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Globutron
Joined: 13 Feb 2010
Location: England/Anyang
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 Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 6:36 am Post subject: |
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| Last I heard, it was the Mice that are the most intelligent. Then Dolphins, THEN humans |
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mc_jc
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Location: C4B- Cp Red Cloud, Area-I
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| Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 7:50 am Post subject: |
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| The Bush 2000 Florida Recount conspiracy. |
How is it a theory when there is documented proof about it within the GAO?
Also,
Why was there a letter being sent out to members of the Electoral Commission warning them not to take any gifts during the 2008 election?
Our election system is alittle bit more complicated than the system they have in Korea- though Bush is a good example of how such a system could be corrupted. |
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Jeonmunka
Joined: 05 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 12:50 pm Post subject: |
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Many people in other countries judge Americans by how they are portrayed in the movies and on TV.
Unfortunately the violent action hero and the 'actors' on reality TV do not promote a healthy image of what America is. |
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Dev
Joined: 18 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 3:48 pm Post subject: |
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My opinion.
AVERAGE JOE IN AMERICA = NICE
U.S. GOV = EVIL (just watch some documenaries to find out like Trouble The Water and Capitalism: A Love Story) |
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Lamancha
Joined: 18 Jan 2010
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| Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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Being born in the USA from Mexican parents and living on the border, I actually got to know both cultures very well. I have traveled all over Europe, Mexico, USA, and Asia. It is always strange to me that most people (and i'm generalizing here) have some sort of Romantic image of Mexico. Everybody loves Mexican food, and everybody welcomes me with smiles if I tell them I'm Mexican, but if I say I'm American, I get rude remarks, ugly looks and I am instantly judged.
So for a while I have though a lot about what is it that makes people dislike america. And you all can stop with the whole Bush reason because America bashing has been going on way before Bush got into office. As a kid, I was told to always present myself as a Mexican when traveling through Europe because of this.
People bash Americans for being stupid and for having such an evil government and so on, but Mexico is infinity worse in all these aspects. You Americans that complain about a corrupt government have NO IDEA what a corrupt government is. You have no Idea how good you have it. Mexicans are by far less educated than Americans, Mexicans are a hell of a lot more rowdy and annoying and disrespectful when traveling outside their country. Mexicans have a hell of a lot more Pride of Mexico and throw it in peoples face more.
Yet Mexicans are loved where ever they go, and Americans are hated. Why is that?
I do want to note, that I personally am very proud of being American and Mexican, and even though I might have painted an ugly picture of Mexico It was only for this discussion, but non-the-less true. I do love both countries. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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| mc_jc wrote: |
| Quote: |
| The Bush 2000 Florida Recount conspiracy. |
How is it a theory when there is documented proof about it within the GAO?
Also,
Why was there a letter being sent out to members of the Electoral Commission warning them not to take any gifts during the 2008 election?
Our election system is alittle bit more complicated than the system they have in Korea- though Bush is a good example of how such a system could be corrupted. |
If there was documented proof, then Bush would have gone to jail.
I don't suppose you'd care to provide a Google link or something to this "proof"? |
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nautilus
Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!
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| Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 4:45 am Post subject: |
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| caniff wrote: |
| Americans can be pretty dumb, but after traveling to and/or living in 20+ countries I have yet to see anyone else lighting up the Genius Scoreboard. |
I get the impression there has been a general dumbing down of the population over the past century. IMHO.
My grandfather spoke 4 languages and had 3 degrees. Basically a self-taught man. He was very able as well- built their house, made beautiful furniture for it. My grandmother was very knowledgable about all kinds of stuff that women these days just wouldn't know. Things like medical procedures, the herbal and medicinal uses of all the wild plants where she lived, poetry, novellists and history. She could not only take care of any family emergencies, she could converse decently on just about any topic.
I think back in those days people had to really get educated by hard study..and have a lot more practical everyday skills.They didn't have all our conveniences.
Nowadays people just watch TV and learn things passively if at all. Popular culture doesn't have the same values any longer, people have even lost their social skills to some extent. They're not as hardy or resilient I think. |
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Dev
Joined: 18 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 4:54 am Post subject: |
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| Lamancha wrote: |
Being born in the USA from Mexican parents and living on the border, I actually got to know both cultures very well. I have traveled all over Europe, Mexico, USA, and Asia. It is always strange to me that most people (and i'm generalizing here) have some sort of Romantic image of Mexico. Everybody loves Mexican food, and everybody welcomes me with smiles if I tell them I'm Mexican, but if I say I'm American, I get rude remarks, ugly looks and I am instantly judged.
