("Public safety" tends to overrule civil liberties in the UK, just look at the banning of Hoodies in shopping centers.)
Poor example (not that your original point was completely invalid) - the banning of hoodies was made by the private management of the shopping centre involved. This could happen just as easily in the US if not more so where private rights tend to supercede public rights. But in the UK we have old protections of public (in the public use them, not public owned sense) space that basically say if you're open to the public that means everyone unless you have a good reason. All the govt did here was support Bluewater's decision and say that was a good enough reason for them.
Quit trying to condemn people. You have not been there. You can say what you would have done... but not even you know what you actually would have done. It is the same BS that is going on right now. Just give it a rest, because you really do not know what you are talking about.
What a load of bollocks. It is our duty to interrogate the past and consider the morality of their actions. In part this informs our own actions (something the US needs big time right now) and it also helps prevent the wartime propaganda infecting subsequent history. People who might have been revered during the war when discovered to have committed heinous crimes against humanity should have all honour stripped from them even posthumously (and for those of a Biblical bent, unto the seventh generation).
But let's remember that the Japanese began this war with a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor while conducting peace talks with America.
Given that the US was taking very aggressive steps in the Pacific and threatening Japan on many fronts (having held its trade captive for something like 60 years) are you surprised they attacked when it became clear that US diplomacy was nothing of the sort and the US had no interest in peace except on its own terms? How times change eh?
Well as we keep on having to point out to you - you live in a democracy and must bear the responsibility whether you like it or not.
And just to pick on one point: you say "The American people are not warmongers. " and I say FUCKING BULLSHIT. The US has been continuously at war for 60 odd years now and shows no sign of ending its aggression. Particularly since it invariably picks on little, weak, underarmed and undertrained nations to attack and subsequently loot. All in the name of FREEDOM and DEMOCRACY.
Gamers have been engaged in modern combat in the middle east since long before the current conflict.
They may well have. But not me. It's not that its a "murder simulator" (as I loved BF1942) but more like it's propaganda (like Tom Clancy novels) and that leaves a really bad taste in my mouth...
I don't like the war theme(Iraq is still too fresh, too controversial).
Seconded!! Sorry but I don't want to fight for any of the sides provided.
And the other thing about WWII aside from the less dubious morality is that the weapons and vehicles are not such overkill and give a much better balanced game for the scale of the maps. Desert Combat was a very well done mod but nothing like as much fun to play.
Defeat of communism in a game where we were considered the underdogs
Hah bloody hah. Now that's pure bullshit. The only people who thought the USA was the underdogs were the Americans - otherwise you wouldn't have put up with McCarthy and all that shit. And yet again you're proving yourselves to be complete tools for your tyrants.
Shame cos you spoilt an otherwise reasonable argument.
Well if you think it's right to slaughter innocent civilians by the hundreds of thousands just because someone of approximately the same religion killed some American citizens (thousands at most in the WTC), then you are truly evil monsters and deserve to be detested by the civilised world.
Please apply for readmission to the human race after a full generation or two. The Germans had to learn this the hard way and so shall Americans.
Waiters in England will rarely check on you to see if you need more drinks, food problems, more condiments. In the U.S. even in Denny's you get better service.
This is one of the subtle little cultural differences between us. I like to be served and then left to get on with my dinner. I hate it when waiters keep butting in and asking if everything's all right. If I need their service I'll ask. Brits tend to find American waiters very intrusive as a result.
I'm a Brit and we generally don't tip. It used to be considered insulting in many sectors - "I work for a living I don't need charity" or "Am I a serf?". In fact I will tip if service and the meal is particularly good.
Though when I'm in the US I do try to remember that the waiters really are serfs and if I don't tip they'll starve. What a lovely system you guys have...
cos I know otherwise - I have good friends who are Americans.;-)
I'm certainly aware of the distinction and while your current govt is particularly at odds with the rest of us, this isn't exactly new. Many argue that the US hegemony started with the Bretton Woods agreement after the Second World War. We in the UK have only just finished paying back your bonds that paid for that.
And as you lot are so fond of telling the rest of us: you're a democracy so it is your government and your responsibility...
Your govt is also very fond of demonising other countries and their inhabitants (the USSR, Iraq, Iran, North Korea) and even by religion (Islam), so surely you're big enough to take similar blunt criticism.
Anyway your suggested alternative just isn't snappy enough! But it is time for something better, but in the meantime:
This is why I'm glad I'm a Brit. Our cops aren't armed. They only usually handcuff you if you've been violent. Leg-irons and this other medieval shit is reserved for the real psychos. As are the orange suits and all the other forms of ritual humiliation your cops go in for. You're not even referred to as "the prisoner at the bar" in court any more, merely "the defendant" as that might prejudice a jury.
Amazingly (despite much assault) we still believe in "innocent until proven guilty".
In Britain we don't have the felony/misdemeanour distinction that you have in the USA. And you'd have to go back before the founding of the USA to find an era when execution was anything like that universal a punishment. Sounds apocryphal to me...
The purpose of most class-action lawsuits is more to punish the wrongdoer that the reward the injured.
Yes but in most societies, punishment is the responsibility, nay the duty, of the state. Fines go into the public coffers to be spent on the public good. What you have done instead is to privatise this and devolve such responsibility to the lawyers who end with the fines. This helps the public good how?
This is one of those subtle little differences between the US and the UK: over here you are not allowed to advertise ex-tax prices (unless you're wholesale, i.e., to a tax neutral business). I often get caught out in the US when the till price is more than the advertised price - usually at Starbucks wih the wrong change.
