TBT…

Posted on by February 8, 2017

We’ve been here before… Under Carter…

NOT A WARM & FUZZY FEELING…..

The U.S. Navy’s F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet strike fighters are the tip of the spear, embodying most of the fierce striking power of the aircraft carrier strike group. But nearly two-thirds of the fleet’s strike fighters can’t fly — grounded because they’re either undergoing maintenance or simply waiting for parts or their turn in line on the aviation depot backlog. 

There isn’t enough money to fix the fleet’s ships, and the backlog of ships needing work continues to grow. Overhauls — “availabilities” in Navy parlance — are being canceled or deferred, and when ships do come in they need longer to refit.

Every carrier overall for at least three years has run long, and some submarines are out of service for prolonged periods, as much as four years or more. One submarine, the Boise, has lost its diving certification and can’t operate pending shipyard work.

The Navy can’t get money to move around service members and their families to change assignments, and about $440 million is needed to pay sailors. And the service claims 15 percent of its shore facilities are in failed condition — awaiting repair, replacement or demolition. 

Congress has failed for the ninth straight year to produce a budget before the Oct. 1 start of fiscal 2017, reverting to continuing resolutions that keep money flowing at prior year levels.

The dire situation of naval aviation is sobering. According to the Navy, 53 percent of all Navy aircraft can’t fly — about 1,700 combat aircraft, patrol, and transport planes and helicopters. Not all are due to budget problems — at any given time, about one-fourth to one-third of aircraft are out of service for regular maintenance. But the 53 percent figure represents about twice the historic norm.

Sixty-two percent of F/A-18s are out of service; 27 percent in major depot work; and 35 percent simply awaiting maintenance or parts, the Navy said.

Under the continuing resolution, the senior Navy official said, another 14 ship availabilities will be deferred in 2018 — one submarine, one cruiser, six destroyers, two landing ship docks, one amphibious transport dock and three minesweepers.

At least there is some fuel, and most of the pilots and crew are able to maintain their basic quals, if not their complete readiness package, unlike when we were going cold iron on entire squadrons for 30-60 days at a time.

I just hope this can be turned around in time, before things get totally out of hand.

They Hate You…

Posted on by February 8, 2017

Sorry for the late post, the scheduler didn’t work this morning… My bad…

An interesting article from Town Hall earlier in the week that I missed-

Leftists don’t merely disagree with you. They don’t merely feel you are misguided. They don’t think you are merely wrong. They hate you. They want you enslaved and obedient, if not dead. Once you get that, everything that is happening now will make sense. And you will understand what you need to be ready to do.

Full article, HERE.

And one more follow-up on Bezerkeley… This is the take-away quote-

In the upside down world of leftist activism, speech is violence while actual violence is an appropriate response.

Full article, HERE at the Washington Times.

And one about the Portland rioters, from Taki, HERE. Amazing… simply amazing that these people are ‘leaders’ of the left…

When you add in Google’s NEW definition of fascism, adding the words right wing, yes right wing to the definition…

As opposed to the traditional Merriam Webster definition of fascism,  it’s enough to make one wonder.

It is almost, no strike that. It IS their way of life!  Political correctness is about slogans, patterns of speech, forbidden topics, acceptable clothes, behavior, type of car to drive (if a car is necessary), where you live, whom you listen to, and so on and so forth. Look at the hate spewed over the Patriot’s win over Atlanta in the Super Bowl, it’s just a game, right? Take at look at what ZeroHedge captured, HERE. In their ‘Utopian’ world, not even a game escapes being a political statement and indictment of the right…

BUT, by the same token, the so called protesters up at Standing Rock (Dakota Access), proclaiming themselves to be eco-environmentalist, yada, yada, abandoned their camp on COE land, leaving literally tons of junk, trash and who knows what else… And that’s all good, as far as they are concerned. Article HERE, from the Washington Times.

We are truly living in a Bizzaro world… sigh

h/t Stretch, Kenny, Eric and others

Blog issues update…

Posted on by February 7, 2017

The blog is back up and running, thanks to Barron’s work, but there IS a small issue that still is hanging fire-

ALL comments are currently dumping into the spam bucket. That is being worked, so be patient please. I’m checking it every couple of hours and retrieving comments…

Thanks for hanging in there with us as we work through this.

Old NFO.

Protests, riots and whatever…

Posted on by February 5, 2017

As the BS continues, so far it appears nobody has capped one of the violent protesters (yet)…

Found THIS over at Bearing Arms, 15 Actionable Tips for Staying Safe during Civil Unrest…

I’m liking #1-  Don’t go near it: If you don’t have to be there, don’t. There’s no honor in putting yourself in harm’s way, taking a brick to the head, and getting put in a coma. If you can stay away, do it. Leave the ego at home. Don’t look for trouble, because you’ll find more than you can handle.

