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- willynilly, on 10/12/2007, -27/+131"I think the world is looking for a new source of inspiration"
The best observation of the article.
It's gag-inducing to reflect how much we've lost under this administration. Schoolchildren will study this period as the death knell of what was once the world's most powerful and promising country.- Shadowman, on 10/12/2007, -74/+52I think Bush is an ass too but this "period" is hardly the "death knell of what was once the world's most powerful and promising country". You need to go back to school and study periods such as the Jimmy Carter years. This is not a high point in American history but it's not even close to the lowest either. It's gag-inducing how people don't keep things in perspective.
- Ilyanep, on 10/12/2007, -56/+21I was about to vote your comment up until I saw the inevitable bash.
"It's gag-inducing to reflect how much we've lost under this administration. Schoolchildren will study this period as the death knell of what was once the world's most powerful and promising country." - bossm4n, on 10/12/2007, -74/+33Purely pathetic that our current president must be your scapegoat for every negative or potentially negative story, such as this trivial piece of dribble that has little or nothing to do with the Bush admin. So he had to be inconvenienced while travelling because his papers weren't in order. He better thank his lucky stars this didn't happen in one of about 50 other countries. I absolutely do not mind tight security at the airports and I could not care less what administration is responsible for it.
- willcode4beer, on 10/12/2007, -8/+34This case really has more to do with a beuracracy out of control than security.
I'm sure any other pilots here will agree - phucku2, on 10/12/2007, -21/+50Yeah bossman, when they've got their fist up your arse and when they send you to Gitmo for questioning what they're doing, you'll think differently. The US is a nation of fear, promoted by an administration for its own pollitical purposes. Terrorists are the least of your worries, and you can't do anything about them.
- ZamboniDriver, on 10/12/2007, -43/+11Gag-inducing to reflect on how much we've lost during this administration? My answer to you is put up or SHUT UP. Put up a better candidate, and we'll vote for him. And don't drag out some stiff like John Kerry. Kerry is Teddy Kennedy's whipping boy. And Teddy Kennedy is as bad as George Bush.
Quit bitching about Bush, and find a better candidate. You bash Bush for everything, but you don't come up with anything better. You whine and complain about everything, blaming Bush for everything. Guess who was in office when the first WTC attack happened? That's right... Blowjob Bill. People don't remember that Blowjob Bill invaded a country. People don't remember his failed attempt in Somalia. Do you know why? The media is so far to the left that they can't bother to tell us the real news anymore.
So your job, instead of being a PISS BABY, is to find another candidate, and put that person on the ballot.
People don't remember that weak, lame presidents like Carter and Clinton handicapped this country by dismantling the CIA and other intelligence agencies. Laissez-faire attitude really paid off. Bill was getting blowjobs while terrorists were running around. And Bill was inviting them to the White House while they were secretly plotting against us? Super. Just super. - mfratt, on 10/12/2007, -34/+9I love how bossm4n gets modded down for speaking the truth. EVERYTHING (which is bad) must be Bush's fault. I'm no Bush suck-up. I think he is a fake Republican who puts way too much effort into trying to please the Left, and tends to blur the line between church and state, but why the ***** do people hate him so much as to blame everything bad on him. I heard one person claim that Katrina was Bush's fault both because (a) he polluted the o zone or something and (b) he hates black people. Really shut the ***** up. Mod me down to proove my point.
- timmarhy, on 10/12/2007, -17/+35the hurricane was obviously not his fault.
but the fact is was the disater it was, is his fault. to took far too long for the government to react. and it's because new orleans is full of black people. if that ***** happened to NYC they wouldn't wait 4 days to send troops. - pabster, on 10/12/2007, -32/+10And, naturally, this thread has turned in to a pathetic left-wing liberal circle-jerk. "Bush, Bush, Bush..."
You guys are ***** ridiculous. - timmarhy, on 10/12/2007, -11/+18i'm not left wing.
but i am also not from america, and i have an outsiders view of things, which means i'm not as partisan as the rest of you.
you neatly dodged my question of if that happened to nyc would it take 4 days to send help. - sheared, on 10/12/2007, -22/+0willynilly: With all the stupid things people from around the world say about the USA, it's a good thing the people of the USA don't pay attention (or care). The productivity of our citizens isn't going to just stop. The desire to learn, achieve and aspire to greatness isn't diminished because some person in some other country just wants to see us fail. Heck, our economy has been kicked in high gear for the past, what, year now? How's the economies of the top 10 European countries going right now?
You go find your new country of inspiration if you want, Americans will just keep doing what we've done for the past 200 years. Of course, you'd probably prefer that we not.
phucku2: Nation of fear? Nope. Trying to figure out the right balance of what is required in this new war? Sure. Oh, but you probably expected us to get it 100% perfect at the very beginning right? I mean, that's what you expect of the USA, right? I mean, we got WWII right immediately didn't we. I mean, the way we jumped right in and defended Europe at the first sign of German aggression. We were right on the money for what 8-10 years with that one? - GoodBrain, on 10/12/2007, -4/+18Shadowman, when was it during the Carter years that the US started its decent into tyrrany? When was it during the Carter years that the US started secret torture camps? When was it during the Carter years that the US went to war under bogus pretenses?
- fgsfds, on 10/12/2007, -5/+21"People don't remember that Blowjob Bill invaded a country."
Do YOU remember that WMDs were hammered in as the number one reason to invade Iraq? How about the shift from going after Osama to going after Saddam?
Heck, how many people still remember that we have troops in Afghanistan aside from the families of said troops?
The public can't remember ANYTHING before the current 'big' issue of the day, which is why scandal cover-ups work so well. The only reason people know that we have troops in Iraq is because they see it on TV every day.
Blaming the MEDIA because the sheeple can't remember events that happened a decade ago, with hundreds of scandals, new conflicts, and controversies in between? That's not just unreasonable, it's damn stupid.
Now, did YOU remember that Clinton signed the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, the Defense of Marriage Act, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, the Communications Decency Act, and the Iraq Liberation Act? How about the push to improve the US's counter-terrorism capabilities? How about his part in the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, which was then abandoned as soon as Bush took office and brought back only after 9/11?
Clearly, you don't remember your history at all. It must be the 'conservative media' brainwashing you.
---
While it's true that reporters and journalists tend to be liberal, it's also true that their employers and editors tend to be conservative. The two generally do a good job of balancing out, and repeated studies since the mid '70s have shown that the only significant media bias is in media which is intentionally biased, like Fox News or Air America.
In reality, the media is completely biased in favor of *ratings*. Heck, CNN - the media outlet most often accused of having a liberal bias - is owned by Time Warner, who donated 1.6 million to GWB's campaign in 2000. - nogami, on 10/12/2007, -3/+41I've said it before, and I'll say it again.
The terrorists won!
Yup, they won. Wasn't even a battle. They killed a few thousand people, and died themselves, but your country lost more than that... One big attack on 9/11 and your politicians (and apparently many Americans) have been more than content to let the government throw out freedoms and liberties.
So keep that warm and cozy feeling when your politicians say they're "winning the war on terror", and "mission accomplished", because you've lost so very much more... - felyduw, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7@ZamboniDriver
People all over the world know and think everyone in the USA are... huh... not very bright. I KNOW that's very far from being the truth... but you really fit the stereotype.
You clearly fail to see the difference between stopping a genocide and invading a country based on a lie and on a hidden agenda. That's the difference between Clinton and Bush. In a language you may understand: Under Clinton, the United States had a projected federal budget surplus for the first time since 1969, whereas under Bush... that's not quite right, is it?
