This just kinda pisses me off.
We've pledged $15M. France pledged 100K Euros.
--Satan, quoted by John Milton
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The average rich country gives just 0.2 percent of its national income to international solidarity and international assistance, he said.
So, since we're in debt, they should be paying us? 
No, that was not a stab at our economy.
edit: added a comma. Gadani fucked around with this message on 12-28-2004 at 01:19 PM.
Also, English pounds are approximately (as in, a little less than) twice the worth of the American dollar. That may be some basis for comparison.
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Azakias had this to say about Reading Rainbow:
i believe it depends on what region in Europe you are in.
He's just one of those cockamamy self-important humanists.
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Trillee had this to say about Optimus Prime:
And how much aid did we get from other countries when Florida was pelted with hurricanes this year?
The death toll is over 55,000 now and the damage is way into the billions. I'm sorry, but this is a terrible comparison. They wish it was as bad as Florida got.
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Bloodsage probably says this to all the girls:
Odd.We've pledged $15M. France pledged 100K Euros.
Lets face it, on one hand $15m is stingy for America. Its piddly compared to what we've spent on far less things. Hell, its piddly period looking at American spending on anything. Of course, it still isn't long after the incident and one would expect that we'll send more in the coming days.
And, frankly, they should be happy for every penny anyone gives, because it's not like we owe them anything at all.
--Satan, quoted by John Milton
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When the babel fish was in place, it was apparent Bloodsage said:
The actual $ of damage to Florida is probably more than these tsunamis, though the death toll doesn't compare.And, frankly, they should be happy for every penny anyone gives, because it's not like we owe them anything at all.
I'd disagree on the $ totals, but its still too early to tell. The tsunami hit commercial areas and major beaches, so its just like hitting Florida. Most numbers have been gusses at this point though.
We're America. We claim to be the country that helps everyone out. We don't anyone anything. Its more of an image thing. If we want to keep your "good guy" image, which has been obviously been suffering for other reasons as of late, we have to help. Besides, we got more sympathy for 9/11, which pales in comparison here.
That and the point is, we do have natural disasters... and does any other country give us aid? Honest question, not sarcasm.
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Trillee had this to say about Reading Rainbow:
Not that lousy. We were talking monitary comparison... not death toll.That and the point is, we do have natural disasters... and does any other country give us aid? Honest question, not sarcasm.
Not significantely, that I have seen. I may be mistaken, I dont keep up on that sort of thing too religiously.
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A sleep deprived Trillee stammered:
Not that lousy. We were talking monitary comparison... not death toll.That and the point is, we do have natural disasters... and does any other country give us aid? Honest question, not sarcasm.
We're the richest country in the world. Why would we need it?
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When the babel fish was in place, it was apparent Talonus said:
I'd disagree on the $ totals, but its still too early to tell. The tsunami hit commercial areas and major beaches, so its just like hitting Florida. Most numbers have been gusses at this point though.We're America. We claim to be the country that helps everyone out. We don't anyone anything. Its more of an image thing. If we want to keep your "good guy" image, which has been obviously been suffering for other reasons as of late, we have to help. Besides, we got more sympathy for 9/11, which pales in comparison here.
We are giving, and quite quickly and generously, of both money and resources.
The UN should shut the fuck up and be grateful, rather than insulting those who are helping.
--Satan, quoted by John Milton
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This one time, at Trillee camp:
Not that lousy. We were talking monitary comparison... not death toll.That and the point is, we do have natural disasters... and does any other country give us aid? Honest question, not sarcasm.
Why does the US need aid in the first place? We're a leading economic power, not a small country. Besides, we're only going to help other countries if they help us? Nice way of looking at it.
Ignoring that, plenty of countries give a good deal of money to the Red Cross. The Red Cross gives aid for pretty much every disaster, regardless of the country. There's also the aid of equipment, etc that's also given in natural disasters. Its obviously not as much as we give out, but we don't need it as badly.
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And I was all like 'Oh yeah?' and Bloodsage was all like:
We are giving, and quite quickly and generously, of both money and resources.The UN should shut the fuck up and be grateful, rather than insulting those who are helping.
Generously is obviously under debate. Smaller countries (Australia for one) have given more than we have so far. It doesn't make us look very good in comparison.
