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Topics - Flyin6

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2
General Maintenance, How to/DIY projects / Which headlights?
« on: March 23, 2024, 06:22:38 PM »
I continue to put together the list of what I feel needs to be changed on my new Ram dually.

It does not have LED headlamps like my 22 Ram Laramie did.

I do not like these much lower powered yellow headlights as much.

So I think I may be on the warpath to upgrade.

Here's what I am considering:

1. Possibly upgrading to the factory LED headlight bezel assembly. I do not know just how involved that might be...

2. Tossing in some bright LED bulbs and pi$$ off everyone I meet,, but keep myself happy.

3. Toss in some brighter Halogen bulbs. Two things here. I like the yellow color of the Halogen much better than the bluish LED bulbs. Secondly, I have two-220 Amp alternators, so when I am not making money generating power for the local grid, I can certainly run a whole bunch more light bulb.

Thoughts?

3
We just took delivery of a new 2024 Palamino 3210 slide in truck camper!

4
Build Threads / Don's 2024 Ram 3500
« on: March 11, 2024, 07:06:29 PM »
I began ownership of a new Ram dually truck today.

I had to trade in my 2022 Ram 3500 because that single rear-wheel 6.5' bed vehicle was unable to carry the truck camper I had just purchased.

I learned a hard lesson here. The single-wheel Ram had a payload of 4027 listed clearly in the driver's door jamb. I. however looked up some statistics online at the Ram truck site and made the camper purchase using the Ram website numbers.

The website numbers turned out to be very enthusiastic and the actual truck number was nearly 1,000 lbs. less

I found this out Friday night and so Saturday morning I had a candid discussion with my wife. I explained my mistake and showed her the numbers. I only had 16 pounds available weight to carry black and gray water, food, drinks, clothes, dishes, knives and forks, a toolbox, chairs, a table, and on and on. I explained that we had two choices. First would be to just do it illegally and hope for the best. The downside of that is should I be involved in an accident and anyone did the math, I would be shown to be negligent, perhaps grossly negligent. That would preclude the insurance from paying and could open me up to litigation if anyone else suffered harm. But it was a choice.

Door number two was to just can the truck and go buy a dually. I did not want to do that.

We decided for several reasons to bite the bullet and purchase the Dually and here it is in all it's newness and splendor.

5
Now that we have purchased our Palamino HS-2902 camper I am busy prepping the truck to carry it.

I think I have a good start already. First of all the camper is designed for a 6.5'-8.0' bed length. Its center of gravity is some 5" forward of the rear axle.

Secondly, the truck is a Ram 3500 with a GVWR of 11,800, about a thousand more than some other Ram 3500s.

I have already replaced the factory shocks with Fox HD units. The truck is leveled with 2.5" Carli suspension front springs and a 1" rear block. I also opted to relocate the lower control arms to keep a good caster number, and in fact, I am aligned to factory specs in the middle of the adjustment range. (Great job Carli Suspension!)

I opted for 37" tires because I did want some limited off-road capability, but on the downside, it raised the truck nearly 2". To offset that, I purchased Icon wheels that space the tires 2+ inches further out into the wheel well. Whereas before the tires sat well inside the fenders, now the tires are nearly flush with the fender. That gave the vehicle a more planted and stable feel, which will help with carrying a lot of weight way up high.

Finally, I have already installed a set of 5,000lb capacity airbags for when I carry trailers which are weighing more than 6K-7K. I do not want any squat, and with the airbags, I don't get any.

Next up, I purchased a set of Torque-Lift, Stable-load units. These clever mechanical devices can be quickly turned to engage the primary spring pack with the overload spring. This alone would vastly reduce squat, but reading about the subject, I can see many others reporting great results. I have used these before on my 2500 Duramax truck and indeed they made my truck corner nearly flat on these windy Kentucky roads.

One of the other huge benefits of these devices is that they reduce body roll. Going around a corner with a ton and a half perched at windshield level can get spicy, but devices such as this will really tame the ride.

Coming right up, but not quite yet, I plan to install a 1 1/2" rear sway bar. I think with all that going on, I will have the camper/truck handling as good as it possibly could.

The set on the Chevy were made of mild steel and rusted and corrouded. This time they offer Stainless steel units and I ordered those.

6
Firearms / 6-shooter holster
« on: March 07, 2024, 09:33:10 AM »
I am still looking for a good holster for my coming S&W 629 acquisition.

I found this guy who builds them one by one.

The thing is he is in India and sells off of Ebay. He has great ratings, and the prices are good enough to just "take a shot" on one. (pardon the pun)

I haven't ordered one yet because I am uncertain about the measurement. Frankly, I am darned happy that I have waited. I thought I would just order my belt size and be done with it. I wear size 38 trousers and cinch up the belt when I get leaner during the summer.

Reading The recommendations, it states that I need to measure outside my trousers on an angle down from my hip because of the cut of the holster belt. Using a tape measure, I am coming up with a 45" for a length.

I am almost afraid to order a gun belt with a length 7" more than my belt size.

Anyone ever order a gun belt like this before?

When I set up my belt kit in Baghdad it came with a super stiff belt. To that I affixed a holster, extra magazine pouches, and a couple of grenade pouches along with a pouch for a radio. But I never wore it. We set up three kits in Blackwater. Since I was technically assigned to the Ambassador's protection detail, we were expected to do walking detail, vehicle born operations, and flight operations. Of course with my being a pilot, I really only flew and was not trained in ground protective detail operations other than to know where to shoot and where to land.

OK, long story, but now that I plan to do walkabouts with the shiny new .44 in that holster, I want to get the right one

Oh, and in Germany, flying the border, when there was one, I carried a S&W 629 under my shoulder. I found it tucked in there perfectly and I could still fly like I just stole the aircraft.

Need some advice here...

7
D.O.T. / Quotes
« on: March 02, 2024, 08:14:32 AM »
"Everything is habit-forming, so make sure what you do is what you want to be doing."

- Wilt Chamberlain

8
Message from the Owner / 30 million views!
« on: March 01, 2024, 08:27:06 AM »
I'm not sure if we are doing much good here or have wasted an enormous amount of time, but we just passed the 30,000,000 views mark! ;-)

Is congratulations in order? Or perhaps a reprimand for wasting so much time?

Dunno...

But I can point to Matt's word of the day that has for years given us a godly and biblical start to our day, seen nearly 100,000 times!

I can point to fellowship all over this place.

I can point out friendships that have developed.

And I can point to us being made aware of folks in need of prayer. Some of those are still on my prayer list, and likely yours too.

I can point to a small collection of Daves.

And if I could, I would point out and share the many personal messages I have gotten over the years from people who have been encouraged by what goes on here.

Yea, perhaps neither a congratulations nor a reprimand, but instead, "Thank you Father for bringing these men to this place. Watch over and bless and protect them in their busy lives, in the name of Jesus, Amen."

