Tahoma

Ah, the delicious irony of the situation.

How many people on here realise that the state of Israel was founded on the back of terrorism? My father was serving with the Royal Air Force in Palestine when the Irgun blew up the King David Hotel in 1946.

Who was their leader at the time? One Menacham Begin, future Prime Minister of Israel.

Hamas would do well to learn from the Israelis themselves how to progress from terrorism, because terrorism alone will get them nowhere.

Indeed very ironic.

Ditto. And there is much more unpleasant and forgotten history involved in the UN/British/Palestinian/Israeli issue...history that is necessary to help us put into context what is going on there right now.

Hi fellow VJer...

I'm so sorry to hear of all your troubles. I read nearly every post on this thread and I must say that I am proud of my fellow VJers for all of their good advice and compassionate responses. I am glad that their support has helped you realize what this guy is doing to you, and gave you the strength to stand up for yourself. I am a guy...and I think the way he is treating you is just plain wrong. He is way over the line...this is not love...and never will be.

The more I read through the posts, the one thing that kept coming to mind is your fear of admitting your abuse to your family and friends. I felt like this was your real problem. There was no question in my mind about your abuse. And I believe that there was very little question about it in your mind either. You knew in your gut what was wrong. That is why it made me so happy when you finally decided to talk to your family about your problems. I know it is a hard thing to admit a mistake...but why waste your life because you are too proud to admit a mistake.

I don't really know anything about the legal part and the immigration part of getting rid of this guy, but a trip to a good attorney for advice may turn out to be the smartest money that you ever spent.

Please please listen to the women posters who went through the same thing that you are going through now. This guy is a manipulator. He manipulates you and those around you. It won't stop. Counseling won't work. You need to cut your losses right now.

Believe me...there is a guy out there just for you...one who will make you feel safe and secure and happy and loved. I believe this because I can see from your posts what a sweet, wonderful, caring, and loving person you are. You deserve much better. Your new guy will be a very lucky to have you for a lifetime partner.

Hang in there...and do what you have to do. Be strong. Your family will support you. Your fellow VJers will support you. My best wishes for you.

pangga

Hi, again guys! My fiance will be sending my interview documents today or tomorrow. We are looking for the reliable and fastest way to deliver documents especially in provincial areas. We need your opinion I hope to have it 3-4 days from now since I will be having my interview on the 2nd week of January. I want it to in my hands as soon as possible. Any recommendations and opinions will be appreciated. Thank you guys! Happy New Year!

I've always used USPS.. but how everyone is talking about FedEx.. I went to FedEx and did a sample shipment from my location(West Coast) and this is the delivery dates they gave me if I were to send it out tomorrow(Dec. 30th) and my SO is in Isabela region(yeah, up in the mountains..lol). And it seems the dates they show would support what ppl are saying about the holiday schedule there.

This is for sending the items tomorrow(Dec. 30th). I also did this with a date of Jan. 2, I got the same delivery dates listed below.

4. Rates and Transit Times

Amounts are shown in USD

Select Delivery Date/Time Service Rate

In the shortest time possible. Call 1·800·Go·FedEx for availability and rate. FedEx International Next Flight®

Wed Jan 7, 2009 6:00 PM FedEx International Priority® 53.94

Fri Jan 9, 2009 6:00 PM FedEx International Economy® 75.38

I went to USPS site as I have my account setup with them already and did the GXG 3-day Gauranteed and this is what it states, which is interesting cus they use FedEX Express once it gets to the international destination to deliver it:

Global Express Guaranteed®

These prices represent the estimated cost of the service. 1 - 3 Days $52.65(Paid Online) $58.50(Paid at Post Office)

As seeing that USPS uses FedEx anyways, not sure which one would be better. I did speak to the clerk @ the postoffice and he couln't seem to give me a date for thier service(he was also giving me a different price..$38 from what I was seeing online) so not sure if he knew what he was doing , but if it's 1-3/days and they use FedEx, then it should be the same.

Hope this helps as I'm also going to send my stuff out tomorrow as my SO interview date is 2 days before yours..

