In the months and years following 9-11, I tried hard to understand what would compel a person to fly an airplane into a building - and also to understand our enemies. I got some fascinating answers in several books by author Dr. Mark Gabriel:

Islam and Terrorism (2002)

Also of great interest by Dr. Gabriel:
Jesus and Muhammad (2004)
Journey Inside the Mind of an Islamic Terrorist (2005)

He does discuss Muslim burials and what they believe; particularly when killed in the act of jihad.

88, we are in COMPLETE agreement. Those are my top 3 too!
We may not agree often, but when we do, I want to make sure you know. :)

Personally, I don't think there is much to try an understand.
Trying to understand a perversion of religious belief makes about as much sense as trying to understand why serial killers like Ted Bundy or Charles Manson did what they did.

I'll admit, I am not an expert on Muslim/Islamic Extremism, but I'm pretty sure cowering behind a woman when a bunch of Seals kick in your door is somehow not a respectable death.

In my opinion, that scumbag died in the same way he lived his life, as a scared, arrogant, coward. I could careless why he or other terrorists did what they did.

PG, we are in COMPLETE agreement. Those are my top 3 also! We may not agree often, but when we do, I want to make sure you know. ;)

We're on the same page Fedelta and I probably should've written my diatribe a little better. For the record I'm a max staffing kind of guy.

I like to bring up the sell vacations example from time to time because every so often a conversation along the lines of a base swap or flying on vacation comes up. And while it sounds good initially, if allowed or just implemented the quick and simple ramification imho would be furloughs at the bottom and MD's in every category. Such that those who want it would really just end up knocking themselves out of holding a line or staying in their category.

Ideally I want pilots to make a lot of money at min guarantee such that they don't have to fly 80, 85, 87, 90 or 95 hours per month. If everyone flew 70 hours then we'd be in a hiring boom and the average AE would be like going to Cedar Point which in itself is a pay raise.

But when pay is cut 42% or more and guys in their 30s or 40s are living on $70,000 or $80,000 as a single household income, the desire or need to fly more is there.

But there has to be a balance or we'll just end up reducing staffing needs from 744A down.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2GOp00WR4X...en+at+play.jpg

^^^ Teeter Totter example of an imbalance ^^^

Guys in catagories with 10+ day trips are already effectively selling their vacations right now by bidding carryout trips into their vacation months.
They get paid carry in credit of 60+ hrs plus 42 hrs of vacation pay for 100+ hrs of pay in a month.

I don't doubt that at all. I flew with a pilot that had been furloughed from CAL and in one of his last trips he flew with a gem of a Captain who wanted to show him how he had picked up 97 hours of flying (all straight pay fwiw) on his schedule. The Captain was so proud of himself.

Good luck to the pilots of UCAL that get it and will one day push out the old CAL guard:

http://www.imemc.org/attachments/oct...9bulldozer.jpg

Buzz, I think the different pay for the same trip goes back in time to when Delta was consistently growing. The idea was a reserve got paid whether he flew or not and a regular only got paid if he flew, The reserve got paid on off days etc. etc. I'm sure Alfa,Slow or PG could shed more light on the history of this. I know when I was on reserve it bothered me.

Hammer,

Please explain how this is effectively selling their vacations? They are not working over their vacation.

So how are they selling their vacation then?