tfrab retweeted
Writing this in my personal capacity, but I have been flying these types of aircraft for more than 20 years, with over 8,000 hours, and have reasonable familiarity with how the charter world operates. I feel compelled to post after seeing commentary about the Lear 60 crash, from missile strikes to DEI to critiquing this poor woman’s final radio calls.
That last part is what I find most troubling. She was the second-in-command (SIC), and while she was empowered to point out mistakes as part of good crew resource management, she was doing her job, communicating with ATC right to the end in a terrifying situation. She likely knew before many of those calls that she was going to die. I have heard final calls from friends, from military pilots with thousands of hours in fighter aircraft, and they are just as heartbreaking because they know the end is approaching.
I understand the public interest given the footage and audio. But you do not know the aircraft’s maintenance history, whether there was a structural failure, if any failure was induced by turbulence, overspeed, or overcontrol, or everything happening in that cockpit. I am sure weather will be part of the investigation, but beyond that, it is speculation. The charter industry routinely hires commercial pilots very early in their careers to gain experience alongside an ATP-qualified captain before they move up to the airlines. She would still have the appropriate training, qualifications, and checkouts by an FAA examiner or designee.
Let people investigate, learn, and share the facts. Be respectful to those who perished and the families who carry their memories. God bless them and their loved ones.
tfrab retweeted
Why can’t hackers do something useful and relatable? Don’t be fucking around with freezers. Hack into Mastercard and wipe out all evidence of spending. Lower the prices at petrol pumps. Shut down Microsoft Teams, or takedown Outlook for 72 hours. Win hearts and minds!
tfrab retweeted
Although people all over the world are happy to see Trump and MAGA becoming unpopular in the USA, the reason behind it is far less encouraging.
Trump could support Putin and Russia all he wanted. He could continue to let Ukrainians get slaughtered, treat Canada like shit, threaten Denmark with war, steal from Venezuela to line his own pockets, support Israel's brutality, and insult allies day after day. The American public doesn't support these things, but they don't seem to care very much about them either.
The only reason people are now turning against Trump is because — of all unimportant things — gas has become a little bit more expensive in in a country wealthier than any other in world history. THAT is what infuriates the average voter and makes them turn against Trump
The rest of the world is lucky that this is happening, as it weakens Trump. But that doesn't mean we should assume that the USA will act morally on the world stage in the future. Deep down, they simply don't care very much.
tfrab retweeted
Vorrei chiarire una cosa. Io non voglio che un tizio che tiene in casa il busto di Mussolini diventi presidente della Repubblica. Non perché sono un ''razzista culturale''. Perché sono antifascista.
Spero ora sia più chiaro.
tfrab retweeted
Where Aristotle Taught Alexander the Great
This morning I published my first ever article with @NatGeo on the new excavations at Mieza, which may have just uncovered the Gymnasium where Aristotle taught Alexander the Great.
All’epoca dei primi scontri tra 🇺🇸 🇮🇱 vs 🇮🇷 un mio amico (ricercatore che ha spesso collaborato con iraniani) mi ammoniva di quanto fossero cocciuti, e come fosse sostanzialmente impossibile entrare in conflitto con loro e averla vinta. Previsione rivelatasi quanto mai esatta
“ He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love.”
SIR PATRICK STEWART (1940-2026)
Before everything else, Patrick was defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire, the proud county in the north of England which he loved to the end. You could hear it in his accented voice and in the stern honesty with which he told you what he thought and felt. Yorkshiremen have no truck with half-truths or avoidance of big issues. He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love.
We first met as ambitious young actors with the Royal Shakespeare Company half a century ago but we weren’t in the same productions. My first strong memory was a few years later, meeting him in the street in central London when he told me about an offer to take over a leading part in 'Star Trek'. “But Patrick think of your stage career in the UK. Do you really want to risk—getting lost in Hollywood for years and years?”. Well, he took the risk and thank goodness for us all that he did for not just his devoted Trekkies but film and theatre audiences, who marvelled at his using international celebrity to star in a string of cinema successes ('X-Men' of course) and in great classical plays by Shakespeare, Ibsen, Arthur Miller, Peter Shaffer, Pinter and Beckett at Stratford-upon-Avon, in London’s West End and on Broadway.
America was his adopted home, where he met his adored Sunny who has cared for him through sickness and health, through thick and thin. But he never forsook his origins: and the proudest achievement of the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic, was his appointment as Chancellor of Huddersfield University in Yorkshire.
His farewell performance in 'Avengers: Doomsday' is yet to be seen.
Ian McKellen 29 October 2026
Photo: University of Huddersfield
Literally “on a mission from God” and “hates Illinois Nazis” 🔥
He may be the leader of the Catholic church, but Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV is still a registered voter in Illinois and requested a mail ballot for the midterm elections.
chicago.suntimes.com/pope-le…
tfrab retweeted
"Someone once told me that time is a predator that stalks us all our lives, but I rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey, reminds us to cherish every moment, because they'll never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we lived. After all, Number One, we're only mortal."
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to:
Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Fund
alzresearch.org/giving/
Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Caregiver Resources
alzfdn.org/donate/
Photo Credit: Tommy Garcia
tfrab retweeted
Just learned that Patrick Stewart has passed away. Such a sad loss. Here he is in one of the best things ever put on television, the Star Trek episode “The Measure of a Man.” I show it to my students in Philosophy and Science Fiction every year.
tfrab retweeted
#RomaCagliari/#PostMatch 1/7
"WonderLulli"
Il debutto ad agosto, 6 presenze da titolare in campionato, due gol e un assist nelle ultime due partite giocate.
Come il potenziale può farsi atto, se gli viene concessa una possibilità. L'analisi dell'ultimo talento fatto in casa.
La riorganizzazione del mio guardaroba per evitare il cambio di stagione ogni anno top 3 cose fatte in vita mia 😏
Io ci provo a non commentare ogni notizia con una citazione di Seinfeld, però poi
La premier Giorgia #Meloni annuncia che la manovra introduce la possibilità di richiedere targhe auto personalizzate a pagamento: "La creatività degli italiani qui potrebbe farsi valere".
pensavo che il picco delle elezioni in Israele fossero quelli che andavano a votare a dorso di cammello, ma dopo avere visto questo video non sono sicuro
tfrab retweeted
Virgin American voters: waaah it’s to inconvenient to drive my air conditioned SUV ten minutes to the Millard Filmore High polling place on any of the thirty days of early voting
Chad Arab Israelis: habibi get the democracy camel
La prima volta che mi raccontarono dell’usanza danese faticavo a crederci, nonostante la fonte fosse di prima mano 😃
