disgruntledemployee
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Posts posted by disgruntledemployee
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On 2/21/2025 at 2:38 PM, blueingreen said:
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Try to imagine if the roles were reversed: How would you expect the United States to act if Mexico or Canada was inching closer to joining a military alliance with Russia? Try not to insert your personal morals and biases into the equation, because realist theories of international relations don't do that. Wouldn't you agree that a military conflict of some kind might be within the realm of possibility?
Burying our heads in the sand and pretending that the West's actions don't have consequences is strange. It's a natural part of international relations, as inevitable as the laws of physics. I'm not absolving Russia of blame, but we need to stop acting so surprised when a world power acts in ways that world powers have done for thousands of years. If the US expected this war and went ahead with its foreign policy plans anyway, fine. I just want to know that this was calculated. IT doesn't seem like it was, though. There might have been another way to go about this. Perhaps Ukraine could have gone the Moldova route. Who knows, though.
I was about to type some rambling on a what if regarding MEX, but it's too different. A more similar scenario is something like the US has fallen from superpower status and invades Mex because they have a ton of resources that we need to dominate CentAM where CentAM is like the EU and the US thinks it can regain respect and superpower status and we want those resources very badly and can't dominate without them, but we say it's due to immigration and drugs. This is what I think is more of the reason Russia invaded UKR, but saying its about resources and who sells to the EU sounds bad, so they just cry, "but NATO."
I've usually though nations today take actions based on Neuchterlein's matrix of survival, vital, major, peripheral issues. Like a Western threat assessment. For Russia, talk of UKR joining NATO was not a true survival issue, but they say they saw it as one. I thinks it is a combo of NATO (I can see them whip themselves into a frenzy over the NATO notion) and the opportunity to take valuable resources and reestablish position in the world. Did they expect the US to play? Maybe not to the level we've done so far and they probably would have taken COA 2 or 3 instead if they thought so. Crimea was their example and Dems have seemed less inclined to do things like start AFG, IRQ, etc. Once committed, Russia is determined to see this through. Time is on their side because nobody is doing anything more to tip the balance. For UKR, this is a survival threat and I expect them to act as such.
Sorry I missed out on all the dog analogy stuff. I go fly some and I'm a few pages behind. I'm surprised nobody said they'd shoot the dog if it attacked them. The analogy is poor because dog vs the most prolific killing machine the Earth has ever had, humans, is apples to oranges at best.
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11 hours ago, General Chang said:
It never ceases to amaze me, over generations of aviators who come and go on this platform: You all live and die by standards in the airplane, yet many of you rail against standards outside of the plane. Professionalism MUST exist in both realms, or it starts to exist in neither. Gen Allvin understands this. Get on board for the sake of the lives of your aviators…please.
You equate putting the gear down to a gig line. This is why you fail.
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22 hours ago, brabus said:
Here’s a good, quick explanation for why Trump is doing what he is WRT taking out the bureaucrat garbage, and why it’s legitimate.
So if Kamala had won and put Soros in a DOGE like job, that's OK?
As to the civics lesson, I wonder what happens when the Executive fails to execute the budget passed by Congress?
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DOGE should just cancel it. Trump can fly on his own plane.
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Or maybe Putin can read too and used it as rationale to invade. "Look, this book predicted it, I'm invading.
As for the energy argument, I think the world market would prefer Ukraine maintain control over its energy, not Russia. Yeah, China prefers Russia. Also, anyone that thinks more energy reduces prices hasn't paid attention to supply controls used by Oil Companies/OPEC. Remember when Obama released strat reserves just to see oil companies hold it or sell it?
PS. Russia started the invasion, they fired the 1st shot. All the excuses played out don't justify it and giving them consideration for all those excuses makes them appear more justified. When Russia says a reason, say bullshit. Which is why many of us BODNers call bullshit to any Russian justification.
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One set of flaps look down. Check the other wing.
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1 hour ago, gearhog said:
If you’ve paid attention to the facts instead of your feelings, there have been signposts since the beginning indicating the direction this is headed. As I said, you can oppose the reality of what’s happening with fantasies of complete Russian withdrawal/collapse, but you’ll only be upset/embarrassed when it never happens.
The outcome is dictated by logic, not your notion of right/wrong.
Facts like Ukraine is the source of one of his impeachments and Trump is never one to forgive, so he thinks Zelensky has it coming.
Facts like Trump has "appeared" to like Putin.
Look how he writes, "ending the War with Russia" as if Russia is the victim here. And "MILLIONS" is hyperbole.
