Tag Archives: taxes

U.S.

USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6): Punishments for lack of leadership

In July 2020, the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) was undergoing $250-million in upgrades when it was set on fire and destroyed by a disgruntled Sailor (now awaiting Court Martial). In 2021, U.S. Navy (USN) investigators determined that pervasive lack of leadership onboard USS Bonhomme Richard created the environment that led to the sabotage.  In July 2022, the USN announced punishments for at least 20 personnel in leadership positions, including the ship’s commanding officer.  The disciplines range from letters of reprimand to loss of pay. A letter of censure has also been issued to the former commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6):

STEEL INFERNO, ONE YEAR LATER, SABOTAGE & LACK OF LEADERSHIP=DEATH OF A SHIP!

INTO THE STEEL INFERNO!

 

U.S.

U.S. Disaster/Food Crisis 2022: Oklahoma Militia fights 702-Fire, no more Beef Cattle?

Image

“It’s burning up in these canyons deep, burning out over the bowls and spreading out…. …. We’re unable to get our trucks and units down into the fire so. Basically, the only way is only with dozers and air support is the only way we’ll be able to get this knocked down.”-Jim Shelton, Blaine County Emergency Management 

This year’s fire season doesn’t seem as profuse as previous years.  Don’t tell that to people in Oklahoma, already more than 8-thousand acres (3237 hectares) have burned since 14JUL2022.

KOCO report from 15JUL2022, points out that the fire is negatively affecting a major food source:

Oklahoma Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Anthony Jones, 16JUL2022.

On 16JUL2022, Oklahoma Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawks, and LUH-72 Lakotas, attacked what is called the 702-Fire, in Blaine County.

Oklahoma Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Anthony Jones, 16JUL2022.

The UH-60 can dump more than 6-hundred gallons of water, using its ‘Bambi bucket‘.

Oklahoma Army National Guard photo by Specialist Caleb Stone, 16JUL2022.

Don’t forget about the natural gas refinery in Medford, Oklahoma, that caught fire a week ago:

U.S. Disaster 2022: MORE FIRES, MORE MILITARY DEPLOYMENTS, BLAME HOUSING DEVELOPMENT SPECULATION GAME!

U.S. Food Crisis 2022: KENTUCKY MILITIA DEPLOYED FOR WATER SHORTAGE, “BAD WENT TO WORSE!”

U.S.

U.S. Disaster 2022: Arizona Militia Sandbags latest Flooding

Video

Arizona Army National Guard image by Major Kyle Key.

On 16JUL2022, more than 30 personnel from the 850th Military Police Battalion deployed to help fill more than 5-thousand sandbags.  Then, the next day (17JUL2022), approximately 60 additional personnel of the Arizona National Guard deployed to the Coconino County Public Works Department, to help fill as many as 600-thousand sandbags before the end of the week.

This is due to monsoon flooding, which caused ‘shelter-in-place’ orders to be issued to some of the residents of areas that had been devastated by wildfires in recent years, the burn areas now become zones of large flash flooding during the monsoon season.

Arizona Army National Guard image by Major Kyle Key.

On 15JUL2022, administrators of Coconino County asked for help from the National Guard.  It turns out that many of the militia personnel were already taking part in their ‘summer camp’ training, just 25 miles away, and some of them actually live in Coconino County:  “We just pivoted those soldiers over there and re-directed them to the Coconino Public Works building… …There are some who are from this area. That is what’s beautiful about it. We are part of the community in which we serve.”-Major Kyle Key, Arizona Army National Guard

Arizona Army National Guard shows you how to ‘sandbag’ on the job, video by Major Kyle Key:

 

U.S. Disaster 2022: MONTANA MILITIA DEPLOYS AFTER MAJOR FLOODING!

IDAHO AIR GUARD DEPLOYS TO CHEROKEE NATION!

U.S. Food Crisis 2022: KENTUCKY MILITIA DEPLOYED FOR WATER SHORTAGE, “BAD WENT TO WORSE!”

Idaho, Technology, U.S.

