So he did something about it.
Daniels designed and developed a flag that will not burn. Now, after two years of research and hundreds of prototypes, on Sunday, June 14 – Flag Day 2020 – the Firebrand Flag Company will launch its first product: A first-of-its-kind, official, fire-retardant U.S. Flag made in America from the same kevlar and nomex fabric that keeps our service members and first responders safe.
Daniels has big ambitions for his flag company. “I want Firebrand Flags to be the official flag company of the U.S.A.,” he said. “I want every home, business and government building in America to proudly fly one of our flags. And, if, for some reason, one of our enemies got ahold of one of our flags, it wouldn’t be much use as a propaganda tool. They would have to go to extreme lengths to destroy it, much like they do when they are face to face with an American service member. Old Glory can now defend itself.”
Early on, Daniels shared his vision with his former Green Beret commander, Jason Van Camp. Van Camp immediately invited Daniels to join his Warrior Rising incubator. Warrior Rising helps veteran entrepreneurs find mentors who can help realize their business goals and transition to the private sector. “I’ve known Kyle since the Special Forces Qualification Course. I believe in Kyle. He was a perfect fit for Warrior Rising,” Van Camp explained. “He had passion and zeal for making a flag that would literally dominate the narrative about flag burning but needed to evolve a new set of business skills to realize his vision.”
The mission wasn’t going to be easy. To make a flag that would look, feel and fly like a real flag but that wouldn’t burn, Daniels needed to engineer new materials and design a manufacturing process that previously didn’t exist. There were plenty of roadblocks along the way. The process to make the flag required entirely new cutting machines and the largest purchase of Kevlar fabric outside of the U.S. military. But Daniels applied the resilience he learned in the military to his business. As Daniels put it, “You have to adapt, overcome and do whatever needs to be done to accomplish the mission.”
At a Warrior Rising event, Kyle met yet another ex-Green Beret, Chase Millsap, the Chief Content Officer at We Are The Mighty. We Are The Mighty is a publisher and content studio focused on the military and veteran communities. Millsap loved the Firebrand mission from the outset. “We tell stories that celebrate service. Kyle’s unburnable flag is an awesome product with an amazing story.” It took Milsap no time to convince his colleagues to jump on board and the two companies have formed a partnership to bring the Firebrand Flag to market. WATM is the proud media partner of Firebrand Flags.
Get your unburnable flag today. The first 150 orders before June 26 save , and get free shipping (a value). All orders placed by June 26 are guaranteed to arrive in time for the 4th of July.
FIREBRAND FLAG COMPANY – Founded by Green Beret veteran Kyle Daniels, Firebrand Flags is the 1st company to develop a 100% made in America, fire retardant officials U.S. Flag.
WARRIOR RISING – A 501c(3) which empowers U.S. military veterans and their immediate family members by providing them opportunities to create sustainable businesses, perpetuate the hiring of fellow American veterans and earn their future.
WE ARE THE MIGHTY – Launched in 2014, We Are The Mighty (WATM) was created to give military veterans a voice to tell the most authentic, entertaining and inspirational stories about the military and by the military.
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5 simple whiskey cocktails to make this summer
Fatherly By Hope Hodge Seck
A well-made whiskey cocktail is a nice reward at the end of any day. But sometimes classic cocktails are too much. For one thing, unless you’re a seasoned drink-slinger, many whiskey cocktails are often too complicated — or intensive — to whip up at the end of a long day (Hey if you want to shake the hell out of that classic whiskey sour, go right ahead). For another, the alcohol content of one concoction can quickly equal that of two or three regular drinks. Sometimes this is great; other times, not so much. Because while we’d like this to not be the case, “falling asleep in the chair” is not really a regular item on the nightly to-do list.
That’s what inspired this list of one-shot whiskey cocktails. They’re all great to sip at the end of the day but won’t put you on your ass — or require four kinds of hooch and one of those hilariously long copper mixing spoons. They’re simple, refreshing, and very drinkable. What more do you want from a summer cocktail?
(Photo by Jessica Lewis)
1. The Blinker
What is it? The Blinker is a simple, refreshing drink made with grapefruit juice and rye whiskey. While they might not seem like the most obvious combination, one sip and it might just become your new summer go to.
Try it with: Michter’s Rye. It’s bold enough to shine through the intensity of the grapefruit tang.
How to make a Blinker:
1-2oz Rye
2-3oz fresh grapefruit juice
1oz raspberry syrup
Instructions: Shake over ice and strain into a coupe glass.
2. Bourbon and Georgia Peach Coca-Cola
What is it? A way better version of the classic whiskey and Coke.
Try it with: Knob Creek. The strong vanilla notes compliment the peach flavoring.
How to make a Bourbon and Georgia Peach Coca-Cola:
1-2oz Knob Creek Bourbon
4-6oz Georgia Peach Coca-Cola
Garnish with a fresh slice of peach
Instructions: Fill a highball glass with ice and add all the ingredients.
