ClearedHot

Pilot ejected and was rescued.

Word is Biden did a little shit slinging at the Vatican...in his pants.

Camilla Parker Bowles can’t stop talking about Joe Biden’s ‘long fart’ I finally found a reason to like Biden.

Truth, although there is something to be said for being told to proceed direct Sammy for 69 turns in holding.

A great read and I now view Grant in a new light. I would now argue his efforts to keep the union together and prevent a second Civil War are on par with Lincolns efforts leading up to and during the Civil War. To Rescue the Republic: Ulysses S. Grant, the Fragile Union, and the Crisis of 1876

Its actually worse than that (hard to believe). Danchenko (Who has ties to Russian and did PR work for them previous to this), was used as a source and he himself fabricated information. He lied to the FBI (one of the reasons he was indited on five charges), about meetings, phone calls and a trip to Russia to get the "Pee tape"...that trip was a fabrication. In reality he was a pawn. Charles Dolan, A Clinton Advisor met with Danchecnko multiple times and fed him more false information knowing it was going into the dossier, that Hillary was paying for. They still needed a way to get the information to the FBI (and the press). Enter Fiona Hill, a member of the NSC. She is now linked to the Steele Dossier and bringing it to light. WORST OF ALL...The Democrats called her as a witness in the impeachment trial. If you are upset about January 6th (as am I), you should be equally OUTRAGED by what happened here. The Clinton Campaign and the NCS were knee deep in fake information that was used to impeach a sitting president and overturn an election. By the way, that's Charles Dolan in the picture with Biden. I used to laugh when people said the phrase "deep state", I am not laughing now. I can't believe anyone would think this is alright.

We investigated ourselves and found we did nothing wrong.

You do realize the Antrax vaccine has been around for a long time, in it's earliest form the late 1800's. The Russians (not helping the argument), started giving it to humans int he 1930's, the U.S., to certain workers in 1940 and it was officially licensed by the FDA in 1970. Despite being a vaccine used to counter a bacteria, it still uses the same methodology and technology as virus based vaccines. I am not anti-vaccine, I got it after having a nasty time with COVID. That being said, mandating a vaccine based on new technology with what I think can all admit is a limited time period to examine side effects is a different animal all together. Honestly I thought Fauci was in a tough spot early on, working for Trump and trying to stick to science with trump as a press conference had to be a difficult experience. However, as it turns out Fauci is a complete fraud and a liar. From conflicting mask guidance, changing science on vaccine requirements and effectiveness to outright lies about gain of function testing and the origins of the virus, it is very clear there is a lot more to the story.

As has been discussed in many posts in the thread there will be many second and third order effects of our decision to leave Afghanistan. A great read below captures some of the impacts and how China will step in to fill the leadership void. Evacuation Operations, Great - Power Competition, and External Operations Terror Threats in Post- Drawdown Afghanistan Mapping Out the Path Ahead

Less than two months removed from running away from Afghanistan in the middle of the night - ISIS Threat in Northern Virginia Let's go Brandon

Zuck was trying to get out of the spotlight by running ads putting the blame on the government, when that failed he changed the platform name. Some very interesting items buried int he SEC report including a research study Facebook Manipulation that shows just how and biased the platform is. Something has to change and 230 needs serious modification or elimination. We will just ignore the $400M he dumped into shaping local elections. This nerd has far too much say in shaping your life.

Kinzinger won't run in 2022

I did the CTP course with Kit in 2016, nice guy. Reviewed my resume and provided some good inputs.

Penis reduction x 2. Local doc at my airport worked the process and he was awesome. The FAA was slow but no hiccups on that end.

Fully-vaccinated people can pass on the Delta variant at home, including to other vaccinated people, a study finds - but unvaccinated people are still at most risk

That was not my experience, perhaps it depends on location. I started by making an appointment with the DAV rep at Family Support Center. The DAV rep spent 4 hours going through my medical records page by page and asked questions about every entry. He submitted the paperwork on my behalf. Next I had a very brief appointment with the Flight Doctors basically telling me I would be moving to Family Medicine and continuing my prescription (Flonase). A few weeks later the VA sent me a list of appointments, some on base, most off base at civilian providers. At no point did I step inside a VA facility despite having a large VA hospital 20 miles away. First I had to have a LOT of blood drawn on base. Next I was referred to an imaging center off base where I had 21 X-Rays of my back, shoulder and knee. I was in treatment and eventually had surgery for a herniated disc in my lower back, also a knee injury from Afghanistan getting out of a burning plane. The most maddening appointment was with an ENT. They scheduled me for an appointment TWO STATES away in Biloxi. It was the oddest doctor's visit of my life. The Doctor's office was in an industrial park in a metal building in a very odd neighborhood in Biloxi. I walked into the lobby and was greeted with the motif you see in the pictures...yes that is Tweety Bird and Sylvester. I've also attached a video of the exam room which was nothing but movie posters and action dolls. The Doctor came in to do a hearing loss and tinnitus evaluation. He gave me a 20 minute dissertation on how he was fired fromt he VA because he spoke up too much. For the actual exam he asked me "Are you left or right handed when you shoot your rifle?" Huh? I fly gunships Doctor....."Oh...what side are the guns on?" The left...."Ok, that makes sense, with your left ear, have a nice day." Two weeks after all of these appointments I had an appointment with a local doctor who has a contract with the VA to do an eval based on all of the above plus a physical exam. The doctor was actually amazing. That dude checked every possible way I could bend, move my legs and arms and took measurements of each movement. I remember at one point I was trying to contort in a certain direction and I was in pain but trying to push through it. The doctor stopped me and asked what I was doing. I basically I told him I was not trying to cheat the system and I could push through it. The doctor stopped me right there and told me "I don't think you are trying to cheat and I am not going to let you cheat, but 26 years of flying takes a toll on the human body and I will make sure we document it." If you are like me I spent most of my career avoiding the doctor so nothing would get in the way of me flying. Let go of that approach and let them document so you are covered later in life. The doctor submitted his report and about 60 days later I got a note from the DAV telling me what my rating would be. The VA mailed me a letter but some how the DAV found out first. I took my eval to my local FAA doc and he went through it, no show stoppers, I did need one common waiver which the FAA granted no issues. IMG_6631.MOV

I figured the thread would morph into how airline pilot develop alimony mitigation strategies to deal with four ex-trophy wives.

