Old Europe embracing New Europe

[Bereta_Eder]

Of course I'm really happy about Cyprus

[Spiffor]

Paiktis : you can already see excerpts of the project at the European convention site.

[axi]

The clashes occured at the little dent on top of the zone: we were at the right side and the anarchists at the left side of the dent. The demo ran from that spot and to the right, along the border of the red zone. The US embassy where the demo ended is alittle bit off the upper right corner of the map. Part of the demonstrators did not proceed to the US embassy, but went around the sharp edge of the red zone (which is at the Hilton hotel) and were blocked about 500 m below, near Kallimarmaron stadium.

Below is a pic of the front of our block. The chemical sprayed on us is a solution of either CN or CS gas ( an asphyxiating agent) which is banned under the Geneva convention. IIRC the specs mention that it should be used from a distance of at least 7m, in order to avoid lethal overdoses.

[Bereta_Eder]

Thanks Spiffor, will be cheking it.

Axi,
they tried to break the police line. One thing that I find a bit negative is that in every major demonstration there just have to be the "known unknowns" who will try to create havok by throwing molotovs etc.

Of course to their credit the protestors usually try to isolate the self proclaimed anarchists.

Peaceful demos are just as good.

In this one I think some people wanted to create as much trouble as possible.

Again nothing wrong with demonstrating of course. I don't care about the "international image of our country". That's a nobrainer. Demonstrations is a right (and a tradition ) But peaceful demos are much more preferable for us.

[axi]

Below is an anarchist while throwing a petrol bomb, also named a "molotov cocktail"

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by axi
The chemical sprayed on us is a solution of either CN or CS gas ( an asphyxiating agent) which is banned under the Geneva convention.

The Geneva Convention doesn't ban its use for riot control only its battlefield use. Now if you want to claim being at war with the state in order to wrap yourself in the Convention, don't complain about the use of scare tactics by the State then.

[axi]

Ooops, forgot the pic...

[Bereta_Eder]

Right, there's the clown

what he thinks he's doing??!

[DaShi]

You mean this isn't about America!

[Bereta_Eder]

Funnily enough, it is about america too

[DaShi]

Oh, then that's alright then.

[axi]

paik: We tried to break the police cordon because it is unconstitutional to block us from demonstrating in our own city. We went peacefully and just pushed them aside. We have thrown paint and eggs on the police to show our contempt about these cronies, who are paid to do nothing else but beat up people.

DD: This is correct, but, isn't this logic kinda warped? Should an agent allowed against foreign combattants be allowed against your own citizens? Using the same logic, since Saddam gassed his own people in Hallabja and not the Iranian soldiers, this was no war crime.

With all these chemicals, we're going to start demonstration by proxy, in a while... something like this: (the dog's name is Sweetie and it demonstrated in every anti-war rally)

[Bereta_Eder]

Oh, then that's alright then.

[Bereta_Eder]

ROTFL about the doggie


About your right to demonstrate wherever you want in whatever time you want, I think you're being a bit biased

[axi]

This is what we call "ðáé÷íßäé óõó÷åôéóìþí". What is allowed and what isn't, what are your rights and what isn't is always contested, from both sides. If we would let them, we would be like in the United States, where anybody who dares to come to the streets is picked up, for "obstructing traffic".

[BeBro]

I think it is high time that new member states (=their people) get advice and help about their future situation in the EU from us experienced Eurocoms

What can the new members expect? What are the pros and cons?

The biggest pro is of course that there will be hardly any wars between member states. That was quite a shock esp. for us Germans at first, but we ´re enjoying it now

Potential enemies within Europe (if there are still any) will be beaten by integrating them too into the EU ASAP. Potential enemies outside Europe are usually ignored. If that doesn´t work we delegate the problem to the US

So what other good or bad things can the EU newbies expect?

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by BeBro
So what other good or bad things can the EU newbies expect?

+ Free highways. Better life conditions for peasants. Presence of European administration that bring money to big cities. Travel and work wherever you want in the Union without bothering with administrative hindrance.

