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The FAA’s Challenges and the State of Air Travel in America
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Is It Safe to Fly?
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In recent months, a series of high-profile incidents involving passenger flights in the United States has raised concerns about the safety of air travel. From near-misses on runways to mid-air mechanical failures, these events have left many wondering: Is flying still as safe as it once was? And could these incidents be linked to the upheaval within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in recent years, including the mass firings of federal workers during the Trump administration?
The FAA, the agency responsible for regulating and overseeing civil aviation, has faced significant challenges in recent years. During the Trump administration, the federal workforce experienced widespread disruptions, including hiring freezes, budget cuts, and the dismissal of key personnel. Critics argue that these actions may have weakened the FAA’s ability to maintain its rigorous safety standards. While the FAA has long been a global leader in aviation safety, the loss of experienced staff and institutional knowledge could have created gaps in oversight and enforcement.
Since then, the FAA has struggled to rebuild its workforce and address systemic issues. A 2023 report by the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General highlighted staffing shortages and outdated technology as ongoing concerns. These challenges have coincided with a surge in air travel demand as the industry rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic. The combination of increased traffic and strained resources has put additional pressure on an already overburdened system.
Despite these issues, aviation experts emphasize that flying remains one of the safest modes of transportation. The U.S. commercial aviation industry has not experienced a fatal crash involving a major airline since 2009, a testament to the robust safety protocols still in place. However, the recent spate of incidents—such as runway incursions, engine failures, and near-collisions—has sparked debate about whether the system is being pushed to its limits.
So, is it safe to fly? The answer, for now, is yes—but with caveats. While the FAA and airlines continue to prioritize safety, the agency must address its internal challenges to maintain public confidence. This includes investing in modernizing its systems, hiring and training more air traffic controllers, and ensuring that safety regulations keep pace with the growing complexity of air travel.
For passengers, the best course of action is to stay informed and vigilant. While the odds of being involved in a serious aviation incident remain extremely low, the recent events serve as a reminder that safety is a shared responsibility. As the FAA works to address its shortcomings, travelers can take comfort in knowing that the aviation industry’s commitment to safety remains unwavering—even in the face of mounting challenges.
In the end, the skies are still safe, but the margin for error may be shrinking. The question is whether the FAA can rise to the occasion before another crisis forces its hand.
I was excited when I saw the announcement that the PBS science series NOVA was going to devote a program to UFOs. There have been several very good recent programs on NEWSNATION, so I had high hopes for PBS taking the subject seriously for a change.
Unfortunately, the NOVA program was a bunch of poorly researched nonsense. They ignored most of the good research done since at least the 1950s.
As just one example, Major Jesse Marcel, the man who first collected some of the debris from the Famous Roswell event, said on numerous occasions late in his life that the debris he was holding in the famous press conference photo was not the material he recovered from the Foster Ranch near Roswell, New Mexico in the summer of 1947. There was a coverup by the government, which was later admitted. But NOVA repeated the long debunked nonsense that what crashed was a Mogul Balloon Array.
I knew Jesse Marcel, Jr. He wrote the foreword for the 1997 book ‘Beyond Roswell,’ of which I was the coauthor.
Jesse Jr. was twelve years old when his father excitedly came home one night to show his wife and son some of the debris he’d collected on the Foster Ranch. It was not debris from a weather balloon, with which Marcel was quite familiar, nor was it debris from a Mogul Balloon train, which Marcel would easily have recognized.
Marcel Senior had been involved in balloon recoveries, and would never have confused balloon debris with exotic material. There was material that looked like tinfoil, but when crushed and released, returned to it’s original shape. (We are just learning to make such ‘memory materials.’) There were I-beams with ‘hieroglyphics’ on them that were as light as balsa wood but could not be bent or burned.
In that photo, taken by James Bond Johnson, General Ramey is holding a telegram. Image analysis has shown that it refers to ‘victims’ of the crash. Weather/Mogul balloon victims?
It was a disservice to PBS viewers to present long disproved material as factual and irrelevant pseudoscience about the videos taken by fighter pilots, the famous ‘TikTak’ and ‘Gimbel’ videos and others.
The program was essentially another tired old attempt to debunk the whole UFO phenomenon, attempts to explain the extraordinary as misinterpreted ordinary. We’re long past that.
