I really wish I could. ;( But I am one of the few people on the planet who do not get HBO.

mondaymoos, I also don't subscribe to HBO - so there are two of us!!

I don't get it either Monday, but doubt I'd watch this anyway.

I don't get it either! Out of curiosity, why wouldn't you watch it?

Also, I'm curious to hear other opinions; I'm wondering if people from both sides of the aisle find that it doesn't further a political agenda.

War's not something I support, so watching a recruiter behaving ethically or unethically while enlisting new soldiers who may or may not need the work doesn't excite me. It doesn't matter how it plays out, I just wouldn't enjoy watching it.

I don't get HBO either..to expensive..although it seems like all of their shows get great reviews.

Hmmm...I was just curious. I think it's important to watch things that you don't support, to make sure you get information from an array of sources. But that's just me.

I dont support PETA, or the Vegan Lifestyle, or Obama but i would watch a documentary on them to gain more knowledge and to be more open minded.

I would watch this documentary because I do support our troops, and I do believe that the military is a positive thing for some people young or old, and that not all recruiters are what the media portrays them to be (lying scheming nitwits)

I'm watching for sure. I know we spend a lot of time on here debating the end results of military actions around the globe and how said actions impact society. However, my disagreement has never been with our men and women in uniform on that point. It has always been with the Commander & Cheif. I have no problem with military service and I admire the men & women who choose to serve.

In fact if it wasn't for my over protective mother I'd probably be a commander in the Navy at this point. I have three brothers and one sister who served why she had a fit when I wanted to go I don't know.

I grew up in a family with a long military history, still have friends in the military and read a great deal, so think I'm safe giving this show a pass without being ill-informed on the subject.

I would find a vegan documentary incredibly dull!

So is the reason your disagreement with war or the fact that you already know a lot about the subject?

And for me, even if I already know a lot, I am always looking to learn about newsworthy topics, with sources on both sides. But like I said, that's just me. I've always been one to look for multiple sources.

Also, no one said you were ill-informed. No reason to get so defensive.

I would find a vegan documentary interesting.

If it was properly done, of course. I love human interest pieces, though. I think it's interesting to look at just about any issue and look at it from one person's unique perspective, regardless of whether I agree with that perspective. I like to build my whole understanding of an issue from multiple unique perspectives. I think it's really important to get the perspectives of people you don't personally know, as well. That way it's not tainted in any way. Like I said, though, that's just me. People have different ways of forming opinions.

Both reasons Lil. I disagree with war and I know enough about the subject that I feel secure not watching.
What's your favorite anti-war documentary?

Speaking of vegan I think vegan diets could be a blessing in disguise in more ways than one. There is a restaurant in San Francisco called Herbivore and the food is out of this world, well for vegan anyway. My point is you know how people are always trying to get their kids to eat more veggies. I guarantee you serve up some of these vegan recipes and your kids will eat their veggies.

I like bloody meat too much to be vegan:)

Taxi to the Dark Side is probably my favorite anit-war documentary. It's an interesting watch. If you haven't seen it yet, I would highly recommend it.

Oops. anti-war, not anit-war

History is my favorite anti-war documentary.

I'm interested in seeing the documentary on the Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young tour as well. I remember reading about it about a month ago.

Anyway, I'm saying this having not yet seen it, but based on Liberty's description, I don't think it would be accurate to say "The Recruiter" is the opposite of an anti-war documentary. It seems like it examines both sides. (Not saying that anyone is saying that, just clearly putting it out there.)

Just pulled a question out of my hat - wasn't looking for a perfect opposite.

I didn't say you were. In fact, I specifically stated that no one was saying that the two were opposites.

There was another good anti-war documentary I saw a few years back about the PTSD soldiers were experiencing when they came home. I wish I could remember the name of it now!

A random thought: I volunteer with the Union of Concerned Scientists and most of the people I spend time with through them haven't watched An Inconvenient Truth. Their reasons include 'I don't need Al Gore to scare me' and 'I already knew that stuff'.

Hmmm...you would think they would at least watch it so when others reference it they would know what they are talking about! I mean, I'm sure they know a lot about climate change and such, but with the popularity of "An Inconvenient Truth," I would guess that some of the people they encounter would ask them questions pertaining to specific things in the film.

