miked10270

Ahhh... Reminscences about the good old days... When The Young Shah was a benign moderniser... And the Tehran Hilton had fresh oysters on the menu... [sigh] Even since then, as a "Card-Carrying-Christian" I can still get a drink (MY Messiah turned water into wine.... AND consorted with immodest women!!.. Score!). Just make sure you don't get so drunk that you think it's worth discussing religion with the local fuzz! Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Some update and analysis: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8101841.stm Interestingly, a poll published in The Washington Post predicted Ahmeninejad winning 2/3rds of the vote! So... Leaving aside the possibility of a conspiracy between Hard-Line Iranians, The BBC, & The Washington Post perhaps we should look at each candidates power base and supporters. Mousavi is supported largely by city dwellers and the better educated, while Ahmedinejad is supported by the less eduacated and rural dwellers. This is hardly surprising given his fiscal policies. Now, in an election EVERYONE'S vote counts the same. You don't get extra votes for a good job or a college degree. On the other hand, it is the more educated who are better at being heard, particularly internationally, which may be what has distorted the expected results... That and a degree of wishful thinking among Westerners. Incidentally, Iran's voting system is similar to Britain's with printed voting papers (rather than machines), so the recount can be physical and EVERY Ballot Paper can be scrutinised (and through a lengthy & difficult process any individual ballot paper CAN be traced back to an individual voter. The one difference in Iran's voting system is that it's not wholly secret; Instead of entering a booth to cast a vote (mark their ballot paper), Iranians do it at an open table, As such, I expect the re-count to give the same result as the first count:.. Ahmedinejad wins... This being the vote of ALL the iranian people, not just the ones in Tehran with computers & mobile phones. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

So... After extended polling times (and a VERY fast count): Ahemdinajad: 62.6% Mousevi: 34% Turnout: 85%!!! While the other candidates may be crying "Foul", I understand that the Iranian voting system is VERY fair and not "fixable". So, it's Ahmeninajad for another 4 years. The people have spoken (a damn sight more than speak in Britain or The US). Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Mousavi is running and seems relatively progressive.

We prefer to call it humour! And I don't believe we make fun of the French anymore. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Bringing the thread back on track for a moment... I'va always been suspicious of ANY party with "National" or "Nationalist" in its name; there's a VERY thin dividing line between having pride in one's origins and outright xenophobia. While the Scottish National Party (and I belive Plaid Cmryu) primarily promote national identity (& independence), they still attract a significant xenophobic (commonly anti-English) element. In the case of the British National Party, they are primarily xenophobic while trying to appear to promote national identity. On a historical note, the BNP used to call themselves The National Front and were openly racist and fascist. Before that they were an illegal organisation and before that called themselves The British Union of Fascists (under Oswald Ernald Mosely). AS such, they are (correctly?) identified by most voters as Neo-Nazi's. I suppose that if they were to be accurate, they'd call themselves the National Socialist English Workers Party. Because of Britain's historical rejection of Fascism in the 1930's, and the resultant war, modern fascists are viewed with some hatred by most of the British Electorate.... Although it is quite funny when they persist in using images from Britains war AGAINST fascism in an effort to promote themselves. However, on THIS occasion, the Fascists were more successful in getting their voters to the polls than the mainstream poliotical parties who suffered from voter disillusionment and apathy. Because of this, the recent EU elections may actually be a good thing for British politics; As the electorate are faced with a warning of the consequences of apathy. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

....Or change for changes sake? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7905544.stm Should (As Senator Lugar, the senior REPUBLICAN in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says) America "cuddle-up" to Cuba? We all know you'll catch more wasps with jam than vinegar, but one wonders at the volte-face of a Republican and question the timing. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Hi Mike, I REALLY hate to complicate things any further... But from reading the whole thread,... Are you really looking for an AR? I can't help thinking that a full length FN-FAL or H&K-G3 would be better starting points! Not necessarily in 7.62mm, perhaps 7mm(.280") or 6.5mm? Wouldn't they give you the range, accuracy and stopping power you want? Sorry!! Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Hi John, You're corresct. it's that, and the hammer on yours which is missing the bent which would engage the auto-sear. I assume that your fire selector also has the cam which would disable the single-shot-sear missing. In effect, you would have to "add" metal to the hammer and fire selector working parts as well as remove and replace parts. Regards, Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Who said that, and how many Foxes did they ask? As for Gitmo's DetentionConcentration camp... How is is closing. I'm in favour of just opening the cages and releasing them into the wild... By opening the main gates and herding them into Cuba. I'd pay to watch that! Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

