[plschwartz]

A number of years ago my family and I were coming back from a long planeride and got into a cab at JFK driven by a sikh. In those days cab fares from the airport were on the meter (now they are flat rate). There is only one direct route but I realized that we were going a long way round. I aksed the driver why and he gave me some BS but then when I told him the law stated that he had to take the shortest route he backed off and say.
"I am sorry sir, I guess I got confused I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY"
When we got to my door we got the luggage inside I gave him the usual fare not what was on the meter. Then I shut the door. After a minute he started banging on the door and shouting I asked him what else did he mean by taking FULL RESPONSIBILITY if not accepting the usual fare.He cursed me in the best English I had heard from him. Then he went for the police.
They suggested that I pay half. I spat on a ten dollar bill and dropped on the steet and stepped on it.

In Japan someone who takes full responsibility at least resigns if not committing suicide for this kind of mess-up.



What does it mean that GWB takes full responsibily.
As a Christian I learned that after a confession there must be pennance or an act of contrition. At least he should have had the grace to confess in full what actions lead him to felt responsible. Did anyone hear that?

Perhaps he is like the cabdriver.

[Mulderator]

Originally Posted by plschwartz

I spat on a ten dollar bill and dropped on the steet and stepped on it.

Originally Posted by plschwartz

As a Christian I learned that after a confession there must be pennance or an act of contrition.

Yeah--that sounds like the Christian thing to do!

[angelize56]

Mulder: Where's your famous beetle pic for Paul or whatever creature it was!

Since the thread states "makes up by spending our money"...thought you'd like to read this...you know...since my finger was already on the button anyways! That $5000 he's giving each of the evacuees for schooling.....not sure if it's adults only or a select group of them....where's that money coming from? Just curious!

Bush rules out tax hikes to pay for Katrina

Friday, September 16, 2005 5:11 p.m. ET

By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush, facing alarm from conservatives over the soaring cost of post-Katrina rebuilding, said on Friday the U.S. budget could handle the expense and he would not raise taxes to pay for it.

"It's going to cost whatever it costs," Bush said at a joint news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin as estimates circulated in Washington the cost could hit $200 billion, exceeding the cost of the Iraq war.

Responding to concerns among fiscally conservative Republicans, Bush said his administration would work with Congress to make sure the money was wisely spent and that he would look elsewhere in the budget to make offsetting cuts.

"But I'm confident we can handle it, and I'm confident we can handle our other priorities. It's going to mean that we're going to have to cut unnecessary spending," Bush said. (ROFL....good luck from where! )

His domestic policy adviser, Claude Allen, suggested earlier in the day that no programs would be cut, triggering alarm among conservatives and prompting the White House to scramble to correct any impression Allen had left.

Bush rejected Democratic pleas he reconsider his proposal to extend tax cuts. Bush's position is that to reverse the tax cuts would amount to a tax increase at a time when Americans are struggling with high gasoline prices.

"We got to maintain economic growth, and therefore we should not raise taxes," Bush said, noting Americans were already paying "a tax in essence" because of higher gas prices. "And we don't need to be taking more money out of their pocket."

Putin backed up Bush on the need to spend money now to help the hurricane-hit area recover.

"In the Soviet Union, for many the case, we lived under the motto, 'We need to think about the future generations,' but we never thought about the existing, current, present generations. And at the end of the day, we have destroyed the country not thinking about the people living today," Putin said.

The White House and Congress already have rushed $62.3 billion in emergency funds to the region.

The day after Bush proposed one of the world's largest reconstruction projects for the area, White House officials said they were still assessing how much it will cost but that whatever it is will be borrowed money.

"There's no question that the recovery will be paid for by the federal taxpayer and it will add to the deficit," said White House economic adviser Allan Hubbard, while stressing it is a one-time cost.

The goals Bush has laid out are significant: Rebuilding roads, bridges and schools devastated by Hurricane Katrina and getting the 1 million displaced people back in proper homes.

DEFICIT FORECAST

The White House cut its forecast in July of the fiscal 2005 budget deficit forecast to $333 billion, down nearly $100 billion from its February projection and substantially below the record deficit of $412 billion in 2004.

Criticized for a slow federal response to the crisis and trying to restore Americans' confidence in him, Bush told a service at the National Cathedral the hurricane was "beyond any human power to control, but the restoration of broken communities and disrupted lives now rests in our hands."

The administration will press Congress to move quickly on investment, job training and housing proposals Bush is offering as a way to get the region back on its feet.

http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/s...toryId=1089964

[Mulderator]

Originally Posted by angelize56

Mulder: Where's your famous beetle pic for Paul or whatever creature it was!

Actually, that's Schwartzy's symbol for me!

[Mulderator]

Here is mine for him!

[angelize56]

That's the one! I had it backwards!

[angelize56]

The second one...now I remember!

