tankdude

Going to help wipe out the Klingons

https://media.giphy.com/media/l3V0eckqXLSoGTBiE/giphy.gif

Sounds like we are on even keel. I'll take it. for next week - remember these wise words. He he who goes forth with a fifth on the Fourth might not come forth on the Fifth.

Growing up I MT I knew these...and have used it for 2 of the 3 uses...fire starting and glue. Quick hint...you can make a stronger glue by adding powdered charcoal to the heated resin. Acts like a bonding agent.

I got a text this morning from Patty Angel, and I would like everyone to remember her and her family in their prayers. Her loving mother lost her battle with Alzheimer's disease this morning and has gone Home to be with her Father. Grant her eternal rest, O Lord. Let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Heavenly Father, we ask that you reach out to our sister Patty and her family. Give them comfort and serenity in this time of grieving. We ask this through your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Where were you at CSM? I started at FOB GABE out of Baquba - wound up with most of the time being up in Kirkuk. (OIF III-IV, 2004-05)

That's great if they decide to do it that way....but I didn't get a receipt. I walked up to a number if different merchants in Iraq ( I was deployed) and simply exchanged US dollars for dinar...would have done it at a bank but they wouldn't allow us in...*LOL*

i know we can all agree on THAT!

One of the reasons I believe this will wind up being ordinary income is because the IRS has never seen anything like this. People do not normally buy the actual currency and hold onto it hoping for an increase in value then going to the bank to exchange it. They have nothing in their tax code (even as crazy as it is) that specifically addresses this situation Therefore - I believe they will go to the rules they currently have about what I believe they will see as an over-the counter- currency exchange. Most likely at the time this happens you will have 2 functional currencies, one being exchanged for the other at an institution or business that is able to do so. This is the definition of an over-the-counter exchange and is regulated by IRS Code Section 988. This would mean ordinary income. According to IRS Code Section 1256, which deals with long term and short term capital gains of currency trading, Over-the-counter foreign exchange options and currency swaps are not eligible. Remember - these are the same people that do not treat cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, et. al.) as currency, but as property. Believe me - that makes paying for things with them in the US a major headache, as each transaction IS to be considered at a capital gain or loss - even if it's just for buying a cup of coffee or maybe a rug off of Wayfair. The record keeping is terrible. On a more practical note - I know for me I will probably have to treat it as ordinary income anyway - because I have no receipt for most of my Dinar. I got my through a straight up exchange of currencies when I was in Iraq in 2005. Just wanted to show everyone when I came home what an Iraqi millionaire looked like...with some extras to give to friends as souvenirs. I sure hope they kept them...most of what I gave out we 10,000 dinar bills.

What's interesting to me is how people keep saying we need term limits for Congressional seats. If they are that messed up then just vote them out at the next election! I know it's tough since we have so many uneducated voters - but I don't think term limits is the answer. Just my

Luigi speaking with clarity!

This topic is still up in the air. I'm leaning towards ordinary income myself...and here is the discussion that leads me that direction.

In fact looking at possibly going to the Calgary Stampede this July - it's only a 7 hour drive for me....

Considering I'm less then 200 miles from the border, I really do consider Canada my Northern Neighbor....

Thanks PP...and this one is for you...

Looks like they are trying to put a bandaid on it by making Basic Training 2 weeks longer. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/03/27/army-may-extend-basic-training-introduce-new-fitness-regime.html

