Here I am, getting all excited about using Amazon's new Cloud service, "free for all customers"... and like usual, when you're halfway through proceedings, then it comes: "This service is intended for US customers only".
I've seen this three times in the past day or so. Has the Internet made us more territorial instead of less? Back when I bought paper books and CDs there were never any problems buying in whatever country I friggin liked. But try buying ebooks in a US store if you're not in the US. Nooooo. Try watching a streamed TV show across the Atlantic, either way. Noooooo. Depressing.
I'm guessing it is a government-mandated policy established to "fight terrorism" [sic].
ReplyDeleteWe run into that with our Microsoft CRM online offering. Every country has their own rules and some outright prohibit online services. We were able to provide to ten more countries this release, but there are countries we will probably not be able to crack like Switzerland.
ReplyDeleteGee, for my "return home", it fells like a Sign. Just the three people I most wanted to see to right now.
ReplyDeleteSo, this might sound a bit off the topic, but while we're talking (for the umpteenth time) about the arbitrary insanity of some US rules, I've just (a minute ago) found heard that the epic free speech platform chan4chan.com has been closed following a Fox news report. To quote c4c members, "kill it with fire!" was the word.
I'd known about that site for just a few weeks, and it perfectly illustrated what Eo always said about "defense of free speech / freedoms always forcing you to defend those brushing the limits". You know, like that twisted fascination that forces you to stare when you pass by a road accident. But there was as much good as bad, sociologically I was proud to be fascinated by studying it.
For the record, if there was one strict line which chan4chan drew, it was about posting CP. Those who tried got mercilessly banned. So, it didn't actually break any laws.
Unless you listen to the self-proclaimed "fair & balanced" reports of Fox news.
It's just MHO, but when you feel the need to BRAG about your neutral fairness, it suggests you don't fell fully confident about it.
Maybe we should dedicate a thread to that, and leave this here one for e-trade e-rratic e-rules.
And yes, you don't need to ask, I'm really back, baby!
WTF...? I've only just realized yesterday was March 31st. That time of the year where a mysterious viral encephalitis always seems to hit Domai's servers. Could it be... Fffffffuuuuuuuuu! Damn nigger pedo jewfag trolls, I think I've just been FAILed.
ReplyDelete[*epic facepalm*] I bet by tomorrow they'll be lulz at my derp!
[Well, at least, I'll have picked up some trendy vocabulary at the contact of these bozos.]
Should've remembered the anthropologist's #1 rule: keep your perspective. Damn Rule 34 distracted me. (But wouldn't YOU be distracted if you saw some israeli battle tank porn?)
(tsk! Never return to a serious blog with a serious lack of sleep)
Don't you hate it when you completely forget the calendar?
But I shouldn't even be surprised : one year I forgot my own birthday. DOH!
Best pranks are always those dealing with the most beievable.
But enough about my silly hastiness, we have urgent matters to attend to. Like starting a petition to save DOMAI from the invasion of the Rainbowy Siliconian Vixens!
Pascal said...
ReplyDelete"But enough about my silly hastiness, we have urgent matters to attend to. Like starting a petition to save DOMAI from the invasion of the Rainbowy Siliconian Vixens!"
Yeah...not sure if Eo's completely "caved" to the Industry; it's kind of sad to see his standards "slipping." But...perhaps [most?] dudes might like it more. I guess only time will tell. All I know is that some people aren't terribly fond of change so... :-(
I don't think many Amurkans know there are other countries.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I try to communicate my telephone number to them, and mention our country code, they get completely confused. Early on I learned to never use the standard notation of prefixing the country code with a plus sign: one guy said his fax machine does not have a plus sign (true story). Better to just write out the digits, including the prefix to dial international. But now they ask how come my telephone number is so long.
When they win a national sports tournament, they think they are world champions. They even call them that: World Wrestling Championship, etc.
Those that do know there are other countries think Europe is a single country. They ask if I know their cousin Greg who also lives in Europe.
They don't really need any export business. They just export their dollars. And if countries refuse to take them, they'll get bombed. No point in exporting anything else.
