Into The Light: Chuck Yeager

Many people have talked or written about the man over the years, but I’m not sure anyone has truly done him justice. What can you say about a man who enlisted in 1941 and rose to be one of the top fighter pilots in the war? Who then became a test pilot and at the age of 24 became the first pilot to break the sound barrier in level flight? Who did so despite being busted up from a riding accident, and with the help of a friend hid both the injury and the section of broom handle he used to close the door to the plane since his injury wouldn’t let him do it otherwise? Who then rose through various commands in the Air Force and was prepared to bomb Russia in planes who’s pilots knew they could reach the targets, but not have enough fuel to get home and so would have to “walk home” from behind enemy lines? A man who’s work helped create the technology that launched the space age?

I had the honor of meeting him at the premier of “The Right Stuff” movie in Atlanta. Somewhere in the small aerospace library I donated to Purdue is the booklet from that premier, that had his and other autographs. I was especially glad to meet him, and to get that autograph. I had the feeling he was both amused and bemused at the attention being paid to him; and, I also suspected from that meeting and his writings that he was not entirely pleased with how he was portrayed in the book. After all, all he had done was to do the job no matter what, which was his basic ethos. Why make such a big deal about it? It was clear that he was uncomfortable being a celebrity, and struck me as a man who would be much more comfortable talking anything else than his celebrity over a beer.

His contempt for a later generation of pilots that would not/were not willing to fly to a target knowing they could not get back was clearly stated in his works. I can only imagine what he thought of the spoiled, coddled, and ignorant generation today. His ethos, that mirrored many of his generation and background, was that you worked hard and did the job no matter what and to the best of your ability; and, that you played hard as well. You took care of your people, and if regulations got in the way, well, if not broken they could be bent for the right reasons. After all, if you (and they) couldn’t have fun, what was the point?

If you have only read “The Right Stuff” or seen the movie, you are only getting a fraction of the man. Read his own works, and mourn not that such a man has passed at the ripe age of 97. Instead, give thanks that he and others like him lived as without them we would not have the aerospace world of today.

Godspeed Charles Elwood Yeager

Ad Astra

Happy Thanksgiving

Today is a day to enjoy the bounty of nature, and to give thanks for that bounty. It is a day to enjoy family and friends, to make bonds, to reaffirm the bonds of family and friendship, and to give thanks for them. It is a day to reflect that together we can face hardship and more, and come out better than before if we stand and work together.

Take this day and do just that. Give thanks to God for all in our lives, not just the good; but, also that which is not but will in the end strengthen our Faith and our faith and solidarity with one another. If it means violating a mandate, well, too bad as the reasons of this day are far more important . Do not let tyrants petty or large dictate this day. Ignore them, and do take the time to count your blessings large and small, and to reach out to those family and friends and encourage them to do the same.

For me, I truly do give thanks this day. I still have a job, and while far from ideal it is work that is allowing me to get back on my feet in more ways than one. I give thanks that I have the opportunity now to seek new employment and to better myself on several levels in the process. I still have at least a few readers, and the opportunity to grow back to where things once stood, and hopefully do some good for others in the process. I give thanks that I have made mistakes, for I have learned from them and grown in positive ways in the process. I have food for my table, some food tucked away, and plan to enjoy it in the days and weeks ahead. I give thanks for the nightmare of the last six or so years in regards my health, for the worst never happened and while I have some issues and challenges to face with the arthritis and other related things, I also have the chance to fight it and get back to the life I want in physical terms. In fact, I give thanks that my last doctor visit showed that I am otherwise in good shape and we have plans to make that even better.

I even give thanks for what is happening politically. I hate some of what I fear is to come; but, this time has seen masks removed so that I can see who and what people really are and make better judgements and decisions in all of life. I give thanks that there are those who despite cancel culture, are willing to stand up for what they believe, and to fight regardless of affiliation for free and fair elections that are crucial to our Republic. I am thankful that yet others have made their intentions and desires clear, as again it allows us to make decisions based on facts and reality, not emotions. Most of all I give thanks for there is still time to deal with the issues if we keep the bonds of family and friendship and stand together. And, I give thanks for all those who stand for individual liberty and freedom.

I am glad for the friends in my life, for the acquaintances, and the chance to make new friends. I am glad for the chance to mingle and enjoy the company of others, and to have the chance to do more of that. I am glad and thankful for the many opportunities in my life, and that I have the chance to work harder at seizing more of them large and small.

Though it is hard, I give thanks for some horrible things in my past. I give thanks that in them I can see where Grace has saved me from worse paths and worse outcomes. I need look no further to see where that hand has guided me and kept me from far worse harm. Doing so reminds me to have Faith, and to trust that guidance and protection. While I have no faith in the institutions of Man, I give thanks that this year has helped me grow stronger in my Faith, for it remains.