@nogami
Unfortunately, you're right... but not totally. It will be worse. - Muyoso, on 10/12/2007, -10/+10@timmarhy
No, it wouldn't take 4 days in NYC, because the mayor of New York wouldn't have stalled for a day to ask the governor to call in troops, and then the governor wouldn't have stalled for 2 additional days to request the national guard from the President, WHICH IS THE ONLY LEGAL WAY TO CALL IN NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS. If Bush would have sent troops in, the left would have been all over him for A) breaking the law B)Greatly expanding executive power and C)Trying to politicize the event to take people's mind off of Iraq.
This comment will be modded down, as is EVERY comment that has anything to do with defending the president is.
Believe me, I think Bush is a ***** up of a president, but in no way am I gonna let the nuts on the left try and blame every single event and cataclysm on him either.
@fgsfds
Amazing how you forget that during Clinton's presidency, there were 6 ***** terrorist attacks on the United States. We have the World Trade Center in 1993, Oklahoma City and Riyadh in 1995, Kohbar Towers in 1996, the 2 US embassy's in 1998, and the attack on the Cole in 2000. I am not even gonna mention Waco, which was probably the biggest ***** of his presidency, 24 children burned alive. Being attacked 6 times, and having 3 chances to take out the man who was behind a majority of them, and not taking a shot at him at all. You would dare defend his record on terrorism? Even his staff members admit he didn't do enough. - fgsfds, on 10/12/2007, -3/+18"Amazing how you forget that during Clinton's presidency, there were 6 ***** terrorist attacks on the United States."
No, I remember those clearly. What's amazing is that you missed my mentioning Clinton's pushes for improved counter-terrorism.
Now, lets look at those terror attacks closely:
February 26, 1993 - WTC bombing: Six dead, over 1000 injured. Most of those injuries were minor. Foreign terrorism against the US.
April 15th, 1995 - Oklahoma City: 168 (Possibly 169) dead, over 800 injured. Domestic terrorism. Suspects were successfully brought to justice.
May 12, *2003* - Riyadh compound bombings: 26 dead, 160 injured. It did not occur on American soil, was not an attack on the US, and happened years after Clinton left office.
June 25, 1996 - Khobar Towers bombing: 20 dead, 372 injured. It did not occur on American soil. Further, the building was populated by military personnel; Attacks on military personnel are generally considered acts of war, not terrorism.
August 7, 1998 - Simultaneous bombings of the US embassies in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and Nairobi (Kenya): 220 dead, 4,000 injured. Prompted Operation Infinite Reach, as well as other actions to sabotage Osama Bin Laden's efforts. Foreign terrorism.
October 12, 2000 - USS Cole bombing: 17 dead, 39 injured. Did not occur on areas claimed by the US. As a military target, usage of the word 'terrorism' is tenuous at best.
February 28, 1993 to April 19, 1993 - Waco Siege: 76 dead (Including 27 children). It was a textbook case of a situation getting ***** Up Beyond All Recognition. Not related to terrorism, and you DID go and mention it.
Prior to 9/11, terrorism was considered unimportant - a red herring to distract from 'real' issues. Looking from that lens, Clinton appeared to be wagging the dog and was fought every step of the way. Post 9/11, terrorism is considered to be of the utmost importance. Looking from that angle, Clinton appeared to be not doing enough.
However, I would hope you would remember that Clinton authorized the capture/assassination of Osama Bin Laden, and met with heavy republican resistance each time he attempted to eliminate Osama.
Does that mean that the republican-controlled congress was filled with terrorist sympathizers from 1992 to 2000? ***** no! It means that you've mixed-and-matched your rose-tinted glasses with your hindsight, retroactively deciding what you think people did in the past to suit your current opinions.
It's nothing to be ashamed of, since everybody does it. However, you need to disabuse yourself of the illusions you hold to about the past and judge people and actions based on the knowledge they had at the time.
I don't see how you can scoff at Clinton's record on terrorism, considering how the other major party actively tried their damnedest to keep him from doing anything about it. That's like bitching about how horribly some guy preformed in a marathon, and intentionally neglecting that a knife-wielding mob severed both his Achilles tendons and were bludgeoning him with random objects. - Muyoso, on 10/12/2007, -9/+3Actually, the Riyadh I was referring to was:
Nov. 13, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: car bomb exploded at U.S. military headquarters, killing 5 U.S. military servicemen.
You are correct in your supposition that I choose to look at things a certain way due to my bias. Of course I do, everyone does.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4540958/
Interesting article, there are many like it all over the web. There is a fundamental difference between Bill Clinton and George Bush which seperates how they act on almost every issue. Of course, it is unknown whether GWB would be this way if it werent for 9/11, but whatever. It is kinda stupid to argue this point however, because no one knew of what was to come. I cannot find where republicans were stopping him from killing bin laden anywhere online, but maybe it was true. Either way, it is obvious that he didn't see him as a big threat because he took no real action against bin laden. It is true that he was criticized after sending missile strikes in 1998, and he would have been freaking roasted had he orderred an invasion, that I cannot deny. But it would have been the right thing to do. Just more proof that judging a presidents term cannot come until years after they are retired. - zackr, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both. - B Franklin
The terrorists look like they accomplished more than they could possibly have dreamed of. - Shadowman, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2@GoodBrain
There was double-digit unemployment AND inflation for the first time in US history (the "misery index"). People were living in tent cities under bridges and standing in food lines. Americans were taken hostage in Iran and a pathetic rescue attempt by Carter did nothing but make us the laughing stock of the world. That was a time when people really wondered if the US would continue to be the "world's most powerful and promising country".
In the early 70s we had a President resigning and we were retreating from a country called Vietnam. The point is just because you don't like the current administrations policies does not mean it's a "death knell" for the country. America has been through worse than Bush. He will be gone in a couple years. - rxcnsn, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1@GoodBrain
what about Carter's support for Suharto's Indonesian occupation of East Timor? By 1979 an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 East Timorese had been killed by the Indonesian army. Carter supplied Suharto's regime with American weaponry during this period. See documentation here: http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB174/index.htm
- Phyltre, on 10/12/2007, -22/+18It's called bureaucratic busywork, and it was a part of entering/leaving/naturalizing in America long before Bush. Did it get worse under his administration? Doubtlessly. But borders can be notorious time/paper consumers.
- Derrekito, on 10/12/2007, -17/+11You obviously do not travel much withen the states.
- darkclarity, on 10/12/2007, -6/+21I personally have so far avoided travelling to the US. The sort of information they store on record is way over the top these days including taking a finger print and photo. You are basically considered a criminal by default, and are screwed for years if the computer system flags you. I have been to various countries all over, all I did with those was fill in a small form and had nothing to worry about.
- Derrekito, on 10/12/2007, -17/+11You obviously do not travel much withen the states.
- atdigg, on 10/12/2007, -6/+50In my experience people that work at INS are the most stupid people in US, they can't get or hold a decent job in private sector.
It's no wander they renewed Mohamed Atta's visa months AFTER 9/11.- charliechaplan, on 10/12/2007, -8/+28Dude i got a mate who works at customs, and trust me, NOTHING is RANDOM at all when it comes to the searches.....if one of the customs officers doesnt like the look of you, or what ur wearing or standing...he will set you up for the search
This is one of the perks of the jobs...to search anyone you want to
Damn wrong reply...oh well - jambarama, on 10/12/2007, -2/+21@charliechaplan
I can absolutely verify this. I have never had a normal check-in. I don't know what it is about the way I look (I'm not Arab) but literally every time I've flown anywhere in the last six years I've gone through extra security. And I fly pretty regularly.