Luckily there are services like AccessUSA, which allow you to pose as one of them. This way you can trick them into sending their stuff to you.
For those reading this later, Pascal and TC are referring to an April Fool's joke on Domai.com, a lady with much makeup and implants, quite against the spirit of the site.
ReplyDeleteEngland does the same thing. I remember trying to watching something on the BBC site and it wouldn't work for anyone outside Europe.
ReplyDeleteThat's true, like I said, Either Way.
ReplyDeleteIt's probably "nobody specific's" fault. Domain rules and agreements and laws and BS.
This Timo douche is as bad as the Americans he seems to hate. Being successful brings on that kind of feeling. Europeans hate that they've all been in serious decline at least since the end of World War II. Visit any European country and there is definitely a decayed feeling about the place. Finland, of course, has never been great and has contributed very little to the world so it's understandable that he's so bitter.
ReplyDeleteI admit I haven't seen much of Europe beyond England (and Wales), a bit of France, and a tiny bit of Germany. But from what I've seen, Europe has its fair share of fat, stupid people.
ReplyDeleteOh, I did actually see a tiny bit of Denmark as well but I didn't stay long because it would have bankrupted me. My ancestors did come from there, though, so I thought I'd poke my head in. Beautiful country, but man...expensive!
ReplyDeleteYeah, and worse if you live there. If you earn good, the taxes are almost 70%. Plus 25% sales tax! Hooo-eeeeh!
ReplyDeleteShows how little you know, Timo : it's World Wrestling ENTERTAINMENT! ;-p
ReplyDelete"Those that do know there are other countries think Europe is a single country."
Miss Teen South Carolina comes to mind... :-D
Jinkies! How they can be so massiveely uneducated is a Miss Terry to me.
"I remember trying to watching something on the BBC site and it wouldn't work for anyone outside Europe."
See? This proves that Europe really IS a country! Argumentum ad Google...
"Domain rules and agreements and laws and BS."
Mostly BS. The rest is mere seasoning.
"This Timo douche is as bad as the Americans he seems to hate."
^ Hey, aren't you supposed to be repeating stuff like "nigger", "jewfag" and "make me a sammich, bitch" on every thread of 4chan.org? What's the matter, 24931 files and 8864 Mbytes weren't enough for you to roam out of con troll?
And to think I ended my sociological e-study of that site to return here and have a break from Anotrolls.
It's really becoming a small world. Planet April, here I come! (Well, yeah, March is SO 5 minutes ago. DERP!)
Yeah, of course, Europe HAS been on a steady declining slope of decay. Especially when you see the whole world gradually forgetting all that stuff they USED to make: Ferrari, Porsche, Bugatti, Mercedes, Rolls Royce, Airbus, sturdy atomic plants, Lego, Playmobil, cheese, wine & champagne, luxury clothes and watches, DOMAI...
Europe's completely out of the game, they're barely good enough to tame Gadhafi today. And to attract jobs from the States. :-P
Dave Nielsen slandered...
"But from what I've seen, Europe has its fair share of fat, stupid people."
In Europe, it's called "slowly turning into another USA". ;-)
Eolake final-striked...
"Plus 25% sales tax!"
95% taxes, without the extras? Man, that IS steep!
My verif: "reamming". Yeah, that sounds about right. :-(
Especially when you see the whole world gradually forgetting all that stuff they USED to make: Ferrari, Porsche, Bugatti, Mercedes, Rolls Royce, Airbus, sturdy atomic plants, Lego, Playmobil, cheese, wine & champagne, luxury clothes and watches, DOMAI...
ReplyDeleteEurope's completely out of the game
You completely missed the point. It's not Europe doesn't produce anything anymore but none of its countries are important powers anymore. Look at England and all the great buildings which are mostly from the time of the second empire. They don't have the money to build like anymore. The same is true of all other European nations. France used to be a major player, no more. Germany? Duh. Even the Netherlands at one time until the British lured over one of them to teach them all their moves. Come on, Pascal, I expect better of you!