So for a while I have though a lot about what is it that makes people dislike america. And you all can stop with the whole Bush reason because America bashing has been going on way before Bush got into office. As a kid, I was told to always present myself as a Mexican when traveling through Europe because of this.
People bash Americans for being stupid and for having such an evil government and so on, but Mexico is infinity worse in all these aspects. You Americans that complain about a corrupt government have NO IDEA what a corrupt government is. You have no Idea how good you have it. Mexicans are by far less educated than Americans, Mexicans are a hell of a lot more rowdy and annoying and disrespectful when traveling outside their country. Mexicans have a hell of a lot more Pride of Mexico and throw it in peoples face more.
Yet Mexicans are loved where ever they go, and Americans are hated. Why is that?
I do want to note, that I personally am very proud of being American and Mexican, and even though I might have painted an ugly picture of Mexico It was only for this discussion, but non-the-less true. I do love both countries. |
Maybe because you have a government that is trying to control the world.
The Chinese are no less liked. They have an agressive gov that in the eyes of other countries is evil and could be a threat if it doesn't get the resources it wants.
To prove my point, look at the Japanese. Once powerful and hated by the world, the Japanese are viewed as a harmless tribe of consumers.
The Mexicans are viewed as pretty harmless too. If they become hostile, what are they going to do to my country, stop selling us tequila? |
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djsmnc
Joined: 20 Jan 2003
Location: Dave's ESL Cafe
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| Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 10:16 am Post subject: |
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| Dev wrote: |
| Lamancha wrote: |
Being born in the USA from Mexican parents and living on the border, I actually got to know both cultures very well. I have traveled all over Europe, Mexico, USA, and Asia. It is always strange to me that most people (and i'm generalizing here) have some sort of Romantic image of Mexico. Everybody loves Mexican food, and everybody welcomes me with smiles if I tell them I'm Mexican, but if I say I'm American, I get rude remarks, ugly looks and I am instantly judged.
So for a while I have though a lot about what is it that makes people dislike america. And you all can stop with the whole Bush reason because America bashing has been going on way before Bush got into office. As a kid, I was told to always present myself as a Mexican when traveling through Europe because of this.
People bash Americans for being stupid and for having such an evil government and so on, but Mexico is infinity worse in all these aspects. You Americans that complain about a corrupt government have NO IDEA what a corrupt government is. You have no Idea how good you have it. Mexicans are by far less educated than Americans, Mexicans are a hell of a lot more rowdy and annoying and disrespectful when traveling outside their country. Mexicans have a hell of a lot more Pride of Mexico and throw it in peoples face more.
Yet Mexicans are loved where ever they go, and Americans are hated. Why is that?
I do want to note, that I personally am very proud of being American and Mexican, and even though I might have painted an ugly picture of Mexico It was only for this discussion, but non-the-less true. I do love both countries. |
Maybe because you have a government that is trying to control the world.
The Chinese are no less liked. They have an agressive gov that in the eyes of other countries is evil and could be a threat if it doesn't get the resources it wants.
To prove my point, look at the Japanese. Once powerful and hated by the world, the Japanese are viewed as a harmless tribe of consumers.
The Mexicans are viewed as pretty harmless too. If they become hostile, what are they going to do to my country, stop selling us tequila? |
Depends on which country you're in. Some of them have a tendency to bring prostitution, alcohol-related traffic deaths, and drug-related crime using assault weapons to their surrounding vicinity. |
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Gibberish
Joined: 29 Aug 2009
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| Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 1:21 pm Post subject: |
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| DorkothyParker wrote: |
| yes |
Everyone. |
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mc_jc
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Location: C4B- Cp Red Cloud, Area-I
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| Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 9:58 pm Post subject: |
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If there was documented proof, then Bush would have gone to jail.
I don't suppose you'd care to provide a Google link or something to this "proof"? |
You would have to submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) form to the Government Accounting Office (GAO) to obtain it. However, the criteria to obtain such information is to have media credentials or a high enough paygrade and clearance to view such material or simply wait until the statute of limitations runs out in about 15 years.
Or you could be appointed to the electoral commission of a state's congressional district, by which the information would be provided to you as a pretext for serving in the electoral college.
GW Bush is given impunity from prosecution because he was elected "fairly" by the electoral college as President of the United States.
Reagan and GHW Bush also had the same status that protected them from prosecution regarding the Iran-Contra scandal after they stepped down from office. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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| mc_jc wrote: |
| Quote: |
If there was documented proof, then Bush would have gone to jail.
I don't suppose you'd care to provide a Google link or something to this "proof"? |
You would have to submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) form to the Government Accounting Office (GAO) to obtain it. However, the criteria to obtain such information is to have media credentials or a high enough paygrade and clearance to view such material or simply wait until the statute of limitations runs out in about 15 years.
