What's your country like

[Earniel]

No, I'm Belgian. Your comment just struck me as rather exagerated and bitter. I wondered whether you knew France and its people well enough to have such a low opinion of them. I meant no offence, I was just curious.

[Aralyn]

All the French people I've met (which isn't many) have acted kind of rude and superior. Not to offend anyone just saying a fact.
And when my aunt visited Paris no one would help her find her way.
BUt some Americans I've met have been rude.

I'm American. I love my country but not necesarily my state. It's not as green as I like.

[Jonathan]

Recently I spent a fortnight in Paris, working. I learnt much of the French and their mentality. They are nice if you get to know them. They get very happy if they see that you speak their language, but I don't think they're rude to you if you don't.
They are a little angry with America as a nation. They get upset when the people across the Atlantic say that they've forgotten about D-day and all. But there are a lot of American tourists in France, and I think the French are used to that.

[Aralyn]

I believ you. I think American people can be kind of French bashing at times.
What country do you live in? If you can say

[Jonathan]

Check my Location. I live in Sweden, which Grey_Wolf has described so well here.

Eärniel, you're Belgian!
Last year I made a trip to Brussels with school and that was the best trip I've ever made. I loved the city and it's people.

[Aralyn]

Cool
I am actually Hispanic (from Venezuela and Bolivia)
Any other Hispanics?
However, if you met me on the street you would not think I was Hispanic. You would think I was a wierdo who has her head in a book. But no really. My brothers and sisters got dark hair and darker skin than me!!
(my avatar is the closest pic I could find of me)

[Sheeana]

Originally posted by Eärniel
The national food of some sort is French fries with beef. French fries are definately not French, I never knew why they had to be labeled French.


I can't think of anything more at the time. Any questions?

Yes. What do you eat other than frites? We have this Belgian Beer Cafe down the road which serves up lots of waffles, frites, mussels, and beer: is this an accurate representation of your food, or does it mock you all?

PS - I'm asking because my BF wants to know, so blame him for the dumb question.

[Ragnarok]

Originally posted by jerseydevil
how so? And is it any more corrupt than any other country? And who makes it corrupt - the people who live here?

In America sexuality is democracy. We stamp our god, "In God We trust." In America we kill the unborn to make ends meet. Look at all the scandals and cover ups in our government. We are seen as a powerful nation but look inside there are people in America who don't have homes and go to sleep hungry every night while we roll around in our greed. I'm tired of seeing all the land being turned into pavement. i.e. Near my house there are two CVS less than 2 minutes away from each other and now they are making a Walgreens in an area which was once all grass and trees that is across from the CVS. DO we really need that Walgreens...NO. Watch the news or read the newspaper and see all the violence and killings. These are just to name a few. Of course all countries have their problems and its the people can cause corruption.

Well i've never been to any other country so I don't know if the US is more corrupt or not. And it is some people who make it corrupt , there are alot of good people as well.

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Ragnarok
In America sexuality is democracy.

How is that?

We stamp our god, "In God We trust."

So you think people feel money is god? Money isn't god - it's the things that it allows you to do that makes it great. Vacationing in the Bahamas if you want, going into NY and going to a Broadway play without thinking about it. It sounds to me like what your complaining about there is just jealousy on your part. Just because someone drives a Jag or has a 7,000 square foot house - doesn't meant they didn't bust their a$$ to get that.

In America we kill the unborn to make ends meet.

And how many people have an abortion to make ends meet. Contraception is a lot cheaper than an abortion. A lot of people actually HAVE children becuase they get MORE money from welfare. There were a lot of news items about people having children to get the extra benefits. I've never heard anyone having an abortion to "make ends meet". They may not be able to afford a child or want a child at that particular time - but that is their choice. I personally think they should have taken precautions to prevent the pregnancy. What ever the reason for them having an abortion is their choice and their business.

Look at all the scandals and cover ups in our government.