(Photo by Johann Trasch)
3. The Bourbon Bloody Mary
What is it? The vodka brunch classic made with bourbon. Whiskey gives the drink a subtle hint of smoke and more depth than the original.
Try it with: Bulleit Bourbon. The whiskey’s citrus and spice notes accentuate the punch of the tomato and the heat of the hot sauce.
How to Make a Bourbon Bloody Mary:
1-2oz bourbon
4oz Bloody Mary mix (we like McClure’s)
A few generous dashes of Worcestershire sauce
Dash of Tapatio hot sauce
Garnish with black pepper and a kosher pickle spear
Instructions: Fill a highball glass with ice and add all ingredients. Stir.
4. Japanese Highball
What is it? A whisky-soda with a rock and roll kick. A good Japanese malt gives this classic a radically different profile.
Try it with: Nikka Coffey Malt Whisky. The whisky is fruity and floral and the tiny bubbles from the soda atomize the nose to create a fragrantly charming and refreshing cocktail
How to make a Japanese Highball:
1-2oz whisky
4oz club soda
Instructions: Fill a Collins glass with ice. Add ingredients. Stir briefly.
(Photo by Adam Jaime)
5. The Single Malt Old Fashioned
What is it? It’s just an Old Fashioned made with Scotch instead of rye or bourbon. The Old Fashioned is a perfect cocktail and normally we don’t like to tinker with perfection. But, variety is the spice of life and Scotch is, and always will be our first love.
Try it with: Ardbeg 10. This single malt adds a big peaty smoke as well as a touch of salt and pepper for a more layered drink.
How to make a Single Malt Old Fashioned:
1-2oz Single Malt Scotch
2-3 Dashes of bitters
1 Tsp of simple syrup
Top with 1oz club soda
Instructions: Fill a rocks glass with ice. Add the ingredients.
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The US Space Force just got its first leader
Department of Defense By Hope Hodge Seck
Vice President Mike Pence swore in Air Force Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond as the highest-ranking military leader of the newly created U.S. Space Force in a ceremony that recognized the arrival of the nation’s newest military branch.
Raymond was formally designated the first chief of space operations in a formal ceremony sponsored by the White House and held at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. It came less than a month after the Space Force, by law, became the sixth independent branch of the U.S. military, marking the first time since 1947 that a new military branch had been created.
“The first decision the president made after establishing the Space Force was deciding who should be its first leader,” Pence said. “I was around when the President made that decision and I can tell you, he never hesitated. He knew right away there was no one more qualified or more prepared from a lifetime of service than General Jay Raymond to serve as the first leader of the Space Force.”
Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond addresses the audience in the Executive Eisenhower Office Building Washington after being sworn in as the first chief of space operations by Vice President Mike Pence, Jan 14, 2020.
(Photo by Andy Morataya, Air Force)
The Space Force was established Dec. 20 when President Donald J. Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act. He also appointed Raymond to lead the Space Force. Although directed by its own military leadership, the Space Force is nested within the Department of the Air Force.
Raymond noted the historic nature of the moment. “Not only is this historical; it’s critical,” he said. “That is not lost on me or the outstanding Americans who serve with me.”
The Space Force’s overarching responsibility is training, equipping and organizing a cadre of space professionals who protect U.S. and allied interests in space while also providing space capabilities to the joint force. The Space Force’s mandate includes developing military space professionals, acquiring military space systems, refining military doctrine for space power, and organizing space forces for use by combatant commands.
A major reason for creating the Space Force is the importance of space for both national security and everyday life. It is the backbone that allows for instant communication worldwide, precision navigation and global commerce. The U.S. Space Force will ensure the country’s continued leadership in space, Raymond said. Equally important, he added, is avoiding conflict in space.
“We want to deter that conflict from happening,” he said. “The best way I know how to do that is through a position of strength.”
Among those attending the ceremony were Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper, Deputy Defense Secretary of Defense David L. Norquist, Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein and Air Force Gen. John E. Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as Adm. Charles Ray, vice commandant of the Coast Guard; Navy Adm. Michael Gilday, chief of naval operations; and Air Force Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel, chief of the National Guard Bureau.
Faculty members and cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy wait to receive “first contact” from the cadet-designed FalconSAT-6 satellite after its successful launch into space, Dec. 3, 2018.
(Photo by Joshua Armstrong, Air Force)
“We are moving forward with alacrity and in accordance with presidential direction, the law, and DOD guidance,” Barrett said about the establishment of the new U.S. Space Force. “Directing this effort is the incomparably qualified leader, General ‘Jay’ Raymond. As a career space officer, he’s the perfect person to guide this lean, agile, vital Space Force.”
Raymond was the natural choice for the job. He is the commander of the U.S. Space Command; the nation’s unified command for space.
Before his new role, Raymond was the commander of Air Force Space Command, which carried the nation’s primary military focus on space, managing a constellation of satellites, developing policy and programs and training frontline space operators. Air Force Space Command was redesignated as the U.S. Space Force under the recently passed NDAA.
