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Fancy buying Belgium?

Comments

1. At 04:41 PM on 18 Sep 2007, wrote:

   Ummm I guess we'll have to take your word for that, Eddie. I can't read Dutch! (or is it Walloonese?)

2. At 04:53 PM on 18 Sep 2007, RJD wrote:

   Well I hope he doesn't swear the way he does on his Blog!

3. At 05:18 PM on 18 Sep 2007, Stewart M wrote:

   Will I get a discount on Belgium beers if I buy?

4. At 05:20 PM on 18 Sep 2007, Frances O wrote:

   Name five famous reasons why?

5. At 05:31 PM on 18 Sep 2007, Mr Morgan wrote:

   Dear Sir

   George Osbourne has got a cheek talking about the last ten years under Labour. I seem to remember it was the Tories that encouraged everyone to buy their own homes and 'become men of property' . It was his party that removed credit controls that allowed everyone to borrow what they liked, often against the theoretical value of their property.

   Also, his party created a spend, spend, culture by destroying British manufacturing industry, flogging everything off and then giving the money away in Tax Cuts to the British public to spend on foreign goods. This spending culture has being going on for at least the last twenty five years and his party was the main architect of it.

   Mr G. Morgan
   

6. At 05:33 PM on 18 Sep 2007, ROb Burns wrote:

   TEACHERS SELECTED BY THE PUPILS!

   So the reason so many kids fail at school is because the teachers didnt suit them. How about having an annual "Teacher Idol" or allow pupils to vote off a teacher every week until the one who wears jeans, says "Call me Roger" and listens to "The Strokes" is the only one left.

7. At 05:36 PM on 18 Sep 2007, ROb Burns wrote:

   I will buy Belgium. I have been queueing for a mortagage for 3 days outside the Northern Rock. I cant understand why it is so busy.

8. At 05:39 PM on 18 Sep 2007, Kim wrote:

   Very agressive ticket inspectors on the railways . What can only be described as rorts being run on one of them . Very agressive people . Spit every 2m on some of the streets and a lot of litter . Pavements , streets and roads in a bad state of repair . No thanks - you can keep Belgium . Used to love and defend it - after a very rough going 4 months there last year don't at all any more . A lot of the problems seem to come from the Vlaams - give them independence and let them find out what real life is like .

9. At 05:48 PM on 18 Sep 2007, wrote:

   Well, yes actually. It's a lovely little country with lovely little people in it all of whom would rather like to enjoy a lovely little civil war if only they weren't so nice. There's a long history of dark resentment between the linguistic tribes, north and south. But still, I'd buy it. Sure I would if I could get a solid rock mortgage:)

   Ta-ta

10. At 05:59 PM on 18 Sep 2007, Bedd Gelert wrote:

    Why is someone not selling something on eBay 'News' ??

    Will you be doing an item tomorrow about David Beckham not appearing on Desperate Housewives ?

    And then a feature about Eddie Mair not directing a feature film with George Clooney ?

    And then a feature about a bank, er, not collapsing ?

    Er, hang on...

11. At 08:01 PM on 18 Sep 2007, Aperitif wrote:

    Bedd (10) And then a feature about Eddie Mair not directing a feature film with George Clooney ?

    Isn't he? That is truly the second most disappointing thing I've heard this month. :-(

12. At 10:48 PM on 18 Sep 2007, Deepthought wrote:

    Fearless (1),

    The blog you reference is clearly from a Vlaams [Flemish] speaker, more or less Dutch.

    Walloon is more or less French, but say "80" to a French-person, and they'll know where they learnt French. Not four-twenties, but eighty (in Englishspeak), for example.

    Don't forget the German speaking areas of Belgium.

    Some Newcastle writer - Harry ?'s "A Big man in a small Land" (It's late, it's years since I read the book) re his tour of Belgium gives a good explanation as to why the Vlaams Blok have not generated a greater Netherlands, and Wallooon not part of France etc. So far.

13. At 12:19 AM on 19 Sep 2007, mittfh wrote:

    So if Belgium is worth €10m, how much is the UK worth? :)

    Meanwhile, I once heard that if a well-known software company (co-founded by a chap called William Henry Gates III) was a country, it would be the 15th richest...

    Given the aforementioned William's estimated personal wealth, he could buy Belgium with his equivalent of pocket money...
    

14. At 08:07 AM on 19 Sep 2007, wrote:

    May I suggest that the Wood Awards short list announcement this week could give you an opportunity to debate the direction of building design.

    I hold that "Modern Architecture" is at last in its decline under pressure from the public (not architects) for a "Rustic Style" that looks better and is much more envriromentally friendly. I am horrified how many new developments are still looking like concrete and steel square boxes, even for the very government departments that are meant to be leading the way against global warming.

    You only have to look in the news agents to see that the public are going in a different direction from the professionals as most glossy articles are on Grand Design type timber buildings. You should therefore have an interesting debate.

    My interest is that we are due to be shortlisted on Thursday for the Wood Awards for a simple low tech visitor centre in North Yorkshire. I am one of the few Civil Engineers to believes that we can not continue to use steel and concrete.

    Hope this gives you a glimpse of many issues that have yet to surface.

    Robert Thorniley-Walker
    MA(Oxon) CEng FICE FIStructE IHBC