This is from a Canadian newspaper and IS worth sharing.......

[jjortiz]

America: The Good Neighbor.

Widespread but only partial news coverage was given recently to a
remarkable editorial broadcast from Toronto by Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian
television
commentator. What follows is the full text of his broadcast.

"This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the Americans as the most
generous and possibly the least appreciated people on all the earth.

Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and Italy were lifted out
of
the debris of war by the Americans who poured in billions of dollars and
forgave other billions in debts. None of these countries is today paying
even the interest on its remaining debts to the United States.

When France was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it was the Americans who
propped it up, and their reward was to be insulted and swindled on the
streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it.

When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the United States that hurries
in
to help. This spring, 59 American communities were flattened by tornadoes.
Nobody helped.

The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy pumped billions of dollars into
discouraged countries. Now newspapers in those countries are writing about
the decadent, warmongering Americans.

I'd like to see just one of those countries that is gloating over the
erosion of the United States dollar build its own airplane. Does any other
country in the world have a plane to equal the Boeing Jumbo Jet, the
Lockheed Tri-Star, or the Douglas DC10? If so, why don't they fly them?
Why do all the International lines except Russia fly American Planes?

Why does no other land on earth even consider putting a man or woman on the
moon? You talk about Japanese technocracy, and you get radios. You talk
about German technocracy, and you get automobiles.

You talk about American technocracy, and you find men on the moon - not
once, but several times - and safely home again.

You talk about scandals, and the Americans put theirs right in the store
window for everybody to look at. Even their draft-dodgers are not pursued
and hounded. They are here on our streets, and most of them, unless they
are
breaking Canadian laws, are getting American dollars from ma and pa at home
to spend here. When the railways of France,* Germany and India were
breaking down through age, it was the Americans who rebuilt them. When the
Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central went broke, nobody loaned
them an old caboose. Both are still broke.

I can name you 5000 times when the Americans raced to the help of other
people in trouble. Can you name me even one time when someone else raced to
the Americans in trouble? I don't think there was outside help even during
the San Francisco earthquake.

Our neighbors have faced it alone, and I'm one Canadian who is damned tired
of hearing them get kicked around. They will come out of this thing with
their flag high. And when they do, they are entitled to thumb their nose at
the lands that are gloating over their present troubles. I hope Canada is
not one of those."

Stand proud, America!

This is one of the best editorials that I have ever read regarding the
United States. It is nice that one man realizes it. I only wish that the
rest of the world would realize it. We are always blamed for everything,
and never even get a thank you for the things we do.

I would hope that each of you would send this to as many people as you can
and emphasize that they should send it to as many of their friends until
this letter is sent to every person on the web. I am just a single American
that has read this, I SURE HOPE THAT A LOT MORE READ IT SOON.

Stand proud, America

[chrisjk]

Originally posted by jjortiz
This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the Americans as the most
generous and possibly the least appreciated people on all the earth.

Yes, so generous they give money to fund the IRA which bombs britain every other week almost. Dispicable.

When France was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it was the Americans who
propped it up, and their reward was to be insulted and swindled on the
streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it.

The French are arrogant, it happens.

When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the United States that hurries
in
to help. This spring, 59 American communities were flattened by tornadoes.
Nobody helped.

We don't get earthquakes, hence we don't have any "experts" to send to help.

The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy pumped billions of dollars into
discouraged countries. Now newspapers in those countries are writing about
the decadent, warmongering Americans.

You didn't have to.

I'd like to see just one of those countries that is gloating over the
erosion of the United States dollar build its own airplane. Does any other
country in the world have a plane to equal the Boeing Jumbo Jet, the
Lockheed Tri-Star, or the Douglas DC10? If so, why don't they fly them?
Why do all the International lines except Russia fly American Planes?

There are only two choices - Boeing (American) or Airbus (European). We have a good mix of both, even in Europe. I bet American airlines don't have 1 airbus between them.

