Awesome Music From Mali: Salif Keita, “Calculer” & “Kamoukie”
Here are two songs by the great Malian musician Salif Keita. I dare you to sit still while this plays.
Here are two songs by the great Malian musician Salif Keita. I dare you to sit still while this plays.
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!!
The #TWDFinale is within reach. Are you freaking out yet?!
— The Walking Dead AMC (@WalkingDead_AMC) March 29, 2015
3 | #FergusonFireside Mar 29, 2015 4:40:39pm |
And they've now made a “target practice” game where me, @stackizshort, and @bassem_masri are the targets. pic.twitter.com/xJTCWxYhjG
— deray mckesson (@deray) March 29, 2015
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 |
popcorn, kleenex .. I'm ready to watch The Walking Dead #TWDFinaleParty #TWDFinale @WalkingDead_AMC pic.twitter.com/Bk6zBF9lTM
— Pls Norman follow me (@NomanTwd) March 29, 2015
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 |
Digging up a 3-yr old article and pretending it's real is weird. RT @greggutfeld Post-birth abortion? No joke now. http://t.co/Nb2ryNiIHw— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) March 29, 2015
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.
11 | Charles Johnson Mar 29, 2015 4:51:03pm |
A creepy “medical ethicist” floats a stupid idea nobody will ever adopt, and @greggutfeld tries to fear-monger with it 3 years later.— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) March 29, 2015
Right wingers are flat out of their gourds.— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) March 29, 2015
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]
@Green_Footballs Gutfeld's not 'the right wing'. He's a professional shit-stirrer for Fox News. He claims to be funny, but he really isn't.
— Kurt Akemann (@Dark_Falcon7) March 29, 2015
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
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 |
Look at the ridiculous right wing replies to this stupid tweet. https://t.co/d1lraGIaNa— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) March 29, 2015
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.
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 |
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:
@Lisa_Luerssen my website is obliquely mentioned— Charles C. Johnson (@ChuckCJohnson) March 30, 2015
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 |
@ChuckCJohnson Obscure means liberal?— GiMiller (@Lisa_Luerssen) March 30, 2015
34 | Charles Johnson Mar 29, 2015 5:20:00pm |
I don't always drink beer, but I just discovered this incredible Belgian-style strong ale: http://t.co/Sgd1C0vWZA pic.twitter.com/jk3cqXRe3x— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) March 30, 2015
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 |
Hey Jim, now that it's clear the Germanwings pilot wasn't a Muslim, when will you retract your post? http://t.co/sKK0JQLnVV @gatewaypundit— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) March 30, 2015
(I'm kidding, of course. Everybody knows Jim never retracts anything, no matter how false or dishonest. @gatewaypundit)— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) March 30, 2015
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:
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.
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 |
Right/left wing trolls keep circulating the evil lie that mass murderer Anders Breivik was “inspired” by me… /1— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) March 30, 2015
So here's the truth. This is what Breivik included in his “manifesto” about me. /2 pic.twitter.com/bad3LGkE3R— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) March 30, 2015
Does that look like he was “inspired” by me? Far from it. He despised me; I publicly renounced the haters who really did inspire him. /3— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) March 30, 2015
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 |
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.
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 |
UPDATE: #tsunami waves forecast between 1 and 3 meters in Papua New Guinea, less elsewhere. #PTWC http://t.co/ewCOyYtvrV— NWS PTWC (@NWS_PTWC) March 30, 2015
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.
64 | Charles Johnson Mar 29, 2015 5:53:37pm |
Want. RT @gibsongermany: #Gibson #sg #custom #quilt in #fire #tiger pic.twitter.com/l3EQmLpfn2— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) March 30, 2015
65 | Kragar Mar 29, 2015 5:53:42pm |
@Lisa_Luerssen Its best not to assume any logical or coherent thought out of @ChuckCJohnson— Kragar (@Kragar_LGF) March 30, 2015
66 | #FergusonFireside Mar 29, 2015 5:54:27pm |
re: #51 jaunte
Today’s rightwing entry for most badly tortured syntax:
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
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:
Liftoff!! Just watched my brother @StationCDRKelly launch into space. #YearInSpace pic.twitter.com/SWFL7A518F— Mark Kelly (@ShuttleCDRKelly) March 27, 2015
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?
74 | Charles Johnson Mar 29, 2015 6:00:29pm |
Time to mute all Walking Dead hashtags. Death to spoilers.— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) March 30, 2015
Cable companies still haven't realized they could vastly increase their audience by doing away with the outdated regional time-delay BS.— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) March 30, 2015
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 |
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 |
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.
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 |
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
97 | Charles Johnson Mar 29, 2015 6:15:10pm |
re: #94 Varek Raith
Had to steal that one.
If climate change is real, why are there still monkeys?— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) March 30, 2015
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.
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 |
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
“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:
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.
119 | Charles Johnson Mar 29, 2015 6:32:23pm |
If monkeys are real, why is there still climate change?— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) March 30, 2015
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 |
122 | Varek Raith Mar 29, 2015 6:34:24pm |
123 | The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge Mar 29, 2015 6:40:08pm |
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 |
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.
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 |
Whoops: Indiana’s anti-gay ‘Religious Freedom’ act opens the door for the First Church of Cannabis http://t.co/WvJlsNxBNA— Kragar (@Kragar_LGF) March 30, 2015
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…
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 |
Accurate representation of TWD Fandom right now. #WalkingDeadfinale pic.twitter.com/xD5MI8RDO0
— Carl Grimes (@TheCarlGrimes_) March 30, 2015
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.
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 |
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 |
@MCHblazer Yes, I see your very disturbing pic that you're obsessed with, like a completely normal person. @Green_Footballs— ReciprocHater (@CounterTrollist) March 30, 2015
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.
Unhinged much? RT @MCHblazer: If Charles Johnson's are real, why are there still Cheetos? @Green_Footballs— ReciprocHater (@CounterTrollist) March 30, 2015
157 | Romantic Heretic Mar 29, 2015 7:33:09pm |
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 |
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.
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.
177 | Kragar Mar 29, 2015 8:32:48pm |
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.