Poppies!

[Andaluciae]

Dear, you know you can't resist.

I am not your daddy. I can resist you.

Playing hard to get, you fox

I know how much you like to play games but we all know the truth: You're a treasure.

[WITCHA]

by Eofaerwic » Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:02 am

So, have you got yours?


I'm from the Republic of Ireland, both my Grandfather's, 1Irish and 1English fought in WW11.
I am very proud of my heritage.
My Mother who is English and I sell Poppies every year here in Ireland.
Some People who I have known all my life refuse to speak to me when they see me selling Poppies, but think it's ok to speak to me at other times. Which to be honest I find very funny, needless to say I have no time for People like them.
The problem here in Ireland is that they think any money raised for Poppies is sent to England for the army to use, which is false.

So in answer to your question : Yes I have got mine

[Mad hatters in jeans]

by Eofaerwic » Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:02 am

So, have you got yours?


I'm from the Republic of Ireland, both my Grandfather's, 1Irish and 1English fought in WW11.
I am very proud of my heritage.
My Mother who is English and I sell Poppies every year here in Ireland.
Some People who I have known all my life refuse to speak to me when they see me selling Poppies, but think it's ok to speak to me at other times. Which to be honest I find very funny, needless to say I have no time for People like them.
The problem here in Ireland is that they think any money raised for Poppies is sent to England for the army to use, which is false.

So in answer to your question : Yes I have got mine

[Castleclose]

I have and wear one.

For clarity I live in Dublin, Ireland.

[Mad hatters in jeans]

I have and wear one.

For clarity I live in Dublin, Ireland.

I like the sound of clarity, where does she live? got her number?

[The chrisman union]

Yeah, I got mine. Been wearing it to school, it's quite the attention attractor

[Ralvey]

Lest we forget, armies across the world spend a lot of money marketing themselves to young (wo)men leaving school with few to no qualifications as the easy way to a fulfilling life. Once you sign up for what sounds like a great deal (pension, travel, "adventure" etc) you are sent off into situations you perhaps don't realise the extent of. Pressures from the right-leaning redtops in the UK are also unhelpful in dissuading people from running off for a slice of dulce et decorum. As such I think we have a duty to care of those short changed by our governments (and thus "ordinary" charities also receive my donations, before you go there).

I find it hard to believe that anyone joins the armed forces without even an inkling that there might be some killing involved in the job. Just because they think they'll get great benefits in exchange for occasional killing doesn't really make me think they're as much the victims of war as civilians.

If you joined the army in peace time, you might have thought it'd be an easy ride 'til you got out. Not exactly a great point, but relevant(ish)

I'll concede; perhaps it was an overstatement, but when anyone is grievously injured to the point of unemployability, due to consequences out of their control, I'd say they (and, let's not forget, their families) deserve a little support. Especially when the killing part is dumbed down so recruitment uses online games to hook new recruits, thus dehumanising any future enemy (they are just part of the Game).

Hearing from my RoI counterparts makes me jealous. I'd probably get beaten up if I wore a poppy in certain parts of Belfast. Though it does not take much to provoke that response here.

[Fassitude]

Playing hard to get, you fox
I know how much you like to play games but we all know the truth: You're a treasure.

I gots booty, all right.

[Demen]

War helps to speed up technological advancement. The loss of a few million lives will benefit the other 6 billion of us. At that ratio, the loss is very low and i think its worth the risk.

Go troll someone else. Shoo.

You say all veterans are monsters and you call him a troll? I fail to see the relevence of your arguement.

[The Imperial Commissar]

I always wear mine. I'm heavily tattooed, one of which being poppies starting from the top of my left hand going just below halfway up my arm. Once finished it'll go to the shoulder.

I find it hard to believe that anyone joins the armed forces without even an inkling that there might be some killing involved in the job. Just because they think they'll get great benefits in exchange for occasional killing doesn't really make me think they're as much the victims of war as civilians.

Just noticed this. When I joined the Canadian Forces I was asked in my initial interview if I had issues, should the situation call for it, with taking a life. Yes or no. Clearly since I'm in my 5th year I answered no. If someone were to try and kill me or another soldier I wouldn't hesitate in the decision to save their life by taking the others.

[Eofaerwic]

But most are neither esteemed heroes nor conscripted... They are were just ordinary people doing their jobs.

Actually if we're talking WWII vets, who are probably still the major recipients of British Legion funds, most of them were conscripted. But I take your point about ordinary people doing their jobs, unfortunatley their jobs resulted in them suffering long-term consequences, both physical and mental, and the simple fact is they do not get the support needed from the government.

[Barzan]

I bet they weren't even let them have a minute silence come 11am on the 11th of November.

Unfortunatley I won't either since I'm having my viva at 10am on the 11th and I seirously doubt that it's going to only take an hour.

