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1 Justanotherhuman  Mar 29, 2015 4:03:01pm

Awesome, indeed. Boogie in your chair if nothing else. : )

2 #FergusonFireside  Mar 29, 2015 4:33:52pm

Yeppers!!

3 #FergusonFireside  Mar 29, 2015 4:40:39pm
4 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 4:43:49pm

re: #3 #FergusonFireside

Couldn’t that be considered libel, at the least?

5 #FergusonFireside  Mar 29, 2015 4:45:36pm
6 Dark_Falcon  Mar 29, 2015 4:45:57pm

Todd Crapcannon may have gotten busted for abusing his wife in a Chick-fil-A parking lot, but a medical device company CFO who went after a Chick-fil-A employee 3 years ago is still out of work:

A former Chief Financial Officer who lost his high-paying job after he posted a video of himself online harassing a Chick-fil-A employee, admits that he and his family now live on food stamps because the video has made him unemployable.

In a feature produced by ABC News, Adam Smith says he has no one but himself to blame, having lost his job and his home after rashly posting video which went viral.

In the 2012 video, which Smith has since taken down, the former executive for a medical device manufacturer bullied a Chick-fil-A cashier over her company’s anti-gay policies after chief operating officer Dan T. Cathy made statements opposing same-sex marriage.

Smith filmed himself pulling up to the drive-thru window where he told the cashier, “I don’t know how you live with yourself and work here. I don’t understand it. This is a horrible corporation with horrible values. You deserve better.”

Mr. Smith went from earning $200K per year to being on food stamps. Moral of the story: Men should not berate women as he did; It both looks and is ugly. And his bullying was compounded by the fact that he went after a woman for an evil that she borne no fault for.

7 #FergusonFireside  Mar 29, 2015 4:46:38pm

re: #4 De Kolta Chair

Couldn’t that be considered as libelous, at the least?

Seems like they are basically numb to all the hate thrown their way. It just makes them stronger. I don’t know.

8 Charles Johnson  Mar 29, 2015 4:47:18pm
9 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 4:48:08pm

re: #7 #FergusonFireside

Seems like they are basically numb to all the hate thrown their way. It just makes them stronger. I don’t know.

I’m getting a strong whiff of slander, if not incitement, from that trash.

10 Nyet  Mar 29, 2015 4:49:21pm

Why, why are the elected conservatives so dumb? :(

11 Charles Johnson  Mar 29, 2015 4:51:03pm
12 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 4:52:06pm

re: #8 Charles Johnson

The Telegraph wouldn’t know an expert if Murray Gell-Mann himself stood atop their editor-in-chief’s desk and presented a four hour lecture on quarks.

13 Dark_Falcon  Mar 29, 2015 4:54:28pm

re: #11 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

14 RealityBasedSteve  Mar 29, 2015 4:54:42pm

re: #10 Nyet

Why, why are the elected conservatives so dumb? :(

because the thinking ones aren’t conservatives?

RBS

15 Nyet  Mar 29, 2015 4:54:55pm

Three quarks for Karl Marx!

16 Charles Johnson  Mar 29, 2015 4:55:19pm

re: #13 Dark_Falcon

But he is the right wing. This is completely standard behavior for the right. I don’t know why you’re even trying to pretend it isn’t any more.

17 Dark_Falcon  Mar 29, 2015 4:55:24pm

re: #12 De Kolta Chair

The Telegraph wouldn’t know an expert if Murray Gell-Mann himself stood atop their editor-in-chief’s desk and presented a four hour lecture on quarks.

The Telegraph isn’t the Daily Mail, nor Fox News. It is still a real news organization.

18 Nyet  Mar 29, 2015 4:55:55pm

re: #14 RealityBasedSteve

Buckley was a bigot, but a very smart bigot. Now look at Gohmert…

19 Decatur Deb  Mar 29, 2015 4:55:56pm

re: #10 Nyet

Why, why are the elected conservatives so dumb? :(

Because it seems to be a lot easier to get impassioned dumb voters to the polls than cool intelligent non-voters. We have to learn to fix that.

20 Charles Johnson  Mar 29, 2015 4:58:28pm
21 BeachDem  Mar 29, 2015 4:58:44pm

Finally back from Durham. Four 4 am mornings, couple of 16-hour days, then, driving home, had to swerve to avoid the ladder that fell off a landscaping truck in front of me. Good times.

Was going to watch the HBO Scientology show tonight, but think I’ll stick with mindless cooking shows on Food Network instead. They’ll re-show the Scientology thing a million times anyway.

So much easier typing on my desktop than on my tablet or my laptop that seems to have a life of its own. I’d go online and the keyboard would appear and start typing random tttts all on its own—weird (I felt like Sharyl Attkinson!!)

22 lawhawk  Mar 29, 2015 4:59:08pm

re: #8 Charles Johnson

Yet the right wing sees no problem with slashing SNAP and other child health and food programs, which isn’t quite a live-birth abortion, but it is heinous in other more significant ways.

We should be judged on what we do to and for our fellow countrymen. That we see a significant number of right wingers who have no problem eliminating safety net programs tells you that they have no empathy and no problem seeing harm done to the young and defenseless.

Shameful. And wrong.

23 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 5:01:12pm

re: #15 Nyet

Three quarks for Karl Marx!

:-)
24 Decatur Deb  Mar 29, 2015 5:01:20pm

Gohmert served three terms as a criminal court judge and a short stint as chief justice of an appeals court. He was probably not the stupidest man on the bench.

Y’all Texans might want to be careful about parking tickets.

25 stpaulbear  Mar 29, 2015 5:02:14pm

Mike Pence on This Week in two minutes. Great video by HRC.

26 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 5:04:31pm

re: #25 stpaulbear

Mike Pence on This Week in two minutes. Great video.

Pence always has that look of a college basketball coach who’s been caught in a point-shaving scandal.

27 Dark_Falcon  Mar 29, 2015 5:06:59pm

re: #18 Nyet

Buckley was a bigot, but a very smart bigot. Now look at Gohmert…

The difference is that William F. Buckley evolved as a person and he came to understand he’d been wrong about the civil rights movement. And after that understanding he admitted his error and apologized for it. Louis Gohmert not only does not believe in evolution but is personally incapable of it.

28 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 5:09:07pm

re: #17 Dark_Falcon

The Telegraph isn’t the Daily Mail, nor Fox News. It is still a real news organization.

As far as I’m concerned, they’re just another Tory tabloid. Though I’ve always liked the story from the early 1940’s when they and the UK government arranged the crossword puzzle contest to garner recruits for Bletchley Park. As a fan and booster of cryptic crosswords, I like stories like that.

