Just Looking

Good Morning and Happy #TomcatTuesday to all! Since we have a heat advisory here for a 2nd day, and this old guy is staying in, this Big Fighter in Zone 5 photo seemed an appropriate sentiment 😎. Those of my X squadronmates who can say the same, "the comment ain't meant for y'all" 🙃🙃🙃 Tex Sandlin.

#TomcatTails Number 76

#TomcatTuesday

"Transcendence."

(I started this post as a quote tweet of @TexSandlin's post above. I think I'll make it my #TomcatTail for this #TomcatTuesday.)

Sitting at the pointy end of an F-14 Tomcat under tension in full glorious grunt for the 3-7 seconds it took for the "button dude" to push the button was an otherworldly experience.

It was similar to what's known as a "limnal space", a physical or metaphorical "in-between" zone. You weren't flying, but you weren't not flying. It seemed to simultaneously last forever and for a millisecond. Time stopped and accelerated at the same time.

The roar of the engines combined with the intense vibration of two TF-30s spinning at 15,000 RPM right behind you creating a sound/feeling you could hear, feel, taste, smell....all senses fully immersed.

And the tension between that thrust striving to push you forward and the catapult shuttle pulling the launch bar against the holdback fitting, isn't something you should be able to feel, but you could. You could feel it in your heart, soul, and mind as a palpable and colossal compression of energy in one place and time, ready to be freed.

And I think everyone around the jet, Cat Officer and crew, Troubleshooters, and Maintainers felt it too. We were all in the presence of a massively powerful chained beast. Standing near, kneeling right next to, or sitting in 35 tons of Grumman Iron Works pumping out 34,000 pounds of thrust.

Every human fortunate enough to have done this can remember it like it was 5 minutes ago:

Sound so loud that the term "hearing" has no meaning.

Vibration so profound that every cell in your body resonates in harmony with the frequency of "Tomcat."

The sensation of heat completely surrounding you, bathing you from every direction, inescapable.

And the light. A wavelength of light reserved just for this moment. Painful to the eye but you can't look away. No one can. Bewitching. Surreal.

And then. Release. The beast is unchained. The button is pushed, the Tomcat clunks down a bit as the shuttle and two screaming TF-30 motors in full afterburner join forces to accelerate the fiery monster forward.

From zero to 165 mph in 300 feet. About 1.8 seconds. From the cockpit, a jolt and then the acceleration. Forcing you back hard. Really hard. Uncontrollable. Undeniable. Immutable. Along for the ride. No control.

And then the wheels bump off the deck edge and you return to the land of the living. You're in control now. You've regained your agency where there was none. Time to get to work.

And on the deck, the fiery beast accelerates away from the people there, increasing the heat 2 fold.....exhaust buffeting bodies like a tornado. Relentless, violent, and then gone.

Retract the shuttle, lower the JBD, taxi the next jet forward. And do it again. And again. And again.

Heaven and Hell in the same place.

Yuri Bezmenov – The 4 Stages Of Ideological Subversion (Communist Strategy) – 1984

Yuri Bezmenov, the son of a high-ranking Soviet officer, was a member of the elite propaganda arm of the KGB, known as the Novasti Press Agency.

After becoming disillusioned with the oppressive system, he escaped to the West at great risk to his life.

This is a recently discovered excerpt from G. Edward Griffin’s 1984 interview with KGB Defector, Yuri Bezmenov, who explains The 4 Stages Of Ideological Subversion (Communist Strategy) for taking over the U.S. from within.

Americans are running out of time to take the Red Pill.

Stage 1: Demoralization – Duration: 15 To 20 Years

This initial phase aims to change the values of a generation through Psychological Manipulation.

It involves infiltrating Educational Systems, Media, and Culture to create a population that cannot recognize or resist the Subverting Ideology.

Stage 2: Destabilization – Duration: 2 To 5 Years

In this stage, the focus shifts to creating instability in key areas such as the Economy, Foreign Relations, and Defense.

The goal is to weaken the nation’s Structural Integrity.

Stage 3: Crisis – Duration: Up To 6 Weeks

A significant upheaval occurs, leading to a state of emergency.

This crisis can manifest as Political Turmoil, Economic Collapse, or Social Unrest, resulting in a drastic change in power.

Stage 4: Normalization – Duration: Ongoing

After the Crisis, a new Ideological Framework is established.

The population adapts to a New Reality, often without recognizing the extent of the changes that have occurred.  

Implications

The process of Ideological Subversion is gradual and often goes unnoticed.

It relies on exploiting existing Societal Divisions and manipulating Public Perception to achieve its goals.

Understanding these Stages can help individuals recognize potential threats to their Societal Values and Structures.

FULL INTERVIEW: Yuri Bezmenov – The 4 Stages Of Ideological Subversion (Communist Strategy) – 1984