it was an international agency that knew about the tsunami, it wasn't strictly an American agency. And my bad, I thought Indonesia (it was afterall the first country to be hit) had the most casualties and damage, but that lack of knowledge has nothing to do with what f*cking country I am from. The tsunami itself was not known maybe about 30 minutes before the first wave hit, although seismic activity could have been tracked for years. Thailand was the one that played down the warnings, thinking it was a false alarm. If anything here, the Asian governments are more to blame because of their lack of preparation and warning systems around the Indian ocean. The asian governments did know of potential earthquakes in the Indian ocean for quite some time, but did not know when and where.

That is still speculation, not proven fact. I have heard that oil drilling and US Navy "controlled'' underwater explosions are also possible causes. Underwater nuclear testing, which America and others have been doing for some time (although I do not think America has been doing so for several years) caused some landslides in that same region. The money issue- I'm not gonna comment.

That's crazy, you can't blame a country on a natural disaster, who do you mean when you say that?

This was the original quote, Molasses. ;)

*claps* I'm fairly sure that everywhere is raising money though. What a shame it is...United States aid trucks have removed large banners on the truck (which say US Aid) because they are afraid of attacks. And we are helping these people? Makes me think, but they need the help at this time, so I'm glad we are over there/donating money.

Donations from Britain are up to £80million.

Michael Schumacher the Formula 1 driver has donated £5million to the fund, Steven Spielberg has donated $1.5million and many ofthe footballers of the English Premier League have got together to all donate a weeks wages.

It's really great to see the massive levels of donations, from all over the world.

I don`t hate Americans or America , I just hate the collective arrogance of the place.

well the whole me and my boyfriend moving over to you lot thing, has totally gone out the window. hes going by him self and hes just leaving me here, im hurt.

it's ok sweetie

More than likely it was his loss

jeez this thing is messing with my head!!!! ^thanx anyway though :-)

anyway i will come to america some day, i have always wanted to, it just seems so different to this cold place in england!

I live in england, I dont hate america in the least. Most people around me do though and they say its because america is too controlling and its dominating everywhere else.
So what if it does?! Theres gotta be somewhere that does, somewhere with the most money, somewhere that slightly more dominating. Somewheres gotta take the lead! Its not as if everyones gonna be equal. I dont think americans are doing anything wrong, its the people that have a problem with not living in the most powerful country. Its like theres all these kids in a playground complaining and moaning that theres someone taller than them or something...
*Sigh* Ok, rant over.

it just seems nice there. and i just love the accent! it would be just a nice experience to get to no some new people and see if life is any different out there.

Sad thing is....in the places we are so "demanding" we also give a TON of financial aid. I wish we weren't so demanding, but we you put that much economics and money into a place, you want (and deserve) to have a say in what is going on. I would be perfectly fine if we didn't go around having a say in much of what goes on in the world, but I would also want to stop much of the financial aid we give to these people who don't want us around their business.

We dont hate America because they hav the power, its how they use the power. Just imagine how much good they could do if they used their money on aid and not on some f***** up war that is bull****. They put their noses into other peoples business. As westerners they shouldnt be trying to convert everyone to our culture, their so bigoted they dont realise that other countries hav their own beliefs and practices. When it comes down to it really unless finishing WW11 what has America done for the world. Alot of innocent people got killed in Nam and Korea, wat for communism still had a stronghold in those countries it was just a waste lol. And now wat they hav brought obesity to the world with the giant corporations like Maccas. Neways thats just my opinion so yeh ill stop now.

"You know all the money we spend on the military every year-Trillions of dollars? Instead, if we use this money to feed and clothe the poor of this world, which it would do many times over, then we can explore space, inner and outer, together, as one race."

Bill Hicks, might have been an overly-angry, swearing man, but he had the right idea.

Yeah thats a really good point, I know. Its just that the people in charge of the money know that there are still gonna be a load of people who hate america, and some who will act on that. If they choose to use the money for protecting their country instead of saving the rest of the world, that's their decision. I dont blame the whole of america for the way its run.

