Americans don't hold monopoly on stupid ideas

[Willmeister]

So why do they say 'business is war?' It's because it is. Both sides will continue on until the other has been defeated, which enables the winner to have control of the entire battlefield/market to do with as they see fit. To the victors go the spoils of war. Competition is all about seperating those what 'win' from those that 'lose'.

 

[Willmeister]

Nearly 1/3 of Germans younger than 30 polled by Die Zeit believe that the US government could have ordered the 9/11 attacks.

So? Two-thirds of Americans were led to believe Saddam was behind them. That's the beauty for Bush not actually identifying who was behind the attacks. You've *never* heard anyone in the administration saying Al-Qaeda was behind it. The fact is, there has been no proof as to who was behind it. This could be what someone like Osama wants, plausible deniability.

Anyway, fifty bucks says in a year, they'll probably be a poll showing that two thirds of Americans think Kim Jong Il was behind it...

 

[RussSchultz]

So? Two-thirds of Americans were led to believe Saddam was behind them. That's the beauty for Bush about not actually identifying who was behind the attacks. You've *never* heard anyone in the administration saying Al-Qaeda was behind it.

Really? The administration has never said Al Qaeda was behind 9-11?

I hope you're kidding me. Otherwise you're willfully ignorant or stupid.

I'm not even going to bother looking up links to show that you're wrong because your assertation is so preposterous.

 

[Legion]

I amazed you, that's nice.

I am glad you think so.

Of course I can't tell how you really feel,

thank you for admitting this. otherwise i might have felt you are insane.

but I can form an opinion based on what you write on this board.

On of course whatever you choose to read into what i said. You are wrong. I am not bitter. Ergo your opinion is mistaken.

And over the past couple of days your comments in this and other threads have definitely stood out to me as being mostly negative,

To you. Not to me. Difference in opinion. Your opinion doesn't constitute the basis of my emmotions nor does your perception of "negative."

sarcastic or bitter in tone, among other things. Does that mean you are or feel that way in real live? Nope, but IMO there certainly is a trend showing through.

That i am a sarcastic person. Likewise so are Natoma and Joe but you leave them out. I don't mean for you to be deeply offended.

Not bitter? Well, I personally think that considering your allies to be nothing but leaches is a pretty bitter view of the world right there.

Do i really think this? Am i exaggerating for comical merit? Why are you taking such comments to be a serious indication of how i feel? If i truly felt this way why would i bother being friendly with many of the european/nonamerican people in this forum?

So you seriously think that we have nothing to give to each other,

It is your assumption i think this.

Well, actually that's not true, leaches can be very helpfull for certain medical purposes.

So can maggots.

Somehow I got the feeling you were not thinking of that when you made that comment though, but rather just thought of a slimy wriggly thing that should be ripped off and stepped on (twice, just to be sure ya know)...

Gollum do you want me to give you a nice warm hug?

Gollum i know you want to be recognized as a postive member of an american alliance! I as an individual would like for you to know we love you. Yes you Gollum. You are truly special.

 

[Silent_One]

You've *never* heard anyone in the administration saying Al-Qaeda was behind it

????
Wow!

 

[Legion]

So why do they say 'business is war?' It's because it is. Both sides will continue on until the other has been defeated, which enables the winner to have control of the entire battlefield/market to do with as they see fit. To the victors go the spoils of war. Competition is all about seperating those what 'win' from those that 'lose'.

Are you asking me to assume their meaning or to presume such a comment has merit in this conversation? I am sure you could find numerous occassions in which people have made such statements both meant to be positive or negative in context. Perhaps all of those whom have stated such as negative in context believe competition is counter beneficial - people much like yourself. Why would this statement apply only to the US? It seems to be very general and a globally accepted concept business must compete.

I have yet to see why you think competiton (or you supposed 'american' competition) is wrong. Perhaps the lack luster competition we see coming from europe accounts for their unemployment?

