You could have heard a pin drop.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by teenerted1

holy crap it was posted all in fun and jest. next thing you know someone is going to bring
religion into this whole thing.

weeeee....troll on

Edited - personal attack removed. -Z-man.

[Drago]

Classic; I love that movie. Nice job. Get back to work.

[speeder]

If they ever do write the book on Pelican OT, this thread could be held up as sort of a Rorschach test demonstrating the different ways that people react to a certain stimulus. My initial reaction to all jingoism is the same as RPK's, I knew instantly that I was reading some made-up BS that the NASCAR crowd slaps each other on the back over, and I am conditioned to dismiss it. "You could have heard a pin drop"..., yeah, that and a pud being whacked as some fool made this up.

I'm sorry, but insipid jingoism is a uniquely American trait. Fortunately not held by most intelligent people, who view patriotism in its proper context which is to give credit where due for positive marks we've made in the world without turning a blind eye to the opposite. This country will not disintegrate from internal dissent, but it might from the policies of certain flag lapel-wearing thieves and con men.

You can tell a lot about a person by their jokes. When they are not particularly witty or clever but instead are simply designed to flush-out who is "down with the cause", it's more revealing than they probably intended. It's also ironic that the most jingoistic are often frat-boy Bush cheerleaders like Sammy who've never risked anything while the "liberals" like DariSC and RPK (I think) actually put their skin on the line.

[Drago]

Well, I like the first two paragraphs (thanks for actually forming them), but the last one bugs me. It throws people under the bus so to speak. Extremism is not the norm around here (although is it fun to poke at them), and I think your particularly normal Dennis. Why?

[lendaddy]

I was worried I wouldn't get my daily dose of self loathing enlightenment today, thanks.

[stevepaa]

or a dose of flaming bigotry

[lendaddy]

Originally Posted by stevepaa

or a dose of flaming bigotry

Good point, he gave me that too, it's one stop shopping

[Mule]

I the interest of getting along,

[speeder]

WTF is one more lie from our erudite colleague who had "know by all as a peacemaker" under his posts for 2 full days before someone pointed it out. (In bold letters, no less). The PPOT brain trust speaks...

[Deschodt]

Even though they pop up on all boards from time to time, I find posts like this "pin drop" thing real strange... I've also noticed they often come from people who have not travelled much and instead pass along those unverifiable tales in the hopes of stirring patriotism, not a good kind of patriotism either...

Americans seem to have a big chip on their shoulder about being hated worldwide, not sure why. In my experience that is really far from true !

I've travelled and lived abroad a fair bit, and AFAIK, the only people that HATE americans are working for terrorist groups in the middle east. Nobody else gives much of a rat's a$$ where you are from, they might dislike your government for its actions abroad (most of which you never hear about domestically), but rarely *you* personally. People are people, they like or dislike *invididuals*, nothing to do with nationality. If you're a nice guy and moderately aware of what goes on outside the US borders, chances are you won't be disliked at all and might get involvedin some interesting conversations. Now if you come along waving a flag and thumping your chest with that "Pin drop" attitude and zero knowledge of geopolitical matters, all bets are off...

I'm also amused it -invariably- degenerates to France bashing, as if France was the great enemy of US idealogy... It's ridiculous... Most recent french bashing was caused by their opposition to the war in Iraq. Excuse me, but does Iraq still look like a good idea to anyone ? not saying we should leave or stay, but if you could go back a few years, would you do it again ? kinda sounds like they were right on that front (no WMD, thousands of lives, more trouble than it's worth) and the bashing looks more like sour grapes more than rational thought !

I kinda wish most of my US compatriots would start giving less of a $hit about what the rest of the world thinks of them and get out more to see for themselves ! Hard to do with the dollar in the toilet though !

[livi]

Relax boys. Us durn for'ners all love Clint Eastwood and Arnold.

[Jeff Higgins]

Ah-nold is a durn forner.

[hytem]

Bush damage, pure and simple. The world viewed the U.S. differently before Bush. That Iraq prison torture thing killed us in the 3rd World. The irony is that Bush has done a lot of good in Africa, thanks to Colin Powell's efforts as Sec. of State. But Iraq has overshadowed it.

[Mule]

Originally Posted by speeder

WTF is one more lie from our erudite colleague who had "know by all as a peacemaker" under his posts for 2 full days before someone pointed it out. (In bold letters, no less). The PPOT brain trust speaks...

Is that a lie? Tell us oh soothsayer & sage, how many fine human beings died at abu graib? You must have some basis on which to call me a liar.

[Rikao4]

some believe that certain countries owe us respect & gratitude.
problem, most of those folks who did..
are dead,dying or have moved on.
It'a new game / with different rules.

Rika

[MT930]

Don't let the French Taunt you!

