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Curufinwe

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Posts posted by Curufinwe

    The Treaty for a European Constitution

    in Hall of Intellectuals

    Posted

    ((y)

    Well, I voted YES yesterday, but the NO won ... over 56% of the voters chose NO ...

    Most of the French are in favour of the EU, but not the one that was written in the Constitution ... besides, a lot of NO-voters sanctioned the current government ... I think that if the French had voted only about the Constitution, it would have been a 60% YES - 40% NO ...

    whatever ... my wish was that all European countries voted YES, so that the English (who will vote NO) would be isolated in the EU :)

    Now, I fear that the French won't realize that re-negotiating is going to be very very difficult ...

    Redemption?

    in The Green Dragon

    Posted

    ((y)

    I disagree, Curufinwe. Feanor dnied the Valar on several occasions.

    Well Rinion, who told you that denying the Valar was not Eru's will to make the Elves more independent or whatever else?

  3. Where is everybody from?

    in Introductions & Off-Topic Discussion

    Posted

    (;)

    I was sooooo bored yesterday afternoon, that I decided to make a survey of where WFG members live/come from ....

    Only those who wrote their location were taken into account.

    Here are my results (it took me one hour and twenty minutes overall :) ):

    North America comes first ... with the US, Canada and Mexico ... 95 members:

    1. US: 82 members

    2. Canada: 12 members

    3. Mexico: 1 member

    Europe comes second (54 members)... with the EU and the other countries ... the EU alone has 47 members. The rest has 7 members.

    1. UK (EU): 13 members

    2. Germany (EU), Sweden (EU) and the Netherlands (EU) all have 7 members

    3. Norway (not EU): 6 members

    4. Belgium (EU) and Bulgaria (future EU ... not included in EU counts) both have 3 members

    5. Italy (EU), Spain (EU) and France (EU) all have 2 members

    6. Ireland (EU), Czech Republic (EU), Austria (EU) and Portugal (EU) all have 1 member.

    Now, outside Europe and North America, all the continents are represented:

    1. Australia: 4 members

    2. Israel: 2 members

    - India: 2 members

    - New Zealand: 2 members

    3. Paraguay: 1 member

    - South Korea: 1 member

    - South Africa: 1 member

    I hope this was an interesting read :P

    I hope that next time, more members will put their location in their profile (y)

    Redemption?

    in The Green Dragon

    Posted

    ((y)

    I quite disagree with you Yiuel ... I think Ainur and Elves do not have free will ... at least, not like Humans ... to me, Ainur and Elves act, unconsciously of course, to achieve Eru's will ... Eru is etheral. Do the Valar "see" Him in real, or just in their "dreams" when they are in Arda? Have they seen Eru ever after the Music ...?

    The Treaty for a European Constitution

    in Hall of Intellectuals

    Posted

    (;)

    @ Klaas: and guess who was the leader of the Convention? Valéry Giscard d'Estaing ... probably, France's worst President since WW2 :P

    I agree with you the EU should try to bacome stable enough to acknowledge new members now ... I think it was a mistake to allow 10 countries all at once !

    @ Arga: In the last pages of the Treaty, you can see that the President of Turkey (or the Prime Minister .. .can't remember) signed the Constitution ... what does this mean???? Turkey is not even in the EU !!!!!

    Now, about Turkey entering the EU ... apparently, many countries are going to amend their Constitution (or have already done so) to let the people decide whether or not Turkey should enter the EU ...

    For my part, I don't think Turkey is European enough to be in the EU ... and besides, I don't want to have Iraq, Iran and Syria as a border (y)

    @ Yiuel: Nouvelle Calédonie is French, therefore it is European ... the French Pacific Islands are in the EU as well ... why not Québec and the Maritime Provinces? :)

    LOTR Fad Over?

    in The Green Dragon

    Posted

    ((y)

    You simply can't put Silmarillion to screen ... you put a story of it (Beren, the Flight of the Noldor, Turin, etc ...), but not the entire book ... except if you can make a 100-hour film ...

    As for me, I read the books, years and years ago ... nearly 10 years before the movies came out ... I had read LotR and Sil 2 or 3 times before the films came out :)

    Redemption?

    in The Green Dragon

    Posted

    ((y)

    Well, Lucifer, as much as Melkor are not evil creatures as such ... they come from God/Eru himself ... that means that even God/Eru has some evil in him.

    And Melkor does not decide for himself ... it is Eru, through Melkor, who is expressing the Music ...

    only Humans are given free will in Arda ...

    Star Wars

    in Arts and Entertainment

    Posted

    (:)

    same here Bernd ... very few English speaking films are shown in their original version ... thankfully, I live near a big twon (Toulouse) and there are enormous cinemas showing films in all languages (y)

    had I been in the middle of nowhere, I would have had to watch it in French.

