Letters to the Editor 07-01-2003
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Beef Comes From Cows - Military Retiree - Military Benefits - Kmart Parking
Beef Comes From Cows
Editor, Times-Union:Grease paint, bulbous noses, colorful hair, water cannons, tiny cars and big feet. Everybody loves a clown. Clowns used to make us laugh.
Recently, however, clowns seem to have made a transition. Now clowns advertise tent sales and announce openings of the newest party store. Where's the yuk in that?
Cirque De Soleil employs what appears to be clowns, but are instead synchronized dancers or olympic athletes. They don't get paid to fall down or make you laugh. What kind of a cirque is that?
Just about the time I thought clowns were finished making people laugh, McDonald's releases an article to the Chicago Associated Press which appears in the Times-Union.
Is the fact that Ronald plans birthdays funny? No. Is the fact that Ronald sells a lot of hamburgers funny? No.
What's funny is that Ronald doesn't seem to realize that hamburger comes from cows.
It seems that the vice president of McDonald's has held a year -long meeting with another group of clowns. The group consisted of scientists, environmentalists and consumer groups. After this year-long series of meetings, the group concluded that cattle ranchers should cease using antibiotics in their operations. What seems apparent is that no one in this group has ever raised so much as a bunny.
Were there any large animal vets present? Were there any cattle ranchers represented? I doubt it. Had there been, that series of year-long meetings could have been reduced by 364 days, 23.5 hours or more.
The use of antibiotics is paramount to the maintainance of herd health. Ceasing such use might cause a massive reduction in the availability of hamberger.
So here's a word of advice, Ronald. You just keep cooking hamburger, and planning birthday parties. We wouldn't want the world's most famous clown to wind up shooting himself in that big foot.
Steven R. Frantz
Warsaw
Military Retiree
Editor, Times-Union:I read the letter written by Tim Heath and I find it to be very erroneous. The fact is that I am a military retiree with over 20 years in the military and retired in 1969.
Two years ago after many years of lobbying, it was agreed that those military retirees retiring prior to 2000 were put into a good prescription drug program and a major medical program. The only requirement is that you have to be enrolled in Medicare Part B.
We have never been turned away by any doctor or hospital. Since last August, my wife has had a total hip replacement, and in May this year had a total knee replacement and it was all paid for by Medicare and Tricare for Life, which is the name of the federal program for retirees.
All military retirees under the age of 65 are enrolled in what is known as Champus, and is almost the same as any major medical plan, in that you are required to pay a yearly deductible of $300 per family. We were in this until I became 65. But at the same time, we were never refused service or had to pay anything extra.
Tom Walters
Leesburg
Military Benefits
Editor, Times-Union:In response to "Military Retirees" By Tim Heath, June 22, 2003.
Mr. Heath certainly does not speak for this military retiree!
At no time during my 24 years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps was "lifetime medical care" for me and my dependents if I served 20 years! Never was I told this!
When I was assigned to Recruiter School in 1956, the very first thing we were told was, "Do not discuss retirement benefits with prospective enlistees."
Each time I raised my right and and solemnly swore to defend, etc., I did so without ever being told of retirement benefits.
Military retirees who enlisted before 1956 are drawing military retirement pay and are eligible for Medicare are automatically enrolled in Tricare for Life, as are spouses and some category of dependents.
I have yet to find a doctor here in Warsaw or in Florida, our winter home, who will not take Tricare for Life. If they accept Medicare, they will accept Tricare for Life!
The people of the United States of America, the government of the United States of America, owe me absolutely nothing!
I earned my military retirement pay. I earned Tricare for Life.
I owe this nation more than it owes me!
Donald E. Guard
First Sergeant USMC (Ret.)
Leesburg
Kmart Parking
Editor, Times-Union:I am pleased to read that they are landscaping and removing the cement "bollards" (newspaper article's word) at Lake Village. Now if they could just get someone to make the rows wider and re-line the parking spaces to accomodate the bigger cars, trucks and SUVs. I for one do not like going out there and parking. I get mad every time I do. Who has a narrow long car or truck? They might be warranted in the way they have the spaces now if the parking lot was full all the time, but it is not. Maybe whoever is doing the painting should go out to Wal-Mart and look at theirs first. If everyone who feels the same would let a store manager know, maybe something will be done to correct the parking lot spacing.
