They make the best chips in the world. But the traditional huts that sell perfect pomme frites in public squares and car parks across Belgium are battling against death by overregulation. STORY IN THE TIMES
Ever greater demands to account for hygiene, stock and staff have led to the numbers of genuine street frietkots tumbling from 5,000 to around 1,200 over the past two decades.
Another example of forcing the government to raise children for those too stupid to do it themselves. How about we just have someone standing next to the checkout slapping up Mommy and Daddy a little bit when they can't say "no" to little Skippy when he wants his candy. I'll volunteer!! I have always loved Denis Leary's quote on this "I don't spank my children, I just wave a gun around." More and more European countries are restricting the display of candy at the cash registers in shops. In France for example, stores will no longer be allowed to display candy at the checkout counter from 10 March. In the Netherlands stores are experimenting with different ways of dealing with the temptation at the checkout. Candy makes its way into our shopping bags quite easily. It is hard for parents to get out of a shop without their children begging for candy. Even if parents can cleverly manoeuvre their way around a shop, missing the 'temptation aisles', their attempts are foiled at the checkout counter with the shelves of candy beaconing temptingly. The worst thing about the displays, according to nutritionist Patrick Mullie of Leuven University, is that this contributes to the growing problem of obesity among children. 15 percent of the children in Belgium are obese and a higher percentage is overweight. According to Patrick Mullie, candy sold at the checkout plays a role in the problem. He is in favour of a total ban of candy displays at the cash registers.
PM Guy Verhofstadt, flanked by Belgium's regional Premiers on Monday launched the promotion campaign "Only in Belgium". I'm sorry to break it to these guys....but that phrase is already in use. It usually follows any number of jokes about this country. The idea is to sell Belgium as an investment country abroad. Probably because even the Belgians are smart enough to invest somewhere else.
The campaign is necessary because the political bickering at home in recent months has damaged our reputation. (or exposed it...) Flemish Premier Kris Peeters insisted that we should leave times of complaining behind us and strive for excellence. When people talk about Belgium we should seize the opportunity to promote our stabile and booming open economy our leaders say. Don't you just love it when politicians have shit coming out of both sides of their mouth?
I mentioned yesterday that I thought this ex supermodel was a nutjob...now she claims she was abducted for two days in Brussels, and then released.
The guy who picked her up in a bar though, and got stopped by police walking her back to her apartment had this quote "If only I had taken another way home or a taxi, I could have had a good time with a splendid woman," he told La Dernière newspaper. READ THE STORY IN THE TELEGRAPH
A 38-year-old hairstylist, Monique Reed, has been arrested for allegedly shooting a customer in the ass for complaining about her haircut.
Reed was charged with aggravated assault and reckless endangerment for shooting 28-year-old Lauren Newton in the "small of her back, near her buttocks." Police say Reed went to a bedroom, got a gun, and fired a shot into the ceiling. Officers say Reed then shot Newton, who was trying to flee with her sister. Police say Newton is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Now, let's face it, there's good and bad here. Despite the possibility of experiencing the absolute joy of shooting complainers in the ass, as a business philosophy it would tend to affect the number of repeat customers.
On one hand you have the 4 stooges promoting investment in Belgium..., on the other, they are regulating national treasures to death.
