The B-58 Blunder: How the U.S. Abandoned its Best Strategic Bomber


George Holt Jr. - 2015
    This work is a case study on how the B-58 supersonic bomber came to a premature death in the U.S. military, largely because of infighting among military and civilian leaders, who failed to understand the value of this fantastic airplane. It was a technological marvel for its time and the very best pilots and navigators were chosen to fly this unique aircraft. At its maximum speed of 2.2 Mach (1,452 mph) it was 2½ times faster than the muzzle velocity of a .45 caliber bullet. It could fly faster and out turn must fighters of its day and was also capable of flying close to tree top level just below the speed of sound. It was nearly undetectable by enemy radars due to its speed and low radar cross section and was better at flying through heavy turbulence due to its solid delta wing design. It had a highly accurate navigation and bombing system. It had a capsule ejection system for the safety of the aircrew and was capable of getting airborne in only half the time required by other bombers. Told for the first time, this is the inside story that dispels the unproven myths surrounding the demise of the B-58 and why this magnificent airplane should have been saved. Its loss from the nuclear armory was a severe blow to our “Cold War” deterrence strength. The B-58 was a bomber that set the standard for fear in the heart of an enemy. Its loss was a strategic mistake. The author provides lessons learned and recommendations for military and civilian leaders, going forward, to hopefully prevent future blunders—like what happened to the B-58.

Diverted


Lori Matthews - 2021
    Now, too hurt to return to his former position and not wounded enough to be benched, he’s assigned as the new Coast Guard team leader in…Panama. They’re there as part of a drug interdiction unit, but really, they’re Team RECON. Recon as in reconstructed. Each of the four men is like him; a Humpty Dumpty. Except they were trying to put themselves back together so they could do what they loved best, kicking ass, and taking names.Dr. Carolina Alvarez had moved on from research and was working for Doctors Without Borders. A chance meeting with her old boss set her on a dangerous mission to deliver much-needed medicine to South America. Her failure would mean the sure extinction of a tribe clinging to their ancient traditions.Nick should have realized from the instant Carolina walked back into his life things would not go according to plan. But harbored resentment still clouded his vision. Now they were on the trail of the missing vaccine, and the assignment just turned deadly.

Still Ain't Dead (The Ex Wife Odyssey Book 1)


J.T. Harrington - 2019
    He's used to waking up with hangovers that leave most people curled around a toilet. But that all changes after one drunken night of revelry. Instead of a bathroom floor, he wakes up to find he's been dead for 500 years. And if that ain’t enough, the earth he knew is long gone. Zombies, cataclysmically evil robots, and techno-demons seem to be the least of his problems, as they all pale compared to his crazy immortal ex-wife! Disclaimer: Book has graphic violence, adult language and situations. Recommend reading is 18+ A TRUE ADVENTURER by Munch from Royal Road Rory Quinn literally crashes into a post apocalyptic world, divided between local fiefdoms full of terrible, strange, and also just ordinary people. Where most litrpg-esque characters are brainy nerdy types, Rory fits well into the archetype of the accomplished jock. Full of valuable experience in fucking women, beating up scum, and power dynamics. And of course, playing baseball. Watch him as he murderhobos his way across the former southern united states, violently not giving a shit about the lives of slavers, psychos, and loud mothed amoral narcissists and their followers. Walking into legend with a louisville slugger on his shoulder and a big dick swinging between his legs. ACTION, ADVENTURE WITH COMEDIC RELIEF by Wise_Fool from Royal Road TL:DR Why the hell didnt i read this sooner?! Honestly, I cant be bothered to spend the time on a more in-depth review, cause i wanna get back to reading this. Here's the bottom line up front: good action. dark, casual humor. enjoyable. It's written well. The first chapter was a semi-well-used plotline, but it was written well, preventing me from being bored. It was an odd feeling tbh, wanting to get to the story, but enjoying the filler and background. If you dont have a bit of a wild side to you, then you may not enjoy this as much as others, but with all things ymmv. I personally find this to be great.

