₦airaland Forum

naijaking1:
Agree that Ms. Jones gold were for America, and now her shame must also be for America.

What can we learn from this experience as naija people?

almondjoy:
Yes! "some" americans that have the power to make decisions for most! Like Marion Jones that represents the whole of USA. Now, not only Marion Jones must bear the shame but the whole of the USA to in front of the whole world. Not happy about it, but just the sad reality that a few can make or break "the whole"!

If Marion Jones, an athlete represents the whole of America, how much more does the Speaker Patricia Etteh represent? So i take it to mean that you feel like a thief, huh? You won't feel angry if a chinese guy walks up to you and calls you a thief? Afterall, your Speaker is a thief!

@Poster
Yup!
This is why the Avergae life expectancy in Naija is listed at 47 years, eh? Because we're so , so safe!

We hear about knifings and murder in the UK, because EVERY SINGLE death is publicised, is considered important. If we reported every single wrongful death in Nigeria, you'd see reason to be truly afraid.

WesleyanA:
and we southerners are the ultimate redeemed.
we should spread our redemption to them like the US is doing in Iraq. those uncivilized muslims.

I might be wrong, but i coulda sworn that Bush never claimed he was waging war on Iraq to envangelize 'em and spread the good news.
as i remember he called it a 'pre-emptive strike' and a 'war of 'liberation'. Hardly christian stuff.

Please, can't any of you marshal good arguments without falling back on the Iraq war?

@naijaking
What Warren Madsen and Afam fail to realise is that there's no single reason why the US would want to move nuclear missiles over to the middle east when Ballistic missile launchers are plentiful on groun din the US. it's even a lot less safe and exposes the nuclear warheads to innumerable hazards.
Nuclear tipped missiles can easily be launched from Carriers, submarines and hardened missile silos. A missile launched from the US will reach Iran quickly enough. WMR also fails to mention that the missiles carrying the nuclear warheads are now obsolete and are slated for decommisioning by the US millitary.
So, if you can think for yourself, think why

1. The US, reeling from a costly debacle in Iraq will choose to open a second front with Iran at this stage
2. Why the US would even contemplate using Nuclear weapons anytime soon. Debate still rages on the use of the Nuclear bombs in WW2
3. Even if the US wanted to carry out a Nuclear attack, why use obsolete missiles slated for decommisioning. Why fly them to the middle east when ICBMs fired from the mainland can easily reach anywhere in Iran.
4. Even if the US wanted to use nuclear weapons in a conflict, why use weapons with such a high yield? Why else were low-yield tactical nukes developed?

The truth is, Wayne Madsen and his acolytes know what they say is untrue, but just like how it obtains on Nairaland, conspiracy theorists are really popular among the alarmists, the intellectually crippled and the perenially paranoid.
Wyclef Jean once said, Every Man loves disciples. That's what drives these rabble rousers.

Afam,
You should know better than to post conspiracy theorist crap here in your eagerness to discredit the US.

Here's a summary of what really happened.



Less than a month ago, the U.S. Air Force lost track of six nuclear cruise missiles for 36 hours. They were left unguarded on the ground for a total of 24 hours. Needless to say, this mistake was big enough to trigger a “Bent Spear” incident report once it was discovered. Such events are ranked second in seriousness only to “Broken Arrow” incidents, which involve the loss, destruction or accidental detonation of a nuclear weapon. Today’s Washington Post has the details:



Just after 9 a.m. on Aug. 29, a group of U.S. airmen entered a sod-covered bunker on North Dakota’s Minot Air Force Base with orders to collect a set of unarmed cruise missiles bound for a weapons graveyard. They quickly pulled out a dozen cylinders, all of which appeared identical from a cursory glance, and hauled them along Bomber Boulevard to a waiting B-52 bomber.

The airmen attached the gray missiles to the plane’s wings, six on each side. After eyeballing the missiles on the right side, a flight officer signed a manifest that listed a dozen unarmed AGM-129 missiles. The officer did not notice that the six on the left contained nuclear warheads, each with the destructive power of up to 10 Hiroshima bombs.

