belfastuniguy

"please let this guy go, don't charge him with any crimes". quote> He's already been charged, There is no trial to be had. He fled sentencing, not the actual trial or charges.

Backlash over Polanski supporters Polanski fled to France after pleading guilty to unlawful sex in 1978 Swiss legal battle awaits Polanski The French government has dropped its public support for Roman Polanski, saying the 76-year-old director "is neither above nor beneath the law". He is being held in Switzerland on a US arrest warrant over his conviction for unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl. Earlier this week, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner called for Polanski to be freed. Polanski, who has dual French and Polish citizenship, was arrested on Saturday when he flew into the country. He had been due to pick up a lifetime achievement prize at the Zurich film festival. 'Serious affair' Speaking to reporters, French government spokesman Luc Chatel said: "We have a judicial procedure under way, for a serious affair, the rape of a minor, on which the American and Swiss legal systems are doing their job." Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski and his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner have written to US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton calling for Polanski to be freed. But the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has distanced himself from the move by asking his ministers to show "greater restraint" in defending him. Martin Scorsese is supporting his fellow director He added that despite a "leading Polish director" being involved, it is still a "case of rape and of punishment for having sex with a child". A member of the British parliament has called on the Council of Europe, of which he is also a member, to support Polanski's extradition to the US. Denis MacShane said the film-maker "should be held accountable" for his actions. French film-maker Luc Besson, who directed the 1994 movie Leon, has also refused to lend his support. Speaking to French radio station RTL, he said: "I have a lot of affection for him, he is a man that I like very much ... but nobody should be above the law. "I don't know the details of this case, but I think that when you don't show up for trial, you are taking a risk." Despite that, Mr Polanski has no shortage of supporters, including at least 110 film industry figures who have signed a petition calling for his release. Among them are Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen and David Lynch, as well as Wim Wenders, Pedro Almodovar, Tilda Swinton and Monica Bellucci. Actor Peter Fonda said he thought "celebrating the arrest of Osama bin Laden and not the arrest of Polanski" was far more important. Mr Polanski fled the US in 1978 before he was sentenced on a charge of unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl. He has never returned and even missed receiving an Oscar for his 2003 film The Pianist.quote>

Originally posted by: Barbarossa Originally posted by: SC4BOY So if the victim's wishes reign supreme, then if someone rapes me and I want him dead, he's to be executed?quote> No, but if you assault someone, you will never be prosecuted unless they press charges. To me, this is the same scenario. The victim does not want to pursue and, in this type of situation, the victim's wishes should reign supreme. Originally posted by: MattShizzle He should go to jail but not for too long - there needs to be consequences for fleeing justice.quote> Seems to me to be more of an issue of wounded pride than legitimate need. Besides, as a taxpayer, I am not interested in paying for Polanski to be incarcerated. And it isnt "the US can grab anyone" - most countries have extradition treaties with most other countries.quote> Yet withstanding US pressure is an entirely different matter, extradition treaty or no. Maybe Americans should boycott French Wine...quote> Wine is beyond petty political squabbles. Barbarossa quote> Tell that to the Americans that poured it down the street drains during the Freedom Fries 'situation' Such a waste

Originally posted by: CWLGAMER01 A clear example of our government waisting money..... thats all I am goning to say about this issue.quote> I disagree, the America government waste money on a lot more and less important things.

Originally posted by: Barbarossa I say leave him alone. His "victim" also agrees with this. Barbarossaquote> That does not matter. He fled justice, that in itself displays his guilt. What I find utterly abhorrent is the number of people AND governments that have condemned his arrest. NO ONE is above the law, he should be deported, justice served and hopefully sent to jail. I have been the Grand Jury minutes and they are incredibly disturbing.

I laughed. That's what happens when you allow stupid people have guns. Oh well...one tiny step toward a better gene pool.

Originally posted by: Duke87 Originally posted by: Barbarossa knowing that 50% of the proceeds will go to you!quote> Oh? I thought that British law firmly established that any gold or silver artifcats you dig up are automatically government property. ...actually, the article confirms this. Doesn't that mean that he gets absolutely nothing (well, except fame and satisfaction) for the find or is there something I'm missing? quote> That's partly correct. Finds of this nature and size are classified by the local authoirty as Treasure and deemed Crown Property. However the government does pay for it, it values the finds and splits it equally between the person that found it and the land owner. whether it be a private individual, company or public authority.

