Article

2005-01-18 Europe

Defending the cruet set: Act of cultural terrorism by Brussels

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Posted by Fred 2005-01-18 10:16:20 PM|| || Front Page|| [11131 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 "What we are witnessing is an Americanization/banalization/plastification of cultural/culinary habits in Europe."

What the heck does the U.S. have to do with out-of-control Belgian food Nazis? Must be the obligatory anti-American reference. Apparently no story (on any topic whatsoever) is complete without one

Posted by PBMcL 2005-01-18 12:39:01 AM|| 2005-01-18 12:39:01 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 You know you've hit rock bottom when PRAVDA is making fun of you.

Posted by anonymous2u 2005-01-18 1:03:38 AM|| 2005-01-18 1:03:38 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Just wait...when they start regulating dicks. EU average is 5.9" (15 cm) in 'ready' state. The excess would be chopped off, while the substandard wieners would be adjusted by a stretcher therapy.

Posted by Kaboos 2005-01-18 2:42:47 AM|| 2005-01-18 2:42:47 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 I guess the next BelgianCrat wiseacring will go like this :
"According to Article 37.117 of the European culinary code of regulations, all French restaurants would be limited to serving kidney pie and green peas as the mandatory entree."

Just give them another 5 years and the entire continent will be eating dreck.....

Posted by EoZ 2005-01-18 4:28:24 AM|| 2005-01-18 4:28:24 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 "What we are witnessing is an Americanization/banalization/plastification of cultural/culinary habits in Europe."

What we arte witnessing is the sovietization of cultural/culinary habits in Europe. A new iron wall is descending over Europe.

Posted by JFM 2005-01-18 4:44:11 AM|| 2005-01-18 4:44:11 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 JFM,
Its going to be even worse because as the Iron Curtain slowly descends over Europe, the New Khalifa and the Sharia will raise their ugly heads from within...

Posted by EoZ 2005-01-18 5:08:11 AM|| 2005-01-18 5:08:11 AM|| Front Page Top

#7 What do they eat in Brussels? Everything. In very large amounts. And its all delicious; they've murdered many meat inspectors to ensure that.

Mussels, chocolates, french fries with mayonnaise, meltingly tender illegally hormone-fed veal, mtih-f beef, mtih-f pork, crepes with chocolate sauce, sugar-crusted Belgian waffles with berry sauce, plain Belgian waffles with chocolate sauce, French wine, Trappist beer, stew cooked with beer, stew cooked with wine, sliced baguette to dip in the sauces, chocolate-hazelnut butter on bread for breakfast, and the children eat their afternoon bread-and-butter with chocolate sprinkles on it (British translation "hundreds and thousands", for the Aussies "fairy bread" but with only chocolate)...

Given their eating habits, I have never understood the Brussels obsession with regulating the foodstuffs of others, since it all ends up in sleekly prosperous Brussels bellies in the end.

Posted by trailing wife 2005-01-18 6:53:40 AM|| 2005-01-18 6:53:40 AM|| Front Page Top

#8 TW, that's more like my memory of Belgium, yum. And don't forget the pies, cakes, and pastries. Just because BS is coming out of Brussels doesn't mean that Belgians are doing it.

Posted by HV 2005-01-18 9:14:15 AM|| 2005-01-18 9:14:15 AM|| Front Page Top

#9 What we are witnessing is an Americanization/banalization/plastification of cultural/culinary habits in Europe.

Hey! We allow cruet sets and salt and pepper shakers on our tables.

Posted by 2b 2005-01-18 9:27:08 AM|| 2005-01-18 9:27:08 AM|| Front Page Top

#10 But are they Waterford Crystal, with the VAT paid?

Posted by .com 2005-01-18 9:28:56 AM|| 2005-01-18 9:28:56 AM|| Front Page Top

#11 I think Charlotte Corday beaned Murat with a cruet.... er, Fred, that's 'Marat'. You miss that little Turk troll don't you?

Posted by GK 2005-01-18 10:17:06 AM|| 2005-01-18 10:17:06 AM|| Front Page Top

#12 For those of us who have to google to giggle:
Charlotte

Posted by anon 2005-01-18 10:31:37 AM|| 2005-01-18 10:31:37 AM|| Front Page Top

#13 did we lose another Murat? They blow up so quickly.

