Germany gets contracts for american highspeed train system

[lordbt]

I've challenged you to a formal debate. If you believe that I am intellectually inadequate, then by all means take me up. If not, then your attempts to insult my intelligence are little more than avoidances.

Tell you what, bring something more to the table than "see what I mean?" and I will debate you. But if that is all you have, I have better things to do.

 

[lordbt]

"It won't work in America"

How sad nothing works in America!!!

See what I mean?

 

[IbrahimFahim]

Tell you what, bring something more to the table than "see what I mean?" and I will debate you. But if that is all you have, I have better things to do.

In other words you want to put up a good front.

 

[lordbt]

In other words you want to put up a good front.

Meaning what? I am here. If you have something of substance to say, here is your chance. Lets have it.

 

[IbrahimFahim]

Meaning what? I am here. If you have something of substance to say, here is your chance. Lets have it.

I am posting something now, please be patient.

 

[RETS]

I've challenged you to a formal debate. If you believe that I am intellectually inadequate, then by all means take me up. If not, then your attempts to insult my intelligence are little more than avoidances.

{emphasis mine}


I try not to battle unarmed opponents. With that said, if you manage to come up with something that has more weight to it that "that's not true," or "how sad" or the rest of your off the cuff remarks portrayed as fact rather than opinion, I'll consider it.

 

[IbrahimFahim]

{emphasis mine}


I try not to battle unarmed opponents. With that said, if you manage to come up with something that has more weight to it that "that's not true," or "how sad" or the rest of your off the cuff remarks portrayed as fact rather than opinion, I'll consider it.

You insult more than anything else. Do you think it hides anything? You might as well be waving a giant flag.

 

[Steve Petersen]

Here is a little perspective on high speed rail.

Europe's passenger rail systems report profits -- but only because they hide public subsidies off-budget. According to a 2008 study by Amtrak’s inspector general, honest accounting shows that Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, the U.K. and Spain subsidize their trains heavily -- up to $37 for every mile a train travels in Germany.

 

[DeathMagus]

Here is a little perspective on high speed rail.

Do we not subsidize our roads? Our traffic cops? Our repair crews? Our road signs?

We subsidize all those things, 100%

 

[Goodtry]

America really embraces the automobile and the highway as its primary method of transportation. That would, in large part, have to be replaced. It would mean a lot of growing pains for a lot of people and companies.

That said, I think it's a good idea. But it wouldn't be a smooth transition. Short term loss for long term gain, and that's a hard sell.

And no matter what some may say, change is hard. For anybody.

I don't necessarily think the "rugged individualist" mindset of automobile drivers is incompatible with the idea of modernizing our rail network. People in Europe and Japan still drive cars around locally. I think that in terms of interstate travel and commerce there's good reason to invest in modernization. Interesting fact: the train is a lot more efficient than the jet, or long-haul trucker (meaning: Cheaper) for transporting cargo.

What really cheeses me off is the lack of American innovation with this technology. No offense to the Germans (who actually do fine work), but its the reason WHY multi-billion dollar contracts are being farmed out to foreign companies instead of that money being invested in American companies.

 

[allhart]

Americans will sellout their own people for the oh might buck. They will bit their nose off despite their face! We have no industry left to support ourselves or reinvest money by giving it up to other nations!

 

[Goodtry]

Americans will sellout their own people for the oh might buck. They will bit their nose off despite their face! We have no industry left to support ourselves or reinvest money by giving it up to other nations!

Well conditions certainly won't ever improve if we just sit there whining about how "it won't work".

 

[allhart]

Well conditions certainly won't ever improve if we just sit there whining about how "it won't work".

I'm in construction as an electrician and see this all the time.....last yr America closed 42440 factory's down. The cards are stacked against us(the underdog). Look at these company's selling out to foreign entity's....we used to have pride and would only sell to our fellow countryman. It used not be just about the oh might dollar! One world Gov't is on our heels and people are giving up their identity! Laying down for it! Some of these people and Corporations are selling out their fellow countryman for profit!

Like we can call Budweiser American beer now after selling it to Germany for 36 Billion or Car-hart,Klein etc. NOTHING and I mean NOTHING is American made anymore!! Even some of the signs are saying American BUILT if your lucky!

 

[RETS]

You insult more than anything else. Do you think it hides anything? You might as well be waving a giant flag.

Actually, I stated that nothing you've said thus far has been worth an intellectual matching. I left it open to you to bring something more concrete and worthwhile.

What I have quoted here is what you responded with. I do not see the value debating someone who has nothing to debate. If I am wrong, then by all means-- Bring it forward. I responded to you in your last challenge, and I'm responding to you now.

If all you've got are accusations, one liners and misconceptions, then there is really nothing worth my time.

Ball's in your court, and has been since your first challenge.


