大咖福利影院

In 2024, 8.5% of the EU population were unable to afford a meal containing meat, fish or a vegetarian equivalent every second day. 馃嵔

Highest shares in:

Bulgaria (18.7%)

Slovakia (17.1%)

Romania (16.3%)

Lowest in:

Cyprus (1.2%)

Ireland (1.8%)

Portugal (2.5%)

For those who follow political events in Bulgaria (hopefully all of us) here's a little rundown on why you may see more people than usual out and about tomorrow:

@JimJ

This being the Balkans, the region where World Wars literally ignite over not very much at all, it's rather hard to see what could possibly be "off-topic" when it comes to talking about Bulgarian politics.聽 Still, what do I know? 馃槑

Well I have come to the conclusion that it does seem pointless voting in any election these days when whatever the people choose then the other parties collaborate against it.

If Radev wins which is looking most likely so far then Borissov has said he will form a coalition so again we get nowhere.

A world without a political system sounds much better to me 馃ぃ

- @SimCityAT

Excellent!

Democracy in action

Excellent! Democracy in action - @Fred

Only if you're a lemming.....or Uncle Vlad! 馃憥

Excellent! Democracy in action聽 - @Fred
Only if you're a lemming.....or Uncle Vlad! 馃憥 - @JimJ

Many people confuse democracy with what they believe should be democracy - that being their preferred candidate winning.

They complained about how unfair elections are, but only when their man loses. If he wins, as we just saw in Hungary,聽 the rigged election was fine.

The new guy immediately announces how he's going to ban all the (now) opposition press - applause from the anti-Orban lot who complained how the previous leader took away press freedom.

Excellent! Democracy in action - @Fred
Only if you're a lemming.....or Uncle Vlad! 馃憥 - @JimJ
Many people confuse democracy with what they believe should be democracy - that being their preferred candidate winning.
They complained about how unfair elections are, but only when their man loses. If he wins, as we just saw in Hungary, the rigged election was fine.
The new guy immediately announces how he's going to ban all the (now) opposition press - applause from the anti-Orban lot who complained how the previous leader took away press freedom. - @Fred

I'm not sure what relevance that has to the situation in Bulgaria, apart from the prospective new Prime Minister being an Orban-clone..

Excellent! Democracy in action - @Fred
Only if you're a lemming.....or Uncle Vlad! 馃憥 - @JimJ
Many people confuse democracy with what they believe should be democracy - that being their preferred candidate winning.
They complained about how unfair elections are, but only when their man loses. If he wins, as we just saw in Hungary, the rigged election was fine.
The new guy immediately announces how he's going to ban all the (now) opposition press - applause from the anti-Orban lot who complained how the previous leader took away press freedom. - @Fred
I'm not sure what relevance that has to the situation in Bulgaria, apart from the prospective new Prime Minister being an Orban-clone..
- @JimJ

It's a shame BG has decided to go backwards and elect an Orban cum Fico clone.聽

As I posted over in the HU forum, when it came down to the electorate (or party proferred) choice between the Kremlin or EU, the electorate chose the EU.聽 聽 It's a process that BG will have to - apparently - go through.聽 聽We've seen the same in PL.聽

And the UK went utterly mad and left the EU which looking back, has proved to be bordering on insanity.聽 Radev will - no doubt - want to try and avoid the same mistakes.聽

Some posters offer trolling opinions on political situations in HU, BG, PL and EU聽 and elsewhere and they have no knowledge of the day to day political situation on the ground.聽 聽They know who they are.聽 Best not to engage.

Some posters offer trolling opinions on political situations in HU, BG, PL and EU and elsewhere and they have no knowledge of the day to day political situation on the ground. They know who they are. Best not to engage. - @fluffy2560

Why not engage? We're in the Balkans and聽 everyone has at least one favourite party axe to grind, even if they have only the vaguest notion of what, if anything, the party leader stands for (more often than not, simply feathering his/her own nest).

Radev's already had a shot at being a manipulative puppet-master, and that back-fired spectcularly on the country: any idiots who voted for him this time round need to have their bumps felt, preferably with a rubber truncheon...

Some posters offer trolling opinions on political situations in HU, BG, PL and EU and elsewhere and they have no knowledge of the day to day political situation on the ground. They know who they are. Best not to engage. - @fluffy2560
Why not engage? We're in the Balkans and everyone has at least one favourite party axe to grind, even if they have only the vaguest notion of what, if anything, the party leader stands for (more often than not, simply feathering his/her own nest).
Radev's already had a shot at being a manipulative puppet-master, and that back-fired spectcularly on the country: any idiots who voted for him this time round need to have their bumps felt, preferably with a rubber truncheon... - @JimJ

Don't engage because it's unreasonable conduct.聽 And it's not discourse or any kind of reasoned arguments put forward to promote a hypothesis.聽 聽Usually the troll resorts to personal attacks in order to get a rise out of the person who put forward a more reasoned argument.聽 In the end it looks like the troll is ranting.聽 Moreover, the ranting goes across many forums, not just here in BG.聽 Thing I really dislike is the cherry picking of various websites with "homework".聽 I don't do homework and I rarely read the trolls posts.聽 Everything I post is original work.聽

We put up with it in HU forum "International Relations".聽 聽We just don't respond because it's some kind of troll oxygen.聽 It's clearly a mental health condition.聽 I tend to imagine an uneducated bitter young or old man lonely in his mother's basement.

