German engineering vs arab technology: The Video

[LeeH]

I can't decide... tasteless or really funny?

http://www.boreme.com/bm/JAN05/a/vw-suicide-bomber/jump_fr.htm

[widebody911]

That video raised a heck of a ***** storm a couple months back.

For the record, I think it's funny.

[djmcmath]

Is that funny or sick? Yes.

[Superman]

I fail to see the tastelessness. Pure funny.

[nostatic]

yeah, but who's gonna clean that up? Do you know how hard it is to get terrorist out of the carpet?

[bryanthompson]

it's funny, maybe a tiny bit tasteless, but funny. I suppose if I lived in Israel i might not think so... but I'd sure as heck want palestinians/other terrorists to drive them.

[Superman]

Well now, maybe I'm missing something. I know I'm a bit of an enigma, being a gun-loving liberal for example, but I still have a hard time understanding any allegation of tastelessness. Here's my thinking: If someone invaded my country, I'd fight them. Plain and simple. So, then you could call me a terrorist (if you were a citizen of the invading country and your so-called "president" had broad worldwide unpopularity and you needed to call me a terrorist in order to create the misimpression that your so-called "leader" was doing the right thing), or an insurgent or a freedom fighter. Heck, you could call me a bunny rabbit and I'd still try to kill you if you were invading my country.

But hey, I think I might be a reasonable (if dim-witted, of course) liberal at least in the minds of a few misguided centrists and righties, and it seems to me that nobody likes terrorist. And nobody should. So, a car bomber blowing himself up probably is not going to raise anybody's ire. Right? I mean, there are no private nonprofit agencies springing up to defend the lifestyle of terrorists. Right?

So, I say it's just funny.

[bryanthompson]

Here's my thinking: If someone invaded my country, I'd fight them. Plain and simple.

Well, your thinking is wrong. We had a civil war in our own country, yet none of them were terrorists. They didn't target civilians and try to change policy by terroristic acts. The terrorists over there are targeting children, civilians, and anyone else that might sway opinion their way. That is what makes them terrorists. Heck, by your definition, you might even call them freedom fighters.

[nostatic]

Originally posted by bryanthompson
Heck, by your definition, you might even call them freedom fighters.

ummm....some people in the world do call them that. Depends on your POV.

"by any means necessary"

and before you get your panties in a wad, I'm not saying *I* think that, but rather that there are people (and likely a LOT of them) that *do* think that way.

[Superman]

Originally posted by bryanthompson
Well, your thinking is wrong. We had a civil war in our own country, yet none of them were terrorists. They didn't target civilians and try to change policy by terroristic acts. The terrorists over there are targeting children, civilians, and anyone else that might sway opinion their way. That is what makes them terrorists. Heck, by your definition, you might even call them freedom fighters.

Relax, Byron. And when you've regained your composure, read my post carefully. And tell me how I've defined terrorists as freedom fighters. I think a re-read of my post might cast a new light on my thinking for you. But you'd have to read it AFTER you have found an opportunity to un-clench your fists.

[bryanthompson]

Superpalooka, before going and calling your mommie, you might want to reread my post. You said it yourself, "plain and simple."

If someone invaded my country, I'd fight them. Plain and simple. So, then you could call me a terrorist (if you were a citizen of the invading country and your so-called "president" had broad worldwide unpopularity and you needed to call me a terrorist in order to create the misimpression that your so-called "leader" was doing the right thing), or an insurgent or a freedom fighter.

You suggest that they are freedom fighters and that our "president" [sic] is labeling them terrorists to gain support for his cause. Look, we all know that you are against the war. No newsflash there. you did equate them to freedom fighters in your post.

[Moses]

Originally posted by bryanthompson
We had a civil war in our own country, yet none of them were terrorists. They didn't target civilians and try to change policy by terroristic acts.

Sure they did! And it was quite effective.

[Jamie79SC]

Byron,

Maybe I missed one. Which Civil War are you referring to? If it's the one between the North and South in the mid 19th century, there was PLENTY of targeting civilians.

