The Braved
The Soviet Union was known for a lot of things, one of which was the amazing bravery their women showed. An example would be the Night Witches. In this post, I want to talk about 2 more.
The Soviets employed a lot of female snipers during their Great Patriotic War, snipers like Natalya Kovshova & Mariya Polivanova.
Both started out as volunteers to defend Moscow, they eventually established themselves as the go-to sniper team for their unit, with Polianova spotting and Kovshova shooting.
During an engagement with the Germans in Novgorod, they proved their metal. Their comrades started falling left and right, and the Germans were advancing rapidly towards their position. Embodying the famous “Not one step back” order, they fought to the death, even when it was just the 2 of them left fighting.
Running low on ammunition, they decided that they were gonna take as many Germans down with them as possible. As the Germans reached their position, they detonated the last of their grenades, killing themselves, and the nearby Germans.
From their time as snipers to their last stand, it is estimated that their body count is around 300.
In May of 2011, Mark Owen crossed the Afghanistan-Pakistan border on a mission to capture/kill Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda – to decapitate “The Head of the Snake.”
But that night in Abbottabad, Pakistan is just a part of Mark’s story.
In this special four-part series of Danger Close, Jack sits down for an extended interview with Mark to discuss the story you haven’t heard. Starting with Mark’s childhood in a remote Alaskan community to his early days in the SEAL Teams to 9/11 and the sustained combat that followed to his selection and training for a team at the highest echelons of special operations, this is Mark Owen unfiltered, candid, and uncensored.
Although this day-by-day series has been preoccupied covering the turning of the tide of war around the globe over the past months, the war against humanity has raged on unabated, as you will have seen in our biweekly YouTube series.
In occupied Poland, only skeletal remains of once-proud Jewish communities remain. The city of Lwów is no exception. Thousands more have been deported during the past three days, leaving just 12,000 laborers from an original of 160,000 Jewish inhabitants and refugees.
In the town of Opoczno, the Germans turn to tricks instead of force to find new victims. Ghetto inhabitants with relatives in Palestine are asked to register for a special exchange program. Some 500 show up and are put aboard trains. The deportees wait for the carriage to kick into motion and take them west towards a neutral country, but their hopes are soon dashed; the train turns east towards Treblinka.
Knowing that nobody returns from the east, panic soon erupts in the carriages. Twenty-two-year-old Aaron Carmi describes: ‘It was as though there was an explosion and a collapse in the carriage. People shrieked to the high heavens. The little children in the carriage could not understand what it all meant, but they also began to cry at the tops of their voices.’
‘I looked at my own family members and it seemed to me as though they had all grown old in a single moment. My little sister Malkale […] understood what it all meant and was weeping bitterly […]. My sister Rochele […] clung to me and said, “Aaron, I am terribly afraid. Look after me…” […] Looking at them I could no longer restrain myself, and also began weeping; but did my best to weep silently, so that my voice should not be heard.’
Together with some other young men, Aaron makes the gut-wrenching decision to leave his family and jump from the train when the opportunity presents itself. The guards shoot down some of the escapees, but Aaron lives to tell the tale.
Photo: An unidentified man in the Opoczno Ghetto looking at the German photographer.
Source: Yad Vashem, 6835/1
Jan. 6, 2022 No. 22-1 JUNEAU, Alaska — Alaska’s population increased by 932 people — 0.1 percent — from April 2020 to July 2021, based on population estimates released today by the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. This was the first increase since 2016. Despite slight overall growth,...
More than 80 people signed up for Monday’s event. Since the event began 13 years ago, the association has helped more than 4,000 low to moderate income Alaskans.
Today's selection -- from Brat: An '80s Story by Andrew McCarthy. Andrew McCarthy, who achieved a measure of fame from roles in St. Elmo’s Fire, Pretty in Pink, and Less Than Zero, comments on the strange things that began to happen to him once he became recognized: "I knew that I was now famous because things that […]
Today's encore selection -- from Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815 by Gordon Wood. After declaring its independence in 1776, the predominant form of government in the United States was not the Articles of Confederation but the thirteen state governments. And some of those state governments were aggressive experiments in democracy, […]
More than 80 people signed up for Monday’s event. Since the event began 13 years ago, the association has helped more than 4,000 low to moderate income Alaskans.
