Toss off you wankers!

[Nuts]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=16147117%26method=full%26siteid=94762% 26headline=exclusive--58--up-in-flames-name_page.html

Tons of British aid donated to help Hurricane Katrina victims to be BURNED by Americans
From Ryan Parry, US Correspondent in New York
HUNDREDS of tons of British food aid shipped to America for starving Hurricane Katrina survivors is to be burned.

US red tape is stopping it from reaching hungry evacuees.

Instead tons of the badly needed Nato ration packs, the same as those eaten by British troops in Iraq, has been condemned as unfit for human consumption.

"The FDA has recalled aid from Britain because it has been condemned as unfit for human consumption, despite the fact that these are Nato approved rations of exactly the same type fed to British soldiers in Iraq.



It's times like these when I'm ashamed to be an American. This is a fucking embarrasment of the worst kind.

[pixels]

wow. what the fuck.

[SystemOfADown]

GODDAMNIT! America is getting screwed.

[GrassDragon]

I must be missing something...

[pixels]

I must be missing something...
i had to read it twice to let 'burned' set in. didnt make sense, really. rations being burned. maybe i read it three times. yeah i still dont understand the reasoning.

[The_Maker]

I agree, this is one of those rare times when I am ashamed of my country's Government <_<

[MidnightGladius]

This is insane. I'm glad not to be an American citizen, if this is the kind of thing the government will do.

[Black.Ice]

Wow, that is embarrassing. I dont think starving people would give a damn that it's "unfit for consumption".

[MidnightGladius]

Indeed. Would you rather eat nothing and almost assuredly die or eat something supposedly contaminated (key word supposedly) and have at least a chance at survival?

[Xenon]

God this makes me mad...

Stupid American bureaucrats.

[Spdstr]

I have one guess as to why America is doing this...

They don't want it to seem like Britain is doing a better job of taking care of the people in a tragic situation than what they're doing.

Yes, I'm American, but still, that's the only reasoning I can come up with.

Member,
~ Spdstr

[SystemOfADown]

*Prepares his gear to assasinate Bush*

[Mindslaver]

I have one guess as to why America is doing this...

They don't want it to seem like Britain is doing a better job of taking care of the people in a tragic situation than what they're doing.

Yes, I'm American, but still, that's the only reasoning I can come up with.

Member,
~ Spdstr
Still, what kind of government would be so jealous as to sacrifice their people in the name of hubris? </rhetorical question>

America is declining rapidly.

[Killphill]

*Sigh* what a goddamn waste!

[Battlecruiser]

Wow. They really need to grow up.

[Nuts]

Let's not read more into this than actually exists. Knowing what I know about government (since some of my product is sold to the government,) they're not organized enough to make such a bold statement intentionally. This is likely a case of an ignorant dumb brainless FDA twit whom doesn't have the balls nor the intelect to make a decision that's not "by the book."

I can only hope that media attention will awaken someone with some decision making abilities.

[MidnightGladius]

Let's hope that that's the case, Nuts...

[Whiteknight]

Omg, mad cow in the rations! >.>

[Beef]

I don't understand why they felt the need to burn the food. That's a slap in the face to the British. They could've just not used it or sent it back...

[ShadeZ]

Why the hell would britain want to poison people? Perhaps that they think that because they're a different country, they don't know what it's like to suffer, therefore they're heartless.

I'd more likely trust people from britain then some people from US (on average, I'm not saying you all suck, I'm just saying Britain is at less of a position at the moment it seems to trying to take over the world)

[Ender]

omfg. This is absolutely ludicrous.

[singo]

That really is appalling (not to mention embarrassing for the MOD)

But COME ON!, letting people starve? And these buggers got voted in?

Wasnt there a case about a load of german aid getting destroyed as well?

[Protoss_Honor]

Hmm This makes me wish I wasn't under this government. Why the hell is this happeneing. Who voted these morons into office. It is somewhat Bushes fault, but not completely, it is other people just being idiots. WHy the hell do they do that! That is inhuman almost! Depriving starving people of food! The idiots!


EDITED!! Sorry Nuts, thank you for telling me the difference. I appreciate it.

[Nuts]

Bush is responsible after the fact if he knows about this yet does nothing. The problem itself stems from 70+ years of "new deal" era government. This type of stuff happens all the time, but it's especially painful to see when we all know how important it is to get food to these families.

On a side note, please make a distinction between being embarrased for your country and wishing you weren't a citizen. Remember that your country is a land of the people, the government is a select few morons whom govern the people. Get angry at the government, not your country.

[Whiteknight]

Why not get angry at the people who voted in your current government? If you yourself did, then the blame shouldn't all be shifted away from yourself.

[MidnightGladius]

Actually, Nuts, I'm not a citizen of the US. I'm merely expressing my satisfaction that (hopefully) it'll stay that way.

