I used to really like the “popcorn” movies, Independance day, godzilla, Terminator, etc. Unfortunatly, CG effects have enabled these movies to do whatever they want, without any real effort. In movies like Star Wars, the director had to really work hard to get things right. Now, in movies like…well, the news star wars, the director doesn’t have to do squat, the computer guys do all the work–there’s less accountability.

While I still like some of these mind numbing movies(godzilla movies, Sci fi in general) there’s just something that irritates me when something is portrayed as fact, when it is so incorrect, it insults my intelligence. Science related things, not too big a deal, but historical fact being manipulated? REALLY bothers me in most cases. It’s history for god’s sake! It seems that some people really do not care about history, and see no problem in it’s maniulation.

Originally posted by Flood
No – just rather annoyed that the majority of the target audience, at home in the good ‘ole US of A, will decide that this film is actually a documentary – like usual…

Flood.

I wouldn’t say the MAJORITY of the people here–don’t get me wrong, America probably has more stupid people than lots of countries simply because of the size of the place.

However, the target audience, sadly, will probably be “shocked” when they find out that we didn’t save britain in the battle of britain.

Jay Leno is a late night TV show host, he replaced Johnny Carson on the tonite show years back. One of the skits he does is Jay-walking(a play on words, jay walking meaning crossing a street at a non-designated crosswalk). He goes out into the street(in LA, I think…figures…) and asks questions that people should know the answers to. Like…”who’s the vice president of the US” “who invented the Franklin stove”, “who ruled germany during WWII”—–stuff like that, REAL obvious stuff. And somehow, he manages to find people so astoundingly ignorant, they don’t know.

Funny thing is, it seems you’re more likely to find people like this in cities,where life is so constricted, people never leave the city, they have no reason to do so, and they have little knowledge of the outside world, because, they don’t have to.

History seems to be the big one. I’m astounded by the knowledge of history many people have. The educational system is so strangled with political correctness, tehy are NOT ALLOWED to teach history properly. they MUST have equal representation of ALL races/sexes in all history, giving black americans and spanish americans the same amount of “coverage” in history texts as white americans. Also, the accomplishments of men are to be equally represented by those of women. This causes the books to spend more time on small, less significant historical events, and little(or NO) time of major events(wars, battles, treaties, elections, legislation, inventions, etc)

While martain luthe rking jr did some great things, there is no reason modern history books should devote a whole chapter to him, and only half a page to GEORGE WASHINGTON!!!!

Sure, we need to acknowledge the accomplishments of women and minorities, but not at the expense of historical importance.

Thankfully, I went to a private school, and my teachers were free to teach effectivly, without the constraints of public school regulations.

What’s more important? The REASONS for the declaration of independance, or the fact that a woman designed the flag?

I love history, so maybe I ‘m a little over-zealous in this, but I cannot stand to see people ignorant of the past.
I remember, september 11th, I was in an English Literature class in college(most were english majors, so this shouldn’t be THAT much of a surprise) when my professor said that 2 planes hit the trade center, one hit the pentagon, and another went down in a field in PA. First thing that came tom ind was BinLAden. He DID say just a year or so ago that he was going to attack America.

NOT A SINGLE person in the room had EVER heard of the guy!
Incredible.

I go to my next class, a zoology class, with science majors, and they’re all talking about how it was Bin Laden.

The truly FRIGHTENING thing is that most science majors take up a science based career. Most English Majors here end up becoming teachers.

There are the masses–people just content to live their own life–with little regard for things that don’t directly affect them. The protection of the Atlantic and Pacific, as well as the US military ensures that there CAN be people totally complacent, and ignorant of just about anything.

Just watch Jay Leno, when he does Jaywalking, and you’ll see what I mean. This is most common in big cities, where people simply don’t need to know about the outside of the world–it’s sad. Fortunatly, these ignorants are the least likely to vote in the country.

THESE people are the ones that are most influenced by what the watch on TV or in a theater–their only sources of information. Also, unfortunatly, there’s enough of them(big country) to justify stupid movies like this, and pearl harbor, which, to any person with a clue of history, would find insulting. Ok, the concept of Alec Baldwin as doolittle was insulting enough, let alone the “chicken” manuver that the japanese fell for… God I can’t beleive I saw that in theaters…

Well, hollywood will do anything to sell a movie. The worst part is that parts of hollywood become part of popular culture.
Watch, people are going to think the WE DID win the battle of britain, after watching the movie. Just like people actually believed that William Wallace was the father of King Edward III.

