Auction Scam on Fleabay?

[Victoria]

Can one really buy a whole country??

For those unaware, as I was until I read this WaPo article on the percolating separatist revolution in Belgium (home of Stephane, Navigater and so many other noted RWGers!), this tiny but important country went on the Bay, offered to the highest bidder in a joke auction.

Larger: http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee248/m...umSaleLarge.jpg

Auction was pulled. Last bid, 13 million USD.

Separatism and Belgium have been going hand-in-hand since the country's founding in 1830, a direct outcome of the Napoleonic wars where it was supposed to act as a buffer state between the Great Powers (a bit like Uruguay in So. America).

King Leopold III had to abdicate as part of this problem (he had married a Flemish commoner, and it was held against him by the Wallons), though his perceived colloboration with the Nazis didn't help.

For the longest time, the soon-to-be-canonised King Baudouin I kept Belgium together, but his brother -- who only recently tried to stage a royal intervention in settling down the fires this past week -- Albert II just doesn't have his personal clout.

It's funny, yes. But it's sad too.

The capital of Europe is, after all, at stake.

Anyway, I bid $25.50.

[Pix]

Complex problem, and seeing this from the outside, I would not go too much in the details of my personal opinion, as I don't live this situation daily.

But I just would like to raise two things, same as in an other topic (although it was a different conversation) :

- history is important and may not be forgotten, but it cannot be the everlasting excuse for today's and future behaviour

- if the economically stronger regions of each and every country had to separate, we would be back to the middle-ages (or before), where even big cities were independant. Would this be an improvement ?

I'm going to Brussels next week : hope I still can enjoy a Belgian Beer rather than "une bi

[Victoria]

Complex problem, and seeing this from the outside, I would not go too much in the details of my personal opinion, as I don't live this situation daily.

Very complex problem, not easy for foreigners to understand, including at times, myself. I have friends on either side, and though some do not care, MANY cannot stand the other.

(I also dated a Belgian, BTW)

It's interesting that the Flemish themselves feel sometimes disadvantaged vis-a-vis the Dutch in the Netherlands -- the Dutch make fun of them for being so conservative, and for having "funny" accents.

Of course, we all know the same is true of the French and the Wallon Belgians. The Belgians are the equivalent of the Polish in American jokes (I never understood that, BTW).

So it's not entirely sure who would "protect" them, in case they separated. The Armed Services were abolished, except a ceremonial force, and without each other, they are that much weaker as a State even given NATO presence.

And what of the tiny German-speaking area?? Who would they choose to go with?

But I just would like to raise two things, same as in an other topic (although it was a different conversation) :

- history is important and may not be forgotten, but it cannot be the everlasting excuse for today's and future behaviour

- if the economically stronger regions of each and every country had to separate, we would be back to the middle-ages (or before), where even big cities were independant. Would this be an improvement ?

Middle-Ages, yes. Before even Mary of Burgundy married HRE Maximilian I...and a lot of these problems were cemented...

I'm going to Brussels next week : hope I still can enjoy a Belgian Beer rather than "une bi

[Pix]

I hope to have some with Monsieur St

[Victoria]

I hope to have some with Monsieur St

[Pix]

But history is key to everything, Pix, EVERYTHING.

I read a bit more about the belgian history, to catch the background of these feelings : my head hurts now !

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Belgium

Mmm...one can't live with Past to dictate today's acts... Otherwise, I would hate Germans, English, Spanish etc....

[verbal]

Wow! what was the shipping fee.?

[Pix]

...besides, I think that aquiring Belgium would have been "at buyers risk" !

[Johnkaz]

Just think how much great beer you would have. The Belgians make more varieties than anybody. They are definitely NOT stupid.

Cheers Johnkaz.

And Tin-Tin