Miami Holiday

[sparhawk]

I just read an article on Heise.de (a german computer news magazine) that a bill has been passed that you can now sue a person if he/she ANNOYS you on the internt. The land ofthe free indeed.

 

What is even more beyond me is that this bill is named "The Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005". This looks to me as if they are doing the same that I do with my projects. If I want a project to be done, but this project doesn't get enough support to process it, then I bundle it in with some more important project, because usually it can be done then.

[OrbWeaver]

I just read an article on Heise.de (a german computer news magazine) that a bill has been passed that you can now sue a person if he/she ANNOYS you on the internt. The land ofthe free indeed.

 

There was an article on Slashdot about that recently. I think the idea is that you would be able to sue people who post hundreds of spam comments on your blog, rather than just one or two comments that you didn't like (which would be protected by the First Amendment anyway unless they were libellous).

 

The whole "rider" thing in America though is crap - it makes a mockery of democracy when you can pass any law you want by tacking it onto something else which is going to pass no matter what.

[sparhawk]

I think it's not THAT much different here. I still don't understand why software patents were supposed to be voted on the 'Fishing and Agriculture' department in Brussel. Well, I CAN understand the reasons why this is put in such a department for voting, but it makes it pretty obvious IMO.

[Macsen]

I don't think it's very fair to hold the people who run a country against the people of that country. I hate the people who run Wales, they're all anti-Welsh, sneaky, and live to please the government of Britain. They don't represnt the country. In the same way the neocons don't really represent America. The voting masses are just easy to control.

[sparhawk]

How else should judge a country? If you judge a person then you do it on it's actions. You don't say the person is evil, but some of it's cells are quite friendly and you shouldn't really judge a body of cells based on how the brain controls it. IMO it's pretty similar with countries. The poeple vote the goverment, and because of this they are responsible. If they don't go to the voting, then they are still responsible of not going there.

[Macsen]

You judge a country by visiting it, getting to know the people, exploring their culture, and so forth.

[SneaksieDave]

Of course PA is not any better, we...

You're in PA? Hah, so my post probably looked like a direct attack. I assure you it was not. I love (what I see of) PA, which is the long riverfront stretch down 32. I'm there all the time.

 

Damnit, on that note, could you please get your state to FIX THE TOWPATH! I spoke to the secretary of the DCNR and she told me, roughly,

 

"The men from the government just came out last week [this was 8 months AFTER the FIRST flood]. I've seen how they work. First they have to assess, and then reassess. Then, they have to have a bidding war by contractors. Then the work will begin if it's approved. The canal won't be fixed for at least five years."

 

Damn.

[sparhawk]

You judge a country by visiting it, getting to know the people, exploring their culture, and so forth.

 

And if I can't visit it, then I'm not entiteled to an opinion? COnsidering that this specific country gives me the feeling hat I enter a jail, why should I visit it in the first place? If I visit somebody I met on the street, and he gives me the impression that I'm not wanted, than I usually don't force myself on him but this already are elements that form my opinion.

 

You can't prevent that any kind of interaction or news form your opinion on something. Just as you can't take back something and give it a second try. Of course I may get another opinion when I visit there, if this ever happens, but it strongly depends on my previous expectations and experiences, even if they are based on untrue facts.

[Macsen]

And if I can't visit it, then I'm not entiteled to an opinion?

 

Nopers. You can judge a country's international politics from the outside, but you can't judge the rest of the country from there. You can't judge a book by its cover, although the cover often gives you some good idea what is inside the book.

[sparhawk]

Problem is, my opinion is still my opinion. And as long as I don't have another one, by whatever means, this is what I have to go by. Life sucks, but that's life.

 

But don't worry. I know that individual people are not to be judged on their countries foreign policy. Nevertheless, I can not recommend anybody to go there, because this IS also dictated by their foreign policy.

 

Just because iranian people might generaly be friendly I can't recommend somebody to go to Iran when I know at the same time that there are serious issues there to be considered.

[Macsen]

I've been to a few properly 'troubled' countries, like Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Egypt and N. Ireland (ha!). Compared to those America isn't bad, and even those countries weren't that dangerous to go to. All you hear from outside a country is the bad news.

 

I think pretty much any country seems strange and scary from the outside.

[Napalm]

". The poeple vote the goverment, and because of this they are responsible. If they don't go to the voting, then they are still responsible of not going there."

 

but when 49% of the people vote against the government, then it's not really fair to judge based on the government, and say it's the peoples responsibility. This isn't even taking into account that one of the reasons for voting for the government is limited plausible choices. Don't hold everything against the people.

[obscurus]

". The poeple vote the goverment, and because of this they are responsible. If they don't go to the voting, then they are still responsible of not going there."

 

but when 49% of the people vote against the government, then it's not really fair to judge based on the government, and say it's the peoples responsibility. This isn't even taking into account that one of the reasons for voting for the government is limited plausible choices. Don't hold everything against the people.

 

 

That isn't quite the case though - in the US, voting is voluntary, and it is a rare event for more than half of eligible voters to turn up to the ballot on the day. When Bush was first elected, less than 50% of Americans voted, and of those, less than half voted for Bush. Bush was elected because of the technicalities of the US voting system, not because he was the popular choice.

