[OT] F1 Qualifying... run that past me again

Sorry, I may have missed the thrust of this thread. Was someone
attempting to intimate that Americans weren't thick?

In article > ,
(Mitch) wrote:

> Andrew once again grasps at a straw but pulls out ****.

LOL. Are you drowning or waving, Mitch? I can't tell? ;-)

Andrew McP... guilty of starting the most wayward RAS thread for
months! Sorry folk.

PS France's time will come in the rapidly approaching energy supply
crisis. Their nuclear power stance will put them in a very strong
position to compete against more fossil-dependent nations. (They already
export electricity to the UK for example).

(B Wegner) wrote:

> Virtually all of the popular shows in America are mind-dulling

I think that's probably true everywhere, but a nation which can produce
The Sopranos, Frasier, Lost, etc certainly isn't doing everything wrong.
We might have Top Gear, but we struggle to match the excellent writing
and production standards US broadcasters can put together on a
consistent basis.

Andrew McP

(Bruce Kennewell) wrote:

> we have "educated" a whole generation of illiterates

This is getting way off topic, but what the heck. I think this is true
almost everywhere now. I personally think it's down to the improved
quality of life in recent decades. Generations which don't have to
struggle hard tend to adopt different mindsets, and a more comfortable
generation of parents tends to generate a less motivated generation of
kids. Teachers can't really be blamed because they have a hard job
meeting the demands of parents (who seem to increasingly want their
children raised, not just educated by teachers) and governments whose
targets shift regularly.

Messy subject though.

Andrew McP

On the subject of self-induced fantasies: how's that Iraq thing working out?
<g>

Jan.

Pretty good Jan considering it's only been 3 years......in what historical context could you tell of one country taking over another and starting some semblance of self-governance in that time period?

Many mistakes were and continue to be made as pointed out everyday in a left-wing media which only serves to try to weaken public support. Good thing the media over here didn't have the bias nor the communication networks of today during WW2 to report everything that happened wrong over there; don't you think that it would have eroded public support in the same manner as our Vietnam fiasco? If it did there's a good chance you'd be living in Greater Germany right now. <g>

IF Iraq can be a relatively stable democracy in 10 years than the cost in lives and dollars times 10 will be worth it for America's future generations. (and frankly, for generations of the World's population even if you don't want to admit it)

1) One murderous dictator sitting on 1/6 of the world's energy supply out of power.
2) 26 million people with the ability to choose their own fate (for better or worse); at least it's their choice. 18 million of them not living in fear or repression anymore.
3) Most importantly, is the strategic location of Iraq. You will start to see the crumbling of terror states like Iran and Syria from within. The people will see freedom in their own backyard and revolution from repressed peoples will be inevitable.
Do you not see the significance of driving the wedge of democracy into the heart of Mesopotamia? A sword between terrorist enabling countries of Syria and Iran? Do you not realize that being in Iraq gives us the ability to having forward staging bases in order to attack Iran when it becomes (and it WILL become necessary whether old Europe sees it or not)? Or do you not see a problem with the biggest terrorist supporting nation having the capability to put a nuclear warhead into downtown Brussels in the next two years? Think that's impossible? Let's sit on our hands and see when it's your ass on the line and not ours.

BTW, how many years after WW2 did it take to stop the smattering of guerilla-like violence from Nazis and their sympathizers? 10-15?

We're dealing with religious fanatical barbarians. They believe they have the religious DUTY to claim land from past military triumphs of the 7th Century, and then convert the masses to Islam or kill them. All in the name of Allah - and will fight to the death to accomplish it. Were the Nazis ever this hell-bent on victory? I think not save a few looney-tunes. So given the nature of the enemy, we're doing a fine job in Iraq.

Wag

I have a funny feeling of deja vu coming over me. (Cue "Twilight Zone" theme)

Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon and, I think, Leonard V. Brezhnev all said something similar in times past.
In fact, didn't King George say much the same around 1775?

BK
"B Wegner" > wrote in message . ..

So given the nature of the enemy, we're doing a fine job in Iraq.

Great to see that the thread has maintained its intended course!

>I think that's probably true everywhere, but a nation which can produce
>The Sopranos, Frasier, Lost, etc certainly isn't doing everything wrong.

For every one of those there's half a dozen like "Dancing with
Celibarties", "The Simple Life", or "Build or Bust". I imagine it's
the same on the other side of the pond.

It costs less to put together a crap show that appeals to the masses
then it does a quality show that appeals to fewer... lowest common
denomotaer marketing.

Mitch wrote:
> Andrew once again grasps at a straw but pulls out ****.
>
> This isn't to be insulting, just an observation. Europe has as a whole has
> lost its fn mind. You have been LED like sheep to slaughter by your extreme
> LIBERAL moonbat media and policy makers yet somehow come to a conclusion the

<Snips out the puddle of drool and spittle...>

>
> Facts are facts Moonbat, spin it any way you want!
>
>

Didn't I see you in the supporting cast of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's
Nest?"

Darus wrote:
>
> <makes room so that you can hop down off the soap box...>
>
Why thank you sir, I appreciated your good manners.

> Can't speak for anyone else, but I am neither lazy nor gullible.

(Just tranquillized/anaesthetised by your own media and lifestyle.)

> Adverts for products on TV here (the US) are as commonplace as credit
<...>
> buy a particular product or brand. So as you can see, the adverts are
> simply a required evil for me to get the F1 coverage on SPEED. Do I
> mind? No.

But as I have stated previously, it's not just ad-breaks that are the
problem. When the actual CONTENT of the programming and/or its format is
being manipulated, that raises questions of quality and impartiality.
>
> If blowing hot air and beating your chest all over the internet about
> your "balls" makes you feel better, then enjoy.

Ok, sometimes I might get a bit TOO passionate about media manipulation
and such subjects, and it may damage my credibility a bit. But at least
I care. If we live in a democracy, how can we make decisions about how
to run our lives, and how to run our country, if we don't have an open,
impartial, well-rounded view of the world we live in? Most of the
population of the U.S. is beyond help in this regard. Your education
system is so poor, and your media companies have so much control over
your thought processes that you no longer have an objective point of
view. Example? When the French government democratically decided not to
join in with Bush and Blairs' illegal war, and tried to use civilised
diplomacy to help the situation in Iraq, the U.S. media (under advice
from the White House) immediately started an anti-French propaganda
campaign which has ended up with Americans refusing to eat "French
fries", burning the French flag, and spitting at French people walking
down the street. The media didn't use any humour in the campaign, and it
wasn't done as friendly "mickey-taking". It was orchestrated with anger,
vitriol and spite. That is media victimisation. In principle, it's
exactly what Hitler did to the Jews in the late 1930's. And you people,
just like the Germans in the 1930's, allowed yourselves to be
manipulated into it. Darus, why don't you just complete the job that
your government and media are doing on you, and change your name to THX1138?

>
> If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it
> make any noise?
>
Given the number of posts in this thread, there appear to be quite a few
people listening to the falling timber, and chopping down quite a few
trees of their own as well! :-)

(Cue quick chorus of "I'm a Lumberjack and I'm ok, ....")