| January 4th, 2005 12:27 PM |
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| Factory Girl |
Riffy, you get so fired up about W...lol
You should consider applying for his many openings...your devotion shall not go to waste. |
| January 4th, 2005 01:24 PM |
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| glencar |
The essential point is that Riffy's correct. Appointing people you know directly is a time-honored tradition in DC & most other capitols, I'd guess. And the most politically opportunistic thing of all was appointing Bubba to the fundraising effort. That's clearly an effort to shut the media up. Mr. Lewinsky is their hero & he has stifled his initial criticism of the President's efforts.
kath, I apologize for calling you naive. I was in a bad mood yesterday & had less patience than normal. |
| January 4th, 2005 01:41 PM |
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| Riffhard |
quote:
Factory Girl wrote:
Riffy, you get so fired up about W...lol
You should consider applying for his many openings...your devotion shall not go to waste.
LOL! Are you kidding me FG. I've got skeletons lineing up to get in the closet. I sure hell could not deal with the ones that are already in there! No political future for me that's for sure!
I do like a decent political debate though. So long as it does not turn into some kind of backbiteing angry,"Fuck you!","No! Fuck you!" kind of situation.
Restraint is the key to any decent discouurse. Be it political or musical. lol!
Riffhard |
| January 4th, 2005 02:06 PM |
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| glencar |
From the powerline.com blog: Action Vs. Talk In Indonesia
For a realistic, on the ground account of what's happening in Sumatra, check out The Diplomad, a blog written by American foreign service officers. Their comments on the U.N.'s contributions are amusing:
Well, dear friends, we're now into the tenth day of the tsunami crisis and in this battered corner of Asia, the UN is nowhere to be seen -- unless you count at meetings, in five-star hotels, and holding press conferences.
Aussies and Yanks continue to carry the overwhelming bulk of the burden, but some other fine folks also have jumped in: e.g., the New Zealanders have provided C-130 lift and an excellent and much-needed potable water distribution system; the Singaporeans have provided great helo support; the Indians have a hospital ship taking position off Sumatra. Spain and Netherlands have sent aircraft with supplies.
The UN continues to send its best product, bureaucrats.
Most interesting to me was this memo written by Dutch diplomats and circulated at an EU meeting in Indonesia:
The US military has arrived and is clearly establishing its presence everywhere in Banda Aceh. They completely have taken over the military hospital, which was a mess until yesterday but is now completely up and running. They brought big stocks of medicines, materials for the operation room, teams of doctors, water and food. Most of the patients who were lying in the hospital untreated for a week have undergone medical treatment by the US teams by this afternoon. US military have unloaded lots of heavy vehicles and organize the logistics with Indonesian military near the airport. A big camp is being set up at a major square in the town. Huge generators are ready to provide electricity. US helicopters fly to places which haven't been reached for the whole week and drop food. The impression it makes on the people is also highly positive; finally something happens in the city of Banda Aceh and finally it seems some people are in control and are doing something. No talking but action. European countries are until now invisible on the ground. IOM staff (note: this is a USAID-funded organization) is very busy briefing the incoming Americans and Australians about the situation. |
| January 4th, 2005 02:08 PM |
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| kath |
uh.......folks.....could we get back to the point, here?
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| January 4th, 2005 02:15 PM |
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| Factory Girl |
Indeed Rif, I'm glad you remained cool, calm & collected. |
| January 4th, 2005 04:35 PM |
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| Rolling Hansie |
quote:
kath wrote:
uh.......folks.....could we get back to the point, here?
Sorry to say Kath, but it seems like you are asking in vain. So far I learned from this thread that the Red Cross sucks, Unicef sucks, the UN sucks, so I guess that every organisation that has high standards in the whole world and tries to help the people in Asia sucks.
Luckily I still believe in Unicef, and if anybody has a better organisation to donate money too, please let me know.
