A Famous Belgian

[VSBfromH 74]

... but don't forget Jacky Ickx

[maryportfuncity 10,642]

Ickx and his site are full of life. DL 2026 if you ask me.

[BrunoBrimley 86]

Just this morning I was scheduled to stop at the localcl dinetr and order some waffles and that madde me think of Belgian Waggles and then this sthread and I was wondertiong igf Perhaps godot ore someone else /knwos if Belgian waffles are indeed BelgiAn or ar e they an ametichan fabrication as I hear french flies are?

At ahy rate I have cancellled rbreakfgast plans ande am in seartch of my SPAM pills.

[BrunoBrimley 86]

and in tinterest of keeping this theread on terack of dead famous and infamous bELGIANS i AM OBLIGrd to note that I sawq none listed in to days paperr., and all at ethe same timne.

[Tomb raider 9]

and in tinterest of keeping this theread on terack of dead famous and infamous bELGIANS i AM OBLIGrd to note that I sawq none listed in to days paperr., and all at ethe same timne.

 

God, you're spreading the incomprehensable gibberish talk all over the forum!

 

Don´t know what time it is in the states, but let´s hope you found yourself a bed and something to vomit in.

[BrunoBrimley 86]

God, you're spreading the incomprehensable gibberish talk all over the forum!

 

Don´t know what time it is in the states, but let´s hope you found yourself a bed and something to vomit in.

 

Oh boo hoo!

[Octopus of Odstock 2,186]

Godot has been playing with his boxes for some time, but it may interest him to learn that Pierre Clerdent, prominent & respected Belgian politican, is "décédé"

 

As an old man, he would've been a potential ripe candidate for Godot's Belgian DL push.

 

However this passing has been comprehensively ignored by the non-Belgian press. How rude of them...

[BrunoBrimley 86]

Godot has been playing with his boxes for some time, but it may interest him to learn that Pierre Clerdent, prominent & respected Belgian politican, is "décédé"

 

As an old man, he would've been a potential ripe candidate for Godot's Belgian DL push.

 

However this passing has been comprehensively ignored by the non-Belgian press. How rude of them...

Well that was just weird. I was getting prepared to think of yet another one of my exceptionally witty retorts here when lo, a message flashed upon my screen advising me that I had exceeded my word quota for the post. Well, clearly this was wrong and perhaps only the product of the warped delirious rantings of a forum gone mad. Not one word, nor even one iota of a word had been placed in the rectangular word holder when I received this message. Quite confusing a moment it was.

 

 

 

Oh, and no Belgians listed in my local paper today......either living or dead.

[Octopus of Odstock 2,186]

2 more dead!

 

Raymond Devos, a "humourist" & Jean Roba, a comics artist, according to Wikipedia.

 

If this carries on, there will be NO Belgians, famous or otherwise, left for the DL selections. I do hope no-one (iain) is going round killing them to please Godot. That's not sporting.

[Godot 149]

So far OoO the only one to get me half way excited is Toots Thielemans. Now he has real class. When he goes there should be a real Belgian wake if that is not a contradiction in terms.

[Tempus Fugit 214]

The only famous Belgians worth studying are right here.

[Lady Die 63]

The only famous Belgians worth studying are right here.

You wouldn't wish for the demise of any of those....

[Cowboy Ronnie 78]

So I went through the guy's website of "famous" Belgians and concluded the only truly famous Belgians are those listed below, in order from most to least well known. Some were debatable, e.g. I know there are Liz Claiborne clothes but I don't know the first thing about her (thought it might have been a made-up name like Abercrombie & Fitch or Banana Republic or FCUK), and Adolphe Sax makes it just because he was lucky enough to be the only person ever to have a musical instrument named after him. Besides Kevin Xylo. There were apparently three King Leopolds but because I doubt anyone can tell me one distinguishing fact amongst the three just the first one makes the list and quite low down.

 

Not one noteworthy author, scientist, or pop singer. Certainly no military figures. Van Damme is the only actor (using the term generously). For the Audrey Hepburn brigade she was just born there, to Anglo-Irish and Dutch parents. A fictional character makes the top ten. Basically, a few minor sports stars and the odd artist is all Belgium has to show for itself from about 1,000 years of history.

 

1. Peter Paul Rubens, painter

2. Jean-Claude Van Damme, action-film hero

3. Eddy Merckx, cyclist

4. Jacky Ickx, Formula 1 racing driver

5. Kim Clijsters, world-class tennis player

6. Justine Henin-Hardenne, world-class tennis player

7. Georges Remi, better known as Hergé, the creator of "Tin Tin" (Kuifje)

8. Hercule Poirot, Belgian detective

9. Liz Claiborne, fashion designer

10. Jean-Marc Bosman, footballer who changed the transfer rules

11. Jacques Brel, legendary chansonnier / singer

12. Jacques Rogge, President of the IOC (International Olympic Committee)

13. Thiery Boutsen, Formula 1 driver

14. Willy Claes, ex-NATO Secretary-General

15. Peter Bruegel the Elder, painter

16. Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone

17. Sir Anton van Dyck, painter

18. Rene Magritte, painter and theorist of surrealism

19. Sabine Appelmans, tennis player

20. Dominique Van Roost - Women's Doubles Tennis - BRONZE medal

21. Xavier Malisse, world-class tennis player

22. Els Callens - Women's Doubles Tennis - BRONZE medal

23. Leopold I, King of Belgium from 1831 to 1865

24. Sandra Kim, youngest ever winner of the Eurovision Song Contest

[in eternum+ 22]

