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Post by Metella on Jul 6, 2005 6:58:27 GMT -5
Without the spirit of flag burning .... we would have never broken away from England & all been poor dirt farmers. I am very patriotic, but I think that people who feel moved to stage a demostration should be able to show the depths of their disagreement with the current policies. I also think red white and star bikini's are cute (remember when "they" wanted to ban using the flag in any way but flying?)
I would never burn a flag & never go to watch it done, but I WANT americans to take an interest in our government and what it does!
Trees: anyone remember the dust bowl? anyone read about it? It actually killed people. why? no trees to hold the soil down so no gardens would grow. So not only do trees hold soil so we can eat, shade us so we are comfy - they provide a break against wind and water so we are not as abused by these elements.
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Post by Patcat on Jul 6, 2005 9:43:20 GMT -5
There's a pertinent scene in STEAL THIS MOVIE regarding flag desecration.
Flawed but interesting move. Great performance by Mr. D'Onofrio.
Patcat
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Post by janetcatbird on Jul 6, 2005 10:38:05 GMT -5
I suppose I'm only being painfully obvious to point out 1st Amendment about the flag burning issue? My father let out a choice turn of phrase and started yelling out "So how you gonna properly destroy a damaged flag?" Check the code, the only acceptable way to dispose of a flag is burning. Which meant he and I just about wet our pants at the Daily SHow's take on it: "Congress would insist that torn and damaged flags to be forcibly hooked up to feeding tubes."
The Terry Schiavo issue, and then that little girl in Florida who had to go through cancer treatment, I am scared ****-less (Sorry, but that's the only phrase that works) over the government's interfering in stuff like that. And the whole fundamentalist slant, I may have grown up Christian but that doesn't mean I like anything being imposed on anybody else in terms of religion. Good grief, my take on Christianity is very different from the ones in control. It's a shame I have to keep stealing from the Daily SHow because I have no creative turns of phrases of my own, but I love the innauguration special when Ed Helms was doing coverage: "Jon, I don't want to imply that the government is now a theocracy, but let's just say Thine loom and churn had best be still on the Sabbath, Goodman."
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Post by Techguy on Jul 6, 2005 15:45:21 GMT -5
Re: flag burning. Leave it to the government to try to make a distinction between acceptable flag burning (appropriate disposal of torn and tattered flags) and unacceptable flag burning (as a form of political protest).
I suppose the thought police will be out monitoring the flag burners' intent when and if a flag burning Consitutional amendment is passed. And if it is, it sure is nice to know all our problems have been solved to allow our esteemed Senators and Representatives the opportunity to make political hay out of this issue.
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Post by BegToDiffer on Jul 7, 2005 9:20:57 GMT -5
Good points about the flag burning issue. Too bad our law makers don't read these boards. When I think of Congress, I think of that jingle from the Wizard of Oz, "If they only had a brain".
Not sure if this is the place, but I would like to extend my sympathies to any posters from England and to all in that country after today's tragic events. We in the USA are quickly reminded and saddened for your loss. You may be half way around the world, but you are in our hearts today.
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Post by Metella on Jul 12, 2005 7:37:12 GMT -5
Here is a real personal grump ..... why is it that a person making a decent wage cannot affort to buy a house on the eastern seaboard? I could handle the mortgage; but I can't handle the "fees" associated with getting the thing done - 500 here; 600 there, 50 here, 250 there; etc and pretty soon it will cost me 5K to pay to get a mortgage that they will make 500K on!!!!!!! This is really criminal.
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Post by trisha on Jul 12, 2005 9:47:19 GMT -5
No kidding. There should be more laws regulating those people. These days it seems the only way around not getting conned is to be very well educated on the processes or to have a friend who is help you out.
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Post by Metella on Jul 12, 2005 10:25:19 GMT -5
I'm forced into "well educated" in the process & still - all they have to do is act like a monopoly - "this is what has to be done" and I have to play the game. I tell you, I don't see how average people can own a home unless it is left to them by family. A real shame. I can say that I have the title cleared - I know I do and I know how to look; but I have to pay a company that is INSURED to do the title search. I've had the house for a year - I know who has the freaking title. arghhhhh
Once I'm done with it - it will be back to pb&j for a few years. Bastards.