Russia hails US missile overhaul Mr Medvedev will hold missile talks with Mr Obama next week Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has welcomed as "positive" the US decision to shelve controversial missile defence bases in Poland and the Czech Republic. Mr Medvedev said there were now "good conditions" for US-Russia talks on tackling missile proliferation. US President Barack Obama had earlier announced there would be a shift in US missile defence strategy, following a review of the threat posed by Iran. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said it was a "correct and brave" move. However, US Republicans have called the decision "short-sighted" and "harmful". Some said it was a concession to Moscow with nothing in return. Graphics: Where the revised system will be deployed Russia had long objected to plans pursued by the administration of former-President George W Bush to base a missile interceptor system close to its borders, calling it a threat to its security. Mr Bush had argued the system was to defend against missiles from "rogue states" like Iran. Mr Obama ordered a review on taking office earlier this year. On Thursday he said that new intelligence had shown Iran was pursuing short-range and medium-range missile development, rather than long-range. He said the US therefore needed a "proven, cost-effective" system that would use land- and sea-based interceptors against the evolving threat. The US "no longer planned to move forward" with the old shield scheme, the White House said. In an address on Russian television, Mr Medvedev said Mr Obama was "correcting" the US approach to missile defence. Mr Medvedev said that he and Mr Obama had in earlier meetings expressed the need to work together to assess the risks of missile proliferation. "The statement made in Washington today shows that quite good conditions are evolving for such work," Mr Medvedev said. 'Hopeful signal' The two countries are currently in talks about reducing their nuclear stockpiles. Now is the time when we should look to strengthen our defences, and those of our allies Senator John McCain Polish and Czech voices In quotes: Reaction Victory for Russian diplomacy? Polish hopes shot down by US move Mr Medvedev said he would discuss the issues with Mr Obama during a visit to the United Nations in New York next week. The US move was also welcomed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "I see the decision today as a very hopeful signal that we can overcome the difficulties with Russia and develop a united front to counter the threat of Iran," she said. However, Republicans in the US have condemned Mr Obama's move. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said it was "short-sighted and harmful to our long-term security interests". Defeated presidential candidate John McCain called the decision "seriously misguided". "Given the serious and growing threats posed by Iran's missile and nuclear programmes, now is the time when we should look to strengthen our defences, and those of our allies." Barack Obama: "I'm confident... we have strengthened America's national security" But Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the decision was "brilliant" and clearly based on an accurate summary of the current threats. The missile shield in question was first confirmed in August 2008, when the US signed a deal with Poland to site 10 interceptors at a base near the Baltic Sea, and with the Czech Republic to build a radar station on its territory. On Thursday Mr Obama said the review he had ordered had shown the threat from Iran had altered. There was now a need for a more flexible approach to provide "a stronger, smarter and swifter defence" of US and allied forces in Europe. Defence Secretary Robert Gates said the first phase of the new strategy would be to deploy "current and proven missile defence systems in the next two years", including the sea-based Aegis and SM-3 interceptors. BBC defence and security correspondent Nick Childs says the new US strategy is based on mobility and flexibility. Proven defence systems will be based first on warships and then on land, and will be upgraded over the next decade, he says. Mr Gates stressed the US was not abandoning missile defence of Europe. He said negotiations were under way with both Poland and the Czech Republic about deploying upgraded SM-3 interceptors from 2015.quote>

He was fabulous, so eccentric...was so funny to watch. Such a passion for his food and of course his wine lol

