Venandi

If ever there was a maritime force multiplier it would be submarines. Even the possibility (meaning threat) of a submarine presence changes the dynamic for any aggressor, it demands ASW assets be deployed and instills a healthy dose of caution.

Yup, maintaining a class 1 medical standard for an ATPL requires a medical every 6 months for all pilots over the age of 40. So including the RCAF "space shuttle" medical with full cyclo exam every year that's 3 full blown individual medicals every year for most of my career. I'm not sure how that's relevant to the issue at hand though. When I read stuff like this the trust you speak of begins to fray. On the plus side, I'm very grateful that Doctors aren't flying passengers (or my grandkids) from A to B and applying the magnificent threat assessment capabilities (on full display above) to the safety and effectiveness of a flight in bad weather. I'd rather walk, or swim or crawl... your mileage may vary of course and individual threat assessments based on individual risk factors qualifies as a different animal than imposing mandated actions across the board and then justifying those mandates with known falsehoods. That's a polite way of saying lying about it...

One of those two entities doesn't support, condone, apologize for, or participate in terrorist activities. Were it multiple choice, the "non terrorist organization" would be my guess...

Agree on all counts and that's been my experience as well, both here and abroad. The only difference being I wasn't shocked by it... likely because it was (part of) the reason for me being there in the first place and I was young enough (at first contact) to simply accept it as the norm. Perhaps the shock aspect is a function of exposure (or the lack of it) prior to being slapped in the face with the reality of something you didn't expect to see. Across the board I think it's that lack of previous exposure which makes tribalism so polarizing and difficult to diffuse. People who've "been there and done that" usually come across as less tribal and less narrative driven because they've come to recognize the dangers of both.

You beat me to it, I was (all too slowly) composing a similar question for similar reasons. And who can forget the lady who got arrested for admitting to praying silently... in her head on a public street outside an abortion clinic. The ability to negotiate and/or reach any meaningful compromise with this sort of ideology is futile IMO. For political agnostics with no party affiliation (preference might be a better word)... the people who want to vote for good ideas, tolerance and peaceful coexistence, the only option is to vote this madness out and crush it. It's like sacrificing a limb to gangrene, you may regret the need to do it, the price of doing it and the fallout from doing it but if left to fester, the disease itself will only get worse. From what I've seen on this forum alone, there's about as much negotiating latitude with gangrene as there is with the average progressive liberal.

I see that as the answer to a grade 13 biology question and the fact it took so long to ask/answer as surprising (and bit scary). There were other day one (high school level) vaccine questions that now have a "what did you think was going to happen?" flavour to them as well. A partial list would include things like: - Isn't the vaccine induced spike protein (itself) toxic? - Won't the presence of LNPs cause systemic distribution? Isn't that what they do? What makes you believe they won't (or can't) penetrate the BBB? - If so, is the distribution of a vaccine induced toxic protein to other areas of the body problematic? - isn't mass vaccination during the course of an ongoing pandemic an invitation to variants? - If so, shouldn't we concentrate our efforts on those most at risk? - And if those variants cause a specific vaccine to become ineffective, will there still be an immune response (inflammation) from exposure? How much inflammation? Where? What about people who already have inflammatory type diseases or are susceptible to allergic reactions (insect venom for instance)? None of those questions are the domain of white, Christian, MAGA Republicans with tinfoil hats. They were being asked (mostly) by people with just enough knowledge to consider the possibilities without knowing if those possibilities were valid / reasonable. Having them ridiculed by people who were unable to even discuss the implications at basic level was bad enough, watching them deflect current studies, existing / potential downstream injuries, and do it with weak sister assertions like "I've moved on," is nothing short of bizarre. As if having you move on is remotely relevant somehow. Frankly, if anyone has moved on it's people like me who were lucky enough (actually suspicious enough) to avoid the madness and convince immediate family members to do the same. The only cost to me was the end of 4 generations of military service. And when compared to the harm others have suffered (in terms of health and finances), that's hardly worth the mention. The fact that it was mandated, and that those (or at least some of those) negatively effected got jabbed against their will and better judgement is unforgivable, but shrugging it off as "the cost of keeping me safe" somehow seems worse.... maybe because it reeks of "we didn't learn a damn thing from all this." I just didn't expect to see that sentiment loom so large in Canada, or be defended so strongly (and irrationally) in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary.