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| January 4th, 2005 04:47 PM |
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| glencar |
Try Catholic Relief Services, WorldVision, Save The Children. Any of those is guaranteed to be better than the truly worthless UN. Did you read what I posted about the UN? Those people will do well with meetings but to actually help the people, you are much better off with the Australians, The Americans, The Kiwis, even India. Please think about this. |
| January 4th, 2005 05:13 PM |
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| Riffhard |
UNICEF as an idea is great. However,all bets are off with regards to it's effectivness. I guess the Oil-for-Food(palaces) scandal has not gotten the media coverage that it deserves in your neck of the woods,but I wouldn't trust the UN to screw in a lightbulb much less help the world with real problems. At least until that crook Kofi Anann is gone and real reform takes place. They are too busy gladhanding each other and playing bueracratic circle jerks to be of any use. Read the article that glencar posted.
As for the Red Cross. Well,that's a bit different. The American Red Cross is fine. They take donations from all who are willing to help. The Iternational Red Cross is another thing all together. They stated that any help from Israel would not be accepted! That's right the IRC told Israel to shove it! Wow! How sweet of them. The anti-semitism that is infecting Europe is getting way out of hand. I guess that's just par for the course though.
Israel,the sole democracy in the Middle East,is rejected by the European socialists. The USA the one nation that is genuinly trying to spread democracy and true representative forms of goverment for people that desperatly need them is a horrible world bully!! I often feel like I'm living in a alternative universe where good is bad and bad is good. Very strange indeed.
Riffhard |
| January 4th, 2005 05:53 PM |
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| Angiegirl |
quote:
Riffhard wrote:
Israel,the sole democracy in the Middle East,is rejected by the European socialists. The USA the one nation that is genuinly trying to spread democracy and true representative forms of goverment for people that desperatly need them is a horrible world bully!! I often feel like I'm living in a alternative universe where good is bad and bad is good. Very strange indeed.
Yes, very strange. I got that same feeling when I read thru your post. |
| January 4th, 2005 06:23 PM |
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| Riffhard |
Is there a part of it that is not true Angie? No. It's true the IRC has in fact told Israel to keep their charitable gifts. The UN is involved in the largest scandal ever in the history of civilization. $121,000,000,000.00 and counting! That's BILLION with a B! And anti-semitism is sweeping across Europe a mere 60 years after the world swore "never again."
And the French delegate to the UN is accuseing the USA of being stingy with regards to the tsunami relief efforts?! So far US citizens have donated over $200,000,000.00 in addition to the $350,000,000.00 donated by the US goverment. For a total of over $550,000,000.00. Far surpassing any other country in terms of giving. I don't say that to say,"Hey look how great we are." Rather I say it because this is the reason that many Americans,myself included,get infuriated by the outright America bashing that we hear about all the time coming our way from Europe.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&u=/ap/20050104/ap_on_re_us/tsunami_americans_respond_1&printer=1
Somehow in the midst of this unbelieveable global tragedy people find a way to once again shit on the United States.
I'm telling you we are living in the fucking Twilight Zone here.
Riffhard |
| January 4th, 2005 06:40 PM |
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| Angiegirl |
Actually, I was referring to your previous post's last paragrapth. I don't know anything about numbers and the UN or the Red Coss that specifically, so you may be right.
Whatever, in general, I think it's shameless how the media (Western) world-wide are just focussing on the amount of money being donated in each country, by each company, by each individual. It makes me sick.
You can't judge a person or a collection of persons in a company or a country on how much money they donate. If I donate 5 euros and my neighbour donates 50 euros, it doesn't make him or her a better person. It just means he could spare more at the moment or whatever practical reason.
I don't mean this regarding your last post Riffhard, just in general. Today the Dutch news opened with the message that our Queen Beatrix made a donation to our national 'help-Asia-bank-account', but the royal family's security service refused to announce how much it was, just that it was a 'substantial' amount. All night news and talkshows have been debating on tv about the amount, about the fact that they didn't say it and whether they should have, blabla. Plain sick!!! Come on, I think it even is rediculous it got announced to the press!!! Focus is wrong, countries bashing each other over the head about the national amounts being donated, this misses the point by far. Just my opinion.
