Pilot who survived midair collision 37 years ago learns wreckage found

Pilot who survived midair collision 37 years ago learns wreckage found

The data plate from Bob Besal's plane found in August off the coast of St. Augustine, Florida by Joe Kistel that led to identifying the pilot and the plane which crashed in 1974.

(CNN) -- Former naval aviator Bob Besal was just 24 when his life literally took a dive.

Besal was piloting a Vought A-7C on a training mission 20 miles east of St. Augustine, Florida, more than 37 years ago when his light attack aircraft collided with another plane at 15,000 feet, sending his jet spiraling into the Atlantic. Besal ejected safely from the cockpit; his plane sank to the bottom of the ocean. The other plane limped back to base.

This month, Besal's past caught up with the present as divers found his wreckage, and the story can now be written about the people who recently found it and Besal's reaction.

See photos of the wreckage

It was mid-morning on December 2, the first Monday after Thanksgiving in 1974. Lt. (j.g.) Besal and three other A-7 Corsair II pilots had taken off from Cecil Field Naval Air Station about 10 miles from Jacksonville.

They were rolling their aircraft and doing simulated bombing runs. He estimates they were flying at 300 to 350 knots (345 to 402 mph). By his own admission, Besal said he got too close to the plane piloted by his commanding officer, Cmdr. Peter Schoeffel, a former Vietnam POW.

"The event is burned in my brain," Besal, 62, a retired rear admiral who served 30 years in the Navy, said by phone this week from Charleston, South Carolina, where he now teaches aviation maintenance technology at Trident Technical College.

Daughter explores plane wreckage, searches for missing dad

"It was gray and rainy, not a nice day to be sitting in the ocean," laughed Besal in an obvious understatement. "I was literally bobbing like a cork in a tiny raft."

Besal remembers ejecting and free-falling for a couple thousand feet before his parachute opened automatically. He said he was floating in water with an air temperature of about 40 degrees "shooting off pencil flares" to get the attention of a nearby helicopter.

"Absolutely unbelievable," he said thinking back after he was pulled to safety.

A newspaper article at the time from the Florida Times-Union reported, "The helicopter was operating in the area on a routine water indoctrination flight."

As luck would have it, that helicopter crew was trained in search and rescue.

An accident investigation board was convened by the Navy to determine the cause of the collision, but Besal knew who was to blame.

"Pilot error. It was entirely my fault," he said humbly. "Truthfully, I got a little disoriented. I thought 'Oh my God,' it would be close. The planes were in a climb. I heard a huge bang. My airplane almost immediately went out of control, lost hydraulics."

The vertical tail of his jet was broken off.

Besal, the oldest of nine siblings, said he never really focused on what happened to his plane once he saw it disappear below the clouds, but over the years, he's never forgotten. "The memories have never left," he reflected.

It's likely not something Joe Kistel is ever going to forget either. Kistel, who at 31 is half the age of Besal, is the man who found Besal's plane by accident this month.

Kistel is the executive director of TISIRI (Think It Sink It Reef It), a Jacksonville-based company in the business of building artificial reefs and environmental conservation. Kistel and his team of divers -- Larry Davis, Ed Kalakauskis and Nate Tucei -- were mapping the sea floor 20 miles off the coast of St. Augustine, when they spotted wreckage 80 feet down in the Atlantic Ocean.

Bringing closure to relatives of those killed in 1952 Alaska crash

They took photos and launched their own investigation in hopes of identifying the aircraft.

"By a stroke of luck," Kistel said, he found a key part. It was what appeared to be a small flat part riveted to another piece. He brought it to the surface, removed years of growth and discovered a data plate. TISIRI supporter Steve Blalock used the documentation to identify the aircraft and find Besal.

"It's a great feeling. This endeavor was very much worthwhile. Much effort was spent on searching the actual site and researching with no promise of finding any results," Kistel said.

"Due to much luck and perhaps insistence, we were able to locate the right components that lead us to the identification. To actually be able to solve the riddle of this aircraft wreckage is quite gratifying."

For Besal, who went on to earn two Distinguished Flying Cross awards and the Bronze Star in Desert Storm and whose career included duty as commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS America, the collision nearly four decades ago and the recent discovery of his plane have brought back memories and another opportunity for a teachable moment.

"I was fortunate to grow up in a Navy system that accommodated some human error," Besal reflected. "I had a lot of people that gave me another chance. I was blessed."

Besal acknowledged he has a greater appreciation for the errors he made, and it helps brings a "little more understanding when my juniors and people who work for me make mistakes."

"Burying it wouldn't do much good," Besal said.

But good is exactly what became of the actual wreckage still partially buried in the sand.

"What I am probably most excited about is (to) be able to tell/show Bob how this wreckage is a productive reef ecosystem today and probably has been for some time," Kistel said. "A very positive outcome today because of the unfortunate accident years ago."

Amelia Earhart: The evidence we almost lost

American Queen

Riverboat cruising returns to Mississippi with American Queen

MEMPHIS – As the American Queen paddle wheeler steams toward the city early one morning last week, all eyes turn toward Richard and Suzanne Martinez, who are strolling onto the boat's forward deck resplendent in antebellum finery.


By Jayne Clark, USA TODAY

After four years of absence, the American Queen has reclaimed the Mississippi.