Now, the people that used FedEx, where they able to track it all the way to the person actually signing for it?

Thanks for the info about the US Post Office. I didn't realize that they used Fed Ex. They gave you a good price too! I thought maybe USPS would turn your package over to the Philippines Post Office for delivery within the Philippines (yikes!).

Yes, Bush is teh suXor. Get over it already.

They won't. Not anytime soon, anyway.

When Obama does something good, they'll say: "Obama's the greatest! Look at him clean up after Bush!"

When Obama does something bad, they'll also say: "Obama's not to blame. He's had a hell of a time dealing with the mess Bush left him."

Amazing, isn't it? If one wanted to talk about psychological issues, the messianic ideals given Obama would definitely qualify.

you hit the nail on the head.

Please spare me from this FOX News mentality. Don't project onto me the very same behavior you are guilty of.

news flash for you: i wasn't talking to you to begin with, so there's nothing to spare you from or project onto you.

It looks to me like you are agreeing with the poster. Have you changed your mind?

so why don't you go annoy that person instead of me?

Typical Charles...avoidance. Last time I checked, when someone said "you hit the nail on the head", they agreed with what was just said, thereby making those words their own words. Therefore, my comment was addressed to both of you. Own it , Charles.

My guess is that you thought the original comment amusing until you realized that you were guilty of the same behavior regarding Bush/Clinton...and probably Reagan/Carter too!

Left/Right, Right/Wrong, Blue/Red... who really cares?

IMO its more about who's apparently mentally sound and who's not. That would make some interesting lists...

HAL...you got that right. Bravo!

Here, I'll throw another one out: I don't believe the Federal government should be involved in education. I believe this is up to the individual states. However, I recognize that this particular horse is out of the barn, and it doesn't do me much good whining about something that's not going to change. So with that in mind, I thought No Child Left Behind was a pretty good idea as far as the Federal government being involved in education. Unfortunately it turned into an unfunded mandate, which I'm 100% against no matter what other concessions I care to make. But had No Child Left Behind been implemented as envisioned by the President, I think it would have made a net positive difference in our educational systems. Unfortunately, because of congressional meddling, it turned out to be a disaster. But I don't believe that was the President's fault or intention.

This issue might make for an interesting thread of its own.

Yes, Bush is teh suXor. Get over it already.

They won't. Not anytime soon, anyway.

When Obama does something good, they'll say: "Obama's the greatest! Look at him clean up after Bush!"

When Obama does something bad, they'll also say: "Obama's not to blame. He's had a hell of a time dealing with the mess Bush left him."

Amazing, isn't it? If one wanted to talk about psychological issues, the messianic ideals given Obama would definitely qualify.

you hit the nail on the head.

Please spare me from this FOX News mentality. Don't project onto me the very same behavior you are guilty of.

news flash for you: i wasn't talking to you to begin with, so there's nothing to spare you from or project onto you.

It looks to me like you are agreeing with the poster. Have you changed your mind?

Thank you Mox...

Thanks for a voice of fairness and reason. Obama will not get a pass from me either. I will try to be fair with both praise and criticism...even though I did not vote for him. I hope others will feel the same way.

Haven't seen any praise of Bush for anything. Not for his AIDS initiatives in Africa or

protecting the nation from further terrorist attacks. Liberals are allergic to any praise

of Bush, even when it's due.

Just exactly when have those topics come up?

Yes, Bush is teh suXor. Get over it already.

They won't. Not anytime soon, anyway.

When Obama does something good, they'll say: "Obama's the greatest! Look at him clean up after Bush!"

When Obama does something bad, they'll also say: "Obama's not to blame. He's had a hell of a time dealing with the mess Bush left him."

Amazing, isn't it? If one wanted to talk about psychological issues, the messianic ideals given Obama would definitely qualify.

you hit the nail on the head.

Please spare me from this FOX News mentality. Don't project onto me the very same behavior you are guilty of.

Yes, Bush is teh suXor. Get over it already.

They won't. Not anytime soon, anyway.

