Thanks, Universe

[misscam]

I needed to be reminded that being a woman can suck and blow. Oh yes.

Ow. Ow ow ow ow. OW.

And ff.net is still being dodgy. Maybe it's having its time of the month too.

I hate my chromosones. Ow.

In other news:
Norwegian political reactions to the French vote
What is not mentioned here is our Finance minister's rather insulting comment that "French racists and communists" should not dictate a Norwegian EU debate - in other words, the French Non voters. Ooooh yeah, real classy there. Expect a follow up on this one. And this he said on NATIONAL television. The idiocy knows no bounds.
French NON! heralds change
Dutch Cows protest the EU (For some reason, I just found this pic too cute. Dutch No Cows!)
Colin Firth has been honoured in Italy
The end of the West? (A very interesting read, that one.)
Football fans get mad at bread

Comments

[siraj.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if it was the writing of the article over here either, but according to our 'world' sections in the newspapers here, it sounded like Chirac didn't like what the voters voted, so he started firing aides and other high-ranking officials? is there any truth to that, or was I misreading that?

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Well, he fired the prime minister, it seems. Chirac was not happy at all.

[chem-nerd.livejournal.com]

I wholeheartedly agree on the general suckyness of hormones and x chromosomes. Tricksy hormoneses...
So FF.net is having issues? And here I was worried that it was just me. Here, have this spare trout; I'm sure you know what to do with it... When in doubt, smite something.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

SMIIIIITE!

[falena]

The Dutch cow is so cute!

And the Universe can be a bitch, especially to women. You have my sympathy and solidarity, Cam.

About your Finance Minister...eh eh eh that's exactly something Berlsuconi would say!Whoever disagrees with him is usually dubbed Bolshevik, no matter his/her political orientation.

Colin Firth is the sexiest thing ever when he talks in Italian with his cute British accent, I can tell you that...I love British men speaking Italian...I usually drool all over my English professor at University, and he's fifty and ugly...

The article about the West was so interesting. Thanks for sharing, Cam. I saved it so I can translate it for my dad, who loves politics but doesn't understand English much.
Liked this part especially:

The French don't like Anglo-American style capitalism. Nor do they share American foreign policy aims. And they aren't alone in their beliefs. There's a kind of European social democracy that's quite separate in its objectives from American capitalism. Britain perches uneasily between these two models.

So true. And the same can be said of the Italian public opinion (with the exception Berlusconi and his dumb followers).

Loved what the tipsy German friend of the columnist said...In vino veritas..

[misscam.livejournal.com]

I generally find Colin Firth to be the sexiest thing regardless of what language he's talking. Mmm, Colin Firth. My weak spot in accents is Scottish.

Yeah, Europe and the US have gone different paths and perhaps it has come to the stage where differences are more looked on that similarities. Either way, I think Europe has ideas of its own and isn't willing to settle for US poodle.

[falena]

I love Scottish accent too. I melt every time I watch Sliding Doors. John Hannah is super cute.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Yes. Oh, yes. And he quotes Monty Python. My lvoe is forever.

[aervir.livejournal.com]

The article "The End of the West" certainly contains a few interesting starting points for a discussion, for example, the mutual perception of European countries and the United States (stereotypes of unsophisticated, grossly materialist American decadence vs. European weakness and atheism) and how that may influence their political cooperation.

What the author failed to mention, IMHO, is the fact that a good deal of European countries still are trying to hang on to (or maye revive) the notion of "the West" and the transatlantic alliance with the USA because it may always be helpful to have the remaining superpower on your side... Apart from that, I think that some Americans (e.g. the neo-conservative thinker Robert Kagan) are also interested in upholding this alliance, but with the emphasis on the difference in their respective world-views, resulting in America's strength and Europe's dependence on it. In 2002, he wrote an essay for Policy Review which summarizes this opinion perfectly:

It is time to stop pretending that Europeans and Americans share a common view of the world, or even that they occupy the same world. On the all-important question of power -- the efficacy of power, the morality of power, the desirability of power -- American and European perspectives are diverging. Europe is turning away from power, or to put it a little differently, it is moving beyond power into a self-contained world of laws and rules and transnational negotiation and cooperation. It is entering a post-historical paradise of peace and relative prosperity, the realization of Kant’s ‘Perpetual Peace.’ The United States, meanwhile, remains mired in history, exercising power in the anarchic Hobbesian world where international laws and rules are unreliable and where true security and the defense and promotion of a liberal order still depend on the possession and use of military might.

