Bonus for a car purchase - Is it just me ... or

[Samakimoto Graphics]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7416120.stm

Just came across this article ... It's "free country after all".

[CkretAjint]

Ever see "Bowling for Columbine"? Michael Moore opened up a bank account at one bank and got a free rifle! Doesn't surprise me at all...

[Satchel]

wow... everyone "except one guy from canada and one old guy" picked the gun. That's one way of doing things I guess!?

Ever see "Bowling for Columbine"? Michael Moore opened up a bank account at one bank and got a free rifle! Doesn't surprise me at all...

I got an alarm clock radio when I opened my checking account! What a rip off!!

[Red Kittie Kat]

I didn't get squat when I bought a vehicle or opened up a checking acct.!


:D

[balou]

Crap like that makes me embarassed to be an American.

[reuber1]

The local bank here gives you an iPod Nano I believe for opening up a checking account.

[Broacher]

And if you have kids, the dealer will throw in:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/05/il_blow.html

[JgS]

Dosn't seam that odd to me. I've got a gun in my truck right now.

[Red Kittie Kat]

And if you have kids, the dealer will throw in:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news0...5/il_blow.html


Geez ... and they thought candy cigarettes were bad for kids :eek:

[balou]

There must be different rules from state to state. In Wisconsin, the limit to a bank premium is $10 in value.

[garricks]

I didn't get squat when I bought my last car. At least the one before that they took a picture of me in front of it and mailed it to me as a wall calendar.

[reuber1]

"He said all those people in the Midwest, you've got to have compassion for them because they're clinging to their guns and their Bibles. I found that quite offensive. We all go to church on Sunday and we all carry guns."

Seriously? Man, some people need to get over themselves. I'm a midwesterner too, and I took zero offense. I thought it was more true than most people care to believe.

[captain spanky]

that offer is just one of the reasons why humanity is doomed to failure.

[morea]

For the record, the USA is huge; the estimated (2008) population according to wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population) is 304,139,000 people, making it the 3rd largest in the world (China is first, India is 2nd).

Because of its size and diversity of culture, what is normal in one part of the country can not be assumed to be normal - or even acceptable - nationwide. For example, this would never fly in Upstate NY where I'm from, but I am not particularly surprised to hear about an offer for a "free gun with your purchase" in another part of the country where guns are a more common part of daily life.

It makes me sad to see articles like this making global news, because it feels like they are trying to portray Americans as a bunch of handgun-toting, unthinking, bumbling idiots.

Bear in mind that a lot of things that make the news are IN the news because they are not normal occurrences; that's what makes them "newsworthy". If this was commonplace throughout the country it wouldn't have made the news.

I find it sad that you don't see nearly as much coverage when the old USA donates huge amounts of money to relief efforts worldwide (as they did after the tsunami in SE Asia) as you do with a case like this. I guess that any charitable giving on the part of Americans doesn't merit coverage because the rest of the world seems to think that Americans have swimming pools full of cash in their back yards and "owe" it to those who fall on hard times to dip into our deep pockets. Many people who are moved to give do so despite their own difficult financial situations because they are moved by human suffering. It's not out of guilt or excess that most people choose to give.

In recent years it feels to me like the rest of the world just wants to see us as a foolish and lazy, living a life of luxury that we do not deserve. I am well aware of what people think of our politicians (many Americans have those same thoughts about the current administration), and I wish that there was some way for the rest of the world to realize that America is so diverse that you can't make generalizations about "how Americans are".

Have any of you ever read the book "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card? It's one of my favorites. Perhaps the most important concept presented in the story is that if you can truly know another (being/culture/race/species); if you can understand their motives and their intentions, why they do what they do, why they are the way that they are, and how they really are (as opposed to how they are portrayed) - that you can't hate them.

It seems like much of the world today is fueled by hate and fear, and until people can learn to accept each other's differences, that's not going to change.

[garricks]

Well-said, Morea. Thank you.

[TheBluePanda]

Clearly the car dealership is doing something right, their sleepy little car lot is now worldwide news.

[balou]

I'd hate to be the poor receptionist answering the phone at that car dealership.

