http://www.lapbandtalk.com/ Want debate? Get it here. Gripe, complain, moan, fight, rant and rave. Enter at your own risk! en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:09:52 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.lapbandtalk.com/images/styles/lapband/misc/rss.jpg http://www.lapbandtalk.com/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f80/should-we-have-draft-105697-new/ Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:22:39 GMT Ok, this started out as a rebuttal to an argument on the Healthcare Thread, but I realized that I was digressing to my Antiwar stance rather than my Pro HealthCare stance so I decided to start anther topic. You know, if we would have taken our Peace Dividend at the end of the Cold War and... Ok, this started out as a rebuttal to an argument on the Healthcare Thread, but I realized that I was digressing to my Antiwar stance rather than my Pro HealthCare stance so I decided to start anther topic.

You know, if we would have taken our Peace Dividend at the end of the Cold War and invested it here at home we could have had a 21st century information architecture, a completely revitalized bridge/rail/and road system, universal health care, top notch education, etc. Instead we poured even more money into defense and have little to show for it. In 2008, the US spent 41.5% of the world’s military dollars, the next ten countries combined spent only 21.1% of the world military capital, China spent a tiny 5.8%. Now keep in mind these are not percentages of GDP, they are percentages of the world military spend.

What has all that spending gotten us? Let’s take a look back to 1980 which is about when the USSR started to collapse.
- We lost a Marine Barracks in Lebanon in 1983
- We invaded Grenada in 1983 (huge victory)
- We invaded Panama in 1989 (I guess we won… Wait, what did we win?)
- We failed to oust Saddam Husain in the first Gulf War in 1990
- Cold War ends approximately 1991
- Blackhawk down in 1993
- World Trade Center Bombing 1993
- We occupied Haiti in 1994
- We were part of NATO in Bosnia/Herzegovina in 1996 (success?)
- Khobar Towers Bombing in Saudi Arabia 1996
- Our embassy was bombed in Kenya in 1998
- USS Cole attacked in Yemen in 2000
- We were attacked on 9/11/2001
- We wrongly attacked Iraq in 2003
- We can’t get out of Afghanistan
- North Korea has Nukes
- Iran is very close to having Nukes

How much money are we talking about here? Well, if we look at data from 2008, discretionary spending was $941B, of that, Defense was $553B (plus $306B in an off budget supplemental). So in 2008 we spent more than double the money on defense than on EVERYTHING else the government did that year. Really? More than double? Yes, really. This is where your money is going. Eisenhower was right, beware the Military Industrial Complex.

You know what I think? I think we should have a draft. Compel everyone to go over there and fight if it’s that important. I bet any misguided support for these stupid wars would dry up if we all had to participate in them with our own blood. In fact, I think we would be less likely to even get into these situations with a draft. War SHOULD be hard. Every single US soldier that dies over there should have an impact here at home, and it should hurt your soul, if it doesn’t then you are NOT close enough to the issue and have no business saying we should be there. Why are we even there? We can’t win, so why even stay? The goal in Afghanistan was to oust Al Qaeda, ok done – they have left Afghanistan and so should we.

Now before you folks on the Right start beating me up with the flag I will remind you that I served honorably in the military during the first Gulf War (6 years, US Navy).

]]> LBT Rants and Raves *** Off-Topic DEBATE AREA *** KartMan http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f80/should-we-have-draft-105697/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f80/feel-free-pick-fat-105356-new/ Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:24:01 GMT I love a good joke. But today I was listening to a podcast from NPR and it had no less than 5 mins of fat jokes about Chris Christy ( the NJ governor elect, who is a big guy). And the crowd was laughing. And I thought to myself. WTF? I actually started to feel a little sorry for Chris Christy. If... I love a good joke. But today I was listening to a podcast from NPR and it had no less than 5 mins of fat jokes about Chris Christy ( the NJ governor elect, who is a big guy). And the crowd was laughing. And I thought to myself. WTF? I actually started to feel a little sorry for Chris Christy.
If these jokes were about a Jewish Governor? Or a Black Governor? or A Gay Governor? Or a Spanish Drawf ?
People would be matching on the radio's headquarters. Demanding an apology. But its fat jokes so that's ok??
In a world that is so polictically correct - how is it ok to pick on the fat? I could see it 25 years ago when fat folks were in the minority but today more than 50% of the US population is at least overweight. ]]> LBT Rants and Raves *** Off-Topic DEBATE AREA *** silvers320 http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f80/feel-free-pick-fat-105356/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f80/health-care-105173-new/ Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:27:34 GMT So with the New Health Care Reform passed through the House. Who is for or against it?? Why or why not?

I am not in favor. My opinion (whether it's right or wrong) is why should we pay for the people who are too lazy to get a job just so they can have health insurance? Now it's different if they are disabled and unable to work. But these people who won't get off their butts to get a job shouldn't get subsidized health care that we, tax payers, are paying for! ]]> LBT Rants and Raves *** Off-Topic DEBATE AREA *** TN_girl21 http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f80/health-care-105173/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f80/my-dr-ruined-me-financially-104443-new/ Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:33:21 GMT Hi recently had the realize band surgery. (Beginning of September) After tons of conversations with my doctors office with regards to cost and my worries that I wouldn't be able to afford it, I was given a quote of approx. $8000 for what my share would be after my insurance, which they verified. I was also aware that I was only to have one doctor, not 2. A couple of weeks after the surgery, I came to find out that my doctor had added the new doctor from his practice to my surgery and they billed me nearly $4000 for it, in addition to the $14,900 he charged. And to make matters worse, the surgical center they swear by, billed me $76,000. And just to really add insult to injury, my insurance now won't cover any of the costs. And to really drive it home, I haven't heard one word from my surgeons office since then.. I had to call them to schedule an appointment but then I received their bills. I'm so angry that I canceled the appointment. I was due for my first fill 2 weeks ago and all that I feel like right now is a cash cow. My e-mails with q's regarding the outrageous costs, are going unanswered. My bill is close to $100K. I don't know what to do. I'm not getting the use of the piece of plastic in me and eating more because of the stress I'm under. Sleeping is no longer really an option. I had to give up the lease on my car. I'm looking at a cheap, small studio apartment so that I can cut back on rent. But I feel totally helpless because of what I deem to be the intentional deception by my Dr. Now what do I do? :sad: ]]> LBT Rants and Raves *** Off-Topic DEBATE AREA *** FrustratedInLA http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f80/my-dr-ruined-me-financially-104443/