Raptor - ujeda, ali ne po kiši.

Da sam video ovaj članak pre, verovatno bih više kritikovao ovaj avion ali šta je tu je.
Daću vam link za članak iz Washington Post novina ali pre nego što vam dam link, izdvojiću jedan deo članka koji sumira sve:

 It will, among other things, give F-22 pilots the ability to communicate with other types of warplanes; it currently is the only such warplane to lack that capability.

Kako možete da dizajnirate avion koji ne može da komunicira sa drugim avionima?  Ali kako je to moguće tehnički izvesti?
Evo linka:
Washington Post - High-priced F-22 Fighter.... ceo članak
Cena jednog aviona je 356 miliona dolara.  To je neverovatno, pa i za Amerikance!  (Ali nije prvi put - B-2 stealth bombarder košta 2,1 milijardi dolara po avionu!!!)
A da ne govorimo o troškovima održavanja ovih aviona.
Evo i jednog YouTube klipa o F-22....
MSNBC Catch F-22


Avionski kritičari kažu da će ruski Sukhoi T-50 stealth avion da bude bolji od svih aviona na svetu osim F-22.  A kad uđe u proizvodnju (uskoro) koštaće  60-100 miliona dolara.  Proizvodiće ga Rusi i Indijci (njihovu verziju sa ruskom licencom).  Eto...
Najveća sramota je to što je Raptor odličan lovac.... i što bi bio bolji od bilo kog aviona... ali ne po kiši!!!  I u tome grmu leži zajac!!

Očajni pokušaji Srpske Nemirne Stranke

Da ja imam bilo kakvu izvršnu vlast, izdao bih vrlo jasnu naredbu za hapšenje Tomislava Nikolića zbog pokušaja destabilizacije zemlje i potsticanja nemira u zemlji.  Jeste, sve stranke imaju svoje lopove i svašta se radilo.  I ajde da na izbornim mestima nije bilo posmatrača SNS.  Ali bilo ih je, 20,000 i svi su potpisali zapisnik.  

Četiri dana posle prvog kruga, Nikolić konačno shvata da mu je došao kraj i očajnički pokušava da izazove nešto u zemlji.

Govor mržnje nije ljudski niti zakonit, a Nikolić javno na televiziji podstiče baš to.

Sve što radi je kontraproduktivno i sve glasove koje je možda oteo od DS-a u prvom krugu, izgubiće u drugom krugu.  A biće u drugom krugu.  Jer inače krši ustav zemlje koji toliko puta pominje tokom godina.

A Vučića, njega su Beograđani odbacili kao papir od masnog bureka!!  Njega bih hapsio samo zato što me nervira na više nivoa!

Koja to NAPREDNA stranka zove narod da izađu na ulice i da protestuju kad više nemaju političkih načina za borbu!!!  

Žao mi je našeg naroda koji je prisiljen da ovo sluša, čita, gleda.  I pored toga što ne razumem kako je taj isti narod zaboravio šta su Toma i Ivica radili ovoj državi u 90-im godinama.  Žao mi je dobrog naroda koji samo hoće da živi.

A mole in progress....

At some point in your working life you will come across a mole inserting itself into your surroundings with no obvious intentions or date of expire.

What do I mean?

There you are, with your team, in your office, with your typical team dynamic and office atmosphere and someone decides to implement a change and bring someone else in instead of someone who was there before.

Of course, it's the top management's prerogative to do so.  But no, it's not recommended.

So, you are guessing I am not talking about someone who can be trusted.

What do YOU do if there's a plant in your midst that you can't trust or predict?

Adapt.  It seems to be the operative word.

However, how much of a strain will the adaptation cause you?  Is it healthy? Will it be healthy?  How will it affect your work?  Do you have a choice?

Dealing with a mole is tricky.  You have to get them on your side in a way that is not too forward but believable. You have to get them to trust you.  Hard to do as their purpose is to bring in the mistrust bug.

You have to watch your behaviour, you have to watch what you say, how you say it and to whom.  Tough not to be natural.  Such ruined team dynamics can last for how long until something or someone blows?

Rules of inter office warfare are simple.  Beat the opposition by all means possible.  Will it mean that you sometimes have to use the "if you can't beat them, join them" tactics?  Yep.  More than often.

But the aim is clear.  Self preservation.

So buckle up. Stomach in, chin up.  Eyes wired, ready for action.

The mole is coming.

Let it come.  You are ready.

Šta to lebdi u vazduhu?

Nisam siguran, ali mislim da nam se nešto sprema u sledećih 2-3 nedelje do mesec dana.