... which also means you fail to consider any and all unintended consequences. Until the inevitable.... The amount of damage that can be done in a short period of time is breathtaking and the time required to fix self inflicted problems often excessive. Also, consider that "fix time" doesn't even start until after you're ready to acknowledge the problem. Defunding and vilifying police is probably the most obvious example. Police officers are quicker to train than doctors and less expensive to train than Air Force Pilots but it's still an experience based occupation, it has inertia, there are lead times, recruiting, retention and tempo need to be kept in balance and if you trash the equation the fix is measured in TIME. If you think this is off topic, I'd submit that it's actually analogous across the board, I'm only using it as an example because it's so damn obvious. If you watch the video, consider the extended time frame at play, project police attrition into the future, and are capable of asking simple WTF questions like "WTF did you think was going to happen?" then there's an inescapable lesson in all this. I know it's a US story but the point remains, If you decide right now (like today) that this is a problem you want fixed, and you also resolve to fix it today, it will take about five years to undo the damage done. And the deflection of resources that are required to "out train" the current deficits will temporarily make the existing problems even worse and serve as an opportunity for those who created the problem to say, "see told ya, you're actually making what we broke even worse." If you break something and then deliberately overload the individual broken pieces, how does the inevitable failure of individual components come as a surprise? My usual response to most of the questions posed (or implicit) in most of the threads here is "what did you think was going to happen?"

It's unfortunate, but as demographic concentrations increase I think these events will also increase. Not only that, ...until it reaches a point where even the staunchest of woke liberals come to admit that there's a fundamental clash in values that needs to be addressed head on. By the time they're actually willing to do that though I fear the goodwill and tolerance required to fix it will be badly strained and exceedingly difficult to resuscitate. We'll know the time has arrived when woke liberals begin screaming what most of us are saying right now, being opposed to cultural and religiously inspired violence isn't an expression of Islamaphobia, it's an appeal against violence and an invitation to address the cultural differences that lead to it... and to do it earlier rather than later and decisively rather than with a weak sister effort that pretends it will go away of its own accord. IMO, it won't.... If/when it happens, if the tide actually turns, I predict we'll see progressives abandon their cherished values and turn decidedly nasty... and IMO, they have the capacity to be far nastier than the the conservative folks they currently delight in accusing of such things.

How's the time machine repairs going?

Questions like this scare me: And it's because answers like this go ignored, deflected and unheeded: I would suggest that woke liberal values are fundamentally incompatible with Islamic values. I would also suggest that in general, fundamental Islam is also incompatible with secular democracy, but that's something that can be made to work if all parties muster the tolerance and goodwill currently NOT on display in Canada... I doubt that can happen now. At a dirt level threshold of consideration, I predict the tolerance and goodwill I refer to will never even manifest itself on this forum... or even this thread. You would have to believe that there is some magical transformation that occurs on touchdown in Canada, something in the wind or water that modifies human nature. You can even stand this on its head... most long duration expats working in wealthy Islamic states live in expat communities / compounds / apartments. If you've never been there the why of it is worthy of some reflection IMO. Do they do it by choice? Are they compelled to do it? Here's the thing though, it doesn't matter what the answer is, what matters is that it is what it is... and what really matters is that it actually matters to the people living it.

And I don't like the fact that Halifax was mentioned, it's nothing more than a weak attempt to show the city in a bad light. We could encapsulate the entire thing in a headline that said: Group of people with penises attack two people with vaginas in a medium sized city. Absurdity is easier than I imagined, even I can do it. I could even take it a step further and agree that it's not even news worthy.... since they admit to having provoked the people with penises they got exactly what they asked for, right? In future, as the Muslim population in Canada increases and their interactions with the letter people become more common, I expect the woke dance will become increasingly frantic and liberal heads will start exploding all across the country.