OK - So these 2 stories have me a bit concerned - especially since I have put over 30 years of service in - Army lags slightly on recruiting goal as search for quality trumps quantity https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/04/20/army-lags-slightly-recruiting-goal-search-quality-trumps-quantity/536894002/ WASHINGTON — The Army is almost keeping pace with its recruiting goals halfway through the fiscal year despite keeping a lid on the number of least-qualified applicants it accepts, senior officials say. Having scaled back its original goal of hiring 80,000 recruits because of high retention rates, the Army now wants 76,600 new soldiers in order to boost its ranks to 483,500. It sought 29,000 through March -- traditionally the slower time of year for hiring -- and has fallen short by about 1,000. Lt. Gen. Thomas Seamands, the Army's top personnel officer, acknowledged the slight shortfall but added, "I feel confident we will make our mission." That would be without resorting to accepting more recruits who score among the lowest on military aptitude tests -- a threat that's closely monitored during a boom economy to assure military quality. Less than 2% of recruits fall into that category, Seamands said. The Pentagon limits the armed services to accepting 4% of recruits who score among the lowest on the tests, but the Army has set its limit at 2%, Army Secretary Mark Esper told reporters Friday. Last year, the active-duty Army recruited nearly 69,000 soldiers, including 1.9% so-called "Category Four" recruits. “Quality trumps quantity every day of the week,” Esper said. To attract new soldiers, the Army has added 400 recruiters and plans to spend $400 million on bonuses for recruits, Seamands said. The average bonus is about $12,000. Last year, the Army paid $424 million in bonuses, up from $284 million in 2016 and a mere $8.2 million in 2014. Back then, the Army was reducing its ranks and needed to offer incentives to fewer recruits, Seamands said. During past periods of difficult recruiting, the Army increased waivers for conditions that disqualify recruits. Waivers for marijuana use before joining up jumped from 191 in 2016 to 506 in 2017. Nine states have legalized recreational use of marijuana -- but it's not allowed in uniform. Receiving a waiver, Esper said, does not predict a recruit’s success in the Army. Used judiciously, waivers, bonuses and accepting more Category Four recruits can help the Army meet its recruiting goals without compromising quality, said Beth Asch, a recruiting expert at the non-profit, non-partisan RAND Corp. The Army has some "wiggle room," she said. “These policies are very much in line with dealing with recruiting stress in the past,” Asch said. There is no “black line” that will show the Army has strayed too far, she said. However, studies have shown that recruits from Category Four do not perform as well as higher-scoring peers, and the evidence is mixed on the effect of issuing waivers. Army issues waivers to more than 1,000 recruits for bipolar, depression, self-mutilation https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/army-issues-waivers-to-more-than-1000-recruits-for-bipolar-depression-self-mutilation/ar-AAwoiHt WASHINGTON — The Army issued waivers over 13 months to more than 1,000 recruits who had been diagnosed and treated for mood disorders and 95 more for self-mutilation, according to data obtained by USA TODAY. The acceptance of new soldiers with a history of serious behavioral health issues, some of which can be lifelong challenges, came as the Army struggled to meet its recruiting goals. The time period ran from Oct. 1, 2016, through Oct. 31, 2017. Last week, Army Secretary Mark Esper indicated that the Army issues waivers only for mental health issues that have been resolved or upon further review were misdiagnosed. There were no waivers issued for a history of drug overdoses or suicide attempts. “As the stigma of seeking therapy or counseling becomes less of an issue than when I grew up, you’ll see probably more cause for waivers,” Esper said. “But again, the waiver is only for an historical condition that we look at and assess. We do not allow anybody in who is undergoing therapy, who is a cutter or was a cutter, identified clearly as a cutter or is using drugs. They are not allowed into the service. And I will not accept them. Quality trumps quantity every single day of the week.” Mood disorders include conditions such as bipolar disorder and severe depression. Self-mutilation can indicate deep psychological problems. “Bipolar in most cases is a lifelong challenge,” said Elspeth Cameron Ritchie, a psychiatrist who retired from the Army as a colonel in 2010 and is an expert on waivers for military service. “It is more of a challenge when you’re younger and is not something you can simply be clear of. You’re often on medication for life.” A history of severe depression raises the risk of suicide, a problem the military sought to minimize in part by eliminating waivers for many behavioral health issues in 2009, Ritchie said. Last fall, USA TODAY reported on Army documents that showed the service tried to ease the waiver process for recruits with a history of self-mutilation, bipolar disorder and depression. The Army encountered challenging recruiting goals, including adding more than 76,000 soldiers this year. In 2017, it accepted more recruits who had fared poorly on aptitude tests, and it increased the number of waivers for marijuana use. Sen. John McCain criticized the service for accepting recruits who mutilated themselves. McCain, R-Ariz., chairman of the Armed Services Committee, was outraged by the story and threatened in November to hold up nominations for Pentagon posts unless the Army axed the waiver practice. The next day, Gen. Mark Milley, the Army chief of staff, announced that he had rescinded a memo on mental health waivers but insisted that the document never had the effect of policy. The only change, he said, was that the Army allowed a lower-ranking general officer to approve the waivers. McCain blasted Army witnesses at a committee hearing, saying none of the panel's members favored granting waivers for serious mental health conditions. Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request show that from Oct. 1, 2016, through Oct. 31, 2017, the active-duty Army issued waivers to 738 recruits with a history of mood disorders and 49 more with a history of self-mutilation. The Army Reserve and National Guard accepted the rest of the recruits with behavioral health issues. Soldiers with bipolar disorder often require medication such as lithium, Ritchie said. That medication must be monitored carefully, a task that may be impossible in austere combat environments far from laboratories. Manic episodes of bipolar disorder can be triggered by sleep deprivation, a common occurrence in the military, she said. She recalled treating an Army major who scrawled graffiti on walls during a “classic bipolar episode” while deployed to South Korea. “When you’re manic, your judgment isn’t good,” Ritchie said. “You shouldn’t be driving a tank when you’re manic. You shouldn’t have a rifle if you’re manic.” Accepting recruits with a history of behavioral health issues is risky — for the Army and the soldier, Ritchie said. “It is concerning,” she said. “It can be very problematic. And we may be setting them up to fail.” The Army is about 1,000 recruits behind its goal of recruits for this year.

Use this one - tankdudem1@gmail.com

Djorgie!!! Good to see you back!

Tried to send you a message through your profile but found out you cant receive them. This is a liquid supplement - so easy to take. Full disclosure - I was so impressed with this stuff that I became an affiliate with the company, and it is a network marketing company, so I can't really discuss it in the open forums. If you're still interested let me know and I can try to contact you "off line".

Just switch them to whole grain...at least they are the healthier versions. If you would like a good discussion from WAAAAAy - back that we had here in the natural health sections.... Also - a good site for doing some research... http://www.diagnosisdiet.com/

Heavenly Father - we lift up our brother and ask you to give him the strength and the ability to achieve his goal. With the love of a Father - the same type of love our friend has for his daughter - you understand his desire. If it be your will, help him to move steadily and without pain. We ask this through our Lord and Savior, Your Eternal Son, Jesus. Amen.

Yep - The whole site was updated! When Adam does and update - He does and UPDATE!

And on a related note -