    The Treaty for a European Constitution

    in Hall of Intellectuals

    Posted

    (:)

    I agree with Yuiel ... Unity, but no at all costs ...

    Besides, I have read it through, and I will post a summary of what I think is important ...

    Now, in France, we had a 50-50 campaign for the Yes and No ... so, people have had a fair point of view from politicians ... of course, some are trying to show that this Constitution is the Devil ... others say it will end all problems, but in general, politicians were quite fair and some explained it very well (I am thinking especially about Euro-MP Daniel Cohn-Bendit who did a fantastic job in France to explain things ...)

    It is complicated, but the most important articles are easily understandable ... However, there are some articles, which I think are not good for the EU.

    here is a little summary of the TEC ... these are, in my opinion, the most important points ...

    Summary

    I. First Part

    A. Objectives of the Union:

    The Union promotes peace, scientific progress, justice and social protection. The Union is a free market within which competition is free and not hindered. The Union respects its cultural and linguistic wealth and develops its European cultural heritage. The Union contributes to peace, security, to the eradication of poverty and to the protection of Human Rights.

    B. Competences of the Union:

    The Union can have actions in research, technological development and space. The member States support the Union's foreign policy.

    C. Institutions:

      1. The european Parliament. It is the legislative body of the Union. It elects the President of the Commission. Its members are elected for five years. Their number is 750 maximum.

      2. The President of the Council. He is elected by the European Council for two years and a half, renewable once.

      3. The European Council. It is the second legislative body of the Union. It is also the budget body of the Union.

      4. Qualified Majority. Certain votes require a qualified majority within the Council. It equals 55% of the member States of the Council (15 minimum) and 65% of the total population of the Union.

      5. The European Commission. A bill can only be passed upon suggestion of the Commission. The Parliament can vote a censorship against the Commission and the latter has to resign.

      6. The President of the European Commission. He is elected by the Parliament, upon the Council's suggestion.

      7. Foreign Secretary. He is elected by the Council. He is in charge of the Union's foreign and security policies.

      8. The European Central Bank. It is totally independent. Its goal is to lower inflation to its minimum.

    D. Specific Dispositions:

    Before undertaking any action internationally, each member State advises the Council. The Union has a common security and defense policy. The defense policies of the Union are fulfilles within the frame of NATO. The member States allow the Union to use civilian and military facilities. The member States have to help one another in case of military attack.

    E. Democracy Life:

    The citizens of the Union can petition the Commission, with a minimum of one million European citizens. The European "mediator" received complaints from European citizens, regarding bad administration of the Union. He is elected by the Parliament. The Parliament is open to the public, as well as the Council. Every person has the right to have its personal data protected. The Union respects religions.

    F. Belonging to the Union:

    When a State wishes to join the Union, the Council votes unanimously. Each State can decide to step out of the Union.

    II. Fondamental Rights:

    1. Dignity:

    Nobody can be sentenced to death or executed. It is forbidden to use eugenism. It is forbidden to make money with the human body. Torture and humiliating sentences are forbidden. Slavery is forbidden.

    2. Liberty:

    Freedom of thinking, religion and conscience. Freedom of speech. Freedom of association and meeting. Right to education and to compulsory free education. Right to work and to have a job that was freely chosen. Right to possess goods.

    3. Equality:

    Every person is equal in right.

    4. Solidarity:

    Right to be informed. Right of strike. Right to be protected against any unjustified dismissal. Right to have working conditions that respect heatlh, security and dignity. Right to have a maximum number of working hours and periods of rest. Right to have social security.

    5. Citizenship.

    Obligation of administration to justify its decisions. Right to use all languages of the Union when addressing the Union. Right to receive an answer in the same language. Freedom of movement within the Union.

    6. Justice:

    Every person is declared innocent until his guilt is legally proved.

    III. The Union's Policies.

    - European mutual recognition of diplomas.

    - no discrimination between men and women.

    - prohibition to give subsidies or financial help to a company.

    - a high level of protection for the citizens.

    - promotion of qualified and high employment, but adapted to the work market.

    - improvement of the life conditions.

    - protection and improvement of the environment. Polluters shall pay.

    - high security of the people (crime, racism, etc ...).

    - promotion of the member States' cultures.

    - high level of health.

    - high level of education and promotion of the European dimension.

    - The Court of Justice checks that the European Law is legal.

    That's it ... sorry, it's a bit long.

    Basically, the Union is set up around the States ... no around the people ... the Council (similar to the Senate) has one member per State (the President, Prime Minister, Chancellor, etc ...) and they have more power than the European Parliament ...

    The President of the Council (kind of President of the Senate) has nearly no power ...

    It's the Commission that is the most powerful in the Union ... it drafts bills to be passed in Parliament ...

    Besides, the European Central Bank serves prices stability while it should aim at promoting economic and employment development ...