Look at all the scandals and coverups between friends and families. Look at how many people sleep around. Government is run by people - and the day people are perfect is the day you can expect government to be perfect. Until then - I'll continue to write letters and stating my ultimate opinion at the polls.

We are seen as a powerful nation but look inside there are people in America who don't have homes and go to sleep hungry every night while we roll around in our greed.

What do you do to help out the people who go to bed homeless and stuff?

I'm also wondering when people say this - especially over the internet. I have to remind you that you don't need the internet, cable tv, telephone, computer - do you recommend giving this stuff up and donating all this money to the people who don't have these enjoyments in life? Does buying something you want such as a nice car or a nice nice make you greedy - while someone in a city is homeless?

I personally want a nice house and a nice car and I work for what I have. I like the money I make - and I'm not ashamed of it.

I'm tired of seeing all the land being turned into pavement. i.e. Near my house there are two CVS less than 2 minutes away from each other and now they are making a Walgreens in an area which was once all grass and trees that is across from the CVS. DO we really need that Walgreens...NO.

Have you attempted to do anything about it? Here in NJ in West Windsor a development has been in a lawsuit for over 10 years to prevent them from building a massive development. NJ has and is enacting tough development standards. There are growth areas and restricted building areas. We also have the Green Acres funds that buy up the development rights to land in order to preserve it.

By the way - I don't see how that is corrupt by building stores and businesses if the market will sustain them.

Watch the news or read the newspaper and see all the violence and killings. These are just to name a few.

I do watch the news - and the news generally shows news items which will attract an audience. As demonstrated by the number of reality shows where people are treated as crap, lied to and backstabbed - people aren't interested in "hearing about nice people". If you watch the crap reality shows - maybe you should ask yourself - if maybe you're not a little bit of what you've ranted about.

Of course all countries have their problems and its the people can cause corruption.

The people are the ONLY ones that cause corruption. Does a dog cause corruption or a tree? Companies don't cuase corruption either - it's a manager or owner (a PERSON). And if you think managers and owners are the only people who are corrupt - then you have your head in the sand. What about the people who cheat insurance companies? Steal from Targets and Wal-marts? Or what about the people who steal office supplies? Most people justify this corruption because they think that the company can afford it. Well the end result is the cost is passed onto the consumer to cover the stealing from these corporations.

[jerseydevil]

Well i've never been to any other country so I don't know if the US is more corrupt or not. And it is some people who make it corrupt , there are alot of good people as well.

I have been to other countries - not many but enough. And I've been to 40 states. People are generally the same everywhere. And the problems are the same everywhere. You just hear MORE about the problems in the US because it's LOCAL news. You'll only hear about other countries problems when it's really horrific - like when hose two boys took a 2 year old from a mall in England and sexually assualted him, beat him and then left him on the rail road tracks so a train would run over him - which it did. By the way - they got out of jail last year.

Look at how many bombings England used to suffer through the hands of the IRA or the violence in Northern Ireland. It's calmed down now - but who knows if it'll rise back up. Maybe Harrods will again have a bomb blow up in it's store - like it once did.

There are more good people than bad people - but not everyone is perfect 100% of the time. If they were - then they could walk on water.

[Aralyn]

Originally posted by Ragnarok
Watch the news or read the newspaper and see all the violence and killings. These are just to name a few.

The news generally posts violence cause people tend to watch that more. A lot of good things happen that the news does not show

[Aralyn]

Originally posted by jerseydevil
I personally think they should have taken precautions to prevent the pregnancy. What ever the reason for them having an abortion is their choice and their business.

Sorry JD but I am definitly gonna have to disagree with you there.
So basically you're saying it's someones right to kill a baby they dont want? So it's okay if I were to i.e. kill someone I don't like and get away with it?

I don't want to get off topic but I can't let that go.

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Aralyn
Sorry JD but I am definitly gonna have to disagree with you there.
So basically you're saying it's someones right to kill a baby they dont want?

