Political discussions and other rants about useless things like culture

[Naglfar]

It's really weird, all the Japanese I've met abroad are the most wonderful people (as in, I met them everywhere but Japan). But, you know... one of the worst dictatorships ever was Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic. Anyone who's spent any time around Dominicans would find that astonishing, as Dominicans are culturally the most gregarious people you'd ever meet...

But the denial of responsibility is a politically complicated issue in Japan. No one wants to be ashamed of their country. Mao was one of the worst mass murderers ever, and even in the West you barely hear or read about that.

 

[Maxim1110]

That's absolutely true. In regular history classes you usually hear a lot about Stalin and Hitler, but few to nothing about Mao, and any Asian history for that sake. It's really a shame, since that continent has such a rich history and is one of the most important in the world, if not the most important. In geography and economy classes Asia is a common subject, though. But I suppose that's rather obvious, as the situation over there in terms of economy is at least interesting: there is one country which is the most developed one (Japan), and a few that aren't that far behind such as Malaysia and South Korea. Then you also got the most poor countries such as Indonesia, Burma and Vietnam, in some of which the situation is to blame on the (former) communist regime. Most important in that region are of course the two "giants", namely China and India. And then there's also the position of small countries such as Singapore.

 

[La Rocque]

Happy birthday USA

La Rocque purveyor of truth, justice and the American way -

 

[Defiance]

iPhone.
I read news about that. People here often talk about that recently.
That's a problem..

Only recently? But this has been going on for years!! I guess that now with the Internet, the employees of the factory took one of the phones they were making and shot a video of what happened (hehe half serious there).

Of course China should not support North Korea's dictatorship.
I can often read bad news about North Korea on our media.
And many people are worried about that their military actions will lead to a war.

I think that nowadays China is more of an ally of the US than DPKR, since China is becoming more western everyday. There would only be war if DPKR starts it, which I hope never happens because (1) DPKR will be totally destroyed and (2) countries like China and Japan will be damaged too.

I consider Taiwan as part of China, but I don't want Taiwan to be controlled by our government. Taiwan seems to be more democratic. Taiwan should help mainland China to change.
Other people here also consider Taiwan as part of China.

I don't think it's part of China, and apparently neither does the government, since they started commercial relationships with the country. I think that's great, it's the closest the two countries have been in…well…forever.

I hate what they've done, but I dont hate Japanese people.

I never actually talked to a Japanese before, but my parents rented out an apartment to a Japanese couple (My hometown is Dalian city, many Japanese work there)
That's a war of aggression. Japan is militaristic. I hate that Japan hide the truth about the war and dont let their children know.

Yes, Japan, since it's expansion (Meiji era), hasn't really been very nice to China. I think the Japanese government issued an apology of some sort this (or last) year, but I'm not sure if it was to the Chinese people.

Yes, Japanese education is something… complicated. Being a professor (and an anime/manga nerd), I know a lot about education in Japan. It's something really strange, but I've always wanted to go and teach English there. Perhaps in a couple of years.

Nothing on over-population? Media censorship? Google.cn?

 

[Maxim1110]

Japan is often compared to western European countries and the US nowadays. That's partially right I think. Economically and technologically they're on the same level, and in that sense Japan is just a western country.

Culturally, though, there are major differences I think. In Japanese culture one has to compete with the rest. Such things happen in education as well. Simple unability to keep up with the best of class lead to depression and it may eventually lead to suicide. A mentality like this may also have its advantages though: employees may be more motivated and a culture which exists of competing with one another and working working and working will probably be beneficial for the economy of the country. I think in terms of motivation Japan is more attractive to companies than The Netherlands. Dutch people are probably among the most annoying and unmotivated employees in the world.

There is this certain joke about three employees from three different countries, one of which is Dutch. I don't exactly know from which countries the other ones were but if an employer told them to do something one would say "ok" and do it, the other one would say "ok" and do something completely different and the Dutch would say "why?".

 

[Defiance]

^ Of course Japan is more of a Western country. I know a lot of Japanese culture, and besides the fact that most sarari-men are kurezi, they're Western in a lot of senses; except, perhaps, in their educational system. Which is totally obsolete and very 50s/60s in style. Teacher comes in, everyone stands up, teacher stands at a physically higher level and talks. Then the students write.

When you add this and the sexual frustration/issues of their society, it's no wonder Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world (9th).

