The US: saving the world from itself
-
Remember a year ago when the US saved soccer by exposing the corruption in FIFA? (Well, not exposing it-- everybody knew it was corrupt as shit-- but actually arresting people for it.) Despite the fact that Americans, by and large, don't even give a shit about FIFA? Yeah. You're welcome, Europe and South America.
Well now we're doing it again. Remember when our EPA exposed Volkswagen's cheating on emissions tests? Because they're super-competent and handsome? Yeah, well it turned out that after we did that, the EU started to sniff at its own armpits and found out that a lot of diesel cars were similarly cheating on their euro-EPA tests. You're wecome again, Europe.
Now guess what? Japan decided to take a look, and what did they discover? Mitsubishi has been cheating on emissions tests since 1991. (By purposefully using the wrong test for the class of car being tested.) Sure it only affects the smallest class of car ("Kei" cars, like the Toyota Echo-size), but that's still 600,000 cars on the road with bogus emissions tests. (They were actually outed by Nissan, who was selling re-branded Mitsubishi cars and tried to run their own independent tests.)
You're welcome, Japan.
-
If only US was as good in fighting crime on their own turf...
-
@blakeyrat Do you really want someone to list all the shit the US did to the world?
Seriously, though, I appreciate that the US fights against large-scale corruption more than any other country. Except you guys don't always apply your rules to yourselves, because if bribing is more subtle (e.g. ivy league scholarships for the children of officials of some other country), it's apparently okay.
-
The US can't even consistently save itself. Regular emissions tests aren't required in every state.
-
@blakeyrat I feed on your negative votes.
-
@Gąska said in The US: saving the world from itself:
If only US was as good in fighting crime on their own turf...
Apparently we're already better at fighting corruption in Europe than any European law enforcement agency is.
Either that, or we take fewer bribes. Which is more likely.
@asdf said in The US: saving the world from itself:
@blakeyrat Do you really want someone to list all the shit the US did to the world?
Go for it.
@asdf said in The US: saving the world from itself:
Except you guys don't always apply your rules to yourselves, because if bribing is more subtle (e.g. ivy league scholarships for the children of officials of some other country), it's apparently okay.
Ivy League universities aren't run by Government. So... not sure what you think is being done wrong, or what you imagine the Government can do about it here.
@loopback0 said in The US: saving the world from itself:
Regular emissions tests aren't required in every state.
True; and in States where they are required, they aren't necessarily required in every county. So what?
If California's doing them, that alone enough of a "sample size" to take care of the rest of the country. Enough to ensure car makers won't try to pull that bullshit here.
-
@blakeyrat said in The US: saving the world from itself:
Ivy League universities aren't run by Government. So... not sure what you think is being done wrong, or what you imagine the Government can do about it here.
Not talking about the government here, but company-sponsored scholarships that coincided with large government contracts in foreign countries. I read an article about that a while ago, CBA to search for it.
-
@blakeyrat said in The US: saving the world from itself:
Ivy League universities aren't run by Government
Neither is FIFA...?
-
@Yamikuronue Yeah, I don't know what blakey's shoulder aliens read there. We were talking about corruption cases and suddenly he thinks we're talking about political favors for other countries (which is perfectly legal and does not fall under the definition of corruption).
-
@Yamikuronue said in The US: saving the world from itself:
Neither is FIFA...?
Hold on there! Applying logic to a blakey-statement ... what's next? global warming?
-
@blakeyrat said in The US: saving the world from itself:
So what?
So, in those states, what ensures that cars continue to be emissions compliant? What stops someone driving around a car with an engine fault which causes emissions which are too high? Or someone driving around in a car with the emissions control stuff removed?
Yes, the EPA caught VW cheating on brand new cars eventually but there's nothing stopping someone in a state without a smog test from driving a car which is no longer compliant.
-
@blakeyrat said in The US: saving the world from itself:
corruption in FIFA
Uhu so you fight corruption but ignore the abuse of Armstrong and others?
-
@blakeyrat said in The US: saving the world from itself:
Apparently we're already better at fighting corruption in Europe than any European law enforcement agency is.
Either that, or we take fewer bribes. Which is more likely.So since the US brought down 2 cases of corruption in Europe, that must mean European law enforcement agencies have brought down between 0 and 1.
Wow, we really do suck.
(also, personally, I couldn't care less if the FIFA is corrupt or not)
-
@Luhmann said in The US: saving the world from itself:
Armstrong
I had already forgotten about that asshole. Also, it's not like the US ever really cared about doping any more than Russia. That may be changing, but historically doping was as systematic in the US as on the other side of the cold war.
-
@asdf said in The US: saving the world from itself:
Not talking about the government here, but company-sponsored scholarships that coincided with large government contracts in foreign countries.
Well when you get some details, maybe report back.
@Yamikuronue said in The US: saving the world from itself:
Neither is FIFA...?
And therefore...?
FIFA was committing crimes that are defined as crimes by Interpol, the international police agency the US happens to be a member of.
