One idea for your tax rebate

[RRees]

Spending money on Beer does make alot of sense. But it must be American beer made with American grains/ingredients.



Unfortunately, my favorite brand of beer is owned by SAB.



I can't win.



I think I'll just buy a truckload of American wood and have a big campfire and watch it go up in smoke.

 

[JDiepstra]

Spending money on Beer does make alot of sense. But it must be American beer made with American grains/ingredients.



Unfortunately, my favorite brand of beer is owned by SAB.



I can't win.



I think I'll just buy a truckload of American wood and have a big campfire and watch it go up in smoke.

That would be a great thing to do while drinking some American beer!

 

[MEby]

What do I plan to do with my rebate check? Sit on it till the KGB... . I mean the IRS takes it again in the form of my next quarterly. #@$%!:{

 

[WDaniels]

People going into the military get huge signing bonuses, housing and other allowances, education paid for, tax breaks, duty pay, and generous retirement benifits among other things that most other people don't

JDiepstra,

You had better do a little more research on the topic that you are ranting on. Signing bonuses, those are because NO one wants to do those rotten, lousy dirty jobs. Or even better yet, to try to get the people who've been trained to do a job to stay in the military and not take "safe and secure" job that pays MUCH MORE in the civilian sector. I've been in this man's military for 30 years and I've never had my education paid for, tax breaks mostly come with someones bullets heading your way, duty pay? Only people that get that are ones on ships in the navy that I know of and they deserve twice what they get. Housing, I think we've seen just how nice the housing is that a lot of our military people live in this last 2 or three weeks in the news. And the last time I read our history, you, me and everyone else in this country and a good portion of the world do owe something to the military person who served. (and not just our military either) "Freedom is most definately not free. " And the funniest one of all, "generous retirement benefits" Now that is genuinely a great knee slapper! If you can live on somewhere around 2k a month before taxes,(if your an E-7 over 26 years) can make a house payment, car payment, put the kids through college and what ever else life throws at you, just you let me know your secret! And for all this we get to miss our children growing up, Christmas's, birthdays, rotten working conditions, uprooting your family every few years, being away from your family for 15 months every other 15 months, and for some, giving up all their tomorrows and never seeing how their lives and the lives of thier families would have turned out.

Now don't get me wrong, we in the military chose this way of life and each man's reason is different at first. Then after awhile it morphs into something else, pretty much the same thing for most everyone. What this is is something that no one will understand unless they have been in the military for a number of years, and I don't have the time or inclination to try to explain it. You don't have to like us, you don't have to even look at us but don't talk to us like we are the bane of your existance and keeping you from living on easy street. Just don't castigate us and try to appricate what you have been given.

Sorry for that rant guys.

 

[FLynes]

WDaniels, I couldn't have said it better, brother!



JDiepstra, I gave up a four-year free ride to Syracuse University in 1991 to join the Army; I played Lacrosse and was damn good at it. I also had a 3. 74 GPA AND scored a 1470 on my SAT.



I joined while I was a senior in high school, the day after Desert Storm started, and there were no signing bonuses then. I wanted to serve my country. I don't expect anything from my country; I understand that you were too selfish to give up what you had to serve. I have paid for my own education and have my degree; my GI Bill is going to my kids.



My father, served in the Navy, during the Vietnam War; my grandfather, served during WWII and piloted a LCVP, carrying wounded soldiers from the shores of Omaha Beach back to a waiting hospital ship; my great-grandfather, served during WWI as an infantryman and was gassed in the Argonne Forrest and died a few years later, riddled with cancer from the mustard gas; my great great-grandfather fought his way up San Juan Hill during the Spanish American War; my 3rd great-grandfather rode with Stonewall Jackson's Brigade, because he believed in individual States' rights; my 4th great-grandfather fought in the War of 1812 to kick the British back to where they belonged and finally both my 5th great-grandfather and his father fought in the War of Independence (you know it as the Revolution) because they believed in freedom.



