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mojeaux131

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Posts posted by mojeaux131

  1. No, I do not agree. The extent to which vets ought to receive benefits should be a function of what it takes to fill recruitment quotas. And comparing economic conditions of any war after World War Two to World War Two is profoundly short-sighted.

    Of course there must be limits to the extent of benefits, but I think it's noteworthy that McCain would oppose even just the 21st Century G.I. Bill. It's not like the vets get everything for free after they return.

    I'm not trying to get off topic here, but are you saying that the extent of veterans' benefits should be contingent on how recruitment at the time of their enlistment is going?

    If that be the case, I would have to strongly disagree. If one goes to war for one's country, one's benefits should be no less than those of older veterans who enlisted before and who fought in prior wars.

    My only point with the postwar boom comment was just to say that the first G.I. Bill was good for the economy. You cannot convince me otherwise, whether or not any "comparison" in my post was short-sighted.

  2. One huge problem I have with McCain is that he doesn't appear to "support the troops". He opposed the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, as did Commander Cuckoo Bananas.

    And here you can see how he reacts when a fellow Vietnam veteran questions him on his record of voting against expansions in veterans' health care funding in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. His response is just classic.

    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25613396#25613396

    Edit: Give the video time to load (might take 20 seconds or so).

    Liberal or conservative, I think we can all agree that we really need to take excellent care of our soldiers. The GI Bill for WWII veterans was a landmark piece of legislation that not only was the right thing to do morally, but also helped spur the postwar economic boom. And John McCain opposed the newest version, which was cosponsored by Republican Chuck Hagel of Nebraska and Democrat Jim Webb of Virginia (Webb introduced the legislation in the first place). Both Webb and Hagel are Vietnam veterans. The bill passed in the Senate with a veto-proof majority of 75 votes.

    Of course, John McCain shouldn't be blamed for voting against the bill he had opposed, since he wasn't even present to cast a vote. He was campaigning and fundraising in California that day.

  3. ...And Houstonians are beginning to take more of an interest in growing food themselves!

    Check it out!

    Editorial

    July 11, 2008, 10:25PM

    Adaptation

    Painful gas prices are creating some authentic gains

    Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

    "Gary Edmondson, Urban Harvest's education director, suggests that Houston's early adopters try arugula, yard long beans and suyu cucumbers right now. He said local gardens might do better lower to the ground than the waist-high African versions.

    From Edmondson's perspective, the most striking behavior change of late has been among late adopters

  4. I had previously thought that the Chinese Tallow was completely useless and/or destructive to all other forms of plant and animal life, but I found out I was wrong.

    A few weeks ago I was out paddling around on Armand Bayou, enjoying the shade of the Spanish moss-covered branches overhanging the bayou, when I realized that the Spanish moss was growing on Chinese Tallow!!!

    I may have to re-think my position on the tallow tree now.

    Spanish moss gets its sustenance from the air, rainfall and natural mineral leaching from leaves. That it can grow on the Tallow is no saving grace for that troublesome species.

    Please do not re-think your position.

    :)

  5. I like the initial look of palm trees, but I think the pedestrian environment would be better served by oaks that provide more shade. I think the use of live oaks and other native trees would be more "authentic" anyway. It might be cheaper to go with palms in the short-term, but in the long run, the more shade you've got, the better. How unique a downtown area replete with new development and live oaks with Spanish moss hanging from their branches would be.

  6. Ha, ha! That's hilarious! Hmm, I don't know. You can ask me questions, I guess. Born in Nederland, lived in Port Arthur till age two, lived in Houston for a few years, childhood mostly in Katy and the Woodlands area. Went to University of Houston, graduated, went to Japan, but coming back to the sweet TX very soon.

    Come on. Gimme that flag.

    :D

  7. Funny thing about Japan #341:

    People are concerned about how to clean cutting boards after having meat on them. My night class students told me you're supposed to clean it with boiling water or bleach. Or, you can cut open a milk carton and lay it flat and use that for a cutting board and throw it away.

    And then you go out for dinner and people are eating raw chicken and raw beef liver as appetizers.

    :lol:

  8. As I read this article, I was reminded of this thread.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/29/magazine/29weeds-t.html

    It's an interesting look at weeds and other unwanted plants and the surprising roles they play in ecology. Even if you're a climate change skeptic, this article won't rile you. The author doesn't really write so much about anthropogenic climate change as the roles certain plants play as the climate does warm.

    Can Weeds Help Solve the Climate Crisis?

    By TOM CHRISTOPHER

    Published: June 29, 2008

    Lewis Ziska, a lanky, sandy-haired weed ecologist with the Agriculture Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, matches a dry sense of humor with tired eyes. The humor is essential to Ziska

  9. I thought the first controversy was an overreaction, but this one, eh...

    Anyway, here's a perspective from The Root.

    The Race Police Need to Lay Off Imus

    By Jimi Izrael | TheRoot.com

    Some of us are too pre-occupied with taking offense. We should be careful about limiting free speech, since we may be the next victims...

    http://www.theroot.com/id/47023

    And another from the magnificent Jason Whitlock.

    Imus talk brings ratings, but misses point

    by Jason Whitlock

    I blame the white media

  10. I'm looking at options for my return flight to the States. I'm staying, so it's a one way flight. That being said, I played around on different sites like Travelocity and Orbitz and Cheap Tickets and found tickets were quite expensive, over $2000.

    Moreover, there wasn't much difference in price at all between one way and round trip! Am I going crazy? Why should half the service cost almost the same (around $200 in difference)?

    Thoughts? Anyone?

  11. Wow. I realize I have much in common with many HAIFers after reading this thread.

    Regarding prewashing, I started doing it after a random guy (I'll call him Bathroom Sage) said something very memorable to me.

    I was washing my hands and he entered the restroom and came over to the sinks. He said to me, "I wash my hands first. Why would you want to put the filth of the world on yourself?"

    I said "Good point" and left.

    Thank you for your wisdom, Bathroom Sage.

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