Ever notice that 'Ornithopters' in nature don't really exist above a dozen pounds or so? Sure, we had some big flying dinosaurs a while back, but even those weren't nearly big enough to weigh as much as a small plane.
Did you ever notice that "rocket propulsion" and "propellers" and "the wheel" and "combustion engines" in nature don't really exist at all? It's mankinds ability to overcome natural limits with man-made creations that seperate us from apes my friend!
While I see the point you're trying to make, I have to say that I don't agree. The US legal system has its flaws, just as any legal system does. I believe that the USA PATRIOT act is an atrocity, but I also don't believe that, as of yet, it has truly been abused. The number of people detained indefinately without access to a lawyer is slim to none. The majority of the people this has happened to have been illegal immigrants (aliens) to the US, generally from the Middle East. *News flash* They're in the country illegally ANYWAY... why should they not be detained?
Sure, there are good Americans. There are crappy Americans. But wait... there are good Britons, there are apathetic Brits... there are good Germans, there are still Nazi Germans... the same can be said of the people residing in ANY sovereign nation. The death penalty is barbaric? Great! Personal opinion is that the rare odd case where the wrong person is executed is a tragedy, but overall, I don't want to pay to feed a raping murderer potatoes and bread and to watch cable TV for the rest of his life. Sorry, violent criminals need to be brought to the ultimate justice, and aken away from society as a whole. But that is a different argument altogether. Mass murdering isn't quite the word... the president has nothing to do with the death penalty generally, that would be the judicial banch, not the executive. Also, very few people are killed by the death penalty in the US each year. Mass murdering should generally be reserved for heads of state like Saddam Hussein and others that believe genocide is the answer to what ails them at the time. We police the rest of the world simply because nobody else has the guts to unless the US leads the way.
Do you remember how UNpopular the decision was that the US go to Iraq most recently? One of our staunchest opponents was Jacque Shirac (sp?) of France, who IMMEDIATELY after the war was "over", began praising the US for bringing democracy to the middle east and overthrowing such a terrible villain. He also began to strategically maneuver, or so he thought, to get French companies into the mix when it came to contracts to rebuild Iraq. I bet it must be great to have a president that is so wishy-washy he can't tell what he actually believes in. Bush may not be the perfect president, but at least he finishes what he starts and follows through with what he believes in.
The US polices the world because it can, and we generally do more good than harm. Sure, mistakes are made. No entity is perfect, but seriously... WWII... where would the world be if the US didn't get involved? And we didn't even WANT to at first. Peacekeeping missions the world around. The men and women of the US Armed Forces gladly VOLUNTEERS to go around the world and run the risk of psycho suicide bombers and 10 year-olds with AK-74s shooting at them. Why do you think that is? Because we're brainwashed? Nope! Because Americans more often than not believe in something. The freedom we believe in we see fit to fight for, not only for our own families, but for the families and children and elderly of other countries where people aren't able to stand up for themselves.
My last question is this... the world around so despises the US... then why do SO MANY people try to come here every day of every year? What are they trying escape? Obviously there are places worse than here out there...
It's sad really that situations like this come up at all. Hopefully the megabank in question will see fit eventually to join the growing crowd of businesses that buck the act altogether. It's simply ridiculous!
Yeah...
There's a difference, though. In many countries, the laws are oppressive and can't really be changed without serious socio-political upheaval. In the United States (which is what our country is called, BTW... America is a set of two continents), laws CAN be changed for the good of the public with a little bit of effort.
That might be another good point... we're not afraid to put in the effort because we don't fear getting "put down", a.k.a. killed, by our own governing officials for disagreeing with them. The fact that the mods gave you an "Insightful" rating, and will probably give me a "Troll" rating says a lot about the objectivity of many people here on/. these days.
-Xepherys
a.k.a
PV2 Williams, Jesse S.
HHD, Engr Bde, 38th ID
See, even withstanding the laws of the UCMJ, I'm not afraid of my government... if they are out there looking, they can look at me all they want.