I stopped Wrath of Man about halfway through and went to sleep. I usually enjoy Jason Statham films as mindless, fun entertainment. There was nothing fun about this movie. I’m not sure why he took this role, which is out of character. He was so serious and brutal there was nothing redeeming. And I never […]
Our students have compiled research in three topic areas. Below are the links to their research tables that can be downloaded for searching and viewing. For a state-by-state review of Mandatory Reporter laws, click here. For a state-by-state review of Background Check laws, click...
Our students spent the summer working on the inaugural project of the LDICP. Through their extensive research, massive databases of information on state statutes regarding the abuse of children ave been created and will be posted here as their work is finalized. Here are...
I’ve blogged before with tips on choosing a book title, but recently I’ve become aware of a few other things we need to consider in the age of online bookselling. I ruminated about titles over the holidays, when I had a chance to read some titles from my TBR pile, and catch up on a […]
(Post originally published on January 29, 2021. These are all coming from early in the year. Weird.) This storyline might be fairly niche, but it’s caught my attention. In fact, I think it’s turned up more often than I realize. … Continue reading →
Welcome to our show and we are excited to share decades of music with you in 2022. Here is my second selection of top 1986 hits which I hope you will enjoy. Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer “Sledgehammer” was released as … Continue reading →
From The Babylon Bee. HOBBITON—Hobbits throughout The Shire began wearing shoes last week after the opening of a new Lego Store in the town of Stock, just east of the Brandywine River. Though Hobbits have hairy rugged feet that can withstand the harshest of elements, they are apparently no match for tiny plastic pieces with […]
We live in the most perfect area to have a staycation. The gulf with its white sand beaches are only five minutes away. We have the best restaurants with fresh seafood and seats with the best views. The charter fishing experience is top notch. Evidently, this is not a best kept secret anymore. The only […]
Following on the heels of the Black Lives Matter protests in June 2020, performance artist Wyatt Jackson and songwriters Gen Rubin and Cheryl Yie came together to write the song: Get Up. This song and video is a rallying cry and a call to action. It is a protest song, lamenting the inequalities in education, health […]
It’s time for the 11th Annual Positively Present Gratitude Challenge! It’s wild to think that I’ve been doing this for over a decade (and I know many of you have,… The post The 11th Annual Gratitude Challenge! appeared first on Positively Present - Dani DiPirro.
Monday = Make Things Happen Day.These Monday posts aren't for authors only because what I've said applies to any product if you have very little marketing money.Of course, I want these posts to be helpful for authors because most of us aren't marketing professonals, but I've learned a few things along the way.If you missed […]
By: Stewart Brennan I look back on the disaster that was 2021 and do not find much of anything good to talk about as it was a year in which online censorship metastasized while the world plunged into a lockstep fascism, where friendships ended, families broke up, and all the celebrations of life came to […]
"Jacqueline Cochran was looking for WASP. They told me I would have to be interviewed and they would contact me when they came to the Wichita area. But I didn’t wait for that. I went down to Houston for my interview, to speed things up. And I think that’s one of the smartest things I […]
"My first flight was with a barnstormer at the age of five. I loved it! I also tried to 'fly' out of the barn loft with an umbrella. This was less than successful..." WASP Jean Terrell McCreery, 44-10 The indomitable Marguerite Jean Terrell Moreo McCreery has "...slipped the surly bonds of Earth. And danced the skies on […]
Between 1938 to ’42, photographer Marion Post Wolcott traveled the country while working for the Farm Security Administration. Some of her images became famous and include other photos she took while here in Brattleboro, Vt. This pair of photos were taken looking down from a window at the historic Hotel Brooks looking to the north...
The historic fifteen-hundred seat Tacoma Stadium Bowl opened in 1910 next to the Chateauesque High School (opened 1908 in a converted defunct hotel) later renamed the Stadium High School make for a quite interesting story. This November 25, 1953, photo by the Richards Studio contains Stadium High School students and “Richfield Men” working towards a...
Stock footage might not sound too sexy or fun, but this is an easy one to start and doesn’t require any start up funding. In fact, you can start with your smartphone camera. Ready? You Ready Are You Ready GIF from Youready GIFs What is stock footage and how does it work? Stock footage […]
Hello everybody, You may have noticed that this site has gotten a bit buggy recently; we are currently working on fixing this. In the meantime, comments DO come through to us despite the error message that comes up when you … Continue reading →
Reckless Refuge by Catherine Cowles Narrated by Ava Erickson and Sebastian York Romantic Suspense. Fourth in a Series but Stands Alone Perfectly. WOW. Reckless Refuge by Catherine Cowles Blew. Me. Away. Seriously, I could not stop listening to this one! In a time where I am so easily distracted that I can’t read an actual […]
October 1940. "Rail depot in Burlington, North Dakota." The station last glimpsed here. Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
March 1939. "Approach to El Indio, Texas." Welcome, but NO SWIMMING. Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
In reply to Texas Bodega: 1939: It was my desire to devise a clever jape over the possibility that Mr. Russell Lee had purchased a can of R. Lee's Special Sauer Kraut at this emporium, but alas, after downloading the full-size tiff from the LOC, I found my hope dashed by a vagrant reflection.