9
Everything Trailer, Camper, or RV related / Don's 2024 Palomino 2902
« on: February 29, 2024, 12:59:23 PM »
I pulled the trigger and purchased one of the first 2024 Palomino slide-in truck Camper.

We purchased a Back Pack max series HS 2902 unit which features a slide for additional interior space.

10
Adventure / 2025 Alaska trip
« on: February 28, 2024, 09:47:44 PM »
After speaking briefly with Shawn aka former Colorado hippy about this, I am announcing the 2025 Real-Man adventure trip.

Kat and I do this every year, Colorado last year, Wyoming this year, and Alaska next. Looking ahead, we are thinking about Newfoundland in 2026.

A lot of this is only in the design phase but the general concept is as follows:

We would meet in the US at a designated point and drive northward, probably along the Alcan highway until reaching Alaska. The route is yet to be set and may change somewhat.

We would navigate throughout the interior of the state up toward Fairbanks, then north all the way to the Arctic Ocean. After taking a dip in the frigid waters we would turn the thing around, back to Fairbanks, then down to Anchorage, then further south to Juneau. From there we would ride a ferry for a couple of days down to Seattle or possibly Vancouver. That would complete the trip for the most part, however I would continue on a drive all the way to Kentucky.

Since most of the land along the way is state or government land, we would camp alongside lakes or streams or wherever we wanted every night. I will be sporting a truck bed camper and will stay/eat/bathe in it. We will make a ton of stops along the way to visit cool places to explore and eat and do whatever. The trip would take from three to six weeks depending on how much of the route you'd drive, possibly a bit longer.

I am posting this at this time to give everyone a heads-up and plenty of lead time to plan. This trip will be epic, and one of those "trips of a lifetime." Having a small convoy of vehicles and hardy travelers would add to the enjoyment of everyone. Plan on epic views, long days in the saddle, evening campfires with plenty of stories and great meals. We hope to make new friends, view the breathtaking scenery of Canada and Alaska, and create memories for a lifetime. No joke, this is really going to be something!

I will post more as time progresses; however, I am looking at departing sometime around the first of July from our initial meet-up point somewhere near our northern border.

To be completely safe set aside a month. Everyone will be responsible for their transportation, food, fees, whatever. There will be no fee collected from Real-Man, that part is free. Once I start to get a list of interested folks firmed up, I may ask some folks to bring a larger toolbox, a couple extra recovery straps, while someone else has a larger cooktop. We will all share a lot of the things we may need so that not everyone needs to bring everything.

I look forward to discussing the idea openly. Like usual, I will listen to everyone's ideas, then toss all that out the window and do what I want to do! ;-)

Or maybe not...

11
Message from the Owner / Renewal fees, your call
« on: February 28, 2024, 11:58:27 AM »
Gentlemen.
Last year I discussed the cost of this site going forward.
We get charged annually for being hosted by A Small Orange.

This year the cost to Renew is $963 + $33 or $996

You all get to decide if the site continues. Anyone who feels led to donate to keep us alive may do so using the donation tab or Venmo or PayPal. I will collect funds like I have in the past. If we make it to the $996, then Real Man continues. If we fail to reach the minimum threshold, then I will simply return the money you donated and at some point, afterward, A small Orange will simply turn off the site.

So, there it is. And this is really sort of a test. You see I have been praying during these 100 days of prayer for the Lord to use this place for his work, and if this site was not about furthering the kingdom of heaven in some way, God would destroy it.

I am interested to see if we really are serving Heaven or just ourselves. I feel that we try to do a good thing here, but I could be wrong. We will soon find out.

Blessings,

Don



12
Humor, Good Stuff, and Red Neck Practices! / Military humor for the day
« on: February 26, 2024, 12:08:24 PM »
Yep, so true.

13
Everything Trailer, Camper, or RV related / What about a truck camper?
« on: February 25, 2024, 10:12:00 AM »
I owned one back in the 1980's and it was crude at best, but I restored it and used it some mounted on a Ford F250 of mine.

Now I think I want another one.

Looking at our more adventuresome travel as of late, and the prospect of having to sleep in a rooftop tent for more than 30 consecutive days, well...

Kat and I are now doing four or more trips a year. And oddly enough, I am ripening right along. Now, I can climb up and down ladders but I can't ever remember wanting to seek to be miserable. Sort of reminds me of my (many) Armee days when I lived with near-zero support. Yea, well, I didn't like it then and I still don't.

We are doing the Zion National Park trip in a bit more than a month in a Jeep, that's handled. But, for the Wyoming/Montana trip in the summer, well that is a long one. It would be so much nicer in some sort of backpack truck camper perched on my Ram 3500.

I started thinking about this because next year we are driving to the Arctic Ocean. Up the Alcan spending a lot of time in the Canada, then back down the coast of AK, onto a ferry to Seattle, then probably just ship the truck home from there. Anyway, I was going to buy a truck camper for that one. Either that or put a V8 into the Gladiator and install a more substantial backpack camper on it.

I think the smartest thing to do is to keep the Jeep in a roof tent configuration and buy a truck camper

Let the discussion begin:

18
D.O.T. / As the storm clouds gather...
« on: February 16, 2024, 10:06:28 AM »
We are for certain staring down the gun barrel of WW3

In my lifetime which spans Vietnam to the present, I have never seen a worse setup, aside from the Cuban Missile Crisis for a global war. If that Cuban blockade thing had matured, then the US and the USSR would have been showered with nukes. Back then we had many times the number of Soviet warheads, and theirs were neither reliable nor accurate. Ours were much better. We would have been hurt badly but would have survived. Most of Europe, China, Japan, Australia, and Africa would have only suffered the effects of radiation.

Now however we are looking at time and resource consuming conventional conflicts all over the planet. My guess is that one of these adventures, be it the foolish move of the Philippine government, or a lull in the Ukraine, followed by a move by Russia on Estonia, of something in our hemisphere, the setup is all there.

And our military continues to staff at something around 70% strength while we redeploy our money to give college educations to millions of foreign invaders who are turning our cities into crime-ridden homeless centers.

One democratic administration did all this.

Global war...Is this the trigger?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/lawmakers-move-to-let-us-ally-claim-china-s-artificial-islands/ar-BB1ikDXA?ocid=msedgntp&pc=ASTS&cvid=f660c7f1a8ec4a2f83878a3501313b17&ei=28

19
What are you building? / Drawer system for overlanding
« on: February 15, 2024, 06:26:12 PM »
I continue to refine the capability of my Jeep Gladiator (JT)

Last year we did two big trips in the thing to five different locations and a dozen states.

It was the first time we used the thing to both travel in and live out of. The system we used was to mount a frig in the back seat, then stack things in plastic tubs. It was a workable system but akward at best. You would have to essentially, download the back end of the truck to get to sleeping bags in one packer, a stove in another, and camp tools in yet another.

It worked, but that was the last time I planned to do it that way. This time I will build two large multi-level and compartment drawers. I will mount the Lithium atop the flat deck and give myself a slide out kitchen setup. I will keep clothing and sleeping gear in the back seat area and everything else in those drawers or in one or two bins which will be atop the new platform.

