JoeWeber

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Content

    8,270

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    168

  • Feedback

    0%

  • Country

    United States

Posts posted by JoeWeber

  1. 3 hours ago, riggerrob said:

    Start by building the main building BETWEEN the landing area and the runway(s).
     

    Separate the general public from operations areas and give them bleachers and snack bars over looking the boarding area and landing area, separated by a fence that allows them to blow kisses to their tandem friends. Install a souvenir shop beside the snack bar. Install the vertical wind tunnel beside the souvenir shop. Maybe even add a bouncy castle for their kids.

    Give manifest plenty of windows that allow them to monitor dressing areas, boarding areas, runways and landing areas. Allow manifestos to listen to the most important airplane radio traffic.

    Put the packing hangar and the loft at the far end from the parking lot. Class rooms and hanging harnesses beside or above the packing hangar. 
    Add an airplane maintenance hangar on the very far end. The public know little about airplane maintenance and want to know less. The worst of the public freak out when they see a mechanic - with a screwdriver - within a mile of an airplane.

    A lot of excellent suggestions, several of which we've incorporated years ago. Separating the spectators from the packing, instruction, up-jumper congregation/camping areas and giving them a nice place to watch is huge. In the beginning up-jumpers thought it wrong to do so, based on history I guess, but when stuff is no longer missing and kids and pets aren't running around being a pain it seems smart. Putting maintenance away in a hangar is really important. For a while we had a nifty play area in the spectator area with slides and crawl throughs etc. but then one day a mom came in, asked for me, and told me that a certain something on it could get me sued. I immediately shut it down and it was gone the next day.

  3. 3 hours ago, BIGUN said:

    You said, "Right.  The odds are low but they are there.  (Of course, that's true of flu as well; it could mutate and cause a lot more deaths.)  Again, best approach - hand washing, flu shot, stay home when you are sick." ~Post 11 of the covid thread.

    Even the WHO didn't declare it a pandemic until March 11th which at that time was 24k deaths - a number much lower than the annual flu deaths. Before we completely derail the EV thread - We all learned quite a bit and I hope that future generations won't pause. 

    Who cares if we derail a thread, you need to get over that: this ain't the army. Besides, if EV's caused Covid and now another bird flu inquiring minds want to know.

  4. 3 hours ago, Coreece said:

    It's not that.  I just thought I asked a pretty simple question, but you let your imagination run away with it and provide all sorts of colorful imagery.  (Not complaining BTW, I can appreciate it even if I don't agree with some of it.)

    I'll work on my framing of rhetorical questions in the future. . .

     

    Reduction would imply a still functioning breast, but that's not what I was talking about.  It's all beside the point anyway and I'll save my thoughts for the proper thread.  (you're welcome)

     

    I agree it's unbelievable, but the parts about the twerking/sex offenders were based on true stories and inspired by Bill's comments about the sizable phalli of color.

    Damn, so I google it and twerking attacks really are a thing. https://abc7news.com/twerking-dancing-caught-on-camera-sexual-abuse/1079390/

    But just imagine you're the dude and a cop walks in and the ladies start screaming bloody murder. 

  5. 1 hour ago, wolfriverjoe said:

    Nope. There were a fair amount of people who saw it for what it was.
    We saw what was happening in China, in Italy, in lots of places...
    And then heard Trumpty Dumpty pretend it was 'just like the flu' so that the economy wouldn't suffer.
    Once I saw reports of the Chinese welding doors to apartment buildings shut to enforce the quarantine, I knew it was going to be a big deal.

    Except 'we' didn't.

    Lots of people died. Lots more suffered severe, long term consequences.

    That was a Royal we.

    • Like 1

  6. · Edited by JoeWeber

    1 hour ago, Phil1111 said:

    A little thread derailment here. But it begs the question.Given that trump and FOX were the leaders in such disinformation.

    Why isn't Biden's lead in the polls larger?

    Because as vile and odious as Trump is, Biden is older and Kamala is blacker and a female. Voting for Trump, or just not voting, is a no brainer.

    • Like 1

  7. 3 hours ago, gowlerk said:

    Many of the Sandy Hook victims should be celebrating their high school graduation this year.

    Ken, that was a cruel reminder and you know it. Thank you. So many milestones and memories those parents were robbed of that can never be made right by thoughts and prayers that expired many years ago.

  8. 1 hour ago, Coreece said:

    No, that would obviously give us just cause to forcibly remove him from the situation.  

