It seems like all that gets discussed in here right now is the U.S. Since that topic is extremely depressing and over-discussed already, i thought i would ask what is going on in europe right now. I know of struggles in eastern europe with Russia, and the struggles of the Ukraine. Its hard to keep up on a lot of your issues because our press is so short sided and covers world issues so little. Please tell of issues going on where ever you live in Europe and discuss them here. Personally I'm interested in finding out what is going on over there.

thanx,
trancedfarmer

Not forgetting the fire service strike beginning in exactly 20 minutes over here in the UK.

Selfish C*nts

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Em...whats going on in Europe? What exactely do u mean? In terms of politics? military conflicts..common issues, soccer?Kay im bored so im gonna write down what springs into my mind

Lemme think...Ill tell you some impressions out of the Austrian perpective, since that's where I live in..So we've got elections this Sunday, and im looking forward to them since Ill be able to vote for the first time of my life. And since Austria is very likely to undergo a big political change..from the mid-right-wing coaltion with Haider's extremist party (the bloke meeting Saddam and Gaddafi's son every Monday and Thursday..)to a socialist-green party coalition, or at least a conservative-socialist one, excluding Haider's right wing fuckheads. I think I'll vote for the green party. Yeah, green rulez Drug legalizsation, big investments in education, environmental programs combined with a "healthier" economy..sounds good.
As for our neighbouring country, Germany, things are kinda chaotic right now. Dont ask me why, but Germany's economy is in huge trouble. Probably due to to long lasting effects of the re-union of ex-communist eatern and western germany. But the genral worldwide economic recession is also contributing negatively. So..they've got huge debts and the red-green coalition who was just re-elected last month is already breaking lots of the things promised( they DO rais teaxes etc. etc.) as they dont see any other way out of the crisis. You Americans have also surely heared about the bad relationship between the US and Germany, as Schroeder used the Iraqui issue for his election campaign, knowing that most of the Germans do NOT support an American invasion in Iraq.
What else......Hm..generally right wing partys except in Germany have been quite successful recently. Thinking about Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Austria and Italy. Mainly motivated by huge waves of migration but also due to the fears of a lost identity in the European Union. As you know the EU is planning to extend, letting some 10 more countries (mostly all of them are eastern, ex-communist countries like Poland) join. People here fear a mass migration ot..that the bad economy of the new members might hurt the general European economy..bla bla. Yeah but as I said some also think that the nationality will lose more and more of its importance as soon as the EU is really well established, having a common parliament (not a useless pseudo-parliamant without any competence to actually DECIDE things like today), a constitution which is currently "under construction", a common army..etc. etc. Yeah..it already started with the Money.
Kay..as for wars: Russian's war against Chechnya is something ull never hear about. Apparently they know how to keep it secret as opposed to Israel, where every shooting of soldiers is later shown on TV. The Balkan region..hm..seems to relax, donno how things are gonna develop between Albanians, Serbians, Macedonians..etc. Other than that I dont see any big conflict right now. Greece and Turkey are doing fine, they even plan to host the soccer european champioship together. ..
yeah
enuff

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quote:

Originally posted by xite Not forgetting the fire service strike beginning in exactly 20 minutes over here in the UK. Selfish C*nts

I heard about that... if firefighters went on strike here, i think people would give them whatever they want. since september 11 2001 when they flew those planes into several buildings in newyork and washington, people have had lots of respect for firefighters..

quote:

Originally posted by xite Not forgetting the fire service strike beginning in exactly 20 minutes over here in the UK. Selfish C*nts

i hope Volksjoolz doesnt mind me lifting his post from the uk forum, but he expressed some excellent points why the firefighters shouldnt get this pay rise, so i'll share it with you guys:



--- Its illegal for fire fighters to strike in almost every other country

--- Italian fireman get £12,000 a year- with cost of living adjustment, thats £15,000 by our standards

--- If the soldiers cant do the job as they say, they are risking lives and they are admitting it

--- A blue collar, public service occupation does not warrant £30k+ per year. If thats what you want, join the private sector, there are hundreds of people quite happy to do it for £21k

--- They sound like doctors- 'I do 96hrs a week because I came in 7am Monday and am here until 7am tomorrow'. No, muppet, you are ON CALL for 96 hours. Then 4 days off. Where you have another job anyway.