World War 3: Idaho S-T-E-M preps grade schoolers for future war

Image

“Summer is the time the program has given us to step outside our normal curriculum and experiment to try out new areas of STEM and develop new lessons we can then possibly submit to our national program for youth and other Starbase programs across the nation. Our Starbase staff were really excited about developing this new program and we hope to continue the curriculum into future summer camps and possibly the normal academic year.”-Courtney Taylor, Idaho Starbase director

During the months of June and July, 2022, fewer than 2-hundred 5th grade students in Idaho took part in an Idaho National Guard STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) Summer Camp program, called Starbase (STARBASE A Department of Defense Youth Program).  It is not the first time, but this year demand for such a program was high enough that the normal one camp was expanded into eight separate camps, and three new unique/specialized programs were tried-out.

The Starbase camp is for children of members of the Idaho state militia.  Military based STEM camps began in 2018, under the federal Department of Education’s (DoE) Title 1, however, according to the Idaho National Guard the federal Department of Defense (DoD) is actually providing the funding for the state militia operated STEM camps and after-school programs.

Children of migrant workers learn how to use computers to do facial reconstruction, on Idaho National Guard’s Gowen Field. Idaho Army National Guard photo by Crystal Farris, 15JUL2022.

Military based STEM camps are also for children of migrant farm workers, under the federal DoE’s Migrant Education Program.  It appears that the DoD’s Starbase STEM camps are exclusively for children of National Guard personnel, and children of migrant workers!

Idaho Army National Guard photo by Crystal Farris, 28JUN2022.

For June 2022, Idaho’s Starbase introduced three new categories for its Summer camp; identifying weapons of mass destruction (WMD) under the guise of CSI (Crime Scene Investigation), Space-Force training under the guise of Mission to Mars, and survival training under the guise of search and rescue. Students were part of other programs such as the Caldwell Migrant Summer School Program,  the Idaho Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, the Learning Garden Children’s Center in Meridian, and four different regions of the YMCA (Christian organization founded in the United Kingdom, based in Switzerland).

Idaho Army National Guard photo by Crystal Farris, 08JUL2022.

For July 2022, Starbase Idaho wrapped-up the season by introducing 3rd through 6th grade students to Idaho Army National Guard armored vehicles.

For years, the hi-tech industry in Idaho has worked with the military to educate grade school aged children in the ways of STEM.  Boise based computer chip maker Micron has its own STEM bus which makes visits to military bases. (just a week ago, Micron warned of continuing chip shortages, but this time due to crashing demand caused by inflation)

Operation Snow Bash, 2018: IDAHO TRAINS UP THE CHILDREN, FOR WAR!

Cyber Dome, 2022: IDAHO JOINS ISRAEL IN NEW GLOBAL CYBER DOMINANCE OPERATION?

World War 3, 2021: IDAHO TRAINS KOREAN ANTI-NUCLEAR COMBAT TEAMS!

Technology

Cold War Helicopters: Dragon crashes into Antarctic Ocean

Video

During the United States’ Operation Highjump (aka Project Highjump), in 1946-47, a Sikorsky HO3S-1 helicopter (called Dragonfly by the British) crashed into the Antarctic Ocean (aka Southern Ocean).

The silent color film, by U.S. Army Private E. Zinberg, dated 19JAN1947, shows the Dragonfly approaching USS Pine Island (AV-12), the film cuts out for a second then shows the Sikorsky diving into the water. The pilot, and the observer, are rescued:

There is an attempt to salvage the helicopter, but the order is given to let the Dragonfly go:

This crash happened about a week after the rescue of the crew, and passenger, of a U.S. Navy PBM-5 Mariner, code named George 1, which had been missing since 30DEC1946.  The search was frantic, not just because nobody knew what happened, but the commanding officer of the USS Pine Island was onboard the missing seaplane.  The crew and VIP (very important person) passenger that survived (three crewmembers died) the crash of George 1, were rescued on 12JAN1947.

