Ronney Moss

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Understand the police

Police are hired guns for the established power base. Your country, city or state may have guidance that includes “serve and protect” or formal rules that establish what branch of government they report to, and how they are supposed to operate.

Much confusion exists over the role of the police. The sheriff of Nottingham was enforcing the king's edicts. As society evolved and people began to divide their efforts based on specialized skills the ideas of law enforcement and national (tribal) defense emerged. The farmer and the rancher could feed the population while the artisan entertained. The craftsman could create and the merchant could trade if they did not have to spend all their time defending their lives and property.

Fast forward to the present day United States of America. For the most part a software engineer and an unemployed homeless person can exist without palpable fear of imminent death. Rival groups of protesters can express themselves with the understanding that cops, for the most part, will not use deadly force on either group and act as a pseudo referee. When cops arrest most citizens the expectation is that the police won't murder you in cold blood, take bribes and respect your rights.

On the other side of the law are a group of people who do not respect your right to exist, except to provide prey and booty for their benefit. The criminal justice system is designed to protect the rights of the accused, because it is recognized that it is the tendency of governments to abuse power. Seasoned criminals use these protections and the system to their advantage.

“The only thing worse than organized crime is disorganized crime.” Human laws are not natural laws like gravity. We make up agreements through our system of government and call them “laws.” Since enforcement comes from society and not nature, methods are mutually agreed upon to enforce said “laws.” You were born into this system. The people that made/make up the rules have their own agendas. Understand that the police are human cogs in the machinery of society. They have weapons to protect themselves, not you. They deal with people on the worst day of their life multiple times. They are a target and understand that. They are human and fallible. On the best day they enforce just laws in a just society and interact with cooperative, innocent, responsible citizens. But, on other days they meet you. If you act as if they don't care about you, your feelings and only want to go home, alive, uninjured with minimal paperwork and hassle you will likely survive.

De-funding the local law enforcement apparatus makes it easier for the federal government to impose it's will on the people with minimal resistance.

Tribalism

Since I have not received the tenth edition of the newspeak dictionary I am unsure of what you meant when you used the term tribalism. As with most human organizations positive and negative outcomes are possible. As a social animal we gravitate toward others that share common traits be it genetic, geographic or occupational. In many circumstances it increases survivability and dominance.

Is it a motorcycle club or gang? Associating and identifying with a tribe that shares positive values and mores seems to be a more practical mindset than denying our nature. Remember “it takes a village to raise an idiot.” The North Sentintel island people have effectively existed for a long time. If your goal was to become an opera singer, it probably would not be your first choice of tribes. Our nature is both competitive and cooperative so some level of tribalism will happen. Dividing ourselves into teams or tribes may be juvenile but soccer is not much fun without an opposing team. I understand that you are confused by people who advertise their love affair with destructive devices. I believe some are merely putting labels on as casually as the people who have YETI stickers. Some are as mature as we were when we advertised Van Halen or Vans as kids. Some are desperately trying to get fear and respect (insert compensation joke).

Like I mentioned I try to limit my branding since I think of myself as a motorcycle enthusiast rather than a biker or Harley dude. I like skateboards and mine was covered in stickers when I was a kid. Now the free sticker that came with the product may end up on things but for the most part I display charities and organizations that I support. I proudly display my nation's flag since I am a true believer in the tenants of the declaration and the idea that our rights are not granted by humans but because we are human. The founding fathers spent a lot of time formulating a form of government that is designed for flawed humans that is why it is so cumbersome. Mao, Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot and countless other have designed and/or run more efficient forms of government but that only means the tyranny happens faster.

I am branded with a wedding band since my fidelity is public and private. It was great to hear from you. I asked for your email since I was unsure I had sent the firearm links.

Love,

Ronney

Successful Feedback

We all wish other people would just do what we say and then their problems would go away. Whether it is our friends, family or co-workers we often think we see the solution clearly. When we are teaching our children skills, like potty training, the message sometimes gets turned around and they learn the wrong lesson. "Tell me when you have to use the bathroom" is misunderstood and they lie to cover the offense. Telling the truth is more important than not soiling their pants but they do not understand.

