I'm just glad I didn't meet my wife right after I graduated from college. (She was in the 8th grade...) It's all about timing...

Ah, yeah, sorry I engage in the ST-forbidden practice of challenging subjective opinions that are based on nothing but hearsay and anecdotes. Heaven forbid I actually do that, I might upset someone along the way.

As far as his denial of a relationship, that's one way to paint it, but another is that he's a figure larger than life. Celebrities constantly deny relationships with lower-tier celebs or average people, more for courtesy than anything. Remember what happened to Kate Middleton when the media realized she was connected to William? I'm sure every high profile person wishes that on someone else...

"Probably, people here think it's sick because we have a law against it and they are brought up that way, not because a woman magically changes between 16 and 18. Remember, not all cultures are the same (or even close)"

Actually we (USA) don't. The age of consent for almost all states is 16 just like Belgium. Lots of changes in two years for everyone. Male or female. People are constantly changing. There may not be anything magical about it, but changes do happen. I am vaugly aware that not all cultures are the same. I know this because I have spent quite a bit of time outside of the USA. This may surprise you, but it is true. Europe, Middle East,and Asia. Doesn't mean I have to embrace all (or any) of the cultures and their traditions does it?

"Do you also think the Jews or Muslims are dumb bastards for believing in other religions, etc? If he's doing it here, it's wrong (by law), but he's not here"

I have no idea why you say this or bring it up. My answer for those following at home is, no- but them again I don't really care too much about religion or what people do with it. Sorry to disappoint you.

I think you assessed the situation quite well.

There is no cultural taboo against this in the culture both she an Boonen inhabit. If we do not live there, we likely do not share these values... there's no physiological reason why the two of them should not be together. They certainly pass Darwin's logical standards...

But she's also, in the most basic biological and psychological terms, a female of breeding age who conveys high replication value to a male of breeding age who conveys high survival value to her.

You are missing the point either because you don't understand or are intentionally stirring the pot.

There are those of us who tend to think that humans have risen above the basic rutting instincts associated with lesser mammals. We think that psychological and social development are as important as physical maturity. There are many 12 and 13 year old girls and boys who may be physically able to reproduce (and indeed do) but we consider them too young nonetheless.

In this case, those of us who think a healthy romantic relationship goes beyond physical ability to reproduce wonder what he sees in her other than the obvious physical attraction. In fact, quite often when high school kids go off to college they are loathe to date a high school student one ir two years younger because they have moved beyond the high school years. That is my question here. What on earth do they have in common?

I AM MOVING TO BELGIUM!!

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You missed the point about survival and replication value that I added in there for clarity. A 12 year old will be physically able to reproduce but convey a very low survival and replication value, thus making them undesirable. Attraction isn't a choice, end of story.

So 16 is Ok. Do you draw the line somewhere? Is 14 OK under certain circumstances? 12?

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I'll be what I am
A solitary man

Hello, are you paying attention here? I didn't say 16 was okay, I said maybe it's okay in his country. I wouldn't want him dating my 16yr old daughter, but that's because I live in a culture where that's not acceptable

What on earth do they have in common?\\

What if they were both 5 years older, it's quite possible and likely that they would have the same exact thing in common, 5 more years of life. Who knows, maybe they believe in the same god and go to the same church. I have found over the years that people in realtionships tend to begin them with a physical attraction. Beyond that, everything else is a far distant 2nd. A little more care is given to marrige or long term realtionships, but that is not what we are talking about here, and from the high divorce rates we have, it appears no too much more care is given....None of us knows what they really have in common besides both being physically beautiful people, and to speculate based on age alone is arrogrant on our parts...

In most cases, 14 year olds won't show enough S&R value to attract anyone outside of other 14 year olds. Same applies for 12 year olds. The ones that do show universal appeal -- i.e. people see them, aren't aware they're <insert age>, value is assumed -- until age is revealed, where cultural taboo takes precedence and it's viewed as 'wrong' to be attracted to them.

What marks the difference between unnatural attraction (pedophilia), and natural healthy attraction is the 'universal appeal' I mention. Natural attraction is shown toward individuals conveying high S&R value, pedophilia involves those too young to show either.

Her father once won Gent-Wevelgum and is currently involved in putting on the Amstel Gold race every year. She and her family have a long history in the sport of cycling.



Or maybe she just thinks he's cute.

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DING DING!! Artmus speaks the truth!
100 miles a day is the only power meter you need.

you're making good points Eddy

FWIW the legal age of consent here (NZ) is 15...at least i hope it is :O

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blood, sweat...and big gears

I hated every minute of training, but I said, ''Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.''
- Muhammad Ali

"No, it just means you should be smart enough to acknowledge it. If you've been around that much you should know then that it could be quite normal there, and doesn't make him a "sick bastard"."