According to Peter J. Anderson, who worked for the Office of Polar Programs-National Science Foundation, a total of seven helicopters were used during Operation Highjump.  On 19JAN1947, H03S-1 helicopter (Bureau Number [BuNo] 57996) was sent to find pack-ice that could launch aircraft for a photographic mission, ordered by Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd.  The HO3S-1 returned early due to icing of the rotary wings.  Ironically, just feet from the deck of USS Pine Island, the icing suddenly became worse causing to HO3S-1 to drop straight into the ocean.  Just three days later, a second HO3S-1 was lost.  BuNo 579997 was launched from the aircraft carrier USS Philippine Sea, it was hit by a downdraft and shoved into the ocean, the crew was rescued.

The two HO3S-1 helicopters were two of the four aircraft lost during Operation Highjump.

Cold War Helicopters:

USAF photo.

SIKORSKY DRAGONFLY (WS-51 or R-5 or H-5/SH-5 or HO3S-1)

KAMOV 25 ‘HORMONE’

Idaho

Pocatello Arts Council is not taxpayer funded, but helps bring free public events!

Image

14 July 2022  (10:08-UTC-07 Tango 06) 23 Tir 1401/14 Dhu l-Hijja 1443/16 Ding-Wei 4720

Recently in the U.S. state of Idaho, apparently (supposedly) a City of Pocatello council person inquired about the funding for the Pocatello Arts Council.  It sounded very much like she was ‘fishing’ for ways to appropriate some of that funding for local government use, not unusual for a city council that has a history of non-transparent, and even non-existent, financial record keeping.  There is one major problem; the Pocatello Arts Council is not a government operation, it is a non-governmental organization (NGO) created and funded totally by donations!

For Summer 2022, the Pocatello Arts Council has teamed-up with many other organizations to bring free-to-the-public Shakespeare performances at the Idaho State University (ISU), in Pocatello.

Idaho State University’s The Quad.

On July 21st, Twelfth Night will be performed on The Quad, starting at 18:30 (6:30PM). Then King Lear makes an appearance on July 23rd, same location.  Food trucks will be staged, but they are not free, bring money or bring your own food.

On this map The Quad is the area marked as #9.

Shoshone-Bannock Tribes conduct sunrise prayer on ISU’s Quad.

For those wanting more academic information about some guy named Shakespeare, on the 20th of July there is a free lecture (with live sample performances) at the Marshall Public Library, in the Old Town part of Pocatello.

The lecture is held before the theatrical plays take place so you’ll get a better understanding of the mind-set of The Bard.

In October 1991, the Pocatello Arts Council was created by a generous grant from an individual.  The council members are not paid a dime, they are volunteering their own time and efforts.  While Pocatello Arts Council is a non-taxpayer funded NGO, they do serve as an ‘advisory council’ to the Mayor of Pocatello.

Pocatello Arts Council also offers very small grants to local people feeling creative, there are deadlines, apply here.

Scandals involving Pocatello & Chubbuck:

Photo by AAron B. Hutchins, July 2019.

Bridge to Nowhere, and a list of other local taxpayer rip-offs

 

Kit Bashing, Technology

1:1 scale F-15E gets new colors, via vinyl decals.

Video

U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Austin Salazar, 11JUL2022.

The U.S. Air Force’s 48th Fighter Wing unveiled new heritage colors at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, in the United Kingdom.

U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Austin Salazar, 11JUL2022.

75 years of the U.S. Air Force.

USAF photo by Airman Austin Salazar.

USAF photo by Airman Austin Salazar, 11JUL2022.

80 years of U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE).

Video, with dramatic music, by Airman Seleena Muhammad-Ali:

USAF photo by Airman First Class Jacob Wood, 14JUL2022.

USAF photo by Airman First Class Jacob Wood, 14JUL2022.

2021: RE-BUILD A 1:1 SCALE F-15 CANOPY

World War 3: 1ST TIME LEGION POD SHOOT-DOWN FOR F-15 EAGLE

Vehicle I-D: The new F-15EX HAS ARRIVED! COMMANDER SAYS “IT’S AN EX-CITING DAY!”

2019: PAINTING A P-51 WITH VINYL DECALS?

U.S.