DMX Quick Facts DMX Net Worth DMX was a rap artist and actor who was born in New York City. As a result of a succession of financial and legal problems, The post DMX Net Worth in 2022 – Age, Height, Life, Family appeared first on ThoroughlyReviewed.com.
So I recently had a meet and greet with this interesting visitor. Startling experience to be sure, but intriguing, too. I mean, just look at this spider! Incredible. It’s quite large, about the size of my thumb, and a bit intimidating. As I’ve never met a spider this large (I’m happy to say) and wasn’t […]
Upon first inspection of this photo, you might be wondering if I’ve lost my mind. The tomato hornworm is not a beneficial in your garden. They can do extreme damage to tomato, pepper and eggplants in a matter of hours, destroying en entire plant within days. Definitely not good, especially when you’ve been salivating over […]
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 17, 2022 is: stola • \STOH-luh\ • noun A stola is a long, draped robe worn by women of ancient Rome. // The traditional garment worn by women in ancient Rome was the stola; men wore the corresponding toga. Examples: "Lady Liberty is dressed in a free-flowing robe […]
Oscar Isaac is no stranger to the superhero game, having previously done his time in the CGI-and-makeup slathered trenches as the titular bad guy in 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse. But now we’re finally getting to see what Isaac can do as a good guy—sort of—in the new trailer for Disney+’s upcoming Moon Knight show.Read more...
New episodes of Netflix’s simmering crime drama Ozark last premiered in March 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was setting in. While it’s been only two years since season three landed, it feels much longer. Created by Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams, the show follows the misadventures of Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman)…Read more...
After the grand return of the Gemstones clan in the two-part premiere, “For He Is A Liar and The Father Of Lies” finds the show dialing things back in a plot-heavy outing that sacrifices the laughs but appears to set the story in motion for the remainder of the season.Read more...
A breakfast worth waking up for! With fresh greens, crispy bacon, jammy eggs, and a zesty, tangy mustard vinaigrette! Yes, yes, yes. A breakfast that gets me sprinting out of bed and straight to the kitchen. Fresh greens, jammy eggs (which can easily be made into hard boiled eggs if runny eggs are not your […]
Truly the most amazing braised chicken (so tender, literally falling off the bone!) served in a heavenly red wine sauce! This has quickly become one of my favorite cozy-winter meals. It’s incredibly simple with easy to find ingredients, most of which I typically have on hand. And hello? A red wine sauce with the most […]
Sorry folks, but we must admit that 2021 was a bust! After the previous year, we all had hoped 2021 would be amazing. We kept telling ourselves, “Don’t give up!” Yet, the deadly virus was not a thing of the past, our favorite enjoyments were limited with theaters and restaurants shut down. Schools were closing […]
If you are reading a book and lose interest in it, you probably realize you don’t like the characters or the plot. But you might also be annoyed that some of the details don’t ring true. Often in a good story, the location is like an important character. Sometimes I can write about a place […]
I placed the Sammy up for sale via Craigslist and Face Book Marketplace today.She remains drive-able of course and will be used as camping towed vehicle until sold. The plan then is to get Martha's Honda CR-V to be flat-towed by mounting a tow plate and acquiring required items such as an assistive braking system.The […]
As part of the testing I'm doing since putting in the Bar's Head Gasket Sealant, I drove the Sammy for about 4 hours with several stops in between to take pictures.I drove to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR which is located in the right center of the cesspool that is the Metro Denver area.The buffalo/bison […]
This morning I received extremely sad news: Andrew Vachss, a lawyer and novelist who dedicated his life to protecting children, is gone.About ten years ago, International Thriller Writers asked a collection of novelists to contribute to a forthcoming book: Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads. My entry was about Vachss, who I didn’t know at the time other than […]
Hugely enjoyed doing this three-part talk with violence expert Tim Larkin, one of the people with whom I've been privileged to train and whose influences appear in my books. Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.
