Why the EU is a waste of time
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The problem is that bullying exists as much amongst grownups as it does amongst children, an if children do not learn how to deal with bullying, by being sheltered from it, then they will not be able to function when they come up against it as adults. Violence does not have to be the answer, and persistent and organised bullying that a child cannot deal with may require some intervention from an adult (teacher, parent, whatever), but bullying is a necessary evil. I was bullied and I bullied others, it is how social hierarchies amongst children work. I am most definitely not proud of some of the things I did to others when I was younger, but I don't think it did any of them any lasting damage (I know them all still to this day), as what I was on the receiving end of did no permanent damage to me. When I see bullying I tend to keep a watch on it, and give those on the receiving end the chance to work things out for themselves. I think that is far more use than jumping straight in. Of course there are extremes, and some people's lives do get ruined by bullying, but as with most things in life it is a careful balancing act and you have to avoid jumping all over everyone to protect the few whilst still providing protection where it is needed.
Every man can tell how many goats or sheep he possesses, but not how many friends.
ChrisElston wrote:
I was bullied and I bullied others
I never did and never was.
ChrisElston wrote:
t is how social hierarchies amongst children work
I actually remember thinking to muyself that I didnt want any of this and intentinally stood outside it all. I have also on occasion suggested that a particular person who is being made fun of has had enough and that its gone far enough, whereupon the teasing has stopped. (OK, its systematic teasing rather than bullying, buit its not dissimilar)
============================== Nothing to say.
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gavindon wrote:
Most bullies(being the cowards they are typically) will not even think about facing me straight up.
Got it in one. I once had to hit someone in a pub. (He backhanded my sister), He was about 6'3" and meatier than me, so I knew it was likely I would lose this. I just span him on his stool and punched screaming "You hit my sister again and I will rip your F***ing head from your f***ing shoulders and spit down your f***ing throat." I didn't hit him once, I kept hitting him again and again until I was dragged off. (Thankfully, because if he had have got one back I would have been in trouble). Turned out ok though, he walked back into the pub about a month later and apologised.
------------------------------------ I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC Link[^] Trolls[^]
one thing us big guys learn at some point in our lives is to respect the smaller psychotic fella... :-D
Let's face it, after Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF! Be careful which toes you step on today, they might be connected to the foot that kicks your butt tomorrow. You can't scare me, I have children.
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one thing us big guys learn at some point in our lives is to respect the smaller psychotic fella... :-D
Let's face it, after Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF! Be careful which toes you step on today, they might be connected to the foot that kicks your butt tomorrow. You can't scare me, I have children.
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gavindon wrote:
respect the smaller psychotic fella
Hell yeah. It's all in the eyes, a little fella with crazy eyes is not someone you want to be fighting.
Every man can tell how many goats or sheep he possesses, but not how many friends.
worst butt whoopin I ever took back in the day was from a little fella literally half my size... turns out he was a black-belt in Shotokan Karate...of course I found this out AFTER I woke up from the floor, then proceeded to start learning martial arts myself..
Let's face it, after Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF! Be careful which toes you step on today, they might be connected to the foot that kicks your butt tomorrow. You can't scare me, I have children.
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one thing us big guys learn at some point in our lives is to respect the smaller psychotic fella... :-D
Let's face it, after Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF! Be careful which toes you step on today, they might be connected to the foot that kicks your butt tomorrow. You can't scare me, I have children.
gavindon wrote:
the smaller psychotic fella
That would be me, then. :) Many moons ago I waiting for my date in a very rough pub in Woolwich, when the leader of a group of four thugs in the corner decided he 'was gonna 'av me 'cos I talked posh'. The barman placed a pick helve on the bar, firmly gripped, and said 'Not in my effin' pub - outside with the lot of ya'. I politely asked the very large gentleman with the poor elocution to let me finish my pint before stepping outside to give him satisfaction. I was drinking out of a traditional pot with a handle. I half turned my back on him, and went to finish the beer, but once I had the glass at face level, I spun around with all the speed and strength I possessed, and planted the pint pot in the middle of his face - terribly unsporting, what? He went down like a log, and I must say there was quite a lot of blood. I thought his mates were going to kick me to death right there in the pub, but they just stood and looked at the wreckage - nothing like the sight of blood to make people think twice (if, indeed, they were capable of thought, as they were a trifle neanderthal in appearance). I heard one of them say "Fookin 'ard b@st@rd 'ere". I put my unbroken pot back on the bar, the barman nodded towards the back door, and I made my self extraordinarily scarce. I never drank there again... :laugh:
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gavindon wrote:
the smaller psychotic fella
That would be me, then. :) Many moons ago I waiting for my date in a very rough pub in Woolwich, when the leader of a group of four thugs in the corner decided he 'was gonna 'av me 'cos I talked posh'. The barman placed a pick helve on the bar, firmly gripped, and said 'Not in my effin' pub - outside with the lot of ya'. I politely asked the very large gentleman with the poor elocution to let me finish my pint before stepping outside to give him satisfaction. I was drinking out of a traditional pot with a handle. I half turned my back on him, and went to finish the beer, but once I had the glass at face level, I spun around with all the speed and strength I possessed, and planted the pint pot in the middle of his face - terribly unsporting, what? He went down like a log, and I must say there was quite a lot of blood. I thought his mates were going to kick me to death right there in the pub, but they just stood and looked at the wreckage - nothing like the sight of blood to make people think twice (if, indeed, they were capable of thought, as they were a trifle neanderthal in appearance). I heard one of them say "Fookin 'ard b@st@rd 'ere". I put my unbroken pot back on the bar, the barman nodded towards the back door, and I made my self extraordinarily scarce. I never drank there again... :laugh:
:thumbsup: For the good story and :thumbsup: for this:
Chris C-B wrote:
I put my unbroken pot back on the bar, the barman nodded towards the back door, and I made my self extraordinarily scarce.
