KYTOP

Well today the head of the Marines, Army, and Air Force all speak against ending DADT: Military chiefs urge against ending gay ban Dec 3, 01:13 PM EST By Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Military chiefs told the Senate on Friday they opposed ending the armed forces' ban on gays anytime soon, urging caution over President Barack Obama's effort to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. "This is a bad time, senator," Marine Corps Commandant James Amos told a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee. "Based on what I know about the tough fight on the ground in Afghanistan ... my recommendation is that we should not implement repeal at this time." The dissent, most strongly articulated by the Marines and to lesser degrees the Army and Air Force, was widely expected and echoed past warnings about adding strain on a force already stretched by wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The dim view was not shared by all top U.S. officials testifying. The chiefs of the Navy, Coast Guard and the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff backed repeal. Admiral Mike Mullen, who is the top U.S. military officer as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Thursday voiced his strong support for repeal, as did U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates. But the latest dissent could bolster Republican efforts to block Senate action on ending the 17-year-old policy, which allows gays and lesbians to serve as long as their sexual orientation is not revealed. Senator John McCain, a top Republican and decorated veteran of the Vietnam War who lost to Obama in the 2008 presidential election, said he opposed any vote on repeal this year. "It's very obvious to me that there is a lot more scrutiny and work to be involved before passing this legislation," he said. "That's why we see such a diversity of views here among the service chiefs." Obama campaigned for the presidency in 2008 on a pledge to fully repeal the law barring gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military. The effort, however, faces a promised Republican procedural roadblock in the 100-member Senate. It is unclear if Democrats can muster the needed 60 votes to pass it. A Pentagon study released on Tuesday predicted little impact if the ban were repealed but acknowledged a "significant minority" of about 30 percent overall expressed negative views or concerns about repeal. That figure was higher in the Marine Corps and generally rose among combat units. Gates and Mullen said training could mitigate risks from repeal. They said the measure before the Senate would not allow the repeal to be implemented until Obama, Gates and Mullen certify the military is ready. They also rejected arguments that the military was too strained by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to integrate openly serving homosexuals. "War does not stifle change. It demands it," Mullen told the same committee on Thursday. But Army Chief of Staff General George Casey disagreed on Friday, saying: "The fact that we're at war complicates repeal." Asked about Mullen's comments, Casey acknowledged that in some cases the close bonds formed among troops at war could "facilitate" integration of openly gay and lesbian troops. "But frankly, I think that's a bit of a stretch," he said.

Well after unemployment being at 9.6% for 2 months and 9.5% for 3 months before that, it is now back up to 9.8%. When is this President going to do something? Regardless of who wants to blame who or what for getting us into this mess, he was elected to solve the problem. What does he do? It is like he got the stimulas bill passed over 18 months ago, stood back wiped his hands and said well I've done my job. When is he going to start actually doing something? So today he knows the unemployment numbers will not be good, so he heads to Afganistan to take the headlines off of the bad economy today. President Photo-op in action again. He could have gone to Afganistan any day but chooses today to deflect the negative headlines. Hillary was sooo right during the campaign when she kept saying he wasn't qualified. And I even defended him during the election when my friends kept telling me the same thing by reminding them that he had more qualifications than Lincoln when Lincoln was elected. I can honestly say I very much regret voting for Obama who is turning unemployment benefits into an almost permanant welfare program. Geesh I'm pissed at myself for voting for him.

But you know what the big importance difference is? Biden is actually an elected offical of this country. His blunders could actually affect your life. Her blunders may cause you to laugh and even add more fuel as to why you hate her but she really can't affect your life.

I can imagine that the games in Qatar will be some of the grandest settings one has ever seen and the whole country only has 1.4 million people.

It's TV and all about ratings. They had 3.3 million more viewers this season with Bristol Palin and all the media attention they got from all the news channels, blogs, websites, etc... As for the stuff Palin says, too bad the media does not jump on all of Biden's misspeaks. It is an almost everyday frigging laughing blunder. I agree if the media would just stop putting her up on every little political conversation, she would be making less money and hopefully go away.