So many signs that he loves Putin. I'm just wondering when the 3-way happens between Trump, Putin, and Musk.
EU still has plays and I can envision them going it alone to help Ukraine. Hell, maybe Ukraine signs a deal for EU help with those natural resource leases vs Trump getting them. I don't believe Trump can think 10 steps ahead chess style, he seems more like a modestly successful reality TV star.
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Shady Joe was often threatened to get a new CAC. The out of regs stash and grin were priceless.
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The landing gear couldn't handle the situation. Navy guy going for the 3 wire?
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On 2/16/2025 at 6:59 AM, gearhog said:
Stop whining. You're behaving like someone's jaded ex-girlfriend keeping a list of all their grievances. Those are all verifiable statements of fact.
Just because you keep begging me to repeat myself doesn't mean I'm going to do it. You can't always get what you want.
However, I will give you some new and original thoughts for you to bitch about:
I can continue to write lengthy posts about what I think is right or correct. It doesn't matter now. There's a time for putting those ideas an opinions out in the public space to influence the planning process. It's over. It was over when Trump was elected. We're now in the implementation phase. Whatever your feelings and emotions are, they're worthless. You're going to have to live with whatever is decided for you.
It should be apparent by now is at least attempting to deliver on campaign promises. Ending the war in Ukraine was a big one. He's ego-driven and I think he's motivated to fulfill those promises not always because the orders/actions themselves are the right thing to do, but because he knows just doing what he said he was going to do garners him an enormous amount of credibility and support. Perhaps not from you, but ...shrug.
So, he said he was going to end it and he feels he must deliver on it. He mentions it in nearly every major press briefing. He also expresses regret for the "millions of soldiers" dying in the conflict. The problem here is he made a promise without conditions, and he seems to have taken direct military engagement off the table. This shifts the negotiating power-position somewhat toward Russia. Putin has made no promises and continues to demonstrate he'll fight it out on the battlefield indefinitely. Putin knows he can use this leverage to get Trump to make some concessions. Neither are going to capitulate fully. The most probable outcome is no NATO for Ukraine, Russia gets to keep Crimea and a significant portion of the land it fought over, and some easing of sanctions. We get to cease dumping billions of taxpayer dollars into this mess and get security guarantees from Russia that it won't invade Europe, pursue BRICs and other economic threats. Russia wasn't going to invade Europe anyway, but we can wave it around as if is a big win for us. Is it not reasonable to assume that Trump will continue the war without giving Russia a significant amount of its asks.
Happy? You're just gonna have to prepare yourself to transition from pissing and moaning about what I believe should happen to pissing and moaning about what has actually happened. It's out of our hands.
Stop quibbling and stop being a dick. You clearly stated you are very smart, doing this posting stuff for way longer than little ol me, and like to say what you think is correct. All your words, paraphrasing of course.
So I'll say what you can't/won't.
What I think is correct is that Putin withdraws all Russian forces from all invaded Ukrainian lands and Ukraine gives Russia back the lands it occupies; a sign a treaty. Sanctions get lifted. Both nations lick their wounds and try to heal.
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If the ear wigs say this kind of thing enough, maybe Trump, /s the most experienced and most expert negotiator the world has ever seen, I mean he's like a god negotiator /s listens and does this sort of thing. Surely he can because he's the best, right? But he is not the only player on the table and pissing off Europe via Pete ain't helping, but Trump holds a military gear card and an economic sanctions card*. Would the EU pitch in to play their own military gear cards if the US stops? Is it in their best interest to do so? Would Russia counter with cutting off EU gas/oil exports? If they did, could they outlast the EU to winter with the economic impact, perhaps coupled with more sanctions*? Point being, if the US stops helping Ukraine, can/would Europe try do it all by itself?
I don't think Russia has the shift in leverage you think it has, especially if Trump stays cold stone. He probably knows he wins better if Putins wins less, campaign promise or not. If Putin gets to keep the lands, EVERYONE will believe Trump is weak and Putin walked all over him even if he thumps his chest and says, "look at me, I ended the war." Trump has to game this 15 moves out, not 1 tweet at a time. Can he?
* Sanctions. We suck at sanctions. If it's Russian, just take it. No courts, no arbitration, just fucking take it. Then tell Putin that we're funding the war effort with all his money, and making a profit. DOGE that shit. Where's "Big Balls?"
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2 hours ago, Lawman said:
That’s not what will cause a delay in release by the Safety Center.
