brickhistory

Mattis' letter is the most polite way to say "go fuck yourself sideways, Mr. President." FIFY.

Oddly, the after lunch utter retraction by the judge to Flynn didn't receive the same breathless coverage. https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/12/18/michael-flynn-judge-courtroom-perez-sot-vpx.cnn And on a separate but related note: CNN's Journalist of the Year, 2014 https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2018/12/20/when-news-really-is-fake-german-reporter-admits-fabricating-coverage-leading-news-magazine/?utm_term=.ea613fcf663a

If only the last guy had had multiple SECDEFs during his tenure... Seriously, Gates staying for as long as he did was disasterous... But then there was a string of guys coming from the bench. But that was perfectly fine, I guess.

If you had written this at the commitment of US direct forces on the ground in Syria, I'd have been right there with you. But leaving? Please to explain what vital national interest is served by having ground forces in Syria? And what success would look like and how would it be achieved? And, of course, you remember Obama's red line of death which he enforced, right?

Couldn't agree more. 1. It's not government's place to do healthcare. 2. GOP has been just as big a deliberate impediment to the Trump election by the unwashed masses as have the Democrats and most of the press. GOP had Congress and the White House and did not, among others: 1. Repeal Obamacare 2. Start securing the southern border 3. Pass national reciprocity. The Leviathan does not like change and has reacted accordingly. I'll say it again; gotta hand it to the Democrats: when they get power, they use it. Republicans do not because someone's feelings will be hurt.

Errr, I was not the complainant, but the USAF uniform Air Staff guy responding/writing the "fcuk off" letter, hence my familiarity with the genre. USAF XX May 19XX Pentagon, Washington, DC 69690 Dear Treehugger, On behalf of the United States Air Force, let me thank you for bothering us with your complaint about the jet noise you experienced while consulting your chakra (or, more likely, male calf) in the Spongataxdollar National Preserve on Thursday, XX April 19XX. Upon investigation, the noise was caused by a USAF aircraft; specifically, an F-16. It was part of a mission where four F-16s practice aerial combat against four F-15s in a scenario we call dissimilar aerial combat (DACT). Similar to you wrestling naked with a member of the female gender, our pilots practice against dissimilar aircraft so that they have to learn to react to and defeat an enemy who likely flies a different airplane than our forces. But, although the culprit in your complaint was an F-16, it was flying against the F-15 who's crew force has become one of the most inclusive communities within our Air Force. In fact, the special "closeness" of one F-15 pilot with his enlisted crew chief has made his unit, er, sts, the pride of the burgeoning LGBT industry. We expect such closeness to only increase in the years ahead. So rest assured, your United States Air Force stands ready to protect you and your deviant way of life without judging you. We are sure you will do the same for us. Again, thank you for your interest in national defense. Sincerely, Maj Brickhistory, USAF outside rower, galley 4D971

So, recently became a TX resident since we bought our forever home in the Hill Country. Job on Kelly. CCW verboten. Wrote TX Senator Cornyn since Ted was in the midst of a close election and his opponent would've been anti-gun. Asked why since DoD Policy allows installation commanders the option to allow CCW on their base and other bases in Texas, i.e., Dyess do allow it, why does JBSA, led by a USAF one-star, decide differently? Got my "thank you for your interest in national defense, i.e., fcuk off" letter from JBSA. I'm familiar with them since I've written dozens of them myself back in the day regarding jet noise. I argued that the policy denied me my 2nd Amendment right to self-defense during the rural and less than great urban environment I have to drive to/from work, as well as the thousands of other JBSA personnel in similar circumstances. JBSA's response turned that argument on it's head saying, essentially, "with some 89,000 personnel affected by our policy, we have to not allow carry." So, to all you TX residents, holders of CCWs recognized in TX and stationed in the JBSA megalopolis, I encourage you to write either Senator Cornyn - so that the same drum beat gets made again and again and some staffer finally gets the clue that a lot of people are interested in the topic- or your local gun-friendly Senator/Congresscritter to ask why your 2nd Amendment rights are not worth it to one base commander as well as the effect on thousands of other law-abiding citizens who work/travel on JBSA. DoD Directive 5210.56, Section 4, allows individual installation commanders the decision to allow CCW or not. AFI 31-01, Integrated Defense, can restrict the DoD instruction, depending on how the base crafts its self-defense plan. It is this "gotcha" that JBSA is hanging its hat, saying only LEO can carry. If enough affected folks are irritating enough, maybe, probably not, but maybe, the asspain will cause a change. If not, there's some satisfaction in causing The Man to waster admin time/brainpower in responding to each Congressional inquiry received. You can make your Congressional request via e-mail/phone, etc. Takes maybe 10 minutes. Worth it to try and stir the pot.

