choosing as their governments tend to do not to prioritise weapons of mass destruction over the wellbeing of their citizens.
No, they just choose to take their citizens' money and buy them from the US. Do you not believe the Europeans have a military presence? Also, have you ever heard of the Tornado or the Harrier? What about the JSF (joint strike fighter) that the British co-developed with the US? Do you think the US is the only country in the world that spends on the military? Americans have (if they choose) amoung the highest quality of life in the world. We put defense spending over individuals? Gimme a break.
I guess by the sound of things you're one of these folks that thinks we should not spend anything on the military and we should just wait until the Germans decide to start marching across Europe again to do anything about it.
The only government I know of that constantly bashes the UN is the US and if things there doesn't go their way
Hmm...I've heard quite a few Europeans ranting about how the UN sucks and how the UN "killed three million babies in Iraq with sanctions". Then they subsequently call the UN the US's lapdog. I wouldn't dare say that the US is the only nation with a UN problem.
Also, let's face reality here. The rest of the world likes the UN because the US is the world's only superpower (if you don't count the EU and emerging China). The UN somehow puts them and the US in the same game. This is perhaps why many in the US dislike the UN. There are many here though (liberal Democrats and Green Party members, for example) that believe the US should surrender all sovreignty to the UN. Current Democratic frontrunner John Kerry has made some remarks to that effect. He's stated that US military forces should never deploy without authorization of the UN. I wouldn't exactly say that there is a prevailing hatred of the UN here. Your media may be getting it wrong too, my friend.
I've been to Europe and Canada many times, but I can't say anything for other areas. If you were to believe the Canadian news (CBC, for example), you would think that every American is a gun-toting, KKK, polygimist illiterate wife-beater. Most of my time in Europe was spent in Germany and I don't speak German (I do speak Spanish fluently, another misconception by Europeans that no one in the US is bilingual). Therefore, I can't attest to the nature of the German news outlets.
Let me put it this way, if the UN has no power why after the WTO ruled against the US did the US suspend their steel tarrifs instead of facing billions of dollars in orange tarrifs?
First of all, the WTO is not the UN.
The US took a lot of heat for it's steel tarrifs. You should understand though that the US is a little different from European nations in that the US is forbidden by the Constitution to own corporations (although it sometimes does like the US Postal Service). Europe has no such rules in place. This is why Airbus is kicking Boeing's pants right now in contracts. Airbus is government owned and operated and subsidized 30-40 percent by European tax payers. I guess if the US bought all of the steel plants and gave them taxpayer's money so they could undersell the Europeans, that would be ok?
Excuse me, Sir Coward but I am stating facts. I take offense to your claiming I am mindlessly repeating everything my government says.
If you really believed what you write, or if your comment was based on logic, reason and understanding and not deep-seated hatred of the US, perhaps you would not post anonymously.
Government propoganda? Perhaps you've fallen into the trap of believing UN propaganda, my friend.
Sadly it is called "Capitalism" and your new found anger at MS is a bit misplaced here.
You're wrong. It's called corruption when industry interferes with or influences government. Capitalism is the belief that if something is needed, people will provide it for a price and those that need it will pay the best price to get it from those who have it.
This is not especially surprising, considering the number of large businesses that lobby and otherwise bride their way through government.
I know you are probably just writing about the long arm of Microsoft's loot, but it is important to note that the UN is NOT a government entity. It is a forum for governments to sit down and collaborate on various issues. It has no authority (thank God). It doesn't make laws (thanks again, God).
You see, I deserve to be richer, smarter, better-looking, safer, better-fed, and healthier than anyone else. Me me me.
If I work harder than you at the above-mentioned things, you're exactly right! I do deserve more.
(BTW, please don't ask how we satisfy our fundamentalist Christian constituency while at the same time enacting laws that go against the most basic tenets of the Judeo-Christian ethic: the Golden Rule and the admonishment to help those less fortunate...we can't figure it out either!)