The first principle is to remain calm and remember we do not control other people's attitude. Focus on the behavior. This is tricky because one of the most important lessons we can teach is keeping a good attitude. The best way to do this is, of course, by modeling. Remaining calm is harder than people give it credit. The more you care about the person the harder it is and I have no tricks to make it easier.

Constantly correcting people can discourage them and give them the idea that "I am never good enough." "You are always picking on me." This often leads either to depression or rebellion. One way to provide feedback is to sandwich the area for improvement with positive traits. Warm fuzzy, cold prickly, warm fuzzy. "You are so smart, I wish you would poo in the potty, you are great." It is important to be sincere, trust is essential.

Now, there are times that call for direct, cold, harsh words but those are rare indeed. DO NOT TOUCH THE STOVE!

I would like to give useful advise on how to help you give effective feedback but I am just another human. I think this way: Do I care about this person? Are they ready to listen? Am I ready to listen? Do I really have THE answer? Please share your thoughts.

From the Air Force

1. Determine the objective of the counseling before the session begins.

2. Hear the individual out.

3. Treat the member as having worth and dignity.

4. Show sincerity, courtesy, and personal interest in the individual.

5. Give the individual the facts, whether they are pleasant or unpleasant.

6. Don't brush off any problem as being too trivial.

7. Don't make snap decisions.

8. Don't make promises if you can't keep them.

9. Don't force decisions on the person - there may be other equally good and acceptable solutions.

10. Refer to other agencies.

11. Make contact for the individual with the referral agency.

12. Follow up referrals to make sure there is a continuity of action and that referrals are completed as soon as possible

Rich Herold

Long ago, when I was a young student in High School I met a man, a teacher, a mentor, role model and ultimately friend.

In a room full of teenagers each with their own agenda and yearning to be noticed, or struggling to escape notice the maestro told us tales of the days of yore. Weaving the tapestry of human drama in all it's glory and gore he spoke like a shaman, sage and scholar. Inspiring many young minds to seek more he demonstrated the path to wisdom and knowledge. Over the years we learned of our past, the good, the bad and the ugly. He was a renaissance man in the space age and in a strange quirk of fate, or perhaps it was intentional, his peers offered us the tools to grow. History can be a dry subject but the struggle for enlightenment and liberty are inspirational. My mind was filled with dreams of girls and adventure and the faculty showed me a path that I remain on to this day.

How can I find truth? What technical subjects will help me better understand the physical world and how to manipulate it? What does it mean to be civilized? What are the moral implications?

Rich Herold threw a stone into the pond of knowledge and the ripples, nay waves, continue to rock the generations.

Mind, body, and soul

Life is short. “The story of my life” can be a mournful lament or a song of joyful praise. Some of it has to do with what we do, most of it has to do with how we react. People often say “as long as it makes you happy” when referring to choices. Happiness is a fickle feeling that ebbs and flows. Joy is a state of being. The universe is not fair and the cards we are dealt are just that, the circumstances we find ourselves. How can we play the cards for the best outcome?

Our mind is a powerful tool. Learning to use it is a lifetime challenge. Problem solving, playing games, and learning are ways to keep sharp. Cognitive decline is inevitable, but we can slow the rate. It is indeed harder to learn as we age but, wisdom can come with experience. The “voices in our head” can be powerful assets or horrible obstacles. The stereotypical self-help guru chanting affirmations in the mirror has some merit. Harnessing the background noise can provide stability. “My mind is quite, I am at peace.” is a useful mantra. Learning internal silence is one of the most challenging and rewarding skills a human with a brain can acquire. It is beyond the scope of this essay but, start with meditation and observation. Part of most meditation methods include focused breath control.

