Apollo 13 & Ken Mattingly

Ken Mattingly did not fly with Apollo 13
Write about his NASA career after this mission

In 1972, Ken got the chance to fly with Apollo 16 as a command module pilot. It was two years after Apollo 13 came back to Earth. Apollo 16 was the tenth manned space flight mission and he flew with John Young and Charles Duke. During the mission, Ken performed the extravehicular activity to collect the film and date packages from the module. He was the outside of module for about one hour for this activity. In total, he spent 126 hours on the lunar orbit. After his mission, he received the NASA distinguished service medal.

After he returned to Earth with Apollo 16, Ken involved in the space shuttle development project. In 1982, he got on the space shuttle named Columbia with Henry. It was launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. He and Henry did a lot of experiments during the flight. He got on another flight in 1985.

Hit total time in space is 21 days 4 hours and 34 minutes and retired from NASA in 1985. He worked at several private sectors and is now working at System Planning and Analysis in Virginia.

The Black Cat - expenses claim

This is breakdown of my expenses for May investigation.

If you have any unclear issue, please let me know.

Sometimes, I needed to arrive at each place before the murder or the Black Cat arrived at, so I needed to use air plane because air ticket was expensive, but I could get there earier.

1st

• Air ticket from Cairo to Beirut airport 
• Taxi fee from Beirut airport to docks 

2nd

• Air ticket from Beirut to Athens 
• Taxi fee from Athens airport to Piraeus 
• Ticket of Boat “The Syria” from Piraeus to Venice 

This ticket is the one for first class because I thought first class ticket would be allowable to go into any place/any floor of boat and it would be easy to look for a murder who killed Pearson.

3rd

• Water taxi fee from Venice dock to railway station 
• Train ticket from Venice to Rome 
• Hotel fee at Rome 
• Air ticket from Rome to Cairo 
• Taxi fee from Cairo airport to the flat where Salahadin stays 

4th

• Taxi fee of round move between Beirut city and Jusef’s café because I needed to tell Jusef about Borkman’s death and his message. 

This time, I could protect very very valuable antiquities of Egypt and my investigation is worh to pay these a little expensive expenses. Thank you for your understanding.

Famous ships

Famous shipsWrite about another ship with an interesting story

Speaking of famous ship, British Luxury Liner Titanic comes to my mind.  It was filmized many times all over the world, but I watched “Titanic” only which was released in 1997 and got the Academy Award for Best Picture.  At that time, I focused on the love story and did not remember the ship itself well.  This is a good chance to investigate the ship.

Titanic was the largest and fastest passenger ship at that time.  It left England to New York on April 10^th, 1912.  There were more than 2,200 passengers and crews on the ship.  It struck an iceberg in North Atlantic 5 days later and sank.  About 1,500 people died due to the accident.

After reading The Black Pearl

In the meantime, about 700 people were saved.  Millvina Dean from England was 9 months old and the youngest among the passengers.  She boarded the ship with her parents and brother.  Her father died, but she, her mother and brother survived and got back to England after the accident.  She did not remember the accident and had not been known that she was the passenger of Titanic until her mother told her when she was 7 years old.  

In her later years, she lived in a nursing home, but she auctioned off the items related to Titanic to make a payment.  Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet who played the leading role in “Titanic” supported her on the payment.  She died in 2009 and was the last survivor of Titanic passengers.

After-reading - an e-mail to a friend

Subject:Christmas

Time:22:50

Date:25 December

Hello from Germany!!

I'm staying with a family in Munich. I came here 1 December. My host family are Frank, Eva and two children. They are a very nice family.

In the middle of December we went to Nuremberg. It took about an hour from Munich. It is famous for Christmas market. There were many shops of Christmas ornaments. I bought some nice ornaments for you. Frank bought a big Christmas tree and put it inside the house. They put colorful ornaments on it. They also sent cards to friends and family.

The Christmas holiday has begun from yesterday: Christmas Eve. People stopped working early and drank together. Children left a stocking for Santa Clause when they went to bed. Frank and Eva went to church at midnight. They listened to the Christmas story and sang carols.

Today is Christmas Day. Two children wake up really early and found nice presents around the tree. Before we started to eat Christmas dinner, Frank pulled crackers. It made a loud noise. Dinner was turkey with potatoes and a Christmas cake.

Everyone looks happy. I've just remembered my family 's Christmas Day when my children were in elementary school. Alice,my dog was still young and cute. It was the happiest time in my life. Of course I have a good time today and I will enjoy my life from now too!

See you!

Olga

Posted for Olga

Anne Boleyn writes

Dear Henry's next wife,

I am Anne Boleyn, Henry's second wife. I have been married to him for three and a half years. But, it is over now. I have to die soon.