Posted by 2b 2005-01-18 10:43:03 AM|| 2005-01-18 10:43:03 AM|| Front Page Top

#14 love the graphic, Fred

Posted by Frank G 2005-01-18 11:06:19 AM|| 2005-01-18 11:06:19 AM|| Front Page Top

#15 All fun aside, do not confuse "Brussels bureaucrat" with a Belgian or Euro regs with Belgian cuisine. Most of the real heavy hitter bureaucrats I have worked with and know in Brussels are either Irish, Italian or Luxembourg. And in defense of Belgian cuisine (which should need none among true gourmands)it is the finest in Europe - where the hell do you think the French learned to cook? Plus what country would you rather govern - one with 150 cheeses or one with 600 different types of beer?

Posted by Jack is Back! 2005-01-18 11:28:25 AM|| 2005-01-18 11:28:25 AM|| Front Page Top

#16 Plus what country would you rather govern - one with 150 cheeses or one with 600 different types of beer?

Come to Britain and you can have the beer and the cheese!

Posted by Homer 2005-01-18 11:37:06 AM|| 2005-01-18 11:37:06 AM|| Front Page Top

#17 D'oh!

Posted by Bulldog 2005-01-18 11:37:41 AM|| 2005-01-18 11:37:41 AM|| Front Page Top

#18 Bulldog - you do have good beer and cheese! YUM!

Posted by 2b 2005-01-18 11:40:32 AM|| 2005-01-18 11:40:32 AM|| Front Page Top

#19 FF with mayonnaise? Degoutant! (I can't get mayonnaise past my lips-it doesn't matter how old I get. Yuck!)

Posted by Jules 187 2005-01-18 11:40:51 AM|| 2005-01-18 11:40:51 AM|| Front Page Top

#20 You know you've hit rock bottom when PRAVDA is making fun of you.

I thought you've hit rock bottom when you start to BELIEVE what Pravda is saying.

"Brussels intends" is for me the first warning sign (beyond the name Pravda, ofcourse) -- who is this Brussels? Is it the European Commission, the Council? Or it just indeed the advice of a minor bureucrat who has no power or authority, a foolish law that will never pass? A reporter uses the vague "Brussels" only when he doesn't care to clarify but to obfuscate instead.

I've checked a couple other articles that this guy "Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey" wrote: http://english.pravda.ru/author/_78.htmld

Check them out yourselves (there's a list at the end of the above page). An apologist for Putin's own barbarism in Chechnya, he nonetheless calls Darfur simply as "no less barbaric" than *Abu Ghraib*: the only entity he hates and mocks more than the European Union seem to be the United States and Israel.

An example: When he defended Prince Harry, he referred to "Sharon's units in the Lebanon as they were committing their massacres of civilians"

And you are free to read for yourselves what he's saying on Iraq, the reelection of Bush and so forth.

If you "hit rock bottom when Pravda starts mocking you", I'm afraid that the USA hit rock bottom long before the EU did.

---

Either way, even in the slim possibility this "cruet set" thingy is real, I'm guessing such a law will be cheerfully ignored, and certainly nothing will ever be done to enforce it. In Greece atleast we cheerfully ignored the law against kokoretsi.

Posted by Aris Katsaris 2005-01-18 11:50:56 AM|| [http://www.livejournal.com/~katsaris/] 2005-01-18 11:50:56 AM|| Front Page Top

#21 even in the slim possibility this "cruet set" thingy is real, I'm guessing such a law will be cheerfully ignored, and certainly nothing will ever be done to enforce it. In Greece atleast we cheerfully ignored the law against kokoretsi.

I think it's time you guys asked yourselves whether you actually want to be involved in the European project, or not. You seem to want to have your cake and eat it. If Greece, and yourself as an individual, are so contemptuous of consensually drawn European laws you should consider leaving the union.

OT, but, Aris, what's your opinion of Prince Harry's decision to wear a German uniform with Nazi insignia to a party? Do you object to people wearing such clothing? Do you support the efforts of some German politicians to ban the swastika symbol across Europe?

Posted by Bulldog 2005-01-18 11:59:28 AM|| 2005-01-18 11:59:28 AM|| Front Page Top

#22 I'm guessing such a law will be cheerfully ignored, and certainly nothing will ever be done to enforce it. In Greece atleast we cheerfully
ignored the law against kokoretsi.--

Aris, you don't get it. They would hire more people to ferret out the law-breakers. It's for your health, you know.

