swallace wrote:

Nah, we're all munching popcorn and watching Spiderman!

[singing...] Spiderman! Spiderman! He can do what a spider can! [Ok, stop singing]

Spiderman for president! WooHoo!

Spider who?

You'll like this great cartoon: http://cagle.slate.msn.com/politicalcartoons/pccartoons/archives/thompson.asp?Action=GetImage

(get the image of 6/25/2004 )

wayne wrote:

I'll take a moment to use this wayward thread

This is a great thread!

Watched the final's for Euro 2004. All i can say is WOW!

Yeah greece won, which was totally unexpected, but nevertheless great! I like Greece very much, and the greek are totally nuts about soccer so this will keep them happy for a while hehe

doing things the law of the US forbid you to do.

Hmmm.....I think i should rather keep my feelings on this subject to myself. Then there is also they problem with the South African government that does not want to do anything about the Zimbabwe crissis!!....

In general, the world seems to forget about the misery that's going on on the African continent, oh, of course not when it comes to selling arms to those who fight or when it comes to pollute whole cities because of the oil they can get out of the ground (Shell in Nigeria).

Sad, really. In a wicked way I can understand why the SA government is reluctant to step into the conflict that's going on in Zimbabwe. Years ago the fascist government of SA (the bota clan) invaded Angola if I'm not mistaken without any effect. I think the SA government is afraid it will only escalate the conflict more, will run the risk that the same will happen in SA and it has already one of the most violent states on the planet to govern, so more than enough problems at home... not that anyone helps of course, after all, it's africa so why should a western country care? The EU is also one of the biggest causes of misery in africa, with their dumping of farm products for redicilus prices so local farmers can't compete and go belly up...

Years ago the fascist government of SA (the bota clan)

Botha

invaded Angola if I'm not mistaken without any effect.

Yah that was a funny sinario - America gave assistance (Money & Weapons) to SA to sort the problem out - Cuba, Russia backed Angola. South Africa was forced to pull out due to political reasons. South Africa lost a province (South West) that became Namibia.

Namibia is also starting to take land from white farmers!!! What is going on? Do they want to starf their own people? If they want to take land atleast show the new occupants of the farms how to farm!!!

and it has already one of the most violent states on the planet to govern

I have to say that what people are seeing on TV and what is actually happening at home are two seperate things. I was in Europe 1-2 years ago - there's alot of propaganda on the TV in Europe and UK. - It is not that BAD, yes there are poor people living in Zink houses but all countries have rich, middle and poor locations....Just to bad that the poor people are their own worst enemies.

If they are no happy with something - then they burn their own schools down? The government gives them propper houses to stay in and what do they do? They go and sell it!! ! Huh? Stupid! But the government just has to keep on supplying... The AIDS problem - The government gives them condoms - they don't use it - because it's against their traditions - must touch the womans blood! - blood against blood! - or they wear 1 condom permenantly but cut the tip of to go to the toilet - then still expect it to work!! Even beleive that sleeping with a virgin will take AIDS away! - Just a lack of education i guess, But this will come right in the next 10 years or so. I must say that the previouse gov commmit a horrible sin against these people. Then there is also our President that does not beleive that HIV causes AIDS - So he does not want to give out anti-HIV drugs!!! I sometimes wish that Mandela could rule again - He is a very wise man - but to old for that responsibilities.

Some people that i chated to in Euro/UK did not even know that there was proper cities with electricity in SA. They asked me - How can you be a programmer? Where do you get electrisity? All they see are the townships and rural areas on TV - Some people think that Lion's, leapards, elephants, Crocodiles and Rhino's are walking around us - think we live in the jungle !! Haha - the closest lion from here is propably 1500 km away! Tourrists come here and are very dissapointed - they ask "Where are the elephants? - Where are the lions?" They expect the black people to still walk around in their traditional clothes with lion skins and ostrich feathers. If you see that in SA then you must know that you are being taken for a ride. The only people in SA still wearing tradition clothes made out of skins are the Bush men from the Khalahari and the Zulu King.

Coming back to the Zimbabwe story. I don't think SA has the military power to take on a campaign at the momment and as Otis sayd it is propably saver to stay out of it. The goverment is using the money for better things like housing, education, infrastructure...oh ja and personal gain (Corruption) Conscription has been done away with aswell - Thank God, I don't want to go to the army - so there is no real army - And the equipment is so outdated - Altough they bought a few Billion rands of new equipment - only to arrive in 2008. I love airshows so i am very happy about the new Saab Griphen's.

Some people think that Lion's, leapards, elephants, Crocodiles and Rhino's are walking around us

Same here. People think that Oklahoma is overrun with Indians (Native Americans) and buffulo.