Why does no other land on earth even consider putting a man or woman on the
moon?

Waste of money

When the railways of France,* Germany and India were
breaking down through age, it was the Americans who rebuilt them. When the
Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central went broke, nobody loaned
them an old caboose. Both are still broke.

Didn't have to

[Kzin]

Yes - I got one of these too

Originally posted by jjortiz
I'd like to see just one of those countries that is gloating over the erosion of the United States dollar build its own airplane. Does any other country in the world have a plane to equal the Boeing Jumbo Jet, the Lockheed Tri-Star, or the Douglas DC10? If so, why don't they fly them?

If you leave America you will find that Europe has the Airbus - just as successful in its field as Boeing and more so than Lockheed or McD.

Japan and I believe Germany are forbidden, after the war, from having and aerospace industry which is why they don't make planes. If they are irritated enough by this sort of attitude (at higher levels) they will eventually say 'stuff it' and ignore those treaties.

Originally posted by jjortiz
Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and Italy were lifted out . . .
. . . The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy pumped billions of dollars into

No . . . Britain paid America almost exacly the same amount in lend-lease for fighting the war as America paid out in Marshall plan payments to rebuild Germany - i.e. the US got the Marshall plan money from Britain

Just because we are the US's friends and allies but that does not mean that we are complete dolts.

[SurfDemon]

I have to laugh at that article.

Actually Britain, up until recently was still repaying it's war debt to America!!!!

As has already been mentioned Airbus (also Concorde). What arogant plonker wrote this rubbish.

As for rushing to help others. I think you'll find whenever there's an earthquake, Britain sends out teams with heat seeking devices along with every other nation. This makes me sick, as at present Britain and Canada have pledged any emergency help they can provide, Candian teams are already stocked up with supplies and are ready to go straight to the disaster areas as soon as Bush asks for them....... the person who wrote this article never bothered to look up a single fact....

It is the ultimate in biased writing.

SD

[jjortiz]

I am just publishing what i get.

[SurfDemon]

Lots of things are published which are untrue.....

[SurfDemon]

Originally posted by jjortiz
I can name you 5000 times when the Americans raced to the help of other
people in trouble. Can you name me even one time when someone else raced to
the Americans in trouble? I don't think there was outside help even during
the San Francisco earthquake.

Did the airplane bit not make you the least bit suspicious that this guy was making it all up?

As for the quote above, I have to say that I find it incredibly insulting in light of the recent Canadian firefighters who died fighting the bush fires in America

SD

[SteveCRM]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the United States that hurries
in
to help. This spring, 59 American communities were flattened by tornadoes.
Nobody helped.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We don't get earthquakes, hence we don't have any "experts" to send to help.


what?????? experts aren't needed!!!!! we sent people from the red cross..a lot volunteers..to central america to help with the flooding. We don't have many "flood experts", you don't need them after the tragedy! just someone to give a helping hand!

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy pumped billions of dollars into
discouraged countries. Now newspapers in those countries are writing about
the decadent, warmongering Americans.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You didn't have to.



And we didn't have to give the countries money? No we just watch people starve while we eat well right?


quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When the railways of France,* Germany and India were
breaking down through age, it was the Americans who rebuilt them. When the
Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central went broke, nobody loaned
them an old caboose. Both are still broke.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Didn't have to


In many many countries, railroads are VERY important. What happens without them!!!!!!!! We are generous enough to give you so much money to fix yours we ended up losing ours!


You're argument...seemingly just "you didn't have to" is sad. Yes we didn't need to, but just think a little about what would happen if we didn't. If we didn't I think you need to sit down and think about this a little more!

[SurfDemon]

We do send people to help out at Earthquakes, I imagine the american press only mentions the American's going ....

