OO (SkyWest) CJO insider news.

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FlyingPetRock@reddit

Also more than likely they are trolling your social media, especially if you haven't locked it to private.

There was also a sentiment during the surge years of 22/23 that they were deliberately finding ticky tacky ways to force pilots into extended special track training so it would show up on your PRIA in an attempt to slow down attrition.

The company is not your friend, and never will be, even after OO.

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InflncrPltSukDezNuts@reddit

I don't for even one second believe those rumors, and I have served in a training/checking capacity at the airline for nearly 8 years. The instructor/check airman cadre would throw a collective fit if we were told to target people or increase our fail to pass ratio.

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TSwiftIcedTea@reddit

Another reason airlines should not be able to conduct their own pilot evaluations. Have a dedicated group at the CMO who knows that airline’s procedures and conducts all PRIA reportable events.

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Headoutdaplane@reddit

Yeah! The DPE system shows how well that would work! /S

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Flimsy-Ad-858@reddit

Meh. I like that in theory but dear God the number of FAA guys they'd have to hire.

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SMELLYJELLY72@reddit

for real, your local fsdo probably has a backlog of appointments that date prior to the challenger accident

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nineyourefine@reddit

even after OO.

Their marketing truly is something else. I'm a former OO. I remember even back in the day when pay was $20/hr, I'd tell people I worked at OO and the response was "Oh they're a great regional!" And lots of other positive comments.

I had the same shit pay and shit QOL as my buddies at other regionals AND I didn't have union protection. People would seem surprised when I'd respond with "It's still a shitty regional with shitty work rules. There was a ton of anti union messaging from the company while also laughing at us when we asked for raises or better work rules.

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Theytookmyarcher@reddit

Someone should create some sort of third party that can represent employees. Something organized...

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FlyingPetRock@reddit

Careful.. you might be on to something! 🥲

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strange_liquid@reddit

So I’m stepping out into a world that’s not my own here, but how do the unions work with the regional airlines? I thought the unionization was a mainline thing (hence the existence of the regionals in the first place), or are the regional unions just weaker?

Obviously this is a dirty trick no matter what, I’m just trying to get a better understanding of how this works.

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vagasportauthority@reddit

Many regionals have unions or are part of large unions (Mesa pilots have ALPA as their pilot union which represents United and Delta pilots and many more)

Republic has Teamsters.

Idk how Skywest got away with not having a Pilot’s Union tbh.

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TristanwithaT@reddit

I have flown with more than a handful of folks who all share the same “if you just keep your head down and show up and do your job, you never would need a union” sentiment. That’s how.

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Galactic_Dolphin@reddit

Yep. Those people don’t realize that the “contract” isn’t an actual contract and the company can revoke any part of it at their discretion. The dues would be worth the benefits.

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TSwiftIcedTea@reddit

In 2020 SkyWest cut the monthly reserve guarantee from 76 hours to 68. The student council signed off on it without a vote.

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CptnMike596@reddit

This and a few other creative measures were used by our representatives to work with the company to avoid having to furlough pilots when COVID hit.
Every other carrier represented by unions except Southwest furloughed thousands pilots. It’s the fourth time since 9/11 that I’ve seen SkyWest collectively tighten our belts to make it through a downturn while every union carrier (except SW) furloughed pilots to the streets to survive. Two other union represented airlines just closed up shop altogether the first month of COVID. I may not have a “real union” but my student council has got me what the market can support and 24 years of job security so far. I’m happy at OO. Look forward to every trip.

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Flimsy-Ad-858@reddit

Every other carrier represented by unions except Southwest furloughed thousands pilots.

False (x2 since you said it twice).

Two other union represented airlines just closed up shop altogether the first month of COVID

Was going to happen anyway. COVID did nothing but accelerate the inevitable for CPZ and TSA. They died due to shitty management, not because of their unions.

24 years of job security

Yeah so there's absolutely zero reason for you to spend 24 years at that heap unless you can't get on elsewhere. Our Y3 FO pay exceeds your CA backstop (Jesus Christ I forgot you guys had a 20 year pay scale) and I win every argument related to scheduling by default. Guessing you're either management or so hopelessly brainwashed this will roll past you anyway.

