when i was in 4th grade, my class started learning about foreign affairs. Social Studies (pfft) is the class that first teaches kids that theres more to the world than the one city you live in.
- the first conflict we talked about in class was the invasion (don't remember by who) of a British owned island off the eastern coast of South America. The response was a quick retribution by the British to bring the island (some 2 square kilometers) back under their control. The invading country said that it was taken from the illegally (or something) and because it was less than 2 miles off the cost of their country they had legal right to it. As it was not in international waters... etc .. etc
- in my childish ignorance. i asked the teacher - why is it so important to the British to have a [poor quality] island more than 2000 miles away from their country thats only big enough to hold 40 sheep and a barn?- i also asked - Would it really be a big deal if England just, out of good will, gave back the island?
:the teacher replied harshly, but not surprisingly:- England owned it. They're a sovereign nation. They can't just give away parts of their country because another country feels like it.
---- ----- ------- ---- - ---- -------- - since 4th grade (9 years ago) i just accepted the teachers words at face value and as fact. just agreed.
but wait.
i'm old enough to think for myself. i don't have to be indoctrinated by the stupid sub-par military-political theory that "1st world countries" impose on the rest of the world just to get away with the exact same crimes that they themselves are committing. nope.
truth is. In that scenario. england is a [jerk]. to start [stuff] with another country just BECAUSE is stupid. no one said anything about giving away mainland England. No one even said anything about taking away the countries England sent colonies to and just, sort of, took over. :cough:India. :cough:South Africa.
its a [frustrat]ing piece of [garbage] island no one cares about. ----- ---- -- -
politics or no politics. its just bad human judgment. if i owned a playground in Missouri and the neighborhood that it's in approached me and asked if they can have the rights to it SIMPLY BECAUSE its next to their houses. and I'm not gaining any sort of economic stability from it. not charging for admission. just telling people "HEY I OWN A PLAYGROUND!"
id give that [stuff] up. ----
i don't know of any political leaders in the world that are just decent with their policies "just because".
everyone is out for something. makes me sick
[Bracketed changes made by me. Please refrain from the profanity (and perhaps you'd be well-served to revisit the user agreement). You never get a second chance to make a first impression, but you do get a chance to make a second impression. --PJ]
[ November 11, 2007, 02:07 AM: Message edited by: shiftypowers ]
Posted by Threads (Member # 10863) on :
Whistled... maybe you meant to sign up at Ornery (haha)??
EDIT: Not that your post would be received nicely there either Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
Please remove the expletives from your post. They are not acceptable here, even with a warning.
EDIT: I also whistled.
Posted by James Tiberius Kirk (Member # 2832) on :
quote:Would it really be a big deal if England just, out of good will, gave back the island?
As I understand it, the Falklanders were citizens of the UK and wanted to remain so. The British government had an obligation to them. It should also be noted that the Falklands are self-governing, so I doubt Britain can simply give them away.
--j_k
Posted by Reshpeckobiggle (Member # 8947) on :
Is there a point to that post?
Posted by rollainm (Member # 8318) on :
This reminds me of that complaint generator someone posted awhile back.
Posted by Tara (Member # 10030) on :
I don't get it...where's the link to the porn website?
Posted by Threads (Member # 10863) on :
quote:Originally posted by rollainm: This reminds me of that complaint generator someone posted awhile back.
The complaint generator leaves no room for complaints about it's grammer, unlike the OP.
Edit: Of course my own language skills could use some improvement also.
[ November 11, 2007, 10:05 AM: Message edited by: Pegasus ]
Posted by HollowEarth (Member # 2586) on :
quote:Originally posted by James Tiberius Kirk:
quote:Would it really be a big deal if England just, out of good will, gave back the island?
As I understand it, the Falklanders were citizens of the UK and wanted to remain so. The British government had an obligation to them. It should also be noted that the Falklands are self-governing, so I doubt Britain can simply give them away.
--j_k
See the sudentenland crisis.
edit: mind that this doesn't really have anything to do with the OP or really the Falklands in anyway. My point here was that land has been given away before, even when the giver didn't actually have it to give.
Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
I keep being disappointed in threads - first I don't get to speak Latin, now I don't get to discuss cake and/or death.