More broadly, the Space Force is responsible for maintaining the United States’ space superiority, even as space becomes more crowded and contested. The NDAA, which created the Space Force, also directs that the Space Force “shall provide the freedom of operation in, from, and to space, while providing prompt and sustained space operations.”
(Charles Pope is assigned to the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affairs. Air Force Maj. Will Russell contributed to this report.)
This article originally appeared on Department of Defense.
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This Coastie and musician won the chance of a lifetime
Shannon Corbeil By Hope Hodge Seck
U.S. Coast Guardsman Bobby “Blackhat” Walters is the epitome of “cool cat.”
He’s a Coastal Virginia Bluesman and an award-winning recording artist, harmonica player, vocalist, songwriter, producer, comedian, and actor. He’s also the winner of the 2017 Mission: Music competition that found incredible musicians from the military community, sent them to Nashville for a professional video shoot at the iconic Ocean Way Nashville Recording Studios, then introduced them America, who voted for which artist would take the stage at Base*FEST Powered by USAA.
Walters’ blues and contagious laughter carried him all over the country and right up to that stage, along with headliners Thompson Square and DNCE.
“You know, when you’re going up onto that stage, and the first thing you worry about is ‘please don’t let me trip,'” he laughed. “But then I gathered everyone around me together and I said, ‘Okay guys, rule number one: have fun.'”
Also read: The votes are in – this Coastie is the MISSION: MUSIC winner
For many veterans, who put their creative careers on hold when they join the military, building an artistic life can be challenging. Opportunities like Mission: Music give talented service members a helpful boost as a way of thanking them for that service. Nationwide coverage and the chance to play at an event with major headliners can be a game-changer.
Walters called the experience one of the highlights of his musical career.
“They say you get the rockstar treatment, well, we got the ‘blues star’ treatment!”
Follow Walters’ journey from the U.S. Coast Guard to the blues, to competing in Mission: Music and receiving that victory call, all the way to the stage at Naval Air Station Pensacola and his meeting with Thompson Square in the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvbQUBaGlwo
(Bobby Blackhat slays at Base*FEST Powered by USAA)
A mass murderer allegedly learned to kill from an Army vet-turned hitman
The story of Robert Prongay gets more confusing the more anyone retells it, but it all begins with prolific serial killer and alleged mafia hitman, Richard Kuklinski. Known as “The Iceman” for masking his victims’ times of death by freezing their corpses, Kuklinski claimed to have killed more than 100 people for the five families of the New York City mafia — and he claimed to have learned his skills from a Special Forces veteran.
Kuklinski was only ever convicted of five murders, but it was enough to put him away for the rest of his days. These victims were small-time drug and porn dealers in the mid-1980s. In one of those murders, he used a hamburger laced with cyanide, a murder technique he picked up from a man he described as a Special Force veteran-turned-ice cream man, Robert Prongay.
“He taught me a lot,” Kuklinski once said. “But he was extremely crazy… he’d go into these neighborhoods and sell ice cream to the kids, then maybe kill one of their fathers.“
Prongay was played by Chris Evans in the 2013 movie about Kuklinski, ‘The Iceman.’
Kuklinski was known as “The Iceman” to law enforcement and Prongay was called “Mister Softee.” According to Kuklinski, the two men met at a New Jersey motel while stalking the same mark. They summed each other up and realized they were both contract killers. Prongay told Kuklinski he was an Army Special Forces veteran, trained in using explosives and poisons.
In Kuklinski’s words, Prongay used his ice cream truck as a surveillance van to follow around his potential victims, whom he would kill using aerosol cyanide and remotely-detonated grenades. It was from Prongay that Kuklinski said he learned to freeze bodies to mask time of death.
A man who is allegedly Robert Prongay serving ice cream from his Mister Softee truck.
Not much is really known about the real Prongay. Kuklinski claimed to have a very firm moral code when it came to killing. He could kill anyone without feeling anything at all, but he wouldn’t kill innocent women and children. The Iceman claimed that Mister Softee asked Kuklinski to kill his wife and young son for him, which Kuklinski declined. When Prongay began to talk about poisoning an entire reservoir just to kill one family, Kuklinski shot him.
The only verification that Prongay existed and may have known Kuklinski is that an ice-cream man by the name of Robert Prongay was killed in his ice cream truck, shot twice in the chest. On Aug. 9, 1984, his body was found hanging out the side of his ice cream truck. The real Prongay, it turns out, was facing trial in New Jersey for bombing the front house ex-wife and making terrorist threats against his ex-wife and son.
Before murdering Prongay, the Iceman and Mister Softee teamed up on a few occasions. An HBO Documentary in 2001 found old film reels of Prongay and called him an “Army demolitions expert,” a claim verified by Paul Smith of the New Jersey Organize Crime Bureau.
“It is our opinion,” Smith told HBO, “that friendship led to Richard Kuklinski learning a lot about killing with different types of chemicals, including cyanide.”
