President Obama

Mary1234 wrote:

Earlier this week...Monday I think it was, approx. 55,000 people lost their jobs at 4 or 5 BIG companies...and that was on the news. This is not including various other folks who were laid off.

I hate the idea of lay offs including when the problem is usually greedy corporate CEO's that mismanaged the company!

Mary1234 wrote:

Oh my fucking God!! THIS right here is why this country is fucked beyond belief. Why am I pissed?

Read the second paragraph...


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28916936

Quote: "multi-billion dollar bonuses that Wall Street banks awarded themselves for 2008"

Now that's just abuse of the economic system! I wish our government would stop handing money out to the wrong people and put these greedy asshats in there place and hold them accountable!

Holoflash wrote:

Mary1234 wrote:

Oh my fucking God!! THIS right here is why this country is fucked beyond belief. Why am I pissed?

Read the second paragraph...


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28916936

Quote: "multi-billion dollar bonuses that Wall Street banks awarded themselves for 2008"

Now that's just abuse of the economic system! I wish our government would stop handing money out to the wrong people and put these greedy asshats in there place and hold them accountable!

Do you live in the US?

Mary1234 wrote:

Oh my fucking God!! THIS right here is why this country is fucked beyond belief. Why am I pissed?

Read the second paragraph...


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28916936

That IS truely shocking and an obscene amount of money to pay out in bonuses.

Especially when people are losing their jobs.

I agree with what 'Scope says about those who don't want to work, but there is also an arguement that those who DO work and get vast bonuses should have a cap put on them. You'll never stop them, but really don't they earn enough in wages already?

Mary1234 wrote:

Do you live in the US?

Sure do Mary!

RFFB wrote:

shocking and an obscene amount of money to pay out in bonuses.

Especially when people are losing their jobs.

I agree with what 'Scope says about those who don't want to work, but there is also an arguement that those who DO work and get vast bonuses should have a cap put on them. You'll never stop them, but really don't they earn enough in wages already?

My sentiments exactly!

Ok guys...feel free to keep those comments on the economy comin but I'm gonna ask another question.

Iraq.
How do you all feel about the invasion? Did you support it and do you still? Do you feel it was justified or just Bush wanting to hit out at someone after the atrocity of Sept 11? What do you think about your troops still being there, what is it?, 5 years later? Especially in a time of economic strife considering how much it is costing to keep troops out there? I believe the figure is $1billion per month. Do any of you know anyone who is serving in Iraq? (if so I pray they stay safe)

As before I'm genuinely interested in hearing the views of real Americans.

well i dint watch any of the swearing in i did however watch some of the neighborhood ball as president obama called it and poor mrs obama she needs to fire her stylist ASAP that dress was terrible my mom had a bedspread that looked exactly like that when i was little.
i'm hoping that president obama will be a better change that this country needs and he can get us back on track and fix all the screw ups that bush caused.

i wish him great success...

RFFB wrote:

Ok guys...feel free to keep those comments on the economy comin but I'm gonna ask another question.

Iraq.
How do you all feel about the invasion? Did you support it and do you still? Do you feel it was justified or just Bush wanting to hit out at someone after the atrocity of Sept 11? What do you think about your troops still being there, what is it?, 5 years later? Especially in a time of economic strife considering how much it is costing to keep troops out there? I believe the figure is $1billion per month. Do any of you know anyone who is serving in Iraq? (if so I pray they stay safe)

As before I'm genuinely interested in hearing the views of real Americans.

Personally, I think the war in the beginning was a good idea. But then after awhile, it seemed like our focus there was to nail Hussein....to continue what Bush Sr. didnt finish with the Gulf War. We stopped hearing about Bin Laden who was the reason for the war starting and 911 in the first place. I dont think we need to be there right now in such great numbers..

Mary1234 wrote:

Personally, I think the war in the beginning was a good idea. But then after awhile, it seemed like our focus there was to nail Hussein....to continue what Bush Sr. didnt finish with the Gulf War. We stopped hearing about Bin Laden who was the reason for the war starting and 911 in the first place. I dont think we need to be there right now in such great numbers..

Yeah, I agree. The start of the war and all the talk of weapons of mass destruction it did seem like a good idea to put a stop to Saddam doing anything before he could. But with hindsight, and there not actually being any WOMD, it seems like son just wanted to finish daddys job.

Personally, I think invading Iraq has stired up even more tension. I mean in England we had 4 suicide bombers in London, who's reason to do it was we were in Iraq. May be concentrating on trying to get Bin Laden would have been a better idea. Thoughts anyone?