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rkba260@reddit

Golden handcuffs and a pitcher full of the Chip Childs koolaid...

I was 6 months in it and it was blatantly apparent that the "union" was in bed with management. Toothless and all too willing to bend over for SGU.

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Flimsy-Ad-858@reddit

Yeah, I totally get liking where you're at, but just straight up lying to oneself and saying everyone else furloughed pilots is a waste of everybody's time. I don't know how these dudes manage to isolate themselves from reality.

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rkba260@reddit

Blinders and a belly full of copium.

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PWJT8D@reddit

Imagine having to fly with somebody this disconnected from reality.

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brongchong@reddit

With all due respect, tell me how a person makes a decision to spend 24 years at Skywest without trying to make a jump to a major airline?

You’re doing the exact same job as a major airline pilot… Why would you do it for 1/3 of the pay?

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brongchong@reddit

That’s completely false. Most of the other carriers just collected money from the government and paid guys to grow beards. Hardly anybody got furloughed anywhere.

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Guam671Bay@reddit

Skywest grew like a weed after 9/11 as did most regionals. Very few furloughed outsides of Coex and that was due to flowbacks.

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Maroon_Roof@reddit

Umm southwest and skywest wernt the only ones to avoid pilot furloughs during covid...

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0621Hertz@reddit

I’m not sure why FlexJet voter to get ride of their union in 2018.

It was Teamsters.

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PWJT8D@reddit

The stories from ex-FlexJetters should make anyone’s head turn. Blatantly illegal labor shit going on and a lot of “it is what it is” sentiment. All were glad they got out.

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intern_steve@reddit

Illegal shit like what? Embezzlement of Union dues?

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FlowerGeneral2576@reddit

SkyWest is one of only a few 121 carriers in the country (and definitely the biggest) that doesn’t have a unionized pilot group. Every other regional’s pilots are unionized.

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Headoutdaplane@reddit

There is a tiny one here in AK, Aleutian Air that isn't.

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nothimwhy@reddit

IIRC all the regionals are union except OO and most are represented by ALPA.

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landcruiser33@reddit

Skywest lifers are strange.

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CrossBamboAtTen@reddit

In my experience it's many guys who had awful timing with 9/11, and then 2008, and then COVID, and in between having life changing events such as kids.

Plenty of great older pilots at OO that are teaching our younger generation good habits to bring wherever they go.

But there are a few I met that were deadset on staying at OO but they were only like 35.

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squeakycow_@reddit

I'm extremely new to the aviation industry and know nothing about it. I just applied to be a flight attendant for Skywest, is it a notoriously bad company to work for? Am I making a mistake? Thanks for any help, I got nervous reading this post!

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Iiznogoodsenglish@reddit

I was at 3 regionals and SkyWest was my last one before moving on. SkyWest really isn’t that bad of a spot but it’s still a regional. I never had any issues there and regularly flew with both captains and flight attendants that have been there for years and years. With that being said, don’t get comfy and look elsewhere that gives better opportunities for yourself as soon as you can.

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squeakycow_@reddit

This is really great advice, thank you so much! I was planning on using it as a stepping stone, I'm happy to hear you haven't had any issues there. Congratulations on moving on, i hope your career is going well!

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Live_Kiwi3595@reddit

I mean as a FA as well I like it. Training can be a lil tough but it’s cool. As far as regionals it’s the highest paying. Soooo

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squeakycow_@reddit

I'm glad to hear that straight from an FA, i appreciate the response a lot! I'll keep looking into it. Wishing you the best with your FA career!

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Matuteg@reddit

Go to republic

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Flimsy-Ad-858@reddit

At this point it's almost exclusively dudes too weird to get another interview.

I had a guy on my jumpseat a few weeks ago and before he was even strapped in he was asking if I could write him a letter to DL. Like yeah okay boss I'll get right on that.

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changgerz@reddit

Riding to work a few weeks ago and before the door was even closed, the lifer captain was loudly bragging about how he got in trouble during COVID because he didn’t want to be like those “fucking retards” (he used that term multiple times) and wear a mask lol

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Oregon-Pilot@reddit

lol probably also whines about why he doesn’t know why all his peers keep getting hired at a legacy but he has no idea why he keeps getting tbnt emails.

