miked10270

One interesting (& serious) point... Looking at recent developments in The Ukraine, one wonders how long it'll be before they seek EU membership? Similarly, there's a lot of ethnic poles in Belarus. This is now becoming reminiscent of Haushofer's Gopolitical View - with a massive land based Eurasian empire emerging - only without the wars & invading stuff. Then consider WHY the US$ is falling against the Euro. The price of a currency is ultimately a matter of supply against demand for that nations products and services (somebody wanting to buy something from the US has to buy dollars to pay for it, just as someone who wants to buy something from The EU has to buy Euros). So why aren't people buying dollars? I suspect that the US in presently in greater danger of economic recession than the EU... The question is whether a US recession will trigger a European recession given the size the EU market has now attained? 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.

Like I said in the Iraqi Elections thread: Islam is a religion that includes detailed laws on conduct and in effect the church IS the state. You cannot have an Islamic democracy. You can only have a Theocracy or a Monarchy! As such, IF the (fairly strict) Shi'ite majority in Iraq have their way, then what you will see is a democratic vote AGAINST democracy! Another way to look at it is to visualise Europe in Mediaeval times, when to all intents & purposes the church was the state and the Monarch was looked on as having a divine (god-given) right to rule - WITH the blessing of the Church. Of course, that was when Christianity was only about 1,300 years old, unlike today when it's Islam that's about 1,300 years old. 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 Michelle, Yeah... If it were simple then there wouldn't be a Nobel Peace Prize the size of Norway waiting for the guy who finds the solution. The problems of the Mid-East (and indeed most of the worlds perennial trouble spots) lie in the "Empire" history & mentality where some "superpower" would draw lines to demarcate borders of countries of which they had no understanding and only temporary control. With the exception of the US-Canada border (where the ethnicity is effectively indistinguishable) I can't think of a single straight line on a map that hasn't caused grief. Mike. PS. Thinking about it, I suppose interfering in a foreign nations affairs is a bit like stepping into the middle of a domestic dispute between husband & wife.... No matter how much good you do, you just KNOW they're gonna turn 'round and blame you at the first opportunity! 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 Balfour Declaration (IMHO) was little more than another example of the allied policy during WWI of gaining "friends" in the region by raising national identity. Further, it was issued in response to a question from the VERY influential Lord Rothschild. One wonders if the most active Zionist of the time; Weissman (?) would have got such a response from Balfour & if he did, would it have been made so public? Bear in mind that Palestine was a British protectorate from 1918 - 1946. During this time local Jews and Muslims coexisted peacefully apart from occasional attempts to evict the British. Had the Balfour Declaration been anthing other than a placebo to Rothschild then the state of Israel could have been created far more easily & smoothly in 1920-21 than it was in 1948. That said, from a suitably paranoid (Islamic violent fundamentalist) point of view, what is in fact a placatory written answer to a question can be inflated into a "statement of intent"! Particularly when the object is NOT to study the history in an impartial way, but to inflame hatred. Regards, Mike. Edited to clarify "Gaining friends in the region"... Meaning "Making more enemies for your enemy to fight". 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.

Iraq (CIA World Fact Book): They've got WMDs! We're certain! We supplied them! They can fire them within 45 minutes! We've gotta invade & stop them! Well... They might have WMDs... OK. THey haven't, but it was good invasion practice. Iran (CIA World Fact Book): Right. This is the page. Sorry about Iraq... That's the trouble with alphabetical listings and sticky pages! They've got WMDs. They can fire them within 45 minutes. We've gotta invade and stop them! No... Really... This time! Israel (CIA World Fact Book): OK guys. we've got all the pages unstuck now. Turns out that Aldrich Ames spilt coffee on the file back in '84! Thing is we NEVER suspected Ames of drinking coffee of all things. Anyway... It turns out that it's Israel that's had the WMDs all along (err... Whoops!). We supplied them, and they can fire them in 45 minutes! But that's actually OK 'cos the largest Israeli city is actually New York... So we're safe! North Korea (CIA World Fact Book): Now these guys DEFINITELY have WMDs and they can fire them within 45 minutes... So for Christs sake DON'T invade them!!! 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.