And I think that's my point. Opportunity cost is a load of old bollocks (but then so is a lot of modern economics). And paying taxes is not costing you per unit - it's a fixed cost and it is a big mistake to try to factor fixed costs out into a variable yield. Makes for good headline or rule of thumb figures but nothing else.
How very American of you all. Just because you're not earning money does not mean you're losing it. Or if you prefer, while you're earning money, you're also losing it - what's the nett?
Your Bible is supposed to be easy. WTF is the point of that childish crap otherwise? "Turn the other cheek" "Do unto others" etc etc all dead easy to understand and all conveniently ignored by "Christians". Frauds all of you.
Slashdot Mirror
And what if that govt is the USA? Sorry but we just don't trust you to play fair any more.
Indeed I wasn't serious, but couldn't resist. Thanks for the link though!
Why do you Yanks keep using meatballs (or do you mean kindling?) as an insult? Never understood that one!
Poor example (not that your original point was completely invalid) - the banning of hoodies was made by the private management of the shopping centre involved. This could happen just as easily in the US if not more so where private rights tend to supercede public rights. But in the UK we have old protections of public (in the public use them, not public owned sense) space that basically say if you're open to the public that means everyone unless you have a good reason. All the govt did here was support Bluewater's decision and say that was a good enough reason for them.
What a load of bollocks. It is our duty to interrogate the past and consider the morality of their actions. In part this informs our own actions (something the US needs big time right now) and it also helps prevent the wartime propaganda infecting subsequent history. People who might have been revered during the war when discovered to have committed heinous crimes against humanity should have all honour stripped from them even posthumously (and for those of a Biblical bent, unto the seventh generation).
Given that the US was taking very aggressive steps in the Pacific and threatening Japan on many fronts (having held its trade captive for something like 60 years) are you surprised they attacked when it became clear that US diplomacy was nothing of the sort and the US had no interest in peace except on its own terms? How times change eh?
And just to pick on one point: you say "The American people are not warmongers. " and I say FUCKING BULLSHIT. The US has been continuously at war for 60 odd years now and shows no sign of ending its aggression. Particularly since it invariably picks on little, weak, underarmed and undertrained nations to attack and subsequently loot. All in the name of FREEDOM and DEMOCRACY.
They may well have. But not me. It's not that its a "murder simulator" (as I loved BF1942) but more like it's propaganda (like Tom Clancy novels) and that leaves a really bad taste in my mouth...
Seconded!! Sorry but I don't want to fight for any of the sides provided.
And the other thing about WWII aside from the less dubious morality is that the weapons and vehicles are not such overkill and give a much better balanced game for the scale of the maps. Desert Combat was a very well done mod but nothing like as much fun to play.
Hah bloody hah. Now that's pure bullshit. The only people who thought the USA was the underdogs were the Americans - otherwise you wouldn't have put up with McCarthy and all that shit. And yet again you're proving yourselves to be complete tools for your tyrants.
Shame cos you spoilt an otherwise reasonable argument.
Please apply for readmission to the human race after a full generation or two. The Germans had to learn this the hard way and so shall Americans.
This is one of the subtle little cultural differences between us. I like to be served and then left to get on with my dinner. I hate it when waiters keep butting in and asking if everything's all right. If I need their service I'll ask. Brits tend to find American waiters very intrusive as a result.
Though when I'm in the US I do try to remember that the waiters really are serfs and if I don't tip they'll starve. What a lovely system you guys have...
Americans: the enemy of the free world.
cos I know otherwise - I have good friends who are Americans.I'm certainly aware of the distinction and while your current govt is particularly at odds with the rest of us, this isn't exactly new. Many argue that the US hegemony started with the Bretton Woods agreement after the Second World War. We in the UK have only just finished paying back your bonds that paid for that.
And as you lot are so fond of telling the rest of us: you're a democracy so it is your government and your responsibility...
Your govt is also very fond of demonising other countries and their inhabitants (the USSR, Iraq, Iran, North Korea) and even by religion (Islam), so surely you're big enough to take similar blunt criticism.
Anyway your suggested alternative just isn't snappy enough! But it is time for something better, but in the meantime:
I stand corrected - thanks.
Amazingly (despite much assault) we still believe in "innocent until proven guilty".
In Britain we don't have the felony/misdemeanour distinction that you have in the USA. And you'd have to go back before the founding of the USA to find an era when execution was anything like that universal a punishment. Sounds apocryphal to me...
Yes indeed! Sorry if it didn't come over like that :D
Tell that to anyone working on a H1B or similar visa. Pay the taxes. No vote.
Yes but in most societies, punishment is the responsibility, nay the duty, of the state. Fines go into the public coffers to be spent on the public good. What you have done instead is to privatise this and devolve such responsibility to the lawyers who end with the fines. This helps the public good how?
This is one of those subtle little differences between the US and the UK: over here you are not allowed to advertise ex-tax prices (unless you're wholesale, i.e., to a tax neutral business). I often get caught out in the US when the till price is more than the advertised price - usually at Starbucks wih the wrong change.
So does breathing if you want to be like that. You get your point but only in the most facile way.
And I think that's my point. Opportunity cost is a load of old bollocks (but then so is a lot of modern economics). And paying taxes is not costing you per unit - it's a fixed cost and it is a big mistake to try to factor fixed costs out into a variable yield. Makes for good headline or rule of thumb figures but nothing else.
How very American of you all. Just because you're not earning money does not mean you're losing it. Or if you prefer, while you're earning money, you're also losing it - what's the nett?
Your Bible is supposed to be easy. WTF is the point of that childish crap otherwise? "Turn the other cheek" "Do unto others" etc etc all dead easy to understand and all conveniently ignored by "Christians". Frauds all of you.