Josie, honey, my GF has a message for you (several, actually):
ReplyDelete- Three years to build this little world record mean baby of a beauty. I've got relatives living nearby.
- This one is operational today, unlike Boeing's prototype. Saudi Arabia's #2 fortune bought the first one, had it converted into a flying palace, and threw a tantrum when told that it COULD carry a swimming pool, but safety regulations prohibited installing such a mass of mobile water aboard an aircraft. (^_^)
- Eurofighter. ISS. Ariane 5. Hermes.
- Follow international politics: the USA are relentlessly doing their best to spread dissent within the EU countries. Why? Because a united Europe would be more powerful than the USA, and they're shitting their briefs at that mere perspective... which will happen sooner or later.
- While the USA and NATO ridiculed themselves in the Afghan molasses vat and the Iraqi dinosaurs' tar pit, France and the UK have re-established the UN as a vaguely plausible INTERNATIONAL instance to intervene in ousting dictators like Gbagbo and Gaddhafi, without sending ground occupation troops that'd make whole continents hate their living daylights. The arab world and Africa are at the dawn of a brand new relationship with Europe.
- The USA are still dealing with massive unemployment. Europe is out of the crisis and many sectors are massively hiring. My brother just left the States after 13 years and working for three companies that each went bankrupt.
- How many American museums make the world's envy?
- Harry Potter. The Yanks eagerly bought the rights to make it into movies.
- According to the latest figures from last year, France remains the world's most visited tourism country.
- Education level in Europe leaves the States far behind. Official UNICEF reports.
- Whatever radio-activity from Fukushima reaches Europe remains laughably insignificant. "Location, location, location." (~_^)
- Sarkozy + Berlusconi > G.W. Bush. Be it in mediatic antics, in current lastability, or in hot women. European comedy RULZ! ;-p
Need I go on?
Even my verif agrees this was a "leson" to you. 'Nuff said...
Follow up, because I'm on a roll and my heavy ego's momentum needs time to slow down:
ReplyDeleteComputers:
USA = Windows. Hegemonic, overpriced, clunky, rigid, viruses galore.
Europe = Linux. Open source, free, smooth, adaptable, safe.
How many famous cellphone brands that immediately spring to mind happen to be american??? (No cheating with Google!)
Europe has apologized for the Holocaust and Colonialism. The USA are still, to this day, oppressing Native Americans and depriving them of their rights. Honor is on Europe's side.
USA = official religious bigotry. Europe = praise of science and reason.
And in uptight UK, too! [See close-up]
List_of_American_television_series_
ReplyDeletebased_on_British_television_series
List_of_English-language_films_
based_on_foreign-language_films. Imitating Europe seems rather trendy in culture...
You can't win this one, Pascal. Which is the only remaining superpower? It isn't any European nation. The original point was that European power and influence in the world has massively faded. The money's gone too. It's not to say that Europe no longer produces anything but their power and influence and wealth is a shadow of former levels.
ReplyDelete- Three years to build this little world record mean baby of a beauty. I've got relatives living nearby.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if they paid for it themselves, unlike say World War II or its aftermath. Btw, don't try to claim this one for the French - the archiects and engineers were British. (Still European I know, but it says something about how French power has faded even more than British.)
- Eurofighter. ISS. Ariane 5. Hermes.
Yeah, those are all crap. The only reason Europeans won't admit it is because they funded and designed them... The Eurofighter especially has been a massive disappointment.
- Follow international politics...
No they aren't. They know that Europeans will never achieve that, there's too much opposition. The U.S. doesn't have to do anything, centuries of fighting amongst themselves are doing the job nicely.
- While the USA and NATO...
You're waaaay off here. For one thing, they will inevitably have to put troops in there. If you think airstrikes will be enough, you're even dumber than I thought (and especially because you think that airstrikes which will inevitably take civilian lives could endear them to the populations of those countries).
- The USA are still dealing with massive unemployment. Europe is out of the crisis and many sectors are massively hiring. My brother just left the States after 13 years and working for three companies that each went bankrupt.
