Only in America

[White Fox]

Folks...

As I wrote earlier in this thread. Thousands of people have died the last few years in terrorist activites and wars. Not just soldiers but civilians. This is not a topic for "Off topic". Neither is discussion of a certain method of terrorist execution.

 

Since Linda did not suggest deleting this I am going to leave it rather against my better judgement. If I see any more of this I am not only going to lock it but I am going to remove the whole thread with the exception of the first page!

 

Folks I would hope that every member here knows better than to post things that have been posted here. Many times we are blamed for locking threads too quickly so I am going to leave this as I said - against my better judgement. For now! I suggest you either get this back on topic. Just leave it. Or it will all be gone for good! And, if someone makes it be gone for good with just one more post like these that were posted here, believe me, I will remember who that was! And believe me I have a real good memory for a long, long time!

W

[Mr Barguzin]

Hang about folks.....

 

Everyone and I mean EVERYONE shove a cork in ya cakeholes and ya ani... and settle down fur a sec.

 

I suggest that everyone steps back a bit and takes a deep breath.

 

You know the thing that I find really surprising in the development of this topic?

 

FrBrGr has remained calm and collected. WEG At least in his posts to this topic. G_d and recipients of pm's know what he has actually expressed privately.

 

Talk about making nothing out of something innocuous. What started as a comment on the Pennsylvania minimum wage (for G_d's Sake) has been in turn elevated and then thrown down into the sewer by a supposed group of mature adults.

 

Some are acting and reacting more like immature adolescents.

 

This is now the Australian Senior Moderator of this place talking.

 

Eric, I appreciate your viewpoint. I may not agree with it, but I appreciate it, as I do Linda's. However, to take Furelli's and ToS's initial posts as a personal attack or an outright assault against your country is to fail to see the IRONY in it all: that they (the pommie bastards) wish they HADN'T lost the war, cause they would now be in the position that the US finds itself. So actually, they weren't having a go at you or the states, but at their own fallibility... an art the poms have down to a "T".

 

ToS.... there are times mate when you can be a bit of a tosser ( and that comes from the Aussie stirrer)

 

WF... DO NOT TOUCH IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM THIS TOPIC! Let it sit here to remind all that not every thing is black and white. Not every thing is right or wrong, for or against.

 

Whilst we all have an appreciation of fur as a bond, there are many things that separate us, be they race, religion, politics, humour, musical taste, life experiences and cultures.

 

There are times when EVERYONE should think before posting and I include myself in that as well, because sometimes what seems like a joke in Oz is offensive in Canada or the UK (GAWD Won't he get off that beer thang??).

 

This is not the wild west, nor is it Afghanastan or Iraq. Brits, Aussies and Yanks are fighting in those last two arenas as a team. (Not to forget the other countries also involved... but avoiding looking at Canada WEG)

 

Now, the big challenge: I want all who have posted to this topic up to and including WF's post to make a post that gets this topic back on topic... which was basically Minimum wages. I can't force you to do this, and I care not what that comment is other than being polite and well thought out.

 

Prove my statement about adolescents incorrect. It remains at your fingertips.

 

 

 

BTW, if you want to abuse me for the above, PM ME!!!!

[Guest]

I've got it! As a show of good faith, that all of us can be big-hearted, keep our sense of humor in the face of adversity and be big boys and girls - and stay on topic, mind you - why don't each of us go out and eat a big meal at a restaurant and tip our servers like mad and fill their ears with comliments! I believe this should start us back to where the beginning was in this thread, eh? Speaking as a former waitress myself, I think this is a great, benign way to do a good thing with this topic.

 

As for the rest... please let's be restrained and give the type of treatment we would like to receive, even if we feel the other party is stepping on toes. There needs to be a world wide unity, like this web we use, not derisiveness and tearing apart at each other. Please.

[Guest]

Removing my post but leaving the anti rantings of the others that insult the usa, thats not fair and very biased in my view.

[Foxy Lady]

I, once again, want to appologize to EVERYONE for the hysteria and hurt feelings my topic has caused. I never intended for it to be taken to the extreme it has. In an effort to get us back on track........

 

Miss T: I am with you!!!

 

Back to what brought this up in the first place... The US congress.

On the news this morning, in self-defense, a few of the congressmen said that they spend OVER 40 hrs/wk in their home territory offices. That's a lie too. I have been to my congressman's office 3 times in the last 2 months trying to drop off petitions regarding the whole federal fair pay act, and guess what??? He was not in session in Washington, not in his office, but on a cruise in the Bahama's for 2 weeks with his wife (that was one instance) and the next month when I went again, he was skiing in Colorado with his family. This information is based on what his secretary VOLUNTARILY handed out.

