Domitianus

SeanMacGabhann Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I agree with you both Dom and MP - but it's > nothing new and not a sign of PC or an opportunist > government > > It was after all Maggie's Farm which surpressed > speech from Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness for > so long The ban on Sinn Fein and other 'Republican' spokespeople was one of the most ill-conceived acts of political censorship ever. Completely idiotic! What amused me the most about that was that they even banned The Pogues for chrissake!!!! It was one of the main news channels then had to quote (rather than play) the lyrics from one of their protest songs about the Birmingham Six - 'Streets of Sorrow' (a beautiful song, whatever your politics). This was crazy as the song had done nothing but articulate the view (later accepted by the Court of Appeal) that the Birmingham Six were innocent and had been set up by the West Midlands police. The irony was that Chris Mullin, a Labour MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, had already written a well-regarded book arguing eloquently exactly the same point.

One thing I am curious about is people's views as to whether the Labour government under Blair was able to do so much to damage civil liberties BECAUSE they were a Labour government and therefore perceived as being more liberal than a Conservative government. In other words - were they a wolf in sheep's clothing? It is also interesting to note (and I think this is correct) that Blair's government engaged in armed involvement in more overseas conflicts than any other government in the 20th century. Same is true for Clinton. I remember hearing that the number of overseas military interventions by Clinton's government was more than the ENTIRE TOTAL for all the other US administrations of the 20th century!!!

SeanMacGabhann Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > we clearly HAVE freedom of speech - I'd much > rather live here than many of the countries I've > just been to or near - but it IS being eroded > > However if people over-state the case then others > will just turn off from the debate and dismiss > them as cranks > > I'll keep an eye out for the film on DVD - but I'd > be surprised if it contained much that WASN'T IN > THE NEWSPAPERS or any half decent book collection. > TV on the other hand...... How can we be said to have freedom of speech when Nick Griffin was prosecuted for offering his personal view of the Islamic faith at a private meeting? I am not championing Mr Griffin's politics or views but from the televised fragments I saw his comments were on the comparatively moderate end of disagreeing with a religious perspective. The worst comment I heard him make was describing Islam as "vile" and there are certainly elements of that religion it could be argued justify such a description - homophobia, female oppression, capital punishment for adultery etc. The government simply decided to step in and abuse inciting religious hatred laws in order to try to quash a political rival. I spoke to a police officer about this and he offered the opinion that the decision to prosecute had almost certainly been influenced from Cabinet level. You can have freedom of speech as long as you don't say anything really unpopular! Just don't tread on the toes of the PC brigade or an opportunist government. To me that is not really freedom of speech at all - it is permission to articulate an opinion by only through sufferance of the powers that be and that, my friends, is a tyranny! Thankfully, Mr Griffin was acquitted and, although I am no fan of the BNP, that day was a fantastic day for liberty and justice. I believe it was Voltaire who said, "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

annaj Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I don't think I was oooh-ing and aaah-ing. > I posted specifically to say that it is true, but > not a reason to be alarmed. > That's not too unreasonable is it Domitianus? I was referring, dear Anna, to the "OHMYGOD!" from DM and the "Oh Jesus..." from Madworld. Perhaps I interrupted a prayer meeting but I assumed their comments were in relation to the escaped convict :-)

lozzyloz Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I don't think you're scaremongering. We allegedly > went into Iraq and Afghanistan to protect our > freedoms yet we have less freedom/liberty than pre > 911 and I fear it will definitely get worse. It's > not good enough to say if you've got nothing to > hide then you've nothing to fear. We're already > seeing many cases where this new legislation has > convicted and persecuted innocent people on both > sides of the pond and when you try and discuss > this with anybody involved with forming this > legislation, they just clam up and wrap it in a > blanket called national security. Well said, LozzyLoz. I wonder how many of these "What are you worried about if you have nothing to hide?" would kick up a stink if someone put up a CCTV camera pointed directly at the front of their house? I don't imagine they would be quite so comfortable then.

This just confirms what a close friend of mine said - "Blair is scum!" He is actually very articulate but felt that was the only way to summarise his feelings in this case. He left the UK and moved to an eastern European country for two reasons: 1. He was utterly disgusted at the taxation system in the UK having been harassed and persecuted by it for years. 2. He was utterly disgusted by the complacent way the English allow their politicians to erode their fundamental liberties without a squeak of protest. Another articulate summary he offered was - "Britain is finished. There is nothing left to do but to get out."

I find the "ooohs" and "aaahs" and gasps of horror and fear at this chap's escape hilarious! I mean, does anyone really believe for one moment that, had this chap not escaped, there would be no other violent rapists on the streets of South London????? This reaction reminds me a little of the society in Demolition Man where, until Wesley Snipes turned up, there was no-one in the city who would even curse in public. I don't think that the addition of one more convicted offender to the vast swarm of criminality on out city's streets provides any more reason to lock our doors than we had already.

While you are there it would be an excellent opportunity to do a bit of sight-seeing of old world war 2 D-Day landing sites. Take a metal-detector, bring back a few bits and flog them to target Arms.

I think everyone, male and female, should be called a "slag" and should behave accordingly! It's the only way out of this confusion!

Village Blinds? Kim Haddon?

I saw the whole thing. You were pushed. There were three of them, two security guys and the fellow promoting the AA! The kicked you while you were down and were laughing cruelly. Once you got up they rushed up with a 'Wet Floor' sign and pretended it had been there all the time. How much do I get? perjury doesn't come cheap, ask Paul Burrell!