When Obama does something good, they'll say: "Obama's the greatest! Look at him clean up after Bush!"

When Obama does something bad, they'll also say: "Obama's not to blame. He's had a hell of a time dealing with the mess Bush left him."

Amazing, isn't it? If one wanted to talk about psychological issues, the messianic ideals given Obama would definitely qualify.

Speaking for myself, I've always said that I will hold Obama to the same high standards that I held Bush to. So feel free to call me out on that if you ever see me giving Obama a pass. I've been critical of him before, and when he fu*ks up I'll be critical of him again.

In the same vein, I challenge you and all the other right-leaning folks to do the same thing. Hold the new President to high standards, be fair in your criticisms, and respect a job well done. We will disagree sometimes on what constitutes bad policy or good policy, but I can guarantee there will be no messianic adulation from me.

Thank you Mox...

Thanks for a voice of fairness and reason. Obama will not get a pass from me either. I will try to be fair with both praise and criticism...even though I did not vote for him. I hope others will feel the same way.

I think we need to be careful about inflammatory rhetoric which demonizes one side or the other...especially when we are discussing the Palestinians and the Israelis. It only serves to alienate. Before the term "terrorist" is used, maybe we should talk about what that means...and put some context to it. If you believe that the Palestinians and the Israelis are at "war", is there any attack by either side that should be called a "terrorist" attack?

I also do not believe in minimizing the grievances of the Palestinians, as there are many who believe them to be legitimate. Any non-revisionist history of this conflict will enlighten you as to why the Palestinians have not "quit teasing and poking that Kodiak bear". The Pearl Harbor analogy is not appropriate. The current conflict (war) has been going on for more than 50 years...and it did not start with a Pearl Harbor-style attack.

I am not trying to support one side or the other. There is plenty of blame to go around. All I am trying to do is to keep the discussion in context and free of demonization.

By the way, I worked my way through school by working in the canneries (and fishing) in Kodiak, Alaska. I enjoyed hiking and camping there. I saw many Kodiak bears in the wild. They are majestic creatures to behold. The only Kodiak bears that you can get close enough to...and poke with a stick(!)...are the ones who feed daily at Kodiak's garbage dump.

And I think you are taking my example way too literally.

Pick another bear shall we?!

I too believe that words have meanings. Maybe you can explain the figurative meaning of your example in order to clear up any confusion.

I picked a Kodiac bear because they are the largest and most agressive bear, and I have a sister in Alaska, and one of my old Navy buddies, so Alaska came to mind.

That particular expresion however, came from a co-worker, who simply said that "messing with my secretary was like poking a grizzly with a stick."

All clear now?!

Thanks for your reply. The last paragraph of my post was meant only as a personal note about my experiences with Kodiak bears...not anything related to the issue at hand. The mention of Kodiak bears in the second paragraph of my post is meant to encourage you to read up on the history of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict in order to put it into context.

PS...I've never seen a grizzly bear in the wild. How about you? I have seen two-year-old Kodiak bear cubs in the wild...and they were bigger than any brown bear I've ever seen while hiking here in Washington State!

I think we need to be careful about inflammatory rhetoric which demonizes one side or the other...especially when we are discussing the Palestinians and the Israelis. It only serves to alienate. Before the term "terrorist" is used, maybe we should talk about what that means...and put some context to it. If you believe that the Palestinians and the Israelis are at "war", is there any attack by either side that should be called a "terrorist" attack?

I also do not believe in minimizing the grievances of the Palestinians, as there are many who believe them to be legitimate. Any non-revisionist history of this conflict will enlighten you as to why the Palestinians have not "quit teasing and poking that Kodiak bear". The Pearl Harbor analogy is not appropriate. The current conflict (war) has been going on for more than 50 years...and it did not start with a Pearl Harbor-style attack.

I am not trying to support one side or the other. There is plenty of blame to go around. All I am trying to do is to keep the discussion in context and free of demonization.