PM apology after Turing petition Alan Turing is said to be the founder of computer science Gordon Brown has said he is sorry for the "appalling" way World War II code-breaker Alan Turing was treated for being gay. A petition on the No 10 website had called for a posthumous government apology to the computer pioneer. In 1952 Turing was prosecuted for gross indecency after admitting a sexual relationship with a man. Two years later he killed himself. The campaign was the idea of computer scientist John Graham-Cumming. He was seeking an apology for the way the mathematician was treated after his conviction. He also wrote to the Queen to ask for Turing to be awarded a posthumous knighthood. The campaign was backed by author Ian McEwan, scientist Richard Dawkins and gay-rights campaigner Peter Tatchell. The petition posted on the Downing Street website attracted thousands of signatures. Mr Brown, writing in the Telegraph newspaper, said: "While Mr Turing was dealt with under the law of the time and we can't put the clock back, his treatment was of course utterly unfair and I am pleased to have the chance to say how deeply sorry I and we all are for what happened to him." National legacy Have Your Say Whilst of no comfort to the man himself, this does hold meaning for surviving relatives. I would welcome a posthumous knighthood. Andy Turner Read more of your comments He said Mr Turing deserved recognition for his contribution to humankind. In the statement he said: "So on behalf of the British government, and all those who live freely thanks to Alan's work I am very proud to say: we're sorry, you deserved so much better." A niece of Mr Turing, Inagh Payne, said that at the time she had no idea about his contribution to the war effort because he kept his work "hush-hush". She was also unaware of his sexuality and his prosecution as the family "kept mum about that sort of thing". She said she was "very grateful" for the apology. "We realise now that he was gay and we think he was treated abominably," she said. It's fantastic there has been an apology, says Dr Sue Black of Saving Bletchley Park Welcoming Mr Brown's move, Peter Tatchell of gay rights group Outrage! said a similar apology was also due to the estimated 100,000 British men who suffered similar treatment. "Singling out Turing just because he is famous is wrong," he said. Alan Turing was given experimental chemical castration as a "treatment" and his security privileges were removed, meaning he could not continue to work for the UK Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). He is most famous for his code-breaking work at Bletchley Park during WWII, helping to create the Bombe that cracked messages enciphered with the German Enigma machines. However, he also made significant contributions to the emerging fields of artificial intelligence and computing. In 1936 he established the conceptual and philosophical basis for the rise of computers in a seminal paper called On Computable Numbers and in 1950 he devised a test to measure the intelligence of a machine. Today it is known as the Turing Test. After the war he worked at many institutions including the University of Manchester, where he worked on the Manchester Mark 1, one of the first recognisable modern computers. There is a memorial statue of him in Manchester's Sackville Gardens which was unveiled in 2001.quote>

Originally posted by: Meg Originally posted by: belfastuniguy That's not her role, nor should she feel the need to do so. quote> Just out of curiousity, why not? I'm not saying she should or she shouldn't. I'm just curious about your reasoning. quote> Because our Queen is to remain politically neutral at all times, at least in public. She should never openly engage in political matters, which the aforementioned matters have become. To do so undermines Her Majesty and our Constitutional Monarchy, a system that has served us well and been the foundation of what is one of the oldest and most stable democracies in history. She does of course express her opinion in private and is known to be fully versed in political matters, especially during her weekly meetings with the Prime Minister of the day.

Originally posted by: Duke87 Originally posted by: belfastuniguy The Queen did no such thing. quote> I don't doubt that there are people who would like it if she did. Is it bad that when I see "The Queen" capitalized like that, the first thing I think of is the final level from Duke Nukem 3D? ...aaaand the music from that level is stuck in my head now. Thanks! quote> That's not her role, nor should she feel the need to do so.

Originally posted by: Merlin of Flyote Different Times, Different Laws. Nowdays we are more flexible in our approaches. It hasn't always been so. Postumous apologies are more to do with the living than the dead. Relatives feel that an injustice has been delt with. Some other examples are:- The Queen apologising to the American Indians, for colonising the American continent, and also to the Aborigines, for colonising Australia.quote> The Queen did no such thing.

