Couldn't happen to a nicer bloke....

**slowpoke** · 15th June 2006, 12:14

Originally Posted by SARGE

because the US And GB can financially afford to do what they do..

lets look at this Lou.. how much does sending an army over to a foreign country cost? .. keeping them supplied.. the Vet bennies after a man is killed.. the lost income tax for that man.. the eventual loss of skilled people in the workforce..

The biggest threat to the US/UK etc doesn't come from a surplus of arms in the "wrong" hands...it comes from a lack of secure energy, hence the attack on Iraq.
Don't underestimate the profits in hydrocarbons. I work offshore and we produce the equivalent of approx 100,000barrels of hydrocarbons (oil) per day. Each barrel costs us way less than $10US to produce, now do the math on what our profits are, based on the current oil price...now imagine the price of oil in ten years time....
Even more beneficial for the controlling "body" (no pun intended) is that most of Iraq's oil reserves are accessible from relatively inexpensive land based facilities.
The price of theivery (you can't seriously call it a "war") now is a pittance compared to the cost of energy limitations placed on the US/UK etc in the years to come.

**Street Gerbil** · 18th June 2006, 08:57

You guys surprised me.
On every board catering to US/European population any mentioning of Bush/Blair invariably turns into condemnation of Jews i.e. Israel, "zionist occupied governments", "neocons", "fundies", and all that stuff from the "progressive"'s dictionary for all real and imaginary evils of the world.
Apparently kiwi folk flies above this typical us/european hate-a-fest. Kudos!

**SlashWylde** · 18th June 2006, 10:50

Originally Posted by Street Gerbil

You guys surprised me.
On every board catering to US/European population any mentioning of Bush/Blair invariably turns into condemnation of Jews i.e. Israel, "zionist occupied governments", "neocons", "fundies", and all that stuff from the "progressive"'s dictionary for all real and imaginary evils of the world.
Apparently kiwi folk flies above this typical us/european hate-a-fest. Kudos!

Well that's probably due to our relative geoglaphical isolation here in this part of the world. I think NZ'ers tend to receive and seek out more factual information about what goes on in the rest of the world and hence are better informed on historical and current events and have a more balanced view of the world.

As for anti semitism, most NZ kids don't grow up with their parents telling them lies about Jews etc so the intrenched irrational hatred felt by so many around the world towards Jews just isn't there.

Rather, the xenophobia in this country is directed towards asians and maoris/polynesians in general. In my life i've probably knowingly met maybe two or three jews. They are just ordinary people like me, so why hate them? Likewise asians. I have known many asians from different parts of the world and they are some of the nicest hardest-working people you could meet.

I won't go on but if one is going to worry about an immigrant to 'our' country, worry about the ones who arrive here pseudo-legally then sit on their asses doing nothing while collecting a sickness benefit because they eat too much, smoke too much and don't get any exercise. Not to mention the incidence of crime amongst this sub group...

**Mr. Peanut** · 18th June 2006, 11:07

Well I think they're all wankers.

Organised religion is a fucking waste of time. Too much Hatred and Xenophobia.

Bush needs oil.... DUH.
And Blair needs the USA.

Conflicts of interests/beliefs <----> Dead people.

END.

**Street Gerbil** · 18th June 2006, 12:15

Originally Posted by MrPeanut

Organised religion is a fucking waste of time. Too much Hatred and Xenophobia.

I only have a problem with "convert or die" variety.

**Meanie** · 18th June 2006, 12:45

Originally Posted by SlashWylde

Well that's probably due to our relative geoglaphical isolation here in this part of the world. I think NZ'ers tend to receive and seek out more factual information about what goes on in the rest of the world and hence are better informed on historical and current events and have a more balanced view of the world.

As for anti semitism, most NZ kids don't grow up with their parents telling them lies about Jews etc so the intrenched irrational hatred felt by so many around the world towards Jews just isn't there.

Rather, the xenophobia in this country is directed towards asians and maoris/polynesians in general. In my life i've probably knowingly met maybe two or three jews. They are just ordinary people like me, so why hate them? Likewise asians. I have known many asians from different parts of the world and they are some of the nicest hardest-working people you could meet.

I won't go on but if one is going to worry about an immigrant to 'our' country, worry about the ones who arrive here pseudo-legally then sit on their asses doing nothing while collecting a sickness benefit because they eat too much, smoke too much and don't get any exercise. Not to mention the incidence of crime amongst this sub group...

Well put
We are bloody lucky to be living down under away from all that crap lets hope its far enough

**slowpoke** · 18th June 2006, 13:49

Originally Posted by SlashWylde

... I think NZ'ers tend to receive and seek out more factual information about what goes on in the rest of the world and hence are better informed on historical and current events and have a more balanced view of the world.

Hmmmm, don't think I agree with this. If anything I think our isolation leads to only a vague knowledge of what is going on in the world: if it ain't on telly or the front page it ain't happening. Coupled with the media who would rather generate a sensational headline than dig for the truth, facts are few and far between.
Ask yourself this: Why do the TV "news" shows ask for our opinion on the stories they have covered? So they can tailor their coverage to the way we want to hear it rather than just telling it like it is.

**Indiana_Jones** · 18th June 2006, 14:02

Originally Posted by Lias

I can think of far nicer blokes for it to happen too.. Like Dubya.. or Tony Blair...

Who's side are you on?

-Indy

**SlashWylde** · 18th June 2006, 14:24

Originally Posted by slowpoke

Hmmmm, don't think I agree with this. If anything I think our isolation leads to only a vague knowledge of what is going on in the world: if it ain't on telly or the front page it ain't happening. Coupled with the media who would rather generate a sensational headline than dig for the truth, facts are few and far between.
Ask yourself this: Why do the TV "news" shows ask for our opinion on the stories they have covered? So they can tailor their coverage to the way we want to hear it rather than just telling it like it is.

Well actually I completely agree with this and was thinking the same thing as I was typing my bit. But I still think that despite this, we are still better informed and more incined to seek out the truth than many others around the world. Also there are essentially no barriers to obtaining un-biased news reporting and historical information. As opposed to some eastern countries like China, North Korea etc.

I think NZ'ers adventurous spirit leads them to journey throughout this great land of ours and to venture overseas to discover other countries and peoples for themselves and to form their own opinions rather than just swallowing the slanted info fed them by the media/govt/peers.

Then again maybe I'm just expressing the veiws my peers and I hold about the world and openmindedness etc. Perhaps most of the country is like you say.

I don't know, but as Cat Stevens once put it, "I'm on the road to find out".