:-D
There is only one Vera Farmiga and Salma Hayek is her prophet! Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.
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Children to be banned from blowing up balloons, under EU safety rules [^] Clearly an important issue that needs urgent attention, and some new laws no doubt... Meanwhile, LPG adapters across Europe: Assortment of LPG adapters needed across Europe[^] Clearly an issue of standardisation that is so utterly unimportant that it can be totally ignored leaving individual countries to come up with all sorts of different fittings.... What the fuck do we pay these clowns for!
============================== Nothing to say.
Because the eurocrats don’t have even a slight idea what their goals are, have no real motivation outside their fat salaries and broad privileges, have no real authority and even if they had, they wouldn’t have knew what to do with it and on top of this they are appointed there, not directly elected from the people, so they don’t owe anyone anything.
There is only one Vera Farmiga and Salma Hayek is her prophet! Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.
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I was when I was about 13. Then when I returned from the summer hols at the end of that year I discovered I was taller than the bullies. The first one who tried it got his face smashed into a desk, breaking his nose and elevating me to the ranks of the 'Not Bullied Any Longer'. They say violence is not the answer. Bollocks, occasionally violence is precisely the answer. Even today I dislike bullying, and I will stand up against anyone I see doing it. (They are usually ill educated and inadequate little people).
------------------------------------ I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC Link[^] Trolls[^]
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So not actually banned then, just covered with ridiculous warnings stating the bleeding obvious than any responsible parent should have no need of.
Every man can tell how many goats or sheep he possesses, but not how many friends.
ChrisElston wrote:
ridiculous warnings stating the bleeding obvious than any responsible parent should have no need of.
And the majority of parents won't read. But I prefer to have goods labelled with the 'bleeding obvious', than not.
Be dogmatic, not thoughtful. It's easier, and you get bumper stickers.- Anon.
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I was when I was about 13. Then when I returned from the summer hols at the end of that year I discovered I was taller than the bullies. The first one who tried it got his face smashed into a desk, breaking his nose and elevating me to the ranks of the 'Not Bullied Any Longer'. They say violence is not the answer. Bollocks, occasionally violence is precisely the answer. Even today I dislike bullying, and I will stand up against anyone I see doing it. (They are usually ill educated and inadequate little people).
------------------------------------ I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC Link[^] Trolls[^]
Dalek Dave wrote:
They say violence is not the answer.
THat's actually correct. "Violence?" is the question. The answer is "Yes!".
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies. -- Sarah Hoyt
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Slacker007 wrote:
We have an anti-bully movement going on here in the United States. Where the f*** was this movement when I was ten?
You apparently haven't been seriously bullied, then.
I was never bullied and made sure that no one else was either. Hate bullies and my dad taught me very early to hit first and hard. Still can't abide bullies: they are covering their own weakness and fear and the best way to tackle them is head on: trust me, they'll back down pdq.
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me
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Dalek Dave wrote:
The first one who tried it got his face smashed into a desk, breaking his nose and elevating me to the ranks of the 'Not Bullied Any Longer'.
They say violence is not the answer.Ever read? Ender's Game, by Francis Scott Card
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Dalek Dave wrote:
They say violence is not the answer.
THat's actually correct. "Violence?" is the question. The answer is "Yes!".
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies. -- Sarah Hoyt
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I was never bullied and made sure that no one else was either. Hate bullies and my dad taught me very early to hit first and hard. Still can't abide bullies: they are covering their own weakness and fear and the best way to tackle them is head on: trust me, they'll back down pdq.
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me
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:thumbsup: For the good story and :thumbsup: for this:
Chris C-B wrote:
I put my unbroken pot back on the bar, the barman nodded towards the back door, and I made my self extraordinarily scarce.
:-D
There is only one Vera Farmiga and Salma Hayek is her prophet! Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.