In reality, Kuklinski made a lot of claims about himself and his famous hits. He was convicted of killing the members of a small-time burglary gang he led in New Jersey, along with one of his cyanide suppliers. The claims of the people he worked for and murdered makes his resume sound like one of the most prolific hitmen in the history of the American mafia. If you believe Kuklinski, he was recruited by Gambino capo Roy DeMeo, who gave Kuklinski his death orders.
Kuklinski claimed the murder of NYPD detective Peter Calabro, a murder in which Gambino underboss Sammy “The Bull” Gravano was also charged. The Iceman also claimed the death of Roy DeMeo and claimed to be involved in John Gotti’s famous hit on Gambino boss Paul Castellano. The only mafia hit law enforcement really related to Kuklinski was that of Calabro.
Kuklinski claimed to have killed some 100-250 people between 1948 and 1986 but his claims varied wildly in later years, as some of them were unverifiable and others were found to be complete fabrications (he claimed to have killed famous disappearing act Jimmy Hoffa, for example). Renowned mafia writers and historians claim to never have heard of Kuklinski.
If Kuklinski’s claims are true, he would be the most prolific serial killer in American history.
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Five Things We Learned – Manchester United vs West Ham [Away]
Date: 18th April 2013 at 3:47am
Written by: Saad Noor
“Great game lad, now you’re coming off…”
1) All we need is Shinji Kagawa
Kagawa was our best attacking player by far in an evening where we were far from our free-flowing best. The Japanese international showed glimpses of the player he is destined to be as he drifted in from the left always looking to create openings and open up the West Ham defence. He was instrumental in both of the goals; first dropping his shoulder to leave James Collins on his backside before squaring to Antonio Valencia, it was his nifty footwork that led to our second equaliser of the night when he weaved out of a tight spot to get a brilliant shot away which hit off the woodwork before Robin van Persie pounced. In both instances Kagawa showed the difference he can make in the final third when playing off the front man but also displayed his ability to be creative from a wide position. He has been deployed on the flank this season simply because our actual wingers have had indifferent campaigns due to poor form, injuries or a combination of the two. Antonio Valencia was better than he has been recently but that isn’t saying much as he has endured an extremely poor season. The Ecuadorian has become predictable and seems to lack confidence when taking players on. He did well to make the run for his goal, his first in a year, but still doesn’t look like the player he was at that time.
Nani and Ashley Young have also struggled this season which has meant Kagawa has had to fill in on the left which hasn’t enabled him to deliver the consistently outstanding performances he showed in the Bundesliga last season. His overall performance was impressive as he often tracked back to help out against a West Ham team that were dangerous on the counter but if we are to see the best of him, he’ll need to be played in his preferred position.
2) Phil Jones becoming the new O’Shea
While we’re on the topic of playing players out of their natural and/or preferred position, a quick word on our number 4. I know he can “do a job” in midfield but he has produced his best performances in a red shirt in defence. It is obvious, even to Fergie now, that we lack bite in the middle of the park but to put Jones in there is unfair as the 21-year-old is more suited to playing in defence.
In the last three games he has started at centre back, right back and in midfield which would be disorientating for a seasoned professional, let alone a relatively inexperienced youngster. Sir Alex has talked him up recently as an “animal for football” and that “he can play anywhere” but those comments came across as a sweetener for Jones to accept his role as the new utility man that the manager likes to have. He had Phil Neville and then, most notably, John O’Shea who filled this role to play in a number of positions which eventually saw both players deprived of a regular starting position as they never had the opportunity to nail down a regular spot in the team.
Jones is in danger of following in their footsteps as the game seemed to pass him by when up against a powerful Mohamed Diame and his positional sense was not as it was against Manchester City. I personally feel, as does the man himself, that Jones is a centre-back and until he gets regular action there, he will also be unable to fulfill his potential at United.
3) Wayne Rooney needs to be dropped
Rooney was rightly brought off by the manager as the England forward grew visibly frustrated with his inability to have an effect on the game and it’s time he is dropped for his lacklustre showings. Granted, he also has been moved around the pitch a lot lately (notice a pattern here?) but the man who is supposed to be after a new contract has to prove his worth if he is to be offered similar terms he is on at the moment. It’s been a strange season for Rooney as his importance to the team has somewhat diminished with the arrivals of Kagawa and van Persie so it seems he is unsure of what his role in this new team is. He played in midfield against Stoke and dropped very deep again against West Ham as United struggled to put sustained pressure on the home side’s defence. Fergie should take the opportunity on Monday to give Rooney a break (regardless of what the press read into it) and give Welbeck the chance to play as a striker which he hasn’t been doing (another victim of the wingers’ form).
4) De Gea can handle a bit of rough and tumble
David De Gea has often been criticised for being unable to deal with crosses and set-pieces but he showed both against West Ham and Stoke that he has grown used to the style of these types of teams and is much more confident when balls come into the box from wide positions. He has been one of our most improved players this term and showed his character when recovering from an assault by Andy Carroll. Luckily, Nemanja Vidic had an ongoing battle with the on-loan Liverpool striker and kept him at bay for the majority of the game. If Vidic had been available last season, De Gea may not have been exposed to the threats from aerial balls that he had been vulnerable to as the captain showed in the last two games that it is a centre-back’s responsibility to protect his goalkeeper from such aggressive advances. The manager singled him out for praise afterwards and the Spaniard is finally getting the plaudits he deserves from those outside the club too.