Ha ha ha ha ha. Europe is out of it already? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. You're a moron! If I ever find myself in Lebanon needing medical attention, I'll make sure I go elsewhere for treatment. Obviously the medical schools are shit if a dolt like you made it through. As for your idiot brother, is it a coincidence that three companies he worked for all went down the shitter?
- How many American museums make the world's envy?
Quite a few I'd wager, just like U.S. universities are the top of the world. Where do the best European universities rank? In the toilet. Even Cambridge isn't very high on the list. (Btw, I wonder...if you cleared out of those European museums all the loot they stole from other countries (particuarly Egypt and Greece) do you think they'd still be drawing crowds?)
- Harry Potter. The Yanks eagerly bought the rights to make it into movies.
Bad choice. Popular, yes, but some of the worst written novels in the past century. Try again.
- According to the latest figures from last year, France remains the world's most visited tourism country.
And the most disappointing. Ask the Japanese. It doesn't actually say much more Paris or France itself, though. The point is that European countries are decaying shadows of their former selves. It doesn't mean people don't still want to visit them. Duh!
- Education level in Europe leaves the States far behind. Official UNICEF reports.
I wonder why, then, the U.S. is where all the advances are being done. Check a list of Nobel Prize winners to start.
- Whatever radio-activity from Fukushima reaches Europe remains laughably insignificant. "Location, location, location." (~_^)
This doesn't actually help you out as that problem is being dealt with and anyway you were trying to prove - so far unsuccessfully - that Europe isn't past it.
Need I go on?
You probably should, as the examples you've given so far don't help you.
P.S. We all know you don't have a girlfriend...
Am I the only one who finds this "My country has a bigger dick than yours" crap disgusting?
ReplyDeleteThis is what leads to wars.
A country is only as good as its people, and every country has plenty of wonderful people and a few loud jerks who get all the notice. Plus every country is ruled by the worst scum that has floated to the top. I would hate to be judged by the government that claims to rule me, and I don't judge anyone else by the government that claims them, either.
Kent, Kent, Kent. Europe isn't a country. Poor bastard. And that kind of thing isn't actually what leads to wars. Clearly your knowledge of history is as minimal as your knowledge of everything else... Well, you are a self-described libertarian and you can't be one of those without being phenomenally stupid.
ReplyDeleteWell, Anonymous @ 1:07PM- I never said Europe was a country. Actually go back and read (if that isn't too challenging) and you will see that European countries were mentioned in the comments.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course you missed what I was saying in your eagerness to fling insults. I've come to expect nothing else of brave anonymous keyboard abusers such as yourself. Use a kleenex instead, next time.
I never said Europe was a country.
ReplyDeleteSure you did. You said "A country is only as good as its people, and every country." Since the discussion was essentially "USA vs Europe" you referred to both as "a country" when one is a continent made up of many countries. Before you tell others to go re-read, maybe you should consider doing it yourself. I'm betting you're used to being caught out like this, but I'll bet it still kind of stings.
And of course you missed what I was saying in your eagerness to fling insults.
I didn't miss your point, but as always you've ignored the discussion in order to fling around your anti-government, libertarian excrement. That appears to be the only reason you're here. I read, evaluated, and rejected as irrational and illogical your comments.
Ahh an Anonyfag. I saw nothing implying Kent said Europe was a singular country. But, since all the morons over there gave up sovereignty to the EU in many ways.....technically it is now a "country". Your attempt at trying to make yourself seem witty is fraught with FAIL. Go back to /b/ and fap to furry porn you douche.
ReplyDeleteNice try, "Ryan." (No, actually that was pathetic.)
ReplyDeleteYour attempt at trying to make yourself seem witty is fraught with FAIL.
Jesus. "FAIL"? Blech.
Go back to /b/ and fap to furry porn you douche.
Thanks for that gibberish.
"Oops! I did it again." -- (Britney Spears)
ReplyDeleteLooks like once more my juvenile enthusiasm left an erroneous impression of belligerence. Don't worry, Kent, I took all that "my country's dick is bigger than yours" shit out of my system when I blogged about what an AWSM epic WIN Lebanon is. I don't need any mower to be happy a lawn.
