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Senators need maximum term limits.

I read some literature that suggested Bird Flu H5N1 has a mortality rate close to 60%, but this is likely a large overestimate given ascertainment bias. That being said there are three traditional (non-MRNA), FDA approved vaccines that would be deployed. There are currently 10 Million doses in mass bulk storage (but it takes two doses to immunize). Lets hope they keep there eye on the ball and stockpile some more vaccine.

I have no doubt they will repeat the play, but many plays only work once. It'll have to be at least 50 years before that trick can be pulled again. People just won't do it this time. Caveat: if the disease is actually more dangerous than a new strain of flu, for example if it kills children instead of old people, the masks will go on in a heartbeat.

Nothing. It was more of a "how can a dude in jorts be so clueless" comment. This.

If they do the Covid dance again, I'm going to spike the punch. Fuck government overreach.

There are 5th graders who know more about our economy. Bernstein...with a name that Jewish, you'd think he'd know a little more about money.

US national security advisor Jake Sullivan says there won't be a Ukrainian counteroffensive until 2025. The current funding bill was to stop Russia from making additional gains, but he still expects Russian advances in the coming period. huh?? "Any new offensive in 2025 by Ukraine would be dependent on more funding from Congress, and approval by the White House. " What a joke. https://www.ft.com/content/6fd11006-01db-4548-96d6-76343f38aea8

Probably a gem here and there very sporadically, but revisiting them multiple times a year or every other month or worse every month is just a job and nothing more. Definitely crappier now than ever before. Several of my friends do enjoy international runs at the majors, but after a few years of the same runs a few times a month based on pure tourist traps as these rarely change they get burned out as well. Even if I do revisit several cities abroad every other month, many are soooo much cleaner, safer and interesting. Hopping off the standard path to places like Bangkok, Hanoi, Auckland, Nuremberg, Nagoya, Santiago etc., etc., etc., makes it worthwhile. Always better to do it on someone else’s dollar plus more. Doubt I will travel too much beyond 65 - probably need a hover round no doubt so I’m out.

22 minute mark is nuts

I have heard the same but has not happened in my case. Renewed last week and it went up an additional $150 for my acro taildragger. I turn 75 next month. When the age went from 60 to 65 never dreamed most would go to 65 let alone 67. Having said that I left at 59 and have never looked back. If you are not flying international, I can't imagine what a layover is like in our crappy cities today.

The number of Bird Flu news articles have exploded the last few days. https://news.google.com/search?q=H5n1 when%3A1d&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen COVID created a lot of debate and consternation. No matter how you feel about it, it moved or created, at a minimum, $4.5 Trillion dollars in the US economy. Mostly upward. It happened during an election year, and it affected how people voted. Chaos yields opportunity. There have been virtually no real consequences for anyone who happened to be in a position of authority or benefit, for bad decisions or actions pertaining to COVID. It simply worked. Why would anyone not repeat a successful play?

Only 12 in your class? I think we started with 50.

My dated data was that the last initial qual would be sometime in 26 and last upgrade early 27 (I think). That is assuming all OA-1K replacement stays on timeline, numbers, etc

I thought these things were going away?

Yeah, but still dramatically better than having nothing. Personally I'm switching from USCCA to CCWSafe once my subscription expires next year. I like the law of self-defense guy, and he endorses CCW safe. Anyone shopping for this type of insurance should consider one that also covers civil litigation coverage.

Columbus 24-10 C-130H - CTANG C-130J - Keesler (AFR) C-130J x 2 - Dyess MC-130J x 2 - Kirtland KC-135 - McConnell KC-135 - March U-28 - Hurlburt C-17 - McGuire C-5M - Dover T-6 FAIP

NOT the safety blanket you think it might be. USCCA is getting bad rap for dropping people AFTER they have a problem.

That is a good point. My state is very liberal (in a good way) on guns. But for example, you are in violation of the law if carrying <1000 ft from a school, but if you have a license you can carry right up to the property line. You could conceivably have a traffic stop on a road 900’ from a school and be charged if found to have a gun and not a license. Not too likely, but there are more scenarios like this that can and do exist in constitutional carry states. Bottom line, be informed!