- Having your economic policies mostly decided by bureaucrats in Brussels who you didn't elect. Oh wait, that was hardly different before

+ enjoying the European parliament's election

- witnessing how useless they are

+ taking the investment and agriculture money from the Greeks, Spanish, Portuguese, Irish and French, and witness them being pissed

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by axi
DD: This is correct, but, isn't this logic kinda warped?

How so? They are banned from the battlefield because of how capricious the class of weapons is (subject to wind change) and to prevent escalation to more leathal chem weapons like sarin and VX.

Should an agent allowed against foreign combattants be allowed against your own citizens?

Would you prefer beanbags/rubber bullets/etc. be shot at you instead? Or how would you control an unruly mob with less than leathal means? Remember you were the one to post the picture of molotov cocktails being thrown.

So what other good or bad things can the EU newbies expect?

Being screwed by France when it comes to agricultural subsidies.

[ThePantaloonDog]

WOW I wish I could teach my dog to do that.

[Sten Sture]

Originally posted by Saras
Lazy Eurocom corporations, behold the might of lean and mean Lithuanian competition!!!!!

You mean like VEMCO?

Are you still going to dollar peg?

[Ben Kenobi]

I'm curious as to what degree of autonomy Poland and Malta will garner under the EU constitution. Will they still be able to oppose some laws favoured by the rest of the EU?

[Spiffor]

I guess it is about abortion ? Let me check if the acceptance of abortion is a condition to EU entry (IIRC, the end of death penalty is now)

[el freako]

I don't think so.

Abortion is illegal in Ireland - a member state for 30 years.

[Saras]

Originally posted by Sten Sture


You mean like VEMCO?

Are you still going to dollar peg?

Man, we repegged to Euro in Feb. 02, 2002. As did my mortgage , which otoh seems like a BAD idea now .

Yea, Vemco and other industral powerhouses of the New Europe.

Not to mention an up-and-coming investment bank

[Sten Sture]

Up and coming IB... sounds good.

Of course anything sounds good to me right now. Our French parent company decided to fire us all and close our shop on the first day of the Iraq war.

That sounds like a conspiracy theory, but it was a long time coming and thoroughly justified - but I'm so used to sensational journalism that I can twist around the facts to make it seem like we were slighted! I got a decent payout so I am fine for a while, but I'm gonna have to look for something new after a summer of leisure. (still might end up in Paris at the home office...)

[Spiffor]

Sten : If you're going to Paris, don't hesitate to ask for advice

Sad to know you have been fired

[Sten Sture]

Thanks Spiff - it wasn't a surpise for the firm, and I am looking forward to a change. The best news for me is that my performance numbers were really good, and unrelated to the overall performance for the company, (I did bonds and everyone else did stocks) so it won't be too difficult to get a new job.

[Oerdin]

Originally posted by axi
This is what we call "ðáé÷íßäé óõó÷åôéóìþí". What is allowed and what isn't, what are your rights and what isn't is always contested, from both sides. If we would let them, we would be like in the United States, where anybody who dares to come to the streets is picked up, for "obstructing traffic".

And what if some one dies because the fire truck or ambulience can't get where it's going because of your little temper tantrum? You have a right to say what you want but you must do it in a civil and orderly way which doesn't endanger other people's lives.

[VetLegion]

Axi,

It does not look like they blocked a big part of the city. Mostly green areas. Anyway they do this stuff everwhere when there is a big summit. Were you protesting because they don't allow you to protest

[VetLegion]

Reminds me of the typical Swedish nationalist rant:
"They come over here and take all our girls! "

"and the two Swedes despaired why she explained to them that her body is her and her alone" (from that long joke about two guys being stuck on an island with a girl)

By the way, they come here on summer, so no need to go catch hem in the north. And being blond they are hard to spot in the snow anyway

And I thought typical rant was about the wellfare. Anyways just kidding you, I dont care about Swedish wellfare.















Finnish is reportedly more generous