Stating that people should be responsible for their own needs to the best of their ability is *not* admonishing someone! This country is incredible and almost anyone can and has made a success out of themselves with hard work. How do you think we have *so* many immigrants in this country that come here and open up gas stations, restaurants, etc and are all successful? It's because they work hard and build something with their own two hands. They do it by working 14 hours a day so they don't have to hire help to run their businesses. The fact is that people want to live a good life and not have to work for it. Why do you think so many people who are poor will go and pay so much money on the lottery a month when they could take that same amount of money, drop it in an IRA and actually have something to show for it after a few years? It goes back to that smarter thing you were talking about earlier.
As far as the bitch slap about the fundamentalist Christian mess, you could make the same argument about liberals. Liberals (from my observations) believe anyone with Christian religious beliefs is obviously an ignorant, inbred hick while Muslims are simply misunderstood (I have nothing against Muslims, there just seems to be a double standard). They believe all politicians should denounce any belief in God.
Oh yeah, our (God forbid) fundamentalist Christian beliefs tell us that we should provide for our families and not wait around for someone else to do it for us with money stolen from those who are actually working.
People who are poor have obviously screwed up something in their lives. Don't give me this crap about people's circumstances being different. I don't believe it. I was born in a house in the middle of the North Georgia without electricity. My parents could hardly read. I put myself through college with student loans (available to anyone who didn't wreck their credit at age 18). I didn't have the grades in high school to get into a decent school so I started out at the local community college and eventually brought my grades up to the point that I was accepted (after 4 rejections) to Georgia Tech. I gradated there in 99 with a CS degree. Don't talk to me about poor people. I'm probably more qualified on the subject than most.
It's all about hard work and accountability for one's own actions.
For the life of me, the one thing I can't understand is why liberals continuously complain about government, call it evil and burn it's symbols, yet continue to give that government more power by surrendering more money to it.
Another use of Morse code that I use daily is in aviation. My aircraft has an UPSAT NAV/COM that identifies the morse code signal given over radio navigational aids (VORs, etc). In other words, I tune a VOR, wait about 10-15 seconds and the LED displays the navigational aid's identifier. It's very, very handy and I've never had it misbehave.
Or more realistically, legislators will vote for these laws because if they don't, during their re-election campaign or any subsequent campaigns, their opponent will run an ad saying "Senator voted to allow drunk drivers on our streets".
And we're talking about state politics here...I love how you snuck in the GOP in general and DeLay/Gingrich. But since you brought it up (and at the risk of being modded flamebait):
The DNC does exactly the opposite. They just buy votes by promising their constituency they'll give money to them that they took at gunpoint from someone else (welfare, "universal" healthcare, etc).
They vote to take money away from states in the form of taxing that states' citizens then force those states to comply with national regulations in order for that state to get it's money back. Without taking the money from the state to begin with, they would have no constitutional authority to force these things on states. Yes, both sides are guilty here too (No Child Left Behind) but we all know who is worse at it.
Did you say New Mexico? I could have sworn something like this must be coming from the UK, given their predisposition to declaring the average driver a retard or a threat and forcing said drivers to pay for technology in their cars that they don't want that gives the government control over *PRIVATELY* owned vehicles....geez...
My original post was a little misleading. After re-reading it, I think you probably believed that I was agreeing that brain activity should be the test of whether or not something is considered human.
I, too agree with you that the government should do as very little as possible to legislate morality. However, you should also remember that the darkest times in our history, those times where people were most exploited and abused by others, was simply because those being abused did not have a voice (at least politically). When those people were able to speak out (e.g. Frederick Douglas), things began to change.
Think about it. The statistics are pitiful. There is an abortion every 15 seconds in this country, 99.98% of which are completely voluntary or are a substitute for birth control. In other words, only.02% of abortions are performed because the woman was raped, a victim of incest, or the mother's or baby's life was at risk.
Something has to change and should. I'm not saying making it illegal, just that there are too many.
Further, I simply don't understand the Supremes and their insistence that an abortion is a constitutional right (nowhere to be found in the constitution), whereas someone standing in front of an abortion clinic peacefully protesting (clearly defined in the constitution) is not a right. What a screwed up world we live in.