If those universities are committing crimes, then yes indeed US law enforcement should be involved. But right now it's just an "if" and some vague memory of asdf.
@loopback0 said in The US: saving the world from itself:
So, in those states, what ensures that cars continue to be emissions compliant?
Bi-yearly inspections, to go by Washington State's example. Except my car's a hybrid and therefore immune from testing, suck it gas-burners.
@loopback0 said in The US: saving the world from itself:
What stops someone driving around a car with an engine fault which causes emissions which are too high?
God comes down from the heavens and strikes them with Thor's lightning. What kind of dumb question is this?
US agencies are not omnipotent. Is that the answer you're looking for?
@Luhmann said in The US: saving the world from itself:
Uhu so you fight corruption but ignore the abuse of Armstrong and others?
I don't even know which "Armstrong" you're referring to.
@anonymous234 said in The US: saving the world from itself:
(also, personally, I couldn't care less if the FIFA is corrupt or not)
You should; they were literally killing people.
-
@loopback0 said in The US: saving the world from itself:
The US can't even consistently save itself. Regular emissions tests aren't required in every state.
For which I am very thankful.
-
@Polygeekery said in The US: saving the world from itself:
For which I am very thankful.
Right; but people miss the point. If California is a big-enough market that selling cars there is a make-or-break proposition, and California does emissions testing, then we don't need every other State to also. We've got it covered.
Is Toyota free to introduce a car that can't be sold in CA? Sure. They can sell it in North Carolina or whatever alone. Will they make money doing that? Undoubtedly not.
-
@asdf said in The US: saving the world from itself:
Also, it's not like the US ever really cared about doping any more than Russia. That may be changing, but historically doping was as systematic in the US as on the other side of the cold war.
I'll have you know that we in the United States have always cared about fairness in athletic competition and vigorously prosecuted anyone who has illegally used drugs to gain an unfair advantage.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have a baseball game to go to.
-
@blakeyrat said in The US: saving the world from itself:
Apparently we're already better at fighting corruption in Europe than any European law enforcement agency is.
Well, yes, because you're not in Europe. Do you really expect any government to fight itself? I assure you if USA had lesser army and Americans didn't own businesses all around the world, other countries would take on corruption in USA as well. Probably would also fight terrorism in there, too.
-
@Dragnslcr said in The US: saving the world from itself:
we in the United States have always cared about fairness in athletic competition
Same for Germany. Those syringes found after the 1954 world championship finale obviously didn't contain anything else than vitamins.
-
I don't know if it is a good thing or not, but Teddy Roosevelt's Big Stick Policy would seem to be alive and well and perceived as being in force. Let's ("us" being the rest of the world) face it, at the end of the day; the bottom line is; better we respond to a hint and do something ourselves rather than finding ourselves doing it at the end of a barrel.
-
@blakeyrat said in The US: saving the world from itself:
Except my car's a hybrid and therefore immune from testing, suck it gas-burners.
An hybrid is still a gas-burner, you have a combustion engine in it.
-
-
@Gąska said in The US: saving the world from itself:
If only US was as good in fighting crime on their own turf...
TDEMSYR. How can we be bad at fighting crime if our prisons have so many criminals in them?
-
@Jarry The title "banana massacre" made me imagine something different to what actually happened.
-
@Luhmann said in The US: saving the world from itself:
Uhu so you fight corruption but ignore the abuse of Armstrong and others?
What did Stretch do now?
-
This post is deleted!
-
@Jarry you forgot operation condor
-
I would be happy if the US could become known for doing good things again.
Then we could all go back to mocking the 'fat ignorant American' stereotype, which is much nicer than the 'dangerous lunatic' one.
-
@coldandtired They have a few fairly decent TV shows, and the recent Marvel movies are pretty good, so there's that at least
-
@fbmac
yeah, but i don't think i can charge that one on the US...
-
"CIA officers secretly laid the groundwork for Operation Condor by stitching together the Latin American intelligence organizations."
— J. Patrice McSherry[72]
-
@fbmac Condorman was like the lamest superhero, even by 1980s standards.
-
Still better than Aquaman.
-
This post is deleted!
-
@blakeyrat said in The US: saving the world from itself:
which "Armstrong" you're referring to.
As usual a lot off air but little knowledge.
-
@fbmac said in The US: saving the world from itself:
why the USA seems to be the only place producing good superhero comics anyway?
Because, as every stereotypical American, you don't even look at anything not made in USA?
-
@boomzilla said in The US: saving the world from itself:
@Gąska said in The US: saving the world from itself:
If only US was as good in fighting crime on their own turf...
TDEMSYR. How can we be bad at fighting crime if our prisons have so many criminals in them?
