Police Action

There are those who don’t think we should bring our troops home from Afghanistan.
It was declared that we are not the world’s policemen. We called our action in Korea a “Police Action”. We called Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor an unprovoked sneak attack. What do we call our unprovoked attack on Iraq?
It is time to bring our troops home and use them for defense as intended. Putting out fires is not the job of our troops

I agree that it is time to bring our troops home. We need to understand, however, that this is an economic decision also. Bringing the troops home to no jobs and without proper medical care is a disaster, possibly part of the politics that keeps us policing the world. The jobs bill for returning service personnel needs to receive Congressional approval.

I agree, DK. From what I've read, it seems that the US does the least for its troops after they have served. To feel used and then abused is not something to be proud of.

The U.S. is a very utilitarian country. Use it, throw it away. That applies to employees, service personnel, older people, things....It's like no one or nothing has lasting value unless it has a monetary benefit. When the monetary benefit is gone, so is the usefulness of the item.

I must have 20 cell phones around that have dead batteries - the phones cheaper to replace than putting in a battery.

Soon as flat screens came out the streets were lined with perfectly operating box televisions. I still have one in the guest bedroom going strong. My mom has one in her house going strong with a great picture.

Oh well.

We have become a throw away society. At one time, cars were built to last, and then that changed. They built cars to last about three years without problems, and then it was time for a new car. That also happened with appliances. The economy thrived on purchases of new items. Instead of regular cups, plates and spoons, we got paper plates, styrofoam cups and plastic forks & spoons. Plastic and styrofoam take a long time to decompose and thus we contributed to harming our environment.
We bought foreign-made cars that were built with quality, i.e., the Toyota, the Mercedes, etc. Even toys produced abroad were of quality and built to last. That was not in the psyche of the American producers who pushed new products. Repair facilities were on the decline since, as you mentioned, it was less expensive to purchase a new product than repair the old one. The effects are evident. Landfills are full. Many waterways are polluted. The air is not clean. Our throw away society is destroying the things that are life-sustaining. We have no one to blame but ourselves. That now incluses throwing away the old folks when they are not capable of working long hours nor can they easily adapt to new innovations. When our soldiers are finished with their service, we don't want to take any responsibility for them. One notices such things when living in an environment where they care for their seniors and service personnel. Soldiers who fought in WWII and were injured were given life-time pensions along with medical care. They were honored for their service and given the opportunity to live out their lives in dignity.

We give lip service to Freedom and form our own definitions. We sing "God Bless America land that I love." We become so engrossed in the flag that we don't see how the flag has been tarnished. We forget "By the people and for the people". We tolerate and accept the abuse by the elite. Fairness and equality together with compassion is lost. We give only when there is a perceivable benefit. We think of self, me, mine. Possessions are sought as greed takes hold when ones life takes on a monetary value.

Okay, I've ranted enough for one morning.

Previous generations have similarly ranted - but I think this has got to be the worst. I was walking in the park where dogs must legally be leashed (big signs everywhere) and owners must carry plastic bags to clean up the droppings. I was walking on a path on an island in the park approachable over two little brides, the island path about a quarter mile. I was walking with my 93 year old mother.

Over the bridge comes two huge dogs thoroughly enjoying their run on the island unleashed and free - and terrified my mother. I asked the owners, "please leash your dogs, that is the legal requirement."

Reply, "You must not walk here much. No one leashes their dogs. You don't like it, leave." They could see we were trying to get in the opposite direction of the dogs and of course, we did have to leave. I'm no spring chicken. Out of respect to the elderly, they should have either leashed their dog (legal) or headed back over the bridge and let us walk. But they were probably in their late twenties or mid-thirties, two women and a guy carrying a young child on his shoulders. They owned the world; we were nothing but dirt under their feet.

DK. I can understand the fear by those who don't own pets. Not only do many allow their dogs to urinate and shit wherever they want, allow them to run without a leash, but also don't prevent them from jumping on the passerby, placing their dirty and often muddy feet on them. I don't blame the dog, but the owner.
Even little dogs will attack and bite the ankles of the passerby. Dogs love to intimidate by barking and growling. It is not to be taken lightly as incidents do happen where people are injured by seemingly harmless dogs. A large playful dog can knock a person over with the momentum of running and hitting the person with the paws. For Seniors, it can be a trauma as well as sustaining injuries from the fall.
I'm a cat person and have no need to walk the cat. Cats don't attack. They run the other way when approached by a stranger. When they do their toilet things, they cover it up by selecting where to place their droppings so that covering it up is possible.

There is a neighbor lady who takes her dog for a walk every morning carrying a plastic bag and a small scoop to pick up the droppings. She has respect for others.
Littering is littering regardless.

I would very much enjoy a small dog. I do not enjoy picking up after them on a walk. Therefore, I will not have a pet that requires care and maintenance of that nature. I respect your neighbor.

If a person has an animal, they are responsible for not invading someone elses space. They are responsible for cleaning up after the animal. But people are basically lazy and more and more seem to have no respect for those who do not wish animals in their space.

1/14/2013

Abe and DK I agree with everything you have said. I live in a

compound that has 85 apts. on 10 acres of land, people who

have dogs here , they keep them on a leash and every so many

feet there's a square metal basket with plastic bags for people to

pick up after their dogs and they do it..They want to keep the

park like setting clean plus they have a list of large dogs they

won't allow, Dobermans, German Shepherds, Pit Bulls, Rutweillers,

the list goes on and on. Don't get me wrong I love dogs, I had a

Poodle , miniature chocolate, her name was Gi Gi, she lived to be

10 years old 1967-1976 she had a heart problem, when she died my

heart went with her. In 30 years I've had four cats they live to be 14

years to 19 years, now I have my buddy Dusty she's 12 yrs old, every

one of them knew what a cat box was, they stayed indoors........



Cheers......Joe.....