Clayton Bigsby

yeah he ragequit a long time ago

I seent it, I dug it.

It can happen to anybody. Scott Crossfield died flying into a thunderstorm.

Ever read "The Heart of Darkness"? The parallels are unreal. Joseph Conrad's novel about colonial Africa, late 1800s I think. I had to read it for classes a couple times, once in high school and twice in college. "For a time I would feel I belonged still to a world of straightforward facts; but the feeling would not last long. Something would turn up to scare it away. Once, I remember, we came upon a man-of-war anchored off the coast. There wasn’t even a shed there, and she was shelling the bush. It appears the French had one of their wars going on thereabouts. Her ensign dropped limp like a rag; the muzzles of the long six-inch guns stuck out all over the low hull; the greasy, slimy swell swung her up lazily and let her down, swaying her thin masts. In the empty immensity of earth, sky, and water, there she was, incomprehensible, firing into a continent. Pop, would go one of the six-inch guns; a small flame would dart and vanish, a little white smoke would disappear, a tiny projectile would give a feeble screech—and nothing happened. Nothing could happen. There was a touch of insanity in the proceeding, a sense of lugubrious drollery in the sight; and it was not dissipated by somebody on board assuring me earnestly there was a camp of natives—he called them enemies!—hidden out of sight somewhere." Anyway that book inspired a couple follow-ons, the classic Apocalypse Now, the newer sci-fi movie Ad Astra, and a video game 10 years back or so called 'Spec-Ops: The Line'.

I thought this was an interesting read. The stuff about the fight at Hostomel (Antonov) airport particularly. https://thedebrief.org/know-no-mercy-the-russian-cops-who-tried-to-storm-kyiv-by-themselves/

What I don’t understand is when the FAA said ‘nah’, why they didn’t just go do it in Mexico, where anything goes. They were in Arizona already…just do it over there. Instead they directly challenged the FAA, after they’d made their ruling.

But I think expecting Icelandic industry to produce a stealth bomber, for example, is completely unrealistic.

You both miss my point completely. Russia over the past two months has presented Exhibit A of why that alliance exists and should continue to do so, and has likely completely upended the past 30 years' worth of arguments you're both sticking with. It's not all over yet, based on the last 30 years your points are not without merit and the follow through from Germany and others is obviously key. But look at how the world was reshaped post WWII, and how prosperous that has been for everyone, and then take a look at those who lived under the Soviet boot and see the deep scars there. Pretty sure I know how I'd like the world to be molded. Don't cede that, or you'll be back again.

Isolationism, "Europe's problem, no way that'll get to us"...haven't we as Americans learned that lesson twice? More? And those 'complicated alliances' have thus far kept us out of WWIII, through all the nastiness of the Cold War and beyond. Why is Russia pissed at the idea of the Swedes and Finns joining NATO? They lose their ability to threaten and bully their neighbor, and walk right in when they don't get their way. Alliances are not perfect, Germany's obscene 'elephant walk' of Eurofighters where they had to tow a good portion onto the runway to stage the photo because they were all NMC is emblematic of the problem...but that doesn't mean you don't adjust or fix those things, and not junk the whole thing altogether. And I'd say security is worth paying for, unless you like Novorossiya. And opposing that (a new Russian Empire) is a pretty fucking clear objective.

The new conservatism is forgetting the past century plus' worth of historical lessons, paid in blood (to the tune of about 200 million dead), all for immediate convenience. But yay America First!

Feel like this is a matter of time…

^ The Ukes are pretty much taking a cue from the Zombieland movies with the 'Zombie kill of the week'

It gets better - https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/ukraine-strikes-back-su-27s-bomb-occupied-snake-island-in-daring-raid?fbclid=IwAR3qm0iEQsLGb79URx810dkhziqTxn0T8lSOKt7XNyQJDztzBLy6zuZbdJY&utm_source=spotim&utm_medium=spotim_recirculation&spot_im_redirect_source=pitc

^ Man you really buy into that Russo-centric Manifest Destiny horseshit, don't you?

"The Batman" is on HBO now, so I could watch it at home on my 4K home theatre, pause it to go take a piss and not miss out on anything (great for a 3 hr show), make my own non-shitty non-salt-bomb popcorn, etc. Read that the writer/director wanted to re-imagine Bruce Wayne as a pseudo Kurt Cobain, as a strung-out reclusive night shift guy, and used Pattinson's pasty emo vampire background ability to go a bit further. Which is interesting, seeing said dude in Tenet and a fucked-up indie sci-fi movie called 'High Life', he's obviously more than that. Anyway it was okay. I give it a 7/10 or so, maybe 8. C to B effort.

Seems there's been some massive industrial fires at key infrastructure sites over the past few days. The kind that grinds Russia's ability to make missile propellants, chemicals, solvents, etc to a halt. That they can't now import due to sanctions. Real shame.

Two holes, like maybe two anti-ship missiles? So many Ruskov lies...

The Dream is dead

Don't forget all them German helmets!

I just call her 'Jizz-lane' Frankly, it's accurate.

WTF are you talking about of California being locked down?!? I live there, no such thing...

Hey fucker!

Because it's part time? I guess that opens the question of what happens when one goes on orders or a unit activation, I'm guessing that individual would be exempted. I personally think having military representation/experience in government is a good thing, beyond Veteran's Preference for federal jobs. Lindsey Graham, Ted Lieu, others. Why further widen the already huge gulf between the citizenry you serve, and the military membership? Frankly I'm at the other end of things, and feel more politicians should have stake in America than just ambition, vanity and ego. I'd support a service requirement just to qualify for office. I disagree with a lot of you, I feel the loss of Kinzinger is a bad thing. Obviously I'm not a MAGA guy but I'm no lefty either.