Category: strange land

VA Tech

The treatment of Iranian students post-1979 reflects a broader pattern of U.S. immigration policy reacting to geopolitical tensions. The Carter administration’s mass visa reviews were criticized as discriminatory, targeting Iranians based on nationality rather than individual actions.

South of the Border

How it All Started
In 1949, Mr. Alan Schafer built a simple 18 x 36 foot beer stand known as South of the Border Beer Depot. As it adjoined the North Carolina counties, which were dry of alcoholic beverages, business boomed. A few years later a 10-seat grill was added and the business was re-named South of the Border Drive-In.

In 1954, Mr. Schafer added 20 motel rooms. Materials for the addition were shipped to “Schafer Project South of the (North Carolina) Border”. Mr. Schafer shortened the name of his business to South of the Border.

Business was steadily expanded with Mexican trinkets and numerous kitsch items imported from Mexico. The site itself also began to expand to include a cocktail lounge, gas station and souvenir shop. In 1962, South of the Border expanded into fireworks sales, potentially capitalizing on the fact fireworks were illegal in North Carolina. In 1964 it was announced that the route for I-95 would pass right by South of the Border, and the facility would be next to two exits and within view of the highway. By the mid-1960s, South of the Border had expanded to include a barber shop, drug store, a variety store, a post office an outdoor go-kart track complete with other outdoor recreational facilities and the 104 feet (32 m) tall image of the mascot, Pedro.
https://www.sobpedro.com/our-history

Zone 5

Zone 5

In photography, Zone 5 refers to a middle gray tone in Ansel Adams’ Zone System, a technique for controlling exposure and development to achieve desired tonal values in a photograph. The Zone System divides the tonal range of a scene into 11 zones, from Zone 0 (pure black) to Zone 10 (pure white). Zone 5 represents a neutral, 18% gray reflectance, which is the midpoint of the tonal scale and typically corresponds to a correctly exposed average subject, such as a gray card or average skin tones.

Key points about Zone 5
Exposure: It’s the standard reference for light meters, which are calibrated to render a subject as this middle gray tone. For example, if you meter a scene and expose as the meter suggests, the subject will appear as Zone 5 in the final image.
– Tonal Context: Zone 5 serves as the anchor for placing other tones in the image. Photographers use it to decide how to adjust exposure to shift lighter or darker tones to other zones (e.g., placing a highlight in Zone 7 or a shadow in Zone 3).
– Practical Use: When using the Zone System, a photographer might meter a subject they want to appear as middle gray (Zone 5) and then adjust exposure or development to ensure other parts of the scene fall into desired zones for contrast and detail.

In digital photography, Zone 5 still applies as a reference for proper exposure, often used in histograms or exposure metering to ensure a balanced image. For instance, exposing a gray card to fall around the middle of a histogram aligns it with Zone 5.
Mr.Grok

UA

The IATA code for United Airlines is UA.
The common medical abbreviation for urinalysis is UA. This is used to denote the urine analysis test that is used to screen for various conditions and diseases. It’s a simple and widely recognized shorthand for a common diagnostic tool

trees on the plane

pilot of our erj175 did an almost touch and go, almost landed, full throttle, back up. denver airport. Druid god looking after us, two sequoias on board

To request a flight incident report from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), you can contact the FAA office responsible for handling such requests. Based on the information available, the FAA’s Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) system or the local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) are appropriate points of contact for incident-related inquiries. Since the incident occurred in Denver, the Denver FSDO is a relevant office to reach out to.
FAA Address for Requesting Incident Reports:
• Denver Flight Standards District Office (FSDO)
• 26805 East 68th Avenue, Suite 200
• Denver, CO 80249-6339
• Phone: (303) 342-1100
• Email: Available through their office (contact to schedule an appointment)
• Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Mountain Time, Monday through Friday (except holidays)
• Note: The Denver FSDO requires all visitors to have an appointment, scheduled Tuesday through Thursday at 8:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., or 2:30 p.m.
Alternative Contact:
• FAA Headquarters (General Inquiries)
• Federal Aviation Administration
• 800 Independence Avenue, SW
• Washington, DC 20591
• Email: Use the FAA’s contact form at www.faa.gov/contact or email pressoffice@faa.gov for guidance on incident report requests.
Process for Requesting the Report:
• Provide Specific Details: Include the flight details you mentioned—United Airlines Flight UA 5966, ERJ175, Arcata/Eureka (ACV) to Denver (DEN), incident on approach at 1631 hrs MDT on April 26, 2025, involving wings tilting 50 feet above the runway, followed by a go-around and successful landing. This will help the FAA locate the report.
• Submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request: If the incident report is not publicly available, you may need to file a FOIA request. Visit www.faa.gov/foia for instructions. You can submit the request online or by mail to:
• FOIA Program Office
• Federal Aviation Administration
• 800 Independence Avenue, SW
• Washington, DC 20591
• Contact the NTSB if Applicable: If the incident is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), you can check their database or contact them at www.ntsb.gov. The NTSB investigates significant incidents and may have a report.
Additional Notes:
• The FAA investigates incidents, but detailed reports may be managed by the NTSB if the event is deemed serious. Given the description (a go-around due to wing tilting, followed by a safe landing), this may be classified as an incident rather than an accident, and the FAA’s Denver FSDO would likely have initial records.
• No specific FAA or NTSB reports for UA 5966 on April 26, 2025, were found in the provided references, suggesting the incident may not yet be publicly documented or may be minor (e.g., a routine go-around due to wind shear or control issues). Go-arounds are standard safety procedures, as noted in FAA statements.
• You may also contact United Airlines directly for their internal report, though they may defer to the FAA or NTSB for official inquiries. United’s contact at Denver International Airport can be found via www.flydenver.com or www.united.com.[](https://www.denver-airport.com/DIA-airlines/united-airlines) (http://www.united.com.[](https://www.denver-airport.com/DIA-airlines/united-airlines))
For the fastest response, call or email the Denver FSDO to confirm the process and whether a FOIA request is needed. If you need help drafting a FOIA request or further assistance, let me know!

Joe Rileys’s List

1. Give people the finest land, not the cheapest.
2. Bring the water to the community.
3. Every detail is important.
4. Create a vision, first.
5. Make pedestrian movement natural.
6. Knit the edges of each neighborhood together and connect fragmented pieces
7. Don’t forget about basic housekeeping and maintenance.
8. Maximize the natural assets.
9. Think regionally.
10. Build beauty into everything.

.
Create a vision first, build beauty into everything.