freethefly

Begger standing on corner asking for handouts spots a man in a three piece suit. The man obviously has money. The begger says to him, "Hey, friend, can you spare a dollar or two". The man in the suit is noticably put off by this request and says "Sorry, I only have onehundred dollar bills". The begger says back to him while pulling a bank roll from his tatter jacket, "No problem, I can make change". "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

WOO WOO!!!!!!!!! ST. LOUIS ROCKS "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

I was surfing about looking for anything that concerned the ship I was stationed aboard (1980-84) and came across this article about her. Cannot help but to smile (and I'll admit abit teary eyed) when I think about her and all the good friends that I had during those years. My time aboard was mostly great and I would not trade those years for anything. Besides the months we spent off of Iran (the majority of the time in general quarters (this is not a drill, all hands man your battle stations)) the port calls were great. Particularly Sydney and Perth. I first heard of her decommissioning some years back and somehow felt that a part of myself was also going down with her. In a sense it was as I welded my name on a bulkhead in one of the waterholds. I guess, I'll be there untill the end of time. Hope you enjoy this piece of history as much as I did. (if your not a veteran or current military, you may not know how I feel. If you are, you know exactly how I feel) San Diego Union-Tribune Dec 1992 By Jim O'Connell Staff Writer She is a part of history about to become a piece of scrap metal. The amphibous assault ship Okinawa, which weathered 30 years of naval service, will be decommissioned today in a flood of memories among her former crew. The survivor of two wars, dozens of rescue missions and hundres of port calls, the Okinawa is a floating museum - and sometimes performed like it, some Navy wags contend. Named for perhaps the fiercest battle or World War II, the Okinawa began service in October 1962 by helping to blockade Cuba during the missle crisis. During three decades of duty that followed, she fought in the Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars, plucked Apollo astronauts from the sea and delivered aid to hurricane victims. Designed to deliver up to 2000 Marines and 20 helicopters to the center of danger, the Okinawa was once the proud flagship of a five-vessel amphibious group. But her 30 years of service ends today. She is being retired due to age, budget considerations and force reductions, and will be towed to Northern California and sold for scrap. "We can still her engines, and we can silence her bells, but we can never erase the history that has been made by this great ship and the men who sailed in her," said Vice Admiral W.J. Flanagan. The decommissioning ceremony at 2 p.m. today at the 32nd Stree Naval Station, will be filled with pride for the crew, and memories tinged with humor, former officers said. Built in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard during a period of tight budgets, the Okinawa lacked amenities - like a second propeller - and occasionally suffered for it, said retired Capt. William Mackey, a former executive officer on the ship. "Some of the men used to call her the 'Brokinawa,' " Mackey said. "And she drove like a bathtub, not responsive at all. But she gave honorable service. She was a good ship with a good crew." A crew of 684 manned the ship, which was based in San Diego in 1967. Retired Capt. Roger Newman, a former commanding officer of the Okinawa, said that on his first day in command, the ship broke down just out of port and drifted listlessly until it could be repaired. "That day seemed to take forever," he recalled. But bonds, as strong as the links on the Okinawa's 1,100-foot anchor chain, slowly formed between the ship and it's crew. "You put so much of yourself into your tour, and make such good friends, that the vehicle becomes a symbol of that experience," Newman said. "I can't explain it, but the ship is a part of you and you are a part of it. And when they haul down the colors, and the thing goes dead - goes silent - it kind of gets to you. "Built at a cost of $40 million, the Okinawa is nearly two football fields long, and featured a 200 bed hospital and eight helicopter landing spots all protected by four 50-calber guns and Sea Sparrow missiles. During her prime, the Okinawa was a fierce warrior that led six amphibious assaults during the Vietnam War. She also helped evacuate Phnom Penh and Saigon, and rescued shot-down pilots from the sea. One of the pilots rescued by the Okinawa was Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-San Diego, who is now a two term congressman. In 1968, the Okinawa picked the unmanned Apollo 6 space capsule from the sea, and in August 1971, was chosen to recover the crew and capsule of Apollo 15. The first amphibious flagship in the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Desert Shield, the Okinawa was back in the gulf when the Persian Gulf War began in January 1991. "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

