Ben.Getting married at 18? Well to be honest, I’m 20 and I wouldn’t find myself mature enough to do that. However, I’m also playing air guitar in my local pub after drinking 15 beers so maybe I’m not a good example.
But anyway: congrats!!!!!!
Ben.top 10, no particular order
stranglers
dandy warhols
daft punk
blur
manic street preachers
pixies
depeche mode
new order
foo fighters
Ramones
Ben.Ben
I don’t dispute anything you have said Ben but I am not judging anyone let alone the French people. The fact is that France2 was mentioned. It is central to the story. What is important, is the story true? Have you seen or heard about it?
I must point out that there have been disengenuous comments made about the characture of Americans many times by some of the regular members.
You would be amazed at what is headlined on Fox. There are a huge number of news sources available to Americans and Canadians. I doubt if there is anywhere on the planet were people have more exposure to news or the opportunity to air their opinions about it than in the U.S.
Sauron
You can say anything here you want on TV as well. That’s the whole problem. “Freedom of speech” is now a big theme in Belgium. We have come to the point that one can say everything (like muslims are goat******s etc) just because everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. And who makes abuse of this right? An extreme-right wing nationalist party named Vlaams Blok. Personally I think the press should have some responsabilities too you know. If “airing” your opinion means putting one side of the population against the other (remember the Theo Van Gogh thread), than I would rather have some censorship, really! As long as the media does not feel responsible towards the society there should be regulations. Now I can say anything on TV, wheter it’s true or not … Do you believe a party like Vlaams Blok (which are very different from your right wing republican party, they ARE racist) cares about “freedom of speech”? No, but in the meanwhile they can use it to “air” their opinions. They try to portrait Belgium as an unsafe country where thousands of immigrants are making it impossible for the Belgians, oops I mean Flemish (forgot the fact that they also want to tear apart my country) to go out on the streets. And this is just crap, because Belgium is so safe I could leave my wallet in my local pub and someone will bring it home.
Ben.Well, you’re welcome, but no need to kiss my arse :D!
On topic again. First of all Kofi Annan is the secretary general of the hugest organisation in the world. Yes, he flies first class. His job is to negotiate with world leaders, ministers of foreign affairs, NGO’s … Just because he’s an African, doesn’t mean he should be treated differently. If Bill Clinton would do the same job, nobody would question him flying first class. Personally, if I would have the money I would do the same. Not because I like to pretend I’m big and important, but for comfort. These people fly a couple of times a week. Maybe we should continue on the Airliner World forum, but ever sat in economy class for over 13 hours? It’s hell!
And why would he be outraged more than a white “caucasian”? Do you honestly believe there’s no corruption among black leaders. Have a look at Congo, Zimbabwe, compared to them Berlusconi is a boyscout. Personally, I think Kofi Annan does a good job. If an independent UN commission thinks he should resign, he should.
The UN was not able to help in SE Asia? Have you ever heard of the UN Air Force? The UN Navy? Do they have ships, airplanes? No, the only thing they have is a building in New York, one in Den Hague (let’s hope it will not be bombed) and one in Geneva. That’s it. For operations they have to count on the goodwill of the members. And you may be shocked, but not all those members are waiting in a quieu to help.
SG should be on TV. Ohh, only in Europe and North-America. I’m glad you add Europe to that, but it’s still “the west”. What about China, India, Indonesia, Africa, Latin-America? How would that be possible? Maybe he should get his own jet, like Robby Williams, and fly from city to city. Personally, I don’t think we should see him every day, and it would be impossible too.
He’s going to 5-star hotels? Well, let me give you another example. A certain world leader, let’s call him W. Bush, no better, George W., is coming to Brussels next week to attend EU and NATO-summits. He will be staying in our country for 4 days (yup, 15km’s from where I study ;)). Last time Kofi Annan visited Brussels we could pick him up with the PM’s Audi A8, no extra costs. Maybe we could just have given him a bus-ticket, but public transport sucks in tiny little Belgium. And it would be quite a stupid sight to see Kofi with a backpack and a map finding his way to the EU-HQ. :diablo: Anyway, the fact is, now GWB is coming Brussels has to be transformed into one fortress. Around NATO-HQ in Ekere there will be a perimiter of a couple of kilometers where no one will be allowed to pass. Security will be in the hands of the Secret Service (yes, they have the right to shoot people down here, something even police services of EU-members can’t do in Belgium). F-16s will be patrolling the sky. Really bad for the people who have to work in Bruxelles, but luckily their boss gets paid by the state for the days they were not able to reach work. Now who’s costing a lot of money and asks a lot of organisation? And it’s not like he’s going to stay in a sloppy motel or so. Or even better: our PM could ask his 11-year old son to sleep elsewhere so that daddy’s friend could stay there. It would be funny though :diablo:
Ben.Ben
I get you point about anti semitism but I didn’t make an issue of it. Perhaps you should actually read what has been said and by whom.
