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Re: Americas overseas empire
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I happen to not need curlers since my ginger hair is naturally curly - are you being 'gingerist'? :D As it happens - this avatar seems to be doing what I hoped it would - because Les Dawson was a lovable comedian nobody has been nasty to me while I have it - and I get more comic responses. 'The image says everything' PS sorry off topic |
Re: Americas overseas empire
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(we are off topic again) |
Re: Americas overseas empire
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But there is another point of view: take the automobile for eg., most cars made in the US are, to be kind, pieces of s**t. The work force may complain about the outsourcing of jobs, but if they made better stuff perhaps it would sell. We all know that the best car for the buck is not the chevvy but the Toyota. I think that Admiral Beatty got it right, when , at the Battle of Jutland, he said: "there is something wrong with our bloody ships today." Damn right there was; they were made in England. (On the other hand so were the sailors, much can be made of sub-standard military equipment by superior fighting men). |
Re: Americas overseas empire
Well as for Beatty at Jutland it was a case of the top of the pile didnt talk to the bottom shoody planning and lousy execution of the act. As per usual the top blamed the bottom when the cowpats flew up top and blamed all bar themselves. Does that sound familiar in this day and age and in what America is going through now?
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Also I think it is not only the Iraqi war that is driving down the greenback. It is a lack of faith in American leadership. One can't expect the rest of the world to understand the convoulutions of the American political system, but it does not take much detailed knowledge to realize that the leader of the country, if left to himself, could not run a hot dog stand. The strong performance of the loonie is due more to the fact that Canada probably has more oil than the middle east ... not easy to get at but it's there, and at today's prices it is profitable to extract it. And the strength of European economies is due more to their innovation and expertise and less to the American military screw ups. And I don't think Barb's ideas are all that extreme. If they were GWB would not be President. The scary thing about the majority of the American voting public is that they think like Barb. But that is democracy and the First Ammendment. Ironic that the strengths of America are also, in a sense, its greatest weaknesses. |
Re: Americas overseas empire
This will sound odd but I agree with you Steeljack as well as with Eric. And still at the same time agree with Barb.
Certainly the West coast and Northeast are much more liberal then the Southeast and the Midwest. So Barb's views are extreme for certain areas of the country but rather normal for the south. Your other great and obvious point Eric was regarding American products and their crappy workmenship these past 30 years (IMO). I gave up on the American auto mobile after going through a chevy (Vega:o) , Ford (Tempo), Ford (Ranger), Oldsmobile (Cierra). Not only were these all cheaply made, the service departments were so customer unfriendly! I put alot of blame on the Unions and also on the Government (IMO). Quick point on Royboy's statement. It may be a bit of a cultural thing. In this area, that statement is taken as bad as the F word (and that means they aren't used often and are greatly offensive)(IMO). May be more shocking to see from me then to how it's used over there eh? Brian |
Re: Americas overseas empire
A comment on the Pearl Harbor conspiracy. My view is that Roosevelt was itching to get us in to get us out of the depression. That's why all our Battleships were lined up so nicely in the harbor and all the planes were set right next to each other. At the same time. all our crucial aircraft carriers were far from the carnage.
IMO, Britain had an absolute right to be pee'd off by America's lack of involvement. To sit back and watch the bombing of London. Terrible. We should have had forces over there in England before the Battle of Britain (Probably as we saw what was going on at Dunkirk!). Hence either preventing it from happening or to at least render material force. Brian |
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What makes this slightly relevant to this discussion is the "waking the sleeping giant" aspect. In this sense the Japanese attack on Pearl is one of the root causes of modern US militarism and imperialism. In 1940 ... from May/June on anyhow ... the US could not have rendered any "material force" help. They were as unprepared for the Germans as Stalin was. And a brief (fairly) quote: "Half a century has passed, and the time has come to sweep away the myths and reveal the no less inspiring gleam of that complex and frightening time in which evil was in the ascendant, goodness diffident, and the British -impetuous, foolish, and brave beyond measure - the world's only hope." (And Canadians, Australians, and New Zealanders too) |
Re: Americas overseas empire
Enjoyed reading the rest of the thread, between packing for my next trip. Hey, LYY, thanks for taking up the cudgel on my behalf.
Despite some of the popular misconceptions on this site, most Americans are not myrmidons. We are neither far to the left or right - but we are a right of center country. Perhaps the problem for some of you is that we aren't terribly keen on relinquishing our national identity and independence. Ditto our Bill of Rights. Nor do we wish to get sucked into the bureaucratic maw of an EU/UN style form of governance, whereby the sovereignty of individual countries is eroded. I haven't been brainwashed by anyone. I was an adult when I made my decision to leave England. America was and remains a better fit for me. Although our demise has often been predicted, I remain optimistic about my country and its endeavors. |
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Here's wishing you a safe journey.:) |
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Thanks, Eric. Off to Teddy Kennedy country again. Always a rip. Enjoyed the joke. |
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