She's a sweet Southern belle in hoop skirt hoisting a floral parasol. He's a riverboat dandy in broad-brimmed planter's hat and rhinestone horseshoe pin. Suzanne bought the get-ups on eBay to wear on the occasion of the venerated steamboat's return to the river for the first time since 2008. But the Tavares, Fla., retirees figure they'll get plenty of wear out of the costumes as they pursue and wave at riverboats from the banks of the upper Mississippi.

"We've been doing it for years," Suzanne says.

"So, you're, like, steamboat stalkers?" asks a fellow passenger unacquainted with the proclivities of hard-core riverboat fans.

"I'd rather say steamboat groupies," she retorts.

Stalkers. Groupies. Either way, this is a big summer for aficionados of long, languid sailings on the Mississippi River and beyond. After a four-year absence of multi-day leisure cruises, the American Queen, a 436-passenger boat built in 1995, is back on the river.

In August, the new 150-passenger Queen of the Mississippi will enter these newly competitive waters. That boat will have lower density, larger cabins (most with private balconies), and, at an average $640 a day per person, a steeper price point.

Not that the American Queen, with average per diems of $500 per person, ranks as a budget vacation.

Reclaimed and repaired

The boat spent the past few years in a U.S. government repo compound in Texas after its former owner, Majestic America Line, went belly-up in 2008. One sister vessel was sold for scrap. Another, the Delta Queen, is now a floating hotel in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Great American Steamboat Co. bought the American Queen for $15 million, sunk another $6 million of improvements into it and considered it a bargain. Cost of building a similar boat today would be $100 million.

Despite the steep fares, sales have been brisk, in part because of pent-up demand.

"For 3½ years we haven't had any riverboats," says Phyllis Dale of Great Escapes Travel, which specializes in river cruises. "I have customers who've gone into withdrawal."

Count the Martinezes among them. Suzanne still tears up when she talks about the demise of the Queen's sister boats. The couple have traveled with the old Delta Steamboat Co. (the American Queen's original owner) 22 times since 1995 and are on board for both the first and second sailings of the relaunched vessel.

They've got nothing on Jack Steinmetz of Oakland, however. He has cruised on this boat or its sisters 35 or 40 times. "It's calm. The shore is nearby. The small towns are always welcoming," he says. "When they get the kinks out of it, it'll be fine."

Indeed, there are more than a few kinks on its first outings: temperamental plumbing and musty-smelling carpet in some cabins; uneven food quality; and staffers who display more enthusiasm than polish. By the time the boat pulls into Memphis at the end of its second cruise, the chef and general manager have been replaced. And passengers have received promises of "substantial changes" to dining and service, along with a 50% discount on a future cruise.

Carla Raushenbush, who at age 50 is one of the younger passengers, finds the boat too confining for someone as active as herself. (On Day 6, she's still waiting for the small swimming pool to open.) But the yoga studio owner from Madison, Wis., adds that her father, whom she's accompanying, is enjoying the cruise, and that makes the trip enjoyable for her.

Caters to an older crowd

Riverboat travelers skew older than ocean cruisers. (Witness the heavy demand on the American Queen for the 5:15 p.m. dinner seating.) The average age of the line's passengers is mid-60s, and the entertainment and activities reflect that demographic. The Henry James Orchestra boards in Memphis. Other upcoming headliners: the Glenn Miller Orchestra, a Rat Pack show and B.J. Thomas.

The vessel cruises at a leisurely 8 mph or less upriver. The Queen of the Mississippi will be about twice as fast, enabling the boat to linger longer in port towns, says American Cruise Lines president Charles Robertson.

But some riverboat denizens prefer the slower pace. "When you're going 6 to 8 miles per hour, it forces you to slow down," says Mary Charlton, who used to work on the boat and is back as a part-time "riverlorian" interpreting the history and culture of the river.

"I see people coming on who are tense. Then they sit on the deck in a rocking chair with a drink in their hand, and you see them start to relax. After a day or so, they arerelaxed."

Some patrons while away lazy afternoons on the river playing cards and board games in the Victorian parlors. Others settle into armchairs with a book in the Mark Twain Gallery. There's plenty of opportunity to indulge in between-meal grazing — from ice cream and hot dogs on the rocking-chair-lined "Front Porch" to sweets and savories at afternoon tea in the Captain's Bar.

Likewise, the pace is slow in the small riverside burgs where the boat calls. In towns such as Natchez and Vicksburg, Miss., and even in cities like Memphis, locals come out to witness the long-anticipated return of the American Queen.

"This is a big deal," says Marsha Colson, a tour operator in Natchez who has arrived at the dock wearing a 19th-century-style hoop skirt. "I can look at my (profit and loss) statements and know when the Queens were here."

Economic benefits notwithstanding, historic-preservation considerations also account for the glee over the return of this boat. Lewis Hankins, who will be on board periodically doing his dead-on impersonation of Mark Twain, sees it this way: "This keeps a part of America's history — the steamboat — alive. I just hope it can go on and on."

So do some first-timers with no nostalgic attachment to the steamboats.

"There's not a thing I could complain about," says Pam Hiltz of Los Angeles, who is traveling with five family members. "The staff is great. The food is wonderful. The boat is beautiful."

