http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2015/05/30/us-anthrax-sent-to-australia.html?cid=BP_CAROUSEL_NEWS_1_ANTHRAX_MISTAKE_2015_3005
They are utterly incapable of managing, storing and distributing lethal material.
Didn't they invade Iraq because they possessed this crap?
That's REALLY disconcerting. I can't even wrap my head around how this level of mistake making can even happen in the first place.
Quote from: "RW"
My head goes completely around it. It's a government operation, they fuck shit up all the time, unintentionally AND intentionally. Ever read "The Stand" by Stephen King? There is more than just a hint of probability in that story. If man ever gets wiped out by a plague, my money is on it not being natural.
Tell your idiot boyfriend to take some antibiotics. God help us all if he comes down with something even resembling anthrax. The moans, groans and pathetic screams for sympathy will be unbearable; pussy that he is.
How is that acceptable?! If that happened here, we'd be demanding heads on spikes. And what's with this "intentional" shit?! AAaahhhh!
I would tell him but he wouldn't listen to me anyway.
Quote from: "RW"
I would tell him but he wouldn't listen to me.
"Intentional shit", what, you don't know that the US government has used and continues to use localized pockets of people for biological experiments? It's been going on since the 1960s.
How is it acceptable? I don't know. No one is accountable in our government anymore unless the news media wants them to be. Even then there is usually someone or something with an agenda doing the driving.
Oh I'm sure they use people for experiments.
Your news media is fucked. I don't know how anyone can feel good about anything when someone on some channel/show labeled "news" is crapping all over it.
Quote from: "SPECTRE"
They are utterly incapable of managing, storing and distributing lethal material.
Didn't they invade Iraq because they possessed this crap?
You're lucky Australia is too big to pick on too much!
Quote
Pagan island is a biologically diverse, 10-mile-long island anchored by two volcanoes in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, an independent government associated with the United States.
The island, nearly three-quarters of the way to the Philippines from Hawaii, is home to wildlife that includes an endangered fruit bat, endemic birds, huge spiders, lizards, and a rare tree snail. The island has been mostly uninhabited since 1981, when its population was evacuated because of volcanic eruptions.
Pentagon officials have proposed leasing Pagan Island from Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to use for live-fire amphibious practice, including "guns-blazing war games on Pagan at least 16 weeks a year," the Los Angeles Times reports.
Hundreds of Marines would play out Pacific warfare attacks on Pagan's black sand beaches and in its fields, potentially participating with forces from other Pacific Rim nations such as Japan, South Korea and Australia, firing guns and mortars and dropping bombs from B-52s with support from drones, helicopters and fighter jets.
Residents of Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as well as the Sierra Club and other environmental groups, strongly oppose the U.S. military's plans.
//http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/29/pagan-island-marines-military_n_7342168.html
Talk about overkill:
Quote
The upcoming war games in the Gulf of Alaska will not be the first such exercises in the region — they have been conducted, on and off, for the last 30 years — but they will be the largest by far. In fact, a 360% rise in munitions use is expected, according to Emily Stolarcyk, the program manager for the Eyak Preservation Council.
"The propellants from the Navy's missiles and some of their other weapons will release benzene, toluene, xylene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and naphthalene into the waters of twenty percent of the training area, according to their own Environmental Impact Statement," she explains as we look down on Cordova's harbor with salmon fishing season rapidly approaching.
Here's just one example of the kinds of damage that will occur: the cyanide discharge from a Navy torpedo is in the range of 140-150 parts per billion. The Environmental Protection Agency's "allowable" limit on cyanide: one part per billion.
The Navy's EIS estimates that, in the five-year period in which these war games are to be conducted, there will be more than 182,000 "takes" — direct deaths of a marine mammal, or the disruption of essential behaviors like breeding, nursing, or surfacing. On the deaths of fish, it offers no estimates at all. Nevertheless, the Navy will be permitted to use at least 352,000 pounds of expended materials in these games annually. The potential negative effects could be far-reaching, given species migration and the global current system in northern waters.
//http://www.alternet.org/environment/over-180000-marine-mammals-may-die-navys-arctic-war-games
Is Leopardsocks/Spectre 'anti american' or an 'American hater' because he post something off-color like this thread?
I've noticed that that staunch USA lobby here and on memebee don't want anyone to criticize the USA or its citizens at all.
Any smidgeon of dissent, and the view it as unrestrained hate of the USA.
