Europe

[Azrael]

Or if you're going to steal children, at least form them into a Janissary corps and invade the Balkans.

[monster_gardener]

Or if you're going to steal children, at least form them into a Janissary corps and invade the Balkans.

Thank you Very Much for your posts, Ibrahim & Azrael

Actually that still happens way too often....

Child soldiers.........

Lord's Resistance Army.......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord%27s_Resistance_Army

Remembering a Spanish language film about this happening in Central America IIRC......

[Juggernaut Nihilism]

Today Spain announced that it would eact 43 new laws to bolster the economy. Because apparently someone told them that the way to help an economy is by making new laws. They should pass like a thousand new laws so everybody will be rich.

[Endovelico]

Opinion polls relating to the coming elections in Euskadi (Basque Country), show a very clear majority for parties favouring independence.


[The independence minded parties are the PNV (National Basque Party) and the leftist alliance EH-Bildu; the diagram on the right show the results of the opinion poll, giving those two parties more than 60% of the vote.]


Little by little, Spain will be forced to accept the independence of their various nationalities but, contrarily to what some people may think, that could make it possible a future Iberian confederacy, including Portugal. In fact, the main reason why Portugal has never wanted an union with Spain is that Spain is much larger and would completely dominate such an union. With Spain split into four or five different countries, there would be no longer any danger for Portugal to join with its neighbours, and a new major power would be born in Europe.

[Jnalum Persicum]

Opinion polls relating to the coming elections in Euskadi (Basque Country), show a very clear majority for parties favouring independence.


[The independence minded parties are the PNV (National Basque Party) and the leftist alliance EH-Bildu; the diagram on the right show the results of the opinion poll, giving those two parties more than 60% of the vote.]


Little by little, Spain will be forced to accept the independence of their various nationalities but, contrarily to what some people may think, that could make it possible a future Iberian confederacy, including Portugal. In fact, the main reason why Portugal has never wanted an union with Spain is that Spain is much larger and would completely dominate such an union. With Spain split into four or five different countries, there would be no longer any danger for Portugal to join with its neighbours, and a new major power would be born in Europe.

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Good news, Endo, good news

Excellent Idea

Probably will be a republic .. Monarchy will abolished (was silly idea)

Portugal deserves much better, very nice people, was there month ago

A good restaurant in Lisboa that I would strongly recommend .. best of the best

SOLAR DOS PRESUNTOS - Restaurante



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[Jnalum Persicum]

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Venetian protesters demand an immediate referendum on the region’s independence from Rome


Hmmmm


Endo .. That thing seems contagious


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[Hans Bulvai]

Some do it because of cartoons, others for pensions.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 04538.html

Greek police fire tear gas as 40,000 vent a nation's anger during Merkel's visit
Crowds burn swastikas and throw rocks at officers in Athens as they blame Germany for austerity crisis

From high-school students to pensioners, tens of thousands of Greek demonstrators swarmed into Athens yesterday to show the visiting German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, their indignation at their country's continued austerity measures.

Flouting the government's ban on protests, an estimated 40,000 people – many carrying posters depicting Ms Merkel as a Nazi – descended on Syntagma Square near the parliament building. Masked youths pelted riot police with rocks as the officers responded with tear gas.

The authorities had deployed 7,000 police, water cannon and a helicopter. Snipers were placed on rooftops to ensure the German leader's safety.

[Sparky]

Some even equate a cartoon with a pension.

[Hans Bulvai]

Some even equate a cartoon with a pension.

Most don't have the luxury of a pension.

[Sparky]

Some even equate a cartoon with a pension.

Most don't have the luxury of a pension.

In Europe?

[Jnalum Persicum]

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This not about Strauss Kahn (there is some Threads debating his case)

This about France .. European culture and civilization

Well, you judge yourself



a keyhole view into a clandestine practice in certain powerful circles of French society : secret soirees with lawyers, judges, police officials, journalists and musicians that start with a fine meal and end with naked guests and public sex with multiple partners.

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In France, “Libertinage” has a long history in the culture, dating from a 16th-century religious sect of libertines.

[..]