Toward the end of the program, they repeated the old ‘They can’t get here from there’ mantra, because the universe is just so big. This reminds me of Lord Kelvin saying that heavier than air flying machines were impossible. Yes, they were — within the technological framework that Kelvin understood. Just because we can’t build faster than light (FTL) craft with our current technology does not mean that it is impossible. NASA is, in fact, exploring the possibilities of warp drive technology in Houston. A civilization even a hundred years in advance of ours probably has solved the problems of FTL travel, or might be using quantum teleportation to instantaneously jump from place to place in the universe. Physicists have already done quantum teleportation on a molecular level.
The argument that ‘they’ can’t get here is specious.
I have been researching the UFO phenomenon since the 1960s. In the early 1970s I wrote a regular column on the subject for Gnostica magazine. I have watched numerous feeble attempts to debunk the phenomenon over all of those years, but the UFOs ignored the nonsense and just kept doing their thing, and people worldwide kept seeing and encountering them.
It’s long past time to stop the silliness and admit that they are here, we don’t know what they are or where they’re from, and they’ve been here a very long time.
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About The Author: Bob Shell is a professional photographer, author, former editor in chief of Shutterbug Magazine and veteran contributor to this blog. He is currently serving a 35 year sentence for involuntary manslaughter for the death of Marion Franklin, one of his former models. He is serving the 17th year of his sentence at Pocahontas State Correctional Facility, Virginia.
On September 16, 2024 Shell’s release date got moved up six years due to new “mixed charges” law to February 2, 2030. It was 2036.
Yes, I admit it, I watch the History Channel’s ‘Ancient Aliens’ programs. Why? Because, even though they are about 60% horse hockey, they do slip in some interesting accurate facts.
But I strongly disagree with their basic premise, which is our ancient ancestors were too stupid to do this stuff, so either: A. They had the help of aliens; or B. The aliens did it. Our ancient ancestors were as intelligent as we are. They just understood things we don’t. They had a lost technology for moving very heavy things with little effort. What was this technology? We simply don’t know.
In Florida there is something called the Coral Castle. It is made of very large pieces of coral rock, pieces weighing tons. One stone, a revolving doorway weighing tons, is balanced so precisely that a child can turn it. I’ve been there and found it astonishing. All of the stones were moved and positioned by one man, working alone at night, with only a wooden tripod. There was a rectangular box mounted atop the tripod. We have no idea what was in it. The man who accomplished this amazing feat claimed he had rediscovered the technology the Egyptians used to build the pyramids. Whatever that secret was, he took it to the grave with him. He certainly did not claim alien assistance. All attempts to duplicate his feat have failed. I’m sure you can find photos and more info by Googling ‘Coral Castle.’ Around the world there are ancient megalithic structures. Megalith means ‘big stone,’ and the stone are big. Some are larger than city buses and weigh hundreds of tons. We’d be hard pressed to move them today with our most advanced machinery. I’m sure the ancient builders used big stones because it was easier for them than using lots of little stones, as later cultures had to do. But I don’t think aliens had anything to do with it.
Ancient humans, and by human I mean Homo sapiens, had brains just as large and developed as ours. Their culture and cultural references were just different. As was their technology. At a time when they supposedly only had tools made of stone or soft copper they created gigantic, polygonal stones, and fitted them together like three-dimensional jigsaw puzzles as though they weighed nothing. Since we find the same building style worldwide, I believe there was once a worldwide civilization that vanished at the end of the last Ice Age, about 12,500 years ago. There is considerable evidence that this Ice Age ended suddenly, causing worldwide flooding that is the root of flood myths in nearly all cultures. Graham Hancock has discussed this idea in his books.
Archeologists say the Giza pyramids and Great Sphinx are only about 3,000 to 5,000 years old. But geologists, who know more about rock weathering say they’re far older, dating to that same 12,500 years ago. I trust the geologists a lot more. This means that the ancient Egyptian civilization we know about did not build them. They were already there when that civilization arose. There is clear evidence that the face of the Great Sphinx was originally different, not the face of a pharaoh. That was changed later during dynastic times. Probably the original face wasn’t human at all, more likely a lion’s face.