[Broacher]

Have any of you ever read the book "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card? It's one of my favorites. Perhaps the most important concept presented in the story is that if you can truly know another (being/culture/race/species); if you can understand their motives and their intentions, why they do what they do, why they are the way that they are, and how they really are (as opposed to how they are portrayed) - that you can't hate them.

It seems like much of the world today is fueled by hate and fear, and until people can learn to accept each other's differences, that's not going to change.

I went to see the Ironman film with my son on the weekend. Pretty predictable, I guess. But the thought that crossed my mind was "how do films like this get processed by other cultures? How does it shape what much of the world thinks of when they think of America?"

I think that quote you made about hate being impossible once you share enough everyday experience/time with another culture is true. The sadder thing is that we probably have more technology at our disposal today to work towards that reality than ever before, but there's not a lot of political will to change that picture. Ignorance and fear are far cheaper and easier to peddle than education and hope.

I think that information, especially of the non-entertaining variety, and the culturally enlightening variety has become an object of fear and suspicion. Somewhere, collectively, we realize that to respect another culture would mean that we'd have to both care about people we don't know, and even scarier: examine our own values and live with the possibilities of rebuilding them. This is evident everywhere. Even here, in this forum we often relish in taking the 'designer' view of client relationships, for a small example. Or we clam up and back out of room when real political discussion gets heated.

Technology provides a temporary alternative: power. And power is the one universal addiction everyone understands. Many North Americans are born into such a relatively high power advantage (in a global context), that they'll leap at any reasonable (and often any unreasonable) substitute to accepting that reality as a God-given entitlement to protect against 'others' rather than examine any possibilities of working out longer, more sustainable alternatives.

Poopers.

[Riefnu]

What a crummy hand gun.

Just look up Knob Creek Machine gun shoot on google images.

[PrintDriver]

Guess I been going to the wrong banks...
I thought my car dealer had given me a free bed liner for my truck too, until I looked at the invoice. They charged me $350 for it!

[John G]

The website advertisement for the offer, which continues until the end of the month, mentions that an approved background check on gun ownership is required.
wow, go unstuck your panties guys.
shouldn't you be busy being offended at this or something:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDiASRHDtiI


it is a crappy gun though

[D-Frag]

Crap like that makes me embarassed to be an American.

I don't understand why you would be embarrassed by this, I mean we are one of the most highly armed nations in the world. I don't know what the percentile is off the top of my head, but I think its 1 in 5 people in America own a gun.

You can look at this like a bad thing, but this is one of the good things our forefathers made sure we would have, for 2 reasons. 1. We can bear arms and rise up if need be to change our govt (ie: civil war) or 2. We can protect ourselves in case of an invasion.

No country on this earth would be stupid enough to fight us on our own land for this specific reason, even if China invaded us which has something like 3 times more people then the US we have waaaaaaay more weapons then they do.

I just don't see where the embarrassment comes in, I mean, esp in the south, this should be considered second nature.

[Broacher]

Protect yourself against an invasion, eh?

Maybe you haven't heard that we Canadians have an endless supply of sharpened marchmallow-toasting sticks and we're not afraid to use 'em! (And quite a few of us own unregistered hockey sticks!)

Okay, we might need some time to de-program all that anti-bullying propaganda that the schools have put into the heads of our children, but hey-- when we do!!!

[Bladez]

And don't forget...us Canadians can shoot a fozen hockey puck pretty damn hard. Have you seen what those can do to a person??? And if things really get messy, we build a mean slingshot!

[Broacher]

And don't forget about our secret weapon!

(I've heard that Celine already has total military control over the Vegas strip! All continues as planned... muahahaha!)

[Bladez]

The nickleback invasion is turning out to be just as successful. Good call Broacher!

[reuber1]

Canada; America's hat. :D

[Broacher]

Iowa: Missouri's wedgie!

[reuber1]

Iowa: Missouri's wedgie!
So that's where the stench has been coming from.

[Yossarian]

Somebody in this thread need to be from Florida. :D

[DesignStudio]

No country on this earth would be stupid enough to fight us on our own land for this specific reason,

First off, the United States has been attacked on it's own soil something like half a dozen times. Secondly, if it were to happen again by a super-power like China, it wouldn't be by sending millions of foot soldiers where we had a chance to defend ourselves with crummy pocketsized handguns.