https://lawandcrime.com/columnists/heres-how-trumps-tax-plan-delivered-quite-a-blow-to-obamacare/ Fairly big deal. Interesting to see how RINO Chief Justice Roberts keeps it this time. And how it will play out for 2020. But a very good thing to have happen. Finally.

But to point out - Robin Olds had to force his wing to support the operational mission. Which means they weren't prior. So today's attitude isn't new or going to change or be changed by those "hoping to make a difference."

Jeezuz, not the machine that goes "bing!" I thought that was locked up in the warehouse with the Arc of the Covenant?

There are worse things involving government than gridlock. Besides, I'm led to believe that a large segment of the population is just fine with a President ruling with "a pen and a phone." As to House Democrat investigations starting next term, I'm also led to believe that the same segment of the population is just fine with an Administration utterly ignoring House requests/subpoenas, etc. Just ask Eric Holder.

Didn't think you were at Laughlin? Too soon?

During the great 'Nam adventure, the advent of the F-4 in Big Blue and its policy of it being a two pilot airplane made the Oprah-like "You get a fighter! And you get a fighter!" cry a reality. Many, many dudes were voluntarily and involuntarily taken from their heavy to the mighty Phantom. YMMV for results.

Already accomplished, b1tches...maybe it'll be one of the new plus-up squadrons...

Stock market has taken a nose dive in recent days - lost everything for the year so far. If Trump was responsible for the upslope, then he owns this. No big whoop, just out there... Mueller Special Counsel team having its ass handed to it when one defendant fights back: https://www.redstate.com/streiff/2018/10/24/muellers-team-continues-humiliation-hands-russian-oligarch/ Admittedly, RedState is a right side of the aisle outlet, but the messenger does not change the court transcripts. And certainly the tame media isn't going to cover anything that makes Mueller's team look buffoonish. Senate - GOP up by 2-3 with no losses. House - from maaaaaybe the GOP holds to a slim Democrat majority. She's baaaack:

187 was enough so that we could spend the money and effort for 50 UAV CAPS was a great call...amiright, Bob?

This kinda highlights SECDEF's recent letter to USAF and USN to availability of F-22, -35, -16, -18 up to 80% by next October. Stats on article I read had F-22 at 49% or so. Explains why more than 1-2 were nonflyable at KPAM plus the much more violent hit from the storm than was expected only 36 hours prior. So the week long warning was misleading. Still needed to buy more F-22s then. Thanks Bob Gates!👍

In the same vein as Lawman's post: 1. If KPAM is a write-off - buildings, sims, etc., does it make sense to A) rebuild it? B) Move it? If B) to where and why? Separate but definitely related to B) is where politically does it make sense for the F-22/ABM schoolhouse/other KPAM missions to go? I throw the political card because the spoils for rebuilding/moving are going to benefit someone's state/districts. So who wins and why?

Not my place to offer advice, but... That check of the month club is not something to just write off with 4.5 left. Hurts now; pays off for a lifetime later (been there, done that). Not ever a 14N, however, there are lots of either meaningful and/or personally rewarding niche jobs out there for 14Ns. Worked with 'em lots - Green door stuff, three-letter agencies, etc. that The Man has to fill but doesn't care about. Get in there or somewhere like that, do a good job, and your post-AF career will take care of itself. The clearance(s) and contacts are worth $$. Don't just toss 'em. This isn't about The Man anymore; this is about you and your family and what is best for them. If you have post-AF plans/dreams, by all means, disregard all. If not, set yourself up now for doing well after hanging up the uniform. Big Blue doesn't care now and won't then. Hang tough; it's not personal (however much it feels that way), just numbers on a excel somewhere.