I give thanks that I have a place to hang my hats, even though it not be my own. I give thanks for those in my life, and if I particularly give thanks for those that are a positive influence in my life, I trust that God will understand. I even give thanks for my stalker cat, for he reminds me that all deserve love and kindness (even if I occasionally wish for a restraining order on him). I give thanks for the chance to learn and grow, for we all too often choose not to do either. I give thanks for the lessons of life, for while they are often hard and unpleasant, they can not only help us learn and grow, they often require us to do so no matter what we may want.

I give thanks that God has not given me all I’ve wanted, as what has been given has been so much better. It is a reminder not to ask God for something in particular, but to put what is needed in my life in God’s hands.

I give thanks for knowing that I am not alone, and that individuals can still make a huge difference for the good in life.

So today, give true Thanks. Count the blessings large and small. Set aside fear, anger, uncertainty, and all the negatives in life and concentrate on the good. Concentrate of the love and fellowship with have with family, friends, and others we may not even yet know.

Eat, drink, and enjoy the bounty of food and fellowship that we have. Don’t let anyone or anything keep you from supping that greater meal this day.

Hold Fast; Prepare

Yes, these are desperate and challenging times. Arbitrary and ineffective lockdowns continue not based on science, but on power. See this article for a bit of the gaslighting in play. The class divide between those so-called elites who have yet to experience financial or other hardship versus the average worker who has been out of work or “underemployed” because of said lockdown is growing ever steeper. The rightful resentment of the average worker and small business owner with the “elites” who don’t follow their own rules is growing to a level that should frighten those elites. However, they lack the self-awareness, and consider all those not in their “class” as less than human, to realize what is brewing.

What is brewing is, in part, being seen in civil disobedience. Read this from Nina Bookout, and this from Instapundit. There is more, much more, if you go look.

The election is a travesty, and now the Quislings come out trying to cut deals with the new administration to avoid retribution and retain their positions in power. The legal challenges to the fraud in the election are being met with illegal attempts to go after those pursuing legal challenges for Trump with threats and threats of legal action to block any inquiry. The media is all in on pushing a false narrative to drag Biden into office, and stop objections or efforts to ensure the election was free and fair. Do NOT let them snow you. Meantime, efforts of The Great Silencing continues, with big tech going after anyone even remotely associated with those they want to silence. They are trying hard to take away the soap box and the ballot box, as this quote exemplifies, without thinking about what box that leaves those that don’t agree with them

Stand Fast!

The legal challenges and efforts to true the vote must go through. If we fail to do so, there will be no real elections down the road. Yes, it is that serious. So, don’t let the media and others try to force you to give up. Do not give up, and do not give up your support of those doing the right and legal things to ensure every legal vote is counted accurately.

Support them, and prepare for a rough ride. The next few months will not be easy, but do not despair. Instead, prepare. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Stock up on food and other supplies: remember that floods and other disasters hit farms and other food production even before the lockdowns threw further spanners into the food chain. Prices are already up, so freeze, can, and otherwise stock up what you can. Buy ammo (if you can find it) and guns, as the elites have already told you as plainly as they can that you are on your own. Then, hope that enough people that have sworn oaths to the Constitution are willing to keep them.

Ignore the media and their efforts. Move to other platforms and hosting providers to counter big tech. Give your business as much as possible to small and local businesses. Do not let the massive propaganda effort get to you. Also, make a note of the Quislings in the event we ever do have a free and fair election again. Start working against them now in any way you can.

Most of all, aim to misbehave. Civil disobedience to illegal and/or un-Constitutional orders is both legal and right. Find ways large and small to give those trying to seize powers not granted to them in the Constitution the middle finger. Turn the tables on them: flood the snitch lines with reports on them (at every level) when they don’t follow their rules.

Again, most of all: Stand Fast! All is not yet lost, if we fight the good fight. If the so-called leaders on the Republican side won’t find a spine and reproductive organs, there are better than 70 million voters out there who do have them. Stand up, and Stand Fast.

It is only lost if we give up.

Some music to get the blood going:

and I disagree with part of the lyrics: there can be victory

Free Ice Cream Non-Shortage

Some things came up at the day job that have me going in early, so there is a free ice cream shortage here. That said, there really isn’t a free ice cream shortage overall. Allow me to recommend you go to:

Instapundit (who does very good space/science coverage too)

Sarah A. Hoyt (who has been ahead of the curve on many election issues because she’s lived this before and recognizes the tactics. For a large “white” male, she gets around).

