Jimmy James, a British flier in World War II who was obsessed with escape plots during his five years in German captivity, most prominently the breakout portrayed in the movie "The Great Escape," died Jan. 18 in Shrewsbury, England. He was 92.
His death was confirmed to the BBC and The Birmingham Post by Howard Tuck, a military historian who said he had been working on a book with James.
On the night of June 5, 1940, Flight Lieutenant James, co-pilot of a Wellington bomber, was on the way to a mission over Germany when his plane was shot down by antiaircraft fire over the occupied Netherlands. He bailed out about 40 kilometers, or 25 miles, south of Rotterdam but was captured and taken to the prisoner-of-war camp Stalag Luft I on the Baltic coast of Germany.
James made at least seven unsuccessful attempts to tunnel out of that camp. Then he was transferred to Stalag Luft III, southeast of Berlin. By the time he was liberated by U.S. troops in Austria in May 1945, a few days before Germany surrendered, he had tried to escape at least 11 times from POW camps and a concentration camp and had succeeded twice, only to be recaptured.
"I was just a guy who wanted to get home; I was no hero," The Birmingham Post quoted James as saying. But his unrelenting will to be free brought him the Military Cross for gallantry in 1946.
The most storied escape occurred on the night of March 24, 1944, when 76 Allied prisoners, mostly airmen from Britain and the Commonwealth nations, tunneled out of Stalag Luft III. James and another prisoner had overseen the hiding of soil displaced by the digging. He was the 39th man to escape through the tunnel. Only three made it to freedom. Fifty of the 73 who were recaptured were shot on Hitler's orders.
James was recaptured at a German railroad station while fleeing toward the Czech border and eventually transferred to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. In September 1944, he joined several others in escaping through a 30-meter, or 100-foot, tunnel they had dug using a table knife. He was recaptured and imprisoned at two other concentration camps before he was liberated.
He later entered the British diplomatic corps, holding posts on the Continent and in Africa.
#1
Fifty of the 73 who were recaptured were shot on Hitler's orders.
Just think of the spirit that that represents. Today, people would sneer at them for not staying safe and sound in prison, with guffawing references to Darwin and ridiculing the prisoners and their families.
Minneapolis Council, Minneapolis may ban RIDING & TOUCHING Elephants!!? Or is that Code? In Moscow on the Mississippi you never know...
Elephants would still perform at Minneapolis circuses, but the kiddies would no longer get to ride or touch them under a proposed ordinance headed for a City Council vote Friday. If that happens, the show may not go on.
"We'll seriously consider leaving the city if we can't do elephant rides," said Tim Davison, the Minneapolis Shriners' assistant circus chairman. Elephant rides are a highlight of and a moneymaker for the fall shows at Target Center, the group's principal fundraiser.
Council Member Paul Ostrow, who wrote the proposed ordinance with colleague Betsy Hodges, called it a "win-win situation for everybody."
'Step in the right direction' And off the cliff
The Shriners could deal with the increased rules and fees but were taken aback by the Gordon amendments, Davison said. The Shriners have never received any complaints nor have patrons been injured from the rides that cost about $8 last year, he said. "If they were dangerous, then we wouldn't be able to carry insurance," Davison said. "We have people lining up at our shows to take a ride. Why? They're trying to make it difficult for us because we led the charge against a total ban." Petty Pretty Liberal Loons
Simpler than that: they're making it difficult because they can.
#1
Hint. Cut the damn crap and concentrate on the Muslim cab drivers at the airport. They're all illegal Somalians plotting to blow your arses up. Take your pet Siberian over there and tell them you want a ride. When they spit on you, turn the hound loose. Get them out of the country. Quit fooling with elephants you lib ass donkeys.
#3
Considering past Twin City history, maybe they ought to just ban elephant rides on their bridges.
The Minneapolis City Council: Finger on the Pulse of Today's Complex issues...
#4
Did they name the bill after Chuckles the Clown?
Posted by: Eric Jablow ||
01/31/2008 9:38 Comments ||
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#5
"Your Shriner's Hospital for Crippled Children can stay just get the circus out of town.
BTW, none of that elephant ride revenue was used to support the hospital was it?"
Determined not to let anything spoil their party, organizers of the 2008 Summer Olympics said Wednesday that they will take control over the most unpredictable element of all—the weather.
While China's Olympic athletes are getting ready to compete on the fields, its meteorologists are working the skies, attempting the difficult feat of making sure it doesn't rain on the Aug. 8 opening ceremonies.