Labour camps in the north would probably be more efficient, that way the poor and homeless could pay their own way and contribute productively. Perfect opportunity to rape the environment and release a bunch of methane thereby increasing emissions at the same time. And just think of the money we'd be saving in mental health expenditures. Why not throw anti-vaxxers in there too, maybe rich people will come to need a source of un-vaxxed blood for medical purposes, it could be harvested as required with far less logistical effort. And here I was concerned that PP might not be conservative enough...

Missed the point entirely I see... BTW, was there a BOGO sale at the LOL store? It seems that like minded folks on this forum all shop there? I simply reflected the previous post back with as few changes as possible. But since you brought it up, I think you left out a few things: It also tends to exalt race above the individual and tends to favour a centralized autocratic government willing to impose its will on others and do it in an arrogant / domineering manner. It includes regimentation and suppression of opposition, and usually includes deference to ruling elites.... ring any bells? LOL LOL LOL LOL

Pretty close to my take on things, I took the liberty of making a few editorial changes: Liberalism nowadays is authoritarian. Social Justice Warriors and ANTIFA are just other words for Fascism. One country, one religion (wokeness), one language. Core tenants of Fascism 1. Denying, rewriting and cancelling the past. 2. Accuse the other side to which you yourself are guilty of. 3. Incorporate the media into a trinity of government and weaponized security establishments. 4. If you can convince one portion of the population that they're better than another portion, you'll have them eating out of the palm of your hand.

No need, the litany of absurdities already stands on its own for all to see: Somehow this is national news If you reported the theft of a Canadian Flag (at the end of the driveway), complete with trail cam video of the person stealing it, would the police pursue it? Would it be national news? I think we all know the answer... A burn out on a special interest crosswalk is a hate crime, but cutting your fence and trespassing with an ATV is a nothing burger... it gets ignored, even if a blind monkey could follow the tracks back to the shed it's parked in.

Clearly... Yes, some grandparents are out of retirement and back to work to help pay for that. Other people are home schooling and/or forming home schooling cooperatives with retired teachers and provincial curriculum. Sarcastically characterizing their motivations for doing that as "dogma" only confirms it as a good option. It's a declaration of intent and it shows that there's no sense in even discussing this with you. But... what if that trend grows and more people vote with their feet, what if public school attendance drops below a sustainability threshold and becomes threatened as a result of it? If that happens I bet you'll be back here demanding draconian taxes on the very people you now suggest should (and do) pay their own way. You can even take this a step further and look at the exodus from places like California. Some previously thriving, safe and prosperous communities no longer qualify as such and people (businesses too) are leaving because of it. On the plus side, housing becomes cheaper, how about you go live there.... see I can do it too. Equating nonattendance with hatred is as weak as it is a foolish. If that's all you've got nothing I say will resonate with you and nothing I support on your behalf will ever be enough. That's why people are building fences and demanding to be left alone on their own side of it. That's not good BTW, forcing people to vote with their feet may actually come back to bite the "if you don't like it leave" crowd... especially if more people than you think decide to actually do it. I'm guessing some communities in California are (or soon will be) a bit alarmed by the exodus. I didn't bother to look up stats but my guess is that gated communities with private policing and private schools will soon become more attractive to people (dare I say like me) who never thought they would even consider it. So maybe congratulations are in order here... you worked hard to achieve that. What remains to be seen is whether or not you like the taste of your own recipe.

Not going to happen.... major tactical blunder. That level of arrogance only fuels resolve, it's exactly the attitude that spawns unapologetic opposition. It's something akin to rubbing smelly cheese in the faces of those who previously supported you and expecting that support to continue after you do it. Had you convinced your own "tribe" of that all would have been well. IMO, the very deal you previously had (with my blessings) will become the one you wish to have again. You'll ask for tolerance, goodwill, understanding and compassion. The very values that breathed life into your cause... the same ones you seek to deny those who assisted in your effort. This time, be assured that I won't be signing your petition. How does this qualify as a win? Do you honestly believe that snappy comebacks and quick retorts like "shuddup" increase the value of your stock?

