Ok, I'm getting PO'd here.  Do you know that most of the defense budget
goes to programs other than defense?  Remember that bovine methane gas
study?  Congress financed that out of department of defense moneys.
Defense money covers Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve Units, and
is still removed by congress to cover their pet pork projects.  Defense
funds covers emergency relief efforts (can you say Katrina and Rita?  I
knew you could).  State and local governments do not re-imburse the
military for any of those expenses.

Military medevac units transfer critically injured and ill patients to
trauma units all over the world.  Most of the wounded and injured that
Rob's units transferred to hospital care were CIVILIANS the us army does
not charge countries or individuals for those services.

Defense money often pays for diplomatic programs in other countries.
When Rob was stationed in Europe, Defense money covered a good portion
of the American presence in the peaceful negotiated split of the
Slovenian nations.  He knew this as his unit provided a lot of the
transportation for diplomats, their staff, and their security teams from
one place to another as needed.  Military money paid for the expenses of
both the military units providing services and some of the civilian
staff involved.

And do you know what military personnel receive for all those years of
16-20 hour days?  Rob receives $1750 a month combined retirement and
disability payment for a cancer he probably received in Desert Storm.
He gets told that he shouldn't even receive that much.  He gets called a
baby killer, torturer, and rapist.  He is told that the money that he
should have received in equipment and wages is being wasted on $300
toilet seats.  He is told that the medical program that barely covers
his family is redundant and that the government shouldn't have to cover
his insurance, let alone his family's.  He has been spit at,
propositioned, threatened, and called things that should have got
someone's mouth washed out with soap.

I get to read people in her reviling the very military that makes it
possible for people to post some of the nastiest sentiments I've ever
read about a country of profession.  If someone were to post such stuff
about, say Finland (Sorry Marina and Christina) everyone in here,
including me, would be up in arms.  But because I agree with Rob for his
reasons for going into the military, I mark the meanness as read, and
try to ignore the hateful things said about my country, president, and
my husband's profession.

I agree that America is far from perfect and that there are times when I
wonder why I voted for George W. Bush.  (I don't wonder why I didn't
vote for A. Gore).  Sometimes I think that living in another country
would be wonderful.  At least I wouldn't have to read this crap.

I love all you people, but I HAVE HAD ENOUGH.  I need a vacation from
your hateful spite.  I will come back when I have calmed down enough to
decide whether to apologize to you or not.  Right now I feel as though
Rob and I, especially ROB deserves the apology.

Pam S.

<snip>

As a single person, I quickly tired of the shared apartments and never
couch-surfed, so from a comparatively early stage of living on my own, I
was paying more than couples or accomodation-sharing singles for similar
places to live. The extra cost is worth it to me, but it does mean that my
cost of living for housing is much higher than it would be if I were half
of a couple or even found a room-mate.

I spend a lot on food, but I don't think that cost would be reduced if I
shared. I'm good and experienced at cooking at least 4 servings of
everything and freezing three, and very rarely bother with over-priced
single servings. If anything, I'd spend more on food as part of a couple
because there'd be two people's ideas of a favourite treat to consider!

But not all singles have either your or your DH's pre-marriage lifestyle!

Your prices are about what I'd expect here, though. A young couple I know
who are just starting off are living in rooms in shared houses, and trying
to find a small cheap apartment to share. Shared rooms run $350-400/month
each, and they're hoping for an apartment in the $600 range, including
utilities, but aren't having much luck finding anything that's half decent
in an area with transportation for their education and work.

Yes, but that's whay it reall is difficult to determine "equity" -- that is,
we do not live alike (single or married).  Much probably also depends on
age -- students will have a different life style than retired people (again,
regardless of marital status), yet I also know young newlyweds who expect to
move into homes of the same standard as their parents who have married for
many years.  I never lived in the same type of arrangements as you
described, and couples who talk about not getting married because of the
"marriage tax" sometimes are *already* sharing a home.

Not an easy cost to analyze...

MaryL

Thanks, Rhonda.  I still have to hear back from Oprah, but I'll keep
contacting them until she gets people like me on.  Something's got to
change.

kili

Thanks!  I appreciate all purrs.  :~)

kili

Thanks, Adrian.  I am so scared, I can't even tell you.  All purrs are
appreciated.

kili