Seriously, people, stop disappointing me!
Posted by JonHecht (Member # 9712) on :
You're all a bunch of sheeple! Sheeple I say!
Posted by JonHecht (Member # 9712) on :
quote:Originally posted by Pegasus: The complaint generator leaves no room for complaints about it's grammer, unlike the OP.
Sorry, but I have to do this. "its grammar" not "it's grammer." It is Kesley Grammer?
Don't normally do that, but I couldn't resist.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
You know, when I saw this thread, I assumed it was about Settlers of Catan.
Posted by JaneX (Member # 2026) on :
quote:Originally posted by Carrie: I keep being disappointed in threads - first I don't get to speak Latin, now I don't get to discuss cake and/or death.
Seriously, people, stop disappointing me!
Hey Carrie, cake or death?
~Jane~
Posted by CaySedai (Member # 6459) on :
I liked that complaint generator. For fun, I used it to generate something that I e-mailed to our editorial page coordinator, with the comment that now we know the source of some of our letters to the editor.
Posted by Starsnuffer (Member # 8116) on :
I'm confused/surprised that nobody is actually having a discussion here, and instead just berating him.
Posted by rollainm (Member # 8318) on :
quote:Originally posted by JonHecht:
quote:Originally posted by Pegasus: The complaint generator leaves no room for complaints about it's grammer, unlike the OP.
Sorry, but I have to do this. "its grammar" not "it's grammer." It is Kesley Grammer?
Don't normally do that, but I couldn't resist.
Kelsey Grammer...
Posted by shiftypowers (Member # 11183) on :
aww. well i don't mind a little ridicule now and then.
no no Starsnuffer, some did try to gotta a discussion going.
the reason for my post was because i just finished Shadow of the Hegemon (for the 14th time) and in the end, the thing that i got out of it (everytime i read it, its something different) is that political leaders today are in it for themselves.
oh WOW big discovery right? NO ONE knew that.
well. if everyone knows it why don't we all revolt?
well whatever. the thing is. In the end, i liked the way Peter detached himself from the stereotypical world dominator and actually tried to be a humanitarian in its full definition.
thought that was neat.
also made me mad that we don't live in a world like that. or if we do.. very scarcely do we find decent leaders anywhere.
p.s. i went back to edit my first post for swearwords(i copy pasted it directly from another forum i wrote it on) and realized it was already edited. thanks PJ =) i wont to it again
p.p.s. glad people got the eddie izzard comment. makes me all warm and fuzzy inside
Posted by Morbo (Member # 5309) on :
I doubt you'd be so sanguine if your country was invaded.
[ November 11, 2007, 07:50 PM: Message edited by: Morbo ]
Posted by JonHecht (Member # 9712) on :
Speaking of which, have you seen those videos of legos animation set to Izzard?
quote:Originally posted by rollainm:
quote:Originally posted by JonHecht:
quote:Originally posted by Pegasus: The complaint generator leaves no room for complaints about it's grammer, unlike the OP.
Sorry, but I have to do this. "its grammar" not "it's grammer." It is Kesley Grammer?
Don't normally do that, but I couldn't resist.
Kelsey Grammer...
I am gonna go ahead an say that I was being purposefully ironic... and hope you believe me.
Posted by rollainm (Member # 8318) on :
Ironical. Got it.
Posted by JonHecht (Member # 9712) on :
I've always been interested in the dialectical usage of ironical and ironic. Where are you from, and how old are you, if you don't mind me asking? Ironical tends to be more archaic.
Posted by rollainm (Member # 8318) on :
24, Georgia.
I don't typically use it. It just felt appropriate in this instance.
Posted by shiftypowers (Member # 11183) on :
lmao.
moving on.
the specific examples of the Falklands wasn't mine. it was from the comedian eddie izzard.
my point wasn't the specific example, it was the general one. you know about the politics..etc etc
so wrong example but right thought. for me
Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
quote:Originally posted by JaneX:
quote:Originally posted by Carrie: I keep being disappointed in threads - first I don't get to speak Latin, now I don't get to discuss cake and/or death.
Seriously, people, stop disappointing me!
Hey Carrie, cake or death?
