FinishingDutch

This really feels insane, even for this day and age. Which makes me think we’re probably not getting the entire story.

If true, it’s downright silly. Back in the 80’s, we were out of the house unsupervised for hours. Parents just about encouraged you take candy from friendly strangers or to hitch a ride in their cool white van with ‘Free Puppies’ written on it. As long as you made it home without broken bones, they didn’t care. Ask anyone from my generation.

At that point I’d just go full legal mononym like Cher and Teller.

I hope they put our Dutch rifles and bullets to good use. Let’s take off some zeroes.

‘Serving sizes’ are absolute nonsense. They are always wildly out of step with reality. Only reason they put it on there is so manufacturers can claim “our product isn’t bad, it only contains X calories per serving”.

Meanwhile, they put serving sizes fit for ants on packages that clearly aren’t meant to be shared and don’t reflect reasonable consumption. For example, a serving size of three jelly beans is silly by any stretch of the imagination. So is putting ‘serving sizes’ on a soda can. And a sleeve of Oreos? One cookie is a serving. Yeah, we all know that’s not how you eat Oreos…

Re: Gladio: no, not the bad bits that cropped up eventually, but the original purpose of fighting an oppressive regime that's taken hold within your own borders. Don't take it TOO seriously :D

I'd love to see a bloodless political revolution. But past history leads me to believe there's gonna be guns involved somewhere down the line for there to be actual change.

With respect to The Internationale, that's just not a banger like Bella Ciao is. If I'm thinking of 'let's oppose a fascist regime and/or do some Operation Gladio shit in 1970's Italy while carrying submachineguns, dressed in leather jackets and balaclavas', Bella Ciao is a much more appropriate choice for a modern era.

A lot of the versions of The Internationale that I've heard sound more like school plays. It's not something one would describe as 'rousing'.

Sooooo… better start learning the words to Bella Ciao huh?

I really enjoyed my helicopter ride as well - a sightseeing flight on vacation. That was on a Schweitzer S300; a small helicopter with a bench seat in the front. So you’re sitting right next to the pilot with an almost unobstructed forward vision. So cool. Definitely not something for people with a fear of heights.

Flown in, as a passenger. I’d have said ‘piloted’ if I was the pilot.

And yes, that’s an odd trio of aircraft, considering most people only really fly on airliners. I’ve been on a Boeing 747 in a museum, but have never flown in an airliner.

It’s magical, right? It’s what got me interested in aviation - the physics, the science, the engineering to make it work. And we’ve gotten so good at it, air travel is now available to most people, it’s safe and convenient.

I’ve flown exactly three times in my life: a hot air balloon, a helicopter and a DC3. Each was magical in its own way. I’ve also done a fair bit of plane spotting. Seeing an Airbus A380 landing right in front of you is amazing. It really is the size of a large apartment block with wings. Truly awe inspiring.

Aviation is fucking awesome!

All of this is stressing me out… i’m going to Starbucks.

Preferably out the back of a C130 just off the coast of Florida.