no joke ?

Off Topic Subjects

les francais ne peuvent plus circuler sur le territoire americain

il faut envisager une protestation symbolique
4
44%
il ne faut pas réagir
5
56%
 
Total votes: 9

Andy Bittner
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Post by Andy Bittner » Fri Feb 06, 2004 8:57 pm

etienne,

No need for a brain donor, I'm quite happy with my IQ, which is quite high.

Perhaps you are having problems with English. I did not actually intend to "accuse" you of anything in the first or second post, other than being a loud mouth, over-reacting person, stating as fact information he couldn't possibly REALLY know in order to make an anti-U.S. point. You may have seen the word "threat" as an accusation, but I only use the term might likely be used by security-minded people to define someone or something that could need to be looked into further; just like language choice seems to have established Frank Moulet as a threat.

So, to clear up the difference between what I wrote and your misunderstanding of what I meant: The first sentence in my initial post contains the phrase, "I think", clearly identifying it as a statement of OPINION, not of fact; and includes the word "maybe", which is similar to the word "possibly", but also implies "possibly NOT".

The second sentence asks a question that you've answered. The reason you "know" how efficient terrorists think is a presumption based on very reasonable logic, at which even a small child could arrive. You don't actually know anything about what trained terrorists think. You THINK you know what a trained terrorist would think, I don't.

The third sentence begins with the word "Either", which means I'll be presenting more than one potential point of view; and the "or" included in that sentence means I've included both of the points of view that I think pertain.

I do have another question for you though, if you'd answer it. You wrote...
Terrorists do not "shed light on themselves", a child over 3 of age would understand that, or is that specific to european children ?
How are "efficient" terrorists trained to react if they become concerned that light has already been shed on them, and they want to deflect the attention in order to attempt to continue the mission to completion? You don't know that. Just like you don't know what you THINK you knew before. A very well though out, very logical guess is still a guess, not knowledge.

Lastly, I apologize for pointing out, once again, that the French are indebted to hundreds of thousands of U.S. servicemen for the fact that they are not slaves in a German state.

It is no secret that there is a strong, self-righteous, anti-American streak in France, particularly in the younger generations, and I admit it makes me mad. I know the slang word "Riccan" or "Riccain", and I know that when it is used in France it is used as a derogatory term more often than not. This I learned from a young, French skater, with whom I worked for several months, after he had realized how unfairly generalizing he'd been in his opinion of people from the U.S.A.

Tell us this, etienne, when was the first time you used the word "Riccan" as a label for people specifically from the U.S., and did you really intend it as a friendly or neutral term?

Etienne de Bary
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Re: What the hell does that mean???

Post by Etienne de Bary » Fri Feb 06, 2004 9:06 pm

Dan Mitchell wrote:"Nice Andy, any brain donnor in your first degrees ?"


Can anyone translate that into English?
Thanks.
"Andy, is there brain donors in your relatives ?"

Andy Bittner
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Brains

Post by Andy Bittner » Fri Feb 06, 2004 9:18 pm

Since everyone in my immediate family have what "experts" call "genius-level" or "high-funtioning genius-level" IQs, we must have plenty of brains to spare. Why, etienne? Is there a shortage of brains in France? Haven't we helped you French enough?

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Post by Dave Gale » Fri Feb 06, 2004 9:44 pm

The lack of "intellegence qoutient" that appears here, surely and sorely overrules any "expert's" opinion Was diagnosed and tested to be far higher (top 1.5 percentile) And can't find a sense of any knowledge, merely opinion here!!
ENJOY!! (while you can)

Etienne de Bary
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Post by Etienne de Bary » Fri Feb 06, 2004 10:53 pm

