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Other than on...certain websites...I never like to see people getting f*cked. That being said, FOMOing into investments and getting burned is basically Adam Smith's invisible hand pimp-slapping people for being dumb. IMHO boring investments and ones you really, really understand win every time. Index funds. Rental real estate where you know the area. Businesses where you have specific domain expertise or unique value over potential competitors. YOLOing into STRs, crypto, NFTs, laundromats, "creator class" revenue streams (onlyfans, selling courses, whatever) will almost never work out for most people.

I'm by no means an expert on monetary policy, but it is fascinating that the same people who bemoan "trickle down economics" are generally the same types that support Keynesian principles like central banking, manipulating the business cycle, and fiat currency which generally follows a path from the Federal Reserve, to national banks, to large corporations and smaller banks, investors, smaller banks, and then on to the working class. It almost sounds like...wait, no that can't be. I think your graph summed that up pretty well; quantitative easing (aka money printing) lined up pretty nicely with spikes in wealth amongst the top 0.1%. But I'm sure the "Inflation Reduction Act" will reduce inflation...

Slife is one of two in AFOSC that provide slamdunk proof the supposed USAF interest in climate and culture is nothing but lip service. He is a well known narcissistic megalomaniac. Many believe he is on the spectrum and it manifests in the way he treats people including his wife. At a commander's event at his house his wife said something he didn't like so he took her down the hall and verbally ripped her in a tone and volume that the officers under his command could clearly hear. I should be shocked that nothing came of that...but alas I am not given the dysfunction in AFSOC. His command philosophy was summed up to me by another three star...when it comes to Jim there are "DOJ's" (Disciples of Jim), and Clydesdale. If he picks you as a DOJ you will be cared for and protected. If you are a Clydesdale you are expected to work and pull the wagon until you fall over dead. On a CSB he argued we should not put Lt Col's on the Eagle list unless they were BPZ...yes his metric for command was being below the zone. He did it again for the O-6 CSB and argued against making Farrell the OG at Cannon because he was an on time guy and would never be a GO. For the record Farrell was just nominated for his third star. There are so many other incidents and stories but it doesn't matter. Evil prevailed and sadly a lot of damage will be done.

Demand was definitely down this year, especially as compared to last year when I grossed $206K off my three properties. There are 30% more Airbnb properties in my market this year as well so that is not helping. I had solid longer-term snow bird bookings this winter and was about 50% booked from March-May. I was fully booked May-August but it slacked off a few weeks early. I've lowered my price point strategically to grab some last minute bookings but defiantly feel the dropoff the rest of the year. Very lucky that all of ours are paid off and being fully booked over the summer more than doubles what I would make with straight rent.

not airbnb, but had to knock 10-15% off rent for a LTR in the greater PHX area in the last month or so

Worth the time for an interesting story F-86D Project Pull Out. Can’t name a program that now… Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Our AirBnB has no current bookings for the month but netted $6k last month. My wife is annoyed since that's one of her forms of income. Fortunately it's just our pool house in the back yard so we don't need that income but it's certainly looking like the past couple years won't continue into the future. I hope those that FOMO'd into the STR business in the past year or two aren't f***ed, but it's looking that way if one bought one or more homes just for STRs. They're going to have to transition to long term rent or sell and walk away with any potential equity they have.

I remember in 2008 this was happening in a buddy’s UPT class with a chick. She got about 69 mulligans before finally being washed out. This bullshit has been going on well before the rise of the woke mob.

Selected to fly the most advanced fighter in the world, yet still a victim. Everyone must assimilate when they join regardless of race. I didn't find any of this exclusive to race. As a large male with a deep voice this is par for the course in the woke AF. You will intimidate people. I didn't notice it until my non-flying staff job with nonners that just stared at my wings. Glad I am retiring.

Thanks for the information everyone. Your replies constitute more mentorship than I've received in real life over the last four years, which I suppose is telling in and of itself. I'll continue controlling the the stuff I can control, remaining an asset to leadership and the young bucks, and making sure I am prepared for whatever big blue decides to do with me.

