Religion was and is always used as a means of improving things.
Tell that to e.g. Italians of Middle Ages. The advent of Christianity basicly set the whole continent backwards some 500 years when it came to scientific/engineering progress such as water and sewage pipes, mathematics, medicine, or surgery. (Never mind philosophy.)
Where in the world do you work that your company would allow you to (a) choose your hardware, and (b) have any say in what OS is installed?
Everywhere I've worked the last ten+ years.
Of course, I wouldn't even consider working in such a company that wouldn't let me run a some sort of *nix (Linux, OSX) on my laptop (or earlier, desktop) in the first place.
But the bottom in the US and other developed nations is far higher than the rest of the world, and far higher than it was anywhere 100 years ago. You can thank capitalism for that.
Not capitalism, but it's side kick/comrade - the global workers' rights movement. That is, trade unions which incidentally are disapproved in both Wal-Mart and the third world.
The US is also the biggest foriegn aide spender in the world,
Bullshit.
"[Americans] are regularly told by politicians and the media, that America is the world's most generous nation. This is one of the most conventional pieces of 'knowledgable ignorance'. According to the OECD, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the US gave between $6 and $15 billion in foreign aid in the period between 1995 and 1999. In absolute terms, Japan gives more than the US, between $9 and $15 billion in the same period. But the absolute figures are less significant than the proportion of gross domestic product (GDP, or national wealth) that a country devotes to foreign aid. On that league table, the US ranks twenty-second of the 22 most developed nations. As former President Jimmy Carter commented: 'We are the stingiest nation of all'. Denmark is top of the table, giving 1.01% of GDP, while the US manages just 0.1%. The United Nations has long established the target of 0.7% GDP for development assistance, although only four countries actually achieve this: Denmark, 1.01%; Norway, 0.91%; the Netherlands, 0.79%; Sweden, 0.7%. Apart from being the least generous nation, the US is highly selective in who receives its aid. Over 50% of its aid budget is spent on middle-income countries in the Middle East, with Israel being the recipient of the largest single share"
"Why do people hate America?" by Ziauddin Sardar and Merryl Wyn Davies, 2002. p79
Just remember that this "lion" gives more of its wealth to foreign countries that any other 3 countries combined, in foreign aid.
Bullshit.
"[Americans] are regularly told by politicians and the media, that America is the world's most generous nation. This is one of the most conventional pieces of 'knowledgable ignorance'. According to the OECD, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the US gave between $6 and $15 billion in foreign aid in the period between 1995 and 1999. In absolute terms, Japan gives more than the US, between $9 and $15 billion in the same period. But the absolute figures are less significant than the proportion of gross domestic product (GDP, or national wealth) that a country devotes to foreign aid. On that league table, the US ranks twenty-second of the 22 most developed nations. As former President Jimmy Carter commented: 'We are the stingiest nation of all'. Denmark is top of the table, giving 1.01% of GDP, while the US manages just 0.1%. The United Nations has long established the target of 0.7% GDP for development assistance, although only four countries actually achieve this: Denmark, 1.01%; Norway, 0.91%; the Netherlands, 0.79%; Sweden, 0.7%. Apart from being the least generous nation, the US is highly selective in who receives its aid. Over 50% of its aid budget is spent on middle-income countries in the Middle East, with Israel being the recipient of the largest single share"
"Why do people hate America?" by Ziauddin Sardar and Merryl Wyn Davies, 2002. p79
I don't think the EU is much less in the pockets of corporations than the U.S. government, considering how quickly they've done things like passing an even worse version of the DMCA than the DMCA itself is.
Here, my friend, you're wrong. As stated by EFFI (EFF's Finnish subdiary) and others, the European version of the DMCA (in its current state) is much less draconian than the "original" US version that inspired it thanks to a good number of restrictive amendments and conditions placed in the EU hearing(s).
Iraq used nerve gas against the Kurds as late as 1993.
Approved by the USA, which used Agent Orange in Vietnam, too, so big deal.
And if the USA doesn't allow us to see if they've destroyed all their biological and chemical weapons (which they, according to all evidence haven't), why should anyone else? Honestly?
A side point: what this means is probably that we will never see another country that joins a thriving, evangelical religion with a modern, pluralistic, technically advanced society. The only way to have both is to completely separate them as in the US (most of the time), which then limits the extent to which religion can influcence the development of the nation and culture.
I would say that you really don't know what you're talking about if you are using the US as an example of the separation of church and state. Really.
I can hardly think a more fundamentally Christian administration in their portrayal and all their actions than the forementioned. Well, maybe Ireland, but even they have more common sense when dealing with ethical issues (most of the time, anyway).
They probably had them to be ready for the impending attack by a nation which *does* have chemical weapons (and other WMD), and has used them against another nation in the past, as well.
