FactCheck.org takes a look at Obama's new ad about McCain's "$2 million from Big Oil", and clears some things up.
I think it's a little too slick for Obama to have engaged in petty semantics back in March by saying "I don't take money from oil companies" (when he did get money from oil company employees) but then have a commercial that accuses John McCain of taking money from "Big Oil" (when John McCain's money comes from oil company employees as well). All the while Obama is still getting the same sort of money contributed to his campaign... just not as much.
I think the thing that I am finding surprising about this year's presidential campaigns in particular is how much time the campaigns of each candidate are spending saying, "Gasp!!! Look at what the other guy is doing! Look at what the other guy is!" when there is ample evidence of them doing something similar or being something similar themselves. Especially during the information age, when hypocrisy is instantly searchable and demonstrable, it really is an insult to the intelligence of the American people — or perhaps more accurately... it really is a reliance on the stupidity of the American people — for the pot to be calling the kettle black.
By the way, gasoline here in The Philippines is currently $5.50 per gallon. It was $1.59 per gallon when I arrived in Thailand 5 years ago. Anyway, my scooter gets about 60 miles to the gallon, so I'm not too bothered.
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"Especially during the information age, when hypocrisy is instantly searchable and demonstrable, it really is an insult to the intelligence of the American people — or perhaps more accurately... it really is a reliance on the stupidity of the American people — for the pot to be calling the kettle black."
Stupidity, complacency, whatever it is I believe overall the American public is so uninformed about many important issues (politics, world news). Of course the American public is very much informed about popular TV series, sports, what movie stars are doing in their private lives. The American people are too complacent. Hell, I almost wished we would have instituted a draft (conscription) at least that would have gotten the American people interested in the middle east and we were are doing there. I still do not think many Americans could find Iraq on a world map.
We could do so much good in the world but with a complacent public, corrupt/incompetent politicians (that want an ignorant voting public) and a news media that keeps reporting complexed news in 20 second sound bites (never really informing the public of anything) we will end up doing nothing. It is so sad.
We are the people that won WWII, put men on the moon, created an economy envied by the world...what can we do now? Not much. But at least we know what Paris Hilton was up to over the weekend. (No wonder I want to live overseas.)
Cool, i did not know the scooters were getting 60 miles to the gallon. Since I will hopefully be working overseas end of next year I thought I would splurge a bit this until then. Soon I will be picking up my BMW Z4 soon....what an awesome vehicle. I figure when I am overseas I will not have a car like that so might as well have fun with it while I can. Hmmmm, I am guessing I will not be getting 60 miles to the gallon, LOL....but what a ride. Will be worth EVERY penny.
Chief,
You can buy some pretty swish scooters in the United States as well: Automatic 1-gear transmission, just twist and go. Look up Yamaha Morphous, Yamaha T-Max, Yamaha Majesty, Honda Silver Wing, Honda Forza, or Suzuki Burgman. All are under $10,000 new (some substantially so), and all get gas mileage better than a Prius (I think... to busy right now to confirm for sure). Will certainly offset a person's gas expenses by a fair amount even if it is only used just to run to the store and back. (Lots of under-seat storage.)
p.s. Chief,
You may want to live overseas to get away from American ignorance, but you'll find when you come to Southeast Asia that a vast majority of people can't tell you which countries Athens, Warsaw, Vienna, or Madrid are in.
Just fair warning not to set your expectations too high.
Dude, I am an Officer in the US Army....if I drove a scooter onto the base I work I would be the laughing stock of my unit. My Bn Commander owns a Harley...he would be the one laughing the loudest if he saw me on a scooter. Nope. Not for me. I will stick with the BMW Z4.
I have lived overseas many times in many different countries (Korea, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, Kuwait, Iraq, Afganistan). After I retire next year and get hired on as a contract or DoD civilian I want to work/live overseas. The ignorance of Americans is really not the reason (although it would be a bonus). Yes I know the education level in southeast Asia is low. But at least if Thais or Filipinos do not have knowledge they have a reason (little to no education, real poverty), Americans should not have a reason to be ignorant.
There are actually many reasons why I would like to leave in another country (the adventure, excitement, ability to maintain a very high standard of living with full ex-pat pay/bonus package, and to be honest I am attracted to Asian/Latino ladies, much easier to meet them outside of America, plus having my son with me so he can see different countries and cultures will be good for him.)
In my career field and with my experience I can now command a very good salary (6 figures) and living overseas (either southeast Asia or south America) I can live very nicely and still save money so I can retire at or before I am 50 (ten years from now).
Like I said: There are some swish scooters out there that nobody would laugh at.
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j174/raredog/tmax_new.jpg
LOL, apparently you have never served in the military. A swish scooter is....a scooter. If I drove that on base and then claimed it was a "swish" scooter so it was cool....I would get laughed at even harder. It is even funnier when someone rides a scooter and actually thinks it is cool....when it obvisouly is not.
Yes, we can laugh at "guys" who drive that. That is why I will never be caught dead on scooter while I am in the Military. And I can not see myself on one of those after I retire. There is this thing called .....motorcyle. That is what guys ride. Look into it. LOL
Well, I served in the military, but was in the Navy, so nobody really had cars, let alone motorcycles... and motorcycles weren't popular back in the 1980s that I ever saw.
Well, I'll take your word for it. If I ever get back to America and am driving around on the world's coolest scooter, I'll stay away from military bases, or Americade for that matter, I suppose.
lol a z4 is a girls car
unless you live in america
i was going to splash out on a vintage ferrari. but then i thought maybe these cars will depreciate what with the forced advent of electric
Z4 a girls car? No way. I have been paying attention to all the Z4s see on the streets here and have not seen a girl driving one...ever.
But since I will not take the Z4 out of America (I will sell it if I get my overseas job next year) should be no problem owning it here.
The Mazda RX7...now that is a girlie car.
okay its the z3 thats girlie then
not sure about rx7, they are quite pokey. the boxster is the most girlie sports car, shame cos its quite nice and cheap too
i assume its the same in ph, but if you want the best girls in thailand, best to drive a flash car. face is everything
cant understand why jil always lives in quite flash houses but potters round on a moped lol
When (if) I retire and move to the PH I can see myself owning a nice car there. The traffic is pretty bad in some of the bigger cities but still driving was not so bad.
But I can never see myself driving in Thailand...to crazy there (they drive on the wrong side of road for one thing). I have driven HMMVWs and 5-tons in Thailand for work...hated it. Once I drove a 2 1/2-ton truck in downtown Seoul, Korea in rush-hour traffic. I would rather do that again then drive a car in Thailand.
Plus, in either of those two places I never had much problems getting the "best girls". And I am not talking about the nightlife girls....I am talking about the good girls. I think Jil is right...treat the ladies nicely with respect (which the men of those countries do not do) and live comfortable (nice crib) and the ladies will be beating down your door.
And culturally speaking I think Jils "swish" scooter may impress some of the ladies there more then my Z4...maybe?
Yeah... the girls think my Motorstar scooter is pretty cool, although it is a piece of crap. But, as is typical anywhere on earth, it is mostly guys who notice it. It's a large scooter and stands out in a crowd.
Mostly, the reason to drive a scooter (if you want to attract girls in Asia) is because if you are in a car, girls don't instantly notice that it is a foreigner driving; on a motorcycle/scooter, they do. That's what always turns them on the most.
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