5) We can win it on Monday
A lot of Reds were understandably unhappy with our display against West Ham but considering we went behind twice and our second equaliser was arguably offside, it was a good point. Also, if City lose to Spurs on Sunday and we overcome strugglers Aston Villa on Monday night, number 20 will be finally in the bag. Smile guys, we’re nearly there.
@saadnoor


Reston Limousine listed as one of the Largest Woman-Owned Businesses in Greater D.C.
October 19, 2018 | By Marketing
Reston Limousine is proud to be listed as one of the Largest Woman-Owned Businesses in the Greater D.C. Area, by the Washington Business Journal
View the list here.
Under the leadership of President and CEO Kristina Bouweiri, Reston Limousine has grown from five vehicles in 1990 to a $26 million company with more than 240 sedans, SUVs, limousines, vans, and buses. The award-winning transportation operator services the Washington metropolitan area and beyond, 24/7 from its headquarters in Dulles, Virginia, and locations in Fairfax as well as offices in Capitol Heights, National Harbor, Maryland. Most visibly branded through the shuttle bus routes it operates for George Mason University, Howard University and other public and private institutions, Reston Limousine also provides the full spectrum of charter services including winery and brewery tours, DC sightseeing excursions, airport transfers, corporate and event transportation, and more.


STEMulate Learning
"Where STEM Begins with Math"
Denise Peoples
Chief Educational Officer (CEO)
Denise Peoples was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She attended California State University, Fullerton where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications with an emphasis in Marketing. She was awarded a scholarship to UCLA’s Anderson School of Business where she obtained her certification in “Management Development of Entrepreneurs’.
Prior to opening STEMulate Learning, I owned an Executive Search firm for many years placing Nuclear Engineers and Technology professionals in STEM careers all over the country. I could not understand why it was such a struggle to find talent in the United States. In many cases, I hired professionals from China and India because we could not find subject matter expertise in in our own country. This discovery led me to take a deeper dive into the “Why” which revealed a knowledge and achievement gap in STEM subjects such as Math and Science which needed to be addressed. At that moment, my passion and purpose was revealed. I closed my brick and mortar and opened STEMulate Learning and have never looked back!
Seeking to understand, my travels took me all over the United States speaking to esteemed educators who shared their perspectives, acknowledging that teachers have content knowledge, but struggle to make a connection with children in Math and Science. They do not know how to make Math and Science fun, engaging and rigorous. My business partner and mentor said, “Teachers teach how they were taught, good and bad”. “In turn, they teach their students the same”. As instructional coaches, we conducted discovery-based orientations with each teacher we worked with that proved his conclusion. As we walked classroom to classroom it became apparent that the missing ingredients is cultural relevance, social emotional learning, and growth mindsets in 95% of the districts we served.
Intentionally leveraging my background as a Master Recruiter, I began to hire Math and Science instructional coaches that look like many of the children present in 90% of the districts we serve. Our instructional scholars joined forces with STEMulate Learning on a quest to make learning culturally relevant, social emotional, rigorous and most of all FUN!
In doing just that, we continue to bridge the learning gaps and students scores began to soar!
Ultimately, our goal is to help 1 million children find their love of Math and Science by supporting both teachers and students. WE WON’T STOP UNTIL OUR KIDS REACH THE TOP!
#21stCenturySTEMCareers/ #EducationalGameChangers/ #EducationalFuturist
AMARE EL JAMII
Hometown: Waterbury, Conn
Associate Degree: Mathematics & Computer Information Systems - Graphic Design
Bachelor Degree: Statistics & Applied Mathematics
After working for a number of years in multiple industries, Amare El Jamii enrolled in community college with the intent on pursuing a more fulfilling career. He obtained his associate degrees in both Mathematics and Computer Information Systems and his bachelor degrees in Statistics and Applied Mathematics from Norco College and UCLA respectfully. Since graduation in 2013 he has worked in education, specifically with students from underrepresented communities. His work experience includes Non-profit organizations, Norco Community College, CSULB and UCLA. He is currently a partner in an educational consulting company named Cultivating Hope and also holds a position at Bridges Academic Center of Excellence as a Program Director where he oversees a number of college-bound based programs for local students in the Carson, Long Beach, South LA, Compton and the Watts communities.