I have absolutley no energy to read all 100+ post so I'll just state my case.

I right of the proverbial spectrum. I am very right wing on some issues (such as *** marrige) and very liberal about some issues (death penalty). I find it amusing however that since America is the wealthiest (percentage wise) and most powerful (thats uncontestable) country in the world other nations feel the need to judge us. However when something bad happens everyone turns on us to do something about it.

People hate America because we don't really care (as a whole) what others think of us. We're the kid on the playground who gets made fun of but brushes it off. Other countries can't stand the fact that we're better than they are.

People hate America because of our freedom. They hate that things like pornography are legal (i'm refering to the radical muslims here). They hate that we can buy whatever the hell we want. That we can choose a religion, a sexaul orientation, a gender, a partner, friends, social groups, whatever we want to.

People hate America because we are one of the few countries that still has a conservative majority. Conservatism isn't evil like many people think it is. It is simply the belief that life should be led guided by a supreme being. I'm not saying that all republicans are christians, muslims, etc. or that all liberals are not christians, jews, muslims, etc. I'm saying that the majority of the time religion plays a big part (if not the biggest part) in deciding what you stand for.

People think Bush stole the election in 2000 and in 20004 and suceeded. I'm not a huge Bush fan. I am howevera supporter of the majority of his policies. I think the Iraq war is not a mistake. Time will prove it the right thing to have done and support is needed instead of saying that it was wrong with no real proof or saying that it could have been done better. It could have been, but it wasn't so support is needed to make it work the way it was done.

I am against *** marrige for one reason. My faith teaches that homosexuality is wrong and unnatural. I am not a *** hater at all though. My faith also teaches love the sinner hate the sin. I am friends with several *** kids at my school and have helped out with the GSA at my school.

I could type a whole lot more but I'm really tired and have a splitting headache so I'll leave you guys with this.

Killing innocents in Nam and Korea! Are you joking? WE SAVED COUNTLESS LIVES BY PREVENTING GENOCIDE! Korea we succeeded and Vietnam we failed due to a lack of home support.

We're not trying to convert people to our culture. People are drifting to it cause its better. We have more money, more power, more commerce, more everything. Why wouldn't you want to better yourself? To get smarter? Richer? Stronger? If you are rejecting those things, your either crazy or a monk.

^I want to comment that in general people are so biased to their religious and political views that they cannot look at the issues at hand, instead make a decision about an issue without looking at any of the facts. Hopefully, you are not doing that.
"People hate America because of our freedom" this quote seems to be straight from GWB's mouth. I don't agree with that assessment. I don't think "radicals" is the proper term in this case. People who kill in the name of allah, yes that is radical. But, hating americans for our lack of moral decency is understandable in my book (remember, we're talking two totally different cultures here- if anything, this is why people hate americans- for our lack of understanding of other's cultural and social backgrounds)
You also cannot say we're "better than they are", because that is one of the reasons stated for hating americans: arrogance.
Im not gonna comment too much on the Iraq war, but I will say that it was certainly not the top priority in the war on terrorism, but our occupation there made it a top priority. What happened to Afghanistan and the Pakistan border?
Also, you did not have to explain your disapproval for G-A-Y marriage, because nearly (if not all) opponents of it site religious reasons. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but I don't think this is a political issue. My personal opinion: I don't think heterosexuals should be telling homosexuals how to live.
These are great topics btw. I love discussing this sh*t :thumb:

Question. You want us to provide the world with aid...yet you don't want us to have our nose in other peoples' business? So what are you trying to say...we just throw money out to countries and say do what you want with it? With all of the financial aid we give, we have and DESERVE the right to have our nose in the business of those who receive the money. We brought obesity to the world? Interesting, never heard that one before. Or is it just people's inability to have some self control? I guess I'm lucky that I'm from the US and no one has "given" me obesity yet.

Sad thing is...I read this, and look at the grammar, and realize it's probably from a 13 year old American. BTW, when did World War 11 happen? I must have missed 3-10.

If you really believe that you need to read a few books. Seriously.

