Consumerism

[Ocram's Razr 963]

I did not know that. I wonder why my High School or College never mentioned that. ???

I am pretty sure that 2 (or maybe 3) forms of my health disqualify me from getting drafted (I would get a 4F) and I have no desire to become fit/sane/healthy/strong... (now)...

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

You know, I had forgotten that the U.S. still has a draft. Getting into the Canadian forces is extremely difficult these days. It is almost becoming an exclusive club of specialists.

I suppose to justify the continuance of the military/industrial complex you need a lot of people under arms, he said returning to the topic of the thread. Nothing like feeding a large standing army (one of the causes of the fall of the Roman Empire) to keep the pot boiling on the consumer front. One thing that is good about the U.S. forces is that unlike the Romans, they don't have a lot of mercenaries and foreign levies. However, the taxes to support it must be a big chunk of the budget.

[Duke87 1,070]

I wonder why my High School or College never mentioned that. ???

If you had to take a civics class, it would probably have been mentioned there. Otherwise I can see how it could have been missed.

But even still, your parents should have known. My mother made sure to remind me plenty of times.

I am pretty sure that 2 (or maybe 3) forms of my health disqualify me from getting drafted (I would get a 4F) and I have no desire to become fit/sane/healthy/strong... (now)...

It makes no difference, drafts are drawn based on your birthday. They randomly select birthdays, starting with the 20 year olds, then going up to 21, 22, etc. on to 27(?), and finally circling back around to 18 and 19. If you're not fit to fight, they stick you behind a desk or in some other non-combat role, nobody who gets drafted gets off scott free on account of physical unfitness.

Not worth worrying about regardless, though. There hasn't been a draft since the Vietnam era, and after how unpopular that was, it isn't going to be implemented again unless the war being fought is something the country is united about (and few wars these days are uncontroversial).

I suppose to justify the continuance of the military/industrial complex you need a lot of people under arms, {...} However, the taxes to support it must be a big chunk of the budget.

National defense is 19.27% of the US federal budget. Third in proportion behind healthcare (22.62%) and social security (20.04%)

(link)

  Edited May 26, 2011 by Duke87  

[Ocram's Razr 963]

My father is an immigrant (who became a citizen after the age of 28) and my mother is a progressive Catholic (pacifist). They never heard of Selective Services.

[astronelson 339]

I hadn't heard of it either until recently, although I have the excuse of not living in the US. I'm somewhat surprised it hasn't been repealed. We haven't had anything of the sort since December 1972, about the same time we started pulling out from Vietnam.

Apparently the punishment for not registering with the Selective Service is $250,000 and a 5-year sentence for a felony. The last time anyone was charged was 1986. I have the distinct feeling no-one particularly cares if you don't register, beyond the aforementioned denial of various things.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Since the U.S. still carefully propagandizes in favour of the military, I should think that repealing the selective service act should have little effect on the services except they could then say "all volunteer army" and really mean it.

We have plenty of young men and women beating on the doors of our services, and we are very selective indeed. In our case, if you don't pass the physical, you don't get in, and there is no nonsense of taking you if you can't pass the basic training. The government is being asked to make a large investment in the recruit, and we want only the best to spend that money on. One of the best qualifiers is a university degree in something relevant to their needs like civil engineering or physics. My son was turned down because he had injured a knee in one of his karate classes. The knee is OK, and he has continued in karate. He was unable, however, to complete a five mile run.

[FreewayofFlight 41]

I think the Loyalty Card thing has gone overboard, almost every retailer has one. It is a little much when the 'rewards cards' outnumber your car keys.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I think the Loyalty Card thing has gone overboard, almost every retailer has one. It is a little much when the 'rewards cards' outnumber your car keys.

Depends on whether you take it or not. I usually don't. When I was a pet owner, I used the one I got in PetSmart, which got me some small discounts on an otherwise expensive addiction. This program actually has a bar-coded key-tag which made if very easy, and hard to forget you had it.

Most of the cards you can get around here are airline pints cards.

[Duke87 1,070]

Retailers have a very simple reason for doing this: data mining. They keep track of what items are purchased with your card where and thus get consumer demographic data they can use or sell to others for marketing. In exchange, they give a few token perks to the customer turned guinea pig who probably has no idea that they're tracking what he's purchasing or if he does, doesn't care.

Something a lot of people don't grasp is that the internet has made it ridiculously easy for everyone to spy on you. And what's more, they've gotten people to willingly submit to it by offering "rewards" for it.

I do not have any "rewards" cards in my name and never will.

[airman15 4,111]

^ another good way to reduce online tracking is to minimize the number of online accounts you have. If you have less accounts, you have less of a chance that you will be tracked. Granted I maintain two email addresses, but the 2nd one serves as my backup in case something happens to the 1st one.

[Easy Bakes 253]

It is Official Consumerism has reached Idiocracy proportions

And i thought the BEEF 'O' BRADY'S BOWL was the worst sponcer name ever.

What the heck?

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Some sponsorships may not make much sense, but many entertainments would not be possible without them. The expense of stock car racing and ocean yacht racing is out of the reach of all but the very wealthy without sponsorships.