1. McCullough says:

    Night skies in the high desert without light pollution is something that needs to be experienced.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtZJiQSmJ9g

    • bobbo, the pragmatic existential evangelical anti-theist asking what will SkyNet think of AGW? says:

      Nice set of videos (including the sidebar). Its fairly common to be able to read a book at night by moonlight, but it took my breath away in New Zealond on a moonless night to be able to read a book by the light cast by the backbone of the Milky Way. A lot of the stars did not twinkle at all……..then I had lamb for dinner.

      • Twinkle twinkle little Starling says:

        Was the lamb silent? Did you serve it with fava beans and a nice chianti?

  2. Blackbird says:

    “Roger, we have you in sight”

  3. Glenn E. says:

    Why are all Red Flag’s enemy planes still referred to as “MIG”? As if the Air Force only trains to fight the Russians jets. But rarely has ever had to, compared to all the other nations’ fighter jets, they have had to oppose. These exercises sound more like Saber Rattling. A leftover of the Cold War. Of course, they know and/or believe, that the Russians are still monitoring the US military’s readiness. So they put on this show, for them. Rather than doing all the training in simulators. And the radio chatter isn’t scrambled in any way. Ah Ha, what a give away. They want to be both seen and heard, plainly.

    • Mr Diesel - No more bush in the White House, Hillary's or Jeb says:

      You can’t do this kind of training in a simulator. Period.

      Simulators are nice if you want to take it up a small notch from sitting in your parents basement in your underwear flying Air Combat 5 missions over Asscrackistan, but unless their basement can pull 8Gs and slam your face into a wall you can’t simulate A2A combat in it.

      You could call all the enemy aircraft Bogeys but in the PC namby pamby pussy PC environment of today it might offend H. Bogart’s family.

  4. Dead Man Talking says:

    I have only one word here — Disgusting!

    Any light pollution pales by comparison of all the fossil fuels being WASTED!

    Just think of all the fossil fuels being wasted in the training to kill other human beings is pretty disgusting in it’s own right. But the fossil fuels being wasted transporting crap that no one needs and the crap that even less people can really afford is just more testament that it’s the CULTURE that is so disgusting. Any resulting light pollution that you can see in this video is only a small indication that something is seriously wrong. So don’t even talk to me about “criminal bankers” or corrupt politicians when you SUPPORT this kind of WASTE — or worse, contribute to it!

    But watch the video and I’m sure most mind-washed morons will think it’s “pretty.” But it’s really just more evidence that a country full of “sheeple” have been hopelessly mind fucked pretty much from day one.

    I’m sure a LOT of readers will probably disagree with me here too. And to them I say, try to think of it this way: when you mindlessly let your cultural leaders like Johnny Depp and other Hollywood notables lead you in your THINKING, to say nothing of influencing any of your VALUES, don’t act so surprised when any of your REAL leaders decide to start killing you — thanks in part to all the (obvious) training!

  5. bobbo, we think with words, and flower with ideas. Let's apply says:

    Dead Man Talking says:
    8/18/2015 at 5:16 am

    I have only one word here — Disgusting! //// Then what follows?

    Any light pollution pales by comparison of all the fossil fuels being WASTED! /// The OP mentions neither…so you have named your own dots and made your own connections. On its own, that good……but …….The light show IS ABOUT the “light pollution” in a positive sense and fuel burned by training aircraft is one use of carbon based fuels that could well stay with us even in a totally green economy. ie==your analysis is misplaced. IE===>if you are against war, you don’t argue the fossil fuel use. If you are against fossil fuel being wasted…you argue significant contributers (coal for electricity for instance) not war games.

    Just think of all the fossil fuels being wasted in the training to kill other human beings is pretty disgusting in it’s own right. /// Correct. but so much so that making the connection itself is inane.

    But the fossil fuels being wasted transporting crap that no one needs and the crap that even less people can really afford is just more testament that it’s the CULTURE that is so disgusting. /// You have inartfully switched subjects. To your subject, its not the culture that is disgusting, but rather the lack of regulation for carbon use. A more technical issue, not really going to culture as generally applied.

    Any resulting light pollution that you can see in this video is only a small indication that something is seriously wrong. //// Again, there is nothing “wrong” about light pollution…as generally thought.

    So don’t even talk to me about “criminal bankers” or corrupt politicians when you SUPPORT this kind of WASTE — or worse, contribute to it! /// Can’t handle two ideas at once eh ? Must be an ex-Republican whose kiddies have convinced to go green. Ha, ha.

    But watch the video and I’m sure most mind-washed morons will think it’s “pretty.” /// and it is.

    But it’s really just more evidence that a country full of “sheeple” have been hopelessly mind fucked pretty much from day one. /// please name and connect that dot.

    I’m sure a LOT of readers will probably disagree with me here too. And to them I say, try to think of it this way: when you mindlessly let your cultural leaders like Johnny Depp and other Hollywood notables lead you in your THINKING, to say nothing of influencing any of your VALUES, don’t act so surprised when any of your REAL leaders decide to start killing you — thanks in part to all the (obvious) training! /// What is your point here? That Johnny Depp is pro light pollution? I don’t recall that issue coming up in anything of his I have seen.

    What a maroon. ………but it does demonstrate what I have posted before most excellently that many of you Johnny Depp fans may not have grokked: “Everything is connected to everything else.” Its true, but only in a special sense. It can lead to posts such as we have here and other mental illnesses, or to great poetry, or to great insights. Its a powerful tool. …… thinking.

    • Mr Diesel - No more bush in the White House, Hillary's or Jeb says:

      Give it up bobbo, it is all connected to Depp’s smuggling his stupid dogs into Australia earlier this year. They didn’t want the little shits breeding and having it turn out like the importing of rabbits.

      • bobbo, we think with words, and flower with ideas. Let's apply says:

        Ha, ha. Mr D…with our near polar opposite views on nearly all issues… why do I sense simpatico? That may be more a comment on sense rather than simpatico.

        When I was training to fly fighter jets…. most of the guys “practiced” sitting on the toilet with a plumbers helper between their legs. I think it helped generate muscle memory and the thought process through an interaction.

        Its all about diminishing returns for that worthwhile additioal 2 %. Of the two…a simulator is worth many times more than a war game…… but those who have simulator PLUS war game get an edge. Now add some actual combat experience===and you have a VETERAN.

        Never bet against the Vet.

        Yea Verily.

        • Mr Diesel - No more bush in the White House, Hillary's or Jeb says:

          You flew ’em and I was working on them. In the grand scheme of life I’m not sure which is scarier.

          • bobbo, we think with words, and flower with ideas. Let's apply says:

            Well……….I was pretty solid. Only had too much to drink 2 or 3 times. Tried not to do that.

            I thought maintenance was damn good. Had some trouble getting a navigation unit installed because “Maintenance” didn’t want to give out their last one because then they wouldn’t have any to give out. Made no sense to me so I replied: “Sounds good to me, I’ll let the Commander know why we will drop out.” Ha!==right now, I don’t remember if we got fixed or not. ……….I always remember the argument…rather than most other details.

            and the beat goes on.

  6. bobbo, we think with words, and flower with ideas. Let's apply says:

    Oh yeah—-pulling G’s===no big thing. If you can’t handle them, you have already washed out. TRAINING to FOCUS on what you are doing gets you through it. Grunt breathing and fast pants.

    You know….. like arguing with an idiot.


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