Cripes, these people oughta get a grip
I think we need to acknowledge that criticizing American foreign policy, Obama, Bush, whatever has little to do with the American people. We all know that Americans are some of the greatest people in the world.
Most Americans don't even like this idea, but the American government, which is not really a democracy, just ignores them.
And along comes an example of a great American. Hello, Phil!
Quote from: "Phil O Bat"
The US governement was never set up to be a democracy, it was originally conceived and designed to be a Republic. After the Civil War it has moved closer and closer to being a direct democracy which is where all the problems stem from. If it had remained a Republic as the founding fathers had intended, there would accountability on the part of the government.
I thought that is why y'all have guns - to keep your government honest.
I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of the U.S. It's big and confused and meddle in things it shouldn't. That said, some of my favourite people are American.
Quote from: "RW"
I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of the U.S. It's big and confused and meddle in things it shouldn't. That said, some of my favourite people are American.
That IS what the 2nd Amendment is for. Unfortunately armed isurection is easier said than done. It's going to take for the people of the US to reach a breaking point before a change to the Government is perpetrated by force. The other unfortunate issue is most people in the US today wouldn't know government tyranny if it bit them in the ass. We actually live under it right now but no one really recognizes it. We have strayed so far from our independent roots that we are nothing but sheep to be sheared.
Agreed with the directly above.
Quote from: "Renee"
I am very aware that it now functions mainly as a monarchy but would you please elaborate on the set up it had for a republic and how it was to function ... and why there would be accountability?
Interesting trivia - if Hillary Clinton had become President instead of Obama, there would have been either a Bush or Clinton in the White House(President or Vice President) since 1981. That would have been four decades, and she's still a top runner for a possible eight year term next year. Jeb Bush is also considered a top runner in the next election.
1981 - 2024 including Obama's two terms. That's five decades!
Two family royal dynasty?
Quote from: "cc la femme"
Quote from: "Renee"
I am very aware that it now functions mainly as a monarchy but would you please elaborate on the set up it had for a republic and how it was to function ...
The US Constitution and it's original 10 Amendments granted what was termed as certain "inalienable rights" as mentioned in "The Declaration of Independence" and those rights could not be abridged by the government. The original 10 amendments were designed to put limits on the power of the central government and prevent the abuse of individual rights. They granted no power to the government to commit mischief in behalf of the government itself. This protected individual's rights and prevented abuse by the government and limited it's ability to impose it's will on the minority. In that respect accountability was upheld because the government was held accountable directly to the rule of law.
The framers of the US Constitution felt that a what is considered a democracy in most parts of the world were nothing but a witches brew put in place by mob rule. They felt that historically most direct or representative democracy's were just failed platforms for the governmental that encouraged the abuse of individual rights.
Over the years we have moved away from our republican roots and granted the federal government rights and privileges it was never meant to have. Many of them are in direct conflict with the original 10 Amendments of the Constitution. The result is the creation of a huge multi-tendriled beast with no discernible head, who's only mission is to perpetuate itself on the backs of the people. It's like this huge malevolent parasite that sticks it's shit hooks into everything it can and never stops inventing ways of furthering it's ambition and control. It sucks money and power off anything in it's grasp and it leaves little or no room to stop it from doing so. In many ways "we the people" are now more accountable to the Federal Government than it is to us. I have no doubt if the original framers of the US Constitution were alive today, they would probably end up in jail or on some kind of watched list because they would advocate that we rip it all down and start again.
Funny how we voted NO NATO and we still get these joint exercises with the americans..
Now more than ever even though every1 says "its not because of the current international climate"...
We should just build a big honking nuke and threaten to blow this shit up if some1 comes on our soil.
Don't get alarmed about nothing...
America has already planted the seed of destruction in almost all nations around the world, and people are lovin' it!
Guessed what it is? Fast food... KFC, McDonald's, etc... And believe it or not, even the poorest shithole nations love it! And yes, they are getting even fatter, on average, than the stereotypical fat American! No joke! And this is to the point where the Doctors are now actually getting concerned, since this wasn't an issue a few decades ago.
I think it was the 90´s when I ate a fast food burger last time..
We eat at places with a little bit more class and better food..
Mcdonalds is filled with noisy teenagers and trailertrash.
Quote from: "RW"
I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of the U.S. It's big and confused and meddle in things it shouldn't. That said, some of my favourite people are American.