I personally would kick the troll out.聽 Numerous times complaints have been made but no action has been taken.聽 Usually the worst that happens is that posts get blocked.聽 I've been in these forums for some years and I've only known one person to be actually kicked out of the entire site.聽 聽

@fluffy2560

I'm not sure what to say: sometimes one man's attempt to start up a discussion about a topic is viewed by another as "trolling"; just as "Hate" on the internet often seems to mean "expressing a view that doesn't happen to suit me".聽 Likewise, "demonstrable proof" to me might be akin to a conspiracy theory to someone not prepared to examine that proof.聽

Either way, a good old ding-dong about more or less any topic is usually an enjoyable way to spend an otherwise boring evening....or maybe not? 馃槑

@fluffy2560
I'm not sure what to say: sometimes one man's attempt to start up a discussion about a topic is viewed by another as "trolling"; just as "Hate" on the internet often seems to mean "expressing a view that doesn't happen to suit me". Likewise, "demonstrable proof" to me might be akin to a conspiracy theory to someone not prepared to examine that proof.
Either way, a good old ding-dong about more or less any topic is usually an enjoyable way to spend an otherwise boring evening....or maybe not? 馃槑 - @JimJ

It gets really boring with engaging with the troll.聽 聽I usually want a serious discussion with hopefully a bit of humour thrown in but I don't get it from the troll.聽 聽Just repeats the same unproven and unprovable points, ignoring history and fantasising someone is actually interested in some random points and links to further YouTube wasters.聽 The troll in question knows nothing about what is going on in-country and what the issues are.聽 Complete waste of everyone's time.聽 If you fancy an argument with a asinine troll cum聽 robot from Asia, please feel free to engage over at Hungary and the "International Relations" thread.聽 More inputs welcome.

@fluffy2560

If I were to stick my oar in there then I'd be the troll: I know sweet FA about the realities of life and politics in Hungary or how much of a "reformer" Magyar really is... 馃檪

@fluffy2560 If I were to stick my oar in there then I'd be the troll: I know sweet FA about the realities of life and politics in Hungary or how much of a "reformer" Magyar really is... 馃檪 - @JimJ

Come on over and say your piece.聽 聽Contributors will judge. We're a broad church.

We're all aware here in HU of the potential for Magyar to be Fidesz/Orban-lite.

The troll on the other hand definitely knows FA about it but it doesn't stop the troll proselytizing nutjob conspiracy theories repeatedly like a kind of verbal diarrhea.聽

Interesting

@SimCityAT

Hmmm. I see a correlation.

@Aidan in HCMC

Wonder what life expectancy comparisons would show?

@jeanmandredeix

@SimCityAT
Hmmm. I see a correlation.
- @Aidan in HCMC

Austria it is now 鈧�6.60

.....and in the UK

Budget brands (e.g., Richmond, Sovereign, Rothmans): Around 拢14.75 to 拢15.50

Mid-range brands (e.g., Lambert & Butler, L&B Blue): Around 拢15.20 to 拢16.50

Premium brands (e.g., Marlboro Gold, Benson & Hedges): Around 拢17.50 to 拢18.50+

Makes me glad not to smoke! My parents were both heavy smokers and all that exposure to secondhand smoke put me off for life! Thankfully my Bulgarian friends here are also non-smokers.

Makes me glad not to smoke! My parents were both heavy smokers and all that exposure to secondhand smoke put me off for life! Thankfully my Bulgarian friends here are also non-smokers. - @janemulberry

Good plan.聽 It's hardly a normal thing to be inhaling noxious chemicals.

My parents were part of the WW2 generation and smoking was normal. Packet of ciggies came in the Army MRE meals so it was the default that everyone smoked.

My Dad gave up in the 1960s and lived until 99 so he reduced his risk and ended on a good innings.

I'm glad your Dad did so well! My Dad and Mum gave up in their late 40's. Unfortunately for Dad the damage was done -- he had chronic airways disease and microvascular dementia. Though they lived to be 89, both had multiple health problems and loss of quality of life.

Yes, hubby who is English says he started smoking before he was even ten, because everyone was doing it. Ugh -- I've been so repulsed by it I've never even snuck a puff. I have other addictions instead -- I love a glass of wine, and I online shop way too much!