Many of the programs in the ‘Ancient Aliens’ series are old, but they keep running them. Stan Friedman, my late friend, has been dead for years, but he still pops up there.
Because many of the programs are old, they don’t reflect the latest discoveries. For example, we now know that those famous cave paintings in France and Spain were painted by Neanderthals. They used their own saliva to mix with the pigments, and left their DNA behind. It’s Neanderthal DNA. The Neanderthals weren’t apelike subhumans. They had red hair and blue eyes. Dress one in a business suit and he wouldn’t attract any attention on Park Avenue. The slouching, bowlegged reconstruction that we saw for years came from a single old man discovered early who suffered severe osteoarthritis and other ailments.
Neanderthals had larger brains than modern humans and considerably larger eyes, so they may have been primarily nocturnal or crepuscular. Because there is no DNA in the megaliths, it is quite possible that Neanderthals were the builders. And Neanderthals are alive today in most of us. Unless your heritage is 100% sub-Saharan African, you carry Neanderthal genes. Apparently they never migrated south of the Sahara, which, to my mind, casts doubt on the ‘out of Africa’ theory of human evolution.
In the 1920s, when the great Roy Chapman Andrews led the American Museum of Natural History’s Central Asiatic Expeditions, the dominant theory was that humans originated in central Asia. Those expeditions were looking for ancient humans. Unfortunately, Andrews found that the rocks of the right age to contain fossils of early humans had weathered away, and he became famous for finding dinosaurs instead. I believe that the reason most early human fossils have been found in Africa is that the rock strata containing the fossils have weathered away everywhere else or are under dense tropical jungles and inaccessible. Fully modern humans lived worldwide millions of years ago, in my opinion.
I do not believe that the various Australopithecines found in Africa are human ancestors, just products of convergent evolution. Unfortunately, they’re far too old to extract DNA and set the record straight. Like gorillas and other apes, they are our distant cousins, not our ancestors. Fully modern human skulls have been found that are older than our supposed ancestors. See ‘Forbidden Archeology’ by Michael Cremo for details. More on this topic later.
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About The Author: Bob Shell is a professional photographer, author, former editor in chief of Shutterbug Magazine and veteran contributor to this blog. He is currently serving a 35 year sentence for involuntary manslaughter for the death of Marion Franklin, one of his former models. He is serving the 17th year of his sentence at Pocahontas State Correctional Facility, Virginia.
On September 16, 2024 Shell’s release date got moved up six years due to new “mixed charges” law to February 2, 2030. It was 2036.
How to Keep Your Ass in Shape with Diet and Exercise
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Keeping your glutes in shape doesn’t have to mean spending hours in the gym or following a strict diet. With a few targeted exercises and smart dietary choices, you can strengthen and tone your backside while maintaining overall health. Here’s how to shape your glutes through balanced lifestyle habits and workouts.
Glute-Focused Workouts
Squats: The squat is a classic move for good reason. Variations like sumo squats, jump squats, and goblet squats help target all three glute muscles while also working your quads and hamstrings. Aim for three sets of 12-15 reps, and remember to engage your core and keep your chest up for maximum effect.
Lunges: Lunges not only tone the glutes but also improve balance. Walking lunges, reverse lunges, and Bulgarian split squats all target the glutes from different angles. Try three sets of 10 reps per leg, ensuring your knee stays aligned with your ankle for proper form.
Hip Thrusts: Hip thrusts and glute bridges are great for isolating the glutes. For added challenge, place a weight on your hips. Perform three sets of 12 reps, squeezing your glutes at the top of each rep.
Deadlifts: Deadlifts are fantastic for building strength in the glutes and hamstrings. Romanian and sumo deadlifts specifically target the glutes. Aim for three sets of 8-10 reps, focusing on proper form to protect your lower back.
Diet for Toned Glutes
Lean Proteins: Protein is essential for muscle repair and growth. Incorporate lean sources like chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, and plant-based proteins to support your workouts.
Healthy Fats: Fats are essential for hormone production and recovery. Include sources like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil to keep your body fueled.
Complex Carbohydrates: Carbs provide energy for your workouts. Opt for whole grains, sweet potatoes, and quinoa, which offer sustained energy and aid in recovery.
Hydration: Staying hydrated is key for muscle function. Water helps with circulation, digestion, and energy levels, so aim for at least eight glasses a day.