"Our team is trained. Our preparations are complete," declared Wang Jianjie, a spokeswoman from the Beijing Meteorological Bureau, addressing a news conference at the headquarters of the Beijing organizing committee. . . .
Posted by: Mike ||
01/31/2008 16:50 ||
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#1
You all be careful now, you hear. Our folks down south bitch'd and moaned about all the wet brought on by that bitty Katrina. Now they've gone and got themselves two whole dang years with barely a drop. You ask for dry, you might get the big dry too.
#2
Yet another Oliver Stone production of almost a Madonna + Penn State film ...
The CPC = CCCC Bureaus had better scrutinize closely how this info is disseminated in the Chin heartland, as the masses = so-called Commie-Soci "blanks" may interprete this as Beijing/the Party is responsible for China's growing enviro desertification, preferring decadent bourgeosie Western events to WATER???
The co-pilot of a Heathrow-bound passenger flight had to be dragged from the cockpit and handcuffed after suffering an apparent mental breakdown in mid-air, it emerged yesterday.
Passengers on the Air Canada flight from Toronto to London said the co-pilot was restrained after yelling and "invoking God" while at the controls of the Boeing 767 plane more than 30,000 feet above the Atlantic. The flight was forced to make an emergency diversion to Ireland's Shannon airport early on Monday and the unnamed crew member was taken to a nearby psychiatric unit.
Continued on Page 49
#1
Ahh, pic too big, but it's a legit one from the RB stash! So, you can't blame me! Anyway, it's not like I'm the kind of guy who should be held responsible for what he does, really, otherwise, it will never ends.
#3
Except when allah is copiloting. Then kiss your ass goodbye. Egyptair 767 On Halloween 1999 an Egyptair 767 plunged into the Atlantic, killing all 217 people aboard. According the National Transportation and Safety Board report, the crash was due to 'the relief first officer's flight control inputs'. In plain language, the relief pilot dived the plane into the sea, screaming 'Allahu akbar' all the way down.
Posted by: ed ||
01/31/2008 13:36 Comments ||
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#4
Half way through the article I already decided to mention the Egypt Air flight, but it was mentioned in the article (!?!) except the article misquoted the Egypt Air co-pilot who was not speaking english.
God did answer in the form of an off-duty (ever off duty?) Canadian Soldier, especially if this guy was getting pshyched up to crash the plane.
#5
In 1999 a New York-bound EgyptAir flight crashed into the Atlantic shortly after the co-pilot, who was controlling the plane, was heard to say "I put my faith in God" as the autopilot was switched off.
Flying carpets maybe, but I doubt Mo was checked out on 767's, so you know how that one was gonna turn out.
I also wonder if the author was trying to tip us on "something" by mentioning that story?
A car bomb explosion in a small town northeast of Bosnia's capital killed two people and seriously injured another Wednesday morning, police said. The device was most likely placed beneath a vehicle parked in front of a cafe called Omerta in the town of Pale, police spokeswoman Danka Tesic said.
Two people bumped off at the Omerta cafe. They're making this up, right?
Tesic said one of the victims was the cafe's owner, Vlatko Macar, while the other had not been identified.
Yeah, but can you trust Tessio? Have Tom Hagen call Clemenza and double check.
The injured person was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. Local media suggested that the bombing was related to organized crime.
No! Reeeeeeally?
Posted by: Fred ||
01/31/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
like 1990 first the criminal gangs then they are politicised and then they want to join Serbia, as it is going to be happened with Mitrovica in the North of that silly province that want to become a state. If it would be not so sad, we actually shall laugh about all this immature "Macho Trall-la-la".
Posted by: Omomoper Scourge of the Hemps5698 ||
01/31/2008 6:17 Comments ||
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Hey-hey, ho-ho, the Marines in Berkeley have got to go.
That's the message from the Berkeley City Council, which voted 8-1 Tuesday night to tell the U.S. Marines that its Shattuck Avenue recruiting station "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders."
In addition, the council voted to explore enforcing its law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation against the Marines because of the military's don't ask, don't tell policy. And it officially encouraged the women's peace group Code Pink to impede the work of the Marines in the city by protesting in front of the station.
In a separate item, the council voted 8-1 to give Code Pink a designated parking space in front of the recruiting station once a week for six months and a free sound permit for protesting once a week from noon to 4 p.m.
Councilman Gordon Wozniak opposed both items.
The Marines have been in Berkeley for a little more than a year, having moved from Alameda in December of 2006. For about the past four months, Code Pink has been protesting in front of the station. "I believe in the Code Pink cause. The Marines don't belong here, they shouldn't have come here, and they should leave," said Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates after votes were cast.