Sledeće stvari, koje same po sebi predstavljaju individualne događaje, meni liče na koreografiju:

• Kretanje dinara prema euru
• Retorika Hillary Clinton u zadnjih nedelju dana
• Agresivnost Tačija i postavljanje (u medijima) našeg pregovaračkog tima
• Cela frka oko filma "U zemlji krvi i meda" koji je u najbolju ruku mediokretan
• Izjava predsednice skupštine da će izbori biti raspisani 11. marta
• Poseta Tadića i Josipovića Klausu u Češkoj Republici
• Pozicioniranje stranaka i njihova retorika
• Izjave MMF-a vezane za dugoročni aranžman i stanje u Srbiji

Naravno, izbori će biti raspisani ali po meni tek posle dobijanja kandidature.  A mislim da će se to desiti u martu.  Pre toga, mislim da će se završiti "pregovori" između Srbije i Kosova vezano za predstavljanje Kosova u međunarodnim organizacijama.  Mislim da će se "naći" kompromis dovoljan da zadovolji sumnjičave do izbora a da ćemo posle izbora biti primorani da prihvatimo Kosovo ili će da se desi nešto drugo, nešto opasnije.

Mislim da Amerikanci stavljaju pritisak na EU u vezi naše kandidature.

William Burns, US Deputy Secretary of State (Izvor: Tanjug):

"The U.S. strongly support Serbia's EU membership bid, Deputy Secretary of State William Burns has said.  Burns, who met in Belgrade with Serbian President Boris Tadic, Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković and ministers Dragan Šutanovac and Nebojša Ćirić, stated that Serbia could become a candidate for EU membership in several weeks."

Hillary Clinton i Catherine Ashton su u petak održali zajedničku press konferenciju u Washingtonu gde su rekli da SAD i EU uveliko podržavaju pregovore između Beograda i Prištine i da dele mišljenje da su budućnosti Srbije i Kosova u Evropskoj uniji.

Generalno, izgleda da se vodi "bitka" iza zatvorenih vrata, i videćemo šta će na kraju biti.

A globalno, mislim da se sprema nova diplomatska kriza sa Iranom, između, s jedne strane Amerikanaca i Izraela, UK i Francuske a s druge strane Irana.  Najnovija vest je da je Iran prekinuo isporuku nafte Francuskoj i UK, iako oni uopšte ne zavise od Irana što se tiče snabdevanja.  Dakle, simbolička akcija Irana.  Čemu?  Da li nam se sprema još jedno žarište?

Mnogo pitanja...

Metro - magarčenje

Pre nekog vremena dobio sam tekst od moje banke gde su me obavestili da u Metro marketima sad mogu robu da plaćam i svojom debit/kredit karticom.

U tom trenutku sam pomislio: "Konačno!"

Danas sam svratio u Metro da kupim neku lopatu i neke stvarčice za auto.  Došao sam do kase, izvadio svoju karticu da platim kad me je kasirka pogledala zbunjeno.

Na ulazu stoji obaveštenje da se može platiti karticom.

Na kasi stoji Intesin POS terminal.

Zatečen, pitao sam: "U čemu je problem.  Znam da primate kartice."

"Da, ali morate prvo nešto da platite gotovinom.", kaže ona.

"Ne razumem.", kažem ja iako sam odmah razumeo.

"Pa ne mogu da provučem karticu dok ne platite nešto gotovinom.  Uzmite neku kesu ili čokoladicu ili nešto sitno."

Sa polu-ironičnim osmehom sam joj odgovorio "Neka hvala." i izvadio keš da platim.

Umalo da nisam počeo da se raspravljam sa njom, ali čemu to?  Nije to ona izmislila.

Znači iako su uveli plaćanje Intesinim karticama, oni pokušavaju da te nateraju da im daš neki keš pre nego što ti provuku karticu.  Ne samo da je to protivzakonito nego je samo za glupe i neobaveštene.  

Da sam bio u lošijem raspoloženju, svašta bi im rekao ali nisam.  Ovako samo više nikad neću da odem tamo i mislim da je to dovoljno.  Neka nekog drugog zajebavaju.

Magarci!

On the first day of Christmas....

On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree!

Operativni leasing - kako ga skinuti sebi sa vrata i koliko to košta?

