Friday, January 11, 2019
Quick Hit. The Govt Shutdown just turned into a paid vacation for Govt Workers...
So Congress passed and the President signed an act to give govt workers backpay.
You do get the force of connection right?
This govt shutdown just turned into a paid vacation. Oh and spare me the drama about people living from paycheck to paycheck. Any major bank in the nation will float short term (probably no interest) loans to REAL DEAL workers.
So what is the pressure to reopen the govt now?
Hold out for the wall. Don't use or assume measures that are extraordinary just make Congress do its job and work the problem. Unfettered immigration into the US from all over the world!
You do get the force of connection right?
This govt shutdown just turned into a paid vacation. Oh and spare me the drama about people living from paycheck to paycheck. Any major bank in the nation will float short term (probably no interest) loans to REAL DEAL workers.
So what is the pressure to reopen the govt now?
Hold out for the wall. Don't use or assume measures that are extraordinary just make Congress do its job and work the problem. Unfettered immigration into the US from all over the world!
Thursday, January 10, 2019
A scary drone scenario? Law Enforcement hunted from the sky by gangs, drug dealers & international/domestic terrorists...
I wanted to piggyback off our discussion of the Houthi drone attack on the Yemeni Army that succeeded in wounding (reportedly) several high ranking officers.
In that talk we hit on the idea that civilians would be screwed in unrestricted warfare in the future.
Thinking about this a bit more I believe the people that will be pounded like a street whore by a drugged up pimp (before the big fight happens) will be Law Enforcement.
Imagine this.
A LEO is on the way to work. Unknown to them, they've been stalked by a local gang because he's been tenacious in defending the citizens of his city from their predatory behavior.
He sees a gang member zooming around town then he makes it a point to fill his pockets full of tickets. He checks constantly to make sure that he's isn't carrying...whether weapons or drugs. In other words he's doing his job. Making life hard for someone that is trying to ruin the lives of the law abiding.
Well on this morning he jumps into his truck and is headed to work 20 miles away from his home. The bad guys know his shift. The learn all the cops in the area and when this guy comes to work everyone knows to lay low.
Except the guys from the cartel.
He's ruined their business and its time for payback.
A direct assault is out of the question. It would be traced back too easily. So they do the next best thing. They get one of the smart kids that's looking to belong but doesn't have the moxy or the strength to be full fledged and they get him to fly a drone with a couple of attached grenades.
The plan?
Fly over his vehicle and drop them as he makes to turn into his station.
Sound far fetched? If ISIS could drop an explosive into the commander's hatch of an IFV then targeting a soft skin vehicle is child's play.
Take it a step further.
What happens if any cop will do? What happens if someone decides to go on a rampage with a drone as the tool instead of a rifle or pistol?
Are we prepared to deal with this future possibility?
Kill enough cops in a city and you're gonna have a massive response but it'll be too late. Additionally the pipeline isn't strong enough to take what the military would call moderate casualties. Martial law would have to be declared and the national guard called in.
I know this is rough sketch but you get the idea. Seems like the future will be bleak no matter what we do. In the US you could have 99% of the population working hard to do the right thing but that still leaves about 3 million people that are plain batshit crazy.
You think this is plausible or am I being silly?
Side note. Just wanted to add this little bit of crazy thinking. You know those little remote control cars? Imagine one having an explosive strapped to it and they race it under a patrol car as it's making rounds of a neighborhood or on a traffic stop or at a major incident. What if it's coordinated and some idiots go both air and land at a police cruiser?
Side note 1. THIS IS JUST A THEORETICAL EXERCISE! I am not planning, coordinating or wishing to provide info. This is just wargaming different future scenarios. Had to add the last part so thefarm boys (that's old thinking) so the lawyers and accountants working for the FBI would stay in their corner of Quantico!
In that talk we hit on the idea that civilians would be screwed in unrestricted warfare in the future.
Thinking about this a bit more I believe the people that will be pounded like a street whore by a drugged up pimp (before the big fight happens) will be Law Enforcement.
Imagine this.
A LEO is on the way to work. Unknown to them, they've been stalked by a local gang because he's been tenacious in defending the citizens of his city from their predatory behavior.
He sees a gang member zooming around town then he makes it a point to fill his pockets full of tickets. He checks constantly to make sure that he's isn't carrying...whether weapons or drugs. In other words he's doing his job. Making life hard for someone that is trying to ruin the lives of the law abiding.
Well on this morning he jumps into his truck and is headed to work 20 miles away from his home. The bad guys know his shift. The learn all the cops in the area and when this guy comes to work everyone knows to lay low.
Except the guys from the cartel.
He's ruined their business and its time for payback.
A direct assault is out of the question. It would be traced back too easily. So they do the next best thing. They get one of the smart kids that's looking to belong but doesn't have the moxy or the strength to be full fledged and they get him to fly a drone with a couple of attached grenades.