    Let's say that because of destigmatization he got help before it was too late and never physically offended anyone.  He still fantasies about all that stuff, but he never acts on it.  Maybe he heard you talking about how you don't care what's in the heads of people like him, or that it even matters.  So one day he gets drunk at a community mixer and tells everyone what's really on his mind.  Then a couple weeks later you see him by himself at that splash pad gawking at the little girl and doing that creepy lip thing.

    Still don't care?

    Hopefully you'd at least politely ask him to leave, and he'd probably snap out of it and go to therapy.

    But what if he didn't.  What if he gets all pissed off and says "Damn it, I knew this distigmatization stuff was a crock.  They lied and now everyone hates me.  Well f-you, f-all of you.   I was born this way, I'm not hurting anyone.  I'm coming for your children!"

    A couple weeks later you see him at the local library dressed like a clown whore teaching kids how to twerk.

    Not sure if they still think background checks are unnecessary for these events, but apparently a few sex offenders slipped through.  Wouldn't matter for this guy tho, it's all in his head.

    Still don't care? Doesn't matter?

     

    It totally matters which is why it is futile to have secular authority in charge. Thought crime is as much a crime as a crime, the Tenth Commandment teaches us. In the meantime I'll go back to coveting my neighbors Burgundy collection.

  10. 22 hours ago, lippy said:

    As I see it, the only options this cycle are Trump or Biden.  Anybody else is a spoiler...that's just the realities of the 2-party system and it's not going to change anytime soon.  I'm not Biden's biggest fan, but he's done a lot of good, he seems like a decent human, and most of all he's not Trump.  The disaster of a 2nd (or as he himself has floated, potentially a 3rd) Trump term is hard to overstate.  

    I like BIGUN...I always find his posts here insightful and I remember having a great fucking time sharing a beer with him at the Dead Man Boogie at Skydive Temple back in 2009, and I think we did a few jumps at SDD back in the day...that is to say, I respect the guy and I'm not gonna shit on his plan to vote for neither.  That said, IMO a vote for neither is a vote for Trump, since the outcome is pre-decided as one of them winning by a razor-thin margin.  

    Or we can have 4(+) more years of tax cuts for billionaires, rolling back infrastructure progress and promises of a new infrastructure plan/ACA replacement 'In 2 weeks'...

    I’ve only met BIGUN here, and what I get is a sincere, genuine, honest and decent person. The kind of guy you would want to have a few beers with. That doesn’t mean I automatically buy what he’s selling. In particular his views on abortion are not moderate. As I agree with you that no vote is a vote for Trump, and at a time it could hardly matter more, I consider that as far from moderate as it gets. So being a moderate is what he’s currently selling and I’m not buying it. Those positions are to the right of moderate in my opinion.

  13. 3 hours ago, brenthutch said:

    I’ll trade a patch of snow and ice for record food production, but that’s just me. I would rather feed the hungry than gaze upon an alpine iceberg.

    I can hardly believe that you, an aficionado of the numinous, could say such an insensitive thing. Surely you didn't. Surely you have picture books showing all of the beautiful flowers in an alpine tundra and young foxes bounding playfully in every room at home and at the food bank where you toil away feeding the poor.

  14. · Edited by JoeWeber

    1 hour ago, BIGUN said:

    I can tell you this, Ken 34 Felony convictions - if it were you and I - would we be looking at the slap on the wrist you presented? No one is above the law - AND the higher up the more you should be an example. 5 years in the pokey for each count. I rest my case. 

    I've had enough of people in power not leading by example - so let's make them an example. 

    The case against Trump was clearly super solid if you followed it. There was not a scintilla of doubt that he committed election fraud. So instead of indulging in wishful thinking, just take a look at what your political party has become. Mike Johnson is emblematic of the self serving corruption and rot in the Republican party as are the congressional toady's who lined up dutifully to claim Biden did it and that it's a travesty of justice. Republicans all. 

    • Like 1

  15. 48 minutes ago, billvon said:

    That's like saying "compared to finding a cure for cancer, sending money to cancer cure research seems futile to me."  Perhaps.

    But we have cancer cures now.  CAR-T cell therapy is not just a treatment for non-solid-tumor cancer, but a cure.  And they got there because they were funded to get there.

    Hardly. votevets wants to put veterans in the Congress, Senate, and our state houses. Currently of 82 veterans serving in the House 62 are republicans. Of the 17 serving in the Senate 11 are republicans. Hows that been working for you? 

