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Post by kerouac2 on Apr 29, 2020 18:42:00 GMT
(For anybody taken aback, it should be pointed out that 'homo' is the standard term in French for someone who is not 'hétero' (straight). Obviously, 'gay' is also commonly used.)
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Post by onlyMark on Apr 29, 2020 19:37:08 GMT
I am really glad you explained that.
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Post by whatagain on Apr 29, 2020 21:26:45 GMT
In belgium gay means joyous. Hardly used that way in france though. Why dont you all speak like me 😜😜 Thans Kerouac for the clarification.
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Post by kerouac2 on Apr 29, 2020 21:34:01 GMT
Yes, "homo" is basically an insult in English. Meanwhile, it may be pointed out that the prime ministers of Luxembourg and Ireland are also gay and the prime minster of Serbia is a lesbian, so Elio di Rupo is Belgium is much less of a phenomenon than he might once have been. As for France, the position of Minister of Culture seems to be reserved for gays.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 30, 2020 3:29:00 GMT
In belgium gay means joyous. That was the original meaning in English and it's still built into the language with that meaning, as in "our hearts were young and gay". In Victorian times a "gay woman" was a prostitute. Why dont you all speak like me 😜😜 We would if we could, Whatagain! Gay is used in Mexico the same way as in France and the US. I thought it was now a universally accepted term.
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Post by whatagain on Apr 30, 2020 16:29:13 GMT
That is really a danger of foreign language. To use a word that is perfectly ok in one but is loaded with negativitg in another one.
For example some people made remarks when i called them morons or jerks on TA for example that i was being impolite. As if.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 30, 2020 17:53:15 GMT
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Post by whatagain on Sept 24, 2020 17:52:40 GMT
So i am pretty sure none of you follow belgian politics, and to be honest, none of us either.
However we were told we would have a government for the end of the week. That was announced 2 weeks ago... Coalition would be called Vivaldi, which doesn't give him justice since it would be a coalition of mostly losers.
Then,patatras, (en francais dans le texte) the coalition was doomed. The guys in charge of the negotiations went to the King to submit their resignation. Surprise, the King refuses. Back to work.
Suddenly the leader of MR, georges Louis Bouchez (call him Gloubs) accepts what he yesterday refused.
And the leader of the opposition, De Wever (NV A, quite on the right, who caused de fall of the government... 22 months ago, has these great words :
The blues (MR) will have to knee, open big their mouth and swallow everything. We will destroy them.
Classy. And you immediately feel how well our country will be led with everybody working in good harmony for the common cause.
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Post by bjd on Sept 24, 2020 18:47:48 GMT
I don't understand. Did the coalition with the woman (Wilmes?) in charge have to resign? What does MR stand for?
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Post by whatagain on Sept 24, 2020 20:13:05 GMT
Wilmes is head of government of transition.
This government was given power during the early stages of Covid. But is not legitimate. Powers stopnsoon or have stopped.
MR stands for Mouvement Reformateur. Center right of frenchspeaking. Coalition consists or would consist of : MR center right frenchspeaking (Fr) PS center left Fr. SPa center left Netherlands speaking (Nl) Open Vld center right Nl Cdh center left formerly catholic Fr
Majority in Wallonia but no majority in Flanders.
If you dont understand, no prob, we dont either.
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Post by kerouac2 on Sept 30, 2020 15:33:22 GMT
Belgium officially has a government again. I wonder how long it will last.
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 2, 2020 10:23:30 GMT
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Post by lagatta on Oct 2, 2020 14:25:40 GMT
Does she get any property or other benefits out of this?
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 2, 2020 14:28:36 GMT
She gets her share of EVERYTHING.
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Post by lagatta on Oct 2, 2020 18:00:08 GMT
Good. Not that I care about the aristocracy, but fair's fair. She is every bit as much his child as the others.
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Post by whatagain on Oct 3, 2020 18:51:00 GMT
She is but has not been prepared for being a princess. And whilst she has said all the time she was not after money but just recognition, she didnt stop at recognition.
Even a monarchist like me feels quite disappointed...
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 3, 2020 18:56:37 GMT
You should be more disappointed by the former king who couldn't keep his dick in his trousers.