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_in_Japan

It's much worse than that. The crisis is not over at all, in fact the results are going to start showing in our pockets around September/October, and the big anger is expected to come to surface then. Plus everyone feels insecure cause we don't trust the government or the journalists any more, and we keep living in the fear of a possible soon-to-come bankruptcy that no one is telling us about.
And to top that, a couple days ago a journalist who was running the biggest anonymous news-blog in Greece was shot outside his home mafia-style (they emptied two guns on him), possibly because he had become annoying by opening his mouth too much and he was going to bring to light some scandal or something like that.

Yay for Greece, the home of democracy, yay!

the last comment is very funny. (In a very ironic and twisted sense, of course.)

Oh that's horrible, I can already see the suicide rate going up. But don't you kill yourself hehe. My guess is that Greece is almost bankrupt and that the bailout barely saved you, so my guess is that Greece is now (unofficially) owned by Deutschland (more than before, at least).

It's very sad that the guy got killed, hurrah for freedom of expression! But things like that never go away, I'm sure he has inspired many other rebels. Hopefully they'll start working soon!

A sign of things to come? Lightning over Athens. Zeus must be feeling wrathful.

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/1007/lightning_kotsiopoulos_big.jpg

 

[Maxim1110]

Meanwhile, in the country of political whining....

Things are still pretty fucked up here. Since the elections on June 8th still no coalition has been formed. The first attempt was "Purple plus" which consisted of VVD(Liberals), GroenLinks(Eco), PvdA(Social Democrats) and D66(somewhere between PvdA and VVD) and failed in early July or late June. Ever since, they've been trying to get a coalition formed consisting of VVD, PVV(Wilders) and CDA(Christian Democrats) and it's not turning out well.

They're doing it a little different though. The PVV will not officially be in the government, but they grant a coalition of VVD and CDA (which does not have a majority) tolerance support. This way, Wilders will still get enormous influence on the government without having to take any responsibilities. As you may understand, that's even worse.

Especially the CDA party is falling apart over controversy. Ever since the negotiations with the PVV started there have been very prominent members who had objections towards that and the number of anti-PVV members in the CDA is rapidly increasing. Because of all the fighting within the party they have fallen to an historical depth of 15 seats in the polls. Today there's an important meeting going on in which they will decide what to do. If things turn out well they will either just stop negotiating with the PVV or the party will fall apart and they will stop as well because the coalition won't have the majority of the seats in the Second Chamber anymore.

Furthermore, Wilders obviously goes on saying nonsense and insulting people. He recently said in an interview to the Australian TV that he will never stop insulting people with ridiculous cultures. He also called for the dismissal of the police chief of the city of Arnhem, since he called Wilders and the PVV fascist. Perhaps he forgot that he likes to compare Islam to fascism. As a reaction, Wilders called the chief a 'stupid socialist.' He also recently said that Islam is comparable to violent ideologies such as fascism and, yes, communism! I didn't know communism was that violent...

He also wants any Eastern European immigrants to be sent back, despite the fact that his wife is from Hungary and his mother from Indonesia (read: the country with the largest Muslim population in the world).

Seriously, this guy is fucked up, and the fact that he's getting so many votes really gives me the creeps.

 

[Defiance]

^ That's horrible, but think about this: Who's more fucked up? The guys who's a total imbecile, or the people that vote for him?

I didn't know that info about his family. He probably wasn't breastfed and doesn't make love to his wife .

 

[Maxim1110]

Yes, sexual frustation must be the cause of this

 

[Defiance]

Haha indeed, sexual frustration can be the caused of many things ; it may even the cause of the downfall of The Netherlands.



Is weed still even legal there? When my cousin came back from there he told me they were planning on banning it.

 

[Maxim1110]

Some parties want to, yes, but there are more important issues right now such as forming a new coalition. And not very unlikely, new elections. Then we still have an economic crisis and loads of other problems. Basically, some right-wing parties and (of course) the Christian parties want to ban it, and left-wing parties don't want to, even fully legalize it.

Technically it isn't legal and never was, but it is being tolerated at the moment. If you happen to be in The Netherlands, don't hesitate to ask a police officer where you can find a coffeeshop (and no, you won't get coffee there )

 

[Maxim1110]

Latest news: Ab Klink, second negotiator for the CDA party has made the definitive decision that for him there will be absolutely NO coalition with the PVV. One of the reasons was the fact that Wilders had announced (privately, during the negotiations) that when the VVD and CDA would present the new agreement he would step away from it and come with a completely different story.

Though it isn't definitive yet, the odds for a VVD-CDA-PVV coalition are decreasing...

