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The Headlines on MSN read, Vietnam suffers toxic legacy...and that bothers me.  I read the ariticle and it may be valid, I'm no doctor, but if the Vietnamese people have medical problems associated with Agent Orange, don't our vets?

Personally, due to the war, I am no great lover of the country, although I will admit I am wrong in my thinking.  It is unwise for me to dislike a group, or nation, of folks based on my service in SEA, but I do.  I think the whole country was/is corupt and dishonest, but my view is a personal one and may be wrong.

During the war, Agent Orange was used to kill the forest and jungle, which would prevent the V.C. from having a place to hide, or so the idea was.  ANY chemical, as far as I am concerned, is dangerous to use and I trust them not.  IF the Vietnamese as actually having birth problems, two or three generations removed from the war...what of our vets?  In one case MSN states there is no link between Agent Orange and the medicals problems suffered by Vietnam Vets, but yet runs an article that states the country is now having severe medical problems due to the chemical...get it together folks.  If it affects one group, you know the others are affected.

What Vietnam wants, and you can bet your rice bowl on this, is a chunk of money to clean up the chemical.  Once paid, the money will never see the person on the street (or ricefield if you will) and a few polictical misfits will grow rich.  The governement of Vietnam is simply attempting to make the US look bad and they've been doing it for years.  They did it during the war, but we've yet to learn that the country is great at psychology and the use of the press....wake up America and smell the fish sauce.

As far as I am concerned, LOL, you really don't want to know, but many Vets know my thoughts and I don't even need to speak them.  If our Vets are told there is no medical problems associated with Agent Orange, let's tell the Vietnamese the same thing....or, is there more behind all of this than we know?

WR Benton

I just read a report that started with, "Children with risk factors for heart disease, including high cholesterol and diabetes, are showing signs of narrowing and hardening of the arteries, conditions normally associated with adults, a study said."

I wonder why?  I have never liked the fast food trash that is fed to kids.   Parents seem to select those food items that take the least time to prepare, are microwaved and then given to the kid like they are horses.  I've seen it often enough in my own family.  Few kids today have been exposed to real home cooking and that is a shame.  But, a bigger shame is, their parents have no idea how to cook....and I'm being honest here.  Today, if you gave most women or men a chunk of raw beef, some potatoes, cabbage, carrots and other veggies, they would turn their noses up....not sure what to do.  This fast food stuff is great, if you're out shopping and need a meal, but to eat it for dinner, I think not.

 Now, I don't want to come across as "holier than thou", because I  eat fast food at times.  If there is a valid reason I cannot have a "normal" meal, I will eat out.  But, compared to the 50's and  60's, I think (I have no facts here) that more people rely on fast food, simply because (1) they don't know how to cook, (2) it's faster and less of a pain in the rear to buy it than cook it, (3) they are lazy.  Most of the problem I think, is number 3.

So, when little fat butted Billy comes from the doctor and he's told he has a problem with his heart, I wonder why?  Come on, learn to cook heathy foods (great suggestion from a redneck),  Get the boy some real, honest to God, exercise and follow the doctors orders.

 Kids today, I am not being negative, I've seen it in my own family, do very little in the way of exercise or real work.  They spend most of their time in front of the T.V. or a game of some sort.  Not good.  Get 'em off of their asses and doing something outdoors...football, baseball, or hiking. Most have NO idea of what a full day of work is (Which is another area I won't touch right now) and to be honest, they are pampered.  Exercise will reduce the high cholesterol in most kids today.

When I grew up, we had fatback, fried everything, and ate a lot of high cholesterol types of foods, but we worked hard and long hours.  The difference, I think, is the laid back attitude of people today.   See, we ate deadly foods, but we worked hard and that made up for it.  If most folks did a little physical work, the high cholesterol  levels would drop.  But, when you combine the lack of work, the desire to stay in front of the "tube" or to play games, you've got medial problems.

So, when little Billy has medical problems, blame your own buns, not him or wonder why.  The foods of the past would have killed most folks today due to the high cholesterol level in most of them...but we didn't have the T.V., Games, or sit on our butts all day. 

It's time to get real, or our kids will start to die.

 WR Benton