Fcukin' incompetent Administration: - GDP only 4.2% growth last quarter - Canada agreed to sign on the renegotiated US/Mexico/Canada trade deal that is replacing NAFTA Simply UFB.

F'in' Jeff Flake. Votes to move the nomination out of committee but won't agree to vote 'yes' on a floor vote unless there's a one-week FBI investigation. So the committee that is supposed to do the ground work gets sandbagged at past the last minute, bends over backwards to go through this charade, and Flake votes to move the nomination to the Senate floor. This 'deal,' hammered out with the Democrats, is supposed to provide balance and fairness to the process. As if one Democrat would change their vote. Unless the FBI shows that Kavenaugh gangbanged this chick three ways to Sunday, the opposition/media will claim the investigation is tainted/rigged/unfair/incompetent. So lose-lose for Kavenaugh. And for this nomination. And giving Collins and Murkowski cover as well since it's a woman and she must be believed. (Never mind the no criminal or civil charges, just a political tactic to get publicity.) With such a 'cloud' over the nomination, Flake gets to give his on-his-way out the door middle finger to Trump and keep the issue in play in the very close race in AZ to replace him. He wants the seat to flip because it will slow/stymie/gridlock Trump if the Senate flips parties. Well played Democrats. Well played. The GOP deserves to die off.

As they should (actually should've done it last week - "sorry, you sat on your accusations for months, Sen Feinstein. Denied." Maybe her PRC spy for an aide kept it from her?) But I refer the right honorable gentleman from left field to the stated positions of, to name just a few, Democrat senators who have publicly decided their vote prior to the next installment of the clown show: Hirono - "this isn't a court of law. He isn't presumed innocent." "Men should just shut up and step up." Gillibrand "She shouldn't have to testify in this sham hearing." "Women will die if Kavenaugh is confirmed." Harris Booker (I'm Spartacus) Schumer Haskill. In fact, with the exception of Manchin, whoever the gal from ND is, and, maybe, Donnelly from IN, all of whom are in very tight races, every Democrat has already announced they will vote no. So can we concede that politics works both ways and it's not just those nasty ol' GOP senators? Murkowski from AK is now calling for the FBI to investigate so that will give Flake the cover he needs to give a big middle finger to Trump on his way out the door. Just like McCain did for the repeal of Obamacare (He campaigned hard on doing away with it, then voted to keep it because he was pissed at Trump. So much for country over hard feelings. Good riddance). I hope to see Flake run for President in 2020.

What does she gain by coming forward now? Undue influence on a Constitutional process with, it appears, a massive case "he did me wrong in jr. high and I'll show him." Supposedly it's a "he said/she said" thing. Except "he said, and another he said, and another named witness said" they don't even remember the party. Never mind some teenage horseplay that has become attempted rape because she said so. By raising allegations in the political arena - nothing via filing charges that is known and no civil case brought - but a victim letter now gets her a real opportunity to screw with this nomination. She gets to influence the political process a lot more than any other citizen is allowed to. I can call my senators and express my opinions. She gets to try to derail the whole thing. If or whatever happened between these two, it's convenient that she wrote her letter now (and "remembered the incident in therapy in 2012." Which is when candidate Romney had Kavenaugh on a list of his potential Supreme Court picks). It reflects poorly on the Democrats by holding the letter since July. If they want justice for the victim, why not raise it immediately or go to law enforcement then? If Ford wanted anonymity, she shouldn't have signed her name. If this actually works, and the de facto standard becomes guilty because she said so, then we are fcuked. If she testifies on Thursday, I expect her on the talk show circuit on Friday, with a book out by next week, followed by a pilot for a talk show. Then utterly forgotten by the Democrats and history. The GOP has been nearly completely rolled on this one. I give the Democrats props for designing and executing the strategy well. The ultimate goal is to defeat Trump and his pick. Didn't matter who it was. Mid-term elections is the goal line. Secondary goal is to delay beyond 30 Sep since tradition has it that a new justice doesn't join a Supreme Court session already in progress. Interesting to know what cases are on the next docket. As noted earlier, if RBG kicks the bucket, and/or Sotomayor succumbs to her diabetes/high blood pressure/whatever, those nominees' reputations will likewise be tarnished merely by some heinous allegation. //signed// The Duke Lacrose Team