29 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 29, 2015 5:14:20pm

hahahaaa:

obliquely mentioned as “an obscure website”

30 Charles Johnson  Mar 29, 2015 5:17:32pm

I may have to do a post about Chuck’s delusional responses to Allen and Angela West. The guy is on Pluto.

31 RealityBasedSteve  Mar 29, 2015 5:18:06pm

re: #29 Backwoods_Sleuth

hahahaaa:

[Embedded content]

obliquely mentioned as “an obscure website”

In my best Rod Serling:

At intersection between Oblique Ave and Obscure Way there resides an ugly little troll. Leave your map behind, you’re entering the upChuck Zone.

RBS

32 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 29, 2015 5:18:12pm

re: #30 Charles Johnson

I may have to do a post about Chuck’s delusional responses to Allen and Angela West. The guy is on Pluto.

Give it a few more minutes.
He just keeps adding more delusion.

33 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 29, 2015 5:18:59pm
34 Charles Johnson  Mar 29, 2015 5:20:00pm
35 Timothy Watson  Mar 29, 2015 5:24:57pm

re: #27 Dark_Falcon

The difference is that William F. Buckley evolved as a person and he came to understand he’d been wrong about the civil rights movement. And after that understanding he admitted his error and apologized for it. Louis Gohmert not only does not believe in evolution but is personally incapable of it.

Yep, he realized that he was so wrong about the civil rights movement that he had no problem supporting the apartheid government in South Africa.

Seriously, how many times do we have to go over this?

36 Dark_Falcon  Mar 29, 2015 5:24:58pm

re: #31 RealityBasedSteve

In my best Rod Serling:

At intersection between Oblique Ave and Obscure Way there resides an ugly little troll. Leave your map behind, you’re entering the upChuck Zone.

RBS

Good stuff, but you need to add a warning to watch where you step in the UpChuck Zone.

37 Lidane  Mar 29, 2015 5:24:59pm

re: #6 Dark_Falcon

Moral of the story: Men should not berate women as he did; It both looks and is ugly. And his bullying was compounded by the fact that he went after a woman for an evil that she borne no fault for.

No, the moral of the story is that you should never, ever post a video of yourself being a condescending asshole to an hourly wage worker that has no power at all to do anything about your grievances. And if you DO post that video, don’t be shocked if you end up unemployable later.

It’s not about men vs. women. It’s about a douchebag being a prick to someone who was no threat to him and who couldn’t have helped him even if she wanted to. He was a dick. The video went viral and he lost his career for it. No sympathy from me.

I’ve had jobs in the service industry. I wouldn’t interview or hire him for anything either because if that’s how he treats a total stranger in a fast food restaurant, how would he treat the lowest ranked employees in my company?

38 Nyet  Mar 29, 2015 5:26:05pm

re: #35 Timothy Watson

Actually it was about ethics in geopolitical relations.

39 Charles Johnson  Mar 29, 2015 5:26:18pm
40 The Ghost of a Flea  Mar 29, 2015 5:29:18pm

re: #39 Charles Johnson

It succeeded.

I’m hearing the “Muslim convert” story from the wingnuts proximate to my social circle.

It’s always old people who don’t understand that multiple sources linking a single source on the internet is the opposite of independent confirmation.

41 lawhawk  Mar 29, 2015 5:29:19pm

re: #34 Charles Johnson

I’m kinda partial to Brewery Ommegang out in Cooperstown NY. They do a Triple Vos, Hennepin, and a Three Philosophers that are quite tasty. They were bought by a Belgian brewery about a decade ago (the folks who own Duvel) so they have a wider distribution than many smaller breweries.

42 Dark_Falcon  Mar 29, 2015 5:30:43pm

re: #37 Lidane

No, the moral of the story is that you should never, ever post a video of yourself being a condescending asshole to an hourly wage worker that has no power at all to do anything about your grievances. And if you DO post that video, don’t be shocked if you end up unemployable later.

It’s not about men vs. women. It’s about a douchebag being a prick to someone who was no threat to him and who couldn’t have helped him even if she wanted to. He was a dick. The video went viral and he lost his career for it. No sympathy from me.

I’ve had jobs in the service industry. I wouldn’t interview or hire him for anything either because if that’s how he treats a total stranger in a fast food restaurant, how would he treat the lowest ranked employees in my company?

It always looks worse when a man berates a woman and I wanted to link Smith’s bad action with Kincannon’s many bad acts towards women. Smith has done nothing as bad, but I wanted to relate the two somewhat to make the point that men who mistreat women just end up looking like and being assholes.

Your point is good, and I have no sympathy for Smith either. I’ve been the store employee who got a bad rating on customer service because the customer was made about rules I couldn’t change, so I know how that lady felt, as well as I possibly can.

43 The Ghost of a Flea  Mar 29, 2015 5:32:25pm

re: #40 The Ghost of Tonalite Gneiss

That last post is only more depressing if I add that the wingnuts in question are very wealthy people with proper educations.

44 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 29, 2015 5:35:59pm

re: #34 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

My all-time favorite:

Theakston Old Peculier, Genuine Yorkshire Strong Ale
45 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 5:36:24pm

re: #34 Charles Johnson

Most Belgium ales I’ve drunk/drank/drinked are too sweet for my pallet. But strong you say? I’ll give it a try.

46 retired cynic  Mar 29, 2015 5:36:46pm

re: #44 Backwoods_Sleuth

Martha Grimes?

47 Lidane  Mar 29, 2015 5:37:35pm

OK. Time to go offline for a while. I need to make dinner before The Walking Dead finale and I’m not going to be online at ALL during the show.

Back later.

48 Charles Johnson  Mar 29, 2015 5:37:43pm
49 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 5:38:28pm

re: #46 retired cynic

Martha Grimes?

I wish my wife, who’s probably read every word Grimes has had published, were here to read that! Kudos, as Henry Luce’s magazines used to say (a lot).

50 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 29, 2015 5:39:06pm

re: #46 retired cynic

Martha Grimes?

She does feature Old Peculier!

I special order a case or two every year to be imported via my local liquor store.

I have to get there the same day because they’ll sell it all before I get there or, *gasp*, put it in the cooler.

51 jaunte  Mar 29, 2015 5:41:12pm

Today’s rightwing entry for most badly tortured syntax:

52 Dark_Falcon  Mar 29, 2015 5:41:35pm

re: #48 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Retweeted. The idea that you ever would condone such a vile act of terrorism is a pure libel.

53 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 29, 2015 5:41:39pm

I developed my fondness for Old Peculier when I visited Yorkshire the first time 25 years ago.

54 Charles Johnson  Mar 29, 2015 5:43:07pm

re: #52 Dark_Falcon

I know we disagree on a lot of things, DF, but I do appreciate this. And I wish you’d find it in your heart to re-examine your loyalty to the right, because it’s badly misplaced.