If (and this is currently happening with a couple incidents) there is an attempt at legal action by families naming the Army crew at fault then the tapes will go to a special withholding where they can only be used in evidence of the legal proceeding. The Army safety center will cooperate through the investigation but now have the added issue of releasing delayed for however long those legal proceedings go on.
Theres a current tape that’s been held for years now because of a suit against the manufacturer for a fault in design and the associated crew recording and flight recorder data is held as part of the suit.
Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkWhile I haven't seen anything legal yet, there is probably enough info available for families to believe this was the Army/ATCs fault and start lining up lawsuits.
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On 2/12/2025 at 6:58 PM, Vetter said:
See and Avoid
- Pilot. When meteorological conditions permit, regardless of type of flight plan or whether or not under control of a radar facility, the pilot is responsible to see and avoid other traffic, terrain, or obstacle.
I guess the pilot is never absolved of see and avoid unless popeye. But I would say that avoiding hitting the earth would be a higher priority than avoiding an aircraft that shouldn’t be there. But you raise a good point. That’s why a lot of us shy away from anything visual in Part 121, esp at night.
Remember, a visual approach is still a ATC cleared approach and does not relieve ATC of traffic separation duties.
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22 hours ago, gearhog said:
First, calm down. You're getting emotional again. There is no good reason to type in all caps. Ever.
Second, you've whined about me writing too much, yet you seem to not have read any of it. For three years now, I've written quite a bit on what I believe should and should not be done in this conflict. In an earlier post today, I even spoon fed you the steps to searching this thread for what I've written on the subject. Why should I be obligated to rehash what I've already said multiple times just because you're too lazy or too ill-equipped to read a few pages back?
I can give you several examples of you using personal attacks recently, but it's only a problem when you're accusing someone else? That's both hypocrisy and projection. Remember: You referred to yourself as a dumbass. I have never called you any such thing. I think there's a good chance your opinion of yourself is lower than my opinion of you, thus the overcompensation and anger. I am not to blame for your low self-confidence.
I used all caps because you seem dense in answering a basic question, so I had to use a bigger font for you to pay attention. So here it is again, very plain. Today, what do you think is correct regarding the ending of the Russia-Ukraine war? Not 2 years ago, not 12 posts ago, today. Your turn.
As for the rest, here are some of your bullshit personal attacks.
On 2/14/2025 at 11:05 AM, gearhog said:Either you can't read, or you can't retain information.
You're inauthentic, and you're slow.
You have the foresight of a Labrador puppy.
On 2/14/2025 at 3:12 PM, gearhog said:You couldn't write a cookbook.
You're not a smart person.
23 hours ago, gearhog said:your Asperger's is showing.
22 hours ago, gearhog said:your low self-confidence.
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Vance's speech in Munich. Placeholder for, WTF comments. I'll post more tomorrow.
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28 minutes ago, gearhog said:
I don't consider that a proper apology or admission of a mistake. But, I am happy to let the record show that you called yourself a dumbass, not me.
What is the alternative to letting Russia keep it? Asking super nicely for them to give it up? Making demands? Or are you personally volunteering to join the fight to take it? I think it's more likely that your are volunteering someone else to fight to get it back. The right thing to do is not continue to push others to their death over rural Ukraine real estate you really care nothing about.
As for the rest of your post... your Asperger's is showing.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS CORRECT? JFC, it like talking to someone that can't read. State your position on what you think IS CORRECT. Is that too hard?
Again with the personal attacks. Aspergers? WTF is wrong with you that you can't make an intelligent point without personal attacks? Oh, it must be the intelligence part.
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3 hours ago, gearhog said:
I'll type volumes in the time it takes you to try and concoct a single witty reply. I've been doing this for far longer than you've been on the forum. You're attacking me because you're inadequately equipped to attack the specifics of my position. Me being able to articulate my thoughts more broadly than you is somehow a negative? It takes near zero effort on my part. You couldn't write a cookbook.
You "think" I'm the one that commented on your username? You'd be wrong, because I've never made any reference to it. It would have taken you 10 seconds to search and realize it wasn't me. It only serves to demonstrate that the things you think you know are wrong. You're willing to run with some BS you think you know, only to be embarrassed later when proven that you don't. I don't get why you would do that unless... (and there's only one possible reason) you just don't have to capability to read and retain info. In other words: You're not a smart person.
