Photo Gallery: East Germany's Transformation

[Copperknickers II]

Eh? The North of England could do with more jobs without a doubt and more industry but take Newcastle, as a city its freaking awesome and even the worst parts are undergoing regeneration. I've got a lot of complaints about the North but the cities of Newcastle, Durham hell even Sunderland aren't one of them.

Did I at any point mention those cities? Most large cities in the UK are undergoing substantial regeneration: Glasgow, Aberdeen, London, Liverpool, Nottingham, etc.

[Denny Crane!]

You seemed to be quite pejorative towards northern cities, I mentioned a few examples that I didn't think warranted it. I didn't say you explicitely mentioned those cities...

Did I?

[Nietzsche]

union mobsters? "city run with liberty in mind?"

we're not talking comic books here, boy. Life aint like a hollywood movie.

Except that he's right and you are ill-informed. It's well understood that Unions, corrupt politicians, federal exclusionary policies, and stupid levels of taxation, and piss poor resource management destroyed Detroit. Capitalism it wasn't. Detroit would not have survived the 70's without federal intervention and would be completely dead were it not for constant hand-outs from Washington DC, boy.

Many northern cities suffer from the same blight. Cleveland, for example.

[Thorn777]

Except that he's right and you are ill-informed. It's well understood that Unions, corrupt politicians, federal exclusionary policies, and stupid levels of taxation, and piss poor resource management destroyed Detroit. Capitalism it wasn't. Detroit would not have survived the 70's without federal intervention and would be completely dead were it not for constant hand-outs from Washington DC, boy.

Many northern cities suffer from the same blight. Cleveland, for example.

Or Chicago, yet its so wonderful and booming now.

Maybe it was the rust belt decay and why Canada was able to stop it with its further reaching govt intervention, while in the US it just wandered of to Taxas and Friends, Mexico, and later also China.

[VALIS]

Thoughts?

Totalitarian communism sucks and democracy and capitalism rules.
Why do we still have socialists around again? Their inept ideology had been shown to be totally hopeless and decrepit for decades and decades, 1989 was simply the final nail in the coffin to any sort of credibility it had left (ie only in the eyes of delusional muddleheads). Now even after that momentus occasion did these fools have to acknowledge the failures of their thought.

Anyway, it is nice to see the rejuvenation in eastern Germany. Mind you alot of the people there are still very backwards.

[Thorn777]

Thoughts? Think again.

[Stavroforos]

The Soviets should have simply kept East Germany in the state they acquired it. Just for the giggles, that is.

[Diamat]

Thoughts? Think again.

Thoughts?

Totalitarian communism sucks and democracy and capitalism rules.
Why do we still have socialists around again? Their inept ideology had been shown to be totally hopeless and decrepit for decades and decades, 1989 was simply the final nail in the coffin to any sort of credibility it had left (ie only in the eyes of delusional muddleheads). Now even after that momentus occasion did these fools have to acknowledge the failures of their thought.

Anyway, it is nice to see the rejuvenation in eastern Germany. Mind you alot of the people there are still very backwards.

Lol. Indeed...you should think again.

Why are you equating totalitarian Communism with socialism? Socialism has in no way been discredited. It is practiced by many countries around the world in one way or another.

Thus you should also consider that socialism can mean many different things to different people. It can be understood in terms of social democracy, in terms of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, in terms of military-first socialism, etc.

The point is that the world, and the various terms employed to understand this world, is not as clear-cut as it may appear at first glance. No term possesses universality. A term means different things to different people. To simply dismiss socialism because of what it means to you is tantamount to being governed by the abstractions you yourself have created (excuse my Marxist tone). Study and and criticize everything! This is the first step toward freedom.

[Thorn777]

Uhm yeah, you might reread the post I responded to.

[Diamat]

Uhm yeah, you might reread the post I responded to.

I didn't mean you. I was agreeing with you. I was referring to VALIS's post.

[Abendstern]

The Soviets should have simply kept East Germany in the state they acquired it. Just for the giggles, that is.

But thats exactly what they did. Havent you had a look at the pictures? Less for the giggles and more out of inaptness, though.

[Gen. Chris]

You people are ridiculous. The Soviet Union was not about comfort and leisure like you Western nations are. They were about work and serving their country without hesitation. You should not go ranting on about something you do not understand.

Western Nations have been trained to believe that Socialism, Marxism - Communism in general is bad, because it's not what you use. Capitalist pigs run your government, thats why your government (America in particular) cannot get anything done, because the Congress is held by the Republicans. The Congress will veto anything Obama gives them simply because he's a Democrat. I am not saying the Kremlin wasn't corrupt, because there were many corrupt traitors in it looking to seek a profit.

Honestly, before going implying how awful a Communist state is, and how "wonderful" a democratic republic is, do your research and understand both sides.

They served their country without hesitation for a reason, and it wasn't exactly a positive one.

As for the United States, you might want to take a good look at the situation in Congress right now. I agree with you, but Congress is hardly controlled by the Republicans. Only the House of Representatives is, and that is the lower house. And many Democrats are becoming disillusioned by Obama as well.

And if Communism or Socialism is/was so lovely, as was already asked, why did people risk their lives to FLEE them?

[Thrillology]

I admit, Germany has a proud history and proud architecture. Though their WW history is infamous.
Heh, the first picture looks like the building was destroyed and a new one built rather than renovated. European architecture is the best.