[CJFusco]

There has been targeting of civilians in nearly EVERY SINGLE WAR that has ever been waged in the history of mankind.

So, it's only bad when someone from a place other than the U.S. targets civilians? Do you see nothing wrong with dropping the atomic bomb on the CIVILIAN-INHABITED cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

Anyone who thinks that the world is divided into GOOD (us) and EVIL (them) needs to wake the frig up. There are two sides to every battle, and the term "good" nearly always depends on point-of-view. There is no good and evil, only differences in perspective (and please don't bring Hitler into this conversation... I said NEARLY in order to leave myself that little escape hatch).

[Jamie79SC]

Come on CJ,

Bad Germans bombed London. The valant RAF bombed Dresden.

[nostatic]

yeah, but we only killed evil civilians in Dresden...

the krauts on the other hand...

I'm thirsty...where's the kool aid?

[Superman]

I just reviewed my post and actually, Byron, I was poking a little fun at the labels that you conservatives apply. Anybody who opposes Dubya's Armies is a terrorist......right? Well, the world disagrees with you and Dubya, but then arrogance is such a family value for him that I'd guess those billions of opinions are meaningless anyway.

And on a related note, I read part of an article today that notices the power of the EU. That is, the Euro Community has banded together and pooled their economic clout to a large degree, and there has been a powerful effect. The article pointed at soft drinks as a simple example. You see bottling volumes now expressed as liters. Because the EU does not recognize Standard (American) measures. So, the mighty Coca Cola Company has falled into step. I wonder if you can see where I'm going with this. What countries is America sufficiently close friends with right now that we can play some of these economic games intead of being just the victim? Ummmmm, England, maybe. Apart from that, we are pariahs. Thanks to Dubya's "fake cowboy" method of diplomacy.

[beepbeep]

Originally posted by Superman
I just reviewed my post and actually, Byron, I was poking a little fun at the labels that you conservatives apply. Anybody who opposes Dubya's Armies is a terrorist......right? Well, the world disagrees with you and Dubya, but then arrogance is such a family value for him that I'd guess those billions of opinions are meaningless anyway.

And on a related note, I read part of an article today that notices the power of the EU. That is, the Euro Community has banded together and pooled their economic clout to a large degree, and there has been a powerful effect. The article pointed at soft drinks as a simple example. You see bottling volumes now expressed as liters. Because the EU does not recognize Standard (American) measures. So, the mighty Coca Cola Company has falled into step. I wonder if you can see where I'm going with this. What countries is America sufficiently close friends with right now that we can play some of these economic games intead of being just the victim? Ummmmm, England, maybe. Apart from that, we are pariahs. Thanks to Dubya's "fake cowboy" method of diplomacy.

While EU prpbably did have a economic upturn, there is really nothing "standard" about American measures. I believe transition to SI units will do you good in long turn. It might be hard to swallow from purely traditional point of view, SI units are easier/better to use in real life...NASA for example has always used SI. Heck, even Brittons that gave you "foot/leg/thumb/stone/whatever"-system has changed over to SI.

I don't know

[beepbeep]

Originally posted by Alfred1
The EU is scrambling to try to catch up to the U.S. in technological know how and innovation. Just check out which country produces the most Nobel Prize winners in science every year and where most of the new patents are issued. The armed forces of the EU countries are backwards compared to the Americans and the EU doesn't even have any heavy airlift capability. Germany has an unemployment rate of over 12% and their education system is third-rate. I don't think the French are much better. The Europeans are now just a bunch of leftist nitwits.

Hmm...aren't you mixing up "heavy lift capacity" and "armed forces" with economy? Neither heavy lift or armed forces actually make money. Germany has quite high uneployment rae compared tyo USA but it also has different political system. Their education system actually isn't third-rate at all.

[Mule]

Superman said : "I might be a reasonable (if dim-witted, of course) liberal" But Superman, you repeat yourself.