DITTO!!!! Go Cards!!!! "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

Not one mention of The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway????? By far the BEST that he ever wrote. Gabriel (Rael?) is a genius. Love his post Genesis work but feel that his work with Genesis was by far his best. The Lamb Lies Down concert (1974) kicked ass (the blotter acid that we ate was pretty damn good too. Ahhh come on now, what do you suppose the Lamb was?) Had to put the old LP on the turntable. In the Cage playing as I key and post "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

Hundreds????? please list them. Face it, your brave and glorious leader has been a failure his entire life. From a coked up drunk to an ineffective warmongering president Bush has been a failure. Without daddy and daddies friends to pull his stupid ass out of the fire he'd had burned up years ago. "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

I have gone this route. I am no longer covered by Medicare. I was to be dropped come Jan 1st so I did the best thing and got out now so the premium I paid could be used to pay down med bills. Premiums, that is another thing that most who do not use Medicare fail to recognize. In order to be on medicare you have to pay the premium the same as anyother type of insurance. Also, medicare only pays a portion of your bill. One such bill sitting here on my desk from Pathology is for $200.00, medicare paid $65.56 and I am responsible for the remaining 134.44. Somehow, this does not appear to be "free" healthcare. I do not know if anyone reading this has ever had to be on medicare or if you even know a person who is on it but, if you ever need to use it you will quickly learn that it is not free. Ask any ederly person who relies on it or any cancer or AIDS or any other type of patient and they will be quick to tell you it is not. I really do not see the problem being the people who rely on it, I see the administration of the system to be the problem, I see the doctors who abuse the system for profit being the problem. I am positive that there are people who abuse it for whatever reason but, they must be the minority and the majority should not have to suffer for their misdeed. The year (1995) I learned that I was HIV+ I burned through more than $50,000.00 from my savings account and mutal fund as well as a 401k. The latter 2 I was penalized by the IRS for cashing out, I am still paying those penalties down ( I wasn't aware of these penalties untill 2001). Maybe I am in the minority when it comes to taking responsibilty for my health bills but I am also angry that everything I was told so long ago was a lie. The money I put in would had been better put to use paying into private insurance than to a system that paid oncology doctors $130.00 per patient to ask 3 questions that they should be asking anyways (see the link in one of my earlier post in this thread). For the most, I am disillusioned as to what this country is all about. So much false faced talk on how Americans stand up for Americans yet, look around and all you see is fighting amongst us all. I hope a change comes soon but, I am not holding my breath as I may pass out and there will be no one to revive me. "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

Well, now that was not explained in the original post so, I retract the STFU comment. But, if they want to see a real horror show they should take a field trip to the ghettos of America and marvel at how children younger than 10 are caring for their younger siblings while their crackhead and alcoholic parents are off doing whatever. Or, maybe a trip to Appalachian America or better still to the poorest Indian reservations (not all reservation are getting rich from casinos). There is far more to be apalled from than a child of age 12 helping the family business. Having had the oppertunity to travel extensivly around the U.S. and Mexico by rail, my views of America changed, the further I went. Things that I was not fully aware of was right in my face. I am assuming that these regions are also apart of the course discussion. If not, they should be. It is an ugly sight to see the richest of the rich and then less than a mile away to see the poorest of the poor. "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

Given that type of reasoning then all Americans should no longer give a flying rats ass about anything beyond our borders and just be happy wearing expensive designer clothing made in the sweatshop by the children of third world nations. Let's not be concern about the starving and the dying and let's just be concern about a child that is helping the family business. After all, we are U.S. citizens and far better than the rest of the world (that is sarcasm for those who did not pick up on it). Your reply flies side by side with hypocracy. "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