What I'm rooting for has nothing to do with Trump or Pete. I'm rooting for the things I think are correct. If they happen to be on the same side, I'll openly express my appreciation. If they're not, I'll abandon them as fast as all your masculine role models abandoned you. This mess was created by an entirely different administration. Opting not to double down on someone else's failed misadventure is not a "cave job", it's minimizing losses. Your attitude would indicate to me that you're not good with money among other things. You cannot admit a bad investment.
And because you're failing in your argument on this issue, you're trying to inject irrelevant topics into the conversation just so they can backfire on you as well.
"Why haven't they fixed in three weeks problems that took 4 years to create?!?!"
As I said, you're not among the most brilliant I've had a conversation with. You're beginning to make nsplayer look like a member of Mensa.
Thanks for the personal attacks, I knew I could count on you, signed, dumbass. It was Bashi that did the username, but I now think you are his alternate acct.
You root for things that are correct so you say. Hmm. Like Russia can keep what it invaded? You think that is correct? Go on record here, we need to see you write it.
And dude, the inflation, prices, immigration topic jab was that, a jab. I even labeled it, "a trap".
With brotherly love, happy V day, D.E.
PS, I'll send you a puppy pic later.
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1 hour ago, ViperMan said:
Do you mean besides the express, stated purpose of Prop 13?
All kidding aside, if you think prop 13 has the effect it is supposed to have - namely, keeping people in their homes - then that's all the proof you need. If you want more data, I recommend this site:
https://www.officialdata.org/ca-property-tax/
It will show you every property in CA and how much tax is paid on it yearly. You won't have to search around at all to find 10x differences in any given neighborhood. With some effort, you'll be able to find 100x differences. You can conduct your own thought experiment to determine whether or not someone who currently pays ~$1,000/yr in property taxes would be encouraged to sell their home and move if those same taxes went up to twenty or thirty thousand dollars/yr.
Prop 13 aside, another dynamic that distorts the simplistic "blue states contribute more" meme is to consider is how the SALT functions. In short, it reduces blue states' contributions to the federal tax kitty relative to red states' contributions. Here is a table, courtesy of Chat GPT, that will show you how on an income of $100,000, equal earners who live in different states pay the federal government different amounts. Notably, if you live in a lower tax state (i.e. red America), you get the privilege of paying more for the federal government.
If you live in FL for example, you pay 3.8% more effective federal tax than if you live in CA. You pay 3.0% more than if you live in NY. If you aren't a property owner, those differences increase even more.
Tax Comparison: California vs. Arizona vs. Florida vs. New York at $100,000 Income
Category California (CA) New York (NY) Arizona (AZ) Florida (FL) State Income Tax Rate 9.3% 5.85% + NYC tax 2.5% 0% State Income Tax Owed ~$4,450 ~$5,200 ~$2,500 $0 Property Tax (on $400K home) ~$3,000 ~$4,200 ~$2,000 ~$3,200 Sales Tax (on $35K spending) ~$3,100 ~$3,100 ~$2,900 ~$2,450 Total SALT (State + Property + Sales Tax) ~$10,550 ~$12,500 ~$7,400 ~$5,650 SALT Deduction Allowed (Cap) $10,000 $10,000 $7,400 $5,650 Disallowed SALT Deduction $550 $2,500 $0 $0 Taxable Income After SALT Cap $90,000 $90,500 $92,600 $94,350 Federal Income Tax Owed (2024 Brackets) ~$13,200 ~$13,300 ~$13,400 ~$13,700 Total Taxes (State + Federal + Property + Sales) ~$20,750 ~$21,800 ~$17,800 ~$19,350 Relative Federal Tax as % of Lowest State 100% 100.8% 101.5% 103.8% Your math is off
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@gearhog I wrote 3 paragraphs, you did 2 posts and 7 paragraphs. Maybe I baited you as you seem quite driven to prove you're the better interwebs shit poster. Besides, I think you're one that commented on my username a while back. Lastly, I ain't gonna spend dumb time researching your crap, but I will say, if it sounds like you want Russia to win, then I'll call it out. You're right, plenty of others have said it too.
How about this? Root for Trump and Pete to not cave in the Russia because anything less than pre-invasion borders looks like a cave job. Let's get something for all that money <--- sarcasm.
PS (I know you like these): How are the deportations, grocery prices, and inflation doing? (Don't fall for it, it's bait).
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We had a dude in the early scarf days tie it like a tie then tuck it in.
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1 hour ago, gearhog said:
It's still unbelievable to me that anyone ever thought our involvement in this conflict was winnable, or that the intent was ever to "win" against Russia. I've been arguing this for 3 years. The net result will be a loss to the West. It just is what it is.