This is the "Theocratic" point of view. "God" is all powerful, and laws MUST be based on the true religious faith. A such the church IS also the state. With the relatively lax Judeo-Christian religion the co-existence of Church & State is easy. In a more strict religion the choice becomes far more stark. In dealing with a strict religion such as Islam this should be borne in mind. In a "free" Iraqi election, the Shi'ite majority will be overwhelming and will be a de-facto democratic vote against democracy! The last time I remember this happening was in Germany in 1933! 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.

It was the British & Americans who "drew" the borders in the Middle East post 1918. Iran, Iraq, South-East Turkey, Jordan, Syria, Palestine ALL had their borders as drawn by British & American civil servants! Incidentally, straight lines on a map are a dead giveaway! Unfortunately, this was at a time when ethnicity was understood to consist of "civilised people" (empire & successful former colonials - who drink cocktails) & "fuzzy-Wuzzys" (who drink petrol, don't you know). Interestingly, it was also the British & Americans who raised the whole "Arab Consciousness" thing while grubbing for allies in 1915-18! Woodrow Wilson, Churchill, David Lloyd George, and their agents (T.E. Lawrence is the most famous example) have a lot to answer for. Perhaps it's somehow fitting that it's the descendants who are dying in the attempt to clean up the mess. The whole "sins of the fathers" thing springs to mind. The problem now is that while all mid-east countries see a need for borders to be redrawn, no-one is willing to actually lose any land or power. 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've said it before... Iraq is an artificial country! the borders were drawn without regard to the ethnic composition of the country. You could liken it to suddenly re-drawing France's border to include everything south of Liverpool and The Wash, or re-drawing Mexico's border to include Texas, New Mexico, Arizona & California south of LA!!! You can also liken the Iraqi, Iranian, Turkish & Kurdistan borders to Yugoslavia (another artificial country whose drawn borders didn't take account of ethnicity). Look what happened there when "The Strong Man" (Tito & Communism) left a power vacuum! I suspect that "peace" in the middle east will only come long after a fundamental re-drawing of the national borders to fit the ethnic & religious geopolitic. In the meantime, from an "insurgent's point of view... "Fishing is best done in troubled waters!" 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 think that was Europe's attitude in 1939 too. And I think that even Winston Churchill said "Jaw-Jaw is better than War-War". In the meantime I'd prefer a system that strove to ensure that no-one is left to starve on the streets. Our education, welfare & healthcare system may seem to be ailing, then again it's been "ailing & unsupportable" since 1945. 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.

Err... That's because the err... wait a minute... it's err... Oh. I got it. The "Angel Light" stops cameras working. But it does work. Really. It just neds another couple of $Mill to tidy it up! Mike. PS. If anyone's interested, I've also got this machine that once it's started it never stops... And there's this bridge that my family's owned for generations. It was leased to the people of Brooklyn for their free use, but that lease expires soon and then you can make money charging tolls on it... 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.

Hmmm... I see a future and long term career for this kid - In the Camp Counsellor Field. 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.

Err... Kris, Landover Baptist is a religious satire site. THere are in fact several sites who say they want to destroy Landover Baptist - unfortunately some of them are also satire sites... I'm pretty sure that "anti Landover Baptist" is run by the same folk who do Landover Baptist! Confused? ANyway. If you're broadminded enough check out http://www.technicalvirgin.com/ Their "TV Commercials" are a hoot, but definitely NWS They're at: http://www.infinitydog.com/technicalvirgin/commercials.html I suggest you're alone before you watch them. 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.

Apart from the occasional "SPLAT!" sound, it should be OK... Unless the North Kiranians actually "resist to the death" and we're forced to give parachutes to the Lawyers! Weapons of Mass Legislation. 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 whole single testicle thing is is a very emotive issue for France. You see, in late 1939 - early 1940, the lyrics of a VERY popular song went: "Hitler... Has only got one ball. The other... Is on a garden wall. Himmler... Has something sim'ler. And Goebbels... Has no balls... At all." So perhaps NOW you can see why they're so upset! 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.

