It looks powerful. Here’s the [...]]]> 3D — like IMAX — can be (and usually is) little more than a party trick unless used sparingly or in some way integral to the story. I can’t think of a better use for 3-D than this short film “City of Ruins” showing at The Warsaw Uprising Museum.

It looks powerful. Here’s the story from Yahoo! News:

Oldakowski said it took 40 specialists two years to make the five-minute 3D aerial view sequence, a simulation of an imaginary flight over the city right after the war in 1945.

It will be shown at the museum, which documents the 1944 uprising and is a major draw for tourists and students from across the country. Last year, it had some 500,000 visitors.

Michal Gryn, from the Platige Image studio which made the film, said the team was not aware at first of the challenge before them in the form of the masses of documentary material they had to go through.

“It was a unique project to build a 3D model of authentic city ruins and make five minutes of film from it,” Gryn said. “I don’t think that anyone in the world has done this.”

His team took a helicopter flight over contemporary Warsaw to film base material. They filled it in with detail from some 2,000 historic pictures, films and paintings to recreate Warsaw as it was after the war. The result is a computer simulation that shows collapsed bridges along the Vistula River, whole districts of roofless, burned-out houses and the Warsaw Ghetto as a flat sea of rubble.

An inscription that closes the film says that before the war some 1.3 million people lived in Warsaw, some 900,000 at the start of the uprising and just 1,000 amid the ruins in 1945.

Before the war, some 10 percent of the city’s population was Jewish.

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Summer vacation’s almost over, my fellow Threedonians, and we’re proud to announce the return of Radio Free Threedonia this coming Sunday, August 1st at the new 4-6 Pacific time-slot. As if the picture wasn’t enough of an indication, we’ll be welcoming the brainy and [...]]]>

"Don't *@&# with me, F.R. Turbo. I know people."

Summer vacation’s almost over, my fellow Threedonians, and we’re proud to announce the return of Radio Free Threedonia this coming Sunday, August 1st at the new 4-6 Pacific time-slot. As if the picture wasn’t enough of an indication, we’ll be welcoming the brainy and lovely S.E. Cupp to the show, scheduled to join us at 4:30 to discuss her latest book Losing Our Religion and whatever else crosses our (and your) minds.

You can join us in the RightTalkRadio chat-room (if you don’t already have an RTR account, don’t forget to register for your free account more than  24 hours before showtime) and we’ll be posting the call-in/Skype information ASAP.

So good to be back at the Dexter Lake Club … so hit it!!!

Floyd Update: Clearer picture… we want to present the lady with her best foot forward!

Eric Update: Much more in-focus now.

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Yet one more reason to encourage visiting central Pennsylvania. The PA Military Museum’s awesome by itself anyway, but as the nephew of a two-tour Marine Vietnam Vet, plan on hitting this event for sure next year.

Saturday’s sweltering heat authenticated the skirmish as 10 re-enactors braved their mock Vietnam jungle — the Spring Creek foliage adjacent [...]]]>

Yet one more reason to encourage visiting central Pennsylvania. The PA Military Museum’s awesome by itself anyway, but as the nephew of a two-tour Marine Vietnam Vet, plan on hitting this event for sure next year.

Saturday’s sweltering heat authenticated the skirmish as 10 re-enactors braved their mock Vietnam jungle — the Spring Creek foliage adjacent to the Pennsylvania Military Museum.

The annual event, “Vietnam Revisited” began in 2007 as a tribute to the men and women who served in the controversial conflict in Southeast Asia.

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And this one on his service in Iraq…

And if you’re not familiar with his service in Iraq… here’s a snip from The Weekly Standard:

In 2003, Allen West was facing a possible court martial hearing that could have put him in prison.

Responsible for over six hundred men as a Lieutenant-Colonel in [...]]]> Both of these clips are awesome…

And this one on his service in Iraq…

And if you’re not familiar with his service in Iraq… here’s a snip from The Weekly Standard:

In 2003, Allen West was facing a possible court martial hearing that could have put him in prison.

Responsible for over six hundred men as a Lieutenant-Colonel in Iraq, West conducted a harsh interrogation in which he fired gun shots near the head of an Iraqi police officer he suspected of withholding information about a plot to kill him and some of the soldiers under his command. At a hearing over the incident, West defiantly declared that “if it’s about the life of my men, I’d go through hell with a gasoline can.” And though he said he may not have used the right methods, “if he had to err,” he declared, “I would err on the side of not losing my soldiers.”

Taking into account mitigating factors, the Army opted not to pursue a full court martial, though it did fine West and relieve him of his command, effectively ending his highly decorated 20-plus year Army career.

The GOP left him out to dry in 2008 as part of our “winning” strategy and he came close. I think it looks good for 2010.

h/t: Mama Turbo and Cubachi

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What can $1,475 buy you in modern China? Not a Tiffany diamond or a mini-sedan, say Robert Zhou and Daisy Chao. But for that price, they guarantee you something more lasting, with unquestioned future benefits: a U.S. passport and citizenship [...]]]> Birthright citizenship? Passport tourism is a big hit in China. From The Washington Post:

What can $1,475 buy you in modern China? Not a Tiffany diamond or a mini-sedan, say Robert Zhou and Daisy Chao. But for that price, they guarantee you something more lasting, with unquestioned future benefits: a U.S. passport and citizenship for your new baby.