Such an attitude, however, will probably provoke the instinctive (and blatantly generalizing) "In our guts, we hate them." reaction of Europeans towards Americans that is also mentioned in "The End of the West".

In other news: Why do I think on hearing "Colin Firth" and "Italy" automatically of this fabulous interview in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason? :D Anyway, it sounds as if he really deserved that honour. Until now, I hadn't even known that he was so interested in promoting Italian literature and culture. But I like it when movie stars (esp. the good-looking ones) do sensible things like this and thus allow me to squee a bit more. :)

And last but certainly not least: I sympathize with you and your pains. Damn those X-chromosomes. *pets you*

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Oh, there's certainly countries who want NATO to remain and doesn't want France and Germany to run Europe. Europe too has a whole barrel of different views.

Interesting quote, that. There is no doubt Europe has in many ways moved beyond military power, since military power is what almost burned Europe in half in WW1 and that lesson remains.

I love that interview in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason?. "No, fortunately that's the only time I've had to stimulate an erection."

[perhatikan.livejournal.com]

Love the cows, especially the one with "BOE" on it. That lady cracked me up. :)

Things are getting a bit nasty and hilarious at times on tv over here with politicians debating for or against that whole EU thing. Today will probably be even worse. Yesterday Balkenende was implying we're sheep if we vote no and follow France. As if we're lifted from sheep-dom (don't know if that's a word, and don't want to insult any sheep who happen to read this) if we vote yes, the way Balkenende wants.

(Politicians seem to think we can't make up our minds on our own for some reason.)

[misscam.livejournal.com]

You're only sheep when you listen to the opposition, apparently.

Git. I flash my no cow at him!

[elvea-aure.livejournal.com]

We should go and smack Balkenende with Lutefisk. He's such a pain... -_-"

[perhatikan.livejournal.com]

Yea, he is definatly a pain. Wish I had lutefisk, but mom will let me throw her trassi at him, see if that helps.

[elvea-aure.livejournal.com]

If that doesn't, there's always the big and heavy books. I personally favour the complete Oxford. XD

[perhatikan.livejournal.com]

To be flattened by the weight of knowledge...what a way to go! XD

[elvea-aure.livejournal.com]

Oh, I can just see that...

Elvy: You think you so smart?
JPB: Yeah.
Elvy: You think the people are dumb?
JPB: Yeah.
Elvy: You think you know it all?
JPB: I know it all.
Elvy: Only not. Now ph34r the power of true knowledge! [brings out the Oxford and gives him a good smacking]


XD

[perhatikan.livejournal.com]

Bwahahaha! Way to go.

*helps Elvy smack "Harry Potter"*

[elvea-aure.livejournal.com]

I never liked Harry Potter anyway.

[smacks good and hard]

[elvea-aure.livejournal.com]

Dear Eru, the cows picture is priceless! XD

I love Dutch cynicism. It makes me proud of the Dutch, sometimes. ^_^

Now I'm looking extra forward to vote 'no'...


[worships the French]

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Go forth and vote with the no cow in your heart.

[elvea-aure.livejournal.com]

I shall.

I will go and cast my vote, and say 'no!' loudly. Then I shall point, and laugh.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

And moo.

[elvea-aure.livejournal.com]

No. My No Cows shall Moo.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Just as long as there is moo.

