Book of the Month

ON BULLSHIT

by

Harry G. Frankfurt

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Now, here is a little writing of 67 pages that is absolutely delightful. Frankfurt begins the first sentence of the book by declaring "One of the most salient features of our culture is that there is so much bullshit." At our age we can certainly agree, but do we have a clear understanding of what bullshit is, or why there is so much of it? If that intrigues you, then this is the read for you.

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Frankfurt begins by developing a theoretical understanding through philosophical analysis of what it is. He does not consider the misuses of the term in one's everyday vocabulary. Rather, he focuses upon how and why it has become so prevalent, and the distinction between a liar and a bullshitter, given their sincerity when showering us with their thoughts.

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The crux of this distinction according to Frankfurt is "Both represent themselves falsely as endeavoring to communicate the truth." Development of this argument makes fascinating reading and has major applications to one's understanding of public officials, talking heads, news reporting, and, unfortunately, friends. Frankfurt suggests that bullshit becomes unavoidable when one is required to talk without knowing what he is talking about. His final thought is that sincerity itself is bullshit given the nature of other things. I will not elaborate further as that would ruin your study of this disease that is so common and has no known cure. But, I can guarantee that by reading this analysis you will be able to distinguish bullshit for what it is, and those who are the main propagators.

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Harry G. Frankfurt is a renowned moral philosopher and Professor Emeritus at Princeton University, and his work is serious even when considering this, heretofore, somewhat forbidden subject. As always, enjoy!

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Reviewed for C-133 Crewmembers by Rick Spencer

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To find out more about this delightful book, and buy it for $4.08, click on: ON BULLSHIT

Into the Sky Blue Yonder

Here's a link to a great video plus other interesting links like "WWII Air Museum" and "Fly Air Combat Manuevers."

Click on: Air Power

Hoot of the Month

Sandy says, "I don't see a problem here. He is wearing a safety helmet, and his marshalling signals look like they are "by-the-book". Obviously, it was also one of those HOT summer days. HA!"

Subject : How to get kicked out of the AF 101. A few days ago somebody found a pic of a KC-135 guy marshaling a jet in his underwear. The next day Airman Jerknuts of our grand 34th AMU decided to out do the tanker guy. I think our guy won! The chief lost his mind over this. He read 11 people their rights and they all lawyered up. The chief confiscated a bunch of cameras (not before the pics got put on laptops of course) The kid asked everyone if they minded, including the aircrew and super, no one cared. There's a huge cluster-gaggle with it. Apparently every lawyer in the AOR plus a few extras have to be flown in for this.

Old Photo ID

Jimmy Donlan provided the following old photos, plus one "more current" view of him on his lake with his friends, Bud & Bud Light!! The question is: WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE???? You can help identify them. Just click on the Comment label at the bottom and enter your information......

Check Terry Wall's Comment added below on 8/23 (THANKS, TERRY!!) He ID'd some of those shuffleboarders, and asked a couple questions. Any answers??


If you have more old photos, please send them to rehanson342@aol.com for Posting.

Smilin' Sandy

Sandy Sandstrom and the Dover AMC Museum "Project" on static display........







Sandy & Erich Hausner (thanks for the great photos!!!)

Smart-xxx Ground Crews

New "intelligence" provided by Richard Huey & Alan Harding:

Supposedly, it takes a college degree to fly a plane, but only a high school diploma to fix one. Reassurance for those who fly routinely in our jobs. After every flight, UPS pilots fill out a form, called a "gripe sheet," which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft. The mechanics correct the problems, document their repairs on the form, and then pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight. Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor. Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by UPS' pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers. By the way, UPS is the only major airline that has never, ever had an accident.

P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.

P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

P: Something loose in cockpit.
S: Something tightened in cockpit

P: Dead bugs on windshield.
S: Live bugs on back-order

P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent.
S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.

P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S: Evidence removed.

P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
S: DME volume set to more believable level.

P: Friction lock cause throttle levers to stick.
S: That's what friction locks are for.

P: IFF inoperative in OFF mode.
S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.

P: Suspected crack in windshield.
S: Suspect you're right.

P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.

P: Aircraft handles funny.
S: Aircraft warned to: straighten up, fly right, and be serious.

P: Target radar hums.
S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.

P: Mouse in cockpit.
S: Cat installed.

P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
S: Took hammer away from midget.