 

[Willmeister]

Actually, no one in the White House staff has ever come out and fingered al-Qaeda. The wording is clever. Al-Qaeda will be mentioned as 'evil' in sentence one, then they'll be a reference to 911 and the following sentence will have a mention of al-Qaeda. Many reporters have noted this. I missed it until I listened to their explanations. A classic example of lawyer-talk, al-Qaeda and 911 are woven together so that makes people lead to assumptions which may or may not prove true.

I don't know about the Congressional investigations though.

 

[Willmeister]

Perhaps all of those whom have stated such as negative in context believe competition is counter beneficial - people much like yourself.

Given the increases in productivity, competition will more than likely become irrelevant. Might take a really long time, but it's on it's way out. And this productivity is a result of knowledge and the work of problem solvers, not competitors. Any 'competition' largely turns out to be the pursuit of vanity; how people view others and how they determine their own self-worth.

People are inheriently utilitarian, and this trait will do what it wants given the surroundings.

People will look back on our competition-obsessed society as like we look back on our ancestors. Competition is largely a result of fear flowing to the surface. Fear leads to uncertainty and uncertainty drives a hoarding instinct.

 

[Legion]

Perhaps all of those whom have stated such as negative in context believe competition is counter beneficial - people much like yourself.

Given the increases in productivity, competition will more than likely become irrelevant. People will look back on it like we look back on our ancestors.

That is an absurd notion. The basis for increasing productivity can be said to be both caused by competition and the grounds for it. Such is what breeds it. Can you not see the lack of competition or the ability there of is what has helped to devalue business under commnist control?

 

[diarrhea_splatter]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/3088011.stm

Feh. Even more proof that idiocy is a world wide phenomenon.

Comments galore about how it was an american plot to prop up bush/blair, or ignorantly stating "they should have gotten them to surrender", or "those pictures are faked".

Gah. idiots. all of them.

I guess it proves that people don't trust our government, I don't. Hey if Forrest Gump can shake hands with LBJ, who's do say that they can't doctor some photos. Get an independent investigation team who isn't linked to anybody in the government or political field, have them do a DNA test and then we can find out if it's them or not.

I swear I think I hear sheep around here.

 

[Willmeister]

Competition restrains innovation. Why, if you want to assure yourself a steady future revenue stream, would you make your product obsolete? So you hold innovation back just enough to prevent catastrophe by staying a few steps ahead of a competitor.

 

[Legion]

Competition restrains innovation. Why, if you want to assure yourself a steady future revenue stream, would you make your product obsolete?

Are you kiddying me? competition aids innovation as businesses can use innovation to sell products. Hense the reason the US is one of the most advanced countries in the world and yet communist nations are primative by comparison.

the entire concept of the production of innovation is deeply meshed with competition.

The very reason alone to secure future revenue is a reason to futher innovation for new members of business and for old. How would the lack of competition aid this? There would obviously be less of an incentive to pay for such techologies as numerous companies profits are steady.

It has been competition that has caused business to monsterously improve their products or fail

Why the hell do you think why have new P4s coming out every so many months? To compete with AMDs innovated chipsets.

Another valid reason that competition is necessary is the concept of monopolies being counter productive. Seeing as how the monopolies profit is garaunteed no one can compete. Their products have no reason to dramatically improve.

 

[pax]

Leaches indeed Legion. Look up how much those leaches hold in US treasury bonds...

 

[Legion]

Leaches indeed Legion. Look up how much those leaches hold in US treasury bonds...

look what we hold in yours and your economy.

don't take it so hard pax, i wasn't being serious.

 

[Silent_One]

Willmeister wrote:

Actually, no one in the White House staff has ever come out and fingered al-Qaeda. The wording is clever. Al-Qaeda will be mentioned as 'evil' in sentence one, then they'll be a reference to 911 and the following sentence will have a mention of al-Qaeda. Many reporters have noted this. I missed it until I listened to their explanations. A classic example of lawyer-talk, al-Qaeda and 911 are woven together so that makes people lead to assumptions which may or may not prove true.