Suzanne Martinez is ecstatic, of course. "Some of us are so happy this boat is on the river, if nothing were right, we'd still be happy."

Where All Rooms Have Infinity Pools

Jade Mountain St. Lucia: Where All Rooms Have Infinity Pools

Located in the eastern Caribbean Sea, Jade Mountain in St. Lucia is one of the most incredible resorts the Sifter has seen. Each room has only three walls and a private infinity pool with stunning panoramic views of the beautiful Caribbean. A tropical oasis, this slice of heaven doesn’t come cheap, with nightly rates ranging from $950 up to $2,700 US. One can dream though!

Check out the gallery of images below along with information on the resort and rooms. Sigh…

JADE MOUNTAIN, ST. LUCIA

Rising majestically above the 600 acre beach front resort of Anse Chastanet, Jade Mountain is a cornucopia of organic architecture celebrating St Lucia’s stunning scenic beauty.

Architect owner Nick Troubetzkoy has expanded upon his philosophy of building in harmony with Caribbean nature in his creation of Jade Mountain. The bold architectural design – individual bridges leading to exceptional infinity pool sanctuaries and rugged stoned-faced columns reaching towards the sky – makes Jade Mountain one of the Caribbean’s most mesmerizing resort experiences.

Expect grand sweeping spaces where bedroom, living area and an extravagant private infinity pool glide into one another to form extraordinary platforms floating out into nature. With the fourth wall entirely absent, Jade Mountain’s sanctuaries are stage-like settings from which to embrace the full glory of St Lucia’s Pitons World Heritage Site, and of course, the eternal Caribbean Sea.

Wrapped around an infinity pool with a dazzling kaleidoscope of colors, the Jade Mountain Club caters exclusively to resident guests, celebrating James Beard Award winner, Chef Allen Susser’s “Jade Cuisine.” Hovering in space above the Jade Mountain Club is the Celestial Terrace, perfect for sunset cocktails or star-gazing.

A wide range of spa services can be enjoyed in the privacy of the Jade Mountain sanctuaries or at Kai en Ciel, Jade Mountain’s boutique spa and fitness studio.

The Jade Mountain sanctuaries are deliberately techno-free; there are no telephones, radio or television. Internet access is available at reception for those who simply cannot let go of the outside world as the resort encourages you to! The resort major domos and a dedicated resort team ensure outstanding service around the clock.

Enjoy the exclusivity and privacy of Jade Mountain with all of Anse Chastanet’s restaurants, bars, boutiques, art gallery, spa, scuba, bike and watersports facilities as well as 2 soft sand beaches available to Jade Mountain guests at all times.

THE INFINITY POOLS AT JADE MOUNTAIN

STAR Infinity Pool Sanctuaries
The infinity pool sanctuaries which are between 1400 – 1800 square feet and with infinity pools averaging 450 square feet.

MOON Infinity Pool Sanctuaries
The infinity pool sanctuaries which are between 1600 – 1950 square feet in size with infinity pools averaging 650 square feet.

SUN Infinity Pool Sanctuaries
The infinity pool sanctuaries with the most commanding 270 degree panoramic view, with over 2000 square feet in size, and in particular elevated positions. The infinity pools are up to 900 square feet in size. The combination of additional square footage and amazing panorama makes these sanctuaries the most desirable for all those seeking the ultimate experience.

GALAXY Infinity Pool Sanctuaries
These are the sun sanctuaries JD1 and JE1 which are on the highest level of JADE MOUNTAIN and enjoy the most commanding panoramic views plus biggest square footage. Because we have been asked on many occasions to guarantee these two suites for arrival, we have decided to create a specific category for them: GALAXY

All pools feature shallow water lounging areas in addition to a large swimming area. They have been surfaced entirely in one-of-a-kind glass tiles, which have been specifically designed for JADE MOUNTAIN. The glass tiles feature a sophisticated, textured iridescent surface on one side and a smooth but undulating surface on the other.

Each of the infinity pools has its own individually designed glass tile color scheme which is then carried on into the individual bathrooms, giving each suite its own unique – and rather bold – personality. The glass tile texture is complex in reflective and prismatic ways with each piece of tile unique due to their custom hand crafted fabrication.

The infinity pools are equipped with fibre optics to illuminate them at night. Guests have the option of allowing the system to cycle through a range of colours or setting it to one particular shade.

The water in JADE MOUNTAIN’S infinity pools is purified by a highly sophisticated system, the primary mechanical filtration being through a zeolite sand filter and with the primary sterilization being ozone. Each pool receives individually filtered and sterilized water, and pool water cycles through the sterilization and filtration facilities approximately six times per day.

JADE MOUNTAIN ACCOMMODATIONS

All sanctuaries feature 15ft high ceilings and have the 4th wall open to the views. All other aspects, layout and size vary from sanctuary to sanctuary. In addition to locally made fine tropical wood furniture an eclectic collection of furniture has been placed in the sanctuaries giving each one of them their own individualistic ambiance.

