This song is stuck in my head
I was reminded of this song by this headline:
Biden: U.S. Supports Training Ukraine on F-16s, Lifts Objection to Transfer of Fighter Jets
Here's the reality of the matter:
So basically it's about money. Should we be surprised? Meanwhile, Cedric Durand reminds us that the Chinese are likely to win any Second Cold War existing in the fantasy lives of Biden appointees, simply because in the Chinese case the entrepreneurs are the same people who run the state, whereas in the US case the entrepreneurs appear as parasites devouring the state host.
In sum, Caitlin Johnstone reminds us: You Don’t Have To Choose Between Happiness And Being Informed
Key quote:
...you begin to see that as confused and shitty as our civilization is, we’re still living in an amazingly beautiful world, whose beauty is so much vaster and more ancient than all the conceptual bullshit we’ve heaped upon the human experience.
It all reminds me of this song:
Comments
Thanks again SP
Looks nice and warm.
Wandering up Whitehall. Crowded as always.
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
Tony Schafer on pilot training
Thanks Cassiodorus for posting this video. Hadn't seen it before. I think the discussion was very informative. Unlearning the Russian style aircraft checklists, instrumentation, mechanics etc., presenting a greater training challenge than starting with a junior pilot with a "clean slate."
Will there be a temptation to simply introduce NATO pilots?
I've always considered military aviation a "culture," where one training experience relies on the preceding one, and even more significantly the greater reliance on the training and operational experiences of the senior pilots who become the trainers qualifying the younger pilots. In a sense, the culture of training pilots relies upon the older generation of pilots training the younger. It applies to maintenance and ground crews as well.
I have yet to hear the impact of the language barrier on such training. Do most Ukrainian pilots or pilot trainees already speak English? Additionally, the level of expertise in a language, requires the highest comprehension levels in specific technical or professional fields like aviation.
I thought the Cedric Durand piece was illuminating, and his reference to Adam Tooze was helpful. I consider the notion of meritocracy and the number of STEM graduates in China to give them an advantage as well. One wonders how this longer term advantage will be overcome.
語必忠信 行必正直
There will no doubt be a half-hearted attempt --
“The loyal Left cannot act decisively. Their devotion to the system is a built-in kill switch limiting dissent.” - Richard Moser