 

Hmmmm......... let's see, what does he make an hour? $250,000/yr at a minimum-they just gave themselves a raise again last year, divided by 776 hrs. (that's 8hrs/ day multiplied by the 97 days he is in session this year).

He makes $322.17 per HOUR. That's $5.37 per MINUTE!!! Keep in mind, minimum wage is $5.15 per Hour. Some guys have all the luck!

 

All you non-PA folks, what are your states minimum wages?

[Guest]

Foxy, its not yoru fault its when two euro members decided it was fun to bash the americans and they didnt expect anyone to stand up to there anti usa crap.

Its there fault not yours.

PLEASE dont feel that your responble for whats happened.

 

The guilty know and now they will lay low.

[Foxy Lady]

Thanks Eric, But I still feel sort of responsible, especially since you, Linda, and a few other folks ended up with sour feelings.

[allfurme]

I remember a sketch from Spitting Image;

 

Well Mr President, now you have freed Kuwait from the Iraqis, are you going to help the Kurds?

 

We can't.

 

You won't help a group of people who are being seriously oppressed by a despotic ruler.

 

It's not our fault.

 

what that a group of people are being seriously oppressed by a despotic ruler.

 

No that they live on land with no oil!

 

PS I am only quoting a comedy sketch

[Guest]

Eric

 

Please let things be as they are and try to get on with what we were trying to do... get back to topic. In case it missed you, I was america bashing too! SO... it isn't just the euro contingency that thinks ill of america; and i will argue to my death for my right to say it sucks here, as that is my perspective.

 

That said, let's get back to the issue as asked, eh?

 

http://www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/america.htm

 

with the expection of one state, Ohio is the lowest at $4.25/hr!!

[Guest]

This thread turned from a very important topic into a bag of snakes.

The only way to kill a snake is to cut its head of

When it became an anti usa bash, then some of us wont just sit in the corner and stay silent.

 

If the anti usa bashing stops then Ill shut up but if it keeps going on, then Ill make sure it all comes to an end.

 

This thread has become one big snake that needs its head cut off.

[Foxy Lady]

Nice find Miss T!!! I have been looking for something that simple to understand. There are few states that are over $8.00/hr. Which still isn't that great, but it's double Ohio's Minimum, and for the middle-of-nowhere area I live in, you could actually keep a decent life on that. I am so thankful I have been able to move out of the waitressing/food service/clean "poop" of people's shoes kind of jobs I used to have to work.

[Guest]

Pops Head over parapet

 

Looks left & right

 

Skuttles to message board

 

Prints : Read & Understood Mr B, also your comments on other topics. Thank you for your enlightenment

 

Skuttles back into cover..........

[Guest]

FoxyLady

Did a searchalot on minimum wage to get that. It is amazing that some areas are quicker to acknowledge the need for the increase in minimum wage so that you can afford to pay rent and eat, too, then other areas turn a blind eye.

 

 

 

I'll not acknowledge the other attempt to bring back the subject that is supposed to be dropped.

 

 

 

And Furelli, I hate to think there is a need to hide, although I know what you mean... once again I'll do this

[FrBrGr]

Removing my post but leaving the anti rantings of the others that insult the usa, thats not fair and very biased in my view.

 

Eric, my brother, when I encouraged you to "fight back" in my PM to you yesterday, I did not mean for you to go on a personal, profanity-filled attack that I heard you did. I couldn't agree with the mod who deleted your post, nor could I defend you, because I didn't get a chance to see what it was you wrote. If it is true that you went on a personal attack, then you must know that it would have flown in the face of the Code of Conduct. Evidently, that's why your post was deleted. Even though the remarks about the United States upset you, they weren't a personal attack, so that's why they remain. Perhaps the Code should address such attacks. (And make no mistake about it - they were attacks, even if they were couched in so-called humor!) Snide, sarcastic, callous remarks about someone's country, religion, race - Aren't they all, after all, very personal?

 

I, personally, am getting sick-to-freaking death of reading smug, cutting remarks about the United States of America, even though I have been good-natured about it thus far. I am proud of this country and proud to be an American. Sure, I have problems with some of the shenanigans that go on in our Congress, and I hate it that our enemy resides within, (Thank you, Dr. Savage!) but as a citizen of this great nation, I have the right to criticize it, as well as those in this country who seek to undermine what the majority of the people want. When others suggest that the United States is a second-rate country; when they suggest that we vacate the pinions of greatness and regress to failed economies and outdated and worn-out ideologies, just to come down to their level, well, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!" If you think I will let it go unchallenged, then you've got another thought coming!

