the uptight americans

[lessthan]

[B]I think that their are way too many laws against stupid and rediculous things. These people need to get over thinking about themselves and think about the good that it'll bring. these things that the police have to cover their ass when they dont have anything to get you with like disorderly conduct. i think that as a country we need to be more with everything. if we were more open we'd be more laid back and we'd not be hated. anyone agree

[Phil Free]

If the people are good, then laws and police are unnecessary. If the people are bad, then laws and the police are useless. - Taoist Proverb

If you want theft, create property. If you want crime, create laws. - (I believe) Ursula K. Le Guin

"Government cannot exist without the tacit consent of the populace. This consent is maintained by keeping people in ignorance of their real power. Voting is not an expression of power, but an admission of powerlessness, since it cannot do otherwise than reaffirm the governmnet's supposed legitimacy." - Fred Woodworth

"A society is a healthy society only to the degree that it exhibits anarchistic traits." - Jens Bjørneboe

"How does it become a man to behave toward the American government today? I answer, that he cannot without disgrace be associated with it. I cannot for an instant recognize that political organization as my government which is the slave's government also." - Henry David Thoreau

"Laws: We know what they are, and what they are worth! They are spider webs for the rich and mighty, steel chains for the poor and weak, fishing nets in the hands of government." - Pierre Joseph Proudhon quoted in The Match!

"Do you want to make it impossible for anyone to oppress his fellow-
man? Then make sure that no one shall possess power." - Mikhail Bakunin

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier
if it is called `the People's Stick'." - Mikhail Bakunin

"The philosophy of a new social order based on liberty unrestricted by
man-made (sic) law; the theory that all forms of government rest on
violence, and are therefore wrong and harmful, as well as unnecessary." - Emma Goldman

"Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves." - Henry David Thoreau

"The changed form and substance of law is rather like what a jailer
might do who shifted a prisoner's chains...or removed them and
substituted bolts and bars." - Leo Tolstoy

Oh, and I agree as well!

[Liberty Landing]

Other countries have infinitely more sticks farther up their asses than America does.

In most European countries it's a crime to act in self-defense. Britain has over 4,000,000 closed-circuit television security cameras. Union strikes are practically annual holidays there.

Now look me in the eye and tell me again that WE'RE uptight.

[The Fyrdman]

Ah yes, because it is better to not strike and bend over to allow the CEO's stick to be jammed right your ass. Our Unions strike when it's members feel the need to strike. Ah, workers arguing for better pay and conditions is soooo wrong. They should take what there given or die in the corner.

Yes, 4 000 000 CCTV cameras and a lower crime rate in those areas, and even greater rate of convictions in areas with CCTV. Oh no! BB on it's way!

And it's not a crime to act in self-defence in most European countries. It's a crime to kill someone for stealing, because the crime doesn't quite fit the punishment there. If your defense was more in line with the crime, say I break someones arm because they tried to mug me, I'd be let off. If I broke someones nose for trying to steal my bag, they wouldn't even go to the police about it.

Even though our TV is nothing compared to European TV, we are still far more liberal than the US. I just have to watch the US imports were they blank out somebody sticking theirs fingers up at someone. Oh big fucking deal. We have lesbians and gays and fucking and swearing and people sticking their fingers up at 6:30pm on home-grown TV. I heard a report that Buffy was given a late night slot in the US?? 6:45 all the way through the seasons, as was Angel.

I wonder what would happen if someone started airing programs like This Life or Queer as Folk at UK time slots in the US. Religious right out on the march I'd guess.

And don't get me started on the News over there. Your reporters are so defferential towards politicians. I remember one occaision when an interview was talking to Rummy in the middle of the Iraq conflict and he's asking him about fishing? What a waste, if he was on British TV getting a going over by one of our top interviewers like Paxman he'd have been nailed to the wall.

[Liberty Landing]

Our Unions strike when it's members feel the need to strike.

I have no problem with unions striking, but the days of corporate persecution of the working man are over. European unions take it to an unwarranted extreme.

Yes, 4 000 000 CCTV cameras and a lower crime rate in those areas, and even greater rate of convictions in areas with CCTV. Oh no! BB on it's way!

Funny, because those CCTV cameras are centered in major cities like London, which make New York look relatively safe by comparison.
Britain, the most watched nation in the world, has surpassed the US in every rate of crime except rape and homicide.
Besides that, don't even shame Orwell's name. The distinguishing feature of Oceania was that everyone was watched -- not that everyone was safe.

And it's not a crime to act in self-defence in most European countries. It's a crime to kill someone for stealing, because the crime doesn't quite fit the punishment there.

It's not punishment if it's self-defense, but that's beside the point.
How does the government know if the victim didn't simply panic, fearing his life was in danger? This certainly happens quite regularly. You can't expect a person to keep a straight head and weigh what's "proper" and "not" when he's got a knife in his face.

We have lesbians and gays and fucking and swearing and people sticking their fingers up at 6:30pm on home-grown TV.

Good for you. We don't have it here cause there's no demand for it.

I heard a report that Buffy was given a late night slot in the US??

Yes, because that's where we schedule shows that suck.

Your reporters are so defferential towards politicians. I remember one occaision when an interview was talking to Rummy in the middle of the Iraq conflict and he's asking him about fishing?

I have no idea what the hell you're talking.

Sounds an awful lot like you just make stuff up when someone says something you disagree with.

[The Fyrdman]

Originally posted by Liberty Landing,

I have no problem with unions striking, but the days of corporate persecution of the working man are over. European unions take it to an unwarranted extreme.


Funny, because those CCTV cameras are centered in major cities like London, which make New York look relatively safe by comparison.
Britain, the most watched nation in the world, has surpassed the US in every rate of crime except rape and homicide.
Besides that, don't even shame Orwell's name. The distinguishing feature of Oceania was that everyone was watched -- not that everyone was safe.