Andy Bittner wrote: Perhaps you are having problems with English. I did not actually intend to "accuse" you of anything in the first or second post, other than being a loud mouth, over-reacting person, stating as fact information he couldn't possibly REALLY know in order to make an anti-U.S. point. You may have seen the word "threat" as an accusation, but I only use the term might likely be used by security-minded people to define someone or something that could need to be looked into further; just like language choice seems to have established Frank Moulet as a threat.
You "think that", you might "bet", or "guess", it's all as affirmative. To understand that terrorists do not go around shouting about bombs takes very little brain. Since France has been militarly occupied for some years, as you remember, and several people have lived and acted undercover in that era, performing all kinds of sabotages and other more or less dangerous acts, and this has become some kind of boring cheap TV folklore since then, and then it has happened again during the Algeria war with a different cards distribution, maybe for that reason some things are obvious for us when you just can't understand ?
Andy Bittner wrote:So, to clear up the difference between what I wrote and your misunderstanding of what I meant: The first sentence in my initial post contains the phrase, "I think", clearly identifying it as a statement of OPINION, not of fact; and includes the word "maybe", which is similar to the word "possibly", but also implies "possibly NOT".
Yes you "think", means it is your "OPINION", and that is affirmative, not a question at all.
Andy Bittner wrote:The second sentence asks a question that you've answered. The reason you "know" how efficient terrorists think is a presumption based on very reasonable logic, at which even a small child could arrive. You don't actually know anything about what trained terrorists think. You THINK you know what a trained terrorist would think, I don't.
Yes i can be very affirmative, i do think, and it is for sure, commonsense, that Frank Moulet is a big mouth like me and therefore not a terrorist. Terrorists have the capacity of shuting their mouth.
Andy Bittner wrote:The third sentence begins with the word "Either", which means I'll be presenting more than one potential point of view; and the "or" included in that sentence means I've included both of the points of view that I think pertain.

I do have another question for you though, if you'd answer it. You wrote...
Terrorists do not "shed light on themselves", a child over 3 of age would understand that, or is that specific to european children ?
How are "efficient" terrorists trained to react if they become concerned that light has already been shed on them, and they want to deflect the attention in order to attempt to continue the mission to completion? You don't know that. Just like you don't know what you THINK you knew before. A very well though out, very logical guess is still a guess, not knowledge.
So the guy goes "- Hey arrest me, hey, Bomb, baaahhhh, bouuhhhh", then he expects the cops will think "-ha ha it's a fake." and they let him go. and then he really kills everybody by spitting his shirtbuttons all over the place "-tacatacatacatac".
Well you ARE smart, for sure !
Andy Bittner wrote:Lastly, I apologize for pointing out, once again, that the French are indebted to hundreds of thousands of U.S. servicemen for the fact that they are not slaves in a German state.
It is no secret that there is a strong, self-righteous, anti-American streak in France, particularly in the younger generations, and I admit it makes me mad. I know the slang word "Riccan" or "Riccain", and I know that when it is used in France it is used as a derogatory term more often than not. This I learned from a young, French skater, with whom I worked for several months, after he had realized how unfairly generalizing he'd been in his opinion of people from the U.S.A.
Tell us this, etienne, when was the first time you used the word "Riccan" as a label for people specifically from the U.S., and did you really intend it as a friendly or neutral term?
i do not use "ricain" that is slang from the 50's/60's, and it always was very average, it's ugly. Sometimes i use "yanki" as mexicans do, i like it, i don't think you did read this topic before turning it into a trashcan, but i've had very close friends and a "fiancée" to call by that, tricky and fondly.
There is a lot of american people who live here in Paris, and they like it very much, they only hear of french "rising anti-americanism" when they use their cable TV. The french, and particularly the parisians, are very protective with "their americans". We have the feeling that the crème of the american people live here with us, and we are very proud of it.
(french opinion in general is surprised a man who claimed that iraki would welcome the US troops with open arms (meaning embrace), and does not seem to have plans to change his mind can be a very popular president. But OK, who cares about that ? it's just the typical negative humor. We knew it was a Vietnam from the start, but who cares our opinion ? Maybe we do not take ourselves as seriously as you do. Well, to be honest, several french wanted to go anyway)
Yes we liberately diffuse our opinions, including very negative ones, and we intend it as an act of love. This is far from modest (and wise), but in "- i'll give you my opinion..." there is the word "give", and we mean it.
My dad was in a tank of the division Leclerc for the second episode of the war, he is now more than 80 years old... Trying to guess what it would be if WW2 had ended differently is like trying to imagine i was born in Africa two centuries ago... i'll just try to live this life now. "- What if your father was dead twenty year before you were born ?" hard to guess...

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Post by Guillaume Olivieri » Fri Feb 06, 2004 11:22 pm

Oh c'mon Andy, aren't you tired of using perpetually the same arguments everytime you feel attacked by a poor little french guy who tries to jive you up?
"we saved you guys from the germans! we gave you guys a bunch of money to re-build up yer ol' europe!"
this is so lame dude, remember Lafayette then, you sorry-ass, he saved your asses from being kicked out by the Brits...
isn't it ridiculous?