 

Nevertheless, over 75% of Americans failed to prevent Bush from gaining office, therefore, the majority of Americans have a big burden of responsibility for the actions of their president. Even more so since they re-elected him. The same goes for any democracy, or pseudo-democracy - the burden of responsibility rests with every citizen who was able to vote when their government was elected and made the wrong choice. Granted, there isn't often a real choice to be made, it is a invariably a case of the lesser of two evils, but even in the US, there are many candidates who run for minor parties. There is no law that says you have to run for either the democrats or the republicans when there are a plethora of alternative, but humans have an inherent psychological flaw that make them think that choices must always be binary. People see things in black and white and ignore all of the colours in between. That is the fault of the people, not the governments they elect. It was never a choice between Bush/Gore or Bush/Kerry - there were other candidates people could have voted for, but they stupidly failed to see that it doesn't have to be a forced dichotomy between two idiots.

 

Politicians can be controlled by the populace, if the populace is proactive about it, and engages in constant dialogue with their elected representatives. It is always the fault of the people if they don't make the effort to put the smackdown on pollies that misbehave.

 

For example, under the Australian constitution, if enough people sign a petition, they can force the government to drop a piece of legislation. Problem is, most people either are too ignorant of this law, or too lazy to act on it.

 

I don't think all Americans are evil or stupid, but by re-electing Bush, they have demonstrated that the majority of Americans are either thick as bricks, bone lazy or psychopathic lunatics. It is that simple. By the same token, I think most of my fellow Australians are morons for voting for Howard (again). Human beings are generally stupid fools unless they can be educated to think rationally and to make independent decisions that aren't based on fear and hope.

[SneaksieDave]

Ohcrap. Politics? There goes your thread, Macsen.

 

This is all so weird to hear. And ear/eye opening a bit. People are talking about being wary to come to the U.S. because it's perceived as dangerous, when I'm over here in barefeet and shorts and a tank top taking a 20 mile bike ride along a river and state park, leaving my car far behind, saying hi to passersby, stopping in Frenchtown to get a drink at a local deli, with the bike outside, etc., with nothing bad happening. No muggings, and no arrests or strip searches either. Knock on wood. Then again, I'm not biking through Camden and Chicago.

 

On the other hand, I wet my shorts at the thought of going to Europe, where everyone instantly hates me simply because I'm from that evil continent to the west, wants to take advantage of and/or kill me, and steal all my shit.*

 

 

*Obvious exaggerated and closed-minded view to make a point of irony

[obscurus]

Obviously there are parts of America that are quite safe, but statistically, it is one of the most dangerous places in the world to live, especially if you are poor and live in a large city. It has the highest rate of domestic gun violence in the world, and the highest murder rate barring a few small nations here and there that don't have any semblence of rule of law.

America is even more dangerous a place for tourists to visit, especially if they are from Asia or a country that is even vaguely near the Middle East. Or they are black....

 

And if you say something derogatory about the Government and take piloting lessons, you'll be 'spoken to' by the DHS before you know it.

 

If you are going to Europe, just tell them you are from Canada, you'll be fine, they can't tell the difference (unless you are one of those ignorant Yank tourists that ponces around arrogantly like they own the world, which I'm sure you are not).

 

Why are you riding a bike barefoot? That is not very sensible.

 

Sorry about the politics, these threads inevitably wind up discussing politics or religion etc. I'm bored OK? I can't help it.

[Macsen]

People are talking about being wary to come to the U.S. because it's perceived as dangerous, when I'm over here in barefeet and shorts and a tank top taking a 20 mile bike ride along a river and state park, leaving my car far behind, saying hi to passersby, stopping in Frenchtown to get a drink at a local deli, with the bike outside, etc., with nothing bad happening. No muggings, and no arrests or strip searches either. Knock on wood.

 

People are too wary about the danger of going to other countries, because all they hear are terrible travel stories. Before I went to Egypt I was warned about terrorists and told I shouldn't go, but I looked on the web and saw there hadn't been an attack for five years. If the news stories are to be believed I would have been hanged in Zimbanwe for being white, and contracted AIDS the moment I set foot in South Africa. The closest town to me in Wales is supposedly very dangerous but I've gone there almost every day for fifteen years without any problems. But I am 6'2" so they probably flee at the sight of me, bwahaha...

 

I think I'm more of a danger to myself. This was taken in Lusaka when I was 17, I got a prison security guard drunk and stole his gun. I was also very, very drunk.

 

[Domarius]

The silly proud grin you have on almost makes the entire picture look like a comic strip panel. In a slightly disturbing way.

[sparhawk]

This is all so weird to hear. And ear/eye opening a bit. People are talking about being wary to come to the U.S. because it's perceived as dangerous, ...