EDIT: I tend to match fire for fire. People who deal in respect, I show respect to. People who do not show respect to anyone rarely get respect from me, beyond the respect I afford to all of God's creation.

 

[IbrahimFahim]

Actually, I stated that nothing you've said thus far has been worth an intellectual matching. I left it open to you to bring something more concrete and worthwhile.

What I have quoted here is what you responded with. I do not see the value debating someone who has nothing to debate. If I am wrong, then by all means-- Bring it forward. I responded to you in your last challenge, and I'm responding to you now.

If all you've got are accusations, one liners and misconceptions, then there is really nothing worth my time.

Ball's in your court, and has been since your first challenge.


EDIT: I tend to match fire for fire. People who deal in respect, I show respect to. People who do not show respect to anyone rarely get respect from me, beyond the respect I afford to all of God's creation.

You are operating from belligerence to hide. It is like bullying in a manner of speaking, but it is also dangerous because someone usually calls your bluff.

 

[Goodtry]

You are operating from belligerence to hide. It is like bullying in a manner of speaking, but it is also dangerous because someone usually calls your bluff.

Nobody cares

 

[MorkandMindy]

Tell you what, bring something more to the table than "see what I mean?" and I will debate you. But if that is all you have, I have better things to do.

In other words you want to put up a good front.

Meaning what? I am here. If you have something of substance to say, here is your chance. Lets have it.

You insult more than anything else. Do you think it hides anything? You might as well be waving a giant flag.

Please come debate about something important,

The United States killed a lot of Vietnamese in the 1950s through to 1975, come and see Americans attempt to guess what that number is in the History subforum

Society > History > How many were killed in the Vietnam War?

 

[MorkandMindy]

I'd suggest reading the whole thing, takes under 10 minutes and you can quickly see how the American respondant deliberately missunderstands anything that disagrees with the PR he has soaked up over the years.

Missunderstanding what I say is due to cognitive dissonance and picking up what he has heard before is called 'affirmation bias'.


PR
The US may have largely pulled out of making useful things but it is still ace at Public Relations:

The US is currently at war in Columbia, but the public doesn't know. The longest armed conflict the US has been in has lasted 35 years so far, but 99% of the public do not know about it, even though they do sort of know about it. I recall back when the US attacked Lebanon but I only worked that out later when someone told me. I heard a bomber had been shot down and so a battleship was moved in to do a grand job of shelling at no risk to US lives, but I didn't work out that the US was attacking Lebanon. The list of wars the US has waged and the public has forgotten is very long.



While you are in the History subforum read Ben Stein on Richard Nixon post 2.

 

[RETS]

You are operating from belligerence to hide. It is like bullying in a manner of speaking, but it is also dangerous because someone usually calls your bluff.

From someone who has not offered a single scrap worth mentioning, that means jack.

However, let me let your own words make my point.

"It won't work in America"

How sad nothing works in America!!!

~Response to a supported statement from LordBT

Honestly, no. I've been here for about a decade, and what I have noticed is that most Americans are grossly undereducated on issues like this, but refuse to admit the deficit. High Speed rail is cheaper, cleaner, and generally more comfortable, but they will never understand because they will never try to understand.

Here is what you are going to hear...

"It won't work here"

...this is the mantra by which America exists now. Everywhere else in the modern, industrialized world some form on national health care exists. THe people are healthier, live longer, etc... but when it comes to America?

"It won't work here"

Everywhere else in the modern industrialized world national educational systems exist with union involvement and government standards. In America?

"It won't work here"

Nothing works in America.

High Speed rail will not work either, not because it cannot, but because Americans will not permit it to.

~ Completely unsubstantiated response to ErikSteiner


Oh-- And the one that started your beef with me:

Unfortunately none of what you say is true.

~ Response to an opinion posted by Chaz


I'm going to just go ahead and stop right here. This is what I mean when I say I do not respect people who do not respect others. In spite of having practically nothing to say other than "that's not true," you continued to toss words around. Hey, if that's your style, son, you go for it.

Just one thing-- At this point, you are not worth any more of my time.

 

[ErikSteiner]

Well, the transformation was done in the USA in the past. Your big car producers Ford and Chrysler did buy the railway companies that you had and let them die. Because of that your country is not able to develop such trains. You missed 60 years in development. Because of that you let us germans build it for you.

I don´t understand you americans. In germany our big german corporations are german. Our national airline, the Lufthansa is one example. Its traded in the stock axchange, but if you buy it, your name and adress is noted. That way they make sure, that the Lufthansa does not get in foreign hands. Other big german corporations like the Deutsche Bahn (our railway corporation) are 100% nationalized. If the Deutsche Bahn want new trains, the contracts go to german technology corporations like Siemens and Krupp. Our corporations work together like one.