Consistency is Key
Keeping your glutes in shape requires consistency. Aim for a combination of resistance training and a balanced diet, and remember that gradual progress is more sustainable. Set realistic goals, and adjust your routine as you get stronger. With commitment and the right approach, you’ll see results that boost your strength and confidence.
Throughout history innovations have been resisted.
There is the possibly apocryphal story that one of the Egyptian pharaohs issued an edict banning steam powered chariots because the noise frightened the horses.
In verifiable history, in the late 1700s a Frenchman named Jacquard invented an automatic loom. Amazingly for its time, it used punchcards to control the mechanism. The automatic loom quickly supplanted weavers, because it could produce fabric far faster and cheaper. The weavers’ guilds objected. Many of the weavers broke into automated factories and threw their wooden shoes into the looms to shut them down. Those wooden shoes were called sabot, thus we get the word sabotage.
In the early 1900s there was resistance to automobiles, largely by carriage makers, buggy whip makers, draft horse breeders, etc. In England, under pressure from these groups, Parliament passed a law saying that any motorcar must be preceded on the road by a man waving a red flag. That law persisted until 1918, when it was finally realized how impractical it was.
In my own case, I was in the magazine business from the early 1980s. I watched the transitions as new technologies made former jobs redundant. Initially I wrote my articles on a typewriter and mailed them in to the magazine, where a typesetter retyped them on a device that wrote them onto the offset plates used to print the magazine. Photos to accompany my articles had to be made on film and the film had to be developed and printed, a laborious process.
I got my first computer in 1986. It was a Heathkit/Zenith that arrived in kit form. I was happily surprised when it worked after I assembled it. It had no hard drive, just ran on the old big floppy disks. The monitor had a black screen on which orange letters appeared as I typed. I wrote my first book on that computer. It worked for text, but could not handle images. My printer was a Kyocera dot matrix device that used long rolls of paper. I mailed my finished articles on floppy disks along with a hard copy and my photographs. Later, I upgraded to a Windows computer and bought a Nikon scanner to scan negatives and color slides. But I still sent my images in on physical media, floppies at first, later CDs.
I won’t go into more detail about the transition. I’ll only say that our typesetters lost their jobs, along with the repro camera operators, but new jobs were created operating the Mac computers used to lay out the magazines. Staff numbers went down, but only slightly, and the new jobs paid well. Of course, printed magazines have pretty much vanished today, gone on the Internet or out of business entirely. Since I don’t have Internet access, my choices of magazines has been severely limited, and those print magazines that survive are mostly priced out of my range. I subscribed to Rolling Stone since the 1960s, but when it jumped to sixty dollars a year I had to drop it. I used to get Professional Photographer, but that’s now only available to Professional Photographers of America members. I used to be a member, even wrote for the magazine, but membership would be useless to me now. I haven’t had a camera in my hands for seventeen years. I was reminded of these transitions by the dockworkers’ strike. One of their demands is protection from automation. They’re just like the weavers. Resisting the advance of technology is futile, it can’t be stopped. Rather than try to stop it we must adapt to it.
In the late 1990s, I’ve forgotten the exact year, on one of my trips to Japan, I toured a fully automated Canon camera factory. It was the size of a football field, but in the entire factory that churned out hundreds of cameras an hour there were only four humans. Dressed in white jumpsuits, they walked around with clipboards writing down readings from gauges.
Robot forklifts ran around the floors following yellow stripes on the floor picking up pallets of parts and carrying them to the big machines assembling the parts into cameras. The factory operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Robots don’t need coffee breaks, food, sleep, medical insurance, etc. That is the future. Human manual labor is disappearing, and the speed is advancing. Rather than trying to stop or slow it down, we humans must learn the present jobs automation cannot do or new jobs that technology is creating.
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About The Author: Bob Shell is a professional photographer, author, former editor in chief of Shutterbug Magazine and veteran contributor to this blog. He is currently serving a 35 year sentence for involuntary manslaughter for the death of Marion Franklin, one of his former models. He is serving the 17th year of his sentence at Pocahontas State Correctional Facility, Virginia.
On September 16, 2024 Shell’s release date got moved up six years due to new “mixed charges” law to February 2, 2030. It was 2036.
