NationStates Jolt Archive

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,201850,00.html

Looks like Western Union goes that extra bit to cover their butts.

That, and the Treasury Department probably can't tell the differences between one Muhammed and another.

Considering how common the name is, I wonder if that's why so many are blocked.

Boo fucking hoo. One of the repercussions of following a dead-end of a religion.

Meh, just another example of US policy hurting US businesses against their global competitors. But then, when Americans lose their jobs because of it, we can all together blame it on the unfair Chinese and their low renminbi, hey?

Meh, just another example of US policy hurting US businesses against their global competitors. But then, when Americans lose their jobs because of it, we can all together blame it on the unfair Chinese and their low renminbi, hey?


Wise man said: once the Foreigners own all the bucks, we'll abolish the dollar.

That sucks. My buddy's dad's name is Ahmed, and he's from Bosnia, so that Western Union would be putting a restrictive umbrella over a lot of people.

Also, I don't agree with some of Islam's more violent adherants, but the religion still has the right to be followed and respected.

Yes. Every Muhammed is a terrorist. Every Bruce is a homosexual. Every George is an imbecile. Every Ted is an alcoholic. Every Dave is a rapist.

Any questions?

;)

Yeah really smart, cut off one of the most common names in the world. But then this is the country who didn't like a guy who wrote a song called 'peace train' ferchrisakes...

Is it me, or is this a little too anti-administration for Fox?

The wonderful thing about capitalism is that it allows you to choose to spend your money with another organization, as one of the persons interviewed did.

Do I think scrutinizing and blocking EVERY money transfer based on name is a foolish overreaction? Yes.

Do I think people have the right (and obviously can) to make alternate arrangements? Yes.

Do I think people have the right to choose not to use Western Union for all their business based on the inconvenience they are visiting upon their potential customers? Absolutely.

Yes. Every Muhammed is a terrorist. Every Bruce is a homosexual. Every George is an imbecile. Every Ted is an alcoholic. Every Dave is a rapist.

Any questions?

;)

That pretty much clears it up!:p

Boo fucking hoo. One of the repercussions of following a dead-end of a religion.

Your observation of the world is most interesting, if a little worrying.

Such a sweetheart.

Boo fucking hoo. One of the repercussions of following a dead-end of a religion.
and keeping the name your parents gave you :rolleyes:

Your observation of the world is most interesting, if a little worrying.

Such a sweetheart.

I have no sympathy for islam any more.

and keeping the name your parents gave you :rolleyes:

Change it.

Boo fucking hoo. One of the repercussions of following a dead-end of a religion.

As all religons seem full of promises and remarkably short on quantifiable results, "dead-end" could be aimed at any of the mono-theistic faiths. But as the name is Muhammed and Muslim bashing is in, I presume you refer to them.

What happens when your name, last or first, belongs to a group which contains within it some small few that are labelled "undesirable" and you too suffer as a consequence? Do we boo fucking hoo you?

As all religons seem full of promises and remarkably short on quantifiable results, "dead-end" could be aimed at any of the mono-theistic faiths. But as the name is Muhammed and Muslim bashing is in, I presume you refer to them.

What happens when your name, last or first, belongs to a group which contains within it some small few that are labelled "undesirable" and you too suffer as a consequence? Do we boo fucking hoo you?

I have no intention of naming myself after a long dead warmonger and rapist.

I have no intention of naming myself after a long dead warmonger and rapist.
suit yourself. Just know that the name existed before the Prophet came about.

I have no intention of naming myself after a long dead warmonger and rapist.


That wasn't the question that was posed. It referred to the name you have now at this moment in time. What happens when events outside your control mean it becomes associated with a small band of extremists and you suffer discrimination as a result?

Do you 'boo-fucking hoo' yourself, do we do it....what?

And Western converts to Islam with names like Richard (Reid) or Ryan (Anderson) don't trip any red flags because they have non-Arab names.

Converts to Islam are as likely as any other Muslim to be extremist (admittedly, not that likely, but 0.1% of 1.4 billion is a VERY big number.)

The Treasury policy is racist, counterproductive, and doesn't work.

That wasn't the question that was posed. It referred to the name you have now at this moment in time. What happens when events outside your control mean it becomes associated with a small band of extremists and you suffer discrimination as a result?

Do you 'boo-fucking hoo' yourself, do we do it....what?

I'm already discriminated because of an association with a small band of extremists; I'm German.

please do not link to fox.

Yes. Every Muhammed is a terrorist. Every Bruce is a homosexual. Every George is an imbecile. Every Ted is an alcoholic. Every Dave is a rapist.

Any questions?

;)
I have a bowling ball named Dave :( I should keep a better eye on it.......

oh, and I think it's stupid and pointless and I don't think I will be using Western Union for a while.

