People overreacting on Twin Tower?

Originally posted by DragonMage: I don't know how Kaz will answer this, but I, as a pre-teen discussed events such as this with my family and their friends. Of course, I was "allowed" into older people's conversations because my father expected me to "behave like an adult" at age 8. His military involvement probably had something to do with his interest in educating his child as to world events. We also talked about the whole world in Social Studies in 6th grade or so on up. I had to take a class called "Current Events" in 9th grade, etc., etc. I know it's probably rare for kids to start out that young, but it DOES happen. Especially when the parents are aware of the need to educate youth. I think my father went a bit overboard with me, though. (That's why I just NOW having my "childhood" !) *Cheez Whiz, but people are getting quick today. I was apparently typing the same time Kaz was. Thought she might be off in the cafe and take a while to get back. One day, I'll learn. *

Yes I understand that DM and I didn't word my post well, what I wanted to point out, that for the most part Even when you are a bright child way ahead of your years, you are still stuck in the middle of the normal types who at the same age may not be thinking on that level...I also had a rather demanding father type, and while I hated it at the time, I am very thankful for it now



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Disintigration is easy, If you really want to impress me, ReIntegrate it.

Originally posted by Silver Cheetah: Yes, I would totally agree with you. However, you do kind of lead the pack, wouldn't you agree? When you sell weapons to a country or countries, surely logic would dictate that there's a good chance that they'll use them against you. What do you want? I'll make the point yet again, about bin Laden. (sigh...) He and his group WERE ARMED AND TRAINED BY THE CIA AND MI6 TO USE AGAINST THE SOVIETS IN AFGHANISTAN. I repeat, bin Laden and his group were armed and trained by the CIA and M16 to use against the Soviets in afghanistan. bin Laden and his group were armed and trained by the CIA and MI6 to use against the Soviets in Afghanistan... and again.......... I must say, you seem to be quite selective in the points you reply to.

Yeah unfortuantely it seems that politicians never olearn the lesson "never never never arm an arab" Let them butcher themselves however comma, we do seem to want to react and to try and help oppressed people despite what Diogenes might think, there are humanitarin sentiments involved along with the mercenary.

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Disintigration is easy, If you really want to impress me, ReIntegrate it.

[DragonMage]

Originally posted by MagiK: Yes I understand that DM and I didn't word my post well, what I wanted to point out, that for the most part Even when you are a bright child way ahead of your years, you are still stuck in the middle of the normal types who at the same age may not be thinking on that level...I also had a rather demanding father type, and while I hated it at the time, I am very thankful for it now

Oh, so do I (appreciate the demanding father-type now). If it wasn't for him, I'd be sticking my head in the sand right now hoping it will all just "go away". I still wish it would, but my head's on top of my shoulders and I'm looking this problem right in the eye (hard to do considering I'm short .) And yes, children my own age at the time had NO CLUE.

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"Allright! We'll call it a draw."

"I'm INVINCIBLE! ... You're a LOONEY!"

Dare to dream. Be bold enough to try.

The day we stop learning is the day we start dying!(c)

[Silver Cheetah]

Originally posted by DragonMage: OK. I think I've got my nose back in joint now. No, you weren't out of line, I just started taking the differences of opinion too much to heart for a bit. Please don't misunderstand me. You said nothing wrong, I just haven't had enough sleep lately. I think you make very good points; however I stand by my conviction that those with the money have determined what we like more than we have simply because we haven't been given a chance to choose. I understand the point about "if the public doesn't like it, they won't watch and ratings will drop". I DO agree with that, but I feel that it's MORE on the heads of those who have the money and the authority to decide. I will restate something I said earlier... When I was young, our news was reported (the parts that they would tell us, anyway) whether it was good or bad. Sometimes, my parents and I would be sad for days because there seemed to be no 'good news'. Everything was fear and violence and death all over the world. We still watched it. Then, some news programs started putting little bits of 'good' at the end of the news to kind of brighten everyone up at the end. After a while, they hardly mentioned anything bad at all anymore. They'd gloss over anything negative and they still, mostly, do. My point in all this was and is that, if they all reported the 'cold, hard facts' (notice "facts", not "truth" .) we would have no options. The media started the "popularity" contest that pushed all the bad out. Now, I'm not saying that I think EVERYONE wants to hear what's going on, but I think the media does not give us enough credit. So ultimately the "blame" for fluff reporting and us not knowing enough about what's going on everywhere else lies on both sides. "Them" for cutting out the important stuff and "us" for letting "them". I hope I made my thoughts clear. If not, at least I tried.

Thanks DragonMage, what a lovely post....(By the way, I hope you got my message on the other thread? I saw your post there, and really really felt for you...)

Yes, you make your points very clear. About the news - it is quite different here in Britain. In fact, it often seems to me like we have the opposite thing going on! We dont do 'cheery' news in Britain. Sometimes I wish they would.