We have guns because the gun lobbies have the money to buy enough politicians to keep it that way.
Not all of us are Americans by choice. I tried emigrating to Canada but the requirements are too high.
Quote from: "Phil O Bat"
Quote from: "RW"
I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of the U.S. It's big and confused and meddle in things it shouldn't. That said, some of my favourite people are American.
Not all of us are Americans by choice. I tried emigrating to Canada but the requirements are too high.
WRONG!
We have guns because it is a constitutional right. The "gun lobby" as you people refer to it is there to safeguard that right because the politicians and the elitist morons on the political left have shown that they have the exact opposite interests in mind.
IMHO, you probably should emigrate to Canada. Don't let some government red tape spoil your dream of living in a land more in line with your political and social views. If the US is not your cup of tea then leave and take as many of your like minded friends as you can carry. ac_gumpop
Quote from: "Frank"
I've noticed that that staunch USA lobby here and on memebee don't want anyone to criticize the USA or its citizens at all.
Any smidgeon of dissent, and the view it as unrestrained hate of the USA.
Cripes, these people oughta get a grip
As with all things, I am whatever term of abuse those that disagree with me wish to concoct.
I am, in my own view, anti-American. Yet I agree that Americans are friendly, generous and warm hearted for the most part, and universally fat.
The American Government, on the other hand, is a clear and present danger to world peace. Many Americans I speak to, and Renee corroborates this, are as appalled as anyone at the conduct of their Government, but feel powerless to intervene. There seems to be a substantial separation between the Government and the people.
America is a violent nation, both intrinsically and extrinsically, and George Bush is by any definition a war criminal. I doubt he will ever leave the American territory for fear of being called to account. If America stood up to its oft touted, but rarely accepted principles, it would hand Bush over to the International War Crimes tribunal.
America's hypocrisy was on show when it assassinated, or murdered, Osama Bin Laden. America had NO authority to enter Pakistani territory to carry out a military operation. Yet it did so, and killed a number of people in the process. Yes, Bin Laden was a beast, but where were America's principles in abiding by the rule of law??
In the Vietnamese war, a Colonel in the South Vietnamese army was renowned as a heartless killer, executing a number of North Vietnamese leaders without trial. When the war was lost he fled to the USA.
I wonder what the American Government's response would have been, if Ho Chi Minh had sent a couple of choppers into Seattle and wiped this cretinous psycho from the face of the earth?
Might is always right, eh, America?
Quote from: "Renee"
Quote from: "Phil O Bat"
The US governement was never set up to be a democracy, it was originally conceived and designed to be a Republic. After the Civil War it has moved closer and closer to being
BULLSEYE!! Universal suffrage is a recipe for destruction.
Renee: I'm a little clearer on it but still have areas I don't get. Who elects the govt people in a Republic. Was it not always House & Senate elected by the people? .. or is it only "powers" of the govt. that went wrong? Today your problem is less what powers the overall govt. (3 branches) has, rather we are witnessing a time limited monarchy the past 6 years .. usurped from the other branches and now with virtually all power coming from the king
In any regard, the "democracies" of our world, here, US, Europe, all of them, sure are as hell are doing a crappy job and all function virtually identical. All their govts. have FULL powers and run on a par with FIFA or the IOC which also gives leaders FULL power over their domains
Shen is right ... "it's the quality of voters stupid" .... that is as much the problem as the leaders they elect ... democracy cannot and does not produce a single efficient system anywhere in the world. That said, the people can only vote for the people and parties made available to them to vote for .. so it's lose lose for every democracy and the inefficiency result is there for all to see
Seems direct democracies achieve about 25% (the high end) of what should be 100 % efficiency. That's why the "free" world limps along at best
Upper class people did the politics.
Atleast in roman republic.
