What do you think of our current President?

mkloby · 07-08-2007, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syscom3

It is weird that at 18, you can be entrusted to shoot weapons of great power and kill people by the dozen..... but not mature enough to have a beer.

I think it's a good thing. 18 year old kids are way to immature to be able to go out and drink in public legally. Hell, 21 year old college kids still irritate the crap out of me when out at pubs/restaurants.

I think there's a good reason for the age being 21.

Njaco · 07-08-2007, 07:18 PM

Man, Flyboy, haven't heard about 3-2 beer in awhile. When I lived in Denver there were clubs for "regular beer", i.e over 21 and those with 3-2 beer for 18 and older. Talk about memories!

I not sold that a person should be speaking english to vote but I do believe if you are going to live here you should speak it. I'm sick and tired of two language street signs, tax returns and the talk of teaching "Eubonics" in school systems.

But your now getting at one of the reasons that Immigration is such an issue. Whole new lot of voters for....guess who!!?

FLYBOYJ · 07-08-2007, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkloby

I think it's a good thing. 18 year old kids are way to immature to be able to go out and drink in public legally. Hell, 21 year old college kids still irritate the crap out of me when out at pubs/restaurants.

I think there's a good reason for the age being 21.

I was a doorman at a couple of clubs for a very short while. I could 100% agree based on first hand experiences!

pbfoot · 07-08-2007, 07:26 PM

Yeah but you have to learn sometime unless your islamic.

FLYBOYJ · 07-08-2007, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbfoot

Yeah but you have to learn sometime unless your islamic.

You do have a point....

mosquitoman · 07-09-2007, 02:28 AM

Britiain it's 18 that we can drink legally, but most people I know have been drinking since 15 (me included). We may be immature at our age (I'm 21) but we can take quite a bit before we get drunk.

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 07-09-2007, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkloby

I think it's a good thing. 18 year old kids are way to immature to be able to go out and drink in public legally. Hell, 21 year old college kids still irritate the crap out of me when out at pubs/restaurants.

I think there's a good reason for the age being 21.

I believe it depends on the culture. I grew up in Europe so I grew up with it. In Germany you can drink beer and wine at the age of 16 and hard stuff at 18. You also can not get a drivers liscense though until you are 18.

Over here the kids grow up with alcohol and respect it more. Sure you have problems with kids drinking as well but not on the scale that I have seen it in the United States.

Now having said that seeing the 18 and 19 year old kids in the Army coming over here to Germany, they should not be allowed to drink until they are 21. Many of them leave Germany with a drinking problem because they were never tought about moderation as the kids here in Germany are tought.

pbfoot · 07-09-2007, 12:15 PM

I don't believe its as much moderation as it is the forbidden fruit . About 40yrs ago it was reversed here Candaian drinking age was 21 and the US was 18and every Fri Sat night there would be a line up going over to the US of 18-20 yr olds heading over for a piss up , and I'll confirm we were assholes but now with the ages reversed its the opposite . US colleges plan bus trips up here for the reason of getting pissed . Its a stupid law

mkloby · 07-09-2007, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

I believe it depends on the culture. I grew up in Europe so I grew up with it. In Germany you can drink beer and wine at the age of 16 and hard stuff at 18. You also can not get a drivers liscense though until you are 18.

Over here the kids grow up with alcohol and respect it more. Sure you have problems with kids drinking as well but not on the scale that I have seen it in the United States.

Now having said that seeing the 18 and 19 year old kids in the Army coming over here to Germany, they should not be allowed to drink until they are 21. Many of them leave Germany with a drinking problem because they were never tought about moderation as the kids here in Germany are tought.

I do think you have a good point.

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 07-10-2007, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbfoot

I don't believe its as much moderation as it is the forbidden fruit .

And that is true as well. You want things more that you can not have.

rogthedodge · 07-16-2007, 09:05 PM

Just my $0.04's worth:

I really think he's the worst you've had in a long time. I can only comment on the international aspects but I think he's done your country lots of harm.

Being current top dog the US has never really been liked post-war, there's admiration, taking of your media etc but not much actual affection. There's a real parallel with the Brits at the height of our empire. Grudging respect / least worst alternative perhaps.

Recently this has turned to a more active dislike (not towards individual yanks but overall as a nation). I think much of this has to do with the crazy crusade to invade Iraq planned and pushed through in spite of the evidence and the legality of the action*.

Even if Bush was justified (and I believe he wasn't) he failed to convince the World that it was a just and necessary action - it has been viewed by many as a colonial action in quest for resources. We've heard and rejected his spurious justification that Iraq was involved in 9/11.

I should say I really feel for all the troops and Iraqi civilians killed and maimed as a result of this personal crusade - there's lots of blood on just a few hands.

This course of action has harmed your country in many ways, some of which will only be seen in the years to come. The current state of your economy and the rush to ditch the Dollar are possibly just examples of this harm to your standing in the World.

McDonalds, Coca Cola and other US icon brands are now suffering from this world-wide rejection of the US and its values.

* Almost everything I've said above could equally be said of Bliar, I think they've both harmed our countries and we'll feel the effects for many years to come.

History will judge, and I believe it will be unkind

Njaco · 07-16-2007, 09:25 PM

Although I'm not in agreement with some of the terms you use, such as "spurious" and "personal", I do agree with the jist of what you are saying. Regardless of whether Bush was right or wrong, the general and possible historical perception of him will be poor at best. And its a large rock that we as a country will try to lift off of us in the years to come.

FLYBOYJ · 07-16-2007, 09:35 PM

Agree as well but Rodger, our economy is doing very well right now despite what the European press may say and the falling price of the dollar. 5% unemployment! And believe me, even Bin Laden would want a pair of Levis!

rogthedodge · 07-16-2007, 11:14 PM

Njaco

Re 'Spurious' - I think if you check he was very careful not to actually say Iraq planned 9/11 but by mentioning them together in the same sentence (frequently) he managed to create that impression - I've certainly heard it replayed from the mouths of your troops out there.
Many investigations (including some by your own politicians) have singularly failed to find any evidence of any such link. It was all part of the smokescreen.

'Personal' - well the war was being planned well before 9/11, certainly the re-examining of Int to find evidence of Iraqi wrongdoing (Office of Special Plans) seemed to be trying to find justification for a pre-determined course of action.

Personally I think that picture of his 'Daddy' on the hotel floor was a major part of Bush's motivation, maybe others were pulling his strings too but that's possibly even more worrying

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FBJ

Ah possibly on the surface but in the long-term? It could be argued that your stock is falling all around the world and your currency is in deep trouble, the economy may be doing ok at home but that's largely being paid for at the cost of ever-increasing national debt. I think they're having to invent new numbers for it now

Some of this is the curse of the modern world, some of this is living beyond your means and some of it is, possibly, a reaction to people rejecting America - Iran getting out of the Dollar for its oil sales for example.

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Anyway not here to discuss macro-economics or the crusade

glad that my comments have been seen for what they were - observations on your Dear Leader not having a go at you guys personally

Graeme · 07-17-2007, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogthedodge

Even if Bush was justified (and I believe he wasn't) he failed to convince the World that it was a just and necessary action - it has been viewed by many as a colonial action in quest for resources. We've heard and rejected his spurious justification that Iraq was involved in 9/11.

Rightly or wrongly, if Bush didn't react (Iraq), he would be part of that 5% unemployment, which FLYBOY mentioned above, by now.