For me, a particular instance has been grating on my nerves for years. Although I loved the Jurassic park movies, and they made dinosaurs “popular,” I resent them for certain things they have led people to believe, because they can’t separate hollywood from reality/science.
8ft. velociraptors, for instance. Fine, tere were related species, so that’s ok. However, now after 3 JP movies, people think Raptor means, 8ft. sickle-clawed dinosaur.

There is a pro basketball team called the raptors, and their mascot is not a bird of prey, but a sickle clawed dinosaur.

The USAF names it’s new fighter the raptor, and most people thinkthat it referrs to a dinosaur, and not a bird of prey(like all othe rUSAF fighters of recent time).

Of course, hollywood and history can be good. Braveheart actually made me WANT to study the history behind it, and mel gibson was always clear that it was a story, and not historically accurate.

I cringe when a new WWII movie comes out, especially if it’s about a major event(pearl harbor, battle of britain) and not a fictonal account(saving private ryan). Just look at the miniseries band of brothers, or saving private ryan, and compare to pearl harbor. It really ticks me off that they’re pushing something like pearl harbor, or the Battle of britain as a cheezy popcorn flick, and not as a serious saving private ryan or band of brothers.

I am already dreading the further ignorancification of WWII by hollywood garbage.

Hey–get used to it. It’s not uncommon in private communities. Most of the time, when this happens, it’s an American Flag that’s not permitted.

These private communities have “homeowners associations”, little groups of the people that own the houses in the community, that meet, and set rules to abide by, because they have nothing better to do.

Actually, the reason is s o the neighborhood has a degree of conformity. Most of these associations have certain guidlines: No chainlink fence, NO bright colors of paint, only certain plants permitted, no trucks allowed(makes the neighborhood seem a bit too “working class”…bunch of elitists), no satillite dishes, no flags, limits on the number of dogs, the colro of the curtains visible from the street, anything you can imagine.

There have been many instances(several in Florida, actually) where men came back from fighting in Afghanistan, and were fined for displaying an American Flag in their yard, either because it was too big, or because flags weren’t allowed.

They don’t usually care WHO the flag is representing, or from what country–I’ve seen people fined for flying a simple, un-political, decorative flag!

People here HAVE freedom, some people tend to go overboard, and use their freedom to infringe on that of others–that’s why we have guns! Let them try to take down MY flag!

If you drive around in just about any area, you’ll see houses with flags of all countries, here, there’s lots of mexicans, so you see lots of mexican flags and american flags. Up north, lots of Italian flags.

The government isn’t too bad when it comes to stuff like that…it’s small local groups, and even local governments , where stuff like this happens….crazy…people have it TOO good, and they have not a thing to do. they have it all, and their only way to improve their lives is by taking away from others…makes them feel better, I guess?

What I find amazing, is that these people(Sunnis, Shiite radicals, Arab insurgents) SAY that they want the US out, yet do everything they can to ensure we intensify our actions.

If the GOAL was simply for the US to leave Iraq, and give power to the Iraqis, then they could expidite it by NOT killing US troops, Iraqi police, and each other.

This adds further proof that their GOAL is not the removal of US troops–they are not stupid, and know what they’re doing is causing us to stay.

What they want is POWER. Shiite radicals are backed by Iran, and want a theocractic dictatorship. Sunnis want power, and fear thefuture, where they will not have the SAME power(as they’ve had with Saddam). Plus, they fear revenge from the Shiite’s they’ve oppressed for decades.
The foreign insurgents goal is not a free and democratic Iraq. That is their failure. IF the Iraqis succedde in creating and running such a state, then it will be a victory for the US , the West in general, and a death-knell for those pushing the radical muslim, fundamentalist way of life.

For these reasons, the recent spout of violence is simply evidence that the process is working. Those we seek to defeat, those that wish Iraq to fail, are becoming desparate. They see time is nearly up, and victory for theUS and Iraq is near. These acts of violence are mere acts of desparation, the last chance to try to STOP Iraq from passing into the hands of its own people. For once power is in the hands of Iraqis, the insurgents, and radicals, cannot justify the kilings they have been carrying out.