By the way, I worked my way through school by working in the canneries (and fishing) in Kodiak, Alaska. I enjoyed hiking and camping there. I saw many Kodiak bears in the wild. They are majestic creatures to behold. The only Kodiak bears that you can get close enough to...and poke with a stick(!)...are the ones who feed daily at Kodiak's garbage dump.

And I think you are taking my example way too literally.

Pick another bear shall we?!

I too believe that words have meanings. Maybe you can explain the figurative meaning of your example in order to clear up any confusion.

you better beat the rush and find something new to complain about, this topic has a life expectancy of less than 22 days.

Nice avoidance technique, Charles! Wouldn't you care to give us your take on even a single one of the above topics? I am fairly certain that it won't take you 22 days to spin at least one of them.

The Charles Theorem: disagreeing with Charles = complaining

When are the Hamas going to realize it's not in their best intrest to ** with Israel?!!!

It's like poking a Kodiac bear with a stick... all you do is piss 'em off!

Are you saying that Hamas' rockets which killed no Israelis warrented killing over 300 Palestinians? How many Palestinian lives are worth one Israeli life?

HUH ???

You did just say that no Israelis were or have been killed by hamas' rockets attacks. You really need to do some updated reading and research on that incorrect statement.

Sorry, but no country anywhere in this world (especially Israel) would let terrorists launch rockets into their country and just sit back and say "Hit Me One More Time" and not do anything about it. Did the U.S. just sit back and do nothing when we were attacked on September 11 or when the Japs bombed Pearl Harbor...... I don't think so.

Israel is really "pissed off" at Hamas and I don't blame them for doing what they have to do. Unfortunately in war people live and people die.... It's really sad, but Hamas is to blame for their own civilian deaths. None of this would have happened if they had just quit teasing and poking that Kodiac Bear

I think we need to be careful about inflammatory rhetoric which demonizes one side or the other...especially when we are discussing the Palestinians and the Israelis. It only serves to alienate. Before the term "terrorist" is used, maybe we should talk about what that means...and put some context to it. If you believe that the Palestinians and the Israelis are at "war", is there any attack by either side that should be called a "terrorist" attack?

I also do not believe in minimizing the grievances of the Palestinians, as there are many who believe them to be legitimate. Any non-revisionist history of this conflict will enlighten you as to why the Palestinians have not "quit teasing and poking that Kodiak bear". The Pearl Harbor analogy is not appropriate. The current conflict (war) has been going on for more than 50 years...and it did not start with a Pearl Harbor-style attack.

I am not trying to support one side or the other. There is plenty of blame to go around. All I am trying to do is to keep the discussion in context and free of demonization.

By the way, I worked my way through school by working in the canneries (and fishing) in Kodiak, Alaska. I enjoyed hiking and camping there. I saw many Kodiak bears in the wild. They are majestic creatures to behold. The only Kodiak bears that you can get close enough to...and poke with a stick(!)...are the ones who feed daily at Kodiak's garbage dump.

Well there are hardliners on both ends of the spectrum (right wingers & liberals) that blindly defend their boys no matter what they do. You will find a whole bunch of the right wingers on this forum... I don't know why but this forum attracts right wingers like moths to a flame. I've found that the best way to handle them is to not take them too seriously.

a whole bunch? i think the term a few is more accurate.

Hey guys...I am fairly new here to VJ and I am interested in making a list of politically-conservative VJ members so that we can talk politics. I'm just starting my list...so maybe you can help me out...

1. Rogue

2. Charles (?)

3. ..........

4. ..........

Will this administration ever run out of nails to pound into its own coffin?

I think the Bush Library will be full of apologies....

And, Yes, I do hold Bush accountable for his cronies' actions.

Good riddance to good rubbish.

Bush will never apologize for anything... he is in a perpetual state of denial. As for Karl Rove he epitomizes everything that's wrong with politics, just like Johnnie Cochran represented everything wrong with lawyers... the end justifies the means & truth is irrelevant.

The worst of the bunch is ####### Cheney... he's a mix of Darth Vader, Scrooge and Mr. Burns from the Simpsons!

nowhereman...