I think both of you guys should find an outdoor activity to decrease that dangerously high hormonal level...or you'll soon be found dead in a pool of aldosterone

Shut up and skate you friggin' fruitbooters!


(Sorry for the rudeness)

Wesley Tucker
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Post by Wesley Tucker » Fri Feb 06, 2004 11:45 pm

Dave Gale wrote:WOW!! I was under the impression that this was a slalom venue!! My bad! I really don't want to get hooked up in your terroristic/paranoid /Urbanistic ploys!!
Dave,

Which part of "Off Topic" eludes you?

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Post by Dave Gale » Fri Feb 06, 2004 11:56 pm

The answer would be ... E , none of the below! I just care to be a bit more open/wise minded!! Sorry if that offends you!
Carry on.
ENJOY!! (while you can)

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Re: All jokes aside

Post by Adam Trahan » Sat Feb 07, 2004 12:16 am

etienne de Bary wrote:
Andy Bittner wrote:I wonder how many Iraqis complained when we invaded France to free the French from a tyrant ?
A similar point (less incoherent) has been answered before, when Arab was sharing your president's enthusiasm after "end of operations" in Irak, a bit more than one year ago...
Adam, do i consider that you want me to answer this ?
Adam do you want to lock this topic, and i ask you to remove the posts where my name is associated with the accusation, in case i would have the occasion to answer John and Vlad's invitations in the future.
???

Etienne,

I'm reading this thread because you guys have a common interest, skateboard slalom. I enjoy reading what you all have to say. I do not feel threatened by any of you nor do you make me feel like I am threatening you.

When it all said and done, this will just be some guys who like skateboard slalom talking about a off topic subject.

What is important to me are things like my family, my work, my immediate friends, my car, outside of that goes the state, government and global issues.

I think globally and act locally, that's about all I can do.

If you feel uncomfortable about something that you have written, edit it out. Think before you write or someone may quote you. I would ask that you do not make my job any harder by asking me to edit yours or someone elses posts. Just try to have fun and write about what you want.

Matters not to me if you agree or disagree with what I say or what ever, it isn't about that. What you write will speak for itself and your name on your words is about all that we stand for at this web site, this is not reality mind you.

Have fun and do as you please, just keep it respectful please.

adam

Andy Bittner
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Bravo! Well said!

Post by Andy Bittner » Sat Feb 07, 2004 3:54 am

Major props to Guillaume for giving the absolutely correct response to my statement about the U.S. bailing out France in WW2.

If I'd been on the French side of this discussion, I would've replied with something like, "Yeah, and all of you over there would be singing "God Save The Queen", if it weren't for we French winning you're little 'revolution' for you!"

Guillaume, Living where I do, near Washington D.C., originally laid out by a Frenchman, Pierre L'Enfant, and where there's a little park right across the street from the White House called Lafayette Square, after the Marquis de Lafayette, I am keenly aware of the major contributions of France and the French to the very existence of my country and my hometown. We Americans celebrate 1776 as the year of our independence from the British crown and, almost as an afterthought, note that we finished it by winning the American Revolution at Yorktown in 1781. The truth of the matter is, we weren't independent and we didn't win our revolution. In 1781, at Yorktown, Virginia, the French won the American Revolution for us.

I know all of this. This time I really do apologize for making that particular statement and also for the similar statement that accompanied my first, feeble attempt at apologizing. I stand by the rest of the conversation about terrorism, airline security, the power and sensitivity of words and language and the rest of it. I just should have left the whole WW2/D-Day thing out of it. I didn't and I'm sorry.

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Post by Jack Quarantillo » Sat Feb 07, 2004 4:09 am

I can't get that damn penguin past 3500... ;)
Q

Wesley Tucker
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Post by Wesley Tucker » Sat Feb 07, 2004 4:21 am

The United States feels a sense of eternal gratitude and debt to Louis XIV and his subjects who came to the support and aid of our efforts in revolution against George III of England. It's really just a damned shame the French had to go and cut off Louis' head. I wonder if our debt died with him?

