I'm seriously starting to think this guy makes Dubya look smart...

>> ^campionidelmondo:
I think Transformers was about space robots defeating other space robots.

Yes. Robots aided by Americans. I also seem to recall our FBI or CIA or something being involved, as well as our military. Some scenes took place on Air Force One...

As for the other movies, they're all pre-Bush. The international perception of american patriotism has taken a turn for the worse thanks to Dubya.

Ah, people can still handle American patriotism. The hatred isn't as intense or as widespread as some people seem to think. Of course it's there, but not to the point where G.I. Joe would be largely unwelcome. I don't know for sure, of course, but because I'm an ESL tutor at my university, I know many international students (South Korean, Mexican, Canadian, British, German, Vietnamese, Haitian, Bulgarian, South African, Romanian, and more). I've also had a Mexican roommate and a Canadian roommate. I've talked to several of these close friends about the international opinion of the U.S. (not just their own opinions), and it doesn't seem all THAT bleak. I'm not basing my opinion solely on this, but it helps.

Also, while some movies might seem very american to you, they sell well abroad because they have an easily relateable theme. Matrix told the story of man vs. machine, Independence Day man vs. aliens, Armageddon man vs. giant rock etc...

Don't be silly. Almost ALL movies have an easily relatable theme. My point is that all of these movies happen to feature American Man vs. Global Threat. What is more annoyingly ethnocentric and American than that?

>> ^thepinky:
... Some of the most popular and internationally highest-grossing American movies of all time are not only very American (Gone with the Wind, Titanic, Forrest Gump) but pretty ethnocentric. Independence Day, Transformers, The Matrix, and Armageddon are all enormously popular movies overseas. And guess what? They're all about American heroes defeating international threats! What is UP with that?

I think Transformers was about space robots defeating other space robots. As for the other movies, they're all pre-Bush. The international perception of american patriotism has taken a turn for the worse thanks to Dubya.

Also, while some movies might seem very american to you, they sell well abroad because they have an easily relateable theme. Matrix told the story of man vs. machine, Independence Day man vs. aliens, Armageddon man vs. giant rock etc...

Quantum Mushroom.. you ask for proof that doesn't exist, and was not in use in Hawaii at the time of his birth.

Perhaps we should have voted for McCain who was born in Panama?

I'm pretty sure QM is either drunk when he posts, or is a troll.. or both. He keeps referring to Obama as 'The One' or 'The Messiah' as if anyone has seriously called him that other than people trying to ridicule his supporters.

It's a strawman hoping to draw out knee-jerk responses because it is obvious he will never be satisfied, because if suddenly the proof he asks for is given, it will have been completely falsified and forged, according to him and his ilk.

Also, Obama's birth was reported in newspapers from the time and in doctor's records of the time. This is a non-issue, and in fact, Obama's birth has stronger evidence in the public forum than any other politician ever. Hell, did we see Dubya's birth certificate? I heard he was born in the bin Laden's family harem and was raised on a diet of crude oil and cow leather.

The only proof I will accept is a valid and proven authentic note from the bin Laden family dated on GWB's date of birth saying exactly this: "George W. Bush was not born here today, and we did not raise him to take over countries for their oil."

Anything else is a vast conspiracy.

"To protect democracy, you can't let people protest". George Dubya would be proud.

I think the debate about whether it's representative or not, or tells the whole story or not, is mute.

To me, this video is about the conflict inside every Israeli, and especially every young Israeli, between their ideals for freedom and democracy, and the ugly reality of thier current situation. Whether you think Israel's position is justified or not, this conflict exists within every Israeli.

As for the drunk morons - whatever. It's not a uniquely Israeli condition.

Peter Schiff was wrong.

Austrians are political hacks. They are to economics what intelligent design is to biology; a science built around the central preconceived notion.

Milton Friedman himself said "The Hayek-Mises explanation of the business cycle is contradicted by the evidence. It is, I believe, false."

As opposed to Peter Schiff, Paul Krugman really did call it on our current crisis. And he's got a Nobel prize. Before either of those things happened, he raised his own questions about the Austrian explanation for unemployment.

I think the most damning argument against ABCT is this one. My own paraphrase is this: if central banks are creating/worsening booms and busts by surprising the market, why isn't the market getting smarter about predicting its behavior? It's not like the Fed rates are done at random and in secret. They even tell us what their essential policy algorithm is.

I tend to think Brad DeLong makes a lot more sense than other economists. He doesn't seem wed to any particular school's mindset, and spends a lot of time comparing theory to data and questioning the theory when it doesn't match the observations (something I never see Austrians do).

The more I've read of the different economic theories and the unfolding conversations between the mainstream economists, the more I think they're all starting to realize their models are broken in some subtle but profound way. (Except the Austrians, who don't make falsifiable predictions, and thusly see vindication in every squiggle of the market.)

Behavioral economics seems to be the next Big Idea in economics, but I've not seen anyone try to incorporate that into their models in any meaningful way. For now I'm with direpickle and ponceleon; all economic predictions are the result of an imprecise voodoo dance, and anyone who claims certainty should be viewed with deep suspicion.

>> ^Rotty:
I will think what I want about obama, because he IS the president, not "Dubya". You are toally missing the point:
It doesn't matter who you "think" you elected. They don't answer to you.


So basically it doesn't matter who we elect at any point since they're all part of the same conspiracy?



Do not be mislead by the professional posters here. They have a specific, financed agenda.


You guys get paid for this? Man, I'm getting screwed.

Obamarx isn't putting too much effort into this Iran thing. Until mullahs are slaughtered in the streets nothing will change over there.

Meanwhile over here, things continue to worsen, things Dubya can no longer be blamed for. The curtain is pulling back on the Wizard. Pay no attention to that man behind the Teleprompter!

I will think what I want about obama, because he IS the president, not "Dubya". You are toally missing the point:

It doesn't matter who you "think" you elected. They don't answer to you.

Do not be mislead by the professional posters here. They have a specific, financed agenda.

You can think what you want about Obama but, just for a minute, imagine Dubya trying to answer this question.

Letterman should continue doing these GWB segments, even after he's left office. Dubya was comedy gold.

>> ^deputydog:
seeing an 'uncanny' robot reminds me of looking at dubya on tv.
'ok, he looks human, although his body movements are a bit awkward and yeah, the eyes are kind of dead but i suppose that could be the light. hey karina, c'mere a minute. take a look at this. ya think he's human? there's obviously a lot of power behind this thing for it to be at a press conference but i dunno, there's a massive delay before the words come out'.


They fixed that in later revisions:

http://www.videosift.com/video/Pentagons-Unmanned-Spokesdrone-Does-First-Press-Conference

seeing an 'uncanny' robot reminds me of looking at dubya on tv.

'ok, he looks human, although his body movements are a bit awkward and yeah, the eyes are kind of dead but i suppose that could be the light. hey karina, c'mere a minute. take a look at this. ya think he's human? there's obviously a lot of power behind this thing for it to be at a press conference but i dunno, there's a massive delay before the words come out'.

everybody misses Dubya.. *promote

dubya looks really bored