Still, Kent, to find these boy-scoutish phallic comparison duels so disgusting, you must have a very intense sense of your heterosexuality, don't you think? ;-)
Pissing contests aren't always bad. Why, I remember that time I got beaten by a WOMAN, who thoroughly PWNED me. Never challenge a chick who can do a handstand...
Anonymous "tsk'd"...
"Kent, Kent, Kent. Europe isn't a country."
Hey, don't complain: YOU're the one who started comparing a half continent-nation (the US) to Europe. Kent was just humoring you there.
Cupboard outing time: while, erm, "studying" chan4chan.com, I noticed that Josie is an old familiar of that site. Goes by the (predictably unregistered) monicker "Anonymousg of rubber". Takes me back to the days when anything Eolake posted about got him/her to AMMGABRO : "Always Makes Me Go A Big Rubbery One". (^_^)
People with unspecified or seemingly contradictory gender are commonplace among their profiles. The funny thing is, Our BRO (Big Rubbery One) is feeling stalked there. Or is he the one impersonating the OTHER "Anonymousg of rubber" in a fierce libellar joust which I love to watch from the sidelines?
[Pats Josie's shoulder] I understand you. I too like to go there for a while just before visiting Eo's blog. The stark contrast makes me all the more appreciate the articulate posts here. Like locking yourself in the cold chamber just before going to the beach in July for a tan.
OK, snippity-snip, time to post b4 I reach my limit.
(I mean, THIS SERVER'S POSTING limit! You all know there are no limits to good ole P-4's radiant brilliance, topped only by his legendary humility.)
:-D
[cracks knuckles]
ReplyDeleteNow for Dave. The Devil's Advocate. "Pride. definitely my favorite sin." }:-)
"The only remaining superpower", you say? Hmmm, let me see... Would that be Russia, or China? Surely you can't be talking about those overseas people so up to their armpits in two quagmire wars, that Europe had to shake the squeaking monolith of the UN to DO a bloody thing about the broad daylight massacres of Gadhafi or Gbagbo. Not those yanks up to their nostrils in debt and economical crisis, to the point that some Texans are considering illegally crossing the border to Mexico? (Only HALF joking.)
Just bringing some perspective into the matter.
Russia and China aren't as in-your-face as the US, whicch explains why the world's most hated country remains the same big-booted loud-mouthed cowboyish one. But make no mistake: there are AT LEAST two discreet superpowers up East. Not to mention that Brazil, India and Europe are quietly rising while Uncle Sam pretends not to cry "uncle". Or how many million fresh new homeless families does it take before you notice?
As for the money... First, a little mise au point: the financial woes of Greece, Ireland and Portugal are anything except a coincidence. They're all manifestations of a carefully planned, concerted, plot against the EU's economy, via its currency, via its weakest (or should I say "most gullible") countries. Who was it that led them to virtual bankruptcy? America's most powerful remaining weapon today, investment and hedge funds, and "helpfully advising" international notation agencies.
Why? Embarrassingly simple, really: these big shots' greed making them unable to stop bleeding dry the (former?) #1 world economy with their jungle law stock market capitalism, they're "leveling the field" by firing torpedoes underwater at the most annoying competitor.
Which is only half working. Because, in case you haven't noticed (or US networks have carefully avoided informing you), the EU is perfectly capable of sailing to the rescue of their currently drowning fellow european countries, and they still have perhaps two-thirds of their reserve fund still untouched in case more did follow.
That fund is already financed: it all won't affect european citizens' taxes the least bit. SOME countries planned ahead...
"The money's gone", you said? Why? Because some governments were naive enough to have a Madhoff pulled on them? If the notation agencies weren't all based in the US, you'd learn a few unpleasant things about the relative state of the US economy.
Don't gulp down the propaganda. You'll only hate yourselves when the Big Babol Gum balloon pops in your noses, my american friends.
