Lonan3 Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 Just try to guess which city this story in today's Times is about A typical evening for foreigners ... begins with a debate about where to meet for drinks and then whether to eat Italian, Thai, Indian, French or Lebanese food. Afterwards there are bars and pool halls ... and, for some, brothels packed with Chinese prostitutes. A jewellery shop reported roaring trade in Breitling wristwatches, which start at $3,000 (£1,700) and are thought to be the favourites of the country’s drug barons. Across town the newly opened Serena Hotel has been transformed into a stunning five-star establishment that is packed out for weekend brunch. Rooms start at $250 a night. A round of golf on the newly reopened course at the ... Golf Club costs $50. Dinner for two at L’Atmosphère, the trendiest French restaurant in town, is double that. A four-bedroom house that, not long ago, could have been rented for a few hundred dollars a month, now fetches $2,500. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,25...2086117,00.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theintelligentthug Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 doesnt really surprise me. the eighties had to hit them sooner or later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karellen Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 Sounds far better than life under the previous regime, or is this intended to be another anti American thread? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 Is it Peel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollag Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 And some people worry about the Islamification of the West, Wow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juan Kerr Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 Just try to guess which city this story in today's Times is about A typical evening for foreigners ... begins with a debate about where to meet for drinks and then whether to eat Italian, Thai, Indian, French or Lebanese food. Afterwards there are bars and pool halls ... and, for some, brothels packed with Chinese prostitutes. A jewellery shop reported roaring trade in Breitling wristwatches, which start at $3,000 (£1,700) and are thought to be the favourites of the country’s drug barons. Across town the newly opened Serena Hotel has been transformed into a stunning five-star establishment that is packed out for weekend brunch. Rooms start at $250 a night. A round of golf on the newly reopened course at the ... Golf Club costs $50. Dinner for two at L’Atmosphère, the trendiest French restaurant in town, is double that. A four-bedroom house that, not long ago, could have been rented for a few hundred dollars a month, now fetches $2,500. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,25...2086117,00.html If there were ever two words to so diametrically opposed they are "American" and "culture". As for Afganistan - you have a mountain of foreign bribe (sorry aide) payments made by the US, largely in cash and paid to whichever warring faction happens to be this months favorite, added to the mountain banknotes generated by the global heroin trade. NO WONDER THEY ARE SHIFTING BRIETLING WATCHES AT $3,000 A POP. This is not a cultural renaisance - its cold hard (badly spent and unaccounted) bribes, reconstruction money (ie. more bribes), hush money, and the proceeds of the global drugs trade being frittered away by a segment of society that is now, thanks to the protection of the US agencies, virtually untouchable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crozza Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scholar Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 American culture, Great Britain and the Democratic Republic of Korea are the biggest oxymorons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollag Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 Little Britain seems quite apt now you mention it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinahand Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 This thread is about American Culture? ... well Uncle Sam may be paying for it, along with our Chemically enhanced friends, but I don't think this thread is about Americanism, McNationalisation or anything like that ... I read about Russians from Kazakstan, Chinese, South African, British, Lebanese, yes there are Yanks, but lets be honest ... This article isn't about America its about how people are spending American money. I agree with some of the comments above that alot of this is due to the bribes the Yanks have paid into the society, but I think that how that money is being spent has almost nothing to do with America. What interests me is the fact that alot of the small businesses mentioned happen to be run by foreigners, and not the typical multinational Yank or Brit MBA clone, but Kazaks, Lebanese and Chinese. I know lots of Chinse who blame the corrupt west for the brothels and thieves who have appeared as the stiffling social control of the Mao era has disappeared. I've always felt that was a cop out and they should be looking closer to home. I think its the same in Kabul You can call me naive, but I just don't think the things being described here have much to do with the Yanks. A Lebanese realises his restaurant will be a success and moves to Kabul ... you have to admit that's quite a brave business move. The organised crime gangs in the ex-Soviets and China start bringing in prostitutes, probably via the same routes the drugs are leaving. This thread should be about globalization and its consequences ... blaming it on the yanks is a cheap shot, and pretty meaningless to me. Are you saying people pay for sex, eat Lebanese, Italian or French food because of America? I don't think so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 It is only that the American dollar is THE international currency, not that American culture has shaped things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Smelly Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 Well if thats the case look out iran because they are selling oil in euro's to the chinese. The problem when these places are liberated there is a lots of scope for illegal practises. I would like to see what iraq will be like once things cool down. The world is less safe now than before the war on terror, i would just like to see something positive for a change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GD4ELI Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 It is only that the American dollar is THE international currency, not that American culture has shaped things. You may find that the euro is the most traded currency. Look at www.ft.com for more info. With the increasing anti-American sentiment the euro is being used even more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Smelly Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 Well saddam was selling oil in euro's before he was toppled. Read somewhere that this was why the yanks wanted him out. If the euro is used more than the dollar will this make the dollar weaker ? Also read china and other countries are swapping funds from dollars to gold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsTrellisfromNorthWales Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,25...2086117,00.html[/url] If there were ever two words to so diametrically opposed they are "American" and "culture". As for Afganistan - you have a mountain of foreign bribe (sorry aide) payments made by the US, largely in cash and paid to whichever warring faction happens to be this months favorite, added to the mountain banknotes generated by the global heroin trade. NO WONDER THEY ARE SHIFTING BRIETLING WATCHES AT $3,000 A POP. American culture, eh? Seems to be having an effect on you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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