Book of the Month

Recommended reading from Rick Spencer:

TRIUMPH FORSAKEN

The Vietnam War, 1954-1965

Mark Moyar, Ph.D.

Mark Moyar, Associate Professor at the U.S. Marine Corps University, hasauthored a most remarkable history of the Vietnam War, Triumph Forsaken. Most crewmembers that read this site have an abiding interest in that intervention. The C-133 had a major supply role beginning early in the War; so early, that after returning from a trip one was often asked, "Where is Saigon?" It was not long before every American knew that answer.

As you read Triumph Forsaken, you will live it. The memories of personal involvement with Vietnam and the C-133 will once again be vivid. You will savor each page as Moyar tells a story contrary to that promulgated by the theology of past authors who purport that Vietnam "was a war-mongering plot crafted by policy makers and soldiers." He tells this different story with the clarity and accuracy that many readers experienced. During his research, Dr, Moyar was granted access to much new material from both American and Communist archives that provided detailed accounts of the political and military battles at home and abroad. Open to any page of Triumph Forsaken and one is provided with in-depth analysis that regularly takes an axe to many of the beliefs still commonly held by the Left.

Triumph Forsaken began as a single volume history that has been expanded to two volumes, with the second due out soon. In reading, one will find compelling evidential blame about those who acted without regard for the truth in order to enhance their own political and personal agenda. Moyar's examples of such prevarication by the major news journalists, Ambassador Lodge, and Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, are abundant. That turns out to be one of the saddest commentaries for the Country and for those who served during that period. Additionally, Triumph Forsaken serves as an outstandingly good mirror for the present Iraq and Afghanistan War that is confronting global terrorism on its home turf. In that regard one reviewer, MG Scales, opines that it paints a picture that is clear: "Iraq and other related post 9/11 conflicts will require perseverance, resources, and resolve."

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this well researched, enlightened history of Vietnam and I hope you will as well!

To find out more about this book, and how to buy it for $16.63, click on: Triumph Forsaken

S/N 0536 Beavertail Update

This just in from Sandy Sandstrom (stay tuned...new photos to follow):

Our beavertail is here as of yesterday and we will attempt to install it on Tuesday, 31 July. This will make the aircraft complete (click on: B Model 0536 at the AMC Museum ). We have other work to do as well. The crew entrance door must be dismantled and a new cable installed, paint will have to be applied in several places and the decals are fraying and/or comming off. We have some of them, but we will have to aquire the rest. The MX never stops. Would that we had an indoor facility. Oh well, we always said "We have done so much with so little, we can do anything with nothing".

Sandy

One More New/Old Contact!

Hey Tom from Vermont!! THANKS for the Comment on our Crews on the Wing post! We appreciate hearing from you......BUT we don't have your e-mail address. How about it? You could list it in a Comment on this Post, or e-mail it to rehanson342@aol.com.

Need Your Help!

Sandy Sandstrom and Dick Hanson have just about exhausted all their ideas for building an e-mail address list.......we now have 35. We know our C-133 Crew colleagues value the opportunity to re-connect and sustain old friendships with a common interest. E-mails are not only a cheap and easy way to do that on a personal basis, but it would be much easier and cheaper to communicate with everyone on a frequent basis.

Thanks to the previous Reunion planners, we do have a roster of about 170 names, mailing addresses and phone numbers. So we do plan to make a snail mailing at some point to cover everyone. But with only 20% of those listing e-mail addresses, and we know even some with e-mail addresses don't use them much, it would make for much more active and interesting communications to get a lot more people involved.

I will be sending this same request to the 35 names we do have. PLEASE, review our "Send To" list, and let us know additional e-mail addresses you have. Reply to the e-mail you receive, or just list what you have in the Comment section of this Post.

We are also preparing a questionnaire to survey colleagues about their interests and preferences for the next Reunion. Again, the best way to do that is via e-mail, so we'll be ready as soon as you help us build up our list.

THANK YOU!!

South African Bush Pilot

Imagine you are a South African bush pilot. You fly in some critical medical supplies and enjoy a quick lunch at the hospital. It's a stifling 100 degrees in the shade and you're eager to get back up to the cool, high blue yonder. On the way back to your plane, you discover that the only bit of shade within ten miles has become very popular. You start calculating the distance to the plane door and wonder . . . "Do I feel lucky today?"

Air Poland

Words not necessary!