After all, Britain has people testing waves to see if you have a TV and haven't paid your tax.

Posted by anonymous2u 2005-01-18 12:06:40 PM|| 2005-01-18 12:06:40 PM|| Front Page Top

#23 They would hire more people to ferret out the law-breakers.

Don't bank on it. Flouting European laws is a normal way of life for many Europeans - not just the Greeks. Seems offensive to us uptight by-the-letter Anglos, but, especially in the Mediterranean countries where corruption is a sport, dodging inconvenient laws is a shrug-of-the-shoulders no-brainer.

Posted by Bulldog 2005-01-18 12:16:38 PM|| 2005-01-18 12:16:38 PM|| Front Page Top

#24 And more than that, it's seen a sign of cleverness. Cheating is a sport there, not a sign of a lack of ethics or a compromised intellect, as is the case here.

Posted by Jules 187 2005-01-18 12:21:42 PM|| 2005-01-18 12:21:42 PM|| Front Page Top

#25 Cheating is a sport there, not a sign of a lack of ethics or a compromised intellect

And you want to join forces with that 3rd world mentality ...because...???

Posted by 2b 2005-01-18 12:24:18 PM|| 2005-01-18 12:24:18 PM|| Front Page Top

#26 Who is "you"? Nothing I said resembles that, does it?

Posted by Jules 187 2005-01-18 12:26:22 PM|| 2005-01-18 12:26:22 PM|| Front Page Top

#27 And you want to join forces with that 3rd world mentality ...because...???

Do you mean me? Perhaps I should have inserted the sarcasm on/off at the appropriate positions in comment #21. I would far rather Britain pulled out of the EU.

Posted by Bulldog 2005-01-18 12:31:03 PM|| 2005-01-18 12:31:03 PM|| Front Page Top

#28 no..didn't mean you in particular...just the collective "you". :-)

Posted by 2b 2005-01-18 12:31:59 PM|| 2005-01-18 12:31:59 PM|| Front Page Top

#29 "I think it's time you guys asked yourselves whether you actually want to be involved in the European project, or not. You seem to want to have your cake and eat it."

Always the best option, whenever possible. :-)

"If Greece, and yourself as an individual, are so contemptuous of consensually drawn European laws you should consider leaving the union."

*g* I'm contemptuous of all laws, whether European or national, that interfere with the liberal rights of individual people. It has nothing to do with the Europeanness or not of the law -- a Greek law that would try to do the same should be ignored just as cheerfully. Such an attitude is good to have to have for *any* central authority that interferes with individual rights.

I'm free to eat kokoretsi or not. Greece-the-state obeys the law that bans kokoretsi, but Greek people cheerfully ignore it. Neither Greece-the-state, and certainly not the EU are arrogant enough to think they can enforce it. Everyone wins.

If anything, the fact that it's a European law is better, as it makes it even less likely to be enforced. The smaller the state's power to restrict the people's non-harmful actions, the better. When a religiously conservative Greek minister tried to have bars close very early in the nights, the Greek people ignored him with contempt also. Except in that case the *nation's* power to enforce the law was greater, which made the violation of our rights real on a practical level, rather than the just theoretical level which the kokoretsi-thingy is.

This isn't exactly the equivalent of the UK Conservatives claiming they'll be nationalizing the Common Fisheries Policy, thus violating the rights under treaty of the citizens of other member-states. Unlike the violation of the CFP, which is fundamental to the EU's framework, nobody else is hurt by allowing people to eat kokoretsi as they want.

This is the difference between a libertarian-attitude ignoring of EU law, and a nationalistic-attitude ignoring of EU law. The former simply rebels against restrictions, the latter just wants the restriction to be placed on a national rather than an EU level. The latter is contemptible, the former is good to have.

"OT, but, Aris, what's your opinion of Prince Harry's decision to wear a German uniform with Nazi insignia to a party? Do you object to people wearing such clothing?"

I think they should have the *right* to wear it. I also think it was very irresponsible and stupid for him to do so.

I also think that UK should abolish its monarchy, which would make us indifferent to what the third-in-line from the throne chooses or not to wear.

Do you support the efforts of some German politicians to ban the swastika symbol across Europe?

No. That's just stupid.