Long before we were a sailing family, Alisa and I were a young couple in love with adventuring in Alaska.The opportunity to introduce Eric and Elias to the delights of outdoor living in the Great Land was one of the big bright sides of our return to Alaska.Earlier this winter, the boys and I headed […]
So...this beautiful island is our home.See the barky?The boys just had their spring break. A week off from school and nothing to keep us from buggering off in Galactic. The weather was generally poor - nothing like the pics above for the most part - so we just snuck off to the west side of […]
Caregiving is well-trodden terrain in Parkinson's circles, but what of the reciprocal practice of caregetting? It is a critical skill that doesn't get the same attention. Read some caregetting tips here.
Staying positive can be tough with Parkinson's Disease (See what I mean? that in itself is a negative statement.) No problem. I posted a list of the things here I like about PD on the Northwest Parkinson's Disease Foundation Community blog. you are welcome to crib from it, if you are feeling negative. Reason #2 I […]
The sun always sets, no room for regrets I Walk Away – Crowded House This is somewhat of a difficult entry to write, though it’s likely going to come as no surprise to the handful of readers I have left. But to get straight to the point for the people who don’t want to read […]
Special Correspondent Mira Anselmi traveled with her family “back home” to New Mexico. It’s a big change from her home in the Pacific Northwest. The grandparents were thrilled to see ... The post TRIP REPORT: From New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment appeared first on Alaska Travelgram.
Mint is a reasonably cold-hardy perennial, meaning it grows back every year under the right conditions. Just like there are many different kinds of tomatoes (cherry, beefsteak, roma, etc.), there are plenty different varieties of mint, too. Here’s an overview comparison of three different kinds of mints that grow well for me in Anchorage, Alaska: […]
Do chickens still lay eggs in the winter? That’s a common question many curious poultry lovers ask me. The answer? It depends. Egg laying chickens will naturally taper off and cease egg production in winter months, assuming you live somewhere that gets darker in winter months than summer. In Alaska, where our winter months might […]
These gluten-free zucchini muffins are soft and delectable, sweetened just right, and studded with lots of grated zucchini. Spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract, this easy gluten-free muffin recipe is one you’ll make again and again. Do you grow zucchini? We have four zucchini plants on our back porch; this is our second year... […]
We came to this land in June of this year, in the midst of a heatwave. We thought we could make a home from … The post A Home In The Mountains first appeared on Backwoods Mom.
Sorry, I seem to have lost my voice. Nothing comes out.It’s either because I’m empty or maybe I just won’t unleash my storm into the universe. Mostly, my whole self just stopped. It takes A LOT of oomph to un-stop, and all my oomph just goes to putting one foot in front of the other. […]
I started writing a post titled “Human beings do amazing things,” and I was telling you all about the amazing things encountered on this trip: art, museum exhibits, architecture, theater, food. But there was just too much. It got boring: This great thing, that great thing, oh and another great thing.So I’m just going to […]
As people around the Pacific Rim started the week pondering the largely unpredictable, subterranean forces that spawned a new volcanic island and sent a tsunami racing across the ocean, the entire world […]
If you’re a serious fan of fitness – as the winter-busy fat-bike and ski trails of Alaska’s largest city would indicate many in Anchorage are – there is a good possibility you […]
It’s here. The big day. My memoir, the one I spent 15 years struggling over, launches today from Raised Voice Press. I’m feeling very exposed, very vulnerable. This is not at all similar to when Dolls Behaving Badly launched from Hachette Book Group. That was a novel, and while some of it was based on… […]
I had had Alaska writer Dan Walker’s YA novel SECONDHAND SUMMER on my list for a long time, and two weeks ago finally had the chance to dive in. I wasn’t disappointed. Walker’s book, geared for middle school readers (but still immensely enjoyable for adults), follows 14-year-old Sam’s move to Anchorage from the small fishing… […]
BISCUITS FOR 2Biscuits for two....what a great idea!! I can't tell you how many biscuits I've thrown away because they were stale before we could eat a whole batch, but not anymore!! This quick and easy recipe makes 4 delicious biscuits.1 cup all purpose flour2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon sugar1/2 teaspoon salt1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar1/4 cup COLD […]