A big "AMEN" to that! Maybe you could give Scarecrow some pointers when he finds his brain.

Well there are hardliners on both ends of the spectrum (right wingers & liberals) that blindly defend their boys no matter what they do. You will find a whole bunch of the right wingers on this forum... I don't know why but this forum attracts right wingers like moths to a flame. I've found that the best way to handle them is to not take them too seriously.

I enjoy a good discussion with both liberals and conservatives...as long as it is an intelligent one. Hardline ideologues of any stripe are predictable and boring. Worse yet are those ideologues who can't form complete thoughts nor sentences. Witness Scarecrow...the perfect example. No one would mistake him for William F. Buckley.

Will this administration ever run out of nails to pound into its own coffin?

I think the Bush Library will be full of apologies....

And, Yes, I do hold Bush accountable for his cronies' actions.

Good riddance to good rubbish.

Bush will never apologize for anything... he is in a perpetual state of denial. As for Karl Rove he epitomizes everything that's wrong with politics, just like Johnnie Cochran represented everything wrong with lawyers... the end justifies the means & truth is irrelevant.

The worst of the bunch is ####### Cheney... he's a mix of Darth Vader, Scrooge and Mr. Burns from the Simpsons!

nowhereman...

A big "AMEN" to that! Maybe you could give Scarecrow some pointers when he finds his brain.

Dude your just helpin me out and I really appreciate it. I think it might be time to plant some lillies. I will help you out a little!

Your describing yourself!

Don't you mean to say "you're" rather than "your"?

You have been reduced to my personal little spell correct boy.

Hi Scarecrow...I see that you are lost again. This is not Oz. You won't find your brain here. I see that you were looking for it on the health care thread also. As you found out...it's not there either. You might have better luck if you started your own thread. I would suggest this heading for your thread..."Incoherent, inarticulate ranter seeks brain: tired of embarrassing myself". Good luck.

Will this administration ever run out of nails to pound into its own coffin?

I think the Bush Library will be full of apologies....

And, Yes, I do hold Bush accountable for his cronies' actions.

Good riddance to good rubbish.

The Bush Bush Library? I get a chuckle every time I think about it. Bush...and library...in the same sentence! That's a good one. However, instead of apologies, the library will be full of revisionist histories of the Bush Administration. And I heard that his library will include the only book that he's actually ever read...the one he was reading on 9/11.

Be careful, Joe. You are giving rubbish a bad name.

Just wondered if Filipinos take offense when people use PI in conversations and posting?

Not at all. The ones that I've seen are: PH, PI or RP.

Since most of the malls have big discounts now...bumili na ako ng bagong suitcase in preparation for my trip. Masyadong excited

Kayo, kelan kayo nag-start mag-pack ng luggage nyo?

I won't be using a suitcase. hehehe. Just balikbayan boxes to minimize the weight caused by the suitcase. At least with the balikbayan boxes, you can put more stuff in it. my husband always brings balikbayan boxes whenever he comes home to visit me. He never owned a suitcase! hehehe. although it's nice to own a sturdy suitcase for vacations/ short trips... still haven't packed yet since my interview is 3 weeks from now. Just making a list on what i will bring with me...on what i will have to ship over (like college books for my profession) aaaaaaggghhh, I just resigned from work since i think i need time to prepare for my relocation to the US...so i have the whole month to think about it. hehehe. no rush no rush

Goodluck on your interview. Balikbayan boxes are really good. And I think that making a list of the things you will bring is a great idea. Gagawa na rin ako ng aking listahan..hehe.

Dude your just helpin me out and I really appreciate it. I think it might be time to plant some lillies. I will help you out a little!

Your describing yourself!

Don't you mean to say "you're" rather than "your"?

I will agree with the premise of this threads title.

"The Right Wing's Latest Argument Against Public Health Care -- We'd Like It Too Much"

Any time people can get used to getting something free.. or even a sweet deal, they tend to not want to give it up.... well, Duh!

I'm quite sure the vast majority of people don't look so longingly at social healthcare because they get to be the one to pay more.