The poor will always be with us. I have been poor - it's a phase of life, not a way of life. What irks me is the people who use the poor to political advantage. That happens a lot here, particularly in the old south. People who are using poor people can only keep their power base by keeping the people poor, rather than helping them transition out of it. Education is the key to getting out, and I'm surprised to hear people fight against improving education through standardized testing - of educators! It just tells me that those people want to keep people down to stay in power. Shameful.

I'm proud that the US has pledged $15 billion USD to help with AIDS in Africa, though it's not yet been fully delivered. Long-range US historians can see the shift from our conflicts in Europe, to the latest in the Middle East, and then Africa. Each is a 50-year slog, and we're only some 35 years in with the Middle East (We really became engaged in a positive way with Carter/Egypt/Israel in 1970's). We've a long ways to go, but, as I sit here amongst the Indians and Buffulo, I can see a future 'Union of Middle Eastern States' that competes with the EU and US, and that works together to solve the problems of Africa, (except the French of course.) Imagine it, work towards it, but don't expect it until another generation passes. This is the unstated goal of the United States. Read the little-publicized speeches of Condolezza Rice. She's looking 100 years down the road. Brilliant stuff.

In the mean-time, capitalists will be capitalists. As long as we keep a long term vision, I think we'll be fine.

Can't possibly have a Union of Middle Eastern States just like the EU? Tell that to the Hapsburgs!

swallace wrote:

Some people think that Lion's, leapards, elephants, Crocodiles and Rhino's are walking around us

Same here. People think that Oklahoma is overrun with Indians (Native Americans) and buffulo.

Yeah and we're living in windmills wearing wooden shoes and eating cheese and tulips all day (and the average american thinks Holland is the capitol of Denmark hehe)

I'm proud that the US has pledged $15 billion USD to help with AIDS in Africa, though it's not yet been fully delivered. Long-range US historians can see the shift from our conflicts in Europe, to the latest in the Middle East, and then Africa. Each is a 50-year slog, and we're only some 35 years in with the Middle East (We really became engaged in a positive way with Carter/Egypt/Israel in 1970's). We've a long ways to go, but, as I sit here amongst the Indians and Buffulo, I can see a future 'Union of Middle Eastern States' that competes with the EU and US, and that works together to solve the problems of Africa, (except the French of course.) Imagine it, work towards it, but don't expect it until another generation passes. This is the unstated goal of the United States. Read the little-publicized speeches of Condolezza Rice. She's looking 100 years down the road. Brilliant stuff.

I find this hard to believe. The whole purpose of the actions of the US in the rest of the world is to keep the rest of the world doing things like the US wants them to do things. It's simple math. The French are doing the same thing, like the UK are too. The weird thing is (for the US) that the rest of the world not always wants to do the things the US wants them to do in a way the US wants them to do it.

The whole purpose of Iraq for example was to have a US friendly nation in the middle east because the US has to move out of Saudi Arabia soon (wolfowitz said this himself). The post-WW2 trackrecord of the US has proven time and time again that they do the same thing over and over again: tell the rest of the world what they have to do.

There is a problem though. Several parts of the world don't want to listen to the US. One of them is China, the other one is a large part of the Middle east. What I find strange is that this is a problem to the US. I as a citizen of a very small country, really don't understand why Joe Sixpack in Huckleville, Arizona is bothered by the well being of the people in a country he can't even locate on the map!

IF that is the case, there is a very large part of the world where misery is far greater than in the middle east: Africa.

In the mean-time, capitalists will be capitalists. As long as we keep a long term vision, I think we'll be fine.

Well, what I find funny as a european citizen of a country where the following things are legal: prostitution, soft drugs, euthanisia, abortion, drinking booze at 16, and the following things are illegal: firearms, that we over here have far less people per 1000 inhabitants in jail, being poor, we have far lower crime rate and for example we have the lowest amount of teen pregnancies per 1000 people in the world. I'm not sure, but I think the way the US' focus on the individual (in general, I'm not saying you have that vision) instead of on the community in general is disturbing. Just over the border in Canada, figures are very different. I think having a long term vision is great but as long as money leads politics instead of politics leads money, the US is not on the right track.

Can't possibly have a Union of Middle Eastern States just like the EU? Tell that to the Hapsburgs!

Although they have a common subset of the Arabic language in common, not a lot of arabic countries like each other very much. There is also not a lot to gain with such a union. In Europe we could win a lot because here we have a lot of internal trade going on. In the middle east, most trading is with countries not in the middle east (oil).