I’m too old, slow and grumpy to go ‘play’ with the kids. I’m also smart enough to know when to keep my damn mouth shut, BUT if you get up in my face and/or try any crap, I will do my damnest to stop you by any means available to me…

Thankfully, I live in Texas, outside a small town. I don’t see myself having to deal with this stuff any time in the near future, but that doesn’t mean I’ll lower my situational awareness.

h/t ERJ

 

A damn good read…

Posted on by February 6, 2017

Courtesy of Capt Tightpants, a good read on accurate definitions in the Muslim world. This has been an ongoing issue for years, conflated by the MSM to the point that one just tends to ‘lump’ them all together…

This LINK, among others sighted are worth the effort to read them too.

Edit- And a more indepth link, HERE from commenter Peter B.

One comment on the 7 country ban the administration has in effect, if it were REALLY a Muslim ban, wouldn’t they have included Indonesia, the Pakistan and India? They have the largest Muslim populations in the world…

But they aren’t on the list, are they?

YMMV, IANAL, etc…

Navy ‘Stuff’…

Posted on by February 3, 2017

I know I said I was going to do Destroyers this week, but I’m waiting on pictures from a couple of folks to add to the post, so instead, you get an old boat…

U.S. Navy bureau of Ships – Official U.S. Navy photo NH 55913 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command

She was in the ‘Quasi-War’, the first Barbary War, the battle for Tripoli,

U.S. Navy bureau of Ships – Official U.S. Navy photo NH 48472-KN from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command

Did ya get it yet??? Sure you did…

USS CONSTITUTION, 44 gun frigate, built in 1794, nicknamed “Old Ironsides” after a battle with HMS Guerriere on  10 August 1812. She remained on active service until 1881, before being turned into a museum ship in 1907.

She was also used as a barrack ship for Officers awaiting courts martial in the early 1900s.

Library of Congress photograph LC-DIG-det-4a15771

Still in commission after 223 years, she’s been under sail twice in the last twenty years, on the 200th anniversary of her commissioning in 1997, and again in 2012, the 200th anniversary of her victory over Guerriere. This photo is from 1997 and yes, that is the Blues overflying them! 🙂

U.S. Navy Photo by Journalist 2nd Class Todd Stevens (Released)

101021-N-7642M-164
BOSTON (Oct. 21, 2010) USS Constitution fires a 21-gun salute toward Fort Independence on Castle Island during an underway to celebrate the 213th launching day anniversary of the ship. Constitution is the world’s oldest commissioned warship afloat. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kathryn E. Macdonald/Released)

Hard to believe this little 207ft frigate routinely carried 450 personnel including 55 Marines and 30 ship’s boys. If you ever get a chance to take the tour, you can see how CROWDED that ship really was.

“Identity” Politics…

Posted on by February 4, 2017

Looking at videos I’ve seen of the various protests, I’m struck by how many of the ‘protesters’, read rioters are hell bent on keeping their identities concealed, even to the point of NOT defending others who are being arrested/pushed back, etc. by the police. Of interest is that all of them seem to have backpacks, makes one wonder if they have a change of clothes, another jacket/shirt in there, or???

The only ones you see actually going to ‘aid’ another protester are by and large not hiding their identities, nor are they dressed ‘distinctively’, more like whatever they put on when they got up and got on the busses. I figure these are the ‘day protesters’ probably paid a pittance and a box lunch to protest.

Somebody has to see these folks coming in, or gearing up, before they mask up. Lots of folks out there with smartphones, pocket cameras, and regular cameras. It would be interesting to see if people could get pictures of these rioters (SAFELY get pictures), and possibly post them maybe the book of face or other media labeled as Rogue’s Gallery. I’m pretty sure the various LEOs, insurance companies, etc. would be interested too. Especially if these protesters could be tied to multiple events.

Speaking of that, it appears there may be an interesting video coming out next week… Not from me, but from somebody that got a ‘mole’ into one of the protests…

One of my readers, Randolph, also had this comment to an earlier post. This is really the crux of following the money… Bold are my additions-

Busing in protestors requires buses, and someone owns those buses. Identify the firms (Find out who paid for the busses) and publish the info to provide the opportunity for everyone else to not use those firms.

Someone is making, and selling the box lunches (Find out who ordered and paid for the lunches) . Ditto as with the buses.

Hotel rooms for the professional agitators (Find out who made the reservations and paid for the rooms) . Ditto.

Where infrastructure exists – and it undoubtedly exists for these efforts – it is attackable within normal financial transactions, not to mention permits, etc. Might the establishment selling the box lunches benefit from several health inspector visits? We certainly wouldn’t want First Amendment activity impacted by contaminated food, would we? All the licenses and permits current on those buses and their drivers? The list goes on. (Letters to the owners of the hotel franchises, especially if they hold DoD contracts) 

The other thing I find interesting is that none of the protests are taking place in gun friendly locations. Maybe they are actually smart enough to know it wouldn’t end well for them in different locales…

Peter has two interesting posts up, THIS one, and the one following it, supposedly an answer from someone at the Emerald City Antifa… It’s enough to make one wonder if somebody is doing some serious trolling to see if they can get the Antifa and BLM fighting among themselves. 🙂

Comments, recommendations, other ideas?

