Democrats Learn A Little, Take Impeachment Off The Table

Democrats may just be learning that always being on the 20% side of an 80/20 issue isn't the best place to be.  Not if they're going to succeed in politics beyond their rather out of touch, Trump-hating, progressive, base.

The Detroit News: House shelves effort to impeach Trump over Iran strikes

As the strikes on Iran were impressively successful, effective, popular, and didn't cause World War III to break out, impeachment is off the table.

Someone likely also explained to the radical Dems pushing the matter that impeaching Trump for doing what Obama and other Democrat Presidents had regularly done would be a tad embarrassing should the matter move on to a hearing. 

After all,  Democrat Presidents had no problem using military action without Congressional Authorization, and in the case of Obama it was a whole lotta unauthorized military action.  Obama had over 25,000 bombs dropped without Congressional authorization.   Kinda hard to impeach Trump for doing that which the great Democrat light bringer did to a far, far greater (and much less successful) extent - and for which Democrats had supported him doing even as the same ones seek Trump's impeachment for less. Well, if the Dem politicos didn't have double standards, they'd have no standards at all, would they?

On top of that, as presidents, including future Democrat presidents, may need to use force without congressional Authorization in the future, this was likely not a winning move.

Good on Democrats to realize there's at least one 20/80 hill of theirs that they're not willing to die on. 

No,That Doesn't Belong In Your Carry On

Really, it does not.

The Detroit News: Feds seize inert grenade at Detroit Metro Airport

Not sure how the traveler didn't get the memo,  but grenades, whether live or inert, do not belong in your carry-on.

Federal security officials seized an inert hand grenade last week at Detroit Metro Airport, they said.

Transportation Security Administration officers discovered the grenade in a traveler’s carry-on bag on June 15 during routine screening, officials said Monday.

So no, don't do that. 

In other news you ought to know already, your Costco membership card does NOT COUNT as REAL ID to get you on an aircraft. Seriously, a dimwit has tried.

Florida Weekend

Went to Gainesville this weekend to show a friend's kid the University of Florida.

Got an AirBnB near the University which was very Gator.

A rather comfy place with all that was needed.

We hit some favorite eating spots like Cantina Anejo, Pho Hanoi, and Raisin Canes.

We had signed the kid up for a campus tour on Friday, and it was very well done.  He liked the campus and he's going to apply there.  Friday evening, we found out the Tigers were in Tampa for a series, with a game Saturday at noon, so why not go?

So on Saturday we got up and headed out to Tampa. We managed to get a screaming good deal on some great seats, so we did the two hour drive to the stadium.

The game was held at George Steinbrenner Stadium as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' regular stadium is out of commission.

 This will be the only season they are playing in there.  As a minor-league stadium hosting major-league teams, home runs were definitely on the menu.

It's a nice stadium and they've tried to have as many Rays logos over the Yankee logos as possible.

 

Interestingly enough, there were about as many Detroit fans in the stands as there were Tampa Bay fans and many Detroiters traveled to the stadium to watch the entire series. 

We got great seats, 5 rows back, right behind home plate.

 

Great seats. Real hot and sunny out, so lots of water was consumed.

We unfortunately got to watch the Tigers get eaten by the Devil Rays up close and personal. 

The Tigers in the first inning managed to leave men stranded on the bases without scoring. But, they did manage to load up the bases with Devil Rays and then walk in a run, and after striking the very next player walk in a second run! Then a base hit right after brought in two more runs for an early 4-0 lead for Tampa, with none of the runs counting as earned.  A rather inauspicious start.

The Tigers manged to get in a run in the 4th but by then it was 7-1, with some solo home runs smacked in by the Devil Rays. You knew they were homers just how they sounded coming off the bat - fun to watch it happen.

We got to see the major league debut of Devil Rays' pitcher Paul Gervase, at the top of the seventh inning, and in six pitches he retired the Tigers.  Not a bad welcome to the big leagues.

The game mercifully ended 8-3 for the Devil Rays. The game was still a heckuva lot of fun to watch, and that's a nice little stadium, even as Detroit lost badly. 

I then drove back from Tampa and we got some BBQ for dinner at a great BBQ place in Gainesville, Adam's Rib.

 A solid slab of ribs were rather happy-making.

Got up Sunday morning for breakfast in Gainesville and then drove back to Jacksonville. Flew home yesterday and after over an hour delay departing from Jacksonville, arrived home to find the power had been out for three hours and the place was sweltering.

It had been a great weekend getaway. 

There Are No Walmarts In Iran

Only Targets.

President Trump ordered a successful strike of  Iran's nuclear facilities.

6 B-2 bombers dropped MOP bombs on Fordow and Natanz 

All aircraft involved have returned safely, thanks to excellent planning. stealth, and Israel systematical dismantling Iran's air defense systems, with the B-2s landing back in the United States after a 36-hour mission. 

FoxNews: A full breakdown of Operation Midnight Hammer, the 'largest B-2 operational strike in US history'

Hopefully, this sets back Iran's nuclear ambitions for quite some time, making it's nuclear programs pronouns was/were - at least for the immediate future.

Well done Mr. President.  The strike has been years overdue.

It Would Take A Heart Of Stone Not To Laugh

So some western proggy-types decided that they would go to Egypt and then march on the Gaza border to support Hamas and show solidarity with Gaza.

This did not work out how they planned it. 

Even as, as plans go, it had all the hallmarks and forethought of a gnome-stealing-underpants scheme.

Instead of these great leftist, noble, oh-so-caring, white, saviors being welcomed as the heroes they claimed to be, they got their asses beat.

By the Egyptians.