Secret Missions East

Yes, I remember as well being on a few 'secret missions' normally a SAM. These were in the early 60's and to India. The crew, all with Top Secret clearances, were briefed in a small room at KDOV base ops and advised to carry weapons. Also, we were to wear civilian clothes after flying East from Germany. Lastly, the families, when calling the Squadron, could only be told that the mission had departed Germany in an Easterly direction with no knowledge of time of return or destination.One of these missions took us to Dum Dum AP in Calcutta where we landed in 'secrecy'. And, we were able to enjoy the beginning of the Monsoon season! However, I was the 39th squadron historian and noticed a complete report of our arrival in the local newspaper and brought a copy back to include in the monthly analysis of the squadron's work.After landing we flew VFR for about an hour without filing a flight plan to a seemingly abandoned WWII base on the Northern border and off loaded 'listening apparatus'. We never really knew what we carried on these missions and never really asked.There were a lot of SAM missions in the early 60's almost all to interesting places with interesting cargo. I do not remember the other crew members as I did not keep orders that I can now review.

Rick Spencer
July 11, 2007 4:19 PM

Secret Missions to Norway

In Oct 61, Don Coyle flew a classified mission to Norway, one of several such. Does anyone know anything about such missions? Coyle picked up a Norwegian nav at Bodo, then flew north around the top of Norway. To escape Soviet radar detection, they descended to 300' AGL, below the tops of the fjord walls, flying to a field built by the Germans during WW2. It was probably near Kirkenes. The unknown cargo was discharged to trucks on a small road near the field.The field was a single runway to narrow to turn around, so the airplane had to be backed to the end of the runway for departure.

Changing the Art of War

C-133 Members: Here is a book that you will all enjoy. It always amazes to read of those from humble backgrounds that do so much to create change. Much of such has been done by members of the USAF. Let me know how you like this reading and some of you may have known him.
___________________________________________
"Boyd, The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War"
by Robert Corham
Little, Brown and Co. 2002
ISBN 0-316-88146-5

People from Pennsylvania are always proud of their heroes and they have had many throughout their history . United States Air Force Colonel John Richard Boyd(1927-1997) from Erie is one of them. Corham suggests Boyd “...as the most influential military theorist since Sun Tzu.” Mostly unknown except to a small group that met every Wednesday night for over thirty years at the Officers Club at Fort Myer next to Washington, DC., this group was noted to be unsurpassed in America for their contribution to national defense.

Boyd served in W.W.II, Korea, and Vietnam and was known as “Forty Second Boyd” because of his ability to invert upon flight training opponents within 40 seconds. In 1960 Boyd completed his “Aerial Attack Study”, a manual which became the official tactics for fighter aircraft. After that he began more ground breaking work with his revolutionary “Energy-Maneuverability Theory”(E-M) which changed people’s fundamental understanding of aviation. E-M could quantify under combat conditions the performance of American aircraft, of “threat aircraft”, and could be used to design fighter aircraft. Corham notes Boyd as the father of the legendary A-10, F-15, and F-16.

Next came one of the few papers Boyd ever wrote, “Destruction and Creation”, 1976. Written in order to understand the thought processes he used when developing his E-M Theory, Corham calls it a window into Boyd’s mind. In order to more fully appreciate Corham’s biography of Boyd and Boyd himself, I recommend it be read first.

Corham now relates how Boyd turned to probably his most important work-a timed based theory of conflict-whoever can handle the quickest rate of change is the one who survives. Thus began what was to become Boyd’s most famous legacy: the Observe-Orient-Decide-Act cycle. Called the OODA Loop I recently found about 1500 references to it on the internet. The OODA Loop when properly used against an enemy causes panic and confusion , unraveling and disorientation before the battle begins; and, lastly, an unexpected lighting thrust . They rarely understand what has happened. The Marine Corps introduced the OODA Loop into combat operations before the USAF. This concept remains today as the basis for military operations.

For those interested in how one man can change the Pentagon’s view in waging warfare this is a must read. It is slow in the middle but perseverance pays the reader. I have had conversations with former Pentagon reporters from Boyd’s era who say Corham’s depiction of Boyd is accurate. They remember him as loud, profane, opinionated, confrontational, and unorthodox. Always ready to take on a defense contractor or a General. Another following in Boyd’s footsteps as an unorthodox military analysts from whom the Pentagon has taken intellectual cues is Thomas Barnett. He deserves your attention as well (reference earlier Post on June 25th on "Globalization").