70 Years ago today, the British declared war on Germany following the invasion of Poland, it is widely seen as the start of the Second World War. I DO NOT want this to turn into the typical My Country Won the War, we have another thread for that, so use it. This is about the war, it's consequences and the Europe that evolved from the carnage. Today Europe is the most united it has been in its entire history, we are the second largest democracy in the world and the largest and most powerful trading bloc in the world. We have a union comprised of nations that exist peacfully together and act as an example of social progression and a guardian of civil and human rights. Europe has come a long way, and Europeans can feel incredibly proud of our achievement. War declaration on Nazis recalled Mr Chamberlain described his declaration of war as a "bitter blow" The moment Britain finally declared war on Nazi Germany exactly 70 years ago is being remembered. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain made his sombre radio broadcast at 11.15am on 3 September 1939, two days after German forces attacked Poland. France followed suit hours after the historic address at 10 Downing Street. There are no official events to mark the anniversary, but war-related re-unions and debates are being held in northern England and London. A group of land girls who worked together on farms in Lincolnshire during the war will be reunited in Grimsby - some for the first time in 70 years. 'Peace struggle' The former Land Army girls, who ploughed fields, dug up potatoes, tended animals and harvested crops, will enjoy a £2 wartime lunch at a care home. Historians will discuss the importance of Britain's wartime leader, Winston Churchill, in a debate at London's Central Hall in Westminster. And the Royal British Legion's 14th annual bike ride from Greenwich in London to Paris - to raise cash for past and present service personnel - is, by coincidence, also being held. I cannot believe that there is anything more or anything different that I could have done, and that would have been more successful Neville Chamberlain Tell us your wartime stories Granddaughter's defence of war PM More than 170 cyclists, who hope to raise £300,000, will leave Dover for Calais on Thursday and are expected to arrive in Paris on Sunday lunchtime. On Tuesday Foreign Secretary David Miliband joined world leaders - including German chancellor Angela Merkel - at Gdansk in Poland to mark the 70th anniversary of the start of the war. In his historic broadcast from the Cabinet room, Mr Chamberlain admitted his "long struggle to win peace" had failed. He said: "This morning the British Ambassador in Berlin handed the German government a final note stating that, unless we heard from them by 11 o'clock that they were prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland, a state of war would exist between us. Evacuations "I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received, and that consequently this country is at war with Germany. "You can imagine what a bitter blow it is to me that all my long struggle to win peace has failed. "Yet I cannot believe that there is anything more or anything different that I could have done, and that would have been more successful." On Friday the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) will also mark its 70th anniversary - the day after the famous declaration. The organisation started out as an emergency wartime service, launching 200 offices on 4 September 1939 as a result of government war planning. It was run by the voluntary sector to help civilians trace missing relatives and cope with the huge disruption, evacuations and bombings. The Second World War lasted nearly six years and cost around 50 million lives with an estimated 400,000 military and civilian casualties from Britain.quote> Poland remembers World War start World leaders at wreath-laying ceremony in Poland to mark the 70th anniversary of WWII Poland has been holding a day of commemorations to mark the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II. Leaders from 20 countries laid candles during a ceremony near Gdansk. Earlier, Polish President Lech Kaczynski criticised the former Soviet Union over responsibility for the war. His words added to an ongoing row with Moscow, although Russian PM Vladimir Putin said he hoped the two countries could settle their differences. Mr Kaczynski said Poland had received a "stab in the back" from the former Soviet Union when it invaded and occupied the east of the country as the German army was advancing westwards. He again criticised the non-aggression pact between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany in the early years of the conflict, saying it was about dividing Europe. ANALYSIS Jonny Dymond BBC News, Gdansk There was, of course, talk of heroism in the speeches of the Mayor of Gdansk, President Lech Kaczynski and Prime Minister Donald Tusk. But for Poland, perhaps more than any other nation on earth, World War II was nothing but a catastrophe. By the war's end, 5m-6m Poles had been killed - a greater proportion of its population than any other country. Poland remembers its catastrophe Mr Kaczynski recalled the Katyn massacre in which 20,000 Polish officers were killed by Soviet forces, saying it was an act of chauvinism and in revenge for Polish independence. But he also praised the Soviet Union's sacrifice against Nazi Germany. Speaking at the ceremony on Westerplatte peninsula, Mr Putin highlighted that nearly half of the estimated 50 million people who died during the war were from the Soviet Union. The Russian prime minister said all pacts that European states agreed with Nazi Germany were "morally unacceptable", including the 1939 Soviet accord. He added that Russia accepted its mistakes of the past. Occupation Differing historical interpretations of events at the start of the war though have caused a strain in relations between Poland and Russia. Turning his attention to that controversy, Mr Putin said: "We seriously hope that Russian and Polish relationships will rid themselves of the layers of the past." Earlier, a dawn ceremony had marked the time when a German battleship fired the first shots on a Polish fort in 1939. Putin strikes conciliatory note with Poland The day began with Mr Kaczynski and his Prime Minister Donald Tusk joining war veterans beside a monument to the heroes of Westerplatte at 0445 (0245 GMT). The ceremony marked the exact time on 1 September 1939 when the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein opened fire at point-blank range on the fort. At the same time, the German Wehrmacht invaded Poland from east, west and south. The attacks triggered Britain and France's declaration of war against Germany two days later. Just two weeks later, in mid-September 1939, the Soviet armies occupied eastern Poland. Speaking at the dawn ceremony, Mr Kaczynski said: "On 17 September... Poland received a stab in the back... This blow came from Bolshevik Russia." He added: "Glory to the heroes of Westerplatte, glory to all of the soldiers who fought in World War II against German Nazism, and against Bolshevik totalitarianism." In his address, Mr Tusk said the lessons of history should not be forgotten. "We remember because we know well that he who forgets, or he who falsifies history, and has power or will assume power will bring unhappiness again like 70 years ago," he said. At the time of the attack by the Schleswig-Holstein - which was moored in the Polish harbour on a friendship visit - Gdansk was known as the free city of Danzig. The 182 Polish troops defending the Polish fort were expected to resist for about 12 hours. Despite coming under fire from the air, sea and land, they held out against a force of more than 3,000 Germans for seven days. According to a survey published on Monday, Westerplatte is the most important symbol of Polish resistance in the whole of the war. Two weeks after the German invasion, the Red Army invaded and annexed eastern Poland under terms agreed in the secret protocol of a Nazi-Soviet pact. Watching the start of World War II Pact that set the scene for war UK service to mark evacuations In early 1940, the Soviet secret services murdered more than 20,000 Polish officers in the forests around Katyn. For 50 years Moscow blamed the Nazis and only admitted responsibility for the crime in 1990. Russian courts have ruled that Katyn cannot be considered a war crime and Moscow is still refusing to declassify documents about the massacre. The temperature was raised further this week with accusations broadcast on Russian state TV which implied the USSR was justified in its invasion of Poland because Warsaw had been conspiring with Hitler against Moscow. quote>