I am creating a 13" deep drawer with a frame constructed of 3/4" plywood.

I will pay close attention to weight, so I will be "Ghosting" a lot of the panels and using thinner materials where I can. I will lose the weight of the bins but pick up the weight from the drawer system.

So here we go, starting with some ACX 3/4" pine plywood.

20
Ammo & Reloading / Starting my .44 collection
« on: February 10, 2024, 01:46:29 PM »
Knowing I am buying one of the Smith .44 magnum pistols, and before I even owned the gun, I started easing into acquiring ammunition.

I picked up some 240-grain cartridges for breaking in the gun, and some solid loads I want to test for penetration for my possible bear load carries for the upcoming trip to Wyoming.

21
Our Pro-Military, Veteran, and Thin Blue Line place / Pic says it all
« on: February 08, 2024, 09:44:37 AM »
Nuff said!

22
Our Pro-Military, Veteran, and Thin Blue Line place / My Boyz
« on: February 05, 2024, 06:42:24 PM »

23
Vests & Protection / Cowboy holster
« on: February 04, 2024, 11:38:36 AM »
I decided my bear country carry will be the venerable Smith and Wesson 629, .44 Magnum 6"-barrel revolver.

I have a lot of history with this weapon. I purchased a brand new 629 in the Rod and Gun Club in Illeshiem, Germany in 1976, my first handgun purchase. Being a soldier in my early 20's I liked everything about it. I would shoot it on weekends. Later after becoming a pilot and returning to Germany in 1980, I became a "Border Pilot," responsible for patrolling the east German border daily in my Kiowa scout helicopter. I carried that same 629 under my left arm on a shoulder rig for three years there. The commanding General who selected me to be his personal "Border" pilot. used to ask over the intercom, "Hey chief, hand me that hog's head." He liked the idea that his pilot carried a "Dirty Harry" .44 mag. It was all a part of the image the man wanted.

I got into reloading and shoved many super-powerful loads down that fire-breathing barrel. When I would go to the range with some German friends, who don't know squat about guns, that .44 always accompanied us. I sold it when I got into Special Operations like a bonehead and sorely regret ever doing that. Well, I'm going to set things right and get another one.

I carried that gun on range days and some deer hunts in my western rig it has long since disappeared. So, I am about to purchase another rig for it. I'm posting this to see if anyone has any good suggestions.

I have found some I really like on Ebay. I want that drop leg design, 2.5" belt width. hammer loop and a bunch of cartridge loops. I want smooth leather on the inside but being a stainless weapon am not concerned with holster rash. I will wear it around camp and hiking on my coming NW adventures into bear country.

24
Adventure / Bear Country
« on: February 04, 2024, 11:18:01 AM »
This year's big trip Kat and I will (hopefully) be embarking on will cross the northern/central states ending our western travel in Montana. From Billings, we will move south into Yellowstone then further south into the Wind River Range of Wyoming. We have some planned camping at Lake Fremont near Pinedale, Duane's hometown, then off to venture through the range and the Teton National Forest.

We have been watching the bear activity there for about a year. We get information from the local newspapers and are surprised by the number of bear encounters and attacks. I started another thread about which weapons to carry and have settled on a S&W 629 .44 magnum in an old-school cowboy holster that carries 18 additional rounds on belt loops.

After reading a lot of information and hearing testimony from actual bear shootings, the guys who successfully killed a Brown Bear used bullets they refer to as "hard tack." Although I haven't purchased the S&W 629 yet, I have purchased some .44 magnum bear loads. They seem to be set for a more minimal expansion. They are built to dive deep into the flesh and have the power to destroy joints. It seems the successful bear shootings started by blowing up the animal's shoulders, arms, pelvis, or legs. Kill shots are in the head once it stops moving enough.

My research also tells me that Teton-based Grizzlies are more aggressive than the Alaska brown bears. Well, Kat is all worried about this and is watching bear-attack videos nonstop. She now wants to buy herself a sidearm for the trip. She is not a big girl. She has small wrists and I have known from the start that a .44 was going to be a real challenge for her. But you need the power to stop the animal which stands 6-7 feet tall and weighs 600-700 pounds and is almost as fast as a deer.

So, I am now thinking about what sort of a sidearm would fit her. A 10mm automatic comes to mind, but man, I want her to shoot a .44 herself, so there's that.

Secondly, we have not located a .45-70 after months of searching. I want a Marlin Trapper but may accept a Henry. I can't help but think my good old Mossberg 930 with slugs might not be the right base camp protection gun. After all what can stand up to a 1oz slug?

Thoughts?

25
LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP: From a Janitor

By Colonel James E. Moschgat, Commander of the 12th Operations Group, 12th Flying Training Wing, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
William “Bill” Crawford certainly was an unimpressive figure, one you could easily overlook during a hectic day at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Mr. Crawford, as most of us referred to him back in the late 1970s, was our squadron janitor.

While we cadets busied ourselves preparing for academic exams, athletic events, Saturday morning parades and room inspections, or never-ending leadership classes, Bill quietly moved about the squadron mopping and buffing floors, emptying trash cans, cleaning toilets, or just tidying up the mess 100 college-age kids can leave in a dormitory. Sadly, and for many years, few of us gave him much notice, rendering little more than a passing nod or throwing a curt, “G’morning!” in his direction as we hurried off to our daily duties.

Why? Perhaps it was because of the way he did his job-he always kept the squadron area spotlessly clean, even the toilets and showers gleamed. Frankly, he did his job so well, none of us had to notice or get involved. After all, cleaning toilets was his job, not ours. Maybe it was is physical appearance that made him disappear into the background. Bill didn’t move very quickly and, in fact, you could say he even shuffled a bit, as if he suffered from some sort of injury. His gray hair and wrinkled face made him appear ancient to a group of young cadets. And his crooked smile, well, it looked a little funny. Face it, Bill was an old man working in a young person’s world. What did he have to offer us on a personal level?

Finally, maybe it was Mr. Crawford’s personality that rendered him almost invisible to the young people around him. Bill was shy, almost painfully so. He seldom spoke to a cadet unless they addressed him first, and that didn’t happen very often. Our janitor always buried himself in his work, moving about with stooped shoulders, a quiet gait, and an averted gaze. If he noticed the hustle and bustle of cadet life around him, it was hard to tell. So, for whatever reason, Bill blended into the woodwork and became just another fixture around the squadron. The Academy, one of our nation’s premier leadership laboratories, kept us busy from dawn till dusk. And Mr. Crawford...well, he was just a janitor.

That changed one fall Saturday afternoon in 1976. I was reading a book about World War II and the tough Allied ground campaign in Italy, when I stumbled across an incredible story. On September 13, 1943, a Private William Crawford from Colorado, assigned to the 36th Infantry Division, had been involved in some bloody fighting on Hill 424 near Altavilla, Italy. The words on the page leapt out at me: “in the face of intense and overwhelming hostile fire... with no regard for personal safety... on his own initiative, Private Crawford single-handedly attacked fortified enemy positions.” It continued, “for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, the President of the United States...”

