From: Charles Hixsn (charleshixsn@earthlink.net)
Date: Mon Aug 11 2003 - 11:44:33 MDT
Dehede011@aol.com wrote:
>In a message dated 8/11/2003 6:01:57 AM Central Standard Time,
>neptune@superlink.net writes: For instance, the aid from the US to Iraq is being gobbled up
>by US contractors. This is not unique to the Iraq War. The same thing
>happened in the Balkans. I bet it happens elsewhere too and with other donor
>nations.)
>
>Dan,
> I hadn't thought about that. What you are saying is that if the US
>spends money to build a road in Iraq and uses a US contractor to get it built
>then we didn't give the Iraqis the road. And if we let Bethel (?) or someone
>put out oil well fires because they are American the fires aren't out they are
>still burning. Furthermore if an American company is paid to restore power in
>Baghdad when they get more power in Baghdad than when Sadaam was in power then
>because it is an American company they haven't done anything.
>Ron h.
>
>
>
Not they haven't done anything, but perhaps they've done less than the
dollar figures indicate. It's rather like MS giving away software.
Yes, they've given a word processor. And that has value. But they kept
the money. They decided what you would buy with their "gift", and it
was something they made. And they took the tax writeoff as full sale
value. But if what you needed was a bed, it's not as satisfying as
getting the money. (Actually, for me it wouldn't be as satisfying
anyway. I'm perfectly satisfied with the MSOffice97 that I bought. And
I'm replacing it with OpenOffice.org. So I'm not even going to bother
filling out the paperwork. (Some lawsuit verdict!)
It doesn't only happen in foreign aid. It's endemic throughout the
system. And I am much less than grateful to be the recipient of the
right to some MS software as payment for *their* misdeeds. They should
pay me to take it. (Only it would have to be without their EULAs and
renewal requirements, or I wouldn't even then.)
<rant deleted>
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