General Music Chat

It is a horrible thing to watch. It looked so much like a Si Fi movie it was hard for me to grasp until I imagined people in those cars, houses and floating wreckage. Then it no longer looked Si Fi.

Some know where I am going next. Japan will need a LOT of money to repair the damages we already see, and if the reactors blow, Japan shall need even more.

They own a lot of our debt. What happens to this economy when Japan says: "Hey America, we need a lot of money. And since you owe us, we want to cash in your debt."?

That would be a very bad thing.

I am curious Mr Slacker.

As an American first off I would say what WE DO is Help folks! On the other hand it would be interesting to know (remember) what the response at 10:am 9/11/01
From the Japaneze!
They own a lot of our dept. but WHO"S BEEN PAYING for there national defense since PEARL HARBOR?
I got up this morning and ALL! my concern was for HUMAN BEINGS I did not give a RATS ASS whether or not they were a phukin cracker, a japaneze, or WHATEVER! I was just concerned for a HUMAN PHUKIN BEING!

Haley, you are absolutely right. I don't think that Slacker was making his total point.

What a total FUBAR. Say some prayers.

We ( Americans ) owe no one anything.

Not a dime of debt from two world wars was ever paid back to the USA.

Charitable help is not obtained at the threat of violence.
( economic or otherwise )

Natural disasters routinely happen all over the globe. Humans for some reason tend to pretend they don't, and dwell in their shadow, almost
tempting them. Just look at Southern Californians. It's not a matter of if.
It's when. If you CHOOSE to live on a fault line or just on shore where
a History of tsunamis have happened. You are putting yourself at risk.
Right now there is an active volcano in the Hawaiian islands. If it blows a side of it
will slide into the ocean. This will create a Super tsunami that will be
at least 10 stories tall. That wave will impact the island of Hawaii and
literally wipe out all life from that island. This is a fact, yet there are
people moving there today. Loss of life is terrible but almost always
avoidable with logical decision making.

I suggest a donation to the Salvation Army.
[/b]

Hey I got an idea ...
Lets go take pictures as it comes in so we can post em on YT !!

Japan has a very long & rich history, Klug. MUCH longer than the USA. Are you PWI?

Are you saying that this entire society of ppl is at fault for "choosing" not to live elsewhere? Where would they go? How would they get there? Who's land would you suggest they take?

Sorry, but that seemed like something that only liquor would say, not the man I think you are.

Yes, Japan needs our help. Why? Because we are all living critters on this big blue marble, & we CAN help.

There may come a time that we can't, but at the moment, it's the only right thing to do, for them, for the Haitians, for anyone in similar straits, be they friend or foe, because we share our lives & our humanity on this planet.

I know a lot of ppl would say - "Foe? Why wuold anyone help them?" at a time like this. To them I would say that natural disasters have a way of bringing ppl together for the common good, & may actually halp to change the wrong thinking of others, once they see how a good ppl work...but that's just me. I try not to hold a grudge...

I am not suggesting that nobody should help them. I'm saying don't populate
an area in a permanent way that is on the shoreline and flat and has a
History of tsunamis that's all. That farming area should have been an
area that people went to work the land, not Live. There is higher ground
very near that location. They had all the history and knowledge to
figure out that living on that land was a grave risk. I feel the same way
about S. Calif. and especially Hawaii. For GODS sake the volcano is
spueing magma right now! That's the devils invitation to hell.[/b]

If you were born the day before Pompeii went off I think you would
have a little something to say to Mom about Choosing that island
to live on. A friend of mine went to Bangkok a while ago for vacation.
While he and a friend were touring through small villages, his friend
decided to wonder a little through the beautiful jungle. He was bitten by a
poisonous snake and almost died. Cmon, jungle, poisonous snake, Bangkok.
It doesn't take Einstein to stop bad choices.

The people of Japan need help and should get it. They should learn from
this mistake and know this wasn't the last tsunami.[/b]

I agree with sanshou, America owes the Japs nothing.
I've got a place just north of Gulfport MS, and when Katrina came thru I didn't see any Japanese over here helping, and still haven't.
Yes we are all on the same planet and I believe charity starts at home.
It's time for the Japs to hunker down and rebuild.
Last time I was in Gulfport we still are rebuilding.

Glad you clarified.

All I can say is that, after a few decades of no incidents, memories fade, & ppl are more apt to take chances in dangerous areas. They tend to hope tat things won't happen in THEIR generation, that maybe they'll be able to make enough that their children can leave, or whatever. Then, suddenly & without real warning, the sky falls on them, & they realize too late that they gambled wrong.

Many ppl call it stupid. I would say that they are the risk-takers, the ppl who dared, or felt that they HAD to dare, the elements just to make a better life for themselves, & lost the wager with nature. Some ppl made it out of there before it hit, I'm sure, but their numbers are bound to be few. Life has a way of doing that to ya, sometimes. I can't really find any fault with anyone, here.

