Why The Germans Think Americans Are Insane

[flintlock]

Re: Why The Germans Think Americans Are Insane

Master Shake has been a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) since 1997 and has worked in the field of safety and environmental health since 1989. In addition to overseeing asbestos abatement projects for his employer, he has also taken graduate level courses in Environmental Toxicology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, as well as taught classes there on Indoor Air Quality.

When Mr. (Ms.?) Mesyn posts that fiberglass and drywall are “just as bad as” asbestos, and then follows up with the comment that just because they don’t cause mesothelioma doesn’t mean they aren’t as bad as asbestos, well, that statement speaks for itself and what it says is: I have no idea what I’m talking about.

Is fiberglass or any inhalable particulate harmless? Of course not. But the degree of harm depends on many things including concentration, duration of exposure, size of the particulate, particle morphology, recovery time (period between non-exposure), as well as factors such as individual susceptibility and whether or not the person smokes or has other medical conditions. Asbestos, especially amosite and crocidolite >>> fiberglass >> drywall (unless we’re talking the Chinese stuff).

As far as being hateful and irrational goes, that’s certainly a case of pot calling kettle coming from you.

I think the internet slang for this is "Pwned!"

[flintlock]

Re: Why The Germans Think Americans Are Insane

Tsk, tsk! "Lafayette, we are here!" was WWI!

Normandy put the balance back on the US side. ;-)

Actually, I'm reading _Lords of Finance_ about the banking crisis before (and during) the Great Depression and reparations and war loan repayments were a major factor in it all.

And let us not forget that the help of King Louis XVI was hardly an act of charity, but rather intended to bring in an ally in their never ending wars with Britain. Considering how things worked out for him, I'm sure he regretted his decision.

[flintlock]

Re: Why The Germans Think Americans Are Insane

Graham Parker had a similar song title, "Get over it and move on!"

[touchring]

Re: Why The Germans Think Americans Are Insane

Unclear what this means.

What I meant is that Kim might have threatened China that if China doesn't support his son, he would start the nuclear war - 同归于尽 - meaning all will perish together.

North Korea is not going to be able to take over South Korea without open Chinese support - and if the US chooses to intervene as it did in the 1950s it is doubtful success could be achieved under any circumstances.

The US don't need to intervene. North Korea will fall before the war gets to the 3rd month.

Unlike in the 1950s, nowadays wars are not fought using infantry. They are fought by tanks, aircraft and attack helicopters, all of which need heavy maintenance, fuel and logistics. You can send over a million infantry, they will be cut down in the same way the Europeans did to the boxers in the later 19th century.

[c1ue]

Re: Why The Germans Think Americans Are Insane

What I meant is that Kim might have threatened China that if China doesn't support his son, he would start the nuclear war - 同归于尽 - meaning all will perish together.

Yes, all the 'evil empire' fetishists all proclaim this can happen.

But the people who would push the buttons - the missile techs, the nuclear engineers, the generals, the radar techs, etc etc all have to agree on self annihilation first.

And so far as I see - there is no national desire to self immolate in North Korea.

The US don't need to intervene. North Korea will fall before the war gets to the 3rd month.

Unlike in the 1950s, nowadays wars are not fought using infantry. They are fought by tanks, aircraft and attack helicopters, all of which need heavy maintenance, fuel and logistics. You can send over a million infantry, they will be cut down in the same way the Europeans did to the boxers in the later 19th century.

Really? So the Taliban/Pashtun are duking it out with their choppers, tanks, and aircraft vs. American Predators, F-18s, Abrams, and what not?

And the insurgents in Iraq are duking it out with their T72s, Hinds, and Migs against the same?

Don't confuse the ability to shoot up a bridge from 20000 feet with the entirety of warfare.

North Korea could easily have infiltrated thousands of soldiers into South Korea. They have been digging tunnels like mad.

North Korea certainly cannot win a protracted war but they certainly could do a lot of damage if they so chose.

Then again I've already said that there really isn't any motive to do so unless they gain China's overt support - which ain't gonna happen.