[Mulderator]

Originally Posted by plschwartz

A number of years ago my family and I were coming back from a long planeride and got into a cab at JFK driven by a sikh. In those days cab fares from the airport were on the meter (now they are flat rate). There is only one direct route but I realized that we were going a long way round. I aksed the driver why and he gave me some BS but then when I told him the law stated that he had to take the shortest route he backed off and say.
"I am sorry sir, I guess I got confused I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY"
When we got to my door we got the luggage inside I gave him the usual fare not what was on the meter. Then I shut the door. After a minute he started banging on the door and shouting I asked him what else did he mean by taking FULL RESPONSIBILITY if not accepting the usual fare.He cursed me in the best English I had heard from him. Then he went for the police.
They suggested that I pay half. I spat on a ten dollar bill and dropped on the steet and stepped on it.

In Japan someone who takes full responsibility at least resigns if not committing suicide for this kind of mess-up.



What does it mean that GWB takes full responsibily.
As a Christian I learned that after a confession there must be pennance or an act of contrition. At least he should have had the grace to confess in full what actions lead him to felt responsible. Did anyone hear that?

Perhaps he is like the cabdriver.

BTW Schwartzy--You've never had a problem with the rich subsidizing the poor before. In fact, that cab driver--he's the very type of person you fight so hard to see get more of the pie! How come you're so mad that he took a tiny piece of yours? You're a well-to-do professional type. Isn't that the Christian thing to do--to help the less fortunate!

[plschwartz]

Originally Posted by Mulder

Yeah--that sounds like the Christian thing to do!

Actually after I stepped on the bill I told him I had stepped in dogpoop.
But then I did not have to be cxontrite.

But that is nibbling at a cowpat.
What exactly do youn feel after you have taken responsibilty for an act that harmed others
Is mouthing the words enough or do feel that anything else is required.
Bush did not do anything from himself. Promising to spend other peoples money does not sound like he has done anything.

Angel why don't you buy a piece of this For you what does taking responsibility for your action mean to you?

[angelize56]

Originally Posted by plschwartz

Angel why don't you buy a piece of this For you what does taking responsibility for your action mean to you?

It means if I did something worng then I should pay the consequences no matter what the situation!

[Mulderator]

Originally Posted by plschwartz

What exactly do youn feel after you have taken responsibilty for an act that harmed others
Is mouthing the words enough or do feel that anything else is required.
Bush did not do anything from himself. Promising to spend other peoples money does not sound like he has done anything.

Well, you have a point, but then what exactly do you expect him to do? He certainly can't pay for it out of his own pocket. What do you think he should do?

[plschwartz]

Mulder:
In Law defendants who plead guilty are often required to allocute.
Why is that so and where does this concept come from?

[Mulderator]

Originally Posted by plschwartz

Mulder:
In Law defendants who plead guilty are often required to allocute.
Why is that so and where does this concept come from?

Actually, its disfavored and a bit archaic, although still used (like the death penalty! ). It's so that the victims get to hear the accused admit his guilt--gives them some closure (again, like the death penalty! ). But the obvious problem is the person could do it as a part of his plea bargain and lie--its not there's a lie detector strapped to his balls!

[Mulderator]

There may be other reasons for it actually, but I'm not versed in criminal law specifics. Gbrumb probably knows more about it.

[angelize56]

What should happen to this poor old lady and others like her...looting for food to survive on! I say let them walk free and concentrate on the looters who took material items! She was incarcerated far too long....the only benefit to being in jail for her was a safe place to reside and food to eat!

Grandmother Accused of Looting Released

Friday, September 16, 2005 7:53 p.m. ET
By DOUG SIMPSON Associated Press Writers

GRETNA, La. (AP) -- A 73-year-old woman who was jailed for more than two weeks after authorities accused her of looting was released Friday evening.

Merlene Maten said the first thing she wanted to do was visit her 80-year-old husband.

"I thank God this ordeal is over," she said after being released from the parish jail. "I did nothing wrong."

Police arrested Maten the day after Hurricane Katrina on charges she took $63.50 in goods from a looted deli. Her bail had been set at $50,000.

Family and eyewitnesses insist she only had gone to her car to get some sausage to eat when officers cuffed her in frustration, unable to catch younger looters at a nearby store.

Despite intervention from the nation's largest senior lobby, volunteer lawyers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and even a private attorney, the family fought a futile battle for 16 days to get her freed.

Then, hours after her plight was featured in an Associated Press story, a local judge on Thursday ordered Maten freed on her own recognizance.

Maten still must face the looting charge at a court hearing in October. But the family, armed with several witnesses, intends to prove she was wrongly arrested.

Defense attorney Daniel Becnel, family members and witnesses said police snared Maten in the parking lot of a hotel after floodwaters swamped her New Orleans home. She had paid for her room with a credit card and followed authorities' instructions to pack extra food, they said.

Police Capt. Steve Carraway said Wednesday that Maten was arrested in the checkout area of a small store next to police headquarters.

The arrest report is short and assigns the value of goods Maten is alleged to have taken at $63.50. The items were not identified.

Christine Bishop, the owner of the Check In Check Out deli, said that she was angry that looters had damaged her store, but that she would not want anyone charged with a crime if the person had simply tried to get food to survive. "Especially not a 70-year-old woman," Bishop said.

http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/s...toryId=1089746