Second thoughts
by M. Stewart
According to a story in today’s Post-Gazette, “Two airplanes carrying more than 100 passengers narrowly averted a mid-air collision east of Pittsburgh after an Ohio air traffic control trainee told a Delta Air Lines pilot to turn into the path of an oncoming plane.”
A fatal collision was avoided only after a cockpit collision avoidance system alerted the pilots to the danger and one of the pilots took a last-second nosedive, saving the lives of the 127 passengers on board the two aircraft.
According to the newspaper, a spokeswoman for National Air Traffic Controllers said, “We watched the recording of the incident three times and each time I said, 'Oh my God.’ It was the closest call I have ever seen in my 18 years of air traffic control."
However, a Delta Airlines spokeswoman said the passengers "were never in danger."
Which spokeswoman do you believe?
A little closer to home, The Review reports that the Buckeye Water District and the county commissioners have filed an appeal to challenge the $9.7 million judgment issued in February by county Common Pleas Court Judge C. Ashley Pike. The plaintiff in the case was the city of East Liverpool.
According to the newspaper, water district attorney Dennis O’Toole “listed the following issues for review: enforceability and validity of the agreement, computation of the damages, admissibility of the evidence and whether the judgment was against the manifest weight of the evidence.”
As you may recall, Judge’s Pike’s decision was accompanied by strong words of admonishment for BWD officials. Nothing in the decision would lead anyone to believe that “the judgment was against the manifest weight of the evidence.” It seems quite the contrary.
With so much money at stake, I guess an appeal is standard procedure. Even so, there’s not much chance the 7th District Court of Appeals is going to buy BWD’s arguments on second thought. At the very least, the process will provide more time for the water district and the commissioners to figure out how they’re going to pay.
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen when, or if, the county commission will put distance between itself and the water district, whose credibility has sunken below zero.
Finally, how many of you saw the video of the marine who threw the puppy off a cliff in Iraq? [See it here if you want to.] Some have claimed the video is a fake. Obviously, I’m in no position to say, but even if it is fake, there is something seriously wrong with the people involved in shooting this video.
After reading the comments of veterans who recommend dropping nuclear bombs on Afghanistan and Iraq, seeing a couple marines murder a puppy for fun doesn’t strike me as anything unusual.
What do you think?
According to a story in today’s Post-Gazette, “Two airplanes carrying more than 100 passengers narrowly averted a mid-air collision east of Pittsburgh after an Ohio air traffic control trainee told a Delta Air Lines pilot to turn into the path of an oncoming plane.”
A fatal collision was avoided only after a cockpit collision avoidance system alerted the pilots to the danger and one of the pilots took a last-second nosedive, saving the lives of the 127 passengers on board the two aircraft.
According to the newspaper, a spokeswoman for National Air Traffic Controllers said, “We watched the recording of the incident three times and each time I said, 'Oh my God.’ It was the closest call I have ever seen in my 18 years of air traffic control."
However, a Delta Airlines spokeswoman said the passengers "were never in danger."
Which spokeswoman do you believe?
A little closer to home, The Review reports that the Buckeye Water District and the county commissioners have filed an appeal to challenge the $9.7 million judgment issued in February by county Common Pleas Court Judge C. Ashley Pike. The plaintiff in the case was the city of East Liverpool.
According to the newspaper, water district attorney Dennis O’Toole “listed the following issues for review: enforceability and validity of the agreement, computation of the damages, admissibility of the evidence and whether the judgment was against the manifest weight of the evidence.”
As you may recall, Judge’s Pike’s decision was accompanied by strong words of admonishment for BWD officials. Nothing in the decision would lead anyone to believe that “the judgment was against the manifest weight of the evidence.” It seems quite the contrary.
With so much money at stake, I guess an appeal is standard procedure. Even so, there’s not much chance the 7th District Court of Appeals is going to buy BWD’s arguments on second thought. At the very least, the process will provide more time for the water district and the commissioners to figure out how they’re going to pay.
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen when, or if, the county commission will put distance between itself and the water district, whose credibility has sunken below zero.
Finally, how many of you saw the video of the marine who threw the puppy off a cliff in Iraq? [See it here if you want to.] Some have claimed the video is a fake. Obviously, I’m in no position to say, but even if it is fake, there is something seriously wrong with the people involved in shooting this video.