The living areas of the rooms are finished with more than 20 different species of tropical hardwood flooring and trims harvested in an environmentally correct way. JADE MOUNTAIN’s technicians actually visited the Rain Forest of Guyana and personally chose which trees to be used. A multitude of hardwoods has been used including Purpleheart, Greenheart, Locust, Kabukali, Snakewood, Bloodwood, Etikburabali, Futukbali, Taurino, Mora and Cabbage Wood.

The interior walls are finished in a crushed blush toned coral plaster quarried in Barbados. The exterior is in massive rough concrete and imbued with locally quarried stone, with all the window openings framed with massive 3 x 18 inch tropical wood mullions and muntins which are in-filled with movable jalousie louvres. The flooring exposed to the weather is finished in quarried coral tile from neighboring islands.

DINING AT JADE MOUNTAIN

Breakfast
Breakfast is a glorious time of the day in Jade Mountain. Your choices are based on ingredients locally farmed, harvested and fished. Taking all the best St Lucian local flavor has to offer and capturing it on the plate. Freshly squeezed exotic juices, home made granola, hand picked tropical fruits, farm fresh eggs and artisan breads.

Lunch
The flavors that take shape are modern yet simple for the palate to comprehend: Crispy, refreshing salads, exciting healthy sandwiches, the best Burger in the Caribbean, and pristine fish and seafood.

Dinner
Dinner at Jade Mountain Club reflects seasonal changes of flavor with influences throughout the Caribbean. Jade cuisine is a modern fusion cuisine with cultural influences and unique techniques resulting in a wonderful taste adventure.

In Your Sanctuary
Every meal, any meal, any time! Let us not disturb you, but help you to fulfill your needs and wants in your own personal sanctuary. We cater to the mind, body, spirit and senses of our guests. The service itself always reflects a sense of warm professionalism and genuine hospitality.

The Celestial Terrace
One of the most breathtaking locations imaginable, the Celestial Terrace offers an unforgettable sunset panorama. Once night has fallen, watch the night sky and look out for shooting stars . Let the culinary team create a private dining experience for you on the Celestial Terrace.

A Spoonful of Paradise Culinary Events
Chef Allen and his culinary team have created culinary weekend events to showcase St.Lucia’s culinary heritage: Cooking In Paradise, Mango Madness, Spices of the Caribbean, Discover Chocolate

Culinary Resources
The 600 acre resort estate includes the old colonial plantation of Anse Mamin. Originally a sugarcane plantation in the 18th century, its fields were eventually turned towards cocoa bean production. The cocoa trees are still numerous on the grounds for guest to see and for us to produce our own estate chocolates. Anse Mamin is a wonderful organic resource for our menu, including turmeric, cashews, tamarind, mango, avocado, oranges, tangerines, guavas, papaya, coconut, breadfruit, yams and sweet potatoes.

Our organic farm EMERALD ESTATE in the Soufriere hills plays a major role also. From vanilla beans, bay leaf, nutmeg trees, cinnamon trees, numerous varieties of mango, sour orange and coconut trees, the Emerald farm also grows leaves, micro greens, vegetables, and herbs for the restaurant. Our close relationship with many fishermen in town as well as up and down the coast gives us access to the freshest and most pristine fish in St Lucia.

DAILY RATES AT JADE MOUNTAIN

For package deals, please visit Jade Mountain

Tips for learning a foreign language

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Tips for learning a foreign language

It is common in other parts of the world for people to speak English in addition to their native tongue, so some people shrug off the idea of learning another language. But there are many reasons to learn a foreign language, from being able to communicate better with loved ones to understanding a new culture. Here are four tips for learning a new language:

Choose a language you want to learn

If you love French cinema and dream of living in Paris, don't forgo learning French in order study Mandarin Chinese. If you know you want to learn a new language but don't know which ones to choose, start by checking the availability of resources and classes in your area. You will have more options if you decide to learn the language on your own, but if you want to take classes, see which ones fit into your schedule.

Some colleges and universities require you to have a certain number of credits or reach a certain level of proficiency to graduate. If you tried to learn Spanish in school but hated it, maybe you will want to start from the beginning and learn a new language. Another factor to consider is the usefulness of the language. Being bilingual may make you a more appealing candidate for a job.

Dedicate yourself

You will get out what you put in, and it takes a lot of hard work and practice for a new language to click. Take an active approach to learning. You will not absorb new vocabulary by showing up to class and daydreaming for an hour. Set aside time to practice daily. Listen and read the language every day.

Making flashcards and quizzing yourself with them is arguably the most effective and efficient way of learning new vocabulary. If you are learning Portuguese, practice by starting with the English word and naming its Portuguese equivalent. Do a little bit each day, rather than telling yourself that you will sit down all day on Sunday and study German.

Have realistic expectations

Although degrees of difficulty are all relative, some languages are generally more challenging for English speakers to learn than others. Languages that do not use the Latin alphabet like Arabic, Chinese and Japanese, provide additional hurdles from the get-go. Romance languages are often taught in schools and may be easier to learn.

If you have studied French, Italian, Spanish or Portuguese in the past, you may have less trouble picking up another Romance language. Some languages are harder to speak but may have easier grammar, while others can flow more naturally for an English speaker but be challenging to read and write.

Accept from the beginning that every language has its own set of grammar rules. Do not go into your studies thinking you can apply English grammar and punctuation universally.

