big-will 7 Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 Just what is this guy supposed to be able to do? Can someone tell me? CNN tells me he's "on guard" at the bridge. While I'm sure hes a great guard and all, what is he able to actually do there???? Is it safer?? And what does this new Orange security level do apart from make people more scared and paranoid than they already are, and cover the authorities if something does actually happen. What do you think? Link to post Share on other sites
amandanism 0 Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 the school i go to has just upped its security. we have armed cops there during the day and security guards around the campus at night. you cant get in with out having a bootcheck and security check. its not so bad, except the fact that i live at school so its not as if i can "go home" to get away from it all. its a bit hard living with security cameras watching your every move. the american school is even worse though, they have gurkas (sp? the nepalese highly trained soldiers) imagine going to school every day with men standing there with loaded rifles. Link to post Share on other sites
Roger's head 0 Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 What a troubled and screwed up world we live in Link to post Share on other sites
snowboard_freak 0 Posted February 9, 2003 Share Posted February 9, 2003 It truly is a screwed up place at the moment. On the topic of security - i'd say that it is just to cover their arse's this time. If something huge happens again (like Sept 11) and the government hadn't upped security then the public would be b!tching about the lack of security measures. Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted February 9, 2003 Share Posted February 9, 2003 Actually, snowboard freak, in Australia it's to create fear amongst the population, so, yet again, Australians will rush the the aid of their North American allies without a murmour of dissent! Did you know, Cia agents have been known to say things like, "the Brits have the Gurkhas, we have the Australians." An ex-Aussie dep-prime minister once refered to the Aussie public as mushrooms, all thats needed to grow the goods, is to keep them in the dark and feed them shit. If I were you, I'd grow my own mushrooms, kick back, and watch the sun set...(beautiful country you've got there...why you wanna fight...) Link to post Share on other sites
RayInJapan 0 Posted February 9, 2003 Share Posted February 9, 2003 MY - "keep them in the dark and feed them shit"... Kinda like the crap spewing from your keyboard? Terrorism has gotten way out of hand. Too many innocent people dying. Why fight? If you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem. Link to post Share on other sites
badmigraine 0 Posted February 9, 2003 Share Posted February 9, 2003 Yeah, drop bombs on the problem with heroic and mighty patriotic resolve. That's sure to stop terrorism. I can already see how well this approach is working. Soon, "the terrorists" will realize their mistake and we can get back to our peaceful democratic lives like before. Why did nobody realize this before? If you're not supporting this, you are supporting "the terrorists" because I learned from TV and CNN that there is no other way. The sooner we "act decisively" the better off we'll be. I'm tired of pantywaist hypothetical bleeding-heart discussion about which group or dictator we allegedly supported in the past with covert ops, weapons and funding, or why countries with some of the world's greatest most valuable natural resources remain essentially medieval kingdoms or faux-theocracies governed by rich manipulative oil family barons like their Daddy before them (er, no reference to our great President intended here...he was elected fair and square without help from oil, defense and multinational corporate contributions and neither he nor his Daddy nor his brother the Governor of Florida has ties to the petroleum industry or religious right...anyone can be President of the US and we, a democracy, have no rich family dynasties as the Kennedys and Bushes prove). It's plain that these US-haters are simply jealous of what we have--Freedom--and that is why we grossly obese energy-gobbling super-sized Americans are somewhat unpopular in the mud huts and dysenteric markets of the Arab and African world for example. These people just don't get that we Americans will take a Patriotic stand for Freedom and fight for it. If the rest of the world knew this, they could sleep much better. On the domestic front, I'm comfortable that the President has my best interests at heart. Shame on anyone who opposed his first major proposal after getting elected: "Oil Drilling in the Alaskan Wilderness". Have a nice day Link to post Share on other sites
enderzero 0 Posted February 9, 2003 Share Posted February 9, 2003 Well said Bad Migraine. It sure makes me proud to be an American. Why, we're the most powerful nation in the world so we must be the best! When I watch TV they always tell me that too. There's no way but to kill people...otherwise...well otherwise...otherwise we are comprimising our God given right to freedom. God bless America! Link to post Share on other sites
wakaran 1 Posted February 9, 2003 Share Posted February 9, 2003 badmigraine, enderzero So refreshing to hear that kind of talk I find what I hear on the US TV news rapidly increasingly distasteful and very worrying. Link to post Share on other sites