Yes. Every Muhammed is a terrorist. Every Bruce is a homosexual. Every George is an imbecile. Every Ted is an alcoholic. Every Dave is a rapist.

Any questions?

;)

Where does R. Kelly fit in?

please do not link to fox.

While we all know Fox has a bias toward the Right in the United States, the story they printed was rather aside and contrary to whatever Right-wing agenda they may usually reflect. It isn't fair to lump Fox into the same category as the Weekly World News or anything

The wonderful thing about capitalism is that it allows you to choose to spend your money with another organization, as one of the persons interviewed did.

Do I think scrutinizing and blocking EVERY money transfer based on name is a foolish overreaction? Yes.

Do I think people have the right (and obviously can) to make alternate arrangements? Yes.

Do I think people have the right to choose not to use Western Union for all their business based on the inconvenience they are visiting upon their potential customers? Absolutely.


On a similar note, although FAA regulations permit you to bring an unloaded firearm in your stowed luggage as long as you declare it, there are many airlines that go out of their way to make it far more difficult.

It's supposed to travel in a separate locked case, with no ammunition, and in a state of disassembly. Fine, and that's according to the regs.

American airlines make you put a large orange tag on the case, with the word FIREARM in large letters. This translates to the baggage handlers as "STEAL THIS".

You may be a law abiding citizen, complying with Federal Regulations, but the airlines usually go far further in order to cover their asses.

That, and some airline counter personnel are completely ignorant of Federal Regulations. I've had security called because the clerk freaked out when I declared the weapon in its case. Security seemed to be fully aware of the regulations, but the apoplectic clerk was uneducable.

I have no sympathy for islam any more.
Yeah, but what about the innocent people who are being inconvenienced. What if Ahmet Zappa tried to send a few bucks to Muhammad Ali?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,201850,00.html

Looks like Western Union goes that extra bit to cover their butts.

That, and the Treasury Department probably can't tell the differences between one Muhammed and another.

Considering how common the name is, I wonder if that's why so many are blocked.

My name isn't Mohammad or Ahmed or anything even resembling a Muslim name. Heck, I'm not even a Muslim. And yet, I had an express mailed money order take 3 months before it actually arrived. When I checked, apparently it was somehow being trapped somewhere in a mailing office in Houston.

The number they gave me to contact them put me through to a nowhere company in Kentucky.

See if I use their services ever again.

The wonderful thing about capitalism is that it allows you to choose to spend your money with another organization, as one of the persons interviewed did.

Do I think scrutinizing and blocking EVERY money transfer based on name is a foolish overreaction? Yes.

Do I think people have the right (and obviously can) to make alternate arrangements? Yes.

Do I think people have the right to choose not to use Western Union for all their business based on the inconvenience they are visiting upon their potential customers? Absolutely.

Working in the banking industry, things aren't as bad as they might seem. Yes, if your name is the Islamic equivalent of John Smith, transfers are going to be delayed, simply because your name matches one on the Terrorist Watch List that pretty much any bank of smallish-middle size checks any and all payments against. It all comes out of various treaties signed both before and after 9/11 to hinder organized crime, money laundering, terrorism, etc.

Anything more than a few hours delay is usually caused by time-zone issues, or problems with 'Know Your Customer', meaning that the people on both ends of the transfer need to be known to the company(-ies) accepting and distributing the money. But the biggest problem is probably going to be the Compliance Officer who's more concerned about the reputational damage letting terrorism money go through his/her bank would cause than the reputational damage caused by money being delayed for a day or two.

Unfortunately, this whole program isn't going to stop money from flowing to terrorist organizations. It's not even going to slow it down, except for the really stupid people trying to do so. There's plenty of ways to avoid this, one of which was mentioned in the article. The other one is simply shipping the money. Hey - if the US can't stop tons of cocaine from using the Miami ports, who in their right minds thinks that they can stop a few suitcases full of $50,000 from doing the same thing? Especially if that money has been exchanged for gold, diamonds, or other things (10 credit cards with $1500 balances anyone?)

But, it lets you bash any opponents by being soft on terrorism if they don't support this, and makes getting re-elected that much easier. After all, treatment based on symptoms shows a lot faster results than actually dealing with the cause, doesn't it?

I have no sympathy for islam any more.

There's 1 billion Muslims in the world. Don't hate them because of the actions of a small percentage.

Broad strokes won't cover the canvas fairly.

I'm already discriminated because of an association with a small band of extremists; I'm German.

And you're doing the same with Muslims.

please do not link to fox.

Seconded.

Unfortunately for those of you who requested that Fox not be linked to, it is not on the list of websites we forbid for spam or inappropriate content.

Be strong. Be brave. Be resolute.
Don't click the linky if you don't like it.

Unfortunately for those of you who requested that Fox not be linked to, it is not on the list of websites we forbid for spam or inappropriate content.

