brickhistory

Stream of consciousness or lucky to be conscious. Helluva choice. One has been in Washington for 47 years. One has been there for 3. Which one has actually accomplished anything? As in done something, not talk about it.

So you're the one who bought a copy. I always wondered who that was...

I wouldn't know. We were always forbidden to look behind the curtain and gaze upon the great and powerful flightdeck people. I assumed it was an opening the Arc of the Covenant kind of a thing...

Wow, MX? Really? Do I look like I work for a living? I was ops, baby. 961st @ RODN. As to the "old wives tale, (which is both sexist, ageist, and decidely privileged of you...20 lashes and some reparations oughtta do it...), I've not heard it about the E-3. I've heard it re the many flavors of RJ's with all their protruberances, but not the E-3. It's always someone else's jet that sucks, not your own... Story I heard was that back in the 1960s/1970s when E-3 was originally designed and fielded, everybody that flew it or in it had male genitalia because it was a "combat" aircraft and those with female genitalia weren't allowed in combat. This was a true statement for being a missileer as well (ask me how I know...). Fast forward, to the 1980s when women became a "thing," and it was politically untenable for Big Blue to put women in combat or on such coded airplanes. Viola, combat support it is for everyone! And since it wasn't a combat-coded jet, the thousands of parachutes that formerly were carried in the oh-so-comfortable hollowed out bolt-upright seats designed to put a back parachute in were deleted along with the life support for same. Big dollar savings for Big Blue as well. I'm not sure when the ashtrays were finally pulled. So if that's the case, why do E-3 and E-8 (also me at one time) have to go through survival training? If there's no way out voluntarily in an emergency, then the chances of surviving a non-8,000 ft gear down landing are slim at best. Seems like even more money could be saved, but I digress. Anyway, that's the story I was told by the old guys of my day. So since I'm a really old guy now, they may have been around when it happened. YMMV.

Meanwhile in the Flynn soap opera, on Monday, the entire DC Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the panel's decision to, essentially, vacate the case and sent it back to the District Court judge with the last line of the ruling "for him to finish this espeditiously." (paraphrased). The Court did not want to set a precedent of if you didn't like a judge's ruling, you could seek to get another judge. Since Sullivan, the original District judge, hasn't ruled on dismissing the Flynn case after DOJ dropped prosecution, the Appeals Court is saying "let him rule before seeking appeal." But Sullivan's appointment of a separate counsel to defend why he, Sullivan, shouldn't proceed with sentencing makes him hardly impartial. That judge has set a 21 Sep date for the now three parties - Flynn, DOJ, and the judge's prosecutor - to come to an agreement about when to proceed. Which means any further action is even further down the road. Some have conjectured that the judge has been trying all along to delay this until, to him, a new Biden DOJ picks the prosecution back up. The times set do, IMO, seem to reinforce that belief especially given the Appeals Court's direction to "finish this."

He certainly is passionate about it. While I disagree completely with his premise, he's putting on a reasonably good argument. Then ruins it with the condescending cheap shots. If the reader is going through the points and the data then gets hit (metaphorically, not literally for any SJWs thinking that words are violence) with numerous cheap shots on how to think or that they are less worthy for thinking differently, then most human reactions are going to be "F U." Don't get me wrong, I can go cheap shot and snarky with the best of them, but try to differentiate between a serious discussion that I care about, as in your example given, and the snark factor. Not always successfully, admittedly. As to your six foot advice and/or a mask, please ensure that you are completely retired and not still on terminal leave before you go completely freaky such that UCMJ wouldn't understand. 🙂 And congrats. Now back to our earnest, yet oh so wrong, follow the herd even though there are differences within the scientific let alone political communities, correspondent.

Biden gave a speech yesterday in Pittsburgh. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/joe-biden-speech-pittsburgh-trump-violence-cities/ Here was the crowd (all journalists): Biden had some really weird sentences that literally made no sense. Could be he couldn't read the teleprompter. Could be the fact that he's 77. And he took no questions. From an audience of only journalists.

It's the condescending posts that impress me the most. Just makes me realize that if I only agreed with my betters, I'd be "on the right side of history." Or something...