To me it seemed it was only slightly noted in passing by most media compared with a lot of interest it seemed to get in many past years. I feel many just look at AIDS here in the USA as a disease that is manageable almost like someone with asthma. We are big to note that just because a person is HIV positive does not mean they have AIDS. We don't see the big number of deaths anymore like we use to that scared the gay community so bad (for which I am very thankful) and sadly many younger gay men I know seem to think, and I quote one I know "no big deal". A friend of mine that tested positive when he visited the doctor was told "nothing to worry about, with today's meds you'll die of a heart attack before you die of AIDS." I had dinner a few months back with 4 friends, all gay and younger than me. One mentioned that he had just returned from a funeral of a friend of his that had died of AIDS. Someone then said I didn't think anyone died from that anymore. My friend answered "he didn't take is meds like he was supposed to". I'm not sure what to think of this new attitute, of course I've known people that died of AIDS.

5, it was in Montreal for my 45th birthday. My dick was sore for 2 days but I had smile on my face for much longer. This doesn't count the sauna's in Rio. Lost count there because one day I took 4 guys to the room at one time (a mini orgy) and also had a couple of other trips upstairs that day with other guys.

It is interesting to see that this has started a conversation about Healthcare here and in Canada. I have enjoyed reading many of the comments. I think Canadian and American Healthcare both need some improvement. The waits for surgery in Canada, especially related to cancer seem to pop up in the media often and that is why I found bribing the doctor to get faster care interesting. If I understand correctly a doctor's income there is basicly limited by the government (are they Government employees?) therefore it would make the system ripe for bribes of doctors and maybe even hospital personnel. In my area here in the USA there are many programs for uninsured care but you have to know how to access the programs and that can be complicated sometimes. I realize these programs vary widely troughout the USA. TY, as for your daughter's eyes. You might see if the Lion's Club has a program or clinic in your area. Here they have a large clinic that is affilated with a University teaching program. My youngest sister, who has been unemployed for about 18 months and lost her insurance shortly after that, just had glaucoma eye surgery to each eye at no cost to her. She did have to go through an application process of some sort and wait a few months for the approval but she was able to get the surgery and is doing well now. I think my biggest thoughts about the US Healthcare system is I really do not think that Obamacare is going to be all it is cracked up to be. We could have done so much better.

I had the pleasure to visit Colombia 5 times in 2007 and early 2008. Medellin specifically each time and some of the smaller country area's within a couple of hours drive from Medellin. It is a truly beautiful country but could not see it as a great retirement area. The people seemed very friendly but they can spot a "gringo" a mile away and immediately think that they have money and are an easy target. I was called "Mr Gringo" so many times I was beginning to think it was my real name. I always was there visiting friends and stayed at a Sheraton Hotel connected to a shopping mall. The mall was the only place I would venture without my friends and there were many area's of the city they knew to stay away from. Some items of note about my visits to Colombia that stick out in my head. Even though walking off the plane each time,we were immediately met by Police in military uniforms carrying machine guns and with a German Shepard dog,Customs entering the country were very friendly and welcoming. Some spoke English some did not. The drive down the mountain from the airport at night into the city was beautiful. You need to know Spanish even in the American Branded Hotels. Every ATM machine I saw or visited had an armed guard at it, even in the good parts of the city. Here in the USA the police carry side arms, there they carry machine guns. Even had my friends take my picture poising between two of them with their guns. They (the police) thought the Gringo was funny and smiled big. Police roadblocks are very common and we actually got stopped and interviewed 3 times on my first trip there. Each time I showed a copy of my American passport and the police were very nice to me, stepped me off to the side and did not even try to question me as they interviewed my friends. My favorite place in the city at night was a place called Lleras Park. It is a small block park surrounded by many good restaurants, small open air bars and a Juan Valdez Coffee cafe(Like a starbucks). We generally ate at the park area each night. One evening as we were walking around after eating with my friend and 3 of his friends a fight broke out between 2 gangs of males right in front of us. My friends immediately surrounded me, grabbed me under my arms, lifted me and literally carried me very fast 1/2 a block away protecting me. After things calmed down we returned and continued as if nothing had happened. Security at the parking garage for the big upscale mall in Medellin, search each car, and check under each car for explosives with a mirror, before allowing you into the garage but the parking was free. No automobiles are built in Colombia and the tarriffs are very high on cars. A good used car there costs as much as new car here. That is one reason they were hoping for a Free Trade Agreement with The USA to get rid of the tarriff on American cars. Mazda was the most popular car there. Clothing was cheap, even name brand. I bought my friend a lot of Diesel brand clothes (at the Diesel store there)that would have cost 3-4 times as much here in the USA. The exchange rate was generally good when I visited but can change very fast. My friend had a decent 2 bedroom apartment in a 6 story building with a balcony, no elevator, with secure parking under the building. He shared it with a friend and they paid about the equivalent of $600 a month. When you go to a Club you do not order drinks by the glass. You order a bottle and they give you plastic cups and a bucket of ice. Everyone is searched, patted down when entering a club(at least the clubs we went to). People are very Catholic and a visit to a small village on Good Friday was very interesting with such a large crowd people even filled the street into the town square,with the church doors open for the crowd to see the service. We traveled into the countryside on another Sunday evening and I noted people dressed up waiting along the road in many places. I was told they were going to church but did not have cars. Other people, many times with small pickup trucks would stop and give them a ride into town for church. Then they would have to start walking after church until someone else stopped to give them a ride home. Medellin has one of the biggest and prettiest Christmas light displays that goes on for miles. They string lights and displays across a river that the road runs on each side off. One of the funniest things I remember from my first trip was when we got stopped beside a decent sized building one night as people filled out of the building into the street. The building had, I would guess 6-8 sides and the street seperated around the building. I asked my friend what it was and what was going on. He said it was the bullfight arena and it was just letting out. I said "maybe we could go one evening?". He gave me a dirty look and said NO!! He went on to explain and basicly compared the people that went to the bullfights as what we would call "Rednecks" and comparing the bullfight to WWE wrestling here. So basicly saying only Colombian Rednecks went to Bullfights, I laughed my head off. So Colombia for me, was an enjoyable place to visit but would not dare venture there on my own much less think of retiring there. Oh by the way, McDonalds taste as bad there as it does here.

