Re: [OT] Cr*ppy Belgium
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You forgot : If the US would stop building and selling antipersonal mines...
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">...it wouldn't put a dent in the number of mines used/deployed worldwide.

(...similar reasons for Kyoto, actually. Funny that.)

Re: [OT] Cr*ppy Belgium
 

politics! never understood it and really dont want to.
(next statement is a joke)
you realize its all the other countries fault the us is the way it is. if you hadnt sent all the undesirables from your countries to the new land we wouldnt be this way.

the war.
it has been long enough since the Last war/police action the the us military has new weapons it needs to try out and a whole lot of old ones to get rid of. if we, the us, were actually concerned about just getting rid of SH and actually helping the other countries we do have the technological ability to strike specific targets and not invade. it was proven when the us dropped the bunker buster Last time and SH realized we can strike him even in his best defended bunker. the us is looking out for its interests and using the attack on 9/11 as an excuse.
unfortunately there seems to be a recurring pattern in history regarding the so called superpowers. empire becomes to big and is disliked by others, empire is toppled and replaced by one of the others. it soon becomes a superpower and gets mega-evil empire status and it toppled....etc..
Last empire was the uk (i am still trying to figure out how a country the size of the uk was able to be as powerful as it was) now it is the us and who knows who it will be next (guess it depends on who buys up most of the us)...assuming we dont destroy the world first
these are my ramblings and they are ended.

[ February 12, 2003, 19:24: Message edited by: desdinova ]

Re: [OT] Cr*ppy Belgium
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I really enjoy Chimmay, and a few other Belgian ales. I would love to visit, and try some of the stuff thats too good to export http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

We make some things here that we call "Belgian Waffles," but im sure they are not as good as the rea thing.

Im getting hungry just thinking about it. If I visited, where is a good place to go?

Re: [OT] Cr*ppy Belgium
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You forgot : If the US would stop building and selling antipersonal mines...
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">...it wouldn't put a dent in the number of mines used/deployed worldwide.

(...similar reasons for Kyoto, actually. Funny that.)</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yes, it would put a dent in the number of mines used worldwide.

<a href="http://www.iansa.org/news/2000/aug_00/treaty_landmines.htm" target="_blank">Now, three years after the initial signing of the Mine Ban Treaty in Ottawa, 137 nations have signed and 100 have ratified this agreement. States party to the treaty are destroying their stockpiles of antipersonnel land mines; exports of these indiscriminate weapons have, in a matter of years, gone from a flood to a trickle; and demining efforts in dozens of countries are giving people back their land.

Despite this revolutionary success, unfortunately, several states, including Russia and China, have yet to accede to the Mine Ban Treaty. Not surprisingly, Iraq, Libya, and North Korea, notorious culprits when it comes to complying with weapons regulations, have not yet joined either. Many Americans, however, would be shocked to know that the United States is part of this list of usual suspects that produce, deploy, and develop antipersonnel land mines, weapons that maim or kill more than 22,000 civilians a year.</a>

ICBL!

Kyoto Protocol Most US citizens would like the US to sign the Kyoto treaty
Percentage of Pollution by the US
No proof humans are heating up the big place!

Re: [OT] Cr*ppy Belgium
 

Ruatha, mines in and of themselves aren't a problem. It is not cleaning them up once you're done that causes problems.

Kyoto was quite flawed, in that it exempted several nations from any limits at all. Why should the US sign a treaty that would hurt its economy if everyone else isn't going to play by the same rules?

Phoenix-D

Re: [OT] Cr*ppy Belgium
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Try living here. I'm always hungry http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif I even joined an American Football club here in Belgium tribes because my body is starting to show what happens when you indulge in all the goodness http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

For Beer, basically anywhere. Brussels and Bruges have some nice cafes known for serving a lot of those special rare beers. I'm sure there are other places but i haven't visited them yet http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif
Since i was born in Bruges, i know a few local pu bs there. This is a must visit if you come to Belgium. Never EVER leave belgium without going here. And please leave the pub drunk as you'll never forgive yourself for not tasting more beers http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif Brugs Beertje
Problem with some of them is that they are brewn by a small group of people, only during a certain season or even for a certain festivity and so the number of available beers is low. Some of the recipies date back to the middleages.

For food. Basically anywhere. Yummy.
Now i am starting to get hungry http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

By the way, Chimmay is indeed a very nice beer. Goes well with cheese.

Re: [OT] Cr*ppy Belgium
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Bull's eye.

This is the reason USA is slowly turning itself into the new MEE.

The very idea that just because you don't like something you can just ignore it.
The rest of the world don't have that freedom We are forced to interact with our neighbors, USA just steamrolls them.

Re: [OT] Cr*ppy Belgium
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yep, i think this is true. I know people who also like to bash the Americans. I can't stand this because their arguments come from shows like Jerry Springer and are full of stereotypes. Sure, JS is what America thinks http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif
Come on, give me a break. I went to the States twice: once to Boston for my job and once to Las Vegas to get married there. The Last trip was kind of scary because it was only 10 days after the september 11th attack that we flew in from Belgium. My wife and me where uneasy to say the least.
Well, i didn't feel that much different than home.
Only Vegas was much different: it's a desert and we don't have a desert here in Belgium http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

For my previous job, i was working daily with Americans and i came to appreciate them. Although i must admit that i already liked the States before i met any people from there.

(Edit: changed dessert to desert. ouch http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif )

[ February 12, 2003, 16:02: Message edited by: minipol ]

Re: [OT] Cr*ppy Belgium
 

Let’s sum this up real quick. The US needs Arab oil, at least until the oil in the South China Sea comes on line. We do not choose to continue to fund terrorism through the purchase of Arab oil. So we will have a war in the Gulf. Also, this *** tried to have Bush Sr. assonated after GW1. If it was your dad, wouldn’t you be a little hard nosed about all of this?

Several European countries have a very profitable trade situation with a certain Arab country. Would you want to have your cash cow attacked? Also, the same European countries produce some of the finest medical equipment in the world. Equipment that will become stories in the New York Times after the war gets under way. Would you want to have to explain how this stuff got to the Middle East, and what it was being used for? It’s a loose loose situation for some people.

We could just do this in a court, drag his raggedy *** in and prosecute him for crimes against humanity. Last time I looked, the Kurds were people too!

Re: [OT] Cr*ppy Belgium
 

Re: anti personel mines. How Can anyone defend the production of a weapon that maims 22000 civilians every year?? (and I sure that number includes a ton of children) Sure the problem may be not cleaning them up but frankly I think the world could avoid a lot of problems if those selling weapons cared a little more about how and who would be using them.

Re: Nation bashing. Well American bashing is a popular activitiy for many up here in Canada. Then at the same time they'll go off to see a Hollywood movie, buy fresh US vegetables in the middle of winter and convieniently forget Canada's huge trade surplus with the US.