utemia

Reply to Patriotism in International Stardock Forums

[quote]I met many older Germans who were patriotic, not nazi, who fought for their country, not the nazis, and who were still proud to be German.[/quote] Hmm. That is a very soldierly view, doing your duty to your country.. but what if your country orders you to attack a helpless and unsuspecting neighbour? Germany attacked first to conquer and vanquish land in the east for Hitlers dream of a 1000 year empire. He wanted the land and to kill the people living there or well, turning them

Reply to Fasching Is What It Was in Misc Stardock Forums

lol. Yeah well. You can only stand drunk people en masse if you are drunk yourself, otherwise it is really unbearable. And wearing a disguise is liberating in itself, in addition to the alcohol. We call it the 5th season, and for some its serious business. Another great thing about Fasching is making fun of the politicians, though. It is political cabarret, and nobody gets off scotfree. It is done on all levels, local and federal, and especially in small cities where everybody knows ev

Reply to Fasching Is What It Was in Misc Stardock Forums

I am just browsing your stories about Germany, pretty cool. Fasching, Fasnet or Karneval always starts at thursday before ashwednesday, greasy thursday. In colone the woman rule the city that day and cut of your tie if you wear one on that day. It is a wild time, party party party until you drop or have to go the hospital for alcohol poisening.

Patriotism in International JoeUser Forums

I grew up in Germany. Patriotism is a very ambivalent issue here because honestly, if you are proud to be a german it is often just equalled to being a Neonazi. Honouring our soldiers on memorial day would mean honouring soldiers that commited crimes against humanity and were fighting for a country that was guillty for causing 2 world wars. Honouring our flag falls into that same category. So when we have a memorial day we do not honour our fallen soldiers but

Homesick for dictatorship in Misc JoeUser Forums

I found this article today. It is totally incomprehensible for me how people can be so stupid, but it is a sad truth. If it was up to me I'd repatriate the lot of them to WhiteRussia, they can live their dream of a communist/socialist dictatorship of the soviet variety there. Article here <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,15

Reply to Shot in the Foot in Misc Stardock Forums

I live not too far away from where you were stationed, in Freiburg. It's at the southern edge of the black forest, about 60km north of Basel, 2h-3hrs from Stuttgart on the Autobahn.. I have to say, I realllly like US interstates in comparison. Everybody is going with the same slow speed (an average of 70mph is slow compared to here), no stress - the only crazy thing is that people will pass you on the right and that is just

Reply to Shot in the Foot in Misc Stardock Forums

[quote]BUT you fail to see the fear tactics that you are using concerning the environment.[/quote] You refer to the thread from Draginol right? I didn't aim to sound like that there, but maybe I didn't deliver as well as I thought I had. Selfperception is hardly ever right after all, Thanx I'll work on being more careful in the future.

Reply to Shot in the Foot in Misc Stardock Forums

[quote]I saw first hand what unification did to your economy and social systems[/quote] There are quite a few people that are actually for rebuilding the wall - or question wether the price was really worth it all. My answer to that is yes, it is worth it and no price is too high. Reunification under a democratic government had always been the goal, since the founding of the FRG in 1949. It was a really weird constellationg, 2 different systems and 2 different ideologies, both cl

Reply to Shot in the Foot in Misc Stardock Forums

You were there? Can you tell more about that time? This year is the 20th anniversary after all, and that was worldhistory in the making. That would be so great. I was 12 when all that went down, too young to really understand why it was such a big deal, just that it was. I wish I would have known more of what I know now back then. I spoke with people about it in the meantime, but never heard it from the side of a US soldier stationed here during that time. My brother in law was a private in t

Reply to Shot in the Foot in Misc Stardock Forums

On a different note, I found this article interesting and thought Id share Banned east german comedy premiers 40 years late

Reply to Shot in the Foot in Misc Stardock Forums

heh. Makes for interesting election campaigns anyway. Ours come up in September and the parties are just now nominating their candidates etc. Will be a fun filled summer of empty promises and slick politicians practicin their gift of gab.