[King_Templar]

Why not get angry at the people who voted in your current government? If you yourself did, then the blame shouldn't all be shifted away from yourself.

Whiteknight, we should all blame you!

But seriously, this is rediculous. It makes no sense to burn it. The food rations could at least be returned. Why must bureaucracy make everything so complex or just do stupid things? Bah. Anyway, I hope this mess can be fixed and the food can be given to those who need it.

[Xenon]

Italian and some other country's aid was also trashed as "unfit for human consumption" as was some juice sent by Israel.

[Protoss_Honor]

Okay first, I am to young to vote, so it aint my fault, and also, thank you for explaining the difference Nuts. I appreciate it. I edited my post.

[Schwitzer]

Wow. Way to piss off the people who have worked so hard and donated so much to help you.

I sincerely hope this situation gets resolved, because otherwise this would be a senseless waste that would just add to the disaster that is Katrina.

[bluemicrobyte]

1) We should seriously consider writing a letter "from warboards" to some government official about this.

2) This reminds me of n00bs on Starcraft -- I'm protoss, hes zerg, enemy is terran. We are allied. He's dying, so I bring in carriers to help him. His response? "GET OUT OF MY BASE NOOB! *kills carriers*"

3) Perhaps the government should have given the food to the survivors and said "eat at your own risk" instead of just.... burning it.......

[Modred]

Well, it isn't burned yet....

I understand the danger of imported meat, but this is silly. And if it's mad cow they're worried about, there still isn't a clear connection between mad cow and CJD in humans (mostly because CJD has such a long incubation period that discovering any connection would require a study of decades, which has not yet occurred on the proper scale). Of course, a study could reveal that there is no connection.

What I don't understand is the pear juice. What's up with discarding fruit juice?

[hammocksleeper]

None of the American media outlets have picked up on this story yet.

[Dezzick]

WTF? Stupid american goverment... I'm doing something on hurricane katrina for a school assembly, this could come in useful.

But, why burn stuff that british soldiers eat? It doesn't harm them, so why does the US goverment think it'll harm the people in new orleans?

[Aquarian]

1) We should seriously consider writing a letter "from warboards" to some government official about this.

You dare?

[The_Maker]

Most likely effect on the media if we sent one:
Oh great... more punks who don't know jack. :angel:

[Aquarian]

Most likely effect on the media if we sent one:
Oh great... more punks who don't know jack. :angel:

Weeee....More members will join and spam the forums then...

[Hawthorne]

Generally American bureaucrats s**k, and they want Europe to help 'em, after this o one's gonna even look at them, and not to mention british are gonna hate you more, cuz they'll think " So they're too good to eat our food, c'mon boys, grab a bat we've got some f*****g american lassies to kill! " and then you'll all get blown up byEurope for being such idiots.

Hawthorne

[Nuts]

The story has been buried on the mirror's site. Why are more people not outraged about this? Why have no American media outlets not carried this?

[MidnightGladius]

A friend of mine is questioning the validity of the site. If none of the major institutions are showing, it means that something's not quite right here.

[Nuts]

I had considered that as well, but it seems like such an odd story to falsify.

[MidnightGladius]

The best lies are those that are too bizarre or truthful to be considered as lies.

[Demon_Child]

If it is all the same to you. I would rather die of starvation (or even cook up some roadkill) rather than to eat any kind of ration pack (a.k.a. MRE's) for the simple fact that I have tried them once before. I nearly puked just because of the rotten taste (along with the aftertaste) when it was in my mouth. :/

[singo]

Hmmm, I would go with the ration packs, I have eaten a donner kebab sober...ration packs cant be that bad.

But come on!, hey, we have lots of starving people here, lets burn some food!

Italian and some other country's aid was also trashed as "unfit for human consumption"

Of course, McDonalds burgers and other fast food thingies ARE.....

the government is a select few morons whom govern the people.

I thought they were democratically elected representatives of the majority?


Nah, cant say it with a straight face.

[GrassDragon]

I might be able to understand turning away pear juice or Panama's bananas, if only because flooding the country with bananas could seriously affect that market, but rations don't have a market. I guess Mad Cow Disease is the only concern then?

They're playing "better safe than sorry". I can kind of understand that too; think of monkeys and AIDS.

[singo]

Right, were it not for the fact that the BSE thing happened a good few years ago, its all over now, STOP PANICKING!


Also, since its not actually transmittable without eating the brains or spinal column of the infected, its hardly going to become an epidemic is it?

[MidnightGladius]

MRE's aren't that bad. Sure, if you grew up on quality cuisine, you might find it a little bit distasteful, but it's a lot better than airplane food at least. :/

[Black.Ice]

I've spent the last fifteen minutes trying to find more information regarding this story. The only one that seems to exist is at the mirror.co.uk.

