bfargin

Yes, many of the things you list are definitely towards the socialist end of the spectrum and I agree that not all of them are bad (the highway system for example has been beneficial to the whole country and every citizen supports its existence through fuel taxes (consumption tax not a tax on labour). Others on the list would probably be better served with private entities being paid directly by the citizens for services rendered (some utilities are even private companies here in TN). Schools should definitely be taken over by private organizations and controlled at the local level rather than federal or even state. There's a reason your average Catholic/Private school kicks even the best public school's ass in every measured category (immediate accountability to parents). Since the 1910's and definitely after FDR (1930's on) the country has trended significantly away from the idea of free markets with oversight by government to the idea that government (legislators) should control and tax to support most aspects of our lives (while at the same time legislators are passing the buck of actually legislating). Legislators write laws like the ACA, Federal Tax Law, etc that have no real substance and then rely on federal and/or state employees in the appropriate agency to write the regulations and policies we all have to abide by. I know the legislature has to delegate some tasks (procedures maybe?) for actual implementation, but not the whole ball of wax like they currently tend to do. But, I'm as far right politically as JFK so am considered a right winger today.

Part of the definition of socialism pertaining to implementation - "policy or practice based on the political and economic theory of socialism." So yes, government taking/confiscating money from citizens (taxing their labour) and using it to pay for education, health-care, (insert pet program here) is absolutely in line with socialism. (Tax policy is a different discussion but does come into play) The government or community at large might not actually "own" the education system or healthcare system but by taking our money and buying it they are absolutely "owning" it, as the definition goes on to read " owned or regulated by the community or government as a whole". We are so far down the path towards complete socialism it frightening. The policies and practice of socialism isn't an ON or OFF switch, its gradients and we all know it.

Wow, talk about overreacting. If he called a bone smuggler a "faggot" that might have been a little bit inappropriate, but some things are faggoty and need to be called out.

No way these will work, not a green man or flying saucer to be found. Unacceptable.

This is true only because the whole fricken country has lost its compass. Even JFK was far right of Obama. JFK's words would be considered hate speech by most of the progressive crowds today.

Hopefully he was renamed accordingly.

If this guy really did what he is accused of, he needs to be put down like a rabid dog!

Ouch, that sounds miserable. In my opinion most movies these days are crap anyway and that one sounds like a doozie.

I'm with Lord Ratner. I love slow glacier like action/change from government. We have seen that quickly reacting to situations has unforeseen (sometimes even foreseen) negative consequences (e.g. 14th amendment, 17th amendment ...many others). The intent might have been good with many of our laws, but the followthrough has been terrible. On the budget front: Getting a budget settled should not be that difficult. Fund what is obligated and then maybe drag out/fight over the other stuff. Holding the complete forgiveness of illegal entry to your country as your bargaining chip, is not reasonable.

Wait, you mean they didn't recycle every scene from previous Star Wars movies? At least tell me they had a giant death star that a person who had never seen a flying machine before blows up.

Wow, that is the quickest I've seen any bureaucracy take action

Has anybody seen Megan Leavey yet? Movie about the Marine working dog and his handler. Is it worth a watch?

It would take a little time and commitment to get your PhD but the life of an academic is pretty nice. I didn't have the option to do the airline gig when I got out of the AF and to be honest I wasn't sure what was in store for me. I ended up going to Vandy and getting my MBA and then working in industry for four years before I decided sitting in an office all day was not my cup of tea. I then decided to go to Pitt and get my PhD (business with emphasis in information systems and telecommunications) and haven't looked back. If accepted to a decent PhD program, you will receive free tuition and a living stipend. The stipend isn't much but is usually in the $1500 to $1800 a month range. If you have the GI bill available, it would probably be livable for the 3 to 4 years you are on campus. If you choose a business discipline your pay will start minimally in the low 100,000 range, even at regional state universities. Most other disciplines (even engineering) pays lower than the main business disciplines of accounting, management, information systems(including analytics), economics, finance, marketing, etc. So, you won't become super wealthy, but the work life balance is outstanding and the pay is very livable. I chose to move back home to middle TN where the cost of living is pretty low and weather is mild. Even with the research requirements of academia there is little work related pressure (I am at a regional state school and not a top tier research university) and plenty of time to pursue outside interests. At a top research school there is more pressure to publish at top rated journals so the stress levels would be higher. If you are willing to spend the 4 years earning your PhD it is a great gig and while college students at times will drive you crazy, they also keep you challenged and motivated to not lag behind on current events and current technology.