An interesting point, my friend. I believe that most unborn babies begin developing brain activity at a very, very early stage. This would certainly contradict the current notion of women's rights over those of her...hmm...fetus.
I agree entirely that this is something companies should not do. I also agree that it is rude when companies use SWAT team members to escort fired employees from the office (this happend at my place of work).
I sometimes think that 2 week notice thing is a little overemphasized. The HR departments of most companies (Lucent, for example) have changed their policies of referals of former employees to simply be able to confirm or deny that said employee worked at the company for so long.
While this is great for us Road Warriors, how can this make financial sense?
It's called value. Wouldn't you choose a hotel with free Wi-Fi access over one that doesn't? It doesn't make financial sense for hotel guests to get complimentary breakfasts, either.
And, yes, according to you, we're supposed to understand that only Kings and those that live like kings have any rights,
What? Sounds like you have a problem with authority more than anything else. You as an employee of a company have rights. You have the right to pick up your things and walk out the front door if you do not like your job. You have the right to start your own company (probably like one of your bosses did one day). Of course, this is all assuming that YOU as an INDIVIDUAL did not make some stupid decision like having three kids by the time you're 20 years old, etc.
I saw a study once that stated that 90% of people making one million dollars per year or more came from middle class families. In other words, they didn't inherit it. They made it.
Almost anyone can do it. All it takes is willpower and smart decisions (like not having kids until you're financially stable, etc). Look, I know what I'm talking about. I was born dirt poor and now I'm in the top 2% of income earners in the US. I was the first person in my family to attend and graduate from college. I left my home at 18 with $200.00 in my pocket and some applications for student loans. Don't tell me you can't make it in this country! And don't tell me I'm lucky or that my circumstances are unique. (Understandably, living in a place like Africa, etc. is an entirely different story. I'm talking about industrialized nations).
If you're wondering, the answer is: Yes, I work for someone. I do not own a company. I am not "The Man". My boss gets on my nerves the way all bosses seem to do.
We just had three people *quit* their Software Engineering positions in our company because they wanted a change. They didn't like their jobs. They started their own company. That's all I'm saying...find new jobs if you don't like your existing one. There's a sea of potential income out there.
I love the idea that everyone is a victim of the "Man" and no one is reponsible for their own situation created by their own actions.
Oh yeah, a million people standing in one spot. Sometimes that's called a mob. You know, those folks who toss bricks through windows to take things that don't belong to them. I wonder why that's not considered democracy?
Here in Georgia we also have "Right to work" laws. I have no problem with them.
When are people going to understand that they are not entitled to a job? If there is a need for a person and that person can do the work, that person gets a job. If there is no longer a need for a position in a company, that person gets laid off. What's so hard to understand here?
A job isn't a right. The pursuit of a job is a right!
Look at it this way. If you own a company and you could use some extra help, are you going to hire somone if you know you're going to get hassled by some big brother government telling you that you're not allowed to lay off that person you just gave work to? Think about it, folks. It seems to me like this behavior encourages an absolute minimum staffing of a company (i.e. less jobs!).
The government isn't the answer to all your problems, folks. You're the answer.
I'm sure the astronauts currently living on the station are quite thankful for this as the United States does not have another vehicle and they would all be dead if Russia could not reach them now that the shuttle has been grounded for a year.
Hmm...
I think if they were in danger of running out of supplies (and no other alternative was available) NASA would prepare and launch a shuttle with minimum crew to retrieve the ISS occupants. There would be no shortgage of astronauts willing to volunteer for that mission.
Well excuse me, but as the Russians are about the only reason we have the ISS in the first place, it seems a little stupid to go complaining about having to accommodate them.
Hmm...not quite. Don't forget that the US has funded almost the entire program...even the Russian-built modules when the Russians threatened to abandon the project.
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choosing as their governments tend to do not to prioritise weapons of mass destruction over the wellbeing of their citizens.
No, they just choose to take their citizens' money and buy them from the US. Do you not believe the Europeans have a military presence? Also, have you ever heard of the Tornado or the Harrier? What about the JSF (joint strike fighter) that the British co-developed with the US? Do you think the US is the only country in the world that spends on the military? Americans have (if they choose) amoung the highest quality of life in the world. We put defense spending over individuals? Gimme a break.
