[mikelangr]

Time for the group hug and traditional round of kumbaya?

Why is that in these types of discussions we always emphasize all the war stuff the U.S. has done? Why can't we, for once, focus on all that we've done for peace?

Oh, wait....

Peace out, dudes!

-Charles

[U5pz6B71]

Time for the group hug and traditional round of kumbaya?

Why is that in these types of discussions we always emphasize all the war stuff the U.S. has done? Why can't we, for once, focus on all that we've done for peace?

Oh, wait....

Peace out, dudes!

-Charles

Well the US did found the Peace Corps

[flienianO]

Who gives most in private aid to poor countries?
http://www.economist.com/displaystor...33149&fsrc=RSS

Americans give record $295B to charity
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...aritable_N.htm

US Tsunami Aid Boosts American Image in Indonesia
http://www.voanews.com/english/archi...07-28-voa2.cfm

'Great Satan' Helps Muslims
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/...in665248.shtml

[krasniyluch]

Why is that in these types of discussions we always emphasize all the war stuff the U.S. has done? Why can't we, for once, focus on all that we've done for peace?
-Charles

How about every time there is a natural or unnatural disaster anywhere in the world, the US is there with aid and/or assistance first and most?

Just because some of our leaders have had a difficult time restraining themselves from the questionable use of force in ethnic, religious, and political civil war theaters doesn't mean we don't also give extraordinary amounts of aid to oppressed, hungry or victims of man-made or natural disasters.

[Post edit: Hanmi beat me to the punch, and with actual statistics].

[kSmica]

How about every time there is a natural or unnatural disaster anywhere in the world, the US is there with aid and/or assistance first and most?

Just because some of our leaders have had a difficult time restraining themselves from the questionable use of force in ethnic, religious, and political civil war theaters doesn't mean we don't also give extraordinary amounts of aid to oppressed, hungry or victims of man-made or natural disasters.

[Post edit: Hanmi beat me to the punch, and with actual statistics].

Good ones, JJCruiser-san & Hanmi-san!

[OnerePeepsy]

Time for the group hug and traditional round of kumbaya?

Why is that in these types of discussions we always emphasize all the war stuff the U.S. has done? Why can't we, for once, focus on all that we've done for peace?

Oh, wait....

Peace out, dudes!

-Charles

Hanmi-san and JJCruiser-san answered your question for me, Sensei. I do believe that we Americans have done MUCH for peace. My apologies to you if I picked the military aspect of it more readily.

[xtc2d6u8]

Hanmi-san and JJCruiser-san answered your question for me, Sensei. I do believe that we Americans have done MUCH for peace. My apologies to you if I picked the military aspect of it more readily.

Sensei?!?!?! Darest thou mock me? I will avenge my disreputable name!

I didn't really ask a question, simply suggested an alternate direction in which we could look. It frees me from feeling compelled to disagree with what is a win or a loss wrt to war. These are not the droids you're looking for.

I think the examples given probably are a better reflection of the people in the U.S., versus the actions our govt. tends to take. I have certainly thrown what I consider to be a substantial amount of greasy green towards a variety of causes meant to aid my brothers and sisters who live in foreign lands. Substantially more than I spend on supporting the beer and liquor industry every year.

OTOH, let us not forget that many other countries give aid, both at the govt and individual level, and it is substantial, and appreciated.

Do you think it is possible to be popular as a people, even though we have an unpopular government? That Iranian dude has said several times that it's our govt he has a problem with, not us. So has Chavez.

My opinion is that our odd system of choosing elected officials doesn't really do a good job at selecting leaders who represent "we the people," we're basically given the choice between a few jokers and the occasional stooge. We're screwed by a two-party system. Then again, if "we the people" just had a clue as to what we really want....

Sorry, I'm just babbling all over the place. Friday the 13th is getting to me, I can't handle the pressure.

-Charles

[QxmFwtlam]

Sensei?!?!?! Darest thou mock me? I will avenge my disreputable name!

I dareth not. I respecteth thee. My upbringing dictateth as thuch. Curthe my damned thpeech impediment!

I didn't really ask a question, simply suggested an alternate direction in which we could look. It frees me from feeling compelled to disagree with what is a win or a loss wrt to war. These are not the droids you're looking for.

I think the examples given probably are a better reflection of the people in the U.S., versus the actions our govt. tends to take. I have certainly thrown what I consider to be a substantial amount of greasy green towards a variety of causes meant to aid my brothers and sisters who live in foreign lands. Substantially more than I spend on supporting the beer and liquor industry every year.

OTOH, let us not forget that many other countries give aid, both at the govt and individual level, and it is substantial, and appreciated.

Do you think it is possible to be popular as a people, even though we have an unpopular government? That Iranian dude has said several times that it's our govt he has a problem with, not us. So has Chavez.

My opinion is that our odd system of choosing elected officials doesn't really do a good job at selecting leaders who represent "we the people," we're basically given the choice between a few jokers and the occasional stooge. We're screwed by a two-party system. Then again, if "we the people" just had a clue as to what we really want....

Sorry, I'm just babbling all over the place. Friday the 13th is getting to me, I can't handle the pressure.

-Charles

I do agree, my friend. Our system is seriously flawed, as seen in the past, what with Florida and hanging chads.
This latest round of political wrangling in the parties has become such a media circus that I am waiting for the ringmaster to bring in the clowns come Election Day 2008.

Mark

[videolkif]

I am trying to determine at what point you guys stopped voting for sensible people and started voting for total idiots... Lincoln, sensible.... Reagan and on,
hhhmmm... it must be somewhere in between...