RFFB wrote:

Mary1234 wrote:

Personally, I think the war in the beginning was a good idea. But then after awhile, it seemed like our focus there was to nail Hussein....to continue what Bush Sr. didnt finish with the Gulf War. We stopped hearing about Bin Laden who was the reason for the war starting and 911 in the first place. I dont think we need to be there right now in such great numbers..

Yeah, I agree. The start of the war and all the talk of weapons of mass destruction it did seem like a good idea to put a stop to Saddam doing anything before he could. But with hindsight, and there not actually being any WOMD, it seems like son just wanted to finish daddys job.

Personally, I think invading Iraq has stired up even more tension. I mean in England we had 4 suicide bombers in London, who's reason to do it was we were in Iraq. May be concentrating on trying to get Bin Laden would have been a better idea. Thoughts anyone?

They need to concentrate on finding the douchebag and then wiping out Al-Quiada (sp?) and all their secret little groups no one knows about in the entire world.....theyre everywhere you know.....hiding...waiting for the right moment.....taking flight lessons and renting cars....living next door to you....Rumor has it the US KNEW about the the actual terrorists that flew those planes and our government did absolutley nothing about it.....

My last post above reminded me of something very scary that happened.

One day, my boyfriend, John and I were at home on a Saturday just being lazy.....when we hear a knock at the door. Its the FBI. I opened the door and they asked me who lived next door. I told them a man lived there by himself. Then they asked what race he was and his age and if we ever saw any "strange goings on, people coming and going"...I told them he was about 70 and white and we never see him. I then asked why they were asking such questions.
They said "We know someone lives there, we just don't know who he is..." I then asked "Why does it matter? Did he do something we should know about?" They said, "Well, not yet, its just he has lived here for a few months now and he never gets any mail, no post office box or anything...we have other suspicions as well.....He moved from California and never forwarded his mail to be delivered here and we need to investigate as to why"

WHAT??

I jokingly said "Do you think he's a terrorist or something?" And I really was joking...the man said "We believe he may be, yes."
I said "Are you honestly serious? A white 70 yr old male...a terrorist?" The man said "He'd make a good one wouldnt he, you would never suspect him"

John and I both thought it was a sick prank, but it wasnt. Turns out, these FBI guys went around the whole neighborhood and asked questions about this guy.

That was that and they left and we never heard anything again about it....I never told the neighbor either...
That was f*cked up...

To this day, we hardly ever see the dude and he rarely leaves his house. I also know for a fact he has no furniture in the house and sleeps on an air mattress....weird. John tells me to stay the hell away from him at all costs..

Mary1234 wrote:

....Rumor has it the US KNEW about the the actual terrorists that flew those planes and our government did absolutley nothing about it.....

I head the same thing, I also heard that Bush had been warned in the months before 9/11 of Al Qaida terrorist plans to hijack airplanes.
I wonder If we will ever know the truth!

Weard prioraties the U.S. conngress has!
" The U.S. conngress spent three weeks and two million dollars investigating the 3000 World Traid Center murders and 9-11 attacks .... but they spent over three YEARS and $200 million chasing after Clinton's zipper!"!

Mary1234 wrote:

They need to concentrate on finding the douchebag and then wiping out Al-Quiada (sp?) and all their secret little groups no one knows about in the entire world.....theyre everywhere you know.....hiding...waiting for the right moment.....taking flight lessons and renting cars....living next door to you....Rumor has it the US KNEW about the the actual terrorists that flew those planes and our government did absolutley nothing about it.....

100% spot on.

That ain't a rumour either. Saw a documentary on the terrorists you refer to and your Govn had a dossier on them which stated that they were taking peculiar flying lessons in that they wanted to learn to fly but not land the aircraft. The persons teaching them reported it as it was so unusual. Some burocrat (sp) didn't pick up on it, or the significance, and it got buried in a pile of other dossiers.

Mary1234 wrote:

My last post above reminded me of something very scary that happened.

One day, my boyfriend, John and I were at home on a Saturday just being lazy.....when we hear a knock at the door. Its the FBI. I opened the door and they asked me who lived next door. I told them a man lived there by himself. Then they asked what race he was and his age and if we ever saw any "strange goings on, people coming and going"...I told them he was about 70 and white and we never see him. I then asked why they were asking such questions.
They said "We know someone lives there, we just don't know who he is..." I then asked "Why does it matter? Did he do something we should know about?" They said, "Well, not yet, its just he has lived here for a few months now and he never gets any mail, no post office box or anything...we have other suspicions as well.....He moved from California and never forwarded his mail to be delivered here and we need to investigate as to why"

WHAT??

