MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 22, 2023 9:10 pm
LandM wrote: ↑Wed Feb 22, 2023 4:50 pm
Lift 9 just got upgraded = let me know if you want pics
Marcus blew the cover off the top - point at his direction. I will say, about damn time. You gonna send young and highly trained folks into battle - own it. How about MD; aFan; Far; Pizza - go do it man. I responded to your request.
My fire is directed at Pizza - he has been under another name and he is a BS artist. He was never in SF. Call him out MD, You like calling others out, put him on the carpet.
MD, IMHO you grew up a kid in privileges'. Prep school and Dartmouth - did you make it on your own in your opinion?
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I have no idea what you're talking about re Pizza, nor "Marcus" so I'll pass on those.
I'd heard that they opened up the backside of the mountain as well, areas previously only accessible to hikers and tree skiers...beyond my skill set.
Re "privilege", absolutely correct that I have and have had way, way above average "privilege", both economic advantages based on my parent's work and own education, and educational made possible by those resources and some of my own genetic talents and efforts of course. Big advantages out of the chute, and that's not including born a white male in our society, which has it's own "privileges". Perhaps somewhat less pronounced advantages than when I was growing up and initially competing in the world, but still some inherent structural advantages, IMO.
So, 'make it on my own'? Of course not...I don't think almost anyone actually makes it entirely on their own. Nearly every story has someone who lent a helping hand, an inspiring word, a hand up the ladder, along the way...indeed, it's a 'tell' to me when someone claims otherwise.
My wife comes from a more modest financial background, her dad never finished HS, went to war, then back on the boats like many generations before him commercial fishing. Her mom made it to nursing school, was a school nurse in the local public system. Both of her parents lost their mothers before the age of 10, both had absent fathers due to work, essentially raised themselves and their siblings. Self reliant. My wife went to public school, sewed her own clothes, worked from the age of ten, valedictorian, athlete, musician... never took a dime from her family for Dartmouth or Harvard Business School. Self reliant.
But she would never claim they she "made it on her own" as she had an intact, loving family, teachers who encouraged her, etc, etc.
That said, I haven't inherited any money (yet), have worked hard, married well, very lucky that way, and continue to believe that 'every day is a new day to close that deal' with my wife.
My dad's family had some money way back, his grandfather had been a doctor, including taking the family to Japan working in the consulate at the turn of the century...but died there. My grandfather at age 9 was put on a boat by himself back to the States with his dead father's body...he'd been supposed to go to Gilman school, but no insurance back then meant he went to public instead. He ended up working in insurance years later, but was a bad alcoholic and never managed to save anything. My dad's mom's family had some money and social privilege, but she passed away before he left HS and that family considered our side the black sheep...but he did have a good early education and due to lacrosse had the opportunity to go to UVA, where he ended up making the most of that opportunity, 3X AA, NC, captain, lived on the Lawn, etc. ROTC, went into the Army, served on the DEW line in Alaska. Got a job in banking and was quite successful, though most of his serious dough came from entrepreneurial side hustles, primarily in real estate development.
He wouldn't have claimed he "made it on his own" either.
My mom's family had some social 'privilege' but not much money, she went to Garrison Forest on scholarship, was captain of 2 sports, President of the school, went a year and a half to Wheaton, but left to get married to my dad, had me 9 and a half months later,...became a math teacher, then ran the middle school at Garrison Forest...very bright, she eventually went back to get her degree at Hopkins.
Both sides of my family have multiple ancestors who owned slaves, my mom's side, from Louisiana had KKK members too...
Everyone's background is interesting to me.
Then you had the Bid Laden raid crew, now you have TV shows, movies, and books and help ads for how you too can become a SEAL. FTR, my wife, my kid, and all of my friends have no clue what I did. All they know is I graduated from the Academy and did my time.
My first commanding officer would beg to differ with you if he was still alive. IMHO you have boots on the ground in Ukraine. All it takes is one body bag with an American flag and I am not thinking the Ukrainians mean that much anymore. My second point is those who call for military action, go do it yourself. You all were critical of Cadet Bone Spurs how about Cadet Asthma? Neither one should be a disqualifier. BUT if you send young folks over, let them do their job. 
