" thanks
"born-in-bklyn"
for the useful link! "

" FG , great idea..I hope we can find something concrete.
people dying of cancer in the area is higher than the norm.
maybe others have elder family members that might have some ideas or thoughts on causes they may have spoken about or would like to speak about now! "

" yes karl we are a military family and very proud of it!
reading one article out of the washington post wont change ones mind.
Of course some will profit during a war and others will suffer at the same time--that is why it is called WAR!

did you not profit from previous wars? did they not give you the freedoms you have today?

trust me if you had the cash to ante up for owning an oil rig yourself--you would jump at it!
its not chaneys fault-he spent his money on something profitable and you didnt. "

" A great website for all different types of cancer rates: http://www.health.state.ny.us/statistics/cancer/registry/vol1.htm "

" I don't doubt for a minute that individual American servicemen and women do good things to help individual Iraqis, and even whole communities. But that is not the same thing as saying the WAR is doing any good. It just muddies and already muddled situation, adds fuel to the fire and will never wipe out terrorism if it went on for 100 years (which is what some politicians with vested interests would like it to do).

So, it is nothing against those good individual soldiers risking their lives and trying to find ways to do kind deeds, while risking their lives (and also taking lives of others), but rather, the whole war would be a farce if it weren't so mortally serious.

BTW, I am making inquiries regarding the best place to get stats on cancer rates by geographical region. "

" AJ, if there's one thing I've learned, it's don't even TRY to argue the foolishness and criminality of this war with a veteran's family member--they will not even attempt to acknowledge that what their family member is involved in is immoral, illegal, and fraudulently wasteful. Even if that person is killed, they "need" to defend the war or it seems they somehow disparage that person's "sacrifice" and memory.
Sadly, even after it kills their loved one, they'll support the war because I think it somehow is necessary to believe that their loved one died "for a good cause".
Don't even waste your time with cm--she's not interested in anything but "rah, rah, rah". "

" AJ - I read your posts often and look at your web suggestions. It truly is a disaster over there and this household has had zero tolerance/faith in Dub-ya since day 1. But what should we do now as a country in your opinion? "

" No, you don't get it CM.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/30/AR2007073001708_pf.html

You are being lied to on such a massive scale and you buy into it. The only people making out on this war are the oil companies, the defense contractors, and the companies who have contracts to rebuild. Dick Cheney's company KBR is making out like a bandit, and they're screwing us over in the process.

You're so gullible.

"

" the like a son to us--is in the army on his 2nd tour over there! "

" Since this paper doesnt know how to begin an investigation as to what's going on with the VERY HIGH cancer rate in Auburn and surrounding areas-why dont we regulars start compiling a list of a names/what types of cancer/date of death/city on those we know of--I bet we would be shocked! Maybe we can forward this list to other news media or officials who might care! "

" I do get it..But I happen to know soldiers over there and you are wrong--many of the people HAVE benefited ALOT!
Its too bad the media doesn't spend some airtime on the good stuff happening there instead of just the bad bombing!
I agree life there is not up to OUR daily par but that's going to take a long time!
I don't want to see my close friends killed in action either-but their words are "I have a job to do, a job that I am proud to do"

Everyone is in such a uproar as to the costs of the war--well why not start in you local areas city/county/state and be in a uproar over monies that are wasted there? Adding each STATE together would far exceed the billions on the war!

I will email a very close friend there-like a son to us-I will ask him if when he's not busy to add his TWO CENTS here!

"

" We followed that weather link to sattelite photos once and found a view of Farmer Guy's farm -- but it was more than 10 years old and still showed cows in the pasture (he sold his cows 9-10 years ago). To be sure, there are satttelites up there which can zoom in on a flyspeck anywhere on the globe, and probably do when they feel so inclined, but the ones they make available on the internet tend to be old images, not current, dynamic images.

Thank goodness. "

" CM, you still don't get it. The war on terror and the war in Iraq are based on lies and fraud. The insane amounts of money we spend on this madness boggles the mind. The Iraqi people certainly are not better off as a result, and the world is a much more dangerous place.