The exclusive orgies called “parties fines” — lavish Champagne affairs costing around $13,000 each — were organized as a roving international circuit from Paris to Washington by businessmen seeking to ingratiate themselves with Mr. Strauss-Kahn. Some of that money, according to a lawyer for the main host, ultimately paid for prostitutes because of a shortage of women at the mixed soirees orchestrated largely for the benefit of Mr. Strauss-Kahn, who sometimes sought sex with three or four women.

On Thursday, Mr. Strauss-Kahn broke a long silence to acknowledge that perhaps his double life as an unrestrained libertine was a little outré.

“I long thought that I could lead my life as I wanted,” he said in an interview with the French magazine Le Point. “And that includes free behavior between consenting adults. There are numerous parties that exist like this in Paris, and you would be surprised to encounter certain people. I was naïve.”

“I was too out of step with French society,” he added. “I was wrong.”

But whether his downfall will have a lasting impact on the culture of sexual privilege and impunity for powerful men in France remains uncertain. He declined to be interviewed for this article.

[..]

... Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s lawyers predict he will triumph in France, where having sex with prostitutes is not illegal, although soliciting and pimping are.

In essence, they argue, there is nothing criminal about the sexual life of a libertine, according to Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s lead lawyer, Henri Leclerc.

[..]




Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s name first surfaced in the French inquiry by chance, in May 2011. French investigators were tapping the telephones of Dominique Alderweireld, an owner of Belgian sex clubs who is also a suspect in the prostitution ring.

[..]

At L’Aventure, Mr. Strauss-Kahn and a few friends gathered in a private basement club, carpeted in purple and black tiger stripes, with a female Belgian escort and Mr. Alderweireld’s companion, Béatrice Legrain, who recalled that lunch in an interview.

She said that Mr. Strauss-Kahn, energized by Viagra, had sex with the escort and then followed Ms. Legrain to the bathroom, grabbing her and demanding sex. But she said she rebuffed him and it “wasn’t a big deal.” Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s lawyer declined to comment.

In his own interview, Mr. Alderweireld made light of the “petit” episode at L’Aventure. His lawyer, Sorin Margulis, took a more scornful view: “It’s more an act of Louis XIV.”

The investigation into the prostitution ring in Lille ultimately swept up 10 suspects, including Mr. Strauss-Kahn. They knew each other largely through their membership as French Freemasons, according to Karl Vandamme, a defense lawyer who represents Fabrice Paszkowski, the owner of a medical supply company who played a crucial role in organizing the sex parties.

“Libertines are people like you and me: people who have a normal life,” said Mr. Vandamme, who said his client invested around $65,000 in party expenses, betting on the political rise of Mr. Strauss-Kahn.

The banker, he said, would typically arrive late for the more than a dozen parties, held over a period of about five years. There was a rhythm to the gatherings, with everyone dressed for a sit-down dinner, he said. Then over time, couples separated, “kisses were exchanged between one woman and another and between a husband and the wife of a friend” until the guests “all ended up nude.”

[..]

“Prostitution was more regulated before,” Mr. Delarue said, “but it was for a certain type of population. Today among all those women, there are occasional prostitutes, and sometimes they’re top models who try to make ends meet. They aren’t miserable women on the sidewalk.”

Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s double life is not surprising to some Parisians.

“He’s not the only libertine man in the political world,” said Olivia Cattan, who leads an anti-sexism association called Words of Women and believes the case reflects a code of silence. “It is linked to power, and women are often complicit when it can guarantee them a job.”

While Mr. Strauss-Kahn awaits the outcome of his legal cases, he is shaping a new role for himself after being disowned by his Socialist party.

[..]

He has delivered lectures in South Korea, Morocco, England and Ukraine, offering a euro zone rescue plan for wealthy countries to share some gains from favorable interest rate spreads with poorer nations.

“He’s a man of incredible moral strength,” said Michel Taubmann, his biographer. “I saw this man resisting, avoiding a fall. Never have I have seen him desperate. He knows he is innocent and wants to move forward.”

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How would a French family look like , how would fathers and mothers interact with their children when the society is as such ? ? ?

