Skip navigation.

Labris

Banka hrane

 
Srbija 2020

How America is like Serbia

It’s a rainy night here in Belgrade. Having nothing better to do, I thought I’d write another blog entry that will anger some people, please others, and probably bore almost everyone. Gee, what has happened lately…hmmm…let’s see….the Democratic Party won control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections…Donald Rumsfeld resigned…and President George W. Bush uttered immortal words designed to send a message of strong leadership that would inspire U.S. troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, and encourage Americans of all political factions to unite behind him.

Throughout history great politicians and generals have given speeches that rallied troops, strengthened the spirits of people fighting on the home front, and spread hope and faith in a cause. These speeches inspired people to carry out great deeds, to redouble their efforts, and in some cases these words defined an era. In order to understand the greatness and immortality of George W. Bush’s latest remarks, we must place him squarely in the context of other famous world leaders, who also made comments that inspired future generations to great deeds.

Here are a few examples of some excerpts from famous speeches. Let us first examine them, and then compare them to the words of George W. Bush.

  • When asked to lay down his weapons by the Persian emperor Xerxes, the Spartan king Leonidas said “come and get them”. (Μολών Λαβέ)
  • On St. Crispen’s Day, Henry V said: “we few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother”.
  • During the American Civil War while consecrating a cemetery of fallen soldiers at Gettysburg, Abraham Lincoln said: “we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth”.
  • During Britain’s darkest hours in 1940, Winston Churchill said: “we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender”.
  • John F. Kennedy, in his inaugural address said: “ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country”.
  • Martin Luther King said: “when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

So what exactly is it that George W. Bush said that will go down in history? While answering the media during the press conference the day after the Democratic victory at which he announced Rumsfeld’s resignation, he uttered the immortal words “I thought we were going to do fine yesterday. Shows what I know”. That's right...George W. Bush is also "uninformed".

I just got back from a trip to Belgium, a country famous for its rain, only to find that I seemed to have brought rainy weather back with me. While in Belgium I visited Redu, a small village in the Ardennes about 18 km west of Saint-Hubert. Redu is a book village, the only one of its type in continental Europe. In 1984 a book collector established this book village modeled after the one at Hay-on-Wye in Wales. Today this small village (you can walk through the entire town in 5 minutes) has 30 antiquarian bookstores, as well as bookbinders, boutique paper manufacturers, a cooper and other craftsmen. The concept is fascinating and I was amazed that such a place exists…it is a bibliophile’s dream (or nightmare) come true. If the EU every changes its unenlightened visa policy, I would urge everyone to visit.


who needs Redu

when we have amazon. us rules!


hm

Impresive to compare Kostunica with Bush, though, latter one has an IQ well below 100.
Come to think about it better - wasent Bush one who started entire Iraq thing because he was informed on chemicall weapons at sadams disposal?
Or, to think twice, wich US President did not have some military action/war/intervention while his presidency?
Cant remember, perhaps U could try?
So, who is the warlord?

ps Ova grdoba dole je aktivista ICG-a
Veselin



same...

maby u wanna to change with somebody, there is planty of....just kiddin:-)!


За Џимија Лавијанера

Џими, кад ћеш кући?
Сморио си.


e

ja bi bas da ostane. ako nista drugo, samo da tebe nervira.


урачзасмање

Човек ме не нервира, само жестоко смара.
Што би рекли Пироћанци - задавље.


Smaras Ivice.

Smaras Ivice.


Црна Горо, ни ти

Црна Горо, ни ти ниси баш интеренсантна. :P


How Amerika is Like no Kafka

Amerikaka

I am ultra cool because I do not use words:
I erase Bush before I start writing,
I erase his name, his title, even his stupidity.
I am modest because I do not live in his Circusland.
I hug the backbone of Amerika and hide in the Highlands,
both my heart and me. Way above.
I am simpatique because I refused dinner at Daisy's,
remembering her European whoreship,
I refused to be disabled because of one leg missing,
I refused to have my prosthesis being covered with stars.
I am proud because I don't owe Amerika a penny.
I refused to be el pricko, after 9/11.
Is there a chance that "W" gets on his knees in front of me,
and confesses his inability to trade Amerikaka for America?