I'm glad your Dad did so well! My Dad and Mum gave up in their late 40's. Unfortunately for Dad the damage was done -- he had chronic airways disease and microvascular dementia. Though they lived to be 89, both had multiple health problems and loss of quality of life.Yes, hubby who is English says he started smoking before he was even ten, because everyone was doing it. Ugh -- I've been so repulsed by it I've never even snuck a puff. I have other addictions instead -- I love a glass of wine, and I online shop way too much! - @janemulberry

I cannot say not smoking made my Daddio live so long as he had many long lived ancestors.聽

It looks like some of us (kids) will go on for quite a while but others still left are already afflicted by typical issues of older age - diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, bad backs, osteoarthritis (probably), hearing loss and maybe for some of us essential tremor etc.聽

I stopped smoking years ago and I stopped drinking some years ago.聽 The doctor told me to start drinking again (in moderation!!!) as it'll help with the tremors.聽 I knew that anyway but once an addict always addict so I'd rather not.聽

I wasn't really booze addict as I could stop relatively easily but I fear if I start swigging the vino again, I could well be well away with the fairies within a few weeks and my efficiency will drop and besides, life is for living, not laying half-cut in bed most of the day. I feel I have to make the most of it as I approach 66.

And of course, my liver may never forgive me if I pickle it again.

It's very easy for one small glass of wine with dinner to creep up to one large glass of wine, to half a bottle or more. I've been down that route. Not drinking at all is definitely the easiest way to control it.

It's very easy for one small glass of wine with dinner to creep up to one large glass of wine, to half a bottle or more. I've been down that route. Not drinking at all is definitely the easiest way to control it. - @janemulberry

It's quite difficult in places where booze is so cheap. Like here in HU, vino and fruit brandy is often cheaper than bottled water from Aldi!

Agreed!

It's very easy for one small glass of wine with dinner to creep up to one large glass of wine, to half a bottle or more. I've been down that route. Not drinking at all is definitely the easiest way to control it. - @janemulberry
It's quite difficult in places where booze is so cheap. Like here in HU, vino and fruit brandy is often cheaper than bottled water from Aldi! - @fluffy2560

Gawd, yeah.

I buy a couple of Magnums of white wine a month from my neighbour for 鈧�7 to make spritzers in the summer months.

@SimCityAT

Magnum, pee eyed

The equivalent of four standard sized bottles a month doesn't sound too excessive!

I do still drink occasionally, especially enjoying a glass of rakia with my neighbours. But they're not big drinkers, so it is just one small one.

Hubby doesn't drink at all, so if we open a wine bottle I'm the only one who will drink it.聽 Though the extra cost irks me, if I'm the only one drinking, I just buy a 200ml bottle. That way I can't keep "accidentally" topping up my glass.

The equivalent of four standard sized bottles a month doesn't sound too excessive!I do still drink occasionally, especially enjoying a glass of rakia with my neighbours. But they're not big drinkers, so it is just one small one. Hubby doesn't drink at all, so if we open a wine bottle I'm the only one who will drink it. Though the extra cost irks me, if I'm the only one drinking, I just buy a 200ml bottle. That way I can't keep "accidentally" topping up my glass. - @janemulberry

Mrs F and I were on a couple of bottles a NIGHT at one point.聽 聽It just couldn't go on!聽 We'd buy 4L "artisan" jugs from a local vineyard.聽 聽Really nice wine but it had to stop.聽 So I just stopped.聽 It was that or the cemetery.

We knew someone who drank themselves to death.聽 Literally boozed their way into the grave.聽 It was crazy.聽 Owned property, had income and didn't need a job, just spent 24h a day stewed.聽 No partner as a way to control and moderate. Ended up with multiple rounds in hospital and eventually never came out.聽

That's so sad.

And yes, I've had my one (or more) bottles a night periods. Working in a remote town where a group of co-workers either went to the pub together or hosted each other for boozy dinner parties most nights, I wouldn't like to count up how many units of alcohol I consumed in a week. I never drank alone, it was just a group of thirty-something singles where drinking heavily was the normal thing to do.

@janemulberry

Are you sure you didn't mean "thirsty-something"...? 馃槑

That too! It was in the Australian outback, so it did get hot there!

That too! It was in the Australian outback, so it did get hot there! - @janemulberry

I suppose not much else to do except boozing, watching movies and playing cards etc.

Pretty much that, yes!

Though also the sunsets were amazing, the stars at night incredible, and I loved walking out in the desert in the cool of the morning.

Pretty much that, yes! Though also the sunsets were amazing, the stars at night incredible, and I loved walking out in the desert in the cool of the morning. - @janemulberry

My 2nd daughter spent 2 years in Australia.聽 One year at La Trobe University in Melbourne and the other year travelling including working some months at an outback roadhouse.聽 She said it was something else. Now she's in Canada working but will go back to Australia as she's just young enough for a working/holiday visa.聽 This time she's going to Perth, WA with her hubby.聽

Shame really my parents didn't stay in Melbourne as we'd all be Australians rather than just some of us.聽 I think it would have been a lucky country for us all.聽 Bit late now.