There are none so blind as those who refuse to see. "

" HELLO NEWPAPER!!!
why are you NOT doing more research into this high cancer rate area??
Why do you NOT have a reporter digging deeper than deep?
or are you afraid to get dirty??
Are you NOT concerned about the local citizens health along with your own?? "

" have you clicked onto the the papers "weather"?
then on the bottom and click "satellite"
then zoom find your street, the your house.
I can see the pool in my yard on a clear day!

so who's watching?
"

" Yes I did mean "mercenaries" (long day today) lol.

Personally I think they have already been in existence for a long time now in our own backyard! Most likely used by EVERY president!
many worry its the President that will takes over but the truth is we are letting society take over: by micro chipping our kids, face recognition cameras on streets, cameras watching weather and traffic,and spy equipment in space-all in the name of SAFETY!

In a way we all have some sort of dictatorship in our lives on a daily basis: parents, spouses, children, teachers,bosses,doctors, government,etc.
Someone has some kind of hold on us at all times, as we also have on others.
Yes we have freedoms, well as long as they don't go too far. Even with freedoms there are lines that still cannot be crossed!

overall in any war there really isn't a winner-it may look that way but the truth is many die. That is why it is a war, people fighting for what they believe in. maybe another "martyr" will step into the past ones shoe but sooner or later they too will "win/lose" in a war. "

" We were just in Family Video this weekend. The place is packed with customers and the workers are so friendly and helpful and the prices are great. Plus we got two free t-shirts! When you sign up there initially, they take u on a tour and we honestly dont remember them saying there was an adult area and quite frankly we never have seen anything offensive. There is always kids running around cuz they have so many movies for them. Its an asset to Auburn thats for sure. "

" Family Video is doing nothing wrong. Yes they sell pornographic material. So do a lot more companies. Sex is part of life. They say it violates law because they are 500 ft from dwellings..we have the internet today, they are going to get access to it anyway. "

" No, I don't expect diplomacy to work either -- we need to find some other way of dealing with the situation. If one could just let them fight among themselves and not interfere, that would be fine with me, but we are always meddling in the Middle East, which has earned us the enmity of many peoples in that region, which has led to our current situation. If I had a perfect answer how to get out of it, I'd run for office (LOL -- not a chance!) I just can see that the war is not winnable, as such it is a criminal waste of lives and money, and accomplishes nothing of value.

I think you mean "mercenaries" (Missionaries would be trying to convert them to Christianity ;-) -- and that's a very dangerous and scary thing to have. Read up a bit on Blackwater and think about a President who is directing armed forces who are not answerable -- not answerable to anyone or any law when it comes right down to it. That's one of the steps to a dictatorship, an elite armed force which answers only to one person (like the SS, for example). I really, really don't think we want to encourage that approach, esp. when there is nothing to keep the President from turning those forces against citizens here at home, if he deems it appropriate, and he doesn't need any OK from Congress to do it.

We have (had?) checks and balances for a very good reason.

Mercenaries are a very, very bad idea. "

" Diplomacy does not work with US haters and never will..Under the bogus rules of the United Nations-water-boarding is considered HORRIBLE yet beheading is ok!
The USA's mistake was instead of sending our soldiers we should have sent missionarys because they dont have to fight with rules-we could have paid them a few million and it would be over with quick!
I don't think we should aide in rebuilding-afterall if the shites and sunni's obviously can fight against each other, then they can fight for themselves, with Saddham now gone!
If americans want to there there and aide then they should be prepared to get captured and possibly beheaded--THEIR own fault!
It ranks up there with an idiot who surfs during a hurricane and expects the coast guard to risk their life to protect them!
I disagree with CASTRO's ways EXCEPT his rule not to aide in war with no country. As a whole the USA has been diplomatic and humanitarian enough!!
"

" I agree with all the other forms of waste mentioned here this morning by cm and Pentangelli, but would continue to also count the waste of both money and lives in an unwinnable, open-ended war.

