GeforceI find it interesting how many folks from the UK seem to really love this show! It is great, but I have to wonder if it isn’t winding down….been on for what, 15 years now? Quite the run…
Mark
It’s also very popular on the continent. You don’t wanna hear the dubbed French version though. “Dôh” 😉
GeforceAs long as it stays on “that” side of the Atlantic, fine with me. I don’t think we as Europeans should interfere into that field. That doesn’t mean we should simply call it a difference in culture. It it was just a cultural difference, explain to me why for example the British and the Germans agree on gun laws and Americans don’t. Aren’t they both Anglo-saxons, from the same culture? I even despise the word “gun-culture”. If you consider a gun to be an object which could divide two cultures, than please define me the word “culture”. Does it mean my neighbour has a different “culture” just because he’s got a gun and I don’t? It’s not like guns are a typically American product/technology, like the Ford-T or apple pie. Guns existed long before 1776, they were first used in the 100-year war between France and England. So, no, I don’t think we should talk about cultural differences.
Hence I think it would be a very simplistic solution. It’s not like restricted gun-laws would be un-American. That’s utter crap. So we should look further than what politicians say “it’s just a matter of difference”. Though, that doesn’t mean we should play the moral high horse in Europe. But most Americans I know, which lived in Europe, are even more progressive than I dealing with guns.
Never believe what policymakers or lobby groups just say. They always try to let things look more simple then they are, both the conservatives AND the progressives. Putting it into categories is not a solution. We vs them. has never worked, nor will it ever work. there’s always a grey area. You can always find a simple outcome, even based upon historical/scientif/cultural facts. Facts can prove anything H. Simpson once said. Well, It’s true, it’s one of the most brilliant quotes I ever heard. You can prove anything using “facts”, simply because you can select them. Go and dig in the archive, you’ll even find something to prove that I’m a gun-loving maniac. :diablo: Reality is more than just facts. We’re not living in the matrix.
GeforceCM, how important are third parties in local elections. Is it only in Main?
GeforceTo be honest, Pluto, if I compare what you said to what Crazymainer said I have to admit you frighten me a lot more. If you have a gun, if you live in a remote area, just try to keep it quiet. You say guns are “normal” where you live, well, let me say one thing: BS. “Guns” don’t fit into the same category as stamps … If you do believe that, I suggest you have some medical advice. How can you expect people to act responsible using “guns” if you deny the simple fact that guns can kill people, while stamps can’t!!! I know some people back here who have a gun, and a license (you can get it here if you really want one and have a good reason), but they keep it quiet, they will never “show” it to people as if it were a new guitar you bought. I’m glad though I can live in a country where I can go to a bar where people may be throwing chairs and empty glasses at you, but luckily they don’t have guns.
But, going to be very selfish now. If you really believe guns are so important in your life, actually, it doesn’t bother me that much. As long as it stays on “that” side of the Atlantic I should not complain. The risk of us getting hit by a bullet fired in the USA is nihil so we should stop trying to explain you we we think our system is better. It’s not like it’s affecting our economy or so. In contrary, Belgium exports lots of machine guns etc. So, it’s not like you would help us by not buying guns. It’s a pure domestic issue.
Geforce“Guns don’t kill people, people kill people, and monkeys do too (if they have a gun).” Eddie Izzard.
This monkey is gone to heaven … 😀
GeforceHaha, I’m not familiar with Littleton. Now there was one thing I remember from bowling for columbine and that was “I’m not familiar with Ghandi.” …. these words were spoken by the NRA-president. Littleton was one of the first school killings. Never heard the song “I don’t like mondays” by Bob Geldof (or boomtown rats)? Well, this is what’s it about. Saying it’s a different mentality on both sides of the pond is rather easy I think. An equal amount of people here also think they should have guns. The cowboys, hell, yeah, we’ve got them too. Simply because they speak Antwaarps instead of texan doesn’t make them different.
And the NRA is more than just a club for people to practice sports. I mean, it’s quite powerful, it’s a whole loby. I’m glad you take an independent approach to NRA-politics. I mean, give me a couple of days time to analyse their whole philosophy and I could send it to the garbage disposal. 😀 (being modest has always been one of my qualities, one of the many).
GeforceOK, so you do have the tests. It’s not like I can go to a weapons-store and buy a gun that easy. I’m not naieve too, my brother lives in Johannesburg. In Belgium, the chances of being shot are nil, over there, “armed response” is as normal as having a front door in your house. However, we do have problems with Albanian and Russian maffia here, they import weapons illegaly. So, there are people who have a gun here, and shooting accidents do occur. But we don’t have the whole gun-culture. I would even believe the NRA is more deadly than the weapons itself. Littleton, does it ring a bell. Ever seen the movie elephant. These guys were inspired by the NRA. If you want to have a gun, because you are living isolated, why do you have to join the NRA? In Germany, a couple of years ago, the first shooting incident happened in a school. Blaming TV and video games is easy. But the NRA is driving people nuts, by always repeating you have the constitutional right to have a gun. Well, before the 2nd amandment, in the constitution ITSELF, doesn’t it also say that people should have the right to LIVE. Why do these NRA-freaks forget that.