    The rest is in my summary (y)

    The Treaty for a European Constitution

    in Hall of Intellectuals

    Posted

    (:)

    Well, I would like Europeans to vote on this ... Outsiders (non-Europeans) may give their opinion, but not actually vote in the poll ...

    this is a very Europeano-European topic ;) ... sorry !

    There is going to be a referendum in France on May 29th and in the Netherlands on June 1st ... Other countries will vote later ...

    I shall vote "YES" ... I have read the Constitution through, and most of the articles are either uninteresting or good forthe future of the EU, in my very humble opinion (y)

    How about you?

    60 years since The Fall

    in Hall of Intellectuals

    Posted

    (:)

    I know by experience that the English respect Napoleon a lot, but they see him as a dictator ... and they think they freed the French from him ;)

    Anyway, about the Normans ... don't forget they were Vikings and in 1066, there was no French language. However, I am sure that the Normans kept some of their roots in France (Normandy) and learnt little by little the variations of the language that was to become French.

    But definitely not in 1066 (y)

    Besides, English got much of French influence starting in the late 1100, with Henry II and his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine. King Richard spoke fluent French (of the time) and even went to crusade with the King of France (King Philip August). Thei relationship remained for years and years ... and it was fashionable among the nobility to speak French.

    Star Wars

    in Arts and Entertainment

    Posted

    (;)

    Seen it on Saturday afternoon. It is, according to me, the best Star Wars of the newer generation ... Won't give any Spoiler here, but I was stunned to learn that Anakin becomes Darth Vador!!! (y)

    j/k :)

    60 years since The Fall

    in Hall of Intellectuals

    Posted

    (:)

    actually, Airbus is now bigger than Boeing ... and don't tell me that's because of public subsidies ... they exist on both sides of the Atlantic. They are just trickier to find on the Western side of the Ocean (y)

    I agree with you Malte about the little need of having large military force in Europe for the moment. Although France and Germany are the leading countries for Airbus, it's France and the UK are the two key countries in Europe regarding the Defense policy ... Military force is not only useful to defend your own country (and fellow Europeans), but it is also very useful in order to discover new technologies (Boeing, Lockheed, etc ... are good examples in the US).

    I think that military force has to be kept to a lower level to that of the US, but it still has to be competitive in nowadays world (China, India, the US, etc ...)

    60 years since The Fall

    in Hall of Intellectuals

    Posted

    ((y)

    Well, the Normans didn't speak French Klaas ... they spoke Norman ... :)

    French as we know it nowadays comes from the 16th century ... and François I as I mentioned previously ... before that, the language in France was composed of several dialects, all related to Latin, with some different influences ...

    the Russian aristocracy for instance used French, so did the English, the Austrians and the Prussians ...

    As for Napoleon, some countries willingly kept the laws that he instaured ... even some far away countries adopted the Napoleonic civil laws (Japan, which still uses Napoleonic civil code nowadays)

  23. Anyone know anything about Eze, France?

    in Introductions & Off-Topic Discussion

    Posted

    (:P

    how long does it have to be?

    You have been there, haven't you? :P

    anyway, here is the official website ... http://www.eze-riviera.com/ available in French or English ... there is the History of Eze, the village, the places to visit, the garden of Eze, etc ...

    hope all that will be enough B)

    (I have never been there in my whole life, although I have often driven past it, I guess ... in going to Italy ...)

    60 years since The Fall

    in Hall of Intellectuals

    Posted

    (B)

    @ Yiuel: Occitan was only in the South of France ... in the North of France, it was what we call "Langue d'Oil".

    Occitan ("Langue d'Oc")had an Arabic influence, Roman, Spanish ... but in no way Germanic ...

    whereas "Langue d'Oil" turned in what we know now as modern French and had Gallic, Roman and Frankish influence ...

    **I just feel that I may have misunderstood your post :P**

    Now, it's true that in Occitania the Franks had nearly no influence ... however, Catharism and the Albigensians are said to have emerged with the arrival of the Franks ... but as for language, Frankish didn't reach as far ...

    As for the lack of nationalism, it is not very true ... the Cathars fought for Occitania, but they were slaughtered and their religion forbidden. Therefore, the only way of surviving was to live hidden ... but they dwindled and eventually disappeared ... Then, Occitania was invaded by the Mores (I don't know how to translate that in English :P ) ... until Charles Martel ... then, it was the English and Richard (with Alienor of Aquitaine) ...

    French only appeared in Occitania in the late 1700s with the Revolution, although French had been compulsory in legal documents since François I ... and even until WW2, French was hardly spoken in villages ... now, with the blend of population, Occitan is scarcely known among the population ... hence the lack of Occitan nationalism ... that's the result of the French centralized State ( "French is the only language of the Republic", the Constitution tells us ...)

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