55 CuriousLurker  Mar 29, 2015 5:43:58pm

I have couple of questions for you guys since so many subjects nowadays seem to be sufficiently politicized (and therefore polarizing) as to render the topics extremely controversial and cloud any related facts, making calm, rational discussion difficult if not impossible. The first two (Erlich & Shahak) have Wiki pages, but the third (Rabinowitz) does not. In any event, I don’t totally trust Wikipedia, so here I am asking you guys (again):

On climate change

Paul Ehrlich: Is he okay? He seems to make sense and know what he’s talking about (though he does appear to lean a bit to the hyperbolic LVQ side), but I don’t know enough about the subject to be sure. Help?

On the Israeli-Palestinian issue:

Israel Shahak: He strikes me as pretty extreme and prone to what I’ve come to think of as “Gellerisms”, except WRT Judaism & Zionism instead of Islam. He also comes across as even more strident & extreme than Norman Finkelstein (which is how I heard about him). Anyone?

Dan Rabinowitz: He’s a social anthropologist at Tel-Aviv University and, after watching this lecture he gave, he strikes me as perfectly sane & reasonable. He sounds like a liberal, as far as I can tell.

Can anyone kindly confirm or correct my assessments?

56 CuriousLurker  Mar 29, 2015 5:44:53pm

re: #27 Dark_Falcon

The difference is that William F. Buckley evolved as a person and he came to understand he’d been wrong about the civil rights movement. And after that understanding he admitted his error and apologized for it. Louis Gohmert not only does not believe in evolution but is personally incapable of it.

LOL—good one.

57 Charles Johnson  Mar 29, 2015 5:44:55pm

re: #55 CuriousLurker

On the mark, CL.

58 Dark_Falcon  Mar 29, 2015 5:45:07pm

re: #51 jaunte

Today’s rightwing entry for most badly tortured syntax:

[Embedded content]

And you might be a wingnut if you can’t remember or bother to research that the law Bill Clinton signed is called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and the federal version is notably different from the Indiana version.

BTW: The Indiana version is also different from the Illinois version, which passed a number of years ago and was not intended to allow the exclusion of gay people.

59 Kragar  Mar 29, 2015 5:47:15pm

re: #51 jaunte

Today’s rightwing entry for most badly tortured syntax:

[Embedded content]

Clinton’s “Religious Freedom” Bill allowed Native Americans permission to legally use peyote for religious purposes.

Pence’s bill allows wholesale discrimination against American citizens.

A slight difference.

60 Dark_Falcon  Mar 29, 2015 5:48:28pm

re: #55 CuriousLurker

I have couple of questions for you guys since so many subjects nowadays seem to be sufficiently politicized (and therefore polarizing) as to render the topics extremely controversial and cloud any related facts, thereby making calm, rational discussion difficult if not impossible. The first two (Erlich & Shahak) have Wiki pages, but the third (Rabinowitz) does not. In any event I don’t totally trust Wikipedia, so here I am asking you guys (again):

On climate change

Paul Ehrlich: Is he okay? He seems to make sense and know what he’s talking about (though he does appear to lean a bit to the hyperbolic LVQ side), but I don’t know enough about the subject to be sure. Help?

On the Israeli-Palestinian issue:

Israel Shahak: He strikes me as pretty extreme and prone to what I’ve come to think of as “Gellerisms”, except WRT Judaism & Zionism instead of Islam. He also comes across as even more strident & extreme than Norman Finkelstein (which is how I heard about him). Anyone?

Dan Rabinowitz: He’s a social anthropologist at Tel-Aviv University and, after watching this lecture he gave—he strikes me as perfectly sane & reasonable. He sounds like a liberal, as far as I can tell.

Can anyone kindly confirm or correct my assessments?

When he sticks to the physical sciences, Ehrlich understands the issues, though he does have a problematic tendency to go hyperbolic, as you noted. On economics, he’s a good bit less knowledgeable, and he doesn’t deal with that group of issues as often as he once did.

61 CuriousLurker  Mar 29, 2015 5:49:02pm

re: #57 Charles Johnson

On the mark, CL.

Thanks—after almost five years here I’m finally getting the hang of things!

62 lawhawk  Mar 29, 2015 5:50:38pm
63 CuriousLurker  Mar 29, 2015 5:52:32pm

re: #60 Dark_Falcon

When he sticks to the physical sciences, Ehrlich understands the issues, though he does have a problematic tendency to go hyperbolic, as you noted. On economics, he’s a good bit less knowledgeable, and he doesn’t deal with that group of issues as often as he once did.

Thanks. I wouldn’t even begin to try to dig into economics as it involves my mortal enemy, math. So I guess it’s all good then—I’ll just disregard the hyperbole.

65 Kragar  Mar 29, 2015 5:53:42pm
66 #FergusonFireside  Mar 29, 2015 5:54:27pm

re: #51 jaunte

Today’s rightwing entry for most badly tortured syntax:

Embedded Image

Someone tweeted, if you need to go back 20 years to justify your actions today, you are the problem.

67 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 5:55:22pm

In for a Mike Pence, in for an Ezra Pound. It’s the same fascist currency.

68 Dark_Falcon  Mar 29, 2015 5:56:12pm

A story that might not have gotten noticed:

And CNN’s story:

Astronaut begins U.S. history-making mission

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly has started a trip to the record books.

He plans to spend 342 days on the International Space Station — the longest stretch of time any U.S. astronaut has spent in space.

Kelly lifted off Friday aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket that launched from Kazakhstan. The rocket docked at the ISS at 9:33 p.m. ET, according to a tweet from NASA, with hatches between the Soyuz and the space station scheduled to open about 11:15 p.m. ET.

Kelly will stay twice as long as any U.S. astronaut has ever stayed on the space station, giving scientists a chance to study how the human body responds to long-duration space flights. On Earth, scientists will perform parallel studies on Scott Kelly’s identical twin brother, retired astronaut Mark Kelly.

And yes, the Mark Kelly mentioned is the same Mark Kelly who is Gabby Giffords’ husband.

The Right Stuff: The Kelly brothers have it.

69 SteveMcGaziBolaGate  Mar 29, 2015 5:56:17pm

re: #30 Charles Johnson

I may have to do a post about Chuck’s delusional responses to Allen and Angela West. The guy is on Pluto.

He’s got his head up Hisanus

70 jaunte  Mar 29, 2015 5:57:00pm

re: #69 SteveMcGaziBolaGate

Watch out for the Oort cloud.

71 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 29, 2015 5:58:31pm

re: #68 Dark_Falcon

A story that might not have gotten noticed:

[Embedded content]

And yes, the Mark Kelly mentioned is the same Mark Kelly who is Gabby Giffords’ husband.

The Right Stuff: The Kelly brothers have it.

