X-Message-Number: 19736 Date: Fri, 09 Aug 2002 12:50:53 -0700 From: Olaf Henny <> Subject: I like you, John, but... References: <> In Message #19723 John Grigg" <> wrote in part: >Subject: Gotta love the French! :) >... .I think the next time the U.S. builds some cool piece of >technology, we should keep it well away from the French. This >would force them to invent their own stuff, and not just steal <it from us... Talk about rude behavior!!! John, I like you and your generally positive posts, but where does that crap come from? (And who is rude?) I presume, that has its roots from your indoctrination from preschool on, that the US is the greatest country in the world, and if we all just could pattern ourselves after the American system, the world would be a wonderful place to live in. It probably is all that by American standards, which emphasize science and technology (good for us cryonicists), martial skills and unbridled entrepreneurialism and which makes them world leaders in all those categories. However other nations priorities lie more in humane treatment of _all_ members of their societies, and in that aspect the US is not only the taillight of the G7, but it lags behind the other 6 and behind all the members of the EU by a wide margin. Instead of the universal right to bear arms all the others hold up the right to universal health care. Nobody gets bumped from the right to health care because of extended chronic illness. They all have abandoned capital punishment as barbaric and unbecoming to a civilized society. It is the emphasis on preservation of life and health, which should give that set of values appeal to cryonicists. I am not saying that one system is superior to any other (although I do have a preference), but I do say, that the universe does not exactly revolve around the American system of values. That has evolved out of American history, is indigenous to the US and has a rightful place there. But that does not mean, that the rest of the world has to follow the US example. Now we come to the point, which raised my blood pressure: Just because the US is the world leader in most fields of science and technology, that does not mean, that the rest of us are STEALING it from you. There is a universally accepted patent system in the world, which is recognized and adhered to by all developed nations. If we are using American technology, we pay good royalties for it. Best, Olaf Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=19736