I've been taken in for questioning, gone through the air puffer a few times, searched (never strip searched), forced through additional security gates, and I've been patted down with explosive detection cloths. Every single time I fly. I go to the airport two and a half hours before departure because I KNOW there is going to be some kind of hassle. - pbjorge12, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10Jambarama,
Post a picture and I'll tell you...
- charliechaplan, on 10/12/2007, -8/+28Dude i got a mate who works at customs, and trust me, NOTHING is RANDOM at all when it comes to the searches.....if one of the customs officers doesnt like the look of you, or what ur wearing or standing...he will set you up for the search
- RadiantBeing, on 10/12/2007, -13/+6They should digitize the whole system. There is no reason for you to carry around little bits of paper with you in the year 2006. Hire the guys at Fedex and UPS to design the system. Tie visas, passports, plane tickets and whatever else to biometrics and then fire all the beaurocrats that you needed to get the paper system to work. Let them all work at McDonalds. You can't let petty beaurocrats be the face of this country. That said, Shuttleworth is over reacting to one bad incident. Beaurocrats are the same in every country. Besides bribery and charm, the only way to handle them is to install more efficient systems and fire as many as possible.
- willcode4beer, on 10/12/2007, -3/+20Don't fire the beuracrats, just put them on Ship "B" and tell them the planet is doomed and we'll all meet up in a bit.
- slythfox, on 10/12/2007, -9/+17Every 200 people are randomly picked to be strip searched, apparently. Kind of odd. Maybe that's why people aren't flying very much anymore. Security is unnecessarily too high.
- titlesaysitall, on 10/12/2007, -21/+4The security guards must've been gay or female when they wanted a strip search on Shuttleworth.
- Drood, on 10/12/2007, -36/+24ALMOST strip searched? Surely this is ALMOST news.
I ALMOST care.- zatrix, on 10/12/2007, -30/+7seriously big woopty doo
just goes to show how much Bill Gates has over all your Linux loving hippies. Your beloved "founders" are "almost" stripsearched
HA-HA - ImTheDarkcyde, on 10/12/2007, -8/+10yes, and i bet they knew it was that ubuntu dude who does that linux stuff. so they got together and decided to strip search him!
like it matters if a "celebrity" almost got strip searched. the parent is right, ALMOST. - zatrix, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1thats exactly the point, they didnt know, becuase there is nothing special about em
- zatrix, on 10/12/2007, -30/+7seriously big woopty doo
- chadu, on 10/12/2007, -43/+9dirty linux hippies deserve to be stripsearched. ;-)
- silkworm, on 10/12/2007, -3/+21Mark Shuttleworth is not your typical dirty Linux hippie. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Shuttleworth
- chadu, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1yes, i was quite aware of that, hence the ";-)"... kind of funny no one caught that and my comment was dugg down so far.
heh.
- tizz66, on 10/12/2007, -14/+40Before everyone decides that the US sucks because the Ubuntu person got stopped, make sure you realise the facts. He flew in on his own plane. To use a visa waiver you have to fly on a carrier that has signed up to it. He says himself that the plane operator hadn't. So what's the problem?
It's got nothing to do with bits of paper, bureacracy or anything, that's what the rules are and so if you're found not to be complying (willingly or unwillingly) then that's the result. It wasn't his fault, but he was still violating the rules. That's life.
To the first poster: surely you can't possibly blame the US administration for this? The rules have been there for years. I am not American and dislike your government like most people outside the US, but please at least look at this objectively.- kitsonk, on 10/12/2007, -4/+16Well, the problem is that he wasn't aware of this and now doesn't qualify under the VWP from that point forward. My partner didn't realize that while you are denied, no matter what someone tell you, including US Customs, which pre-cleared him, that you need a visa once denied under the VWP. It is a pain in the ass... trust me. It wasn't his fault that the company hadn't signed up for it...
- IQ70, on 10/12/2007, -22/+14It's actually good that you can be rich, famous and fly in your own jet to US and still the same laws apply to you as any other common man. That my friend is the beauty of American laws.
Long live America!- Philoushka, on 10/12/2007, -7/+12too bad only half of that sentiment applies to the Saudi Royal Family.
- bmson, on 10/12/2007, -3/+11Are you telling me that if you are rich the US treat you as the common man.
If you think that, you will be for a big surprise, if you go to Europe or Canada.
You're always welcomed :)
- r2d7, on 10/12/2007, -11/+36When I entered the US at the end of March the entire experience was a joke.
The first problem I had was I failed to declare the bottle of diet coke I had in my hand. Then I got in trouble for declaring nicotine lozengers.
Then I discovered they didn't take $canadian at the US-CA border, so I had to go bug other chumps off the bus to find someone who would exchange money with me just so I could pay the measly $6 to enter the country.
The customs chump also had a problem with my passport, because the only other stamp was for Canada. Like not having travelled to many places is a crime.
Then they had a problem with my itinery, which was to "travel around and see the country for a bit".
After all of that they made me hoist my huge-assed bags of ***** up onto the gaydar just in case I was smuggling a bomb or something to blow up the bus that only had 1/2 a dozen passengers.
None of the other passengers had any trouble, or had their baggage scanned.- m0laria, on 10/12/2007, -31/+9omg i cry 4 u ;(
- AlanLivingston, on 10/12/2007, -19/+8"None of the other passengers had any trouble, or had their baggage scanned."
Yeah... Our border guys always give assholes a hard time. Sucks, doesn't it? - willcode4beer, on 10/12/2007, -3/+15I'm sorry for your experience but, seeing only one person on a bus having their bag "scanned" seems like a pretty loose border crossing.
I'm from the U.S. once I drove into Mexico, at the wrong crossing. I realized this when on the other side the pavement ended so, I made a u-turn. I was in Mexico all of 30 seconds. The border patrol decided this warranted taking my car apart for three hours.
I really had time to spare so, I pulled out a book and let them search.
Most interesting moment is when they found my pistol. "You know you're not supposed to have that in Mexico, don't you?" "Yea, well, I'm not in Mexico, its 10 ft that way" they put it right back in the glove box, after they put the glove box back in the car.
I almost managed to finished my book before they finished the search.
At the time, I really didn't care but it made me think.
Why is it not legal for the police to search your car without probable cause but, its ok for a federal officer? If anybody understands that, I'd appreciate it. - Flooq, on 10/12/2007, -9/+2ignore, mispost :[
- jasqwerty, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4It's not wilco. It's just something about crossing international borders that changes the rules. An FBI agent can't just randomly search through the car parked across from his parking spot or other nonsense.
- Bootes, on 10/12/2007, -13/+5Hmm does being born in the UK give you UK citizenship?
- m0laria, on 10/12/2007, -7/+20No, it gives you Somalian citizenship.
- Kimi3013, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Not totally sure, but you're your parents nationality, but you'll be able to claim a UK citizenship if you live there as your permanent home with your parents if they apply for it when you're toung. When you're older being born here means it'll be easy to get it if you've lived here all you life.
