Thank you, but I think I'm going to go with something a little.... racier.

Still old, though. Can't wait for classes to let out next week and I can start trying to look nicer again.

Student or teacher?

(December 2, 2013 at 10:17 am)Jacob(smooth) Wrote: Student or teacher?

Student

whatcha studying?

Jacob and Tara - you are both correct. But while the MIC may have benefited greatly (what else is new?), I don't think the country has benefited at all. How many PTSD afflicted vets, vets who are missing various parts, etc are there, do you think? Then with all the money getting spent on these senseless imperialistic ventures they keep cutting the VA budget in the name of austerity. And everybody hates us all over the world. Who can blame them?

Yeah, I know that they don't give a fuck about that. They got what they wanted. But who else has?

I live right down the street from a VA hospital. We go there regularly to donate blood. It's pretty horrific, let me tell you. Nobody gives a fuck about these guys.

(December 2, 2013 at 10:28 am)missluckie26 Wrote: whatcha studying?

Was going for nursing, but I'm looking at biology now.

(December 2, 2013 at 10:28 am)Raven Wrote: Jacob and Tara - you are both correct. But while the MIC may have benefited greatly (what else is new?), I don't think the country has benefited at all. How many PTSD afflicted vets, vets who are missing various parts, etc are there, do you think? Then with all the money getting spent on these senseless imperialistic ventures they keep cutting the VA budget in the name of austerity. And everybody hates us all over the world. Who can blame them?

Yeah, I know that they don't give a fuck about that. They got what they wanted. But who else has?

I live right down the street from a VA hospital. We go there regularly to donate blood. It's pretty horrific, let me tell you. Nobody gives a fuck about these guys.

Exactly true. Thing is, the corporate psychos got the money they want, so there aren't going to be any complaints from them and politicians listen to them far more than they listen to the people. If the people complain, it's usually easier to work a little spin and media manipulation to get them back on their side, but the only way to win the allegiance of the big corporation is to make sure they continue to have a mountain of money that keeps growing.

(December 2, 2013 at 10:28 am)Raven Wrote: Jacob and Tara - you are both correct. But while the MIC may have benefited greatly (what else is new?), I don't think the country has benefited at all. How many PTSD afflicted vets, vets who are missing various parts, etc are there, do you think? Then with all the money getting spent on these senseless imperialistic ventures they keep cutting the VA budget in the name of austerity. And everybody hates us all over the world. Who can blame them?

Yeah, I know that they don't give a fuck about that. They got what they wanted. But who else has?

I live right down the street from a VA hospital. We go there regularly to donate blood. It's pretty horrific, let me tell you. Nobody gives a fuck about these guys.

I'm reminded of the quote from titanic when they realise there are not enough votes.

"half the people are going to die! "
" Not the better half. "

What is" the country". The majority? The economy? The ruling class? Certainly the poor bastards with half their limbs missing, a shit pension and ptsd. But the people keeping score, they won plenty!

Senseless? No. Not even evil I suspect. Simply amoral.

(December 2, 2013 at 10:36 am)Jacob(smooth) Wrote: Senseless? No. Not even evil I suspect. Simply amoral.

Exactly. Calling a big company evil is about as accurate as calling a hurricane or earthquake evil. Not really evil as much as amoral and a force of nature. Part of the problem with this force of nature is that we should be able to predict their disasters (like we can with many other forces of nature) but we don't.

See, every single person in that company, from the executives to the lowly janitors, they all have one important thing in common: they are all contractually obligated to do whateve they can to make money for the company. So, if something like ethics turns into a concern, they have to ignore that concern because they're contractually obligated to do whatever will make money.... even unethical things.

Sure, they'll do ethical things, as long as those things will get money for them. Usually, it's a piece of good PR, which can go a long way.

So, when it comes to defense contractors, their executives are obligated to do what they can to earn more money for the company.... even if what they have to do is lobby congress to start unnecessary wars. The lobbiests are just lobbiests who have a contract that tells them what to lobby for and how to do it and who to lobby to.

Sure, there are plenty of good individuals within the company who do good things, but they do that with their time and their money. Individuals are often vastly differnt from groups and organizations and this is a perfect example.

Nail meet head. Head, nail. Hammer SMASH.

(December 2, 2013 at 8:44 am)Jacob(smooth) Wrote: Actually it worked out very well for some folk.  Lemmie get my tinfoil conspiracy hat on for a minute... 

Who won nam?  And Afghanistan come to that?  The people who make the bombs beans and bandages mostly.

When we talk about how much a war cost,  financially,  where do you think that money gets spent?  A big chunk of it goes to military suppliers who get very,  very rich.  Do you know what the mark up is on an f16? It's a lot.  An awful lot.  

Fortunately there is no way businessmen who make that kind of money can affect political decision making.

Because if there was someone might suspect that America was borrowing shit loads of money from China and using it to prosecute whatever war it could get public support for in order that the makers of military goods and suppliers could get very rich, a proportion of which ends up in the hands of the people who created the demand by prosecuting the wars.

Crazy thought I know. It's not like politicians like Bush or dick Cheney have anything to do with companies like Halliburton. Or that Halliburton would get billion dollar contracts from the government and the dept of defense without any competitive tendering. And the several million dollars paid to Republican campaigns by Halliburton IN NO WAY had anything to do with any of that. Nor would the millions of dollars that Bush and Cheney stood to personally profit from the military contracts that the wars delivered to haliburton have influenced them in any way.


Everything is fine America! Look! Miley Cyrus has got her arse out and there's cheap stuff in Wal Mart. Look at the shiny things!

Sorry. My cynicism is showing. Carry on

Yes. In any crime...follow the money.