BARAK BOMANI
Barak has over 20 years of experience in public and private education. He has served as a tutor, teacher, vice principal and principal for grades 6 through 12 with a 100% four-year college acceptance rate for his graduating classes of black and brown students. Barak consults in education with school districts throughout California in Oakland, Compton, Los Angeles, Long Beach and Riverside to improve educational outcomes for students of color. Numerous organizations have invited him to speak including the internationally acclaimed House of Blues Foundation. Barak was awarded a commendation by the Mayor of Inglewood for his service to the city’s youth and also recognized with proclamations by California Senator Don Perata and former Mayor Jerry Brown for his educational leadership in his hometown East Oakland. Barak co-founded Unearth and Empower Communities, a 501 c3 non profit organization dedicated to mentoring and teaching literacy, entrepreneurship and arts education to K-12 students in Compton. He is the visionary behind Cultivating Hope, an educational consulting company that coaches educators to build the whole village through Math Proficiency, Equity, Diversity & Race and Social Emotional Learning. Barak earned his Bachelor of Arts in English from Dartmouth College and his Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from San Jose State University, where he graduated with highest honors. Barak is currently working on his Doctorate in Ministry to provide affordable resources to communities interested in building the whole person through education. Barak is married and is the father of two sons.
CAROL DUDEN
Carol has a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and is K-12 Math,
K-8 Science certified. She as four years middle school and high school teaching experience, and over 30 years process engineering, quality engineering expertise in Project Management/Team Leadership. Carol’s passion has always been to teach, and whether she’s working, supporting her family or involved in community service, her mantra has been “to help students see math and explain the basics involved and that will build the foundation for them to succeed!!!
My passion for physics and math has allowed me to complete a B.S. in Physics at UC Santa Cruz and a M.S. in Physics at UC San Diego. My educational background therefore was highly math intensive and has given me wide knowledge and experience with advanced math subjects including Statistics, Calculus, Algebra, Complex Analysis, and many others.
During my four years at UC San Diego, I served as a teaching assistant, running the physics lab and giving lectures. That experience developed my ability to communicate complicated subject matter to students who felt uncomfortable with physics and math.
I also worked at the Cambridge Learning Center, JEI Learning Center and Sylvan Learning Center, helping K-12 students with all subjects. In these positions I helped students understand and conceptualize SAT/ACT/ISEE math, AP Statistics, AP Calculus, AP Physics, and all other standard math curricula including the Integrated Math 1, 2, and 3.
ZEUS CUBIAS
My journey towards seeking educational fairness for underrepresented people started when I was a student at Alain Leroy Locke High School, one of the lowest performing schools in the country in one of the toughest neighborhoods in the state. I got accepted to every college and university I applied to and it was during that decision-making period that I made the realization that would not only affect my next steps but my career path as well. I decided to become a teacher and return to Locke to serve my brothers and sisters. I also decided I would attend UC Santa Barbara because of the excellent reputation of their educational program.
After graduation, I kept my word and returned to Locke High School to teach mathematics. To improve my practice and increase my impact, I attended job fairs which led to becoming a master teacher for the UCLA Graduate School of Education. This had a snowball effect across other departments, and by 2007, nearly 60% of Locke’s staff was not only fully credentialed, but had reached senior status within the teacher’s union.
I was eventually offered an assistant principal position at Locke under Green Dot, followed by a move to Dean of Culture at Esperanza High School. Through these various experiences I’ve come to realize that the key to improving education for underrepresented students lies in the preparation and retention of the staff that’s there to serve them. This is why I joined the STEMulate Learning team. I fully believe the organization is providing a service to teachers and students needs it most, and I also believe I have much to contribute to help achieve the organization's goals.
Ken “Coach” Collins
Ken Collins was born in the Kenilworth Projects of Washington, DC, raised in Louisiana, and attended high school in New York City. He moved to Los Angeles to attend UCLA where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics/Sociology, and later a Masters of Education from the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information, where my undergraduate and graduate course work included courses in Mathematics, Sociology, Naval Science, Russian Literature and Language, Finance, Accounting, Economics, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, and Secondary Education. Prior to his teaching career, Mr. Collins served as a Naval Cryptologist (CTI), working throughout North Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. His classroom teaching career includes 30 years of service with Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), Green Dot Charter Schools, and the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese where he served as Department Chair, Director of Curriculum, and Instructional Coach. Mr. Collins’ respect and passion for mathematics, including the beauty and power imbedded in it, led him to create a tutorial company, Intense Algebra, LLC, which provides math, language, science and life-skills to underserved students and their families. Since its inception in 2013, his vision resulted in over 500 students being mentored and led to acceptances at colleges and universities to include: Columbia, Georgetown, George Washington University, Harvard, Indiana, John Hopkins, Loyola (Chicago), MIT, Notre Dame, Stanford, Tulane, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Los Angeles, University of Pennsylvania, US Naval Academy, USC, Yale, and a host of others. At the middle school level, Mr. Collins, personally, implemented and monitored common core curriculum for public, parochial, and private school systems and prepared students for the Mathematics portion of the Los Angeles Archdiocese's annual Academic Decathlon (ACADECA) competition. My students almost always received their first choices for high school to include: Archer, Bishop Montgomery, CAMS, Chadwick, Crossroads, Harvard-Westlake, Immaculate Heart, Loyola, Mayfield, Notre Dame, Orange Lutheran, Providence, Ribet, Rolling Hills Prep, Saint John Bosco, and countless more. In all the above, I set high standards for my students with a casual but focused (intense) attitude, regardless of their starting point!