I posted this this other day:

72 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 29, 2015 6:00:06pm

re: #69 SteveMcGaziBolaGate

He’s got his head up Hisanus

I was vastly amused when, about a year before Voyager’s Uranus encounter, NASA, Carl Sagan, etc., started telling everybody you weren’t supposed to pronounce it “Your anus”, but instead “Urinous”. How was this any better, exactly?

73 #FergusonFireside  Mar 29, 2015 6:00:20pm

And here we go.

74 Charles Johnson  Mar 29, 2015 6:00:29pm
75 SteveMcGaziBolaGate  Mar 29, 2015 6:01:41pm

re: #72 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

I was vastly amused when, about a year before Voyager’s Uranus encounter, NASA, Carl Sagan, etc., started telling everybody you weren’t supposed to pronounce it “Your anus”, but instead “Urinous”. How was this any better, exactly?

Talk about “Things that have no chance”!!

76 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 6:02:37pm

re: #64 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

I want one that matches the table’s fake wood covering. Keep an eye out for my Summer Roach Motel Tour 2015!

77 Varek Raith  Mar 29, 2015 6:03:23pm

re: #72 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

I was vastly amused when, about a year before Voyager’s Uranus encounter, NASA, Carl Sagan, etc., started telling everybody you weren’t supposed to pronounce it “Your anus”, but instead “Urinous”. How was this any better, exactly?

Fry: Oh, man, this is great! Hey, as long as you don’t make me smell Uranus.

Leela: I don’t get it.

Farnsworth: I’m sorry, Fry, but astronomers renamed Uranus in 2620 to end that stupid joke once and for all..

Fry: Oh. What’s it called now?

Farnsworth: Urectum.

78 SteveMcGaziBolaGate  Mar 29, 2015 6:03:30pm

re: #74 Charles Johnson

Bob Newhart is gonna wake up with Suzanne Pleshette and say he had the craziest dream.

Still my favorite series send off.

79 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 29, 2015 6:04:05pm

re: #76 De Kolta Chair

I want one that matches the table’s fake wood covering. Keep an eye out for my upcoming Roach Motel Tour 2015.

Peg Bundy had that made to match her outfit.

80 Belafon  Mar 29, 2015 6:04:50pm

re: #74 Charles Johnson

Only when cable can be searched backwards multiple hours. What time does the Walking Dead come on in Hawaii?

81 Kragar  Mar 29, 2015 6:04:53pm

re: #77 Varek Raith

Fry: Oh, man, this is great! Hey, as long as you don’t make me smell Uranus.

Leela: I don’t get it.

Farnsworth: I’m sorry, Fry, but astronomers renamed Uranus in 2620 to end that stupid joke once and for all..

Fry: Oh. What’s it called now?

Farnsworth: Urectum.

82 Eventual Carrion  Mar 29, 2015 6:06:01pm

re: #64 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Fine looking.

83 Nyet  Mar 29, 2015 6:08:32pm

re: #55 CuriousLurker

I have read Shahak’s notorious book (which was, interestingly enough, endorsed/blurbed by Chomsky, Hitchens and Vidal; unsurprisingly, it was also liked by David Duke) and it was full of stupid generalizations and inaccuracies. Not everything he says is untrue, but you would have to know enough about the topic in the first place to separate the wheat from the chaff, so as a source it’s pretty useless.

84 #FergusonFireside  Mar 29, 2015 6:08:36pm

re: #74 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Watching live on the computer.

Saved my life.

85 #FergusonFireside  Mar 29, 2015 6:08:57pm

re: #80 Belafon

Only when cable can be searched backwards multiple hours. What time does the Walking Dead come on in Hawaii?

Tomorrow.

86 b_sharp  Mar 29, 2015 6:09:47pm

re: #64 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

There’s something about quilted maple.

87 #FergusonFireside  Mar 29, 2015 6:09:53pm

J/K, but I have never felt such relief to get a show east coast time.

Even if on little screen.

(commercial break)

88 Dark_Falcon  Mar 29, 2015 6:10:17pm

re: #68 Dark_Falcon

And some good news out of Arizona as the Republican who now holds Ms. Giffords seat in Congress has proven a valuable voice in smacking down the Air Force’s dumb attempt to get rid of the A-10:

In the House, Rep. Martha McSally wrote to Carter stating that she knew from her own experience as a former A-10 pilot and 354th Fighter Squadron commander that the A-10 is uniquely capable for combat search and rescue missions, in addition to CAS, and that the retirement of the A-10 through a classified assessment violated the intent of Congress’ compromise with the Air Force.

The classification of the explanation for cutting the most effective close air support platform flies against the open nature of our government. The public has a right to review the analytic methods used, the alternatives assessed, and any competing recommendations. Otherwise, it is reasonable to conclude the “rubber stamp” nature of the classified report is simply a backdoor attempt at divestment.

Some in the press have been similarly skeptical of the Air Force’s intentions, saying that the plan “doesn’t add up,” and more colorfully, calling it “total bullshit and both the American taxpayer and those who bravely fight our wars on the ground should be furious.”

Those reports similarly cite the Air Force’s longstanding antagonism to the CAS mission as the chief motive for the A-10’s retirement.

The Air Force, for its part, has trotted out the previously proven-as-a-failure idea of putting the A-10’s cannon onto the F-16 as a gun pod. Which is of course to say the USAF is still stuck on ‘Stupid’ when it comes to Close Air Support.

89 RealityBasedSteve  Mar 29, 2015 6:10:29pm

re: #85 #FergusonFireside

Tomorrow.

It was on yesterday.

RBS

90 Varek Raith  Mar 29, 2015 6:10:33pm

The zombies are really aliens.
/Spoiler!

91 Kragar  Mar 29, 2015 6:10:51pm

And now I fucking get the emergency shutdown again

92 b_sharp  Mar 29, 2015 6:12:16pm

re: #61 CuriousLurker

Thanks—after almost five years here I’m finally getting the hang of things!

If you have questions about climate change, just ask. There are enough well versed smart people here you’ll get an up to date accurate answer.

93 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 29, 2015 6:12:54pm

re: #88 Dark_Falcon

…Which is of course to say the USAF is still stuck on ‘Stupid’ when it comes to Close Air Support.

Beneath their dignity, dontchaknow.

94 Varek Raith  Mar 29, 2015 6:12:59pm

re: #92 b_sharp

If you have questions about climate change, just ask. There are enough well versed smart people here you’ll get an up to date accurate answer.

If AGW were real, why are there still monkeys?!?!?

95 RealityBasedSteve  Mar 29, 2015 6:14:12pm

re: #86 b_sharp

There’s something about quilted maple.

I never really much cared for maple until I did a pen from quilted maple with pads of chatoyance the size of my thumb tip. It’s still ranks as one of the favorites I’ve ever done.