I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.

[Broacher]

^ And we've got more sticks and stones than anyone else! And moose--the biggest land animal of the Americas. Maybe next time we won't just burn down your White House-- maybe we'll get Moosie to leave a little something in the pool!

And thanks, but we'll bring our own beer.

[Bladez]

the most famous of course being the 9/11 attacks, and the battle of 1812, which was also the only war between Canada and the US (and the States lost that war, so attacking on US soil doesn't necessarily give you the upper hand....us frostbacks can be tough mothers *LOL)

[Bladez]

And thanks, but we'll bring our own beer.

*LMAO* Agreed!!

[Satchel]

It's like the drive-by special!

Pissed off at someone but dont have the stomach for face to face homicide? You need to pull off a drive-by! What? no wheels... we got you covered. What? No gun? We'll throw one in with any car purchase - we'd be happy to be your accomplice ;)

[morea]

we've got more sticks and stones than anyone else! And moose--the biggest land animal of the Americas.

I don't believe you. I've lived in Canada for almost two years now and have yet to see a moose. I think that it's just a conspiracy to get tourists up here!

[Bladez]

I don't believe you. I've lived in Canada for almost two years now and have yet to see a moose. I think that it's just a conspiracy to get tourists up here!

The french scare them. They stop at Ontario. But we've got enough here in alberta, I'll ship some your way

[DesignStudio]

^ And we've got more sticks and stones than anyone else!

Yeah but they're all frozen to the ground.

I did grow up south of Detroit (which is north of Windsor) ;) so I at least can agree with you about the Canadian beer. So thanks to Canada for having a drinking age of 19 and being so close, and of course for much of the Red Wings, not to mention Michael J Fox and Dan Akroyd. Not so much for Allanis Morrisette, Celine Dion, and the Canadian Tuxedo.

For those of you who didn't grow up near Canada, this is a Canadian tuxedo:
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/9766/candientuxedotf3.jpg

[garricks]

Protect yourself against an invasion, eh?

Maybe you haven't heard that we Canadians have an endless supply of sharpened marchmallow-toasting sticks and we're not afraid to use 'em! (And quite a few of us own unregistered hockey sticks!)Don't forget about all those unregistered curling stones... they're lethal (if you approach the enemy from behind and he doesn't notice the scooting sound...)

[Bladez]

well, all the shouting of "Hurry Hard!" should give them some warning tho...

[budafist]

I have to say I find this news shocking and weird. Call me conservative or whatever. Some things should not be given away.

Like the time I got upset that a local pet store were giving away a rabbit if you bought any kind of pet food. I thought that was irresponsible.

[urstwile]

It makes me sad to see articles like this making global news, because it feels like they are trying to portray Americans as a bunch of handgun-toting, unthinking, bumbling idiots.

Just as I'm quite sure that those who are moderates in the Middle Eastern cultures and religions (among which we can count Islam, Catholicism, and Bahai) are sad to be generalized as terrorists, and of course, the various and sundry other ways that other cultures and ways are bashed in the American media. We do love to bash the French now, don't we?

Americans are so whiny when we get criticized, we should get over it. The French most certainly have, with a distinct je ne sais quoi.

Quite frankly, I'm glad to see something like this in the news, it's a big reprieve from "news" about Paris Hilton or Britney Spears.


Bear in mind that a lot of things that make the news are IN the news because they are not normal occurrences; that's what makes them "newsworthy". If this was commonplace throughout the country it wouldn't have made the news.

This is sorta true, but sorta not. There are parts of our country where there are some gun-totin' shrinky dinks. However, I will agree that the way we here in America get our news is certainly driven by advertising and getting prime time minutes. I'm suspecting this is not the case for Sama, somehow. ;)

I find it sad that you don't see nearly as much coverage when the old USA donates huge amounts of money to relief efforts worldwide (as they did after the tsunami in SE Asia) as you do with a case like this. I guess that any charitable giving on the part of Americans doesn't merit coverage because the rest of the world seems to think that Americans have swimming pools full of cash in their back yards and "owe" it to those who fall on hard times to dip into our deep pockets. Many people who are moved to give do so despite their own difficult financial situations because they are moved by human suffering. It's not out of guilt or excess that most people choose to give.