  16. · Edited by JoeWeber

    57 minutes ago, billvon said:

    If it's futile, why would generals waste their time on a useless exercise?  Why would anyone?

    Compared to Mattis or Kelly getting out front and loud now when it's conceivable Trump will be elected, sending $250 to vote vets seems futile to me. The pleasure I get from watching Jasmine jab those asshats in congress is worth every bit of $250. The problem is that when those senior military officers who could make a difference, who served Trump and have direct knowledge, won't scream crap if they just bit a turd it seems especially futile. Tell you what, if BIGUN changes his registration to Democrat I'll send the $250 to votevets.

  17. 8 hours ago, brenthutch said:

    Probably not a good bet

    Mercedes-Benz BEV sales in Q1'2024 (YOY change):

    • EQB: 671 (down 67%)

    Maybe the market for big ass freight trucks is less determined. So where you been? At the Biden/Harris show in Philly?

  18. 1 hour ago, Phil1111 said:

    Too funny. Like trump's base listens to criticism. Hell the Pope himself criticized trump and it had no effect. The more times he's indicted the more his base sends him kisses and cash.

    Military votes. It's possible some of those folks might listen to reason from a respected officer, just like a local MAGA veteran might listen to a respected veteran who said enough's enough and changed parties to show it's real.

  19. · Edited by JoeWeber

    2 hours ago, RonD1120 said:

    According to this poll the majority reached age 18 from 1974 to 1983. What was influencing your decision making processes at that time?

    The Golden Years for becoming 18 were between 1974 and 1983, why wouldn't someone choose to be born between 1966 and 1975? If I'd have thought about it I would've. Now I'm screwed.

  20. 4 hours ago, BIGUN said:

    You can reach General Mattis at: (202) 863-7200

    Frankly, and until I see a crap load of evidence to the contrary, I'm guessing that like a lot of our serving and discharged military he's kind of okay with a little bit of liberal head knocking, especially if it will knock a little Jesus into us. They don't fear an emerging autocracy as the citizenry might; they're fighters not snowflakes. Also, until the freshly minted autocrat has enough time to consolidate power in the military to start the purging they feel somewhat safe knowing that the autocrat knows that only the military has coup power. So how's about you call General Mattis as retired military and pitch the bitch? 

  21. 2 minutes ago, billvon said:

    You could.  Or perhaps contribute to their cause so they can include more than 10% of all vets.

    Another excellent idea. Maybe I'll ask Jasmin Crockett to give back the $250 I gave her and send it to votevets. Can't give money to everyone, you know, especially when it's futile. Better, how about if the Generals who were right there in the middle of the dumpster fire disaster and have credibility in spades and diamonds, from their hearts, use their stars and clubs to help keep the country from collapsing into autocracy? Or do you think that's futile, too?

  22. 1 hour ago, billvon said:

    In that case get in touch with these people:

    https://votevets.org/

    What an excellent idea! Should I speak to each one individually so it seems like a bigger group than less than 10% of all vets? Another problem, IMO. In any case none of that amounts to a drip off an ice cream cone compared to what Mattis, Milley, Kelly etc.. could do to peel conservative votes away from Trump, I think, if they would just get out there hard and personal now and on any news outlet that would have them and I suspect all would. 

  23. 1 minute ago, BIGUN said:

    You can reach General Mattis at: (202) 863-7200

    That's trite and I know you get the point. Maybe you and others think just writing in Howdy Doody, anything but a vote for Biden, is protest enough against a potential Trump presidency but I think not. And if I had the bully pulpit those military people who served Trump have I'd be on it. But I'm not that guy. They are and they could cost Trump votes if they chose.

  24. 2 hours ago, BIGUN said:

    Mattis, along with all other living former secretaries of defense, ten in total, published a Washington Post op-ed piece in January 2021 telling President Trump not to involve the military in determining the outcome of the 2020 elections.

     

    Well that's heroic. Have they all been on R&R since? Seriously, no one should be impressed. They should be non stop in the news condemning the dirt bag NOW! Oh, wait, can we read all about it in their books?

  25. 27 minutes ago, winsor said:

    Both candidates are truly awful people, and it speaks badly of us that only the scum rises to the top.

    Trump is certainly awful, thats incontestable. But could you please explain why Biden is truly awful and on the same scale, as you imply, as Trump?

    • Like 1