It's statements like these that make me genuinely scared for the future.

What are you saying? She made a blanket statement. You'd rather repressive regimes kill hundreds of thousands of people? Its statements like the ones you made thathelp me understand why Hitler came to power.

I do. On both sides of the political spectrum. I'm not uniformed.

So because they disagree with our moral "indeceny" we sit back? And I know my quote saounds like GWB said it, it is the truth. read "What is So Great About America" by D'nesh Dezoua. That book has some amazing insights. Especially on this topic. And the reason so many people are for g ay marrige is for unreligious reasons. Don't discount an arguement for its acceptance of a higher being. Its the same as not believing in one.

Wasn't this country founded on religious beliefs? I hate how my questions never get answered...but I'll pose this one anyway.

^ I think the founding fathers believed in Deism. But, I still don't understand how the existance of a higher being has anything to do with g a y marriage.

I worded my post in the way that I did because it sounded as though you were denouncing the fact that US troops killed innocent people in the Vietnam and Korean war as a false statement.

yes there should be a "no" in there somewhere. where that lives i leave to you. id suggest between "be" and "victory".
heres a crosscultural difference... what the hell is a limey?
by the way my dear, sufficient cricket team deprived friend, might i add that the world cricket team has at least 5 aussies in it out of 11 people? and its skippered by ponting too...
"cmon aussie cmon" in the recent words of a drink driving popstar we have in australia commonly referred to as shannon knoll...among other names too im sure.
damn american idol show producing an australian idol ripoff. he didnt even win!

i just caught up on this thread and cannot believe what some people are saying. some are just ****ing ridiculous, some i just disagree with. to be specific, riseagainstrocks and iamalejo. i have chosen you two mainly because our beliefs differ greatly and you guys know what a "debate" is. not just saying "you *** piece of **** who should **** your mum up the arse" to somebody who disagrees with you. one of the best pieces of advice i ever recieved(i have hopes of becoming a journo) was talk to people you disagree with because your not going to learn much talking to people who say "yeh totally. thats exactly how i see it"
to start off, america was not founded on religious beliefs, mainly political and freedom reasons. one of my favourite quotes from the revolution was "patriarchial monarchy and hereditarial succession has lain the world in blood and ashes" by thomas paine, if memory serves.
secondly while i see your point iamalejo, i do not agree. america donates money yes, and you should see what that money goes towards and have the right to withdraw your donations if it goes to an unjust means, such as another palace for the rulers or upgrading the tanks or something. but i do not believe that any nation has the right to interfere with anothers politics. "sticking your noses in it" so to speak. unless of course the obvious misuse of power conundrum card is in play. but would it not be easier to eliminate a percentage of the debt owed to your country by whoever your producing aid for rather than just build upon the interest and forcing them into further debt by giving them money?
do not fault yourself to think that the us was the gardian angel or saviour in the vietnam war riseagainstrocks. no good came out of that war. nothing good could. only death. and millions of innocent deaths taken by both sides. for example mylai.
and the hitler comment was just plain ludicrious to me. hitler came to power by freakish circumstances. the main being the sever depression following germany's crushing defeat in ww1 and the psychological loses from this only for starters. in desperate times only the hard suvive. this includes ideals and forums in my mind. the nazis started as less than than 1% of the voting population. it started in a local tavern where hitler began speaking to old drunkards. but im sure everyone knows that story.
the communism vs capitalism war was mentioned again. something as petty as differing political beliefs should never cost millions of lives.
the end of ww2 was an excellent thing of course. the means that brought about it itself is horrendous. but i guess the two a-bombs outweighed the chance of succumbing to the germans and japanese and the damage to western society.
and when reading artistintheambulances post...i strongly disagree my friend. no, everyone is never going to be equal, but isnt it something to stride for? even if race is overlooked eventually, there will always be something to disern an elitist group. you say someones got to take the lead? why does it have to be one nation? ever heard of the kentian theory? if not ill explain. there is no nationality just a global identity. the world is run by a body such as the u.n except this organisation consists of all nationalities and religions no matter the size or wealth. the body actually has power by an appointed force contributed to by all nations. therefore any nation decides to go against the will of the organisation actually has something to face, not just a board of old men. i know this is a utopian society and it will never happen but it is a good dream.
oh and i blame all you darn americans for the fat kid at the end of my street. obeisity began in america, existed solely in america and has been spread by mass corporations. the end. nothing else. there was no overweight people in any country except america. disagree? well you must be fat, or the fat guys got to you first. certainly not in australia, our beloved country, hey anti poptart chik?

