Great Story

[budanski]

Found this on the web. enjoy.


I sat in my seat of the Boeing 767 waiting for everyone to hurry and stow their carry-ons and grab a seat so we could start what I was sure to be a long , uneventful flight home. With the huge capacity and slow moving people taking their time to stuff luggage far too big for the overhead and never paying much attention to holding up the growing line behind them, I simply shook my head knowing that this flight was not starting out very well.

I was anxious to get home to see my loved ones so I was focused on "my" issues and just felt like standing up and yelling for some of these clowns to get their act together. I knew I couldn't say a word so I just thumbed thru the "Sky Mall" magazine from the seat pocket in front of me. You know it's really getting rough when you resort to the over priced, useless sky mall crap to break the monotony. With everyone finally seated, we just sat there with the cabin door open and no one in any hurry to get us going although we were well past the scheduled take off time. No wonder the airline industry is in trouble I told myself.

Just then, the attendant came on the intercom to inform us all that we were being delayed. The entire plane let out a collective groan. She resumed speaking to say "We are holding the aircraft for some very special people who are on their way to the plane and the delay shouldn't be more than 5 minutes. The word came after waiting six times as long as we were promised that "I" was finally going to be on my way home. Why the hoopla over "these" folks? I was expecting some celebrity or sport figure to be the reason for the hold up.........Just get their butts in a seat and lets hit the gas I thought.

The attendant came back on the speaker to announce in a loud and excited voice that we were being joined by several U. S. Marines returning home from Iraq!!! Just as they walked on board, the entire plane erupted into applause. The men were a bit taken by surprise by the 340 people cheering for them as they searched for their seats. They were having their hands shook and touched by almost everyone who was within an arm's distance of them as they passed down the aisle. One elderly woman kissed the hand of one of the Marines as he passed by her. The applause, whistles and cheering didn't stop for a long time.

When we were finally airborne, "I" was not the only civilian checking his conscience as to the delays in "me" getting home, finding my easy chair, a cold beverage and the remote in my hand. These men had done for all of us and I had been complaining silently about "me" and "my" issues. I took for granted the everyday freedoms I enjoy and the conveniences of the American way of life I took for granted others paid the price for my ability to moan and complain about a few minutes delay to "me" those Heroes going home to their loved ones.

I attempted to get my selfish outlook back in order and minutes before we landed I suggested to the attendant that she announce over the speaker a request for everyone to remain in their seats until our hero's were allowed to gather their things and be first off the plane. The cheers and applause continued until the last Marine stepped off and we all rose to go about our too often taken for granted everyday freedoms.........I felt proud of them. I felt it an honor and a privilege to be among the first to welcome them home and say Thank You for a job well done.

I vowed that I will never forget that flight nor the lesson learned. I can't say it enough, THANK YOU to those Veterans and active servicemen and women who may read this and a prayer for those who cannot because they are no longer with us.

GOD BLESS AMERICA! WELCOME HOME! AND THANKS FOR A JOB WELL DONE !!!!!

[He219]

Great article, budanski!

p-)

[Ratamacue]

Budanski, you fool! Stop spreading propaganda!!!

[budanski]

Can't help it. When I got naturalized, they passed out these killer pro-american blinders that goes great with my prada glasses.

[spier]

This one is even better:

U.S. Census: There are more poor

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- The number of Americans living below the poverty line increased by more than 1.3 million last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The total number of people living in poverty totaled 34.8 million or 12.4 percent of the population -- an increase of 0.3 percent.

At the same time, the number of families living in poverty increased more than 300,000 in 2002 to 7 million, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey, a rolling month-to-month sample of the social and economic makeup of 742,000 households nationwide.

Children under age 5 living in poverty jumped a full percentage point to 19.8 percent from 18.8 percent a year earlier, the New York Times reported.

Adjusted poverty line figures for 2002 haven't been released, but in 2001, a family of two adults and two children would have to have made less than $17,960 a year to be ranked as living below the poverty level and for a single person it was roughly $9,200 a year. US tax dollars spent spent in Iraq, so far: $80 billion.

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20030903-101937-8361r.htm

[Ratamacue]

Way to hijack the thread, dude.