[elvea-aure.livejournal.com]

The No Cows have the right to vote, too. We're a democracy, and all. I couldn't possibly go without them.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Too right. We must stand up for the No Cows. They are far more useful than a lot of politicians, after all, and we let our politicians vote.

[elvea-aure.livejournal.com]

Aye, that's very true, unfortunately. Oh, and I just said 'non'. Then I pointed, and laughed, and the No Cows mooed.

I guess that makes us all sheep, ne?

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Bææææ.

[erhothwen.livejournal.com]

Awww, Dutch cows! Being protest-y!

My local newspaper used the word Non a lot in their attempt to be Frenchy related. :D

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Oh, it got some use here too. The No-to-EU camp are happy, happy, happy.

[avari-elf.livejournal.com]

our Finance minister's rather insulting comment that "French racists and communists" should not dictate a Norwegian EU debate - in other words, the French Non voters.

So, being one of those French Non voters, I'm at the same time a racist and a communist? Bad Avari! *irons her fingers*

I really love these politicians who have problems dealing with the result of a democratic election. Seems they only like democracy when it suits them. And you find them everywhere - Norway or France, as shown by my collection of choice quotes ;)

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Obviously you are. My father loves you, though. He was texting me all the way from Germany (he's on holiday) with six Vive la France.

"Deomcracy is only democracy when you vote what we want!" *shajes head* Gist do come in all kinds of nationalities. Should we consider this a fact that unites us or should we despair over this?

[mademoisellenon.livejournal.com]

I should think it unites us. We can bitch and eventually assassinate them!

Have I told you lately how much I adore your Father?

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Hands off, Frencie!

[mademoisellenon.livejournal.com]

*pouts*

My hands aren't anywhere near him. I simply love people who love France though god knows I have a very love/hate relationship with that country.

[musemistress.livejournal.com]

Jan Peters has it all wrong. We were going to vote no LONG before the French did it. They are copying us before it even happened dagnabbit!

The Referendum...well...really, no one here knows what in blazes it's actually about. We had to actually beg for some information, and then got a 8 page pamphlet saying over and over again...

"...this will improve Dutch relations with others and make our country a better place for all to live in!"

Well...erm...Jan Peters, my "good" man...HOW will it improve things? So far, nothing has gone right here and if the attitude of people around me about the Ref is to say anything, no one is going to vote for something they can't even understand.

So far, the only thing I even fathon about the Ref is that we should become a province of a European state. Lose our Dutchness so to speak as most patriots will take it. Basically, considering they started explaining the Ref to us in the wrong way to begin with, it's not helping the matters by seeing billboards everywhere with "VOTE YES" on it...when we STILL have no clue what this will do to us as a whole.

Somehow, as recent history keeps on teaching us (mind you, the Netherlands pay more per person towards the Union than any other country. €180, with the French paying less than half of that), one government does shite for us. Gods, our OWN government does shite for us...so how will a government who knows next to nothing about the Dutch make it all better??

As a good Dutch informative I know janestarz says in here latest rant. http://www.livejournal.com/users/janestarz/476106.html "The average person doesn't like to be told what to do."
And I say, the French didn't start a snowball...JP along with many others already did by ordering the averge of the masses to vote YES or ELSE! It's just sort of pushed the snowball off the edge, and the French were merely picking it up along the way.

You see, the only reason the Higher People believe it's going to be because of them that this won't fall through...is because they voted first.


~Mel~

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Sounds like massive fun.

I've actually read parts of this constitution and... well, I like some bits. But a lot of it is very confused and not the kind of thing I'd call a constitution. But I think the referendums seem to be about things beyond the constitution. People's general unhappiness with the establishment, for one thing.

Telling your people what to vote is a Bad, Bad Idea.

[mademoisellenon.livejournal.com]

Why am I not surprised concerning the Non! Should've been expected. Very interesting to see what will happen now.

Hugs, bébé. Drinks lots of tea and eat loads of chocolate!