Dubai's troubles are exactly the same: a sub-primes-like investment scam from the highway bandits in suits and ties.
To refresh the memory of those who haven't been following, basically, the sub-primes scandal wasn't essentially about people losing their homes because of a legal scam that should NEVER had been legal in the first place. The real crisis mulekick in the ant-hill, was that those bogus loans were (again "legally") converted into investment goods(!). Debts were treated like stock shares, sold and resold et caetera, with loan vultures taking their cut at every transaction. Effectively "investing in thin air" until all that air burst the soap bubble.
And splattered the entire planet. That is, all those gullible enough to invest in mirages.
The money didn't vanish, oh no, you can trust me on that one. It wasn't lost for EVERYBODY.
Google the ACTUAL world's hugest, most obscene yearly *incomes*: hedge fund CEOs paid in benefit percentages. Them and their stock-holders.
No wonder the luxury industry's recession was so short, and it's now booming like never before.
Time for a breather before we move on to other topics under the tropics. :-)
Oh, I wasn't quite finished with the superpowers bit.
ReplyDelete[my verif: "biases"! LOL]
20 years ago, post-perestroika Russia was down on its knees. Today? It's again proudly standing, and no less strong than the USA. Does anyone snicker at the mention of Russia's military strength? I'll let the latest strife in Georgia answer for me. Putin (or Medvedev, I forget which was President at the time) settled this with a blitzkrieg operation that left the entire West at a loss for anything more than lame words. Statu quo was immediately established, and still stands. That was payback for savagely bombarding their best fried, Serbia, into getting amputated of a province now ruled by a notorious mafia of fundamentalist muslims, UCK. Involved in most barbaric organ trafficking, not to mention a reverse ethnic cleansing way beyound anything the Serbs ever committed. (But that's all hush-hush taboo!)
The thing is, Russians aren't famous for their stomping braggart giant-mouthed clumsy arrogance. That's not one of THEIR stereotypes. Sure, they're booze-guzzling party animals, but nothing worse. Criticize Putin as much as you like, but he's a good leader when it comes to preserving his country's int'l status. You'll never see in the Kremlin a retard clown like Dubya choking on a baby bizkit because Cheney got his puppet's wires a little tangled. Russians don't vote for a moron so they'll feel smarter than the President of a superpower.
The typical mental monorail racists in the US today blame all their problems on Obama. Because the long-set time bomb blew when it was HIS turn to get all the flak smack in the face. I'll let the horror movie fans among you imagine how worse it would've been if the same bozo extremist Republican politics had been carried on buy McCain and Sarah Palin, a.k.a. Bonnie & Clyde. THEN the 1930's would really have lost their nickname of "The Great Depression". THEN, you woud've seen the Mexicans fleeing in masses like rats abandoning a s(t)inking ship.
As for China... not only to they hold the US by the monetary balls, in every way, but they're VERY COVERTLY taking possession of all effing Africa. Virtually, it's already done, in fact. The Africans could tell you. If anyone cared to listen to the Africans for a change.
I've said, and I maintain, that the US are NOT stronger than a properly united Europe. (Hence why they sabotaged that unity by bribing Poland or Bulgaria into backing Gulf War II.) But they are not, either, more powerful than Russia. Or than China.
Given that the Republicans can still very well count on industrial-sized bigotry and jingoist indoctrination to gather votes and widen the gaping inequalities of "the american dream", they're likely to return to power long enough to finalize America's irredeemable dwindling in the 21st Century.
Or do you think the US still tolerate others' veto right in the UN simply because they're too lazy to update the global representativity? :-P
I'm not saying this like I'm happy about it. The USA have been a fantastic inspiration for the last 200 years. The set for half of Jules Verne's novels, sacrebleu! But from the start, the Puritan cancer was seeded within them, and now it's grown to dramatic proportions. Adapt or wither. Already wilting.
[P.S.: on any other online forum, I would never bother with so much of my time, when I have so many leisure activities awaiting me on this weekend period. But HERE, I'm convinced the present company is well worth the food for thought, even if it's under Josie's impulse. This is to my knowledge the best place where I can reach people who care to think, and who might eventually make a difference. Share the link with whom you think deserves to know.]