My own favourite is: Should Auld Acquaintance be... Err...Hang On... I'll Remember It... Just Give Me A Minute... Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

As (Scottish) hosts, we EXPECT a degree of "ignorance" in visitors, particularly Americans where so much is the same that the differencees can really mess with your head. Even simple stuff like which way to look as you cross the road, or tipping (much less prevalent here -- only for really good service). What we DO expect is politeness and a willingness to learn & conform(we're all attitude-mirrors); This is a different country, our country, not yours. Thats what travel broadening the mind is about. AND... I HAVE TO SAY (again) THAT AMERICAN TOURISTS ARE ALMOST INVARIABLY POLITE, PLEASANT AND WELCOME.... Great company in the pubs, you can pick up great ideas for your trip to America.

See!!?? The proves my case. I bet an American poster would reply with a

Being in the "Touristy" part of the world for a lot of Americans, I have to say that the "Ugly-American" seems to have become if not extinct, then at least severely endangered as a species. Certainly over the last 4 or so years, American tourists were more intelligent and more polite. The only (slightly) irritating ones were the "Err... Canadian" ones. Still, they were easily exposed; What we did was tell them a joke, and they'd laugh, thus proving they weren't really Canadian! Mkike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

May I suggest that America effectively abandoned non-interventionism after its Civil War! Suppression of the Tripoli Pirates, the AEF of 1917, Washington Treaty (on battleships) of 1919, blockade of Japan of 1940... America's predeliction for isolationism (an example to all, encouraging none) was rendered ineffective on 7th December 1941. Since 1945, the globalisation of both trade and military reach means that America can no longer be isolationist and hence is forced to be prepared to intervene. Given the above, it is only the manner of Americas community among nations and how it intervenes which is variable. Compared to Bush, Obama seems on first sight to show a more outward or international view and is believed to be more empathetic. Hence, America is expected to act more compromisingly or co-operatively and less unilaterally (selfishly?) under the new regime. Thus, the new administration is being "given the benefit of the doubt" and a greater degree of friendship. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Looks more like a fly landing on the lens to me. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Here's a little background: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3028820.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7848038.stm At present no-one is happy since the funding starts & stops according to US Presidential opinion! As such, some compromise must be reached, but this is frustrated by the entrenched extreme attitudes of both the Pro-Life and the Pro-Choice groups. One solution may be to refuse aid to any group which does actually carry out or finance abortion while allowing funding for groups which advocate its legalisation? Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

I believ I've already addressed THE IMPORTANT ISSUE OF THE DAY! The answer was: Moscow Time.

Just to explain... Where I am (the Centre of the Universe), it's currently 4pm, Friday, so I was looking for somewhere reasonable to reset my watch to around 7pm, so I can start drinking without feeling guilty! God Bless PresidentPrime-Minister Putin! Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

The likes of the Tehran and the Caracas governments when they even set their clocks deceptively! It's also no wonder that Indian Call Centres are so bloody irritating! and quite frankly, whoever is in charge of Chatham Island and Kathmandu need to leave their favourite animals alone and set their clocks properly. A slap may help. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

That's 'cos she's Welsh -- our equivalent of your grossly inbred thick southern hillbillies. That's 'cos she's Welsh etc... Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

He's what? Shit I though my tellie was knackered

... Since we've had a good old argument about gender!

WHAT? The moon landing was faked? I'm afraid so. The whole thing was filmed in Milton Keynes New Town, which at the time was one of the few places on Earth with no feckin' atmosphere. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Blair was in as Dubya's Pet. As Dubya said; Blair is not my poodle, he's bigger than that This pic proves it. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.