 

Maybe there is a missconception because of thread drift. I don't not go to the US because I have fear it would be dangerous. I don't go there, because I have the feeling, by travelling there as a tourist, I indiriectly support the system. When I go there, I set a signal that it is ok to go there, enjoy it and everything is alright. This is something I don't want to support. When I have to give my fingerprints just ebcause I want to visit, then I'm supporting this stupid and humiliating practice. I know that many of my collegues say 'What the heck, it's just a minor inconvenience, and it doesn't even take long. Only a few minutes at the airport." but that is not really the point. Even if it would be done totally unobstrusive and unnoticable I still wouldn't want to go there as long as something like this exists. But don't get locked on the fingerprints alone, because this is only a small symptom of the whole.

 

On the other hand, I wet my shorts at the thought of going to Europe, where everyone instantly hates me simply because I'm from that evil continent to the west, wants to take advantage of and/or kill me, and steal all my shit.*

*Obvious exaggerated and closed-minded view to make a point of irony

 

I know a funny story. I think it was Whitney Houston, but it may have been some other star. Doesn't really matter. Anyway, she was visiting Vienna (the one in Austria you know? ) and she had a host full of bodyguards around here. Apparently she needs that for whatever reason, but it seems she wanted to venture alone, so she went out and went to a McDonalds evading her bodyguards. Nothing happened to her eitehr but the bodyguards were quite frightened about this ebcause they feared that she would get robbed, raped and killed (or whatever). Austria is pretty secure and woman can go alone in the night on the streets without constant fear of getting attacked or threatened.

I also never recall that ANY other celebrity, including people like our president, TV stars, football stars and others, constantly have the need to go around with bodyguards. I have seen some of them in the street just like any other people.

[Ishtvan]

I don't think all Americans are evil or stupid, but by re-electing Bush, they have demonstrated that the majority of Americans are either thick as bricks, bone lazy or psychopathic lunatics.

 

The three largest cities in the US (NY, LA, Chicago) did not elect Bush. I think what we need is a good old fashioned rural vs. urban civil war!

[sparhawk]

People are too wary about the danger of going to other countries, because all they hear are terrible travel stories. Before I went to Egypt I was warned about terrorists and told I shouldn't go, but I looked on the web and saw there hadn't been an attack for five years.

 

When I first came to Berlin, the only place I knew was Bahnhof Zoo because I read that book from Christiane F. Don't know if you know here, but she was a drug addict and wrote a book about it. Bahnhof Zoo would be a pretty dangerous area (for Austrian standards at least) and everybody told me that I should not go there. Well, I had a creepy feeling when I went there because of that, but still nothing happened and I didn't notice anything particular. Maybe I was to late anyway and it already moved, but some residents told me that this was not the case. Only thing that happened was that a junky came to me with a needle in his hands. He told me that he has AIDS, he wants money and if I don't give him some he will stick the needle in me. I did not give him money and he didn't stick the needle into me. I had the impression that he didn't really mean it, just wanetd to frighten me, but this was the most dangerous situtation that I experienced. Well, I'm pretty stocky and people tell me that I look so that you don't want to mess with me, so this might help as well. Even though I'm not really an agressive person, and rather go away then join in a fight.

[SneaksieDave]

Heh, I dunno. This thread used to be more fun! Damn you, politics!

America is even more dangerous a place for tourists to visit, especially if they are from Asia or a country that is even vaguely near the Middle East. Or they are black....

Why if black? A tourist isn't coming to see inner Camden, they're coming to see the grand canyon and Miami beaches. And most of said inner Camden IS black. Black on black crime (if that's what you're referring to) is mostly among rival gangs, those in the drug trade, and people who know each other, not tourists from Nigeria. Maybe I'm just not getting what you're saying. I'd agree with "more if arabic," but even that is mostly among the rednecks. The average person walking down the street knows a "young man of middle eastern descent" is probably just a college student at Rutgers trying to pass his exams. At least, where I come from. I done never been to ol' Alabama though.

And if you say something derogatory about the Government and take piloting lessons, you'll be 'spoken to' by the DHS before you know it.

LOL, average American talk about the government is nothing BUT bad. We (by large) hate it just as much as the rest of the world. We do realize there are undesirable results coming from our "free government for the people, by the people." Believe me we do. Again, at least where I come from.

Why are you riding a bike barefoot? That is not very sensible.

Because it's beeeooooteeeful out. Sometimes you just can't resist. I was also exaggerating, though - no way would I take my 20 mile trek* with bare feet. I usually stay around my little town with bare feet.

 

*the 20 mile trek that has been derailed for more than a year now thanks to Pennsylvania not fixing its canal. *grumble*

 

The three largest cities in the US (NY, LA, Chicago) did not elect Bush. I think what we need is a good old fashioned rural vs. urban civil war!

WORD. I think it's time for the picture:

 

[Renzatic]

 

Scenes from the film "Harry Potter and the Secret of the Zapatista Revolution".

[Vadrosaul]

What fingerprints? I go to the Western states all the time, I don't get fingerprinted at customs. All I need is my trusty passport.

[Macsen]

Scenes from the film "Harry Potter and the Secret of the Zapatista Revolution".

Look so good after month of trawling through bush with no food you will not, hmm?

 

[/yoda]

[Renzatic]

I dunno, I'll probably end up with a nice aneorexic supermodel figure...so it might be worth giving it a try considering how shallow I am.

 

Hey, I noticed you post pictures on Flickr too. Want to do a page swap?