its_me_xiphos @ its_me_xiphos @beehaw.org

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4

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89

Joined

2 yr. ago

I don't work for Airbus, but they could crush Boeing by taking a profit hit and offering at-cost, financed replacements over the long term for anyone with a MAX. I imagine going that route could be cheaper than grounding all your aircraft or loosing one with all aboard.

I second the PBS documentary suggestion. The documentary is fantastic.

I highly recommend you watch Netflix's Downfall: The Case Against Boeing. The hostile takeover by McDonnell-Douglas trashed that company. I try to avoid flying in anything post-takeover that carries a Boeing name.

My administrative law professor, eons ago, worked as a supreme court clerk. Very smart person, very kind, and very neutral on anything political so no one could call him a hack when he shared his professional opinion. He halted class one day when the Max situation came up. He spent 3 hours devoted to his experiences with the FAA Regulatory apparatus, Airbus, and Boeing. He remarked about the redesign of the aircraft, engine placement, stalls, and how generational aircraft are inspected and approved. He went on to explain how Boeing had been, for years (since the hostile take over) been trying to push the boundaries of what was, and was not, an acceptable submission to the FAA for a speedy review as an updated generational aircraft, and was getting away with it. The documentary pretty much lays this out but profit margin, competition with Airbus, and hubris = QA/QC shortcuts as well as cost-savings shortcuts in design.

After all the reports came out, which that documentary I linked does an excellent job of detailing, I look back on that class and thank my lucky stars for the time I spent learning from that man. The 737 Max should have been an entirely new aircraft, with more rigorous scrutiny by regulators. But since it was just an "upgrade" it get away with major structural, software, and hydraulics changes without so much as a glance.

I try not to fly on anything from the post-takeover Boeing, and try to get on an Airbus whenever possible. An extra couple of bucks or a few extra layovers is worth it compared to being an example of why Boeing sucks.

Thank for for the great responses so far. I've encountered some limitations due to university provided laptop (Power/OS of Windows 11) and my own coding inexperience. However, I am exploring a setup that employs Docker and Paperless NGX. I've yet to upload hand written notes in PDF format, but as captured via a phone camera the OCR is abysmal. For typed PDF, the OCR is perfect. It parsed through, with no errors, a 100 page contract document and provided the text for import into an analytical program.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. If at the state level, do you mean the State Level Senator or Rep? As it reads, your congressman (i.e., your Federal Rep in DC) wouldn't have much legislative authority in Texas, even if they represent Texas.

Texas at a state level won't do anything, it's gerrymandered into Banana Republic territory. So you can fix gerrymandering (not likely) or bring the federal justice hammer down on the assholes empowering this crap (also not likely).

This is an issue akin to, but not a mirror of, the Jim Crow South, and I mean that administratively. Texas and other states have created three classes of citizen, divided by their ability to give birth (m or f by Texas interpretation) and, unlike Jim Crow, divided again by if they are pregnant or not. This, like Jim Crow, is effecting lives of course, but also commerce, travel, and other systems in ways I can't fathom. Let alone the mental health and health tolls on anyone carrying a baby, as you're immediately guilty until you give a healthy birth or proven innocent if anything happened to go wrong.

Jim Crow suffered blows from federal power via the federal government pursuing commerce clause arguments. Wait. What? Really? Yes, see Heart of Atlanta Motel Inc. v. United States and Katzenbach v. McClung.

That's what it'll take to stop this insanity. But, I fear, the current political climate is not there yet. So much needs to get fixed to get us back to the point where a supreme Court won't cite a pre-USA constitution legal argument as grounds to intervene in a woman's personal health. Crazy people out of politics, gerrymandering addressed, hate and anti democratic speech reinterpreted under the 1st amendment, etc.

It's a long battle but Jim Crow's ultimate destruction, and even Roe v Wades success while it lasted, proves we can do it but we need to learn from the shortcomings and solidify basic human rights in our national identity moving forward.

I have some reading and learning to do, and I appreciate your reply.

I appreciate your answer; give me time to research what you've laid before me and get back to you. Feel free to ping me (PM? DM? I'm new here) to discuss further. I am starting from 0 on this one, including having little to no knowledge of Obsidian beyond "Hey, that exists."

Coffee? CHECK. Baked bread? CHECK. Not dead? CHECK.

Off to a good start.

Remaining glued to Baldurs Gate 3. Enjoying a playthrough as a battle bard.

Did fire up Foxhole again to get into some trench combat. Had a ton of fun doing mortar support.

Favorite game of the year? BG3, hands down.

Don't get too lost in the dystopian side of things. It's easy to do, and yes, all indications are that we are in dire, dire straights.

Yes, we've been told we're at a turning point, many times over the last decade. A turning point from stability to anthropocentric doom. I choose to see it as a wake-up call. Scientists pointing out challenges is a sign we're paying attention, and the growing awareness among voters, even some I'm surprised at for their reasoning to care now, shows a shift in priorities. It's a chance to use this as momentum to push for effective policies and individual action, even if my (our) generation won't benefit and will likely suffer. We can make it better for who comes after, though, and it's worth a shot.

I am enjoying BG3, still, and it definitely scratches the tabletop fix I haven't been able to fulfill.

I also returned to No Man's Sky for a hot minute, and also still play TIE Fighter via GoG. Gotta go with that classic Lucas Arts 90s Gold.