Most Philadelphians Not Fit For Military
PHILADELPHIA (AP)
A nonprofit group says that up to 90 percent of young Philadelphians are ineligible for military service because of criminal records, obesity or lack of education.
Pennsylvania-based Mission: Readiness released its report Monday. It says 1 million Pennsylvanians are ineligible for the same reasons.
Mission: Readiness is made up of more than 150 retired generals and admirals. The group wants state and federal funding for pre-kindergarten programs that it says give children a solid foundation for academic and personal success.
The report says 145,000 Philadelphians ages 18 to 24 cannot meet the military's medical, moral and mental standards.
Nationally, the Department of Defense estimates that 75 percent of young adults are disqualified from military service.
I stood in front of the mirror, my golden brown body sun kissed from the day before, staring back at me, wondering whether I should wait till morning. I waited. With the shades drawn tight not letting any sun in and my clock still flashing red numbers from the power outage days before, I opened my eyes and couldn't tell what time of the day it was. I stepped out of the air conditioned room only to find it being too early to do what I had set out to do. I relaxed in front of the TV, sipping my coffee, waiting for the perfect moment.
ReplyDeleteThe time has come. I turned the knob to the left and waited for the room to fill with steam. I lifted my leg and stepped in to feel the warm water rush over my face and listened, for a few moments, to the echo of water drenching my head.
At last…I get to wash my hair.
Welcome to the decline of empire, in the 21st Century.
ReplyDeleteEither whip our folk into shape, or import folks who already are.
Notice that in those videos of the latest border shooting, those Mexican kids were all slim and trim.
Not a fat boy in the crew.
May be one of the reasons there is demand, within the US business community, for other folks that could meet the military minimums. Little matter where the wanna be a worker happened to be born.
The civilian marketplace, ahead of the Federals, again?
Gary Brooks Faulkner: 'American ninja' hunting Osama bin Laden
ReplyDeleteChristian Science Monitor - Issam Ahmed - 27 minutes ago
Gary Brooks Faulkner, a California construction worker, was detained in Pakistan carrying a sword, a pistol, and night vision goggles.
Video News Update: American Osama Bin Laden Hunter Arrested in Pakistan
The real fatsos are in Huntington, West Virginia, fattest town in America. Some nice French chef came there are tried to teach 'em what a calorie was, saw it all on tv. They didn't know the difference between protein and carbs. Sad, some of the girls were breaking down crying. All they seem to eat is french fries, and deep fried chicken, and chocolate, and ice cream, and sodas. Out here all the girls look like Sarah Palin, and the men all look like her husband.
ReplyDeleteit's the result of too many years consuming food with high-frutose corn syrup. They are all victims. We are all victims. Let's go to the victim list:
ReplyDeleteFat People (they don't have a weight problem, they have a condition call Obesity)
Tiger Woods
Illegals
Credit Card Debtors
Delinquent Mortgage Holders
Jesse James
MeLoDy (victim of dirty hair)
Laid off Union Workers
Inmates
Detroit
Feel free to add to the list.
I add Al Greene
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/06/14/2010-06-14_vic_rawl_files_formal_protest_over_alvin_greenes_democratic_primary_win_in_south.html
Paging H. L. Mencken
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2010/06/this_al_greene_voter_is_all_th.html?f=most-commented-24h-5
ReplyDeleteAl Greene voter
"Fat People (they don't have a weight problem, they have a condition call Obesity"
ReplyDeleteAnd how about the excuse big boned? "I"m not fat I'm just big boned."
And Mel's hair is kicking ass today not smelling like ass.
Blogger rufus said...
ReplyDelete"The "Environmental Left" hates ethanol. They want Huge Government Programs telling me, and thee, how much solar, and wind generated electricity we can use, and what, and where we can drive/travel."
and here you preach day after day how the feds "should put a still in every district" getting behind ethanol in every way - supply loan guarantees, mandates ect.
can't you see the irony rufus? at least rat embraces the glorious federal superstructure in this regard but you sound just like those you criticize who do the same for other 'green' approaches.
I never said the Federals were glorious, ash.
ReplyDeleteI said the System was a reality and reality has to be dealt with.
The cultural pendulum has been swinging toward the Federal Socialist side of the arc, for that last 150 years or so.
Ever increasing Federal authority and power, increasing consolidated amongst the Eastern elites.
The System will or can with successful application popular political pressure, be made to swing the other way.
300 million vehicles , mostly in private hands, creates a commonality of interests amongst the owners ...
Since there are only 307 million US residents of various documentations, that's a car per head, more or less.