One more time- I wasn't the one who called him a "sick bastard". Someone else did. As I stated- I do agree with this statement. I acknowledge that there are a lot of different practices around the world that are different than what I see in America. They're not all good BTW. In this case, this is not different than what is allowed here, but the difference is social acceptance.

"I bring it up because you don't seem to grasp that other people do other things, and that doesn't make it wrong. IF that's acceptable in his culture, how exactly is there anything wrong with it? "

I am not sure it is acceptable in Belgium. That's what I was talking about before. The only person I know from Belgium is the wife of a work acquaintance. The response I got back was that nobody thinks this is normal. Looked down upon no, illegal no- but certainly not celebrated or encouraged.

BTW- I never said it was wrong or right. You wont see that in any of my posts. I think the closest thing I said was that he must have some mental issues or something.

Where I come from, no drama, but I e-mailed the link to a mate of mine in the south- States and this is what he sent me:

"
This ain’t right- it just ain’t.

First off, these cyclers, bicyclers- what ever these fellers call themselves, they ain’t quite right anyway. They’re known leg-shavers and tight-pants wearers. He’s a gay-man for sure, queer as a three dollar bill. Prolly a commy too.

Take this Tom feller in this picture you sent me on the inter-net. Now he’s takin’ up with a young-un. That right there ain’t right. No way. Now you gotta think like this Tom feller. He’s a white- man, so he oughta be able to handle himself. But he gets all hopped up on goat weed and steer-oids these cyclers take in the Tour of France, and even old Tom can’t help himself- you know what I mean… It’s the little head thinkin for the big head. He can’t hardly help himself. These Bell-juns, not sure what part of Africa that is, but they git all hopped up on these drugs and they get carried away. Start chasin’ around the young-uns…

Now this little filly of a thing he’s chasin’ after, she ain’t bein’ looked after right either. This young’un is runnin’ around in her fancy pants, half neeked all hangin’ out. She so darn young she ain’t hardly baby-havin age yet, you know what I mean…She ain;t yet in a womanly way. You see the way the old bittys, the old gals on that there Inter-net forum circle around this young-un and come to her dee-fence. They’re ‘bout the only God-fearin’ types on that there forum. Once them lady-folk git past child-bearin’ age and lose their pretty they gots to look after them young-uns, lest one of these queers like this Tom feller com along and scoop up fer Lord knows what type of pro-creatin. Devil’s work.

If that young-un were mine, why I be darn sure to take her over my knee fer such behavin’, and you be damn sure I had her in skirts to her ankles on Sunday mornin’ kneeling before Lord God Jesus Christ askin’ forgivness for her sin-ly thinking.

This is the kind thing you see on the inter-net, old man takin’ up with young-uns, Coloreds takin up with white women. Everything. Poor-nowgraffy.

Only people right here are the lady-folk trying to protect this little filly till she’s proper child-bearin’ age. Them lady folk, ‘specially the young-uns, they’re weak and feeble minded and need to be looked after and protected. You know, they can’t be thinkin’ fer themselves. Sooner or later, she’ll find herself in a disgraceful, motherly way outta wedlock. You know ya’all can’t be trustin’ in a young-in, specially a little filly to be thinkin’ all on their own."

You yanks are a funny breed...

Actually, in NZ its sixteen, so be careful out there. You can drive a car when you are fifteen, but that's another matter. Here's wikipedia:

It is an offence in New Zealand to have a sexual connection with a person under the age of 16: NZ Crimes Act (1961) Part 7, section 134. It is a defence if due diligence had been undertaken by the defendant to ascertain the victim's age, had reasonable grounds to believe the victim was aged 16 or over and consent was given {Part 7 Section 134A}. Although age of consent laws in New Zealand (as with most other western countries) are currently severe, consensual relationships between adults and young teens are usually not prosecuted unless the parent or child complain about it. Similarly, although a teen 14 years or older can be prosecuted for a consensual relationship with a teen under 16 (both parties if both are 14 years or older), this is extremely rare. Even with a complaint, it is still up to police discretion and if the age difference is small it is rarely prosecuted, with family group conferences being the more likely option.[6] There was an attempt to formalise this under law in 2004, however this was abandoned after a public outcry. It is interesting to note that before 2005, there was not a law in New Zealand prohibiting any form of sexual relationship between adult women and male minors.[7]

that sir is some funny sh*t...still laughing...

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blood, sweat...and big gears

I hated every minute of training, but I said, ''Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.''
- Muhammad Ali

oh crap...that's what i meant, 16

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blood, sweat...and big gears

I hated every minute of training, but I said, ''Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.''
- Muhammad Ali

uh huh, tell the officer that ;-)

I just about became a camp counsellor on Camp America but flagged the idea when I found out 16-17 yr old girls might be throwing themselves at you. (I was 22/23)

ha ha ha! And my NEXT wife's not even born yet! ;-P