[chrisjk]

I stand by all my comments. You didn't have to...you did. Fine, but you can't whinge. We've never asked you to build any railways, infact, we built yours. We don't get earthquakes, and we are thousands of miles from any fault lines. South American earthquakes, you are near, in a position to help, and do so. Fine, great, dandy. We're not. Look how long it took to get hundreds of troops from britain to monserrat when the volcano blew up (we didn't have to do that, but we did)..fricking days. And guess what...all the people of monserrat could do was moan about how little we sent, how badly equiped we were. Well if that is their attitude, then **** em.

We have little enough peope knocking around here with sufficient knowledge to deal with those sorts of things, let alone send them elsewhere

[Kzin]

Originally posted by chrisjk
I stand by all my comments. You didn't have to...you did. Fine, but you can't whinge. We've never asked you to build any railways, infact, we built yours. We don't get earthquakes, and we are thousands of miles from any fault lines. South American earthquakes, you are near, in a position to help, and do so. Fine, great, dandy. We're not. Look how long it took to get hundreds of troops from britain to monserrat when the volcano blew up (we didn't have to do that, but we did)..fricking days. And guess what...all the people of monserrat could do was moan about how little we sent, how badly equiped we were. Well if that is their attitude, then **** em.

We have little enough peope knocking around here with sufficient knowledge to deal with those sorts of things, let alone send them elsewhere

Chris - I think we do better than you think - as far as I know we in the UK are the biggest per-capita contributers to disaster relief http://www.disasterrelief.org .

If you notice it is pretty much government policy for Blair's government to offer help whenever a disaster happens - including this latest one.

Realistically for this one - since our equipment is probably pretty much the same quality as the east coast stuff and the people available pretty similar SteveCRM needs to tell us what we should be sending (remembering the no fly zone).

Talking of the Indian railways didn't we build those?

[SurfDemon]

This is from our company e-mail about the attacks

In particular, my thanks goes out to TELUS Mobility employees who thoughtfully went to the Halifax and Vancouver airports to provide handsets and free airtime to stranded passengers desperate to contact loved ones following the redirection to Canada of international flights to the U.S. You went the extra mile.

We have contacted our partner, Verizon, to offer assistance. Verizon reports that it has accounted for most of it employees who work at or near the site of the collapsed World Trade Center towers.

So much for nobody helping out the Americans. The more I think about that article, the more annoyed I am by the persons lack of knowledge of the rest of the world.

SD

[barrk]

Right....I get it now. We deserved what happened to our citizens, we never do anything to help any other country and we can all just go to hell...............well guess what??? I feel the same way about you too.

[kovan]

i wonder why no one goes blows up Norway, Sweden...
they help people dont they?

[SurfDemon]

Originally posted by barrk
Right....I get it now. We deserved what happened to our citizens, we never do anything to help any other country and we can all just go to hell...............well guess what??? I feel the same way about you too.

Is this aimed at me Katie? If so I don't see how you interpret it that way.

SD

[chrisjk]

Originally posted by barrk
We deserved what happened to our citizens, we never do anything to help any other country and we can all just go to hell

Nobody said that, at least not in this thread

[kovan]

we have helped americans more than they have EVER helped us
so dont even go there

we started asking for blood WAY before americans asked us to get blood (that is even if they asked in the first place)

[SurfDemon]

Kaite,

I'm off home now. I will read your response tonight, but I'm sorry if you took insult at my comments. I NEVER stated that America deserved that ever! It's a dispicable crime.

However the article at the beginning of this thread makes my blood boil. People from around the world are constantly helping each other out, and with this crisis many countries have flooded America with offers of help, and this plonker is stating that nobody ever helps America and that US will thumb it's nose at everyone after the event.

So, sorry if I offended you, you know it was not my intent.

SD

[aknisely]

Go to hell kovan.

[Zaei]

I read that article on flipcode, and I believe that one of the replies stated that that article is from 1973. So, basically, it's void.

Z.

[edit]
By the way, Im from the US as well, and that article pisses me off too.

[SurfDemon]

Thanks Z.

I feel better knowing that it's not people's current perceptions. Especially as half the office spent part of the day donating money and/or blood to the Red Cross to aid in the disaster relief.