I guess by the sound of things you're one of these folks that thinks we should not spend anything on the military and we should just wait until the Germans decide to start marching across Europe again to do anything about it.
The only government I know of that constantly bashes the UN is the US and if things there doesn't go their way
Hmm...I've heard quite a few Europeans ranting about how the UN sucks and how the UN "killed three million babies in Iraq with sanctions". Then they subsequently call the UN the US's lapdog. I wouldn't dare say that the US is the only nation with a UN problem.
Also, let's face reality here. The rest of the world likes the UN because the US is the world's only superpower (if you don't count the EU and emerging China). The UN somehow puts them and the US in the same game. This is perhaps why many in the US dislike the UN. There are many here though (liberal Democrats and Green Party members, for example) that believe the US should surrender all sovreignty to the UN. Current Democratic frontrunner John Kerry has made some remarks to that effect. He's stated that US military forces should never deploy without authorization of the UN. I wouldn't exactly say that there is a prevailing hatred of the UN here. Your media may be getting it wrong too, my friend.
I've been to Europe and Canada many times, but I can't say anything for other areas. If you were to believe the Canadian news (CBC, for example), you would think that every American is a gun-toting, KKK, polygimist illiterate wife-beater. Most of my time in Europe was spent in Germany and I don't speak German (I do speak Spanish fluently, another misconception by Europeans that no one in the US is bilingual). Therefore, I can't attest to the nature of the German news outlets.
Let me put it this way, if the UN has no power why after the WTO ruled against the US did the US suspend their steel tarrifs instead of facing billions of dollars in orange tarrifs?
First of all, the WTO is not the UN.
The US took a lot of heat for it's steel tarrifs. You should understand though that the US is a little different from European nations in that the US is forbidden by the Constitution to own corporations (although it sometimes does like the US Postal Service). Europe has no such rules in place. This is why Airbus is kicking Boeing's pants right now in contracts. Airbus is government owned and operated and subsidized 30-40 percent by European tax payers. I guess if the US bought all of the steel plants and gave them taxpayer's money so they could undersell the Europeans, that would be ok?
Excuse me, Sir Coward but I am stating facts. I take offense to your claiming I am mindlessly repeating everything my government says.
If you really believed what you write, or if your comment was based on logic, reason and understanding and not deep-seated hatred of the US, perhaps you would not post anonymously.
Government propoganda? Perhaps you've fallen into the trap of believing UN propaganda, my friend.
Sadly it is called "Capitalism" and your new found anger at MS is a bit misplaced here.
You're wrong. It's called corruption when industry interferes with or influences government. Capitalism is the belief that if something is needed, people will provide it for a price and those that need it will pay the best price to get it from those who have it.
Very well said.
This is not especially surprising, considering the number of large businesses that lobby and otherwise bride their way through government.
I know you are probably just writing about the long arm of Microsoft's loot, but it is important to note that the UN is NOT a government entity. It is a forum for governments to sit down and collaborate on various issues. It has no authority (thank God). It doesn't make laws (thanks again, God).
" you preach about staying out of debt when the government you support is the champion of debt.
You assume too much about my endorsement of the current administration. They overspend as well.
You see, I deserve to be richer, smarter, better-looking, safer, better-fed, and healthier than anyone else. Me me me.
If I work harder than you at the above-mentioned things, you're exactly right! I do deserve more.
(BTW, please don't ask how we satisfy our fundamentalist Christian constituency while at the same time enacting laws that go against the most basic tenets of the Judeo-Christian ethic: the Golden Rule and the admonishment to help those less fortunate...we can't figure it out either!)
Stating that people should be responsible for their own needs to the best of their ability is *not* admonishing someone! This country is incredible and almost anyone can and has made a success out of themselves with hard work. How do you think we have *so* many immigrants in this country that come here and open up gas stations, restaurants, etc and are all successful? It's because they work hard and build something with their own two hands. They do it by working 14 hours a day so they don't have to hire help to run their businesses. The fact is that people want to live a good life and not have to work for it. Why do you think so many people who are poor will go and pay so much money on the lottery a month when they could take that same amount of money, drop it in an IRA and actually have something to show for it after a few years? It goes back to that smarter thing you were talking about earlier.