Every single person wants to pay a minimum in payment and be covered for everything.

By the same token, the Right-wing does not want the Govt to start paying everyones mortgage either... if the lefties passed that law, I am sure people would like it too much to stop it as well

If the question is: will our lower natures allow us to push the cost of medical attention onto others to pay?

See we are not even talking about setting up some "Extreme medical conditions" coverage law... n,n,noooo, we want a whole big program we can all ride on.

How is your ride gonna get paid for?

Could one of you -search engine wizards- find out the average profit per year for a healthcare insurance company, I thick we will see, if these companies worked "at-cost" not much would change.

One of the main themes of your posting seems to be the increase in cost to you of a government-run single-payer health care system. I respect that argument. I understand not wanting to pay any more than you already pay for your health care delivery. What I don't understand is your lack of faith in the ingenuity and ability of this country to do things as well, or better, than other countries. All it takes is a look around at all of the other western industrialized countries, and you will discover that they not only have better health care delivery, but it is also less expensive than ours.

I believe this great country could do things better than those countries. We have the advantage of being able to look at their health care systems and choosing the features of those systems which would work for us. I would like to think that you would support such a single-payer plan, in principle, if you felt assured that it would cost you the same (or less), and your benefits would not change.

Right now, government-sponsored health care in this country is approaching 50% of all health care. It is not as big of a jump to a single-payer system as you may think it is. And please do not harbor the illusion that you do not already pay for those who have no health care plan. I believe it has already been mentioned somewhere in this thread...but it bears repeating: when the uninsured finally get sick enough to go to the emergency room, the cost of their care is largely shouldered by you and me...at emergency room prices. A bit of inexpensive preventive care for them would save a lot of money. Another well-known cost savings associated with single-payer systems is their decreased paperwork and overhead. I'm sure you can appreciate that.

I work for a Fortune 100 company. I deal with a few Fortune 500 companies. After having seen how these companies operate (including mine), I can assure you that all large corporations are not more efficient than all government programs. Private or public...let's not paint everything with a broad brush. I believe that if we put our minds to it, we could create a health care system that is the envy of the world. Personally, I would not mind paying a bit more for world-class health care for everyone.

Lastly, it needs to be pointed out that, under the current system, anyone with health insurance, no matter how good their policy is, can run out of coverage. All it takes is one catastrophic accident, illness, or disease. It happens to families every day in this country. Everything they spent years working for is gone. We can change that if we want to.

He only "weeps" and expects sympathy when it has affected him personally. It's really all about him.

You wanna help me out? I got a 1000.00 bill hangin over me right now. Can you paypal me a couple hundred? Mr. I love you!

I liked you a lot better when you were making snide, witty remarks about people who care about the sick and the poor. We all have bills dude. Not looking for sympathy. We're looking for solutions.

And the for-profit health care system is over. When you are robbed, does the police ask if you can pay before investigating? When your house is burning down (or your neighbors), does the fire department send you a bill afterward? We all pay taxes so that if tragedy strikes, the damage can be limited. For millions of Americans who can't get health insurance, that dream is dead.

See if you can read this story without tearing up. This women HAD health insurance:

"When staying alive means going bankrupt"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20201807/

Do you want my pay-pal or not?

I'll give you $3 toward that unpaid bill once you read the above and tell me what you think of it. That's despite the fact that I have yet to pay off my student debt. That's how important this issue is.

Once you wipe the tears from your eyes, there is another one that you should take a look at:

"Medical bills make up half of bankruptcies: study finds most bankruptcy filers had health insurance"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6895896/

Thomas & Milen...

Thank you for all of your posts. You are another voice of reason and reality. You also have amazing patience. I salute you.

Want my pay-pal? I could really use some help!

Oh hon. My heart bleeds for you, truly it does. But I don't think I could live with myself if I were responsible for you accepting handouts. That would go against everything you believe. May I recommend turning off your internet? That would save you about $20-$50/month right there.

Well said. As a matter of fact, it was downright funny. I wonder if this person reads their own posts.