Biden’s War: Pennsylvania Militia trains in Texas, on way to Middle East.

Video

12 July 2022  (14:05-UTC-07 Tango 06) 21 Tir 1401/12 Dhu l-Hijja 1443/14 Ding-Wei 4720

M2HB heavy machine gun training,18JUN2022. Pennsylvania National Guard photo.

Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s 252nd Quartermaster Company has been on Fort Hood, Texas, training for their deployment to somewhere in The Middle East (South West Asia).

Forklift training, 11JUL2022. Pennsylvania National Guard photo.

Being a ‘Quartermaster’ unit, their main job is logistics, so that is what much of the training focused on.  Don’t want any supply chain shortages for the troops in The Middle East.

On Fort Hood, 08JUL2022. Pennsylvania National Guard photo.

These Conex boxes contain the 252nd’s gear, for shipment to The Middle East.

Approximately 200 Soldiers got on the bus, 05JUN2022. Pennsylvania Army National Guard photo by Private First Class David Thomson.

Leaving for Texas, 05JUN2022. Pennsylvania Army National Guard video by Private First Class David Thomson:

The busses took them to the airport. Pennsylvania Army National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Zane Craig, 05JUN2022.

Biden’s War:  IDAHO, MONTANA, OREGON STUCK IN A DEPLOYMENT LOOP!

Biden-NATO War:  “A NEW SHOW”, MORE DEPLOYMENTS, “VIGILANCE ACTIVITY”!

U.S.

U.S. Food Crisis: Kentucky Militia deployed for Water Shortage, “Bad went to worse!”

Video

11 July 2022  (18:11-UTC-07 Tango 06) 20 Tir 1401/11 Dhu l-Hijja 1443/13 Ding-Wei 4720

Kentucky Army National Guard photo by Sergeant First Class Benjamin Crane, 01JUL2022.

“We can live without electricity, we can live without the Internet. One thing you definitely can’t live without is water. And it becomes something that we sometimes take for granted.”-Adam Ledford, City of Marion

Beginning 24JUN2022, personnel with Kentucky Army National Guard’s 2061st Multi-Role Bridge Company, as well as the 206th Engineer Battalion, 201st Engineer Battalion, and 103rd Chemical Battalion, have been working to bring potable water to the town of Marion.

Kentucky Army National Guard photo by Sergeant First Class Benjamin Crane, 01JUL2022.

Side note: Despite what dictionaries/word-smiths say is the source of the word potable, people should pronounce potable as pot-able (or pot-a-bul), as in the water is able to be used in a pot for cooking/drinking. Non-potable, of course, is water that is not able to be used in a pot for cooking/drinking.

On 22JUN2022, it was reported that administrators in Crittenden County were scrambling to solve a water shortage problem caused by attempts by City of Marion administrators to drain Lake George.

Lake George was the primary water source for Marion, but in April erosion in the lake’s levee suddenly developed into a sink-hole.  An attempt was made to drain the Lake George, to prevent total failure of the levee and a resulting massive flood of the town.  At first the standard way of draining was not making good progress, so they decided to breech the levee on purpose.

Observing Old City Lake. Kentucky Army National Guard photo by Sergeant First Class Benjamin Crane, 01JUL2022.

Marion officials had ordered water collection to be switched to the smaller City Lake (aka Old City Lake, which looks more like a big pond), thinking it held one month’s worth of water, and that surely would be enough, but whoopsie, turns out City Lake held only 18-days worth!  Apparently what was negatively affecting Lake George is also affecting nearby lakes: “Throughout that process, we were able to begin to put together the picture that it looked like what was causing the issue had something to do with our intake system and damage to our intake system that runs underneath the levee and into the bottom of the lake. Bad went to worse, we lost over a week’s water supply just because of new data that was developed on our secondary source, which had now become our primary source. So, in essence, you can argue that we lost not only one water supply, but quite honestly, we lost two-plus water supplies in this process.”-Adam Ledford, City of Marion

There are several options for the City of Marion; rely on other cities and other counties for water, which will greatly jack-up water costs for Marion residents.  Or, have the Governor call in the National Guard and make emergency taxpayer funded water deliveries until a long term solution proves viable.