I have been thinking what was wrong with me. Before I married Henry, I had wanted to be a Queen very much. I had done everything to marry him and he had broken with the Pope to marry me.

We were happy at first and we had a daughter, Princess Elizabeth. She was very smart and beautiful. But, he wanted a son, a future King. Recently I miscarried a boy, and he was very angry, although it was not my fault. He dislikes me now, and I have to die.

I recommend you to have many children, especially boys. Then he will be satisfied and he will not kill you at least.

Always remember, your husband is a King of England. He is very powerful. He can do whatever he wants. I tried to control him, that was my fault. So, you should be obedient, hide your true feeling inside of your heart. This is my advice to you.

I beg you one thing as a mother. It is about Elizabeth, my daughter. Please be kind to her. Have mercy, please.

God bless you.

Anne Boleyn

Posted for Yasumi

A letter to your music teacher

Dear Mrs Lark,

How are you doing now? Once I was a student on Tuesdays. Do you remember my name? I'm Tony.

I left school when I was thirteen. Fortunately I worked on a farm. A farm's work was better than the shops and the factory work. I worked very hard at Mr Wood's farm. Mr Wood was like a father to me and taught a lot.His wife cooked avery good country food.

One day I found the old piano in a garage. Nobody taught me, but I could make music. I rememberd those wonderful Tuesday mornings. Your fingers flew like birds up and down the keys of the piano. We sang like birds, too. The piano changed my life.

Linda, Mr Wood's daugther taught me to read music. Mr Gordon, the teacher at the little village school also taught me hou to play the piano. And then I won the music competition. I was happy everyone supported me. I'm going to the College of Music for three years.Mr and Mrs Wood will send me there.

I'm really appreciate that I had wonderful Tuesday mornings.

Sincerely yours,

Tony

Posted for Hiroko

Saturday Night Live! Luna goes to town (again) - Bon Bon slideshow

And now we bring you a super-funky slideshow from Bon Bon!

Like it? Download it for yourself & show your friends right here - or just subscribe to Jim George on Youtube and keep up with all our audio-visual delights!

Keep up with us on Facebook too - right here

Another Bon Bon Boogie Night!

The first week of August, hot and steamy, drew to a close; Matsumoto's streets gave way to pedestrians and party-goers! Once again, tens of thousands of people turn out to dance the city streets and join in the fun...and right in the middle is little Luna, led by our merry band of mini-dancers in their smart red t-shirts...and they kept dancing all night long!

We had time to warm up, on Eki-mai, with nobody around - same as last year...but our good friends from the Nagano Pref. Children's Hospital were in front of us. Not sure if they enjoyed the special jelly Damian & Jim had concocted. Contents? Trade secret - but 'special'.

It seemed like a quiet night, and thankfully not too many idiots trying to barge through our group this year. Main problem was Alex occasionally getting too close to the white line in the middle of the road!

 Along the way we bumped into old friends & students dancing with other groups, and others joining us once their more boring teams went home early :) We added a Spanish coterie to our tails for the final swing around the whatever park, behind Yohashira shrine, and later heard stories of Seville & Barcelona while we warmed down over cold drinks!

Thanks everyone who joined us and made Bon Bon 2016 a lovely night out. We think you are great, and we love making this evening the centerpiece of our summers.

You will find all our pictures from the evening at the link below

https://www.flickr.com/gp/saint_george/X1NFwe

After-reading - A trip to England

I visited to England in October from 10th to 17th 2014, with my friend Junko. It was JTB (travel agent) group tour. Fright was Virgin Atlantic from Narita to Heathrow. We stayed 2 days in Manchester, next 2 days were in Coventry, last 2 days were in London. The first day We went to Haworth in Yorkshire. Bronte sisters are famous. We visited their home and walked the town. felt nostalgia. Old drugstore I bought mint soups. It was nice. and moved to The Lake District. There were very beautiful area. We could take a ship in Windermere Lake. We went for walked lakeside, and went to Peter Rabbit 's shop. I bought a picture book for my doughter. Of couse the weather changed to rain.

Next day We moved Liverpool. visited Liverpool Cathedral. and went to The Cavern Club. When The Beatles were not famous they played here everynight, the stage still now and visited Chester Cathedral. We bought souvenir at the Rows. The Rows were very old a two-story building. Street was very nice!

Next day We moved Cotswolds visited three small villages. William Morris said 'Here is most beautiful village in England' to Bilberry. Still now beautiful. And moved to Stratford-upon-Avon. We could visit the Shakespeare's house.The day was raining, so we took a rest in the tea shop during freetime. After dinner we went to Tesco near the hotel, it was big supermaket. Enjoyed shopping! Next day we visited the Roman Bath, World Heritage and saw Stonehenge too! There were mysterious and miraculous stones. Before I watched some photo, people touched stones, but now we could not touch with ropes.