Quote
Guessed what it is? Fast food... KFC, McDonald's, etc
The sneaky bastards
Quote from: "cc la femme"
In any regard, the "democracies" of our world, here, US, Europe, all of them, sure are as hell are doing a crappy job and all function virtually identical. All their govts. have FULL powers and run on a par with FIFA or the IOC which also gives leaders FULL power over their domains
Shen is right ... "it's the quality of voters stupid" .... that is as much the problem as the leaders they elect ... democracy cannot and does not produce a single efficient system anywhere in the world. That said, the people can only vote for the people and parties made available to them to vote for .. so it's lose lose for every democracy and the inefficiency result is there for all to see
Seems direct democracies achieve about 25% (the high end) of what should be 100 % efficiency. That's why the "free" world limps along at best
The people elect the government in both a republic and a democracy but in a republic the government on all levels is bound by a constitution or some other kind of charter of rights. In that respect Canada is also a republic. In a direct democracy the rule of law takes a backseat to the will of the majority. Individual rights are not a limiting factor in the laws pasted by the government. Unfortunately in recent times the rule of law is sometimes skirted in favor of political agenda because today's voters are actually ignorant of their constitutional rights. Why is this; because of the purely democratic concept of universal suffrage. In a true republic not only does the rule of law limit the government but the power of the vote exercised by those with skin in the game holds the government accountable to the voters. In a direct democracy were everyone votes, it's nothing but mob rule with elected officials all vying for as much power over blocks of voters as they can grab.
BTW, in the US it hasn't always been that the house and senate were directly elected by the people. Until around WWI it was only The House of Representatives that was voted for directly by the populace of each state. The Senate was made up of appointees elected by and approved by the individual state legislatures. That way the senator sent to Washington DC was only authorized to act upon the business of the state. The voting public of the individual state only had an indirect role in electing the Washington senator.
The senate was originally set up to be a more deliberative body and if necessary it's purpose was to restrain the direct democratic process brought forth by the House. It's overriding purpose was to keep the nations broader interests in mind as framed in the constitution. That way true mob rule (democracy) was avoided. In 1913 during the so-called progressive era under Woodrow Wilson, the 17th Amendment was ratified which took the power to appoint senators away from the state legislatures and gave it to the voting public. That huge mistake was the culmination of decades of progressive reformers and agitators (mob rule proponents) pushing and pushing their special brand of stupidity onto voters and politicians who were basically ignorant of the virtues of the original US political process. Of all the Amendments to the US Constitution, the 17th is a freaking travesty and it never should have been.
Thanks Renee. I've been a close follower of US politics for several decades, but was not aware of how it all changed after the 17th Amendment
Seems no matter how careful framers are, the mob-propelled reps will find ways to change things (create amendments etc.) including the very law a republic is intended to protect .. .and change things always to their advantage
More like a republic in a way or not, our govt. runs no better than yours in the overall ... grossly inefficient, subject to the will of the today's mob .. and loses more efficiency by often running in minority mode.
As to charter, that came later and was dictated by those elected by the mob of that day ... enacted by a greater megalomaniac than you currently have ... so "purity of charter" is not a strong point here. In fact, an abusive result has created Kangaroo Courts (like back in Medieval days) to stifle free speech ... breaking many small businesses and individuals who do not have the resources to fight .... something you do not have. And we all know that all Roos are progs .. happens in the pouch I suspect.
The very existence of such a Medieval entity alone, run by ruthless wannabe elitist unelected thought police makes it difficult if not impossible for me to respect my country of citizenship as I would like to.
Seems many local courts / judges are now usurping that role in your thought police country
I'd take mob propelled lobbying over the underhanded corporate bullshit that is rampant in U.S. politics these days.
While a lot is mere accusation, much of it is true. I see both countries and EU countries also as equal in both of those regards. To think otherwise is to fool oneself
All the above are broken systems rife with inefficiency and payback as result of how leaders got elected.
They all get a -10 from me on a scale of 1 to 10
USA should be A DICTATORSHIP..
Quote from: "RW"
If the 17 Amendment didn't exist as it stands, "corporate bullshit" wouldn't be as prevalent in the federal political system. If the Senate body was left to do it's intended purpose (enforce the constitution) corporate lobbying and corporate money wouldn't have as much of a place to play.
Chalk another one up for the progressives who really don't and NEVER did and probably never will fully understand the political process.
Yes, but if any law is subject to being changed by a today mob, it isn't really a law that actually is a protection
I'm thinking this thread is dangerously close to falling into the Politics Subforum crevasse.
Now, back to the fascinating world of misplaced anthrax samples.
So has anyone contracted anthrax?......No.....Good. Now send all the wrong batches back to the US and my very efficient and omnipotent government will send you the proper samples in return. Just make sure you place a return address somewhere on the packaging. ac_unsure, ac_cool, ac_toofunny
Whilst in Siem Reap, strolling the "boulevard", I developed a potent thirst, as you do. A group of caucasian people clutching ice cold water bottles approached, and I asked where they procured said cold water. They pointed to a street vendor and said "Right over there, you can get your cold water" in a very clear American accent. I looked at the vendor had several plastic water bottles exposed to the sun. I said "Does he have cold water". They replied that he has an icebox where he keeps it cold, and its fine.