Man, I cannot remember the last time I saw a kid tossing paper. Along with mowing, my brother and I faithfully tossed the Fresno Bee each and everyday, rain or shine with no help from our parents. If we complained my dad explained if you take it on, you do it and shut the hell up.(he was a strict Navy Chief) "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

Problem is, is that I do not have a primary care doctor. Even though I am on disability for AIDS I do not qualify for Medicaid and after Jan 1st I am to be dropped from Medicare (I volunteered to drop myself and use the money that the government took for Medicare premiums to pay down the bills from my last visit to the AIDS doctor). As of now I have virtually no healthcare other than the V.A. and it is damn near impossible to be seen by them, plus the nearest V.A. (that will see AIDS patients) is over 200 miles away. So, with Bush and Thugs dismantling Medicare, where does this put me. Considering that I paid into the system, I feel that I do have a right to proper medical care. Although, I am sure, there are those who feel that I am a burden and should just fuck off and die. What good is something that you supported if you cannot use it? I feel that I and everyone else should be given the same medical attention that government officials recieve or that government officials should be given the same that everyone else recieves (this includes that idiot George W. Bush). "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

Saw this, this morning. Per the other thread, these are the people I would eliminate and feel good about doing so. "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

Over the summer I was stung on the back of my right hand by a wasp. Within 3 days my hand swelled to the point that it looked like a water balloon. By the end of the week my arm swelled up past my elbow and onto my shoulder. It was extremely painful. I had severe headaches, a fever above 100, severe nausea and diahrea. For the most I stayed in bed. Would I had been seen by an emergency room doctor or just told to go home? Mind you, I also have AIDS. Would that had placed me ahead of the line? I have been stung a good number of times over the years by bees and wasp and never had any reaction. I always pasted meat tenderizer on the sting and it quickly took care of the problem, this time it had no effect. I did research on this reaction and found that this is considered to be an extreme reaction requiring medical attention and that the next sting can be fatal. So, would I had been viewed as someone merely abusing the E.R.? "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

Do you find it hypocritical that this woman would complain of a child in the U.S. doing an easy task while children in her own country work long hours in sweatshops. She should go back to her own country and fight for the rights of children there or just STFU over here. "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