That detail would escape notice for an astounding 36 hours, during which the missiles were flown across the country to a Louisiana air base that had no idea nuclear warheads were coming. It was the first known flight by a nuclear-armed bomber over U.S. airspace, without special high-level authorization, in nearly 40 years.

… “I have been in the nuclear business since 1966 and am not aware of any incident more disturbing,” retired Air Force Gen. Eugene Habiger, who served as U.S. Strategic Command chief from 1996 to 1998, said in an interview.

… The incident came on the heels of multiple warnings — some of which went to the highest levels of the Bush administration, including the National Security Council — of security problems at Air Force installations where nuclear weapons are kept.

Verdict: This was a totally avoidable screwup which the Bush administration was warned about in advance. Why were nuclear-armed missiles stored in the same bunker with unarmed missiles? Maybe it has something to do with the fact we have a President who can’t even pronounce the word “nuclear.”

Maybe we should ask how good a job our government is doing keeping track of nuclear weapons in places like the former Soviet Union, India, Pakistan and North Korea when our own can go missing like this. No terrorist group needs to assemble its own nuke when they can get a ready-made one.

UPDATE: In the immortal words of Bush speech writer Michael Gerson, “the smoking gun could be a mushroom cloud.”

UPDATE: Naturally, there is already a half-baked conspiracy theory because some people still can’t accept that the Bush administration is anywhere near as incompetent as it appears to be. Although unprecedented in the US Air Force, this blunder is just the latest in a series for Bush’s national security bureaucracy.



Read the full report here

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/22/AR2007092201447_pf.html



Just in case you didn't know the WMR in Afam's article, that stands for Wayne Madsen Report, a reknowned rabble-rouser and conspiracy theorist. Interesting how he tries to insinuate that the Bush adminsitration, despite facing heavy flak both home and abroad for the Iraq war debacle, intends to open a second front in Iran. The raging debate now in the US is a tinmetable for withdrawal of troops from Iraq, yet he and his believers are actually expecting us to believe the US was planning a second war in Iran. Brainless.

FYI, before Nuclear weapons are used by the US, it must be agreed upon by the President, the Secretary of Defense and the Chaiman, Joint Chiefs. This approval must then be reconfirmed before the nuclear missiles are used. This has existed as clear protocol since the 50s, and if WMR expects right-thinking people to fall for this bullshit, he better have another think coming.



What remains is to analyse Afam's motive for posting this. Despite the fact that i find it amusing that he subscribes to a conspiracy theory website (desperate for ammunition to use against the US, are ya?), what exactlky was the motive.
I mean, it's ok to be anti-american. Many europeans are, and they usually express their feelings with diatribes against the bush administration for the war in Iraq, and the US role in pollution and global warming. But what is peculiar to mainly Nairaland users (Blacks!) is the wilful use of untruths and mis-information to demonize select western countries. This strikes me as extremely amusing, yet dissapointing. I expect these lies from el ZakZaky's semi-literate fanatics, but not from well-educated people.



@Afam
It's okay if you want to hate the US. It's your OPinion, your right. You're welcome to it. But you and your cohorts can at least try to be objective and factual, ok? I mean, for example when you refer to Isreal's presence on Palestinian land as illegal, try to also cast barbs at China for its occupation of Tibet, for it's saber rattling at Taiwan. it makes you look more balanced, more reasonable and far less of someone who's more interested in demonizing western countries than reporting the actual state of the world.

@BigB1
Jakumo just said exactly what i was about to say to you. If you honestly mean to imply that Reuters and other foreign news agency cannot be allowed to film in the US without 'permission', then it says a lot about your level of exposure.

But i don't blame you. Nigerians that are too used to restrictive and oppressive laws compensate by imagining conditions are the same everywhere else. Pitiful, really.

@Azanor
Gimme your location. I can't rememebr the link again, will hunt it down anyway.

have you got Ghosts of Onyx?

almondjoy:
I did not mean to belittle Flo Jo in anyway. I just felt that she was not honest. Just a hunch. If this Marion Jones girl and a host of others can deal in this undetectable steriod, why not her? May her soul rest in peace--but I still had my suspicions. Steroid us is very common with athletes this days and even those you could vouch for disappointed you in the end. Americans will do anything to stay on top of the world---in all aspects---no matter how trivial.

