TheJiggler

That's funny I never knew Milton Freidman was a socialist?

As a bleeding heart Liberal who worships at the alter of the NYT and the once proud Pravda, I was ready to defend the NYT for this. But then I thought about it and realized that it is the job of the newspaper of record to take an even handed approach toward the election. This is until I read the piece. Summary: Obama hasn't endored my surge Man that guy sounds like a little whiner. The whole article is about Obama. Nothing about McCain. Hasn't McCain heard the saying that all press is good press. He should be talking about what he would do to fix the mess in Iraqm not about Obama.Obama gets enough press w/o McCain talking about him all the time. That piece really doesn't live up to NYT standards. If he puts something news worthy together they should run it. But this isn't it. McCain's campaign comes down to this. "I spent 5 years in a tiger cage! I deserve to be president DAMMIT!".

Should The City And County of San Francsico Rename The Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant the George W Bush Sewage Plant? Sign the petition!

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/06/18/canada.feet/index.html

White people like the Nodder!

God is angry at Jesus.

Given that there is NO serious scientific evidence that Homeopathy works, nor even a plausible mechanism for it to work (homeopathy as opposed to natural or herbal medicine), why would you say it doesn't work over night? Its just as likely to work over night as over a day/week/month/year/century? Actually, thats not true, there is a mechanism. The placebo effect. Which should be able to work over night.

If you control the access point try changing the channel. Better yet get a 5.8ghz cordless phone and all your problems should go away. Something like this http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-KX-TG6021M-Expandable-Digital-Cordless/dp/B000LYCUG2/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1199995933&sr=1-5

Bingo!!! Angry White Man

How about these? All by the same guy. OK, its unknown if he authored them, but they appeared in a publication from a group that uses his name.

FSOs do have good benefits, but not great. Realistically an entry level FSO paid about the same as a mid level office in the military. Considering the average starting FSO is about 28, has a graduate degree, speaks a foreign language and has some work experience this isn't very much. The point about not having a VA for FSOs is relevant. The VA, no matter how flawed, is a promise that if you are injured/crippled in the line of service, you will be cared for for life. FSOs have no such promise. But reality of the matter is that most FSOs I've talked to simply are against the policy of being in Iraq. These are well educated worldly people with a deep understanding of Foreign Policy. Unlike their DOD counterparts they cannot be coerced into going. The worst that happens is that they can be fired. I suspect if the military couldn't put you in prison for refusing to go to Iraq, our numbers there would be tiny. It does look like the FS is a bunch of cry babies right now. On the surface they took an oath and now are reneging (though it is debatable that they took an oath to go to an active war zone). But the simple fact that the USG is having problems filling the post is VERY telling, and does not bode well. Serenity: Its true that no FSOs have been killed in Iraq yet, though three DS employees have been. Its really a technicality that they were not FSOs. Also, few if any FSO draftees will be coming from Greece of Paris. More likely places like Phnom Penn, considered a 25% danger post BTW(I got an email from one 2 days ago stationed there who got a notification). Also, while in theory its true that doing a tour in Bagdad will be career enhancing, in practice it won't be. You are supposed to get first crack at good assignments on your next post, however with so many people going to Bagdad now, there simply are not enough good posts to go around.

It is the vast majority of the FSO. Most could easily find a higher paying job in the private sector, or take a pay cut just when they join.

The size of the register (list of eligible hires) is now quite long. Most in my position are actually hoping people quit so they will be hired faster.

Except a point was made earlier that those with seniority may well be able to skirt this assignment. If this is the case, then it is likely that only those that are green will be required to take a position in the "Green Zone". This really does not seem to be the case however. It is primarrily mid level and Sr. FSOs who are getting the notifications.

This is a little simplistic. FSO do make a commitment for "worldwide availability". I made that commitment about a month ago and I expect to be hired on sometime in the next 18 months. FSO do go all over the world, with frequently little choice in where they go. They are NOT armed, nor should they be. They rely on other for their protection. They are not trained in military tactics nor much in the way of security. FSO do get injured and die. We know this. It is rare though, and not an expectation. Historically speaking when it becomes too dangerous to do the work of the embassy, they evacuate. The scene of helicopters landing on the roof of the Embassy in S. Vietnam comes to mind. This isn’t unprecedented. Diplomats were directed to Vietnam, though in that case they were given significant training and we IIRC in the South, which was arguably safer than the green zone, let alone the PRT in the field. I do not think that many FSOs when they signed up would have thought they would be going to an active war zone. Most of the people being directed to Iraq will have been in the service before 9/11, most before the embassy bombings in Africa. Since then the service and the nature of the embassies has drastically changed. I doubt few if any could have imagined they would be serving in the middle of a war zone in a $1,000,000,000 bunker with daily incoming mortar rounds and living in a trailer. There is no VA for FSOs. There is no plan to deal with FSOs with PTSD. It should be noted that something like 1300 FSO have served in Iraq to date. All were volunteers. Most tell you that it is a dismal place to work, as no real diplomatic work gets done. It’s simply too dangerous for the FSOs to do the job they are trained for. So, do I think people should be directed? Ultimately I think it is a mistake to do this. Few will be fired, but it is bad for moral. Most people think it’s a waste of their time. Most people think their skill would better serve the US in other posts doing real diplomatic work. Most people seemed resigned to going if called. I'd probably go, and if I decided not to I know the consequences, I won't be locked up in jail for quitting.

My back yard is almost skiable today!!

ski boots shredding followed by a post powder strudel is far sexier To each her own.

I just barfed 4 times tonight so I'm prolly down to 17.2. You don't want pictures. Food poisoning sucks!! You feel a little better after you barf then the cramps start up again...strange thing, my husband had the same dinner and is upstairs sleeping soundly right while I'm running to the bathroom every 30. I bet it's tht fucking vegetaian sandwhich I ordered at lunch. Damn sprouts!

No Mr. President, towel heads are not worth 10 points!

Agreed. I am a 17.5 and have size D boobs (100% real TheJiggler's). So you never know.

It's actully more simple: less food, more exersize.

1976....Snugtop was born!

Sounds like Hemmingway . . . .

Jesus Christ supercop