Bernie
Today we're visiting the European Parliament.
Access to the main building is surprisingly easy: no armed guards, no anti-tank barriers... any random US Embassy typically has more security measures, and the US Capitol was over the top even before the January 6th 2021 mob attack.
Bernie
@alxlg The cost of leaving 4% of the soil unproductive is clear to anyone, but I still don't understand the benefit: was it done just to piss the farmers, or is there a public benefit that must be weighted against the cost? Do farmers bear the costs without any benefits for them?
Alex L π π΅πΈ
These EU policies have been going on for decades, with our production oppressed with all sort of idiotic rule, while allowing the import of products from non-EU countries that don't have our rules. We are overrun with poor quality food and ours cannot compete.
Farmers don't want your sympathy, but protests should capture your attention.
But I guess shiny buildings did instead.
Alex L π π΅πΈ
You have just visited the only parliament in human history without legislative power, did you know it?
Have you ever read the Maastricht and Lisbon treaties or is your knowledge of the EU limited to an ideological "a union must be a good thing and so is the EU"?
Alex L π π΅πΈ
Do you support EU policies on agriculture?
Bernie
@alxlg Actually, I'm not sure: I've been away for ~16 years, and I haven't been keeping up with news about Italy or Europe.
I read they've been told to set aside 4% of the land every year for regeneration. But I have no idea whether this is actually a good idea, and what the farmers would do instead.
Bernie
@alxlg Ugh. We passed by the exact same square. You can still see the tracks of the tractors.
If the farmers were looking for our sympathy, this is not the way.
Alex L π π΅πΈ
What about this?
Bernie
Oh wow, have I missed the big news? πΊπ¦
Bernie
@penguin42 Maybe, but what about the absurd layout of the floor buttons? 4, 5... 0... 2.
penguin42
@codewiz I've seen places with multiple lifts, eachof which only get you to some floors. Perhaps those floors are the ones you don't get in trouble on.
Bernie
Our "self-guided tour" starts.with an elevator ride to floor 4.
Nobody is escorting us... what if we pushed 2 or 5? ...and why isn't there a 3rd floor?
Also, why are all controls duplicated except for the "close door" button? π€·
Bernie
#ChatGPT believes it's just a coincidence that the #Amiga Boing Ball appears in the middle of Croatia's national flag, not an official endorsement of the best computer EVER :amiga:
Bernie
One particular flag caught my attention :amiga:
#Amiga
Bernie
Inside the visitor center, we're welcomed by the flags of all member countries... except for Ukraine βΉοΈ
Bernie
Still completely unescorted, we quietly step into The Hemicycle, the de-facto seat of the European Parliament π²
https://visiting.europarl.europa.eu/en/visitor-offer/brussels/hemicycle
Bernie
There are EU Parliament chambers also in Strasbourg and Luxembourg, but I read that Brussels is where the MEPs actually meet most of the time.
Bernie
#ChatGPT believes it's just a coincidence that the #Amiga Boing Ball appears on Croatia's national flag, not an official endorsement of the best computer EVER :amiga:
Bernie
Our "self-guided tour" starts.with an elevator ride to floor 4.
Nobody is escorting us... what if we pushed 2 or 5? And why isn't there a 3rd floor?
Also, why are all controls duplicated except for the "close door" button? π€·
Bernie
Still unescorted, we enter The Hemicycle, the de-facto seat of the European Parliament.
There are chambers also in Strasbourg and Luxembourg, but I read that Brussels is where the MEPs actually meet most of the time.
https://visiting.europarl.europa.eu/en/visitor-offer/brussels/hemicycle
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