 

[Maxim1110]

And boom! It's down. Wilders doesn't have confidence in the CDA anymore. I gotta say I'm really delighted, though it's very likely we're gonna have new elections now, and the results won't be good. Wilders made a smart move, this way he can blame everything on the CDA and gain more votes for himself. In new elections it is likely that the PVV will become the biggest party.

The only coalition that is still possible is VVD-CDA-PvdA but I don't think that will work because PvdA and VVD won't agree when it comes to money and government expenses. Before we realize it, a year has passed without a serious government

 

[stizzleomnibus]

You know, as much as I hate the corruption of American democracy, it's really stunning to watch parliamentary nations "not have a government." What the fuck is that?

I don't want to toot the horn of nationalism, but can you imagine if America periodically hadn't had a government? Like the Cold War? That wouldn't have gone over very well for anyone in the world.

 

[Defiance]

Some parties want to, yes, but there are more important issues right now such as forming a new coalition. And not very unlikely, new elections. Then we still have an economic crisis and loads of other problems. Basically, some right-wing parties and (of course) the Christian parties want to ban it, and left-wing parties don't want to, even fully legalize it.

Technically it isn't legal and never was, but it is being tolerated at the moment. If you happen to be in The Netherlands, don't hesitate to ask a police officer where you can find a coffeeshop (and no, you won't get coffee there )

I know, I've been to TN hehe. I like how they all come in boxes of different colours. Or at least it was like that in Tilburg.

I surely hope that Wilders guy doesn't win, but it seems more and more possible every day.

True, stizzle, true. I wonder what's worse, (1) not having a government, or (2) having a corrupt one?

 

[Maxim1110]

Hmm I don't know anything about weed really, I don't use it and I'm to young to get into any of those coffeeshops

Hmm that really depends, also largely on the size and (economic) power of the country. The impact of the USA without government in the world would obviously be a lot bigger than that of The Netherlands is. We do have some sort of government though: the old government remains in place until a new is formed. Problem is that since the last coalition failed the old government doesn't have a majority of seats anymore...

 

[Maxim1110]

In other news: things are pretty fucked up in our neighbours to the south as well, there's a possibility of Belgium splitting up into two countries.

 

[Defiance]

In other news: things are pretty fucked up in our neighbours to the south as well, there's a possibility of Belgium splitting up into two countries.

I've certainly been following that!!!! Shit, that's something you wouldn't expect in Europe in these days (especially in Central Europe). Although who knows, maybe El País Vasco/Euskadi will finally get its independence someday.

But yes, all Flanders-Wallonia conflict is incredibly intriguing. Will the country be separated? If so, what'll happen with Brussels? Will Flanders join TN? Will Wallonia join France? (Polls suggest that France will gladly take Wallonia into its arms hehe.)

I've been to Brussels, one of my favourite cities in Europe along with London, Oslo and Bergen. I don't know the name of the dish, but what's better than rabbit in beer? Only rabbit in beer and a Kriek. The best beer is from Belgium anyhow.

Since you're much closer than anyone else on this forum, what's your take on the situation?

 

[Maxim1110]

I think it's a difficult situation. From what I've known this possibility was regarded much more positively from Flanders than it was from Wallonia, but I just read that prominent Wallonian politicians, for example from the PS(Party Socialiste) say that it is a serious option, especially after the NvA, a party that has the separation of the two as a main point.

If I'm not mistaken Brussels is officially in Wallonia, so my guess is that it will become the capital of Wallonia while Antwerp will become Flanders' capital. As for Flanders possibly joining The Netherlands: I'm not sure about that. I live in the southern part of The Netherlands, close to Belgium and I also regularly go there, it's about 20 minutes to the border by car. Living this close, I'm kind of "half a Belgian", compared to someone from, say, Amsterdam. Usually I feel much more confinement to Belgians than I do to Frysians, for example. If you would compare 'average' people from Brabant (the province I live in) to people from Amsterdam and Belgium they would probably be closer to Belgians. The term "above the big rivers" is often used, and I live below. So from my point of view, I think it would be perfectly possible but imagine what kind of immense operation that would be! But regarding the economic situation of Flanders, I think they could be a country of their own, whereas Wallonia has a weaker position and is actually quite like northern France so I could imagine that they'd join France while Flanders remains a country of its own.

Whatever the result may be, I'll be following this on foot, it surely is a very interesting situation.

 

[Naglfar]

Surely the breakup of the mighty Belgian empire will have repercussions all over Europe, and maybe even the world. A conflict might even break out in the United States as to what we'll have to call Belgian waffles in the event of such a calamity.