That makes me think of two things -- this story is a hoax or that this story is being covered up extremely well. After looking through the mirror.co.uk site; it doesn't seem to be the most reliable news site around. I'm guessing that this story was a hoax, and that the mirror.co.uk site removed it after realizing their information was inaccurate.

What are your thoughts?

[Mtank]

I've spent the last fifteen minutes trying to find more information regarding this story. The only one that seems to exist is at the mirror.co.uk.

That makes me think of two things -- this story is a hoax or that this story is being covered up extremely well. After looking through the mirror.co.uk site; it doesn't seem to be the most reliable news site around. I'm guessing that this story was a hoax, and that the mirror.co.uk site removed it after realizing their information was inaccurate.

What are your thoughts?

Its quite possible, because I find it quite hard to believe that anybody can be as crazy as to burn food while the people starve.

[Nuts]

The story still exists, but it's been archived.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/archive/archive/tm_objectid=16147117%26method=full%26siteid=94762-name_page.html

[hammocksleeper]

I'm fairly sure the story has some basis, but it's very clear that the folks who have reported it so far are manipulating the facts in a misleading way, blowing it out of proportion or not being entirely accurate.

The AP has now picked up the story, but the N'awlins paper is the only one that printed it:

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-19/1127229840199010.xml&storylist=louisiana

[Mattimeo]

OMG! IT'S TEH BUSH'S FAULT!!!!111 HE EEVIL!!!1 Come now people, the problem here isn't as much the elected officials as it is the beuracrats at the FDA. The problem is that in many cases like this people only think of what rules say rather than why they're there. If the british were trying to sell ration packs to the American public then the FDA would probably have a reason to say that they aren't fit for consumption by the American people. But, in a situation like this, you need to bend the rules because of the circumstances. Always going by the rules will make you do stupid things like this. People don't use their heads enough, they just become beuracratic drones. It's really sad when a government gets too big and tries to do so much that they can't do what they really should do.

If it is all the same to you. I would rather die of starvation (or even cook up some roadkill) rather than to eat any kind of ration pack (a.k.a. MRE's) for the simple fact that I have tried them once before. I nearly puked just because of the rotten taste (along with the aftertaste) when it was in my mouth. :/

Speaking of cooking up roadkill, there was a town in Alaska that I visited where you sign yourself up on the roadkill list, and the next time an animal like a moose or caribou was hit by a car, the police would call you down to pick up your pile of meat. Them's crazy peoples up there in the far north. I guess it's a pretty good idea when you have to drive four hours to get to the nearest grocery store. Seriously, four hour drive for your shopping needs. load up a trailer to your pickup and do your shopping for the next 3 months.

~Don't Panic

[TinyDancer]

I've eaten a MRE as well, it wasn't so bad. Cheese Ravioli or something. I saved the tiny bottle of Tabasco Sauce. ^_^ If this story is true, it's quite ridiculous.

[Xenon]

I've eaten a LOT of MRE's... and they're not that bad. There are several thousand calories in a day's supply which is what the Brits sent over. Donner Kebab, pudding, soup, candy bars, even chewing gum.

[Demon_Child]

It is an aquired taste, I guess. Something to which I have yet to aquire. :/ Though I am always up for trying something new for the first time.

Though, on a side note about the roadkill. There is a law in my State that says that whatever animal that isn't on the endangered species list is killed by your automobile, then you are allowed to cook it by whatever meens you see fit. Welcome to the southern region of the United States of America.

[GrassDragon]

Though, on a side note about the roadkill. There is a law in my State that says that whatever animal that isn't on the endangered species list is killed by your automobile, then you are allowed to cook it by whatever meens you see fit. Welcome to the southern region of the United States of America.
Of course, why not? :P

[TheGreatBrain]

I wonder how many people are going to starve that would have been fed by that food.

[singo]

Of course, why not? :P

Wwell, I can think of several reasons.


Mainly....What ELSE might you have driven over/through with those tyres?

Nice shit-covered fried squirrel anyone?

[MidnightGladius]

What state is this in, DC? We have nothing of the sort in Florida (though there isn't really any roadkill here anyways, to be honest).

[Mattimeo]

What state is this in, DC? We have nothing of the sort in Florida (though there isn't really any roadkill here anyways, to be honest).

Alligators mebbe? That's good eatin' :P

~Don't Panic

[kongurous]

What state is this in, DC? We have nothing of the sort in Florida (though there isn't really any roadkill here anyways, to be honest).

That would be Tennessee, MidnightGladius. I lived there for a few years, I've hit my share of possums and squirrels.

[madman5]

Well isn't America great? Lets destroy stuff that people need. Not like we have money to spare, what with war going on, and the price of gasoline fluctuating horribly. What a load of bullshit!

~madman5