Here is how poorly the mandate is being managed...in the words of the folks I talked to at Robins AFB, it has turned into a witch hunt. They are actively mandating EVERYONE get the vaccine regardless of circumstance including those with established December and January separation dates. Take the shot or be extended, subject to UCMJ and change class of discharge. Numerous other retiring folks at Robins with established terminal dates starting within the next few days have been told, get the jab or retirement is delayed, UCMJ and change class of discharge. I've been vaccinated but don't believe in mandates....this is pure lunacy going after these folks.

Very sad to hear this. Had the opportunity to meet him a few times, truly a gentleman. His book A Soldier's Way is a superb read and story of how dedication and hard work and can off in this country. He was a consummate public servant who likely could have been the first African American President had he decided to run, his wife was against it and he stated he never felt that calling. His detractors will obviously point to his "Case for War "presented to the UN. Years later he accepted fault and wished he had trusted his instincts calling the events a great failure of intelligence. In addition to his autobiography I highly recommend It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership where he lays out 13 rules common sense rule for life. I need to do a better job using these in my life. RIP General Powell. 1. It ain’t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning. There’s a silver lining in every cloud, you just have to find it. That’s not always as easy as it sounds. Things might look bad today, but if you’ve put in the effort, tomorrow will be a brighter day. It’s a state of mind; believe it and you will make it happen. 2. Get mad, then get over it. There’s always going to be days when events—or people—push you to the edge. When you do lose your temper, don’t lose control at the same time. People always remember the leader with a bad temper, and never in a good way. 3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it. People who think that their way is the only way tend to experience a lot of disappointment. Things aren’t always going to go your way, that’s just a fact of life. Be humble enough to accept that fact. 4. It can be done! Just about anything can be accomplished if you set your mind to it, have the necessary resources, and the time to get it done. Don’t succumb to the skeptics; listen to what they have to say and consider their perspective but stay focused and positive. 5. Be careful what you choose. Don’t rush into a bad decision. Take the time to consider your options, weigh the relevant facts, and make reasoned assumptions. Once you pull the trigger, there are no do-overs. So make it count. 6. Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision. Powell was fond of connecting good leadership to good instincts. Be a leader who hones judgement and instinct. Take the time to shape your mental models. Learn how to read a situation for yourself. Become the decision-maker your people need you to be. 7. You can’t make someone else’s choices. Never allow someone else to make your decisions for you. Ultimately, you’re responsible for your own decisions. Don’t duck that responsibility and don’t succumb to external pressures. Make your own decisions and live with them. 8. Check small things. Success is built on a lot of seemingly minor details. Having a feel for those “little things” is essential. In a 2012 interview, David Lee Roth shared the story of how Van Halen used brown M&Ms as an indicator of whether large concert venues paid attention to the minor details critical to a major performance. Leaders must have ways to check the little things without getting lost in them. 9. Share credit. Success relies on the effort of the entire team, not just the leader. Recognition motivates people in ways that are immeasurable. Don’t be a glory hog. Share credit where credit is due and allow your people to stand in the spotlight. It ain’t about you. It’s about them. 10. Remain calm. Be kind. Keep calm and carry on. Kill ‘em with kindness. When chaos reigns, a calm head and a kind word go a long way. When everyone is under incredible stress, be the leader people want to follow, not the leader people want to avoid. 11. Have a vision. Be demanding. Followers need to things from leaders—a purpose and a firm set of standards. When you see leaders fail, it is almost always for one of those two things. They either lead their followers in a flailing pursuit of nothing, or they don’t set and enforce an example for their people. 12. Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers. Fear can be a powerful motivator, but it can also paralyze a leader at the worst possible time. Learn to understand your fears and channel them in ways that you control rather than allowing them to control you. Think clearly, think rationally, and make decisions that aren’t rooted in emotion. 13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. Optimism is infectious. Maintaining a positive attitude and an air of confidence is as important for you as it is for those around you. People will feed off your optimism. Believe in your purpose, believe in yourself, and believe in your people. And they’ll believe in you.

Add the documentary Restrepo

War college classmate, you should read his book When the Tempest Gathers

The pandemic was NOT the sole cause of the microchip shortage. I actually made some good cash tracking the chip market per-pandemic. Poor planning, poor return on automotive chips (they use a different size), trade sanctions (thank Trump), and limited investment in production all combined to cause a perfect storm. Intel TSMC and Samsung are all building new factories but they take up to two years to reach full production. Intel alone is spending $20 BILLION to build two plants in Arizona. At least one positive outcome it production is moving back to America.

A second part of this legislation, Biden also plans to DOUBLE the size of the IRS and hire 87,000 new employees. Before you say great, catch all the cheats, remember every agent comes with a mandate to bring in funds. I am all for catching the cheats to raise revenue but with the IRS it rarely turns out that way.