I jokingly said "Do you think he's a terrorist or something?" And I really was joking...the man said "We believe he may be, yes."
I said "Are you honestly serious? A white 70 yr old male...a terrorist?" The man said "He'd make a good one wouldnt he, you would never suspect him"

John and I both thought it was a sick prank, but it wasnt. Turns out, these FBI guys went around the whole neighborhood and asked questions about this guy.

That was that and they left and we never heard anything again about it....I never told the neighbor either...
That was f*cked up...

To this day, we hardly ever see the dude and he rarely leaves his house. I also know for a fact he has no furniture in the house and sleeps on an air mattress....weird. John tells me to stay the hell away from him at all costs..

Some people just live their life differently to everybody else.

That story sounds a bit like the 'Reds under the beds' paranoia of the 50's & 60's in reference to the FBI's actions. Like you said, a 70 year old guy...not really terrorist material is he...! But then again, it does kinda give you the security in the knowledge that they are at least checking things out and being sure there's nothing dodgy going on.

Nothing wrong with a bit of pro-activity. Rather be safe than sorry and all that...

Oh I agree, it was just a little scary to have that happen right next door.

Mary1234 wrote:

Oh I agree, it was just a little scary to have that happen right next door.

Too right!! A bit too close for comfort...

Exxon 2008 profit: A record $45 billion
Americans paid high gas and oil prices for this?!



http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/30/news/companies/exxon_earnings/index.htm

Holoflash wrote:

Exxon 2008 profit: A record $45 billion
Americans paid high gas and oil prices for this?!



http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/30/news/companies/exxon_earnings/index.htm

And there in lies your problem.

'Scope

RFFB wrote:

.

I agree with what 'Scope says about those who don't want to work, but there is also an arguement that those who DO work and get vast bonuses should have a cap put on them. You'll never stop them, but really don't they earn enough in wages already?

Obama has a hard on for putting a stop to these bonuses. Obviously a good move on his part.

'Scope

'Scope wrote:

RFFB wrote:

.

I agree with what 'Scope says about those who don't want to work, but there is also an arguement that those who DO work and get vast bonuses should have a cap put on them. You'll never stop them, but really don't they earn enough in wages already?

Obama has a hard on for putting a stop to these bonuses. Obviously a good move on his part.
'Scope

Good on him too! But he'll have a bloody hard job what with the USA, apparently, being in love with capitalism and the right to earn as much of the mighty Dollar as possible.

I'd like to know how many people it took to build up a bonus of $18 billion, so we could get an average of the bonus payout?

RFFB wrote:

Ok guys...feel free to keep those comments on the economy comin but I'm gonna ask another question.

Iraq.
How do you all feel about the invasion? Did you support it and do you still? Do you feel it was justified or just Bush wanting to hit out at someone after the atrocity of Sept 11? What do you think about your troops still being there, what is it?, 5 years later? Especially in a time of economic strife considering how much it is costing to keep troops out there? I believe the figure is $1billion per month. Do any of you know anyone who is serving in Iraq? (if so I pray they stay safe)

As before I'm genuinely interested in hearing the views of real Americans.

Upscope has some radical vies on the war. Like many Americans he supported it in the beginning. And un-like many Americans he STILL supports it today. Yes it sucks & it's putting a burden on the country but walking out now is simply an impossibility. Believe it or not there are actually rules to war . One of those rules are that if you are going to bully someone than it is your responsibility to clean UP the mess after you've bullied them. If you fail to clean UP the mess than you will see UN sanctions that far exceed the cost & consequences of cleaning UP.

In order to invade you need backing from your allies. If your allies fail to back you chances are your invasion will fail. And your future consequences will be severe. The US received backing from it's allies before the invasion. Part of the agreement was that they would not walk out on the Iraqi people & leave there country in shambles. If the US military were to walk out now that is exactly what they would be doing. And the hoards of allies that they lose in the meantime would have future catastrophic ramifications.

The US has come a long way in Iraq. If they walk out now the insurgents will own the country again in a matter of 3 years & everything will have been for naught. But' if you continue w/ the mission & set a new Iraqi government in place & a new Iraqi military in place. You build a new infrastructure for the Iraqi people & the natives are now given what they were offered by the Americans before the invasion......A CHANCE. With a new Iraqi government & military capable of defending the country & their own people backing it the insurgents have no other choice but to lay down. Now you have a FREE Iraq and a VERY important future allie in the Middle East.

