What houses in the world aren't made out of wood?
The ones made out of concrete, steel, and glass?
Where do they build strictly concrete houses? Or only steel houses?
And Seven needs to stop living in his glass house...
What the fuck are you talking about? There are simply no houses made out of wood over here. It's something people just don't do.
We in regards to Katrina, Seven does have a point. Several low lying European nations have taken precautions against rising tides and severe storm systems regardless of the likelihood of a massive event. While here in the US where we experience large storms systems and natural disasters on a yearly basis, yet we do not take any precautions to prevent tragedies such as Katrina.
Don't argue with them. Any argument I give is either dismissed as European snobbage or a European minority complex. Which is a bit strange as that's exact the reaction most of the American powers that be are aiming for. You'd expect a more educated response from people who go to university, but I guess most hope is lost there as well.
He thinks Europe could deal with a Category Five Hurricane striking London, Coruna, or Den Haag. Oh man, if that was actually possible (and might be possible in the future) he's going to look really foolish. Low-lying cities in Europe would be destroyed a la New Orleans.
We'd do a hell of a lot better than New Orleans.
This is just typical European snobbage. Just like when that European writer wrote in the wake of Katrina that the US is the most uncivilized nation on earth, we will always have to deal with somebody making absurd statements and notions that can be easily dispelled with a little knowledge of history and science.
The US is the most uncivilised nation on the face of the earth. The Holocaust and Mao's regime are quite probably the only things that overrule the atrocities committed by the grand old US of A when it comes to the last 60 years of history. Oh and he's "European"? Name a country FFS. Don't be such a moron and show some culture.
The fact is technology for flood prevention in both Louisiana and Mississippi has been available for year. Scientists had said again and again if you don't do something, you'll be sorry. In addition, meteorological computer models predicted the devastation caused by Katrina 10 years prior to it actually happening. Both State and Federal governments chose to ignore those facts as they have ignored the facts you listed. You can say Katrina was the result of a "to do" list that was way too big and that probably is true in this case. But does that make it ok? I understand when you say it's easy for the Dutch and the like to concentrate on one area while in the US we have to concentrate much more. That really seems like a weak excuse. The US is one of the greatest countries in the world and handling multiple problems shouldn't really be an issue.
No argument to them. It's all about Europeans thinking they're better than Americans.
Yes, enjoy your utopia. I will put in a good word for you with Fearless Leader Mr. Leterme so you can earn your propaganda merit badge and hold hands with your compatriots and sing about how nothing bad ever happens in your perfect world -- unlike those monstrously inferior societies overseas. Hey, that kind of head-in-the-sand belief system worked for Khrushchev during the cold war.
You're obviously an intelligent person -- albeit naive, a victim of your own hubris, and sometimes belligerent. Maybe those latter qualities will change as you get older and see and experience more of the world, but I'm not going to wait on that.
Thank you for wasting my time.
So you googled Belgium. I'm impressed. Now explain me who exactly Mr. Leterme is. Nice to see you're putting in some communist terms as well there, my friend. Because propaganda = communism, right?
But hey, you're an American. I don't blame you. Like I said at the beginning, it's very hard for an American to get a clear picture. Most of you are quite simply conditioned to think in certain patterns. The constant reference to communism being one of them.
Oh, and swag: most of the rest of the world does not exactly share your American views, so I doubt my view would change

.