“Holy cow,” I said to my roommate, “you’re not going to believe this, but I think our janitor is a Medal of Honor winner.” We all knew Mr. Crawford was a WWII Army vet, but that didn’t keep my friend from looking at me as if I was some sort of alien being. Nonetheless, we couldn’t wait to ask Bill about the story on Monday. We met Mr. Crawford bright and early Monday and showed him the page in question from the book, anticipation and doubt in our faces. He starred at it for a few silent moments and then quietly uttered something like, “Yep, that’s me.”

Mouths agape, my roommate and I looked at one another, then at the book, and quickly back at our janitor. Almost at once we both stuttered, “Why didn’t you ever tell us about it?” He slowly replied after some thought, “That was one day in my life and it happened a long time ago.”
I guess we were all at a loss for words after that. We had to hurry off to class and Bill, well, he had chores to attend to. However, after that brief exchange, things were never again the same around our squadron. Word spread like wildfire among the cadets that we had a hero in our midst-Mr. Crawford, our janitor, had won the Medal! Cadets who had once passed by Bill with hardly a glance, now greeted him with a smile and a respectful, “Good morning, Mr. Crawford.”

Those who had before left a mess for the “janitor” to clean up started taking it upon themselves to put things in order. Most cadets routinely stopped to talk to Bill throughout the day and we even began inviting him to our formal squadron functions. He’d show up dressed in a conservative dark suit and quietly talk to those who approached him, the only sign of his heroics being a simple blue, star-spangled lapel pin.

Almost overnight, Bill went from being a simple fixture in our squadron to one of our teammates. Mr. Crawford changed too, but you had to look closely to notice the difference. After that fall day in 1976, he seemed to move with more purpose, his shoulders didn’t seem to be as stooped, he met our greetings with a direct gaze and a stronger “good morning” in return, and he flashed his crooked smile more often. The squadron gleamed as always, but everyone now seemed to notice it more. Bill even got to know most of us by our first names, something that didn’t happen often at the Academy. While no one ever formally acknowledged the change, I think we became Bill’s cadets and his squadron.

As often happens in life, events sweep us away from those in our past. The last time I saw Bill was on graduation day in June 1977. As I walked out of the squadron for the last time, he shook my hand and simply said, “Good luck, young man.” With that, I embarked on a career that has been truly lucky and blessed. Mr. Crawford continued to work at the Academy and eventually retired in his native Colorado where he resides today, one of four Medal of Honor winners living in a small town.

A wise person once said, “It’s not life that’s important, but those you meet along the way that make the difference.” Bill was one who made a difference for me. While I haven’t seen Mr. Crawford in over twenty years, he’d probably be surprised to know I think of him often. Bill Crawford, our janitor, taught me many valuable, unforgettable leadership lessons. Here are ten I’d like to share with you.

1. Be Cautious of Labels. Labels you place on people may define your relationship to them and bound their potential. Sadly, and for a long time, we labeled Bill as just a janitor, but he was so much more. Therefore, be cautious of a leader who callously says, “Hey, he’s just an Airman.” Likewise, don’t tolerate the O-1, who says, “I can’t do that, I’m just a lieutenant.”

2. Everyone Deserves Respect. Because we hung the “janitor” label on Mr. Crawford, we often wrongly treated him with less respect than others around us. He deserved much more, and not just because he was a Medal of Honor winner. Bill deserved respect because he was a janitor, walked among us, and was a part of our team.

3. Courtesy Makes a Difference. Be courteous to all around you, regardless of rank or position. Military customs, as well as common courtesies, help bond a team. When our daily words to Mr. Crawford turned from perfunctory “hellos” to heartfelt greetings, his demeanor and personality outwardly changed. It made a difference for all of us.

4. Take Time to Know Your People. Life in the military is hectic, but that’s no excuse for not knowing the people you work for and with. For years a hero walked among us at the Academy and we never knew it. Who are the heroes that walk in your midst?
5. Anyone Can Be a Hero. Mr. Crawford certainly didn’t fit anyone’s standard definition of a hero. Moreover, he was just a private on the day he won his Medal. Don’t sell your people short, for any one of them may be the hero who rises to the occasion when duty calls. On the other hand, it’s easy to turn to your proven performers when the chips are down, but don’t ignore the rest of the team. Today’s rookie could and should be tomorrow’s superstar.

6. Leaders Should Be Humble. Most modern day heroes and some leaders are anything but humble, especially if you calibrate your “hero meter” on today’s athletic fields. End zone celebrations and self-aggrandizement are what we’ve come to expect from sports greats. Not Mr. Crawford-he was too busy working to celebrate his past heroics. Leaders would be well-served to do the same.
7. Life Won’t Always Hand You What You Think You Deserve. We in the military work hard and, dang it, we deserve recognition, right? However, sometimes you just have to persevere, even when accolades don’t come your way. Perhaps you weren’t nominated for junior officer or airman of the quarter as you thought you should - don’t let that stop you.

8. Don’t pursue glory; pursue excellence. Private Bill Crawford didn’t pursue glory; he did his duty and then swept floors for a living. No job is beneath a Leader. If Bill Crawford, a Medal of Honor winner, could clean latrines and smile, is there a job beneath your dignity? Think about it.

9. Pursue Excellence. No matter what task life hands you, do it well. Dr. Martin Luther King said, “If life makes you a street sweeper, be the best street sweeper you can be.” Mr. Crawford modeled that philosophy and helped make our dormitory area a home.

10. Life is a Leadership Laboratory. All too often we look to some school or PME class to teach us about leadership when, in fact, life is a leadership laboratory. Those you meet everyday will teach you enduring lessons if you just take time to stop, look and listen. I spent four years at the Air Force Academy, took dozens of classes, read hundreds of books, and met thousands of great people. I gleaned leadership skills from all of them, but one of the people I remember most is Mr. Bill Crawford and the lessons he unknowingly taught. Don’t miss your opportunity to learn.

Bill Crawford was a janitor. However, he was also a teacher, friend, role model and one great American hero. Thanks, Mr. Crawford, for some valuable leadership lessons.

Dale Pyeatt, Executive Director of the National Guard Association of Texas, comments: And now, for the “rest of the story”: Pvt William John Crawford was a platoon scout for 3rd Platoon of Company L 1 42nd Regiment 36th Division (Texas National Guard) and won the Medal Of Honor for his actions on Hill 424, just 4 days after the invasion at Salerno.