Posted by Aris Katsaris 2005-01-18 12:35:57 PM|| [http://www.livejournal.com/~katsaris/] 2005-01-18 12:35:57 PM|| Front Page Top

#30 ignore

Posted by Frank G 2005-01-18 12:40:23 PM|| 2005-01-18 12:40:23 PM|| Front Page Top

#31 Frank is incapable of ignoring, without shouting to the world he's ignoring.

Posted by Aris Katsaris 2005-01-18 12:42:18 PM|| [http://www.livejournal.com/~katsaris/] 2005-01-18 12:42:18 PM|| Front Page Top

#32 Greeks prefer to live as law-breakers rather than to protest an absurd law? We Brits aren't inured to flaunting the law, and consequently get enraged at having to deal with the stupidity and miles of red tape emanating from Brussels. I can see why you are so much more fond of the EU than we are.

What about Greek farmers who fraudulently claim EU subsidies they're not entitled to? That's another petty victimless crime? After all, it's not Greek money they're stealing, and it seems like a fairly libertarian-attitude ignoring of EU law. Everyone wins, huh? How would you feel about a food producer who flaunted regulations regarding proper storage of fresh meat? Do you cheerily laugh off bouts of gastroenteritis from dodgy kebabs?

I'm glad to see that we agree re. Harry and the German 'Liberals' [sic]. As regards the Royal family though - they're a nice little earner, thanks. We'll probably keep them for a while longer.

Posted by Bulldog 2005-01-18 12:51:14 PM|| 2005-01-18 12:51:14 PM|| Front Page Top

#33 Greeks prefer to live as law-breakers rather than to protest an absurd law?

Our way of protesting at the absurdity of the law is breaking it. The process of breaking it shows there's no victim caused, thus proving the absurdity of the law.

Other than that, I'm not interested in your irrational accusations, Bulldog. Stealing money is hardly a victimless crime, neither is causing food poisoning though improper storage of meat.

Posted by Aris Katsaris 2005-01-18 12:59:41 PM|| [http://www.livejournal.com/~katsaris/] 2005-01-18 12:59:41 PM|| Front Page Top

#34 *through* improper storage, I meant.

Posted by Aris Katsaris 2005-01-18 1:00:24 PM|| [http://www.livejournal.com/~katsaris/] 2005-01-18 1:00:24 PM|| Front Page Top

#35 Circular argument.

Posted by Jules 187 2005-01-18 1:01:02 PM|| 2005-01-18 1:01:02 PM|| Front Page Top

#36 Jules> No. If the law wasn't absurd, there'd be victims caused by the lawbreaking, there'd be *someone* to protest it with a personal stake in it, someone who was hurt through our violations.

Not circular at all. It all depends on the existence of victims.

Other than that I confess that I've not protested enough: I've only eaten kokoretsi a handful of times. To my defense, I really dislike its taste. :-)

Posted by Aris Katsaris 2005-01-18 1:05:39 PM|| [http://www.livejournal.com/~katsaris/] 2005-01-18 1:05:39 PM|| Front Page Top

#37 I can see why you are so much more fond of the EU than we are.

Exactly. Because I care about freedom in *practice*, not just in theory.

In *practice*, all EU laws that have affected my life, have led to my increased freedom.

And in *practice* all the laws that have restricted my freedom have tended to be, without a single exception I can recall, national ones.

Posted by Aris Katsaris 2005-01-18 1:12:01 PM|| [http://www.livejournal.com/~katsaris/] 2005-01-18 1:12:01 PM|| Front Page Top

#38 fnord

Posted by Shipman 2005-01-18 1:13:43 PM|| 2005-01-18 1:13:43 PM|| Front Page Top

#39 SYN

Posted by badanov 2005-01-18 1:25:58 PM|| [http://www.rkka.org] 2005-01-18 1:25:58 PM|| Front Page Top

#40 Quick question: Isn't it better on principle to have laws that comport with reality, and to have said laws represent the will of the people, at least on some level? Laws shouldn't be ignored; they should be respected. To have laws that are ignored or looked down upon as stupid formailities that are ignored is unhealthy for the body politic. It denegrates the other, "good laws" that the society demands. cf. the broken window theory of policing (success), and on the other hand, the war on drugs (failure). Moreover, government will always demand more laws; more ways to control the behavior of it's subjects. When the "legislature" lacks systems for accountability or perverts those systems, you can bet that they will overreach.