My list of 10 Best Gifts for Cooks and Food Lovers helps last minute shoppers buy great presents for the food obsessed; most of the items on the list I’ve used and loved for years. Most importantly, if you act quickly, there’s still time to order most of my recommended gifts and have them arrive […]
For as simple as this looks, it was pretty time consuming and really relaxing to draw. I hope it is as fun for all of you to color. Click the images below for larger versions to download, print and color. Love and hearts coloring page, small jpg-Love and hearts coloring page, large transparent png-
The Sitka Spruce Tips 4-H Club will host an open house from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 1, in Room 106 at the University of Alaska Southeast Sitka Campus. This event is open to youth ages 5-18, and their parents, … Continue reading →
I LOVE my grandmother’s navy bean soup, but it takes forever to make with soaking the beans overnight and then slow cooking the soup all day. I decided to try it in my Instant Pot and it was a success! Not only that, but my kids loved it…score! Ingredients: 1-2 Tbs. olive oil 1 onion, diced 3 […]
Overcast and calm. Temperatures peaked near freezing, with overnight lows in the mid 20s or so. I got a report of Short-eared Owls at the airport just before sitting down for lunch. After a hurried lunch, I headed out and was able to see and get photos of a Short-eared Owl (#178) flying over the […]
Clear and cold. Temperatures dropped well into the 20s overnight. Maybe not as cold as the 20F that was forecast earlier, but the coldest we’ve yet seen this season. Both Connor and Rowan separately mentioned to me the wind must have blown last night. Although conditions were calm this morning, several areas showed evidence in […]
Since 2016 I have worked in Hoonah to help build a vision. The Hoonah Native Forest Partnership is a unique model of community-based forestry that seeks to meet the objectives of land managers and the needs of the community. The project relies on training a local workforce in natural resource inventory and landscape improvement. I’m […]
At the end of July we took the boat over to Halibut Cove to hike the Saddle Trail with the kids to picnic at Grewingk Glacier Lake. It's a great trail for kids to master themselves, and Riggs hiked the whole way himself. Raina was in the backpack, but more because we wanted to hike […]
A man who just moved to Homer about a year ago from Chicago has started a podcast interviewing people from the Homer community. He called up my husband a few months ago and asked him if he would be willing to be interviewed. My husband said sure, so the second episode of Alex's podcast features […]
Well, 2017 was not a good garden year in my area, even for those of us with greenhouses/high tunnels. I'm sure I didn't help my chances at all; we had a month between returning home from the States and getting the roof on the high tunnel, and I didn't start any seeds or work the […]
This beautiful Strawberry Pound Cake is sure to please everyone who tries a bite! If you need a cream cheese pound cake with a lovely strawberry glaze then this strawberry ... Read more The post Sweet Strawberry Pound Cake appeared first on Little House Big Alaska.
Mountain View is in for a treat — a whole new store full of treats, in fact. Packed with dozens of varieties of handmade custom candies, classic favorites, and assorted other sweets, Sweet Creations Lollipop Boutique is one of the latest businesses to open doors in the neighborhood. Owner Missy Simms made it for the […]
*unless they don’t Today, Donald Trump and whatever remains of his organization issued a proclamation/extortion notice to his BF(maybe forever) Governor Mike Dunleavy. He will completely and totally endorse Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s reelection campaign! Why? Because, the Florida retiree says, he’s a strong conservative. He hearts the Constitution, “including the second and tenth Amendments.” He […]
During our time in Washington we also took some time to drive over to Kennewick to visit some of my family in that area. We camped in my aunt and uncle's driveway and visited them and some of my cousins. The highlight for the girls was the nerf war for sure (pictures here). It was […]
A healthier treat you know that's good for your pup andit's ongoingly freshly made; Paisley loves 'em...Yields: 19 Mini Muffin Treats (I make 2 batches at a time, yielding 38 treats…aka 1 qt.) Prep: 10 Mins. Bake: 16 Mins. (Turning ½ way for even baking) INGREDIENTS 2 large eggs, beaten ½ cup Skippy […]
These are fantastic served hot, warm or at room temperature...Yield: 10 mini potato halves Prep: 10 Mins. Microwave 5 Mins. Bake: 25 Mins. INGREDIENTS: 5 (2-1/2" in size) Whole Yukon Gold Potatoes, scrubbed, dried, and pierced a couple of times Filling 2 artichoke bottoms, finely chopped --(these are found in the area […]
This is part two of our recent drive up the Dalton Highway in partnership with Go North Car and RV Rentals. Built for purpose, not comfort, the Dalton Highway is a 414-mile twisting, turning route between Interior and Arctic Alaska. Partially-paved but mostly dirt (or mud or ice, depending upon the conditions and/or season), it […]