RBS

96 b_sharp  Mar 29, 2015 6:14:22pm

re: #85 #FergusonFireside

Tomorrow.

Yesterday.

97 Charles Johnson  Mar 29, 2015 6:15:10pm

re: #94 Varek Raith

Had to steal that one.

98 b_sharp  Mar 29, 2015 6:15:15pm

re: #90 Varek Raith

The zombies are really aliens.
/Spoiler!

You Scientologists are all alike. Taking credit for every apocalypse.

99 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 6:16:13pm

As usual, I’m the last to know: Tammy Duckworth Expected to Challenge Senator Mark Kirk in Illinois

“Things should start to get interestin’ right about now” — Bob Dylan

100 b_sharp  Mar 29, 2015 6:16:14pm

re: #94 Varek Raith

If AGW were real, why are there still monkeys?!?!?

To collect money on the streets for flood barriers.

101 Varek Raith  Mar 29, 2015 6:17:29pm

re: #97 Charles Johnson

Had to steal that one.

[Embedded content]

Ha, I can only imagine the responses it’ll get.

102 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 29, 2015 6:18:12pm

Spoiler—

Reagan getting elected in 1980 and the zombie apocalypse we’ve all lived through for the last 35 years was just a bad dream. We wake up in the end and the world is as it should have been all along.

103 Dark_Falcon  Mar 29, 2015 6:19:39pm

re: #99 De Kolta Chair

As usual, I’m the last to know: Tammy Duckworth Expected to Challenge Senator Mark Kirk in Illinois

[Embedded content]

Due to my status as a Kirk supporter, I’m not going to comment on this one.

Likely back later.

104 CuriousLurker  Mar 29, 2015 6:19:48pm

re: #83 Nyet

I have read Shahak’s notorious book (which was, interestingly enough, endorsed/blurbed by Chomsky, Hitchens and Vidal; unsurprisingly, it was also liked by David Duke) and it was full of stupid generalizations and inaccuracies. Not everything he says is untrue, but you would have to know enough about the topic in the first place to separate the wheat from the chaff, so as a source it’s pretty useless.

This is important, thank you. I was surprised to read that his book was endorsed by Hitchens especially, but that was before he took a turn to the right. One of the things I like is that when you google someone now, below photos of them and a link to their Wiki page (if there is one) shows you photos of people who are related to or similar to them in some way.

This is what came up for Shahak:

Yikes! O_O

105 sagehen  Mar 29, 2015 6:21:59pm

tonight’s carol quotable

because these people are children. and children like stories.

106 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 6:22:43pm

re: #97 Charles Johnson

Had to steal that one.

107 SteveMcGaziBolaGate  Mar 29, 2015 6:22:57pm

re: #88 Dark_Falcon

The A-10 performed well in Iraq when the opposition was poorly equipped and motivated. The airframes are old. They aren’t flying straight and level all day long, they will have to take evasive action to reach and escape the target zone. I don’t think the A-10 has the same survivability as an F-18 with standoff weapons. I think the A-10 is a remarkable airplane as well, but I would be happy to see these swords turned into plowshares.

108 CuriousLurker  Mar 29, 2015 6:23:28pm

Saw this on Twitter yesterday, LOL:

The many faces of Vladimir Putin
109 HappyWarrior  Mar 29, 2015 6:24:12pm

re: #99 De Kolta Chair

As usual, I’m the last to know: Tammy Duckworth Expected to Challenge Senator Mark Kirk in Illinois

Embedded Image

“Things should start to get interestin’ right about now” — Bob Dylan

Good, I think she’s an excellent candidate.

110 HappyWarrior  Mar 29, 2015 6:24:54pm

re: #108 CuriousLurker

Saw this on Twitter yesterday, LOL:

Image: The many faces of Vladimir Putin

Day made part 2. My niece made it earlier by dancing to the gummy bear song.

111 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 29, 2015 6:24:59pm

re: #108 CuriousLurker

Saw this on Twitter yesterday, LOL:

[Embedded content]

Ladimir looks like he’s sending somebody to the cornfield.

112 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 6:25:08pm

re: #109 HappyWarrior

Good, I think she’s an excellent candidate.

Indeed, and she’d be a darn good senator.

113 HappyWarrior  Mar 29, 2015 6:26:22pm

re: #112 De Kolta Chair

Indeed, and she’d be a darn good senator.

No doubt. I really hope she hits Kirk hard on the fact that he was a signee of the Cotton letter.

114 HappyWarrior  Mar 29, 2015 6:26:41pm

re: #111 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Ladimir looks like he’s sending somebody to the cornfield.

MALACHAI!

115 CuriousLurker  Mar 29, 2015 6:27:41pm

re: #92 b_sharp

If you have questions about climate change, just ask. There are enough well versed smart people here you’ll get an up to date accurate answer.

Thanks. The problem is will I understand the answer? Heh.

On a serious note, I don’t really have a handle on the science of it, so I’m trying to sort of gingerly sidle up to it

116 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 6:29:36pm

Watching Brian De Palma’s Carrie on the Sundance channel. Never really noticed before how effective Michael Gore’s score was, especially during the prom scene.

117 Nyet  Mar 29, 2015 6:29:46pm

re: #104 CuriousLurker

A rationalist critique of any religion is always welcome, as far as I’m concerned. The problem with his is that it is so vitriolic that it loses any vestige of rationality and on top of that leads to errors of fact (generalizations and inaccuracies). The same happens to most critics of Islam in the mold of Spencer. There are extremely problematic texts in Islam, Judaism, Christianity and other religions, they are a fair game (AFAIC), but they should also be put into historical and social context and not simply waved around like the bloody shirt.

118 Kragar  Mar 29, 2015 6:31:26pm

re: #115 CuriousLurker

NatGeo - The Carbon Bathtub

119 Charles Johnson  Mar 29, 2015 6:32:23pm
120 CuriousLurker  Mar 29, 2015 6:33:19pm

re: #117 Nyet

Speaking of Spencer, I was lurking last night and read the post from Ian Morris you linked to. You made my night, thank you! ;-))

121 CuriousLurker  Mar 29, 2015 6:34:09pm

re: #118 Kragar

NatGeo - The Carbon Bathtub

Thanks! Info graphics are good, easy to digest.

122 Varek Raith  Mar 29, 2015 6:34:24pm

re: #119 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Dynamic Thermomonkeys!

123 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 29, 2015 6:40:08pm

re: #122 Varek Raith

Dynamic Thermomonkeys!