The plan?
Fly over his vehicle and drop them as he makes to turn into his station.
Sound far fetched? If ISIS could drop an explosive into the commander's hatch of an IFV then targeting a soft skin vehicle is child's play.
Take it a step further.
What happens if any cop will do? What happens if someone decides to go on a rampage with a drone as the tool instead of a rifle or pistol?
Are we prepared to deal with this future possibility?
Kill enough cops in a city and you're gonna have a massive response but it'll be too late. Additionally the pipeline isn't strong enough to take what the military would call moderate casualties. Martial law would have to be declared and the national guard called in.
I know this is rough sketch but you get the idea. Seems like the future will be bleak no matter what we do. In the US you could have 99% of the population working hard to do the right thing but that still leaves about 3 million people that are plain batshit crazy.
You think this is plausible or am I being silly?
Side note. Just wanted to add this little bit of crazy thinking. You know those little remote control cars? Imagine one having an explosive strapped to it and they race it under a patrol car as it's making rounds of a neighborhood or on a traffic stop or at a major incident. What if it's coordinated and some idiots go both air and land at a police cruiser?
Side note 1. THIS IS JUST A THEORETICAL EXERCISE! I am not planning, coordinating or wishing to provide info. This is just wargaming different future scenarios. Had to add the last part so the
Didn't see this one coming...Two Women assault Transwoman in public bathroom
via Heavy.com
Two North Carolina women are accused of sexually assaulting a transgender woman inside a locked bathroom at a popular Raleigh bar. Amber Harrell and Jessica Fowler were arrested this week on sexual battery and kidnapping charges accusing them of groping the trans woman in December, The News & Observer reports.Story here.
Harrell, 38, and Fowler, 31, were both charged with second-degree kidnapping, a felony, and misdemeanor sexual battery, Wake County Detention Center records show. Harrell turned herself in on Sunday, January 7, and was released on bail on Monday. Fowler turned herself in on Monday, January 8, and was released the same day after posting bond.
Did NOT see this coming!
Well this puts an interesting spin on things. But wait! It gets better! What jury is gonna convict these two women?
By right and by nature (sorry gotta interject my opinion...hate me if you must) but he/she/whatever according to biology never should have been in there!
Side note. How can people state "follow the science" when it comes to climate change (and the science is sketchy at best) and then turn around and state that we have 71 different sexes?
God help me! I want to see what this thing can do (SB>1 Defiant™)
Note. Will SOMEONE PLEASE bang heads at Sikorsky/Boeing and tell them that they have to get the embed right for their vids (can this thing be any smaller)? Yeah I know. I write a blog post and confuse "here" and "hear" but I was rushing out the door and doing three different things. This is a side hobby, not the full time gig so there is a difference!
Anyway see it at a better size here (I think I have the right "here" this time)!
Note 1. Got frustrated and simply uploaded it to my YouTube. Probably get copyright struck but what the hell. Hope you can see the potential now!
I hope to God that Trump doesn't declare a national emergency for the wall! HERE ME OUT!!!
I've been monitoring the news this morning and the consensus from many liberal talking heads is that they hope Trump declares a national emergency to get funding for the wall.
The thinking?
It would reopen the govt and he would get funding and the Dems would take him to court ... but at least it would reopen govt.
My thinking?
I HOPE TO GOD that Trump doesn't fall for this. Not for his sake. Not because I'm against the wall. But because I fear what that will mean going into the future.
Let me be a bit more clear.
You want to talk about an imperial president? Want to talk about an expansion of presidential powers that would make the founders of this nation punch walls?
Let Trump declare an emergency, get the wall and then have the courts uphold it!
Suddenly you could get declarations of emergency for things we can't even imagine.
Most of you are as conservative as I am. Many of you are even to the right of me (although my family members consider me downright barbaric in my views), but trust me on this one.
Getting the wall by emergency powers will be a can NONE of us want opened.
The thinking?
It would reopen the govt and he would get funding and the Dems would take him to court ... but at least it would reopen govt.
My thinking?
I HOPE TO GOD that Trump doesn't fall for this. Not for his sake. Not because I'm against the wall. But because I fear what that will mean going into the future.
Let me be a bit more clear.
You want to talk about an imperial president? Want to talk about an expansion of presidential powers that would make the founders of this nation punch walls?
Let Trump declare an emergency, get the wall and then have the courts uphold it!
Suddenly you could get declarations of emergency for things we can't even imagine.
Most of you are as conservative as I am. Many of you are even to the right of me (although my family members consider me downright barbaric in my views), but trust me on this one.
Getting the wall by emergency powers will be a can NONE of us want opened.
Gents! Relax. I make off the cuff comments...(the issue with Indonesian Tanks in the Jungle)...
