"Given all that man has accomplished and all that that we might achieve, may we not live in a nobler dream than this?" -- John Ruskin, 1868

ummm i dont see any pics
 
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CMDR/DJK/CMD Warmaker/Viper 1-1/Phoenix Wing/mSSD Atrus/VE/VEN (=A=) (=SA=) (=FOCE=) (=JCPA=) (=SCPA=) [VC-B] [SV] [CBV] [IC] [SBM]

Wing Commander Phoenix Wing
Viper Squadron Commander

"You can run, but you cannot hide"
"Have you ever kissed a Snake?"

Bear, you should write an article on this man...
 
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Private First Class D.Bowman "TK-112"
Dark Dragoons - 5th Trooper
Vast Empire Army
TRP/PFC TK-112/2SQD/1PLT/1COM/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE
"Kidney Shots Makes You Piss Blood"

Firstly, I believe that the action of any person who willingly endures pain or hardship in the face of overwhelming odds deserves commemoration. Be it in Kashmir or Washington D.C. Be it done in extreme danger or perfect safety. The point is they stood up and said, "I want to do something" before I leave this crummy little world that we live in. It is individuals like these -- good or bad -- who change the course of history. In the words of T.E. Lawrence in Seven Pillars of Wisdom, "All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night wake in the day to find their illusions mere vanity: but the dreamers of the day are the dangerous men, for they act upon their dreams with open eyes and make them possible." These protestors fall into the former category -- dreamers of the day. Secondly, out of the estimated 20,000 protestors who have peacefully gathered in the various parks of Washington D.C. during the weekend, only 649 were "deemed" violent. Over half of those 649 arrested were released today because the police admitted they had "nothing to charge them with." The only property vandalized was six tires and a "glass window."  Washington Police Chief Charles Ramsey said the overall demonstrations have been largely nonviolent and conducted with ardent self-awareness. The anti-populist viewpoint that these people are merely "vandals" stereotypes only an infinitesimal portion of these demonstrators and perpetuates the current media-frenzied slander. Thirdly, it is ironic you spoke of Kashmir since India is one of the many nations which the International Monetary Fund continues to keep in poverty and strife. By keeping the Indian rupee virtually worthless, the country (and many others like it) is unable to fully grow and prosper. The government is unable to properly equip their troops or provide adequate relief for their people. Lali Mansingh, the Indian ambassador to the United States, commented that the IMF and WTO is one of the world’s “greatest foes.” Fourthly, "our [American] economic system" has very little to do with the International Monetary Fund and these protests. The hedonistic acolytes of the International World Bank meet at different locations all over the world every year; Washington, D.C. was just a random location -- like Seattle was in 2000 or Prague, Czechoslovakia in 1998. The IMF is not and never has been an American-creation. Many of the founders of the IMF are wealthy Europeans whose avaricious forerunners financed such brutal regimes as Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. By disagreeing with what these protestors stand for, you support a globalizing octopus whose pecuniary tentacles suck the lifeblood out of third world countries and condemn millions of innocents to terror and death.
 
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"Out of the night that covers me, Black as the Pit from pole to pole,  
I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud.  
Under the bludgeonings of chance, My head is bloody, but unbowed.
It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul."
--- William Ernest Henley (1849 – 1903)