Taquan S. Stewart, Ed.D.
Dr. Stewart obtained his undergraduate degree in Physics from the University of Delaware. From there he worked with the United States Army, in the area of Interior Ballistics. After a short time in Interior Ballistics, he turned his attention to teaching. He began teaching secondary school science in the Christina School District (Delaware). He then brought his passion to Los Angeles, where he taught physics, science and math. While teaching Taquan earned his Master’s in Education and Administrative Policy Studies, and his Doctorate in Educational Leadership. From 2007 through 2012 Dr. Stewart served as a secondary principal in South Los Angeles. He currently serves as Faculty Advisor for the CalStateTEACH and Los Angeles Urban Teacher Residency (LAUTR) programs. In addition, he serves as Program Director for Project Youth California– a non-profit organization designed to provide additional educational services to underserved youth of the Los Angeles Metropolitan area. Dr. Stewart has also held seats on several boards, and consistently mentor’s youth.
An educator for 29 years, Dr. Stewart’s interests lay in the opportunity gap in science, math, urban education, culturally sustaining pedagogy, and the preschool to prison pipeline. In 2017 Dr. Stewart released Thoughts of a Ghetto Scatterbrain: The EP – a text using the intersection of science fiction and critical race to jump start the minds of educators (teachers, administrators, parents, family and community members) to dream of possibilities not always considered. In the same year he released a book of poetry, Penumbra: Me, My Shadow, and the Artificial Light Source.
As a teacher educator, Dr. Stewart stresses a humanizing pedagogy.
DPeoples@STEMulateLearning.net
- Educational Consulting
- Parent Engagement and Education
- Leadership training
© 2019 STEMulate Learning, LLC


Succinic anhydride has been described as insoluble or very slightly soluble in water and is inherently unstable in aqueous media, rapidly hydrolyzing to form succinic acid. This behaviour was confirmed during an attempted hydrolysis study. Therefore the behaviour of the substance succinic acid was investigated.
The ready biodegradability of succinic acid was determined by measurement of the dissolved organi carbon content (DOC) at frequesnt intervals over a period of 28 days using OECD guideline 301E. The reference substance (sodium benzoate) was degraded by 95.9% within 14 days. A toxic control containing the reference substance and succinic acid indicated no inhibition of microbial activity due to the test substance.
The test substance, Succinic acid, with a nominal starting concentration of 20 mg DOC/L was degraded by 96.6 % after 28 days of incubation at a mean temperature of 21.6°C. The "10-d window" as defined by the guidelines started at approximately Day 1. 70 % degradation was exceeded at about Day 4.
According to the guideline, succinic acid is readily biodegradable. Consequently, it can be safely assumed that succinic anhydride is also readily biodegradable.
As succinic anhydride is readily biodegradable, no further biodegradation tests in soil or aquatic systems are necessary.


Fortnite’s New Season Delayed A Third Time
‘Fortnite’ season three has been delayed yet again. Image Source/ Bang Showbiz The online battle royale game has announced the third delay to its launch of season three, after it was originally supposed to launch season 3 on April 30 before developers at Epic Games said they were pushing it back by over a month […]
‘Fortnite’ season three has been delayed yet again.
The online battle royale game has announced the third delay to its launch of season three, after it was originally supposed to launch season 3 on April 30 before developers at Epic Games said they were pushing it back by over a month to June 4.
Last month, Epic moved the launch date back a second time to June 11, and on Thursday (04.06.20), another delay was revealed, making the new launch date one week later on June 17.
According to a statement from Epic Games, the current delay is due to “recent events”, including the death of George Floyd and the subsequent protests across America in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Their message read:
“[These events] are a heavy reminder of ongoing injustices in society, from the denial of basic human rights to the impact of racism both overt and subtle against people of colour.”
Meanwhile, Epic’s previous delay was said to give the developers more time to “get everything ready” for the launch.
In a statement, they said:
“In an effort to get everything ready for Chapter 2 – Season 3, we’re extending Season 2 by one week. The new launch day of Season 3 will be Thursday, June 11.”
But to keep everyone’s spirits high before the new launch, Epic have also announced a special one-off live event called ‘The Device’, which will start at 2pm ET (7pm GMT) on June 6.
They added:
“Also make sure to check out a one-time-only live event called The Device, now scheduled for Saturday, June 6 at 2 PM ET (please show up 30 minutes early to help secure your spot, space is limited!).”


NY Supreme Ct.
IN RE: Paula CRISELL
IN RE: Paula CRISELL, Appellant, v. Sandra FLETCHER et al., Respondents, et al., Respondent. (Proceeding No. 1.)
IN RE: Sandra Fletcher et al., Respondents, et al., Respondent, v. Paula Crisell, Appellant. (Proceeding No. 2.)
Before: Egan Jr., J.P., Clark, Mulvey, Aarons and Pritzker, JJ. Monique B. McBride, Albany, for appellant. Monica V. Carrascoso, Cooperstown, for Sandra Fletcher and another, respondents. Larisa Obolensky, Delhi, attorney for the child.