To be so damn clueless as to use a phrase like that around strangers in a professional setting, jfc. DOINK!!!!

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changgerz@reddit

the guy next to him was like a brand new hire too, felt bad for him being stuck with that guy on a 4 day

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SanibelMan@reddit

What the fuck??? I'd be fired if I used that kind of language around my co-workers. Hell, a guy I used to work with who was a miserable piece of shit in his daily existence said that the other people on his team "belonged on the short bus" in a meeting with his supervisor, and they scheduled a meeting with him to discuss it, only for him to drop his laptop off at the front desk first and tell the receptionist to tell his sup he was quitting instead.

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CrossBamboAtTen@reddit

Loved my time at OO but fuck them for not having a union. It's dumb because they have many of the same rules unions provide anyway.

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changgerz@reddit

You know they only have a lot of those rules because other union airlines have them, and nobody would want to work at OO if they didn't

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CrossBamboAtTen@reddit

Yep, that's why it's dumb. They are basically governing themselves through other unions. So just let them be ALPA already.

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changgerz@reddit

OO is still miles behind many other regionals in the work rules department. Plus there's no contract to violate so they can just say "fuck you, what are you gonna do about it?" when they break them.

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mushybanananas@reddit

Huh I don’t know anyone that was called by a random asking about organized labor after job offer.

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Wanttobefreewc@reddit

Interviewed with OO in 22’. They had a survey after the interview that asked about my feelings towards unions and it was mentioned during the interview how proud they are to not have one and how I felt about that. Got the CJO.

Thankfully I went elsewhere. So what this person is saying makes 100% sense to me.

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changgerz@reddit

I interviewed there in late '19. Asked what the pros/cons of not having a union were (I was young and dumb. Still am, but used to be, too). I can't imagine that made them want to hire me.

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rkba260@reddit

Interesting.

Interviewed and worked there, never had a post interview survey. Was never asked anything about unions in the interview. This was pre 2020.

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mushybanananas@reddit

Oooo weird.

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imapilotaz@reddit

No. Oo weird...

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NotaChief141@reddit

I had a "required" online post interview survey that, among other things, asked me about my thoughts on unions (2023).

You know what is weirder than this guy talking about it? You trying to say it isn't happening when it definitely is.

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FlowerGeneral2576@reddit

It’d be a violation of federal law if true, but that’s a big “if”

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shaf7@reddit

Yeah they certainly don't have a history of violating labor laws to prevent organization efforts... like back in 2007 when they got sued for preventing pilots from wearing ALPA lanyards.

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cyclomethane_@reddit

And very hard to prove in court.

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YaKkO221@reddit

Not really…if it’s true there will be internal memos that can be subpoenaed I’d think.

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cyclomethane_@reddit

What makes it tricky though is that the claim is almost unfalsifiable. Companies turn down people after receiving CJOs for so many different reasons, and unless there is a specific memo, this could all be choked up to company needs/mistakes/etc.

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PM_ME_YOUR_PITOTTUBE@reddit

big if true

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aye246@reddit

Federal law doesn’t exactly concern the Feds much these days (not being political just noting the likelihood of enforcement of laws like this in the current climate)

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StPauliBoi@reddit

The government has an impact on our daily life literally constantly 24/7. Life is political. If that makes people have hurt feelings, I'm not sure what to say.

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aye246@reddit

I’m more just stating for the subreddit rules that I’m not attempting to start a political convo; merely making an observation.

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StPauliBoi@reddit

Oh, I know :)

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KITTYONFYRE@reddit

is being pro union a protected class?

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Bravodelta13@reddit

It’s not. OO management runs everything past their lawyers at FordHarrison. As a prospective employee, you have next to no rights. Viewpoint discrimination by private employers, even if proveable, is not illegal.

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FlowerGeneral2576@reddit

Honest question: what does “prospective employee” mean? Like you filled out an application?

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lil_layne@reddit

Companies violate federal law with hiring based on discrimination all of the time. If a company doesn’t want you because of your gender, race, religion, age, they are just going to say you weren’t a good fit and there is no way for the government to prove otherwise. It’s the same concept here. Labor law violations based off of hiring are almost impossible to prove unless the employer is really dumb and makes something illegal explicit.