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| January 4th, 2005 07:32 PM |
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| Riffhard |
I absolutly agree with you Angie. I feel it is wrong to try and boast about how much anyone or any goverment is giving. That's not what charity is all about. That is the reason that when the UN says that the USA is being "greedy" it makes Americans mad. Because then,by way of defending ourselves,we are put in a situation where we have to start showing the figures that prove that this antiAmerican slam is nothing but an outright lie designed for no other reason than to slam Bush. Ofcourse,by showing how much we have really donated we now get accused of being braggarts. It's a no win situation and the French UN delegate seemed to know that we would backed into this corner.
Enough about this shit though really. I think the bottom line is that decent people around the globe,be they from America,France,Amsterdam,or anywhere else,are doing the right thing by being so charitable in the face of this horrible tragedy. At the end of the day our shared humanity far outweighs our individual nationality. At least it should.
Riffhard |
| January 5th, 2005 06:20 AM |
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| glencar |
Riffhard, the idiot who accused the Western nations of being stingy was a UN bureaucrat from Sweden. Jan Elgeland or something similar. He should be canned. |
| January 5th, 2005 09:40 AM |
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| Doxa |
This thread is really good for showing the persons who found disasters like these as a good vehicle to promote their own gospel and propaganda. Looks very nice in a context like this, boys.
- Doxa |
| January 5th, 2005 02:18 PM |
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| glencar |
Gee, I wonder which side he's talking about. LOL Hypocrisy abounds... |
| January 5th, 2005 02:32 PM |
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| Joey |
I am worried sick about all the hungry and homeless Kittens and Doggies over there roaming around without any food or fresh water . |
| January 5th, 2005 03:48 PM |
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| kath |
well, actually i worry about that a LOT, joey...but i am always hesitant to mention it.....
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| January 5th, 2005 03:54 PM |
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| Joey |
quote:
kath wrote:
well, actually i worry about that a LOT, joey...but i am always hesitant to mention it.....
AFTER THE TSUNAMI
( Santos / Townshend )
I heard a voice asking what happens after the Tsunami ?
and then the sound of a breaking window and the scream of a tire
And then the sound of Brixton gun and the scream of a hungry Kitty.
The night is hot
But nothing's going to stop
This gang running wild.
After the fire the fire still burns,
The heart grows older but never ever learns.
The memories smolder and the soul always yearns,
After the fire the fire still burns.
I saw Baby Steelie in black and white
there ain't no color in memories.
He rode his brother's Harley across the TV
while I was laughing at all my dreams .
Now I'm cycling all my video tapes, I'm crying and I'm joking.
I've gotta stop drinking, I've gotta stop thinking,
I've gotta stop smoking.
After the tsunami the fire still burns,
the heart grows older but never ever learns.
The memories smolder and the soul always yearns,
after the fire
The fire still burns, raging through the pain,
blackening the promises, the tears and the rain.
The fire will burn
'til the wind begins to turn
and it all begins again.
After the fireeeee ...Yea the fire still burns
After the tsunami the fire still burns,
The heart grows older but never ever learns.
The memories smolder and the soul always yearns,
after the fire the fire still burns,
the fire still burns,
After the fire the fire still burns,
the heart grows older but never ever learns.
The memories smolder and the soul always yearns,
after the fire the fire still burns.
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| January 5th, 2005 05:50 PM |
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| glencar |
Joey, horrible Daltrey songs are even less helpful than the UN! |
| January 5th, 2005 09:30 PM |
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| gustavobala |
150,000 dies and counting
the problem now are diseases and hungry!
sad humanity!
michael shumacher donates US$ 10,000,000
greaty shummy, everyday i like more this guy! |
| January 5th, 2005 10:41 PM |
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| Lavendar |
Because of the tsunami these people need help. Some of the help HAS been needed for quite some time, It took a natural crisis to bring attention to there state of affairs. Now they are [news] telling us about worst things going on that have nothing to do with money. But have to do with their customs and beliefs. Well who is going to help that aspect? This seems similiar to that Live Aid Concert or Opray going to Africa. What are these countries really expecting????? I did not appreciate them immediately implying that the US was stingy. I believe they need much more help. Maybe, just maybe all these donations will truly benefit these people in many ways. Dreamin |
| January 6th, 2005 06:32 AM |
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| glencar |
Indonesian authorities have taken steps to protect displaced or orphaned children from traffickers after last week's tsunami disaster, barring people from leaving the country with children under 16 from its hard-hit Aceh province.