Edit- Looks like somebody did some looking around, and found one of the protesters from Bezerkeley… Apparently an EMPLOYEE!!! Link, HERE.

One small step in getting our rights back…

Posted on by February 2, 2017

House Joint Resolution 40 has passed!

Fairfax, Va.— The National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) today applauded the passage of H.J. Res. 40, a joint resolution to revoke a final rule made by the Obama administration that would strip law-abiding Americans of their Second Amendment rights. 

“The Obama administration’s last minute, back-door gun grab would have stripped law-abiding Americans of their Second Amendment rights without due process,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director, NRA-ILA. “Today’s vote was the first step in revoking this unconstitutional action.”

Last year, the Social Security Administration (SSA) finalized a proposed rule to ban certain recipients who use a representative payee from owning firearms. This ill-conceived action stripped some of the most vulnerable Americans of their right to keep and bear arms without due process.

The NRA immediately opposed the Obama administration’s efforts when the proposal was first announced in summer of 2015. The NRA has fought every step of the way to ensure that social security recipients are not stripped of their rights without due process of law.

Under the Congressional Review Act, Congress is allowed to dispose of any actions an outgoing administration initiates in its final six months. This rule was implemented during that time frame.  Today’s House vote (235 – 180) was the first step in reversing Obama’s unconstitutional gun grab. 

“We look forward to Senate action and President Trump signing this important legislation into law,” concluded Cox. 

The NRA thanks congressmen Sam Johnson (R-TX) and Ralph Abraham (R-LA) for their work on this, as well as Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) for their leadership. Identical legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley earlier this week.

h/t NRA Media

Snerk…

Posted on by February 1, 2017

In another upsetting the applecart move, the new administration is shaking up the Press Room order….

The old way of doing business in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House is now over — and the Associated Press is not happy about it.

The legendary wire service, founded in 1846, is usually the press secretary’s first pick at White House briefings.

“In the Trump administration, mainstream media is about to see its long-standing media monopoly broken up and they’re petrified.”

But under President Donald Trump’s new administration, White House press secretary Sean Spicer has so far not called on AP for the first question.

Full article and video HERE, at Fox News.

Apparently the AP is throwing a hissy fit, since Helen Thomas died, they’ve always gotten the first question.  Not anymore… The administration has also added four Skype seats, and one question yesterday was from a Providence, RI paper via Skype about sanctuary cities.

Apparently there is also a move afoot to actually move the press room out of the White House to a different location, and, horror of horrors, even allow bloggers to ask questions. Can you imagine that??? 🙂

In other news, water is still wet, the dems and the left are still melting down, and there is a new sheriff in town.

I’m popping more popcorn!

Are we approaching a showdown???

Posted on by January 31, 2017

A few posts you probably have already read, but bear with me…

We’re now going on almost 2 months since the election.

First BZ’s post, The insanity of the racist DNC chair candidates…

LL’s post, Identity politics: Who is the bigger victim…

Peter’s post, Know your enemy…

LawDog’s post, Mediations on Monsters…

The common thread, IMHO, is the absolute refusal of the left to acknowledge the fact that Trump won and their agenda (read their precious) is gone for at least four years. What they are doing is becoming louder and louder, pushier and pushier.

They knocked a man unconscious in Portland, then started the ‘Peace’ chant, until the Portland PD showed up, then started getting loud and aggressive again. But one thing I noted, was that those yelling the loudest were in the back of the crowd/had their faces covered.

I don’t think there is any question now that these people ARE being paid, and the money trail points to Soros via a number (50+?) of organizations. There are some indications the professional protesters are flying from location to location to whip up the crowds, in addition to ‘day protesters’ being bussed in, paid and given box lunches.

Freedom of speech (e.g. 1A) is all well and good, but what happens when they attack the wrong person/persons? What happens when a CCW carrier is threatened/sucker punched? What happens when one of those old men has had enough and goes after some of those protest leaders?

Supposedly ~200 were arrested in DC on FEDERAL riot charges, which carry significant fines and prison time with no plea bargaining. Has anyone heard what’s happening with those arraignments? I know I haven’t been able to find anything.

When so many diverse groups are yelling at the tops of their lungs for their particular pet program, it all turns into white noise, which is bad, because the individual groups look for ways to stand out and get the media.

What I’m afraid of is they ARE going to cross that proverbial line in the sand that is manned by a bunch of grumpy old men and women, veterans and rednecks from flyover country who aren’t going to take it anymore. I hope it doesn’t come to that, but if/when that happens, I do think there will be blood in the streets and a national paralysis at least for a little while…

I really didn’t want to do ‘interesting times’ again… sigh.