Certainly various animal rights activists will use this as a rallying cry to stop experimentation on chimpanzees. Of course, you can make the counter argument that because they are the closest to us genetically they are also some of the best test subjects. Unless, of course, the aforesaid activist would like to volunteer for stage 1 drug testing... no? Didn't think so.
Of course not. That's a role I'd reserve for the carnivores, lawyers, corporate shareholders, and religious nutheads among us.
Or we could forget the testing of new drugs in the first place. There's way too many instances of homo sapiens walking on this earth anyway.
Death penalty has no public support in Europe
on
"DVD-Jon" Faces Retrial
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· Score: 2, Informative
I'd agree with that more if the Europeans spent less time whining about the death penalty in the US (which their own citizens support with majorities or large minorities, but that's another issue...).
Here, sir, you are terribly wrong. Death penalty has had no real support for over a half century in the majority of European countries (i.e. any of the EU members and alike). Otherwise any of the populist governments elected during that time had brought it back ages ago. Death penalty is generally deemed passe. Vulgar. Barbarian. Just as uncivilised and backward as the mutilating of petty thieves in Arab countries.
(And how telling is it that only two "Western" nations, both with a very spotty human rights record, have it implemented anymore.)
If it is not illegal for US companies to help other countries to do things that violate the fundamental human rights of it's citizens, then it SHOULD BE.
So you mean these companies shouldn't be selling their stuff to the US government (known for their human rights violations e.g. in South America and in the US prison/justice system - just check any recent UN or Amnesty report on human right violations), among others?
How many European and Pacific Rim countries have unmeetered local phone service? That is, talk all you want next door or across town for a very low flat monthly fee?
Finland, for one. Depending on the area and phone company, of course (although in most areas this option has now disappeared). In fact, the landline saturation was something near 100% before the mobile boom, and of very good quality. And as the mobile saturation is way over 100% nowadays, I just don't see the correlation you were suggesting.
Unlike Poland, Iraq has agreed to a UN resolution that said they would unilatteraly disarm. Did they? No. So we have waited around for 10 years waiting for Iraq to live up to their agreements. How much longer should we wait around?
I'd say just as long as we've waited for Israel to withdraw from the Palestinian territories they occupied in the 60's. FYI, those UN security council resolutions are more like 35 years old, but still ignored by the fascists of Israel (who are supported in this by the USA).
Hey, c'mon, letäs be serious for a moment! These people aided Hussein in war with Iran, against Kurdis in the 80's, and basicly funded all his chemical warfare research. If armament shipments don't qualify as commercial relations, then what?
Or do you mean that now when Iraq is a part of the "Axis of Enron^M^M^M^Mvil", you can forget the past dealings just like that? Just like you did with bin Laden, Pinochet, et. al.
I think you both forget that Osama's entire family has disowned him.
That still doesn't erase the fact that the Republican governments of Reagan & Bush senior effectively made him what he is today. Just like they did in their infinitive wisdom with Hussein and Pinochet.
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Religion was and is always used as a means of improving things.
Tell that to e.g. Italians of Middle Ages. The advent of Christianity basicly set the whole continent backwards some 500 years when it came to scientific/engineering progress such as water and sewage pipes, mathematics, medicine, or surgery. (Never mind philosophy.)
I'd say it's about time.
On the contrary, it was. Already six years ago even OpenBSD install run circles around W2K in reliability and ease.
Where in the world do you work that your company would allow you to (a) choose your hardware, and (b) have any say in what OS is installed?
Everywhere I've worked the last ten+ years.
Of course, I wouldn't even consider working in such a company that wouldn't let me run a some sort of *nix (Linux, OSX) on my laptop (or earlier, desktop) in the first place.
Never been a problem.
But the bottom in the US and other developed nations is far higher than the rest of the world, and far higher than it was anywhere 100 years ago. You can thank capitalism for that.
Not capitalism, but it's side kick/comrade - the global workers' rights movement. That is, trade unions which incidentally are disapproved in both Wal-Mart and the third world.
Bullshit.
"[Americans] are regularly told by politicians and the media, that America is the world's most generous nation. This is one of the most conventional pieces of 'knowledgable ignorance'. According to the OECD, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the US gave between $6 and $15 billion in foreign aid in the period between 1995 and 1999. In absolute terms, Japan gives more than the US, between $9 and $15 billion in the same period. But the absolute figures are less significant than the proportion of gross domestic product (GDP, or national wealth) that a country devotes to foreign aid. On that league table, the US ranks twenty-second of the 22 most developed nations. As former President Jimmy Carter commented: 'We are the stingiest nation of all'. Denmark is top of the table, giving 1.01% of GDP, while the US manages just 0.1%. The United Nations has long established the target of 0.7% GDP for development assistance, although only four countries actually achieve this: Denmark, 1.01%; Norway, 0.91%; the Netherlands, 0.79%; Sweden, 0.7%. Apart from being the least generous nation, the US is highly selective in who receives its aid. Over 50% of its aid budget is spent on middle-income countries in the Middle East, with Israel being the recipient of the largest single share"
"Why do people hate America?" by Ziauddin Sardar and Merryl Wyn Davies, 2002. p79
Bullshit.