Tricky Twenty-Two: A Romance Mystery (A Stephanie Plum Novel) by Janet Evanovich | Debrief


J. Morgan - 2016
    She started her career writing as Steffie Hall. She mostly worked on contemporary romance novels. She gained her fame when she wrote the Stephanie Plum’s series. Most of the novels in the series have been bestsellers and almost all of them had made it to the top of the bestseller lists. Her other notable works are the Wicked series, the Fox and O’Hare series and the Barnaby and Hooker series. The Stephanie Plum series is a romanticized mystery novel. The first book of the series, “One for the Money”, was written in 1994. “Tricky Twenty Two” is the 22nd book of the series and it was released in November 2015. Columbia Tristar bought the movie rights of the Stephanie Plum series, with Katherine Hiegl playing the protagonist. Read more.... Download your copy today! for a limited time discount of only $2.99! Available on PC, Mac, smart phone, tablet or Kindle device. © 2015 All Rights Reserved by Unlimited Press Works, LLC

Rocked by the Bear Complete Collection


V. Vaughn - 2017
    But with the very first song they discover their voices are magic and Nessa falls hard when she find’s Andre’s touch is too. There’s only one problem - he’s not human. Andre knew Nessa was his true mate the first night they met. Reintroduced to the human world after years in the wild his communication skills are rusty, fortunately, his music is not. When Nessa helps him write the song of their hearts, they must decide if their love is more than beautiful music. Adrian - Ginny thinks playing keyboards in a garage band is just for fun. But when a talent scout offers her a recording deal, the prospect of fame is too good to resist. There’s only one problem — Ginny just became a werebear and mated to Adrian. Signing the contract means playing on human terms, and that risks exposing what they really are. Adrian can’t believe his good fortune. Moving to Maine led him to his true mate and a music opportunity of his dreams. But Ginny is a new werebear, and the stress of a rock star career is testing her control. He has to decide if the chance of a lifetime is worth endangering an entire kingdom. Aleck - Noel loves her job as talent scout’s assistant. Traveling and searching for the next big star with her boyfriend is the perfect mix of business and pleasure - until they land in Brunswick, Maine. Sent to scope out an underground sensation, Noel meets a Nordic god of a man that rocks her world beyond her wildest dreams, and all she ever wanted is no longer good enough. Aleck lives life behind the scenes. As a talented composer and lyricist, it’s not often he has to deal with more than a few people at a time. But when his brother is thrown into the limelight, fame shines on Aleck too. He’d turn it down in a heartbeat if the deal didn’t include time with the sexy brunette who happens to be his true mate. Now he’ll do anything to convince Noel she’s the one. Aaron - Olivia might have a little problem with control. She maintains a perfect GPA, has a flawless wardrobe and can bend people around her to fit her needs - until she meets the guy that throws her off beat with one glance. When the sexy drummer flashes his crooked smile her way, she comes undone at the seams and struggles to regain order. Fate has other ideas, making Olivia question everything she ever knew. Aaron was drawn to the fiery redhead, Olivia the first time he laid eyes on her. Her good girl appearance didn’t fool him for a minute. One touch of her hand was all it took to make sparks fly between them. But as his polar opposite, she refuses to let her animal out. Jared - Courtney has had a crush on Jared Vachon since they first met. She may have painted a few images of him too; so when she sees him jogging she takes a moment to notice his - ahem - artistic lines. The flash of a gun interrupts her muse and makes her take action to save his life, using a side of herself she didn’t know existed. Once Courtney discovers what lurks within, she’s not so sure she wants it to break free. Jared is in love with Courtney the human and Courtney the bear. But his true mate fears her animal side will ruin everything, except that’s not the real danger…. Jax - Sasha is an assassin with one thing on her mind -- eradicate werebear at all costs. When she's captured and held as a prisoner, she's rescued by Jax Vachon. Her savior wants her for something, and the truth she finds out might be worse than death.

