US Voting Machines

[till]

I would not dare tell a Frenchman in any department that the wine biz is unimportant.

you miss something important here.

but i understand this mistake is made by americans. A french would have enough culture, to distinguish between something important like quality food - and business.

 

[SY]

Actually, wine is a huge export business for Germany. Argentina is an unusual case (it produces more but exports less than Chile), but its ratios are changing, too.

 

[till]

huge, as it is in your focus. In my Land in germany, ther grows exactly zero wine. but we get used to americans beliver their own truth.

if there is a "Hades" then there must be a Heaven, correct?

not for republicans, sorry.

 

[SY]

In my Land in germany, ther grows exactly zero wine. but we get used to americans beliver their own truth.

You mean all those vineyards and wineries in Germany are fakes? Wow, what a conspiracy!

I wonder what they do with all the corks I ship them?

 

[till]

In my Land in germany

(its in the north, you know)

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.

 

[jeff mai]

You all obviously are biased against the US. I cant argue with people that are not willing to see both sides.

I see the issue, "both sides" as you say.* I'm an American. I had mixed feelings about the the action in Iraq until it came out that the claimed justification did not exist, that there was no evidence of this justification prior to taking action but there was evidence that the administration intended to do this prior even to 9/11.

*"Both sides" implies an adversarial relationship and a black and white simplicity to the issue. Neither is the case, though it is not surprising. Someone once said "You're either with us or you're against us." It's been pretty effective in creating division.

40 countries went with us to Iraq, that is not unilateral.

Name one country that would have acted if the US hadn't.

The US may not have been alone, but it was still unilateral in that they decided they were going to invade Iraq against the wishes of the UN* and they did. Do you think that no economic favors were bestowed upon the dozens of countries that sent a few hundred troops as symbolic support?

*A UN which the US helps to force other countries to abide by.

The major countries that did not were doing illegal businness with Iraq in the oil for food scandal and did not want to get caught. So, you might not like what we do but others do like it. Can you say that your system is perfect?

It isn't the governments and businessmen affected by the food for oil scandal that form public opinion in Europe.

No one is claiming perfection. Business and governments do corrupt things *everywhere*, but there are some naive people that think it doesn't happen in the USA, too.

Also remember, your press controls what you all see and hear as much if not more than ours does. To say that we like being lied to or we knowingly accept lies is just stupid. It is something only someone that only wants to believe that they are right would impose on us. I'm just glad I'm here are your stuck in you own world of false impressions and lies about it.

While I agree that the press imparts its spin everywhere, it doesn't take any press to form a hostile opinion. The big picture stands for itself. In a nutshell:

1 - America acted against the wishes of the UN. Seen as an act of supreme hipocrisy given the rabidness with which it expects other countries to follow the UN.

2 - America acted upon evidence that was misinterpreted or simply did not exist. Seen as somewhere between stupid and criminal, but ultimately dangerous.

3 - America conducted its action in a divisive manner with regards to world opinion. "You're either with us or you're against us." Seen as arrogant.

None of this requires any spin. They are all cold, hard facts.

So now you are claiming America's actions are misunderstood? If America doesn't like the resulting negative opinions, it should do a better job in justifying its actions.

 

[audio-kraut]

You all obviously are biased against the US. I cant argue with people that are not willing to see both sides. 40 countries went with us to Iraq, that is not unilateral. The major countries that did not were doing illegal businness with Iraq in the oil for food scandal and did not want to get caught

!. If you lie to, bribe and bully people to participate - that makes not a coalition of the willing, but of thugs.

2. If you want me to see both sides of an illegal attack on a sovereign nation, than in the same breath please ask me to see b oth sides of concentration camps.

3. If it comes to weapons of mass destruction - please ask yourself who has the most - and at present is the most distrusted because of it's actions - maybe the rest of the world should decide to start a preventative war against the USA?

4. There is an investigation that Halliburton was one of the major violators in the oil for food business.

5. Now quit your whining an realize that this present US government has unilaterally destroyed any trust the USA up to 2003 enjoyed, do not blame this loss of trust on the critics, but on those who perpetrated actions that led to the loss of this trust.

6. Please read the study that shows the disconnect berween the perceiption of reality between bush supportes and kerry supporters.

 

[jackinnj]

Only Americans will appreciate the humor

from www.scrappleface.com:

Kerry Plan: White House Run Hid True Ambition

(2004-11-03) -- Sen. John Forbes Kerry, who was also a presidential candidate until recently, today finally explained "the plan" to which he often referred during his White House bid.

"You probably thought my plan involved sitting in the Oval Office," said Mr. Kerry, "But everything I have done this year was simply to lay the groundwork for my triumphal ascension to the post of Senate Minority Leader. Now that my coattails have carried Tom Daschle to defeat, I stand ready to lead the remainder of the senate Democrats with my progressive ideas."

A straw poll of Democrat senators shows that Mr. Kerry stands a good chance of garnering the position, since the party is looking for "fresh new faces."

"I've never met him personally," said one veteran U.S. Senator, "but it sounds like he has the personality to pick up where Sen. Daschle left off."

 

[jackinnj]

Kerry Concession Speech Takes High Road
by Scott Ott
[AP EDITOR'S NOTE: THIS STORY ABSOLUTELY EMBARGOED UNTIL SEN. KERRY ACTUALLY DELIVERS THE SPEECH AFTER THE POLLS CLOSE IN CALIFORNIA.]

(2004-11-03) -- When John Forbes Kerry took the podium last night in a Boston hotel ballroom, many supporters expected him to heed the poet's call: "Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage..."

But the veteran-senator disappointed his troops one last time by taking the high road in his concession speech.

"America has spoken tonight," said a stoic Mr. Kerry, "They have chosen strength and integrity over indecision and political opportunism. This landslide victory for my opponent--forgive me, let me call him President Bush-- this victory demonstrates the essential decency and folksy wisdom of a bold and humble people. In all frankness, my candidacy was never anything more than a vitriolic hate-parade, funded by big unions, Hollywood and the trial lawyers."

Mr. Kerry then stunned the assembled party faithful.

"Tonight I step from the spotlight into the shadow of a great and good man," he said. "In doing so, I now join my friends Sen. Zell Miller, former New York Mayor Ed Koch and millions of anonymous Democrats who secretly betrayed their party today for the good of their nation tomorrow. As I did rhetorical battle with President Bush, I found myself respecting him, admiring him and longing to be more like him. From now on, I will say what I mean, mean what I say and act accordingly. Let me sum up now by paraphrasing my mentor, John F. Kennedy--starting tonight, Ich bin ein Bushie."