Genny Chapman
Warsaw
via e-mail
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- Beef Comes From Cows - Military Retiree - Military Benefits - Kmart Parking
Beef Comes From Cows
Editor, Times-Union:Grease paint, bulbous noses, colorful hair, water cannons, tiny cars and big feet. Everybody loves a clown. Clowns used to make us laugh.
Recently, however, clowns seem to have made a transition. Now clowns advertise tent sales and announce openings of the newest party store. Where's the yuk in that?
Cirque De Soleil employs what appears to be clowns, but are instead synchronized dancers or olympic athletes. They don't get paid to fall down or make you laugh. What kind of a cirque is that?
Just about the time I thought clowns were finished making people laugh, McDonald's releases an article to the Chicago Associated Press which appears in the Times-Union.
Is the fact that Ronald plans birthdays funny? No. Is the fact that Ronald sells a lot of hamburgers funny? No.
What's funny is that Ronald doesn't seem to realize that hamburger comes from cows.
It seems that the vice president of McDonald's has held a year -long meeting with another group of clowns. The group consisted of scientists, environmentalists and consumer groups. After this year-long series of meetings, the group concluded that cattle ranchers should cease using antibiotics in their operations. What seems apparent is that no one in this group has ever raised so much as a bunny.
Were there any large animal vets present? Were there any cattle ranchers represented? I doubt it. Had there been, that series of year-long meetings could have been reduced by 364 days, 23.5 hours or more.
The use of antibiotics is paramount to the maintainance of herd health. Ceasing such use might cause a massive reduction in the availability of hamberger.
So here's a word of advice, Ronald. You just keep cooking hamburger, and planning birthday parties. We wouldn't want the world's most famous clown to wind up shooting himself in that big foot.
Steven R. Frantz
Warsaw
Military Retiree
Editor, Times-Union:I read the letter written by Tim Heath and I find it to be very erroneous. The fact is that I am a military retiree with over 20 years in the military and retired in 1969.
Two years ago after many years of lobbying, it was agreed that those military retirees retiring prior to 2000 were put into a good prescription drug program and a major medical program. The only requirement is that you have to be enrolled in Medicare Part B.
We have never been turned away by any doctor or hospital. Since last August, my wife has had a total hip replacement, and in May this year had a total knee replacement and it was all paid for by Medicare and Tricare for Life, which is the name of the federal program for retirees.
All military retirees under the age of 65 are enrolled in what is known as Champus, and is almost the same as any major medical plan, in that you are required to pay a yearly deductible of $300 per family. We were in this until I became 65. But at the same time, we were never refused service or had to pay anything extra.
Tom Walters
Leesburg
Military Benefits
Editor, Times-Union:In response to "Military Retirees" By Tim Heath, June 22, 2003.
Mr. Heath certainly does not speak for this military retiree!
At no time during my 24 years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps was "lifetime medical care" for me and my dependents if I served 20 years! Never was I told this!
When I was assigned to Recruiter School in 1956, the very first thing we were told was, "Do not discuss retirement benefits with prospective enlistees."
Each time I raised my right and and solemnly swore to defend, etc., I did so without ever being told of retirement benefits.
Military retirees who enlisted before 1956 are drawing military retirement pay and are eligible for Medicare are automatically enrolled in Tricare for Life, as are spouses and some category of dependents.
I have yet to find a doctor here in Warsaw or in Florida, our winter home, who will not take Tricare for Life. If they accept Medicare, they will accept Tricare for Life!
The people of the United States of America, the government of the United States of America, owe me absolutely nothing!
I earned my military retirement pay. I earned Tricare for Life.
I owe this nation more than it owes me!
Donald E. Guard
First Sergeant USMC (Ret.)
Leesburg
Kmart Parking
Editor, Times-Union:I am pleased to read that they are landscaping and removing the cement "bollards" (newspaper article's word) at Lake Village. Now if they could just get someone to make the rows wider and re-line the parking spaces to accomodate the bigger cars, trucks and SUVs. I for one do not like going out there and parking. I get mad every time I do. Who has a narrow long car or truck? They might be warranted in the way they have the spaces now if the parking lot was full all the time, but it is not. Maybe whoever is doing the painting should go out to Wal-Mart and look at theirs first. If everyone who feels the same would let a store manager know, maybe something will be done to correct the parking lot spacing.
Genny Chapman
Warsaw
via e-mail
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