[He219]

It would be about as appropriate as this:


The prestige enjoyed by Helvetian banking is a long-established one; a seven century-old tradition guarantees its seriousness and security. But it was during World War Two that Switzerland became the planet's great financial power. Faithful to its long tradition of neutrality, Switzerland took no part in war - but it did sell its services, at a very good price, to Nazi Germany. A brilliant business: Swiss banks converted into international currency the gold that Hitler stole from the occupied countries and from captured Jews, including the gold teeth of those who had died in the gas chambers in concentration camps. The gold entered Switzerland with no trouble at all, while those persecuted by the Nazis were turned back at the frontier.

Bertolt Brecht said that it was a crime to rob a bank, but it was a bigger crime to found one. These days, thanks to its banks, Switzerland is the most important laundering and recycling center for narcodollars and the safest refuge for the loot procured by dictators, thieving politicians and tax-evasion jugglers. Walking along Zurich's Banhofstrasse or Geneva's Correterie, one steps on the clean streets of a spotless country, where not a single speck of dust sullies the air. Under the resplendent pavements sleep the invisible fruits of fraud, plllage, drugs and arms trafficking, transformed into gold bars and money mountains.



For the last 10 years, Switzerland has been experimenting with a liberal drugs policy in the hope of curtailing its higher than average incidence of AIDS and its higher than average number of drug addicts. Zurich, with its left-wing city council, is leading the way in introducing these radical policies. Up until a fortnight ago, hundreds of young Swiss people would gather each day at the abandoned Letten railway station in Zurich to inject themselves with heroin.

Prior to the addicts taking up residence at the Letten station, they occupied Platzpitz, the notorious "Needlepark" near the centre of Zurich.

[Trigger]

US tax dollars spent spent in Iraq, so far: $80 billion.
Idiotic posts by spier to date: 123
Value of aforementioned posts: less than zero
spier's head up his ass ratio: 100:1

[budanski]

This one is even better:

U.S. Census: There are more poor

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- The number of Americans living below the poverty line increased by more than 1.3 million last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The total number of people living in poverty totaled 34.8 million or 12.4 percent of the population -- an increase of 0.3 percent.

At the same time, the number of families living in poverty increased more than 300,000 in 2002 to 7 million, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey, a rolling month-to-month sample of the social and economic makeup of 742,000 households nationwide.

Children under age 5 living in poverty jumped a full percentage point to 19.8 percent from 18.8 percent a year earlier, the New York Times reported.

Adjusted poverty line figures for 2002 haven't been released, but in 2001, a family of two adults and two children would have to have made less than $17,960 a year to be ranked as living below the poverty level and for a single person it was roughly $9,200 a year. US tax dollars spent spent in Iraq, so far: $80 billion.

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20030903-101937-8361r.htm

Wow. you would think that the U.S. is too poor to wage war in Iraq. Another eye-openning fact from those army-knife yokels.

[front]

We've seen a lot of fiction on the web over the years and it tends to make people cynical.

snopes is researching the story posted by budanski:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/comehome.asp

cheers

front

[spier]

This one is even better:

U.S. Census: There are more poor

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- The number of Americans living below the poverty line increased by more than 1.3 million last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The total number of people living in poverty totaled 34.8 million or 12.4 percent of the population -- an increase of 0.3 percent.

At the same time, the number of families living in poverty increased more than 300,000 in 2002 to 7 million, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey, a rolling month-to-month sample of the social and economic makeup of 742,000 households nationwide.

Children under age 5 living in poverty jumped a full percentage point to 19.8 percent from 18.8 percent a year earlier, the New York Times reported.

Adjusted poverty line figures for 2002 haven't been released, but in 2001, a family of two adults and two children would have to have made less than $17,960 a year to be ranked as living below the poverty level and for a single person it was roughly $9,200 a year. US tax dollars spent spent in Iraq, so far: $80 billion.

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20030903-101937-8361r.htm

Wow. you would think that the U.S. is too poor to wage war in Iraq. Another eye-openning fact from those army-knife yokels. I am only implying that the US goverment may got their priorities messed up..

And for the last time: I am not from Switzerland.

[He219]

I'm glad that you say 'may'. In my book the betterment of the Iraqi people superseeds desires for the personal enrichment of individuals worldwide. While you may be counting personal income, others are risking their lives to make the world a safer place.

Budanski's post shows a positive light to cooperation between Iraqis and Americans during a plethora of negative articles. Your rebuttal saying that our 'priorities may be out of place' is in itself, out-of-place.....

:P