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We'd have to see the entire picture and understand their motives. I also put nothing in my 401k because the company is funding it at a pretty substantial rate. However, I have multiple other income streams and don't have the expectation that I shouldn't have to fund any of my own retirement.

One of the many great things about Texas. That said, strongly, strongly, strongly recommend anyone in Texas get their license to carry and some sort of "shooter's insurance." USCCA, CCWSafe, Bear, whatever. The license to carry gives you more rights and protections than constitutional carry. It also simplifies where you can and can't go substantially.

We have a great indoor range five minutes from my house and they rent a wide variety of guns including the CZ's. I actually prefer to shoot outdoors and we have several options within 30-40 minutes. My favorite is the Conecuh Shooting Range just to the north in Alabama. It is a public range with several great set ups including a shotgun section, a pistol range and a long-gun range. It costs $21.00 for a yearly Alabama WMA license as a Florida resident. A couple times a year we make a day of it as a family (bring water to wash your hands before lunch). I had a deal in place for 80 acres to build my compound but it fell through, still looking but plan to build a range on it.

Move to Texas. You don't need a license to CC or OC here. Florida just figure that out less than a year ago, we've had it for three years! Plus, open carry is still illegal in Florida (Texas has had it since 2021). 9. Texas As of 2021, permitless carry and open carry are legal in Texas for individuals 21 and older. In many ways, Texas has one of the strongest use-­of-­force laws in the nation, allowing for deadly force to defend “land or tangible, moveable property” in certain circumstances. That said, the law does not protect against civil liability so we did not award full points in that category. The Lone Star State has an enthusiastic shooting, training and hunting culture, and some of the finest ranges in the nation can be found within its borders. Hopefully, Texas’ thriving gun culture is not negatively influenced by its rapid population growth. 22. Florida After passing anti-­gun legislation in the wake of the Parkland High School murders, the Sunshine State is moving back in a more pro-­gun direction. The legislature passed, and Governor Ron DeSantis signed, legislation that authorized permitless carry in the state for both residents and non-­residents alike. Florida’s use-­of-­force laws are a model for the nation and the state received 10 points for its treatment of NFA items. The only restriction costing Florida points is its prohibition on 18-­to 20-­year-­olds purchasing long guns. 48. California California has the distinction of being the top-­ranked state in the anti-­gun Giffords Law Center’s rankings. Still, lawmakers in Sacramento continue to push for more gun control. In the Fall of 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation expanding California’s Red Flag laws. Bills that would have created a firearm excise tax and made legally carrying a firearm more difficult did not make it to his desk. As the legislature goes into summer recess for ’23, no anti-­gun bills have passed; several have been proposed. California received low scores for a difficult carry permit environment, restrictions on many semiautomatics and magazines, and other miscellaneous statutes. The state received 7 points for its use-­of-­force laws, which do not impose a duty-­to-­retreat thanks only to a court decision. Despite having some of the nation’s toughest gun laws, the state had more mass shootings than any other state across a 50-­year survey period, more than Texas and Florida combined. Source: https://www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/best-states-for-gun-owners-2023/488509 The biggest downside to Texas is the lack of public (BLM) land to shoot on (there is some just north of Amarillo with under 12,000 acres and no firearms allowed). Over 95% land in Texas is privately owned (source), so unless you know someone with a private range, public ranges are about the only option outside of hunting or on base ranges (I shoot at Camp Bullis is north San Antonio).

I’ve noticed a frequency and proximity of gun shows having a directly negative experience on the “don’t be a dumbass” standard. The indoor range I used to frequent in college would constantly get people straight in from the county fair grounds with something stupid in hand by somebody who’s gun ownership is being measured in minutes. Then you’re getting flagged by some jackass and his buddies or watching somebody blast away at the backstop with steel core in a Mosin still packed with grease. Introduce kids and teens to guns while they still have dads/uncles in their life so they don’t turn into these jackasses. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk