[asiansINC.com]

I'm asking both generally speaking and also in light of recent events.

[Penny]

Genrally I have not had a problem with it, sometimes I know I do and probably in a derogatory was refer to things as "american" but I can't think of a single example right now. And its more sort of jest than anything else.

In light of recent events I would take it out on any individual US citizen (except maybe the president and his side kicks) as that would be the same as someone not liking what our government does and then not liking all NZers becuase of it. hardly fair on the individual.

[Nicholas]

They elected 'em, but know that not everyone agrees with them. If you not the news the entire country is almost cleanly divided on the issues. And you can't change your opinion on people just because their country did this or that, especially one where it isn't reflective of what the beliefs of the rest are.

Having said that, dont' believe America's detractors too much too. Don't forget that for all the bad that's coming off the press lately, it is that same country where more than 700 of its own soldier's real lives were lost forever in a war for another country.

As an offtopic example, many of the younger generation of South Koreans for instance, don't appreciate the presence of US troops stationed there (but they howl in fear about hte North with the US pulling some of its troops out for transfer to the Middle East), but you can bet the older generation, especially those who lived through the Korean War, are extremely thankful for it. People easily forget the past when they're bombarded by the news of the present.

You always have to remember too that 99% of news is the bad news. Good news isn't entertaining enough I guess. A lot of good things are happening in the world right now involving the USA that doesn't get a whole lot of press.

[Nicholas]

That's true, which goes to show you the cycle it creates, where bad news is the news that gets noticed and grabs the most attention, thereby making people believe the world (and a government's policies) are far worse than they are.

I always liked that old saying, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." As a U.S. citizen, I feel the rest of the world could start legitimately being disappointed in us as a people if we elect Bush a second time. We elected him once, and he misled us. If we elect him again, well that's our fault. Hopefully our NZ friends will understand.

[edshuck]

Anyone who thinks that we (America) is at a moral high, "Hey yankee want some feelthy pictures". My god. We have adultry, sadistic acts, and now a bit of necrophilia. I will not be shocked if the guard dogs are in some strange menage a troix next.

I am an American and am following the activities of Shrub with "Shock and Awe".

[kall]

Originally Posted by rooshine

I always liked that old saying, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." As a U.S. citizen, I feel the rest of the world could start legitimately being disappointed in us as a people if we elect Bush a second time. We elected him once, and he misled us. If we elect him again, well that's our fault. Hopefully our NZ friends will understand.

Of course we will.

Naturally, if he does get elected back in, we will all assume that the entire thing was staged by his administration.

[edshuck]

Hi Kall

With all the mess of the Bush administration, the challenger seems confused as to what to raise hell with.

Just now though, it seems Shrub may get back in.

I really hope not. But the challenger is not moving. Maybe all the TV is just tape from before he was put in the cryo vat.

[Nicholas]

If you recall, America actually elected Al Gore. He won the election. He just didn't become president due to a technicality. And Nader taking the liberal votes definitely didn't help.

[kall]

Hey Ed..

From what we are being told on TV, Kerry has taken the lead in some poll or other, so things might be different a few months from now.

[edshuck]

To Kall,

In the news now is Chalabi. The Bush pentagon were using him as the prime source for the information about WMD in Iraq and he had been gone from the country for over 20 years. I suspect that Chalabi will die soon. That will cover some of the tracks of Shrub.

To Nicholas.

Totally right! And Nader is back, to the joy of the Republicans.

To all.

Shrub has stated several times that GOD made him president. If so, she has a perverse sense of humor.

About Polls

The pollsters call and ask, "Would you vote for John Kerry, knowing that he beats his wife"? Press 1 if yes, 2 if no."

"Do you think George Bush was a deserter during Vietnam and that it was a just war"?

It is not what you ask but how you ask it. The above are a bit extreme but they are the concept.

About North Korea

Those two trains that collided. It is now known that one had arms heading for Syria.

Did the US blow it up?

[Nicholas]

Okay that may be conspiracy theory going on there, but it's damn interesting! I wasn't aware of that-- it had arms heading for Syria???

At any rate, I like something one of my favorite columnists said, that in general, men don't go to war because they are brutal and vicious.. on the contrary, men go to war because they're romantic and need to wave the flag and have something to fight for... the problem is.. how dangerous that can sometimes be, like in the current er, "quagmire". Blame on Wolfowitz, Cheny, Rumsfeld and the rest of the neocons. Take Rumsfeld. Actually I really like the guy, if only for his having balls to turn thins arse over teakettle. But he's long outlived his usefulness and needs to go. Problem is, Bush is like his father, loyal to a fault.

[edshuck]

The Syria arms thing.

http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtri...reaking_2.html