I said "Thanks for the help. If you cannot trust an American, who CAN you trust".
Went right over their heads.
Quote from: "SPECTRE"
I said "Thanks for the help. If you cannot trust an American, who CAN you trust".
Went right over their heads.
Alright let's by-pass the smarmy minor joke. Let's examine the the sentence above that is highlighted in bold. You had the nerve to slag me for a minor misspelling in another thread when you missed entire words in the above sentence.
"I looked at the vendor had several plastic water bottles exposed to the sun" ac_wtf
Try " I looked at the vendor
What was the advice you gave me? "The language is ENGLISH. Try some."
Fucking old dust mummy.
Quote from: "Renee"
Quote from: "RW"
If the 17 Amendment didn't exist as it stands, "corporate bullshit" wouldn't be as prevalent in the federal political system. If the Senate body was left to do it's intended purpose (enforce the constitution) corporate lobbying and corporate money wouldn't have as much of a place to play.
Chalk another one up for the progressives who really don't and NEVER did and probably never will fully understand the political process.
You seem to have a better grasp of the US constitution than any of us Chinese/Canadians/Australians or even your fellow countryman(Phil) who seems to to got all his information from a Soros funded soundbite.
Was thinking that ... both, that is
Quote from: "cc la femme"
Yep, she schooled us on the US constitution. No problem, we are not tax-paying, voting US citizens. However, she did the same to to a US citizen who was prepared to emigrate because he is ignorant of that document and the history surrounding it.
Quote from: "Renee"
Quote from: "SPECTRE"
I said "Thanks for the help. If you cannot trust an American, who CAN you trust".
Went right over their heads.
Alright let's by-pass the smarmy minor joke. Let's examine the the sentence above that is highlighted in bold. You had the nerve to slag me for a minor misspelling in another thread when you missed entire words in the above sentence.
"I looked at the vendor had several plastic water bottles exposed to the sun" ac_wtf
Try " I looked at the vendor
What was the advice you gave me? "The language is ENGLISH. Try some."
Fucking old dust mummy.
Oh, wow...aren't YOU the little grammar nazi.
But, let me put a pin in that huge balloon you're holding.
YOU used the phrase "self-depreciating" deliberately and knowingly.
I made a typo.
Pretty different really. If you had any brain matter in that fudge inside your head, you would know better than to try to engage me in grammatical combat. Stick to talking about things you know about...like food.
Typo my ass. I made a minor spelling error; you flubbed and entire sentence that was key to your smarmy little and most likely made up story. You're right, it is different. ac_umm ac_toofunny
I made a small mistake and you had to go all spelling police on it because you had no other comeback. Your first attempt at slagging me was lame and you got even more lame when you got called out on it.
Am I leaving something out? ac_umm I don't think so.
Move on, fucktard. Stop trying to defend the fact that you got caught (again) being a pompous ass. ac_cool
Quote from: "Shen Li"
Quote from: "Renee"
Quote from: "RW"
If the 17 Amendment didn't exist as it stands, "corporate bullshit" wouldn't be as prevalent in the federal political system. If the Senate body was left to do it's intended purpose (enforce the constitution) corporate lobbying and corporate money wouldn't have as much of a place to play.
Chalk another one up for the progressives who really don't and NEVER did and probably never will fully understand the political process.
You seem to have a better grasp of the US constitution than any of us Chinese/Canadians/Australians or even your fellow countryman(Phil) who seems to to got all his information from a Soros funded soundbite.
That's only because my major in college was "History". That's right, one of those useless liberal arts degrees. ac_toofunny
In truth I didn't go to college to learn anything. I went to play ball and get out of the house and in that order. When I look back on it, I realize that the BS degree I received was probably accidental. ac_lmfao
Quote from: "Renee"
[size=150]
I made a small mistake and you had to go all spelling police on it because you had no other comeback. Your first attempt at slagging me was lame and you got even more lame when you got called out on it.
Am I leaving something out? ac_umm I don't think so.
Move on, fucktard. Stop trying to defend the fact that you got caught (again) being a pompous ass. ac_cool
ac_lmfao
Stupid meat orb.