| Author | Message | ||
     porthole Citizen Username: Porthole Post Number: 4 Registered: 7-2001 |
In Re: Kate Hudson's remarks... What is so odius about her statement is that she makes $$$$ from selling her product (her films) to the same Lowest Common Denomonator "consumers" that she is calling ugly Americans (not her words, but her meaning). Her message is "I am better than you, now go see my movie." | ||
| Steven Brent Citizen Username: Sbrent Post Number: 218 Registered: 9-2002  |
World opinion notwithstanding, The Short Hills mall is a really beautiful place. I was recently over in Southern California, and they have raised the mall to an art form, but SH mall is as good as it gets around here, as far as I know.... Please pardon our appearance while we renovate. | ||
| anon Citizen Username: Anon Post Number: 744 Registered: 6-2002 |
Boy, am I getting old. I didn't know who Kate Hudson was or realize that Goldie Hawn was old enough to have a grown daughter.  | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10151 Registered: 10-2001  |
It is a fallacy to believe that the rest of the world hates us. Some rogue nations and people do not a world make. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <---- | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10152 Registered: 10-2001 |
The people of Liberia BEGGED us to come and help. Odd how there is nary a peep about Liberia on MOL. No petitions. No resolutions. No one cares. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <---- | ||
| Nohero Citizen Username: Nohero Post Number: 1904 Registered: 5-2001  |
What is there to "peep" about w/r/t Liberia? For a while now, the President has continued to say that he'll "do something". Now we're being criticized for taking him at his word? "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice - um - you can't get fooled again". G.W. Bush, 9/17/02 | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10153 Registered: 10-2001 |
Heaven forbid a single positive thing is written about Bush or this big bad country we live in. When he does anything that offends the sensibilities of the Democrats here, there is anger and proclamations of stupidity. When he does something that is in lockstep with the agenda of liberals on MOL, there is deafening silence. Two weeks ago he was a liar, now you take him at his word. You don't see a problem with that? I do. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <---- | ||
| Nohero Citizen Username: Nohero Post Number: 1906 Registered: 5-2001 |
Okay, I'll be positive (sort of). The Short Hills Mall is not evil. It's just a place with stores. Some of the stores are very good, and some are pretty frivolous. That mall does demonstrate some symptoms of a very self-absorbed culture, which tends to glorify excessive consumption. Be honest, you've seen the teenagers pulling their Mercedes SUVs up to the valet parking at Needless Markup - that seems a little silly, doesn't it? As for President Bush - sorry, but I see no reason to heap praise on him just because he shows some signs of actually thinking about a problem, and pursuing a sensible solution. That's his job (at least, when he's not off on one of his vacations). | ||
| nova87 Citizen Username: Nova87 Post Number: 236 Registered: 6-2001 |
I don't see the point of valet parking, even if you weren't driving a Mercedes SUV. But who cares? That's what makes our country great. People have the opportunity to do silly things like that if they want. I think the SH mall is a great example of one of the principles this country was founded on: capitalism. If the sight of it bothers you so much don't shop there. I love to go there. Especially on a Sunday, when all of the "blue bloods" are dressed in their Sunday finest. I go there dressed in sandals, shorts, t-shirt and baseball cap. Son in tow. Sometimes I have to laugh when people look at me and they get that look on their face like, "Oh dear, they let anyone in here to shop." I just chuckle to myself as I plunk down my $180 to buy a lousy pair of sunglasses or $300 to buy a handbag for my wife. Yes, then I promptly leave get into my sports car or SUV and drive back to reality. | ||
| zoe Citizen Username: Zoe Post Number: 293 Registered: 7-2002 |
Java Drinker, what is your point, do you seek pleasure in betting over the number of deaths? Perhaps I should go on line and search to come up with an accurate number of deaths to attribute to those events? What the hell is wrong with you? Do you have some chip on your shoulder? I am an American that worked in the Trade Center and witnessed the horror of that day. All I did was what so many others did, go to work. Why do you chose to cheapen what occurred? Pick a spot out and I’ll meet you to discuss your arrogance in person. My “myopic” husband will probably show up and kick your “regrettable” ass. Tjohn, war on your own soil is when my husband gets through with java drinker and goes after you. So war is war only in a foreign land? Stop it, call up one of the wives of a Cantor employee that died. I’m sure they’ll have something to tell you about war. Want to see war, go to Irvington and hang out. | ||