Lots of countries, and people, give money for aid to relief efforts. Again, I just feel like America and Americans feel like we should get a big old pat on the back every time we do something good, it's almost as if we're like a stereotypical Jewish mother joke.

Katrina survivors are still waiting for relief right now, to this day. We've assumed that we can tell others to do as we say, but we don't practice what we preach.

In recent years it feels to me like the rest of the world just wants to see us as a foolish and lazy, living a life of luxury that we do not deserve. I am well aware of what people think of our politicians (many Americans have those same thoughts about the current administration), and I wish that there was some way for the rest of the world to realize that America is so diverse that you can't make generalizations about "how Americans are".

I think the rest of the world is disappointed in us. For so long, we were a beacon, at least ideologically, of how democracy could work, until we more or less pooped on it. Now, we've come right out and said, pretty much, well, them thar founding fathers didn't have to deal with what we have to deal with right now, so that Constitution thingy? Um, not so much.


It seems like much of the world today is fueled by hate and fear, and until people can learn to accept each other's differences, that's not going to change.

I couldn't agree more, but let's also remember that people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, and we're among the biggest stone throwers out there. Or my preferred way of looking at the same thing: "let those amongst you without sin throw the first stone".

[Riefnu]

And don't forget...us Canadians can shoot a fozen hockey puck pretty damn hard. Have you seen what those can do to a person??? And if things really get messy, we build a mean slingshot!

-Detroid red wings and chicago black hawks decend in a wave of ownage and suckage-

I'm currently in Amerrica's Wa---Florida right now for working. The job is a pain in the asteroids.

[Kool]

Just as I'm quite sure that those who are moderates in the Middle Eastern cultures and religions (among which we can count Islam, Catholicism, and Bahai) are sad to be generalized as terrorists, and of course, the various and sundry other ways that other cultures and ways are bashed in the American media. We do love to bash the French now, don't we?


Americans are so whiny when we get criticized, we should get over it. The French most certainly have, with a distinct je ne sais quoi.



Lots of countries, and people, give money for aid to relief efforts. Again, I just feel like America and Americans feel like we should get a big old pat on the back every time we do something good, it's almost as if we're like a stereotypical Jewish mother joke.

Aren't you pretty much doing the same thing here though Urst? "Americans are so whiny" "America and Americans feel like we should get a big old pat on the back every time we do something good"

You're an American and you don't feel that way. I'm an American and I don't feel that way. The WHOLE world would be a much better place if they wouldn't stereotype based on the minority with the biggest mouths.

[Riefnu]

I think the "Americans want recognition for their relief effort." Stems from the fact that NO ONE really sends much relief to us.

I don't remember many of my international friends talking about the local katrina relief effort in strasburg or hong kong.

[John G]

Liberal Americans ("tolerant" lol) being whinny towards conservative viewpoints.

news at 11.

[budafist]

I think the "Americans want recognition for their relief effort." Stems from the fact that NO ONE really sends much relief to us.

I don't remember many of my international friends talking about the local katrina relief effort in strasburg or hong kong.

Ummm...I never thought for a moment that America would need help in the monetary sense for Katrina relief. People/labour sure, but it's not like America is poor or starved as a country. There's money there for the spending right? It just needs to be focused towards "the right" things.

[urstwile]

Perhaps I overstated my point, yes, Kool, but I truly do think that many Americans feel like we should be occupying some privileged place as Americans.

[budafist]

I have to say Americans abroad get a lot of flack from the locals. It seems to me though the ones that travel are the better ones. The Americans that make their way to NZ seem to be cool ones. So I do feel a bit sorry for them when they get hassled for just being American.

[Kool]

Perhaps I overstated my point, yes, Kool, but I truly do think that many Americans feel like we should be occupying some privileged place as Americans.

Your point was fine, it was the broad brush you painted it with that kinda got to me.

Sorry, I hate these kinds of threads with a passion and usually avoid them like a plague. Politics and religion discussions always bring out the worst in people. I use the GDF as a place to escape the steady stream of crappy news that bombards me from every direction 24 hours a day.