Yeah and we're living in windmills wearing wooden shoes and eating cheese and tulips all day (and the average american thinks Holland is the capitol of Denmark hehe)

I knew it was true! Doesn't your feet get cold in those wooden shoes? And what about blisters? windmills - that explains where you get electrical power for your PC's

The Swiss make choclate, the Dutch make chees and South African's make Biltong! For those that don't know what Biltong is, it is Raw spiced meat dried over a period of about 1 month, usually made from kudu, springbok, ox or ostrich. In the higher parts of SA you get moepanie worms(big black worms with white spots that life in trees, grows to a length of +- 15 cm) the people take them dry them and eat them - actually a delicasy. In Namibie you get Bokkoms - it is a little silver fish that they salt and dry.

We use to have alot of programmes on TV from Holland - It is just confusing seeing people doing illegal things! Seeing people making and selling Dagga Koekies on TV, and then the humour is very different from SA homour - sometimes you actually have to sit down and try and think - why was that suppose to be funny?

One thing that i am finding confusing is: Your country is called Holland or is netherland? And when people are refering to the people of Holland the talk about the Dutch. I mean i am from South Africa, that means i am a South African.

We have a word in afrikaans 'Hol' it's a slang word for anus...makes me wonder... hehe

Yeah and we're living in windmills wearing wooden shoes and eating cheese and tulips all day 

Seriously, what is the name of your country? Netherlands? Holland? The Dutch?

I agree, Americans are idiots. I can't argue with that. But, they're fat and happy idiots, and some would say that's how we were meant to be. (Just kidding.)

With US citizens, it's about personal responsibility and freedoms over government rules, even if those rules might be to our greater benefit. Far too many people in this country (the fat and lazy idiots) have abused their personal freedoms, but putting in place the concept of individual liberties (and the right to abuse it) was the very purpose for our original revolution, was bred into us through our expansion westward, was typified in Theodore Roosevelt (I named a son after him...) and is being put into practice by George W. Bush.

It's strange, even to me, but we accept a level of (call it what it is) carnage as the cost of personal freedoms, because we expect and hope that people will behave themselves in the absense of government controls. Our hope is to educate people out of such nonsense as teen pregnancy, drug abuse, etc. Currently we are failing, and are behind the world, but we will not legislate our way out of it. It's not in our nature. Period.

We think that every person is responsible for thier own well being. Our religions heritage also says that we have a responsibility to help others achieve for themselves. We're not out to change the world to be like us, but only want only to make it a peaceful place for people to become themselves. The first proof of that is that we won't impose a way of life on ourselves, even to our own detriment! We offer to Africa money and education, but we can't make them use it right (that always wearing the condom with the hole thing, that cracked me up.)

There was this great study a few years back that noticed that "golfing" nations never go to war with other "golfing" nations, meaning that once a certain per capita number of citizens of a country were golfers, that country would not go to war with another of the same per capita golfers. Weird. We're not out to make everyone play golf, only to bring about the kind of peace and stability that allows people to follow their own ambitions, like you guys with that crazy football thing...

You know, we gave Europe back to it's own people twice in the last century, and protected her from Soviet domination. ("Oh, he throws that in our face again, does he?") I think we have a pretty good track record of letting people follow their own pursuits without being dominating imperialists. But we want (demand?) peace and commerce.

I find this hard to believe. The whole purpose of the actions of the US in the rest of the world is to keep the rest of the world doing things like the US wants them to do things.

We just want people to stop killing each other and ourselves. However, we don't step in until forced (WWI, WWII, shall I go on? Ok, perhaps Vietnam was a bad idea...) When we step in we make a big splash, stabilize lots of things, then leave (over time, still trying to get out of Germany...) Would the Soviets have done the same had they been successful in Afghanistan? Was Hitler planning to leave France to the French? How many times to we have to prove that we aren't imperialists?

Yes, we're going to leave Saudi Arabia. And we will work to bring down the House of Saud. And for a change in the government in Damascus. And we will free the people of Lebanon, and we will insist on a stable government in Palistine and we will fight the North Koreans if need be. And we will kill people and break things. We're good at it.

We will change the world. It is well understood here in Oklahoma that we are in World War III. And we will win.

And then we will go home, and eat doritos and watch Americanized football, and hope that the rest of the world, including a United Korea, Independant Tiawan and Free Iraq, that those people will go home to the sports of their choice, and eat the snack foods of their choice, and live in peace.

...and we will watch Africa fester, and one day we will have to get out of our chairs again...

Although they have a common subset of the Arabic language in common, not a lot of arabic countries like each other very much. There is also not a lot to gain with such a union.