As far as the bitch slap about the fundamentalist Christian mess, you could make the same argument about liberals. Liberals (from my observations) believe anyone with Christian religious beliefs is obviously an ignorant, inbred hick while Muslims are simply misunderstood (I have nothing against Muslims, there just seems to be a double standard). They believe all politicians should denounce any belief in God.
Oh yeah, our (God forbid) fundamentalist Christian beliefs tell us that we should provide for our families and not wait around for someone else to do it for us with money stolen from those who are actually working.
People who are poor have obviously screwed up something in their lives. Don't give me this crap about people's circumstances being different. I don't believe it. I was born in a house in the middle of the North Georgia without electricity. My parents could hardly read. I put myself through college with student loans (available to anyone who didn't wreck their credit at age 18). I didn't have the grades in high school to get into a decent school so I started out at the local community college and eventually brought my grades up to the point that I was accepted (after 4 rejections) to Georgia Tech. I gradated there in 99 with a CS degree. Don't talk to me about poor people. I'm probably more qualified on the subject than most.
It's all about hard work and accountability for one's own actions.
For the life of me, the one thing I can't understand is why liberals continuously complain about government, call it evil and burn it's symbols, yet continue to give that government more power by surrendering more money to it.
Another use of Morse code that I use daily is in aviation. My aircraft has an UPSAT NAV/COM that identifies the morse code signal given over radio navigational aids (VORs, etc). In other words, I tune a VOR, wait about 10-15 seconds and the LED displays the navigational aid's identifier. It's very, very handy and I've never had it misbehave.
Or more realistically, legislators will vote for these laws because if they don't, during their re-election campaign or any subsequent campaigns, their opponent will run an ad saying "Senator voted to allow drunk drivers on our streets".
And we're talking about state politics here...I love how you snuck in the GOP in general and DeLay/Gingrich. But since you brought it up (and at the risk of being modded flamebait):
The DNC does exactly the opposite. They just buy votes by promising their constituency they'll give money to them that they took at gunpoint from someone else (welfare, "universal" healthcare, etc).
They vote to take money away from states in the form of taxing that states' citizens then force those states to comply with national regulations in order for that state to get it's money back. Without taking the money from the state to begin with, they would have no constitutional authority to force these things on states. Yes, both sides are guilty here too (No Child Left Behind) but we all know who is worse at it.
This is not extortion?
Did you say New Mexico? I could have sworn something like this must be coming from the UK, given their predisposition to declaring the average driver a retard or a threat and forcing said drivers to pay for technology in their cars that they don't want that gives the government control over *PRIVATELY* owned vehicles....geez...
who will pay for cinemas to switch to digital projection
Hmm...ultimately the customers will.
My original post was a little misleading. After re-reading it, I think you probably believed that I was agreeing that brain activity should be the test of whether or not something is considered human.
.02% of abortions are performed because the woman was raped, a victim of incest, or the mother's or baby's life was at risk.
I, too agree with you that the government should do as very little as possible to legislate morality. However, you should also remember that the darkest times in our history, those times where people were most exploited and abused by others, was simply because those being abused did not have a voice (at least politically). When those people were able to speak out (e.g. Frederick Douglas), things began to change.
Think about it. The statistics are pitiful. There is an abortion every 15 seconds in this country, 99.98% of which are completely voluntary or are a substitute for birth control. In other words, only
Something has to change and should. I'm not saying making it illegal, just that there are too many.
Further, I simply don't understand the Supremes and their insistence that an abortion is a constitutional right (nowhere to be found in the constitution), whereas someone standing in front of an abortion clinic peacefully protesting (clearly defined in the constitution) is not a right. What a screwed up world we live in.
You make an interesting point. If you look at the cats that were cloned you will see that even their *physical* traits are different!
