Aberlour10

It makes me really sick to post in the same forum together with such a people like the member above. EDITED: Thanks for deleting it

FRANKIE GOES without Holly TO HOLLYWOOD IMO one of the best songs of the strange 80's :rolleyes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsrU71O2FyA]

There are more existential questions....like this for ex>>> 11. Why does this artwork has been sold for $ 142 000 000 last week? http://autoimg.rtl.de/vl09/297612_2_16x9/512x314/142-millionen-dollar-bacon-triptychon-three-studies-of-lucian-freud-ist-das-teuerste-bild-der-welt.jpg

This thread needs some traditional refreshing http://www.sogoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/bacon-shake.jpg

what can I say, Shine On You Crazy Chicken http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/dry.gif

Good that was just a joke by you. Unfortunately that statement has been meant very seriousely by so many people, hard to judge.

In the same period of time Germans will loose probably this strong feeling that they are still living at the occupied territory.

Do you mean Germany should get this right in >>> a) 100 years b) 250 years c) 500 years d) Never after 1945?

Yes and No If we consieder what german politicans said to the public opinion in last weak >>>>YES If we consider what they de facto doing in this case, its clear >>>>NO These are completely different "pairs of shoe" They have to give strong statements to the german public opinion to avoid giving the impression, that they are acting like Washington's vassals. In their real doing they try all to avoid "too much knowing" about NSA acting, not to get too close with Mr Snowdon, despite of fact he would be ready to told all to the german parliament commission. They try a hard split between saying and acting. Business as usual

Several useful infos about Christmas week in Rome here >>> http://www.revealedr...rs-in-rome.html The most interesting museum in Europe at the moment ......the high-security-wing of the Munich police building. There are several media reports today, about sensational found by the german custom police. They have found in Munich about 1500 paintings and drawings by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, Emil Nolde, Franz Marc, Max Beckmann, Paul Klee, Oskar Kokoschka, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner und Max Liebermann....many of them confiscated or stolen by the Nazis in the 30s and 40s....

Surely, but there is still difference between development of the technological capabilities ( in case of german secret services ) and unlimited monitoring ,sucking of the data all over the globe. Cascablanca quote? OK This describe the situation more appriorate IMO : A schoolboy steals compact disc in the store while other thief cheats thousands of people cashing millions. "What a crimes"!!!!! cries somebody. US politcans should not use the word "hypocritical" so easy. Remebering their often complains about chinese spy activities in the last years. With the current knowledge the world can only laugh aboutthis dissembling.

Mr Snowden is a man of merit not only for this what he is already showed to the world, but either for that what he still keeps secret. Obama's administration is so not in the position to lie in this affair, they say either truth or keep silent ( mostly). Every single lie could provoke that another "jewel" from Snowdens collection will find the way to the world press and nail the lie.

Surely, there was always spying on each other..and this is not what shocks the Europeans in such a manner. The paranoide dimension of this what the NSA is doing, this makes so many people sick here. It seems most americans do not care about this huge less controlled "octopus" growing over their country, after 9/11 they are agreed with everything on this matter. We have to find the way to stop this...said the boss of the NSA yeasterday. And he did not mean the paranoia in his own organisation but the people of free media! It's siginificant how the land of the freedom is turning in a "change".

Do not trust anyone, not even your friends is the usual thinking in the state of paranoia.

Surrreal and more surreal...this is a good description for what happens in the transatlantic relationships in these days. The european media, especially in Germany and France are full with articles, reports, comments about the newest, developments in the NSA affair while even so serious newspapers like NYT WP LAT seem to have much more interest for reports about Baby George, really strange days... Even the closest US friends like Merkel and Hollande who would never serious criticize USA are now really angry, the call ENOUGH IS ENOUGH storms through political Europa. Obama's arrogance and ignorance in the way he responds to the current situation is unprecedented...this is the one opinion throug all political camps. Does he really recognize the political damage in the relationship with Europe relased by his management. European opinion on that: Obama does not need friends, he has the NSA. But nevermind, Baby George seems to be really more interesting for the americans. C'est la vie.

Al Bundy would love this thread. He was the only real expert on these things I know.B-)

Who thought 3 weeks ago Kerry would ever say something like this? The things change fast these days in Syria. About 50.000 rebels do not recognize the exil goverment anymore and fight in the new formed Army of Islam under the black flag of Jihad. I think it will be harder and harder for the politicans to explain the western public opinion why this forces should be armed, financed and otherwise supported with their tax money.

Me too, especially in my youth. With the amazing "King Rat" novel on my private top list. The first always the best? I "ate" the "Shogun" through the entire nights. "Tai-Pan" and "Noble House". first class Family Saga's but... ..I have read "Whirlwind" too and could not belived it was written by the same author, IMO a godawful novel, hundreds sites full of hackneyed phrases, naive patriotic stuff etc etc...

I think she forgot this man in the moment of the opening her mothers last will. Mother left the entire property to her sister.B-)

I dont understand italian language, did he really say this? I took a look in the history of bridge in the last 20 years especially Bermuda Bowl and European Team Championships: The facts are: Bermuda Bowl In the knock out round of the BB Poland met Italy only one time in the last 20 years It was 2003 in Paris - Poland won bronze medal beating Italy by 86- 74 http://www.worldbrid...=PO&qtournid=83 EDITED: N. Bocchi played in this match I went back to Yokohama 1991, no other knock out matches In the RRs>>> several polish wins in this period of time European Championships There were no knock-out matches for a long period of time so here RRs last tournaments: 2006 Poland won by 58-35 2008 Poland won by 49-7 2010 Poland lost 2012 Poland won by 42-17

Some further thoughts on it. It does not surprise me that turkish goverment is deeply disappointed about the currrent situation. From the first day of this conflict they wanted "western intervention" in Syria with the goal of the regime change. They put the oil in the fire whenever it was possilble,. With the Obama's decision to punish Assad's reigme Erdogan saw the day coming US Air Force bombing Syria not only for days but till Assad fails. This hope was destroyed by agreement in Geneva. The first party which loudly announced "this agreement will never work" was of course the turkish goverment. Russia resits the proposal to take automatically sanctions from the Chapter 7 into the UN-Resolution because it feels still fooled especially by France and GB in the case of Libya. Putin let pass this resolution with the only goal to protect civilians. Paris and London reinterpreted tricky this resolution and bombed whatever they wanted till to regime change with the UN-Resolution in the raised hand. Moscow decided, such a trick will be never successfull again. But it doesn't matter. With or without UN Resolution, Obama will bomb if he thinks he should. This did every US goverment if the Security Council was not 100% on their side..

I would favorize Italy cause to their so disciplined performance vs Poland, but all players are tired like in every BB final, hard to foresee how it will influence the play. The things change fast in bridge, it seemed vs Italy played completely different polish team to the squad which has beaten NL by 120 a day before.

Translating this statement from the diplomatic to the common language: Damn, we will take this money for sure, but for the sake of form we will do so if it takes place by fair conditions.

Its true, but if you ask all these ordinary members how to achive it.....: Do they agree with paying top pro's using their annual membership fees for it, I would expect the majority says "NO". What to do if there is not a corporate sponsorship? In Poland the only way to realise it was the agreement with a playing sponsor who pays 5 pro's in Bali. Many people were sceptic about this , but it worked, the sponsor did not bad = playing 176 boards in RR >>>average -0,13 ( many renowned pro's finished a deal worse ) No matter whether they win or loose in SF, to get back into the top four is a great achivement for the team.

German political landscape after yesterday's Bundestag election.:blink: http://fotos.bilder-speicher.de/meine-werke/ttt/hallus-13092319442575.jpg