Last was London! we visited British Museum. There were many artistic goods from all over the world. Very exciting! And watched Bigben, Westminster Abbey. We had a plan to afternoon tea in the Orangery Kensington palace, but restrant had another reservation. It was very sorry to us, too bad! We changed another hotel's tea. Palace's museum shop was very interesting. We bought Prince George's memorial plates for sale! This afternoon we went to Liberty shop, Junko love making handcraft, a desire to go! We enjoyed shopping in Regent Street. We wanted to go Harrods but no time to went and we wanted to stay more one day in London! Almost night we went to hotel's Bar  drank local draft beer. Very very good England beer! Hotel's breakfast were very nice and we could eat Roastbeef, Fish and chips, cottage pie, afternoon tea. We enjoyed English foods. I think trip is enrich our life. England travel was good experience for me!

Posted for Yoko

After-reading - A famous kidnapping story

The famous kidnapping case is Guriko Morinaga case. It was happened 18th March 1984. The boss of Ezakiguriko company was kidnapped in his house. He was with his children in the bathroom,but they kidnapped only him. They demanded 10billion yen and 10kg gold bars to his family. But 3 days after, he was released. He had no damages.

After that, they threaterned the Guriko company. They send confection with patassium cyanide, they demanded much money. They changed the target. They threaterned many food companies, Morinaga, House, Marudai, over one year. They made themselves Known Kaijin 21 mensou. A lot of things were left behind. But it was unsolved. No one arrested.

Another story, the photo was showed us. It was alike suspect. It was similar my high school history teacher.

Posted for Misuzu

Castle - TV series review

N.B. May contain spoilers!

Castle TV series features a beautiful detective Katherine Beckett and a mystery novel writer Richard Castle, who solve unusual crimes in the city of New York. This series was created by Andrew W. Marlowe, and originally released on March 9, 2009.

Female protagonist, Kate Beckett had a painful memory and trauma about the death of her mother. The case had been unsolved, and that was why she chose her current career. The first episode starts with a murder case which seems to resemble the murder case in Castle’s novel. Detective Beckett comes to contact Castle and asks him for help. Intrigued by the beautiful, mysterious Kate Beckett, Richard Castle starts working together with her two other male colleagues to solve strange challenging cases. Interestingly, Castle argues that he is going to investigate as many murder cases as possible in order to release his new novel series featuring an attractive female detective named Nicky Heat. As story goes on, Beckett is almost close to her mother’s murderer, but at the same time she has to face the devastating fact, losing her trustful boss and naerly losing her own life. The story is very thrilling as well as romantic. Richard cannot help fall in love with Beckett, supporting her in the back. Where are their relations going?

Richard Castle (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The great strength of this TV series and what makes the series different from other detective stories are the speed each episode moves and discloses the murderer, and the attractiveness of each character. Richard leads a life with his beloved daughter, Ashley, and his eccentric actress mother. Beckett’s colleagues, who are Ryan and Esposito, who support her and work with her doggedly. Each of them has their own private life and they are presented during the series. There are eight seasons. The only weakeness I notice is the unsolved case of Beckett’s mother, which remains unsolved until the end.

Posted for Shizue

After-reading Christmas in Prague

I write to you Josef, that your wife is dead. On Christmas night she ran to the border to enter to Austria. Just before crossing the border the guards shot her. She carried Pavel –your baby son, and my grandson on her back, and fortunately he is alive! You had better not to come back to Prague. It’s too dangerous for you. I made a firm resolution to bring up Pavel instead of my daughter. I am going to educate him to be a good man. Someday the country will change better, and you and Jan will be able to get a chance to see him. I wish your new life be peaceful and may the blessing be upon you.

Stanislava

Posted for Misako

The Lost World - letter to my friend

Dear My Friend,

Did you remember a terrible case happened on 5 years ago? I remembered the terrible/sad case as if it was yesterday.

Five years ago, my brother and I lived near Manaos. My brother, Pedro Lopez and I were half brother and were grown by same mother. Pedro Lopez’s father was a Mexican and my father was a Indian.

He was very gentle, but he was highly skilled in his leadership and ground control. He owned a lot of land and was rich. Many Indian worked for Pedro Lopez’s land very well and he paid money and gave food properly.

I thought that the Indians worked for his land were satisfied with their work.

But, suddenly a man called Lord Roxton came here and fought him and killed him. Lord Roxton killed my love brother though he didn’t know well my brother. I was very sad he was killed, but I was also sad and surprised that many Indians looked happy because he was killed though he gave many Indians fruitful life.

Sometime after my brother was killed, I heard that some Indians said that Pedro Lopez was very cruel and they worked very hard, but they got very little money or food and some of Indians died due to hard work.

My brother could bent his ear to the Indians opinions. I am absolutely disgusted with Lord Roxton who killed my kind brother.