The French, on the other hand, believes that we as Americans should feel honored and humbled that we were allowed to liberate France not once but twice in the 20th Century.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

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Post by Brady Mitchell » Sat Feb 07, 2004 4:50 am

You guys should have seen tonight`s edition of the TV show JAG.

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/jag/

And to that I toast with a fine puligny montrachet.
Got ants?

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Post by Slappy Maxwell » Sat Feb 07, 2004 7:37 am

I can bring the rapid decline of this thread back up in two moves...

1. Louis Pasteur was a really cool French dude. He made beer better.

Mmmm...beer....

2. My beer of the month is the Lithuanian Gubernijos Ekstra Castle Ale.
Image

It is now my favorite Eastern European beer. Actually, I'll go a step further and include all of the Baltic countries.

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Post by Mike Johnson » Sat Feb 07, 2004 8:57 am

Americans didnt win the war of Independance......we English lost it but then again we did face the cream of English/Ulster Scots immigrants to the new land ;-)

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Post by Vlad Popov » Sat Feb 07, 2004 3:10 pm

===
Last edited by Vlad Popov on Wed Aug 25, 2004 8:03 am, edited 1 time in total.

Guillaume Olivieri
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Post by Guillaume Olivieri » Sat Feb 07, 2004 6:32 pm

I think it's USA but more precisely i would say: Marias River, Montana...

the "humanitarian aid" concept was not known at this time tough...

oooh that's so petty!

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yes joke ?

Post by Glenn S » Sun Feb 08, 2004 12:30 am

There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra than on Alzheimer's research.

This means that by 2020, there should be a large elderly population with perky boobs and huge erections and absolutely no recollection of what to do with them.

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Re: yes joke ?

Post by Slappy Maxwell » Sun Feb 08, 2004 8:03 am

Glenn S wrote:There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra than on Alzheimer's research.

This means that by 2020, there should be a large elderly population with perky boobs and huge erections and absolutely no recollection of what to do with them.
On the bright side they will always have someplace to hang their wet towels after bathing.

Have you accepted Jesus as your personal toaster?

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Post by Guillaume Olivieri » Sun Feb 08, 2004 5:31 pm

even better!
if they manage to contract a huntington-like desease , they will be able to have lonesome (according to the viagra's effects) fun without ANY controlled movements...

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Re: Bravo! Well said!

Post by Etienne de Bary » Mon Feb 23, 2004 3:48 pm

Andy Bittner wrote:If I'd been on the French side of this discussion, I would've replied with something like, "Yeah, and all of you over there would be singing "God Save The Queen", if it weren't for we French winning you're little 'revolution' for you!"
:D :D :D you are not accepted on the french side, "God Save the Queen" Jones/Rotten/Matlock/Cook Virgin rcds 1977
however US participating WW2 was a quite unexpected decision of the late imperor Hiro-Hito, and i have absolutely no opinon about it what-so-ever

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Post by Etienne de Bary » Mon Feb 23, 2004 4:32 pm

Wesley Tucker wrote:It's really just a damned shame the French had to go and cut off Louis' head. I wonder if our debt died with him?

The French, on the other hand, believes that we as Americans should feel honored and humbled that we were allowed to liberate France not once but twice in the 20th Century.
No Wes: we do not care a... bit. i never met Louis Capet :D :D that big butt, too bad he never thought of skateboarding instead of his locks hobby, you should have tought him ;) :D :D Wes this is ridiculous, US troops liberated France because it was the way to Germany, and if they had not, i wouldn't be there, stupid enough to start this topic, and it would be a different world, without me ;) cool ! Just like if Kennedy had not stepped back after Pig Bay...

THIS IS OFF TOPIC
WHO CARES ??? WHO CARES ???
**** LAFAYETTE, **** DE GAULLE, **** LE NAIN or whatever his name, founder of Washington city, and all their contemporaries whatever their nationality, gender or religion.
WE DON'T CARE

Let's come back to the real world, the subject of this post is: do you think a lot of riders will fly from Europe with the risk of being arbitrarily treated like **** by airport customs agents who think they are playing in "Texas Ranger", and then to fly back on their own charges, for leisure ?

