On his last day as Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld sent one last “snowflake” announcing the “blizzard is over.” His dispatch of thousands of memos, asking for answers and seeking action—usually tagged with aggressive deadlines—over the past six years became one of his signature trademarks. This last snowflake absolved those who had yet to respond to his latest flurry. Rumsfeld invoked the “spirit of the season” and offered a “general amnesty for any outstanding snowflakes.”
A year away from its likely retirement—and 70 years to the day after the first U-2 flight—a two-seat version of the Dragon Lady from the 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force, Calif., set records for distance covered and endurance on a single mission, demonstrating the venerable type’s continuing capability.