Don't forget--this substance is not detectable---so how can you test positive for something you cannot detect. Marion Jones never tested positive mind you.

Remember to say 'some' Americans.
It's terrible to generalize. We'll get all offended it someone says Nigerians are all thieves that will do anything for money.

I stayed in the Netherlands for a while, and i've seen first hand the shit illegal Nigerian immigrants pull in that country.
I was hosted by a Nigerian guy (legal) with many illegal pals. Th egist these illegals gave me was enough to almost make me hate Nigerians.
Most of the legal Naijans even feel disgust for their fellow Naijans that are there illegally.
As my host said "When you see Nigerians in cafe as early as 7am in the morning in Amsterdam dey do 419, you go know say Oyibo sef dey try"

One illegal resident in Germany was freely boastin gof having pushed drugs in Russia, Cyprus and now Germany. At the moment he runs a prostitution ring in Germany and Italy.

Another one expressed his regret at not being able to complete his dupe of an italian man of 100000 euros. The guy had nearly paid up, but for a last minute complication. He disclosed how he slept with both a mother and her teenage daughter (both whites) before deciding on which one he would marry for papers.

The truth is, very many Nigerians make lousy guests in most countries they emigrate to. Patience isn't infinite, so it's only a matter of time before irritation becomes negative stereotype of an entire people.


It's funny how Nigerians play the 'Race' card always. Osuofia came to Holland to play his 419 theme song, ensuring that the biggest gathering of illegals, 419s and rabble rousing Nigerians in the Netherlands would be there. What else was the police supposed to do, spurn a gilt edged chance to deport most of the troublesome illegals in one fell swoop? They naturally raid the place and Nigerians started complaining of excessive force and racism. How many deportees go gently without a struggle? YOu think the guys just held their hands meekly for the handcuffs?


This is all OFF TOPIC, by the way, but i just needed to get that out

Flo Jo was never convicted of any drug use. There were rumors and finger pointing, but she never tested positive. We believe in innocent until proven guilty, don't we?
That's why your jibe at her and her death is in extremely bad taste. In simple terms she died from an epileptic seizure of some sorts. The autopsy found no evidence to show her death was related to drug use or abuse.

Don't be derisive towards the dead.

Other than that, your article's ok. . .

FSU:
Any Nigerian who lives abroad, facing all the undue harrasments (physical and mental) from so-called hosts should frown at such blatant attempt to collect information from Nigeria without recourse to authorization. The arrest and prosecution is good news. These guys (imagine the two Germans whose country is reeling with racism and abuse of African people coming to take photos of Nigerian installations) will do much more to us. Time to be patriotic o jare.

Brilliant!
Now to further expand on your logic, imagine Nigerians (whose country is brimming with people kidnapping white men and holding them for ransom) coming to London and snapping pics at Buckingham Palace and Big Ben.
the lot of them should be arrested, charged with espionage and shot!

FSU, isn't that what you mean?

McKren:
Texa

Do you honestly think with all the arms race going on between Rusia and US, Rusia will pay anyone to lobby its image to washington.

President Putin will rather Bush launder's his image to him than he Bush

On the contrary, Russia has lobbyists in the US right now.
You call this an arms race? Even during the height of the cold war, Russia was heavily purchasing wheat from the US.


The US represents a significant trade partner to Nigeria, and any reasonable efforts made to keep a good relationship with them (and our other major trade partners) is to be welcomed.

I thought there's already a thread on this NYSC thingy. Why start a new one?

um. . . i could be wrong, but i thought the US was our biggest trading partner (or one of the biggest). I thought that the US was a significant trade partner. I thought we had embarked on a serious drive to bring in foreign (predominantly western) investors to our country.
I thought we had a lot to gain from having powerful friends, especially when we bid to become a member of the UN security council.

Was i wrong?