I don't understand why Sama's first post here in almost two months would be yet another BBC "look at how stupid and messed up the Americans are" story. Especially after all the love and support and concern she received from us american gun totin yahoos while her country recently went up in flames.

[budafist]

Maybe because Sama looks at America not to be like that?

[John G]

I don't understand why Sama's first post here in almost two months would be yet another BBC "look at how stupid and messed up the Americans are" story. Especially after all the love and support and concern she received from us american gun totin yahoos while her country recently went up in flames.
well there's always the flip side
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/21/europe/EU-GEN-Austria-Chimp-Challenge.php

from this we can deduce that all Europeans are off their rockers right?

[Red Kittie Kat]

Sorry, I hate these kinds of threads with a passion and usually avoid them like a plague. Politics and religion discussions always bring out the worst in people. I use the GDF as a place to escape the steady stream of crappy news that bombards me from every direction 24 hours a day.

I couldn't have said it better myself. It's the rare occasion I will say anything in these type threads. They give me a pain in my stomach.

[morea]

I don't understand why Sama's first post here in almost two months would be yet another BBC "look at how stupid and messed up the Americans are" story.

Agreed... and that's why I felt the need to say something. I hate these threads, too.

Living in another country - even a friendly one - I'm frequently confronted about "how Americans are" and asked to explain the country's decision about one thing or another. It gets old fast, and I often have to explain (as I did above) that you can't judge all Americans based on the actions of the vocal minority or even those of their government.

Being confronted about this by virtually EVERYONE I meet is not pleasant. I'd prefer that people get to know me as a person before making assumptions about what I believe, and demanding that I defend the actions of people that I didn't even vote for.

I don't like to get involved in political discussions because I usually feel insecure and outnumbered (especially from recent experience).

As for the comment about Americans feeling that they deserve some privileged place because they are Americans, I can never understand why anyone from any culture can think that they are "better" than someone else based on where they were born (as though they even had any say in that). Nationalism is practically a religion to some people, and while I can understand that people want to be proud of their community or their "roots", I think it becomes dangerous when people start thinking that they are better than other people on the sole basis of where they live.

I also don't think that you can judge one culture by the standards of another, which is what I was alluding to when I referenced Ender's Game. I do my best not to judge people by generalizations or stereotypes, because I don't want to be treated that way and I recognize those statements for what they are... ignorant and hateful.

Urst, I'm far from perfect, and I'm not casting stones. If we're relating Biblical principles to the discussion, the one I'd identify with is "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." And I think that if more people lived that way, this would be a much nicer world.


I use the GDF as a place to escape the steady stream of crappy news that bombards me from every direction 24 hours a day.

I try to, too. I felt the need to express an alternate perspective from the original point that was (seemingly) being made. This is an international community, and many of us have come to know people from all over the world... I just wish that that would have done more to break down some of the stereotypes that still exist.


It's the rare occasion I will say anything in these type threads. They give me a pain in my stomach.

Me too. Pass the Pepto?

[Riefnu]

Ummm...I never thought for a moment that America would need help in the monetary sense for Katrina relief. People/labour sure, but it's not like America is poor or starved as a country. There's money there for the spending right? It just needs to be focused towards "the right" things.


Political discussion getting political.

I get that a lot from people I know abroad. It's rather a ridiculous excuse to. It's like saying. "They HAVE a life vest. Why do I need to throw them a rope to help them MORE?". If a disaster happened in New Zealand. Would you like someone telling you "Well we could send you aid, but you have enough there to sort it out yourself. Good luck!"

The main problem I have with that response is I often get it from my european friends to. Which when they have a disaster we still send some aid even though the euro is stronger than the dollar at the moment.

I think it stems from old World War 1 sentimates of "Defend the lesser countries, the big boys can handle themselves" that many first world countries gain. Lest we forget one of those "lesser countries" started that war which directly started the whole mess of ww2, and which re-arranged the middle east into its current geographic mess.

[Red Kittie Kat]

Me too. Pass the Pepto?



toute chose pour vous ma cheri :D


http://www.firstaidmonster.com/images/products/FAM_PEPTO_BISMOL_LIQUID_8_OZ-5715.jpg

[morea]

mercy buckets, my dear. :D

[Riefnu]

haha

Reading John's article after watching star wars episode three.