They're Lawyers ain't they!!!?? Oh. The North Kiranians you mean? Well, yeah... I suppose... Maybe not. Then again, it's not like the lawyers are gonna be missed all that much. And it has to be way cheaper than the (laser-guided) freedoms that were showered on Iraq!? 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.

Hmm... Perhaps... We have a possible "second person", but no mention of a "grassy knoll"? Let's get back to the conquest of NK. My plan is to fly stealth bombers over and we drop a full load of lawyers. If NK doesn't surrender, then we'll drop more lawyers. If that still doesn't work, then we start dropping lawyers with parachutes!!! 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.

Err... The Geneva convention covers the rights of signatory's combatants in times of war. I'm pretty sure it doesn't prohibit cruelty to Lawyers - and NK hasn't signed it... So we're clear on both sides. 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.

Just a stray thought... Is Bush being re-elected an example of Global Dimming? 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.

Heh heh. My own favourite didn't come from Bush, it came from a protester: "But one protester managed to get within about 150m (150 yards) of the stand, shouting: "Hey Bush, what about the poor? How many have you sent to Iraq?"" Source: BBC News. Surely Iraq doesn't really have a shortage of poor & homeless!!? Perhaps he could send some to Saudi & Iraq? Maybe send a load of them to North Korea with a warning: Surrender NOW or we send in 20 million of our surplus Lawyers! 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.

Etiquette Tips for Rednecks In general 1. Never take a beer to an interview 2. Always identify people in your yard before shooting them 3. It's considered tacky to take a cooler to church 4 If you have to vacuum the bed, it's time to change the sheets 5. Even if you are certain that you are included in the will, it's rude to drive a U-Haul to the funeral. Dining out 1. When decanting the wine from the box, make sure you tilt the paper cup and pour slowly so as not to 'bruise' the fruit of the wine. 2. If drinking directly from the bottle, always hold it in your hands Entertaining 1. A centerpiece for the table should never be anything prepared by a taxidermist. 2. Do not allow the dog to eat at the table, no matter how good his manners are. Personal hygiene 1. While ears need to be cleaned regularly, this job should be done in private using one's own truck keys. 2. Even if you live alone, deodorant is not a waste of money 3. Use of fragrant toiletries can only delay bathing for a few days 4. Dirt and grease under the fingernails is a social no-no, as they tend to distract from a woman's jewelry, and alter the taste of finger foods Dating (outside the family) 1. Always offer to bait your date's hook, especially on the first date 2. Be assertive, Let her know you're interested: "I've been wanting to go out with you ever since I read that stuff about you on the bathroom walls." 3. Establish with her parents what time she is expected back. Some will say 10:00 PM . Others might say "Monday". If the latter is the answer, it is YOUR responsibility to get her to school on time. Theater etiquette 1. Crying babies should be taken to the lobby and picked up immediately after the movie has ended 2. Refrain from talking to the characters on the screen. Tests have proven that they can't hear you Weddings 1. Livestock, usually is a poor choice for a wedding gift 2. Kissing the bride for more than five seconds might get you shot 3. For the groom, at least, rent a tux. A leisure suit with a cummerbund and a clean bowling shirt can create a tacky appearance. 4. Though uncomfortable, say 'yes' to socks and shoes for this special occasion. Driving etiquette 1. Dim your headlights for approaching cars 2. When approaching a four way stop, the vehicle with the largest tires does not always have the right of way. 3. Never tow another car using panty hose and duct tape. 4. When sending the wife down the road with a gas can, it is impolite to ask her to bring back beer too. 5. Do not lay rubber while traveling in a funeral procession. Hope this helps, 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.