America is the loud mouth kid that everyone has to but up with who has stories that no one gives a flying fuc k about. The kid that has a gun collection. The kid that has a stupid moronic dad who choked on a pretzal. The kid who has many white tag alongs who get pushed into their interests.

The kid that lives in a bubble palace, watches his movies, eats their McDonalds and plays with his guns while his moronic father goes to another kids house and fights about oil.

^Dont agree but twas funny... And as for the whole "America is arrogant" thing, well yeah some of them are, but then so many other countries are aswell. Its just pride for their country thats gone a bit too far because they love the freedom they have. I dunno why Im posting again, everyone seems to disagree with me but i dont really care.. just wanted to say i dont hate america, but i can see why other people do.

See, when you got a guy like GWB as your figurehead, his message globally should be taken with a grain of salt. His cowboy limericks like "evildoers" and "freedom this, freedom that" makes the average american look like a guntoting redneck. My favorite thing GWB has ever said is that terrorists hate america because of our freedom. Right, like any human being would hate freedom. Hmm you think GWB, maybe it's because we are forcefeeding them democracy, christianity, and Starbucks down their throats.

honestly GWB is so frikin retarted. i HATE him so much. ahhhhhhhhh. i cant stand him.

Don't hate him too much, he's the comical relief to what would be a grim and unapologetic adminstration.

Wow, this stuff makes me crack up. Next time you want to crack a joke though, might want to spell "retarded" right.

Covle, I'm in a rush as of now, but will take the time to read all that and respond either later tonight or in the morning tomorrow.

:beer:

Thanks covle you said basically said everything i wanted to, just didn't have the time, and whomever related my age and location to my grammer read my profile.N yeh here is some info to support my claims i will add some more wen i can be bothered to do some more research.
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new study shows a clear link between fast food consumption and weight gain and insulin resistance, suggesting that fast food increases the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Obesity is becoming increasingly problematic in the United States. By the year 2000, nearly one-third of Americans were clinically obese, compared to 23 percent of the population between 1988 and 1994.
Researchers from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and Children's Hospital Boston investigated the association between reported fast food habits and changes in bodyweight and insulin resistance over 15 years. They assessed the diets of more than 3,000 young adults in the United States.
Researchers found changes in fast food frequency over 15 years was directly associated with changes in bodyweight among whites, as opposed to a weaker association among blacks. An increase in fast food consumption was also associated with increased insulin resistance in both ethnic groups.
Researchers conclude, "Fast food habits have strong, positive, and independent associations with weight gain and insulin resistance in young black and white adults. Fast food consumption can be linked to adverse health outcomes through plausible mechanisms, and results from other studies lend support to our findings. In view of the high and increasing rates of fast food consumption, further research into the effects of this dietary pattern on public health should be given priority."
SOURCE: The Lancet, 2005;365:36-42. And which country introduced fast food to the world-America. Heres the name of a book to read which also supports my claims -Fast Food Nation, The Dark Side of the
All-American Meal By Eric Schlosser.Here's an address for an article that shows just how good of a job that Bush is doing for his country:http://www.interventionmag.com/cms/m...rticle&sid=553. N yeh there will be more to come on the vitnam war, its just that at the moment i have ran out of time.

Im not stupid. I know i cant spell. thats not what i cared about when i wrote that reply. anyways retarted sound right when you sound it out. :wave:

It only sounds like 'retarted' if you have a certain accent.

I dislike America because they often forget the rest of the world exists.

I met a guy in summer from Texas who didn't know guns were illegal.