But hey, it's understandable, son. You yanks just don't have any first hand experience of the fine concept you are spouting off about here.
But they are. Really. (Yes, I've lived and worked there. Twice.)
Sigh. You people really are blind.
Of course, having seen how most of the Americans react to everyday Scandinavian public sauna culture, I'm not really that surprised.
Bullshit.
"[Americans] are regularly told by politicians and the media, that America is the world's most generous nation. This is one of the most conventional pieces of 'knowledgable ignorance'. According to the OECD, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the US gave between $6 and $15 billion in foreign aid in the period between 1995 and 1999. In absolute terms, Japan gives more than the US, between $9 and $15 billion in the same period. But the absolute figures are less significant than the proportion of gross domestic product (GDP, or national wealth) that a country devotes to foreign aid. On that league table, the US ranks twenty-second of the 22 most developed nations. As former President Jimmy Carter commented: 'We are the stingiest nation of all'. Denmark is top of the table, giving 1.01% of GDP, while the US manages just 0.1%. The United Nations has long established the target of 0.7% GDP for development assistance, although only four countries actually achieve this: Denmark, 1.01%; Norway, 0.91%; the Netherlands, 0.79%; Sweden, 0.7%. Apart from being the least generous nation, the US is highly selective in who receives its aid. Over 50% of its aid budget is spent on middle-income countries in the Middle East, with Israel being the recipient of the largest single share"
"Why do people hate America?" by Ziauddin Sardar and Merryl Wyn Davies, 2002. p79
Here, my friend, you're wrong. As stated by EFFI (EFF's Finnish subdiary) and others, the European version of the DMCA (in its current state) is much less draconian than the "original" US version that inspired it thanks to a good number of restrictive amendments and conditions placed in the EU hearing(s).
So how does this situation really differ from the one with the present day US government? As it certainly ain't a good one, my son.
Not the first, though. You had real concentration camps already during the WWII, for the Japanese and others of Asian heritage.
Approved by the USA, which used Agent Orange in Vietnam, too, so big deal.
And if the USA doesn't allow us to see if they've destroyed all their biological and chemical weapons (which they, according to all evidence haven't), why should anyone else? Honestly?
I would say that you really don't know what you're talking about if you are using the US as an example of the separation of church and state. Really.
I can hardly think a more fundamentally Christian administration in their portrayal and all their actions than the forementioned. Well, maybe Ireland, but even they have more common sense when dealing with ethical issues (most of the time, anyway).
Namely the US of A.
Of course not. That's a role I'd reserve for the carnivores, lawyers, corporate shareholders, and religious nutheads among us.
Or we could forget the testing of new drugs in the first place. There's way too many instances of homo sapiens walking on this earth anyway.
Here, sir, you are terribly wrong. Death penalty has had no real support for over a half century in the majority of European countries (i.e. any of the EU members and alike). Otherwise any of the populist governments elected during that time had brought it back ages ago. Death penalty is generally deemed passe. Vulgar. Barbarian. Just as uncivilised and backward as the mutilating of petty thieves in Arab countries.
(And how telling is it that only two "Western" nations, both with a very spotty human rights record, have it implemented anymore.)
So you mean these companies shouldn't be selling their stuff to the US government (known for their human rights violations e.g. in South America and in the US prison/justice system - just check any recent UN or Amnesty report on human right violations), among others?
Finland, for one. Depending on the area and phone company, of course (although in most areas this option has now disappeared). In fact, the landline saturation was something near 100% before the mobile boom, and of very good quality. And as the mobile saturation is way over 100% nowadays, I just don't see the correlation you were suggesting.
Well, they are. (Topic aside.)
Example: check their coverage of the so called "Gulf War". Blatant lies and propaganda all-day-around.
I'd say just as long as we've waited for Israel to withdraw from the Palestinian territories they occupied in the 60's. FYI, those UN security council resolutions are more like 35 years old, but still ignored by the fascists of Israel (who are supported in this by the USA).
Or do you mean that now when Iraq is a part of the "Axis of Enron^M^M^M^Mvil", you can forget the past dealings just like that? Just like you did with bin Laden, Pinochet, et. al.
In effect, you harvest what you plant.
That still doesn't erase the fact that the Republican governments of Reagan & Bush senior effectively made him what he is today. Just like they did in their infinitive wisdom with Hussein and Pinochet.
Kinda ironic.