Life Semi-Scripted

The 2010 Census started a chain of changes that rippled all the way down to a change in precinct boundaries.  Here is a map of the new boundaries for what used to be Hooper 03.  You can see the old boundaries marked with a dashed orange line (the east edge remains the same).

While Hooper 03 now stretches a little farther north, it lost sizable chunks of its east and west ends.  Its total area is now about a third of what it used to be.  This change reflects the population growth Hooper has experienced in the last ten years.  I’m working with our Legislative District chair to sort out how we’re going to handle caucus night with the new precincts.  Stay tuned!

Click on the image for a larger view.

A-10 & F-35 - Different designs. Different capabilities.

Originally posted in Google+

Okay, I know I’m biased. But in this case, I think I’m biased based on experience. I can also understand the need to justify the existence of the “next generation of multi-role fighter.” Still, I have to call attention to some smoke and mirrors going on and declare that, at this party, the emperor has no clothes!

From the website: “The F-35 will replace several legacy aircraft platforms. Click on each aircraft to see how the F-35 matches and exceeds its capabilities.”

First up is the A-10. How does the F-35 exceed the A-10’s capabilities? See for yourself…

The F-35 is better because “the A-10 is not stealthy and only reaches speeds of 420 MPH. In stark contrast, the stealthy F-35 provides precision ground support and travels at 1,186 MPH.”

By that criteria, it will also replace the AC-130 and B-52. In the close air support arena, speed is only an advantage when answering a call to get there fast. Once you’re there, speed can become a disadvantage when it comes to parking your plane in a small patch of airspace to get eyes on the battle and sort out the knife fight going on below you.

For the F-35 to retain its vaunted stealth capabilities, its payload will be near uselessly small for long-term on-station support of the ground battle. Sure, it can plus-up its payload, but with external stores it must descend to the lowly level of stealth of those poor “legacy aircraft” it is supposed to be so superior to. Also, unless the United States plans to relinquish control of the skies or foresees an end to its ability to establish air supremacy for the ground battle, stealth in a close air support role is not nearly as important as a long loiter time with a large, versatile payload.

I’m sure the F-35 is a great aircraft. It will perform some roles quite well. Still, I bet the F-22 will beat it in air-to-air (assuming the Raptor ever gets off the ground again). And, I bet that in a close air support matchup between a pair of fully loaded Hawgs and a pair of fully loaded Lightnings, the report card from the ground commander and his troops would rate the F-35 as a match to the A-10 at best… but likely not a “superior” close air support platform.

When the F-16 came out, it was hailed as THE multi-role solution that was going to do it all, and do it better. Well, we’re still flying F-15s, and we’re still flying A-10s. The F-22 is the replacement to the F-15. The F-35 is the replacement to the F-16. There is no replacement to the A-10, and none even being considered… which is a shame, since it looks like the close air support mission isn’t going away any time soon. In these days of tight budgets and high development costs, the solution could be as simple as the A-10 itself.

Take the basic, proven A-10 airframe, run it through a streamlined redesign process to integrate “new” technology (like the better engines that have been in service on civilian aircraft for over a decade), and reopen the assembly lines to build the A-10E. Do that, and you’ll have a proven close air support / forward air control / combat search & rescue / battlefield air interdiction aircraft that will last for decades, at a fraction of the cost of a completely new design.

Just sayin’.
</rant>

Warren Buffet (image from the article - Bloomberg News)

Warren Buffett recently penned a piece for the New York Times titled “Stop Coddling the Super-Rich.”

A rebuttal piece was offered up by the Wall Street Journal – “Warren Buffett’s Tax Dodge.”  The tagline for this one is “The billionaire volunteers the middle class for a tax increase.”

What do you think?

Some thoughts on the recent riots in the UK…

Are we next, or are we there?
So… riots, looting and arson in England.  Lots of it.  The apparent spark that lit it off was the shooting of Mark Duggan, the details of which are still unclear.  I’m left with a few questions…

1. What happened with Mark Duggan?  I know… this is the big one.  There seems to be some question about whether he had a (replica) gun that police took as real, and a threat.  From another article: “Duggan was shot carrying a converted replica handgun by a CO19 firearms officer 10 days ago, after the vehicle he was in was stopped during an operation to arrest him.”"An operation to arrest him”?  Apparently more than a routine traffic stop gone wrong?  Say what you want about Wikipedia, it seems to pool information pretty well.  Allegedly we’re looking at: a) crack cocaine dealer, b) gang member, c) planned arrest, d) carrying a loaded handgun.

2. How much of the rioting was due to anger or frustration with the police, and how much of it was because there was a perceived “cover story” justification.  Did the shooting seem like enough of a flashpoint that opportunistic looters figured they could get enough people riled up to cover a bunch of general robbery, arson and mayhem?

3. What state is a society in where people in 17 different places in the capital, and 8 more throughout the country figure that looting and burning the property of their neighbors is a fine thing to do.  The behavior seems to have transcended race and gender, though “youth” seem to have been well represented.

4. Is it a growing trend in the country to have so many people ready to devastate their own communities?  If so, what is the cause?  By all rights, Britain seems to be one of many European countries devoted to “social progress.”  They have a national health care system, very restrictive gun control measures, public assistance programs, public education, etc.  The list seems to include all of the top priorities for “progress.”  What more would they need to provide to engender a more civilized and compassionate society?  Or is the problem that they have “provided” too much… and thus eliminated any feeling of responsibility?

5. If we keep trying to mimic the same systems and controls, will we mimic the same results as well?

Some background info…
Interview with two teenage girls who took part in the riots.  From the article:
“Two girls who took part in Monday night’s riots in Croydon have boasted that they were showing police and “the rich” that “we can do what we want”.”

Max Hastings article titled “Years of liberal dogma have spawned a generation of amoral, uneducated, welfare dependent, brutalised youngsters”

Daniel Burton posted an apparently relevant movie clip on his Google+ stream.

Still cranking on getting Outrider Coaching up and running.  So far things are going GREAT!  E-zine #2 is ready and waiting to go out right on schedule.  Work with clients is also going wonderfully well and, best of all, is FUN!!  Latest post coming up in a couple hours at: Answer Me These Questions Three…

Okay, time to start up the personal blog again.  I know… this post is pretty anemic.  Still, I’m starting it up again and calling it official!  More to follow, but the real post of the day can be found at http://outridercoaching.com/2011/07/04/starting/.