Hmmm nice text

just for a rainy night in Serbia...Well MY famous speech during the bombing once while I was shaking all histerical was--I still have plans to take a shower,enjoy this summer,enjoy in my friends, eat chocolate, have many more orgasms, travel to a seaside , have a baby , buy those par of sandals that I like...
dok su Hrvati želeli --"...susedima lepo vreme bez padavina..."
parafraziram samu sebe...
and the most close speach to me is Leonidas'--exsactly what I would say--come and get them!
Anyway just wondering cause obviously I didn't get it, does Mr. Lyon critisize Bush'speech :)?
Mr.Lyon try music of Vangelis Papatansiu for rainy nights in Belgrade...(and song -wait for me- )


I think that Leonida's reply

I think that Leonida's reply to the fact that enemies' arrows have covered the sky and blocked the sun: "Good! So we will fight in a shadow." is even better. However, we should keep in our minds that this was in an old age... before Christ and all that.

**Take your place in history and pray you don't repeat it**


Actually, those were the

Actually, those were the words of Dienekes, a young Spartan soldier. And a more correct translation would be: we shall fight in the shade.


I stand corrected :) **Take

I stand corrected :)

**Take your place in history and pray you don't repeat it**


Judging by his statements,

Judging by his statements, George W. Bush seems more like Vuk Drašković to me...

**Take your place in history and pray you don't repeat it**


Can you imagine if Bush had been a Serb?

To watch this lame duck President now almost makes me feel sorry for him, almost.

The almighty, shock and awe inspiring leader known for his combative (and confused) speeches is a shadow of his former self.

He now appears to feast only upon humble pie mixed in with the odd grain of self pity that he desperately shares around.

Can you imagine if Bush was President of Serbia during the 1990's? I'm sure his Presidency would have made Slobodan Milosevic blush.

Good riddance to bad rubbish.


What is the difference?


Ove dve slike...

Ove dve slike samo su na prvi pogled identicne! Pronadjite razlike!

These two photos are not identical as it looks! Find the differences!


Bush has a tie...

... and Kostunica has grays because he does not dye his hair.

(Bush nosi kravatu, a Kostunica ima sede, jer se ne farba)


hehe

nice work there!


Bravo Ivane!!!

ODGOVOR JE TACAN!!!
THE ANSWER IS CORRECT!!!


Pop-rock singers...

Actually they could both pass as frontment of revived rock bands of the 70s and 80s

Kostunica has the outline of Morissey here...but don't tell Nemanja, he'd kill me on the spot.

Bush kinda looks like McEnroe arguing with the umpire that he was in, although everyone knows he's out ;)


a nice way to start the day

1. Start your computer.

2. Create an empty folder.

3. Name it "George W. Bush".

4. Put the folder into the garbage can.

5. When the computer asks you: "Do you really want to delete George W. Bush", click YES!

After Robert Anton Wilson

PS. Of course, you should feel free to put any name you feel appropriate.


impeach the Bush ?

znate li onu igru "dobrog i losheg policajca" ?
Takva je igra izmedju demokrata i republikanaca.
Sve da bi se sakrila podela u samom US vrhu.
Podela u CIA,koja je mogla da spreci 9/11.

Bush nije kriv za rat u Iraqu.

On je podneo teret administracije Bill Clintona (US predsednika koji je lagao pod zakletvom u aferi Levinski i koji je bombardovao Srbiju u ime "vrednosti americkog drushtva").
Njegova administracija je podrzavala Al-Qaidu koja im se na kraju olupala o glavu.A Bushova adinistracija je nasledila lazi Madlen Olbrajt i ostalih "demokrata".

Sada je Bush zrtveni jarac.A "demokrate" su dobile u vremenu.Da li ce Pelosi da povuce americke decake iz Iraqa ? cisto sumnjam da ce to uspeti.jer sve mi to lici na onu poslovicu :" Pustio bih ja njega,al nece on mene!"

A ako i u tome uspe..bice to jos jedan sramni poraz US kao onaj u Vijetnamu.

Ruku na srce: iovako se ceo svet vec smeje Americi...
od heroja super sile ispadoshe nekompetentne zrtve...i to od "musavih" muslimana.