The housing I have lived in would be considered sub-standard by civilian standards; the bathroom in my house in Hawaii fell through the floor, because there was no subfloor to support it... it took seven months for the work order to be completed so that my bathroom could be fixed. The Basic Allowance for Housing I received in Maryland was $1683/mo... . my house payment was $1740/mo. , and that was for a three bedroom townhouse 40 minutes away from Fort Meade.



So you see, JDiepstra, I serve in the Armed Forces because I love my country, and because it is a family tradition which I care deeply enough to continue and there's no amount of money that can compensate me for that. I don't do it for the money; I do it because of honor and a commitment to keeping this country free for donkeys like you who would never think to selflessly give anything up of their own volition.



You've proven, with your ignorant, untrue comments, that you know nothing of the military and you blindly spout what you hear on TV, and you are not worth responding to again. If there's a feature on this forum to ignore knuckleheads, you are now on it.

 

[AABEN]

YES i was making a remark to J Diepstra # 6 I have sirved my country and i thought that the remark to the man in sirves was out of line I also like reading you post . I am glad you ask me. Have a good day -------BEN



I found out how to use spell check

 

[jhoughton]

JDiepstra,



You are obviously an ignorant *** to say the least. If you think things in the military are so great maybe you should have tried it before you slammed it.

 

[JDiepstra]

You guys are all so defensive.



WDaniels. You didn't prove one thing I said to be wrong, you basically just don't think it's enough money. And don't you think that by the time you retire you should already have your house and car paid off, and our kids out of college? If not, maybe you should keep working a few more years.



And FLynes, which of my comments are untrue? Not one. Sorry dude. $1740 for a house payment huh? Man, my 3 bedroom house costs me $1100 a month and I bought it brand new! Make some better choices!

 

[Grizzly]

JDiepstra is out of line. I sure would like to see him in the front line in Iraq. He'd be singing a different tune now.



My hats off to anyone who has served in the military. I too wore the uniform proudly for eight years and never regretted a day of it.

 

[GIT-R-DONE]

People going into the military get huge signing bonuses, housing and other allowances, education paid for, tax breaks, duty pay, and generous retirement benifits among other things that most other people don't

JDiepstra,

You had better do a little more research on the topic that you are ranting on. Signing bonuses, those are because NO one wants to do those rotten, lousy dirty jobs. Or even better yet, to try to get the people who've been trained to do a job to stay in the military and not take "safe and secure" job that pays MUCH MORE in the civilian sector. I've been in this man's military for 30 years and I've never had my education paid for, tax breaks mostly come with someones bullets heading your way, duty pay? Only people that get that are ones on ships in the navy that I know of and they deserve twice what they get. Housing, I think we've seen just how nice the housing is that a lot of our military people live in this last 2 or three weeks in the news. And the last time I read our history, you, me and everyone else in this country and a good portion of the world do owe something to the military person who served. (and not just our military either) "Freedom is most definately not free. " And the funniest one of all, "generous retirement benefits" Now that is genuinely a great knee slapper! If you can live on somewhere around 2k a month before taxes,(if your an E-7 over 26 years) can make a house payment, car payment, put the kids through college and what ever else life throws at you, just you let me know your secret! And for all this we get to miss our children growing up, Christmas's, birthdays, rotten working conditions, uprooting your family every few years, being away from your family for 15 months every other 15 months, and for some, giving up all their tomorrows and never seeing how their lives and the lives of thier families would have turned out.

Now don't get me wrong, we in the military chose this way of life and each man's reason is different at first. Then after awhile it morphs into something else, pretty much the same thing for most everyone. What this is is something that no one will understand unless they have been in the military for a number of years, and I don't have the time or inclination to try to explain it. You don't have to like us, you don't have to even look at us but don't talk to us like we are the bane of your existance and keeping you from living on easy street. Just don't castigate us and try to appricate what you have been given.

Sorry for that rant guys.

Some people just don't/won't ever understand this. And to think we all could be speaking another language right now if not for the Armed Services. So much being taken for granted these days.

 

[jeepit]

Spending money on Beer does make alot of sense. But it must be American beer made with American grains/ingredients.