~Jane~
Dea - no, cake! Cake, please!
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
quote:Well, if everyone knows it why don't we all revolt?
Revolution is often bloody, disruptive to all aspects of the society, unpredictable and often makes things worse than they were before.
For the level of corruption most Western countries endure, other methods are preferable.
Posted by JonHecht (Member # 9712) on :
Like coups. Coups are much cleaner than bloody revolution. Just say "I'm in charge" "Alrighty then, would you like me to show you around the white house?"
Posted by Pegasus (Member # 10464) on :
quote:Originally posted by JonHecht: I've always been interested in the dialectical usage of ironical and ironic. Where are you from, and how old are you, if you don't mind me asking? Ironical tends to be more archaic.
Whereas I have only heard it used in Serenity, so I thought it was a reference to that. I didn't know that it's a real word. Posted by JonHecht (Member # 9712) on :
hehe i love serenity. i hope we're talking about the movie AND the show.
anyway.
yes yes revolution and coups..etc i know
i was just saying. you know.
oh well i guess its not worth it. just my point of view. ive very communist <3
Posted by shiftypowers (Member # 11183) on :
hehe i love serenity. i hope we're talking about the movie AND the show.
anyway.
yes yes revolution and coups..etc i know
i was just saying. you know.
oh well i guess its not worth it. just my point of view. i'm very communist <3
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Um....Communists believe in giving away bits of their countries now?
Posted by lem (Member # 6914) on :
quote: I keep being disappointed in threads - first I don't get to speak Latin, now I don't get to discuss cake and/or death.
I was expecting the space monkeys to start attacking. I too was disappointed.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson: Um....Communists believe in giving away bits of their countries now?
The Vanguard of the Proletariat awards TomDavidson...Cuba! And cake!
[Edit--just one slice, though.]
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
quote:Um....Communists believe in giving away bits of their countries now?
All the time. Also, they never invade anyone.
Posted by steven (Member # 8099) on :
"The Vanguard of the Proletariat awards TomDavidson...Cuba! And cake!"
I want cake.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
The Vanguard of the Proletariat is out of cake, but will gladly award steven a slice of pie.
Posted by shiftypowers (Member # 11183) on :
well technically
in TRUE communism. why wouldn't it be ok for a country to give away small parts if its for the good of the people? (think of global communism)
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
Which people?
Posted by shiftypowers (Member # 11183) on :
everyone who isnt in the government
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
Yeah but who? The Islanders? the British? the Argentinians? Other people? What if there are different groups within those loose groups of people who will benefit differently. How do you know who will benefit most? What if the Islanders want to stay with Britain but you- as the government- think that Argentina would benefit from the reverse.
The world isn't divided into 'the government' and 'the people'.
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
quote:Originally posted by Noemon: The Vanguard of the Proletariat is out of cake, but will gladly award steven a slice of pie.
Hey! Who elected you the Vanguard of the Proletariat?
Posted by shiftypowers (Member # 11183) on :
i know. my brain hurts
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
I don't know, but he has my vote if he gives me some dessert.
Posted by shiftypowers (Member # 11183) on :
ok fine.
cake or death?
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
quote:Originally posted by ElJay:
quote:Originally posted by Noemon: The Vanguard of the Proletariat is out of cake, but will gladly award steven a slice of pie.
Hey! Who elected you the Vanguard of the Proletariat?
Oh, our whole clique is the Vanguard of the Proletariat. I'm just the head of the Committee for the Equitable Redistribution of Territory and Desserts.
::awards Shigosei a nice lemon torte::
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
Quit stealing my baked goods! Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
They're The People's baked goods, and don't you forget it!
Posted by NotMe (Member # 10470) on :
Haven't you heard?
The cake is a lie!
Posted by shiftypowers (Member # 11183) on :
AH! PORTAL! :instant love:
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
quote:Originally posted by Noemon:
::awards Shigosei a nice lemon torte::
Sweet! (Literally.)
Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
There's a clique?
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Well, some group assigned me to this committee! It's not like I just made it up or something!
Posted by JonHecht (Member # 9712) on :
![[No No]](graemlins/nono.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Blushing]](graemlins/blushing.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Mad]](mad.gif)
Quit stealing my baked goods!