Super Karate Monkey Death Car:

Video

124 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 6:41:22pm

re: #104 CuriousLurker

Yikes! O_O

Hitchens and Vidal both lost it in their later years. To keep it short: Vidal because he became a bitter old alcoholic (though what he had to be bitter about is beyond me as well as beyond his friends who wrote about those years — he was on top of the world ma), and Hitchens because he was always a fame whore and “hitched” his star to the most powerful fame whores of a blessedly shortlived time, the neo-cons. I’ve said it before: I never missed one of their articles, reviews or essays (especially Vidal, the finest essayist of his time, though good gravy he was excruciatingly redundant in his last ten years), but they were a couple of burn-outs with nasty streaks.

125 CuriousLurker  Mar 29, 2015 6:46:02pm

re: #117 Nyet

A rationalist critique of any religion is always welcome, as far as I’m concerned. The problem with his is that it is so vitriolic that it loses any vestige of rationality and on top of that leads to errors of fact (generalizations and inaccuracies). The same happens to most critics of Islam in the mold of Spencer. There are extremely problematic texts in Islam, Judaism, Christianity and other religions, they are a fair game (AFAIC), but they should also be put into historical and social context and not simply waved around like the bloody shirt.

THIS.

126 SteveMcGaziBolaGate  Mar 29, 2015 6:47:36pm

re: #125 CuriousLurker

THIS.

(should I tell him?)

127 William Barnett-Lewis  Mar 29, 2015 6:47:56pm

re: #64 Charles Johnson

Pretty!!!!

Why is it that guitars are like potato chips and only one is never enough?

I’ve got a case of GAS for this one…

128 Targetpractice  Mar 29, 2015 6:49:53pm

re: #107 SteveMcGaziBolaGate

The A-10 performed well in Iraq when the opposition was poorly equipped and motivated. The airframes are old. They aren’t flying straight and level all day long, they will have to take evasive action to reach and escape the target zone. I don’t think the A-10 has the same survivability as an F-18 with standoff weapons. I think the A-10 is a remarkable airplane as well, but I would be happy to see these swords turned into plowshares.

I think you have that backwards, an A-10 is designed for the sort of punishment required by the close air support mission profile. Birds have come home with missing engines, missing rudders, and even holes blown in their wings. But they’re also brought guys home who didn’t have time for a fighter jockey to figure out who was friendly, who wasn’t, and aim a bomb at the latter.

129 SteveMcGaziBolaGate  Mar 29, 2015 6:57:45pm

re: #128 Targetpractice

When did all of this happen?

130 b_sharp  Mar 29, 2015 7:02:20pm

re: #115 CuriousLurker

Thanks. The problem is will I understand the answer? Heh.

On a serious note, I don’t really have a handle on the science of it, so I’m trying to sort of gingerly sidle up to it

I do my best to make it clear and understandable.

131 goddamnedfrank  Mar 29, 2015 7:03:10pm

re: #129 SteveMcGaziBolaGate

When did all of this happen?

Gulf War 2 Battle Damaged A-10

That plane got lit up like a Christmas tree and the pilot was still able to bring it back and land safely.

132 Kragar  Mar 29, 2015 7:03:48pm
133 b_sharp  Mar 29, 2015 7:03:56pm

re: #127 William Barnett-Lewis

Pretty!!!!

Why is it that guitars are like potato chips and only one is never enough?

I’ve got a case of GAS for this one…

Embedded Image

The hollow body is resonant and sweet. I’ve played one a few times and considered buying one a few years back.

134 Targetpractice  Mar 29, 2015 7:05:52pm

re: #131 goddamnedfrank

Gulf War 2 Battle Damaged A-10

That plane got lit up like a Christmas tree and the pilot was still able to bring it back and land safely.

It helps when you’ve got triple-redundant flight controls, such that you can lose total hydraulic pressure and still bring it home so long as the flight surfaces are intact.

135 danarchy  Mar 29, 2015 7:06:44pm

I think they made this episode of walking dead 90 minutes by adding 2 minutes of content and 28 minutes of commercials.

136 nearly-headless smith25  Mar 29, 2015 7:07:08pm

14 Hours in the car Saturday.

Stomach turning upside down watching UK vs. Notre Dame last night

8 Hours in Universal Studios Today.

Effing worn out. FL Lizards, the weather is awesome right now. One more beer, and then it’s night time.

137 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 7:08:10pm

re: #132 Kragar

[Embedded content]

How many buds can go through the eye of a needle? I suspect Indianapolis is about to find out. I wonder what Indianapolis homeboy Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. would think of all this?

138 #FergusonFireside  Mar 29, 2015 7:08:22pm
139 Kragar  Mar 29, 2015 7:09:19pm

re: #137 De Kolta Chair

How many buds can go through the eye of a needle? I suspect Indianapolis is about to find out. I wonder what homeboy Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. would think of all this?

“Sir, you’re going to need to put on some pants.”

“STOP OPPRESSING MY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS!”

140 Romantic Heretic  Mar 29, 2015 7:10:44pm

re: #88 Dark_Falcon

And some good news out of Arizona as the Republican who now holds Ms. Giffords seat in Congress has proven a valuable voice in smacking down the Air Force’s dumb attempt to get rid of the A-10:

The Air Force, for its part, has trotted out the previously proven-as-a-failure idea of putting the A-10’s cannon onto the F-16 as a gun pod. Which is of course to say the USAF is still stuck on ‘Stupid’ when it comes to Close Air Support.

Man, I loathe glory hounds. Because that is the Air Forces entire reason for trying to kill the A10. It doesn’t engage in glorious dog fighting in the clean air. Instead it’s meant to help those jerks in the Army.

No self respecting pilot, the Air Force thinks, would or should want to do such a thing. /rolls eyes

Personally, I think CAS requires all the skills of a fighter jock and more. There’s a lot less room for error and usually a lot more people shooting at you.

141 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 7:14:06pm
142 GlutenFreeJesus  Mar 29, 2015 7:15:48pm

re: #13 Dark_Falcon

Fox News is the right wing. And “shit-stirrers” like him are the base. The sooner you accept this, the sooner you can grow up.

143 SteveMcGaziBolaGate  Mar 29, 2015 7:16:00pm

re: #131 goddamnedfrank

Now I realize I’m being a bit of a contrarian (spell check has no suggestions, if that isn’t a real word substitute sourpuss), but budgets are going to shrink and we can’t afford everything. Besides, it’s awesome that the damaged plane brought its pilot home like it was supposed to, but that plane is as good as lost. How long so you suppose it would take to get that thing back into service, and what so you think the odds are that they had to cannibalize another one for replacement parts to do it?

144 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 29, 2015 7:17:19pm

The Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II’s predecessor, the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, along with P-51s rigged for Ground Attack—JaBos as the Germans called them—contributed a lot more to the outcome of the post-D-Day campaign than all the blue-sky flyboys making the rubble bounce in Germany, too.