I posted the above pic yesterday with the comment (paraphrasing) that a properly equipped USMC Rifle Platoon could take them apart with ease.
It stirred a hornet's nest.
It shouldn't have.
Gents! Relax! I make off the cuff remarks all the time.
To be honest I had two initial reactions. The first was that this shows the lie that tanks can't operate in the jungle. The second was what I previously stated.
I went with the smart ass remark.
So take a chill pill. Relax. If the Indonesians actually operate this way then a few officers attending the US Army Armored School will fix it (or the Brits, Germans, S. Koreans etc...). If not then they'll learn in the crucible of combat.
But I think the simplest possibility is also the correct answer. They were simply convoying to a training area.
Long short.
Let's put this to bed.
RAF Photographer (Twitter Page) begins farewell to Tornado...
Something tells me the Brits will miss this airplane! Rugged and reliable plus able to haul a shit ton of munitions? I'd like to see how the Typhoon measures up as it tries to pick up the load.
Maybe they should have put bigger engines, better avionics/sensors and rode it a bit longer.
Houthi Rebels attack the Yemeni Army...this time with a loitering drone that kills six Soldiers...
Just a couple of hours ago, the #IRGC backed #Houthi rebels used a Qasef K2 Loitering drone to target military parade of #Yemen Army in Al-Anad Air base during which they killed 6 soldiers! The Houthi Qasef 2 Loitering drone is based on #Iranian made Ababil T target drone. pic.twitter.com/PWH7FkpbPW— Babak Taghvaee (@BabakTaghvaee) January 10, 2019
There was a time when you had to worry about Spetsnaz sneaking into rear areas.
Then it was insider attacks.
Now?
Now it's loitering drones.
Ain't tech grand? Remember the vid where they showed mosquito sized drones homing in on individuals and killing everyone inside a building?
We ain't far off I think.
How do you defend against stuff like that without causing yourself damage? EMP pulses and enough awareness to shield your own gear before you set it off?
One thing is certain. Civilians will be screwed in the next unrestricted war.
Wednesday, January 09, 2019
Acting SecDef calls the F-35 FUCKED UP!
via Business Insider.
In other private meetings, Shanahan has reportedly called the program "unsustainable," complaining about the cost of the stealth fighters, with separate versions built for the Navy, Marines and Air Force. The F-35 is expected to cost more than $1 trillion over the life of the program, making it the most expensive weapon in US military history.Story here.
You do get the force of connection here don't you? This is a PROTECTIVE article to help shield the F-35 from the OBVIOUS cuts that are coming.
The hope is that by pointing out comments from the Acting DefSec they can keep the program from being cut because it'll look like a Boeing guy is shitting on a Lockheed Martin program.
The problem?
The program IS FUCKED UP! It is UNSUSTAINABLE! It is an awful MESS!
Indonesian Leopard 2 MBT's in the Jungle!
Don't know if this is intimidating or inviting.
Those tanks would get gobbled up by a properly equipped Rifle Platoon from the good ole' USMC!
Hyundai Elevated Walking Car Concept...
The military applications are obvious. I guess it would be politically incorrect for Hyundai to broadcast those...or else the S. Korean govt didn't allow it.
YES!!!! The US Navy is pushing forward with a 5in Hypervelocity Round!
With the help of God, a few patriotic egg heads and a few good Marines (Sailors too) we might be able to keep China in it's cage or bust them upside the head when they get bold enough to step out.
Why?
Because the US Navy along with our defense industrial base is working the problem with regard to getting a 5in Hypervelocity Round into the field.
Even better?
They tested the damn thing!!!
via US Naval Institute NEWS (not blog...don't get it twisted...reading the blog will make your eyes bleed and cause holes to be punched in walls)...
“So if you think about the kinds of threats you might face in the Middle East, the lower-end cruise missiles or a larger UAV, now you have a way to shoot them down that doesn’t require you use a $2 million ESSM or $1 million RAM because a hyper velocity projectile – even in the highest-end estimates have it in the $75,000 to $100,000 range, and that’s for the fanciest version of it with an onboard seeker,” he said.Story here.
An added benefit of using HVP in powder guns is the gun’s high rate of fire and a large magazine capacity.
“You can get 15 rounds a minute for an air defense mission as well as a surface-to-surface mission,” Clark said. “That adds significant missile defense capacity when you think that each of those might be replacing a ESSM or a RAM missile. They’re a lot less expensive.”
I'm thinking peer vs peer here. Imagine. You run against an enemy fortification? Call for fire from naval assets and that destroyer hovering off the coast gives you 2 minutes of fire. 30 rounds of high explosive, high speed barrage destroying everything on those coordinates.
Armored formation? 3 minutes of fire and you pick thru the pieces looking for souvenirs to smuggle home.