So I went through the guy's website of "famous" Belgians and concluded the only truly famous Belgians are those listed below, in order from most to least well known. <<snip>> Not one noteworthy author, scientist, or pop singer. Certainly no military figures. Van Damme is the only actor (using the term generously). For the Audrey Hepburn brigade she was just born there, to Anglo-Irish and Dutch parents. A fictional character makes the top ten. Basically, a few minor sports stars and the odd artist is all Belgium has to show for itself from about 1,000 years of history.

 

<<snippage of list>>

As conclusively demonstrated elsewhere, there is actually a famous belgian on the list!

[Cowboy Ronnie 78]

So I went through the guy's website of "famous" Belgians and concluded the only truly famous Belgians are those listed below, in order from most to least well known. <<snip>> Not one noteworthy author, scientist, or pop singer. Certainly no military figures. Van Damme is the only actor (using the term generously). For the Audrey Hepburn brigade she was just born there, to Anglo-Irish and Dutch parents. A fictional character makes the top ten. Basically, a few minor sports stars and the odd artist is all Belgium has to show for itself from about 1,000 years of history.

 

<<snippage of list>>

As conclusively demonstrated elsewhere, there is actually a famous belgian on the list!

 

Belgian - sure; on the death list - ok; but famous? How many out there had honestly heard of Claude Levi-Strauss prior to seeing his name on the DL? When you type Levi Strauss into Wiki it takes you straight to the page of....the Levi's jeans guy. Doesn't even offer you a choice of which Levi Strauss you were after until you get to Mr. Denim's page.

[in eternum+ 22]

Belgian - sure; on the death list - ok; but famous? How many out there had honestly heard of Claude Levi-Strauss prior to seeing his name on the DL?

I had.

 

When you type Levi Strauss into Wiki it takes you straight to the page of....the Levi's jeans guy. Doesn't even offer you a choice of which Levi Strauss you were after until you get to Mr. Denim's page.

Ah, well if that ever-reliable source Wiki doesn't reference him...

[Tempus Fugit 214]

So I went through the guy's website of "famous" Belgians and concluded the only truly famous Belgians are those listed below, in order from most to least well known. <<snip>> Not one noteworthy author, scientist, or pop singer. Certainly no military figures. Van Damme is the only actor (using the term generously). For the Audrey Hepburn brigade she was just born there, to Anglo-Irish and Dutch parents. A fictional character makes the top ten. Basically, a few minor sports stars and the odd artist is all Belgium has to show for itself from about 1,000 years of history.

 

<<snippage of list>>

As conclusively demonstrated elsewhere, there is actually a famous belgian on the list!

 

Belgian - sure; on the death list - ok; but famous? How many out there had honestly heard of Claude Levi-Strauss prior to seeing his name on the DL? When you type Levi Strauss into Wiki it takes you straight to the page of....the Levi's jeans guy. Doesn't even offer you a choice of which Levi Strauss you were after until you get to Mr. Denim's page.

 

Wiki takes you straight to old Claude as long as you use the hyphen, Levi Strauss is a firstname and surname Levi-Strauss is just a surname.

[Cowboy Ronnie 78]

So I went through the guy's website of "famous" Belgians and concluded the only truly famous Belgians are those listed below, in order from most to least well known. <<snip>> Not one noteworthy author, scientist, or pop singer. Certainly no military figures. Van Damme is the only actor (using the term generously). For the Audrey Hepburn brigade she was just born there, to Anglo-Irish and Dutch parents. A fictional character makes the top ten. Basically, a few minor sports stars and the odd artist is all Belgium has to show for itself from about 1,000 years of history.

 

<<snippage of list>>

As conclusively demonstrated elsewhere, there is actually a famous belgian on the list!

 

Belgian - sure; on the death list - ok; but famous? How many out there had honestly heard of Claude Levi-Strauss prior to seeing his name on the DL? When you type Levi Strauss into Wiki it takes you straight to the page of....the Levi's jeans guy. Doesn't even offer you a choice of which Levi Strauss you were after until you get to Mr. Denim's page.

 

Wiki takes you straight to old Claude as long as you use the hyphen, Levi Strauss is a firstname and surname Levi-Strauss is just a surname.

 

alright gents, I hold my hands up, I was wrong. He's a not very well known Frenchie, not a Belgian, just born there (it's curious how many people born in Belgium aren't Belgian. Sort of like how many famous non-French people died in Paris).

