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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

Belian In honor of my 50lb pup from 42 Since: Jan, 2001
In honor of my 50lb pup
#55051: May 23rd 2013 at 9:34:37 PM

Considering that the cars that fell in are only half submerged, probably no one really harmed in that bridge collapse.

Now PLEASE use this as an example of why we need to be improving our infrastructure. "If this bridge could collapse without warning, then imagine how much worse it would have been if [insert bridge that has a lower integrity score and higher traffic] collapsed."

Yu hav nat sein bod speeling unntil know. (cacke four undersandig tis)the cake is a lie!
DrunkGirlfriend from Castle Geekhaven Since: Jan, 2011
#55052: May 23rd 2013 at 10:06:07 PM

[up] To be fair, the Skagit river is usually deeper this time of year.

"I don't know how I do it. I'm like the Mr. Bean of sex." -Drunkscriblerian
DeviantBraeburn Wandering Jew from Dysfunctional California Since: Aug, 2012
Barkey Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#55054: May 24th 2013 at 12:11:27 AM

That puts them in line with most of the nation then, I don't think I've ever seen campus police who weren't armed peace officers.

TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#55055: May 24th 2013 at 12:52:07 AM

Then again, I'm not allowed to do drugs via my association with the Guard, and regularly get drug tested at drill a few times a year.

This may be a thing for the Military Thread, but whatever happened to soldiers being issued drugs (tobacco and alcohol at least, I think there was morphine for some time), as a matter of course, on taxpayer money?

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Barkey Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#55056: May 24th 2013 at 1:09:47 AM

Shit, I'd have a lot less to complain about if they did that. But the last time there were government funded cigarettes for troops that I know of they were in C-Rations, which got shelved in the early eighties.

I don't know that Americans have ever had alcohol in our rations, or that "The Government" has ever bought me beer, beyond other troops buying beer which I consume, or me having to pay for it in government establishments.

Morphine is for medics, it's kept away from the general population for very good reasons.

I've heard of them trying all sorts of wonky prescription drugs on pilots to keep them awake for longer, but as far as I know nothing's been pushed on me, at least not with my knowledge.

edited 24th May '13 1:11:02 AM by Barkey

Euodiachloris Since: Oct, 2010
#55057: May 24th 2013 at 1:52:55 AM

I know pushing speed on most kinds of troops was popular in the Korean War... <shrugs> Kind of a hangover from doing it in WWII. tongue

And, nobody quite knows what, exactly, was in the Gulf War cocktail. <_< Plenty of suspicion of what was in there... but, little confirmation. tongue

edited 24th May '13 1:57:37 AM by Euodiachloris

TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#55058: May 24th 2013 at 1:55:12 AM

So the sun gods are doped, huh?

Well, I'm asking cause I was reading about World War I, and French soldiers were very keen on their government-granted right to a certain amount of (bad) tobacco and (bad) alcohol per week. I don't know about the rest.

Anyway, the question, as relevant to this thread, is; would that be a good idea? Besides the fact that alcohol is a bit of a hazard to the health of citizens (and, in the case of soldiers and other risky professions, hazardous on two accounts), there seems to be some sort of prejudice against the government funding "fun". The other week I heard someone complain that Obama's performance at the Correspondents Dinner was an act of disrespect, and that, as he is working with public money, he should be focusing on getting work done, rather than cracking jokes. I was more than a little taken aback by that, but, on the surface, he seemed right. I'm still sure there's something deeply wrong about it, I just can't seem to lay my finger on it... any help?

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
3of4 Just a harmless giant from a foreign land. from Five Seconds in the Future. Since: Jan, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
Just a harmless giant from a foreign land.
#55059: May 24th 2013 at 2:13:54 AM

If he cancelled the dinner, people would have screamed about breaking traditions and the like.

The correspondence dinner is not for the sake of his personal entertainement, but part of his job as the head of state to represent. And he did it good, he appeared to have a good time, so its just another attempt to smear him in the ongoing crusade against his person.

Lots of people who scream disrespect are hypocrites anyway.

edited 24th May '13 2:19:36 AM by 3of4

"You can reply to this Message!"
Medinoc from France (Before Recorded History)
#55060: May 24th 2013 at 2:14:21 AM

[up][up]The very unhealthy thing in France was the free pack of cigs offered with your uniform when entering mandatory service.

This hooked up a lot of youth to tobacco (at least mandatory service was canceled altogether before it had a chance to find me).

edited 24th May '13 2:14:34 AM by Medinoc

"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."
Pykrete NOT THE BEES from Viridian Forest Since: Sep, 2009
NOT THE BEES
#55061: May 24th 2013 at 2:34:13 AM

Most of the bitching about Obama during the Correspondents' Dinner comes from people who had no problem when Bush did the exact same goddamn thing at his Correspondents' Dinner.

