(November 26, 2025 at 12:06 am)Thumpalumpacus Wrote:

(November 25, 2025 at 11:41 pm)Fireball Wrote: I remember in Boot Camp that some poor sap in our midst was nominated to be the company's representative to the base commander. Company Commander called him, "The Commander's ratman". I'm certainly glad that I didn't get that task. But I wouldn't have been a "Yes Man", either. I worked for a major aerospace company (actually many, in the southern California area) and was told a bit of information about a process that had not been reported to the gov, that had serious issues. It had to do with the strength of a material when it aged. Stress analysts were all over that, as the delivered product depended on their analyses, and it didn't actually meet specs. It was an issue that the company (and quite likely the customers) had known about for decades, given the nothingburger that it turned into.

When I reported for duty at Carswell AFB I had the good fortune to draw an excellent supervisor (SSgt Lucas MacDonald, you better believe I remember his name). Sgt Mac was a great trainer. He knew I'd follow his orders, but at the same time tolerated me questioning them provided we weren't on a fireground or exercise, operational things.

I think all good leaders should encourage not only that inquisitiveness but the spine that guys like you or those engineers from Morton-Thiokol or McDonnell-Douglas who tried to stop disasters. "Sir, you're about to step on your dick" is often decent advice. A good leader is able to hear it.

There was a scene in The Bounty where Captain Bligh ordered the sails to be close-reefed (reducing the sail area to stabilize the ship, usually because of high winds).  One of the crew question the order, and Bligh barked, 'Don't argue with me!' As soon as the sails were close-reefed, the wind died almost to nothing. Bligh smiled and said, 'I seem to have made a misjudgment.'

As important as it is for a leader to hear advice, it's also a mark of leadership to be able to admit mistakes, and o be seen to do so.

Boru

DOJ orders prison inspectors to stop considering LGBTQ safety standards

https://www.npr.org/2025/12/04/nx-s1-563...tq-inmates

(December 5, 2025 at 9:28 am)Paraselene Wrote: DOJ orders prison inspectors to stop considering LGBTQ safety standards

https://www.npr.org/2025/12/04/nx-s1-563...tq-inmates

Prisoner: "That shiv was only to kill a faggot, honest."
CO: "Okay, as you were."

Miami elects first woman mayor, ends GOP’s 28-year control of City Hall

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/09...l-00683878

Small victories.

Sen. Cruz threatens another shutdown unless restrictions on military flights are approved

https://apnews.com/article/aviation-safe...b0478be023

(December 15, 2025 at 5:54 pm)Paraselene Wrote: Sen. Cruz threatens another shutdown unless restrictions on military flights are approved

https://apnews.com/article/aviation-safe...b0478be023

It pains me to say it, but Cruz is spot-on. The new defense bill would undo the deconfliction protocols put in place after January's disaster. Whether it should merit another shut-down, hard to say.

Don't feel pained, Thump. That's the way it's supposed to work. You stand behind who you feel is right - regardless of party.

It's been so long since government actually operated that way that it feels weird when it does, huh?

(December 16, 2025 at 1:35 am)AFTT47 Wrote: Don't feel pained, Thump. That's the way it's supposed to work. You stand behind who you feel is right - regardless of party.

It's been so long since government actually operated that way that it feels weird when it does, huh?

I just hope that someone not so much a cunt might understand why flying heloes crosswise through a landing pattern maybe is not a good idea. Because flightpaths do not care about ideology.

As it is, I'm stuck with saying "yes, Cruz is right", which does admittedly pain me.

(December 16, 2025 at 1:45 am)Thumpalumpacus Wrote:

(December 16, 2025 at 1:35 am)AFTT47 Wrote: Don't feel pained, Thump. That's the way it's supposed to work. You stand behind who you feel is right - regardless of party.

It's been so long since government actually operated that way that it feels weird when it does, huh?

I just hope that someone not so much a cunt might understand why flying heloes crosswise through a landing pattern maybe is not a good idea. Because flightpaths do not care about ideology.

As it is, I'm stuck with saying "yes, Cruz is right", which does admittedly pain me.

That's something we need to get past.

It was the Repugnicans that started this shit by refusing to work with President Obama because their feeble minds were unable to come to terms with a brown person at the head of government. We have followed tit for tat because we had to. But it's got to end at some point.

The traffic pattern in DC is a perfect example. As a former private pilot, I was shocked to learn of it. It absolutely boggles my mind that anyone in the FAA would consider it even remotely safe for a helicopter to duck underneath a jet on final with almost zero margin for error. That is not remotely a partisan issue. But here we are in an environment so toxic that we must must grimace and hold our nose when finding ourselves in agreement with the other side.