Posted by Mark E. 2005-01-18 1:27:34 PM|| 2005-01-18 1:27:34 PM|| Front Page Top

#41 It denegrates the other, "good laws" that the society demands.

Yep. Let's test out this theory of "victimless crimes". Would someone name a few victimless crimes?

Posted by Jules 187 2005-01-18 1:39:04 PM|| 2005-01-18 1:39:04 PM|| Front Page Top

#42 Ok, Jules.....jaywalking, and for the most part, possession of marijuana. Could even throw in prostitution sometimes (neither party a minor, both consenting adults....then, definitely a victimless crime.)

Posted by Desert Blondie 2005-01-18 1:48:50 PM|| 2005-01-18 1:48:50 PM|| Front Page Top

#43 It denegrates the other, "good laws" that the society demands.

Agreed, unfortuanately, but blind obedience to the law is even worse.

Disrespecting authority has on the whole never been as harmful as unthinkingly bending to it.

Would someone name a few victimless crimes?

Public nudity. (though in some limited cases -- like in crowded places -- that becomes a public health concern)

The anti-sodomy law of Texas which existed until recently. Do you think all gay people in Texas would have done well to respect this law, and thus legitimize the intrusion of the state in their sex lives?

Blasphemy laws worldwide.

Posted by Aris Katsaris 2005-01-18 1:53:05 PM|| [http://www.livejournal.com/~katsaris/] 2005-01-18 1:53:05 PM|| Front Page Top

#44 ignore

Posted by Tom 2005-01-18 1:54:02 PM|| 2005-01-18 1:54:02 PM|| Front Page Top

#45 Aris, you obviously haven't seen some of the naked people I have, or you wouldn't say it's a "victimless" crime! :)
Most of the people you wouldn't mind seeing naked rarely are....

Posted by Desert Blondie 2005-01-18 1:55:16 PM|| 2005-01-18 1:55:16 PM|| Front Page Top

#46 I'm with you on jaywalking. Marijuana is arguable. Prostitution is most definitely arguable-especially if one party is married.

So Aris may be right about jaywalking, anyway.

Maybe the problem comes when society agrees/disagrees on what is harmful, rather than with the ridiculousness or unimportance of law-abiding, per se?

Posted by Jules 187 2005-01-18 1:58:23 PM|| 2005-01-18 1:58:23 PM|| Front Page Top

#47 Jules, I wasn't arguing for using marijuana, just the possession of it. Personally, I don't think marijuana's that bad. But just having it in your backpack or in your house.....where's the crime there?

Even if one party in the act of prostitution is married, really, how's that different from adultery (except someone's getting paid?) Adultery has been decriminalized in a lot of jurisdictions, and even where it's still on the books, I've never heard of it being enforced. I'm not arguing the morality of it....even if both parties are unmarried, it's personally repulsive to me. But they aren't technically hurting anyone unless they are passing a disease on to another partner.

Posted by Desert Blondie 2005-01-18 2:10:34 PM|| 2005-01-18 2:10:34 PM|| Front Page Top

#48 Weirdly enough I would *not* put jaywalking in the list of crimes that's always victimless. In occasion it can be irresponsible -- and dangerous for the drivers as well.

I was justifiably shouted at when I once stupidly jaywalked (jay-ran :-), in such a potentially-dangerous situation.

Posted by Aris Katsaris 2005-01-18 2:10:49 PM|| [http://www.livejournal.com/~katsaris/] 2005-01-18 2:10:49 PM|| Front Page Top

#49 In comparing alcohol and marijuana and what effects each has on people and safety, I would put alcohol on the side of greater overall harm.

In terms of prostitution, I agree that adultery is not much different than prostitution, other than the fact that prostitution is paid for (we could always collect taxes-just kidding) but I couldn't disagree more about it not hurting anyone else. It seems like it often does-even if not immediately. IMO, it destroys trust (marital or otherwise) and falsely disassociates the hormonal, biological, social and psychological aspects/consequences of sex. It also tends draw other law-breaking parts of society to its environs.