Expose yourself to native speakers

Look at immersion programs that require you to only speak the foreign language while participating. You will be amazed how quickly your language skills improve when you cannot communicate any other way. Take advantage of study abroad and travel opportunities. You can practice the generic way to ask for help at a supermarket in a language class, but there is no script when you are conversing with an actual Italian storekeeper.

Have fun learning your new language and grow accustomed to hearing it spoken. Watch television shows or the news in the language you are studying. Listen to music from a country that speaks the language. Check out websites in other languages and set your social networking websites to the language you are learning. You can also download free podcasts and listen to them on the go. You will see your skills improve before you know it.

The Circle of Healing

"The Circle of Healing"

by Jeff Guidry

It was mid-summer when a call came in reporting a fledgling Bald Eagle had fallen out of a nest on a Seattle golf course. Our very own Crazy Bob went to the rescue and transported her to the Center. She arrived with two broken wings. When asked to take her to the vet, I jump at the chance. When I load this hurt and terrified baby into the car, she neither whimpers nor fights; she can't even stand. This is not a good sign; she is obviously in very bad shape. As I drive to Sno-Wood Veterinary Hospital, I constantly look back to check on my very special passenger. She stares at me with big beautiful brown eyes, her mouth slightly agape. I drive a little faster—this Bald Eagle must live!
She is operated on and has both wings pinned; they are now immobile. Back at Sarvey we lay her in the bottom half of a huge carrier filled with shredded newspaper for support.
The fight for her life begins.
Twice a day a tube is pushed down her throat so that food and medicine can be pumped into her. A week goes by with no change; she still cannot stand up. At three weeks, there's a slight change, but it's for the worse. I'm getting scared for this young Bald Eagle.
Working at the Center, you begin to recognize a look, a look that indicates death is winning. This bruised and broken Bald Eagle was losing the battle but not her dignity. The struggle for her life was not over.
Every chance I get I talk softly to her, telling her to hold on, to fight, to live. Why I felt such a connection to this particular eagle, I do not know.
Four weeks go by and she is still on her belly. There is nothing so heartbreaking as seeing the life force of this majestic bird slowly slip away.
At five weeks we are approaching the end.
Sarvey Wildlife Center believes in giving every soul that comes in a chance to live; but when it is painfully clear that death is the only way out, the decision is made to let that particular spirit continue on its journey. We were at this juncture; this beautiful baby eagle was given one week to see if she could, or would, stand up. This was a crushing blow. Every day that next week I checked to see if she was up. The answer was always the same... "No."
On the following Thursday I could barely face going to the Center. As I walked in not a word was spoken but everyone wore a huge grin. I raced back to the young Bald Eagle's cage, and there she stood in all her glory!
She was standing! She had won. This girl had cheated death by a mere 24 hours. She was going to make it. She was going to get her second chance.
After another week the pins in her wings were removed. Her right wing was perfect, but her left was not. She couldn't fully extend it. We tried physical therapy and hoped a little time was all she needed, but there was no significant progress. Her wing was too badly damaged. She would never fly, never soar the skies with her people. At least her life was saved, but for what? Was she doomed to live her life in a cage? Not exactly, for this was a special soul.
Bald Eagles normally want nothing to do with humans and will go to great lengths to get away from them. This girl liked people; she wanted to see what you were doing, to follow where you were going, and to see whom you were going with. She was very curious.
About this time our director suggested that I try to glove train her. She had the right temperament; maybe she could do educational programs. Wouldn't that be something? Very few eagles are able or willing to be handled, much less remain calm in front of large crowds. The work began.
I started getting her used to the glove, a little at a time. At first she was thinking, "OK, I'll step on your hand but only with one foot." Then, "OK, I'll use both feet but only for a second." Later, "Yeah you can take me part way out of my cage, then I'll jump right back in." And finally, "OK, I'll let you walk around with me on your arm. Hey, this is fun!"
At this point, every day a volunteer would take this Bald Eagle out for a cruise around the clinic. It was time for her final test—jesses, the leather straps that attach to the ankles of birds-of-prey to give control to the handler and to protect the bird from injury or escape. I put the jesses on her—a piece of cake. It was as if she were born with them on. This was certainly a very mellow Bald Eagle.
Now it was almost time for her first program, but she needed a name. None that we could come up with seemed right, and then Paula, a volunteer, said, "Hey, what about Freedom?" That was it; that was her spirit and her spirit was why grandfather sent her to us. She was ready.
Freedom is now four years old and one of Sarvey Wildlife Center's premier ambassadors. She clearly enjoys our programs and really knows how to turn on the charm. She is a star. Freedom has been on national television, on the front page of major newspapers, and is known across the country.
She is also one of the great loves of my life. She will touch her beak to the tip of my nose and stare into my eyes. At that moment our spirits are one.
I am the luckiest person on Earth.Thank you, Freedom.

(editor's note)...Jeff said, "Why I felt such a connection to this particular eagle, I do not know."

Now we all know why:

Freedom is alive because Jeff fought for her life, and there is no doubt that Freedom sensed his love and commitment. Jeff gave Freedom the support she needed to want to live.

When Jeff was later diagnosed with a serious illness requiring chemotherapy, he found himself turning to Freedom for support. Two or three times a week, whenever he felt well enough, he would drive from Bothell to Arlington to walk with Freedom around the grounds. Now it was Freedom's turn to give Jeff a reason to fight for his life.