OK, I really have to go now, because a lot of WORK has suddenly popped up at home. Bulldozers, cement trucks, the works. The rest will have to wait.
ReplyDeleteBesides, we're near the point where I'll just have to cast a compassionate smile at Royal Air Force's vague excuse for arguments. So much was predictable.
OK, where are my manual work clothes? Oh, here they are: under the napping cat!
Again, typical. :-D
Move away, Whiskers, you're on MY "fur".
Russia and China aren't superpowers, Pascal. Powers, yes, just as European nations have retained some power. Not superpowers. Btw, Russia isn't doing very well at all and like China has only figured out that by going sort-of capitalist they can continue to oppress their people Old School Communist Style while making dough at the same time. They've realized that people won't complain as much when they're making money. They're more likely to overlook human rights abuses. Not that that has anything to do with their power and influence in the world of course.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure this is the real Pascal anyway. What happened to the reasoned, reasonable, logical, sane Pascal?
He's logged in with his official Blogger account as usual, complete with good old -and still devilishly handsome- winking profile pic. :-)
ReplyDeleteApart from picking up some -admittedly embarrassing- "trendy" internet slang from the wrong side of Internet City, I don't feel any different. (Why? Did I step in something? Nope. Hunh. Must've been a fart from the cat.)
I confess, there are A LOT of very vocal moronic MCP Amerifags "on that other site" that tend to really bore me after a while. Seems that nasty "nigger jokes" (not even vaguely funny) are all the latest craze among the no-lifes with more freedom of speech than they deserve. But hey, that's America, right? The flip side of the Liberty coin. Goes with the turf...
Perhaps you should DEFINE "superpower" so we can be clear on that, oui? And explain if/why you feel that there is one, no-more-no-less, in the world today. (Probably the one you live in? ;-)
Still got some sticky pine resin to remove from my hands after all that landscaping. "Aye'll bee bahk." -- (Governator mark 2000)
P.S.: I don't feel any nuttier than usual. Still updating merry nonsense on my blog from time to time.
Note to self: you've got an english translation getting cold out there, buster. Get on it already! These Antichrist Revelations aren't going to up and walk to spread themselves, you know. :-p
"Use a kleenex instead, next time."
ReplyDeleteLOL! ikr? Epic WIN. Kent, you really PWNED that anonfag.
To polish my Netspeak (b4 Big Brother gets on to us), I'll add this, just for the fun:
Josie, if ignorance is bliss, you must be orgasmic by now.
But still, fappers need to fap. So, to assist in Ur mental masturbation and your repainting of your mom's basement walls, I'll have something moar detailed for U later.
Pasta la vista, cry-baby!
(Oh, my, I've really let myself be affected by the foul vernacular influence of those e-hoodlums, haven't I? The existence of an anthropologist does not without some hazards go.)
Even the verif doesn't recognize me properly now. Hey, my name IS NOT "pastral", ya dumb server. Sum1 iz haz seen too many lolcatz.
"Gardening" tip of the day: tree resin on your hands really comes off wonderfully with a cotton and some alcohol.
ReplyDeleteBut so does your mascara. Um... if you're into that sort of things, I mean! 8-p
I dunno, P, you used to be able to get your point accross - and even lay a royal smackdown on ol' Anonymous - without lowering yourself to his kind of language. Maybe you've been working too hard?
ReplyDeleteAbout superpowers, I'd actually recommend reading some of the articles cited by the Wikipedia article, especially this one:
http://post.queensu.ca/~nossalk/papers/hyperpower.htm
So... Europe's intervention is useless on the African continent, eh? Have you followed the news today?
ReplyDeleteI'll let you ponder this for now. Got to ketchup on my sleep. Having a busy period.