On Hill 424, Pvt Crawford took out 3 enemy machine guns before darkness fell, halting the platoon’s advance. Pvt Crawford could not be found and was assumed dead. The request for his MOH was quickly approved. Major General Terry Allen presented the posthumous MOH to Bill Crawford’s father, George, on 11 May 1944 in Camp (now Fort) Carson, near Pueblo. Nearly two months after that, it was learned that Pvt Crawford was alive in a POW camp in Germany. During his captivity, a German guard clubbed him with his rifle. Bill overpowered him, took the rifle away, and beat the guard unconscious. A German doctor’s testimony saved him from severe punishment, perhaps death. To stay ahead of the advancing Russian army, the prisoners were marched 500 miles in 52 days in the middle of the German winter, subsisting on one potato a day. An allied tank column liberated the camp in the spring of 1945, and Pvt Crawford took his first hot shower in 18 months on VE Day. Pvt Crawford stayed in the army before retiring as a MSG and becoming a janitor. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan officially presented the MOH to Bill Crawford.

William Crawford passed away in 2000. He is the only U.S. Army veteran and sole Medal of Honor winner to be buried in the cemetery of the U.S. Air Force Academy.

26
I am beyond humbled by this young man's sacrifice, unbelievable.

God Bless this brave Marine!

https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=2268627396822871

27
Adventure / Decked system?
« on: January 29, 2024, 09:33:54 AM »
I have started to modify (Improve) my Gladiator's configuration for this year's upcoming travels.

So far we have a trip in April that, unfortunately, we will be renting a Jeep out of Vegas for a south-western Utah run around the canyon and Zion.

But later on in July, we have a big one planned across the northern states to Montana, ending up in Wyoming for some camping and off-roading. We want to take in a bunch of the sights like the petroglyph Indian carvings, ghost towns, old gold mining camps, and some trout fishing in the green river. Oh, and sometime in Yellowstone too!

So based on last year's trip, I know that going to a somewhat modular system of action packer tubs made for an easier arrangement in the bed. The back seat which started with the frig, the air pump, and the inflation kit, ended up with clothes, cosmetics, popcorn, and most things one could imagine scattered about. I did sequester room every day for sleeping bags and pillows, but they were competing for room.

The bed had the battery box, a toolbox, a tub of my clothes, and another for her. I had a "Camping stuff tub and another for cold weather clothing and overload stuff. On top of all that was a couple of chairs, the tent annex, and raw boxes of stuff she picked up.

I did not like that I had to move things to get to other things. I did not like how although stuff started upright, it ended up in all manner of strange angles due to jostling and bumps on the trail.

So, based on my dislikes, I am looking at the Gladiator "Decked" system." It will give me one full-depth drawer spanning wheel well to wheel well. It also has four "Cubbies" in front and the back of the wheel wells for things. The drawer is 12" deep and also comes with a bunch of plastic boxes to further organize and sort the space. It can carry an additional 1000 ponds top side and has tie-down rings. I would place the battery on top of it all where it is currently physically located. That would leave me a smooth/flat surface to slide the two his/her clothes bins onto and the camp chairs.

The downside is the thing costs around $1500 and weighs 177 pounds.

I am no friend of weight, but I can go to another, better more sorted Lithium battery saving me 40 pounds and I can pull off the rear tow hitch netting me something around 30 more. I might get creative and find something else to strip to keep the weight down, but I am looking at a minimum of 70 pounds more. Maybe that is not too bad given the offset in the utility I will gain.

Decked anyone? Does anyone have one of the latest generation?

28
Ammo & Reloading / 12 gage short shells??
« on: January 29, 2024, 09:16:30 AM »
Does anyone have any experience with these short 12-gage rounds? Buds has a sale on Federal 12 gauge shorty rounds with 1 oz slugs.

I might pick up a box to see how they run, but, ya, I suppose they would be pretty good defensive rounds and by stacking them in my 930, I'd have a bunch more to go pew-pew with.

Thoughts?

Experience with?

29
Firearms / Pump or automatic?
« on: January 28, 2024, 09:29:18 AM »
I moved a growing gun discussion here from a truck build thread to keep it separate:

Interestingly, most of the military uses the Mossy

But when I attended the Blackwater weeks-long shooting course (twice) they always had a rack with Remy 870's and Mossberg 500's. I was wondering who ran the Remy 870 and I theorized that a lot of police and swat ran those.
I grew up with a Winchester-modeled "Ted Williams" 12-gage pump. Long barrel, poly choke, and the 870-style safety. When I got into tactical shotgunning in the 160th, the ST6 guys gave me a Police Persuader, 20" Mossberg 500. I still have it today. I carried that on several tactical real-world missions in a couple of hostilities each. A crew chief broke the stock when he saw it flopping around in the back of the aircraft tossed it on top of a pile of bags and ran a cargo strap over it. When he cranked down the strap it leveraged the stock and broke it. Therefore, I run a Car-15 style collapsible rear stock. But the gun runs fine to this day. Is the new almost Ranger's favorite gun.

But I had a Saiga 12 gauge built for me to sling over the seat for my Kandahar fun days. I had that or a real Ruskey AK-47 banging around back there. Now. cradled in the seat armor almost touching me was a Bushmaster or Colt M4 with the three-round burst thingy. That Saiga runs with only the 20-round drum (or is it 25???). It has NEVER jammed or failed to go bang. I run 2 3/4 00 buckshot exclusively in it. Since it has a gas system it might get janky with some light trap and skeet loads. In my truck, I theoretically carry a 930 Mossy with some mods. The reason is that as a result of most (helo) crashes I have been in or seen you usually come out of the wreckage minus one or more functioning limbs. So I know that I can shoot that 930 one-handed just fine for all 8 rounds. If I need more, I suppose, I am all prayed up, and with heavy reliance on the grace of my creator, ready to take the next step into the bright light.

Love the discussion and love a pump. Just have seen the value of a good running automatic and I trust mine.

31
D.O.T. / Texas revolt growing?
« on: January 25, 2024, 09:34:57 PM »
Yesterday I posed the question about the onset of World War 3...Is it here, or close at hand?

Today I would pose the question, is this Texas revolt against President Biden's policy for an open border and the Supreme Court's decision to essentially open the concertina wire growing? Are we seeing the first signs of the United States begin to tear itself apart? Now some 25 governors sign a letter stating they agree with the Texas governor's stance in defying the Federal government.

Washington is hinting at nationalizing the Texas National Guard. That in itself would be huge. But what if the Texas National Guard sided with Govenor Abbot? Would that constitute treason? Would this be the start of Texas succeeding from the United States?

What say yee?

32
Humor, Good Stuff, and Red Neck Practices! / Unsafe they said?
« on: January 24, 2024, 06:40:58 PM »
Body posture looks about right.

The distance between cigarette and the fuel tank looks good.

Nope, just don't see it...

33
D.O.T. / Are we approaching WW3?
« on: January 23, 2024, 05:21:06 PM »
I pose the question for discussion. Are we approaching another world war?

The war in the Ukraine rages

The war in Gaza is continuing.

Iranian proxy armies attack both Israel and the international community

Houthi rebels in Yemen are brazenly taunting the US, even firing on our ships.

Muslim terror groups based mostly in Iraq have now attacked American bases and forces over 100 times even launching a ballistic missile attack on our airbase last Saturday.

China, despite a contracting economy, is juxtaposed with respect to Taiwan.