a) Homosexuality was decriminalised in 1967 in the UK. It was illiegal in the US also, varied by state of course. though the Supreme Court repealed all Sodomy laws in 2003 as far as I know. b)It was illegal yes, no idea what happened to homosexuals though. c) supposedly as a 'Gay cure'.........yeah I know.

Originally posted by: Duke87 I've never really understood the purpose of posthumous apologies. I mean, if he's dead, he can't hear you apologize to him, so it isn't going to make him feel better. Especially absurd is the fact that the person doing the apologizing had absolutely nothing to do with the incident being apologized for, and indeed was an infant at the time, so he doesn't even remember it. It's a pointless gesture which, for reasons which are beyond me, makes people feel good. As though justice has been served or something. But then, where does one draw the line? I'm still waiting for an apology from the Egyptian government for forcing slaves to build the pyramids. quote> It's good for his relatives to hear and acknowledges that wrong doing occurred, it's a principle thing.

Originally posted by: Barbarossa Better late than never. I hope they give him the knighthood. Barbarossaquote> I agree, I'm pretty confident it will be awarded

Originally posted by: Kryptowhite Well, it just seems natural to me. Somewhat like how in america, people USUALLY stick to the right side of the staircase. Which leads me to a question for Belfast or any other Brits...do you guys usually stick to the left side of the staircase? quote> Not really no...depends on my mood