Kentucky Army National Guard photo by Sergeant First Class Benjamin Crane, 01JUL2022.

Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency and initially deployed approximately 20 Army National Guard Combat Engineers.

WSIL video report, three days of potable water left as of 06JUL2022, multiple new leaks:

On 07JUL2022, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet announced it will attempt to connect Marion with water from the Crittenden-Livingston Water District.  Also, Webster County Water has been suppling water, and, Marion officials approved a plan to build a three miles long system to connect to the Caldwell County Water District in Princeton.  However, all these expensive water connections to other systems will supply only half of the City of Marion’s water needs. Additional efforts are being attempted.

The City of Marion is a rural city with a population of about 3-thousand.

U.S. Food Crisis, 2022: WALMART FEEDS FOR FREEDOM? THE MILITARY CHOWS DOWN ON THE REAL HUNGER GAMES!

U.S. Disaster, 2022: MONTANA MILITIA DEPLOYS AFTER MAJOR FLOODING!

Disaster 2021: IDAHO MILITIA & BOISE FD TRAIN FOR SWIFT WATER RESCUES, WITHOUT WATER!

Technology

Robot Wars, 2025: That’s no FLIR pod, that’s a robot flying that helicopter! Or, whatever happened to AACUS?

Video

U.S. Navy photo by John F. Williams, 11DEC2015.

AACUS (pronounced Ay-Kus, and not to be confused with the new British empire/Biden alliance known as AUKUS) = Autonomous Aerial Cargo Utility System

Boeing AH/MH-6 (MD 500) supposedly operated by a robot. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Corporal Samuel Ellis, 27FEB2014.

On 27FEB2014, a public demonstration was made of a new technology that supposedly would make human pilots for helicopters a thing of the past.  Over U.S. Marine Corps Base Quantico, in Virginia, a Boeing AH/MH-6 (aka MD 500) combat (yes, the MD500 is mainly a combat ‘copter, not cargo) rotary wing was supposedly flown by AACUS, a system of software and sensors, which purportedly could be applied to any existing helicopter.

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Corporal Samuel Ellis, 27FEB2014.

“This is a Navy-Marine Corps team project. We’ve taken a landing system that can autonomously land an unmanned helicopter or aircraft into a very dangerous landing zone, potentially with the touch of a tablet. This is an expeditionary type of capability and there was no better place to test it than Quantico.”-Rear Admiral Matt Klunder

Supposedly this Kaman K-Max is being flown by a robot. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Corporal Samuel Ellis, 20MAR2014.

Then on 20MAR2014, over Marine Corps Base Quantico, a Kaman K-Max cargo helicopter was also flown by AACUS, mounted on the belly between the main landing gear.

According to the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps (USN/USMC), as of April 2014, AACUS had  cost taxpayers $98-million, since the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Innovative Naval Prototype program was started in 2012.

Notice the human pilot does not have his hands on the the control stick. U.S. Navy photo by John F. Williams, 11DEC2015.

In December 2015, another AACUS demonstration was held using a Bell 206L (aka Kiowa), this time at the Flying Circus Aerodrome located in Bealeton, Virginia.

USN photo by John F. Williams, 11DEC2015.

USN photo by John F. Williams, 25MAY20216.

In May 2016, a different Bell 206 was tested with AACUS.

USMC video report by Corporal Thor Larson, 25MAY2016:

USN photo by John F. Williams, 30NOV2017.

Between February 2017 and November 2017, more public demonstrations, this time with a Viet Nam era Bell UH-1H ‘Huey’, and this time they were really talking-up AACUS: “This is more than just an unmanned helicopter. AACUS is an autonomy kit that can be placed on any rotary-wing platform and provide it with an autonomous capability. Imagine a Marine Corps unit deployed in a remote location, in rough terrain, needing ammunition, water, batteries or even blood. With AACUS, an unmanned helicopter takes the supplies from the base, picks out the optimal route and best landing site closest to the warfighters, lands, and returns to base once the resupply is complete, all with the single touch of a handheld tablet.”-Walter Jones, Executive Director of ONR

USMC natural sound video, by John F. Williams, of final testing of AACUS over Marine Corps Base Quantico, 12DEC2017:

USN photo by John F. Williams, 30NOV2017.