Because our politicians are very good at passing laws that criminalize behavior that's a civil infraction in other countries, and also very good at passing laws that mandate sentencing minimums. In other words, the US is very good at manufacturing excuses to put people into prisons for exceptionally long periods of time. Also, we're not particularly good at reforming our prisoners, and we're relatively punishing to ex-cons, so recidivism is pretty high. That's all reinforced by the fact that so many of our prisons are privately run, which leads to a conflict of interest where they are rewarded for failing to adequately reform convicts and simultaneously lobby for even longer sentences and stricter laws. We also have the general problem of strict liability laws outright replacing the ancient mens rea legal requirement. Futhermore, our system of plea bargaining combined with rewarding police and district attorneys for convictions means that the system is encouraged to bully and threaten accused criminals with ridiculously long charge lists and excessive prison term times simply to make them plead guilty to a lesser charge -- whether or not the state can prove any such crime has happened in the first place.
On top of that, we have police departments with the infamous "blue line" mentality and ridiculous protections offered thanks to police unions in spite of absolutely horrendous rates of police violence. You don't even have to look at the violence that started the Black Lives Matter campaign. You can look at the Schoolcraft quota scandal in New York, or the secret interrogation centers in Chicago.
Oh, and let's not forget that we live in an America with secret courts that issue secret warrants (FISA). Where the NSA and DHS want full, unrestricted access to any computer system or digital traffic without a warrant -- even when corporations in the US make it clear that these actions undermine the ability of our computer companies to do business worldwide. Where those same government entities are capturing data transmissions en masse between citizens with no repsect for the constitutional right of privacy. Our government can designate anyone they choose as being a "terrorist" -- a designation they themselves define -- and then lock them away with no writ of habeus corpus, no trial, no jury, no courtroom at all. They can do this outside a formal declaration of war by Congress.
I remember living in the 80s before the Berlin wall fell. I remember hearing about the secret police in the USSR or in East Germany. How they'd disappear people, and interrogate them. How they'd bug peoples' telephone calls and read their mail. About oppressive leaders that would manipulate the press to only tell the stories they wanted. "Not here," we always said. "Here, in the US, we believe in freedom and rule of law. We believe in the rights of the individual over the state. We will always know our enemies by the tactics they choose." When did we become the enemy?
The justice system in this country is a fucking joke.
-
This post is deleted!
-
@fbmac Well, it's hard for me to imagine that there aren't any popular comic franchises originating from wherever you're from. However, when I think of it, it seems that I partially misunderstood your question.
You asked about superhero comics. I interpreted it as action comics in general. Kinda stupid of me. I must say, yes, you are right there are very few, if any, non-American superhero comics. But I think it's not a matter of ability, but a matter of culture. You see, in any given country, the authors are inspired mostly by the contemporary culture of their own country. The result is that in every time period, most of the works from the same country are very similar to one another - but they often contrast with the rest of the world. Superheroes are American culture, so American creators made superhero comics. Meanwhile in Poland, comics were made too - just not about superheroes. Two probably best known series (although known only in Poland) are "Kajko i Kokosz" and "Tytus, Romek i A'Tomek". The former is about two villagers having many crazy adventures - kinda like Asterix (which, BTW, is French comic franchise with worldwide fame). The latter is about two schoolboys and a monkey having many crazy adventures. So, both of them fit the "almost regular people having crazy adventures" theme. I'm sure that if I did some research, I would uncover many more Polish comics about almost regular people having crazy adventures. But no superhero comics.
So - yes, USA has better superhero comics than the rest of world - but it's not true that they have better comics in general.
-
@Gąska said in The US: saving the world from itself:
is about two schoolboys and a monkey having many crazy adventures.
-
@BaconBits said in The US: saving the world from itself:
Because [wall of text]
Please refer to sig.
-
@loopback0 said in The US: saving the world from itself:
there's nothing stopping someone in a state without a smog test from driving a car which is no longer compliant
First thing I'm gonna do when my Tesla Model 3 arrives is strip all the emission controls offa that sucker.
-
@Gąska said in The US: saving the world from itself:
@fbmac said in The US: saving the world from itself:
why the USA seems to be the only place producing good superhero comics anyway?
Because, as every stereotypical American, you don't even look at anything not made in USA?
-
@Gąska The Phillipines have the best comics, all the comics with the Tikbalang are the best.
Nobody but the US can write superhero comics, though. They're American through and through. Like jazz music. Especially not Japan, and they really try.
Other countries can have adventure comics and funny comics and romance comics. But the US rules superheroes.
-
@asdf said in The US: saving the world from itself:
Do you really want someone to list all the shit the US did to the world?
Bring it, man. On balance, we come out positive. It's not like China or the Soviet Union, who killed tens of millions of people, or a bunch of other countries who did it on a smaller absolute scale, but still rank up there per capita.
-
@Gąska said in The US: saving the world from itself:
Still better than Aquaman.
Who is apparently in the recent Batman movie, will be in the Justice League one next year, and is getting his own movie in 2018. Go figure.
At least it's played by Jason Momoa, so maybe the character won't totally suck.
-
@BaconBits said in The US: saving the world from itself:
The justice system in this country is a fucking joke.
So which country is so much better you're ready to move to it?
-
-
@Gąska said in The US: saving the world from itself:
I'm sure that if I did some research, I would uncover many more Polish comics about almost regular people having crazy adventures. But no superhero comics.
Well, there's Wilq and Likwidator...