It's a fundraiser event where they get to kick back and doof around for a bit — a completely healthy thing to do in any profession, even politics. A few of the jokes will inevitably hit a bit too close to home because comedy does that, but for the most part there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

edited 24th May '13 2:35:05 AM by Pykrete

TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#55062: May 24th 2013 at 2:39:53 AM

I happen to know that this particular complainer voted for him and otherwise supports him, he just thinks that dinner is a silly use of taxpayer money.

I myself tend to find that fund-raising events are a bit offensive, given that what they're all about is begging and applauding at rich people to get them to voluntarily share some wealth for some purpose, completely in their own terms. I'd much rather have them be heavily taxed whether they like it or not, and then have the money funneled to causes of public interest through the citizenry's action. Mandatory solidarity, not voluntary charity.

edited 24th May '13 2:40:19 AM by TheHandle

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#55063: May 24th 2013 at 3:00:59 AM

[up] So...you're not for Charitable Organisation in General? Not even things that Government might be interested in, but people are, like Museums or Heritage Railways, for example?

Keep Rolling On
Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#55064: May 24th 2013 at 3:07:26 AM

The Russian soldier's vodka ration. Not sure whether it's still given out, but whether or not it is, it's never enough.

But every soldier has plenty of access to brake fluid and antifreeze. With a little preparation, those will get even a Russian drunk.

TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#55065: May 24th 2013 at 3:50:49 AM

[up]That's really grimdark.

[up][up]Where I live, people don't give to charity, because they already pay quite a bit in taxes. The government would fund those projects, because people would be interested in them. Especially local councils, they're the ones that usually do the frivolous kinds of spending, for obvious reasons.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#55066: May 24th 2013 at 6:40:59 AM

Charitable donations offset taxes, so the mere existence of high taxes shouldn't be a dissuasion to giving money. Sounds more like an excuse to me.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Belian In honor of my 50lb pup from 42 Since: Jan, 2001
In honor of my 50lb pup
#55067: May 24th 2013 at 6:56:56 AM

Also, there are some people who donate TONS of money and like the personal connection/feeling of accomplishment for donating directly to a cause you like. And knowing that none of your money is going to a cause you don't like.

Not disagreeing here, just providing the counter argument to show why that reason for raising taxes doesn't go over very well.

Yu hav nat sein bod speeling unntil know. (cacke four undersandig tis)the cake is a lie!
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#55068: May 24th 2013 at 7:12:08 AM

The fun thing is, many people who wouldn't give money to a specific cause themselves still think it's a great idea when the State invests in it.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Belian In honor of my 50lb pup from 42 Since: Jan, 2001
In honor of my 50lb pup
#55069: May 24th 2013 at 7:33:48 AM

Yeah, but I wasn't talking about "most people." I was talking about the ones who have enough money to give away. "Most people" don't donate to all the causes they like simply because they can't afford it.

AKA: I was talking about the people who actually have the power to make/influence those decisions.

edited 24th May '13 7:35:17 AM by Belian

Yu hav nat sein bod speeling unntil know. (cacke four undersandig tis)the cake is a lie!
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#55070: May 24th 2013 at 9:41:09 AM

It would appear that people of little or average wealth donate much more, proportionately speaking, than the very wealthy. It is postulated that this has something to do with solidarity/relatability. The point of raising taxes is to compensate for this discrepancy, among others.

I will confess that, today, I find myself fairly biased against the very rich. I've just finished reading The Great Gatsby, and it's coloring my perceptions quite a bit. I feel the persistent need to kick something.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Xopher001 Since: Jul, 2012
#55072: May 24th 2013 at 10:30:06 AM

OMG He didnt salute them he's the ANTICHRIST! Also it would be nice of that bill passed. But sadly that seems very unlikely :(

edited 24th May '13 10:31:51 AM by Xopher001

Achaemenid HGW XX/7 from Ruschestraße 103, Haus 1 Since: Dec, 2011 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
HGW XX/7
#55073: May 24th 2013 at 10:34:27 AM

Not returning the salute was a stupid goof to make so soon after that umbrella controversy. I'm not sure if he actually has to salute the Marines, since he is not and never has been a serving military officer (I'm sure a miltroper can clarify), but I suppose it has become convention that the President does so. Still, a personal apology and a handshake should be enough to patch things over. I assume it is just absentmindedness, though he really should have known better, given how salutes have always been Serious Business to all militaries.

Schild und Schwert der Partei
Midgetsnowman Since: Jan, 2010
#55074: May 24th 2013 at 10:35:33 AM

[up]

and even seriouser business to republicans and republican voters who've never been in the military.

DeviantBraeburn Wandering Jew from Dysfunctional California Since: Aug, 2012
Wandering Jew
#55075: May 24th 2013 at 10:39:14 AM

Massachusetts 2013 Senate Race: Gabriel Gomez calls Representative Ed Markey ‘pond scum’

Everything is Possible. But some things are more Probable than others. JEBAGEDDON 2016

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