The Three Commitments: Walking the Path of Liberation


Pema Chödrön - 2010
    With The Three Commitments, Pema Chödrön brings her unique blend of insight and gentle instruction to guide practitioners through each of these thresholds as they seek the source of true happiness. As Pema explains, suffering arises when we resist the law of impermanence—the fact that everything we know, including ourselves, will one day die. Here she provides teachings and practices for fully embracing life’s ephemeral nature, using these three traditional monastic vows, or commitments. The Pratimoksha vows—how we can find personal liberation through the inner work of letting go • The Bodhisattva vows—the way of genuine and compassionate service to others• The Tantric vows—how to accept impermanence with true equanimity and touch the underlying stillness from which all worldly forms ariseIn the past, initiates took their vows when entering the secluded world of the monastery. Today, laypeople are also embracing these commitments as a way to deepen their practice while fully participating in everyday life.Through her practical instruction and accessible interpretation of ancient wisdom, Pema Chödrön helps listeners discover how each of these sacred vows is not a burden or restriction, but a guiding beacon on the path to liberation.

Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment


Robert Wright - 2017
    The mind is designed to often delude us, he argued, about ourselves and about the world. And it is designed to make happiness hard to sustain. But if we know our minds are rigged for anxiety, depression, anger, and greed, what do we do? Wright locates the answer in Buddhism, which figured out thousands of years ago what scientists are only discovering now. Buddhism holds that human suffering is a result of not seeing the world clearly—and proposes that seeing the world more clearly, through meditation, will make us better, happier people. In Why Buddhism is True, Wright leads readers on a journey through psychology, philosophy, and a great many silent retreats to show how and why meditation can serve as the foundation for a spiritual life in a secular age. At once excitingly ambitious and wittily accessible, this is the first book to combine evolutionary psychology with cutting-edge neuroscience to defend the radical claims at the heart of Buddhist philosophy. With bracing honesty and fierce wisdom, it will persuade you not just that Buddhism is true—which is to say, a way out of our delusion—but that it can ultimately save us from ourselves, as individuals and as a species.

A Burning Desire: Dharma God and the Path of Recovery


Kevin Griffin - 2010
    Taking a radical departure from traditional views of God, Western or Eastern, author Kevin Griffin neither accepts Christian beliefs in a Supreme Being nor Buddhist non-theism, but rather forges a refreshing, sensible, and accessible Middle Way. Griffin shows how the Dharma, the teachings of the Buddha, can be understood as a Higher Power. Karma, mindfulness, impermanence, and the Eightfold Path itself are revealed as powerful forces that can be accessed through meditation and inquiry.Drawing from his own experiences with substance abuse, rehabilitation, and recovery, Griffin looks at the various ways that meditation and spiritual practices helped deepen his experience of sobriety. His personal story of addiction is not only raw, honest and engrossing, but guides readers to an inquiry of their own spirituality. In doing so, he poses profound questions, including:·         How can I understand God from a Buddhist perspective?·         How can I “turn my will and my life over” as a Buddhist?·         How can this idea of God “remove my shortcomings”?·         How do I learn this God’s “will”?

The Road Home: A Contemporary Exploration of the Buddhist Path


Ethan Nichtern - 2015
    Drawing from contemporary research on meditation and mindfulness and his experience as a Buddhist teacher and practitioner, Nichtern describes in fresh and deeply resonant terms the basic existential experience that gives rise to spiritual seeking—and also to its potentially dangerous counterpart, spiritual materialism. He reveals how our individual quests for self-awareness ripple forward into relationships, communities, and society at large. And he explains exactly how, by turning our awareness to what's happening around us and inside us, we become able to enhance our sense of connection with others and, at the same time, change for the better our individual and collective patterns of greed, apathy, and inattention.In this wise and witty invitation to Buddhist meditation, Nichtern shows how, in order to create a truly compassionate and enlightened society, we must start with ourselves. And this means beginning by working with our own minds—in whatever state we find them in.