Ajd sve to..al sto povukoshe i britansku imperiju sa sobom..sada Bler treba da vadi vrelo kestenje za njih,jer Bush ga je uvukao u ovo sranje sa Iraqom...

hocete dalje da vam pricam ?

moze...

uh zaboravih da vam se odjavim po "propisu" : dakle

NAMASTE !

PS or btw.Mr.R.A.Wilson trenutno skuplja priloge da bi mogao da plati kiriju,jer mu "illuminati" nisu uplatili zadnje rate za njegove knjizice..sta cesh..nije lako zezati se sa " Antihristom" :))

PS.2. nadam se da ce kolege iz CIA i DB da prevedu propisno sta sam im napisao

"C"


jel' to the bush

kao the google?


Ma pusti

ne krivi sad sirotog Klintona.Monika mu isisala sav mozak. Nju treba okriviti za sve. Prekinuli ih na sred rabote i on sav isfrustriran naredio bombardovanje Srbije. Moralo je negde da pukne. A i tako je još jedino mogao da dokaže da je on muško a ne Hilary ;)


Ma neeee... bombardovanje

Ma neeee... bombardovanje Srbije je počelo tako što je Madlen Olbrajt umarširala u glavni štab NATO-a i rekla generalima: "OK boys, shall we make love or make war?" :):):)

**Take your place in history and pray you don't repeat it**


Ne Mravu : )))

pitala je naše --shall we make love or war?-- naravno da se oni odma odlučili za prijatniju žrtvu ( mada izmakli svoje guzice ko po običaju)...
A jel moš ti da zamisliš Koštunicu u sexu? Ja ne, pa mi nešto palo na pamet da i to treba uzimati u obzir kad se biraju predsednici a ne posle zavrsimo s ovim mlitavkom. Treba birati zlatnu sredinu a ne nekog ko klintona ili koštunjavog--2 krajnosti.

Nešto mi palo na pamet možda treba razraditi temu --Duvanje u saxofon ili samo duvanje?


billy the wild

kako da ne krivim Klintona ?

bas ljude briga gde je on trpao svoju pishu..

vazno je da je lagao pod zakletvom na sudu.

nema veze oko cega.On je bio predsednik US.Covek koji drzi dugme na atomskom okidacu.

A jos je mahao onim svojim prsticem...

I sada nam se smeje iza Hilary...jedino sto su mu operisali srce...(jel to beshe mora testerom da se sece grudna kost ?)

Pa posto je deda Sloba spakovao:

1.Tudjmana
2.Izetbegovica
3.Rugovu
4.Sudiju koji je pokushao da ga osudi
5.I Klintona bacio na operacioni sto

e..sta je mnogo mnogo je..bilo je vreme za akciju

http://www.fantompowa.net/Flame/diana_milosevic.htm

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=1377832003


wikipedijica

Lewinsky admitted that her relationship with Clinton involved oral sex in the Oval Office and in adjoining rooms in the West Wing. This was documented in the Starr report, which eventually led to President Clinton's impeachment trial on the allegations of perjury and obstruction of justice regarding the affair.

Clinton had previously been dogged by allegations of sexual misconduct, most notably in regard to a relationship with singer and former Arkansas state employee Gennifer Flowers, and an encounter with Arkansas state employee Paula Jones (née Corbin) in a Little Rock hotel room in which Jones claimed that Clinton exposed himself to her. These affairs allegedly occurred during Clinton's time as Governor of Arkansas. Lewinsky's name actually surfaced during legal proceedings connected to the latter matter, when Jones's lawyers sought corroborating evidence of Clinton's conduct to substantiate Jones's allegations.

Clinton denied having had "a sexual affair," "sexual relations," or "a sexual relationship" with Lewinsky while under oath, [4] and later claimed "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky" in a nationally televised White House news conference. The line later became a punchline for its technical verity but deceptive nature, based on one's definition of "sexual relations."