Originally posted by seahawk
(Quote shorted intentionaly)

I do agree, for people like Al-Sadr there is no compromise, he has decided to fight it out and he has to be neutralised. The important part will be how. Bomb a house and kill innocent civilians with him will only make him a hero. Having a big fight with his militia will do the same.

It would be good to cathc him alive and let the Iraqis trial him for murder after they get to power. Then he will loose his followers.
If that does not work it would be most fortunate if one of his men would kill him. Can this be arranged ?? – I hope so.

And the Us must build jobs for the Iraqis. That is extremely important in the long and medium term.

I agree, although, I think a fight with his militia MAY or may not be disasterous–it all depends on how things unfold. The Iraqi police have issued a warrent for his arrest, for the murder fo another(and MUCH more well-liked)Shiite cleric. If the police carry the arrest out, and he is brought to justice befor ethe Iraqis, BY Iraqis, the militias may disband to a point where the die-hard crazies in it are easily delt with.

Hopefully, that’s gpoing to happen. I do fear that he has managed to stir up some of the people that were less vocal, and might show him support, because he is standing up to the coalition. That’s going to complicate things, since, these people are not REALLY with him, and killing them will make them REALLY with him. Touchy situation.

I think the Iraqi trouble makers need a reminder that, at any one point, the US is able to completly destroy the problems, yet we choose not too, because of our “Good intentions”. It seems that they need to be reminded to be respectful of the Coalition forces, else they grow complacent, and attack us.

Most of the officers would rather not be “mean” to them, but they might have to show some force, or they will appear weak or vulnerable, and bait attacks against themselves.

Originally posted by Flood
So gas is available everywhere then?
In Britain there are very few outlets for refueling gas-powered vehicles – to the point that local authority have had to build their own special refueling points to fill up their cars and vans (which have been bought at great expense to show the taxpayer that they care for the environment). Its the same with electrics – the only fuels in common supply all over the country are petrol and diesel.
Maybe America is looking toward the future with better forward vision than I believed…

Flood.

Oh, not gas, as in propane, gasoline, petrol–I forget I’m talking to people who speak ENGLISH, not American English!

It runs on gasoline, but has an electric motor, dynamic braking, and a bank of large metal hydride batteries. The batteries, coupled with the electric motor(that functions as a generator) are used to recoup as much energy from the gasoline as possible. this is usually lost in other vehicles during braking, coasting, ideling. The gas engine shuts off when it’s not in motion, and it uses electirc power to start moving. once in motion, the gas engine turns on. When you stop, the electricmotor is used to slow the car, lessening the use of the brakes, and converting the forward motion of the car into electric energy, charging the batteries. whenever the engine is generating extra power, that is not needed for forward motion, it’s used to charge the batteries. Awesome idea, and incredibly practical. These things are the MOST in demand car in the US, and the local Toyota dealers have 10-12 month waiting list for the 04 Prius, which gets from 50-60 miles per gallon, and is more powerful, and bigger.

Plus, there’s a $2,000 tax deduction for getting a clean fuel vehicle, part of the Bush tax cut plan.

Some vehicles operate on natural gas, or ethynol. the ethynol vehicles have very good mileage, just abut as good as a gas car, but I have not idea about the natural gas vehicles…I know they’re clean. There are VERY few of these. Gasoline/electric vehicles are a much better idea, for now, since Gasoline is available, affordable, and energy effecient, if used in a hybrid vehicle.

We’ll be driving them until fuel cells become practical.

Of course many soldiers were not in favor of going to war. My frined in the 82nd was not happy about it, and he thinks it’s bush’s personal vengence. HE does feel it is a “Good” thing that it happened, for thebetterment of the Iraqi people, but he wasn’t really for it.

There were many soldiers who made a big deal about it, and didn’t fight. They were probably court marsheld, or jailed. Most of these were people who signed up for the college money, and just “felt” they wouldn’t have to go to war. their mistake.

When you sign up, you are made to know that you will do what the government asks of you.

The fact is, though, nobody forced them to sign up.

that guy that roled the grenade, had recently become a very radical muslim. Why they had him in Kuwait is anybody’s guess, but I guess. Still, soldier or not, killing people get’s you thrown in jail of sentanced to death.

When you sign up, and are asked to go to war, you go to war. In other countries, they just tell you to go to war, you don’t even get to decide if you want to sign up or not.