Only a short time ago Jeff was informed there was no trace of the disease left in his body. He immediately left for the Center.

When he took Freedom out of her flight, she did something she had never done before: She extended her wings and wrapped them around him.

The circle of healing was now complete.

Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO0O0SAgPuc

Magnificent multi-coloured ice sculptures mark end of Lunar New Year celebrations in Beijing

Looking cool! Magnificent multi-coloured ice sculptures mark end of Lunar New Year celebrations in Beijing
By EMMA REYNOLDS
Last updated at 9:34 AM on 7th February 2012

These are the spectacular ice sculptures lighting up a freezing February in Beijing.

The city was brought to life by the fantastical, rainbow-coloured creations in sub-zero temperatures as a grand finale to the Lunar New Year celebrations.

The vibrant Yangqing Ice Festival is an annual tradition that forms part of the spectacular Chinese Lantern Festival.


Winter wonder: A gorgeous palace of ice shines brightly in the darkness as the Lantern Festival draws visitors to Beijing


Chill in the air: Tourists from around the world wrapped up warmly as they marvelled at the glorious sight of the ice city


Land of dreams: Brilliant light transforms a dark winter's night at Yanqing Ice Festival, marking the end of China's Lunar New Year

Beijing showed it can still put on a show as impressive as its amazing Olympic opening ceremony of four years ago as visitors flocked to see the shining buildings before they thaw out.

Blocks of ice filled with neon lights make up a kitsch replica city beneath a ceiling hung with fairy lights.
Children from around the world dressed in coats and bobble hats came with their families to marvel at the magnificent display. They were able to climb on to the sculptures, wander through tunnels and watch beautiful fireworks and lantern displays fill the night sky overhead.

Yanqing Ice Snow Tourism Festival is one of the most well known of the popular winter festivals in northern China. Besides the ice sculpture exhibition, activities like ice skating, skiing and ice statue competitions make up part of the festival.


Snow ship: A thrilled child waves at the shore from a majestic boat of ice




Breathtaking beauty: Multi-coloured neon lights make the display a fabulous antidote to a freezing February


Not the hot-seat: Families chill out in the interactive and intricate city of ice

It has attracted visitors from across the world to visit Yanqing and admire breathtaking natural scenery as well as these man-made wonders.

The Lantern Festival is also known as the Yuanxiao Festival or Shangyuan Festival in China. Other areas embraced the chill in the same fashion, with the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival in north-east China attracting thousands of visitors since it opened on Christmas Day.

Tourists travelled around the gleaming theme park on horse-drawn carriages, climbing snowy staircases and sliding down icy ramps as they drank in a magical experience.

Elsewhere, resourceful blacksmiths celebrated the Lantern Festival with a money-saving 'firework display', achieved by flinging molten iron against a wall.
The technique is an annual tradition that has been running for 300 years in the village of Nuanquan, in China's Hebei province, which is famous for its blacksmiths.

The festivities herald the Year of the Dragon - an important symbol in Chinese culture.


Statuesque: Onlookers take snaps of the lanterns and sculptures, with the natural beauty of snowy rock rearing up in the background


Snowed in! Visitors pick their way through hundreds of cold creations at the Beijing festival before the thaw begins


View from an igloo: A scarlet imbued tunnel leads to a girl in a bobble hat transfixed by the visions before her

Travel guide ranks best, worst airport terminals

Travel guide ranks best, worst airport terminals

Written by Gary Stoller

USA Today

Terminal 3 of John F. Kennedy Airport was ranked by Frommers as the worst due to its "hallways that could have been designed by M.C. Escher for vomiting international travelers out onto an underground sidewalk" and "a sense that the cleaning crew gave up in despair a while ago." / Andrew Burton / Getty Images

Stuck in a weather delay at Newark Airport two days before Christmas last month, travel editor Jason Clampet said he saw an airport terminal at its worst.

"An hour-long wind delay made a mess of Terminal A," said Clampet, senior online editor of Frommers.com. "There weren't any seats, people were sitting on any available floor space, and the bathrooms looked like the aftermath of a Giants-Cowboys game."

For many travelers, an airport terminal provides the first impression -- and the final word -- about a destination. It's also a place where travelers spend much time, particularly waiting for departing or connecting flights.

With that in mind, Frommers.com provided USA Today with its choices of best and worst airport terminals. Newark's Terminal A -- despite Clampet's bad experience -- did not make the worst list. But another nearby terminal did.

The travel guide publisher said the best and worst choices were based on cleanliness, services, on-time departures, navigation and the ease of getting to and from a city's center.

The world's best, according to Frommers.com, is Hajj Terminal at King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It covers 120 acres and is open only during the six-week Hajj, when millions of Muslims make a pilgrimage to Mecca.

Two years ago, the terminal received an American Institute of Architects award for an architectural design "that has stood the test of time for 25 years," the institute said.

"The most stunning feature," Frommers.com said, "is that the terminal consists of 210 white fiberglass tents that create a chimney effect cooling the hot desert air."

Only one airport terminal in the USA -- JetBlue Airways' Terminal 5 at New York's JFK airport -- finished in the top 10.

