M2

Since we're measuring, I've been a contractor with those fun clearances for 20 years now, and while I've seen my fair share of shenanigans, the vast majority of companies realize it's not in their best interest to put candidates with known issues before the customer. Not saying it doesn't happen, but the smart ones will avoid it! However, most don't contact references or double check claims on resumes, which has bit many on the ass more times than I care to remember!

I wouldn't use the term "victims," I am confidence they were part of the huge Cuban community residing in the US waiting for a chance to overthrow Fidel (now Raul) when the opportunity arises. The group was allegedly armed with assault rifles, handguns, Molotov cocktails, bulletproof vests, telescopic sights and camouflage gear. I also don't think the timing was coincidental either in terms of the Brothers to the Rescue event 30 years ago or the current situation in Cuba. Cuba’s territorial sea extends 12 nautical miles from its coastline. Entering this zone without authorization is illegal, and boats can face penalties including fines, imprisonment or vessel seizure. You can add direct action to that list! They knew where they were and what they were trying to do...that's FAFO territory in red!

The irony is the incident also comes almost 30 years to the day since Cuban defense forces shot down two small civilian planes belonging to Brothers to the Rescue, a US-based group that searched for rafts carrying migrants from Cuba to the US. Four people aboard were killed in the 1996 incident, triggering outrage in the US. Coincidence? Maybe not...

Sounds like a FAFO event to me! According to the Cuban Interior Ministry statement, the speedboat passengers began shooting at the Cuban Coast Guard vessel when it approached them, wounding its commander. The fatalities occurred when the Cuban ship returned fire. The Interior Ministry provided the Florida registration number of the speedboat, and said it was detected about one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel, near the island of Cayo Falcones. “As a consequence of the confrontation, as of the time of this report, four aggressors on the foreign vessel were killed and six injured,” the ministry said, claiming that the injured persons were evacuated to receive medical care. “In the face of current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its determination to protect its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar of the Cuban State in safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region,” the ministry added, alluding to current tensions between the United States and Cuba. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c24drvj8yl2o

I get your point, but Anthropic signed a $200 million DoD contract last summer. Did Amodei just suddenly grow a conscience? If so, then hand the $200M check back!

Per 10 U.S. Code § 7271 - Medal of Honor, the President may award, and present in the name of Congress, a medal of honor of appropriate design, with ribbons and appurtenances, to a person who while a member of the Army, distinguished himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty— (1) while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; (2) while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or (3) while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. That usually means the recipient must have performed an act of extraordinary heroism, showed bravery and fearlessness far above what duty requires; the heroism must involve an immediate, life‑threatening danger, and the service member must have willingly exposed themselves to that danger; and the action must have exceeded what is normally expected in combat, even for highly dangerous missions. This high threshold is what distinguishes the Medal of Honor from all other valor awards.