I fly a little Titan Tornado S now and it is a blast. It's a full light weight metal aircraft with only 80hp (Rotax 912) but it will do a loop, actually more of an oval ellipse since it barely gets over the top and kind of falls off the back side. It cruises at C-172 speeds and has 2 seats in tandem and a stick rather than a yoke. A fun little experimental that carries about as much (600 lbs - that includes the 15 gallons of fuel) as its empty weight (~620lbs). The reason I chose it is that the front seat height is pretty much even with the seat in my wheelchair (I'm paralyzed now so can't use feet/legs) and the rudder and brakes were easy to modify so that I can use my hands to operate all flight controls. Never consciously thought about how much I would miss flying until it was taken away for a little while. The first picture was when I test flew one before I bought mine, the second shot is my plane shot from a friends plane.

I'm surprised they survived the flight. A 5 mile no engine glide in a tanker is an impressive feat.

As any good flyby should.

But really, compared to current POTUS, Trump has actual job/work experience to draw from. I think Obama's total work record included 3 or 4 years as a community organizer and 3 years of his first Senate term. He had no business even being a Senator much less POTUS, as far as experience is concerned. Trump is a knucklehead with regard to his comments and presentation style where as Reagan was a god when it came to communicating. I hope Trump does a good job and doesn't drift back to the left where he was previously, but only time will tell. I hoped Obama would do a good job too, and look where that took us.

All I know is that in an evil sort of way, I'd love to see Trump say "Hillary, you're fired" during his inauguration speech.

Is the top video from a different flyby? It shows 2 in the right wing position, but the two bottom videos show 2 in the left wing position?? Just curious?

US Court of Appeals (9th Circuit) is at it again. What a ridiculous decision that is clearly in their hopes of a liberal appointment to the Supreme court. https://www.forbes.com/sites/frankminiter/2016/06/10/why-the-ninth-circuits-concealed-carry-gun-ruling-is-nonsense/#fe9a40b38b92

Sadly what most of you are describing as currently valued characteristics in AF leadership can be seen in the civilian world as well (paperwork over substance). I got out of the AF back in 1992 and am now a university business professor. I have said for several years that we are the most educated we have ever been as a nation, but have less sense than ever. We value the degree (paperwork) over actual learning (either through study or experience). The importance of degrees (the more the better) is way overrated by our culture. And yes, I do realize that demand is why I get paid as much as I do. As an experiment one semester (with his department head's permission), a friend of mine offered on the first day of a Junior level required class (quantitative analysis) the option of each student taking a C- but never attending class again or attending class and receiving the grade they earned through study and effort. 13 of his 30 students took the C-. They just wanted the class credit (since it was a course known to require some thought/work). He's at a good business school on a prominent university's campus (not top 20, but AACSB accredited and well respected).

And this just happened in my home state. Blue Angel crash during practice for upcoming air show at Smyrna. https://wkrn.com/2016/06/02/lifeflight-responding-to-blue-angel-plane-crash-in-smyrna/

How is that even possible? No fire, flames, smoke?? Ran out of fuel (fuel leak) and bellied in? The plane looks amazingly intact (right around the cockpit area it looks like it's broken/separated) for a crashed jet. I'm glad he made it out safely.

Capt. Byron Greer

I've worn all kinds of patches from other units while TDY (back in the day - 1980's). Maybe he got the patch from a contact when he was assigned to NATO in Europe. He has the correct wings on so I don't see a big deal with the patch. On one TDY I appeared to fly A10s out of Syracuse when I got one of their classic "Go Ugly Early" patches from one of their guys on TDY. I still have it in my collections of acquired patches. I also wore the Recce Rebel patch from Birmingham on a couple of TDYs. To most it is just a cool patch, of course many here recognize it as the ENJJPT patch.