Kill one terrorist leader and three more spring up to take his place, while the first one is hailed as a martyr and further reason to hate the U.S. The answer to that is not to extend the war, hopelessly trying to behead the un-ending hydra, but to look for some other kind of solution.

Meanwhile, we spend millions in ordnance, equipment and lives to blow up Iraqi cities, which we spend millions more the following year to rebuild, then patrol through the streets blowing them up a year after that -- and all on the American taxpayer's dime. Now THAT is waste, when all that money could be going to helping our own people at home, strengthening our borders and home security (without turning the country into a police state, where citizens can be rounded up secretly with no recourse to law -- again, see Naomi Wolf's The End of America) -- and so forth.

I know -- another "novel" -- but a couple paragraphs is brief for someone who was trained to write 20 page papers and 60 page theses to support an argument. "

" Stop spending money on the military and the drug war. Implement diplomacy (which has been sadly lacking during GWB's time in office). You'd have enough to take care of ALL the needs, of ALL the people with money to spare. "

" I dont think it was a waste to rid this world of Saddham, and several other high Osama followers.
What is a waste is the extra monies that are paid for military supplies that could be bought cheaper thru other suppliers.
More wastes are Congress and all their freebies, plus raises.
A huge waste is many idiotic studies!
such as the beautification of Auburn-pay some outside company to tell you what needs to be fixed! I think the residents can tell you themselves since THEY live there!

The worst wastes ever --is costly medical for imates! The evils can get a heart/kidney transplant before you or I could, at OUR expense! They can get a sex-change operation also at OUR expense! They can get the best cancer treatments FREE while "Emma"(in todays paper) has to have a fundraiser for her her life to be saved!
NOW those are a total WASTE! "

" CM, we could have it both ways if we were not wasting our money on a "defense" (war/military) system that is obscene at its core.

It's time people started waking up to the fraud all around them, that they are paying for dearly.
"

" Farmers Gal, your welcome keep up the interesting reading. "

" Almost forgot: AubDave -- thanks for your kind Two Cents the other day. "

" cm -- add government subsidies to corporate agribusiness and the whole scenario gets a lot more complicated -- pricing is no longer a simple matter of supply and demand. The world would be a better place if it were....

Thanks, Andy B -- glad someone else was the one to say it. "

" Sadly we can't have it both ways,Lower taxes and the programs/items we want to have.
I will here someone say -"do you know tomatoes have gone way up?" When I need a tomato I will then notice the cost and put it in the cart anyways!
Bottom line is-the farmer needs to make a profit,the truck driver needs to make a profit, and finally the grocery store needs to make a profit.
If I don't buy the tomato at the grocery store-they raise prices on something else I do buy, since they now have the "techy tools" to monitor ones purchases.
Then the truck driver loses his job,his family loses their home, and we yell no more unemployment.
I now go directly to the farmer for my tomato, he see that he has "supply & demand", so he raises his prices!
Was I beter off to buy from him-or should I have just ignored the cost and purchase from the grocer? "

" Huh? Old timer your comment doesn't make sense. "

" Lol, yes, Mark I did c that over acted response. To deliberately stop the reporter in his tracks with that construed jaw dropping look of surprise of the anticipated gas price for spring was SNL material. In one sentence he is acknowledging the profits of the fuel companies but how nobly they are reinvesting to find new sources. I guess the option of conservation never came into his mind. "

" So did anyone see Bush's surprise remark that analysts believe gas is going to reach the $4 mark? He kept pushing that it was it's just uncertainty and he keeps restating over and over about the tax cuts like he has done one good and that it solves all our problems. That seems to be his response to every problem (i.e. our depreciating dollar, high gas prices, economic decline, need i go on?) "

" Quick, someone get that god-fearing middle-of-the-roader that thinks Cosentino is an ultra-leftist his meds! Talk about delusional! Sheesh.. "

" Andy B,
There is "NO" to big Union.
As A person in the Work Force
we need them All "