What the fuck is wrong with the UK?

[arce1988]

 2012

[Dr Dutch]

American getbiggers got weird ideas about todays Europe....

[Dr Dutch]

This.

Also, Dutch is spoken in Belgium too. But Belgium, although tiny, is de facto two countries. Even in Holland we have at least two, possibly three (Limburgs?) officially recognised languages. On a population of 16 million. Not even counting Turkish and Moroccan.

Ok, let's get this straight for those who give a shit about official languages:

Holland: Dutch, Frysian and Nedersaxon.
Belgium: Dutch, French and German

Dutch is spoken in Holland, Belgium and a small part of France (Dunkirque area)

Related: Afrikaans, 1st language for a few million white people in South Africa, next to English.

Amd Limburgs is not a language, Friko....    where are you from, btw ?

[syntaxmachine]

what do you mean ??

There's no integral "Europe" to fall apart.
EU (if that's what you mean) is just a loose 'consortium' of countries hugely differing from each others. Heck, not even same language is spoken in any of the countries, I think.... and not even speaking about cultural differences... it's quite difficult to talk about Greece and for example Finland or Sweden as same Europe.

If there isn't already, there will be a single entity in Europe in the coming years if Eurozone plans to establish a banking union come to fruition. Think about it: banks will be accountable to Eurozone managers who will buy their bonds directly at the auctions in times of need, not the national government whose country they reside in. Taxpayers across the 17-member country bloc will be funding the mechanisms that will do the purchasing. National governments will be getting a serious downgrade in importance and the bloc will rise or fall together in virtue of individual members' financial health.

My condolescences to our Dutch, German, and Finnish members who will be bearing the brunt of this arrangement.  

P.S. And even though other countries will remain independent of this arrangement, most notably Britain, I'm guessing they would be severely damaged economically if the Eurozone were to collapse due to economic and financial interlinkages. So, they should still rise or fall with the bloc.

[mass243]

If there isn't already, there will be a single entity that most will refer to as 'Europe' in the coming years if Eurozone plans to establish a banking union come to fruition. Think about it: banks will be accountable to the Eurozone managers who will buy their bonds directly at the auctions in times of need, not the national government whose country they reside in. Taxpayers across the 27-member country bloc will be funding the mechanisms that will do the purchasing. National governments will be getting a serious downgrade in importance and the bloc will rise or fall together in virtue of individual members' financial health.

Yep, Sure it's their plan to have "one Europe".... those who live will see what comes out of it.


I'm happy though that I have "safe haven" few hundred kilometers away where tax rate is low, gasoline cheap as shit, women pretty and missiles big.... I mean, I'm not going to eternally pump my hard worked money to some lazy-ass hair-wrists in southern Europe so they can lay all day in hammock and sip ouzo  

[Crossbow]

WTF?  I'm looking to buy an apt in Europe. Maybe I can spread sum democracy.

Or learn about democracy, if you go to the right place, like Switzerland.

[Dr Dutch]

Yep, Sure it's their plan to have "one Europe".... those who live will see what comes out of it.


I'm happy though that I have "safe haven" few hundred kilometers away where tax rate is low, gasoline cheap as shit, women pretty and missiles big.... I mean, I'm not going to eternally pump my hard worked money to some lazy-ass hair-wrists in southern Europe so they don't have to work  

I am very ambiguous about Russia. They got some of the best literature in history, the Hermitage is terrific....but they did shit things too. Bit like germany I guess. In the 1940 lots of intellectuals in the Western world just couldn't believe the country of Hegel and Goethe (greater Germany) and all these Nobel level scientists could do the shit stuff they did....

[Raymondo]

My condolescences to our Dutch, German, and Finnish members who will be bearing the brunt of this arrangement.  

Don't feel too sorry for them; it's not as if they didn't reap the best the eurozone had to offer by exporting their products to the same countries they are now berating

[Dr Dutch]

In the end I am a progressive liberal Europhile, and believe in the United States of Europe...even if may take a while (and it will)

[Raymondo]

I am very ambiguous about Russia. They got some of the best literature in history, the Hermitage is terrific....but they did shit things too. Bit like germany I guess. In the 1940 lots of intellectuals in the Western world just couldn't believe the country of Hegel and Goethe (greater Germany) and all these Nobel level scientists could do the shit stuff they did....

Russia needs time... consider that in its long history it has almost never had democracy, it went from monarchy (the kind where the ruler has the last word, not our benign european version with a parliament) to brutal totalitarianism.

Personally I think that in the future Russia will probably be what the United States has been since WWII.

[Emmortal]

Liberalism is an infection started in the US and it is spreading. It's sad that being able to point at evil is being watered down.