BJL Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I buy bottled water because I like the taste. > It's my personal choice and I drink it in > preference to any other drink. > > Why is it worse than buying cola or other soft > drinks, wine or beer? You can't get cola, wine, soft drinks or beer out of the tap in your kitchen for next to nothing! Water doesn't get you pissed!

Over the years I have seen quite a number of documentaries and read quite a bit of info about this bottled water debate. EVERY one without exception has shown that blind taste testing brings tap-water out on top. Also, a number of the top brand mineral waters were shown to have mineral and toxin concentrations well above recommended levels. I remember seeing the scientific adviser for one of the major mineral water companies utterly squirming in his seat when the facts were fairly and simply put to him - he didn't have a leg to stand on and ended up saying nothing! Marvellous piece of product placement by some advertising company. On the commercial breaks for that documentary which had utterly decimated the entire bottled water industry, some muppet in some advertising agency had arranged for the broadcaster to run adverts for Volvic!!!! I am sure someone's head rolled! My personal view is that anyone who buys bottled water thinking it is better than tap water (rather than out of necessity) is being taken for a ride.

karter Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Bottled water is sourced from different natural > locations and has different mineral contents that > the body utilises. I buy it all the time and > recycle the bottles. At least it doesnt have all > of that chemical crap that companies like Thames > water puts in to kill off the bugs that have grown > since leaving peoples sinks and toilets. > nuffsaid. If bottled water does not contain chemicals to destroy infestation then how come it is safe to drink?

Stronger than nothing? That could be anything!

fish Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Cassius Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Surely we're missing the point - this is a > chance > > to make MORE money! > > > What next? Err, ?72 to get a f***ing passport!!!! That is obscene. Why the f**k should I have to pay a significant sum of money for the right to move upon the face of the planet? And who the f**K CAN JUSTIFY ?72???? eXCUSE THE RANT! nORMAL SERVICE WILL BE RESUMED SHORTLY.

Christy Moore's cover of Fairytale of New York should be considered a crime. Someone who does great cover versions, however, is Bryan Ferry. He even did a sort of Samba/Latino version of Amazing Grace that is just great.

SeanMacGabhann Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > many of them anyhow.. some of my best friends ARE > Americans but... > > I get to a free internet terminal in rural(ish) > Vietnam - somebody from upstate NY has left their > email client logged in and is speaking to a friend > about their visit to the DMZ where they learnt > about the guerilla tactics > > This person felt the museum in question was > "biased against the Americans". Not in an > even-handed way - but in an indignant "how dare > they!?" way > > BEFORE ANYONE POSTS > > I don't want this to be an American-bashing thread > - the title is a ironic one and from a great song. > But I am genuinely curious about such a mindset. > Does anyone really think that John Wayne's Green > Berets was a great film for example?? Or what kind > of pro-American stance would one expect to find in > a museum in mid-Vietnam? I had a book entitled the Worst Films of all Time and Wayne's The Green Berets was in it. The review was hilarious. I remember seeing part of the film some years later and one of the funniest bits was when a dirty, evil, cheating gook mortar bomb flew in and exploded killing one of the good guys (ie. an American). The camera panned in to where he had been and all that was left was a military boot, standing upright, with wisps of smoke coming out of it. I nearly fell off my chair laughing. The film was truly grim. Utterly awful. I read some extracts from the script of Full Metal Jacket earlier today and one of the American commanders states "Inside every Vietnamese there is an American trying to get out." I think that is the problem with some Americans - they just cannot understand that other people don't want to be like them and do not want to be 'rescued'.

Stand? Get on your knees!

Can't not post this. Went out earlier to the V7 newsagent near Green & Blue and bought a packet of vinyl ring reinforcers for 79p. Used them all up and (because I had got the last packet in V7) I dandered into Ralon to buy some more. Same type, same number (although different brand) and they wanted to charge me ?1-60!!!!! I walked out. Is he taking the piss? Anyone else notice any other examples of great local bargains or excessive pricing?

Ayia Napa in 2002. Let me tell you - 20 feet under the Med, on your first ever dive, is not when you want to discover that someone hasn't filled the tanks properly.

Why not go into teaching. I saw a TV ad about it recently - apparently the youth of today have enormously enquiring minds, are free of prejudice and pre-conception, are bubbling with penetrating questions and creative ideas and are just ripe for moulding into the worthy citizens of tomorrow. Shame none of that lot ever get my bus - all I ever see are stroppy little c**ts who sound as if they have speech impediments! Innit! Anyway, I hear the money is great and the work is virtually stress-free. Got to be worth a shot, no?

Mark Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > don't go scuba diving when you're pissed From personal experience may I slightly extend these particular words of wisdom: "Don't go scuba diving when the tanks have been 'filled' by wankers with a hang-over."

SteveT Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > What nationality was she? Some people just do not > know the British way of politely leaving a bus, > the obnoxious, overbearing, loud mouthed, > bullying, lazy, grumpy old > cowbag...........(please add the ones I have > missed out) > You have my sympathy Scruffy Mummy. Yeah, right, SteveT - play the race card,who don't you? this type of veiled intolerance makes me sick....almost as sick as sticking a lit joss-stick up my Japs' eye. S**t, Domitianus, play the race-card, why don't you? Why JAP'S eye? Why not Person of Oriental Ancestry's eye? This type of veiled intolerance makes me sick as a parrot. Oi, Domitianus, play the species-ist card, why don't you? Why as sick as a 'parrot'? Why should parrots be sicker than any other type of animal?.....etc. etc....

I have some magic beans as well. I put them in the ground and they grew into a great bi f***king tree right the way up into the sky. At least they seemed to after I smoked the magic herbs that came with them.