A Marines representative did not respond to requests for comment.
The resolution telling the Marines they are unwelcome and directing the city attorney to explore issues of sexual orientation discrimination was brought to the council by the city's Peace and Justice commission.
Well sure. Who else?
The recommendation to give Code Pink a parking space for protesting and a free sound permit was brought by council members Linda Maio and Max Anderson.
Code Pink on Wednesday started circulating petitions to put a measure on the November ballot in Berkeley that would make it more difficult to open military recruiting offices near homes, parks, schools, churches libraries or health clinics. The group needs 5,000 signatures to make the ballot.
The Berkeley definition of 'tolerance'.
Even though the council items passed, not everyone is happy with the work of Code Pink. Some employees and owners of businesses near the Marines office have had enough of the group and its protests. "My husband's business is right upstairs, and this (protesting) is bordering on harassment," Dori Schmidt told the council. "I hope this stops."
An employee of a nearby business who asked not to be identified said Wednesday the elderly Code Pink protesters are aggressive, take up parking spaces, block the sidewalk with their yoga moves, smoke in the doorways, and are noisy. "Most of the people around here think they're a joke," the woman said.
'Joke' is a good word. 'Traitors' is another good word.
Wozniak said he was opposed to giving Code Pink a parking space because it favors free speech rights of one group over another. "There's a line between protesting and harassing, and that concerns me," Wozniak said. "It looks like we are showing favoritism. We have to respect the other side, and not abuse their rights. This is not good policy."
Mr. Wozniak sounds like a reasonable man. What's he doing in Berkeley? Don't we have a refugee program for people like him?
Ninety-year-old Fran Rachel, a Code Pink smelly protester who spoke at the council meeting, said the group's request for a parking space and noise permit was especially important because the Marines are recruiting soldiers who may die in an unjust war. "This is very serious," Rachel said. "This isn't a game; it's mass murder. There's a sickness of silence of people not speaking out against the war. We have to do this."
Anderson, a former Marine who said he was "drummed out" of the corps when he took a stand against the Vietnam War, said he'd love to see the Marines high tale it out of town. "We are confronted with an organization that can spend billions of dollars on propaganda," Anderson said. "This is not Okinawa here; we're involved in a naked act of aggression. If we can provide a space for ordinary people to express themselves against this kind of barbarity, then we should be doing it."
#2
If they don't like the Marines' policy towards sexual orientation, they should talk to their congress critter, since Congress wrote the law.
We need the equivalent of the Solomon Amendment for cities that pull crap like this. If they don't want recruiters in town, fine. However, they forfeit ALL federal money. And if a natural disaster strikes, the federal government will not help, since they are not welcome.
#3
An employee of a nearby business who asked not to be identified said Wednesday the elderly Code Pink protesters are aggressive, take up parking spaces, block the sidewalk with their yoga moves, smoke in the doorways, and are noisy.
They look like a threat to me. Better call in an airstrike. Start at city hall and work your way in...
#5
Well, it certainly looks like the council had a busy day yesterday. Let's all point and laugh...
Berkeley council passes medical marijuana measure
The Berkeley City Council unanimously passed a plan this week to help get medical marijuana to patients if the Drug Enforcement Administration raids and shuts down any of the city-permitted dispensaries.
The resolution passed Tuesday night declares Berkeley a sanctuary for medical marijuana users and distributors and commits the city to "uphold patients' rights to safe access to medical marijuana" should the DEA move on one of two dispensaries in town.
What that means is up to debate at the moment, but the city would at least help a new distributor get started or help one restart after a DEA raid, council members and activists said. The DEA has shut down five medical marijuana dispensaries in the Bay Area in the past year.
Tuesday night's item originally called for the city to get into the business of selling marijuana itself if the DEA clamped down, but that language was watered down after objections were raised from Berkeley police and the city manager.
Pat Crossman, 77, who uses medical marijuana for disintegrating disk disease and arthritis, urged the council to pass the resolution. "I'm a senior citizen, and I would be very upset if the feds came in and busted us and frightened us and stopped what (the distributors) are trying to do here," Crossman said.
I think the Marines are just there for the hippie p_ssy, myself...
#6
I believe the way to handle cities like Berkeley is to declare them whale sanctuaries, then bulldoze any and all structures. OTOH, it may be sufficient just blow up anything with the word "organic" on it.