If Judges and police chiefs and lawyers and and and have orgy with prostitutes regularly and all legit .. if so .. how can corruption be avoided ? ? ? reminds one of Capone Chicago




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[Hans Bulvai]

Some even equate a cartoon with a pension.

Most don't have the luxury of a pension.

In Europe?

Not Europe. Rather those behaving the same but for a cartoon.
Point is, it seems that most people behave the same when something important to them is attacked.

[Jnalum Persicum]

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"I can’t exclude that in the coming years we may need the army," he said.

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Swiss Prepare Army for Euro Zone Fallout

Some 2,000 troops were part of the drill exercise in eight different towns across the country. Infantry soldiers were used as well as the Air Force and special forces personnel in an assignment that took years to organize.

Quoted in a Schweizer Soldat magazine, Defense Minister Ueli Maurer warned of an escalation of violence in Europe.

He said that the situation could amplify dramatically, with countries that couldn’t defend themselves facing the possibility of “blackmail.” In the paper, he also asked how long the crisis could be calmed with money alone.

Der Sonntag newspaper also reported that army chief André Blattmann is set to submit a proposal in December to utilize four battalions of military police. This will consist of 1,600 soldiers guarding strategic points in the country including the airport, industrial plants, and the international organizations in Geneva.

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[Jnalum Persicum]

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The British want to have no part of further integration on the continent, and they also want to withdraw from many areas of policy in which they have been involved in Brussels so far



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[Jnalum Persicum]

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The seven-minute clip, called "Muslim Demographics," was the talk of an international gathering of bishops on Monday, two days after Cardinal Peter Turkson screened it during a free discussion period.


That's a good one

An African Cardinal, president of Vatican "Council for Justice and Peace", worried Muslims overrunning Europe

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"As we were arriving this morning I was asked several times 'Who planned it? Whose was it? Who is behind it?" Father Thomas Rosica said at a briefing for journalists, who are not allowed to attend the synod sessions, the first since the screening.

He said the clip had sparked "the most animated" discussion so far at the three-week conference, and one bishop said he would rebut Turkson by presenting a report with contrary data.

The clip has brought Islam to the top of the agenda at the synod, attended by 262 bishops. "Islam is the buzzword," Rosica said.

[..]

The clip, which has been viewed over 13 million times on YouTube since it was uploaded by an anonymous user in 2009, combines dramatic music with skewed population statistics to make claims about various European countries such as "In just 39 years France will be an Islamic republic."

Critics have pointed out that the fertility figures used in the video, which claim French women have an average of 1.8 children while French Muslim women have 8.1 children, cannot be genuine as France does not collect statistics by religion.

According to a study by the U.S.-based Pew Research Center there were 2.18 billion Christians in 2010, half of which were Catholics.

The total number of Muslims of all denominations was 1.6 billion and forecast to increase 35 percent to 2.2 billion by 2030, according to the research group.

The Holy See's relations with Islam have not always been smooth. In 2006 Pope Benedict gave a speech in Regensburg which was perceived by some Muslims as an attack on Islam.

Asked about his reaction to the cardinal showing the video at the Vatican, Yahya Pallavicini, vice president of the Islamic Religious Community of Italy, warned against a numbers war based on scare tactics by any side.

"I think that we should focus, Muslims and Christians, on our common challenges, rather than challenging each other in scary attitudes on who is going to increase or decrease in numbers," Pallavicini told Reuters.

"It's our shared responsibility as brothers and believers in the same holy God," he said.

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6-3X5hIFXYU





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[Hans Bulvai]

Racism alive and well in Europe.

UEFA launch probe after disgraced Serbians astonishingly deny racism despite damning evidence... and even have the cheek to point finger at abused Rose

The Serbian Football Association has denied England Under 21 players were subjected to racist abuse in Tuesday night's European Championship play-off match - despite damning video evidence and condemnation from players, pundits and politicians.

In an astonishing statement, the Serbian governing body claimed the match in Krusevac was played in a 'sports atmosphere full of respecting fair-play spirit' and flatly denies any monkey chants or racist taunts were directed at English players.

It goes on to accuse Danny Rose, the primary target of the abuse, behaved in an 'inappropriate, unsportsmanlike and vulgar manner' towards supporters after being sent off after the final whistle

[Jnalum Persicum]

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Racism alive and well in Europe.