Pan's supporters, who gave him a human-sounding name last year as part of their campaign to win him "personhood," argue that if the chimp is not a person, he must be a thing.


Only a Sith deals in absolutes!

[urstwile]

Urst, I'm far from perfect, and I'm not casting stones. If we're relating Biblical principles to the discussion, the one I'd identify with is "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." And I think that if more people lived that way, this would be a much nicer world.

I wasn't directing that statement towards you Mo, sorry if you thought so.

[urstwile]

I think the "Americans want recognition for their relief effort." Stems from the fact that NO ONE really sends much relief to us.

I don't remember many of my international friends talking about the local katrina relief effort in strasburg or hong kong.

Ahem. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/28/AR2007042801113_2.html)

[Riefnu]

urst, wow, thanks for the article. That makes me sad now.


Wow, that was supremely pig-headed of the government. Guess most of that news here, illinois, was drown out in the complaints of such a slow reaction from the government.

Though I did hear nothing about Katrina from the guy I know in Strasburg, France or the several friends in Hong Kong, China. So I was not wrong about that.


~sigh~ I truely dislike Bush government. I notice most of what was accepted was for Bush's oil buddies...or redirected to their companies..

[Samakimoto Graphics]

For the record, the USA is huge; the estimated (2008) population according to wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population) is 304,139,000 people, making it the 3rd largest in the world (China is first, India is 2nd).

Because of its size and diversity of culture, what is normal in one part of the country can not be assumed to be normal - or even acceptable - nationwide. For example, this would never fly in Upstate NY where I'm from, but I am not particularly surprised to hear about an offer for a "free gun with your purchase" in another part of the country where guns are a more common part of daily life.

It makes me sad to see articles like this making global news, because it feels like they are trying to portray Americans as a bunch of handgun-toting, unthinking, bumbling idiots.

Bear in mind that a lot of things that make the news are IN the news because they are not normal occurrences; that's what makes them "newsworthy". If this was commonplace throughout the country it wouldn't have made the news.

I find it sad that you don't see nearly as much coverage when the old USA donates huge amounts of money to relief efforts worldwide (as they did after the tsunami in SE Asia) as you do with a case like this. I guess that any charitable giving on the part of Americans doesn't merit coverage because the rest of the world seems to think that Americans have swimming pools full of cash in their back yards and "owe" it to those who fall on hard times to dip into our deep pockets. Many people who are moved to give do so despite their own difficult financial situations because they are moved by human suffering. It's not out of guilt or excess that most people choose to give.

In recent years it feels to me like the rest of the world just wants to see us as a foolish and lazy, living a life of luxury that we do not deserve. I am well aware of what people think of our politicians (many Americans have those same thoughts about the current administration), and I wish that there was some way for the rest of the world to realize that America is so diverse that you can't make generalizations about "how Americans are".

Have any of you ever read the book "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card? It's one of my favorites. Perhaps the most important concept presented in the story is that if you can truly know another (being/culture/race/species); if you can understand their motives and their intentions, why they do what they do, why they are the way that they are, and how they really are (as opposed to how they are portrayed) - that you can't hate them.

It seems like much of the world today is fueled by hate and fear, and until people can learn to accept each other's differences, that's not going to change.


True true.

Don't get too sensitive about it Mo :). This particular case just simply grubbed my attention because it was ON THE NEWS. I love looking at the BBC news because they pretty much cover all parts of the world, albeit in a biased way :(.

There are places over here too that wielding a gun is perfectly normal, as is openly carrying a machete or a dagger tucked in your belt. In some parts of Kenya cattle herders carry AK 47s (not bows and arrows any more) as a norm to protect themselves and their cattle from cattle rustlers... In Nairobi and other towns it's not the same.

You'd have to be really shallow to make a sweeping indictment like that's "how Americans are".

When we are open to critisim and are ready to laugh at ourselves and our quarky ways, and freelly discuss anything on the planet on a forum like this, it makes mature discourse. It's the times we live in, it's hard to ignore things like this now, especially when they are right in your face on the news.