GeforceYes, at that time guns may have had their use. If you’ve been cut of from the outside world, somewhere in the Mid-West I can imagine a gun could be useful and even necessairy. I also know you Americans don’t put much faith in police, authority in general. But if you live in a quiet suburb, where the police patrolls quite often, then why should a gun be allowed? Just because the Founding Father thought so, in a time when there was hardly a state, leave alone a good working police system, doesn’t mean it should be so today. The basis of every state is that the gov’t has the monopoly on violence (T. Hobbes, Levithan). If you have been cut of from a nairby police station, you should have the opportunity, so not the “right” as a citizen to ask for a license. I would even add that you should follow courses and an exam, just like a drivers license. Nobody questions a drivers license today, but in the fifties it was unpopular because it was against any citizens right to “own” a car. So why not take such an exam? That would not be un-constitional I guess. It would save many lives. I hope we all agree that some individuals in society should not have a gun. Even if only a minority where idiots (which I doubt), than they would still form a threat.
GeforceI don’t like Michael Moore. I think he’s a hypocrit, and it doesn’t surprise me that his bodyguard was carrying a gun. However, that doesn’t change my humble opinion that civilians should not carry guns at all time. OK, I know, you should be able to protect yourself from the bad guys, but from a pure utilitarian point of view: less people get killed in Europe/Canada than in the US. Hence the reason why guns are bad (pure facts). Maybe we are more corrupt, get pickpocket more often, but personally I prefer that to a couple of gun-waving lunatics who drive around my neighbourhoud at evenings to protect me. Look, I’m not saying it’s in the nature of Americans to carry gun, if you would allow Belgians to carry guns, at least 1 million would use their rights so they could protect themselves from the evil Pita-selling Moroccan down the road. Guns should be kept out of the civil society. I don’t understand how you can be so concerned about your kids that they’ll get obese (other thread) while at the same time you leave a gun around the house. And I know there are always people who can handle a gun in a responsible way, but there are even more idiots who will mess up anyway. To protect these idiots from harming themselves and others, don’t give them guns (you would be suprised how many idiots there are)! Here’s one example where the state should intervene.
GeforceYeah I know that. Especially to a professor you never use “gij”. They don’t like the “tutoyer” 🙂 But as I said I was overwhelmed, and it was the only thing that I could come up with. He smiled and then said “get out” 😀 This guy was cool though, arriving half an hour too late he still used enough time to smoke a cig and drink a coffee. Problem is that during oral exams, though I never realise that myself, I sound rather arrogant. Therefor I prefer the American style of teaching, arrogant and pumpuous (is that a word?). Normal professors here are so , neutral and boring.
GeforceOhh and indeed I said “you” which sounded quite stupid, especially because I used a slang word in Flemish “gij” instead of the Dutch you use during formal conversations “U”. That’s what made him laugh I guess. But I was so overwhelmed 😀
GeforceWell, it went OK.
I came behind a guy who knew absolutely nothing, so that’s quite positive.
Prof came to me, said, “can you wait another 5 minutes, going to smoke a cig”
went outside i sat there, then he came in “ok we lost some time due the other guy, so I’ll drop your first question and will judge you on the preparations you made.” Then he asked several detailled questions on Levinas, Foucault etc. Really afwull questions you should think hours about. It’s like ping pong he said, 1-0 for me 😀 But I knew my preparation was OK, so I will pass anyway. Maybe I won’t have a 16 or so, but will get 12 anyway. At the end he asked me “which philosopher said that” and I said “you”. He started laughing and said, nice try now get out! (which is not too bad, it was a joke of him because we could not know it). really a nice guy … :p I always like the ones with sarcasm the best, I hate it when they are too serous
GeforceGot an exam contemporary philosophy in about one hour. It’s oral. I’m freaking nervous 😀 Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrr
Now where did I leave my clip-tie. :diablo:
Geforcehttp://www.pureesoiree.be/Post/?P_ID=7165
great link. A show with the voices behind the simpsons!!!
My fav is Hank azaria’s sea captain . Yaaar
GeforceNow this is what worries me. I hope GWB isn’t so stupid to start another adventure. Iran is even more difficult than Iraq.
I do agree with the fact this information should not have been released because it does form a threat. But on the other hand, GWB clan are not afraid too of using the media if that can help their cause. A war against Iran would only weaken the US even more. And who the f$ck would pay for that, who would send soldiers. And where are you going to attack from, ohh yeah forgot, Iraq is safe now. We can use bases over there.
Frankly, I’m not really afraid of such a war. Honestly, the US is not capable to pay another war like this at this point. I will only create an even wider gap between the US and the rest of the world. Instead of always saying “US bully this and that” we should be realistic and realise such a war would be a disaster for the US itselF.
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