Where the hell have you been hiding?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/wtccrash/story/0,1300,555616,00.html
This is the from the full text of George Bush's address to a joint jession of Congress and the American people
Friday September 21, 2001

Americans have many questions tonight. Americans are asking: Who attacked our country? The evidence we have gathered all points to a collection of loosely affiliated terrorist organizations known as al Qaeda. They are the same murderers indicted for bombing American embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, and responsible for bombing the USS Cole.

 

[RussSchultz]

I swear I think I hear sheep around here.

You want sheep? Go to indymedia.org and see all the conspiracy theorists flock. Its amazing so many people can believe such utter bullshit.

 

[Willmeister]

Are you kiddying me? competition aids innovation as businesses can use innovation to sell products. Hense the reason the US is one of the most advanced countries in the world and yet communist nations are primative by comparison.

Yeah, because you import it from abroad don't you? And why is this though? Because kids are growing up now worshiping basketball stars, wanting to be lawyers or Hollywood stars shrinking the talent pool. They don't want to *work*. I actually agree with Demo that people are becoming more lazy.

the entire concept of the production of innovation is deeply meshed with competition.

No, it's not. Necessity is the mother of invention. I see no mention of 'competiton' there at all. Problem solvers bring innovation. Competition doesn't bring 'innovation' to market, management does. But only when they are forced into doing so. For competition, innovation is actually not a natural by-product. We're getting into pure abstraction here, and as interesting as it is, abstractions rarely materialize in the real world.

BTW, the only reason the USA has been able to forgo any balance of payments crisis generated by it's whacked-out trade deficit revolved around OPEC. OPEC forces all oil importers to use American dollars. A strong OPEC means a strong US dollar. No OPEC means economic catastrophe. They have leverage, and boy do they know it. They have as much, maybe even more, sway over the US dollar than Greenspan does.

 

[Dr. Ffreeze]

Willmeister,

Competition is largely a result of fear flowing to the surface.

Wow, that is way out there. I have never heard of that opinion in my life. Can't really think of much else to say, just wow....

In general I feel:

Motivation = good
Hard work = good
Trying to better one's self = good
Competition = good

I see the above 4 things very interwoven.

Dr. Ffreeze

 

[Legion]

Yeah, because you import it from abroad don't you? And why is this though? Because grow up worshiping basketball stars, wanting to be lawyers or Hollywood stars shrinking the talent pool.

In the same sense you grow up worhsiping your bankrupting welf fare system, medicare system and your importation of economic ventures, your lack of any media talent worth naming, etc. What talent pool does Canada have that compares to the talent of that of US actors or for that matter compares to the US history of theater in general?

Even if we imported it from abroad which we don't it would still be an admittion competition aids innovation.

No, it's not. Necessity is the mother of invention.

And competition creates such necessities Will. You don't see this? Do you think we require P4-4 GHZ computers by the nature of having computers? Do you think we'd even have those today if intel didn't have competition? Why would we? The soul reason they develope more chips quickly is to compete against AMD, IBM etc.

I see no mention of 'competiton' there at all.

You love creating your own fallacious strawmen don't you.

Problem solvers bring innovation.

What brings him at all is his ability to market his product.

Competition doesn't bring 'innovation' to market,

I have already provided you examples of how it does.

 

[horvendile]

Just an observation:
The notion that all European media is extreme left wing US haters is wrong.
I can only speak for Sweden, but here you'll have to look hard for any major news media (newspapers or other) that promote conspiracy theories or slant facts as has been described in this thread. The editorial page in my newspaper (DN, one of the major newspapers here - possibly the major) the last months has been a continuous defense of the Iraq war. That does not mean that every aspect of what the US does is praised, but the reporting is balanced. And, as indicated, that goes for all the major media.