(MD, it's the IMF this time, but since all of those acronyms are out to get us anyway, it's not a big deal.) First we must deal with the obvious problems of your post, which involve: a) misrepresenting me and saying I am against what the protesters are arguing for when I clearly stated I haven't chosen a side on the issue, and b) associating me with pack of Hitlerites (which is incredibly funny to me seeing as you are a super proud relative of Patrick J. Buchanan, who would love to run me and anyone not lily-white out of the United States) Okay, onto your points, such as they are: 1 & 2.  So let me get this straight: people come out against a group of other people, squander hundreds of municipal police man-hours and thousands if not millions of dollars in city and federal money because of their dream of stopping others from hurting billions of people? They assault police who are doing their job of keeping the peace (not all were vandals, but plenty were not being orderly and respectful) and did not once during this whole affair come up with a cohesive over-arching point of view that could change the "hearts and minds" of the public?  Yes, I did say squander a few sentences ago.  If you feel passionately about something, be prepared to not only defend your thought, but also propose a counter-point.  These protesters did not try to have a civil chat with people to turn them to their cause.  They did not split up into (hmm....20,000 divided by 535) 37 person groups or so and head to Capitol hill to speak with a representative or senator (the excess could go to the White House I suppose) and try to change the minds of the people who set policy in this country. But no, they would rather taunt police officers and tie up traffic. To finish this off, let's talk about your vaunted "dreamers of the day." On Friday the 27th, 40,975 people living up the road from D.C. travelled to the spacious, lovely and fan-friendly facility known as Camden Yards and watched what they hoped would be a high point in an otherwise disappointing season.  They lost 2-6 to the New York Yankees.  I bring this point up to show that even here in the US, people gladly cough up their hard earned cash to millionaires and billionaires to get a little joy out of life. Imagine what it is like for someone in a Third World country whose choices are to either starve to death or work for Nike.  Principles do you no good if your child dies in your arms from malnutrition. As for attacking the media, where did you get those pictures?  If not for media coverage, no one would actually know where or why this happened.  Besides, most of the media are likely intellectual brethren to the protesters in the street. To argue that they are a part of the problem is akin to biting the hand that feeds. 3.  I brought up Kashmir as a contrast between spoiled rich American kids taking up the cause du jour and the danger inherent in potentially taking a bullet for voting for the candidate of your choice.  For you to equate the two shows a completely tactless attempt to advance your argument. India's reaction to the IMF stems mostly from its disagreements on dismantling its predominantly privatized industries, something which the people of India (and yes, I know many, many, many Indian citizens) can't wait to happen.  Reagan also called the Soviet Union the "evil empire", something which the average Russian did not appreciate at the time.  Just because you say something doesn't make it the truth. Case in point, in oil-rich Alaska I am sure most of your fellow residents who work in the oil industry do not particularly love the existence of OPEC.  Why? It does nothing for them except in a residual way.  They can't join OPEC, but have to play by its rules considering how much sway it has in that sector of the economy.  Now, is OPEC the leading scourge against our way of life?  Maybe, maybe not; but I bet a few oil workers would say so. 4. Whatever epithets you wish to throw at the IMF membership, remember that the IMF was formed in the US, and its board is headquartered where?  Oh yeah, Washington, D.C.  Now granted, there are Europeans who pushed the issue of it being formed, and a German currently is Managing Director, but do not be under the illusion that the US has no say in the matters of running the IMF.  We have one of the eight Executive Directors chairs and host the golf course at Bretton Woods, NH for members of the IMF. To say we have nothing whatsoever to do with the IMF would be disingenous at best. Now, all that being said, let us deal with the heavy handed approach you have taken thus far. First you submit photos to evoke an emotional response.  What would have been more effective is your attempt at a diatribe on the event which we eventually got out of you yesterday. If you have knowledge you would like to share: websites, preferred reading on the subject, by all means present it. But no, you would like to fall into what you consistently seem to do, which is use your education as a bludgeon, not as a device for imparting knowledge. Look, my whole time in the VE I have noticed that every so often you stand up with an idea you feel is valid and try to belittle others into accepting it.  You see no room for counter-opinions and, like in this case, try to brand others as buffoons or extremists. Sure, you have apparently gathered an education, are well-read, and are capable of critical thought.  However, you have taken these gifts to use them as head-handed tools.  So you can beat most of your contemporaries at a Reader's Digest Improve Your Word Power test.  This does not make you a good writer.  It makes you a heavy, dull and boorish typist with a propensity for name dropping and irrelevant quoting. You do not now, nor have ever, impressed me with what passes for wit and insight.  I have a college degree and advanced training beyond that.  I am surrounded each day of my life with either highly educated people or those who have life experiences that are as relevant as any education one can receive.  If I feel myself a dullard, it is against them, not one ego-challenged teen from the ass-end of American society. You should not deign to associate me with Nazis because I do not agree with you.  You, instead, should take it as it was meant - an honest diagreement.  I do not think those protestors made a good show at doing what they intended to do.  If you can contribute more to the rest of us on what they represent, I would be honestly willing to read it and have a mature, adult discussion on the actual issues. That is, if you are ready to use your knowledge as a means of sharing rather than oppressing.  I will leave you now with a quote of my own. "He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know." - Abraham Lincoln   ----------------------- XO/HCOL Fury/VEA/TADATH/VE [PoC][SotE:HC][SotE:VEA][IOC] Company Commander Shopkeeper - Imperial Center

As usual, editorial writers say it better than I can.  Here is the local university paper editor's take on all of this.
 
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XO/HCOL Fury/VEA/TADATH/VE [PoC][SotE:HC][SotE:VEA][IOC]
Company Commander
Shopkeeper - Imperial Center

Easy fellas.... This should not devolve into yet another UK v. US type discussion.  However, you both make good points.  What is odd about the US's contribution to most nations is that whether it is military or economic support, it never truly seems to buy us anything more than a lukewarm dicatator or two.  Sometimes not even that.  Remember how fast we got tossed on our asses from the Phillippines?  Yeah, that's about how much credibility the almighty dollar can buy you. As for why the rest of the world hasn't "caught up" to Western Europe and the US, I would take a look at some of Bernard Lewis' writings pertaining to the Middle East.  Check out your local library as his latest seems to be on many public shelves.  For the moment, try this for a taste.  Basically his whole argument is that capitalist democracies are just a totally alien concept to these cultures which they are slow to pick up on.  It doesn't necessarily make the other cultures wrong however, just currently unsuccessful.  I mean, China has pretty much stayed intact for millenia doing things a certain way.  Charting a new course from that cannot be easy. As for any counter-arguments of American hegemony, George W. Bush aside, this country has done nothing to force our entire way of life on any other nature.  Granted, Hollywood is doing a good job in that department but its not as if Warmaker can say his culture has been totally subverted by American, British, and French troops running about for the last 60 odd years. Sure, we tend to change some things no matter where we go, but on the balance it is usually a positive change overall.  Residents of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and the island of Okinawa are the only ones who can justifiable argue against that. If I have a counter complaint to the Brits it is this: quit sending us your damned game shows! As for business in India, very many people there are holders of advanced degrees...they just cannot find the jobs to use them.  They do need an influx of capital and not just to fix code for Western computer companies.  But India is a large mix of infrastructure, population, ethnic, and social problems.  The very fact that the whole country hasn't exploded into violence is a testament to the people who live there.  No one IMF can destroy them, nor can batches of foreign managers save them.  They will survive and prosper through their own efforts.  We can help them, and others like them, only so far. At least they seem willing to take on the task.   ----------------------- XO/HCOL Fury/VEA/TADATH/VE [PoC][SotE:HC][SotE:VEA][IOC] Company Commander Shopkeeper - Imperial Center