Its our fault for helping to create the UN. They've inheritted American greed it seems. Just another notch on America's belt of doing something that comes back to bite us in the ass later it seems.
"The international assistance that has come and been pledged from the United States, from Europe and from countries in the region has also been very generous," Jan Egeland said in brief remarks at the world body's headquarters.
Sounds like that person took back what they said, so I fail to see what the problem is. Unless you're looking for a public apology for calling us "stingy" earlier, which who cares what one person thinks?
The US could give 100 times the amount of every other country and someone would still find something wrong with that and critisize us. It's what happens when you're the top dog.
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Reynar wrote, obviously thinking too hard:
The US could give 100 times the amount of every other country and someone would still find something wrong with that and critisize us. It's what happens when you're the top dog.
Hah, pretty much. On a smaller scale, all smart fundraisers under-report how much they give. It protects them from criticism. If a penny less ends up in the hands of those they're giving it to, they're heavily criticized. If a penny more ends up in those hands, nobody says anything. Better to say you gave less than you did. Too bad America can't do that and keep it a secret. We know if they're being cheap! 
It was just this one douchebag complaining that no country went far enough with their charity. It wasn't the UN attacking us; it wasn't anyone attacking us. It was just that Egeland guy being a jackass. >=[
I suppose you can't get riled up about that, though.
Vorbis fucked around with this message on 12-28-2004 at 04:00 PM.
[ edit: guy, chick. . .maybe I should read the article a few more times ]
[ edit: fuck those weird UN names >={ ]
At some point you have to wonder if an object lesson isn't in order. Stop giving to anyone, start charging the UN rent, etc. Just for a few years. Make a point.
Of course I don't speak for my entire country, but I am starting to get rather pissed off.
sigpic courtesy of This Guy, original modified by me
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Vorbis had this to say about John Romero:
Did no one read the article?It was just this one douchebag complaining that no country went far enough with their charity. It wasn't the UN attacking us; it wasn't anyone attacking us. It was just that Egeland guy being a jackass. >=[
I suppose you can't get riled up about that, though.
[ edit: guy, chick. . .maybe I should read the article a few more times ]
[ edit: fuck those weird UN names >={ ]
He works for the UN as the Emergency Relief Coordinator. Sounds like the UN said it to me. He accused countries including the US of being "Stingy". And it wouldn't be that big a deal if it wasn't for the fact the UN is constantly giving us shit. Even before the war in Iraq, they were giving us shit.
You know how many countries genuinely seemed to care when we got nailed by terrorist attack? Like five. Britain and Canada were the big two. Did the UN shame people into helping us? No.
Now I'm not saying that the numbers equate, but if the UN, or it's designated representatives, are going to mouth off for one country's aid, they need to do it for all, or they need to shut their mouths.
sigpic courtesy of This Guy, original modified by me
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Ja'Deth Issar Ka'bael attempted to be funny by writing:
He works for the UN as the Emergency Relief Coordinator. Sounds like the UN said it to me. He accused countries including the US of being "Stingy". And it wouldn't be that big a deal if it wasn't for the fact the UN is constantly giving us shit. Even before the war in Iraq, they were giving us shit.You know how many countries genuinely seemed to care when we got nailed by terrorist attack? Like five. Britain and Canada were the big two. Did the UN shame people into helping us? No.
Now I'm not saying that the numbers equate, but if the UN, or it's designated representatives, are going to mouth off for one country's aid, they need to do it for all, or they need to shut their mouths.
Do you hold all of Christendom responsible for Falwell's comments? Not if you're a reasonable person. When Cheney told the reporter to "fuck off," was that an official message of the administration? Not likely. You're overreacting to a person's comment that the affluent nations should be more generous. It's almost like you're searching for an excuse to rant about the UN and global anti-American conspiracies.
You're smarter than that! The only thing I can figure is either you only read the thread, or I completely missed Kofi Anon with the General Assembly telling us to fork over more cash.
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Ja'Deth Issar Ka'bael had this to say about Robocop:
At some point you have to wonder if an object lesson isn't in order. Stop giving to anyone, start charging the UN rent, etc. Just for a few years. Make a point.
While that has crossed my mind several times, I think it'd be a bad idea.