We all know some MoHs are politically-driven even when the acts themselves are noble and worthy of recognition. U.S. Army Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds, who famously refused Nazi demands to single out Jewish American soldiers while he was a prisoner of war in Stalag IX‑A during World War II, is being posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for this act of courage. By no means am I trying to undercut what Edmonds did! A German officer held a pistol to his head and demanded that he identify the Jews. Edmonds refused, warning the officer he would be prosecuted as a war criminal. The officer backed down, and Edmonds’ actions saved about 200 Jewish‑American POWs who otherwise could have been killed or sent to labor camps. This could be in response to David Rubitsky, a Jewish American WWII veteran who believed he had been denied the Medal of Honor because he was Jewish. On 1-2 Dec 1942 during the Battle of Buna, Rubitsky singlehandedly defended a bunker with a ".30-cal. machine gun, a .45-cal. pistol, a rifle and grenades." Allegedly, he beat off the Japanese after a 21-hour battle in which he killed 500 to 600 of the enemy, including wounded men he later shot or bayoneted. However, a 23‑month U.S. Army investigation concluded that there was “incontestable evidence” he had not performed the actions he claimed, thus the Medal of Honor was not awarded. I'll let you judge if CWO5 Slover was deserving... "During combat operations against a heavily fortified hostile objective in Caracas, Venezuela, Chief Warrant Officer Five Eric Slover distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as the flight lead pilot of a CH‑47 Chinook helicopter during the joint U.S. mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. On 3 January 2026, Slover led the first assault aircraft of Operation Absolute Resolve as U.S. special operations forces executed a nighttime airborne infiltration into Maduro’s secure compound. The target facility was defended by thousands of hostile personnel and protected by Russian and Chinese integrated defensive systems, presenting an extremely high‑risk aviation environment. Despite these dangers, Chief Warrant Officer Five Slover pressed the assault to deliver the ground force that would seize the objective. As Slover descended toward the landing zone, his aircraft came under intense, concentrated machine‑gun fire from multiple directions. Within seconds, he was struck four times in the leg and hip, sustaining devastating wounds that shattered his leg into multiple pieces. Although gravely injured and in excruciating pain, Slover refused to relinquish control of the aircraft. Blood flowed down the inside of the cockpit as he steadied the aircraft under fire, demonstrating extraordinary composure and iron resolve. Fully aware that failure to insert the assault force would jeopardize the entire mission and risk the lives of every service member involved, Chief Warrant Officer Five Slover continued the descent and successfully delivered the U.S. special operations team into the target compound. His unwavering commitment, even while seriously wounded, enabled the ground force to fight its way into the stronghold and successfully capture President Nicolás Maduro, bringing to a close a high‑stakes international operation months in the making. After ensuring the commandos were safely inserted, Slover maneuvered the damaged aircraft away from the landing zone while continuing to bleed heavily and remain at risk of losing consciousness. His actions directly contributed to the safe extraction of U.S. forces and the overall success of the mission. For the duration of the flight, he placed mission accomplishment and the lives of his team above his own survival, demonstrating valor on par with the highest traditions of American military service. Chief Warrant Officer Five Eric Slover’s fearless leadership, selfless devotion to duty, and willingness to face certain death exemplify the very essence of heroism. His gallant actions under fire reflect great credit upon himself, the United States Army, and the United States of America." That said, how this was completed in less than two months whereas a Purple Heart was just recently awarded for a combat injury 13 years ago tells me that there was political objective behind this award!

There have been at least 32 driving-related arrests/citations involving the Georgia football program since January 2023... Take the damn car keys away, already! 🤦‍♂️

Still gives me goosebumps!! 🫡🫡 The guy saying "We spotted a large weapon below..." is R. Lee Ermery!

'Til Valhalla, Big Duke Six!!

Italy’s famous 'Lovers’ Arch' collapses on Valentine’s Day An Italian coastal beauty spot known as “Lovers’ Arch” because of its popularity with courting couples collapsed during heavy storms on Valentine’s Day in what one local official called “a blow to the heart.” Faraglioni di Sant’Andrea, the site of an arch in the stone cliffs on the coast of Salento — the heel of Italy’s “boot’ — has drawn romantically inclined visitors for centuries, with lovers traditionally proposing marriage, stealing first kisses or celebrating unions. Those who kissed under the arch were destined for eternal love, according to local legend. But when a powerful storm swept across southern Italy over the weekend, the arch’s fragile structure gave way, reducing it to a pile of rubble.... More at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/italy-s-famous-lovers-arch-collapses-on-valentine-s-day

Apparently James Earl Jones was a prolific gun collector, and owned some rare firearms such as this!

https://kfoxtv.com/news/local/faa-grounds-all-flights-to-and-from-el-paso-until-feb-20

“Special security reasons” Could mean... A national security event A high‑level VIP movement A classified military operation (Fort Bliss & White Sands Missile Range are nearby) A credible threat involving aircraft or border-region security So, in other words, no one has a fucking clue!

Never underestimate the stupidity of some people, and don't associate rank with intelligence!

