I heard the news today, oh boy..

[peckham_perkster]

Courses in being northern

Words fail me.

[Asset]

dead serious

what to do?

[Ant]

Story taken from the Independent: http://www.alternet.org/story/57001/. Oh boy.

[Jah Lush]

Haven't got the time to read all of that but I got the gist of it and that is truly shocking.

[Ant]

It's a long 'un, but worth going all the way through when you have a moment.

[Fear 'n boozin]

*shudders* Johann Hari.

Ant - is it from yesterday's paper? (Or today's). I may have to try it when I get home.

[Ant]

I don't usually read the Indy, so don't know Johann Hari. What's the beef, Fear?

(Oh, if only it'd been Keef shuddering.)

[mockney piers]

So hang on, I post up a well researched article about how US convoys are responsible for countless civilian deaths, particularly children in a bid not to stop for any reason; that decapitating fathers in front of their children with fifty calibre machine guns at checkpoints doesn't even merit a mention in the company's daily report; that false imprisonment and internment is acknowledged as long as 1 in 10 is probably guilty.

I post this up and not a flicker of emotion.

Johann Hari reveals that smug rich americans are ignorant and opinionated, while supping cocktails on a cruise, and that's shocking?!?!?

I give up.

[SeanMacGabhann]

MP - "not a flicker of emotion"

* cough * I believe I replied?

But I know exactly where you are coming from - story of my life at work every day..

[Jah Lush]

I was replying to Ant's posting Mockney and although I haven't been able to read all of it yet I suppose I shouldn't really be shocked or surprised by it.

[Ladygooner]

Mockney - I think I didn't read it cos you warned me it was harrowing reading and didn't feel up for harrowing that day! Sorry.......

If its any consolation am going on a cruise out of Miami next year with lots of americans so will be soundly punished!

[Fear 'n boozin]

Odd isn't it. On the other hand, this article is by Johann Hari.

[Ant]

Fear, man, you're driving me to Google with your refusal to spill.

(You're not Keith Watermelon, are you?)

[mockney piers]

sorry, suffered from a moment of despair.

Actually it IS depressing reading but as you say JL, hardly surprising.

And yeah, I know sean, and appreciated it, but I never let facts get in the way of me ranting ;)

but it's still by Johann Hari, and for a liberal to be SOoo whiny that he's actually turned 2 whinging liberals against him, he must REALLY be a PITA. F'nB an I have turned laughing at his column (oerr missus) into a hobby.

Ant, there's a great piece in the latest (not tomorrow's though obviously) Private Eye about a spat JH is having with a fellow journo. Only bettered by indy columnist Bruce Andersons ill considered drunken rant at recent function. Well worth a read.

[citizenED]

Didn' get through it all, but truly chilling.

Citizen

[mockney piers]

Good news for LL residents

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/07/17/curry_combats_alzheimers/

[citizenED]

Mockney, I just read your article - (that's the problem with my part-time job on the Forum, as opposed to your full time one, I tend to dip in and out and thus mis-read, half-read or plainly miss stuff.) You are full of rightful indignation re the fact that there were only a few replies/comments. Sadly are we all a bit inured to this stuff through US movies re Vietnam, Cambodia etc. Still, horribly eye-opening.

citizen

[SeanMacGabhann]

Well if turmeric alone does that much good... what about chilis

[mockney piers]

True words Citizen.

It was less the lack of comments, more that republican ivory tower was shocking yet noone deemed the goings on in Iraq shocking. As you say, here I think we more or less expect it. It'd be interesting to see how the reaction would be if it was our own squaddies under the spotlight.

[Jah Lush]

Mockney, my nephew is in Iraq at the moment working for a security firm. He was formerly a soldier in the Royal Engineers and was involved in the the war from the start. Doing two tours. He also has experience of training and working alongside American soldiers and he has often said that they are probably amongst the worse and indiciplined bunch of arseholes he has ever come across. According to my nephew compared to the British Army the American military are "f**king useless and trigger happy dickheads." Hence my lack of shock or surprise.

[mockney piers]

I can't remember where I heard this anecdote, possibly during the 60th anniversary D-Day stuff.

But an old soldier was saying that when the Luftwaffe came overhead the Brits dove for cover, when the RAF flew over Gerry dove for cover. When the USAAF flew over EVERYONE dove for cover.

Plus ?a change...

[Jah Lush]

Well, they invented "Friendly Fire." Bloody useless.

[mockney piers]

Do you sometimes wonder if someone hasn't put enough cash in a brown paper bag?

http://londonist.com/2007/07/the_village_atm.php

[SeanMacGabhann]

strewth ruth - I used to work around there. You could conceivably call some of the nearby streets villagey, but the roundabout???

Anyway, this should be of interest to those partaking in CWALD's sports-day thread

Non Competetive Sports Days

[LostThePlot]

Jah Lush Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> According to my nephew compared to the

> British Army the American military are "f**king

> useless and trigger happy dickheads." Hence my

> lack of shock or surprise.

?I?ve always respected the Americans?in my 2 and a half years flying a Spitfire, they were the only ones who shot me down.? - Childhood hero and someone I was lucky enough to interview before he died - Raymond Baxter