Of course, Prince Albert of Monaco did the same thing, but Monaco refused to accept the court case, probably becase they did not want a chocolate coloured princess.
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Post by whatagain on Oct 4, 2020 10:05:24 GMT
The king, plus the mother of Delphine, who btw was a countess and didn't find it outrageous to sleep with a married man. Plus the queen who didn't seem to care that much and had according to gossip an illegitimate child herself, but surely quite a few lovers. Plus Delphine's father who recognized her but didn't seem to love her... How do you translate " un panier de crabes ?".
Rereading above we now have a minister who is a transgender. I wonder why we call her a trans btw, if she changed sex, she is now a woman, not a trans...
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Post by lagatta on Oct 4, 2020 14:33:28 GMT
I don't care a fig about either parent's morals. It is a matter of equity for the offspring who had no say in the matter. Of course I wouldn't waste any sleep over ultra-privileged aristocracy. but fair's fair.
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Post by whatagain on Oct 22, 2020 10:40:17 GMT
Our minister of foreign affairs and former prime minister is in intensive care with Covid. I think she is only 45. Hope she gets well.
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Post by whatagain on Mar 29, 2021 14:25:57 GMT
Long time there was a general strike in Belgium. Well FGTB (not LGBT) Federation Generale des Travailleurs Belges - i guess all the others in Belgium.ate not wirking - decided to go on strike. Most shops are closed, lots of trains buses stayed in tve depots... Reason ? Money of course. Government said max pay increase must be below 0,4 pc. That is on top of automatic wage indexation that yielded 1.1 pc or close this year. Not that smart to go on strike when a lot of people stay home, inc students and so called non essential shops... government must be pleased, strikers will be paid by unions, not by state...
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Post by kerouac2 on Apr 8, 2021 15:57:34 GMT
Not exactly Belgian politics but rather EU politics, but I am furious with Charles Michel for placidly sitting in his chair while letting Ursula von der Leyen stand there without a chair in front of the bastard Erdogan in Ankara yesterday.
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Post by whatagain on Apr 8, 2021 21:33:03 GMT
I wrote on his FB account that he is either an idiot,a rookie or a bloody macho. He is under heavy fire here in Belgium and he deserves every bullet aimed at him Shame.
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Post by whatagain on Jul 22, 2021 13:51:27 GMT
Our good flemish separatist Bart De Wever said on independance day that he dreams of reuniting Flanders with NL.
I don't get it. I know of no Flemish who would want that and wonder how many of those who wants to separate would then want that...
I don't understand the move behind that. The buzz ok, but surely he must have thought about it ?
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Post by kerouac2 on Jul 22, 2021 13:59:49 GMT
I am not surprised. After all, there are plenty of Walloons who would like to merge with France (but far from a majority of them). I think that one of the main problems (but which also keeps Belgium united) is Brussels -- a francophone territory on the edge of Flanders. While it could probably be detached from Flanders if absolutely necessary, the fact that it is the capital of the EU makes it unthinkable. Not to mention the fact that Brussels, the capital of a country, would never want to merge with France and be reduced to the status of regional préfecture again, like it was under Bonaparte (like Amsterdam ).
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Post by whatagain on Sept 15, 2023 21:12:53 GMT
We have a 'pipigate' ongoing.
Facts : Our minister of justice turned 50 and organised a party. 3 guys - imbibed - urinated on a police van. Police unions ask for résignation of said minister. When people have too much time they create problems. Always easier than solving them.
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Post by kerouac2 on Sept 16, 2023 4:16:19 GMT
I think it was just low season for local news items.
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Post by kerouac2 on Sept 22, 2023 17:27:32 GMT
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Post by whatagain on Mar 20, 2024 15:27:36 GMT
Our right wing major party’s Leader George’s Louis bouchez is ready to join the Le Pen family. He just had an interview saying how scandalous it was that foreigners are making up to 40 pc of the inmates. Therefore Belgians should not pay for them and they should be sent back to where they come from. It reeks of populism of racism and fascism.
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Post by kerouac2 on Mar 20, 2024 16:23:55 GMT
This is happening all over Europe as we will find out in June with the European elections.
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