I have finally been pushed to the limit with this Hudson River landing of the US Airways Jet several weeks back. This story has not just taken on a life of it's own it's turning into legend and worse a bully pulpit for a bunch of grumbling pilots.
Before I go any further I have to qualify myself, In one of my past lives I was a military pilot, to be specific a combat helicopter pilot and after my tour in a certain South East Asian country of little note today I went on to the lofty position of instructor, transitioning new pilots into Hughes 500 Scout helicopters at Ft. Rucker, AL. Then after wearing out my welcome in the employ of Uncle Sam, by mutual consent with Honorable discharge in hand and a chest full of medals I embarked upon civilian life. I opened my own business, became successful and started buying fixed wing airplanes for business, I owned a Cessna 172 then a 182 and finally a 210. All were used for work, commuting from my base in Chicago and traveling around the mid west on business through which I managed to amass several thousand hours of flight time. I have close friends who all continued flying after the military, one becoming Chief Pilot for the Anaheim, CA police department, one who was a standards pilot for PHI (Petroleum Helicopters Inc) and an EMS pilot in Cleveland and one other who went on the graduate from Embry Riddle with heavy jet ratings, enough for my qualifications, I know real pilots from wannabes and wish they were's.
There is no doubt that the good pilot and crew had a great deal of luck on their side that fateful morning when a flock of geese decided to fly right into their path and managed to get sucked into the intakes of both engines, but, and here comes the big but, these are professional airline pilots and as such are some of the best trained, most capable individuals to ever strap a jet to their rear ends and take it for a ride. These guys are professionals, they train on an ongoing basis for emergencies of this exact nature and with the exception of a very few individuals these guys are the best at what they do. Don't kid yourselves for one second, this flight crew knew exactly what to do every step of the way. True, after landing and clearing the ship of their charges they more than likely went looking for clean underwear and a good stiff drink to celebrate the successful water landing they had just executed to perfection.
What annoys me to no end though is the whining by the good captain about good pilots turning away from flying because of the pay cuts being pushed by the airlines, what a crock. I openly admit that I never had a real love affair with flying and really only flew because it made my work more efficient, the military part kept me from being a second lieutenant leading a squad of ground pounding grunts in the jungle, that however, doesn't mean I was any less professional in my approach to flying, but brings me to my point. The vast majority of pilots fly because they love flying. I take that back, they don't just love flying they live, eat and sleep flying. Airline pilots in particular consider themselves the consummate professionals and take great pride in their skill. So, what is he saying, that the only pilots left are the guy's who can't do anything else, wrong, these aren't teachers they're PILOTS. I say he's irresponsible making the remarks he did because it's a slap in the face of pilots everywhere.
True, Airline pilots have always made a great living and true again, in the last few years the airline companies have cut pay in an attempt to stay competitive, but, I don't believe this has had any effect on the quality of pilots in the industry. Plain and simple, airline pilots fly because that's their vocation and for most their avocation. You don't have to be afraid of flying by the comments that have been made.
Thanks for reading,
"In keeping his heading by the stars, a pilot must remember that they move".
Charles Augustus Lindbergh
1902 - 1974
Don't forget to check out my other blog http://www.theindependentpost.com/ just click on the link and it will take you right there.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
If the Attorney General say's we're a Nation of coward's it must be true, or is he just another affirmative action race baiting bureaucrat from DC.
Before writing this blog tonight I read the AP article on the speech that our new Attorney General, Mr. Eric Holder gave to the Justice department employees on the eve of Black History Month, several times, trying to make some sense of what it is he said. I then went on the Justice Department site and requested a transcript of the speech in an effort to read the entire speech and maybe decipher the cryptic nature of what it is he was trying to say, but I was unable to get my request to send, so I will do my best after doing some quick research on Mr. Holder. I also, listened to several commentaries on both Fox and MSNBC and have come to the following conclusions.
Mr. Holder stuck stuck one foot in his big mouth and the other in his big fat ass at the same time, quite a feat even for career bureaucrat like the Attorney General. The fact is, Mr. Attorney General, that Americans are not cowardly at all, they do discuss racial issues, very frankly and with one and other. Americans are not afraid to discuss the inequities in the system as a result of our cowardly politicians who think that by giving everything to minority groups and punishing the majority (for the time being) that everything will be OK, when it is not. The truth Mr. Holder is that the system is very unfair, there is not and has not been a level playing field in the last forty years in regard to racial issues. If you have children, are a middle class white working for a living you are particularly in tune with the state of affairs in America when it comes to race.
So, to answer your statement, are we cowardly, the answer is no. Do most working middle class people in America feel the system is grossly unfair, yes they do. Would I be willing to discuss race in America with you and any other minority individual, intelligently, yes I would without hesitation. And one last thing Mr. Attorney General, your statements are prejudicial, racially divisive, inflammatory and give the impression that you are just another race baiting product of a quota system that has failed to deliver.