Having trained police cadets as a "hobby" (volunteer work), nothing that ICE is doing isn't SOP for dealing with a mob. Note I didn't say "peaceful protest,' which IS protected by the First Amendment (“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”). This is a mob and traditional escalation of force is "ask, tell, make." The use‑of‑force continuum is a framework that guides officers in selecting the appropriate level of force based on a subject’s behavior and the threat posed. It emphasizes using the least amount of force necessary to safely gain control. Step 4, Hard (Physical) Control, is used when a subject is actively resisting and includes strikes (open‑hand or closed‑fist), take‑down and pain‑compliance techniques which is what we saw here. Step 6, Deadly Force, is only allowed when an officer reasonably believes a subject poses an imminent threat of death or serious harm to the officer or others, which includes the presence of a firearm, vehicle ramming (in extreme cases) or other lethal techniques. All require Necessity, Proportionality, Reasonableness and, if possible, De‑escalation. The underlying principle is to use the least force necessary and increase only as the threat increases! As for the criticism that the officers did not immediately apply lifesaving measures on Pretti, their first priority is ensuring all threats are neutralized before doing so. So, as far as I can determine, these shootings--while tragic--are good shoots! A use‑of‑force justification is normally evaluated using the Graham v. Connor “objective reasonableness” standard, Agency‑specific policies, deadly‑force criteria and the following factors: imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm, weapon presence, subject behavior, officer perception based on training and totality of circumstances.

Thanks CH, since that story has been going around for quite some time (yours is not the first time I've seen it posted), I've been meaning to look into it to either substantiate it with facts or put it to bed as disinformation...especially the "One in every three players have spent time in the slammer" comment! According to my research, the "search‑verified number" is somewhere between 31-41 of the 121 players from the 2008 University of Florida football team who were arrested either during their time at UF or later in life. This figure comes from reporting cited by The New York Times and summarized in multiple outlets, noting that 41 of the 121 players on the national‑championship roster had an arrest record at some point. Other articles discussing the Urban Meyer era confirm widespread arrests but do not contradict the 41‑player total; they simply reference the broader pattern of player misconduct during his tenure. While some sources mention the arrests in the context of the American Sports Story series, they do not provide a different number and instead reinforce that “many players” from the 2008 team had legal issues. Because the full list of all 41 arrested players is not published anywhere, the only verifiable information comes from publicly documented cases, and aggregate reporting on the types of charges and patterns across Urban Meyer’s teams. Media reporting on the 41 arrested players describes a wide range of offenses, but only in general categories — not player‑by‑player detail. · Alcohol‑related offenses — underage drinking, DUI · Disorderly conduct — fights, public disturbances · Theft and property crimes — including Cam Newton’s laptop case · Assault and battery — several incidents across the roster · Weapons charges — including high‑profile cases · Felonies committed after UF careers — including violent crimes · Domestic incidents — reported in a few cases · Drug‑related offenses — possession, paraphernalia These categories come directly from the reporting that cites the 41 arrests but does not name most players individually. Only a small number of players from the 2008 roster have publicly documented cases tied to their names in the search results. The first was Aaron Hernandez, a story no school would be proud of. Hernandez was charged with murder (Odin Lloyd), weapons charges, assault incidents and multiple violent offenses after leaving UF. He is the most widely documented case. When Aaron Hernandez died in 2017, his 2015 murder conviction for Odin Lloyd was automatically vacated under an old Massachusetts legal doctrine called abatement ab initio. That rule wiped out a conviction if a defendant died before their appeals were completed. According to reporting, the court overturned the conviction immediately after his death for that reason. In 2019, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court reinstated Hernandez’s murder conviction, ruling that the abatement doctrine was outdated and had never been formally adopted into state law. The court ended the practice entirely and restored the guilty verdict. But it’s important to note that Hernandez played at UF from 2007–2009 and declared for the NFL Draft after the 2009 season, meaning he effectively left the university in January 2010. The murder occurred in June 2013, about 3½ years after he left UF! The most notable other case was Cam Newton, who was arrested at UF for possession of a stolen laptop but charges dropped after pre‑trial intervention and no further criminal issues after leaving UF. And so you know I’ve done my due diligence, I found a few other arrest reports and their outcome… Chris Rainey was arrested in 2010 after sending his girlfriend a text message that said “Time to die”, which led to a misdemeanor stalking charge. But the case did not end in a conviction. Prosecutors allowed him to enter a pre‑trial diversion program, and once he completed the required conditions, the charge was dropped. Jamar Hornsby was convicted for misdemeanor improper use of a credit card, not the original felony charges, making nearly 70 fraudulent charges on a BP gas card belonging to Ashley Slonina, a UF student who died in a motorcycle crash in 2007. He used the card for months after her death. He got a one-year of probation and paid early $10,000 in restitution and court costs. Hornsby was a current UF player at the time of the credit‑card incident, but he was immediately dismissed from the team after his arrest. He later violated his probation by getting into another criminal case (a 2009 simple assault), which resulted in 90 days in Alachua County Jail. So here’s the key point…no sources actually list another 2008 roster player with a confirmed criminal conviction. They only say “many players were arrested” or “multiple star players were arrested,” but they do not name them or document convictions! In this day of FOIA and government transparency, just a list of names would convince me the numbers are valid; but as the New York Times can’t or won’t provide their research results, or even publish the names of the alleged players involved: I am bound to take this reporting with a grain of salt! That NYT reporting you shared is the only source of the 41‑player figure claim. Every other article—CNN World Today, Zolentz Entertainment and others—is simply repeating or summarizing that same article!