An interesting point, my friend. I believe that most unborn babies begin developing brain activity at a very, very early stage. This would certainly contradict the current notion of women's rights over those of her...hmm...fetus.
I agree entirely that this is something companies should not do. I also agree that it is rude when companies use SWAT team members to escort fired employees from the office (this happend at my place of work).
I sometimes think that 2 week notice thing is a little overemphasized. The HR departments of most companies (Lucent, for example) have changed their policies of referals of former employees to simply be able to confirm or deny that said employee worked at the company for so long.
While this is great for us Road Warriors, how can this make financial sense?
It's called value. Wouldn't you choose a hotel with free Wi-Fi access over one that doesn't? It doesn't make financial sense for hotel guests to get complimentary breakfasts, either.
And, yes, according to you, we're supposed to understand that only Kings and those that live like kings have any rights,
What? Sounds like you have a problem with authority more than anything else. You as an employee of a company have rights. You have the right to pick up your things and walk out the front door if you do not like your job. You have the right to start your own company (probably like one of your bosses did one day). Of course, this is all assuming that YOU as an INDIVIDUAL did not make some stupid decision like having three kids by the time you're 20 years old, etc.
I saw a study once that stated that 90% of people making one million dollars per year or more came from middle class families. In other words, they didn't inherit it. They made it.
Almost anyone can do it. All it takes is willpower and smart decisions (like not having kids until you're financially stable, etc). Look, I know what I'm talking about. I was born dirt poor and now I'm in the top 2% of income earners in the US. I was the first person in my family to attend and graduate from college. I left my home at 18 with $200.00 in my pocket and some applications for student loans. Don't tell me you can't make it in this country! And don't tell me I'm lucky or that my circumstances are unique. (Understandably, living in a place like Africa, etc. is an entirely different story. I'm talking about industrialized nations).
If you're wondering, the answer is: Yes, I work for someone. I do not own a company. I am not "The Man". My boss gets on my nerves the way all bosses seem to do.
We just had three people *quit* their Software Engineering positions in our company because they wanted a change. They didn't like their jobs. They started their own company. That's all I'm saying...find new jobs if you don't like your existing one. There's a sea of potential income out there.
I love the idea that everyone is a victim of the "Man" and no one is reponsible for their own situation created by their own actions.
Oh yeah, a million people standing in one spot. Sometimes that's called a mob. You know, those folks who toss bricks through windows to take things that don't belong to them. I wonder why that's not considered democracy?
No, rights aren't arbitrary. Look up the word under "Declaration of Independence."
What right did I claim was arbitrary? Clearly I would equate "persuit of happiness" with "right to find a job"!
Here in Georgia we also have "Right to work" laws. I have no problem with them.
When are people going to understand that they are not entitled to a job? If there is a need for a person and that person can do the work, that person gets a job. If there is no longer a need for a position in a company, that person gets laid off. What's so hard to understand here?
A job isn't a right. The pursuit of a job is a right!
Look at it this way. If you own a company and you could use some extra help, are you going to hire somone if you know you're going to get hassled by some big brother government telling you that you're not allowed to lay off that person you just gave work to? Think about it, folks. It seems to me like this behavior encourages an absolute minimum staffing of a company (i.e. less jobs!).
The government isn't the answer to all your problems, folks. You're the answer.
I'm sure the astronauts currently living on the station are quite thankful for this as the United States does not have another vehicle and they would all be dead if Russia could not reach them now that the shuttle has been grounded for a year.
Hmm...
I think if they were in danger of running out of supplies (and no other alternative was available) NASA would prepare and launch a shuttle with minimum crew to retrieve the ISS occupants. There would be no shortgage of astronauts willing to volunteer for that mission.
Well excuse me, but as the Russians are about the only reason we have the ISS in the first place, it seems a little stupid to go complaining about having to accommodate them.
Hmm...not quite. Don't forget that the US has funded almost the entire program...even the Russian-built modules when the Russians threatened to abandon the project.
Or you could check out the 2004 budget.
Is collar-top computing the Next Big Thing?
:-)
Hmm...given that this device is based on Linux and us Linux folks hate to wear collars, I give them poor odds of finding a market!