Thanks for reading,
"Prejudice is the child of ignorance"
William Hazlitt
1778 - 1830
Don't forget to check out my other blog www.theindependentpost.com just click on the link and it will take you right there.
Mr. Holder stuck stuck one foot in his big mouth and the other in his big fat ass at the same time, quite a feat even for career bureaucrat like the Attorney General. The fact is, Mr. Attorney General, that Americans are not cowardly at all, they do discuss racial issues, very frankly and with one and other. Americans are not afraid to discuss the inequities in the system as a result of our cowardly politicians who think that by giving everything to minority groups and punishing the majority (for the time being) that everything will be OK, when it is not. The truth Mr. Holder is that the system is very unfair, there is not and has not been a level playing field in the last forty years in regard to racial issues. If you have children, are a middle class white working for a living you are particularly in tune with the state of affairs in America when it comes to race.
So, to answer your statement, are we cowardly, the answer is no. Do most working middle class people in America feel the system is grossly unfair, yes they do. Would I be willing to discuss race in America with you and any other minority individual, intelligently, yes I would without hesitation. And one last thing Mr. Attorney General, your statements are prejudicial, racially divisive, inflammatory and give the impression that you are just another race baiting product of a quota system that has failed to deliver.
Thanks for reading,
"Prejudice is the child of ignorance"
William Hazlitt
1778 - 1830
Don't forget to check out my other blog www.theindependentpost.com just click on the link and it will take you right there.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The passing of the 'bailout' or should it be called the passing of a good old fashiond porking.
The bailout was passed today without a great deal of fanfare and other than the smiling faces of Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and a hand full of their colleagues from both houses who stand to benefit personally when the money trickles down to their respective states and districts, there isn't a great deal to be overly optimistic about, if you belong to the middle class, that is.
Since these purveyors of happy thoughts are overtaken with glee I thought I would put down on paper a few of the great benefits we stand to have flow our way in the coming years. There is a $400 tax credit for individuals earning less than $75,000 per year, but wait there's more, there's an $800 tax credit for married couples making less than $150,000, though any tax break is nice this paltry sum is about as useless, as my late father would say, as tits on a boar and my wife reminded me that her relatives on the farm in Canada use the equally appropriate term tits on a bull. The reality of this is, an $800 tax credit will have little or no impact on the lives of a couple making up to $150,000, and I will go as far as saying it will not induce them to start spending in a way that will stimulate this economy and that statement also, applies to the single person.
There's 65 billion for different types of infrastructure which will fall into the hands of states and their favored contractors and it's my best guess won't create many more jobs than are already there and really isn't that much in the grand scheme of things. There's another 87 billion for Medicaid which will lead us from massive fraud to fraud on a gargantuan scale and I can only guess little better care for the poor than already exists, more new and sophisticated scams will more than likely be the net result. An additional 39 billion for extension of unemployment benefits with a whopping additional $25 per week on your unemployment check, that's just great, that won't even cover bus fare to the unemployment office to look for one of those new jobs the President is touting, your chances are better using the twenty five bucks on lottery tickets at the corner convenience store. And 25 billion to help extend health benefits for the unemployed for nine months.
There is a one time $250 payment for senior citizens, disabled veterans and disabled people living on social security, again not very likely to even show a spike in general spending and surely not an upsurge in the economy. Buyers of new cars will be able to deduct the sales tax on the purchase regardless of whether they itemize deductions, it's a nice thought but I can't see this inducing people to run right out and buy a new car, that's not the way buying cars works, sales tax and subsequent deductions have nothing to do with it, you buy it because you need a new car or because you have developed an obsession for that make and model, then go home thinking about how badly you have been screwed and wondering if you should try to take that newly acquired piece of rolling stock back for a refund but the thought of embarrassment usually keeps your feet planted like tree roots, one more thing, new car buyers usually blend the tax's, dealer prep and delivery charges into the payment so it's the payment itself that car buyers are concerned about.
There is an $8,000 tax credit for first time buyers and couples with income under $150,000, quick run out and finance that new home with one of those 'reborn' mortgage brokers that screwed everyone they could get their hands on last year. There is a $500 increase in Federal Pell Grants, but it is my best guess that you have to show a degree of hardship to qualify and that leaves out most middle class Americans. Financial companies that get government money will have stricter rules governing hiring 'cheap' foreign labor. And the 'Buy American' clause has had it's teeth pulled and it's testicles removed.