That deals with abortion and when a fetus is a baby. My feeling is that abortions in the 1st trimester are okay and that at that time the fetus is not developed enough to be considered a baby - it's a clump of cells. I also see nothing wrong with the morning after pill - which basically induces a miscarriage.

So it's okay if I were to i.e. kill someone I don't like and get away with it?

I don't consider killing a clump of cells as being the same as killing a conscience, feeling, thinking individual.

Before getting into an abortion discussion - there is an abortion thread already on here... Abortion and Handguns.

[Aralyn]

Originally posted by jerseydevil
That deals with abortion and when a fetus is a baby. My feeling is that abortions in the 1st trimester are okay and that at that time the fetus is not developed enough to be considered a baby - it's a clump of cells. I also see nothing wrong with the morning after pill - which basically induces a miscarriage.

I don't consider killing a clump of cells as being the same as killing a conscience, feeling, thinking individual.

Before getting into an abortion discussion - there is an abortion thread already on here... Abortion and Handguns.

Its thinking like that that makes people blind. A clump of cells is how you are told to think of it so it will be so impersonal that it would be okay to kill the baby. So how come when a woman has a miscarriage in the first trimester people mourn the 'baby' but if you get an abortion it's a 'clump of cells'?
A 'clump of cells' as you put it is a person in the making. It will become a baby. You are robbing a child of it's potential life.
I would name several bible refrences however if you are not a christian it would have no meaning.I'm done being off topic now

[Coney]

Originally posted by jerseydevil
like when hose two boys took a 2 year old from a mall in England and sexually assualted him, beat him and then left him on the rail road tracks so a train would run over him - which it did. By the way - they got out of jail last year.

I remember that well

Just a minor point but the 2 year old wasn't sexually assaulted and his body was found next to the rail line (partially hidden under some bushes, no train hit him.

The poor kid was beaten to death by two ten yr olds tho'.

That's not having a go at you JD......I can easliy believe that some media would build up on the horror of the story. (one newspaper in the UK got in a lot of trouble for embellishing that story).

anyhoo.........on with the abortion business.......

[gimli7410]

wow if i ever met those two ten year olds i would kick their ass

[Ragnarok]

Originally posted by jerseydevil
That deals with abortion and when a fetus is a baby. My feeling is that abortions in the 1st trimester are okay and that at that time the fetus is not developed enough to be considered a baby - it's a clump of cells. I also see nothing wrong with the morning after pill - which basically induces a miscarriage.

I don't consider killing a clump of cells as being the same as killing a conscience, feeling, thinking individual.

Can I take a pair of surgical scissors and stab you in the back of your head and let you die? Because that is one of the methods used in aborting a baby. But if you do that to a fetus/baby its ok.... but if its done on an adult its murder? Make sense...No.

[Coney]

Originally posted by gimli7410
wow if i ever met those two ten year olds i would kick their ass

I think 99.9 % of the uk's population are with ya on that one (the other .1% is in the bath).

Sometimes England isn't such a green and pleasant land :/

[Ragnarok]

[QUOTE]So you think people feel money is god? Money isn't god - it's the things that it allows you to do that makes it great. Vacationing in the Bahamas if you want, going into NY and going to a Broadway play without thinking about it. It sounds to me like what your complaining about there is just jealousy on your part. Just because someone drives a Jag or has a 7,000 square foot house - doesn't meant they didn't bust their a$$ to get that. [QUOTE]

Did I say that? I think people have the right to spend what they earn but some people go overboard and buy stuff they don't really need, when it could be put to better use.

