Thanks WB, Scaeagles, and Prudence; you helped clarify the VA funding for me.

No news is the only true good news. It's not often you get a bit of really good news from the world at large, such as "The war is over" or "The economy is great". I think this is mainly because nearly all "good news" has a flipside. Low unemployment means inflation worries. Easy credit means people in debt. "We're pouring money into the Wonderful Cause of the Moment" means that the Wonderful Cause of Ten Years Ago is underfunded again. Hell, even "Tarzan's chimp turns 74" means that someone is still cleaning out the cage and paying for his meds.

There is no up without down. This isn't a negative point of view - it's a fact. I just avoid news altogether when I can. It's the only way to stay sane. :) <--sanity smiley

Waste and top heavy spending. It's not like the VA is wasting money building Disneyesque attractions...

http://www.portlandtram.com/press_schematics.htm

While I disagree with his decision, props out to Malcolm Kendall-Smith. It sounds like he is a bit of a kook, but it is good that he is maintaining a sense of personal responsibility for his actions and acting accordingly (even if the result is uncomfortable).

He was right to refuse and the government was right to put him in jail. It was win-win for everybody.

I respect those that stand by their convictions in the face of consequences even if I disagree with their reasoning. I do agree with the decision, however.

I suspect that "waste and top heavy spending" plague the DoD* as well. From the perspective of some vets, cuts are rationalized as necessary to fund current military efforts.

(I had best get off my soapbox on this issue now before I launch in tirades about people with delayed diagnoses of MS following the first Gulf War who are ineligible for treatment because the diagnosis came too long after the war, but MS takes a while to show up and looks like other things when it does so that's actually normal and I really need to stop now.)

*Or the federal acronym of your choosing.

Waste certainly exists at every level of government.

Not at the EPA. They call it composte.

Alex-made-me-smile-so-here's-a-post-about-me-smiling-minus-smileys-of-course

Programmed. Brainwashed.

So instead of seeing heroism and exceptional people- you see victims or criminals.