145 Belafon  Mar 29, 2015 7:18:09pm

re: #140 Romantic Heretic

My dad and were talking about the Air Force on Friday. I’m still of the belief that the Air Force should be divided into those that will fly close to ground troops and those that will land on an air craft carrier. Hand all long range missions to the Navy, and support to the Army.

146 gwangung  Mar 29, 2015 7:18:47pm

re: #103 Dark_Falcon

Due to my status as a Kirk supporter, I’m not going to comment on this one.

Likely back later.

That’s damn near an endorsement…

147 Targetpractice  Mar 29, 2015 7:20:57pm

re: #143 SteveMcGaziBolaGate

Now I realize I’m being a bit of a contrarian (spell check has no suggestions, if that isn’t a real word substitute sourpuss), but budgets are going to shrink and we can’t afford everything. Besides, it’s awesome that the damaged plane brought its pilot home like it was supposed to, but that plane is as good as lost. How long so you suppose it would take to get that thing back into service, and what so you think the odds are that they had to cannibalize another one for replacement parts to do it?

Shorter and cheaper than repairing an F-35. Bear in mind that the Air Force wants to retire the entire A-10 force, 300 aircraft, just to purchase 30 F-35s when the program is already billions overbudget and years behind schedule. And the F-35 cannot operate in the same environment, it requires specialized equipment including spending thousands of dollars on repainting tanker trucks because the engine can’t handle fuel over a certain temperature, and damage to the aircraft’s skin compromises its stealth.

148 Floral Giraffe  Mar 29, 2015 7:21:28pm

re: #68 Dark_Falcon

re: #71 Backwoods_Sleuth

Good enough to be worth posting twice!

149 SteveMcGaziBolaGate  Mar 29, 2015 7:24:08pm

re: #144 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

The Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II’s predecessor, the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, along with P-51s rigged for Ground Attack—JaBos as the Germans called them—contributed a lot more to the outcome of the post-D-Day campaign than all the blue-sky flyboys making the rubble bounce in Germany, too.

As I understand it, the ground attack aircraft did a lot more damage behind the lines (interdiction) than on the front lines. Many times the pilots wouldn’t drop for fear of hitting their own troops. On D-Day the air forces had to make sure they didn’t drop too close to the beach for fear of hitting friendly targets.

150 Charles Johnson  Mar 29, 2015 7:24:17pm
151 Charles Johnson  Mar 29, 2015 7:25:47pm

The stalkers are acting up again.

152 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 7:30:43pm

re: #139 Kragar

153 Nyet  Mar 29, 2015 7:30:58pm

re: #150 Charles Johnson

Just another sick liar.

154 SteveMcGaziBolaGate  Mar 29, 2015 7:31:44pm

I think the Defense Department thinks the CAS role isn’t an effective allocation of resources. I guess the D-Day example is a crude one especially because they didn’t use precision weapons and had to drop judiciously. I also suppose they think that there are enough alternative precision delivery systems, including guided surface to surface missiles, standoff weapons and even guided artillery shells that they can make up the difference without the A-10. Again, even if a severely damaged airplane makes it home, it’s still a lost airplane.

155 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 7:32:17pm

re: #150 Charles Johnson

This is either very dumb or very funny: OH I get it, he’s being funny. Never mind.

156 #FergusonFireside  Mar 29, 2015 7:32:18pm

Oh Charles, you will like the WD. A lot.

157 Romantic Heretic  Mar 29, 2015 7:33:09pm

re: #144 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Let’s not forget the Skyraider which did such outstanding work covering extractions in Vietnam.

158 Targetpractice  Mar 29, 2015 7:39:13pm

re: #154 SteveMcGaziBolaGate

I think the Defense Department thinks the CAS role isn’t an effective allocation of resources. I guess the D-Day example is a crude one especially because they didn’t use precision weapons and had to drop judiciously. I also suppose they think that there are enough alternative precision delivery systems, including guided surface to surface missiles, standoff weapons and even guided artillery shells that they can make up the difference without the A-10. Again, even if a severely damaged airplane makes it home, it’s still a lost airplane.

The DoD is looking for programs to axe in order to keep the blackhole that is the F-35 program afloat and the A-10, which as noted has never been popular with zoomies, has been put forward as a sacrificial offer. Why? Because the Air Force fears if it does agree to cutting 30 aircraft from a program that will procure over 1,700 aircraft, then other countries will feel the Air Force is losing faith in the program and cancel their own orders, leading to a death spiral. So they’ll just cancel the A-10 and make promises that the F-35 will take up the job…someday…

159 SteveMcGaziBolaGate  Mar 29, 2015 7:40:11pm

re: #157 Romantic Heretic

I remember seeing a Skyraider carrying almost the same ordinance load as a B-17. I remember some debate about deleting the rear gunner from the airplane when it was being developed. The tail gunner was deemed to be a waste of weight (to be crude). I had a guy who flew in President Bush’s squadron in WW2. He was a tail gunner and he has no idea if he ever hit anything. he only had to fire his weapon 3 times (I guess by then they had air supremacy) but when he fired the whole plane shook and he had no idea where the bullets were going.
He also said landings were the scariest thing because it wasn’t one of those 800 foot Essex flight decks, it was just a little carrier and his life was in his pilot’s hands.

160 Kragar  Mar 29, 2015 7:44:40pm

re: #158 Targetpractice

“We had a nice bit of engineered obsolescence going and then you A-10 guys had to fuck it up by building something that lasts. We told you after the M-2 not to do that again!”

161 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 7:45:31pm

Amazing what one can accomplish with just a few brushstrokes. Of course it helps if one is the one and only Joltin’ Jack Kirby.

162 GlutenFreeJesus  Mar 29, 2015 7:47:07pm

re: #103 Dark_Falcon

His time is over. He signed that letter to Iran. Good riddance to him. Tammy’s got my vote.

163 goddamnedfrank  Mar 29, 2015 7:48:51pm

re: #143 SteveMcGaziBolaGate

Now I realize I’m being a bit of a contrarian (spell check has no suggestions, if that isn’t a real word substitute sourpuss), but budgets are going to shrink and we can’t afford everything. Besides, it’s awesome that the damaged plane brought its pilot home like it was supposed to, but that plane is as good as lost. How long so you suppose it would take to get that thing back into service, and what so you think the odds are that they had to cannibalize another one for replacement parts to do it?

The A-10 is cheaper and more easily repairable than any airplane replacing it. The budget argument goes against retiring it.

164 GlutenFreeJesus  Mar 29, 2015 7:51:41pm

Re: all the A-10 talk. They need to modernize it (but not neuter it) and scale back the F-22/35 debacle. Any conflicts we will be in for the foreseeable future will not involve any Top Gun-ish dogfights. We need the close air support capabilities of the A-10. Building new ones on a proven design with modern materials/technology. It would be unstoppable. But it wouldn’t make the war profiteers as rich either.