Henri's War: A Buchenwald Holocaust Story


A Survivor - 2015
     Readers Reviews: A powerful and detailed account and very chilling to the thought of human activity to other humans. Very gripping and hard to put down, a highly recommend book. A compelling read and an insight into mans inhumanity to man.it seems unbelievable today how one deranged lunatic in Berlin could cause such destruction and persuade people to act in such a barbaric fashion towards others. I found this to be a fascinating read. Recommended. From the Heart of a man. From the depths of Hell. A harrowing narration of the Worlds darkest hours. This book should be compulsory reading in Schools. We must never forget. Thank you for all of the amazing reviews and purchasing this eBook.

Prodigy of Thunder (Chronicles of Anna Atticus Stone Book 1)


Sever Bronny - 2021
    

Quiet Mind: One Minute Retreats from a Busy World


David Kundtz - 2003
    These reflections invite you to do nothing, but offer the reader purpose, meaning and value in order to become more fully awake and to remember who you are.

Buddhism (Religion, Scriptures & Spirituality)


Winston L. King - 2006
    Theravada (or Hinayana) is found especially in Sri Lanka, Burma, and Thailand; Mahayana is found in Japan, China, Korea, and Indochina. Zen, a more recent form of Buddhism, is found throughout the world. Some believe Buddhism is not properly understood as a religion, though this presentation describes its religious qualities: a belief in transcendent reality, sacred scriptures, monastic life, and views on an afterlife and the goal of human existence.The Religion, Scriptures, and Spirituality series describes the beliefs, religious practices, and spiritual and moral commitments of the world's great religious traditions. It also describes a religion's way of understanding scripture, identifies its outstanding thinkers, and discusses its attitude and relationship to society.

What the Buddha Taught


Walpola Rahula - 1959
    “For years,” says the Journal of the Buddhist Society, “the newcomer to Buddhism has lacked a simple and reliable introduction to the complexities of the subject. Dr. Rahula’s What the Buddha Taught fills the need as only could be done by one having a firm grasp of the vast material to be sifted. It is a model of what a book should be that is addressed first of all to ‘the educated and intelligent reader.’ Authoritative and clear, logical and sober, this study is as comprehensive as it is masterly.”This edition contains a selection of illustrative texts from the Suttas and the Dhammapada (specially translated by the author), sixteen illustrations, and a bibliography, glossary and index.

Smile at Fear: Awakening the True Heart of Bravery


Chögyam Trungpa - 2009
    We might be aware of some of our fears—perhaps we are afraid of public speaking, financial hardship, or losing a loved one. But in this book meditation master Chögyam Trungpa shows us that most of us suffer from a far more pervasive form of fear: the fear of ourselves. We feel ashamed and embarrassed to look at our feelings or acknowledge our styles of thinking and behaving; we don’t want to face the reality of our moment-to-moment experience. It is this fear that keeps us trapped in cycles of suffering, despair, and distress. Chögyam Trungpa offers us a vision of moving beyond fear to discover the innate bravery, trust, and delight in life that lies at the core of our being. Drawing on the Shambhala tradition and on Buddhist teachings, he explains how we can each become a spiritual warrior: a person who faces each moment of life with openness and fearlessness. “The ultimate definition of bravery is not being afraid of who you are,” writes Chögyam Trungpa. In language that is fresh, accessible, and startlingly direct, this book explains:    • how the practice of sitting meditation can help us to uncover our inherent confidence and bravery,    • how fear and embarrassment about ourselves keep us trapped in cycles of suffering,    • the wisdom of loving-kindness and nonaggression,    • how true invincibility depends on becoming more open and vulnerable. Here are the essential insights and strategies that will allow us to finally claim victory over fear.