Posted by Jules 187 2005-01-18 2:30:48 PM|| 2005-01-18 2:30:48 PM|| Front Page Top

#50 falsely disassociates the hormonal, biological, social and psychological aspects/consequences of sex. It also tends draw other law-breaking parts of society to its environs.
Sounds like Hollywood to me! ;)
But seriously....if you have Trixie the independent businesswoman providing a service to Buford, ok....but does it really matter if she's doing his electrical work or providing a service of a more, um, personal nature? That's why I say, yeah, it's a victimless crime in some circumstances, not all.
If Buford and Trixie aren't married, aren't passing on a disease, and both are legally of age, why is it that if she charges for it she's a criminal, but if, after a few drinks she does the same damn thing she's not?

Posted by Desert Blondie 2005-01-18 2:49:49 PM|| 2005-01-18 2:49:49 PM|| Front Page Top

#51 You make a good point, and I don't disagree with you that they are both consenting and no kids/spouses are involved-I should not butt in. :)

OTOH, I feel kinda sorry for Trixie. She doesn't know her body or herself very well. For those interested in the other explanation, do a little research on oxytocin. That'd be a good start.

Posted by Jules 187 2005-01-18 2:58:12 PM|| 2005-01-18 2:58:12 PM|| Front Page Top

#52 Hi Aris,

The problem with just blithely ignoring those stupid little laws (which we all have to some extent) is that they are threat in the back pocket of any would be dictator. Depending on the severity of the consequences, which itself is a changeable thing, they can be enforced at will to either add revenue to the govt or harrass those who disagree. A proper society is one in which the law is obeyed because it is correct to do so. That posits that the laws are agreed upon by the people and are worthy of being obeyed.

Having a raft of laws that really don't make sense leads to all sorts of bad things. If you are constantly flouting laws, where do you draw the line? In the same place as everyone else, or do you have hundreds of different lines to choose from?

Posted by AlanC 2005-01-18 3:28:56 PM|| 2005-01-18 3:28:56 PM|| Front Page Top

#53 At the risk of being considered an ignoramus
would someone enlighten me as to what is
this kokoretsy ???

Posted by EoZ 2005-01-18 3:45:59 PM|| 2005-01-18 3:45:59 PM|| Front Page Top

#54 I could be wrong, but what I got out of this article was that all these silly laws (should they ever come into being), are just bad for business. Well, except maybe the producers of little plastic sachets. Which gets me thinking... who is the real sponsor of such laws in Europe, hmm?

Posted by Rafael 2005-01-18 3:55:42 PM|| 2005-01-18 3:55:42 PM|| Front Page Top

#55 #31 - at least he's capable of ignoring - something you have yet to master.

Posted by 2b 2005-01-18 4:04:32 PM|| 2005-01-18 4:04:32 PM|| Front Page Top

#56 Eoz> Not having ever cooked it, I don't know if this recipe is typical but here you go: http://greece.hispeed.com/kokoretsi.htm

2b> You're only saying that because when I choose to ignore something, I *actually* ignore it, rather than going "I'm ignoring you" all the time. You wouldn't want me posting "ignore" messages every time Mrs D is speaking about "he who must not be named".

Posted by Aris Katsaris 2005-01-18 4:22:30 PM|| [http://www.livejournal.com/~katsaris/] 2005-01-18 4:22:30 PM|| Front Page Top

#57 face it, Frank got the upper hand by ignoring you first and even got the satisfaction of driving the point home with one word instead of the 15000 you post to the same effect.

Maybe when you reach the age of 16 you will understand.

Posted by 2b 2005-01-18 4:29:08 PM|| 2005-01-18 4:29:08 PM|| Front Page Top

#58 wind blows.....
bravo Aris, bravo!!! Clap, clap, clap.

Posted by 2b 2005-01-18 4:38:26 PM|| 2005-01-18 4:38:26 PM|| Front Page Top

#59 When will *you* ever give it a rest?

Posted by Aris Katsaris 2005-01-18 4:42:07 PM|| [http://www.livejournal.com/~katsaris/] 2005-01-18 4:42:07 PM|| Front Page Top

#60 That is a good question, Aris. You should ask it yourself more often.

Posted by Sobiesky 2005-01-18 4:44:34 PM|| 2005-01-18 4:44:34 PM|| Front Page Top

#61 Read the thread. See who talked about the topic, and which people are instead obsessing over my person, yet again.

Their ignore-but-make-it-clear-we're-ignoring tactics look more like something that angry girlfriends do instead of actually uninterested people.