[1 of 2 for twoday]
ReplyDeleteDave,
Please humor a lebanese guy who never had a fair chance at rowdy teen years and getting it out of his system in proper socio-biological time. In those days, any thoughtless behavior was liable to get you killed, especially if you didn't first join a militia to receive a blank check for anarchic tomfoolery at the unmonitored expense of random others. Wallah, the things I saw in these days... (Don't worry, you'll read all about it when I write the book. Seriously!)
So, from time to time, I go Magorium on the emporium and indulge in some harmless enjoyable verbal boyishness. Hopefully with your permission, Sir. [salutes at 'ten-hut] With all due respect, Sir.
("Arise, Sir Dave"? ;-)
Re. superpowers, and to quote Wikipedia precisely, it's all very heavily influenced by one's PERCEPTION of the situation. Perspective, my friends. Perspective. Always try to take a few steps back and look again. I've already said it above, someone living in the USA and relyig solely on national media will get a dramatically biased and limited POV on the rest of the world. It is, after all, one of the most typical and famous stereotypes about Americans! "Foreign countries when you're touring abroad? They're three categories: those that more or less speak English. Those that speak Spanish. And those that jabber jibberish." The 4th category being the unfriendly ones, which you need neither visit nor bother knowing about. Geography is for nerds!
Case in point, this recent Washington Post article (I hope you've vaguely heard of that obscure US paper, yes?), claiming some very odd "revelations" about the current NATO operation in Lybia. How odd? More than enough to warrant an article in one of France's major newspapers, titled (wait for it...) The Washington Post's odd claims about the Lybian war. Which easily dismantles all these ridiculous allegations by citing all the OFFICIAL facts. Their conclusion as to why the WP would... "imagine" all that? For those of you who don't read French, here's the translation of the final paragraph:
"The WP article considers, without writing it explicitly, that the Europeans had better buy more armaments from the USA if they intend to make war seriously. Nothing new here..."
[cont'd]
[part 2 of 2]
ReplyDeleteI would be a bloody fool to try straightening up the skewed image that an American gets hammered/brainwashed into his mind by the globally jingoistic US media. Only you can do it... if you so choose to. I can only give you some fresh perspective to expand your horizons. (Sweet Brahma, how I love that beautiful metaphor!) The rest is up to you, and you alone.
Always doubt anything and everything that you considered as established facts "since, like, forever" ; at least long enough to discover all the possible errors that might have become routine belief to you.
The fact, from the cosmopolite view I try to maintain, is that the other powers: Europe, Russia, China, India, Brazil... are objectively on the steady rise. And their reclassification as superpowers is only a matter of how much you perceive, of how strongly you realize their non-american influence. The patriotically painful truth will remain an american taboo for a long time, so much is obvious. But in a nutshell? In 2011, the post-Cold War USA hyperpower is no more. Thanks essentially to the madness of 8 Bush-Cheney years, a bloated madness that STARTED by alienating all the old friends and allies in the world whenever they wouldn't behave as servile servants. ("I'm not asking you, I'm TELLING you, we're all going to reattack Saddam!")
The hyperpower is no more, steadily declining, and the other powers are gradually becoming full-fledged superpowers. Something which I already see TODAY.
But ain't no prophet in his own home. You'll only believe Pascassandra when you bump your noses in it.
The USA were, and maybe still are for now, more powerful than anyone else in the entire damn world. But they're NOT, by far, more powerful than the entire damn world.
Do you see the cardinal difference here?
A hyperpower would be the latter.
I'll be back with more expanded comments soonish... Got some hokmework awaiting first. Sorry, friends, but it's not all about you all the time ; I've also got my own life to manage. :-)
"the U.S. is where all the advances are being done. Check a list of Nobel Prize winners to start."
ReplyDeleteLike, say... Obama's peace prize for having done nothing yet? I admit, coming after the Dick and Bush obscenities, that's almost a revolutionary change, but still...
I'd love to indulge you, but I've got some slightly more useful things to do with my time instead of climbing down to under your bridge.
"We all know you don't have a girlfriend..."
ZOMG! Oh, ye of little faith! I giveth thou a link of her portrait, and yet thou dost nay believeth! Forsooth, 'tis a waste of yon time to show the blind and preach the deaf!