Be strong. Be brave. Be resolute.
Don't click the linky if you don't like it.
There's a list? Is it posted anywhere?

Sure.

Any porn site, any vid or picture site with gory pics, anything resembling ebaumsworld....

I'm already discriminated because of an association with a small band of extremists; I'm German.
YOU are most definitely NOT German.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,201850,00.html

Looks like Western Union goes that extra bit to cover their butts.

That, and the Treasury Department probably can't tell the differences between one Muhammed and another.

Considering how common the name is, I wonder if that's why so many are blocked.
Goddamn, but that's a stupid policy. I had to read the article twice because the stupid burned so badly the first time.

Goddamn, but that's a stupid policy. I had to read the article twice because the stupid burned so badly the first time.

I think that Western Union's policy is to make it so impossible for Muslims to do business with them, that on the off chance that they do happen to be remotely connected with an act of terrorism, Western Union won't get sued because the Muslims have gone to other methods of moving their money around.

Probably more to do with fear of victims' lawsuits in the future.

United Airlines was heavily sued after 9-11 for their "role" in lax security - even though security is officially not their job.

When I was flying United back and forth from the US and UK, United had its OWN extra screening - every male had his carryon bag searched in detail by hand before boarding by United employees. No women or children searched, so I think it was profiling (all men are potential terrorists I guess). They also (United employees) searched luggage bound for the stowage area.

I had already been through the X-ray machines and such.

I think that Western Union's policy is to make it so impossible for Muslims to do business with them, that on the off chance that they do happen to be remotely connected with an act of terrorism, Western Union won't get sued because the Muslims have gone to other methods of moving their money around.

Probably more to do with fear of victims' lawsuits in the future.

United Airlines was heavily sued after 9-11 for their "role" in lax security - even though security is officially not their job.

When I was flying United back and forth from the US and UK, United had its OWN extra screening - every male had his carryon bag searched in detail by hand before boarding by United employees. No women or children searched, so I think it was profiling (all men are potential terrorists I guess). They also (United employees) searched luggage bound for the stowage area.

I had already been through the X-ray machines and such.
As I understood it, pre-9/11, security on domestic flights was the job of the airlines, which was part of the problem. It was mostly window-dressing, aimed at giving passengers a feeling of security for the lowest possible price. That wouldn't apply to international flights, where the stricter security programs of the other countries would have precedence over US programs.

I have a bowling ball named Dave :( I should keep a better eye on it........

Who knows what it's been doing in your neighborhood while you sleep! :eek:

Where does R. Kelly fit in?

That's his stagename. His real name is Ted David George. :)

As I understood it, pre-9/11, security on domestic flights was the job of the airlines, which was part of the problem. It was mostly window-dressing, aimed at giving passengers a feeling of security for the lowest possible price. That wouldn't apply to international flights, where the stricter security programs of the other countries would have precedence over US programs.

Well, it went from one screening process pre-911, to TWO screening processes with United Airlines post-911.

I don't get searched like that on Delta international flights.

Well, it went from one screening process pre-911, to TWO screening processes with United Airlines post-911.

I don't get searched like that on Delta international flights.And it became a federally standardized program, which could have been a good thing--that it isn't is a statement on the people who are running the damn thing.

And they thing by squelching the freedoms of 'suspected terrorists' the threat of terrorism will go down?

What a laugh.

Boo fucking hoo. One of the repercussions of following a dead-end of a religion.

Yeah, okay. And I guess you being "discriminated" against because "you're German" is just, boo fuckin hoo too. Next time you whine about your mental disorders, boo fuckin hoo.

You think you sound like such a hardass, self-righteously blathering about that child-murdering baby-eating Islamic religion.

But this isn't about that religion, its about the freedom to have a fucking name.

So really you just come across more like a dumbass.

I think our government has done everything the 9/11 terrorists would want: Isolate ourselves from our allies, depopularize ourselves in the global community, ruin our economy, divide our population into (verbally or ideologically) warring factions, peel back our rights (Patriot Act violates 1st, 4th, 5th, and 6th Amendments in our Constitution), and make ourselves look like an enemy and a threat to the Muslim world, as seen here among a million other places...Brilliant.

And to the boo hoo guy, with your personality, I'd be willing to bet you'd be a terrorist or something of the like if you were born in a third world country instead of America, with the whole closed-minded, short-sighted "Theyre our enemies, fuck um all!" attitude. Instead of being a terrorist though, you're probably a neo-conservative fundamentalist Republican...I wonder which really does more damage to America and the world? I think America's whole reaction, fuelled by the Right-wing, to the terror attacks has been like an allergic's person reaction to a bee sting: The attack isn't what causes the most damage to the body, its the body's violent overreaction to it that causes it to damage itself.