I found this article about Canadian Healthcare in the Montreal Newspaper very interesting. Now maybe I can understand people's concern about rationing healthcare and fear of the same thing happening here. I knew Canada limits the number of doctors and testing equipment like CT scanners but this was enlightening. Looks like if you got the bucks you can get the care there? http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/Want+fast+care+Slip+some+cash/3892737/story.html

Some people do hate her. It seems to me someone even called her a "cow" here at the beginning of this message thread. I've been known to give people the finger that don't like me, sometimes with a few choice words thrown in for good measure. I think it is only human.

Cool video. It is from before when I was born also. But I use to remember watching her on the old TV game show "Password" when I was a kid. Her late husband was the host.

Sick in some foreign paradise no doubt, that sucks and not in a good way. Get well soon.

I remember former escort Bobby Thompson in LA use to have a hairless cat that he was very fond of and traveled with it often. Too bad you don't have a picture of him with it. Now that I think of it, I actually have a picture of Bobby feeding a Tiger cub when he traveled with me to Thailand once. I need to try and find that picture. Ahhh, a blast from the past.

Happy Thanksgiving to all. It seems everyone in this day and time likes to look at all the bad things in life or that they disagree with. It is good to take this day to reflect upon all that is good. I am very thankful things are as well with me as they are. Take a pause to be thankful this day and then eat until you think you will bust.

My heart and thoughts go out for you and especially for him. Times like those are never easy. Hope they find his family soon, maybe that will give him some comfort.

A google search turned up this website that shows Truvada costs $867.99 per month: http://aids.about.com/od/hivmedicationfactsheets/a/drugcost.htm Me thinks condoms are cheaper and without the side effects.

Yeah and even the extreme body searches at the airports. The 4th amendment of the US Constitution in its simple total states: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. But it seems this is becoming the most ignored portion of our Constitution by our Government.

Good for you. So many bitch that she does not deserve to win but don't vote for the one they really think is the best dancer. So course if they really wanted the best dancer to win they would go by the judges on the show and not a bunch of people like me voting, that knows nothing about the technical parts of the dances. I generally go for the couple that has the guy with the outfit that shows off his bare sexy chest. As for what Levi ever saw in her? Let's see, Alaska is by far our largest state but only has a population of 698,000 people. Sort of less choices than most places in the country. At the same time some might say the same thing about what she saw in Levi. It certainly wasn't for this brain, and I understand his "junk" ain't that much to brag about either.

I agree with you. I've always been uncomfortable with the whole outing thing. Each person has a different private life and reason for why they stay in the closet or not. It is not my place to make that decision for them, of course I'm a big fan of the Right of Privacy. To me the whole outing thing has more to do with people's love for gossip than anything else.