If you walk out on Iraq now than you jeopardize all this & 50 years from now when OUR children & grandchildren are staring at Armageddon people will say why didn't the fuggin US take Iraq out of the game when they had a chance??

The war was necessary then & it remains necessary now.

'Scope

'Scope wrote:

Holoflash wrote:

Exxon 2008 profit: A record $45 billion
Americans paid high gas and oil prices for this!



http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/30/news/companies/exxon_earnings/index.htm

And there in lies your problem.

'Scope

What do you mean?

Holoflash wrote:

'Scope wrote:

Holoflash wrote:

Exxon 2008 profit: A record $45 billion
Americans paid high gas and oil prices for this!



http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/30/news/companies/exxon_earnings/index.htm

And there in lies your problem.

'Scope

What do you mean?

Oil company's turning record profits yet were still forced to pay all-time high prices?? During recession time to boot?? Something's not right here.

'Scope

'Scope wrote:

Holoflash wrote:

'Scope wrote:

Holoflash wrote:

Exxon 2008 profit: A record $45 billion
Americans paid high gas and oil prices for this!



http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/30/news/companies/exxon_earnings/index.htm

And there in lies your problem.

'Scope

What do you mean?

Oil company's turning record profits yet were still forced to pay all-time high prices?? During recession time to boot?? Something's not right here.

'Scope

+1

I strongly agree!

'Scope wrote:

Upscope has some radical vies on the war. Like many Americans he supported it in the beginning. And un-like many Americans he STILL supports it today. Yes it sucks & it's putting a burden on the country but walking out now is simply an impossibility. Believe it or not there are actually rules to war . One of those rules are that if you are going to bully someone than it is your responsibility to clean UP the mess after you've bullied them. If you fail to clean UP the mess than you will see UN sanctions that far exceed the cost & consequences of cleaning UP.

In order to invade you need backing from your allies. If your allies fail to back you chances are your invasion will fail. And your future consequences will be severe. The US received backing from it's allies before the invasion. Part of the agreement was that they would not walk out on the Iraqi people & leave there country in shambles. If the US military were to walk out now that is exactly what they would be doing. And the hoards of allies that they lose in the meantime would have future catastrophic ramifications.

The US has come a long way in Iraq. If they walk out now the insurgents will own the country again in a matter of 3 years & everything will have been for naught. But' if you continue w/ the mission & set a new Iraqi government in place & a new Iraqi military in place. You build a new infrastructure for the Iraqi people & the natives are now given what they were offered by the Americans before the invasion......A CHANCE. With a new Iraqi government & military capable of defending the country & their own people backing it the insurgents have no other choice but to lay down. Now you have a FREE Iraq and a VERY important future allie in the Middle East.

If you walk out on Iraq now than you jeopardize all this & 50 years from now when OUR children & grandchildren are staring at Armageddon people will say why didn't the fuggin US take Iraq out of the game when they had a chance??

The war was necessary then & it remains necessary now.

'Scope

I agree with what you say about how leaving now would a mistake. It has to be seen through until the Iraqi's can Govern themselves and have the stability to do so. But can I ask why you supported the invasion in the first place? I think I've said I did also, but only on the grounds of the, now false reports, of Saddam's weapons of mass destruction claim. With hindsight it now looks like an fabricated piece of 'inteligence' promoted to give the allies the right to invade. Saddam said he didn't have any WOMD...and he was actually being truthful!!!...

He posed no threat to the West, of any significance, and little to his neighbouring countries.

Also can I ask why you believe that Iraq could have posed a major threat in the years to come? Remember that Iraq did not, and does not have the bomb. Even if it did it does not have the capability to deliver it, unlike say North Korea who claim to have successfully tested an ICBM. What was it about Iraq that worried you so much when it is actually Iran and North Korea who appear more of a threat?

Iran is more of a threat to Middle East stability and the West than Iran ever was. Don't forget the West supported Saddam in the War against Iran in the 80's and even gave him weapons! Iran has always been more of a rogue contry than Iraq. It's just that Iraq was stupid enough to think it could invade Kuwait and the West wouldn't act.

Instead of invading Iraq wouldn't it have been a better idea to go after the despicable Taliban, the ones responcible for actually attcking the USA?

Personally I believe that with the allies invading Iraq it has given the fundamentalist nutters more reason/excuse to hate the West, so breeding more potential terrorists. Which is not a good thing, at all.