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Once again the USAF sticks it to themselves and other services to fund a pet project. I've just recently briefed a conference on irregular warfare and several LAAR advocates were there (military, GS and contractor). All of them said the fate of the LAAR was tied like the C-27J to the F-35. Until JSF is fully funded the USAF will shut down all other projects not deemed nationally critical (e.g. MQ-9 and RQ-4 production) and re-program those funds. This is an old story as well. While on active duty I watched as several vital and viable weapons systems were shut down before they had adequate replacements (F-4G, RF-4, ABCCC, E-10, EF-111). Yes they were expensive but their replacements; if they had a replacement (think ABCCC, RF-4 and E-10) were either not immediately up to the task or were simply discounted. But the key requirement was the development and production of the F/A-22 - I had several colleagues in the Acquisition world who referred to the F/A-22 as the vampire as it sucked everyone else's programs dry. So now we have the F/A-22 that has not been down range yet, the F-35 which probably won't go down range anytime soon and we as an AF are shutting down F-16 and F-15 guard units, slashing at needed airlift (no more C-17s, reduced upgrades for C-5s) and ignoring the lessons of current conflicts (Afghanistan, Columbia) to go after the top shelf weapons systems over something that is available, safe and cheap (AT-6) ready made for low level conflicts and irregular missions (convoy support, immediate CAS against emerging targets in urban environments). But its coming back around. The Army is getting screwed on the C-27J and LAAR so they may soon go their own way. I expect to see LAAR and C-27J contracts for SOF and Army - which further begs the question: If the USAF cannot actually support the Army, Navy and Marines then what does it actually do? Cyber warfare, Space, strategic air lift and defence? One of our speakers, a Professor from a National Military University noted increased calls for the USAF to go back to being the US Army Air Corps. Don't think for a moment, they won't do it. Warrant Officers now fly Apache - in many ways more complex than current fighters so that argument is lost. The only thing the USAF can hang its hat on is Strategic defence and once the Navy takes over with subs and the army takes over Space command (ICBMS are just big guided mortars after all) then the USAF has nowhere to go. Our leadership really needs to wake up and smell the coffee. Otherwise we'll all be going green and it won't have anything to do bio fuels and bio-degradable paint.

BLUF - Subjectivity among voters will determine the BCS title game - OBJECTIVITY CANNOT happen with the current system. LSU - AL: Arguably the two best teams, hence the conundrum... LSU - OSU: Both won their divisions - valid point Stanford: Lost to a good same-conference team, bumping them out of the PAC championship Oregon: 2 losses - thanks for playing "Earned the right" doesn't even belong in this conversation as the system isn't built that way. If it were so, the only way some teams could "earn the right" (aka Houston or BSU) is to move to a better conference and play better teams. Until we get a playoff there will always be chaos. The big schools won't play the "little" schools with good programs for fear of messing up a good season right out of the gate. Face it, a team like LSU stands to gain nothing from beating Houston in September, but Houston stands to make great gains the other way around. Solution - 6 x 16 team conferences (96 teams, public math...) The WAC, SB, MW, ConfUSA and MA conferences have no business playing in a playoff in their current state. The handful of good teams in those conferences and all the independents should make a choice - join a real conference and play with a solid chance every year, or join the FCS and duke it out there. 120-96=24 teams, good luck in the FCS - thanks for giving it your all. 6 x 16 team conferences with ALL conference champions and 2 wildcard teams (don't really care how they are chosen) should play an elite 8 style playoff with 2 games before Christmas and the final 2 games after. Disclaimer - yes, I know that won't happen because "its all about the money" but if that is true, then the whole thing is moot. This format would initially benefit the weaker big conferences, but eventually, conference moves would even out the playing field, and the best 2 non-champions would still have an opportunity to make a "statement." Let the winners win it on the field like real champions, not contenders chosen by a computer with human influence and human voters who "decide" the fate of the bowls. Without a playoff system (basketball), Gonzaga, UNLV, Providence, et al, would have never been heard of by the majority of NCAA fans. Final tally... LSU-AL, if for no other reason than the pure chaos it throws into the mix. Here's hoping for a playoff.

This is what made it a true cock block... she gave me her card with her number and asked if I wanted tickets to see a game that week and then go out after, but I was actually there to visit another chick (don't think I didn't try to work a "date" with both of them, but it wasn't in the cards). Anyway, I got to totally shame the TIB tool; I walked up to him at baggage claim and said that I was in town visiting another chick, but if he wanted the Spurs chick's number he could have it to give it another shot... I told him she might be impressed with a tour of the building where TIB practiced or something. "And alas, the young gazelle learned first-hand from the lion of the harsh reality of the food chain on the Serengeti..."

I would normally never do this to a fellow airman, but I had the distinct pleasure of cock blocking a Tops in Blue tool bag on a flight to San Antonio a few months ago. We both totally lucked out by having a chick who was a Spurs cheerleader sit in the middle seat and the TIB tool didn't even let her get her seatbelt on before he told her he was in the Air Force (he had no idea I was too). She thought it was really cool and OBVIOUSLY asked him if he was a pilot. He immediately jumped in saying that all pilots were a bunch of prima donnas who didn't really do much other than take the credit for the work of MX and MSG types. He then told her how he just got picked for Tops in Blue and was going to be going to every combat zone in the world. It was hysterical; you'd have thought this guy was the T-Bird Lead Solo pilot who just won the Medal of Honor or something the way he was talking. He was PCSing in from Ramstein and said he hadn't been downrange yet. I just sat there quietly drinking a beer as she said two or three times that she thought pilots were a big deal in the Air Force and he kept trashing them. I finally just laughed a little when he said it again and she asked what I was laughing about... I told her I was apparently one of those prima donnas. She spent the rest of the flight with her back to him. I just couldn't let this hot chick think that this guy actually "represented" the AF! Sorry TIB tool... have better SA on talking smack on a flight to San Antonio! I've had lots of people tell me they are pilots now because they saw the T-Birds, Blues, demo teams, etc. at air shows when they were 4-5 yrs old (I'm one of them)... still waiting to meet the guy who joined because of Tops in Blue. I have an idea, before we start cutting demo teams (which actually are useful for recruitment) and more importantly before we start cutting 15 yr Majors... let’s start by cutting the AF Band of the Rockies... and the USAFE Band... and the ACC Band! Last time I was deployed there was a different shitty band with a dozen E-8's and E-9's being flown in by a C-17 every other week... to play your favorites from the 90's!!!

See? Even Hitler knows OSU got screwed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwX9CMCrw_U

Back in the day, huh? Did you wear leather helmets back then?

Rematch is set. At least all of you SEC haters out there will finally get to see an SEC team lose in the championship game this season.

Pics of cheerleader or it didn't happen.

Sometimes I forget what the internet looked like before Adblock.

RF The Amazon stock issue is being sorted as we speak - they are an utter pain in the arse to work with and it's almost impossible to work out how their system works. Anyway, PM me with your address (or your Dad's) and I'll send him a copy of the book for free. It would be our honour to do so. It shouldn't be a problem for me to work out his name, but if you'd supply it anway then I can make sure that we can personalise the package appropriately. Steve In fact, I may send it via Sam Deas (the author) so that he can sign it and then send it on.