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Post by BegToDiffer on Jul 12, 2005 10:54:23 GMT -5
The loan process to purchase a house is also a pain in the butt. The only good news is that WE no longer have to pay for our own credit report. That was something that irked the h*ll out of me, especially when the report came back with so many errors on it.
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Post by domenicaflor on Jul 12, 2005 15:23:08 GMT -5
RE: handicapped license plates
I know someone who is falsely using handicapped license plates. The person's spouse was handicapped but now has passed away. Yet the person just re-registered the car as handicapped even though they are just a senior citizen but not physically handicapped.
It bothers me but I wouldn't know where to report the fraud anyway. The state probably could care less anyhow. I just think it denies legitimately handicapped people the right to their spots.
RE: Disability for mental illness
I know two people who have been on disability for mental illness. One continues on disability even though their meds supposedly control the condition, even though she could work as well as I can.
The other finally got off of disability, but only after going through tremendous hassles with medical certifications to prove that she could work and that she had a steady job. From the little she said to me, the system really self-perpetuates long-term abuse. I'm all for helping people in their time of crisis and getting them the proper care and treatment, but not supporting people year after year who could be working.
Rant over. Thanks for listening....
D.
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Post by Metella on Jul 12, 2005 16:17:40 GMT -5
um - that's a good one; so many people with "disabilities" are INDEED barred from some types of work - but there are so many ways to earn a living - that to be on "disability" for years and yet do many recreational things is a horrid abuse of the system. I'm scrabbling by now just to have a house; it is hard to swallow the amount of my check that is gone and then see we spend so much on people who could also scrabble by just as I am doing. RATS! Hum - can you tell I am having a mini-Pity-Metella party this week?
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js
Silver Shield Investigator
Posts: 143
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Post by js on Jul 12, 2005 16:22:25 GMT -5
Disability License Plates: There is a judge, mind you, in Houston who has two charges pending against her for using her deceased mother's handicapped plates and for forging her dead mother's name to apply for the renewal. I'm glad they caught her. She has made lame excuses - didn't realize she shouldn't do it, etc. if you can believe that - but the authorities aren't buying it. She could lose her judgeship over it, and I, for one, hope she does.
js
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jaquetta
Silver Shield Investigator
Posts: 171
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Post by jaquetta on Jul 20, 2005 12:32:06 GMT -5
She has made lame excuses - didn't realize she shouldn't do it, etc. if you can believe that
You're kidding. A judge? What a travesty.
House buying is hella hard out here just for the asking price. A 1965 1400 sq ft tract house goes somewhere around $550,000 around here and it's routine to add $50- 100 K to the asking price just to be considered. Apparently all our children are going to live out of state. Or in tents in the backyard. Oh, wait. They don't make backyards anymore. 10x3 is not my idea of a back yard.
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Post by Metella on Jul 20, 2005 15:05:19 GMT -5
While it seems unfair; I also think the judge should be made an example of .... why is this not all over that national news? Like a "can you believe this" segment? This should be shouted out and derided. Shame shame on the judge.
Read about the pilots that were on SSI disability and also getting pilot work and pay? Some had the disability and still worked for extra $$ - so who wants that pilot? Some had NO disability; just got on the rolls for some free $$ I guess.
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jaquetta
Silver Shield Investigator
Posts: 171
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Post by jaquetta on Jul 21, 2005 14:35:42 GMT -5
I wouldn't mind the judge being made an example of - she's not just some low level court clerk, she actually has perks from her job, and oh yeah, there ought to be some ethical standards for a judge. I hate that the higher you go, the less your chances of being proscecuted for even frivolous crimes are.
Metella, there's some big to-do out here in the SF Bay Area about a bunch of title/mortgage companies taking kickbacks to the tune of 32 million dollars, I think I heard, on the radio yesterday evening.
Not sure if that's nation wide or just California (and how sad is it that with our housing prices, I can easily believe that they meant the San Francisco Bay Area all by its lonesome?)
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