- Bootes, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8Hmm. Thanks Kimi. I was wondering because my father is an American citizen and my mother is an American and French citizen. I have both American and French citizenship and I was born in London. Was wondering if i could have UK citizenship as well. :)
- ImTheDarkcyde, on 10/12/2007, -9/+4isn't the UK more than one country...
it'd be like having North American citizenship - m0laria, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uk
- kalphegor, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3yeah, you know Tony Blair is a muslim
- ByteGuerilla, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2"isn't the UK more than one country...
it'd be like having North American citizenship"
No, the UK is one country, comprised of four countries. You have UK citizenship.
To answer the parent, I'm in the process of filling out my passport application since I'm no longer on my parents' passports. If I remember correctly, in the guidebook for the form, it states that being born in the UK does not make you a citizen of the UK. You are only a citizen of the UK by default if you're born in the UK to parents who have full UK citizenship already. - Flooq, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3"it'd be like having North American citizenship"
Not really, the US and Canada are no more linked than any other two countries whereas the UK is a union with one foreign policy, one taxation system and a lot of common laws (among other things).
So we have British citizenship as well as British passports because having Scottish, English, Irish (NI not ROI) or Welsh passports would be like having Texan or Californian passports, their seperate politcal powers don't affect international matters.
- ucbrave92, on 10/12/2007, -18/+20American has the most overprotective, waste of time and money airport security of any country in the world. it is absolutely a joke. i am a student and i recently almost missed my plane to China because of them taking an hour and a half to "randomly" search me. it is actually quite pathetic. i really wish i could simply live in China. it is so much nicer here and the people are much more friendly.
- m0laria, on 10/12/2007, -5/+16But if you go live in China how will you google up witty responses to people on the internet?
- Ilyanep, on 10/12/2007, -9/+32Go do it. See how you like living under a Communist regime...
I really love it when these actors, students, whatever, proclaim their love for China or Cuba or other Communist nations. Go live there for a decade. My family came from the Soviet Union. I don't want to live in the horror stories that I hear all the time. - bossm4n, on 10/12/2007, -12/+6*BYE*
- theblooms, on 10/12/2007, -11/+5@ Ilyanep,
God bless you and your family, man. God bless you. - theblooms, on 10/12/2007, -14/+5So what's stopping you from moving to Red China? Oh, yeah, that little Totalitarian Dictatorship thing they have going. Just a small kink in the works, there.
Either put your money where your mouth is, renounce your present citizenship and move to Communist China to become one of 1.3 billion slaves, or else shut the ***** up.
Welcome to killfile, *****. - allthewhile, on 10/12/2007, -7/+6Some might see it as slightly ironic that you say American airport security is "overprotective". What exactly would you call the complete control of the media and internet by your government?
Need anyone to help you pack your bags? - klept, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1@ ucbrave92
"I really wish I could live in China. It is so much nicer here and the people are much more friendly"
Sounds like you are passing a lot of money around, and have a lot of money to pass around. Hope the person you marry there is still friendly five years later in America. - ByteGuerilla, on 10/12/2007, -10/+2"Go do it. See how you like living under a Communist regime...
I really love it when these actors, students, whatever, proclaim their love for China or Cuba or other Communist nations. Go live there for a decade. My family came from the Soviet Union. I don't want to live in the horror stories that I hear all the time."
You spelled State Capitalist wrong. - Chozabu, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4"See how you like living under a Communist regime"
err, id love to try, but i dont know of any Communist countries (looking for small groups though)
if a white guy punches you, and says hes a indian, you dont think "oh my! indians are evil!"
you think "why did this nutter punch me, and why is he claming to be indian?" - pabster, on 10/12/2007, -12/+4How about you go back to China there junior, and voice your displeasure with your own *****' government. We won't worry about hearing from you again, as you'll either be decapitated on the spot or thrown in a jail for the rest of your life. Enjoy.
- otherland, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4lol @ ByteGuerilla who uses a n image of a terrorist because all the other 14 year angst ridden kids think it's cool to kill innocent people that get in the way of creating their lib paradise like Cuba or those failed Central American states.
- mrbro, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8Sounds a bit ironic of americans talking about other totalitarian regimes.
- doomgoat, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0hey you know, living in a siberian exile camp for four years of your life sounds fun! you get three healthy meals of leaves a day, and come on, a little slave labor never hurt!
- SPNKrPunk, on 10/12/2007, -6/+28sigh. I'd like to go one day where I am not embarrassed to be an American.
- Geterix, on 10/12/2007, -18/+4Oh what a insightful comment. I guess you will never be able to hold your head up high to your French freinds.
- psyon, on 10/12/2007, -14/+13You can always move, then you won't be embarrased any more. Me for one, Im still proud to be an American. Sure, our country has its downfalls, but damn I love living here.
- willcode4beer, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10Well, instead of being embarassed by the actions of other Americans, you could get out and make a change in the world to change that viewpoint. Do some little thing to make this rock a better place to live.
- affanjam, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6Well why dont you come over to Canada.
- pabster, on 10/12/2007, -12/+1Then get the ***** out, and don't let the door hit ya.
I'm sick and tired of you whiny little bitches. You don't like it here, pick your poison and get the ***** on with it.
- Geterix, on 10/12/2007, -18/+4Oh what a insightful comment. I guess you will never be able to hold your head up high to your French freinds.
- Furg, on 10/12/2007, -11/+3If you travel enough, you'll find that you may be strip-searched. It's done in an effort to alleviate accusations of racial profiling. They need to randomly select people, in combination with some suspicion, to strip-search. No one should expect Shuttleworth to be a famous figure among TSA workers so quit your whining, this happens to everyone (almost). It is standard procedure to be given this type of visa application, Mark is not unique. Maybe he has insecurities regarding his nether region?
- m0laria, on 10/12/2007, -10/+2"Maybe he has insecurities regarding his nether region?"
I have my suspicions as well. - jambarama, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7If strip searching is COMMON procedure applied to almost EVERYONE as you claim - that doesn't mean we should take it lying down. We should bloody well get that changed, nevermind the gross invasion of privacy, a strip search is humiliating and unecessary. If you can't find my weapon with a metal detector, what is a strip search going to do for you?
- willcode4beer, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1jambarama, Customs deals with a lot more than just firearms. If you fly in they are more interested in the idea you are smuggling drugs or other contraband. Guns are not illegal here. In fact, he could have declared a gun with no problem in the described circumstances.
- m0laria, on 10/12/2007, -10/+2"Maybe he has insecurities regarding his nether region?"
- spjmm0, on 10/12/2007, -12/+8Someone else is to blame for my not making sure that things are in order. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH shut up and make your own arrangments next time
- twinklyJesus, on 10/12/2007, -14/+8"I created a really cool obscure Linux program, and people treat me just like all those peasants...WAAAAAAAAAAAGH! I didn't get the red carpet, tea and crumpets treatment at the airport...WAAAAAAAAAAAAGH! I showed up unannounced with improper paperwork and mean men tried to look in my po-po...WAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
Somebody needs a hug....
- twinklyJesus, on 10/12/2007, -14/+8"I created a really cool obscure Linux program, and people treat me just like all those peasants...WAAAAAAAAAAAGH! I didn't get the red carpet, tea and crumpets treatment at the airport...WAAAAAAAAAAAAGH! I showed up unannounced with improper paperwork and mean men tried to look in my po-po...WAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
- pwsegal, on 10/12/2007, -6/+24Its all due to the over aching power of the Dept of Homeland Security. They are on a power trip thinking that they are the "one true" protector of the land.
I'm an Aussie and come to the US on a regular basis, I have visited pre and post Sept. 11, and have seen the difference and its a big difference (does the phrase "shutting the gate after the horse has bolted" ring any bells).