0 seats that go bang. Bail-out procedure is: Stand up, hook up, shuffle to the door. Except you can only half-way stand up in the back. There's no hook-up, just remember to pull after exiting. The bail-out/main entry door is between flight deck and crew compartment. If the emergency happens quick, not many, if any get out. If it's somewhat controlled, then it's possible, but not a sure-thing. If they experience a cold cat, they try to escape via hatches over the two pilots and one in the back. Before 100,000 tons of steaming steel runs you over. As for the E-3, cost savings, baby! Think how much cash is saved by not having all those 'chutes (that the chairs were designed to hold and suck as regular seats) and all that extraneous life support shop.

Even Hamilton says it's boring. Does that qualify (no pun intended) as "legit critique?"

Didn't know until today that the riots occurring in proximity to BLM protests are being conducted by white supremists. I am told that by many sources in the media and by many representatives of one major political party. I am glad they are so informative.

Two sides to every story and the truth somewhere in there as well. Yet, the manbun brigade didn't need to wait for the truth regarding the black guy shot to kick off the Kenosha games. So, only one side gets held to the truth standard?

The kid shouldn't have been there. Neither should the rioters. Neither is in the right. However, the kid didn't start the fight or riots. The kid will undoubtedly face firearms charges, as well as the murder charges he currently has. The numerous videos available show him being chased, repeatedly. They show him being attacked after he tripped. Skateboarder guy was wailing away on him with the board and trying to take the weapon. That, too, is on video. The video prior to him tripping records shot(s) that aren't from the kid's rifle. The "hand's up" guy with the pistol then pointed it at the kid and tried to take the weapon. He is also on video at the hospital acknowledging that he "wished I'd emptied the whole magazine into him." Self-defense will most likely beat the murder charges, but the underage firearm thing and across state lines (if true) are gonna be a problem for him. I don't know him. But no 17 year old should have to deal with taking other lives, fearing for his own, and being stupid. The rioters knew better. But they largely haven't been held to account. I believe the masses are about tired of that. My comment, as dark as it was, related to the kid's ability to take out threats to him. I don't feel regret for that notice nor the term I'm using for the antifa rioters/anarchists. They aren't seeking "social justice" or a better America. They are seeking the end of America. I have no respect for that view nor those that hold it. Therefore, derision is one way I deal with it. I also noted that both sides are armed and it's not a game any more. But it's human nature to say "enough's enough." Two-way violence is only going to increase. I don't rejoice in that, but I certainly understand it. How many months have the good guys had to endure the destruction of cities and towns? Eventually, the good guys fight back.

My regrets that the 17 yr old in Kenosha will have to deal with the aftermath, but from a getting it done aspect, he took out three skinnies, two permanently, while retreating/getting beaten. All three "peaceful protesters" have violent felony records. And at least one of them was armed. Both sides are playing that game now. Not a game anymore.

Now Nancy Pelosi is saying that Biden shouldn't debate Trump. Wonder why?

So "2' on all of the advice above from your post to now. That said, wife originally carried a S&W .38. She got an airweight for it's lightness but that made it a sumbitch to shoot and thus she wouldn't. After about 20 rounds, I too was done with it. At that time, I carried an XDS .45 and loved it. Small, thin, made a big hole in the target. However, we both switched to carrying a S&W Shield in 9mm for outside the home use. For her, it's a manageable recoil in a fairly light platform. For me, it's a case of if we both carry the same model, she can use mine and I can use hers (sts) should that necessity arise. Ability to swap magazines too. I put night sights on both. Inside the house, it's a scattering of other 9mm platforms in convenient places.

A follow-up, but related questions for those on the opposite side of the view: Are you ok with the Clinton server/e-mail investigation complete with the 8-10 TS/SCI, SAP/STO e-mails? Are you ok with the use of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies to investigate an opponent for political reasons? Would you be ok if the party that used those agencies in such a manner? I would and am not. If one side does it and gets away with it - the deliberate and intentional use of federal resources, law enforcement techniques, and intelligence sources and methods - to investigate and/or hinder the policies of that oppostion, then any look at history will show that such will simply increase. If there are no consequences to misdeeds, then why not do it? As I wrote in a previous post, unmaskings of Americans, wildly overused by the Obama Administration, are at an industrial scale under the current one. It is that use of instruments of federal power against Americans, much more than the political back and forth, that interests me on this issue. One rule of law or not. If not, then you and I need to ensure we get to be on the winning side because it's gonna suck to be on the losing one. And elections won't matter then.