Zhou and Chao, a husband and wife from Taiwan who now live in Shanghai, run one of China’s oldest and most successful consultancies helping well-heeled expectant Chinese mothers travel to the United States to give birth.

The couple’s service, outlined in a PowerPoint presentation, includes connecting the expectant mothers with one of three Chinese-owned “baby care centers” in California. For the $1,475 basic fee, Zhou and Chao will arrange for a three-month stay in a center — two months before the birth and a month after. A room with cable TV and a wireless Internet connection, plus three meals, starts at $35 a day. The doctors and staff all speak Chinese. There are shopping and sightseeing trips.

The mothers must pay their own airfare and are responsible for getting a U.S. visa, although Zhou and Chao will help them fill out the application form.

At a time when China is prospering and the common perception of America here is of an empire in economic decline, the proliferation of U.S. baby services shows that for many Chinese, a U.S. passport nevertheless remains a powerful lure. The United States is widely seen as more of a meritocracy than China, where getting into a good university or landing a high-paying job often depends on personal connections.

“They believe that with U.S. citizenship, their children can have a more fair competitive environment,” Zhou said.

There are no solid figures, but dozens of firms advertise “birth tourism” packages online, many of them based in Shanghai, and Zhao said the number has soared in the past five years. But he said that many are fly-by-night operations, unlike his high-quality service.

“The customers we serve are very successful and very affluent,” he said.

Besides the obvious gaping loophole — as a lawyer and a capitalist I am impressed with the couple — as an American who values my citizenship (even if my government doesn’t) I’m a bit horrified. It raises an interesting set of questions. Is this good for China (from a US POV)? Does this give us a chance to educate a generation or at least some Chinese elites in the U.S. way of life and basic values (I know I know) or does this open the door to some cipher? Conceivably someone could do this… grow up in China and then come over here at 35 and run for POTUS. Obviously the politics would not work out, but who knows in 50 years after 50 more years of an America-hating educational and political system? Maybe that’s paranoia, maybe not.

In any case… it sounds like some of these Chinese parents appreciate what it could mean to be an American than the average kid born and raised here. And it sounds like we need some immigration reform? Obama’s on it I’m sure.

h/t: Althouse

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…and Krista is called a racist in 5, 4, 3, 2

It’s a bit heavy handed for my tastes, but it’s not horrible.

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It’s difficult for me to listen to this song, because it was used in the memorial service for several soldiers I have had the pleasure of knowing. Given that, even if you’ve heard this song many times you need to watch this clip from the CBS coverage of the 4th of [...]]]> Video via Big Hollywood

It’s difficult for me to listen to this song, because it was used in the memorial service for several soldiers I have had the pleasure of knowing. Given that, even if you’ve heard this song many times you need to watch this clip from the CBS coverage of the 4th of July in Boston…it’s worth your valuable time.

I didn’t see this, because at the time I was experiencing the 4th in a way I don’t think anyone would ever plan, but in retrospect I wouldn’t give this experience back for anything. I had spent the day of the 4th visiting with my brother and his family in the DFW area, having things to do the next day I decided to drive by to the FT Hood area that evening. From my brothers house that is about a 2.5 hour drive down I-35. I left thee DFW area around 8:30 PM local which is just about the time the sun begins to set this time of year. It was the typical glorious pink, yellow, red and purple kind of sunset that Texas is blessed with and I always enjoy watching. Shortly after the sky became fully dark I would see something wonderful and totally unexpected on my part. While I expected to see some fireworks nothing would prepare me for the sight I was privileged to witness. For approximately 2 solid hours I witnessed a non-stop fireworks display from Hillsboro, TX all the way to my house accompanied by the best classic rock radio station in Texas. When I topped a hill just outside of Waco I could see into the distance 20-30 miles and the sky everywhere was full of celebration. From kids shooting stuff they bought at the roadside fireworks stand to a massive organized display in Temple, the display of colors and light was continuous and the only thing I could have done to make it better would have been to have been driving my Mustang instead of my Escape…even so it was something I will never forget, some truly American. Wish you could have seen it too.

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Ed. Seeing as Outlaw left it blank I can only assume he meant this pic. Thanks brother!

Yeah, sorry ’bout that, try this on for size.

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The plane (bottom) of Navy Lt. Jeff McLean is refueled over Pakistan by the plane of his wife of one year, Christine McLean, whom he has not seen in six months. The photograph was taken by his wingman. [...]]]>
I’ve never watched a couple “refuel in mid-flight” before. And no… that’s not a euphemism.

The plane (bottom) of Navy Lt. Jeff McLean is refueled over Pakistan by the plane of his wife of one year, Christine McLean, whom he has not seen in six months. The photograph was taken by his wingman. The refueling rendezvous was a chance encounter on Jeff’s final mission.

That’s the caption for the above photo — go read the whole thing at the link above. Thank you McLeans for your service and sacrifice and here’s to a swift reunion — this time on the ground.

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