I've also noticed that the Dept of Immigration stamp that you get in the passport when you enter the US has changed over the last couple of years, it used to just read US Immigration, now it reads Department of Homeland Security US Customs and Border Protection. The only mention of immigration is the part that reads Section 217 of the INA.
Every other country I have visited (and its been a fair few) the passport stamp is from Immigration, and its widely thought off that you can tell a lot about a country by the procedures to enter the country and as has been noted in previous comments, these procedures are tedious and mostly un-necessary (whats the point of finger-printing and taking digital photos of everyone, its not as if there is real time matching going on).
The US is widely regarded (if that's the right term) to be a closed, narrow minded, overly paranoid country, and passing thru immigration at an airport just reinforces that view (and if you even look middle eastern then theres a whole different story).
It's not entirely Bush's fault, he did exactly what he could after Sept. 11th given his limitations (both personally and politically), it goes deeper than this, but past experience has shown me that a frank and open discussion of the root causes of Sept. 11 is generally impossible with the average US citizen (although I would hope that the Digg audience is more open to this type of discussion, but I'm not willing to put up with the jingoistic drivel and abuse that will come my way if I'm wrong).
If you take offense to my comments, mod me down or block me, I don't care. I'm just telling it like a lot of people outside of the US see it.- m0laria, on 10/12/2007, -16/+4terrorist.
- misterjangles, on 10/12/2007, -11/+1Man, you sound like a freedom hater to me!
- knightblade2oo4, on 10/12/2007, -5/+9Sounds like someone who isn't blinded by psuedo-democracy facist government to me.
- NexusOfNow, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8It's not only non-US folks who have begun to be a bit concerned on the ubiquitous overtones and aggressive border-watching the Dept of Homeland Security has taken on. There's a very strong line of defensiveness on the whole topic, too, as Shuttleworth encountered, and as you've seen just in this thread. It's actually become "expected" for people to get defensive when someone questions whether it's right or even wise, responding with insults that question everything from your sanity to your right to breathe American air.
Of course, all this is half the fault of those of us who know better. If we'd spoken up years ago when knee-jerk narrowmindedness and jingoism started becoming standard, it wouldn't have become "normal".
------
Kyle
http://www.nexusofnow.org - Dutchmang, on 10/12/2007, -9/+0Like most Americans I am absolutely willing to talk about all the issues with our country, especially the current process of electing people, which is a function of the power of big business. This is really the nut of the problems, past present and future. It was why I regarded George Bush as a failure even before all this.
But the next time I hear some idiot talk about "root causes" of 9/11 I'm gonna get right up in his grille. I had an ***** from Finland tell me a couple years ago, "Well after all the people your country has killed and all the weapons you have manufactured, you have no right to complain."
Let me tell you, there is one root cause of 9/11, and that's the willingness of some very twisted people to do inconceivably evil things -- in this case to grab commercial airliners and fly them into office buildings. The same root cause of beheadings and suicide bombs and all the other terrorist acts that make anyone with a soul cry at the black destructiveness that some people allow themselves to embrace.
I travel all over and absolutely understand what people say and feel. America and regular Americans will agree with most of it; we are very proud of the good things in our history and don't want some of these current idiots speaking for us.
But I'll tell you something, what the citizens of the rest of the planet absolutely miss is the fact that we do not consider the crazy terrorists our adversaries; they haven't earned a title like that. They are beyond any reason or redemption and we believe we must destroy them to prevent future actions like 9/11. When people outside the US talk about them like they are the good guys, you just empower the people here who aren't interested in fixing the real problems, and the manipulators here get to change the subject.
So, with all due respect, please shut the hell up because you're not helping to affect positive change. Just the opposite. If you know anything about the history of this country, you know we'll get it right as the pendulum swings back to the center, as it always does in a democracy.
Oh, and by the way -- just so I'm sure to get modded down..... if you're German or South African, like the last couple of self-centered whiners I've heard (hello Mark), give yer head a shake. Or pick up a history book. If you can achieve redemption from where you were, we can certainly do it too. - supergnome, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0"(whats the point of finger-printing and taking digital photos of everyone, its not as if there is real time matching going on). "
Actually, at least in some cases, there seems to be. A friend with Canadian citizenship was returning from a short trip to the USA. He was interrogated when trying to cross the border on his way back. It turns out that the fact that he wore glasses on the way in, and contacts on the way out, was enough to prompt an investigation.
- misterjangles, on 10/12/2007, -10/+3Yea, I think we Americans should take a cue from the Europeans as to how to treat tourists. Cause we all know how nice you are to us when we visit.
- WinterSolstice, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9When I went to France I was treated better then when I went to New York. I guess being Californian is some sort of sin on the US east coast.
-WS - willcode4beer, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2I think he was refering to this
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4713753.stm - misterjangles, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1yea, but in New York "***** off skeezbag" actually translates to "nice to meet you!"
- WinterSolstice, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9When I went to France I was treated better then when I went to New York. I guess being Californian is some sort of sin on the US east coast.
- macewan, on 10/12/2007, -7/+7well, that's just totally ***** embarrassing. and yes it is part Bushes fault - to those that defend him & his crew. was he not given a memo the month before Sept. 11th. that was titled something along the line of 'terroist planning to use aircraft to attack america'.
perhaps if he spent less time at his ranch or on vacation and more time LISTENING then the world would not be going through the crap this group has handed out in: our first strike on America soil & two failing wars. - Personatech, on 10/12/2007, -5/+3"It's gag-inducing to reflect how much we've lost under this administration. Schoolchildren will study this period as the death knell of what was once the world's most powerful and promising country."
Could've said the same about FDR and his internment of Japanese-American citizens which, in my opinion, was far more of an affront to freedom and justice than anything the Bush administration has done. - daller, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0I really understand him i have the same problem (not that i ever gone to the US with a private plane but forgot to give back the green paper). Really suxx i have to go to INS when i get to the US even if i sent the return ticket and all of that to the right places after coming back home. But that don't stop me from going back.
- TheSenator, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3The worst part about all of the airline security ***** here in the States is that it could be done better, cheaper, and faster if it were all privatized.
- diehard2k5, on 10/12/2007, -9/+6I guess if you want to be on the front page of digg, just put "ubuntu" in your title!
- pabster, on 10/12/2007, -7/+2Sad, isn't it.
- doomgoat, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0yup
- mousky, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Being a Canadian living in a border city (right across from Detroit), I cross the border occasionally. I have never had any problems. The one and only time that my family got pulled over into secondary inspection, the US border official apologized - the computer had randomly picked our vehicle. My family were the only people in secondary and the person typing my info into the computer was giving me a list of good places to go shopping. A few minutes later we were on our merry way.
Another time they had search dogs checking lines of vehicles. I was the first vehicle in that line. The official asked for my keys and that I open the trunk. Once our line of vehicles were checked by the dogs, they waved us through - no questions asked. So long as you are polite, you'll unlikely have problems at the border.- supergnome, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0The problem with anecdotes like this is that it says nothing about the situation. Perhaps not everyone is treated as a criminal - that doesn't make it any more right that there are those who are.
- mousky, on 10/12/2007, -2/+15The root cause of the problems in the US? It's not Bush. It's not the Republicans. It's not the politicians. It's the American people. The last two presidential elections have been statistical dead heats. More and more incumbents are winning and winning and winning (redestricting or no redestricting). Voter turnout is dismal. You have voting scandals in several States. You have electronic voting companies that refuse to co-operate with local election authorities. Essentially, the majority of the people do not give a damn about the democratic process in the US. It's sad.
