Viktor Orban

[hmg]

Haven't the Netherlands just proposed a fund to raise money for poorer EU states though?

A fund with strings. The Portuguese were furious about what was proposed, refused to meet the Dutch repsentative.

 

[IdleRich]

OK, I haven't read the details but the report I saw said that the proposals were warmly received by the rest of the EU.

 

[version]

Hungarians are some of the smartest people.on earth.

von Neumann was Hungarian and seems to be in with a shout for perhaps the smartest person who ever lived.

 

[IdleRich]

Portuguese and Dutch traditional enemies of course...

 

[IdleRich]

von Neumann was Hungarian. He seems to be in with a shout for perhaps the smartest person who ever lived.

At six years old could divide 8 digit numbers in his head, spoke ancient Greek and was an expert on history... could do advanced calculus at eight, was taught by a famous mathematician when he reached fifteen who broke down in tears when he saw how smart he was. Martian indeed.

 

[yyaldrin]

imagine you're the biggest tax haven in the world and then telling other countries they should have saved a bit more money in the past to deal with these crisis. well, that's what they could have done if companies had no legal way to avoid paying taxes in said countries. all while carrying around a biography about chopin signalling you have more important things to do.

 

[IdleRich]

At six years old could divide 8 digit numbers in his head, spoke ancient Greek and was an expert on history... could do advanced calculus at eight, was taught by a famous mathematician when he reached fifteen who broke down in tears when he saw how smart he was. Martian indeed.

Also a famously snappy dresser... what a cunt.

 

[version]

Is this accurate re: Italy?

Problem here is the lack of self reflection by Italian politicians. Fundamentally, it is the Italian government who is first responsible for getting Italy through this crisis. Other countries such as The Netherlands and Germany were able to take out massive loans to be used to help safeguard their national economies. Italy was not able to do the same because of their irresponsible debt levels of 130% of GDP. More fiscally conservative countries such as Germany and the Netherlands have warned for years that these levels of debt are irresponsible. In fact there is even a ceiling level of 60% that each eurozone country should adhere to. Italy obviously did not heed this rule and is now in a bad position because of it. None of that is the fault of the northern EU countries. Italian politicians are now trying to shift the blame away from themselves and trying once again to make it seem as if the bad situation Italy finds itself In is the EU's fault, when in reality it is well known thatthe idea or euro bonds has been debated before at length and is completely unacceptable to the northern European countries

 

[Mr. Tea]

Hungarians are some of the smartest people.on earth. They'll work it out. Maybe they already have.

I just racked my brains for smart Hungarians and came up with Leo Szilard, John von Neumann and Edward Teller.

haha free neutron printer go brrrrr

 

[luka]

Some of my neighbour's were half Hungarian half Pakistani and the oldest son invented this scam, quite early on, he was in his mid teens and the Internet was fairly new for most people, where he'd offer a PlayStation (for example) for sale at a very cheap price, collect the money and then simply not send anything. He made over £100,000 but ended up in prison.

 

[luka]

It wasn't as smart as it sounds cos they had his name and address to send the cheque to but at the very least it shows initiative

 

[Mr. Tea]

Is this accurate re: Italy?

TBH I've never understood why it's bad for people in Germany and the Netherlands to be pissed off at constantly having to bail out other countries whose governments continually spend money they don't have. yyaldrin goes as far as to call it racist. Doesn't add up to me. The EU is, at least in theory, about countries working together for mutual benefit. If there's a constant and unidirectional flow of money from one group of countries to another group of countries then that's not very mutual.

Maybe there's something huge I've missed here but that's what it looks like.

 

[luka]

However having said I don't think that, some Hungarians are clever is any garuntee of Hungary as a nation installing a political leadership that we the gentle folk of dissensus approve of. I don't think that follows.

 

[IdleRich]

I just racked my brains for smart Hungarians and came up with Leo Szilard, John von Neumann and Edward Teller.

Read that thing that I put above about the so-called Martians... and that doesn't even mention Puskas!

 

[Mr. Tea]

It wasn't as smart as it sounds cos they had his name and address to send the cheque to but at the very least it shows initiative

Tiny but important flaw in an otherwise masterful criminal plan.

 

[IdleRich]

However having said I don't think that, some Hungarians are clever is any garuntee of Hungary as a nation installing a political leadership that we the gentle folk of dissensus approve of. I don't think that follows.

No of course it doesn't. Not even close.

 

[luka]

TBH I've never understood why it's bad for people in Germany and the Netherlands to be pissed off at constantly having to bail out other countries whose governments continually spend money they don't have. yyaldrin goes as far as to call it racist. Doesn't add up to me. The EU is, at least in theory, about countries working together for mutual benefit. If there's a constant and unidirectional flow of money from one group of countries to another group of countries then that's not very mutual.

Maybe there's something huge I've missed here but that's what it looks like.

I don't pay any attention but you hear about Germany etc profiting hugely from the currency being kept down by the south so they can sell loads of stuff or something. It allows them to be net exporters. Also yyaldrin made a different point.

 

[luka]

No of course it doesn't. Not even close.

HMG doesn't share our liberal guardian reader sensibilities though. He sees this differently.

 

[Mr. Tea]

I don't pay any attention but you hear about Germany etc profiting hugely from the currency being kept down by the south so they can sell loads of stuff or something. It allows them to be net exporters. Also yyaldrin made a different point.

But Germany and Italy and Greece all use the same currency!

Edit: oh hang on, you mean keeping the euro cheap so they can sell cars to the yanks or to us or whatever? Maybe, I dunno. But all the Med countries depend massively on tourism and an expensive euro is going to deter tourists from outside the eurozone. Plus Italy is a fairly big exporter itself.

And it's a point yy has made before, so it was a general comment on that.

 

[luka]

But Germany and Italy and Greece all use the same currency!

Edit: oh hang on, you mean keeping the euro cheap so they can sell to the yanks or to us or whatever? Maybe, dunno though.

And it's a point yy has made before, so it was a general comment on that.

Yeah that's what I was saying that's what everyone says