Legal Insurrection

Powerline

Also, here is the mask study that is in the news, along with an interesting study looking at children and COVID-19. Remember, even on the rare occasion a real science reporter does the article/broadcast, read the paper/study being discussed yourself to get the straight scoop. Meantime, The Great Silencing marches on as predicted with yet more efforts on the financial front (expect more of this type thing to come) and more efforts on the hosting and promotion front. Note that the first is NOT the software, but a hosting provider. No need to abandon the software.

Enjoy your day!

Preparedness Pays: It’s So Time Consuming — NOT

Today’s is a bit short, but the other major excuse given to avoid taking steps to be prepared is the whine “It takes so much time!” Not really.

As with cost, you can spend as much time on it as you can money. How much time (and money) is up to you, but the way to avoid having to spend large amounts of time is to incorporate preparedness into your everyday life.

Preparedness is in many respects a compounding investment. Five minutes here and there adds up. Those who have to spend hours are usually those who are responding to an impending disaster of some sort for which they are unprepared. The little things that you can do in everyday life keep any such expenditure of time down to the minimum possible.

Some of it are things you should be doing already: basic house, vehicle, and other maintenance; computer backups; rotating the stock in your pantry as you buy new; and, improvements to your home, vehicle, equipment, etc. It’s putting expiration dates into the calendar on your phone; reminders to change batteries in smoke and other detectors; and other notes as needed. This also helps if you are, like me, a touch absentminded…

Again, it’s all in the planning and making preparedness a part of your lifestyle, not something you only do when absolutely needed. If you are creatively lazy, and make the most of the things you already have (such as smart phones and other devices), you don’t have to spend huge amounts of time on being prepared.

The Series In Order:

Preparedness Pays

Preparedness Pays: Diet Versus Lifestyle

Preparedness Pays: For Crying Out Loud!!!

Preparedness Pays: Expensive? No.

Preparedness Pays: It’s So Time Consuming — NOT

Preparedness Pays: Expensive? No.

Far too many people (and companies) put off preparedness on the basis that it costs too much. That idea is 180 degrees off from the way you should be looking at it.

Instead, you need to be asking yourself what is the cost of not being prepared? An acquaintance has joked in the past that it depends on how fancy a casket you want for your funeral. As harsh as it may seem, the cost of not being prepared could literally be your life, and the lives of those you love.

What is the cost to you or your business if your computer/computer systems go down and you have not made backups? What is the cost to you if the power/water/etc. go out, even for a few hours, when you have to get to work and to miss work is to miss a day’s pay or even lose your job? What is the cost to you if you are stranded on the side of the road for hours, and don’t get a choice of where your vehicle is repaired? If a large disaster hits, what is the cost of not being prepared?

The costs of not being prepared are far higher than the cost of being prepared, especially if you make it a part of your day-to-day life. If you wait until a disaster looms, you will find critical items in short supply, or gone, and prices going up. That is truly expensive, and sadly what most people mistakenly use as the cost of preparedness.

Keep in mind that being prepared not only protects from the large disasters, but the small as well. If an ice storm or other event takes out the power, you may be mildly inconvenienced, but can press on with life. Water goes out, the same. Can’t get out of the house or neighborhood? You already have plenty of food, water, and the necessities of life on hand. Being prepared has a price, but it is also an investment that can pay huge dividends with events large and small.

Building up stocks of the things you use day-to-day can be done gradually. You don’t have to go out and buy everything at once. Buy one or two stock items each paycheck, and take full advantage of two-for-one and other offers. It literally is as simple as buying two bars of soap instead of one.

Also, know when to buy larger items. For example, heaters usually can be obtained for a better price in the summer. A generator (one of the few big-ticket items on my list) seem to have better prices in the spring/summer, and when the weather is good. Winter and/or when storms are coming the prices tend to go up. While not an item on my list, it is far cheaper to buy a snowblower in the summer, though your best bet is the spring when people who panic-bought one the fall before often sell them off for ridiculously low prices. If you buy used via local want ads and such, you can get new/almost new items for a fraction of the cost of the actual new item.

The real key to keeping the expense down is to plan. Your plan should analyze what you need for each of the three major categories (people, places, things), then look into the details for each of the three sub-categories for each. If you have a family, make it a family affair. In all your planning, don’t forget any pets!

One part of planning is to look at the longest possible duration of a major disaster. For example, if you live in an area subject to hurricanes, look at the longest time people in the area have gone without power, water, etc. Add a few days to it to be safe, and you have a good idea of the reserves you will need.

Personally, I plan for a month. If that’s too much for you, plan for two weeks. If that’s still too much, plan for one. Once you start building up your supplies, you can then expand them as finances and space permit. Yes, I do have plans for longer than a month, but those are advanced plans for later discussion. For most day-to-day preparation, I use a month.