(I just gave cash as British blood aint good enough for the Canadian Blood Transfusion Service )

SD

[chrisjk]

Originally posted by SurfDemon
(I just gave cash as British blood aint good enough for the Canadian Blood Transfusion Service )

Damn cows!

[SurfDemon]

Originally posted by chrisjk
Damn cows!

yeah! It makes me mad... mad as a cow .... er... maybe there is something in it after all

[kovan]

Originally posted by aknisely
Go to hell kovan.

what the ****?
you go to hell you dip shiat

[SurfDemon]

http://home-news.excite.ca/news/cp/0...ans-prepare-to

[barrk]

Thank you SurfDemon. It's nice to read something positive for a change.

[chrisjk]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/wor...00/1543464.stm

[barrk]

I really wish our media would focus on this stuff instead of revenge, hatred and evil. I can't even watch anymore.......but I can't stop watching in case something happens. I'm just sick and tired.

[chrisjk]

They're going on about MS Flight Sim 2000 at the moment, saying because it's so realistic they could have got to known the area and relative building heights by buzzing manhatten.

[aknisely]

So what? Are we going to outlaw flight simulator software and games because of this? MS Flight Simulator doesn't teach you how to fly real aircraft.

[chrisjk]

no, there would be a lot of pissed people if they did ban them...obvisouly you don't get a keyboard in a real aircraft, but all they needed to do was keep it going straight and level...something FS does teach you.

[aknisely]

Bloody hell, commercial airliners aren't precision flying aircraft. They aren't built for flying into buildings; you need a helluva lot more than MS Flight Sim 2000 to fly a commercial aircraft, especially with the skill required to hit (albiet large) buildings.

That's saying Quake shows you how to operate nuclear bombs.

[chrisjk]

I don't believe I even mentioned in the first post about learning to fly with it...I said it's realisim is such that they could accurately plan a route/height etc with it. Nothing about actually flying, you said that. Anyway these people were trained pilots so they already knew how to fly. But they may not have known the area, esp as they learnt in Florida.

[aknisely]

Bleh

[gaffa]

I was wondering if anybody was going to mention that that article was written in '73. A lot has changed since then....

Before I start, a quick note - MS Flight Sim can actaully be used to log hours for pilot school (you've got to have some specialist control hardware, but Flight Sim forms the main simulation engine.). Obviously, you can't log all your hours (I don't think you can do more than 10% or something).

I don't think there is any doubt that the Americans HAVE been generous in the past with regard to helping other countries in times of crisis, or that other countries have helped them (there were also Australian firefighters at those bushfires last year) in their times of need.

But you have to look at some of these acts from a political perspective (especially prior to about 1985). Many of these acts of kindness had reciprocal benefits to the US - build the railways, and in turn, negotiate increased markets for US products. The Marshall plan was allowed to be so large for one basic reason - to extend the US's sphere of influence in Europe as far as possible, so as to not let the Russians extend their influence too far into Europe. This particularly applied to the rebuilding of (Western) Germany in a great hurry. Communism was the great driving force behind that.

Communism was also the driving force behind the moon landings. There was no real scientific need to put man on the moon, but it made for excellent propaganda in the Cold War - pity the Russians managed to put both a satellite and a human into orbit before the Amercians - very embarrassing for Eisenhower.

All countries, not just the US, use such "acts of kindness" as ways of extending markets, and to protect national interest - witness Iraq in '91 - the US was straight into the middle east cos there is oil they.

Cut to three years later in the Balkans. **** 'em - let them blow themselves sky high. The only reason that people stepped in was becasue the ongoing troubles there threatened the stability of a number of surrounding countries who did business with the US, UK et. al.

It's really all just currying favour in case of a rainy day.

- gaffa

[jjortiz]

I agree with you gaffa. I put this article up because it was sent to me. I have done some investigation and it seems that other countries have helped in the past or offer to help.