This COULD DEFINITELY be a game changer!
Fulfilling the Marine dream – Terminally ill child becomes a Devil Dog....Story by Lance Cpl. Levi Guerra
Given the command, “Fall in,” Marines of Marine Wing Communication Squadron 38, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, assembled for what appeared to be a routine ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif.; the tone was serious as the Marines stared straight ahead, eyes locked forward with discipline and concentration etched on to their faces when a red Marine Corps truck pulled up behind them.
The door of the truck swung open to reveal a squared away six-year-old boy wearing a crisp Marine Corps woodland uniform. His name is Alec J. Rubio, the latter stitched neatly above his right chest pocket.
Alec was escorted from the truck by his uncle and marched with purpose and enthusiasm to the front of the formation. Warrant Officer Brandon Cain, a utility and motor transport maintenance officer with MWCS-38, planned a surprise for his nephew. Alec took his place in front of the commanding officer of MWCS-38, Lt. Col. Koichi Takagi, who kneeled down and took Alec’s small hand into his own and pressed the unit’s challenge coin into his hand.
“Alec, this coin means that you are forever a member of Marine Wing Communication Squadron 38,” Takagi articulated. “You are the newest and bravest member of the unit and we are glad you are here. Welcome to the Marine Corps!”
Alec’s face changed from serious to a look of awe as he started realizing what was happening. With the coin in his hand, it was official. Alec, who had been fighting against his terminal illness for the last few months, was an honorary Marine.
Alec’s story began in June of this year when his mother noticed something had changed in her son that would impact their lives forever.
“We noticed he had a lazy eye, and it scared me,” said Tereza Quesada, Alec’s mother. “He’d look over and you would see it kind of lag, usually kids are born with it but he wasn’t.”
After several doctor appointments, Quesada still did not have an answer. As time went on, Alec’s condition worsened from a lazy eye to a change in behavior and falling behind in school. After several months, she was finally able to push for a brain scan; nothing could have prepared the family for the news that followed.
“He was diagnosed with ALD or adrenoleukodystrophy,” she said. “There is no cure, but there are treatments to try and stop it.”
The brain disease affects one in 18,000 people and is typically found in boys between the ages of five and 10. The average life expectancy of someone with ALD is between two and five years following the diagnosis.
At this time, Alec has already lost most of his vision and is struggling with his motor skills, his mother explained. There is no cure and the treatment can only halt the progressions after 6 to 12 months. Alec’s late diagnosis makes it too late for the treatment to effectively work.
“This is not something any dad should go through,” said Efrain Rubio, Alec’s father. “It’s the worst fear of any parent. It’s hard but I try to keep my faith high and spirit up for him. You take for granted everything that you’re so used to – even him being able to see, being able to talk and being well coordinated. I took all of that for granted and now that it’s happened, everything’s changed. It makes you see what is really important.”
Despite slowly losing his eye sight and some mobility, there is one thing Alec held on to; his love of the military.
“Ever since he was little, Alec has always loved the military,” said Quesada. “As soon as he could walk, Alec would throw on whatever clothes he could find and go out to play like he was in the military. He still does even though it’s harder for him now.”
When asked how his love of the military came to be, Rubio laughed.
“He must have always had it in him because I know it didn’t come from me,” he said. “It’s just always been a part of him.”
When Cain, heard about his nephew’s condition, he knew he had to do something.
“Due to the nature of the disease and how aggressive it can be, my wife and I talked and we decided we were going to set something set up for him,” Cain continued. “He’s always wanted to be in the military so we figured, ‘Why not get him in with the best?’”
They didn’t have much time to get everything together. As Quesada explained, Alec would be admitted to the hospital in the first week of January and would be in for a long time. This timeline gave the Marines a little less than a month to set up a special day for Alec.
Cain went straight to the local Marines of 3rd MAW and was met with only positive reactions.
“It was one of those situation that hit the Marines too,” he said. “Everyone is a family here. After talking to them, it was clear they were very open and excited to help.”
Within two weeks, the Marines had their special day for Alec planned and ready to go.
“This brought hope and happiness to them,” Cain said. “It shows how something as small as throwing a formation and getting the Marines together can mean to someone, especially someone who has looked up to us and idolized us for as long as Alec has.”
After commanding his first formation, Alec led the Marines of MWCS-38 in a group training exercise where he ordered Marines to conduct exercises such as push-ups, sprints and jumping jacks. Following that he was given a tour of their vehicles, facilities and even aircraft.
“Once we were back inside the truck, he looked at me with a smile and said ‘I’m a Marine now Dad, I’m really a Marine!’” said Rubio. “I asked him ‘You’re a Marine already? At 6-years-old?’ and he told me ‘Yeah, I’m a Marine already, I told you!’”
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