No other tribe is forcing their s--- down my throat with a funnel, if/when they do it will be time for another cleanup crew. Easy eh? Might be more me's out there than you think, I sure hope so. France is on the verge of a hard right turn, I'm now up for that too and I fear the conservatives aren't going to be conservative enough. Woke has become a four letter word, and the purveyors of it are on the verge of political collapse. Hoping for that to come about is a major change of heart for me, it took a lot of effort to force that change and I still think it was a tactical blunder when all it took to avoid it was nothing. Yes, I can see that. In fact it explains my change of heart. In the absence of a common centre with reasonable parameters (key word being REASONABLE) only voting em down and sending em packing is likely to halt the current levels of stratospheric lunacy. It's a shame to see democracy weaponized and it didn't have to be that way either, but I see no other way to halt the madness. As an aside, I also recognize the down side of that and normally would call it a bad idea, it's why reasonable parameters, tolerance and goodwill are so important. When you see the absence of these values (as you do here) it causes people to fear the outcome of elections that go against them. That fear, in and of itself is bad for democracy IMO. It serves as an inducement to strife, lasting resentments and I would argue that it's relatively easy to avoid simply by returning tolerance and goodwill in like manner.

It would have been nice to hear those seeking tolerance and goodwill (freely given BTW) to have said that up front. It pretty much accounts for those feelings of betrayal and the new found desire to crush this underfoot. The tactical failure here is how easy avoiding that was, all that was needed was simply reflecting the same tolerance and goodwill expected of others. The amount of effort it took to undo the goodwill achieved is breathtaking. Not only won't I be signing that petition next time, I'll be voting to crush the very cause that spawned it.

Well sharpen your pencil and connect the dots below: As to feeling fooled, I think betrayed might be a better word. I feel foolish for ever having supported this, and when I say all that was required was nothing, this is what I mean: Ya know what, I would even have settled for a little of this: But none was forthcoming...

That's exactly how I felt about it too, no more. Sooooo very tired of it all, no more negotiations, no more tolerance, no more good will... I want this crushed. Talk about self inflicted harm, all they had to do was nothing. Exactly what I thought I was supporting. There will be no fooling me next time... the answer will be hell no.

In the absence of a time machine what's even more comical is how little it matters...

The time machine approach to peace in ME is just as effective as eating dates off the calendar is in fighting world hunger. - If you talk to a Palestinian shop keeper over a glass of sweet tea you will quickly discover that he knows exactly what happened to him, his father and his grandfather... Geo political / cultural topography dissertations utterly fail to resonate with anyone who still has the keys to the farm he grew up on in his pocket. He will not be offering you tea. - Another fail point is suggesting that Hamas will ever negotiate political objectives or address any of his legitimate grievances in a peaceful or constructive manner... he already knows they won't. No tea and you get to stay in the jeep... otherwise I won't get tea either. Most aspects of the solution are complicated and difficult, this part... not so much.

That's the problem with Hamas. Take religious ideology out of the equation, replace it with political objectives and negotiations become a possibility. Trying to negotiate with Hamas is like trying to take the temperature in Nevada without a thermometer. Worth watching:

I admit to being surprised as well. It was 15,555 to 14,965, a difference of less than 2% in support and Liberals held the lead until the 189th poll (of 192 available). I'm certainly no analyst, a win is a win and I suppose it could be said that a loss in this riding raises the possibility of liberals losing each and every seat in the country (good news IMO) but still, the margin (to me) is surprising. Maybe not a surprise to people who follow these events more closely that I do, but I would have bet the farm on there being far less liberal support than what there clearly turned out to be. It makes me wonder how much is enough and what it takes for people to be utterly horrified and viscerally repelled by the actions of their government. It's actually scary to consider the idea that almost 41% of voters in that riding wanted more of JT, more of the current Liberal government and more of the destructive policies they champion.