After reading the comments of veterans who recommend dropping nuclear bombs on Afghanistan and Iraq, seeing a couple marines murder a puppy for fun doesn’t strike me as anything unusual.
What do you think?
posted by M. | 5:00 AM
27 Comments:
All the BWD has to do get their money back is increase the water pressure to users in the county for about two months.
That son-of-a-bitch! If THAT's what my tax dollars are going to pay for, Marines throwing defenseless puppies off cliffs, then I will never vote for another tax as long as I live.
Every citizen in this country needs to contact their legislators and ask that this "Marine" and I use the term lightly and his buddy, are court-martialed.
One only has to look at that poor pup's face to know it was terrified and then to listen to its yips as it went over...Oh My God, I don't know that I've ever seen such a cruel and heartless act. And to think it's a member of our military who did it.
That's no fake video, but even if it is and the dog really was not ultimately tossed over the side, look at the fear in its face while the Marine so callously holds it by the scruff of the neck.
I am probably more disgusted by this than anything I've seen in my life.
I intend to contact Gov. Strickland's office today and ask that he insiste an investigation take place.
Ihope you all do the same.
isn't it amazing that all you bleeding hearts get so upset about a damn puppy? Who cares if our sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters are having their legs and limbs blown off. Right? But hey, let's all call Strickland and demand that an investigation be launched into to Puppygate. Gotta love America.
Incredible--
How on earth can you get yourself in a position where you see this as an either/or situation? What you're suggesting is that if someone disapproves of our soldiers killing puppies, they're not concerned about our soldiers being wounded and killed. I know it's hard, but try thinking things through once in a while. You can do it if you try.
M,
I don't think that's what Incredible is saying. But put in prospective the puppy issue is not a point. Sure it was wrong, the whole war is wrong, but put it up against the suicide bombings and terrorist attacks it's nothing.
Also remember marines are trained killers. I know you don't have any idea what that means. Killing is what they do, it's what they are. It's unfortunate about the puppy. I'm sure this simpleton marine will get what's coming to him for such an act.
The only thing "incredible" about you is how incredibly STUPID and OBTUSE you are!
Yes, I support our troops but I DO NOT support a war. We need to come home.
But, in the meantime, our Marines do not need to be participating in something as horrendous as this.
Idiot,
Please explain how you support the troops but not the war. Is this something you do physically or is it a mental exercise?
Combat Vet - Just curious, because you seem to be insinuating that you cannot support the troop and disapprove of the war at the same time, how exactly do you support the troops? Is that done with pom-poms and a megaphone? Maybe some sign painting? Or how about standing up and calling "bullshit" when you recognize that our troops are refereeing a civil war in a country that they should not have been put in in the first place?
Here are two things with our language that bothers me. First, when there is any controversy, people love to attach the suffix GATE to the end of it. Sure, there was Watergate, but recently we've had Spygate and now Puppygate. Can't we come up with something original?
Another thing that bothers me is when someone has an obsession with something the suffix OHOLIC is added. This obviously comes from when someone has a problem with alcohol they are are an alcOHOLIC. How can someone who is addicted to chocolate be called a CHOCOHOLIC? This is a very common phrase that needs to be revised. The worst that I've heard of the OHOLIC groups, as sad as it is to even say would be those addicted to Weird Al called AL-OHOLICS.
As far as the war in Iraq goes, the reason we're there is because after 9/11, EVERYONE was on edge about security and terrorism. Iraq and Saddam Hussein did have weapons of mass destruction, and he used them against his own people. That is why he isn't with us any longer. Instead of being RE-active, our country was PRO-active for once. Was it the best decision in looking back...probably not in every aspect. With 20/20 hindsight vision, it's easy to look at the flaws, but how many people who point them out were ready and willing to attack the world and "make the entire middle east a parking lot" in the times after 9/11? Our country hasn't been attacked since 9/11 and few people mention that.
One last item of note that I'm sure will offend some people...Barack Obama is telling everyone he is the candidate who opposed the war in Iraq. The statement he has never made is that he voted against going to war in Iraq. Many have erroneously stated as his supporters that he didn't vote for going to war in Iraq. In actuality, Obama didn't vote FOR or AGAINST the war. Why? He wasn't elected into Congress until after we went into Iraq. So, it is quite easy for someone sitting on the sidelines to criticize those who made a very difficult decision in a very difficult time with the given information at that time. Would he have voted against it? Would he have voted for it? It's difficult to say, but interesting to ponder.