Sure it would teach those folks who take our aid for granted on a daily basis and would definatly show how much relief we supply. But it would only be a real demonstration to nations and to activist groups, the people who truly needed our aid would suffer.
And I'd rather not have the truly needy suffer just so we can stick it to a special interest group.
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Vorbis's unholy Backstreet Boys obsession manifested in:
Do you hold all of Christendom responsible for Falwell's comments? Not if you're a reasonable person. When Cheney told the reporter to "fuck off," was that an official message of the administration? Not likely. You're overreacting to a person's comment that the affluent nations should be more generous. It's almost like you're searching for an excuse to rant about the UN and global anti-American conspiracies.You're smarter than that! The only thing I can figure is either you only read the thread, or I completely missed Kofi Anon with the General Assembly telling us to fork over more cash.
This guys position means that he speaks for the UN in situations like this. So it was indeed the UN saying it.
Lyinar Ka`Bael, Piney Fresh Druidess - Luclin
People bitch about their budgets all the time. Thats all this guy was really doing - his projects are funded by the support from UN participators. Does that give him the right to bitch? No. But really, don't act so suprised because someone was bitching about their budget
I'm a small fry in my company. I'm just a data entry specialist. But if I'm in my shirt and/or on the grounds, I'm representing the company.
Lyinar Ka`Bael, Piney Fresh Druidess - Luclin
Secondly, in a disaster, people in a coordinating or control position are going to be viewed as key players by the media. In domestic incidents or natural disasters, the key spokesmen who talk about what's getting done (Florida, for instance, or North Carolina when we had the floods a few years back) are usually a governor, a congressperson, and the relief coordinator. So like it or not, this schmuck was in a position where he could say some very hurtful things. Since the UN invested the power in him to handle this, they in effect empowered him to represent their organization. I imagine that's why that particular article is a retraction of his statements. He fired his mouth off, pissed people off, and his superiors reined him in.
It doesn't change the fact that the UN needs to watch itself.
On the whole, however, I agree with Reynar. While I'm pissed off that the UN keeps letting it's little goons and sub-goons kick us in the nuts in the realm of public opinion, I'm loathe to make the truly needy suffer due to the fault of the big assholes.
I still, however, resent the fact that the UN feels it should have any say in how American dollars are spent. That's the real issue. The US gives massive, almost inconceivable-to-individuals amounts of money in charity and financial, medical, and foodstuff realms, as well as financial assistance in and of itself. It's not for an organization like the UN, which itself exists solely on donations from member nations (and the US, I assure you, is one of the UN's biggest contributors in the UN's lifetime) to try and tell member nations how they should handle the internal matter of deciding how to spend the nation's money.
sigpic courtesy of This Guy, original modified by me
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Azizza came out of the closet to say:
This guys position means that he speaks for the UN in situations like this. So it was indeed the UN saying it.
But when someone like Richard Clarke, a US official at the time, came out and said the US wasn't doing enough to find and kill terrorists, he was just an idiot trying to be a publicity whore? That's a bit disingenuous of you, isn't it? Drysart fucked around with this message on 12-28-2004 at 08:50 PM.
That being said, the death toll has risen over 55,000.
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Alaan had this to say about Punky Brewster:
My one and only comment: US imediately put up $15 million for aid. The entire European Union has put up about $4 million. Figures from Tuesday Chicago Sun Times.
Japan put up 30 million. They kick our asses in...uh... relief funds. Talonus fucked around with this message on 12-28-2004 at 09:03 PM.
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Maradon! had this to say about Cuba:
Besides, it's not like the UN means anything.
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Talonus painfully thought these words up:
Japan put up 30 million. They kick our asses in...uh... relief funds.
Not according to this article, unless I'm reading it wrong. And, of course, that's purely dollars and cents, not all this percent of GDP stuff that's floating around...
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Suddar had this to say about Knight Rider:
Not according to this article, unless I'm reading it wrong. And, of course, that's purely dollars and cents, not all this percent of GDP stuff that's floating around...
Hmm, that's the number I heard earlier while watching CNN. Guess it was wrong. *shrugs* My mistake.
-Tok Toktuk fucked around with this message on 12-29-2004 at 12:06 AM.