Fox is the new NBC. Do try to keep up. So, for my edification, and others, what does it say? Is my boiled down version suitable for a thread post wrong? If so, how?

You'd have to ask Trump about his personnel choices. As I understand it, the Senate report documents the facts of attempted, possibly successful, influence on the 2016 election with Russia favoring Trump and China favoring Clinton. That the report is not about the investigations into the Trump campaign and administration but rather about foreign attempts on our election systems. Which, by the way, occurred under Obama's watch and he, literally, did nothing. That said, my on-going concern with the Russiagate/Obamagate thing is the strong possibility that one administration actively used the instruments of US power - mainly federal law enforcemet and intel community - to spy on and delay/obstruct/interfere with the actions of, another succeeding administration. If that's true, it's really bad. As in end of the Republic bad. Political shenanigans are one thing, but when rank and file worker bees choose sides and use their offices/powers to aid/abet that use, I fear that. Against me, against you, against anyone. And if it's happened already, it's very likely to happen again, and worse, unless there are public consequences against those that did so. Certainly, I hope to see Brennan (admitted former Communist, not a wild accusation, but historical fact. Not to mention that he literally spied on the Senate, lied to them under oath, then got caught out, and the then-Democrat led Senate did nothing...) led away in cuffs. Same for some other high-profile folks involved. But if Clinesmith, Vindmann, et al, feel like they can take on political leadership they don't happen to like, then it's all moot and we become who can gain/hold power by means that I don't get a vote about. I fear it is too late, but I am hoping that if there are fairly severe consequences, that others in the future won't be so quick to say, "Sure, I'll do that."

Meanwhile, in Obamagate news: On Friday, former CIA Director Brennan was interviewed for eight (8) hours by the Durham investigation of how/why the whole thing went down. There are several notes to ponder: 1. An attorney for Brennan not present at the interview and not using any direct quotes from Brennan states "he's not a target" and that Brennan questioned the intent of the investigation as a political witchhunt. There was no such statement, or any for that matter, by the Durham investigators. No leaks either. I seem to remember one or two when it was Trump under the microscope... 2. The interview was conducted at CIA HQ in Langley vs main DOJ in downtown DC. That makes the jurisdiction for any potential crimes resulting from this interview, i.e., lying to federal officials, a matter for the Eastern District Court of Virginia instead of the DC District Court. One jurisdiction is historically much more lenient regarding senior federal officials being indicted and/or convicted than the other.

Just a nose pressed against the glass outsider looking in, but, that was fcuking awesome. Well done!

Well done. I remembered that episode watched, probably repeatedly as a kid growing up on afternoon reruns. And while it is an analogy, I wasn't necessarily going for the WMD type of unmanned weapons. I inarticulately tried to bring up the "if it's all 'droid warfare - air/land/sea/space - would political leaders really hesitate as much as they might, in Western societies anyway, regarding meat-servo casualties? Dunno. Does the escalation ramp become "He destroyed so many of my droids that I have to go nuclear" instead of "Xi just killed a carrier and now I've got no choice?" Either way, Lt Data will not be refilling the popcorn machine, I'm betting... edited to add: The summer drink of choice in the brick household this season is lime rum/coconut rum/fresh squeezed lime/some sparkling lime flavored water. Repeat as necessary until it doesn't matter. Like about now...

As Lt Data and his companions come on board, many things will become more efficient for Big Blue. Of course, finding snackos will be come harder and harder. As will filling the ranks of human leadership. Imagine the perfect world where only shiny pennies are brought in to command legions of AI systems. Cuts down on Tricare/retirement costs as well. Win/win for Big Blue and Pentagon. If it's just 'things' getting blown up, will anyone care anymore? Will war become a more or less viable option?

"If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor." "Shovel-ready jobs."

Did not know about the different steering rack for Monaco. Makes sense, however. As to "legit"critiques of the sport, I failed to get the memo that anyone else was responsible for my opinion. Nice gig providing an approved viewpoint for everyone if you can get it, I guess. And my view must be so outlandish that Liberty, you know the new-ish owners of F1, have determined that to keep the sport healthy and competitive, thus profitable, that the massive spending by one, maybe two teams, and the rest there for pretty show, isn't sustainable. Thus the new regs and spending caps forthcoming.