People do and they usually let the person tell them what they saw in the movie and then offer what they know or sources they have as a way to learn more. In some ways, I think it helps keep one version of a story from becoming THE version. IMO people identify global warming/climate change too much with Gore: he didn't invent it, he didn't discover it, he isn't the last word on it - but to many people, he is the God of Global Warming.

HBO has really been earning its keep in my house. I bought it for Big Love but I've been really loving Generation Kill and these docs too... And True Blood looks interesting. I think it only costs me 10 bucks more a month, totally worth it!

I'll probably check this out, from Liberty's description it sounds pretty fair but ya know, there will always be people who see what they want to see.

I wonder if one of the reasons he's so successful is because he's honest and forthcoming.

From being in sales I know that the people who lie and do whatever to inflate their numbers usually are successful for a month or two and then fizzle out once their clients realize what happened. I imagine recruiting is probably very similiar since in small towns word gets around.

I think people identify global warming too much with Gore, as well. I wasn't being critical of the people you work with; it was just an observation. I feel like people are so ready to fight on here lately. Maybe I will make a new name and see if people react the same way to what I say.

Of course, I can't do that now, because I must be top talker!

go kim!

I just hope I'm in the top 5 still. I've been slacking this month.

I didn't find anything you said critical Lil, though I admit, I'm feeling very Monday morning here myself. I've thought of that new name thing too! I have thought that sometimes the avatar affects how I take a comment - one of yours that stared straight on, scared me a little.

Yeah, I had one a few back that i realized was kind of frightening looking. I like the new one though; I think she's a little more fun. I always think of Naomi Watts when I think of you, Steph. You had that one for a while! (Or at least it felt like you did.)

Yeah, it took me a while to risk change! I don't think Naomi's too far off physically, at least if I bleached my hair again. Now I do question how hostile something will seem to someone who doesn't share my views - except in baseball teams.

is that who that was?? i always wondered! what was that picture from?

Pooh, I don't get HBO. I wish the dang dish company would let us just pick our channels. If we added hbo we would get like 50 more channels we wouldn't watch.

And Hypno, I need some of those recipes. My daughter could pick a pea or piece of corn out of anything and eat around it. The little toot.

I have eaten in vegan restaurants several times, very interesting menus.

Interesting enough to watch on t.v. Janneth?

I would watch a show on veganism, steph. I have a bestest friend who is a vegan. It is a wild ride, I can tell you.

Must be just me then, I think a vegan documentary would be like watching paint dry - or worse that British show where a nutrionist torments overweight people with the nastiest looking health food I've ever seen.

steph - We've always thought it was just you.
JK

I found the documentary very interesting. It was touching, disturbing, and disheartening all at the same time. The recruiters have a tough job and the recruits had many misconceptions about what was involved. I would love for all the potential recruits to have far more options available to them so that a choice for service truly would be on a strictly voluntary basis. I also liked Sgt. Usie's idea about federal service (not a draft) as too many people are able to coast on the backs of the efforrts of others. For those yet to watch it I won't spoil the outcome, suffice to say that these recruits were definitely thrown into the real world of warfare quite rapidly. Even for the most gung ho, it was hard not to think of them as cannon fodder.

I hope to get the chance to watch it again.

Thanks for your thoughts, Lance!

“The willingness with which young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.” ~ George Washington

A disturbing wrinkle on this situation. As Sgt. Usie said, it is quite difficult to keep the numbers where they need to be.

Caught on tape: Army recruiters threaten high school students

I don't think you should judge any group of people based on the actions of a few of its members.

That's kind of situational though.

What's situational?

Recruiting is a kind of sales. Sgt. Usie talked about how they were not hitting their target sign-up numbers and were getting a lot of pressure put upon them (as well as self-imposed pressure). It's not that the actions of the few tar all with the same brush, but you have to look at the environment that fosters this sort of behavior. If they recruiters were not caught on tape, their superiors would have most likely looked the other way and judged them only on the numbers of enlistees delivered.

The military itself is guilty of glossing over many of the details of the fine print of their enlistment contracts. I read (someone correct me if I'm wrong) that exceptions like the "Stop-Loss" program where your terms of enlistment and tour of duty can be extended almost indefinitely are listed in the contract as a sort of obscure code. If the enlistee does not question each and every bit of the fine print, they really won't know exactly what their full obligations are.