99 Bottles of Beer on the wall.............

Merika · 10-15-2005, 04:33 PM

OK...me with my beer.....Luba with her Yuha....Vautrin with his good stuff.....

Let's get this party started.................

Merika · 10-15-2005, 04:34 PM

I'm on beer 5 ....so look ALIVE!

Vautrin · 10-15-2005, 04:36 PM

4th glass.

Merika · 10-15-2005, 04:37 PM

So....if we were all sitting around a table in a pub.....rather than online...what do you think we would be talking about???

Vautrin · 10-15-2005, 04:44 PM

A few possibilities:

Why prostitution is not legal in the US. Why Harry Potter is Prime Minister in the Netherlands, more about politics.

Love, in all its forms. (I intend to do at least 90% listening!)

Booze.
More booze.

And of course, when alcohol sets in love is replaced by sex.

Merika · 10-15-2005, 04:49 PM

I have NO IDEA why prostitution isn't legalized in the US. To my knowledge only one county in one state (outside Las Vegas) has legalized it. Maybe it's in an attempt to control it. I know if someone is arrested for it, which isn't unusual for the area where I live which is basically a military area, the fines are $300 or something similar.

Much like pot....it's controlled by low fines if caught. Not usually a big enough deal to stop anyone from doing it. Much like traffic speeding in a car.

We've always considered it a way for the local municipalities to make money off of the situation without legalizing it with a tax. In the end....it's probably the same...if not less of a financial strain to pay the 'ticket' for doing it.....than paying a tax on the income derived from it.

Vautrin · 10-15-2005, 04:57 PM

The whole pot stance makes no sense if you want to prevent people using it. And see it as the easier option from an administrative point of view, has the disadvantage of alienating people who get fined.

The same with prostitution. Legalize it, and the money derived from such activities becomes taxable. It does not disappear in the "black" economy. Not to mention that it will become easier to control STDs.

How believable is a government that imposes fines on grounds that are perceived by a lot of people as absurd? That does no good to the credibility of government.

A lot of politicians everywhere in the US seem to have extramartial affairs, and that is of course a few steps more than going to a hooker for sex.

Merika · 10-15-2005, 05:04 PM

Politicians my butt....we've have major religious evangelist caught with hookers!!!!

I think perhaps....it's the crime which comes on the heels of drugs or prostition which politicians have to address which causes them concern. to combat this..they do knee jerk reactions and over regulate the situations.

Vautrin · 10-15-2005, 05:16 PM

Over-regulation is a large problem. It happens here also.

A few years ago, Dutch parliament had forgotten to pass a law on medication. So a lot of medicines suddenly became illegal. Very brilliant.

In case of prostitution, more than half of the prostitution is done by illegal workers from outside the EU, or from the newer member states, who don't have working rights over here.
Of course these women are abused, and don't earn much at all. The money goes elsewhere. And because these women don't have any legal protection and will be deported when they get caught, many of them don't report abuse.

And we needed a reporter to make parliament realize that one of the princesses who tried to marry in the Royal family had been involved with a big Dude of the underworld. The only thing that surprises me, is that the Netherlands do not export bananas.

Merika · 10-15-2005, 05:22 PM

I don't even like bananas. BUT....where DOES the Netherlands get their bananas from?

Vautrin · 10-15-2005, 05:33 PM

Good question. I think most of these bananas are under control of 2 US-based companies, and the bananas itself come from Latin-America ( the small states below Mexico).

Merika · 10-15-2005, 05:39 PM

HAHA...they should ALL be USA states....since we support them anyway!

I think if we were drinking face to face....I would also ask you how your love life is going? Are you still seeing the girl from Atlanta or have you moved on?

Vautrin · 10-15-2005, 05:44 PM

I am still seeing her. She is now in South Africa (posted a bit about her), and will come over to the Netherlands around Christmas to visit me. The only complaint I can have about my love life, that it is not involving her on a daily basis.

And how about your love life?

Another beer for Merika, another glass of port for me.

Merika · 10-15-2005, 05:50 PM

Yep....I think I'm on beer seven ........ 'close to heaven'. LOL!

I'm glad to hear you are still seeing each other. I need to read the other post sometime tonight to see how things are going for you. Do you think you would be happy with an American woman? Even if she is very liberal...our most basic beliefs/ characteristics come out in times of travesty. We do react to things differently than the rest of the world and are very protective of our country even when we b*tch about it.

No...no love life for me. I had a great one some years back. I've dated the best of the best and have alot of good memories. I'm okay with that. What I am looking for now...would be hard to find. This is a statement only Adonai would understand what I am conveying. I'm not willing to ever have a relationship with someone who doesn't have the same family thoughts and love of the same God I do. That's hard to find.

Vautrin · 10-15-2005, 06:02 PM

I must admit a few American psychological features are highly attractive. But politically speaking she and I hold fairly similar views, without both making it extremely important for our relationship.
As for discussing matters, we do tend to communicate quite well. About issues, problems, desires, and our possible future together.

And then you get the legal crap. Probably, even if we would get married, she cannot get right of residence here, despite being a college-educated professional. So we still have a bit of research to do. Grr...

It can be extremely hard to find a man / woman who has a similar mindset on these two essentials. For me it was also very hard, and I am probably less set in my ways. I don't have children, I am much less tied to people and places as you are.

Merika · 10-15-2005, 06:22 PM

This is something interesting my Mom told me as a transplanted German. People can move to America and become American...but no one can go to another country and lose their Americanism.

Maybe it's because relatively speaking...we are a new country. We didn't live thru decades of Crusade wars, Viking stuff and even any world wars on our own ground. Maybe we are still finding our spot....and in the meantime if we feel threatened.....we react like a teenager on the defense.

There's still a good in that... if only a pubescent patriotism....which isn't all bad. It has a nice purity and hope for all good things.