Generation "WHY?"

[JimH]

Maybe this is off topic...but I read this on TMZ last night.....

Former "Bachelor" bachelor Andy Baldwin just got back from the island of Palau in the South Pacific -- not on vacation, on a mission with the Navy. Now let's talk about why we the taxpayers are footing the bill on such BS.

Baldwin was among 20 military types who were on a search mission in the middle of the ocean. What, you ask, were they looking for? A B-24J bomber that went down during the war. Not Iraq. Not Vietnam. No, not Korea. We're talking WWII, as in more than 60 years ago.

Turns out, the military spends $52 million each year to find the remains of missing soldiers -- it's part of the POW/MIA program. That's all well and good depending on the circumstances. But a crash that is ancient history, at a time when the economy sucks and the Federal government is sucking the life out of everyone with taxes??

Baldwin, a Navy medic and diver, and crew found what could be human remains. We're told it's all being tested in the lab and it could take months, even years, to determine identities. At least he got a really good tan.

[Jack Cook]

I see your point clearly Jim and it has very valid points.
But........................................
if they could bring my WWII MIA cousin home and my Korean
War MIA cousin home it would be very be very important to both
myself and my whole family!

[Zachary]

$52 million is a drop in the bucket for the government, and in my opinion it is money very well spent. I think the closure the missing servicemen's families receive is worth every penny. I can think of many other government expeditures that would be more appropriate to complain about than this one, but that's just my opinion...

Zack

[TAdan]

I am pretty sure JimH is just quoting the TMZ article, not bashing the Militaries recovery program.

I saw the segment they had on the TV show and they said the same thing.

[Zachary]

I missed the TMZ part - no offense to Jim intended in my reply.

Zack

[JimH]

lol...I forgot to put quotes around the article...stuff like this rubs me the wrong way.

Jim

[Ryan Keough]

You have been MODERATED... (read in ominous-sounding voice)

I added the quotes for you to avoid more confusion. And what the heck were you doing purposely reading TMZ anyhow?

[Robbie Roberts]

I am offended by TMZ's reporting of this "article"! Who do we write, and how do we get the offending TMZ correspondent "Reeducated"?

Robbie

[Nathan]

Well its great to find out more of the military still studying over these WWII wrecks. It shows interest in them. So I am happy they are doing it. Ya that report is lame. Now if that money was spent on something dumb like a casino no one would complain. Why is it that good deeds always get trampled over?


I say bring the KIA and MIA's home. No man is left behind.

[JimH]

Ummm...I was looking at the pictures.

jim

[fotobass]

Interestingly, there's a poll asking 'Ridiculous waste?' and Yes or No options. The Yes votes are up 51-49%., but of the 125 comments I read, All but a handful are chastising TMZ for their comments.

[Hal B]

Interestingly, there's a poll asking 'Ridiculous waste?' and Yes or No options. The Yes votes are up 51-49%., but of the 125 comments I read, All but a handful are chastising TMZ for their comments.

Where's the poll? We can "fix" that

[Ztex]

Interestingly, there's a poll asking 'Ridiculous waste?' and Yes or No options. The Yes votes are up 51-49%., but of the 125 comments I read, All but a handful are chastising TMZ for their comments.

Where's the poll? We can "fix" that

hehe

http://www.tmz.com/2008/03/20/bachelor- ... n-remains/

[Django]

Comments added!

A**holes.

[fotobass]

This was my comment...I share it here because frankly I was kinda proud of it...

I find it curious that your poll seems to be fairly balanced, yet the comments here seem to be running around an 80:1 ratio against your astonishingly insensitive analysis.

We as a nation ask these young men and women to stand in our defense. Question the current war if you will, but there is no question that WWII was anything but an outright defense of our nation and our values. I believe that, as a nation, we owe those who have made the Ultimate Sacrifice a great debt, and part of that debt includes doing everything in our power to bring them home, no matter long it takes.

And as far as $52 million goes? Allow me to offer some perspective on that figure...the Yankees paid more than that for their top three players last year...

1. Jason Giambi, NYY $23,428,571
2. Alex Rodriguez, NYY $22,708,525
3. Derek Jeter, NYY $21,600,000

I think bringing home our fallen defenders is far more worthy an expenditure.