To go with those vehicles, there are reportedly 270 million weapons, small arms mostly, spread amongst the people across the length and breadth of the several States United.
Just two of high percentage commonalities that could be usful in the quest for devolution of Federal power and authority.
Regardless, Deepwater Horizon provides a once in a lifetime opportunity for real societal evolution.
To at least slow, if not reverse that cultural pendulums' swing.
Or it gives the Federals another opportunity to twist the oil spigot, which had been their plan.
That would not be in my best interest, nor do I believe in the best interests of the United States.
We should use the System as needed or required, to reform it, in accordance with the Constitution, legally.
Lead, follow, get out of the way.
It doesn't help your argument when you misrepresent what I say, Ash.
ReplyDeleteI never said the feds should "put a still in every district."
I said they should make some loan guarantees available to help kick-start the process. In fact, the last thing in the world I would want would be for the feds to "put a still" anywhere.
I don't like mandates, but there is no other way to get the oil companies to distribute ethanol (And, they OWN the Distribution Channels.)
I, also, don't like "subsidies" (in fact, inasmuch as corn ethanol can, now, be produced, and distributed, profitably, without them, I wouldn't mind seeing the subsidies for "corn" ethanol go away,)
but the government, routinely, subsidizes "New" energy programs, and I would like to see them continue to subsidize "Cellulosic" production for a few more years.
It's worth noting that the IEA estimates "fossil fuels" receive $550 Billion/Yr in Subsidies. And, that's not even taking into account the Effects of the OPEC Cartel.
Melody: And how about the excuse big boned? "I"m not fat I'm just big boned."
ReplyDeleteI'm not fat - I'm just undertall!
I'm not fat, I'm just Buddhaesque!
I'm not fat - I'm circumferentially enhanced!
I'm not fat - I'm just horizontally gifted!
I'm not fat.... I'm just *F*L*U*F*F*Y*!
Out here all the girls look like Sarah Palin, and the men all look like her husband.
ReplyDeleteInbreeding?
.
It's worth noting that the IEA estimates "fossil fuels" receive $550 Billion/Yr in Subsidies...
ReplyDeleteIt's also worth noting that the IEA'a mandate is to bring down global warming and promote alternative fuels. Nothing wrong with that; however, in the article you posted the other day they only explained the $100 plus billion coming out of Iran.
The subsidy as defined by the IEA was Iran's practice of giving its citizens a good deal on gas prices from the government controlled industry. It wasn't taking money from those same citizens to pay for subsidies.
.
MeLoDy said...
ReplyDelete"...At last…I get to wash my hair.
Tue Jun 15, 12:34:00 PM EDT
desert rat said...
"Welcome to the decline of empire, in the 21st Century.
Either whip our folk into shape, or import folks who already are..."
Tue Jun 15, 12:35:00 PM EDT
I assume the juxtaposition of these two posts was merely coincidental.
.
Q said,
ReplyDelete"It's also worth noting that the IEA'a mandate is to bring down global warming and promote alternative fuels."
Say Whaaat?
Q, this is the worst you have Ever jumped the shark. The IEA is "All Oil, All the Time." It was formed by, and funded by, OIL Producing Nations.
It would be hard to find another organization that was, historically, more anti-alternative fuels, or more agnostic about "climate change."
I don't jump sharks Rufus, I eat my way thru them.
ReplyDeleteAdmittedly, I don't know much about the IEA so when I saw rat's post the other day I looked them up in the font of all knowledge, Wiki.
"The IEA acts as a policy adviser to its member states, but also works with non-member countries, especially China, India and Russia. The Agency's mandate has broadened to focus on the "3Es" of sound energy policy: energy security, economic development, and environmental protection.[1] The latter has focused on mitigating climate change.[2] The IEA has a broad role in promoting alternate energy sources (including renewable energy), rational energy policies, and multinational energy technology co-operation..." WIKI
Now, you could be right that they are supporters of big oil; however, I doubt they are coopted any more than rat's Growth Energy or your Cornhusker's Gazette. Not that it matters a great deal since my main objection was to the way they calculated "subsidies".
.
MeLoDy said... "...At last…I get to wash my hair.
ReplyDeleteStinky kitty don't get to come indoors.
No, they are "No More" biased than Growth Energy; but, they, definitely, swing from the other side of the plate.
ReplyDeleteHey Mel, I realize that we wouldn't have that tantalizing prose at 12:34, but why couldn't you wear a shower cap?
ReplyDeleteWhit, I did wear a shower cap for the three days I couldn't wash my hair because of the keratin treatment I had on Friday night that, Trish, was so kindly to discuss with me on Sat. It's suppose to block out the humidity so your hair stays exactly the way it should be. I'm very fussy when it comes to my hair.