Reply to Shot in the Foot in Misc Stardock Forums

[quote]You are German? You reunified in 1993, right? How did that work out for ya?[/quote] The iron curtain fell in 1989, well it all began with communal elections in the GDR in March 1989 where the socialst union party (SED) "won" with something like 98%. People were enraged because many made their vote invalid or did not vote for the SED and there was no way that result could be true. It was a well known fact that the elections were all rigged anyway but this time the populace starte

Reply to Obama's support for Tyranny is beyond belief. in Politics JoeUser Forums

JU won't me comment normally, sorry. Maintenance is still interfering it seems

Reply to Obama's support for Tyranny is beyond belief. in Politics JoeUser Forums

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Reply to Review: One Second After in Books JoeUser Forums

So, seems this has concluded that topic.

Reply to Obama's support for Tyranny is beyond belief. in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote]Though, admittedly, it does get to be frustrating when, say I debate religion with KFC or lula. Talk about your merry-go-round[/quote] Yeah I noticed that myself. Irish pub rule: Never talk about politics or religion while in a pub, just shut the feck up and enjoy your guiness. I used to live above an Irish pub.. it is pretty accurate, and there is always football (soccer for ignorants).

Reply to Obama's support for Tyranny is beyond belief. in Politics JoeUser Forums

Americans=paranoid by nature.. just reading your comments is almost like conducting a sociological/cultural research on the behaviour of the common politicus americanus, which is basically accusing the relative other political ideology of trying to destroy every american value there is and destroy and rob you of your freedom and using ridicule and cheap humour to achieve it. I take it ya'll like listenign to talk radio shows of your chosing as well - I tried listening once, forgot which one,

Reply to Summer Cold in Blogging Stardock Forums

Drink alot, that is always a good way to help with a sore throat if you get one - keep the throat always wet and it won't hurt so bad. I always buy medicinal tea for treating a cold and it seems to help to ease the symptoms. The one I buy contains willobark, lime tree blossoms, licorice root, elderblossoms, meadowsweet blossoms, mullein, peppermint, chamomille, dandelion and peonyblossoms. Quite a mix.. but it works. Especially willowbark lowers fever, pain and is anti-inflammatory. Maybe a d

Reply to Shot in the Foot in Misc Stardock Forums

That is a weird way to argue a case against health reform. Egypt in 1981 as an example for a socialized healthcare system against reform in the US?! Comeon. Why don't you use Germany as an example? We have a "socialized" healthcare system as well and I assure you that anybody who was shot at in 1981 in WestGermany would not have been left alone for 2 days. Emotional arguments to incite fear are seldom rational. This does not mean that criticizing issues in a proposed reform should not

Reply to Review: One Second After in Books Stardock Forums

I mean 7 parts beer, 3 parts lemonde - not the other way around!

Reply to Review: One Second After in Books Stardock Forums

Oh I prefer a Shandy (Beer mixed 30/70 lemonade) on a warm summer night. It is tasty, refreshing and overall just perfect. It is watered down but not "light" - ew. Ill keep it in mind, cheers.

Reply to Review: One Second After in Books Stardock Forums

Yeah, Im gonna stop now. It is sort of depressing. Instead Im gonna go and have a BBQ, beer and enjoy my clean and orderly neighborhood lol - and wait for next years FIFA world cup. The one time we can be truly patriotic and wave the flag without feeling guilty!

Reply to Review: One Second After in Books Stardock Forums

I wish I could explain that one [quote]HOW the people allowed such a situation[/quote]. But explaining and analyzing the mechanisms of propaganda and steady radicalization of the Nazis is one thing, understanding how regular, normal people were able to lose so much of their humanity and commit crimes on such a scale that it lacks adequate words to describe it or how they were able to plan exactly how much a KZ prisoner had to able to work to make the max profit as they worked them to death in

Reply to Review: One Second After in Books Stardock Forums

Well, I had been complaining to some friends about the fact that german humanities writers (philsophers, historians) are not able to be short and concise, but write lenghty and detailed accounts, using a complicated and ridiculous vocabulary to say things that aren't that complicated to begin with. It is sort of shocking to discover that I sort of do the same lol, but I do hope it is at least a little bit interesting and insightful.

Reply to Review: One Second After in Books Stardock Forums

Sorry I tried to edit a few things but I just kept on going back to the original comment I made. lol Silver. I am too much a humanities student to be able to phrase a simple yes or no answer it seems. My answer wasn't about wether Germany should have similar gunlaws or not, it was about wether similar gun laws would have changed history. And I tried to show that american gun laws would have never been able to develop in a similar way or even necessary in Europe because of its history.