Not today, you're right. But these fools can't live off oil forever. Someday they'll have to manufacture something. I believe, and I recognize that others don't, that unions of states are enevitable (sp?), if for no other reason than to counter the US, EU, and perhaps someday Asia Union. Think generations! The people of Kentucky hated the people of New York and had nothing in common with them. For generations this was true, but common economic interests, including balancing the British Empire, brought them together and erased the self-centeredness of their grandparents. My grandchildren will understand.

By the way, showing my ignorance here, are you Hollanders in the EU?

that always wearing the condom with the hole thing, that cracked me up.)

It is true - It is actually sad. It is not un-common for a black man to have 2-3 wifes and a few girl friends...In the black tradition the man stays home and drinks beer - And the woman do all the work and have to bring money in. The man only works when he is single. The man want his children to be female becuase the husband tobe has to buy his daughter from him. It is called La-bolla. Usually 4 cows or so...City folk wants money.

When they started to hand out the condoms in the beginning - Under the instruction of the ex-minister of health Zuma - She instructed them to hand the condoms out with the instructions stapled to the condom!!!!

And she was suppose to be a educated person...

they stapled the instructions to the condom!!!!

Come to think of it, that's how I got my first kid!

Say, wasn't there an African leader recently who refused shipment of polio vaccine because it was from the US? Seems like I'd heard there was a terrible outbreak because of it. I read (this may not be true) that he then shopped around for 18 monthes, found a "good muslim" supplier in France, and went with them. In the meantime, kids were paralyzed.

UPDATE:

Here's the link: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4998394/

Indonedia not France. Still, are we seen as that evil?

Still, are we seen as that evil?

You missed the main word - Muslim

Muslim's don't like the US that much - even here in SA. When the US does something that they don't like they go to the nearest mac donanlds and riot.

Its not all of them thats like that.

I'll skip all the silly political spats here and ask the important question:

Why does everyone mispell Spider-man?

I still want to know:

Seriously, what is the name of your country? Netherlands? Holland? The Dutch?

And what do you call your language? Netherlands? or Dutch?

wayne wrote:

I still want to know:

Seriously, what is the name of your country? Netherlands? Holland? The Dutch?

And what do you call your language? Netherlands? or Dutch?

The country is called 'The Netherlands' , we speak 'Dutch'. Or as we say: Nederland (country) and Nederlands (language).

'Holland' is the name of a provence, actually we have 2 provinces called that way: North and South. North is where Amsterdam is located, South is where Rotterdam is located (and The Hague). I'm from Friesland, one of the northern provinces, and we have our own language as well, Frysk

The country is called 'The Netherlands' Regular Smiley, we speak 'Dutch'

So why would people refer to a country by using one of the province names? for example in soccer they talked about Holland not 'The Netherlands'

Frysk?, Never heard of it. Sounds like it should be a viking language...

The Hague, I thought you made that name up! or thought that that was what you called your house or something - So it is really a place...talking about funny town names - Here in SA is a town called 'Pit sonder water' (Otis you should be able to understand those words) - roughly means 'place without water'

[Edit] - got a map of Holland or 'The Nethelands' http://www.hollandhousing.com/map.htm It is actually a very small country, The Hague, found it!! next to the coast!

wayne wrote:

The country is called 'The Netherlands' Regular Smiley, we speak 'Dutch'

So why would people refer to a country by using one of the province names? for example in soccer they talked about Holland not 'The Netherlands'

That's because in the 17th century when The Netherlands was the superpower of the world (believe it or not) most activity was raised in the coast provinces, holland and zeeland. (yes, New Zealand is named after that province )

Frysk?, Never heard of it. Sounds like it should be a viking language...

It's related to scandinavian languages indeed

The Hague, I thought you made that name up! or thought that that was what you called your house or something - So it is really a place...talking about funny town names - Here in SA is a town called 'Pit sonder water' (Otis you should be able to understand those words) - roughly means 'place without water'

The Hague is english for Den Haag, which is actually the city where our government is located (and the international court of law) South Afrika has all kinds of funny city names, like 'bloemfontein' (flower fountain ) Most white people in SA have dutch ancestors btw.

[Edit] - got a map of Holland or 'The Nethelands' http://www.hollandhousing.com/map.htm It is actually a very small country, The Hague, found it!! next to the coast!

Yes! I live in Scheveningen, old village which is now part of The Hague, 300m from hte beach

It's related to scandinavian languages indeed

Thats the word i was looking for; scandinavian, scandinavian...