ReplyDeleteThe real test will be on Sat and Sun when I'm sitting on the beach in Cape May where my hair should stay exactly the way should be.
Duh, sorry I can be a little thickheaded.
ReplyDeleteHARTFORD, Conn. – Jonathan Metz had his left arm stuck in his furnace boiler for about 12 hours when he asked himself "what would MacGyver do?" and concluded that amputating the limb was his only chance for survival.
ReplyDeleteRead more
No, Ms Mel, I was not referencing your delayed bout with personal hygiene, but whits' scoop that 75% of the youths of Philadelphia are unfit for duty.
ReplyDeleteFor one reason or another.
That is, seems to me, an indication of cultural and societal decline.
Which the Romans answered, by hiring immigrants to fill their military ranks, then granting those soldiers citizenship, when their 20 years of service was done.
Staved off total collapse for a few hundred years.
WASHINGTON – A climate and energy bill being pushed in the Senate would cost American households 22 to 40 cents a day — less than the cost of a first-class postage stamp, the Obama administration said Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteAn analysis by the Environmental Protection Agency concluded that the Senate bill, sponsored by Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., would cost households an average of $79 to $146 per year. A first-class postage stamp costs 44 cents.
The bill, dubbed the American Power Act, aims to cut emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping greenhouse gases by 17 percent by 2020 and by more than 80 percent by 2050. Both goals are achievable under the legislation, the EPA said.
The bill would for the first time set a price on carbon emissions produced by coal-fired power plants and other large polluters. Carbon prices would range from about to $16 to $17 per metric ton in 2013 to about $23 or $24 per ton in 2020, the EPA said.
Read more
Don't sweat it, whit. I could re-post 12:34 every morning if you'd like, it's pretty much the same ritual everyday.
ReplyDeleteIt was Quirk, not me, who was questioning it.
ReplyDeleteFianlly!
ReplyDeleteDESTIN — Okaloosa County isn’t taking oil spill orders any more.
County commissioners voted unanimously to give their emergency management team the power to take whatever action it deems necessary to prevent oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill from entering Choctawhatchee Bay through the East Pass.
President Obama tours Pensacola Beach. »
Is this oil? You decide. »
View BP's live feed of the runaway oil well. »
View Monday's oil spill photos. »
That means the team, led by Public Safety Director Dino Villani, can take whatever action it sees fit to protect the pass without having its plans approved by state or federal authorities.
Commission chairman Wayne Harris said he and his fellow commissioners made their unanimous decision knowing full well they could be prosecuted for it.
Read more
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06/09/surprise-south-carolina-democratic-senate-nominee-refuses-step-aside/#content
ReplyDeleteI think my aunt may have been right, ve needt a gut Prince, bob
This democracy stuff isn't working
----
jeez, whoever works for three days to go to the beach for two?
This Greene guy is amazing, dumber than a stump, and he walks away with the nomination, without campaigning, without even leaving home....
ReplyDeleteAin't diversity wonderful?
ReplyDeleteA group of extremist Muslims prompted violent clashes at a homecoming parade for British troops today after they heckled soldiers and called them 'murderers.'
Members of the Muslim Against the Crusade group clashed with far right protesters as they shouted 'murderers, murderers, murderers' and 'British troops go to hell' as members of the 1st Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment paraded down the streets of Barking, Essex.
The chants were drowned out by a large mob on the opposite side of the street who retaliated with jeers of 'Traitors' to the Muslim protesters.
Read more:
MOBILE, Ala. (AP) - As countless tar balls washed ashore on a beach along Alabama's Gulf Coast, cleanup workers sat and watched because they didn't have the proper plastic covers to protect their shoes. Elsewhere, a crew using shovels and garden rakes worked for hours on a long stretch of sand that a machine could have cleaned in minutes.
ReplyDeleteRead more
And yet, a humorous poem written by a man addressing his belly couldn't have been written. A woman's belly is something very different emotionally. In any case it is a proper partner for conversation.
ReplyDeleteI Starve My Belly For A Sublime Purpose
Three days
I starve my belly
so that it learns
to eat the sun
I say to it: Belly,
I am ashamed of you. You must
spiritualize yourself. You must
eat the sun.
The belly keeps silent
for three days. It is not easy
to awaken in it higher aspirations.
Yet I hope for the best.
This morning, tanning myself on the beach,
I noticed that, little by little
it begins to shine.
Translated from the Polish by Czeslaw Milosz
I'm goin' to the casino, haven't hardly combed my hair today :)