Unfortunately, my favorite brand of beer is owned by SAB.



I can't win.



I think I'll just buy a truckload of American wood and have a big campfire and watch it go up in smoke.

Find a local brewery. I ended up bringing a 1/4 barrell of Octoberfest from Calumet brewery in Chilton WI.

 

[WDaniels]

JDiepstra,

Your right, I didn't prove anything to you, I didn't set out to prove anything and with your mind set nothing ever will..... except you still have no idea what you are talking about. You don't want to know what you are talking about and it seems that you revel in displaying how little know about this subject. Then you defend that stand spouting nonsense like you are a subject matter expert. The only reason I said anything at all is because you insulted me and all my brothers and sisters in the services with your

"unknowledgeable" gibberish. Your last statement speaks volumns about your attitude. If you want to live in ignorance on what made your life and mine worth while be my guest, it is your right and all my brothers and sisters in the services will defend that right with everything that we have.

Happy trails.

WD

 

[Alphacowboy]

Flynes and WDaniels, very nicely done my friends, your last couple posts are dead on. I am not even military, and I agree with you 100%. JD, maybe you should do a little research before you spout off again, seriously, your posts so far in this thread disgust me. People dont join the military because they are poor, stupid, and looking for something cheap, you have been listening to way to many TV commentators and brain dead professors. I do not know of one person that joined for the money, they joined because they felt they needed to do something for this country, a drive to serve, something you obviously dont grasp. Every person I know that is military, are probably the most generous of everyone. They give way more than they expect in return, something the rest of the spoiled population of this country could learn a little from. These guys are willing to DIE for our freedom and protection, how about you JD, would you take a bullet to save your neighbor, or would you step aside and let him take the bullet? The drive to serve, is something I believe is a deep down root of ones being, and cant really be described. I have it, its there, but unfortunately I personally know I couldnt handle the mental strain of battle, or conflict. I was very close to being a Navy enlistee, as well as almost went to school to be a Police officer, but again, I just dont have the nerves to handle what it is they have to endure everyday. But, I respect them, yeah, there is a few bad apples, but I am sure there are far less bad apples in the military than there are in the rest of the trades across this country.



JD, I had to respond to this, as it really ticks me off when people spout off like ya did. I would love to here why it is you think the way you do about the military and such, as for me, it is so far out of phase it in a weird way intregues me.



Oh, and I spent my rebate... . on bills :{



Oh, and JD, just because your house payment is 1100 doesnt mean his could be as well! He lives in a different area than you, housing prices are completely different from one place to another. To assume that he could buy a suitable place for less than 1700 a month is ignorant on your part, as you have no idea about housing prices in his area. And if you read his post about it, he said he lives 40 minutes away, and is in a town home, you cant get much cheaper than that my friend. To even put this into perspective even more, here, where I live, a 3bdrm 2bth, ~2k sq ft house goes for ~280-300k... . that same house in other parts of the country would sell for 180k and even as low at 75k. 20 minutes away, you could pay 220k or even 600k for that same house depending which direction you drive. Yeah, maybe he could find a 3bdrm house for 1100 a month, but if its 2 hrs away, does that even make sense?



Not trying to drag this out even more, and attack you futher JD, but why do I get the feeling you are a college grad, and work in education for some reason?

 

[Crash&Burn]

How to spend your stimulus check - 05/06/2008 - MiamiHerald.com

Buy something for your grandkids... . since they are the ones who are going to be PAYING for it. . :-laf

 

[Buffalo]

In the past, I seem to recall reading some of JDiepstra's reply's to other threads. One thing I'm noticing is that he seems to enjoy sharing his controversial opinions. Not that he doesn't have the right to them. However, his opinions are an embarrasment to me & others, it seems.



It must be very difficult for those in the Military to put their lives & life on the line to protect & insure his right to his opinion. Thank you for your service & sacrifices to EVERYONE in this Country. Especially on this day, Memorial Day.