Yup, Bush ignores the truth and only hears what he wants to hear. He is still screaming "stay the course" while his generals and his coalition partners are saying otherwise. In the last 18 days more than 70 americans have died and countless others have been injured. An unknown nuber of Iraqis have been killed and their country is in dire straights. They are deep in a civil war and sliding fast towards an Islamist state that will surely wage war upon the U.S. in due time. All the while the group responsible for 9/11 is still operating freely. There is but one group to blame for what is to come and that group is the Bush administration. Meanwhile N.Korea is building an arsenal to protect itself against , what it percieves to be a likely invasion from the U.S.. The words spoken by Bush only increases their paranoia. Bush has done nothing to make the world safer. His actions will be the main reason if the world is tossed into war. It should be understandable that every country should not bend to the will of the U.S. and that threatening everyone with "a grave consequence" is not the path to peace and only heightens tension. You cannot force peace by threats of war. The world is quickly turning against the U.S. due to Bush's policy of war. BEIJING (AP) - A Chinese envoy met North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and delivered a personal message from President Hu Jintao on Thursday in the highest-level Chinese visit to its isolated ally since the North's nuclear test last week. A North Korean general, meanwhile, told ABC News that Pyongyang's nuclear weapons were defensive only and would not be sold to third parties, but he added that war on the peninsula was inevitable if President Bush continues to ask the country to "kneel." The meeting with Kim by State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan came as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was making an Asian tour to push for cooperation in enforcing U.N. sanctions for the North's Oct. 9 blast amid signs that Pyongyang may be preparing a second atomic test. She said the United States wants to lower tensions, not aggravate them. "We want to leave open the path of negotiation. We don't want the crisis to escalate," Rice told reporters in Seoul. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said he had no details of the message conveyed by Tang in Pyongyang, but said Kim and the diplomat had "in-depth discussions" about the nuclear dispute. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said Tang also brought a gift for Kim but did not say what it was. Tang's trip might be a way for Beijing to express frustration at the test and warn against conducting any more while wooing it back to six-party talks on the North's nuclear program. But relations between North Korea and China, the main source of food and fuel aid to its decrepit economy, have deteriorated in recent years, and Beijing's influence over Pyongyang appears to be eroding. "This is a very significant visit, against the backdrop of major changes on the Korean Peninsula," Liu said at a regular news briefing. "We hope China's diplomatic efforts ... will bear fruit." Washington hoped that Tang delivered a stern warning to the North Koreans about more atomic blasts, said a senior U.S. official speaking to reporters on Rice's plane as she traveled to Seoul from Tokyo. "I'm pretty convinced that the Chinese will have a very strong message about future tests," said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity, due to the sensitivity of the issue. Tang, a former foreign minister whose Cabinet post ranks above minister, was accompanied by Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo and Wu Dawei, the Chinese envoy to the six-nation nuclear disarmament talks. A day after Bush said Pyongyang would face "a grave consequence" if it transferred nuclear weapons to Iran or al-Qaida, North Korean Gen. Ri Chan Bok told ABC that the arms were to defend the country and not to earn money or be transferred to third parties. "We have nuclear weapons to defend our country and our people," said Ri, chief of the Korean People's Army Panmunjom mission. Ri told ABC that Bush wants North Korea to "kneel" but that the communist country cannot agree to that. If that continues, he said, "war will be inevitable," ABC correspondent Diane Sawyer quoted Ri as saying. "He keeps talking about North Korea as the 'axis of evil,' as an outpost of tyranny, as an unacceptable government that makes its own people hungry," Ri told ABC. "We would ask him please to stop making these bad comments on our nation, and I'm speaking not just for myself but for all people in this country." Ri also told ABC that North Korea did not care if negotiations are bilateral or as part of six-party talks, but that sanctions against country must be lifted for progress to begin. Discussions involving the United States, host China, the two Koreas, Japan and Russia have been stalled for a year because of a boycott by the North over U.S. financial sanctions. Rice was to arrive in Beijing Friday for meetings with Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and other Chinese officials. "We look forward to in-depth discussions with Secretary Rice and hope we can work toward easing the situation and achieve denuclearization through consultation and dialogue," Liu said. The rush of diplomatic exchanges has sparked speculation that a larger conference was imminent. But Liu said he could not confirm news reports of a planned meeting in Beijing of officials from the six governments in the nuclear talks. China, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council with power to veto U.N. actions, is traditionally reluctant to punish the North. But it voted last weekend for the resolution imposing sanctions in response to the nuclear test. Beijing has since warned its neighbor against taking any steps that would heighten tensions. However, Beijing's U.N. ambassador has indicated that inspectors will not board ships to search for equipment or material that can be used to make nuclear, chemical and biological weapons or ballistic missiles. China and South Korea worry that the North would consider the action provocative. The U.N. resolution "is a balanced resolution and the spirit must also be reflected in its implementation," Liu said. "The parties, while implementing it, should not try to expand the sanctions mandated by the resolution." Liu said that while China will "implement in earnest" the sanctions, they were not an end in themselves. "They are rather the means to an end, which is to solve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful way," he said. On Thursday, Rice met in Seoul with President Roh Moo-hyun and Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon, who is slated to be the next U.N. secretary-general. While South Korea and the United States expressed a united front against the nuclear test and support of U.N. sanctions, Seoul showed no signs that it would immediately move to adopt Washington's hard-line approach to dealing with Pyongyang. Rice said she didn't mean to pressure the South to take any specific steps, but said that "everyone should take stock of the leverage we have to get North Korea to return to the six-party talks." Rice, Ban and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso also met, reaffirming security commitments and calling on the North to return to nuclear talks. The sides agreed to "strongly reject another nuclear test by North Korea and its possession of nuclear" weapons, Aso told reporters. The South has faced criticism for a pair of landmark inter-Korean projects - a tourism venture and joint economic zone, both in North Korea - that are symbols of hopes for the peninsula's reunification. Ban said Seoul would consider adjusting those projects to have them come in line with the U.N. sanctions. He also said he explained the merits of the industrial zone to facilitate reforms in the communist nation, and that he believed the U.S. understood. While visiting Tokyo on Wednesday, Rice said the U.S. was willing to use its full military might to defend Japan in light of the North's nuclear test. She also sought to assure Asian countries there is no need to jump into a nuclear arms race. Rice also made the same assurances to Seoul that Washington stands behind its pledge to defend the country if the North attacked. "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

