Politics

[Brent in Az]

A-10's fron the 354th Fighter squadron from DMAFB here in Tucson have arrived in the middle east. I see these guys flying overhead daily.

Brrrrtttttt.........

 

[sestoppelman]

I live near NAS Whidbey Island, and is been quiet around here of late.

 

[fourfive8]

What in the world have Closet Dem RINOs Romney and Ryan been up to over in Park City Utah? Deceitful, delusional idiots. True colors always show through

 

[cash_tx]

Pretty in-depth insights from Zeihan today:

 

[DillonG]

Pretty in-depth insights from Zeihan today:

I’m a fan of Zeihan. Always brings it back to economics and some rational narrative. Take him with a grain of salt as he does say everything can change. He just goes off of what projections are and what has happened.

 

[DillonG]

I guess my big question, as someone younger, is should I have faith in the USD long term? Or shed it all for investment and forget a larger-than-necessary bank account, that should be helpful in the future. I’m not into the crypto gimmick. Not quite that young to dive headfirst into that scheme. I haven’t experienced the late 70s/early 80s. It just seems like a similar economic transition is looming. I can’t speak to what will happen with the US and wars in the next 5 years.

 

[Pheroze]

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Their air force is indeed third world. However, they did purchase the S300 system from Russia which is pretty effective. I assume interdiction of it would be the first and highest priority.

That said, the real issue will be range. Most of the targets in Iran would require mid-air refueling. Israel has KC-46 tankers on order, but the first won't be delivered until next year at the earliest. The IDF claims they have extended the range of the F35, but that by necessity would lessen payload for fuel. No free lunches.

Regarding tankers, the US Air Force had KC-10 tankers assigned in the middle east for a long, long time and flew their last combat mission there a little over a week ago. All KC-10s are being retired. The even older KC-135s will take up the slack and the new KC-46 are slowly being delivered. It seems there are never enough tankers. Once the IDF gets their tankers, they are really no longer just a defense force, since the longer reach will give them greater offensive capabilities.

The US could give Israel an old KC-10 right now, if they wanted to. But I am guessing the US wants to keep Israel on a relatively short leash so this conflict doesn't expand exponentially. For tankers to work, they really need to fly in uncontested airspace. A flying gas station is a fairly vulnerable target. Given the tough neighborhood Israel is located in, recruiting tanker crews might be challenging.

 

[fourfive8]

Just like watching or listening to hour after hour of meaningless sports stats yak and jargon. I just noticed the admin is starting to charter flights to get US citizens out of Israel. After a week of this... Biden, Blinken and the other scum in DC must have licked their finger, stuck it in the air to judge which way the political wind was blowing. Well hello! This is after reading here on this forum no big deal about how stranded US citizens should just hitch a ride to a neighboring country, enjoy an extended vacation stay in a posh hotel in Aman then somehow get back to the US. What a bunch of crap. All after marginalizing Mills' efforts to get US citizens out.

 

[Red Leg]

Just like watching or listening to hour after hour of meaningless sports stats yak and jargon. I just noticed the admin is starting to charter flights to get US citizens out of Israel. After a week of this... Biden, Blinken and the other scum in DC must have licked their finger, stuck it in the air to judge which way the political wind was blowing. Well hello! This is after reading here on this forum no big deal about how stranded US citizens should just hitch a ride to a neighboring country, enjoy an extended vacation stay in a posh hotel in Aman then somehow get back to the US. What a bunch of crap. All after marginalizing Mills' efforts to get US citizens out.

I think that pretty well sums it. The administration is indeed reacting to public pressure, and Mills certainly took advantage of an opportunity - or followed God's will? How did he put it? - "God put me exactly where I was supposed to be." By the way, if you actually read the article, he essentially dumped his "rescued" constituents in Aman (in fairness he claims to have footed the bill for the bus ride) so they could make their own arrangements for a hotel and to get home. What a bunch of crap indeed.

 

[Red Leg]

Funny. Should have seen and posted this yesterday.

Texans Strangely Unconcerned About Global Day Of Jihad

SWEETWATER, TX — As the rest of the world sits on edge due to the leader of the terrorist organization Hamas calling for a global day of jihad, residents of the state of Texas seemed entirely unconcerned.

babylonbee.com

 

[WAB]

Funny. Should have seen and posted this yesterday.

Texans Strangely Unconcerned About Global Day Of Jihad

SWEETWATER, TX — As the rest of the world sits on edge due to the leader of the terrorist organization Hamas calling for a global day of jihad, residents of the state of Texas seemed entirely unconcerned.

babylonbee.com

We feel much the same in Bama. It would be interesting to overlay maps of protests in favor of radical Islamic terrorism and gun control laws.

 

[Wheels]

I guess my big question, as someone younger, is should I have faith in the USD long term? Or shed it all for investment and forget a larger-than-necessary bank account, that should be helpful in the future. I’m not into the crypto gimmick. Not quite that young to dive headfirst into that scheme. I haven’t experienced the late 70s/early 80s. It just seems like a similar economic transition is looming. I can’t speak to what will happen with the US and wars in the next 5 years.

All currencies debase over time. Unfortunately politicians make it happen to buy votes.

DXY shows the USD increasing against other currencies over the past 10-15 years. This isn't a symptom of the USD being managed well. It just means other governments are screwing their currency and citizens at a faster clip than the American government. Since Eisenhower was president, the purchasing power of the USD has gone from $1.00 down to $.08. Own currencies at your peril.

That said, I own more currency than I wish I had at the moment. Yes, I intentionally own an asset that I know is devaluing at least 6% this year. That is because most asset classes seem to have been pushed to unsustainable levels due to low interest since the mortgage crisis. Bubbles seem to be everywhere looking for a pin. Can the bubbles keep going up. Definitely. They tend to expand fastest right before they hit the pin.

Be careful and have liquidity on your side. When the asset bubbles burst, buy everything you can. We each get four to six opportunities/cycles in a lifetime to walk over to the corner and pick the money off the floor where others have left it.

This is probably not as specific as you want, but hope it helps.

 

[jeanes]

I also have more in cash than I probably should but I am reminded of a statement my investment advisor made during a meeting with his clients just after the '08 crash.
"Surely you don't have everything tied up in the market." Not what I wanted to hear after losing 40% of a lifetimes savings. I took him at his word and now keep a substantial amount in liquid assets, even though inflation eats it away. I agree with Wheels, be ready and able to seize opportunities.

 

[mdwest]

 

[Foxi]

Why Australia voted against more indigenous voice ?

do the Australian AH members know why this really happened ?
Regards from Europe

Foxi

 

[Wheels]

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

Why Australia voted against more indigenous voice ?

do the Australian AH members know why this really happened ?
Regards from Europe

Foxi

Thank goodness it failed

 

[PARA45]

View attachment 563638

This meme sums up the difference between those coward baby killers and the IDF.

 

[Boyd Brooks]

This meme bums up the difference between those coward baby killers and the IDF.

Sums?