Let's stop this knee-jerk criticism of everything we see. We've got enough money to tackle our power problems in Nigeria, all it needs is judicious application of common sense, honesty and patriotism. But let's not forget it pays to have friends.

Or do you 'wise ones' seiously think the Russians, the Chinese, the Pakistanis etc don't have similar image launderers in Washington DC? Hell, even japanese companies (Toyota, Sony et al) have lobbyists working for them in the corridors of power.

@viperman
Car above is nice. any word on the mileage?

I have long since realized that the problem in Nigerian doesn't come from the 'leaders' alone. it comes from ALL nigerians. Corruption, theft, usury and criminal tendencies occur in all classes of Nigeians.

When the most poular song among youths of a developing nation is a song celebrating theft (Yahoozee), what kind of hope do we have left?

Pastor Chris will serve the nation better if he and his fellow pastors make a serious effort to probe the source of the tithes they receive. When you see a shady guy bringing stolen money, you should be able to refuse such sums so as to embarass the thief into repentance (If prayers don't work on him )

What's with all these stupid people on this stupid topic again?
She didn't say all Nigerians are fraudsters. How can reasonable human beings start discussing and dissing someone when no proof of the 'crime' has been put forward?

I've said it before, and i'll say it again, the biggest problem we face in this country is the missaplication oif our brains. Whenever someone mentionsa nything about Genevieve NNaji, everyone starts demanding proof. When it comes to something else, something of bigger proportions, we accept everything at face value.

Here's Logic for you

1. You hear a story/news from an unreliable source (Nairaland!)
2. You confirm the story, look for proof and facts to confirm
3. Harness all facts and proof to make logical, intelligent statements on the issue at hand.


But instead, we have the usual Nairaland/Nigerian affliction:
1. Hear story
2. Bitterly dispute it if it concerns any 'hero' of yours, especially naija home video and music stars or
3. Embellish and spread it if the person at the center of the scandal is richer, smarter or better looking than yourself.


Gamine once said most people on nairaland are unintelligent, babbling goons. I'm tempted to agree with her here.

osereka:
@texazzpete,
want my candid opinion about that school teacher?
SHE AND HER LIKES DESERVE TO DIE

Die eh? For what crime? For striving to prevent exam malpractice? For merely handling a bag that may or may not have contained a copy of the Quran?

I've long since formed the opinion that you're an entirely stupid human being. Your 'candid opinion' merely confirms that observation.

At least now you'll stop posturing as a 'moderate' now your true colors have come out. YOU deserve to die.

Now let someone try explaining away the killings in the north that occurred during the Muhammed Cartoons saga. Just a mere garden variety civil disturbance, eh? Storm in a teacup, hey?

Ahh. . .Don't you just love nairaland, where people of dissenting opinions are labeled 'morons' while those that agree with you are labelled 'intellectuals'?

@denex, Afam

denex:
The fact that a lot of people have refused to attribute these occurrences in Aba to Sharia, Al Qaeda, Islamic Extremism or Christian Crusades, but rather to the actions of some retarded barbaric elements should as well make us realise that when such things happen in the northern part of the country, we should give the same consideration.

The guys stripping the trousers off the women weren't calling on the name of Jesus! If anything, the biggest claim for justification they usually give is that it is contrary to our traditional African values.
However, in the northern crisis, when these guys go about burning churches and killing mainly christians, they usually shout Allahu Akbar!
Now, i don't know about you, but if a bunch of guys keep killing people while chanting 'God is Great', i'd pretty much think it had religious undertones.

At least the lady that was killed in that school in the north was killed for alleged desecration of the Quran. try telling me that isn't a religious issue

iykrion:
Patriotism 90%, Pragmatism 10%. That's what I have seen on this particular issue. I hope the patriots win, but I am afraid, the pendulum might (should I say will) swing to the pragmatists. I keep my fingers crossed.