[QUOTE]And how many people have an abortion to make ends meet. Contraception is a lot cheaper than an abortion. A lot of people actually HAVE children becuase they get MORE money from welfare. There were a lot of news items about people having children to get the extra benefits. I've never heard anyone having an abortion to "make ends meet". They may not be able to afford a child or want a child at that particular time - but that is their choice. I personally think they should have taken precautions to prevent the pregnancy. What ever the reason for them having an abortion is their choice and their business.[QUOTE]

Ok you are arguing about to make ends meet... whoop de doo. Your missing the point abortion is allowed/tolerated in the U.S. and its murdering a baby/fetus. I had an article on abortion but I left it in school. I think its at week 16 a fetus gets it first heart beat, so by the time a fetus is aborted it does have a heart beat.


[Quote] Government is run by people - and the day people are perfect is the day you can expect government to be perfect. Until then - I'll continue to write letters and stating my ultimate opinion at the polls.[QUOTE]

I agree.

[QUOTE]What do you do to help out the people who go to bed homeless and stuff?[QUOTE]

I make lunches for the homeless people (One of the shelters is for abused women and their children) on the Route 1 Shelter near Trenton. What do you do??

[QUOTE]I'm also wondering when people say this - especially over the internet. I have to remind you that you don't need the internet, cable tv, telephone, computer - do you recommend giving this stuff up and donating all this money to the people who don't have these enjoyments in life? Does buying something you want such as a nice car or a nice nice make you greedy - while someone in a city is homeless?[QUOTE]

Buying stuff you don't need makes you greedy.... Spending for the sake off it makes you greedy. And I do donate money to to the poor everyweek at Church. At school I buy things they sale (like lolipops and this Coming Mother's Day a card) that is donated to the Route 1 Homeless Shelters.

[QUOTE]I personally want a nice house and a nice car and I work for what I have. I like the money I make - and I'm not ashamed of it.[QUOTE]

Theres nothing to be ashamed about wanting a house and a car.

[QUOTE]Have you attempted to do anything about it? Here in NJ in West Windsor a development has been in a lawsuit for over 10 years to prevent them from building a massive development. NJ has and is enacting tough development standards. There are growth areas and restricted building areas. We also have the Green Acres funds that buy up the development rights to land in order to preserve it. [QUOTE]

I wrote a letter once to a state representative a few years back. But I was using that more of an example I guess. My point is we don't need 3 CVSs' 5 minutes away from each other... what a waste of land... I'm 17 and I got to school, homework, art classes & sports everyday, I work on the weekends and some time to spend with friends...... if you think I can actively protest this stuff daily I can't.... there just not enough time in a day to do it. And even if I don't do anything about it that doesn't change the fact that it is happening.

[QUOTE]By the way - I don't see how that is corrupt by building stores and businesses if the market will sustain them. [QUOTE]

We are destroying the Earth so we can have more fast-food restuarants and the like...

My message had too many characters so I'll finish it in the next post.

[Ragnarok]

[QUOTE]I do watch the news - and the news generally shows news items which will attract an audience. As demonstrated by the number of reality shows where people are treated as crap, lied to and backstabbed - people aren't interested in "hearing about nice people". If you watch the crap reality shows - maybe you should ask yourself - if maybe you're not a little bit of what you've ranted about. [QUOTE]

You know the newspaper is part of the media right... and not just tv. I skip school everyday just so I can watch reality shows on tv!!! yea!


[QUOTE]The people are the ONLY ones that cause corruption. Does a dog cause corruption or a tree? Companies don't cuase corruption either - it's a manager or owner (a PERSON). And if you think managers and owners are the only people who are corrupt - then you have your head in the sand. What about the people who cheat insurance companies? Steal from Targets and Wal-marts? Or what about the people who steal office supplies? Most people justify this corruption because they think that the company can afford it. Well the end result is the cost is passed onto the consumer to cover the stealing from these corporations. [QUOTE]

I know people are the only ones who can cause corruption I worded it wrong and I wasn't fully thinking my sentence out. And i also suck at debating Sand in my head huh? When did I say anything about businesses or managers/owners being corrupt?.... Never.

It seems you like to put alot of thoughts into my head and words in my mouth.