Or you could be appointed to the electoral commission of a state's congressional district, by which the information would be provided to you as a pretext for serving in the electoral college.
GW Bush is given impunity from prosecution because he was elected "fairly" by the electoral college as President of the United States.
Reagan and GHW Bush also had the same status that protected them from prosecution regarding the Iran-Contra scandal after they stepped down from office. |
If he was convicted of a crime that would not shield him from prosecution.
And "documented proof" that requires a certain paygrade and clearance to view it, is tantamount to no proof at all, since it can't be made available for a civilian jury to view it.
It's always funny to watch people claiming Bush is guilty of one crime or another...yet they never seem to have sufficient proof that would allow a prosecutor to go after Bush. Even after 10 years. |
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detourne_me
Joined: 26 May 2006
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| Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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Regardless of all of that stuff^^
Philip K. Howard's presentation at TED is absolutely brilliant, and yes, he does say that all Americans are idiots 
http://www.ted.com/talks/philip_howard.html |
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Perceptioncheck
Joined: 13 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:49 pm Post subject: |
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| nautilus wrote: |
| caniff wrote: |
| Americans can be pretty dumb, but after traveling to and/or living in 20+ countries I have yet to see anyone else lighting up the Genius Scoreboard. |
I get the impression there has been a general dumbing down of the population over the past century. IMHO.
My grandfather spoke 4 languages and had 3 degrees. Basically a self-taught man. He was very able as well- built their house, made beautiful furniture for it. My grandmother was very knowledgable about all kinds of stuff that women these days just wouldn't know. Things like medical procedures, the herbal and medicinal uses of all the wild plants where she lived, poetry, novellists and history. She could not only take care of any family emergencies, she could converse decently on just about any topic.
I think back in those days people had to really get educated by hard study..and have a lot more practical everyday skills.They didn't have all our conveniences.
Nowadays people just watch TV and learn things passively if at all. Popular culture doesn't have the same values any longer, people have even lost their social skills to some extent. They're not as hardy or resilient I think. |
Let me preface my post my saying that although I am not American, I have met a great number of Americans both in my home country and in the years I've worked overseas. Sure, I haven't met every single American but I have met enough to allow me to confidently generalize about some of their characteristics.
I think Nautilis made a great post which really strikes at the heart of the matter. Some Americans I've met can not have an intellegent conversation about politics or society to save their lives but as soon as the topic turns to TV it's like they come alive. Boy, they sure do know a lot about TV. The big difference between myself and this kind of person is that I don't consider knowledge about TV to be, well. . .knowledge. A waste of time, perhaps. Hell, I'd even go as far as saying a total pile of crap.
And these people are college educated.
Once I was talking to an American about college. We discovered we both did a paper on popular culture. I was delighted! Perhaps we could have a conversation about how gender stereotypes are reinforced and even manufactured or how advertising can reflect social shifts. I was interested to hear her thoughts on American television as I don't watch a lot of it. Er, no. Turns out at her college, a study of popular culture involved listening to and giving a report on a popular TV show. That's it. WTF? Couldn't believe it.
Two of my cousins got sports scholorships to study in America. Both had to return to my home country because the quality of tuition was so low it just wasn't worth it.
Another pair of Americans - from New England perhaps? - informed me with great relish that the stupid American sterotype comes from people in the south. Texans, they said, were a good example of how Americans can be particularly stupid and of course they told me New Englanders weren't nearly so thick.
These Americans were doing exactly the same thing you're complaining about other nationalities doing. Is this okay? I don't know. I asked them why people from the south are so stupid and 'it's just what everybody thinks'. They couldn't give even one example. Actually, the most intellegent, nicest and most aware American couple I've ever met were from the deep south. These New Englanders didn't much like that piece of information.
And to the poster who said that Americans act differently on vacation; well, is that really a good thing? Are you so repressed that you have to bottle it all up and go crazy during your two week vacation? That's not a healthy society, IMHO. And rudeness is not excused by 'oh, well. . .we're on holiday!' . Your manners and morals should be an integral part of your personality and not something you can ditch when you want to.
Of course, I've met many many intellegent, wonderful and funny Americans. I've had wonderful conversations and learnt a lot from them. But from my observations, unfortunately these Americans don't represent the norm. |
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morrisonhotel
Joined: 18 Jul 2009
Location: Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:04 pm Post subject: |
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^There are stupid people in every country. Unfortunately, studying for or having a university education does not mean that you are clever, well read, and have a good knowledge of the world. Case in point: a university educated person that I met recently from NZ who had never heard of Adam Smith.
Stupidity and ignorance are universal problems. Berating Americans for being stupid is pointless, naive and entirely ignorant. |
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