necessary or not, an apology nonetheless

[A_Kendergirl]

Here's the actual quote Marcia...

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."
Abraham Lincoln
16th president of US (1809 - 1865)

One of my favorite quotes! Smart man...

 

[Franks_Geckos]

HMMM.... Let's See.

This is great! Can I use it for the quote under my signature?

Marcia,
As I cannot actually claim to be the genuine author of this gem, nor do I remember who is at the present, I do know that it was told to me a long time ago by my dad. Also, if I remember correctly, it was told a couple of different ways. For example, at the end you can substitute "remove all doubt" in place of "confirm their suspicion". Somehow, I don't believe he penned it either, so I don't see why we all can't share it.

If it was originally mine, however, my royalties could be paid with some of your amazing geckos, preferrably something I don't (genetically) have in my collection .......

 

[techgirl]

You think you'd rather be a troop in Iraq? I should have you talk to my brother. He was in Iraq and couldn't wait to come home. Not only because he never knew if the next day would be his last, but also add the scorpions he would find in his boots, the heat, the loneliness. I could go on. Do you have any idea what it did to our family? We were terrified when we heard of attacks on troops on tv, if the phone ringing was going to be the bearer of bad news, the regret that if that were the last time I would have seen my brother we fought like hell over the stupidest thing. I am thankful every day that he came back safe and is now married with a beautiful daughter. We live in different states but keep in contact and never argue anymore becuase of the last time we did. It is a reminder that time is too short to fight about stupid things.

 

[Franks_Geckos]

I knew it sounded familiar.....

Here's the actual quote Marcia...

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."
Abraham Lincoln
16th president of US (1809 - 1865)

One of my favorite quotes! Smart man...

There you have it... Thanks Shanti...... Updated my Sig to reflect our favorite quote of the day!

 

[KatieDB]

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."

Ive heard this attributed to Mark Twain and Abe Lincoln, FWIW.

 

[The NY Gecko]

Nicely put.

Tom you are way to young to be thinking in the mannor that you are. You are young, enjoy it while you can. My uncle served as a Marine in the first Gulf War, came home fine, but became sick from what he was subjected to over there. He was pulled back in after retirement for that war. My father was an explosives expert in the Navy and has emphysema from working with the explosives and is on 90% disability. My husband was drafted (now that's old...heeheehee) into the Army, special forces sniper, and he won't talk about what he did, not that he can't but he's not proud of some of the things he had to do, and has never touched a gun since he got out. He was also shot while serving. Tom you are 15 years old, and these three men were only 3 years older than you when they were in the armed services. I don't know how any young man or woman of even the age of 18 can handle what goes on during war time. They lose their innocents, and for some their minds and others pay the ultimate price with their life. I'm not saying that serving in the military in any way is wrong, all who serve are heroes in my book. Understand that the wars we have fought in the past and the current war is not a joke, all that serve deserve utmost respect. They give up their life, not just the heart beat, but the life they once knew to fight for our freedom, to protect those who can't. It's a responsibility that they take on with honor, and not to be taken lightly.

And yet this isnt going to deter me from joining the forces when im 18 and fresh out of HS. Its what I want to do, and if I die defending my country and my friends for something I believe in then so be it, thats why people join the army, or why they should. Die for your country, nota free education, thats just a perk if you survive. I've obviously pushed s afew buttons about wanting to be over there, and no I don't think war is all fun and games.

 

[WindyO]

Tom I am going to void our agreement so I can give you a little advise. Take a look at other peoples lives and compare them to your own. You go to school in a heated building with electricity. There are books to read and teachers to guide you. You have clothes on your back and food and your stomach so what is so bad. Are you comparing your life to the Brady Bunch or some other TV program, because not to many people have a perfect life. You are young and have a life full of opportunities in front of you. There are millions of people that would be more than happy to have one of your bad days. If you can't take the pressures of high school what on earth makes you think you could handle being in combat. School can be difficult but life isn't going to get any easier.
Also I would agree with everyone else and appreciate it if you don't compare your troubles with being a soldier. You should also not judge why someone serves his country. The free education is not free. If you think that the four years of active duty is a cake walk than you need to rethink your views. Anyone who joins puts themselves at risk so if they can get an education out of it GOD bless them. I don't know if you think war is like the Rambo movies but it isn't. There is no great honor out of guarding an oil Field or doing patrols while hoping there isn't a bomb today. War is all about luck and it isn't even yours. You have to do what you are told. Hopefully you will never know the suffering these men endure for us. So as a veteran please chose a different way to explain your self.