[D-Mack]

Re: Why The Germans Think Americans Are Insane

I bet we are learning from them

German cities blame
government for deficit
Frankfurt, 17 December 2010: Despite Germany’s economic recovery - the economic is predicted to grow by more than three per cent this year - local authorities announced a record deficit of 9.2 billion euros for the first nine month of 2010. Petra Roth, Mayor of Frankfurt and President of the Conference of German cities, said the deficit was higher than during the country’s worst financial crisis in 2003.

Berlin’s mayor, Klaus Wowereit, blamed the centre-right coalition government for the cities’ plight. He said the tax policies of the Merkel administration were ruining German communities. “Local authorities are increasingly asked to pay for an array of social services without being financially compensated,” Wowereit explained.

Mayor Roth said while business tax, the main source of municipal revenue, had risen by two per cent, expenditure increased by 2.8 per cent to nearly 130 billion euros. She also agreed with her colleague from Berlin, saying that the cost of providing social services had increased by 5.5 per cent. Other mayors complained that federal and state governments - for their own budgetary reasons - shifted the responsibility for pre-school child care and care for the elderly to local authorities. “Communities do not have the resources to compensate for the spending cuts in federal or state budgets.”

http://www.citymayors.com/news/metronews_europe.html

Germany calls up last conscripts as army is reformed

Critics of conscription say it has prevented modernisation
Continue reading the main story
Germany's final batch of conscripts are beginning their military service ahead of a radical overhaul of the country's armed forces.
Some 12,000 recruits have been called up - the last before conscription ends altogether on 1 July.
The German government is seeking to make the armed forces smaller and more focussed, with professional soldiers

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12106856

Wihout conscription I bet there will be less opposition to new adventures in Asia or wherever the next NATO mission will be...

[nitroglycol]

Re: Why The Germans Think Americans Are Insane

What I meant is that Kim might have threatened China that if China doesn't support his son, he would start the nuclear war - 同归于尽 - meaning all will perish together.

Interesting. I've heard folks say that the DPRK is to China what Israel is to the US; your hypothesis is something like Israel's Samson Option.

[don]

Re: Why The Germans Think Americans Are Insane

it was reported today that billions in Pentagon Afghan rebuilding money is missing and can't be found.

Meanwhile, Americanskis are troubled that gay marriages will result in too generous survivor benefits.

Public reaction to the missing billions? You know the answer to that one

Expect Americanos to behave, shall we say, like little rascals when the shit really hits the fan.

[touchring]

Re: Why The Germans Think Americans Are Insane

And the insurgents in Iraq are duking it out with their T72s, Hinds, and Migs against the same?

I don't see that happen, rather, I see North Korean soldiers and officers turning their weapons on their commanding officer and defecting en mass after they entered and seen Seoul.

And the South Koreans, if they are smart would have prepared thousands of high powered loud speakers encouraging them to defect. The North Korean army will virtually dissolve in the event of a major invasion.

In peace times, North Korea soldiers risk death and face the overdue of climbing over barb wires to detect, an invasion makes it too easy.

[c1ue]

Re: Why The Germans Think Americans Are Insane

I don't see that happen, rather, I see North Korean soldiers and officers turning their weapons on their commanding officer and defecting en mass after they entered and seen Seoul.

And the South Koreans, if they are smart would have prepared thousands of high powered loud speakers encouraging them to defect. The North Korean army will virtually dissolve in the event of a major invasion.

In peace times, North Korea soldiers risk death and face the overdue of climbing over barb wires to detect, an invasion makes it too easy.

Yes, because the Germans were laying down their arms because they were ruled by a nut job - even in 1944 when it was obvious they were losing.

The only historical example of what you say is skewed by unique circumstances: mass surrenders by Chinese soldiers in Korea. And this was largely because they were actually Kuomintang troops captured by the Communists and sent into North Korea as cannon fodder.

Wrong political persuasion, different ethnicity than country they were in, losing, bad leadership, bad supply.

Completely unclear this is true for the DPRK army.