The terminal, designed by Eero Saarinen for now-defunct airline TWA, is "one of the greatest icons of the mid-20th century jet age," Frommers.com said. The terminal, it said, "has been intelligently swallowed by the grasping tendrils of JetBlue's modern new terminal, which has by far the best airport food court in New York."

Cozy with a dramatic view

The world's second-best terminal is Leifur Eiriksson Air Terminal in Keflavik, Iceland, about a 45-minute drive from Reykjavik, the nation's capital.

Fourteen passenger airlines fly into the airport during the summer, including Icelandair and SAS, which operate year-round service.

"Iceland's cozy, little international airport looks like it arrived in a flat pack from Ikea," Frommers.com said. "It's all blond wood and volcanic-looking stone with big windows looking out on the dramatic Icelandic landscape."

The seven other terminals in the travel guide publisher's top 10 are at airports serving Seoul; Wellington, New Zealand; Singapore; Madrid; Marrakech, Morocco; Montevideo, Uruguay; and Bilbao, Spain.

"If a city has an excellent terminal, it said to the visitor that they're thought about," Clampet said.

"Cleanliness, good light, space to rest between flights, decent food and some strategically placed plugs are enough to say to visitors, 'We know you'd rather be somewhere else right now, but while you're here, we'll take care of you."'

Frommers.com said such customer care is lacking at the world's worst terminals.

The worst, according to the travel guide publisher, is JFK Airport's Terminal 3, an old facility that was once the base of now-defunct Pan Am's flights and now is used by Delta Air Lines.

An expansion and renovation project, scheduled to be completed by 2013, will make the terminal "a modern facility that will warmly and efficiently welcome travelers," Delta said.

"Terminal 3 is known for endless immigration lines in a dank basement, an utter lack of food and shopping options, three crowded and confusing entry points, and hallways that could have been designed by M.C. Escher for vomiting international travelers out onto an underground sidewalk with no cabs available," Frommers.com said. "There's also a sense that the cleaning crew gave up in despair a while ago."

Terminals at two other New York area airports -- Newark's Terminal B and the US Airways terminal at New York's LaGuardia -- also make the 10 worst list.

Delta, which shares the terminal with US Airways at LaGuardia, announced plans to expand and renovate it and an adjacent terminal beginning this spring.

Having some issues

Chicago's Midway is the only other terminal at a U.S. airport on the worst list.

The six other terminals on the travel guide publisher's worst list are at airports serving Manila; Moscow; Paris; Nairobi, Kenya; and Amman, Jordan.

Paris is the only destination besides New York with terminals at more than one airport on the list.

Frommers.com said that Paris' Charles de Gaulle received the 2010 and 2009 awards from SleepingInAirports.net for worst airport to sleep in. This year, the website decided to give the airport a break, in part, because of reports "that the homeless population was being segregated to Terminal 3 at night."

Those reports, plus de Gaulle being "an awful airport to change planes," landed Terminal 3 on Frommers.com's worst list.

"Many flights require a change between de Gaulle's various, scattered terminal buildings, which are connected primarily by slow, confusing shuttle buses," the travel guide publisher said. "Changing planes is tiring, irritating and sometimes, a little terrifying."

The terminal at Paris Beauvais Airport, 50 miles north of France's capital city, is also the pits, according to Frommers.com.

The travel guide publisher blames discount airline Ryanair for adding Paris to the name of the "depressing, low-cost box of an airport in Picardy." It's rated one of the world's worst airports by SleepingInAirports.net because of a lack of seating, lack of services and "general half-tent, half-warehouse atmosphere," Frommers.com said.

Paris Beauvais Airport "lacks a rail link to Paris and closes overnight, so hope that your flight doesn't get too delayed, or you may be camping out on the lawn," the travel guide publisher said.

Large number of UK visa applications to be affected by IT changes

Large number of UK visa applications to be affected by IT changes

The UK Border Agency has announced that a large number of visa application centres around the world will be unable to take biometric information on certain days in February.

There are also a number of changes in various centres to the way visas are paid for and visa sections in Panama, Guatemala and Belize have closed.

A large number of centres will be affected by a major IT maintenance programme. Applicants will not be able to submit UK visa applications on this date. The visa application centres will be open for the collection of documents at the usual times.

The mobile biometric clinic in Lisbon will be affected slightly earlier than others. The service will be suspended from 30 January for a week.

On Friday 03 February visa application centres in Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia, Lebanon, Tunisia, Turkey, Gaza, Kazakhstan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, China, Indonesia, Brunei, Japan, Morocco, Cambodia, Burma, Thailand, South Korea, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia will be unable to process biometric information.

Applications in a number of major cities will also be affected on 03 February. These include Madrid, Jerusalem, Rome and Paris.

And on Sunday 05 February the biometric service will be unavailable in Iraq, Jordan, Bangladesh, and Egypt.

‘We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. If you have a genuinely urgent or compassionate need to travel please contact our visa information service,’ said a UK Border Agency spokesman.

Also from 30 January 2012 all applications for a UK visa submitted in certain countries must be paid for online in US Dollars. These include Georgia, Turkey, Jordan and Hong Kong. The measure has already been introduced in South Africa earlier this month.