Once you have a plan, work up a priorities list for what you need. This allows you to save up what you need for any major expenses, and to start buying those extra things each week so you can build up your reserves for critical items and then move to the nice-to-haves. You do want to have those nice-to-haves: survival is great; but, surviving disaster large and small with comfort and ease is the way to go.

Keep in mind that many items may be able to do double or even triple duty. For example, if you camp, you already have an emergency shelter that can be set up inside or outside. Backpacks can be kept ready as bug-out bags. Camp stoves provide a means to heat water and cook food. Your grill also is a back-up stove at need. You just need to be sure to have sufficient fuel to meet the needs of the situation. Depending on your hobbies and where you live, you may already have a good bit of preparation already in place.

To wrap up for today: the cost of not preparing is high, potentially astronomically high; the cost of waiting until the last minute is also extremely high and likely to leave you without critical items; and, the cost of preparing and buying things along can be done within almost any budget. Do not let cost keep you from getting started.

The Rest Of The Series In Order:

Preparedness Pays

Preparedness Pays: Diet Versus Lifestyle

Preparedness Pays: For Crying Out Loud!!!

Preparedness Pays: Expensive? No.

Preparedness Pays: It’s So Time Consuming — NOT

Preparedness Pays: For Crying Out Loud!!!

Here we go again. The Panic Porn Media (aka the MSM) is at it again, and once again, people are rushing to the store and buying up all the toilet paper they can get. With all that was bought in the previous panic, people should have a two-year (or more) supply at this point.

There are several problems with such panic buying. First, you are more than likely to be hoarding the wrong thing for the situation. Second, you are wasting your money, which impacts your financial preparedness. Third, you are taking up space that could be better used for stocking up on the things you really are going to need. There are more, but those get the ball rolling.

If you practice practical preparedness, you probably already have a weeks/months supply on hand. Buying ahead allows you to take full advantage of sales or buying bulk to get the best price (on TP or any other item). It means you don’t have to race to the store to get more in response to storms or panic porn.

This really is in a chapter further into the book, but part of what you should be doing is taking a look at the things you use every day, evaluating how much of each you go through in a week/month, and deciding what time period works best for you and buying enough to get through that. Then, as you use those items, you buy more and rotate your stock like grocery stores used to do (sadly, many don’t and if you’re buying yoghurt from the back of the shelf, check the expiration date then and not later).

The time period you choose may vary by product. For example, I am working on building up my supply of supplements and OTC meds so that I have a year’s worth on hand. That way, if there is a natural disaster, a financial disaster, or other impact, I’m good no matter what. Coffee, I have at least three months on hand at any given time. Again, more on this later.

Meantime, if you are one of those panicking, please stop. If you truly are using that much TP, call your doctor.

This does remind me of the time a friend of mine looked at joining a preparedness group. There are good reasons to do so, be it a group of friends you create or one that already exists. Again, more on this later. One of the groups he talked to sort of went off as he didn’t have the amounts of ammunition in different calibers that they wanted. My friend let them rant a bit, then responded (as close as I can remember):

‘You’re right. I don’t have all the ammunition and weapons that you do. However, I’ve got a year’s supply of toilet paper, and more than enough weapons and ammunition to deal with anyone who tries to take that and the other supplies I’ve got. And you’re going to have an awful hard time wiping your asses with those bullets.’

A few days later they called up, said he had a point, and would he like to join them? He declined. Wisely IMO.

Practical preparedness: saving you money, time, and being able to ride out the idiocy of lemmings without stress or discomfort.

The Rest Of The Series In Order:

Preparedness Pays

Preparedness Pays: Diet Versus Lifestyle

Preparedness Pays: For Crying Out Loud!!!

Preparedness Pays: Expensive? No.

Preparedness Pays: It’s So Time Consuming — NOT

Real Experts On Red Flags

Larry Correia is on a roll. If you missed them, check out The 2020 Election: Fuckery Is Afoot and the follow-up post The 2020 Election: The More Fuckery Update. Note, these do not deal with cases of fraud; rather, the statistical “red flags” that can indicate to an auditor or other investigator that there is indeed something to be investigated. Not that this will stop Twitter, FB and others from trying to ban it, but it is an important point.

His latest post is I Asked One Simple Question To People Who Work With Fraud. Larry laid out his case, based on his experience as an accountant, and asked the following:

One quick question, only answer if you have worked in auditing/stats/fraud/investigations/or other data analysis type fields. In your entire career, have you ever seen a case that threw up this many flags that DID NOT turn out to be fraud?

He is posting their replies. The media can deny that there is any fraud, claim there is not a large amount, scream, cry, and hold their breath until they turn blue; but, the real experts who deal with fraud speak out on the subject of red flags and their experiences — and the results are devastating to the media lie. If you haven’t already done so, read all three in order.