| Flt Citizen Username: Flt Post Number: 70 Registered: 3-2003 |
nova, You're trapped by the same mentality as the bluebloods you look down on while believing they look down on you. It's a perverse keeping up with the Jones' thing. You can't just enjoy a day at the mall. it has to be an exercise in socio-economical positioning and one-upmanship. In the meantime, stores get your money and taxes are collected, so all in all not a bad thing for society. | ||
| zoe Citizen Username: Zoe Post Number: 294 Registered: 7-2002 |
Even Tjohn and Java Drinker cannot perform this trick. While sitting at your desk make clockwise circles with your right foot. While doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with your right hand. What direction is your foot going now? | ||
| Dave Ross Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 4968 Registered: 5-2001  |
Well, now we're into the realm of physical threats. It's not in the rule book, but should be common sense. Please do not make physical threats over my server. I take that more seriously than name-calling. No more. | ||
| -af Citizen Username: Java_drinker Post Number: 252 Registered: 8-2002 |
(Edited) I had a long post here about how the world doesn’t stop at our borders and how Zoe needs Valium, but in hindsight it’s just not worth the arguments. Good luck. | ||
| lumpyhead Citizen Username: Lumpyhead Post Number: 357 Registered: 3-2002 |
hhmm...so when should the women in the United States start covering their faces and quitting their jobs? Wouldn't want to offend Osama and we really need to effectively manage our relations with him and his ilk. And you call Zoe violent? Unreal. | ||
| tom Citizen Username: Tom Post Number: 1092 Registered: 5-2001 |
Tomorrow marks 58 years since the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Without making any value judgments over who deserved what, may I gently suggest that we try to put things in perspective? | ||
| mem Citizen Username: Mem Post Number: 1836 Registered: 5-2001  |
Super powers roll through terror mongers' backyards because as terror mongers they deserve it. As far as gripes with the US, that does NOT give legitimacy to 9/11, no discussion. End of story. | ||
| Dave Ross Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 4969 Registered: 5-2001 |
I kind of accept rolling through some nations' backyards as an acceptable way to convince other nations to do more in their own yard before we have to. Which of course reminds me I have to cut the lawn. Nicholas Kristof has an interesting editorial about Hiroshima today. | ||
| notehead Citizen Username: Notehead Post Number: 636 Registered: 5-2001  |
Americans and America are responsible for incredible benefits to humanity on scales large and small, but I think those tend to be overlooked or underappreciated by the rest of the world, especially among those suffering genuine difficulties like poverty, hunger, oppressive governments, or restrictive cultures. Human nature seems to demand that we find someone to blame for our problems. America, with its massive power and equally massive resource consumption, is clearly an easy target. Part of what makes our nation great is our freedom to be rude, selfish, shortsighted, and hypocritical if we feel like it. Part of what so many people outside the U.S. hate about us is our propensity to indulge in those freedoms to the nth degree, both collectively and as individuals. That's not to say that they would be any different in the same situation - but the thought process doesn't usually go that far. I imagine it's hard to hold a positive opinion of the U.S. when some giant American company destroys the village you live in so they can extract the resources nearby, or when the U.S. government manipulates tariffs or subsidizes its industries to the extent that your family can no longer sell the catfish they catch (Vietnam) or the cotton they grow (Burkina Faso), etc. Also, in some countries where the press is tightly controlled, people might hate the U.S. simply because their governments manipulate them into feeling that way. And a final reason why others may hate us is simple jealousy. People in other countries may assume that every American lives on "easy street". Virtually every image of American life that they see depicts happy, rich people with houses and cars and more possessions than they know what to do with. Most people in the world can work hard their entire lives and never come close to the lifestyle that they think comes effortlessly to most Americans. | ||
| 1-2many Citizen Username: Wbg69 Post Number: 195 Registered: 6-2002 |
notehead - and the next part of the jealousy issue - which seems clearly to be at play here - is that even the poorest person in this country lives better than 90-something-percent of the rest of the people in the WORLD. especially in our little community, we are so exposed to the "haves" around us, that we totally lose perspective of what is REALLY means to be a "have not". totally skews the perspective, ya know? |