snowboard_freak 0 Posted February 9, 2003 Share Posted February 9, 2003 MY - i didn't mean that from an Aussie view point, it was just in general. Plus all those quotes are just propoganga to get Aussies p!ssed off. Well try to at least. Plus, i never said anything about fighting. Personally i hope the up and coming war stays well away from Australia. I would be more than willing to protect my country than travel overseas to fight for someone elses. I would fight for this country to the death - i love this country. Link to post Share on other sites
wakaran 1 Posted February 9, 2003 Share Posted February 9, 2003 I wouldn't fight for ANY country. No way. Nooooo way. Link to post Share on other sites
IceEiji 0 Posted February 9, 2003 Share Posted February 9, 2003 I also do not believe in war and would not fight in war. Link to post Share on other sites
mikazooki 0 Posted February 9, 2003 Share Posted February 9, 2003 is it a threat that requires increased security or is increased security that is the threat? does this mean i should start locking my snowboard?? Link to post Share on other sites
snowboard_freak 0 Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Quote: Originally posted by mikazooki: does this mean i should start locking my snowboard?? I lock mine. Better to be safe than sorry! Link to post Share on other sites
enderzero 0 Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 I usually lock mine...and surround it with short range balistic missles. You never know when terror might strike. Seriously, Bush throws around the term evil like we are in a freaking comic book. "Watch out! It's Doctor Doom!" Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 What I don't get at all is some parts of the American media now getting at Europe just because the Europeans dare to not agree with them - and then go on a rant about how everyone is jealous of the US? Er!!???? Not me matey. Surely most Americans don't actually think that? Link to post Share on other sites
RayInJapan 0 Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 Rach, I don't think most countries are jealous of the US. Envy at times, but not jealous. There are those that despise us just for being who we are (rich/powerful/world leader). Nevermind the fact that we've come to the rescue of almost every country on the planet at one time or another. There are millions (if not billions) of people though who think well enough of the US that they try to immigrate there because they feel they'll have a better life compared to where they're at. A couple hundred years ago, it was folks of British descent, then other parts of Europe, Central and South America, and now it seems most are coming from Asia. Surely their opinions must count for something? Most people living in "richer" countries now prefer their country instead of wanting to live in America. It seems though, that many of them seem to forget how much American support their country needed to get them where they are today. Ever since 9-11, we've felt our homeland is threatened, and we're doing what we feel is necessary to not only make America safe again, but the rest of the world as well. If other countries don't want to help - thats their perogative. I could do without the protesting in their streets, but we fought WWII and held the USSR back enough till they crumbled internally, so those who disagree with us could have that freedom to protest. My preference is to turn on the TV in the morning looking for the weather forecast instead of wondering what happened while I was asleep. We need to weed out ALL of the international terrorists and those who support them, so we can go to places like Bali (with its great surf) or wherever we want without fear of being blown up by some idiot murderer. Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 I don't think people in most developed countries are in the least bit jealous or envious of the US. Why on earth should they be? I've said this before but I'm afraid I cringe when I listen to the people on places like Fox News and just wonder where they can get such misguided (and arrogant) thoughts from. It's wierd, I don't like it but I find myself watching that TV channel a lot. I find the whole attitude sad more than anything. Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 Quite a lot of people seem to want to go to Canada too, although strangely it isn't a major target for terrorism. Maybe their government's restraint in 'helping' other countries is a factor in that? Link to post Share on other sites
mogski 0 Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 If the US sent in thousands of naked women to Iraq topple Saddam and just about anyone else whom wanted to fight. Fill the airlines with naked women and I am sure that hijackings would substantailly reduce. Have a nice day everybody. Link to post Share on other sites