Kind of you to say so, Sir! Truth is, when training to serve Her Majesty, I had a highly decorated Welsh Guards weapons training instructor*, whose principal military dictum was "Whenever conflict becomes inevitable, escalate immediately to the highest method available". Sound advice, but I guess it's just as well I am not in charge of the big red button on the lap of a marine just outside the oval office. :laugh: * This is the fellow I mentioned some time ago, who, when deputised to take over from the unarmed training instructor opened with the memorable phrase "Gen'l'men - why the f**k are you unarmed?" :cool:
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Children to be banned from blowing up balloons, under EU safety rules [^] Clearly an important issue that needs urgent attention, and some new laws no doubt... Meanwhile, LPG adapters across Europe: Assortment of LPG adapters needed across Europe[^] Clearly an issue of standardisation that is so utterly unimportant that it can be totally ignored leaving individual countries to come up with all sorts of different fittings.... What the fuck do we pay these clowns for!
============================== Nothing to say.
We haven't had any wars in the EU zone since the founding. That was the purpose, and it has been successful. If you have an open market you have removed the major economical reason for war. And most wars have an economical reason in the bottom. To say that it is a waste of time shows that you are either badly informed or narrowminded, or just didn't think all the way through. There are of course a lot of room for improvement. (Understatement of the year?) But to say it's a waste of time... Nope, atleast not yet!
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Thanks.
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me
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We haven't had any wars in the EU zone since the founding. That was the purpose, and it has been successful. If you have an open market you have removed the major economical reason for war. And most wars have an economical reason in the bottom. To say that it is a waste of time shows that you are either badly informed or narrowminded, or just didn't think all the way through. There are of course a lot of room for improvement. (Understatement of the year?) But to say it's a waste of time... Nope, atleast not yet!
I don’t think the “war” reason is valid anymore. Do you think if the EU doesn’t exist we will start killing each other again? Don’t think so. And don’t get me wrong, I’m pro-EU like you, just don’t think that the existing EU structures are up to the task. The parliament is kind of okay, but the so called “government” is a joke IMO. After all the head of the government is from the only EU country without a government and the foreign minister is from the most hated (outside the EU) country. :-D
There is only one Vera Farmiga and Salma Hayek is her prophet! Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.
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We haven't had any wars in the EU zone since the founding. That was the purpose, and it has been successful. If you have an open market you have removed the major economical reason for war. And most wars have an economical reason in the bottom. To say that it is a waste of time shows that you are either badly informed or narrowminded, or just didn't think all the way through. There are of course a lot of room for improvement. (Understatement of the year?) But to say it's a waste of time... Nope, atleast not yet!
Jörgen Andersson wrote:
We haven't had any wars in the EU zone since the founding.
That was the purpose, and it has been successful.Quite. And now that purpose has been served don't you think it is time it was scraped, or at least started again, on a footing relevant to the 21st century?
Jörgen Andersson wrote:
To say that it is a waste of time shows that you are either badly informed or narrowminded
Did you understand WHY I said that? The EU has completely failed to bring in a pan european standard for a technology that only came into existence a decade ago. What IS its role if not to do things like that? Straight bananas and kids blowing up baloons! Banning Hedgehog flavoured crisps, making fishermen wear hair nets! Are you seriously telling me that the EU is an efficient body that serves Europe? Apart for being utterly corrupt, it cant balance its books, and its members dont pay income tax, it acchieves little. Its only high points have been Shengen and the Euro!
============================== Nothing to say.
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Jörgen Andersson wrote:
We haven't had any wars in the EU zone since the founding.
That was the purpose, and it has been successful.Quite. And now that purpose has been served don't you think it is time it was scraped, or at least started again, on a footing relevant to the 21st century?
Jörgen Andersson wrote:
To say that it is a waste of time shows that you are either badly informed or narrowminded
Did you understand WHY I said that? The EU has completely failed to bring in a pan european standard for a technology that only came into existence a decade ago. What IS its role if not to do things like that? Straight bananas and kids blowing up baloons! Banning Hedgehog flavoured crisps, making fishermen wear hair nets! Are you seriously telling me that the EU is an efficient body that serves Europe? Apart for being utterly corrupt, it cant balance its books, and its members dont pay income tax, it acchieves little. Its only high points have been Shengen and the Euro!
============================== Nothing to say.
The problem with EU is that it has grown outside its original purpose without adjusting the structure for it. It's like a really old legacy software that's just having new functions added to it. But I'm staying with my opinion that the open market is a really good idea. And that should certainly not get scrapped.
Erudite__Eric wrote:
Did you understand WHY I said that?
To stir the pot?
Erudite__Eric wrote:
Are you seriously telling me that the EU is an efficient body that serves Europe
Only partly. But then again, how many efficent parts of your government can you mention? As an example, the Swedish Department of Fisheries have more employees than there are fishermen. Hobbyists not counted.
Erudite__Eric wrote:
Its only high points have been Shengen and the Euro!
Forgetting the Open market again are we? I'm not even sure about the Euro, the idea is great, but to make it properly functional we would need to have the same (or at least similar) taxation system over the whole euro zone, good luck with that. There's of course a whole other set of rules and laws that would need to be unified too. Good luck again to make people follow them. (Thinking about Greece here)