Investing in the possibility of a societal collapse is a losing game. Even though it's possible. Think about what happens between now and a collapse, and invest in that. Inflation will be the name of the game going forward. Not immediately, but once "something breaks" and the Fed is forced to drop rates (from political pressure), the inflation fire will be reignited. The West has been at war with fossil fuels for 20 years now, and failed to produce an alternative. The lack of investment in exploration and extraction will come back to bite us. Fossil fuels and nuclear (the only viable alternative) will probably see huge gains as constricted supply and an inflated dollar collide. If the narrative shifts to entrenched inflation, gold probably does very well. The last time tech was this elevated, it fell 80%. Real estate looks ugly too. Healthcare is hard to bet against when the largest voting block is too old to survive without medical intervention.

On the active-duty side there are enlisted Combat Camera photographers; when I was in Bahrain flying the MH-53E in 2021 we had an Air Force CC photographer that came out on det and got some great air to air and air to ground images. Additionally, the USAF flight test locations (Edwards and Eglin specifically) have full-time civilian flight test photographers that specialize in air to air documentary photo and video. To fly a ‘celebrity’ photog with no background in air to air photography is sort of a slap in the face to the professionals who work incredibly hard day in and day out to share the mission of the Air Force, at least in my humble opinion.

I have experience not being promoted. I retired in 2018 as a twice passed over O-3E. I made O-4 after I retired (board was not on time and convened too late to matter lol) got the certificate and everything. Nobody but your peers care about how good of stick you are (sts). It's unfortunate, but that's the way it was when I was in. I wrote awards for my airmen, I helped write OTS packages for a few (one even became an 11H) but refused to write any for myself. I loved flying and my brothers and sisters (there were some bad ass female 11Hs) I flew with. I had some awesome Sq/CCs and DOs as an 11H as well. But if you’re not in the plan, it doesn't matter. I had a clean record (No trouble), I just chose to stay at the squadron level instead of taking the jobs that get you promoted. Prior to my promotion boards, I was a flt CC in a big squadron, I was the CCV/Chief for a few years in another one while balancing the budget for that sqd as well. I didn't care if it looked bad on my record, it was what I needed to do to help my CC at the time, he was my brother. If your peers were in charge of promoting people, the good sticks would have an edge but that's not how it worked when I was in. The board doesn't care if you can fly the shit our of your MWS, they are looking for the "clues" from leadership that you're part of the plan. Edit 2: Nothing against my 11H CCs and DOs all solid (for the most part lol). They told me it was a bad idea to just fly. I just liked it too much.. lol and beer and ladies lol.

"you guys wanna know the difference between a light bulb and a AFSOC CGO? there is none. we're gonna screw you in tight, you're gonna burn bright, then burn out...we're gonna screw you out and plug in another light bulb in your place" - unknown HRT COL slife is not well liked or well thought of. the only "compliment" i can give him is that he is "smart". how he treated people under his command was piss poor. the stories are almost endless.

Don’t like the new clock run rule. Seems like they always cut in late after commercials, where you miss part of the play. The previous rule was fine. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

for some context, A&W's 1/3 lb burger failed because Americans thought it was smaller than the 1/4 lb burger

I spent time in Enid lol

M2 sure loves German chicks in dirndls. Me too

If you were, you'd have noticed that title under my avatar... But no worries, HeloDude has it under control! 🤙 Enjoy what little time you probably have on here!

Don’t be a hard ass; he obviously just wants to know the pulse of the force bra. He’s totally not a non-aviation front office worm that told a GO he had inroads with the cool kids. He even said “fr tho” so you know it’s a young “enthusiast.” Super common word for kids to say. And his username says Butt: so edgy, trust high.

This has so many red flags I am surprised some of you are not trying to date it.

The problem circles right back to rated leadership. In 18 years as a CE officer, wing commanders have rarely asked about work happening on the airfield or major infrastructure. I am never asked about CE deployment capabilities or readiness, which is the primary purpose of uniformed engineers. I do get asked about making the grass look better on an almost weekly basis. What message does that send to your organization? One thing the Marines and Army have done is mostly civilianize their installation support activities (think CDC, fitness center, etc), which allows their support echelons to better focus on how they support the no kidding primary mission. Great idea. I feel like my PPL experience, while nothing like that of military trained pilots, provides significant context for what is important and why.

No video (yet) but still some badass visuals from Wyoming highways. https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7774225/afsoc-total-force-landed-mc-130j-mq-9-10s-mh-6s-wyoming-highways