Chinese expansionism in the Pacific particularly against the Philippines is increasing.

British are vocally very much against the regime in Russia.

Sweden now joins the NATO.

Russian defense ministry spokesperson hints and taking back Estonia and invading Finland.

Hostilities between India and Pakistan, both nuclear armed, seem close at hand in the disputed Kashmir area.

Venezuela hints at armed conflict with the US


Seems like the setup for a perfect storm, and some argue that WW3 has already begun.

34
With deep respect and profound sadness, I leave this here:


https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=851191083386803

36
Faith Discussion / 100 days of prayer and fasting
« on: January 11, 2024, 09:38:17 AM »
I’m going to start my 30 days of fasting and 100 days of prayer tomorrow.

This is an annual thing and some here join me in doing so.

I would ask you to include this in your prayers, as I feel 2024 is a year of decision for this website.
and will be a pressing and stressful time for our nation.

Real Man, this forum brings people together. Mostly for entertainment, but it is a safe place where we honor God in what we do. We control our emotions, do not curse and extremely limit harshness and crudeness in accordance with what Jesus tells us to do and not to do in the bible. So in my mind at least we are a bit of a ministry where people can go about doing their and sharing their lives without harassment, or having to endure all the crap you find almost everywhere else.

But we have been shrinking in size. We saw decreasing views this past year. We did not contribute very much to the Christmas giveaway, although having said that, it seemed to be enough to the grateful widow who got that money. I pray and hope to be a useful person and provide a healthy website that grows the effect of God’s kingdom into our everyday life. You really can’t come here to write about some gear change without also knowing a lot of prayer and things of God happen here as well.

With all that in mind, here is what I want you to pray every day along with your normal prayer list of you so choose”

Father, I come to you of humble heart to seek grace, protection, and healing in the shadow of the Almighty. I ask that you either raise up this forum to be a good work for your kingdom or destroy it. Make RMTWS a place where men are fed the spirit and can rest and where they can learn more of your true nature, which is Love, and Grace.

Please just add your prayer list onto this simple request.

37
Coffee Induced Early Morning Rant / I agree
« on: January 11, 2024, 09:06:53 AM »
A bit crude, but warriors and warfare is rather obscene. So true, I almost couldn't agree more, although my love for Jesus has tempered the hatred part of the necessary part of war.


Quote from a WWII veteran overhearing someone say that `You can't bomb an ideology.": "The hell you can't, because we did it. These Muslims are no different than the [Imperial] Japanese. The Japs had their suicide bombers too. And we stopped them. What it takes is the resolve and will to use a level of brutality and violence that your generations can't stomach. And until you can, this crap won't stop. It took us on the beaches with bullets, clearing out caves with flame throwers, and men like LeMay burning down their cities, killing people by the tens of thousands. And then it took 2 atom bombs on top of it.  Plus we had to bomb the crap out of German cities to get them to quit fighting. But, if that was what it took to win, we were willing to do it. Until you are willing to do the same...well I hope you enjoy this crap, because it ain't going to stop!" Back then, we had leadership, resolve, resources and determination. Today we're afraid to hurt people's feelings....and worry about which bathroom to piss in!!!

38
D.O.T. / So I'm thinking about writing another book
« on: January 10, 2024, 10:41:59 AM »
Yep, thinking about doing another work.

The first one, "Distant Thunder" is a collection of stories from my war and military days.

Then Came my first fantasy novel, "Thoren" which I wrote for my middle son on the occasion of his leaving to join the US Army. He enjoyed fantasy, all things Viking and Lord of the Rings. So Thoren was my shot at that Jahre written for him as a keepsake that he would always have that his father wrote just for him.

But there is another that has been on my mind for some years now. My wife reminds me about it every six months, she calls it "Lessons of a father." She wants me to write about the important lessons I learned starting when I was the son of a father, progressing through the decades when I was a father to the present when all my children have gone.

She thinks others can benefit from my sharing the mistakes and the times I got it right. She thinks it will be treasured by my children after my passing and will allow me to "Live on" in a manner in our family for generations.

If I did this thing, I have to admit, I have a lot to share and perhaps it could resonate in someone else's life. She suggests I bathe it in the holy spirit by praying over it daily. I can't disagree with the concept, and it would keep me busy for the winter months when I can't keep my hands as busy as I'd like.

39
D.O.T. / True or not?
« on: January 04, 2024, 06:37:27 PM »
Is this a true statement, what do you think?

41
D.O.T. / MOVED: Happy New Year 2024
« on: January 01, 2024, 10:22:09 AM »

42
Message from the Owner / Happy New Year 2024
« on: January 01, 2024, 10:21:41 AM »
Happy New Year to all!

May you all find yourself safe and comfortable and in calm waters this coming year.

I'd like to take a moment to share a few thoughts from 2023. I have to confess I was concerned for a while that our site was dwindling and interest was waning. I could see that month by month we had fewer and fewer views, and indeed for the year we finished at 2.8 million vs a healthy four-plus million for 2022. That might sound alarming if one did not consider some significant factors. First of all, people were flat-out busy. Economics alone has forced people to work longer and perhaps at multiple jobs. That leaves less play time to spend at places like this.

I was sick with the onslaught of Rheumatoid Arthritis for over half the year. As much as I (really do) hate to admit it, I seem to be the generator of a lot of the conversation here. I write up some crazy project and many of you respond and so it goes. That has never been my intent, by the way. I just want to host this place and allow all of you to build content. Some of you have and others have fallen away. So that is that and the way of the world I suppose. But then I look at the content and consistency we have here. Members tell me they open their day up with a quick check of the site to see what's happening in this little world. Then we have Matt's scripture of the day which has been seen some 80,000 times. That's a lot of lookin' at God's word, right? Ken's thread WDYDT which he tossed up one day started a conversation which by the end of the year was viewed one and one quarter of a million times! That's some continuity right there!

We continued to add members and overall, the content has been pretty good. We watched Sean move and build a new home. We saw Sam thaw out and then refreeze ;-). JR finally got a building, Cuda moved, one of the Daves got a parking lot-sized roof, and the other drove all over in a bright yellow truck. We saw children growing and Sean told us about a new Army Tank. Tex built all sorts of cool stuff and reloaded some things too. Heck, we saw a lot of growth, great advice, and friendly commentary. Seems kind of like a cohesive family going on about living to me.

I thought for a while that we may not survive during those times of dwindling numbers, but now I think it is just part of the ebb and flow of life juxtaposed into this little corner of humanity. Looking at those numbers I want to share several instances of what I think were godly interventions. I was thinking about how the numbers of viewers were trending down, getting lower and lower. I even discussed with my wife about shutting down the site. I mentioned it here and on the same day...THE VERY SAME DAY we got our all-time highest number of views of 3316! Now, of course, a lot of that were robots or web crawlers or whatever you call them, but it happened at the point where I was questioning that exact point!