[Aleenkagirlla]

I am trying to determine at what point you guys stopped voting for sensible people and started voting for total idiots... Lincoln, sensible.... Reagan and on,
hhhmmm... it must be somewhere in between...

That happend after Nixon I think:-))

[Rounteetepe]

That happend after Nixon I think:-))

Yes, exactly. All sense and reason went out the door with Richard Milhouse. We now swing wildly between idealistic visions of the future that have no basis in reality.

Sensible, competent people aren't dumb enough to desire the scrutiny and B.S. that goes with holding office.

[Shinegayboyx]

"Dogs and Cats Living Together In Sin!!!" (Bill Murray)

Sorry, computer wouldn't let me posrep you again

Who gives most in private aid to poor countries?
http://www.economist.com/displaystor...33149&fsrc=RSS

But didn't you also make a great many countries adjacent to the Sahara even more poor by enlarging that desert through your belligerence. Tried to impose your farming methods onto a system that worked reasonably okay had disastrous consequences for many people there. Yes you did.

I think countries as rich as ours should give some of our wealth to those who are struggling to live let alone struggling to buy that new ultra-mega, hypodrive turbo- thrusting 1k gigawatt Porsche teasmade!!

we struggle to pay for luxuries - some of our fellow human beings struggle to pay for food to keep their kids alive.

We should pay up. And we should do so quietly without the need to big ourselves up for doing it.

( not saying you were doing this because its clear you were not)

How about every time there is a natural or unnatural disaster anywhere in the world, the US is there with aid and/or assistance first and most?

Just because some of our leaders have had a difficult time restraining themselves from the questionable use of force in ethnic, religious, and political civil war theaters doesn't mean we don't also give extraordinary amounts of aid to oppressed, hungry or victims of man-made or natural disasters.

[Post edit: Hanmi beat me to the punch, and with actual statistics].

See above

That happend after Nixon I think:-))

I think one of your better ones was Clinton. He was charismatic and had a strong (if a bit dodgy ) wife and shagged his secretaries!!

What's wrong with that? What is the point of being President of the free world blah blah if you can' t enjoy it a little?

We now swing wildly between idealistic visions of the future that have no basis in reality.

.

Tony had three terms in Office on this premise. And remember, he had the disadvantage of a wife who looked uncannily like Cruella DeVille.

[UnmariKam]

What's wrong with that? What is the point of being President of the free world blah blah if you can' t enjoy it a little?

Huh.
Seems to work out for the French alright.

[JohnfAclambrJA]

I thought Europeans loved Reagan....

Nowadays it seems to me that EU countries like American presidents in direct proportion to how liberal they are, which is not surprising, as that also describes most of our "blue states" like California and New York.

Then again, was Europe a big Jimmy Carter fan? I never had that sense (but I also thought Reagan was extremely popular, especially in continental Europe, so what do I know).

[FrassyLap]

Holland kicked out some CIA person after some secret jail incident. All had to do with the war on terror were the European countries had a different opinion about the rights then that the CIA operitives had.

This gave some generalising.

To me this is just the current administration and it doesn't have anything to do with how the American population are.

My fiancee is American and she tells me thing how the US people are informed in the news over there which if completly different from what we get to hear.

I know that Clinton was really popular here in Europe, last year he was in Rotterdam to sign his book. There were people waiting for hours to have their book signed and to shake his hand. That kinda shows his popularity.

If Bush would do something like this, for once it most likely would be a cartoon made out of broom characters, and the line would be alot shorter.

[trubreTab]

Ni hoa ma?

Wo bu ming bai Kenzan

我将有罕见的牛排pho用额外面条喜欢。没有狗、额外猫颊须和浣熊蛋卷的边。谢谢!

[mikajuise]

我将有罕见的牛排pho用额外面条喜欢。没有狗、额外猫颊须和浣熊蛋卷的边。谢谢!

Easy on the lemon grass, sempai!

[Freedjome]

Easy on the lemon grass, sempai!

请停止告诉我sempai，我自己是，但是一名孤苦新的学生。您必须做此，否则您将使火山神非 常恼怒! 吃在Joe' s酒吧和烤肉。

[Keeriewof]

Im so freaking sick of hearing about the bloody US elections!!!!!! I live in Australia for crap's sake, I DONT CARE!!!!!!! Our media has been full of this for bloody months and its driving me nuts. The only time we are interested in foreign politics is if they shag their secretaries. The closest our damn politicians get to it is sniffing seats. Probably because they are all obese or old...

I get over to Brazil, and once again, its all I see on TV inbetween the myriad of soap operas on at night. At least here I dont understand the language yet so I dont have to hear all the hoohaa, thankgod.

[ulw7A8Po]

Im so freaking sick of hearing about the bloody US elections!!!!!! I live in Australia for crap's sake, I DONT CARE!!!!!!! Our media has been full of this for bloody months and its driving me nuts. The only time we are interested in foreign politics is if they shag their secretaries. The closest our damn politicians get to it is sniffing seats. Probably because they are all obese or old...

I get over to Brazil, and once again, its all I see on TV inbetween the myriad of soap operas on at night. At least here I dont understand the language yet so I dont have to hear all the hoohaa, thankgod.

I don't know whether to be flattered or disgusted, Alison-san!

We don't get as much coverage of Australian politics as you folks have of ours. Save for ex-PM Tony Blair of GB...we only know if, as you put it, Putin shags his secretary...who probably looks like that lady in "To Russia With Love"