yep, doing the same here!! By the way, not only does the license plate frequently change, the right rear brake light does the same!!

He's actually from Connecticut, known as the “Constitution State” because its Fundamental Orders (1639) considered one of the first written constitutions and historically important in manufacturing, especially firearms (Colt, Winchester); but now known for being one of the most restrictive gun-law regimes in the U.S.! This is a Senate amendment (SA 4159/2973) to the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act (H.R. 3944), the latter providing money for building and maintaining military facilities, housing and infrastructure and including funding for bases, training facilities, and projects that support readiness and quality of life for service members as well as allocating funds for the Department of Veterans Affairs for healthcare, benefits, and programs for veterans including medical centers, mental health services and modernization of VA systems. It is not a coincidence that it was tied to this bill! By the way, $200 in 1934 is approximately worth $5,224 in 2026 when adjusted for inflation.

Winning! Man caught on camera throwing dozens of poop bags on Bell LGBTQ center roof: ‘He knows who we are’ On Wednesday, workers at an LGBTQ center in Southeast Los Angeles removed 125 bags of dog poop from their awning. It’s happening at Mi SELA on Florence Avenue in the city of Bell. Eddie Martinez, executive director at the center, told KNX News’ Emily Valdez that security video shows that every morning, a man walks his dog in front of the center and throws a bag of dog poop onto the awning. “He knows who we are,” he said. “He looks at the cameras.” He said that because littering is not a crime, the police can’t arrest the guy... (full story at title link)

Yep, but it's nothing new. I had an issue when I filed a Form 4 for a free SBR a couple of years back during the brace amnesty period. I don't know why, it simply doesn't make sense...

Bonus points for quoting Pete Townshend!

Actually, further research revealed Buc‑ee’s leadership has acknowledged that the Johnstown store sits more than 700 miles from the nearest existing Buc‑ee’s supply network, forcing the company to stand up entirely new logistics chains in a market it had never operated in before. Although people often think of Coke exclusivity as a single nationwide contract, in reality pouring‑rights agreements are regional and are heavily dependent on local Coca‑Cola bottlers. If a Coca‑Cola bottler cannot meet volume, service, or timing requirements, the exclusivity clause may be delayed or modified for a specific site. Food‑industry reporting notes that the Colorado location appears to have opened before a compliant Coke distribution arrangement was finalized, resulting in a temporary “neutral” soda lineup instead of Coca‑Cola or Pepsi dominance. Pepsi isn't sold due to the long‑standing Coke agreement, so Buc‑ee’s appears chose brand‑neutral or third‑party beverages like Dr Pepper and RC Cola while the Coke logistics question remained unresolved.

Bad intel, bud! At nearly all Buc‑ee’s stores, the soda selection is exclusively Coca‑Cola–branded (as it should be in the South)! Buc‑ee’s has a long‑standing exclusive pouring‑rights agreement with Coca‑Cola dating back to 1997, which means Pepsi products are not sold at almost all of its locations. The lone exception is Johnstown, Colorado which does not sell Coca‑Cola or Pepsi products. It only carries Dr Pepper, RC Cola and/or store or regional brands. No reason for that can be found... https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/popular-soda-brand-wont-buc-112000752.html