However, Lieutenant General Robert Walsh, of Marine Corps Combat Development Command, admitted they still didn’t know what to do with this latest & greatest technology, saying “…it’s up to us to determine how to use it…”

USN photo by John F. Williams, 15FEB2017.

Officials with the AACUS program also pointed out that the system can also be used to help human pilots in inclement weather: “It can be used as a pilot aid in degraded visual environments…”-Dennis Baker, AACUS program officer

USN photo by John F. Williams, 15FEB2017.

USMC dramatic music video explainer,  by Sergeant Laiqa Hitt, 13DEC20217:

It was also revealed that AACUS is a technology that is part of the Department of Defense’s Force 2025, a modernization program started in 1995 and based on hypotheticals of what future warfare my require.  Each branch of the DoD has their own term for it, the USMC calls theirs Marine Corps Force 2025, and for fiscal year 2017 they claimed that Phase II of Force 2025 was “way ahead”.

Dramatic video report, 13DEC2017, by John F. Williams (for some reason the audio for the last half of the report is silent):

USMC natural sound video, by John F. Williams, of presentation of AACUS to news media on Marine Corps Base Quantico, 15DEC2017:

USMC photo by Matt Lyman, 14MAY2018.

In 2018, AACUS testing was moved to Twenty Nine Palms, California.

Robot Huey refueling at a Forward Area Refueling Point. USMC photo by Matt Lyman, 14MAY2018.

Integrated Training Exercise 3-18 (in May 2018) is considered the first time an AACUS flown rotary wing aircraft flew, and delivered cargo, during a wargame.

Not much has been reported about AACUS since 2018, but in 2021, Vertical Magazine revealed that wildfire fighting contractor Columbia Helicopters was working with Aurora Flight Systems to apply AACUS to be able to conduct aerial fire fighting at night.

ASPNT Huey, photo via Aurora Flight Sciences.

On 10JAN2022, Aurora Flight Sciences revealed they were working on an upgraded AACUS which will use ‘detect & avoid’ systems to prevent midair collisions, and a ‘GPS-Denied’ system (All Source Position, Navigation, and Timing, aka ASPNT) to allow robot aircraft to fly where GPS is not available.

Aurora Flight Sciences is a subsidiary of Boeing, they are also involved with programs to integrate humans and robots, and developing anti-drone systems.

In June 2022, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (aka CAL FIRE) made the first, ever in the U.S., series of night time water bombings on a wildfire called the Electra Fire. The Sikorsky S70i Fire Hawk was modified by United Rotorcraft, there was no indication what type of night flying system was being used.

U.S. Army photo, September 2017.

In September 2017, the U.S. Army conducted a robot helicopter operation using two Bell 206s (officially called RMAX UAS) to lift a 20 pound object and then fly it through an aerial obstacle course over Moffett Federal Airfield, California.  It is part of the Army’s AMRDEC Aviation Development Directorate autonomous program, ongoing since 2002.

U.S. Air Force, 1996: An Operational Analysis for Air Force 2025

U.S. Army, 2015: Force 2025 and Beyond

Royal Canadian Army, 2022: Due to lack of labor (being short 8-thousand personnel), the Force 2025 structure was adopted and is now being implemented.

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), 2022: Battle Force 2025, the U.S. plan to defend Taiwan 

Operation Jupiter: COMBONET A-I ROBOT SAYS REMDESIVIR IS THE NEW WONDER DRUG!

Zombie Tank: CHINA’S TYPE 59D TO LIVE-ON AS A ROBOT TANK?

Terminator: U.S. ARMY TRIPLES INVENTORY OF COMBAT ROBOT TANKS!

Robot Wars: BEWARE THE ZOMBIE KIOWA!

Texas Air National Guard hires robots to wash their F-16s!