UEFA launch probe after disgraced Serbians astonishingly deny racism despite damning evidence... and even have the cheek to point finger at abused Rose

The Serbian Football Association has denied England Under 21 players were subjected to racist abuse in Tuesday night's European Championship play-off match - despite damning video evidence and condemnation from players, pundits and politicians.

In an astonishing statement, the Serbian governing body claimed the match in Krusevac was played in a 'sports atmosphere full of respecting fair-play spirit' and flatly denies any monkey chants or racist taunts were directed at English players.

It goes on to accuse Danny Rose, the primary target of the abuse, behaved in an 'inappropriate, unsportsmanlike and vulgar manner' towards supporters after being sent off after the final whistle

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true

Root of all those Islam overrunning Europe shouting and and and, is not Islam but racism

but

on the other hand

Is it good (or fair) when pretty much all French football team (or British) are Africans ? ?

French football team should be representative of French heritage and to some degree French population mix



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[Ibrahim]

Racism alive and well in Europe.

UEFA launch probe after disgraced Serbians astonishingly deny racism despite damning evidence... and even have the cheek to point finger at abused Rose

The Serbian Football Association has denied England Under 21 players were subjected to racist abuse in Tuesday night's European Championship play-off match - despite damning video evidence and condemnation from players, pundits and politicians.

In an astonishing statement, the Serbian governing body claimed the match in Krusevac was played in a 'sports atmosphere full of respecting fair-play spirit' and flatly denies any monkey chants or racist taunts were directed at English players.

It goes on to accuse Danny Rose, the primary target of the abuse, behaved in an 'inappropriate, unsportsmanlike and vulgar manner' towards supporters after being sent off after the final whistle

Not Serbia!

[Hans Bulvai]

on the other hand

Is it good (or fair) when pretty much all French football team (or British) are Africans ? ?

French football team should be representative of French heritage and to some degree French population mix



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Agree.

[noddy]

on the other hand

Is it good (or fair) when pretty much all French football team (or British) are Africans ? ?

French football team should be representative of French heritage and to some degree French population mix



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Agree.

yeh they should keep those african kids looking for a chance at the bigtime out of it and stick to skinny little french dudes in stripey tops and cute berets.. blink

as for serbian/bosnian hooliganism, we even get it in australia at the tennis and the soccer, they make the newcastle poms look refined.

[Endovelico]

A not very subtle message in respect of the coming visit of Merkel to Portugal:



How much better it would be for all of us if there was a bit more intelligence on both sides...

[monster_gardener]

A not very subtle message in respect of the coming visit of Merkel to Portugal:



How much better it would be for all of us if there was a bit more intelligence on both sides...

Thank you Very Much for your post, Endo.



But joking aside, IMVHO Angela Merkel is no Hitler....... and the Germans of today are not the Nazis their grandfathers were......

So IMVHO while this foto is funny, it is grossly unfair......

[Hans Bulvai]

Grossly unfair and unoriginal.
I can't seem to understand this hostility to the Germans.
I know the story from both sides, but this is too much.

[noddy]

How much better it would be for all of us if there was a bit more intelligence on both sides...

then they wouldnt be humans.

[Endovelico]

Grossly unfair and unoriginal.
I can't seem to understand this hostility to the Germans.
I know the story from both sides, but this is too much.

It is excessive, yes. But don't forget that Germany/Merkel have imposed on us a rate of interest for money lent which is the main cause for our hardship. We now pay in interest (8 billion euro yearly) more than we give for public education or health, and is the reason why we do not have a balanced budget. But there is absolutely no reason to charge us more than they charge Germany, as there would be absolutely no risk of defaulting if the rate of interest was lower. The markets are milking us dry and Merkel is behind the idea that we must be "punished" for our past excesses. We have a nearly balanced balance of trade and our budget, minus interest, is already balanced. Which means that without this unreasonable interest we would no longer have an increasing debt, and would soon have things under control. Germany and Merkel are stopping us from solving our debt problem, so no wonder people are not kind to them. I hope Merkel gets in Lisbon the kind of reception she deserves...