I even sat here at my desk early in December watching the monthly totals decline and thinking we wouldn't even hit 200,000. But look what happened. We hit over 400,000, the most for the entire year. It seems every time I get a little skeptical about this forum, God or someone intervenes and sends me a clear message. Take the Christmas giving for example. It started slow, and some of the traditional givers did not show up, and that's OK, but it had me questioning whether I should be doing it in the first place. That's when I happened to be looking at the fact that that certain member donated it up to equal $xx3.16 Looking at the statistics, I couldn't help but notice that we also had 316 members and that we had 3316 views. Then I noticed the stack up of the last two members who joined Dec 03 and November 16. Stacked in the screen those dates look like 0316! That's not a coincidence any more than random chemical reactions and lightning created life.

Then when I took that $853.16 to that mom for Christmas, she told me that was exactly what she needed after I confessed that I wished it had been more.

So we go on. It is clear to me that I am not in charge, and I surrender to the will of the almighty as he does whatever it is that he is doing here. I'll just go day to day and see what happens next. I think the chickens are coming home to roost this year. Our debt payment on the money the nation borrows now exceeds the amount we collect in taxes or will in just months. We are technically bankrupt as a nation. Inflation will surely result. Then there's the BRIC scheming to dislodge the US Dollar as the world's trading currency. If they can do that we are done, really done. All that and a much wider war is about to erupt as Iran, unafraid of Biden is openly attacking well beyond their borders and Israel might soon be under attack from everywhere. Where that all leads is anyone's guess, but the outcome at best is not good and at worse has a radioactive atmosphere for the world to breathe. The millions of illegals invading the country who are bankrupting our cities are going to cause our largest cities to cave in. The likes of New York, LA, Chicago, San Francisco, and others are just going to devolve into something like Haiti. Americans do not trust their government and the Republican candidate is being played off as an arriving dictator. Could his election result in a civil war?

I just can't find much of a reason to be hopeful for our nation in 2024, but in a way that is a good thing. You see the United States has always been a firm bedrock that was unshakeable. But now with rotting timbers and a leaky basement sitting on a crumbling foundation, soon all we'll have left is faith in our Lord Jesus Christ to rely on. Now I ask you, is that such a bad thing?

Certainly not, and therefore I am hopeful for those of us who believe and for some reason perhaps this little Godly corner of the universe may remain a beacon of light in the coming darkness. Whatever comes, I'll try and keep the light on.

43
Coffee Induced Early Morning Rant / 2024—the Year of our Reckoning
« on: December 30, 2023, 09:54:01 PM »

2024—the Year of our Reckoning

 

 

Victor Davis Hanson

12/25/23

We should remember the now modern proverb of Nixon-era economic advisor Herb Stein to the effect that what cannot go on (without destroying the nation), simply will not go on.

In some sense, the country for recent years has been cruising on the fumes from prior and likely better wiser generations and institutions. In 2024, the tab for our current apathy, toxic politics, and incompetence will come due.

So next year we will likely see the climax to a number of current dangerous ideas, events, and forces, which finally will either overwhelm us or be addressed and remedied. We live in a Neronian age but can recover if we first understand how we got here and the nature of the suicide we are committing.

In 2023, it became clear, to even the most loyal supporters of the Biden administration, that the U.S. has simply lost or indeed forfeited American deterrence abroad. Our enemies do not fear us; our friends do not trust us; and neutrals do not care either way.

After the 2021 Kabul debacle, the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the 2023 brazen Chinese spy balloon’s uncontested trajectory over the United States, the recent Hamas invasion of Israel, the serial Iranian-fueled terrorist attacks on U.S. installations in the Middle East, and the terrorist Houthis’ veritable absorption of the Red Sea, many of America’s opportunistic enemies drew conclusions and adopted strategies that would have been previously unthinkable.

Either adversaries will be so emboldened to start regional wars—an impotent Iran now brags it will block the entire Mediterranean—or a United States will be shocked into action and have to deter Iran, the Houthis, and Islamic terrorism, while dealing with an opportunistic China eager to annex Taiwan, and Russia determined to finish off Ukraine.

Those challenges will force the military to staunch its recruitment hemorrhaging, rectify low morale, and rearm. Such rebooting in turn will require discarding the woke agenda, stopping the DEI proselytizing and virtue signaling, and returning to a meritocracy focused on military preparedness and battlefield efficacy.

Since January 2021, the Biden administration has flagrantly and unapologetically dismantled federal immigration law. It destroyed the border as we once knew it. It has already greenlighted more than 8 million illegal entrants—with another quarter-million entering each month.

No one in government has offered any projected costs to states and federal agencies of offering health, food, housing, legal, and education subsidies to millions—who broke the law by entering the U.S. and continue to do violate it while residing unlawfully here. Is that the sign of a promising American citizen—that the first thing he does upon entering America is to break his host’s law?

Incredibly, no one has even explained to Americans why millions of illegal aliens are exempt from the vaccine mandates, background checks, and adherence to the law that is demanded of U.S. citizens and legal immigrants. We will soon demand “real” IDs of American citizen airline travelers, while we fly illegal aliens all over the states without any identification?

In fact, those who blew up the border can’t honestly even explain to the American people why they did so. Was it to ensure future (or even present) political constituents? Cheap labor? To ensure higher taxes to pay for more government services and to “spread the wealth?” Obeyance to the diversity/equity/inclusion lobbies? To make up for fleeing blue-state population?

The United States has now exceeded, both in real numbers and in percentages, all past numbers of non-native born American residents—at a time when civic education, the idea of the melting pot, and adherence to assimilation have never been more under assault.

In 2024, either the border will close, or the United States will suffer radical political realignments, sheer chaos in our major cities, protests from Americans furious over the complete flaunting of federal law by their own elected officials, and a likely impeachment of Joe Biden for deliberately forsaking his oath to “faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States.”

The October 7 Hamas invasion of Israel and premodern massacring of nearly 1,200 Jews—and the virulent anti-Semitism that swept our elite campuses and big cities even before the October 27 Israeli Defense Forces’ retaliatory invasion of Gaza—was a wakeup call about the racialized hatred and anti-Semitism now endemic on the Left.

Campus protestors dropped the prior protestations that they were not anti-Semitic in their hatred of Israel. Instead, they now call out Jews by name. They disrupt their homes and businesses, regardless of their views on Zionism. Pro-Hamas protestors feel free to harass Jews, and with impunity and arrogance chant genocidal chants promising the destruction of Israel and its Jewish population.

The main campus culprits for these sudden unabashed hatreds are tripartite. First, wealthy, mostly white leftist students—increasingly as ignorant of history as they are arrogant in their zealotry—feel it pays psychological and careerist dividends on campus to mouth orthodoxies of hating Israel and de facto siding with the Hamas killers.

Most have no idea of the Hamas charter, where flows the Jordan River, or what the British Mandate for Palestine or the Balfour Declaration were. Few of the loudest could never even find Jordan, Israel, the West Bank, or Gaza on a map. No matter: being heard and seen on campus hating Israel is considered a necessary fad like 1970s bellbottoms or pet rocks.

