Success in Iraq...nah, couldn't be

Yeah, I ripped this off of Instapundit.com, but it is a great story about our troops and what is going on right now with the troop surge in Iraq.

Could it be that you and those like you are not hearing about the good things happening there because the mainstream media are not reporting them? Of course. Here's the piece from Investor's Business Daily.

The government playing God...sorta scary

I was always reminded by my father while I was younger how much medicine has changed in the past 100 years. We went from a life expectancy of 37 years old at the end of the 19th century to now living an average of 78 years (this is the US average according to Wikipedia, and yeah, I know it's not that reputable). This is all due to modern medicine and the knowledge that has come from the unbelievable progress in medical science.

Now the US government is discussing expanding such things as stem cell research. Some people want to harvest stem cells from embryos and other body parts to try to cure diseases. We also have gene therapy...that's right, in case you haven't heard we are now injecting genes into brains to help reverse the effects of Parkinson's Disease.

I'm honestly torn on the issue until I start thinking of all of the apocalyptic applications of doing such things. When I was younger and I thought of having children, I most certainly wanted genetic engineering...I wanted boys, not girls and I wanted them to be good at sports and have full heads of hair and be ultra smart...etc. Later I realized how scary that proposition really is. We someday might actually have the opportunity to engineer our children...sorta takes the fun out of it doesn't it?

As far as stem cells go, I'm not for the embryonic ones, but if you want to harvest some umbilical cord blood...have at it. That's pretty much all I've got on that because one thing you'll never see me do on this website is talk about...shhhh...abortion.

Bottom line is that there are some things in life that you should just lay off and genetic engineering (which gene therapy is the precursor of) and testing on human embryos are two of them. If I could honestly say that the science will not go further than injecting genes into a brain or using umbilical cord blood to cure diseases than I would be all for these sciences, but I'm afraid I can't. Perhaps you and those like you feel the same way?

I'm poor because I buy gas

Congress just passed new standard for fuel economy in cars and SUVs. I am for the environment, but I am against hurting the automotive companies and oil companies. If you think about it, some of the most successful companies in the USA are oil companies. Do we really want to hurt them?

Honestly I'm surprised that Al Gore achieved his goal of bringing "global warming" (yes, I put it in quotes, because I don't really believe in it) and the environment to the attention of lawmakers. The clever thing that politicians are doing now is milking the whole thing for everything it's got. They can make new standards for cars that'll be made 13 years from now when they're probably out of public life and don't have to answer for their votes. It's really quite brilliant, but not a new tactic. You and those like you should be wondering what the real reason for the new standards are...

Joe Biden, afraid of no one

Yeah, I know this story is old, but it just blows me away. FNC and the Congressional Black Caucus are putting on a debate in Detroit this September. All democrats except Joe Biden (D, Delaware) have said they would not be attending. WHAT?! Are they that scared of Fox News? I mean come on this is a joke isn't it? Aren't politicians supposed to be interested in healthy debate? I believe they have an obligation to engage in debate...but obviously not in debates where they might be asked difficult questions! You and those like you should be upset, but strangely entertained by the cowardice of the democratic presidential candidates (except Joe Biden, good for you Joe, Lord knows you need as much media exposure as you can get). I don't need to mention that the Republicans were on "left leaning" network debates already.

Guantanamo Bay prison situation

So I have never quite understood the whole movement to close the Guantanamo Bay prison for all of the enemy combatants and other assorted terrorists of note. I have always thought it was better for the people who want to kill Americans to be...well...NOT IN AMERICA. But this does not seem like the case. While over the years I have agreed with much of what the President has done when it comes to the War on Terror, closing Guantanamo just seems like an insipid idea.

And look, I understand that these guys are not getting their due process, habeas corpus, etc. And honestly...not that upset about that. Sure I know if I was in Iran or something I would be pretty upset if I didn't get those rights...but...I'm not. So in my humble opinion and I'm sure in the opinion of you and those like you, keep the terrorists out of the USA.

First Post

Okay, so I happen to have a lot of free time nowadays and I don't know how long that will last, but I figured a good way to fill that free time was to get on here and start sharing my ideas with the world. That's what people are doing nowadays isn't it? That's what I've heard at least. Keep reading and I'll try to keep you informed on what's important to me and therefore, important to you and those like you. I'll try to make it interesting, but since I'm new at this bear with me...

So, I'm a younger guy and I feel like the world treats my generation as a joke. News flash...we're not a joke...we're the last hope you've got (I'll explain). My generation is the last one that: played outside, broke limbs and didn't sue, swung high on the swings, didn't play video games all the time, got in trouble, beat up our siblings (or got beaten up in my case), went to detention for bad behavior at school and didn't get mandatory anger management training and a psychiatric evaluation...I could go on forever, but you get the point.

What I'm trying to get across is that my contemporaries and I are the ones that will fight in wars, stand up for what we believe in and work hard to get ahead. Those are the kind of values that our country was founded on and they are the values that our country needs to progress. We are in a serious vacuum of responsibility and accountability. Many believe there is nothing we can do about it...but that is where we are wrong.

We are the ones that have the optimistic attitude to fight on for what we believe in when others fade away. That is what this blog is about. "You and Those Like You" is for all of the people that are losing hope in America because they are not old enough or informed enough to make a big splash (in terms of societal changes), but they are certainly old/informed enough to see the decay in our society and worry about it.

It is true that we might not be able to change things, but we can start preparing for the future (keeping informed, communicating with others, reading books, holding others to our high standards, etc.)...because the future is near and it is looking hazy and full of uncertainty. But it is you and those like you (and there are PLENTY of us!) that will secure our future...of that I am certain.