On the other hand at my actual work they're actually holding a momorial service in the morning of the 11th.

You have to work on the 11th? I thought it would be a stat holiday in the UK. Then again, it isn't here except in a few provinces.

The 11th isn't - the official holiday is Remeberance Sunday. But a lot of places observe a 2 minutes silence on the 11th hour of the 11th.

Huh. Well here Remembrance Day is on the 11th, and it's a stat holiday, so I don't have to work. If it wasn't raining, I'd go to the memorial service they have downtown at Victory Square, but it always rains on 11 November. (Hell, it rains every day in November.) I'll watch the services on television.

Veterans back then didn't volunteer to go to war, it's not there fault.

Yes, it is. Doing the dirty work is still doing the dirty work.

but is that really the veterans fault?

Yes. They weren't mindless automata. They are not without culpability.

What are you talking about? These people fought in the Great War. This isn't Vietnam or Iraq. People didn't have any choice, they were fighting men of more or less equal capability and of a similar culture. Don't diss the men in WWI and II.

[Cubic kms]

But most are neither esteemed heroes nor conscripted... They are were just ordinary people doing their jobs.

Actually if we're talking WWII vets, who are probably still the major recipients of British Legion funds, most of them were conscripted. But I take your point about ordinary people doing their jobs, unfortunatley their jobs resulted in them suffering long-term consequences, both physical and mental, and the simple fact is they do not get the support needed from the government.

Sorry, i was talking in context... i don't live in the UK

But yes, soldiers are treated like batteries. After they run out, you dispose of them. That is the viewpoint of the government. Same with every other human, we become redundant after a certain age. A soldier just runs out earlier than most others.

These veterans protected the people in power, the government body and their interests. And the government is voted into power by society. Therefore the veterans were protecting society's interests. Then shouldn't it be society's job to provide for these veterans after they've done their job?

[Barzan]

But most are neither esteemed heroes nor conscripted... They are were just ordinary people doing their jobs.

Actually if we're talking WWII vets, who are probably still the major recipients of British Legion funds, most of them were conscripted. But I take your point about ordinary people doing their jobs, unfortunatley their jobs resulted in them suffering long-term consequences, both physical and mental, and the simple fact is they do not get the support needed from the government.

Sorry, i was talking in context... i don't live in the UK

But yes, soldiers are treated like batteries. After they run out, you dispose of them. That is the viewpoint of the government. Same with every other human, we become redundant after a certain age. A soldier just runs out earlier than most others.

These veterans protected the people in power, the government body and their interests. And the government is voted into power by society. Therefore the veterans were protecting society's interests. Then shouldn't it be society's job to provide for these veterans after they've done their job?

Soldiers put their asses on the line for the politicians to play their games, the least the politicians can do is provide them with something in their old age.

[Cubic kms]

But most are neither esteemed heroes nor conscripted... They are were just ordinary people doing their jobs.

Actually if we're talking WWII vets, who are probably still the major recipients of British Legion funds, most of them were conscripted. But I take your point about ordinary people doing their jobs, unfortunatley their jobs resulted in them suffering long-term consequences, both physical and mental, and the simple fact is they do not get the support needed from the government.

Sorry, i was talking in context... i don't live in the UK

But yes, soldiers are treated like batteries. After they run out, you dispose of them. That is the viewpoint of the government. Same with every other human, we become redundant after a certain age. A soldier just runs out earlier than most others.

These veterans protected the people in power, the government body and their interests. And the government is voted into power by society. Therefore the veterans were protecting society's interests. Then shouldn't it be society's job to provide for these veterans after they've done their job?

Soldiers put their asses on the line for the politicians to play their games, the least the politicians can do is provide them with something in their old age.

And who picked those politicians? We did. Its through our decisions that made those veterans like that. Everyone has a responsibility to these people. We can't just point fingers at those in charge when we're too cheap to put in some money for these people.

If half of everyone in the UK of working age (i'm gonna guess 20% of total pop (61.4 mil - '08)) put in $1 for this cause every year, the total would be $12.28 mil for support. Would you rather do this or for the government to increase taxes?

[Barzan]

But most are neither esteemed heroes nor conscripted... They are were just ordinary people doing their jobs.

Actually if we're talking WWII vets, who are probably still the major recipients of British Legion funds, most of them were conscripted. But I take your point about ordinary people doing their jobs, unfortunatley their jobs resulted in them suffering long-term consequences, both physical and mental, and the simple fact is they do not get the support needed from the government.

Sorry, i was talking in context... i don't live in the UK

But yes, soldiers are treated like batteries. After they run out, you dispose of them. That is the viewpoint of the government. Same with every other human, we become redundant after a certain age. A soldier just runs out earlier than most others.

These veterans protected the people in power, the government body and their interests. And the government is voted into power by society. Therefore the veterans were protecting society's interests. Then shouldn't it be society's job to provide for these veterans after they've done their job?