[stevepaa]

Originally Posted by Mule

Is that a lie? Tell us oh soothsayer & sage, how many fine human beings died at abu graib? You must have some basis on which to call me a liar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manadel_al-Jamadi



I'll presume you did not know, and not claim you were a liar.

[Owain]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Guess you need to call me small minded then.

I fly to France often, usually every week or so when on duty. There is something called the Shenigan visa in Europe. It allows people to travel freely between the EEC countries.

There is also another thing called the "English required ATP" where all commercial pilots who fly in EEC airspace have to be able to speak English good enough to preform their duties.

I have been checked on both of these many times in the last couple of years. Guess where I have been checked? Frigging FROGS in France are the only ones who feel that they have to enforce the rules of the EEC and try to find pilots who do not have the visa's then detain them at the airport. They now check and try to trip up every American pilot coming into the country. I really piss them off when I show them my AMERICAN passport with a unlimited GERMAN residence and work visa in it, so that they cannot hassle me any futher.

Oh yea, they also are now the ONLY COUNTRY IN THE EEC who are requiring pilots to have it stamped on their pilots license confirming that they speak English. Its not good enough to be from England or the UK, or America where everyone speaks English, the FROGS are forcing every pilot in the world to do this or they get detained. Remember, this is the only country in the world doing this.

Funny thing, that its only the Frogs who do this when their Air Traffic Controllers refuse to follow the ICAO rules and speak french to their pilots, then attempt to speak English to the rest of us. Problem is that those of us who do not speak frog cannot understand what the controller just told the other airplane, and at times it creates a very difficult safety issue.

This is the pot calling the kettle black here son. I would tread lightly, very lightly. The flight crews of the world are really torqued off at the FROGS right now, and just wait until we get some of their flight crews in our country. Payback will be a long time coming and well deserved.

Lol. You're small-minded.

[RPKESQ]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Guess you need to call me small minded then.

I fly to France often, usually every week or so when on duty. There is something called the Shenigan visa in Europe. It allows people to travel freely between the EEC countries.

There is also another thing called the "English required ATP" where all commercial pilots who fly in EEC airspace have to be able to speak English good enough to preform their duties.

I have been checked on both of these many times in the last couple of years. Guess where I have been checked? Frigging FROGS in France are the only ones who feel that they have to enforce the rules of the EEC and try to find pilots who do not have the visa's then detain them at the airport. They now check and try to trip up every American pilot coming into the country. I really piss them off when I show them my AMERICAN passport with a unlimited GERMAN residence and work visa in it, so that they cannot hassle me any futher.

Oh yea, they also are now the ONLY COUNTRY IN THE EEC who are requiring pilots to have it stamped on their pilots license confirming that they speak English. Its not good enough to be from England or the UK, or America where everyone speaks English, the FROGS are forcing every pilot in the world to do this or they get detained. Remember, this is the only country in the world doing this.

Funny thing, that its only the Frogs who do this when their Air Traffic Controllers refuse to follow the ICAO rules and speak french to their pilots, then attempt to speak English to the rest of us. Problem is that those of us who do not speak frog cannot understand what the controller just told the other airplane, and at times it creates a very difficult safety issue.

This is the pot calling the kettle black here son. I would tread lightly, very lightly. The flight crews of the world are really torqued off at the FROGS right now, and just wait until we get some of their flight crews in our country. Payback will be a long time coming and well deserved.

So this bureaucratic nonsense is the excuse to insult and tell lies about one of America's greatest allies? OK. Yes, you are small minded.

If you knew French bureaucracy you would know they apply this type of nit-picking to every area of their lives. That is part and parcel of their system (the French are famous for the level of bureaucratic delays) It is not just to you or just to Americans.

And your “solution” is to make life difficult for them when they (the flight crews?) are over in America? Wow, now that is quite mature.

Let’s not use school-yard insults just to prop up our sense of patriotism.

[artplumber]

Originally Posted by RPKESQ

Try reading and comprehending the entire Snopes article. Snopes says exactly what is true and most of the initially posted anecdote is patently false. Snopes quote of Powell does not support the tone, context or response that the posted anecdote relates. Snopes is true in its quote and the response, the anecdote and its intention is completely false.

All that is true in the original anecdote is the partial quote from Powell. All the remaining is false, and yes I am not the only one who has found Snopes to be less than completely correct in their analysis. Why don’t you try some other sites to gage the response to Powell as well? Single source, again? I thought that was the sole territory of the religious.

You obviously had problems with research papers in college.

Actually, I do suggest you learn to read. The snopes page about this actually does support all the things you suggest it does not. The "nice", politically correct language utilized to cloak what is being said is, in fact, exactly the what is pointed out by the article.

BTW, my research capabilities must have been poor, because I was forced to go on to a postgraduate degree and am published (during my education) in several journals. Stupid, uncomprehending me