--- Nurses who get attacked in hospital, Policeman who get shot at, Soldiers who get bombed, ambulance drivers that get abuse (see that program on Cardiff Ambulance service? OMG!)...better give them all the same rise on this basis. The fact that you 'risk your life' isnt an issue here, many public servants do- and for less money!

--- Public sector pay WILL NEVER = Private sector pay. PM gets £100k a year- in the private sector his job would pay 6 figures easy. To compare yourselves to tube drivers on £31k, etc is irellevent.

--- THE MAJORITY of the public arent behind you, and we are the ones that would have to pay. Blackmail is not the answer. Lancaster firebrigade are picketing outside the station with a sign saying 'honk if you support us'. Ihave driven past it about 30 times; in all those times, Ive heard ONE horn.

--- Do they really think there is £650,000,000 lieing around that we can use to meet these demands?

--- If there was, whats wrong with asking you to increase your skills?

--- Finally, if you want £30k a year, go sell. As a public servant you need to want to do it as a vocation, and please dont claim you are on the poverty line because I just dont believe it.

believe it or not but Cnn.com europe edition is great

the CNN we get in the usa is shit for world news.


oh and you can also check out npr.org that's a decent radio in the usa I actually listen to it a lot and it's pretty good!!

TranceGiant listed most of the stuff that is international news in Europe. I'll add that Turkey has recently elected a new government which includes a party building on religous ideas. Turkey is at the same time pressing for a date for negotiations with the EU on membership to begin. The big problems are, officially, that Turkey's economy sucks and that human rights are not being held in as high regard as in the EU member states. Unofficially, there's also the issues of Turkey being mostly muslim, whereas the EU memberstates are mostly christian, and that Turkey is really not a part of the European continent, thus raising the question: what's the goal of the EU process? Do we want a huge free trade area, or simply a local zone of security?


In Denmark we have had a lot of fun with Russia lately. Some private organisation organised a conference on Chechnya which provoked the Russian authorities no end. They asked our government to outlaw it - in the light of the Moscow theater incident - which our government, referring to our constitution which grants freedom of speech and assembly to anyone, declined to do.
Russian authorities then asked for extradition of one of the attendents of the conference (Sakayev) who was consequently arrested by the danish police. Unfortunately, the Russian authorities have yet to present evidence that would warrant an extradition, and Russia, practicing capital punishment, is on the list of countries Denmark do not extradite to.
Since then, another conference on Chechnya have been held in private in Denmark, resulting in vague but sincere threats from Russian officials, and Danish companies have stopped exporting to Russia as they feel harassed by the Russian custom authorities. Putin cancelled a meeting with the danish prime minister as well, and the danish government, being head of EU, moved an EU-summit to Bruxelles, so Putin could attend as well. It's kind of sad as none of the sides can back down. The danish constitution makes it illegal to ban arrangements held in private, and Russian politicians have been so direct in their statements that neither side can afford to apoligise.

Sweden is also having fun with Russia. They caught a spy at Ericson who was delivering information to Russian diplomats, who were consequently deported. Russia retaliated by deporting some Swedish diplomats, and I think that's as far as things have gone so far.

I hope at least some of this very interesting to you tf.

Whats going on in the Netherlands?

quote:

Originally posted by DJ Mikey Mike --- Public sector pay WILL NEVER = Private sector pay. PM gets £100k a year- in the private sector his job would pay 6 figures easy. To compare yourselves to tube drivers on £31k, etc is irellevent.

hence greater financial efficiency in the public sector...

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quote:

Sweden is also having fun with Russia. They caught a spy at Ericson who was delivering information to Russian diplomats, who were consequently deported. Russia retaliated by deporting some Swedish diplomats, and I think that's as far as things have gone so far.

interesting... Does anyone here live in Russia...? i know there are some.... if so what city?

It seems like Russia is being quite provocative, or at least they've just been getting caught.

I get a good amount of world news coverage where I live. Mostly from the newspaper but also from TV. Maybe that's because Canada is so boring that they have to look elsewhere to fill up the half hour. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

quote:

--- Italian fireman get £12,000 a year- with cost of living adjustment, thats £15,000 by our standards

OMG this is shite salary! but again, its in Italy j/k

quote:

--- A blue collar, public service occupation does not warrant £30k+ per year. If thats what you want, join the private sector, there are hundreds of people quite happy to do it for £21k

around around 51,000 USD. that is plenty - i dont think that the firefighters in the USA make that much, maybe after being in the service for tons of years - maybe.

>JM<