In an extraordinary restoration project, Michael S. Smith, interior designer for the Obama White House, recently redecorated the Illinois Governor’s Mansion in collaboration with First Lady MK Pritzker, utilizing the best of Illinois’s long tradition of fine craftsmanship to allow the mansion’s prodigious history, exceptional decorative arts, and superb art to shine. This visually stunning volume not only celebrates the updating of the Italianate–Greek Revival Illinois Governor’s Mansion in Springfield but also tells the story of the house’s evolution since 1855, of the lives and times of the renowned personages who inhabited it, and of the illustrious visitors, including Abraham Lincoln and FDR. The rooms have been enhanced with sophisticated color palettes, gorgeous fabrics, wallpapers, and bespoke furniture. In celebration of Illinois, one hallway is covered in a striking corn-motif pattern; the Governor’s Dining Room is embellished with a charming folk-style mural; and the chic Chicago Room was created, featuring Frances Elkins’s canopied beds and a Samuel Marx secretary cabinet. This book is ideal for those who love architecture, antiques, and learning about the lives of prominent Americans.

Saving Money and Improving Retention by Combining the Aviation Continuation Pay and Thrift Savings Plan Programs There are no longer any sacred cow programs in the United States Air Force. They face a large budget crisis. With the Global War on Terror and continued operations in Iraq, nothing is safe from funding cuts. The annual Flying Hour Programs were reduced by 10% even though this affects the capability of the combat aviator. The Air Force purchases fewer and fewer new aircraft every year, though this impacts overall mission capability. The Air Force must search for additional new and innovative ways to reduce the overall cost of operations and programs. The Aviation Continuation Pay (ACP) program is one such area.

The Geneva Conventions, along with its Additional Protocols, represent the fundamental documents on which the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) is established. Originally established under the premise of conventional warfare, these documents have also been the cornerstone for U.S. Army doctrine in providing direction to its forces in adherence to the LOAC. Currently, the Global War on Terror (GWOT) has put many of the medical units in a dilemma; trying to care for the wounded in combat while, at the same time, attempting to provide adequate force protection for themselves, their patients and their missions essential assets. To mitigate this, AMEDD units mostly depend on other units to meet theater directed force protection requirements, especially in the areas of base defense and security escorts. This dependency has many drawbacks. For example, medical ground evacuation missions are often delayed due to the medical elements having to wait for adequate security escorts. In addition, there are other downsides to this dependency for external security, such as synchronizing communications and battle drills, and utilizing standard operating procedures, which is difficult to do with elements from different organizations. The intent of this thesis is to explore the possibility that the treaties of the Geneva Conventions, and/or the corresponding subordinate layers of policies from U.S. governmental agencies and the U.S. Army, may be outdated and/or over-restrictive with regards to warfare as it is being conducted on today's modern battlefield, the Contemporary Operating Environment (COE). Specifically, this thesis will explore the possibility of allowing medical units to maintain and employ weapons of increased capability, such as machine guns and crew-served weapons, and the conditions and limitations under which such weapons would be utilized.

Eric Prendergast, a successful but arrogant detective, meets his match when his path crosses an evil, conniving school teacher, Derek Swanston. This 'must read' novel is a story of hope, despair; love, hate; sadness and humour. The unforgettable characters are brought to life as each chapter unfold.