jfields

Nah. How good could it be, if you aren't in it? You aren't in it, are you? Maybe I'd better go check.

I personally wouldn't call McCain a "nice" choice. I'm not that fond of him as a candidate. But I'd admit he has Bush beat in many areas.

Shit, Clay. Here I go agreeing with you again. I'd vote for him too. Keeps his mouth shut when he should, seems to be straightforward and honest, and is careful in what he does say. The only problem is that he is smart enough not to want the job.

But Powell decided that awhile ago.

Ray, Yeah, I was one of the soldiers that came down as part of the relief effort. We distributed tons of MREs, before the official food distribution centers got going. We also did all kinds of services, like food prep, clean water, sanitation facilities, debris removal, etc. It was actually one of the most rewarding experiences I had in the military. Instead of training to hurt people, or actually going and blowing stuff up in a foriegn country, we got the chance to help out fellow Americans in a meaningful way. Despite the month of straight 18-20 hour days I put in, I was happy to be there. Not that I like natural disasters, but I savored the chance to be part of the military relief. I'm glad you found it all helpful.

Heh. I was in Florida right after Andrew also. Like you, I ate a whole mess of MREs down there. They aren't that bad. I'd have no problem telling inmates, "Eat 'em or go hungry". How long were you in Florida after Andrew? What unit were you in? I got there the day after, I think, then stayed for a month or so, until fine folks from the 10th Mountain Division showed up. It was a fairly surreal experience.

I told you it was perfect. When will you ever learn to trust me?

Is that so you can have a pair of Bubba's, instead of just one at a time?

Sure. Just let the original native Americans in on the pool. Or their decendents, maybe. After all, you'll be in line after them, and they've been waiting awhile. Yikes, I am in a snippy mood!

Clay, you need to save some money, so you can buy this: http://www.ranchbrokers.com/Sheep%20Mt%20Ranch%20Details.htm I'm not sure if the livestock is included, but the name and location are perfect for you.

I know at some point (Atlanta prison riots?), they were refusing to eat MREs. I agree with Deuce that we should make the whole process quicker before we zap/inject these guys. But at the same time, I think that prison should be more of a deterrent than it is now.

But suing the federal government isn't cheap. And talk about repercussions. You think the IRS messes with you now? You'll be gumming your oatmeal in the old folks home before you see any money or justice.

This could be really good for Fedex. It could be a big incentive to ship stuff ahead. Damned nuisance, but if nobody is responsible the other way, it may be a viable option.

I totally agree. This present a much larger problem than it first appears. In the "old" system, there was generally a chain of accountability. That seems to be gone. Now the TSA screeners pretty much have zero liability (or at least it seems that way so far). So when stuff goes missing at the hands of a minimum wage baggage flunkie turned TSA SuperScreener, you are just out of luck. The insurance company will disown liability for it, since an arm of the government was actually responsible. The TSA will say it was just acting in the interests of national security. So, basically, the entire system now has loopholes to let it fall apart worse than it already was before. When you point this out and try to carry everything on board so it won't get stolen, you'll be hauled off as a potential terrorist. You'll be held incommunicado without legal representation under the recently-enacted anti-terrorism provisions. You lie rotting in a secret detention facility until the "war on terror" is won, which will be never. Wow, my mom was right. I am cynical!

I did not just copy and paste that. Nobody saw it. I have no idea what you are talking about! Somebody must have broken into my account and done it. Damned hackers!

Oooh... Greenie linking faux pas!

Ask Skreamer. He also knows all about the creamy filling.

See, he has you all fooled. Underneath the ignoramus is a really nice, sensitive, cool guy. Underneath THAT, you get the ignoramus again, all the way to the center.

I don't think the electric that shaves as close as a blade has been invented yet. Sorry to the marketers, but it's true from what I've seen. That said, my routine involves an electric razor. Tuesday through Friday: Norelco rotary. Good enough for work. Monday and whenever I want an especially close (or second) shave: Old fashioned double-edged steel razor blades on traditional razor. Saturday and Sunday: Shave? Hell no! It's the weekend.

Actually, I think she is on crack. What else could explain it?

Deciding to be the world's cop is an expensive undertaking. You are right. My personal method would be to pay our delinquent UN bills, then work to make change through that body. Let the financial burden and the moral responsibility of peace be more of a global undertaking. Where the peaceful approach doesn't work, let the costs of war be global as well, with the peacekeeping force a multinational UN one. Just my $.02.

Come on, Bill. Be realistic! Stale, old, boring wars don't get votes. Voter's don't want to see soldiers slogging around doing routine patrols to maintain a military presence. Voters want to see smart bombs, cruise missiles, stealth bombers, and the other "cool" weaponry. They don't want to think of people on the ground, or our casualties. It's all about the votes and the media, baby! Substance means nothing. Image is everything!

Bill said Yes, it was. Your touch with a pen is as deft as...

Oh, that IS funny. Both legal and deliciously ironic.

We already do. I wouldn't try to make you believe that isn't true. It is. But as long as they work within the law, what precisely is wrong with that? Change the law, instead of blaming the people. I generally vote in ways that help social services, even at the expense of my own paycheck, because I believe strong in some other issues that tend to be linked to those candidates. Perhaps I just have a touch of belief in "Financial Darwinism" or something. My mom's parents came to this country with absolutely nothing. They had some hard times, then flourished. Same on my dad's side, one generation farther back. They all worked hard, and were better off than the generation before them. I work hard and pay my taxes. I don't cheat on them. I don't do anything that is even remotely questionable. But I do have a Roth IRA that gives a tax benefit. And a 401k. My wife has a 403b. We take part in a workplace Flexible Spending Account for Lucy's day care cost. If something is tax advantageous and legal, why not do it? I refuse to have guilt about taking the opportunities available to me. I'm not "rich", but I'm financially careful, which, partnered with hard work, is likely to get me there some day. I don't think I should be judged harshly on moral grounds simply because I'm not struggling and poor. Some people are poor because of the choices they make. I paid my dues in education and work long hours. Some people don't want to do either. Some people want to work in careers that pay shit, but they love them. That is their choice. I wouldn't take it away from them even if I could. I did not come into this thread advocating lower taxes for the rich, or suggesting raising taxes for the poor. I just object to anger against people who use their heads and take advantage of the situation as the law allows. I don't think that action is anything a smart poor person wouldn't do if they were no longer poor. Perhaps it would help many poor people accumulate some wealth. Plenty of wealthy people get that way without stepping on the poor to do so. Not everyone is Kathy Lee Gifford, running a sweatshop. I'd take the idea of personal financial responsibility even farther. I've had conversations with my mother in law about privatizing/abolishing social security. I'd be fine with either, as I will contribute far more in my lifetime than I'll ever take out. While I don't necessarily like paying social security, I rarely think about it. I generally don't care, except when discussions like this come up. Basically, I just pay it and move on without a thought. My family helps out at a soup kitchen every year. We support food drives for the local food bank. We give to charities, including things like JFTC. But I like the idea of my finances being in my control. I like to choose what I do with my money, because I like to see it be productive and carefully utilized. I'm not complaining about the tax situation one way or the other. I just have a pet peeve about getting criticized for using my brain to help my earning potential and for carefully managing my money so I can provide for my family the best I can. [End of mini-rant. I don't mean to come across too harsly. Perhaps I mistook the direction of your comment. And much of this is generalized, anyway.]