Thanks to FLynes, WDaniels & others who wrote so eloquently in this thread. I'm sorry that you have to deal with this type of behavior & only hope you don't encounter it often. Unfortunately, this behavior is not new. Many Vietnam Vets encountered it upon their return from their tours of duty.



I wonder if mandatory military service, for everyone, wouldn't be a good idea. Maybe some of us would feel more of a part of this Country. I know my service (AF, 1965-1969) sure did me a lot of good. Don't regret it, at all.



Joe F. (Buffalo)

 

[Chief USA]

I love how some of you military guys think the rest of the country owes you something. Couldn't get into college Flynes? That's probably why you signed up. Do you really think that no mechanic has died when a truck fell on them? Do you really think that electricians don't die from being electrocuted and that no garbage man has ever been killed on the job? If that is the case, you are sorely mistaken. Also, I have heard you say that "if it wasn't for us you'd be speaking Arabic and praying to Allah, or you'd be missing your head" about a billion times. Also, to adress pay concerns. People going into the military get huge signing bonuses, housing and other allowances, education paid for, tax breaks, duty pay, and generous retirement benifits among other things that most other people don't.

JDiepstra,



You know... ..... at first when I read this mindless jibberish I was outraged. People who think like you are not worth my time on the key board. A few points of information for you... ... .



1. When I was on active duty, the soldiers I knew worked a 60 to 80 hour work week, on occasion more, during war MUCH more.



2. Most military members spend about 50% or more of their time away from home, family, friends (speaking at least for those I worked with)



3. Most civilian jobs I am aware of don't involve working in an environment requiring running for cover from inbound SCUD missiles, bullets, or artilary, much less rushing wounded and dead co-workers to medical care.



4. You might want to rethink the jiberish AFTER you have walked a mile in a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine's boots.



I will make a suggestion though. You should take a nice long walk through Arlington Nation Cemetary or any of this sick and dying nation's national cemetaries and read the headstones. You won't find many who died "when a truck fell on them" or any of the other jibberish you spouted off. You will find ordinary brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for this now sick and dying nation and for their brothers and sisters in arms.



"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. " or his country and countrymen.



Obviously the point is lost on you but we ALL stand on the shoulders of these brave men and women living lives of GREAT abundance.



For everyone else, on this day... ..... Memorial Day, please take a moment to reflect and comprehend how many we hold in honor and rememberance of their great service and sacrifice so that we all might live in freedom and liberty.



Best wishes to everyone this Memorial Day and thank you to ALL the veterans and active duty folks for your service, you do a GREAT job and deserve great credit and recognition!



On edit: My apologies to DeezelDood and others for the off topic reply. I felt compelled to get this bur out from under my saddle.

 

[WDaniels]

Chief,

Retired Army Aviation huh? My hats off to you and a great big salute. Been jet engine mechanic since 1978.

WD

 

[BILLVO]

What do I plan to do with my rebate check? Sit on it till the KGB... . I mean the IRS takes it again in the form of my next quarterly. #@$%!:{

That is what is going to happen with ours also. We haven't gotten it yet but it should show in time for my wife to pay here quarterly and it won't even cover that.



Another of our govs ways to screw us. My wife owns / runs a small business and I make 3 times more than here at my job than her business and she has to pay quarterly estimated taxes based off "OUR" combined income and not her business income. Making it really hard for her to stay afloat in business. That on top of the fact she rides my insurance and she has no retirement of her own because uncle sam takes all of what she would have to invest goes for taxes. #@$%!



Go USA Gov... ..... way to support what this country was built on. :-{}

 

[GAmes]

I love how some of you military guys think the rest of the country owes you something. Couldn't get into college... ... . People going into the military get huge signing bonuses, housing and other allowances, education paid for, tax breaks, duty pay, and generous retirement benifits among other things that most other people don't.

Your ignorance is overwhelming, you don't have a clue. My country owes me nothing, I'd gladly give another 27 years of service if it was physically possible. Living in the U. S. A. is a privilege that can't be measured in any context. It's a pity that your only focus is money. As for college, I paid my way through while supporting a family and serving my country. You sound like the type that went on Daddy's dime.