And one last thing, in the new politispeak introduced by 44, he says the 212 billion in tax cuts and 575 billion in spending will Create Or Save 3.5 million jobs. Initially he was going to CREATE 2 million, then it went to 3 million and in several speeches he went to 4 million NEW jobs, there was never any mention about SAVING jobs. So, what about all of those NEW jobs we've heard about over and over again, that are going to fire up this economy and make it lift off like an economic atlas rocket? And what's going to happen to all of those out of work millions of people if jobs are only saved?
All in all I'm really excited about the bailout, because this will leave me with blogging material for the foreseeable future.
Thanks for reading,
"There are people so addicted to exaggeration they can't tell the truth without lying"
Josh Billings - Pen name of humorist Henry Wheeler Shaw
1818 - 1885
Don't forget to check out my other blog http://www.theindependentpost.com/ just click on the link and it will take you right there.
Since these purveyors of happy thoughts are overtaken with glee I thought I would put down on paper a few of the great benefits we stand to have flow our way in the coming years. There is a $400 tax credit for individuals earning less than $75,000 per year, but wait there's more, there's an $800 tax credit for married couples making less than $150,000, though any tax break is nice this paltry sum is about as useless, as my late father would say, as tits on a boar and my wife reminded me that her relatives on the farm in Canada use the equally appropriate term tits on a bull. The reality of this is, an $800 tax credit will have little or no impact on the lives of a couple making up to $150,000, and I will go as far as saying it will not induce them to start spending in a way that will stimulate this economy and that statement also, applies to the single person.
There's 65 billion for different types of infrastructure which will fall into the hands of states and their favored contractors and it's my best guess won't create many more jobs than are already there and really isn't that much in the grand scheme of things. There's another 87 billion for Medicaid which will lead us from massive fraud to fraud on a gargantuan scale and I can only guess little better care for the poor than already exists, more new and sophisticated scams will more than likely be the net result. An additional 39 billion for extension of unemployment benefits with a whopping additional $25 per week on your unemployment check, that's just great, that won't even cover bus fare to the unemployment office to look for one of those new jobs the President is touting, your chances are better using the twenty five bucks on lottery tickets at the corner convenience store. And 25 billion to help extend health benefits for the unemployed for nine months.
There is a one time $250 payment for senior citizens, disabled veterans and disabled people living on social security, again not very likely to even show a spike in general spending and surely not an upsurge in the economy. Buyers of new cars will be able to deduct the sales tax on the purchase regardless of whether they itemize deductions, it's a nice thought but I can't see this inducing people to run right out and buy a new car, that's not the way buying cars works, sales tax and subsequent deductions have nothing to do with it, you buy it because you need a new car or because you have developed an obsession for that make and model, then go home thinking about how badly you have been screwed and wondering if you should try to take that newly acquired piece of rolling stock back for a refund but the thought of embarrassment usually keeps your feet planted like tree roots, one more thing, new car buyers usually blend the tax's, dealer prep and delivery charges into the payment so it's the payment itself that car buyers are concerned about.
There is an $8,000 tax credit for first time buyers and couples with income under $150,000, quick run out and finance that new home with one of those 'reborn' mortgage brokers that screwed everyone they could get their hands on last year. There is a $500 increase in Federal Pell Grants, but it is my best guess that you have to show a degree of hardship to qualify and that leaves out most middle class Americans. Financial companies that get government money will have stricter rules governing hiring 'cheap' foreign labor. And the 'Buy American' clause has had it's teeth pulled and it's testicles removed.
And one last thing, in the new politispeak introduced by 44, he says the 212 billion in tax cuts and 575 billion in spending will Create Or Save 3.5 million jobs. Initially he was going to CREATE 2 million, then it went to 3 million and in several speeches he went to 4 million NEW jobs, there was never any mention about SAVING jobs. So, what about all of those NEW jobs we've heard about over and over again, that are going to fire up this economy and make it lift off like an economic atlas rocket? And what's going to happen to all of those out of work millions of people if jobs are only saved?
All in all I'm really excited about the bailout, because this will leave me with blogging material for the foreseeable future.
Thanks for reading,
"There are people so addicted to exaggeration they can't tell the truth without lying"
Josh Billings - Pen name of humorist Henry Wheeler Shaw
1818 - 1885
Don't forget to check out my other blog http://www.theindependentpost.com/ just click on the link and it will take you right there.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Well, the time has finally come to flush the American people down the drain, Harry Reid has announced an agreement on the bailout plan.
Well, there you have it, it only took a couple of weeks for both sides of the house to get their stories straight, their act's together, bring things up to par and get back to the business as usual business of sticking it to the American taxpayers. In case you may have forgotten or been brainwashed during the recent elections, this bailout we are about to have dropped on us is being necessitated by the actions and inaction's, dishonesty, greed and stupidity of very people who are now telling us that they are working in the best interest of all Americans, that for the uninformed are our Congress, Senate, Presidents past, present and other lesser Bureaucrats and appointees.