- mrASSMAN, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2it's depressingly sad. however, i think the bush admin has possibly awoken a good portion of the nation - they are determined to not make the same devastating mistakes as had been made in the past two elections.
- sspooner, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Typical. People getting blown out of proportions again. I've travelled all over the world, and can honestly say the US is on the easiest places to enter. While I admire Mark and the work put in on Ubuntu it is indeed his responsibility to ensure he's eligible for the visa waiver program. It's not a right guys, it's a steamliner.
I've been stopped many times even in the UK (I'm a UK Citizen still) but live in America. The Brits often waive me through but every now and again question why I'm back and do I plan to get married in the UK... I kid you not.
This is not a reflection on the US folks, it's everywhere. I don't even want to tell you about China and India experiences.- supergnome, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Digg this comment. It's absolutely true. We see very poor policy coming out of the USA but we also see shades of it growing world-wide. Those who can fight the USA's policies must do so. But equally, those who can fight other countries' policies must be just as vigilant that the global climate of fear is not negatively influencing them as well.
- gidd, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Agreed.. although I think US immigration is unnecessarily capricious and excessive, it's not exclusive to the US.
Back in 2000, I unexpectedly had to travel from the UK (where I live) to Sweden for 24 hours, through Europe. As I hadn't got around to renewing my UK passport, I used my US passport. The last time I'd travelled into the UK on my US passport (from the US, where I *have* to travel on my US passport by law), I was told that I should carry my birth certificate and some proof of residency when I enter the UK next time, so they could mark my US passport with "Right of Abode". Let me make this clear: the London Heathrow immigration officers had no trouble with me flying out and back in to the UK on my US passport, but asked me to bring more documentation next time to make it easier for future trips!
So, this next time, I flew from the UK to Amsterdam, then connected to Copenhagen and then took the train to Malmö. Not once did anyone check my passport. I did the work in Sweden (typing one line of shell script *yawn*), and then flew back. I didn't leave the EU once during the trip. Only when I arrived back at Bristol Airport in the UK did I have a problem.
The immigration officer let everyone else in, and then gave me a lot of grief. I showed them my US passport (which lists my place of birth as UK), my UK birth certificate (which he claimed wasn't proof of citizenship), my driver's licence (with proof of address), my company's certificate of incorporation, VAT return, proof that I was a UK company director, my NI number, and a bunch of utility bills I was sorting out while on the plane showing that I lived less than five miles from the airport. I even offered to pull out my UK mobile phone and call my dad and get him to drive the five miles to bring me any other documentation they wanted.
After searching and interviewing me, they finally let me through with leave of entry to the UK for two months with no right to work or draw benefits while I "applied for citizenship"! Unfortunately, the citizenship process takes more than two months. Instead, I just registered for a new UK passport... took two weeks. When I phoned the passport office, they said that all they wanted was my US passport and my birth certificate as proof!
So, okay, I should have had a UK passport at the time, but I had EVERYTHING (and more) that the immigration officers at London Heathrow had requested, and had the full expectation that there wouldn't be a problem. All it took was one jerk at Bristol Airport to decide to cause trouble. I have no problem with tight border security, as long as it's consistent and sensible. If I'd been told to get a UK passport at Heathrow, I would have done. I followed their instructions and still got in trouble, yet illegal immigrants have no trouble getting in and staying in.
- shogunu, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1I find this story rather funny.
And i believe Mr. Shuttleworth does too.
Digg for the pleasure of reading such an anecdotal event. - MoonDogAFO, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Hey Timmarhy,
If Hurricanes Katrina or Rita had hit NYC, then the disaster would have been less. Why? Because NYC has it's ***** together as far as emergency preparedness, while New Orleans obviously did not. While the LA Governor and Mayor Nagin there argued and posed over who got to do what, and while the Feds twiddled their thumbs and didn't take charge when it was obvious that they locals wouldn't or couldn't, in NYC, the Mayor and the Governor would have talked it out whle the damn storm was approaching!
You can bet that there would have been plans, supplies ordered, National Guard on alert, etc. And once it hit, if the Federal government seemed to be dragging in response, Pataki or the NYC Mayor would have read the President the riot act and told them to kick it into gear.
It seems to me that NYC is full of black people too. And Latinos, and Asians, and practically any other minority you would care to come across.
Lets not forget either, from a purely mercenary point of view, that New Orleans is a cultural resource AND a valuable hub for US energy concerns, so you can't say the NYC would have gotten preferred treatment because of Wall Street. And I'm not denigrating NYC - after all, it is probably the most recognizable city in our country, and the one most likely to pop into a foreigner's head when they think about the US.
I suppose you are part of the crowd that thought that the billions donated by the US and its citizens for the Indonesian Tsunami just "wasn't enough" either? - jasqwerty, on 10/12/2007, -9/+2Whatever, don't come back, we won't miss you. America will be a better place without some pansy who's all emo about some bumbling bureaucrats. Odds are 70% of his story is *****. Strip search? Yah right ...
- ryware, on 07/04/2008, -2/+3Mark has made many wonderful contributions to the open source community. You have no basis for your attack on his character.
- jasqwerty, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1Sure I do. He's some paranoid weirdo with delusions of grandeur. If you can't see how that's blazingly obvious, then you just can't see the forest through the trees.
- GreenTentacle, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Jasqwerty, the phrase is "...Forest FOR the trees"
Reference: http://www.bartleby.com/59/4/cantseethefo.html - jasqwerty, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Um, no it's not. That doesn't make sense. Unless for means something else. :-)
And no, the intraweb isn't always right guy. Anyway, thanks for that useful comment you nazi.
- Urusai, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2What's interesting to me is that when I was in the Navy Reserve in 1996, I saw the airport security in Britain and Bahrain vs. the US security. We had practically none, while both the others had dudes with automatic rifles walking around and they asked serious questions (especially Heathrow) about where you were going, what you had, have terrorists dropped a bomb in your bags when you turned your back, etc. The US was just a quick run through the metal detector with no questions and no visible security (Barney in the back probably had a pistol). I guess it's been overreaction time as of late.
- bossm4n, on 10/12/2007, -7/+2Another typical politcally biased thread overwhelmed by a bunch of left-wing over-reactionaries. Even comments that lean anywhere near a favorable bias toward supporting the US and it's policies gets modded down.
- Muyoso, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3I didn't think digg would be a very left leaning site, but it is very apparent that to read any comments that come anywhere close to my opinion, i need to click the little show comment button. I don't know why people mod other peoples opinions down, just because they disagree. Basically its like having a debate with yourself when you stifle the other opinion all the time. The mod down feature should be used to remove the idiots that post "FIRST" and "no digg", not to remove all opinion from the page that doesnt agree with your own.
- mapkinase, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2Another proof how fame turns a useful inventor into self-aggrandizing idiot.
- bossm4n, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4@phucku2 "when they've got their fist up your arse and when they send you to Gitmo for questioning what they're doing, you'll think differently. The US is a nation of fear, promoted by an administration for its own pollitical purposes. Terrorists are the least of your worries, and you can't do anything about them."