I thought HIV drugs are very expensive? Because of that, does this seem very practical to prevent HIV?

Just sounds like a sore loser because the election did not go his way to me.

I saw this opinion column in the WSJ. I'm not sure if it is funny or sad but, I think there may be some truth to it. California: The Lindsay Lohan of States http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703506904575592612400443370.html

Well I agree with Conway on the Healthcare bill. Republicans did have some ideas and were locked out of the debate that took place behind closed doors. Obama had one very public meeting on healthcare with the Republicans (it was actually on live TV for President Photo-op) and he ignored all their suggestions. Have you really looked at some of the Healthcare Bill? Just getting a bill so you can say you have something is not necessary such a good idea and this one may be a disaster.Even some of the so called positives are not so much so when you look at it closely. Examples: 1) Mandates coverage of pre-existing conditions. Sounds great but the bill allows you to be charged 3-4 times the normal rate if you have a pre-existing condition. Then if you could possibly still afford that the increase in premiuns (but the bill also requires you to have insurance so you gotta' pay it), what is collected will not cover the total costs of those persons added into the healthcare plan group. So then the premiums for all in the group go up to cover the increased expense for the plan to cover those with pre-existing conditions. End result, an increase in premiums for everyone to pay for it. Oh, of course those increases will be blamed on the insurance companies and not the Government. 2) Mandating ALL Americans have health coverage BUT the Government will sibsidize you if you are below a certain wage. Just were the hell are we going to get the money to pay for that! Plus a true example I read in my local paper. A single mother with one child cannot presently afford her employers offered health insurance. Between rent, groceries, car payment, gas, etc.. she cannot afford it. She makes $32,000 a year and under Obamacare she will receive $1,400 per year to help her cover the insurance cost. But that is only 40% of the cost of the insurance for her and her daughter. But the law requires her to have the insurance so where does she get the other $2,100 to cover the remaining cost? From her food bill, rent, where? So now even if she could afford it, that means more money going to buy insurance and less for clothes, TV, electronics, new car, etc... So consumers have even less money to spend and yet another hit on our economy. So we add to the deficit and also reduce a persons buying power. I personally think this provision, which is being challenged as being against the constitution, is unconstitutional. Yes we mandate you to have auto insurance but you can choose not to have a car. You cannot choose not to have a body. 3) Medicaid mandates upon the states. The bill allows more people to be added to the state Medicaid programs by requiring the states to add anyone on Medicaid that makes below 133% of the poverty level. It varies by state but Medicaid is about 60-75% Fedreal money and the rest state money. So you will see an explosion in the Medicaid population. So even IF the Federal Government can pay for their share, where are the states going to get the money to cover their shares. The oh so great stimulus program ended up being a huge program to prop up many states budgets. So the stimulus program ends, the states have still less money BUT must cover more Medicaid costs. Look at California,and just about every other state, where are they going to get the money? More taxes? Another problem with this is that only a limited number of healthcare providers will even accept Medicaid because they have historically low reimbursement. I use to be a healthcare provider and 2 years ago when I retired, we lost $60 on every Medicaid patient we saw. Our other patients had to be charged more to cover the Medicaid patients loses. So now there will be even more loses to be covered by the other patients and everyone ends up paying for the expansion of the Medicaid program. I sat on a regional board helping to over see a portion of the program here in my state and we couldn't get anywhere near enough doctors to care for the the patients and forget about dentists. The wait for appointments was often long. Now we are going to throw more people into that system. Most of our providers were either government clinics, University teaching Hospital clinics, or foreign doctors. So how long are the waits going to be now? This is going to be a disaster. 4) Covers more RX for seniors on Medicare closing the so called "donut hole". So how do we pay for that when we are told the original Medicare RX plan for seniors helped create our present deficit. Plus the bill FORBIDS the Government from negotiating with the drug companies for reduced bulk pricing in exchange for the RX companies to provide for some free meds. This was a complete Obama deal with the RX companies. 5) There are no provisions in the bill to control healthcare cost. 6) The bill will reduce waste and fraud. Well I've heard that one from every President since Reagan. Don't hold you breath on that one or you will need your over-priced healthcare that this bill creates. 7) I think this bill may require the insurance and Medicaid programs to hire more people but we will probably just out source those jobs to India. I could go on and on about this Healthcare Bill. Yes we needed Healthcare reform but this bill sucks and not in a good way!!!!

Ain't that the truth.