The body is the vessel in which our mind resides and oxygen is essential. The breath of life indeed. Our mental health is tied directly to the physical. The biological process of converting fuel and oxygen to energy, movement and structure is incredible. Things we can do to become the most effective and efficient creature include exercise, nutrition and rest. Our bodies, like our minds do best with consistent healthy movement. Just a little daily movement is more beneficial than going nuts and over-exercising randomly. Challenging yourself is not wrong but, understand that running a marathon is hard on the body and recovery is essential. Strength, flexibility and endurance are the elements of a fitness program. Fuel for the machine is important.

Nutrition is a complex subject. “You are what you eat, from your head down to your feet” so eating junk will make you feel like junk. Simple guidelines are to eat food, mainly vegetables, if it comes from a plant eat it, if it was made in a plant pass.

The soul is a component many people deny or gloss over. The concept that we exist beyond our mortal shell is deep. The thought of eternal consequences for our actions is daunting. One can struggle with the concept but, I quit fighting and accepted it as true. Descartes has an illuminating discussion. Being “right with the universe” is a phrase that although overused has power. I find that the question: “is there a God?” boils down to yes or no. I choose yes. Intellectually it is debatable, viscerally I find it self-evident. If you are ready sincerely pray: “God if you are real, show me.”

Assuming that God exists one is presented with the challenge of the nature of God. I wondered and searched. The choice of an all powerful being outside of time and space that created the universe with a purpose, and thus, me for a purpose was my conclusion. Many faiths have many routes. I heard the Gospel many times but, never really internalized it for decades. The transformation is incredible. I no longer just live for myself. Prayer is a conduit to peace. Even if you do not believe the power of speaking sets your feeble human mind on a path. If you seek wisdom you may find it. It is often not the answer you were looking for but, the one you need.

The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. As I studied I was not sure if I was the evil created for the day of wrath. I have evolved to understand that fire ants have a purpose and so do I. Grace is liberating and healing. Passing it on is powerful and provides eternal joy. Understanding that God loves us and we are created to share that with creation. There are some harder concepts I struggle with like my strong survival instincts and the morality of ending another being's life.

I ponder my mission daily. Better a warrior in the garden than a gardener in battle. Being in nature is good for the soul. If you are silent you may hear. If you make noise make it joyful.

Is flying safe?

A friend of mine has a family member who is concerned about flight safety so here is my take. Is flying safe? In a word, no. But that depends on how you define “safe.” If safe means no risk then few things meet that standard. “Does flying have an acceptable level of risk?” is a more reasonable question. We will restrict our discussion to airline travel in the United States.

As a pilot we speak about risk management. It is a systematic way of analyzing potentially hazardous activities and managing the risks. We start by looking at the severity of a category of risk and addressing the most catastrophic things first. We must also balance this by understanding the likelihood of events. A single engine failure on a aircraft with two engines has potentially severe consequences if not managed precisely. The likelihood of such an event is statistically low but since the stakes are high we train extensively on these scenarios. I will outline risk management without too much technical jargon.

The first rule is to accept no unnecessary risk. That infers that there are necessary risks. So how safe is air travel? As far as risks go it is well managed. Dividing risks into different areas helps to recognize and thus better plan for ways to mitigate risks and trap errors. Let us look at the pilot, the aircraft, the environment and the operation. We will briefly look at each area.

The pilot includes all crew members. We tend to fly with at least a pilot, a co-pilot, flight attendants and perhaps other personnel. The aircrew works as a team. Airline operations require at least two pilots. They are extensively trained and evaluated on a regular basis. Our cabin crew is an extremely valuable part of the equation. Flight attendants are there primarily for the safety of the passengers. All US aircraft have to be able to evacuate in less than two minutes. They practice these procedures regularly but you probably do not. So the next time the flight attendant gives a safety briefing, pay attention since they are going to help everyone get off the aircraft.

Modern aircraft are robust designs with multiple redundant safety systems in place. Maintenance personnel are extensively trained and conduct regular inspections and preventive maintenance to ensure airworthiness. The aircrew and ramp personnel also inspect the aircraft before and after every flight. The aircraft is designed and tested to fly with one engine. We tend to have triple redundancy designed into many critical components. For example, we have three independent altimeters and only one is required. During our recurrent training we practice multiple scenarios many of which are modeled after previous events.