Ignorant, misguided, propaganda sucking people like you are a bigger concern than anyone in our current administration or entire political system. You have no means of reading news objectively nor do you likely have any personal life exerience in which to help you judge things for yourself. Keep having your information strained and spoonfed to you by Michael Moore and the Hollywood Left. Exactly how many airline passengers are being shipped/held at Gitmo for lack of documentation? What a hypocrite--talk about fear mongering.- phucku2, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0So do you have anything to say about the points I made or are you just going to attack me? I haven't seen any Mike Moore films (or any films lately) and it's obvious I'm about twice your age, your immaturity is written all over your posts. Your approach is simple: if I don't agree withyou you can always write me off as a pinko cummunist fag liberal. But even if I am one it doesn't make what I say any less valid. Moron.
- jasqwerty, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1But it's your bunch that seems to digg down any opposing opinions. Besides, what points is he supposed to argue with. You concocted up some insane and implausible scenario. He can argue that it won't happen, but you just won't listen. He can call you retarded, which at least you get angry over.
- skyshark88, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6This 82nd Airborne paratrooper is here to tell all that liberty is dead.........
When 66% of the American people think its OK for the feds to wiretap Innocent people the liberty and freedom I have seen men die for is gone...................................................................
Bush Kerry Clinton and gore as well can all go to hell.... We need men, real men like Ben Franklin, Washington Jefferson ya know the guys who put their lives on the line for liberty.... ya them and about 25,000 men with rifles to go to Washington and clean out the house our house............... - doomgoat, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2Holy ***** this was a time bomb just waiting to go off. Linux obsession + leftist politics ?! it was inevitable...
- Breakdown05, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1linux loser got pwnt. who the hell cares. metal goes off and you get searched? big whoopdie do and this foreiner has to cry about it? spolit he is
- wdh3, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1dear american left wingers who blame bush for everything from 9/11 to the avian bird flu:
do you realize you're putting more blame on the bush administration than on the terrorists themselves? it's time that osama and his under-evolved gypsies start getting held accountable instead of the guy trying to protect us. - zoltanthebold, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Surely all this misses Shuttleworth's point, namely that the US has abandonded freedom under the guise of "security"? Every government wants more control, and it's generally unnacceptable in Western democracies to exert too much. Except the US. Although it's hardly surprising since the US and the UK can invade a country on one pretext, then change it when it doesn't go their way and nobody bothers. They know they can rely on people's short memories (a tactic used by the Nazi's incidentally).
As for Bush versus whatever Democrat you want to pick - that's simply not the issue. It's classic divide and conquer tactics. None of them are any good since they're just mouthpieces for the people who really run the country. Focussing on the guy who becomes the president just helps take our eye off the ball with serious issues - like who really benifited from the invasion of Iraq because it sure as hell wasn't the dead Iraqis, Americans and British. The fact that they have the gall to claim they are bringing "democracy" to a country that they've destroyed says it all. - macjonesnz, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Ever wonder why there is terrorism? Because the USA is so strong militarily, and terrorism is the only thing that can penetrate those defense's, if the terrorists had a real military (planes etc) they have no chance against the USA's power.
Which brings me to ask the question, why do people want to attack the USA.... and not....um, Sweden, or Brazil.... well... the USA does tend to run around being the worlds policeman, but only where is suits.
If you want to me the worlds policeman, go where you're needed, like Zimbabwe!
Now to Iran.... why can't a sovereign nation enrich uranium for civilian purposes..... I don't see any problem with that. They need power stations just as much as anyone else. And if they ever do get/make a bomb, so what, the USA has bombs, how can you say that Iran can't have a bomb, when you have bombs? (p.s USA is the only country to have actually used a bomb, 100,000+ people killed).
So maybe you should just leave other countries alone, I'm sure "terrorism" would stop if you did.
Or if you must "liberate" other countries, liberate those with mass murdering assholes as their leaders, not just countries with oil (Iraq), or oil pipelines (Afghanistan).
Now on to 9/11, please tell me that someone, somewhere in the USA knows that Sadam was not behind 9/11? 17 of the 18 nutters in those planes were from Saudi Arabia, isn't Mr. Bush best friends with the Saudis? If 17 of my best mates kid's trashed my house, I'd think of changing mates!, or is he the mate with all the free beer...(oil).
Which brings me on to elections, someone a post or two back said why not vote President Bush out next time. Well that is what democracy is all about. He is your leader because he deserves to be, because he got a majority of the vote. That's the way it works. However, I'd have to say what if my democracy used electronic voting machines, I'd want them to be open source. How could the USA use close source voting machines?. it's a counter for ***** sake, a+=1? a=a+1.... there is absolutely no reason not to post the source code for the machines on the Internet. Make sure you get that source code before your next election, closed source voting smells funny to me.- ReinMasamuri, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2"Now to Iran.... why can't a sovereign nation enrich uranium for civilian purposes..... I don't see any problem with that. They need power stations just as much as anyone else. And if they ever do get/make a bomb, so what, the USA has bombs, how can you say that Iran can't have a bomb, when you have bombs? (p.s USA is the only country to have actually used a bomb, 100,000+ people killed)."
Iran has stated that their goal is to destroy Israel. Though they have not stated that they're going to use a nuclear bomb to do it, other countries have offered to give them uranium for power plants and they've declined. The two correlations are most definitely causation.
"So maybe you should just leave other countries alone, I'm sure "terrorism" would stop if you did."
Like Canada? Canada has done practically nothing in world enforcement yet they just arrested terrorists preparing for a major attack against Parliament. Terrorism will never stop until people like Bin Laden and countries run like Iran are terminated. Whether the USA should do that may be another matter all together but it's still a rather obvious fact.
"Or if you must "liberate" other countries, liberate those with mass murdering assholes as their leaders, not just countries with oil (Iraq), or oil pipelines (Afghanistan)."
The USA get enough guff from people for taking out murderous, genocidal psychopaths like Saddam Hussein, do you really think that they'll get _ANY_ kind of support for liberating countries the UN has overtly ignored?
"Now on to 9/11, please tell me that someone, somewhere in the USA knows that Saddam was not behind 9/11? 17 of the 18 nutters in those planes were from Saudi Arabia, isn't Mr. Bush best friends with the Saudis? If 17 of my best mates kid's trashed my house, I'd think of changing mates!, or is he the mate with all the free beer...(oil)."
President Bush's statement of war is against Al Queida. Guess what? Saddam housed Al Quieda. And as a side note, who cares if Saddam DID house them, he still broke hundreds of statutes in the cease-fire agreement. Hence, automatically pulling the US BACK into war.
Finally, Electronic Voting Machines:
There is a VERY simple fix to these things. Have them punch a punch-card and give it to you to put in the box. That way you can verify the correct vote was cast, there will be a paper trail, dynamic unofficial polls can be tabulated during the voting, and if you made a mistake, you can put it back in the voting machine, where it will be shredded, and recast your vote.
Mac, the USA isn't the evil entity that some countries would have you believe. We get offended by stereotypes just as much as other countries do, except it seems that when we defend ourselves people take it as condescension.
- ReinMasamuri, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2"Now to Iran.... why can't a sovereign nation enrich uranium for civilian purposes..... I don't see any problem with that. They need power stations just as much as anyone else. And if they ever do get/make a bomb, so what, the USA has bombs, how can you say that Iran can't have a bomb, when you have bombs? (p.s USA is the only country to have actually used a bomb, 100,000+ people killed)."
- ReinMasamuri, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Hrm... It seems to me that having the pilot sign the "Visa Waived" form is rather important.
Otherwise, it'd be very simple to just slice a pilot's throat on the runway, and replace the pilot. And conveniently crash it into a building.
