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"Impressions & Observations" of Secret Service


Hydrant

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hmm the way i was reading it, i thought the book was called "impressions and observations"

does this book actually say these things claimed?

Apparently yes and no. I'd have to read it again to be sure. Some facts in the email that circulated are true facts (from the book), and other facts are completely fabricated for the "shocking" email. And still difficult to tell, since sources of the information for the book were never revealed. Secret Service agents aren't supposed to talk about stuff.

I've heard the stories about LBJ, so that part is probably true. He was a rough gruff Texan. The stuff about Carter is a surprise. I knew stuff about Agnew from when I was in college and knew somebody that lived around there. Saying Nixon was strange isn't too surprising, but is kind of creepy when considering he was president. There's always something on everyone...

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I grew up in that era, and remember this as well.

I was just thinking the other day about how the gulf war was the last time I could truly remember people coming together, being patriotic and supporting our military. I remember my grandparents taking me to a parade for the troops on a saturday, we all wore something that represented our country, and i can remember my grandfather giving me a Desert storm hat to wear as well.

Anyone else feel like most of the population is so far stuck up their own ass that they can't see what piss poor shape this place is in?

I'm going to get flamed up and down for this, but whatever.

There's entire businesses set up for supporting the troops, supporting the military, all that stuff. It really seems like I can't walk 50 feet without someone trying to make me feel bad or tug on my heartstrings about supporting the troops by buying their widget or giving them money. I have an idea as to why you might feel like Desert Storm was the last time you felt that way, it might have something to do with Desert Shield/Storm was the first major prolonged military engagement of US troops since Vietnam, and the population collectively wanted to make sure we did it right this time, which, I believe, they did. The problem becomes that it never let up, as we had a lull through most of the 90's we were right back at it 9 years later, not the 20 that separated Vietnam and Gulf I. Because the "goodwill" never let up, you and I have more or less become desensitized to it, causing the older memories of when it was fresh and new (and actually grassroots) to be how we want to remember it.

In short, "supporting the troops" is big business now, and not the unifying events we remember from decades past.

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In short, "supporting the troops" is big business now, and not the unifying events we remember from decades past.

my question is this: what does "support the troops" or "support the military" even mean? it seems like such a vague statement. what does one do to support the troops? is it a way of saying "support our policy"?

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I know, right? History and reality have SUCH a liberal bias. Oh well, haters gonna hate.

A liberal will interpret certain events with a liberal bias and vice versa. And as Piaget found, instead of accommodating contrary information, the mind is more likely to reject contrary information outright as false.

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A liberal will interpret certain events with a liberal bias and vice versa. And as Piaget found, instead of accommodating contrary information, the mind is more likely to reject contrary information outright as false.

+1

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A liberal will interpret certain events with a liberal bias and vice versa. And as Piaget found, instead of accommodating contrary information, the mind is more likely to reject contrary information outright as false.

It's been a while since I've had a psychology course so I had to dig deep for that one. I suppose you have a point if you're dealing with a child's developing mind, as Piaget focused on.

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A liberal will interpret certain events with a liberal bias and vice versa. And as Piaget found, instead of accommodating contrary information, the mind is more likely to reject contrary information outright as false.

Good point. Although I tend to believe that it applies to portions of all groups of peoples. Except us engineerds, we love contrary information. There's generally not much of it to work with in engineering.

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my question is this: what does "support the troops" or "support the military" even mean? it seems like such a vague statement. what does one do to support the troops? is it a way of saying "support our policy"?

this is the problem i have with it. i wholeheartedly support the troops and the role they play protecting our freedom...i mean actually protecting our freedom;however, i abhor the fact that 'supporting the troops' ends up being political leverage for further preemptive warring and nation building under the guise of 'protecting our freedom'. so, i find it very troubling to say i support the troops when all Washington hears is 'i support what you are doing (policy)'. i believe in my understanding that our nation was meant to lead by example, not by force.

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this is the problem i have with it. i wholeheartedly support the troops and the role they play protecting our freedom...i mean actually protecting our freedom;however, i abhor the fact that 'supporting the troops' ends up being political leverage for further preemptive warring and nation building under the guise of 'protecting our freedom'. so, i find it very troubling to say i support the troops when all Washington hears is 'i support what you are doing (policy)'. i believe in my understanding that our nation was meant to lead by example, not by force.

I think that's that's the first thing I've ever heard you say that wasn't full of either fallacies or cognitive dissonance. I agree.

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I dont support the commercialization of supporting the troops. Buying a button, magnet, bracelet, etc doesn't just automatically make you support the troops especially if money of the profits of the sale goes to actually support the troops. While I support the men and woman of the military, I do NOT support the war (police action).

I remember my mom going to the craft store to get yellow ribbon to put around the tree, now "support the troops" is a huge industry. I prefer to donate to military support charities, so you wont see a "support the troops" button, yard sign, magnet, bracelet, etc.

Edited by crb
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I think that's that's the first thing I've ever heard you say that wasn't full of either fallacies or cognitive dissonance. I agree.

lol. come on, now. i'm, undoubtedly, the most reasonable and levelheaded dude you've never met.

fallacies and cognitive dissonance? what can i say, i'm a product of our society.

btw.....thank you?

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It's been a while since I've had a psychology course so I had to dig deep for that one. I suppose you have a point if you're dealing with a child's developing mind, as Piaget focused on.

Piaget's theory, while he developed it studying children, is a theory of learning. When it comes to handling new information, the brain is always engaged in assimilation or accommodation.

The tendency is that adults are more likely to reject contrary information. Which your dismissal so elegantly proved.

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