/me looks at his homework that he had to do, then looks at his keyboard, then back to his homework, fighting the urge to chime in.
 
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NTO/LCM JMac/ISD Overlord/Raptor 9/(=A=)(=SA=)(MC1)

You may see me as only a drunken, vice ridden gnome whose only companions are pimps and girls from the brothels.  But I know about art and love, if only because I long for it with every fiber of my being.
~Moulin Rouge

Leave it to the Americans to think their helping the world by giving worlds biggest idiots weapons. Geeze. How stupid can you be? Wait, I forgot the world's only super power is run by the worlds biggest idiot. btw MD.. giving money to Pak and India for both their militaries is BAD! I dont know how you can see  anything good in that. They want to kill eachother. Now if theres a sensible point that you want to make about money, find it. Because your points are as weak as Bush's UN statements. [Edit:] too soft in my original one, too hard in my newer one [/edit]   ----------------------- Rafran Matok; [GM Matok/CO/AC/ARMY/FES]

1) You can't eat an Aircraft carrier 2) A machine gun won't teach you to read 3) $2billion lining the pockets of the Pakistani government for helping with the war on terrorism (a government which rose to power after a coup, so don't exactly have a record for being honest) isn't going to help an African cure his children of typhoid 4) http://europa.eu.int/comm/echo/en/index_en.html  <- Perhaps that will answer some of your questions as to why "Britain never gives money to the Third World" - because it is part of the most economically & politically powerful organisation in the world, and they do it all. Come on Matok   -----------------------         Captain Aaron "Bear" Le'pue, Naval Instructor & VE Today Chief Editor                                                         ~~~      INS/CAP Aaron "Bear" Le'pue/Flight School/Training Fleet/ISD II Crusader/VEN/VE
(=A=) (=SA=) (=MA=) (=FOCE=) (=JCPA=) (=SCPA=) [BRC] [BRC] [LSM] [LoC] [NDM]                                                         ~~~                                       Bear : [email protected]                              Vast Empire Today : [email protected]

btw.. who the hell is swomz?
 
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Rafran Matok;
[GM Matok/CO/AC/ARMY/FES]

Well, if i were any smarter, or if i actually cared about anything right now, i would reply and make a complete ass of myself, lacking all that, i am going to shut up
 
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SL/CPL Solidius/3SQD/2PLT/1REG/1COM/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE

Well see that's another thing. "OIL PROBLEMS" As that Soldier said "If he needs Oil, that badly, why don't he buy it". C'mon, you have to admit it, The United States of America is the richest country in the world. Now since they're that rich, why don't they spend more money on buying Oil instead of paying some Countries to Kill each other. They're practically saying, "Screw the Oil, lets waste money and kill people, we'll drop some nuclear bombs when we desperately need those Oil" Geeze, he's as the soldier said "Using September 11th as a tool". Bush acts like he rules the world... He can just say, let's forget what the UN says and attack Iraq, I'm sure they'll join us when we fight... He's like a fox, Cunning and deceiptful, He blames Iraqi Soldiers for shooting missiles at his beloved planes even though that area itself has been classified as a UN No Fly Zone... How dumb's that? heh, "BUSH, THOU SHALT NOT FLY THROUGH THAT AREA!" "YES FATHER" "SIR! WE ARE UNDER HEAVY FIRE" "I HAVE TOLD THEE" "BUT FATHER, THEY FIRED AT US!"
 
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TRP David "TK-112" Bowman
Private First Class - (SPEC:T-VC)
1.2SQN Vast Empire Army
TRP/PFC TK-112/2SQD/1PLT/1COM/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE
"Kidney Shots Makes You Piss Blood"

hey Tk, yea, that no fly zone, that's against the country of Iraq, yea, and see, we enforce it, so we're allowed to fly in it.... mmmmk.... i'll get back to you on the oil thing, i know you're not right about it, but i'm gonna find something to show you how wrong you really are :-)

See thats another weird thing, how come Iraqi's can't fly in their own territory? Life's weird man...