The Spectator:  The delusion of western Palestine activists in Egypt

 National Post: Danielle Kubes: Naive western activists get a harsh dose of reality in Egypt

A lovely example of the self-righteous naïveté of these left wingers is the exchange one had with an Egyptian policeman:

In one video on X, you can see an Egyptian policeman say, “Please respect our country.… Your message has been already received and you can go back and turn back to Cairo.”

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“We can do it in America. Why can’t we do it here?” a protester in the crowd asks.

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“It’s our law,” the officer responds.

Yep, different countries are different.  And while Leftists are all about diversity, as long as it's leftists on top of the diversity pyramid, they were clearly unprepared for the diversity they faced in Egypt, the land of the pyramids.

So the leftists in the March on Gaza got arrested, their asses beat, their stuff stolen, and many of them deported from the country.  Now the head of the March on Gaza is calling it off as a bad idea and telling the naive participants  to go home. Apparently it is much safer to harass Jews, commit vandalism, and block traffic in their home countries.

The Flight Back From KMCD

Once at the Airport, I called for a weather brief.

The briefer was very enthusiastic and helpful and suggest flying at 5,000 on the way back to  avoid a lot of the clouds and such on the way.  He also noted there might be some light precip but no issues affecting the flight.  He then filed the IFR flight plan for me, which was rather nice, and it was quickly approved.

We then headed out to the plane and I did the pre-flight, started it up, went to the run up area for Runway 8 and did the run up and then called Minneapolis Center on my cell phone for a clearance. 

I got the clearance and then did a good take-off and started flying back to Pontiac.

Once in the air and at sufficient altitude I gave Minneapolis Center a call and  got cleared to climb to 5,000 feet.

We headed over Bois Blanc Island in the haze.

 We were pretty much under the clouds in the haze most of the way home and we did fly in a fair bit of clouds and picked up some light rain that washed the plane as we flew in them.

 Other than the clouds there was haze.  Lots and lots of haze. I probably could have counted a fair bit of the time ion the haze as IFR as visibility was impressively limited, but just counted the time in the clouds themselves. Leah napped as usual.

We did have ground contact through the haze most of the way, and were only in clouds for about a half hour of the trip  so it was pretty uneventful. We got passed off to Great Lakes Approach and continued on our way.

We then flew over Saginaw Bay.

 

If you embiggen and then look hard, by the second bridge in the river you can just make out the USS Edson in the picture.

The haze continued all the way back to Pontiac, where I did a visual approach to Runway 9R and did what Leah described as a fantastic landing. Completely greased it in nice and smoothly.

That was 1.9, .5 instrument time, a fantastic landing and a great day trip to the island.

Mackinac Island

Walking into town is a nice 20-mimute walk, mainly downhill.

You pass by some nice houses along the trail.

 And walk past a rather menacing sign.

 

 

But instead of being a dangerous hill, it didn't menace us in the least nor try to trip us even once.

We did pass by quite a few horse-drawn carriages.

 We then reached town and had lunch at Millie's on Main, which has the best Fish'n'Chips.

 We then went to sample and buy the Island's most famous export product - fudge!

 We sampled and shopped and brought some home as well.

We then wandered the main street and browsed a bit and then called for a taxi back to the airport.

 The taxi:

More of a ride share than a taxi, it was pretty loaded with a bunch of golfers headed to a course for their tee time, very pleasant people, so we clambered on. 

We went past the Grand Hotel.

 

And then to the airport, with some stops along the way to rest and water the horses.  The golfers wished us a safe flight. 

Heh.

So the French have apparently had a snit over Israel's strike on Iran, and decided to block Israel's exhibits such as that from Elbit Systems from public view at the Paris Air Show.

Israel responded thusly:

And on Social Media:

 Very nicely done.

Saturday Flyday - To KMCD

Saturday morning I got a weather brief, and then picked Leah up and headed to the airport.

Things were,  however, delayed due to some git hitting and destroying the gate mechanism and motor to enter into the hangar area.  So we could not enter through the normal gate.  There was a sign that says to use the Astropark entrance but not saying where the Astropark was located.  Very helpful, that.

So, I had to call Airport Maintenance and find out the alternative entry point and also the access code for same.

Made it to the plane, did the preflight, and filed for an IFR departure and a flight at 8,000.

Got the plane started, got my clearance, which was approved as filed, and after a run-up we got to take off. 

We were soon up on runway heading climbing to 3,000 feet in the haze and on our way.

Detroit Approach had me then go direct and immediately start the climb to 8,000.

We then got handed off to Great Lakes Approach, and were flying over Saginaw Bay in heavy haze.

Right after Saginaw Bay, we entered into IFR conditions.

 Not much to see outside, so I was right on the instruments.

Leah had fallen asleep before we hit the Bay and she woke up inside the clouds which was a tad disorienting for her.  Her first time in instrument conditions in a small plane.  

Thankfully the clouds were happy ones - not much turbulence at all and very stable air for a nice, smooth ride. 

At times we were in between layers which was rather serene and pretty. 

 

We stayed IFR practically all the way to Mackinaw Island.  Minneapolis Center had me descend to 3,000 and we broke out over Beaver Island.

 

Still all sorts of hazy, but I saw enough so I could do a visual approach to the airport and Center had advised that two prior planes had done the visual with no issues.

I then did a nice visual landing on Runway 8 at Mackinaw Island and closed my IFR flight plan.

I parked the plane and we went in and paid the landing fee.  Another plane landed as we did so. 

 

Then we walked into town.

 1.8 on the way up, and 1.2 of that in IFR conditions, and a very nice landing.