Appeals (1) from an order of the Family Court of Delaware County (Rosa, J.), entered August 10, 2017, which dismissed petitioner's application, in proceeding No. 1 pursuant to Family Ct Act article 6, to compel respondents to comply with a prior order, and (2) from an order of said court, entered August 10, 2017, which dismissed petitioners' application, in proceeding No. 2 pursuant to Family Ct Act article 6, to modify a prior order of visitation.
Paula Crisell (hereinafter the mother) and Barry Fletcher Jr. (hereinafter the father) are the parents of a son (born in 2005). Sandra Fletcher and Barry Fletcher Sr. (hereinafter collectively referred to as the grandparents) are the child's paternal grandparents and share joint legal custody of him with the father. Pursuant to a December 2016 order entered on consent, the mother had supervised therapeutic visitations with the child and the child's counselor once a week on a biweekly basis and, if the mother appeared at such visitations consecutively for four times, the mother would then have visitations with the child on alternate weekends. If, however, the mother did not complete the four consecutive therapeutic visitations, the mother's visitation would be suspended until a further court order. The mother completed the first three therapeutic visitations but encountered a scheduling issue with respect to the fourth visitation. In March 2017, the mother commenced proceeding No. 1 seeking to direct the grandparents to facilitate the fourth visitation. The grandparents opposed and, in proceeding No. 2, cross-petitioned to modify the December 2016 order by terminating or modifying the mother's visitation with the child.
At a May 2017 appearance, the grandparents indicated a willingness to have the mother repeat the four consecutive, biweekly therapeutic visits. The mother, however, refused and argued that she should not have to restart the four visits. Family Court encouraged the parties to continue the therapeutic visits and, pending the fact-finding hearing, permitted the mother to have phone contact with the child twice a week. A fact-finding hearing commenced in June 2017, wherein the parties agreed to call a witness out of turn and proceed first with evidence on the grandparents' cross petition. The sole witness who testified was the child's counselor and, after the completion of his testimony, the hearing was adjourned to August 2017.
At the August 2017 hearing date, the mother's counsel appeared but the mother was not present. The mother's counsel initially explained that he did not know where the mother was and that he had not heard from her since the June 2017 hearing date. The grandparents thereafter moved to dismiss the mother's petition for failure to prosecute. After some further discussion, Family Court stated that it would adjourn the matter for approximately 20 minutes and, if the mother had not appeared by then, her petition would be dismissed. Following the adjournment, the mother's counsel advised the court that he had just spoken with the mother, who explained that she could not be in attendance because she had just started a new job. When asked by the court whether he could proceed without the mother, the mother's counsel responded, “To the extent I can,” and indicated that the mother wanted him to call the grandparents as witnesses. The grandparents objected on the basis that they would not be able to defend against the mother's petition without her presence. In response, Family Court noted, “I don't know that [the mother] can prove her case, that's the problem.” After hearing more argument, Family Court granted the grandparents' motion to dismiss based upon the mother's failure to prosecute. This dismissal was embodied in an August 2017 order issued in proceeding No. 1. In view of the dismissal of the mother's petition, the grandparents withdrew their cross petition (proceeding No. 2), and the dismissal was embodied in a separate August 2017 order. These appeals by the mother ensued.1
We agree with the mother that Family Court's determination in proceeding No. 1 to dismiss her petition on the basis of failure to prosecute was erroneous. Although the mother was not present at the August 2017 hearing date, her absence was explained, albeit at the last minute, by her counsel, and counsel was ready to call the grandparents as witnesses as directed by the mother.2 Notwithstanding counsel's intent to do so and before the close of all proof, Family Court expressed an opinion about the mother's ability to prove her case, never permitted the mother's counsel to offer testimonial proof and subsequently dismissed the mother's petition. Under these circumstances, we find that there was no failure by the mother to prosecute her petition (see Matter of Simmons v. Ford, 163 AD3d 685, 685 [2018]; Matter of Latanya C., 37 AD3d 716, 716 [2007] ), and Family Court erred in dismissing it (see Matter of Shevon C., 163 A.D.2d 14, 15 [1990] ). Accordingly, the matter must be remitted to continue the fact-finding hearing on the mother's petition. In view of the foregoing, the mother's remaining contentions are academic.
ORDERED that the order in proceeding No. 1 is reversed, on the law, without costs, and matter remitted to the Family Court of Delaware County for further proceedings not inconsistent with this Court's decision.
ORDERED that the appeal in proceeding No. 2 is dismissed, without costs.
1. The mother's appeal from the order entered in proceeding No. 2 must be dismissed because she is not aggrieved by such order (see CPLR 5511).
2. For these reasons, we find that the mother did not default and that the appeal from the order in proceeding No. 1 is properly before us (see Matter of Harris–Wilks v. Harris, 56 AD3d 1063, 1063–1064 [2008] ).
Aarons, J.
Egan Jr., J.P., Clark, Mulvey and Pritzker, JJ., concur.