Maybe a repost. who cares!? Handguns vs Women #10 - YOU CAN TRADE AN OLD 44 FOR A NEW 22. #09 - YOU CAN KEEP ONE HANDGUN AT HOME, AND HAVE ANOTHER FOR WHEN YOU'RE ON THE ROAD. #08 - IF YOU ADMIRE A FRIEND'S HANDGUN, AND TELL HIM SO. HE WILL PROBABLY LET YOU TRY IT OUT A FEW TIMES. #07 - YOUR PRIMARY HANDGUN DOESN'T MIND IF YOU KEEP ANOTHER HANDGUN FOR A BACK UP. #06 - YOUR HANDGUN WILL STAY WITH YOU EVEN IF YOU RUN OUT OF AMMO. #05 - A HANDGUN DOESN'T TAKE UP A LOT OF CLOSET SPACE #04 - HANDGUNS FUNCTION NORMALLY EVERY DAY OF THE MONTH. #03 - A HANDGUN DOESN'T ASK, "DO THESE NEW GRIPS MAKE ME LOOK FAT?" #02 - A HANDGUN DOESN'T MIND IF YOU GO TO SLEEP AFTER YOU USE IT. AND, THE NUMBER ONE REASON A HANDGUN IS FAVORED OVER A WOMAN... #01 - YOU CAN BUY A SILENCER FOR A HANDGUN! 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.

OK. I'll bite. Cop detains heart attack victim. Do we have a source for that? Of course cops should be trained for these & similar eventualities.... Perhaps 3 months in police college, followed by 5 years in Med. School, 2 years in ER for clinical experience. 6 years in Law School & 2 years of prosecution courtroom experience followed by 2 years of defence court experience. Plus 4 years on Social Science degree with 2 years experience in social work. A psychology degree & a couple of years experience in clinical psychiatry. A mandatory 2 years serving in The Peace Corps. Then the 3 months in police college again to make sure they haven't forgot that stuff. THat way we can be sure of producing a FULLY trained police officer - one who can handle almost any situation. One who's now 18 months from the 30 year retirement cutoff. Errare Humanum Est 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 agree wholeheartedly. This period of history has been buried for far too long under the horror of one aspect of the period and an insane legal finding of "Collective National Guilt"!!! The actions of SOME German nationals during 1919-1945 should be looked at carefully and calmly - the better to ensure that it does not happen again. The simple banning of a few symbols and pictures will never prevent the rise of a regime of similar character. A knowledge of WHY the nation most tolerant of Jews at the time should have swung to become one of the most violetly anti-semitic is vital. Many other countries today would benefit from this knowledge. For this to happen the attitude to Nazi symbols of "not in front of the children" and "scaring the horses" must be abandned. 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.

"it is not just the quantity of countries visited, it is the time spent and the interaction with locals." I concur wholeheartedly. It's not the number of countries visited - well ok, maybe #No. of coutries - or cultures does matter. Nor does the length of time spent there neccessarily matter. It's the manner in which the visit is undertaken. One of my pet hates is the "package" holiday.... And as for the "all-inclusive" things!!! Take Cuba for example. European tourism is booming there - but 99.9% of the tourists never leave the hotel complex (organised excursions don't count), it's all arranged from the comfort of the travel agent & the only Cubans the average European meets is the waiters, bartenders & chambermaids. Sure, they've "been to Cuba", but they've hardly left their own culture. It's the same with any package holiday. You can spend a fortnight in Florida and leave reasonably convinced that America is made of fibreglass and 50% of the population wear outlandish Mouse & Duck costumes with oversized heads. Or you can book a flight, get a taxi to the bus station / car hire, and start actually exploring the country - having to interract with the culture if you want to eat & sleep. I know which I prefer. 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.

IMHO Graner was guilty of getting caught. America does not have a good history of POW treatment and reports of American abuse of POWs exist from almost every conflict since The American Civil War. A "standard" interview technique (standard 'cos it's bloody effective) is to humiliate, degrade and terrify the interviewee, not to get information at that time, but then to suddenly change the staff & regime to a civilised & apologetic one whereupon the interviewee (with the terror & degradation removed) will blurt out loads to his "new friend". In effect a prolonged and pronounced version of "nasty cops - nice cops". I believe that Graner & co were detailed with doing the "nasty cops" part. Where it all went pear-shaped for them wasn't their behaviour, it was the exposure of such behaviour worldwide. IT was out, people were outraged, something had to be done, "court martial the folk in the photos!!!!!" That way the world would believe that no investigating agency (certainly NOT an American one) would tolerate such behaviour... Sure. 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.