Pošto sam ovih dana lično iskusio kako sve to ide, evo pregleda aktivnosti:

1. Kontaktirate banku (Leasing) ili mejlom ili lično sa zahtevom za obračunom vrednosti otkupa vozila radi prevremene otplate i preuzimanja vlasništva.  (Sve to zvuči lepo...)
2. Banka izračuna otkupnu vrednost auta tako što sabere iznos preostalih rata po ugovoru i otkupnu cifru na kraju otplate.  Ukoliko ste leasing plaćali u CHF, recimo 250 franaka, a ostalo vam je 20 rata, vaša otkupna vrednost bi bila 20x250 plus otkupna vrednost (na primer 3000 CHF) - ukupno 8000 CHF.
3. E sad - caka je da ne možete vi da otkupite vozilo već neko treće lice.  (Preporuka je da to bude vaš otac - objasniću kasnije zašto)  Dakle, treće lice plati otkupnu vrednost.
4. Vi platite penale zbog prevremenog raskida ugovora (kod mene je to bila visina jedne mesečne zakupnine).  Vi takođe platite troškove raskida ugovora (oko 200 EUR) i odjavu tablica i saobraćajne (2500 RSD).
5. Dakle idemo redom: a) banka uradi ugovor o kupoprodaji sa trećim licem i primopredajni zapisnik za vozilo b) Vi potpišete papire da ste preuzeli nazad menicu koju ste dali prilikom potpisivanja ugovora c) HQ banke izda račun za otkup i za raskid ugovora d) Treće lice uplati iznos otkupa e) Istog dana banka vama uplaćuje na račun i vraća depozit koji ste dali prilikom potpisivanja ugovora f) Lokalna ekspozitura šalje papire za HQ zbog odjave i 3 dana kasnije vi dobijate i račun i odjavu i sve što vam treba za registraciju (uključujući i poništenu saobraćajnu dozvolu)  Takođe, tad, dobijate i sporazum o raskidu ugovora i vašu menicu nazad.
6. E sad dolazi razlog zbog čega bi vaš otac trebao da bude to treće lice.  Napravite Ugovor o poklonu između oca i sina/ćerke i pritom se ne plaća porez na prenos apsolutnih prava.  Ugovor ima svoju formu (imaju ga sve agencije); vi ga potpišete i overite u sudu u 3 primerka.  Potom popunite PPI-3 obrazac i nosite sve u poresku upravu da vam odrade rešenje o oslobađanju od plaćanja poreza na nasleđe.
7. U međuvremenu odradite tehnički pregled vozila.
8. Kada sakupite sve idete u SUP i dobijete tablice i potvrdu o registraciji.  (Prethodno uplatite sve administrativne troškove za tablice i nalepnicu itd. - to je oko 5500 RSD trenutno)

NAPOMENA: Ne plaćate registraciju jer vam ona važi do kraja iako ste odjavili tablice i saobraćajnu.  Isto važi i za polisu osiguranja.  Dakle sledeća registracija nije za godinu dana već ostaje redovan datum na koji ste registrovali auto do tog trenutka.  Za mene je to 2. avgust iako sam danas dobio nove tablice.

Sve ovo traje jedno dve nedelje i za to vreme nećete moći da koristite auto.

Preporuka:  Nemojte da vam padne na pamet da uzmete vozilo na operativni leasing!!!!

F-22 Raptor - 90% of engineering perfection

To start with, here's a link to a video (available for free)...
F-22 Raptor flaunting itself

I haven't written about fighter planes in a long time... not until I came across this website (below):

Flight School list - not entirely about flight schools!

Anyway, let's not veer away from the subject.
Which is none other than the first downright stealth fighter plane from the minds of Lockheed Martin (yeah those boys from Skunk works!) - F-22 Raptor!!
Besides it's stealth it also has super-cruise capabilities which is as important.  And to cap it all off, it has the US version of thrust vectoring (TVC) nozzles albeit "just" vertical TVC nozzles.  If you don't know what all this means, I'll dial it down for you:

1. Stealth - it is characterized by the low or non-existent radar signature which makes it almost impossible to detect it's approach in a combat situation.  Nowadays, thanks to the Russians, they can be detected from the ground, but not so much in air to air combat.  Stealth is achieved by specially shaped body of the aircraft and limiting of it's heat emissions.
2. Super-cruise - It's the next step from afterburners.  Practically, it's diet afterburners - ability to maintain afterburners for a longer period of time wasting less fuel.  It's grrrrrreat!
3. TVC (thrust vectoring control) - The Raptor has vertical TVC capability which means the engine nozzles can move up or down by some 30 degrees respectively.  It gives the raptor better manoeuvrability and faster and more seamless changes of direction.