To me this has nothing to do with supporting troops or war or anything else. This guy and his buddies are sick and have no business representing this country on any level. All the good that our soldiers have done that doesn't make the headlines will now really be put on the back burner. This is needless killing, not done for survival, food or even as sport as some hunters do with vermin. I hunt with a camera, but do not condemn the hunter that hunts for sport and eats his kills. This guy has all the makings of a serial killer.
DLE,
Did I not ask the question? I insinuated nothing. It's a simple question. Can you answer it? Can anyone answer it? If so please do.
There are a lot of fake videos out there. I'm not even sure those were real Marines. But the more the video is out there, the bigger the boner on the assholes who created it. People create fake things all the time to become youtube stars.
Just watched it. I really do not believe it was real. The sound was dubbed in and the puppy wasn't even moving around while it was being held. It's silly and stupid...but I really don't think it was for real.
I'm a vet and I support our troops but I personally do not agree with this war, we should have never been in Iraq. We should have had the largest presence in Afganistan. But we don't, now they're taking it back and they have the largest opium crop that they ever produced. On whose watch? You can support your soldiers by supporting logistics and seeing that they are morally supported and supplied the equipment they need, however, this administration isn't doing that. Our troops are not being provided the equipment they need. They've had to scrounge it through their own resources. There are alot of our troops that don't agree with this war but they are there because they chose to serve our country and to obey the orders they are given, whether they believe in the war or not. The only soldiers you see put in front of the media by this administration are staged. You don't hear the negative. Not everyone in Nam believed that we should have been there, but it didn't stop the war, there was a job to do, whether you agreed with it or not. Yes, you can fight because you swore and took an oath to protect and fight for our country, whether you believed in the cause and supportged it or not. Citizens have that same right. That's why we fought, for that freedom to express our opinions freely.
"idiot"...your screen name is apr..., well...I'll be nice.
"Combat Vet" is absolutely correct...you CANNOT support the troops but not the war...got it? It is their JOB to fight...that is what our military is trained to do, not some mamby-pamby, kumbaya "relief" mission...that's a job for the wimps in the blue helmets (UN).
"sick to heart": I hope your statement was tongue-in-cheek, cause you are gettin' WAY too excited...so take it easy on the caffeine, huh? The video MAY BE fake, that's why the dog's "yip" is not tailing off as it fades away from the camera...the dog may be already dead or it's a stuffed animal.
I'm not the only one who've noted that there are many in the blogosphere who already hate the military (leftist scum) and will find ANY excuse to trash our brave warriors in harm's way who are defending those same leftist scum's freedom to say stupid presumptuous crap and not get beheaded for it.
I am more disgusted by your comments "sick to heart" than anything I've seen in MY life! Uh, you may wanna call your FEDERAL delegation, your gov'ner doesn't have a whole lot of say in federal matters...and besides, the Marine Corps police their own. Nobody as a group is more sickened by this "act" than the men and women of high moral character in our U.S. Marine Corps. If it's authentic, that young Marine will get his a$$ kicked up AND down the chain of command (and probably a BCD)...unlike the total lack of discipline, integrity and accountability in our high schools and universities.
And your comment Matt...sounds like you have a little "warrior envy" also...
God bless our brave men and women in our military and our nation!
- 20 year Naval Aviation vet
Combat Vet, what I mean is I support the men and women who are fighting in Iraq and elsewhere, although I think the war itself is needless. It's another Vietnam and it is doing NOTHING to protect OUR freedom, just that of a bunch of people who don't want us there in the first place (just like Vietnam, just like Korea).
When it started as a reaction to the 9-11 attacks on this country, I could understand trying to find and kill Osama Bin Laden; it has now become a useless exercise in futility and is getting innoncent men and women killed...and now puppies.
I do not respect an American soldier who would do what these Marines did, no matter how you want to spin it or say they are "trained to kill." They are trained to kill the enemy, not defenseless puppies.
How ridiculous.
Going into the service is a job, a dangerous job but everybody knows that when they sign on. The guys that wrap themself in the flag and want you to bow down and kiss their ass aren't the real thing. Real combat vets don't talk about it, they rather forget it.