...
[A spokesman for UNICEF] said the fears have been stoked by reports from relief agencies that criminal gang members in Aceh have been posing as aid workers or parents.
A couple was arrested on charges of attempting to traffic in children in the city of Medan, which he said was "notorious" for the practice -- "both for adoption and for the sex trade." |
| January 6th, 2005 11:36 AM |
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| sirmoonie |
Borrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring!
Can't believe we are still at this.
Why can't the liberal media focus on all the good stuff that god does day in and day out? Hundreds of lottery winners, nice weather in Florida this week, 42" packed base at Telluride. You'll never see that reported on CBS.
Nope. Instead its now a week and counting of America/god bashing. |
| January 6th, 2005 11:56 AM |
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| jb |
quote:
Riffhard wrote:
UNICEF as an idea is great. However,all bets are off with regards to it's effectivness. I guess the Oil-for-Food(palaces) scandal has not gotten the media coverage that it deserves in your neck of the woods,but I wouldn't trust the UN to screw in a lightbulb much less help the world with real problems. At least until that crook Kofi Anann is gone and real reform takes place. They are too busy gladhanding each other and playing bueracratic circle jerks to be of any use. Read the article that glencar posted.
As for the Red Cross. Well,that's a bit different. The American Red Cross is fine. They take donations from all who are willing to help. The Iternational Red Cross is another thing all together. They stated that any help from Israel would not be accepted! That's right the IRC told Israel to shove it! Wow! How sweet of them. The anti-semitism that is infecting Europe is getting way out of hand. I guess that's just par for the course though.
Israel,the sole democracy in the Middle East,is rejected by the European socialists. The USA the one nation that is genuinly trying to spread democracy and true representative forms of goverment for people that desperatly need them is a horrible world bully!! I often feel like I'm living in a alternative universe where good is bad and bad is good. Very strange indeed.
Riffhard
Amen Riffhard----------------> Sri Lanka rejected Israeli aid packages b/c of objections from their Muslim clerics........unbelievable!!! |
| January 6th, 2005 12:02 PM |
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| Lavendar |
"Thai officials told Powell that what they want is U.S. help for a warning system in the Indian Ocean and China Sea". I agree with this but doesn't everyone need warnings! Remember the Quake that hit the Eastern coast.or.....
Nightline had on a Tsunami Watcher a chick from Hawaii. She wasn't very impressive et all. Dreamin |
| January 6th, 2005 01:15 PM |
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| sirmoonie |
quote:
jb wrote:
Amen Riffhard----------------> Sri Lanka rejected Israeli aid packages b/c of objections from their Muslim clerics........unbelievable!!!
Josh, I hope your Israeli nation never offers to re-gift another dime of U.S. taxpayers' money to those bastard Sri Lankans! |
| January 6th, 2005 01:42 PM |
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| Riffhard |
quote:
sirmoonie wrote:
Josh, I hope your Israeli nation never offers to re-gift another dime of U.S. taxpayers' money to those bastard Sri Lankans!
Well all our differences aside Monnie that is pretty funny! Israel is behaving like an American sitcom named after a famous jewish American actor!
Though it is pathetic that the IRC is so evasive with regards to any charity that has any Israeli connections. By the way how come the muslim nations throughout the world are so cheap with regards to their own charitable contributions? I have an Iranian friend who once told me that the only thing that Arab muslims hate more than jews and Americans is other Arab muslims. Too true.
Riffhard |
| January 6th, 2005 02:45 PM |
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| glencar |
srael is behaving like an American sitcom named after a famous jewish American actor!
Seinfeld? |
| January 6th, 2005 02:52 PM |
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| Joey |
quote:
glencar wrote:
srael ( Incredible sic ) is behaving like an American sitcom named after a famous jewish American actor!
Seinfeld?
That is IT !!!!
Behold the Wrath of :
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