Based on audiotapes he recorded during the war and sent home to his family, Randy Zahn's Snake Pilot recounts his experiences flying AH-1 Cobra helicopters during the Vietnam War. First deployed in Vietnam in 1967 and loaded with a formidable arsenal of weaponry, the Cobra was the first helicopter designed from inception as an attack aircraft. It dramatically changed the nature of the war in Vietnam by offering the Army, for the first time, its own powerful and highly accurate weapons platform for close-air-support missions. Randy Zahn arrived in Vietnam shortly before the 1970 U.S. invasion of Cambodia, one of the most impressive demonstrations by the Cobra in the war. He describes his stunning transformation from a naive, middle-class teenager from southern California to a hardened killer during his tour in Vietnam. Unlike the pilots who flew the fast-moving strike jets, Zahn experienced the war "up close and personal," witnessing the grisly effects of the Cobra's firepower on enemy soldiers. The author does not glorify killing but rather explains in sharp relief the kaleidoscope of emotions associated with combat: fear, revenge, hate, remorse, pity, and even ecstasy. He captures many of the ironies and nuances inherent in Vietnam, especially during the final years of the conflict. Zahn displays a sensitivity rarely found in memoirs written by battle-hardened warriors. This human element, combined with the vast amount of archival research and interviews with members of his former unit, ensures that Snake Pilot will become the definitive account of the role helicopters played in Vietnam.

Snakes are fascinating creatures that have lived on earth for millions of years. Through years of complex evolution, they have developed into legless reptiles with cylindrical elongated bodies that we know and recognize throughout the world today. More than 3,000 different species inhabit the Earth; snakes are found in every continent except Antarctica, and have adapted to survive in a broad range of habitats, from the arid deserts of Africa to the humid rainforests in South America and Asia. Some species have evolved to suit an aquatic lifestyle, and solely reside in the Indian Ocean and southwest Pacific, while others have developed unique skills, such as flying snakes that are able to glide between trees in the rainforest. All snakes are carnivorous but types of prey that form their diet varies between species. While rodents and birds contribute to part of their diet, many snakes will also feed upon frogs, newts, and eggs, and some will even target domestic pets and agricultural animals should a large meal be required! More than a quarter of all snake species are venomous, enabling them to deliver a toxic concoction to paralyze and kill their prey. Others are constrictors, using their powerful muscles to subdue their prey. Snakes are vital in ecosystems around the world, and with studies on snake venom revealing some interesting surprises in the world of medicine, more efforts are being made to conserve these magnificent creatures. This book explores the diet, behavior, and habitats of a mixed range of some popular and well-known snake species – from the mighty anaconda to highly developed viper – and the anatomical differences, reproductive practice, and the evolutionary journey of 14 species of snake are detailed.

Imagine being the 5-year old informal air stewardess as Phillipa’s dad, Captain John Hankins, flies four world leaders to the Paris Peace Talks. After WW II, people in London were suffering. Captain Hankins flew his family to Nairobi,Africa where they built a farm near the Serengetti. Even though he was then flying for British Overseas Airways, he established a working farm. Young Phillipa and her family survived attacks from the Mau Mau, as well as columns of merciless fireants, man-eating tigers, poisonous pythons, debilitating diseases, and a culture totally foreign to a proper little English girl. After escaping from the Mau Mau in a tribal war known around the world, Phillipa and her family returned to London, and begins ballet school against the backdrop of a father who left the family to be the chief pilot for the President of Mexico and her severely depressed mother who hated her for not being a boy so she could have inherited English lands. Phillipa had some wonderful encounters with Queen Elizabeth II and finally was able to go to America as an au pair. The final chapters of the book highlight her having a family in California, owning her own ballet school, escaping from a dodgy first husband, and traveling to Spain and New Zealand to tend to each dying parent. Finally Phillipa ended up in Orlando, Florida armed with a new hope for a successful life.

Provides lessons on many topics of nature study, with questions that may form the basis for student projects.