Oh my god , I couldn't have said better. I also support our troops but NOT THE WAR, I don't care if we are there another 50 yrs. when we leave it will go right back to the way it was. Get Hillary in and all our guys and girls will come home, before any more are killed or wounded.
Matt, some of these comments are so insane that I have a hard time believing they aren't meant as satire. For example the ELO nativeinWA. Can people actually be that crazy or stupid? People like that make me so ashamed of my country! He can't be real.
If you are a taxpayer in this country you automatically support the war, the troops and the entire military establishment just as much as you pay for Ted Kennedy's booze tab in the Senate.
I asked the question just to see what people would say. Just saying you support the troops or don't support the war is what is known in '60s terms as "a cop out". Words are powerful things, but unless backed up with actions are meaningless. That gets me back to supporting the war and the troops by being a taxpayer, if you pay taxes you support the troops and the war. Period. Go fish.
I don't hear anyone coming out and saying they left the portion of their taxes out that supports the war and the troops mainly because they'll just come and take it from you anyway. By the way the Iraq war costs you $1 billion a day.
As for the troops, well they are just doing a job and it so happens the job is sometimes dangerous. You should cut them a little slack because they are young and somewhat naive. Those troops stationed in Iraq and other countries are not defending our country. If they were defending our country they would be here not defending the Iraqis from themselves.
[Quote:and besides, the Marine Corps police their own]
Yeah, they did a hell of a job on these two dog killers.
[Quote: I'm a vet and I support our troops but I personally do not agree with this war, we should have never been in Iraq.]
If a veteran thinks like this I don't feel too stupid, cause I do, too.
[Quote:"sick to heart": I hope your statement was tongue-in-cheek, cause you are gettin' WAY too excited...so take it easy on the caffeine, huh? ]
How could you even think this was made tongue-in-cheek? Do you not see the problem with anyone, especially a member of the military, deliberatly killing a dog like this? Two words, asshole: Michael Vick.
Not to change the subject but, can someone explain to methis stimulis check. The avg is going ot be $890.00. Bush says this is going to spark the economy and in turn, get our working families back on their feet. We have lost over 80,000 american jobs recently (the highest in 5 yrs) and this is going to put us back on our feet. Let me add what I could do with the 890.00. I could pay my delinquent gas bill of 385.00 Nice when ya think, I keep my thermostat on 60. Dress warmer and all. Then I could buy a tank of gas for my truck, that should be around 65.00 Then I'll pay my water bill of 120.00. My electric of 215.00 ( trying to live in the dark is hard, but I'm trying.) Then I'm going to splerge, I'm paying my cable and phone at 95.00. Buy a 1/4 full buggie of groceries. then I'm going to pocket the rest for more gas in the truck, so I can get to work. Wow, I'm gonna be rich. We are in a recession people. By the way, hope and pray that Baard Energy goes thru and helps this area, before it's to late.
Matt:
You are exactly right, this isnt an either/or situation. People should be able to seperate it. I think puppygate might be going a little far. I dont see how someone can say something like incredible said. Maybe some of these post will help clear his mind. They are thought provoking and might help him sort it out.
http://www.dogsrule.com/03Adoption/Million%20Dog%20Mosaic/Default.aspx
If you go there and post a photo of your dog, Pedigree will donate a dollar toward pet adoption programs.
That is, if you really want to help dogs instead of whining about a fake video created by some sick juvenile delinquents.
If you REALLY want to help dogs, why not donate your money to any of the MANY rescues/shelters we have right here in the county:
County Dog Pound
Columbiana County Humane Society
Alchemy Acres
Angels for Animals
CHAT
Cat Brigade
St. Francis Association (Wellsville, not sure of proper name)
Or turn in the lowlifes you see neglecting and abusing their dogs and cats. There are plenty.
Got this from a friend this morning:
"Thought you might like to know that I contacted some friends - who happen to be either in or retired from service - and these guys are now under investigation for their actions. Best recommendation would be to contact the state reps / military officials and ask that they be dishonorably discharged from service and face prosecution for animal cruelty."
Apparently it was not a hoax, then?
Why don't we contact your friends who are either in or retired from the service? And they told you to contact military officials eh? I don't think so.
I think the hoax is your post.
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