 

I won't go on a personal attack if this continues. Eric, I will do something else. I will bring out some pretty powerful and big guns loaded with some real powerful information in them called truth. I guarantee you that it will hurt, and hurt very badly. Join me in this kind of rebuttal, Eric. Have the ol' Dragon come over and get into it with us. He's a great American, and he's not going to take it, either.

 

We're not poor, folks. We're not down-trodden. Those people are the creation of our enemies in this country, who have convinced them that they are poor and down-trodden - and, of course, dependent on a political party that always makes promises it never keeps. We're not rich either - not by a long shot. We're just proud to be Americans, and part of a movement that is going to take America back to where it belongs. I am serving a clear warning. Let this thread be the last of it.

[Guest]

You talk about truth, well here's some truth.

 

Did you know, that at the outbreak of hostilities in 1914, The USA declared itself neutral, then spent the next three years providing Germany with heavy ordance and ammunition. It was only the fact that 3 of their ships were impounded by the British Navy and the Luisatania was sunk that pride over took greed. With friends like those, who needs enemies.

 

HISTORICALLY VERYIFIABLE FACT

 

If ya not killing us with friendly fire, you're doing it by proxy as well. Anyone would think you guys had a grudge against us Brits

 

 

Tryxie

[Guest]

Our comment are couched in humour but are not intended to be malicious at all. You are reading that into it.

 

Also if you cant take a jibe from a friend it shows why so many non friendly countries are really angry with the US.

 

You have to accept our ways and culture as we try to yours. What you should have done is come back to us with a few jibes about us being devoid of emotion, stuck up, having stupid archaic clothes and institutions etc etc......we wouldnt take offence. We do it with the French all the time...they cal us "rosbifs" because we over cook our beef. I always say that they cant cook, all their women are ugly and they havent won a awar for a thoiusand years. And it goes back and for like that and then we laugh about it.

Even the Germans appear to be able to have a craic like that with us. We do it EVERY night in our Bangladeshi restaurant and the guys there love it,

and we love them taking the mickey out of us.

 

The whole problem is you cant laugh at yourselves. We can, and so can most other nations.

Judge people by actions not words.

We have taken lots of flak by backing you up in Iraq and I for one do not sympathise with Americans who condemn Bush when our soldiers are dying too. The real problem is that there was no plan for after the war....you cannot impose your values on people for whom democracy means one rival and larger group will persecute the other.

 

 

So dont take offence please, just have a craic back. Maybe then you will be able to understand we arent all patriots like yourselves, and that patriotism is actually dangerous. Nobody in the UK would ever swear allegiance to a flag; not even the Queen. She wouldnt be very happy with Blair right now. We have even changed our flag in the countryside to ALL GREEN union jack as a protest.

 

You above all people should understand that....you wouldnt pay tax to the Crown or swear allegiance to a flag and became independent through struggle.

 

We are one of the few countries that doesnt burn your flag. If you lose us as friends by getting stroppy because you dont understand our humour, what chance have you got?

 

And if we really wanted to critisise you we could. As you have the democratic right to criticise us...feel free. Tryxies comments arent malicious...they are true.

 

Probably you would have every right to criticise us for the pre 1776 situation, and even many other things.

 

Just like the music thread, it seems you dont believe in someones right to criticise.

[ReFur]

Furelli,

 

I went online to find John Cleese's letter. I want to have a copy of #17 that we deleted.

 

Funny thing about it. The first 16 items that had some humor in them were there. There was no #17.

 

The number 17 that was so hurtful and mean did not exist.

 

All I can say is shame on you, Furelli.

 

Linda

[Guest]

Linda,

this gives the exact details of ALL the versions of that letter

But as you discovered there was NEVER a #17 .

 

http://www.snopes.com/politics/satire/revocation.asp

[AKcoyote]

Topic locked

 

This has gone way too far off the original subject. While I for one do not object to people poking fun at some of the problems (political and social) here in the US, this thread has become for some a personal attack on their country.

 

The ONLY reason I am an admin here is that FrBrGr needed someone with some technical experiance to help setup this place. I much prefer to stay in the background and let others with more experiance handle moderating the forums. But I refuse to let a few people whose feelings are hurt destroy this place that I have put so much effort into creating for their enjoyment.

 

AKcoyote - pissed off tech admin

 

Edit by White.... After what I said last night I can barely imagine that this just went ahead anyhow!