165 Kragar  Mar 29, 2015 7:52:41pm

re: #163 goddamnedfrank

The A-10 is cheaper and more easily repairable than any airplane replacing it. The budget argument goes against retiring it.

The idea that the latest and greatest weapon system can out fight the enemy 30 to 1 only makes sense as long as the enemy cannot out produce you 31 to 1 and you can afford the cost when you lose one.

166 De Kolta Chair  Mar 29, 2015 7:53:31pm
Your grooming is really none of my business, Mr. Field, but have you considered changing your hairstyle and maybe shaving the moustache, it being 1941 and all?
167 SteveMcGaziBolaGate  Mar 29, 2015 7:57:49pm

re: #163 goddamnedfrank

The A-10 is cheaper and more easily repairable than any airplane replacing it. The budget argument goes against retiring it.

Depends on the repair. The A-10 has been out of production for over 30 years. The only way to replace major parts is cannibalizing them. Fewer than half the number produced survive today.

168 Kragar  Mar 29, 2015 8:01:34pm

re: #167 SteveMcGaziBolaGate

Depends on the repair. The A-10 has been out of production for over 30 years. The only way to replace major parts is cannibalizing them. Fewer than half the number produced survive today.

You don’t get those big money handouts from Congress to revamp your assembly line by making the same ole same ole.

169 goddamnedfrank  Mar 29, 2015 8:12:11pm

re: #167 SteveMcGaziBolaGate

Depends on the repair. The A-10 has been out of production for over 30 years. The only way to replace major parts is cannibalizing them.

Nope, totally not true. The Air Force has tons of parts and repair kits that allow for most field repairs, and additive manufacturing / 3D printing of replacement parts is already being field tested by the Army and Navy. Facilitating repair, the A 10 was also designed from the get go to not utilize unique parts for left and right sides of the aircraft, so both engines, stabilizers, landing gear, etc are identical. General Electric still makes the engines too.

170 goddamnedfrank  Mar 29, 2015 8:15:29pm

re: #169 goddamnedfrank

The A 10 was designed to counter the Soviet Army’s absolutely insane inventory of tanks and other armored ground vehicles. Economy of scale was built in from the beginning.

171 Kragar  Mar 29, 2015 8:16:34pm

You know that whole little bit in the 2nd Amendment about a “well regulated militia”?

The original intent of that phrase was to make sure militias were using uniform gear, so that parts and ammunition could be easily shared amongst various units and maintain combat readiness.

Any weapon system actively being used by the armed forces needs to have parts readily available. Failure to do so shows a serious lack of commitment to national defense for the sake of profitably for industry.

172 Higgs Boson's Mate  Mar 29, 2015 8:19:12pm

re: #163 goddamnedfrank

The A-10 is cheaper and more easily repairable than any airplane replacing it. The budget argument goes against retiring it.

Compare the USAF’s lack of love for the A-10 with Once Again The USAF Is Looking To Re-Engine Its B-52 Fleet. What the two aircraft have in common is that each is uniquely suited to its mission. If the Air Force thought that they could get a horrendously expensive, stealthed heavy bomber past Congress the B-52 would also be on the block. That won’t happen so they’re pushing for the techno toy that they think they can get.

173 b_sharp  Mar 29, 2015 8:20:36pm

I thought the A-10 was a pig.

174 goddamnedfrank  Mar 29, 2015 8:27:21pm

re: #171 Kragar

You know that whole little bit in the 2nd Amendment about a “well regulated militia”?

The original intent of that phrase was to make sure militias were using uniform gear, so that parts and ammunition could be easily shared amongst various units and maintain combat readiness.

Any weapon system actively being used by the armed forces needs to have parts readily available. Failure to do so shows a serious lack of commitment to national defense for the sake of profitably for industry.

This is the reason that the Snaphance lock was outlawed in New York and a few other colonies in the late 1600’s. They considered it outdated, overly complex and less reliable compared to the then modern Flintlock. The colonial governments didn’t want their militia members showing up with that crap and the easiest way to ensure this was to ban their sale entirely.

175 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 29, 2015 8:27:26pm

re: #172 Higgs Boson’s Mate

Compare the USAF’s lack of love for the A-10 with Once Again The USAF Is Looking To Re-Engine Its B-52 Fleet. What the two aircraft have in common is that each is uniquely suited to its mission. If the Air Force thought that they could get a horrendously expensive, stealthed heavy bomber past Congress the B-52 would also be on the block. That won’t happen so they’re pushing for the techno toy that they think they can get.

I’ve never understood why the B-52 wasn’t re-engined long ago. Hell, two engines could do the job of those eight any time in the last 40 years.

176 b_sharp  Mar 29, 2015 8:32:06pm

Sorry,the A-10 is a warthog, not a pig.

177 Kragar  Mar 29, 2015 8:32:48pm

re: #176 b_sharp

Sorry,the A-10 is a warthog, not a pig.

The M60 was the pig.

178 goddamnedfrank  Mar 29, 2015 8:35:37pm

re: #175 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

I’ve never understood why the B-52 wasn’t re-engined long ago. Hell, two engines could do the job of those eight any time in the last 40 years.

The answer to that is that the last time this came up for review the Air Force made a basic math error. The bean counters neglected to consider that aviation fuel costs depend on where tanking up takes place, that av gas for mid air refueling doesn’t just magically transport itself into the sky:

According to a 2004 Defense Science Board report, the USAF failed to take the cost of air refueling into account. At that time, tanker-delivered fuel cost $17.50 per gallon, 14 times the cost of fuel on the ground. The DSB task force “unanimously recommend[ed] the Air Force proceed with B-52H re-engining without delay,” but no action was taken.

“Had we done it all those years ago, we’d be patting ourselves on the back today and telling everyone how smart we were,” Wilson said.

179 Higgs Boson's Mate  Mar 29, 2015 8:38:15pm

re: #177 Kragar

The M60 was the pig.

I carried one. Its weight (23 lbs), the two 400 round belts I carried, spare barrel, oven mitt for spare barrel, plus field gear, flak vest, tin pot, and the balmy temperatures of the Mekong Delta resulted in my weighing 144lbs. when when I came home. I weighed 185 when I arrived in-country.

180 Kragar  Mar 29, 2015 8:43:26pm

re: #179 Higgs Boson’s Mate

I carried one. Its weight (23 lbs), the two 400 round belts I carried, spare barrel, oven mitt for spare barrel, plus field gear, flak vest, tin pot, and the balmy temperatures of the Mekong Delta resulted in my weighing 144lbs. when when I came home. I weighed 185 when I arrived in-country.

Fired one when I trained at School of Infantry. I was an 0311, but I ended up a SAW gunner. When I changed MOS to IT, I was put in charge of my platoon’s M-2 when we deployed to the field.


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