South Afrika has all kinds of funny city names, like

Pofadder(Snake name), Hankey, Boknes, Port Elizabeth (Where i grew up - named after queen elizabeth), Vryburg (Vry is eather kissing, or beeing free), Swellendam, Kakamas, Garries... http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/country/southafrica.html

There are a few +-20 languages in SA but only 11 official languages: Afrikaans, English, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, Venda, Swati, Sesotho, Sepedi, Tsonga and Tswana.

Most white people in SA have dutch ancestors btw.

Horny Dutchmen! I have british ancestors - Surname being 'Barker' but my whole family is Afrikaans speaking. My mothers maiden surname is Vermaak (Dutch) - funny enough translates to entertainment in english. My wifes maiden surname is 'Dafel' (Dutch) spelling may fary between (Defil, Devil, Davel and Dafel)

60% of the whites in SA speak Afrikaans while 90% of the couloured folk speak it. The couloured folk have ancestors either from native bushmen (Koi san) or from malaisian slaves that took a role in the hay with the their slave masters...

Thanks for the lesson, I'd always wondered about that. Got it straight from the source. I've been to Brussels; if it's anything like that it must be beautiful. Seems like I remember reading about The Netherlands being a world power, first through trade then lending and credit. I'll have to read up on that. We Americans tend to ignore anything before the mid 1700's...

I'll add my own lesson here. My state (province) is "Oklahoma," which means "Home of the Red Man." It was originally established as settlements for native americans (indians) displaced from Florida. The were (sadly) force-marched out of Florida along what later became known as the Trail of Tears, because so many of them died along the way. In later years, reservations were created (and still exist to this day), the indians displaced again, and the land was opened to white settlers using "land runs," in which they could claim land by settling upon and improving it. Later, Oklahoma became a state.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108260.html

Oh, the ignorance of our ancestors. It's the world we inherited, right or wrong.

I really like this thread.

I have learned about Holland that is actually 'the netherlands', Oklahoma, world polotics and about soccer.

Gee, Oklahoma State looks bigger than 'The netherlands'

We Americans tend to ignore anything before the mid 1700's...

The first white people to settlein SA was the Dutch - Jan Anthoniszoon van Riebeeck - they landed at the future Cape Town on 6 April 1652. But i only take note of what happened during the 1800 - much more interesting....

Let's compare languages with a phrase: ( My Dutch is a bit rusty...) Dutch - "In 1652, kwam daarop Jan van Riebeeck naar de Tafelbaai" Afrikaans - "In 1652, kom Jan van Riebeeck daar aan in Tafelbaai" English - "Jan van Riebeeck arrived at Tafelbaai in 1652."

Isn't modern communication a wonder? Here we are talking to each other almsot in realtime seperated by a few thousand miles?....

wayne wrote:

The Hague, I thought you made that name up!

I applied for a job in The Hague once. The War Crimes Tribunal was hiring web developers. Seriously. I didn't get the job but it was by far the coolest job I've ever applied for.

Has anybody looked at CodeSmith Studio? It is actually very powerfull.

It can do the same as a O/R Mapper - Generate Code - but it is upto the developer to design the templates as he wants it - that is if he does not like the existing templates.

What makes it so nice is the fact that it has a proper editor with key words that get hilighted and all of that type of stuff.

You can use it to generate any type of code or text document.

Codesmith studio is nice, but not that powerful as it might seem. You still need a lot of code writing by hand to get the templates you want. Remember: the code you generate with LLBLGen Pro is just a part of the complete codebase you're using A lot is in the runtime libs.

Also, codesmith is really just a few lines of code

• parse <% and %>. All text between %> and <% is transformed to PrintRoutine(text);
• all code between <% and %> is inserted to a static void Main(string[] args){ // code here } routine.
• Add assembly using statements to string with Main method
• compile using CodeDom's C# compiler to memory assembly
• call main, voila!

It's however nice to generate typed collections

Hi Otis

Today i am browsing through the msdn magazine and trying all the new stuff like Codesmith studio. I can't wait for VS 2005 - They developed all the stuff that i needed 2 years ago...

I am searching for report builders for asp.net - know any good ones that will work with the collections from LLBLGen?

I don't want to use Crystal Reports (What a piece of *%$@#) I tried Xtra reports by DevExpress but that wants access to a DataAdapter and DataSource at design time.

report generators are pretty tough stuff to work with anyway, activereports was always a good candidate in hte COM world.

Almost all report writers want datasets to design the report. This is ok, just keep the dataset the same as an entity collection for example and you should be able to bind an entity collection without problems.

activereports was always a good candidate in hte COM world

Have you seen their prices? - Standard Edition (Site) - $3,499.00 or Professional Edition (Site) - $9,099.00.

Whoa... that's way too much. You can then better write some HTML stuff and display that in a browser or fill word docs through automation (or fight with CR)