Second, huge numbers of full-tuition-paying Middle-Eastern visiting students and green-card holders, along with Gulf-fueled and endowed faculty, assume that they are exempt from any legal consequences. So they often deface the federal monuments of their hosts, shut down traffic, swarm Jews on campus and in the street, break the law, and battle with police—with absolute impunity.

Third, just as startling are the undisguised hatreds emanating from radical diversity/equity/inclusion students and faculty. As the declared oppressed, they too feel exempt from any charge that they are mouthing racist and anti-Semitic venom, as they conflate Israel with the now maligned stereotyped “white” people.

The apogee of such extremism was evident in the congressional testimony of  three ethically challenged Ivy-League presidents. They reminded the nation that no campus president would unequivocally condemn, much less punish, any anti-Semites on a campus, who openly called for the destruction of Israel and its Jewish population. And they lied about “free speech” constraints on their punishment of mainstreaming anti-Semitic and genocidal threats—given they routinely expel, censure, and variously punish all sorts of “hate speech,” but only if it is directed against their own DEI constituencies.

All this is not tenable.

Our top universities are facing a perfect storm. Declining pools of students, crushing student loan debt, spiraling tuition and room and board costs, administrative bloat, defecting donors, and the public’s distrust of such people being entrusted with their children’s higher education, will all soon lead to a general reexamination of the very need of these universities in the first place, at least as they are presently constituted.

Their racialist admissions, hiring, retention, and promotion protocols are destroying meritocracy. Their mediocre curricula, grade inflation, and campus polarization have convinced the public that they are no longer deserving of the many taxpayer indulgences that shield campuses from market realities—such as massive federal research grants and subsidies, tax-free billions of dollars in private donations, tax-free endowment income in the tens of billions of dollars, and taxpayer subsidized $2 trillion in student loans.

So insulated are these atolls of privilege that they cannot recognize growing public anger over the damage they are doing to the country. Iconic Harvard University cannot even fire its DEI president Claudine Gay, despite serial instances in her own past of plagiarism (which prompted Harvard’s sycophantic board to defend her by embracing a new euphemism— “duplicative language” as if to signify the tiny clerical lapse of stealing the ideas and prose of others).

In 2024, radical changes in university administration and values will begin to be made, or higher education will face a reckoning from the public and a newly elected government.

Currently, Colorado has tentatively removed Donald Trump from its 2024 ballot on the specious grounds that he is an “insurrectionist.” Thus, the state insists that he is subject to the 14th Amendment, Section 3 clause of 1868, that calls for the disbarment from future government employment or service those former federal officials and employees who had joined the Confederacy.

Aside from the misapplication of the spirt and letter of that post-Civil War legislation, those responsible for erasing Trump know that he has never been charged with, much less convicted of “insurrection. And he never will be.

They understand that half the country knows the January 6 “riot” was the work of unarmed, overzealous, and buffoonish protestors, who broke the law by entering the Capitol, but otherwise had no master insurrectionary plan. And the majority surrounding the Capitol did in fact obey the president’s call to protest “peacefully” and “patriotically.”

The left privately understands that their latest weaponization of government follows their “Russian collusion hoax,” their “laptop disinformation” farce, their two politicized impeachments, their performance-art Mar-a-Lago documents raid, and thus are all part of a systematic degradation of our campaigns, elections, and political customs, tradition, and discourse.

A jaded public knows too well that such punitive measures never applied to the 2016 Hillary Clinton crimes of destroying subpoenaed emails and devices, or the FBI’s illegal alteration of FISA documents or its contracting out social media to suppress news stories, or its hiring of a foreign national Christopher Steele, who compiled a fake “dossier” to destroy the candidacy of Donald Trump.

A majority of Americans further know that had Donald Trump not chosen to run for office in 2024, state and federal prosecutors such as the publicity-seeking and partisan Alvin Bragg, Letitia James, Jack Smith, and Fani Willis would never have indicted him.

All privately know that the entire Biden family, including the President, could just as easily be indicted on state and local felonies, but the Biden consortium finds itself exempt both for its leftist ideology and its current control of the Department of Justice.

What then do the campaign and election of 2024 foreordain?

We will be in entirely new and completely dangerous territory. The likely Republican nominee who currently leads incumbent president Joe Biden will be for most of 2024 the constant target of a coordinated state and local Soviet-like effort to destroy his candidacy before the voters can even vote for or against him in the November election.

The United States 2023 annual budget deficit is about $1.7 trillion; the nation is burdened by a $34 trillion national debt—even though the federal government since 2021 has raised all sorts of new income and excise taxes.

The era of printing money, zero interest rates, “modern monetary theory,” and spending wildly is drawing to a close. The mounting interest on the national debt is now crowding out optional but soon essential annual federal spending. At some point soon, one generation of Americans is going to have to exercise spending restraint or accept a continuing decline in its living standards.

In sum, in 2024, we will either see the destruction of presidential electoral politics as we have known them or a complete repudiation of lawfare. The current new normal that the party in power indicts the leading candidate of the opposition is not sustainable or compatible with the idea of America.

Either the military will have to deter dramatically our growing number of opportunistic enemies, or it will descend into something like the French army between the world wars—plagued by ideology, ossified brass, corruption, mediocrity, misplaced investments, and bankrupt strategies.

If there are not radical changes in higher education, our Ivy League and self-identified elite campuses will go the way of Bud-Light, Disney, and Target—once premier brands reduced to red ink and laughing-stock caricatures.

The United States is cracking under 8 million illegal entries; it cannot sustain another year and 2 million more illegal entrants—or a total of 55-60 million foreign-born residents, with no idea of how many are U.S. citizens, illegal aliens, or green card holders–or how many are employable, or free of criminal records or in need of massive federal and state subsidies.

In 2024, the U.S. will begin to see that to meet its spiraling debt, it will either keep inflating its currency, or slash spending, or raise even further taxes to the degree that even the lower middle class will have to pay 50 percent of their income in state and federal taxes, or renounce its debt, and thus go full-Third World.

Will we meet these challenges or ensure the ongoing decline?

If what we saw after October 7, or the wild and out-of-control reign of weaponized local and state prosecutors, or what we watch nightly on television at the border, or the paralyses we witness abroad of our military, or the breezy way in which our officials promise groups here and abroad billions of dollars in easy money, continues into 2024, then the country as we knew it will become unrecognizable.

44
Faith Discussion / Rabbi Johnathan Cahn...This is really good
« on: December 26, 2023, 09:13:41 PM »
Rabbi Cahn has long been unraveling mysteries of the scriptures. He shows us here how Hamas is in our bible and how the attacks on Israel were predicted...Amazing!

https://www.facebook.com/1372770430/videos/1113490876305196

48
D.O.T. / Wise words?
« on: December 23, 2023, 11:44:29 AM »
Ya, concur...

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Humor, Good Stuff, and Red Neck Practices! / New Lego puzzle
« on: December 23, 2023, 11:19:23 AM »
Good luck putting this back together again!

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