 

Anyway, here's a test to see how famous he really is. Walk around your office and ask everyone if they've heard of Claude Levi-Strauss. I'll predict the possible responses:

 

1. "who?" - 50%

 

2. "you mean the jeans guy?" - 40%

 

3. "oh, the born-in-Belgium but actually French anthropologist. Of course." - 0%

 

4. "I'm calling security" - 10%

 

I just tried it in my office, and none of my three co-workers had heard of him, despite having three university degrees and two post grad degrees amongst them.

[Tempus Fugit 214]

Anyway, here's a test to see how famous he really is. Walk around your office and ask everyone if they've heard of Claude Levi-Strauss.

A 100% have heard of him here, but I am working alone.

 

 

I just tried it in my office, and none of my three co-workers had heard of him, despite having three university degrees and two post grad degrees amongst them.

That says more about your co-workers ignorance than anything else.

 

Are their degrees and post grads real?

 

or did they buy them off the internet?

[Bald rick 9]

alright gents, I hold my hands up, I was wrong. He's a not very well known Frenchie, not a Belgian, just born there (it's curious how many people born in Belgium aren't Belgian. Sort of like how many famous non-French people died in Paris).

 

Anyway, here's a test to see how famous he really is. Walk around your office and ask everyone if they've heard of Claude Levi-Strauss. I'll predict the possible responses:

 

1. "who?" - 50%

 

2. "you mean the jeans guy?" - 40%

 

3. "oh, the born-in-Belgium but actually French anthropologist. Of course." - 0%

 

4. "I'm calling security" - 10%

 

I just tried it in my office, and none of my three co-workers had heard of him, despite having three university degrees and two post grad degrees amongst them.

 

I hope none of them have a degree in anthropology. Or are Belgian.

[Cowboy Ronnie 78]

alright gents, I hold my hands up, I was wrong. He's a not very well known Frenchie, not a Belgian, just born there (it's curious how many people born in Belgium aren't Belgian. Sort of like how many famous non-French people died in Paris).

 

Anyway, here's a test to see how famous he really is. Walk around your office and ask everyone if they've heard of Claude Levi-Strauss. I'll predict the possible responses:

 

1. "who?" - 50%

 

2. "you mean the jeans guy?" - 40%

 

3. "oh, the born-in-Belgium but actually French anthropologist. Of course." - 0%

 

4. "I'm calling security" - 10%

 

I just tried it in my office, and none of my three co-workers had heard of him, despite having three university degrees and two post grad degrees amongst them.

 

I hope none of them have a degree in anthropology. Or are Belgian.

 

Well, he's actually French, which sort of goes to two of the points I was making. One, there aren't any Belgians currently famous enough plus likely enough to die to be on the list, and two, more than one person seems to be under the impression that the globally well-known Claude Levi-Strauss is Belgian, when he's really French.

 

Anyway, I'll shut up now, he's on the DL and I'm sure we all agree were CL-S to die we'd happily chalk it up as another success for the year.

[Godot 149]

A survey of three people sounds a bit statistically dodgy to me. If I worked in the same space as TF you'd have a hundred per cent from a sample of two. CLS sounds as if he's more Belgian than Gred Rusedeski is British.

[Octopus of Odstock 2,186]

There were apparently three King Leopolds but because I doubt anyone can tell me one distinguishing fact amongst the three just the first one makes the list and quite low down.

 

Not one pop singer. Certainly no military figures. Basically, a few minor sports stars. and the odd artist is all Belgium has to show for itself from about 1,000 years of history.

 

Cowboy Ronnie, I would hardly call Merckx, Ickx or Clijsters minor. Toots Thielemans has a had a best selling "pop" single, "Midnight Cowboy".

 

I am flabbergasted you've not even heard of the most famous of the King Leopold's.

 

(this is with no research on wiki etc.)

 

King Leopold was the man who was one of the chief protagonists in "the Scramble for Africa" colonisation period between 1870-1920. The man wanted to own the whole of Africa, or as much as he could. He sponsored Stanley for numerous expiditions and eventually Stanley came up trumps, and took one of Africa's jewels, the Congo (later renamed Belgian Congo), plus a few other smaller terrorities.

 

But his bloodythirsty greed backfired. Due to human rights abuses & gross mis-finance, his legacy was tarnished. He ran Belgium well, but that's not difficult. He f**ked up Congo big-time, and didn't help development elsewhere.

 

Even when he was long dead, his name & memory was enough to cause problems. When Patrice Lumbumba, the first independent Congolese President (later assisinated by the CIA), made his first speech, the Belgians were expecting a "thanks for all you work blah blah" speech.

 

Not a jot of it.

 

Lumbumba savaged Belgian incomptence & lambasted Leopold as a "tyrant, meglomanic idiot" etc. He was 100% spot on. For some reason King Baudoin, Leopold's grandson, who was at the ceremony didn't agree

 

 

Well, CR, what more do you want to know?

 

 

As for the other two Leopolds, they were crap & not worthy of mention.

[Banshees Scream 110]

A survey of three people sounds a bit statistically dodgy to me.

 

A vote between 3 people couldn't even be a survey. I don't use the term dodgy, instead i'll say it's rather pathetic.

[Slave to the Grave 26]

Well a famous Belgian has died. Very famous in France and apparently famous enough in Britain to get an obit on the BBC site.