 

[The NY Gecko]

Tom I am going to void our agreement so I can give you a little advise. Take a look at other peoples lives and compare them to your own. You go to school in a heated building with electricity. There are books to read and teachers to guide you. You have clothes on your back and food and your stomach so what is so bad. Are you comparing your life to the Brady Bunch or some other TV program, because not to many people have a perfect life. You are young and have a life full of opportunities in front of you. There are millions of people that would be more than happy to have one of your bad days. If you can't take the pressures of high school what on earth makes you think you could handle being in combat. School can be difficult but life isn't going to get any easier.
Also I would agree with everyone else and appreciate it if you don't compare your troubles with being a soldier. You should also not judge why someone serves his country. The free education is not free. If you think that the four years of active duty is a cake walk than you need to rethink your views. Anyone who joins puts themselves at risk so if they can get an education out of it GOD bless them. I don't know if you think war is like the Rambo movies but it isn't. There is no great honor out of guarding an oil Field or doing patrols while hoping there isn't a bomb today. War is all about luck and it isn't even yours. You have to do what you are told. Hopefully you will never know the suffering these men endure for us. So as a veteran please chose a different way to explain your self.

I can't recall where I pointed to school Brian. Nor did I thought war is like Rambo. This is why me and you don't get along, you have a tendency to look at my posts and see whatever damn well pleases you. I'm not judging why someone should serve his country. I said it shouldn't be about the education. I don't want a flame fest but if your shooting for it its well on its way to being there. Cake-walk...I didnt say it was a cake walk. In fact, in my LAST POST, I specifically said I didnt think it was easy. Members of my family have served in the army. Some of them in wars. My great grandfather served in Guadalcanal during WWII and my Uncle served in Vietnam. Most of you on here know exactly nill about me, I'd appreciatte the assumptions that I'm just an average teenager with issues to end, like now.

 

[WindyO]

Tom I think you have some anger management issues. I was not quoting you but giving you some much needed advice which is what anyone who thinks about joining the military today needs. I am not trying to insult you or argue wirth you.

 

[The NY Gecko]

Tom I think you have some anger management issues. I was not quoting you but giving you some much needed advice which is what anyone who thinks about joining the military today needs. I am not trying to insult you or argue wirth you.

If you'll re-read what you said I think you'll find that it came across as a little brash. It was more condescending than advice. I've made up my mind to join the military, maybe it'll help me. As far as my anger issues go, well, I was just fine until you said what you did, it got under my skin just a little bit, especially that part about maybe i think its like rambo, ESPECIALLY after I specifically said I dont think it is the very post before yours.

 

[WindyO]

The first paragraph says life isn't that bad. You are putting emotion behind what I am writing. I am not being condescending. The first paragraph was meant to tell you to relax. Life isn't that bad. I could see where you could make it condescending but it wasn't. I was trying to send a positive message.( Thank God I don't work at a suicide hot line.)
In the second I was trying to point things out that you don't know from experience. I didn't say you must think this way as much as it isn't this way.

 

[KelliH]

I think everyone here can agree that those that serve our country in times of war are makeing the ultimite, brave sacrifice. Those of us that haven't been there really cannot truly understand that sacrifice. Let's have some respect and not turn this thread into an ugly flame. The purpose of the thread was so Tom could apologize for his posts in a different thread. I for one say we accept that for what it is and move on.We are all different people that have different views on life and the events in it. We all do have one thing in common, our love for leopard geckos, which is why we all are here posting. That's the only reason I am here, anyway!

 

[The NY Gecko]

I think everyone here can agree that those that serve our country in times of war are makeing the ultimite, brave sacrifice. Those of us that haven't been there really cannot truly understand that sacrifice. Let's have some respect and not turn this thread into an ugly flame. The purpose of the thread was so Tom could apologize for his posts in a different thread. I for one say we accept that for what it is and move on.We are all different people that have different views on life and the events in it. We all do have one thing in common, our love for leopard geckos, which is why we all are here posting. That's the only reason I am here, anyway!

Thank you for the reminder kelli, sometimes its easy to get off track and forget. and for me to now get off track. short story. i played paintball. for a long time. since i wa8 till i was 14. and the last 2 years were competitive play. well, up till then it was fun. i began doing the competitive thing and lost sight of what it was i actually played for fun. whilst slightly different than what were talking about here, its the same principal:sometimes we need a reminder so we can focus back on what it is we love.