Indeed, it is the correct side on which to drive

Passau City is the capital of the Atlantean Earth colony Perseus. As such it is afforded many of grand public buildings and monuments that exist in other important cities across the empire. Passau also benefits from high levels of investment as it serves as the base for almost all Atlantean corporations and institutions that have a presence on Earth. This is shown by its large and modern commercial quarters that intermix with the historic centres of the city. The city underwent massive regeneration and development after the British Handover to the Imperial Atlantean Empire. The city, under British rule, was a wealthy one that benefited greatly during the days of the British Empire in addition to the flourishing trade with neighbouring Alban nations. A large amount of the architecturally significant buildings still exist in the city and many were cleaned and repaired with money provided by the Imperial Government. One of the first areas of the city that was re-developed was the soon to be Government District and adjacent Palace Quarter. The Palace Quarter contains some of the most beautiful buildings in the city in addition to being the most desirable residential area given the abundance of designer and boutique shopping, street side cafés, Michelin star restaurants and cultural attractions. Given the proximity to the government district the Palace Quarter is also home to many of the foreign consulates that exist in the city. Nations that are present include the United Kingdom, Dominion of Wales, France, Kingdom of New Burgundy, At the very centre of the area is the Imperial Palace, the official Earth Residence of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Michael Stormont III. It also serves as the home of the Imperial Envoy to Earth, His Highness Prince Julius Stormont. The palace was originally the home of the British Monarch and later the Governor-General that represented the British Crown and its interests. After the handover the Palace and its gardens were renovated and re-designed. The garden was given a more natural look with the landscaping of rolling hills and a new lake, while the upper garden was given a formal appearance and a new fountain installed. The front courtyard was repaved and a new statue of Emperor Amadeus Stormont I was placed at its centre. Inside the palace all the state rooms were re-designed to incorporate the Imperial Crest and Coat of Arms of the Stormont Dynasty, a new throne room was created and original details were enhanced and improved. The palace does open for a couple of months to the public in the summer and it has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in Perseus. Imperial Palace Arch of the Atlantean Empire Situated at the northern end of the Palace stand an arch that celebrates the power and glory of the Imperial Atlantean Empire. It honours the scarfice that occurred during the founding and later expansion of the Empire and stands as a grand expression of pride in the empire and her people. An empire that has lasted thousands of years. An Empire Arch stands in every major city of the Imperial Atlantean Empire, some more classical in design, while others are incredibly modern. The Arch in Passau is more in keeping with the surrounding architecture of the Palace Quarter. Part Two will take a look at the cultural attractions and lifestyle of the Palace Quarter and the people that live there

Canada and Australia, come close, but they do not have the same levels of civil protections and freedoms enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights. As for the US....hardly comes close to Europe to be frank.

To remember the war is to remember the sacrifice and to see how far we have come. Europe has a proud and long tradition of remembrance and historical education, especially with war. We educate the new generations on how war should be avoided at all costs and the damage it causes. That is why we remember our wars, and we always will. America is no different when it comes to the wars you fought.

We hardly glorify the war. It was the war that led to a determination within European nations to build a better future, we have created a society that has attained freedoms and respect unparalleled anywhere else on Earth. People need to be reminded of the futility of war as well as be reminded of what the war was fought for. All very well for some Americans to 'ignore' it, but that's rather typical. (Note the use of 'some' before people collapse into a fit of hyperbole screaming Anti-Americanism.....so tiresome)

Don't even start me on American Conservatives and their champion FOX News. They make America look like a sad joke. With headlines like, 'Rockerfeller Plaza and the hidden communist propaganda' 'Obama exploits 9/11 to support his health care plan' 'Obama new advisor is an anti-american, 9/11 truth communist.' 'Parents to pull their children out of school before obama propaganda speech' '100 homeless people in Florida to benefit from your tax dollars with new houses' became '100 homeless people in Florida to benefit from your tax dollars with news houses, some of them convicted criminals.' and this morning it was '100 SEX OFFENDERS get new houses payed for by the tax payer' In addition to the fashion for American conservatives blaming other countries for American problems and ignoring the problems that afflict their own nation. Indeed O'Reilly saw fit to castigate the Netherlands recently in a report devoid of fact. SHOCKER!!!

@Blake Yes I know.....it's adds relatism to the game, relating the BAT'ed building with that exists in the real world. It's what makes my CJ more unique. I advise you to go have have a read through my CJ Proper in the older CJ section, it'll give you a better idea of what to expect.