Posted by Aris Katsaris 2005-01-18 4:51:01 PM|| [http://www.livejournal.com/~katsaris/] 2005-01-18 4:51:01 PM|| Front Page Top

#62 Aris, Aris, Aris....I could not have provided you with a better set up....and then even encourged you with the reward...sigh... the opportunity lost was yours.

Posted by 2b 2005-01-18 5:02:12 PM|| 2005-01-18 5:02:12 PM|| Front Page Top

#63 Oh, Aris, I get it! Frank is obsessively ignoring you.

Well, ostentatively may be a better description.

Seems that provided a terrible blow to your self-esteem.

I prefer self-respect, it has much better footing in reality.

Posted by Sobiesky 2005-01-18 5:11:54 PM|| 2005-01-18 5:11:54 PM|| Front Page Top

#64 This isn't Monkey Island, 2b, with mockeries and retorts. This isn't kindergarten, with gangs of petty bullies using taunts and countertaunts, because if they dare to get physical the teacher will grab them by the ears.

Opportunity lost to do what? Play your ritualized games of superiority? Make a step towards some "alpha" position in the hierarchy of trolls and mockers that I wouldn't even desire?

Even when dealing with such stalking or trollery as Frank's or Tom's, I never play with "setups". I'm trying to make you see sense, I'm not trying to grab points in some game you are participating in, and which I'm not.

Posted by Aris Katsaris 2005-01-18 5:34:32 PM|| [http://www.livejournal.com/~katsaris/] 2005-01-18 5:34:32 PM|| Front Page Top

#65 Lol!

Posted by .com 2005-01-18 5:37:51 PM|| 2005-01-18 5:37:51 PM|| Front Page Top

#66 And I've never claimed myself humble. I've admitted myself openly arrogant.

Posted by Aris Katsaris 2005-01-18 5:40:27 PM|| [http://www.livejournal.com/~katsaris/] 2005-01-18 5:40:27 PM|| Front Page Top

#67 Okay, is everyone pretty much ready for Speed Weeks! I know RB types are into NASCAR, but remember that Speed Weeks takes off with a little meth and THE 24 HOURS OF DAYTONA! Yes boys and girls the 24 Hours is the only keeping race that helps keep you safe from OWG! Please come to Florida spend your money, nothing larger than 50's please.

Posted by Shipman 2005-01-18 5:41:09 PM|| 2005-01-18 5:41:09 PM|| Front Page Top

#68 WTF???!!!!?!

Posted by .com 2005-01-18 5:43:05 PM|| 2005-01-18 5:43:05 PM|| Front Page Top

#69 Now that's unusual... was it a heel break?

Posted by Shipman 2005-01-18 5:44:09 PM|| 2005-01-18 5:44:09 PM|| Front Page Top

#70 It was the only "auto" related WTF I had. Your post was so amazingly O/T that it was an automatic response, lol!

Posted by .com 2005-01-18 5:46:12 PM|| 2005-01-18 5:46:12 PM|| Front Page Top

#71 Oops, I take it back, here's --1-- --2-- more.

So, Ship, WTF?

Posted by .com 2005-01-18 5:49:18 PM|| 2005-01-18 5:49:18 PM|| Front Page Top

#72 Aris...gotta luv ya, but [ignore]

Shipman, with all due respect...why would RB types be into NASCAR... maybe into tank pulls or missle throwing contests...but NASCAR? ???

Posted by 2b 2005-01-18 5:54:19 PM|| 2005-01-18 5:54:19 PM|| Front Page Top

#73 Supercross is pretty cool, too.

Posted by 11A5S 2005-01-18 6:00:59 PM|| 2005-01-18 6:00:59 PM|| Front Page Top

#74 Atta-boy Shipman! Keep pushing those racing series that require drivers to turn right. The 24 Hours is an awesome race.

Posted by Remoteman 2005-01-18 6:11:09 PM|| 2005-01-18 6:11:09 PM|| Front Page Top

#75 Wasn't 'Cruet' the name of the villianess in "101 Dalmations"?

Posted by Pappy 2005-01-18 8:11:20 PM|| 2005-01-18 8:11:20 PM|| Front Page Top

#76 Europe desparately needs a Libertarian Party. In the interest of trans-Atlantic friendship, allow me to offer you ours.

Posted by AJackson 2005-01-18 10:45:41 PM|| 2005-01-18 10:45:41 PM|| Front Page Top

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