 Another big problem with England is no one brushes their teeth. Also it wouldn't hurt to fix those crooked teeth either.

Liberalism originated from John Locke in the 17th century and had nothing to do with the US.

The real infection that's spreading around the world is a lack of a basic education, as evidenced by your post.

[Dr Dutch]

History is not predictable....who could think we would be where we are now, in 1945...where are you from, raymondo ?

[Raymondo]

Liberalism originated from John Locke in the 17th century and had nothing to do with the US.

The real infection that's spreading around the world is a lack of a basic education, as evidenced by your post.

x2

A lot of bullshit in this thread and all from people who've never been anywhere outside their country

[King Shizzo]

Liberalism originated from John Locke in the 17th century and had nothing to do with the US.

The real infection that's spreading around the world is a lack of a basic education, as evidenced by your post.

The U.S. can't say shit about education.  Most civilized countries are smarter.

[Parker]

Russia needs time... consider that in its long history it has almost never had democracy, it went from monarchy (the kind where the ruler has the last word, not our benign european version with a parliament) to brutal totalitarianism.

Personally I think that in the future Russia will probably be what the United States has been since WWII.

Some how, i think they'll eff that up as well...

[Dr Dutch]

Ion Holland the term "liberal" is very different form what it's considered in the US. Our main "liberal party" is conservative for Dutch standards....I think what Americans call "liberal" we call "progressive"....
The Obama program would still be considered very right-wing and conservative here in Holland...not kidding.  

[mass243]

Some how, i think they'll eff that up as well...

A lot depends on what takes place after the next 6 years. That's when Putin will step down (Yes, he will, trust me on this).
Then it will be seen whether his (then) 16 years of stability have been enough.

If that transition goes smoothly, I think the road is open for progress.

[Dr Dutch]

That's cool, Raymondo. In thought you were just a dude from Jerkwater, USA...

[King Shizzo]

I live in south-east england. In the past I lived for six months in Lithuania. My parents have retired to a mediterranean country, so I go there too as often as I can. I've travelled in most european countries, excluding the more obscure ones, such as a few of the balkan ones, iceland, belarus, moldova etc.

I've been to Russia too, specifically to St. Petersburg which was a dream for many years since I've read everything from Dostoyevsky.

I envy people like you.  You have travelled all over.  My dream would to be able to visit Greece and Rome.  To look in awe at the magnificent ruins of the past.  Surely beats Disneyworld  

[Raymondo]

That's cool, Raymondo. In thought you were just a dude from Jerkwater, USA...

LOL

I was in the netherlands last year. I have a friend who's doing an MSc in the university of Amsterdam. I met a fellow Brit in the ferry on the way there who I later found out was a heroin addict. It turns out you guys have high purity heroin- his body was used to the cheap Afghan shit they sell here and he almost died when he tried yours.

[mass243]

Many Americans are confused about this and have the audacity to call Obama "socialist." If they only knew.

Years ago I saw a program from USA... one of those with camera crew following the police...

well, police stopped a man who roller skated on highway.
They told the man that it's not allowed to roller skate on this high way and asked him to stop.

Then camera focused on this man and he said: "This is fukin' communism"

HAHAHAHAHA  

[Benny B]

Liberalism originated from John Locke in the 17th century and had nothing to do with the US.

The real infection that's spreading around the world is a lack of a basic education, as evidenced by your post.

"oldtimer1", as he has proven many times, is not the sharpest tool in the shed. 

[Raymondo]

I envy people like you.  You have travelled all over.  My dream would to be able to visit Greece and Rome.  To look in awe at the magnificent ruins of the past.  Surely beats Disneyworld  

Athens is a contender for shitiest city in Europe. The place is all concrete and traffic, you won't see a tree or even an interesting building there.

The former city-states of Italy on the other hand, are marvels. Florence at night is fascinating.

[King Shizzo]

Why are you unable to travel? Traveling to the Mediterranean as an American tourist is a regular occurrence, not an elite activity reserved for bankers.

Isn't the plane ticket alone a few grand?  I'm middle class, I don't have 5000+ to drop on a vacation.

[Benny B]

Many Americans are confused about this and have the audacity to call Obama "socialist." If they only knew.

Most of the intellectual elite of the conservative orthodoxy in the U.S. know that it is utter bullshit. At least that is what I have come to believe from conversations I've had with those in that crowd and from what I read. However, it is a shrewd canard to throw at the less educated masses to scare them even more than they may already be by having a democrat president who also happens to be the first Black one.

"Not only is the president Black, but he is also a socialist Muslim!" To quote Donald Rumsfeld..."Henny-Penny, the sky is falling!"