20th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall - Page 2

Radar · 11-10-2009, 01:37 PM

Reagan had nothing to do with the negotiations with Iran to release the hostages, though later he did sell arms to Iran and had the CIA bring cocaine into America to raise money for the Contras.

Carter is responsible for the release of the hostages, and Iran was so pissed at him, they decided to release the hostages on Reagan's inauguration day as a final "fuck you" to Carter

Radar · 11-10-2009, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I hate to interrupt this pissing match, but I wanted to thank glatt for sharing his impressions of cold war Germany. Thanks glatt.

Yes, that was nice. I haven't been back to Germany since the wall was still there. The last time I went to Germany was 1987. I wish I had gone during the World Cup though and wanted to go to the Love Parade so many times, but never got to.

TheMercenary · 11-10-2009, 01:47 PM

Just the idea of scooting around Germany in a VW Bus is appealing. What I wouldn't give to have one of those babies in mint condition. Well I wouldn't give to much but it is a nice thought.

http://www.cartype.com/pics/297/full/vw_bus_draw_59.jpg

Radar · 11-10-2009, 01:52 PM

Did you hear about the VW Van in mint condition that was stolen 35 years ago and just recovered?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/06/....vw/index.html

xoxoxoBruce · 11-10-2009, 02:01 PM

VW ~ Virtually Worthless.

People driving VWs, back in the day, were like people driving Priuses today, always in the way.

Radar · 11-10-2009, 02:03 PM

Doesn't Volkswagen own/manufacture Audi? Now those are great cars. I love the Audi A8, and I really love the Audi R8. I wish I could afford either of them.

TheMercenary · 11-10-2009, 02:08 PM

I did hear that story. Crazy.

@Bruce. You crazy man?!?! My VW bug was never in the way, nor was it like a Pussyrius.

I did a complete pan up restoration of a second one in 1993 of a 78 Super Beetle. Great car, hauled ass.

glatt · 11-10-2009, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

VW ~ Virtually Worthless.

People driving VWs, back in the day, were like people driving Priuses today, always in the way.

Don't know about the Priuses, but it's true about the old VW's. Although on my parent's last jaunt to Europe, they bought a VW Synchro (that's a 4WD) Vanagon that had a retrofitted Porsche engine in it. That one was able to keep up on the autobahn.

TheMercenary · 11-10-2009, 02:27 PM

Ok, maybe about the old buses but my bugs always scooted around nicely. We did own a VW Vanagon new in 1985 and loved it but as a fourbanger, like it's ancestors, pick up lacked. Heaven help you if you were going up a steep hill.

glatt · 11-10-2009, 02:40 PM

They were fine, unless you had 6 people in the bus and a bunch of luggage and you were going over the continental divide. Then you were going 45 on the highway. Usually, there would be a truck chugging up the hill too, and you could slip in behind it and blend in.

11-10-2009, 03:58 PM

It is also a time to remember the leaders of the grass roots pro-democracy movements that were born and flourished at the time....leaders like Baerbel Bohley in East Germany, Lech Welesa and the solidarity movement in Poland, Vaclev Havel and the Czech intellectual movement and even that drunken Russian fool, Boris Yeltsun.

It was at great personal risk that they and their followers contributed to the fall of Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain.

ZenGum · 11-10-2009, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glatt

We went to some touristy place where they were doing changing of the guards. It was interesting because the East German soldiers were goose stepping as they marched. They looked just like Nazis.

One of my quick rules of life: never trust any government whose soldiers goose-step.

Mind you, one of my other rules is never trust any government at all, but it goes double for the goose steppers.

Yes, I remember watching the wall come down, one of the greatest, most amazing, feel-good events in history. And we got to watch it unfold practically live. Awesome.

Keep in mind, Volkswagon also own and make the Bugatti Veyron. 1,001 horsepower, max 407kph. No, you cannot afford one. The tyres alone cost over $20,000 for a set, and at top speed, will last around 15 minutes.

xoxoxoBruce · 11-11-2009, 02:04 AM

15 is enough, the gas tank is only big enough for 12 minutes... seriously.

Griff · 11-11-2009, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by classicman

Am I the only one who remembers this day and how absolutely amazing it seemed as it was happening?
I'm a little surprised that no on has mentioned this.

I was on vacation with Pete's New Hampshire family including her very well read Navy Vet uncle. We drank a lot, talked a lot, and worried a bit because of the potentential for chaos if any of the East Block true believers decided it needed to stop. I don't know how much emphasis this event was given in schools. It was a spell-binding moment that lead to a completely different world which many cold warriors still can't get a handle on.

ZenGum · 11-11-2009, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

15 is enough, the gas tank is only big enough for 12 minutes... seriously.

True, I guess that is kind of a safety feature.

Now, as for the cost of refilling that gas tank ...

11-10-2009, 01:37 PM	#16
Radar Constitutional Scholar Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Ocala, FL Posts: 4,006	Reagan had nothing to do with the negotiations with Iran to release the hostages, though later he did sell arms to Iran and had the CIA bring cocaine into America to raise money for the Contras. Carter is responsible for the release of the hostages, and Iran was so pissed at him, they decided to release the hostages on Reagan's inauguration day as a final "fuck you" to Carter __________________ "I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death." - George Carlin

11-10-2009, 01:47 PM	#18
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	Just the idea of scooting around Germany in a VW Bus is appealing. What I wouldn't give to have one of those babies in mint condition. Well I wouldn't give to much but it is a nice thought. http://www.cartype.com/pics/297/full/vw_bus_draw_59.jpg __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

11-10-2009, 01:52 PM	#19
Radar Constitutional Scholar Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Ocala, FL Posts: 4,006	Did you hear about the VW Van in mint condition that was stolen 35 years ago and just recovered? http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/06/....vw/index.html __________________ "I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death." - George Carlin

11-10-2009, 02:01 PM	#20
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	VW ~ Virtually Worthless. People driving VWs, back in the day, were like people driving Priuses today, always in the way. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

11-10-2009, 02:03 PM	#21
Radar Constitutional Scholar Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Ocala, FL Posts: 4,006	Doesn't Volkswagen own/manufacture Audi? Now those are great cars. I love the Audi A8, and I really love the Audi R8. I wish I could afford either of them. __________________ "I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death." - George Carlin

11-10-2009, 02:08 PM	#22
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	I did hear that story. Crazy. @Bruce. You crazy man?!?! My VW bug was never in the way, nor was it like a Pussyrius. I did a complete pan up restoration of a second one in 1993 of a 78 Super Beetle. Great car, hauled ass. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

11-10-2009, 02:27 PM	#24
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	Ok, maybe about the old buses but my bugs always scooted around nicely. We did own a VW Vanagon new in 1985 and loved it but as a fourbanger, like it's ancestors, pick up lacked. Heaven help you if you were going up a steep hill. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

11-10-2009, 02:40 PM	#25
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	They were fine, unless you had 6 people in the bus and a bunch of luggage and you were going over the continental divide. Then you were going 45 on the highway. Usually, there would be a truck chugging up the hill too, and you could slip in behind it and blend in.

11-10-2009, 03:58 PM	#26
Redux Guest Posts: n/a	It is also a time to remember the leaders of the grass roots pro-democracy movements that were born and flourished at the time....leaders like Baerbel Bohley in East Germany, Lech Welesa and the solidarity movement in Poland, Vaclev Havel and the Czech intellectual movement and even that drunken Russian fool, Boris Yeltsun. It was at great personal risk that they and their followers contributed to the fall of Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain.

11-11-2009, 02:04 AM	#28
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	15 is enough, the gas tank is only big enough for 12 minutes... seriously. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

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