Soldiers put their asses on the line for the politicians to play their games, the least the politicians can do is provide them with something in their old age.

And who picked those politicians? We did. Its through our decisions that made those veterans like that. Everyone has a responsibility to these people. We can't just point fingers at those in charge when we're too cheap to put in some money for these people.

If half of everyone in the UK of working age (i'm gonna guess 20% of total pop (61.4 mil - '08)) put in $1 for this cause every year, the total would be $12.28 mil for support. Would you rather do this or for the government to increase taxes?

I give the money for the poppy because I respect them, especially the ones from the World Wars, which were, in my opinion, the last respectable Western wars, as well as the most brutal. WWII was, of course, more righteous for the Allies than any other war.

As for taxes, they will be raised regardless -- even with the Tories. There's no way around it.

[Cubic kms]

But most are neither esteemed heroes nor conscripted... They are were just ordinary people doing their jobs.

Actually if we're talking WWII vets, who are probably still the major recipients of British Legion funds, most of them were conscripted. But I take your point about ordinary people doing their jobs, unfortunatley their jobs resulted in them suffering long-term consequences, both physical and mental, and the simple fact is they do not get the support needed from the government.

Sorry, i was talking in context... i don't live in the UK

But yes, soldiers are treated like batteries. After they run out, you dispose of them. That is the viewpoint of the government. Same with every other human, we become redundant after a certain age. A soldier just runs out earlier than most others.

These veterans protected the people in power, the government body and their interests. And the government is voted into power by society. Therefore the veterans were protecting society's interests. Then shouldn't it be society's job to provide for these veterans after they've done their job?

Soldiers put their asses on the line for the politicians to play their games, the least the politicians can do is provide them with something in their old age.

And who picked those politicians? We did. Its through our decisions that made those veterans like that. Everyone has a responsibility to these people. We can't just point fingers at those in charge when we're too cheap to put in some money for these people.

If half of everyone in the UK of working age (i'm gonna guess 20% of total pop (61.4 mil - '08)) put in $1 for this cause every year, the total would be $12.28 mil for support. Would you rather do this or for the government to increase taxes?

I give the money for the poppy because I respect them, especially the ones from the World Wars, which were, in my opinion, the last respectable Western wars, as well as the most brutal. WWII was, of course, more righteous for the Allies than any other war.

As for taxes, they will be raised regardless -- even with the Tories. There's no way around it.

Yes but righteous or not, these people put their life on the line to protect the political beliefs of the majority of people in society. Hence veterans should be respected no matter what and also why they should be the responsibility of society.

To the government, they are merely tools of the political process. So if you have a problem with a war / conflict, it is an issue to take up with the government, not the veterans.

[Barzan]

Yes but righteous or not, these people put their life on the line to protect the political beliefs of the majority of people in society. Hence veterans should be respected no matter what and also why they should be the responsibility of society.

To the government, they are merely tools of the political process. So if you have a problem with a war / conflict, it is an issue to take up with the government, not the veterans.

I agree with this.

As for the government reflecting the views of the majority of society, that's another discussion, but I'm going to say "not close".

[Ryadn]

It's illegal here to pick California poppies.

You bastards.

[Mad hatters in jeans]

It's illegal here to pick California poppies.

You bastards.

it's also illegal to pick blue bell flowers in UK too.

[Ryadn]

It's illegal here to pick California poppies.

You bastards.

it's also illegal to pick blue bell flowers in UK too.

But do we U.S. Americans have a holiday that involves plucking your precious blue bells in quantity and pinning them to our sweaters?

(No, really, do we? I don't know anything about my country, but that sounds kind of cool)

[Barzan]

It's illegal here to pick California poppies.

You bastards.

it's also illegal to pick blue bell flowers in UK too.

But do we U.S. Americans have a holiday that involves plucking your precious blue bells in quantity and pinning them to our sweaters?

(No, really, do we? I don't know anything about my country, but that sounds kind of cool)

I dunno about the UK, but here we use felt poppies...

[Cubic kms]

It's illegal here to pick California poppies.

You bastards.

it's also illegal to pick blue bell flowers in UK too.

But do we U.S. Americans have a holiday that involves plucking your precious blue bells in quantity and pinning them to our sweaters?

(No, really, do we? I don't know anything about my country, but that sounds kind of cool)

I dunno about the UK, but here we use felt poppies...

Hmmm, what got me interested was that you can make opium from poppies. Also eating two poppy seed bread rolls can make you fail a drug test... just food for thought

[The Imperial Commissar]

Why would someone pin the California poppy on themselves? Since they are not the poppies used in remembrance, that would be the Corn/Flanders poppy.

[Eofaerwic]

I dunno about the UK, but here we use felt poppies...

Paper and plastic here.

Real poppies would wilt too quickly.