The UK Border Agency has just introduced a priority visa service in Ukraine. The priority visa service is available to applicants who meet specific criteria and who pay an additional fee to have their visa application processed ahead of others.

Meanwhile the visa sections in Panama, Guatemala and Belize have closed. Visa applicants in Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Panama, Honduras and Nicaragua will now need to use the monthly biometric clinic in Panama City or visit the visa application centre in Bogota to enrol their biometric information.

Special Visa required to Gabon and Equatorial Guinea

Special Visa required to Gabon and Equatorial Guinea

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations informs the public of a correspondence from the Government of the Republic of Gabon through their Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York stating certain special travel arrangements (Visa) for Diplomatic and Official passport holders, official delegation and journalists who wish to participate in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for January/February2012.

According to the press release, nationals with a valid passport and international certificate of vaccination or another agreed document from qualified countries are entitled to this visa. Also entitled are nationals from other countries wishing to participate who have a valid passport or another agreed travel document , proof of sufficient living expenses for the duration of stay requested. A hotel booking or another type of accommodation is necessary.

Members of Official Delegations, journalists and press technicians, coaching staff of teams, players, guests of the African Football Confederation (CAF) and the African Football Associations, official sponsors of the CAF can be granted the same visa provided they produce letter of accreditation

While the special visa will be issued free of charge to executive members of CAF and their guests, official delegations for the teams that qualified( 30 members per team) and official sponsors, a visa fee of 30 000 CFA or about R850.00 will be required for journalists and fans. Botswana wishing issuance of the special visa will be assisted at the Embassy of Gabon in South Africa.

Warnings of ecological timebomb after Italy ship wreck
By Dario Thuburn (AFP)
GIGLIO ISLAND, Italy — Fears rose of an environmental disaster from a wrecked cruise ship in an area of outstanding natural beauty in Italy on Monday as hopes faded of finding any more survivors on board.

The ship has 2,380 tons of fuel (AFP, Filippo Monteforte)

   

The island is a major marine sanctuary and popular for whale-spotting (AFP, Filippo Monteforte)

"This is an ecological timebomb," Sergio Ortelli, mayor of the picturesque Tuscan island where the luxury Costa Concordia liner hit underwater rocks and keeled over on Friday with more than 4,200 passengers and crew aboard.

Ortelli said there were 2,380 tons of fuel on the ship, which had just started its cruise when it ran aground. "This is the second worry, after human lives," he said, as crews began putting down anti-spill booms.

"I hope that the fuel can be taken off the ship soon and maybe the ship can be removed too because it is hampering navigation," he said.

"We are monitoring constantly but there has been no spill so far," he added.

At least 15 people were still feared trapped in the wreckage after the disaster which left at least six dead, including two French passengers and one Peruvian crewman who drowned jumping off the ship in a chaotic evacuation.

Famous for its sandy beaches and rustic charm, Giglio is a major holiday destination in the summer when the population swells from around 800 permanent residents to some 5,000 people and is dotted with exclusive villas.

The island is also a major marine sanctuary and popular for whale-spotting.

Local officials are calling for new rules imposing strict limits on navigation in the area and in particular an end to the practice of "showboating" when cruise ships file past close to the island.

The owners of the ship, Costa Crociere, have been instructed by coastguards "to remove the wreck of the ship and avoid any spill of oil into the sea," said Filippo Marini, head of the local coastguard press office.

"We are putting in place booms right now but so far there hasn't been any leak. There is maximum attention on the environmental problem. We are all working together to resolve this as soon as possible," he said.

Dutch firm Smit, one of the largest marine salvage companies in the world, told AFP it had been hired to pump out the fuel from the 114,500-ton wreck.

"The owner of the vessel has asked us to ensure that the oil is brought out of the vessel safely," said Martijn Schuttevaer, spokesman for Boskalis, Smit's holding company.

He said the operation was expected to start within days and that 20 workers from Smit would travel to Giglio on Monday to coordinate the operation.

A representative from US-based Titan Salvage, who was also on Giglio, said the contract could run into the millions of euros (dollars).

"They've been phenomenally lucky there's been no spill. If the hole in the hull had been four or five metres further along it would have punctured the tanks," he said.

"It's very close to the edge of much deeper water," said the man, explaining that the waves could push it off its resting place and it could sink entirely.

The fuel pumped out of the ship will be replaced by water in the tanks to ensure that the ship remained stable in a practice known as "hot tapping."

Environment Minister Corrado Clini meanwhile said that the environmental risk has been "our nightmare."

"The vessel has reservoirs full of fuel, it is a heavy diesel which could sink down to the seabed, that would be a disaster," he said.

In a worst-case scenario, the fuel could "leak into the sea, contaminating an exceptional coastline and affecting marine and bird life," he warned.

"We are ready to intervene if there is a spill," Clini said. "As soon as possible, the fuel will be removed from the vessel. But we have to take into account the precarious state of the ship."

Costa Crociere head Pier Luigi Foschi said Monday the company had commissioned several firms to look at the best way to salvage the vessel.

He said the first priorities were pumping out the fuel and plugging the gash in the hull.

Foschi said he understood fears of an environmental disaster from leaking fuel oil, but stressed that there had been no signs of this.

Copyright © 2012 AFP. All rights reserved.