Anyone onboard could be compromised before that. Who knows what that "pilot" could do to other family members still onboard... - Dalhectar, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Too bad everyone who diggs this story will be "randomly" selected.
- jiggleflop, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I don't understand why we haven't done something about all this. The airports are a mess, temporary measures have become permanent. trying to pick someone up is a joke, Quick! Throw grandma in the trunk! Can't stop moving! Gotta keep going!
I work for a major US air carrier, I have undergone incredible background checks by the FBI, but I still get searched by a bunch of low-life gangsters every time I travel. The TSA's searched my three year old son coming back from New Zealand, they searched all our bags, resulting in broken belongings and missing personal items. I watch old people and children get signaled out every day, but I have yet to see anyone who looks like a terrorist searched. I'm sure they must get it too, but I haven't seen it and I travel frequently. I just cant believe this Country has allowed our airports to stay so screwed up, or that the government is employing thousands of street scum to search our citizens and their bags.
My Sincerest apologies to Mr. Shuttleworth.
I really am praying that this will all get fixed once President Dumb-Dumb gets out of our white house...- jasqwerty, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Oh, it's not President Dumb-Dumb as you call him, it's your pansy left that brings this on. I'm surprised that you can even identify with them since you want 'terrorist looking' people searched. Why my God, that would be profiling, and in socialist America we can't have anything like that. Grandma and little billy must be strip searched to keep it all 'fair'.
- aliguana, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2anyone see the irony that the guy who founded Thawte, which provides part of the backbone for Americas (computer) security, gets practically treated like a terrorist in that country? wtf is homeland "security" drinking?
- Kakaze, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I hate that people have to go through crap like this. I hate that our liberties in this country have been reduced all in the name of security. I hate that Freedom does not mean what it used to mean.
I honestly, however, could care absolutely less about some rich bastard who had a bad time coming into the country. Boo hoo. There are many more people coming into the country that go through worse experiences than him but you won't see any of them on this site after whining about it in their blogs. So this guy has to fill out some extra paperwork now whenever he comes to the country, BFD. If he doesn't like it there are at least a hundred other places he could fly his plane to instead. - astrotrain, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Bill Gates owned the security firm that wanted to strip search him.
- astrotrain, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Bill Gates owned the security firm that wanted to strip search him to assure another flavor of Linux does not
enter the country and hurt his business.. - rowlodge, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0whats funny about this is how we look at all people more the same instead of focusing on one race all the time. dont know if this is good or bad but take it with so many grains of salt as you will.
- flaterates, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This is what ahppens to anone who associates with free software. Pirate a dvd and send it to the riaa, pirate a cd and send it to the mpaa!!! Do it now mother *****!
- minimidgy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0oh come on it had nothing to do with black people. It was because the administration was a little overwhelmed because no one left the city when they said that evacuation was recommended. Then the people started crying their asses off because no one would help them when because they told the people who recommended to evacuate to screw off 'cause they thought "riding out the storm" was possible.
- TheRealTrebor, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Well, I have to say my very first post on this forum has to be a sad, dissapointing one.
Sad, in the terms of the rights we have lossed. ALL FOR NON-EXISTENT WEAPONS OF "SO-CALLED" MASS DESTRUCTION!!!! Yeah, right. It wasn't for revenge George. It wasn't to get back at Saddam's middle finger at your Father's ineptitude in the first Iraq war. It wasn't to get back at Daddy's inability to get the job done in Iraq the first time. It wasn't to get back at Saddam's plan on taking a contract "hit" out on your Daddy. It wasn't for the oil, oil, oil, oil......ouch, my finger seems stuck on that point. The war wasn't all planned in the "President-Elect" stage of fighting in the Supreme Court to win Florida's Electoral votes to take the Presidency from Al Gore (who would've done a better job).
I'm a U.S. Citizen working/living in Canada. I like U.S. Television. So, I subscribed to DirecTv. Problem with getting my receivers (with TiVo) to work. So I wanted to get them fixed in the U.S. So, at the U.S. border, I declared them, and was subsequently pulled over. They were very patronizing, very agressive (the testosterone was flowing like the Niagra Falls), and accusatory.
They said the 3 receivers would most likely be seized and I have to pay a fine. WHY? Well, "we don't know the country of origin". Well, I have the duty from Canada Customs that showed that I declared and paid duty from these U.S. items from the U.S.A. And that I have the receipts from the store, and the DirecTv subscription form....so they are from the U.S. "Well......we think your hacking them and sending them into the U.S." DirecTv isn't hacked....DUMBASS!!! (okay, I didn't insert the Dumbass remark). I can't get these to work. "Well.....sit out in the waiting room". So, back and forth in the waiting room and office. Being accused of something I didn't do. Having the officer say "LOOK, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU ONE LAST CHANCE!!! WE KNOW WHAT YOUR UP TO!!!" Hmmm, trying to get my DirecTv subscription up and running so I don't have to watch Inuit's burn whale blubber oil and watch Cottage Life over and over on Canadian Cable.
Come on!!! For more than an hour, I get the treatment that a true smuggler or terrorist should get. GEEZ! AND I DECLARED THEM! HAD ALL THE PAPERS FOR THEM!!!
At the end of an hour and a half, they said they would give me a choice. They couldn't refuse entry because I was a U.S. Citizen (holding a valid U.S. Passport), so I could go back to Canada with the receivers or have the receivers seized and go into the U.S. (which defeats the purpose of returning them to the store to get them fixed/replaced. So I choose to go back to Canada. The burly, over-bearing officer placed the paper on the windshield,"return to Canada-3 satellite receivers with no proof of origin". Canada Customs laughed. They couldn't believe it, especially since I had all the paperwork. Paperwork that the Customs Officers scratched their heads over. It seems that U.S. Customs doesn't train their people on Canada's duty and importation/exportation paperwork. BRILLIANT!!!
Well, that was last week, this week I went to a concert in the U.S. AND GUESS WHAT???? I was pulled over immediately. It seems as soon as my plate was entered, the officer was filling out the paper to have me inspected. The officer inside asked with a sly grin if I know why. And I said why? He said, "you don't have any receiver's do you?" No, I'm going to a concert. I had all the proper papers for the previous encounter. He said that didn't matter.
SO HOW MUCH LONGER DOES THIS GARBAGE GO ON???? FOR LIFE? Do I need to change my license plate? Would that help in not getting pulled over?
All this stupidity.....and the global war on terror is......what???? Still on the back burner while people like myself are more important than Bin Laden???
By the way.....we still haven't caught him....but that doesn't matter...does it? (INSERT MAJOR SARCASM HERE)
Trebor.
P.S. Only 2 more years until the idiot is out of Washington...thank God....but the next President will have to spend his whole first term in office fixing Bush's freaking mess! - jabiggs3, on 06/20/2008, -0/+1"I fell in love with the USA once. It was built on beautiful principles. Alas, it appears to have forsaken those in the name of security and expediency. As a result, I think the world is looking for a new source of inspiration - a new country where the most interesting people of the world can arrive, feel welcome, and feel free. Joi, best you be sure to hand that little green form back, every time."
I echo that sentiment, and feel embarrassed at the behavior of my nation's elected officials, unelected officials, and petty bureaucrats (like those that detained Mark at Dulles Airport). It is sad that bureaucratic "procedures" trump common sense and basic logic. What's more, I am amazed at how many people can conduct themselves in a coercive and abusive manner, and who so often justify said behavior by claiming they are "just following the rules." Come on...
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