Posted by: ed ||
01/31/2008 12:34 Comments ||
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#8
Berkeley needs some synergy. Then again, testing that new rail gun could be used to force synergy on the queers and commie pinkos most abundant within Bezrkely. Would anybody really care ?
Your old. Real old. Can you hurry it up? You don't need to get any older. Nobody will miss you.
Posted by: Young American ||
01/31/2008 14:51 Comments ||
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#12
What if the DoD announced that the military will not protect Berkeley from attack from foreign powers? They might enjoy living under some of the governments they support.
Posted by: Formerly Dan ||
01/31/2008 15:37 Comments ||
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#13
Someday will come the Big Earthquake. When it happens, I hope the military demands that the Berkeley City Council meets to rescind the ordinance before they move in with all their uninvited and unwanted food and water and bulldozers and helicopters n shit. They should wait for as long as necessary for this to be done in order not to offend the sensibilities of Berkeley's city government.
Either that, or Berkeley city government can hand out picks and shovels to all the Code Pinkers and medical marijuana patients that they seem to have a preponderance of and tell em to start digging. Man.
At least they won't lack for manpower...excuse me, "humanpower".
"Oddly enough, in pretty much every city I've lived, I've been "uninvited" by the city council or any other organization representing the city. Nor would I have felt I was doing something rude or otherwise bad if the city council has announced that I was "unwelcome."
"On the other hand, being labeled as "intruder" would have troubled me, because it seems to assert some sort of property rights on the city council's part. If a host declares me an intruder in his house, or a business on its property, I would have to leave. But here the Marines, I take it, are on private property that the commercial landlord has voluntarily rented to them. A little arrogant for the city council to decide who's an intruder as to all the private property in the city, no?
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/31/2008 16:22 Comments ||
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#15
Dear Berkeley City Council,
Do you notice how much America cares about the 'unfortunate' people of New Orleans today? Yeah, they had the MSM pining for awhile and expended a lot of time cooking up ways to 'Blame Bush'. However, the rest of America has moved on. Meanwhile a lot of former New Orleans residents are still trying to stick their community back together. Doesn't look good. They burned up a lot of 'support' by their stupid tricks act the months following nature's last visit. When that Big One(tm) hits your part of the Bay, we'll be holding parties, celebrating. Two years later the only thing we'll be concerned with is if the state or federal government has finished returning the area back to its 'original state'. You know the organic type of stuff you're into. Because, we all know that we shouldn't allow construction in such stress environments. Oh, and we're serious. Cause you know any real relief has to be approved by our Congresscritters, who want to be reelected. I'm not sure you can get enough votes in house, let alone the Senate for relief funds. Just consider it our way of flipping the finger back :)
#19
a "Boycott Berkeley" campaign would be a nice start. Don't visit or buy any products from a Berkeley merchant.
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/31/2008 19:09 Comments ||
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#20
Prior to getting hitched I recall a few hippie chicks that liked us jarheads.........must be all the pent up frustration fom not being around real men on a daily basis.
#22
#7 proves that a picture really is worth a thousand words--when information is in print only, it can "legitimize" it in a sense, then, well, just go to #7 and it all falls apart. Wonder what these guys would do if the jihadiis came to town with no hinderances, and wanted to stop their exhibitionism Islam style. They'd all be pissing and whining for the "government" (Marines) to save them.
Text deleted. I didn't have time to re-format it. Please, when you're posting, delete all the crap including the sidebars, photo labels, etc that get swept up with a cut and past. AoS.
#3
Wait until they find out how many things plywood is in. Make it an option - a trailer with plywood which may or may not be dangerous or the very real and immediate danger of living without shelter. The choice..is yours.
I see it now! Tents for sale - untreated organic cotton canvas, wooden stakes made the sick and fallen trees from tree farms planted as carbon offsets, organic hemp twine; investers anyone? I promise they won't stink or fall apart after one rain storm ; )
At Greensburg there was talk about using SIP domes...
The congressional hearing was convened last month after Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., and Rep. Bobby Jindal, D-La., blasted FEMA for its seeming disregard of occupantsÂ’ complaints.
Yeah, he's young, charismatic, and intelligent, so I guess they've decided to add a whole new twist to "Guess That Party!"
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Minneapolis Council, Minneapolis may ban RIDING & TOUCHING Elephants!!?
A car bomb explosion in a small town northeast of Bosnia's capital killed two people and seriously injured another Wednesday morning, police said. The device was most likely placed beneath a vehicle parked in front of a cafe called Omerta in the town of Pale, police spokeswoman Danka Tesic said. 
Hey-hey, ho-ho, the Marines in Berkeley have got to go. 