Who knows what it's been doing in your neighborhood while you sleep! :eek:
well, I just checked on him, he seems to be in the bag with Lois, but I was sure that I kept him with Sue, so maybe someone moved him......or maybe he escaped... I can't find Ruth:eek:

When I was flying United back and forth from the US and UK, United had its OWN extra screening - every male had his carryon bag searched in detail by hand before boarding by United employees. No women or children searched, so I think it was profiling (all men are potential terrorists I guess). They also (United employees) searched luggage bound for the stowage area.

I had already been through the X-ray machines and such.

They seem to pull me out everytime I carry a laptop. The laptop goes through the X-ray and also a swabbing for explosives although the swabbing is done only in certain airports.

I have also noticed that if there is a "SSSS" in the right bottom corner of the boarding pass, I can be guarenteed of "special attention" while going through security. After the screening and the spreading arms and legs thing:p , the screener uses a marker to strikeout the SSSS and then I am allowed to proceed to the gate.

I think I am being profiled because ...well I fit the profile...brown skin, Indian looks (also Pakistani looks)...and a slight crazy look in my eyes:D

They seem to pull me out everytime I carry a laptop. The laptop goes through the X-ray and also a swabbing for explosives although the swabbing is done only in certain airports.

I have also noticed that if there is a "SSSS" in the right bottom corner of the boarding pass, I can be guarenteed of "special attention" while going through security. After the screening and the spreading arms and legs thing:p , the screener uses a marker to strikeout the SSSS and then I am allowed to proceed to the gate.

I think I am being profiled because ...well I fit the profile...brown skin, Indian looks (also Pakistani looks)...and a slight crazy look in my eyes:D


I guess they'll miss the Chechens...

I heard somewhere that Mohammed is the most common first name in the world. So, needless to say, this is more than a bit stupid on their part.

(Li is the most common last name, by the way).

Seconded.


Ironic ...I thought left wingers and liberals were for free speech and tolerance of other views.

I guess you must be from the facist leaning branch of leftwingers .

Which is the reason why I plan on changing my surname, Fung, to a more unique name in the future. :)

As all religons seem full of promises and remarkably short on quantifiable results, "dead-end" could be aimed at any of the mono-theistic faiths. But as the name is Muhammed and Muslim bashing is in, I presume you refer to them.

What happens when your name, last or first, belongs to a group which contains within it some small few that are labelled "undesirable" and you too suffer as a consequence? Do we boo fucking hoo you?


Did anyone bother to actually look into what is being done and why...or did you just latch on to a sensationalist headline and let that paint the picture ?

http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2005/fil12705.pdf

There is tons more out there if you care to look .

Lots of ways to controll the flow of cash to terrorist...this way..as reported ...seems to cast a very wide net...and force people to find other ways to accomplish the same thing...and that leads me to believe that THAT is its true intent to push transactions into back channels that ARE being monitored in secret..because the " bad guys ' know the more legitimate means are being monitored for sure .
Its an interesting game .


Its funny in a way ..I was treated differently growing up because my last name can be mistaken for Jewish ;) I had to fight my way into and out of school and actually had jobs I was ultra qualified for denied me . So I am on the right side in this instance in that I cant stand discrimination in any form .
And I am a white , German / Italian American . If your a racist ..stay away from me ..I bite .

This seems like it might open the door to some heavy litigation.

+1 lawyers.

Unfortunately for those of you who requested that Fox not be linked to, it is not on the list of websites we forbid for spam or inappropriate content.

Be strong. Be brave. Be resolute.
Don't click the linky if you don't like it.
I'm not sayibg its forbidden. I'm just telling them thaat its a bad news site because of a bias sostrong that it makes it just about as reliable as a tabloid.

I'm not sayibg its forbidden. I'm just telling them thaat its a bad news site because of a bias sostrong that it makes it just about as reliable as a tabloid.

Oh, like the New York Times...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,201850,00.html

Looks like Western Union goes that extra bit to cover their butts.

That, and the Treasury Department probably can't tell the differences between one Muhammed and another.

Considering how common the name is, I wonder if that's why so many are blocked.
How retarded.

anyway this tuffreminds of how one of my teachers believes that some guy in my school is a terrorist simply because that student is a muslim.

Yes. Every Muhammed is a terrorist. Every Bruce is a homosexual. Every George is an imbecile. Every Ted is an alcoholic. Every Dave is a rapist.

Any questions?

;)


None at all! Very good point!

Ironic ...I thought left wingers and liberals were for free speech and tolerance of other views.

I guess you must be from the facist leaning branch of leftwingers .

Please. Tolerance only applies to those who think the right way.:rolleyes:

anyway this tuffreminds of how one of my teachers believes that some guy in my school is a terrorist simply because that student is a muslim.
Or that bit from an episode of the Boondocks where Rummy screams "can't you tell that this man is obviously of terrorist descent?"