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SRM_Thornfoot@reddit

Actually it should be rather straightforward to prove in this case. If any of the questions asked of the CJO employees has to do with their feelings on unions then the company can be assumed guilty of gathering and using pro union sentiment in their hiring.

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timelessblur@reddit

Proving they ask the question and proving that is the reason they dropped you are 2 very different things. It is sad how easy it is for them to come up with a BS reason for turning someone down. This include not hiring someone for race or what is lacking between their legs. It is truly sad but they can come up with a valid reason that keeps them safe

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Ok-Mention-3310@reddit

If you think this admin is going to do shit I got a bridge to sell you

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condor120@reddit

I don't see this DOJ champing at the bit to enforce anti labor laws

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MeatServo1@reddit

In other news, water is wet. This whole post could’ve even “skywest is not unionized and is anti-union. If they think you’re pro-union, you’re fucked, no matter where you are in the hiring process.”

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fangledor@reddit

I would like to corroborate this post. I was a SkyWest Cadet in 2019 and had a guaranteed interview with the program. When it came time for an interview, it was radio silence even from my mentor. Only after connecting with a networked friend in the recruiting department did I receive a call from my mentor. They said exactly what OP just said. I unknowingly answered something leaning towards positive about unions, hence the lack of interview.

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boldoldpilot@reddit

This just in: scabwest doing scabwest stuff. Not surprised

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dashdriver@reddit

They have been riding the coat tails of ALPA carriers for far too long.

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DeltaTule@reddit

Time for them to pay up (dues). POS scabs

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namedsoba@reddit

I don’t think you know what a scab is… lol

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boldoldpilot@reddit

Fixed it just for you ;)

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DeltaTule@reddit

I thought I was the only one who uses that term. LOVE TO SEE IT CATCHING ON. Scab airline. No excuses from their sorry ass pilots who haven’t ever succeeded in unionizing.

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DanThePilot_Mann@reddit

In other words, the sky is blue

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VanillaCokeisthebest@reddit

Some regionals even, with their unions have worse QoL than OO.

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DogeLikestheStock@reddit

I currently work for a non union company, but I’d never work for a company openly hostile to organized labor.

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jetpilotmike011@reddit

Just know that a dollar to TG and CC is more important than anything that helps you have any QOL

Buy SKYW stock. Don’t work there

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Extension_Okra_149@reddit

Y’all voted for this if you’ve voted Republican. 🤷🏻‍♂️

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Heavynutts@reddit

I was at OO for too long, and I have been contacted over a class action lawsuit with them… waiting for their response. Shady shit. It would be over the holding down of pilots moving on to other carriers that we flew for. This would harm the associated majors and SkyWest in general… it would be reminiscent of the major tech companies suppressing cross-hiring in silicone valley and would probably bankrupt SKW and severely damaging DL, UA, AA AND AL for their “agreements” to not hire otherwise “good standing” pilots… good luck to all who where held down despite the efforts to move on. This needs more attention and cooperation to shut down the abuse and corruption fron OO.

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Worried-Ebb-1699@reddit

Wow.. I sincerely hope this isn’t true. But something tells me it is.

Scumbags…

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DeltaTule@reddit

OO is such a dirtbag company Can’t stand ScabWest

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canuck791@reddit

Company hates labour. Water is wet.

Air Canada and Porter pushed so hard against ALPA but they prevailed. OO will as well, only a matter of time.

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Organic-Cheetah-2233@reddit

Same thing is happening to OO FA CJOs but I don’t think it has anything to do with labor organization.

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Helpful_Corn-@reddit

Before I was accepted into the OO cadet program they sent me a required survey to fill out. In it there were several questions that referenced unions and offered the chance to show a positive view of them. Luckily, I had the presence of mind to not select any of those options. Very shortly after submitting the survey, I was accepted into the program.

It would not surprise me one bit if they had started sending out something similar to CJO holders.

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Calvin_BrooksX97@reddit

You would need sizeable evidence, but doubts aren't not 0.

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rFlyingTower@reddit

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:

Stay vigilant.

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