nekobi 0 Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 rach-- foxnews is a conservative news channel so what you hear from there is going to be slanted to the right. on the other hand, you can listen to the liberal media and get the impression that no one in America is in favor of war with iraq. Since there are so many diverse opinions in the us, i think it's too difficult to get a grip on what the majority thinks. Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 Quote: Originally posted by RayInJapan: There are those that despise us just for being who we are (rich/powerful/world leader). d'day ray, i refer only to the quoted part of your post and use it not as an attack on America, but as an opportunity to mention my bold prediction. Pretty soon (10, 50, 100 yrs?) America will no longer be a rich world leader. I have two reasons to predict this. Both will probably draw heavy attack. In a nut shell, Americas time in the sun is soon going to end: a) think phases and cycles - in history no one has mantained the mantle. Spain was mega rich due to Indian gold. Portugal weas up there due to the establishment of trade in products and areas not formally touched by the old world. Both countries pioneered crossing the oceans into the new world. They were significant entities in European (old world) history. Not far behind them was England. Soon, it was England that was a world leader. None of these countries have the significance today that they had in the past. Particularly Spain and Portugal. Insignificant countries on the global stage. Before all of this there were the ancient civilisations. Rome, Egypt. They did not have global exposure, but they did have regional significance in terms of Empire, wealth, science, architecture and the philosophy of knowledge. Niether centre (or country) enjoys today the massive headstart that they had in history. The USA has had a good couplke of hundred years at the front. Bugger all in terms of world history, but the fastest to establish itself. I also predict that it will be the fastes to end, as all these cycles do. Not helping at all is the fact that America has now more enemies than ever before and they are all very happy to back talk with action. Please note: I am not at all attempting to say that Americas enemies are justified in their feelings nor their means of expressing them. economics: quite simply, the USA is pretty soon going to meltdown. There will be the biggest credit crunch in history. ALL equity market wealth derived in the last 10 years will be destroyed. The dollar will no longer be close to strong. National debt will cripple the country, personal debt will not be repaid. Corporate earnings have already evaporated, they are just being covered up and share prices (supported with buy-backs usually funded via increased debt) will plunge. The remainder of this increased debt at the expense of equity has been squandered on mergers and acquisitions and other totally non-productive avenues. Capital expenditure has kept falling, thus so to will productive capacity, growth and real wealth. The massive use of your home as collateral is frightening in the retail sector. As for the hope that reduced Fed rates (never been such aggressive cutting before) and increased consumer spending will save the economy.... that is one big fools gold. It isn't working and all it is doing is adding to the terrible credit bubble. Personal savings are woefull. People think that this doom and gloom has already taken place and that the country is in a stalled recovery mode. No way. The economic fall of America is going to be spectacular and will happen sometime in the next 5-10 years, possible in less than 5 years. Americas new brand of capitalism will be its undoing. Why do I write all this? because Americas 'situation' today with respect to Terrorism etc will go away. Essentially Americas mantle as an economic world leading power is going to be destroyed from within, aided by willing and active enemies (terrorists) and probably by immense global unpopularity should this Iraq & North Korea conflict not work out well. I am not saying that America deserves this, nor am I hoping that this will happen. Put your money in China. With a few small openings of the door and some not so small or easy changes in cultural approach, China will be the next America, but this is very long term. ps - gold at $500 and the Dow at 4,000.... quite likely. Link to post Share on other sites
RayInJapan 0 Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 Australia is a great place too, with many immigrants there as well. They weren't a target until Bali either though. Sooner or later, we all be touched by terrorism if we News reports and polls are always slanted. Word a poll question right, and you will always get the results you need to back your case. One thing for sure though - video/pictures don't often lie. My preference is that we stop helping when I see what is going on in the world, kinda gets old having people dislike you just cause you're an American. I see South Koreans protesting our presence - I wish we would pull out completely, both militarily, and economically. Then they can fend for themselves if the North attacks. Unfortunately, the same as most people would go to the aid of a woman being raped, or a child being molested, even a guy being beat down by a group of thugs, we, the US, would not stand idly by and watch the North murder and pillage the South. We didn't in 1950, And we didn't when the mortar hit the market place in the in Sarajevo, - the list can go on and on... The US doesn't want to be the saviour of the world. But when the crap hits the fan, and real women and children are dying for nothing, we cannot stand by and say "Its not our problem". Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 Whereupon the country will become an even scarier 'rogue nation' than it already is ... Link to post Share on other sites
RayInJapan 0 Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 I wonder/worry about that cycle too db - there is one difference though between the prior world powers and the US: Technology. Gotta run to a meeting, more to add later... Link to post Share on other sites
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