Another couple things to consider, while we sit in safe judgement, is - A ) Who OWNS that higher ground? IS it even available to the masses? & B ) Is that higher ground actually safer in any way? As those tremors hit with such force, how many boulders fell on those folk who felt safe from the seas? Are those areas also volcanic? (I dunno)

When natural disasters strike, they take the stupid & the wise alike...& it ain't for me to judge which is which.

I'ld rather dodge a boulder than dodge an ocean.[/b]

Evidently the point was lost somewhere in these responses. Aside from feeling the need to help a people devastated by a natural event, which has nothing to do with the question I asked, Japan has bought up a lot of our debt.

Are we going to honor our debt if they wish to cash it in? If that happens, will we simply print more play money and depreciate the dollar in our wallets even more? Should we anger the world community by destroying their investments in America along the way by destroying the returns on their investments given in good faith? ? They invested in us while the dollar was worth more. Put yourself in that position.

There would be an immediate cry from every nation to remove the dollar as the standard immediately. Should that happen, we would be in a real mess. Or are we going to be deadbeats and renig on our word as some have suggested we should. It seems rather easy for some to confuse what is with what should be. They bought our debt. They paid good money for it so our irresponsible behavior in spending what we don't have wouldn't catch up with us. To consider someone you owe as owing you at some level, so that you really shouldn't fulfill your commitments, then why would you take their money under false pretense in the first place, unless your a con man or a thief? Rather like telling someone who trusted you and bailed you out to get screwed, because you feel they owe you. What a lack of morality.

So some of you say that there isn't a moral issue here in repaying what we owe? Great. Show that to your friends so they are forewarned before ever loaning you anything.
So why don't you put yourself in a such a position by being the one who bailed out a friend at your own expense, and hearing him tell you to f*&k off because you feel he owes you from somewhere in the past, and see if your viewpoint would be different.

I'm not trying to be a smart a$$, just trying to understand some of these responses.

So was the "Mr Slacker" supposed to be a smart a$$ response?

"Hey America, we need a lot of money. And since you owe us, we want to cash in your debt."?

Sorry Slacker trade deficit finance between countries don’t work like that, nobody is going to ultimatum the USA about money owed unless a country wants to stop doing business for good with America which is impossible, who’s going to buy their Sony’s, Toyotas Nissan’s. American in spite of its economic difficulties still is one of the countries with a population with the most purchasing power. Trade between nations is a lasting proposition the long it lasts the more beneficial for trading countries.

Don’t know why we keep doing this kind stuff IE. Take a hypothetical situation take it to its extreme thus making us act and react on fear rather than rationality.

Japan is one of the strongest economies in the world right up there with the first ranking 3, populated by one of the most if not the most efficient and hard working people on the planet. It is the most technological advanced country been there many times setting up new American made equipment and I still in awe at their capability and when it comes to earthquake and tsunamis they have a lot of experience and are well prepared, that is why the casualties in spite of the magnitude of the disaster are counted in the hundreds any other country the victims would be in the thousands.

This disaster is a big one no doubt but Japan will recover in no time after they get done rescuing the people affected by the earthquake and they have plenty of money for the job.

I am not suggesting that nobody should help them. I'm saying don't populate
an area in a permanent way that is on the shoreline and flat and has a
History of tsunamis that's all. That farming area should have been an
area that people went to work the land, not Live. There is higher ground
very near that location. They had all the history and knowledge to
figure out that living on that land was a grave risk. I feel the same way
about S. Calif. and especially Hawaii. For GODS sake the volcano is
spueing magma right now! That's the devils invitation to hell.[/b]

And gee Klug, where should we live?

Hm, Yellowstone and the surrounding area is sitting on top of a super volcano that if it goes, we're all f**k.

The midwest has a large share of tornadoes that regularly rip through the area and devastate things, I mean how many states of emergency have been declared over tornadoes in the US vs. earthquakes? Way more. Oh and not to mention floods from torrential rains.

Eastern coastline, hurricanes - which causes inland flooding.

North, horrible freezing weather.

So that leaves very few states all people can hole up in and live then you'd be bitching that there's too many people and not enough jobs.

Oh and speaking of earthquakes, you forgot the San Madrid Fault right dead in the center of the midwest which has been predicted to have a Big One right along with California, should they all move too? Why not relocated everybody from the bootheel of Missouri, the edge of Illinois, Ketuckey, Tennessee and Arkansas. They should all move somewhere too.

This is cracking me up. I mean the arrogance to think you're actually living in a safe-free zone. Then an asteroid comes and clinks you on the noggin and takes out your whole city. Some alien's going, they shoulda been livin' underground.

Chaeya