In addition, Clinton said, "There is no sexual relationship [with Lewinsky]," a statement which he later said was truthful depending on one's definition of "is" (i.e., he was not, at the time he made that statement, still having a sexual relationship with Lewinsky). Under pressure from Starr, who as Clinton learned had obtained from Lewinsky a blue dress with Clinton's semen stain, as well as testimony from Lewinsky that the president had inserted a cigar-tube into her vagina, Clinton admitted on August 17, 1998, that he misled the American people and that he had had an "inappropriate" relationship with Lewinsky. Clinton denied having committed perjury because, in his opinion, oral sex was not "sex" per se.

In addition, relying upon the definition of "sexual relations" as worded by Judge Susan Webber Wright, who was hearing the Paula Jones case, Clinton claimed that because certain acts were performed on him, not by him, he did not engage in sexual relations. Lewinsky's testimony to the Starr Commission, however, contradicted Clinton's claim of being totally passive in their encounters. Clinton's lawyer would later explain that different people can remember the same events in different ways.

The affair led to a period of pop culture celebrity for Lewinsky, both as a sex symbol and as a younger-generation nexus of a political storm that was both lighthearted, and extremely serious at the same time. It also contributed to the impeachment of Bill Clinton. The neologism "Lewinsky" or "Giving (him) the Lewinski" is currently American slang widely understood to mean fellatio, though the frequency of other pop culture references and jokes involving Lewinsky have decreased over time.

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


Auu

Nisam znala detalje .Noughty Billy! Dobismo ga mi jer je on malog pishu gurao gde ne treba (mali prstic kojim preti--mali pisha). Nego cekaj tek Hillary sad kad postane neki faktor. Znas ti sta je ta zena morala da proguta tada. Pa ona je monstrum. Ja bi mog muza ukokala sa sachmarom taman da je 100 puta predsednik. Ne bi mu niko pomogao


matrijarhat

pa u ovom ludom vremenu...vreme je za blagu zensku ruku :))

nije tu samo Hilary = for the president 2008

sada je prava zvezda i "italijanka" Nensi Pelosi

http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=16816

pa onda "Madame la Presidente" Segolene Royale

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/87D81172-F8E2-49C9-9FC6-1BF94A17676D.htm

pa german Chancellor Angela Merkel,

pa Ruzica Djindjic

pa ...


Interested in your thoughts

Independence is mentioned less & less. The Athassari solution (which still needs to be agreed to by the UN Security Council) never mentions the "I" word and has already limited the amount of sovereignty for Kosovo. To get the Russian sign-off (a requirement), a number of additional things will be taken away (watering it down even more). Take a good look around... If the "I" word was a foregone conclusion, then why even discuss sidestepping the UN? Why not just take it away? Why even ask Serbia to agree?

"I" is not gauranteed. Europe is uncomfortable with an "I" Kosovo. It lacks all 4 fundamental factors of statehood:

1) the ability to defend itself
2) an economy that can provide for its people
3) the support of its immediate neighbors
4) human rights for its minorities

On top of this, Europe knows that Serbia will play REAL-POLITIK making it nearly impossible for the statelet to prosper.

Kostunica (Serbia's democratically elected Prime Minister, who has excellent democratic credentials as the man who brought Djindjic to power, the man who defeated Milosevic, and the man who is opening up Serbia to capital markets) has already defined "forceful recognition" as "diplomatic violence" and that Serbia will defend it's interests. Obviosuoly they will not sign - nor will they recognize. To top that off, Kostunica has forced thru a constitution which legally obligates any successor or parliament to deny Kosovo recognition or diplomatic relation (if you want it changed you need to change the constitution).

If forceful recognition gains momentum, Serbia asks Russia & China to demand no army, no UN seat, and only partial treaty-making powers for the immediate future. They will also demand deeper decentralization for Serb enclaves (particularly the North) which will over time be re-settled and move even farther away from Pristina (slow-motion partition). Russia and China will oblige.

