MetaFilter posts tagged with Draft

The Curious Case of Matt Harrington

reenum — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:24:45 -0800

When people think of the pitfalls of the baseball draft, it is hard not to remember the story of Matt Harrington. Harrington was drafted in the first round of the MLB draft by the Rockies and the Padres in successive years, only to go back into the draft after failing to reach an agreement each time. As the years went by, his stock kept falling. Harrington's flirtation with the majors ended in 2004 when he was drafted with the 1,089th pick by the Yankees. Joe Posnanski wrote about Harrington's saga in 2006, saying that this was a parable about athlete greed. ESPN wrote a piece about it earlier this year, showing Harrington's rapid decline in draft position and struggles as a result of the negative publicity he received. Harrington currently works at Costco for $11.50 an hour.

First World War Draft Cards

steef — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 06:57:15 -0800

Famous, infamous, and interesting World War I draft cards, including The Bambino, Groucho, Moe, Satchmo, Scarface, and Sergeant York. A little background on the Selective Service Act of 1917 and World War I draft registration cards. Via Great War Fiction.

I got a letter from the government the other day, I opened and read it, it said they were suckers

Artw — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:45:27 -0800

Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos

Meeting Resistance

homunculus — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 20:13:33 -0800

Know Thine Enemy. "In a video Op-Ed by documentary filmmakers Molly Bingham and Steve Connors, Iraqis explain the roots of the insurgency." Another Op-Ed on Iraq, written by 12 former Army captains: The Real Iraq We Knew.

Al Gore for President

altman — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 00:18:30 -0800

Draft Gore. He has participated in a lampoon of his defeat, has at least one web forum devoted to what might have been and may yet be, has his own web site, his own Wiki page, is an Academy Award winner, is encouraged to run by at least one major newspaper , and has numerous web sites devoted to encouraging him to run. His competion? Jeb Bush, (if there is any justice in this world, please let it be the Jeb miester), Rudy Giuliani, and John McCain.

I predict a landslide of unprecedented proportions. Metafilter before .

Who's afraid of Obama?

Milkman Dan — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 11:55:59 -0800

“President Barack Hussein Obama – it does have a ring to it, doesn't it?” – Who’s hot for (and who’s not for) America’s up-and-coming presidential wonderboy.

We have no friends, America only has interests.

bukharin — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 13:30:48 -0800

Kissinger declares Iraq can't be won. Rep. Hangel, incoming chairman of the House Ways and Means, proposes to reinstate the draft.

Texans Reject Bush

b_thinky — Sat, 29 Apr 2006 00:24:34 -0800

Texans reject Bush

Not since the Portland Trailblazers selected Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan has such a draft day blunder occurred. In today's 2006 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans are set to make NC State defensive end Mario Williams - not USC running back Reggie Bush - the top overall pick. Yes, we're talking about this Reggie Bush (YouTube).

Texans fans, prepare for 10 more seasons like the one you just had.

No Child Left Unrecruited

augustweed — Wed, 07 Sep 2005 03:32:51 -0800

As if a looming draft isn't enough, we now have a military recruitment web site nearly masquerading as commercial (.com) job-placement web site run by the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) from the Pentagon. ASVAB stands for Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, a test administered for career placement for all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. Will there be any children left behind in America. Is our past our future?

Uncle Sam Wants You!

furtive — Tue, 03 May 2005 15:08:13 -0800

"Recruiting has always been a difficult job, and some say the scandals that have periodically surfaced are inevitable. But the temptation to cut corners is particularly strong today..."

Hate war? Coward! Great arm? HERO!

XQUZYPHYR — Sun, 01 May 2005 10:23:12 -0800

Sure, you could defend the country, but Houston needs a good defense even more! Say, do you want to shirk your commitment to the armed forces but flat-out desertion is too controversial? Become a pro athlete instead! West Point is revising its rules to stipulate that student athletes who join professional sports teams can avoid active duty. The taxpayer-funded military academy will now allow student athletes to reduce their active duty time if faced with the unbearable burden of being offered multi-million dollar pro contracts.

AntiyoungAmericansdyingfilter?

amberglow — Mon, 24 Jan 2005 21:21:09 -0800

Draftfreedom --a new group applying their marketing and communication expertise to help prevent the draft. Take a look--maybe this new approach can get thru?