I wrote to the President today and asked if they are considering doing anything that will actually benefit the American people by genuinely stimulating the economy, like calling a moratorium on mortgage payments for a three to five month period or better yet, pay off all residential mortgages for everyone in America, now that would be a stimulus program. It would create jobs, create a spending environment, create more jobs, allow for the increasing of taxes to begin paying down the debt, re-ignite the housing market and auto industries, bring some very needed manufacturing jobs back to the United States and help to reduce the trade deficit as well as get the banking system back on it's feet. However in this scenario, not just the rich but all Americans would win for a change and we all know the government can't allow that can't happen.
So, I guess we'll have to settle for the government teaming up with private big money interests and the middle class will end up getting what they usually do, screwed.
Thanks for reading,
"Today it is not big business that we have to fear. It is big government".
Wendell Phillips
1811 - 1884
Don't forget to check out my other blog http://www.theindependentpost.com/ just click on the link and it will take you right there.
I wrote to the President today and asked if they are considering doing anything that will actually benefit the American people by genuinely stimulating the economy, like calling a moratorium on mortgage payments for a three to five month period or better yet, pay off all residential mortgages for everyone in America, now that would be a stimulus program. It would create jobs, create a spending environment, create more jobs, allow for the increasing of taxes to begin paying down the debt, re-ignite the housing market and auto industries, bring some very needed manufacturing jobs back to the United States and help to reduce the trade deficit as well as get the banking system back on it's feet. However in this scenario, not just the rich but all Americans would win for a change and we all know the government can't allow that can't happen.
So, I guess we'll have to settle for the government teaming up with private big money interests and the middle class will end up getting what they usually do, screwed.
Thanks for reading,
"Today it is not big business that we have to fear. It is big government".
Wendell Phillips
1811 - 1884
Don't forget to check out my other blog http://www.theindependentpost.com/ just click on the link and it will take you right there.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Things always run better when the government has a hand in it, there's never corruption, ineptness or cronyism.
Two point five trillion dollars and counting for the bailout, I wonder who will be the first trillionaire in America when this is finished? Well what appears to have started out as an eight hundred billion dollar bailout has just jumped more than two times, that's just great, this means that my grand children's, grand children's, grandchildren will be working to pay this mess off. And the way things are going history will be rewritten, probably by some Socialist script writer at the Disney Company, and this particular event will be erased and at the very least re-scripted so they won't even have a clue what the taxes they are paying are all about.
The good Secretary says that this is going to be an effort by the government and private investors with complete oversight by the government and completely transparent. There has never been anything like this in the history of our country and from that remark I am more skeptical than ever that the outcome will not be in the favor of the American taxpayer. I'm no money guy, but my limited intellect tells me that two point five trillion is going to be awfully difficult to track as it hits the street and pours into the banks, states and municipalities around this great country we have all called the United States of America, to the republic for which it stands, up until now that is.
It is my lowly opinion, although it is the opinion of a paying taxpayer, that enough time has not been spent in preparation for an undertaking of this magnitude. The amount that was sprung on the American public today is just one more indication that transparency is not going to be the order of the day, and if anything clouding issues will be. I wonder how I can get my hands on some of that cash?
Thanks for reading,
There are men so incorrigibly lazy that no inducement that you can offer will tempt them to work; so eaten by vice that virtue is abhorrent to them, and so inveterably dishonest that theft is to them a master passion.
William Booth Founder Salvation Army
1829 - 1912
Don't forget to check out my other blog www.theindependentpost.com just click on the link and it will take you right there.
The good Secretary says that this is going to be an effort by the government and private investors with complete oversight by the government and completely transparent. There has never been anything like this in the history of our country and from that remark I am more skeptical than ever that the outcome will not be in the favor of the American taxpayer. I'm no money guy, but my limited intellect tells me that two point five trillion is going to be awfully difficult to track as it hits the street and pours into the banks, states and municipalities around this great country we have all called the United States of America, to the republic for which it stands, up until now that is.
It is my lowly opinion, although it is the opinion of a paying taxpayer, that enough time has not been spent in preparation for an undertaking of this magnitude. The amount that was sprung on the American public today is just one more indication that transparency is not going to be the order of the day, and if anything clouding issues will be. I wonder how I can get my hands on some of that cash?
Thanks for reading,
There are men so incorrigibly lazy that no inducement that you can offer will tempt them to work; so eaten by vice that virtue is abhorrent to them, and so inveterably dishonest that theft is to them a master passion.
William Booth Founder Salvation Army
1829 - 1912
Don't forget to check out my other blog www.theindependentpost.com just click on the link and it will take you right there.
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