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Post by Adam Trahan » Tue Feb 24, 2004 2:34 am

etienne de Bary wrote:Let's come back to the real world, the subject of this post is: do you think a lot of riders will fly from Europe with the risk of being arbitrarily treated like **** by airport customs agents who think they are playing in "Texas Ranger", and then to fly back on their own charges, for leisure ?
If European enthusiasts want to race in the USA, they have three choices:

A: Fly
B: Take a boat
C: Drive

:D

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Post by Pat Chewning » Tue Feb 24, 2004 4:28 am

etienne de Bary wrote: Let's come back to the real world, the subject of this post is: do you think a lot of riders will fly from Europe with the risk of being arbitrarily treated like **** by airport customs agents who think they are playing in "Texas Ranger", and then to fly back on their own charges, for leisure ?
When deciding whether or not to travel to a race (either from Europe to USA or vice-versa) I would think the least important factor that would enter most people's minds would be whether or not they will be treated well by the airport security.

I would guess that the following factors are what people consider when deciding whether to travel or not:

How expensive is it?
What is the likelyhood of good weather?
Does the timing of the event mesh well with family and job obligations?
Is the event location, surface, and organization worth the travel?
Is the anticipated competition level suitable?
Do I have enough vacation time, or would I rather go somewhere else (like paragliding in the Alps)?
Are there local races that can feed my racing hunger, so I don't have to travel?
Will there be other local activities to make the travel worthwhile?

Other than Etienne, my guess is that the quality of airport security doesn't even make it on people's list of decision factors, let alone be THE reason for traveling or not.

-- Pat

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Post by Mike Johnson » Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:52 am

In my experience airport and general cops in the US are some of the most friendly and courteous cops i've seen, theres a line though and dont cross it, smile and be friendly play the stoopid European and you'll even get help and info. Same goes with normal US cops. The place i'll never go back to is Canada where underhand anti-skate cop tactics are a real threat to health....and Turkish cops eeeek

Me "Why are you hitting me with your baton"
Turkish cop "Because you are an English"
Me "But i'm waiting for my baggage"
Turkish Cop "No talk"

US cop "Welcome to Denver we hope you enjoy your stay"
Me in shocked silence "?????" I wonder if that ignorant Euro attitude is honest bafflement at courteous refrains.

Etienne de Bary
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Post by Etienne de Bary » Tue Feb 24, 2004 10:39 am

Pat Chewning wrote:When deciding whether or not to travel to a race (either from Europe to USA or vice-versa) I would think the least important factor that would enter most people's minds would be whether or not they will be treated well by the airport security.
I would guess that the following factors are what people consider when deciding whether to travel or not:
How expensive is it?
[...]
So you guys think that a charter ticket, then some dozen hours discussing important matters like one's hair color, previous baby-sitting jobs, or PC correct way to bash a stewardess, then back home on a regular ticket, makes cheap enjoyable holydays ?

Vlad, we do not need to enter political considerations in this topic, for only very few fanatics on this planet will take american individuals responsable for US policy, everybody knows one does not have a lot of influence on it, i believe US humanitarian is 0,1 gdp or something, (your question was probably about NATO defense charges burden ?).
In Europe we generally think our political and security systems are unperfect and mean, with the advantage that we have little bad surprises, we are suspicious to our governants and still at work with improving (and we never make ourselves ridiculous discribing how perfect they are.) So if you have informations about french cops mistreating a US teenager (or whatever his nationality, etc.), i'm interested.

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Post by Etienne de Bary » Tue Feb 24, 2004 10:52 am

Mike Johnson wrote:US cop "Welcome to Denver we hope you enjoy your stay"
Me in shocked silence "?????"
i would find it rather natural "- thank you sir",
however try it with a french passport, you might have a different experience, or not...

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Post by Mike Johnson » Tue Feb 24, 2004 12:00 pm

etienne de Bary wrote:
Mike Johnson wrote:US cop "Welcome to Denver we hope you enjoy your stay"
Me in shocked silence "?????"
i would find it rather natural "- thank you sir",
however try it with a french passport, you might have a different experience, or not...
My experiences have been many and i've travelled all over the world practically and seen many different attitudes to my nationality, my point is that one expects a certain type of welcome from countries. I expected an unwelcome attitude in the USA for a number of reasons and was pleasantly surprised by Americans friendly nature, i would go back again. Try having a British passport and attempt to book a hotel room in French Quebec, that was fun.

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Post by Etienne de Bary » Tue Feb 24, 2004 12:28 pm

i absolutely agree with you

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Post by Vlad Popov » Tue Feb 24, 2004 6:22 pm

===

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