The security and interests of the American people were never a factor in Ukraine. It always was a corrupt state ripe for the manipulation and exploitation by people who stood to gain billions of dollars. All of us have been conditioned to think since childhood that Russia was capable superpower bent on world domination. And even after it has been demonstrated that they don't have that conventional capability, the propaganda still works. People still believe it.
Zelensky himself said he doesn't know where $100 billion dollars went. It was allocated by our leadership, but it never showed up. The Ukrainian media themselves just admitted they were 90% funded by foreign interests such as USAID.
How many times are we going to be "gotten" by these giant scams? It's now being reported that nearly every department of our government is rife with scams, lies, corruption, waste, etc. But they got this one right? The same propaganda machine that suckered half the population during COVID was the same propaganda machine that was pushing funding for this war.
I understand how it works. It's a compelling belief: We're the noble good guys fighting to the good fight against the forces of evil. That's what I always believed in the early stages of my career. Eventually, you've gotta grow up a little bit and face reality. “The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either -- but right through every human heart -- and through all human hearts."
Now that this whole thing is being dismantled, we're gonna have people equivocating and performing these amazing feats of logical gymnastics. "We were just trying to drain the Russian economy, not really win." So we spent hundreds of billions of dollars of US taxpayer money, half of it vanishes to who knows where before it made it to the battlefield, and the ROI is massive because a million Russians and Ukrainian men were killed? There is no ROI for you and me. None.
What is our record for direct US engagement in third world foreign conflicts recently? How is Iraq doing? How is Afghanistan doing? How is Libya? How is Syria? But somehow we expect that if don't directly engage and instead give Ukraine hundreds of billions in money and equipment to fight a conventional conflict against an enemy that isn't a third world shithole --- that they're going to have a better result? It's mind-numbingly ridiculous to even think there was a reasonable expectation this was going to go well for the "good guys".
Draw the border on the front lines. Let Russia boast over their acquisition of a few hundred km2 of destroyed rural farmland. The real benefit to the US will be the cessation of wasted $billions.
Just as such, it's unbelievable to me that you advocate for a Russian win and just let them have it. Your guy is in charge. Surely he can negotiate better than giving Russia everything it wants? You even have his mug as your avatar. Surely you must be rooting for him to really stick it to Russia as much as you want it stuck to poor old corrupt Ukraine that didn't provoke an invasion? Or is it that you love Russia and have been rooting for them to wipe poor old corrupt Ukraine off the map and really stick it the Bidens?
OK, new topic. Security interests. Russia is and always will be a security interest. To think otherwise is quite naive. Rewarding a dictator for life with lands due to invasion sends too many bad messages. As stated by others, Russia's military power has been shunted. ROI is, may it continue that no American fighting man end up in battle with Russia, nor our children. Second ROI, Russia gets nothing and is taught a lesson, fuck around and find out.
In one hand, pull out the map from 2000 and start from there. In your red right hand, be holding an economic smack down that God himself would be impressed to see.
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39 minutes ago, cragspider said:
Can’t wait till they start the sock check crap.
Or "other" inspections ala the Gen Scheisskopf ball sack check in Catch 22 (Clooney style).
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9 minutes ago, BashiChuni said:
but but but i thought the F-16s/Bradleys/HIMARS would WIN THE WAR?!?!?!
more gaslighting
end this disaster.
Yet Russia cannot claim victory. Hmmm.....
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20 minutes ago, BuddhaSixFour said:
Once VA medical records are digitized, it’s going to take the Palantir Hive Mind all of an hour to see when someone never asked for care while on AD, never asked for care after separating, got an FAA cert, and only ever mentioned the problem on their exit physical when there was disability payments on the table.
🥱 - Yawn. Change the rules first, then worry about the rest. VA started moving on tinnitus, but I don't know if they made the changes. Also, how do you treat that? Also, they never note tinnitus on a hearing test, they just keep saying, "stop pressing the button." BTW, at flight med, when the first tone is heard, its press... press... pause... press...
At the VA, they had a way better setup for hearing testing and really good headsets. It's in that super quiet testing booth where the tinnitus really rings out.
Lastly, I can't stand soft talkers or kids that run 5 words into one like the other day, doyuwanaresee. What? repeats. I'm sorry, I'm hard of hearing. Do you want your receipt? oh. No thanks.
It's like talking to fucking Pikeys.
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The Next President is...
in Squadron Bar
Posted
No. This isn't a my team thing. If I have a say, I'd hire Warren Buffet.