[bobola]

Re: Why The Germans Think Americans Are Insane

I looked at this thread title again and laughed to myself.
In the 80’s I worked at an Army base in Stuttgart as a civilian.
Lived off base in an apartment.
One day my well used VW bug won’t start - dead battery.
I call my co-worker and ask if he can come over to jump the battery or help push start it.
We don’t have jumper cables and pushing it doesn’t work, so I ask him to try push-starting my car using his car.
His bumper lines up just over my bumper, but I say that I don’t really care if it leaves a dent as the car is not worth much.
Germans have a fond fascination with cars to a degree that they will name them and speak about them as if they are a person.
Most German owned cars are perfectly clean and in perfect working order, all the time. That’s just the way things are done.
So here come 2 Americans in their cars, one pushing the other one, metal to metal, and we pass a local girl who had the most incredible look of absolute horror on her face when she saw what we were doing.
No doubt she thought I was insane.

[don]

Re: Why The Germans Think Americans Are Insane

Speaking of American-style insanity....

A Republican congressman hoping to chair the powerful House Energy Committee refers to the Bible and God on the issue of global warming.

Representative John Shimkus insists we shouldn't be concerned about the planet being destroyed because God promised Noah it wouldn't happen again after the great flood.

Speaking before a House Energy Subcommittee on Energy and Environment hearing in March, 2009, Shimkus quoted Chapter 8, Verse 22 of the Book of Genesis.

He said: 'As long as the earth endures, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, will never cease.'

'The earth will end only when God declares its time to be over. Man will not destroy this earth.'

Shimkus, who has served on the committee since 1997, will likely be competing against Texas Representative Joe Barton and Michigan Congressman Fred Upton for the leadership.

It takes a central role in formulating U.S. policy on climate change and global warming.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz1ACOb7Par

[touchring]

Re: Why The Germans Think Americans Are Insane

Yes, because the Germans were laying down their arms because they were ruled by a nut job - even in 1944 when it was obvious they were losing.

The only historical example of what you say is skewed by unique circumstances: mass surrenders by Chinese soldiers in Korea. And this was largely because they were actually Kuomintang troops captured by the Communists and sent into North Korea as cannon fodder.

Wrong political persuasion, different ethnicity than country they were in, losing, bad leadership, bad supply.

Completely unclear this is true for the DPRK army.

I'm sure it'll happen. Having gone through the conscription experience, a conscripted army, particularly one that is enslaved, such as the DPRK cannot fight a real war. They're only good for skirmishes.

[c1ue]

Re: Why The Germans Think Americans Are Insane

I'm sure it'll happen. Having gone through the conscription experience, a conscripted army, particularly one that is enslaved, such as the DPRK cannot fight a real war. They're only good for skirmishes.

History again shows you are wrong.

All you need is guys behind the front lines with machine guns, or prior to that officers with swords/pistols.

So long as they can't run, they'll fight if for no other reason than to keep the other guy from killing them.

Stalin: It takes a brave man to be a coward in the Red Army

[flintlock]

Re: Why The Germans Think Americans Are Insane

Yes, because the Germans were laying down their arms because they were ruled by a nut job - even in 1944 when it was obvious they were losing.

The only historical example of what you say is skewed by unique circumstances: mass surrenders by Chinese soldiers in Korea. And this was largely because they were actually Kuomintang troops captured by the Communists and sent into North Korea as cannon fodder.

Wrong political persuasion, different ethnicity than country they were in, losing, bad leadership, bad supply.



Completely unclear this is true for the DPRK army.

Excellent point with the Germans in 1944-45. Past 43 they all pretty much knew the jig was up, but yet they fought like lions. Germany was always a nation taught to defer to authority. I'm sure NK is the same. The fact that Seoul lies so close to NK pretty much ensures that serious damage and loss of life will occur in any conflict there. South Korea will prevail, but the cost will be high.

The US needs to leave Korea in my opinion. It's absurd that we continue to fund defending these nations when their huge wealth is then used to compete directly with our own industry. We can lend military advice without suffering the cost of providing actual defense to SK. Same with Europe and other parts of the world. But then it wouldn't be so easy to use our military as muscle for global corporations would it?