All this coupled with a near perfect fly-by-wire system gives the F-22 air superiority.  For now.  
So why is the F-22 not a 100% perfect?
Well for one, relying fully on fly-by-wire has it's limitations as it sometimes goes against the instincts of the pilot - in translation, if it thinks the pilot is wrong, it corrects the move via computer, it takes over.  So the pilot cannot fully get the "feel" of the plane.
Furthermore, "only" having vertical TVC limits it's manoeuvrability compared to, for instance, the Su-37, the Super Flanker.  The flanker literally does somersaults in the air.  (I won't mention that the fly-by-wire in a flanker can be "overridden" by the pilot)
Here's a video...
Su-37 derivative with TVC playing in the air

But this is not the future No1 opponent of the Raptor.  That place is reserved for the Russian raptor, the Su-50 which is still in the shakedown phase but it has all the characteristics of the raptor and it looks like the F-35.

Here's a quick preview....

Su-50 (not yet been given a NATO designation)

I first saw the thrust vectoring nozzles at RAF Fairford in 2006, during RIAT 2006, on a MIG 29 OVT.  My only regret is that I couldn't film the nozzles working.  But you can find loads of videos on YouTube!

Back to the raptor - it will at some point be upgraded with 360 degree TVC but maybe it won't.  Who knows.

In any case, there is no better fighter in the world today.  For now.  (This coming from a massive fan of Russian fighters)

Looking forward to the years to come....

What does "Christmas" mean?

Here is a link to an article on the BBC website about the Pope, his annual Christmas eve mass and his attack on the "commercialisation" of Christmas.

Pope essentially attacking retailers

After you read the article, make your own decision but consider the following.  

Some of the general customs during Christmas are gift giving, playing Christmas music and carols (not my favourite thing during this time), Christmas cards, church celebrations, turkey with stuffing, a special meal with your family, displaying of decorations like Christmas trees and Santa's hanging of trees and chimneys etc.

• It's a tradition for everyone to give and receive gifts at Christmas, especially for kids.  What is wrong with that, your holiness?  Why is that commercialisation?  Because toy retailers earn money and get to give out pay checks to their workers who in turn buy gifts for their family???
• Christmas music - Now, it used to drive me nuts when I worked for Asda, the playing of Christmas music would start around October time and wouldn't stop until New Years.   But isn't singing one of the purest forms of entertainment and soul enrichment and joy and what have you?  Why is that commercialisation, your holiness?
• Christmas cards - while here in Serbia this isn't a thing, it is in plenty of countries.  I received a couple through the post and it made me smile.  It's good to say a few nice words on a seasonal greeting card to the people that mean most to you.  Isn't it, your holiness?
• Church celebrations - enough said!
• A special meal - In times of great stress and hardship, people manage to get together on this one day and sit down together and grab a few tasty bites of the roasted turkey and some cake and enjoy each others company.  A few moments of happiness - moments brought to us by the commercial end of the holiday because, as you well know your holiness, not everyone is religious and not everyone is a christian.  So enough about that...
• Retailers make the most of their revenue around the Christmas holiday.  That would not happen without commercialisation.  So what's wrong with making money and being able to afford things - like life?  Why is that wrong?

With due respect - get off your holy horse and see what's happening in front of you. There are many worse things to attack, and even among your own clergy, than people enjoying a bit of fun at Christmas!!!  

ho ho ho Merry Christmas!

What's hiding in the forest....

While browsing the internet, you come across all kind of useless crap.  Once in a blue moon you stumble upon a real gem and, like me, you decide you want everyone to know about it.

Side note:  All images (a few that I will put on) come from the official website of the Huilo huilo biological reserve website http://www.huilohuilo.com .

You might be thinking: "is that woman crazy, holding a child over some rope on a wooden suspended bridge?"  Or you might be thinking: "Is that someone's house?  And why is there a fountain on top of it?"

In the end, you might just be thinking: "That's crazy!"

While it is a little "original", what we see on the photo is actually a hotel called Magic mountain lodge.  It sits in a biological reserve in the middle of the Patagonian Andes, in the south of Chile.  I will not give you a tourist guide version of the reserve - you can read up about it on the website.

I will say however that I am amazed.

The hotel up on the photo is supposed to portrait a live volcano with water coming down it instead of burning lava.  Nice.  There are photos on the website of the inside of the hotel and the views from it, in season and during winter.

The other significant building in this reserve is the Baobab Hotel & Spa.

  

And yeah it has a heated swimming pool and all the amenities that come with it.

What's fascinating is that all the buildings seem to be made out of the wood from the forests and in their natural state, just polished for our use.  Just look at the guard rails, they are not straight but naturally shaped.

From the photos it looks cosy!

When would you ever think that something like this might exist?  And in Chile!

Whatever you are thinking, I know that I just added this place to my list of places to visit.