Ready for WW4 ?

troutfishing — Sun, 31 Oct 2004 11:20:19 -0800

Get Ready For WW4 : FOIA document details SSS preparations for a widespread draft to start with a callup of 36,000 doctors and nurses : an in depth analysis with a detailed timeline : "...the SSS is in fact preparing for the real possibility of a Skills, Medical and Combat Draft for 2005. Congress of course must still pass a 1-page trigger resolution reauthorizing current conscription law, but the Selective Service will by early 2005 have geared up the entire draft system and be prepared to register more than 40 million Americans for a new Skills Draft and the Medical Draft....The NY Times on Oct. 19 published a long article on a subcontractor, Widemeyer Communications, that over the summer consulted the SSS on how a Medical Draft could be started up with minimal attention. The SSS said 36,000 doctors and nurses would be taken in the first batch of draftees. Why would Bush need so many? 36,000 is a huge number....Wesley Clark charges in his book Winning Modern Wars, that a senior Pentagon official told him in 2001 that there was a 5-year plan to topple 7 countries" Here's the Seattle PI's take : "Administration's own actions fuel rumors of draft" Here's a Feb. 2003 document (~500k pdf) obtained under the FOIA, on the SSS plans for a widespread draft. (more inside)

those damn hippies?

amberglow — Mon, 04 Oct 2004 13:46:42 -0800

Dodging the ~~draft~~ call up? Fewer than two-thirds of the former soldiers being reactivated for duty in Iraq and elsewhere have reported on time, prompting the Army to threaten some with punishment for desertion. The former soldiers, part of what is known as the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), are being recalled to fill shortages in skills needed for the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

My offer still stands to say that we're lovers to get you out.

amberglow — Tue, 21 Sep 2004 16:06:55 -0800

Howard Dean speaks --on the coming draft. Any of you going to be 20 in 2005, and/or medical personnel? And girls, don't think you'll be exempt. (altho we know Jenna and Barbara of course will be.)

John Edwards: No military draft if Democrats win

jackspace — Wed, 15 Sep 2004 17:38:53 -0800

John Edwards: "No military draft if Democrats win" - which comes as a relief to me today as my own son turns eighteen. However, as it stands, the Selective Service System has been ramping up its ability to begin a draft as early as Spring 2005, especially a possibility should Congressional Bills S. 89 and H.R. 163, known as the "Universal National Service Act of 2003" pass in the House and Senate. Many people who have been in the military feel a draft would actually degrade the quality of our military forces. Nonetheless, this time around, a draft would include men and women. And the Selective Service is also looking for a few good people to become a Selective Service System Local Board Member, one of the tasks of which is to guarantee "that each CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR is properly CLASSIFIED, PLACED, and MONITORED."(emphasis added)

we're at war, right? so?

amberglow — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 17:57:30 -0800

The Allen Plan --a very interesting alternative to the possible coming draft. Makes perfect sense to me.

draft military exodus

thedailygrowl — Sat, 29 May 2004 23:03:39 -0800

According to this article: The military may see a "mass exodus that will reach the hemorrhage point by mid-2005." Just in time for the return of the draft. (links via Buzzflash)

Military Draft - Fact or fiction?

mr_crash_davis — Tue, 13 Apr 2004 11:47:24 -0800

Men aged 18-25, have you got your lighters ready? It's going to be draft time soon, according to the Nader campaign. The Selective Service denies it.

Do you feel a draft in the air?

madamjujujive — Sun, 14 Mar 2004 10:45:30 -0800

Do you have special skills? If so, Uncle Sam may want to speak with you. "The government is taking the first steps toward a targeted military draft of Americans with special skills in computers and foreign languages." Nobody sees a need for a large scale draft like Vietnam, "But they thought that if we have any kind of a draft, it will probably be a special skills draft." The folks at SSS stress that this possibility is likely far off. It could take about two years to "to have all the kinks worked out." Is the draft in our future?

Rumsfeld's comment

whatever — Tue, 21 Jan 2003 22:00:03 -0800

Rumsfeld's comment about the draft has caused a stir. The Hispanic Caucus is upset and they're the new major minority (an oxymoron?). It has also riled the feathers of the Vietnam Veterans of America. If you Google "Rumsfeld draft" there are the two links above but the only article in a major newspaper is The Moscow Times. Rumsfeld called his statement at a Pentagon press conference "not eloquently spoken". Is this a big story? Talk amongst yourselves.

Should military service become mandatory?

cinematique — Sun, 29 Dec 2002 21:49:23 -0800

Should military service become mandatory? New York's Democratic representative Charles Rangel thinks so. Would this help curb the enthusiasm our elected leaders have in using our armed forces? Obviously, the details need to be explained and hashed out... but does this effort have any substantial support?

QuestionableSwami — Mon, 23 Sep 2002 13:25:43 -0800

Given the fact we will have a lot of soldiers in Iraq for a long time after we invade them, not to mention in Afghanistan and other places all over the world, what do you suppose the odds are of the draft being reinstated in some form?

@homer — Fri, 14 Sep 2001 21:44:53 -0800

Hello males! Is your address up to date? Have you even registered?

krisjohn — Thu, 13 Sep 2001 20:11:03 -0800

Calling up reserves? The Pentagon is considering a call up of army reservists for the first time since the Gulf War. (The last call up was in January 1991 when more than 265,000 reservists were placed on stand-by for active duty.)