By that, I hasten to add, I DONT mean dumbing down, or only reporting one side of things, but balancing reportage of all the atrocities that happen in the world with more reporting of the good, positive things.

By that, I don't mean what celebrities had for dinner, or who they are currently sleeping with , but things that have been accomplished on the human rights, environmental, educational and other fronts. Good things that communities are going for themselves, and so on. There's lots of good things in the world, and I'd like to see details of more of them!

But yes, I do like reporting that doesn't pull its punches. I think we get a certain amount of that in the UK. I've been in the US a number of times, and have found that our TV reporting is more international. I feel that one reason for that might be due to the fact that Britain used to have loads of colonies dotted around everywhere as a result of Brit imperialism. It's a habit of ours to look to the outside...

Re whose to blame for media fluffyness, I mostly agree with you on that too. It's up to us to say, vociferously, what we want, and not put up with pap and crap.

On the other hand, I agree that companies should ensure a certain standard of reporting is provided. However, unless they are forced to do that by government regulation (unlikely, to say the least!) then it's down to the consumer (god I hate that term, but it fits in this context) to vote with his or her feet, as most companies won't voluntarily make a move that is going to piss off its shareholders. The only way to get things changed that you don't like, I've found, is to make a move to change 'em! (Non violently and in accord with the process of law, that goes without saying....)




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[DragonMage]

Yes, Silver Cheetah, I did see it and have responded there, too. Thanks again!

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"Allright! We'll call it a draw."

"I'm INVINCIBLE! ... You're a LOONEY!"

Dare to dream. Be bold enough to try.

The day we stop learning is the day we start dying!(c)

[Ramon de Ramon y Ramon]

Originally posted by Dreamer128: Yeah, but they were as decieved as we were. About 99% of the population had no idea the Jewes were being massacred. All they new whas that Hitler prommised them jobs and food after we left them with virtually nothing.

I am sorry, but I am afraid I have to correct you once again: maybe afterwards (after 1945) 99% of the German population CLAIMED that they had never known anything about the Holocaust, but the actual percentage who had known of the existence of the extermination camps had been much higher and many German soldiers had witnessed the mass executions of Jews, gipsies, Russian and Polish cilivians and POWs (quite a few German soldiers had even participated in these atrocities). The vast majority of the German population of that time MUST have witnessed the ever-escalating discrimination of the German Jews and their subsequent deportation.

This whole subject is just much too important and grim to allow any kind of "inaccuracies" when discussing the actual historical events.

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So long !

R³ - proud to be the official spokesman for the most noble Lady Bilqis, Desert Rose of Ironworks

Btw, the cow is queuing in the slaughterhouse right now !

[Fljotsdale]

Originally posted by Silver Cheetah: Can I just point out that it was the US who originally financed extremest groups, including Bin Ladens', to use them against the Soviets in Afghanisan. Can I also point out that along with a load of other western nations, including the UK, you've been selling arms to the middle east for decades. Doesn't sound much like promoting peace to me.

I agree wholeheartedly, Silver Cheetah. I beieve the West is the root cause of many of the problems we are now having, especially with Islamic people. We began at the Crusades and we haven't done much that is constructive since.

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[This message has been edited by Fljotsdale (edited 09-13-2001).]

[Fljotsdale]

Originally posted by AzureWolf: Just a note: Generally as a rule ignore most of my serious posts I generally have an aversion to faith in anything be it religion or patriotism so I naturally find some way to disagree with most of these. I still stand by my statements i made in the previous posts but again its only my 2c. And I dont mind to see people disagree with it I dont care its not going to change my opinion and im not trying to change others. So particually in any religious threads you see me post in I will be as pessimistic as possible because on a whole to me all religion is just an annoying waste of time and only leads to trouble. So if people are going left and right saying god bless this and god bless that and I get annoyed and blow up a bit at it ignore it cos im just letting off steam. I dont think I have done so yet but its good to have an advance warning

LOL! I won't get mad at you, Azure! Though I might stick my tongue out at ya!

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[Fljotsdale]

Originally posted by Silver Cheetah: Love the cracking metaphor.......

You are supposed to apologise, silver feline, not just admire the excellence of his metaphore, lol!

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[Fljotsdale]

Originally posted by Silver Cheetah: Britain has also sold to both sides, on many occasions, in fact it's pretty much par for the course. The arms trade doesn't take any prisoners (if you'll excuse the expression.) Arms trading is an excellent source of revenue for both the US and Britain. Larry, if you'd like some facts and figures on the financial aspects of the global arms trade, then this is a useful site. http://www.globalissues.org/Geopolitics/ArmsTrade.asp As well giving figures for total global spend on arms last year (US$ 800 billion, including ops, personnel, etc), there are breakdowns giving percentage of arms sold by the US and other countries to the middle east, developing countries, and so on.

Yeah, and then we (The WEST) complain 'cos they use 'em. We even train 'em in guerilla warfare, etc, and go beserk when they dare use it against us.
Hypocrisy or what?

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