Serbia will then institute an undeclared - but very real - economic and cultural embargo. They will block 5 of the 8 major transport arteries out of Kosovo forcing it to deal with only Albania, Montenegro, and Macedonia. Then they will demand Montenegro and Macedonia (two nations who significantly rely upon ascendant Serb markets) to also play ball. This will leave only Albania, the ALbanian sections of Macedonia, and the Adriatic. A black-market will develop, but this is only a partial solution - as it is not enough to base a modern economy upon (modern European economies seeking EU entry do NOT rely upon black markets). Neither will the proposed 8-hour superhighway cutting thru mountanous Albanian terrain to the Adriatic help very much. The market for Kosovo's goods in not Western Europe -- it is the Balkans. Western Europe doesn't want K's goods - as a matter of fact they don't want the Balkans at all. That is why a regional Balkan market is being created... and K will be excluded b/c it does not have access to Rail, Air, and Danube river traffic (all of which go thru Serbia). These are hard words, but one should not be surprised by them... the new constitution says as much.

In the long run, an economically ascendent Serbia (already the fastest growing economy of the region with the largest market capitalization and number of pontenial buyers) will begin to assume greater powers in the region and they will use these powers to destabilize K.

Kosovo's economic future is not promising - particularly since the vast majority of Trepca is north of the Ibar and since Serbia will require it's neighbors to not meddle. Most will value an economic relation with Serbia's 8M person market over recognition of Kosovo and it's 1M person market. Kosovo's future prospects are simply not that promising - it will not be a great place to live in.

One may counter and say that if Serbia wishes EU access they will be forced to relax their attitudes toward Kosovo. First, if the EU even wants Serbia..... it is not apparent that Serbia wants the EU. The old Tito strategy of Serbian geographic importance may be more useful for Serbia (big fish, small pond instead of small fish, big pond). Second, it is hardly possible to exclude Serbia from Europe when it already is in Europe and one must pass thru it by road, rail, ship, and air. The ICG/ Holbrooke idea about choosing Europe or Kosovo is really just grandstanding. It has little economic relevance. Telenor paid $1.6B based on economic relevance... they could care less about Mr. Holbrooke's and ICG's "philosophies."

One may also sway that Kostunica will not stay in power. But I disagree. And the constitution makes the point moot. One may also say that the big powers will lean on Serbia in other ways. I think this is wishful thinking. The big powers want out and money goes to strength. Money does not go to weakness. Serbia is strong and getting stronger. Kosovo is weak and for the foreseeable future, will be getting weaker.

I'm a Serb born and raised in the USA (as were my Serbian parents). I write on this site b/c i am interested and involved). I also post in the Serb language sections of this site. I don't hate Albanians. I am sorry that bad things took place against Albanians in the near past. I am also sorry that bad things took place against Serbs 1940-80. And I am sorry that bad things took place against Albanians in 1912-1917. But I am sorry for the bad things that took place against Serbs in before 1890, and so on, and so on.

It is truly best to talk things things over and arrive at a compromise.


Well Blagoje

I hope you're right. I can c u really tried to share with us some your opinion (or facts)and thank u. There's just one thing about our people that u should know--they sell them selfs. Everybody does that and everybody has the price but here in this country it happens too often for my taste, of course among politicians (not to offend ordinary people they have to fight to just live trough the day).The politicans are slots. And that's it.I don't believe them anything and I'm sure nothing is how it seems.When they sit behind closed door they probably say--c'mon what do u got for me? To poor,unedicated people it may even seem that they're actually doing something for them (people) and not for themselfs (like they usually are). I'm emberessed for them when I c how big is their lust to rule. They make all kinds of SAVEZE and coalition just to rule together...they all put their pants down (if u understand what I mean, if not--never mind , better for u).


hm

You made some interesting points. However the latest idea for Kosovo is to put a foreign consul to govern Kosovo similar to what happened in Bosnia...and then have Kosovo parliament vote for independence from Serbia...that will prompt international community to recognise Kosovo as an independent state.

Serbia may end up being the only country that will not recognise independent Kosovo...but no-one will actually care...and such action will not set a precedent internationally.


or

"the Democratic Party won control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections…Donald Rumsfeld resigned…"

which

angered some people, pleased others, and probably bored almost everyone.


jon stewart?

:)


Well, let me tell you how

Well, let me tell you how America is NOT Serbia in one very important way - $15,000,000,000,000 economy and well established system can survive one ignorant, incompetent power abuser such as Mr. Bush; Serbia, on the other hand, needs what the United States had, more or less, for two and a half centuries - responsible governing and a clear plan forward.