Classic 133 "War Story"

Ted Feindt, who provided a photo from Nord in an earlier Post (click on "A New/Old Connection" in the Archive at the right), when challenged, has provided proof that it was May, 1964 with the following copy of the official Flight Order (yes, you were "anal" Ted). Ted's story of the "unauthorized air drop" is one of those cherished memories!! Let's have some more!

Dick, in response to Marion Johnson's comment to you that the Thule - Nord shuttles were flown later in the summer, be advised that the photo of Maj. Alex Witmer and myself was, in fact, taken at Nord sometime between 20 May and 28 May 1964. I've forwarded to you via email a copy of the 1st ATS flight order for that mission. Please post the order on the blog (I have copies of flight orders for EVERY mission that I flew while assigned to the 1st ATS each annotated with the actual itinerary - Okay, I was a little anal!). I recall that we also made an "unauthorized" airdrop on that mission. We purloined a condemed parachute from the Thule crew survival shop and attached a package with cans of fruit juice and frozen fish for the men and dogs, respectively, of a Danish expedition out on the north coast of Greenland west of Nord. On our next flight to Nord from Thule, we skillfully located the expedition in a fjord and using my best CARP computation, we dropped the chute and package. At this point we became aware of the fact that it was the practice at that time to CUT the shroud lines on condemed chutes. The package reached the ground significantly before the chute while still accelerating. Boy, were we embarassed! None of the cans of juice survived the drop, but, we were told that the dogs enjoyed the fish.
June 27, 2007 9:30 PM

Crews on the Wing

So my question is, if SAC crews can do it on a B-52, why can't we do it on a C-133 at our next reunion???

Tom Barnett on Globalization

Our colleague, Rick Spencer, Navigator, 39th ATS, early 60s, offers the following. Click on the link at the end, and check it out; then leave a comment on your thoughts:

C-133 members: I would like to introduce you to the author and futurist Thomas Barnett. He has written two books; "The Pentagon's New Map" and "Blueprint for Action". Barnett is considered the most influential defense intellectual writing these days and PNM is considered the most influential book of our time relating to the future role of the military. He ties together the importance of combined security, economic, political, and cultural factors to create a new world paradigm to replace that of the cold war. And, that is what makes his writing so interesting to our group as we were all a part of the cold war. The world has changed and the role of the military has really changed.To get you started I am listing a site that shows him giving his "brief" and I will follow that up with other sites every few days that depict his thinking.His counter intuitive thinking is simply stunning and a jolt to those of our age. But, it is difficult to refute even when not in agreement. Gobalization has created a world that has largely moved beyond us and belongs to our grandchildren. Give him a try if this peaks your interest. Here is the site: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/33

June 25, 2007 8:41 PM

A New/Old Connection

Thanks for the Comment, Ted Feindt, Navigator, 1st ATS, early 60s! . And thanks for the great photo of you and our boss, Major Alex Witmer, up at Station Nord in May, 1964. AWESOME!

I sure remember those shuttles from Thule in the summer, landing on the ice, hauling supplies to the Danish weather station. Those Danes were thrilled to get rides back to "civilization" at Thule for R&R!! I also Googled your name, and got the photo you posted on the Aviation Enthusiast Corner website....ol' 71612 up at Station Nord. Then I found by clicking on that photo, it brought up the airplane specs and more photos.

I'll add your e-mail address to the list we're building and keep you in touch. Sorry we weren't connected in time to see you at the reunion......definitely plan on the next one!! Put this blog address on your Favorites list and check back periodically for new posts.

Welcome Aboard, Cal!

Cal Taylor, author of the remarkable book with a red cover, Remembering an Unsung Giant, has listed a crosslink notice on his website about this blog (click on the title), and has graciously agreed to be a "contributing author." We look forward to his insights to help stimulate more interest and participation.

Here's his first Comment:

firstfleet said...
After the reunion, I visited the National Museum of the USAF, at Wright-Patterson AFB. C-133A 62008 is now inside, protected from the weather. it looks excellent, surrounded by other planes much smaller. There was talk that it would be displayed with an Atlas on its transporter lined up behind. But, the museum could not find the rails that were used. Plus, that would take up a huge amount of floor space. Still, this is one C-133 that is protected the best from weather, birds and all of the other problems that the airplanes stored outside suffer. I enjoyed the reunion a whole lot and it was a great pleasure to meet so many people from the Dover squadrons.Thanks to everyone who contributed so much to the book.
June 5, 2007 1:44 PM