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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Road Walker who wrote (285694)	4/28/2006 6:35:06 PM
From: tejek	Respond to of 1572938

It gets better......... Pentagon Bills Injured Soldiers $1.2 Million From the Associated Press April 28, 2006 WASHINGTON — After suffering paralysis, brain damage, lost limbs and other wounds in war, nearly 900 soldiers have been saddled with $1.2 million in government debt because of the military's "complex, cumbersome" pay system, congressional investigators said Thursday. The report from the Government Accountability Office said another 400 who died in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan had $300,000 in debt but that the Defense Department did not pursue reimbursement from the estates of those who were killed in combat. "We found that hundreds of separated battle-injured soldiers were pursued for collection of military debts incurred through no fault of their own," said the report. It said that included seeking reimbursement for errors in pay or for equipment left on the battlefield. The problem became known months ago as soldiers began to complain and lawmakers asked for the report. The Pentagon said it had been working to resolve it. "My experience is the military … when these things are reported to them, work aggressively to resolve them," said Defense Department spokesman Bryan Whitman. "Not by way of trying to make any excuses, it's clear that our … processes could be shored up to try to prevent some of these … from happening." "It's unconscionable," Ryan Kelly, 25, a retired staff sergeant who lost a leg to a roadside bomb, told the Washington Post. He said he spent more than a year trying to fend off a debt of $2,231. "It's sad that we'd let that happen," Kelly said. Kelly told the Post that in 2004, months after learning to walk on a prosthesis, he opened his mailbox to find a letter saying he was in debt to the government — and in jeopardy of referral to a collection agency. "It hits you in the gut," he said. "It's like, 'Thanks for your service, and now you owe us.' " The Post reported that the underlying problem is an antiquated computer system for paying and tracking members of the military. Pay records are not integrated with personnel records, creating numerous errors. When soldiers leave the battlefield, for example, they lose a pay differential, but the system can take time to lower their pay. The government then tries to recoup overpayments, docking pay for active-duty troops and sending debt notices to those who have left the military. Eventually, the government sends private agencies to collect debts and notifies credit bureaus. latimes.com

To: Road Walker who wrote (285694)	4/29/2006 10:25:24 AM
From: tejek	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1572938

This one blows my mind.......who the hell do they think they are? I suspect there will be violence during their boycott on Monday. 'Nuestro Himno' Foes Say U.S. Song Should Be in English By Martin Miller, Times Staff Writer April 29, 2006 A chorus of Americans, including President Bush and conservative local talk radio hosts, voiced their opinion Friday that the national anthem should be English-only. A controversial Spanish-language version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" called "Nuestro Himno" debuted over the nation's airwaves Friday. Sung by an ensemble of Latino pop music stars, the newly mixed song — the title translates to "Our Anthem" — was played mostly on Spanish-language stations. It was written to inspire solidarity among protesters for Monday's planned nationwide demonstrations over immigration reform. "I think people who want to be a citizen of this country ought to learn English and they ought to learn to sing the national anthem in English," Bush said in the Rose Garden, during a question-and-answer session with reporters. The Spanish-language version, which alters Francis Scott Key's original words, struck an immediate sour note with many Americans who jammed switchboards at local radio stations. The song quickly became a lightning rod for the anger many feel about the nation's immigration policies. "Never underestimate the power of symbolism when it involves the flag and the national anthem," said John Kobylt, co-host of "The John and Ken Show," which airs afternoons locally on KFI-AM (640). "Our audience has gone nuts over this. We got tons of e-mail and most are furious." The duo opened their Friday afternoon show with the Spanish version. "It's a clear statement from illegal aliens — and I don't know if they are intending this or not — but it says 'we're not assimilating,' " Kobylt said. But even at stations that serve primarily Spanish speakers, the song hardly opened to universal praise. During immigration protests in March, some Spanish-language disc jockeys sensitive to American attitudes over its cultural icons disapproved of the widespread display of Mexican flags. "We really have gotten mixed reviews to the song, but it clearly has hit a nerve," said David L. Haymore, vice president and general manager of Spanish Broadcasting System, which owns KLAX-FM (97.9 La Raza) and KXOL-FM (Latino 96.3). "Some see it as disrespectful, but others in the community see it as adding flavor to what this country is all about." There was little indecision among callers to "The Al Rantel Show," a conservative talk show on KABC-AM (790), where the song quickly became a segue into talk about illegal immigration. "A display of more madness that hasn't been checked," said a caller who identified himself as Brian. "I didn't know if it was something more or less to thumb their noses at us," said caller named Stephen. "It's like, 'We're here and you better learn Spanish fast.' " For his part, Rantel told listeners: "You don't mess with a country's national anthem. It's a bad PR move." The song takes liberties with Francis Scott Key's original words. For instance, an English translation of parts of the second verse of "Nuestro Himno" reads: "The time has come to break the chains. Throughout the night they proclaimed, 'We will defend it!' Tell me! Does its starry beauty still wave Above the land of the free, The sacred flag?" latimes.com