The environment presents many hazards. Thunderstorms, snow, ice, and congested airspace are a few of the factors to consider. A common mitigation strategy is exemplified by how we handle low clouds and reduced visibility. If the weather at the destination is below certain standards we have to plan for an alternate destination far enough away to have better weather. This includes adding extra fuel. Sometimes a flight will be “weight restricted” and we cannot fill every seat because we have to carry extra fuel. During our recurrent training we are trained and evaluated in the simulator for very challenging conditions.

Finally the operation dictates much of the residual risk and ultimately the level of “safety.” There are several layers of planning and oversight for every flight. The dispatcher plans every flight applying all the procedures for the primary airport, the alternate if required, the route, fuel and load planning. At many airlines there is a separate department obsessing over planning the loads. The aircrew reviews the dispatched plan and makes the final decision to conduct the flight or consults with dispatch to make appropriate changes. External organizations such as air traffic control, airport personnel, and TSA provide an added layer of oversight and control.

A large number of highly trained professionals are working hard to make sure airline operations are “safe.” We realize that we can only manage risk to an acceptable level and each component has fallible humans involved. We are taught to use checklists and other methods such as challenge and reply to trap errors. An example would be when the pilot monitoring says “landing gear” the other pilot responds “down three green.” This may seem simple and redundant but actually having both crew members confirm that an item is properly configured minimizes and/or traps errors.

When I was teaching people to fly I would tell them “There is nothing hard about flying; two or three hundred really easy things that will kill you if you do not get them right, but, nothing hard.” Is flying safe? The safest airplane is the one sitting in the hanger but that is not why airplanes were built. 'Is taking an airline flight an acceptable risk?' is a more realistic question.

Live forever or die today

A good friend of mine remarked that if he caught the virus today it would likely mean isolation, and since he is in the “at risk population,” likely death in isolation. He said “You know I may never see my wife and kids again, and that would suck.”

In my earlier incarnation as a paratrooper we were intimately aware of our mortality. They took our footprints and put it in our medical records because boots tend to stay together even in spectacularly catastrophic events. As science and technology advanced, they collected DNA samples since the blood mist and chunks of goo contain your essence and we can tell who is dead, who is presumed dead and who is missing. We were encouraged to have a will and they provided free legal advice, and of course, at first my mama was the sole beneficiary. Live fast die young was not only punk lyrics but a lifestyle. I was more concerned with the thrill of the moment until condition X and then, trying to find an accomplice to have a momentary thrill.

God blessed me with a wife. He may have cursed my wife with me, you will have to ask her. The birth of our children rattled my perspective even more. Humans, guilty of only being born were dependent on my good judgment. An insane woman, but I repeat myself, hitched her wagon to me. The deaths and gruesome injuries experienced by my co-workers cemented the reality that “You know I may never see my wife and kids again, and that would suck.” The fact that I commuted to work on a motorcycle on All American Freeway and later a bicycle on Yadkin road was probably more hazardous than any of my paratrooper antics. My wife recognized the reality of my mortality and too often another fatality in the units would hammer that home.

Early on we determined to part on a good note. Even when we were angry at each other we would kiss and say “I love you” when I left for work. In the days before cell phones and the internet we would be unable to communicate for extended periods of time. Standing in line at the pay phone with 300 hundred other dudes waiting to get their 5 minute call sucked. It really sucked when you did not get through, we sing songs about Jody. Long separations, stressful lives, divorce, and death; good thing I like heavy metal. It sucked worse when you got in a fight on the phone! “Life sucks and then you die” has some ring of truth. The long lost art of hand written letters could allow people to share deep thoughts, or not. Long shifts on silent watch can allow deep thoughts, or not. The deepest thoughts are often the hardest to express and sizzle with even deeper feelings.

Reuniting often brought joy. Embrace those few precious moments before the harsh realities of daily existence intrude. When you part company with people you care about let them know you love them.