Patriotism isn't the opposite of Pragmatism. There's no reason why the two should be mutually exclusive.

babasin:
any group of people can stand as a nation once they:

1. united in purpose

2. love themselves than a foreigner

3. do not trust any foreigner
4. respect rule of law + human right

The real resource that makes a nation is PEOPLE

Not bad. But the 'distrust all foreigners' thingy smacks of xenophobia.

ishmael:
I just hope you've not taken some paraga too. Where did you get your statistics from to show that we have more muslims than christians in the north? You could as well say that we have more christians than muslims in the south-west of nigeria. As far as i know religion was not included in the last census. Or is it because the muslims in kano and other places are quick to rising up?? kaduna and jos are in the north check out those places first before you talk.

Must something be in print before you allow your own common sense to kick in?
kaduna a Jos are just two states in the North. Why didn't you mention Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi, Kano, Sokoto, Jigawa, Borno, etc?

ono:
I think almondjoy might be chxta or any other guy banned by Seun, in disguise. Has anyone noticed how he carries himself around here? Like he's been here all along?

Chxta 's ban elapsed years ago. He has chosen to stay away from nairaland for his own personal convictions. He's not going to be back anytime soon in ANY guise, so just can it, ok?

denex:
@almondjoy

I'm very serious. They also approved the use of tazer guns, which are liable to cause death through high voltage discharge to the heart. Every tool is being put in place to hunt down Africans outside the continent and ship them back to the continent dead or alive.

Deaths from tasers are extremely rare, and usually happen in pretty sick people. Tasers are extensively used in the US, and while it may not have a 100% perfect track record, they almost always are safe. At least it's better'n shooting people.


I have no business with whatever measures are used to curtail illegal immigrants> Travel out of the country to Europe and listen to a legal Nigerian reseident tell you all about the crimes perpetrated by illegal african immigrants.

Preachign 'stay in your yard' is not smart, considering the fact that many many Nigerians are out there schooling and working in foreign countries. Shebi we said we wanted to start using Nuclear power by 2020? Where are our graduates gonna learn Nuclear physics or Rocketry? In Unilag?

I agree with Seun here. Too many retards in Nigeria.
I mean, what if the British police started arresting all the Naijans who go around taking photos of monuments and things?
How many Nigerians get arrested for videoing carnivals, etc? If i had a video of the Sept 11 attacks, hell the major news networks will pay me a princely sum for the footage.

Where does the spying allegation come from? Were they caught filming Naija military installations? Army or air force bases? Troop deployment? Strategic arms plans?

All the SSS keeps blabbing about is that the woman has an extensive network of highly placed 'friends' in Nigeria. Since when did that become spying?

Big B1:
It is so sad that many of us truly do not understand the true value of our nation, Nigeria.

I guess, the leaders are to blame.
FYI:This country is powerful, wealthy and has a bright future.

Time will tell.

This country has potential. but the potential is so far unrealised, because of corruption and stupidity on the part of most Nigerians. Please stop all that bullshit of placing blame on our leaders. In a country where 419 is now an acceptable way of life, where the youths are even more corrupt and terrible than the 'leaders', it's difficult to see us realising that great potential any time soon.

Bright future, yes. Powerful and wealthy? let's solve our electrical power problem first before we start looking at ourselves as serious minded people

ishmael:
and who has told you that there are more muslims in the north of nigeria than christians? where did you get your statistics from, seun??

Yet another reason why Paraga consumption must be banned! Any ape knows that there are more muslims than Christians in Northern Nigeria

fusionist:
I just got my hands on my iphone (unlocked). Its actually a very neat phone - except the battery life SUCKS!!!
All the features run smooth - and there doesnt seem to be any real bugs in the phone thus far. I love some of the features like unlocking the keypad by swiping your finger accross the face of the screen.

I'm going to ditch my nano now that ive got an iphone!

They could have included wifi as part of the phone, but oh well,

Enjoy

Thanks
Fusionist

YOU don't have an iphone. if you did you'd know that it has WiFi. And there's no 'keypad' either.

@aikuken
You CAN actually delete photos and occasionally videos from the iphone. I've done it before.
I agree with you on the bluetooth issue, that sucks seriously bad.

Pics of my unlocked iphone here
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-62058.64.html#msg1549920

You need a challenge in a 13 year old game?

get a life