Well, now this is just unfair to the last kid to be tagged "IT". If anyone is to have an excuse as to why his or her life turns out to be a complete failure it would be this kid. Imagine, having to go through life forever being "IT". "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jefferson/slaves/ Here is a link to some interesting accounts by those at Monticello, one such account is from Madison Jefferson, one of the sons of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings. "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

Many have never abused the system but will pay the price because of those who have. But it is not just certain people on the streets who are responsible for the waste it is the administrators who start projects that are of no use and the doctors themselves who line their pockets with little to no concern for their patients. Here is one such waste of our money http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14575285/ "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

Saw it. According to slave accounts and the accounts of others, she was a willing partner. According to discription of her she appeared to be white and not black as her mother was half white. Not sure if her father was white or black. Maybe in Jeffersons saw her as being a white woman and not black or mulatto. "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

At age 9 (1969)I was mowing yards for Judge Baker in Lemoore, Ca.. My dad worked for him as a second job to suppliment his Navy pay. Baker owned a good number of homes and other property. He paid us, myself and my brother, $5.00 each for each yard we mowed. We mowed several yards a day, monday through friday in the summer. During school days we mowed after school. We also did cleaning for him in town at some of his other properties as well as cleaning his horse stalls. I had a very nice savings account. I see no reason why a kid should not be able to work if they wish (as long as the work is proper for a child). "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

And in the long run, as well as the short, it has cost this country more than money it has cost this country its reputation of being a moral and just country. "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

Oh, I could had added more but then I would be here all day keying. I know that I am not the only one when I say that what some Americans consider important is just plain fucking stupid. How in hell can some idiotic website of idiotic people doing idiotic shit be more important than the health and well being of their fellow humans? Nearly 2 billion dollars for something that does not produce any type of product, does not employe anybody, does nothing at all. I have never been to the youtube website. I have only heard of it on the news and was amazed at the discription and what it does. I am sure that here are plenty of people who feel as I do when they see so much money being spent in such a wasteful fashion in a time when the number of ill people are rising, the number of people who are sure to die without care are rising. There is no such thing as compassion. Just a word that some use to make themselves look good. Has nothing to do with helping others. On your death bed expect to hear the doctor say, "Out of chips? Too bad, thanks for playing". "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

Uhm, they gave nearly 2 billion to two guys for a website that does basicly nothing. I'd be pissed that the money was wasted in such a fashion. I'd would be thrilled to see the money going to help children, cancer and AIDS patients instead. "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

So, you are in favor of providing electro-shock therapy for politicians at the taxpayers expense? Not to mention the overload on the electrical grid. Damn, the country would be in a constant state of blackout if we had to provide such a service everytime some politician gets to thinking about war. "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young

And it is great that there are charities that will help those in need ie; The Cancer Society, The MS fund, Jerry Lewis MD telethon... What I do find to be mind boggling is that certian companies such as Google is more willing to pay near 2 billion dollars to two guys for something as idiotic as YouTube instead of using that money for children organizations, AIDS organization, cancer groups and so on. Hats off to people like Bill Gates and others like him who are now using their wealth for the betterment of humankind. "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young