Sauron
Sorry should have been JBoyle. I read it in Arthur’s response to him. My mistake.
Ben.No, Sauron, Frank and I are members of the BESS – The Belgian Evil Secret Service. Therefor every topic involving the word Congo will immediatelly be deleted. We are also sending agents to take out people who question the UN, the EU, or Belgium’s involvement in the Congo. If you hear black choppers or you see red lasers being pointed at your head I suggest you be as quite as possible …
I guess you are not familiar with the word “sarcasm”. I said that, in defence of you, because I think Frank was maybe exaggerating at that point. All I wanted to say is that the thread should not be deleted, because your arguments were crap so far, and I think one should have the right to post stupid crap, as long as it’s not against the forum rules.
Ben.Well Sauron,
I always thought our state-funded television was quite left wing, especially dealing with domestic but also foreign issues. Therefor I didn’t pay too much attention to them, because they would only interview socialist ministers/MP’s for example and wouldn’t give the centre-right a voice.
However, it has become clear for me the media does not really care about ideologies anymore. In fact, they play a dirty role to me. It has been said once that Montesqieu system of three branches (executive, legislative and justice) should be updated and the press should get it’s own role. Now this is what frustrates me the most: the press does not care about responsabilities. They can make up a story, ruin people’s life’s and next day they’ll continue as if nothing has happened. So what do they care about: headlines. Simple, France2 would have shown a Palestinian killing innocent Israeli children as well if that would sell in France.
What you try to do is judge the French public opinion on what the Press said. Wrong. “France2” is not France. It’s true, many muslims live in France, and will feel sympathy towards the Palestinians. But also many Jews still live there. Remember a couple of months ago Ariel Sharon has asked French Jews to leave France and move to Israel. Well, the leader of the French-Jewish “lobby” found it inappropriate of Sharon to say such things, because most Jews felt quite happy and safe living in France. Did that make the Fox headlines? I guess not :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
In the US one can talk about anti-semitism like talking about obesity. In Europe, after Auschwitz, anti-semitism is a scarf in the history of our continent. The Holocaust has such an impact, not only for the Jews or Israel but for the whole of Europe that abusing the terms, like some on the forum like to do referring to Israel’s current politics, makes us angry. Anti-semitism is not about having doubts on supporting Israel. In fact, I don’t think Americans have a clue what anti-semitism really means. As Arthur pointed out so clearly, most people who suffered from nazi-oppression don’t live in the US but in Poland, Israel or France. And not Jews only, also gypsi’s, the disabled … It makes me angry if an American (I know I’m not being fair now as I’m trying to build a virtual non-existing image of “the” American) talks about anti-semitism, while the people who suffered the most from anti-semitism are our ancesters. My grandfather had to work in a German concentration camp, unfortunatelly he died before I was even born. But how can YOU make a judgement on something you have no clue about. I suggest you come over to Europe, make a roadtrip, start in Dachau and end in Birkenau. Than you”ll understand what anti-semitism is about!
Ben.Good point on the actress. She was gorgeous indeed. That was actually the most shocking. How can such a lovely goodlooking young woman be a supporter of such a cruel regime. Hitler was a weird looking little guy with a bad taste in haircuts, Goebbels looks like Frankenstein. But she was not at all like the image we normally have of nazi-women: the Helga-types. 😉 Maybe those are just details, but it had an impact on me. It reminds me of a book written after the Eichman-trial: the banality of Evil. As you said it Arthur, evil is something hidden in our human nature. It was very confusing to see such a gorgeous young woman (don’t know if she looked so fine in reality) next to the “devil”. That was what made this movie so special: for once they didn’t show us the lederhosen type nazi-bitches, but the girl everyone was in love with in school. It was very confused because of this, maybe you felt the same. I mean, it’s not like Gwyneth Paltrow playing in some teenage movie.
Ohh Valentin’s day. 😮 Gee, am I glad I handed in my papers a couple of weeks ago, we don’t want to become too emotional. :diablo:
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