Slashdot Mirror
Ever notice that 'Ornithopters' in nature don't really exist above a dozen pounds or so? Sure, we had some big flying dinosaurs a while back, but even those weren't nearly big enough to weigh as much as a small plane. Did you ever notice that "rocket propulsion" and "propellers" and "the wheel" and "combustion engines" in nature don't really exist at all? It's mankinds ability to overcome natural limits with man-made creations that seperate us from apes my friend!
While I see the point you're trying to make, I have to say that I don't agree. The US legal system has its flaws, just as any legal system does. I believe that the USA PATRIOT act is an atrocity, but I also don't believe that, as of yet, it has truly been abused. The number of people detained indefinately without access to a lawyer is slim to none. The majority of the people this has happened to have been illegal immigrants (aliens) to the US, generally from the Middle East. *News flash* They're in the country illegally ANYWAY... why should they not be detained?
Sure, there are good Americans. There are crappy Americans. But wait... there are good Britons, there are apathetic Brits... there are good Germans, there are still Nazi Germans... the same can be said of the people residing in ANY sovereign nation. The death penalty is barbaric? Great! Personal opinion is that the rare odd case where the wrong person is executed is a tragedy, but overall, I don't want to pay to feed a raping murderer potatoes and bread and to watch cable TV for the rest of his life. Sorry, violent criminals need to be brought to the ultimate justice, and aken away from society as a whole. But that is a different argument altogether. Mass murdering isn't quite the word... the president has nothing to do with the death penalty generally, that would be the judicial banch, not the executive. Also, very few people are killed by the death penalty in the US each year. Mass murdering should generally be reserved for heads of state like Saddam Hussein and others that believe genocide is the answer to what ails them at the time. We police the rest of the world simply because nobody else has the guts to unless the US leads the way.
Do you remember how UNpopular the decision was that the US go to Iraq most recently? One of our staunchest opponents was Jacque Shirac (sp?) of France, who IMMEDIATELY after the war was "over", began praising the US for bringing democracy to the middle east and overthrowing such a terrible villain. He also began to strategically maneuver, or so he thought, to get French companies into the mix when it came to contracts to rebuild Iraq. I bet it must be great to have a president that is so wishy-washy he can't tell what he actually believes in. Bush may not be the perfect president, but at least he finishes what he starts and follows through with what he believes in.
The US polices the world because it can, and we generally do more good than harm. Sure, mistakes are made. No entity is perfect, but seriously... WWII... where would the world be if the US didn't get involved? And we didn't even WANT to at first. Peacekeeping missions the world around. The men and women of the US Armed Forces gladly VOLUNTEERS to go around the world and run the risk of psycho suicide bombers and 10 year-olds with AK-74s shooting at them. Why do you think that is? Because we're brainwashed? Nope! Because Americans more often than not believe in something. The freedom we believe in we see fit to fight for, not only for our own families, but for the families and children and elderly of other countries where people aren't able to stand up for themselves.
My last question is this... the world around so despises the US... then why do SO MANY people try to come here every day of every year? What are they trying escape? Obviously there are places worse than here out there...
-Xeph
It's sad really that situations like this come up at all. Hopefully the megabank in question will see fit eventually to join the growing crowd of businesses that buck the act altogether. It's simply ridiculous!
-Xeph
Yeah... There's a difference, though. In many countries, the laws are oppressive and can't really be changed without serious socio-political upheaval. In the United States (which is what our country is called, BTW... America is a set of two continents), laws CAN be changed for the good of the public with a little bit of effort. That might be another good point... we're not afraid to put in the effort because we don't fear getting "put down", a.k.a. killed, by our own governing officials for disagreeing with them. The fact that the mods gave you an "Insightful" rating, and will probably give me a "Troll" rating says a lot about the objectivity of many people here on /. these days.
-Xepherys
a.k.a
PV2 Williams, Jesse S.
HHD, Engr Bde, 38th ID
See, even withstanding the laws of the UCMJ, I'm not afraid of my government... if they are out there looking, they can look at me all they want.