It's not punishment if it's self-defense, but that's beside the point.
How does the government know if the victim didn't simply panic, fearing his life was in danger? This certainly happens quite regularly. You can't expect a person to keep a straight head and weigh what's "proper" and "not" when he's got a knife in his face.


Good for you. We don't have it here cause there's no demand for it.


Yes, because that's where we schedule shows that suck.


I have no idea what the hell you're talking.

Sounds an awful lot like you just make stuff up when someone says something you disagree with.

Corporations don't screw the workers? Then why does a CEO recieve a salary 80x the workers yearly income while telling them theres no money left in the pension funds?

I live in Middlesbrough. We have a problem with crime. In Grangetown, the neighbourhood mine, Eston, borders, is the hub of crime here. I remember as a kid finding my amusement by watching the joyriders race cars up Fabian Rd and crash them down Clines Rd. I remember being part of riots on that same road, and of School Wars between Gilly (my side, Gillbrook) and Eston Park. Oddly, none of that goes on anymore. Why is that I wonder? Perhaps it's the abudance of CCTV cameras? Because it certainly isn't the police, who we rarely see outside of an emergency.

And on a personal note, a friend of mine got attacked by 8 people as he got out of his lift. Pinned against the wall and beaten up. When he got back, he called the police. He gave a description, they found the people within ten minutes on the CCTV, picked them up in another five and accidentally broke one of their arms trying to restrain him (the guy bust a coppers nose, so it wasn't just brutality, though knowing boro police that would have been part of it). So, these people didn't get away with attacking someone I know because they were found quickly on CCTV.

Could you provide some figures showing how Britain has surpassed the US in every crime?

If someone pulls a knife on you in the UK you can kill them in self defence. I don't know a case where anyone was charged for defense in such a situation.

You have no demand for TV that deals with real life issues? Only bubble wrapped TV for you guys eh?

Buffy may suck but it had a big audience. It wasn't moved for it's growing weakness.

I've not made anything up. And if you can't comprehend what I was posting, well thats not my fault. That interview was shown on British news programs, aghast that such an opportunity was wasted.

[Liberty Landing]

Corporations don't screw the workers? Then why does a CEO recieve a salary 80x the workers yearly income while telling them theres no money left in the pension funds?

Probably because CEOs do a whole lot more work than the average worker. Besides that, what evidence is there that CEOs have actually been pilfering pension funds?

Could you provide some figures showing how Britain has surpassed the US in every crime?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml.../01/ixhome.html

You have no demand for TV that deals with real life issues? Only bubble wrapped TV for you guys eh?

Real life issues involve watching gay people have sex?
Watching gay people walk hand-in-hand down the street or kiss in public or something, sure. But you don't very often see ANYONE having sex in public, gay or otherwise.

Buffy may suck but it had a big audience. It wasn't moved for it's growing weakness.

I have no idea how popular it is here in America, but obviously not much. There was a time when it was on in the evening, but it gradually kept getting pushed back as newer (and better) programs started to air.
They still show it. My guess is that it's just not popular enough here to show mid-day.

[Pooeypants]

Originally posted by Liberty Landing,

Probably because CEOs do a whole lot more work than the average worker. Besides that, what evidence is there that CEOs have actually been pilfering pension funds?

I don't want to dive into this argument yet but this statement has to be the most hilarious.
Infact, it's worthy of quoting in my siggy.

[Samildanach]

That is probably the most hiliarious statement I've ever seen on volconvo. :)

[Pooeypants]

Originally posted by Samildanach,
That is probably the most hiliarious statement I've ever seen on volconvo. :)

I don't want to be seen as childish but I really do have to parade it in my siggy.
Honestly, what was he thinking?...

[The Fyrdman]

Originally posted by Liberty Landing,

Probably because CEOs do a whole lot more work than the average worker. Besides that, what evidence is there that CEOs have actually been pilfering pension funds?


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml.../01/ixhome.html


Real life issues involve watching gay people have sex?
Watching gay people walk hand-in-hand down the street or kiss in public or something, sure. But you don't very often see ANYONE having sex in public, gay or otherwise.


I have no idea how popular it is here in America, but obviously not much. There was a time when it was on in the evening, but it gradually kept getting pushed back as newer (and better) programs started to air.
They still show it. My guess is that it's just not popular enough here to show mid-day.

So, the work a CEO does when his company fails is worth an £8m golden payoff, while the workers pension has disapeared? I never said he had pilfered it, it was in his contract. But why, after all the years a worker puts into a company should his retirement be reduced to state pension when, for 3-4 years, at the top of a company that he hasn't helped, does someone get this kind of bonus? Why not take all of those bonuses paid out to the Chairman and governors and put it into the pension fund? It is afterall those same governors who mismanaged and badly invested someone elses life.

And more importantly, is the CEO's job 80x harder? This is only British CEO's, I'm sure American ones would be even higher.

And please, a legitimate source for your material. You may as well be quoting the Mail or the Mirror. The Times, Guardian and Independant are the trustworthy ones for the UK. Though the Telegraph might get better now the Barclay brothers are in the top jobs.

I never said watching them have sex, we havn't quite got to hardcore sex over dinner yet. These are topics heavily and discussed in detail. And to rarely seeing people having sex in public? You have not gone on a good night out friend.

The time Buffy began getting slid further down the schedule was also when Tara and Willow started going out with each other.

[lessthan]

pfft the ceos should make more but still if they take away minimum wage will they be able to pay us what ever they want too? i havent read that much on it i just heard about it and i really have no idea what they are trying to do. can someone please tell me that