TheQuiltedLlama

A topic devoted to random pictures from Sim City 2000 and some crappy SCURK stuff me and Glenni made.

This took me ages to do... and now I have the other side to do. :/

Originally posted by: duack I doubt that the EU isnt allowing Turkey in for economic reasons. Turkey has 60 million people and the Ukraine has 50 million, but Turkey's GDP per capita is higher than the Ukraine. quote> But Ukraine isn't in the EU either. There are ongoing talks to allow Turkey into the EU, but first there needs to be reforms (which would have been introduced had the Lisbon treaty been passsed) to ensure expansion goes smoothly when a large country such as Turkey joins. But anyway IMO any country were the majority of the population is of european decent should be part of the EU. Including Australia, new zealand and all of North and South America. These all have economic advantages to one another so I dont see why not ^.^quote>By that reasoning all countries should be a part of the African Union.

Originally posted by: Patricius Maximus the part I dont get is why they wont let Turkey in. Its just as good as any eastern Europe economy.quote> I don't live in Europe, but from what I've seen, the main gripe with Turkey is whether or not it is European enough to join the European Union.quote> I'd say it is more to do with Human Rights issues.

The Full City. and it looks even better in the normal tileset.

(Click)

Originally posted by: Boggy1 I totally disagree with the BBC's decision, and they have really shot themselves in the foot here. Now all their rival channels are going to broadcast it..ITV, Five, Four..etcetera, it just makes them look stupid. .quote> No. The point of the BBC's news coverage is to remain impartial and unbiased. Channel 4, ITV and Five do not have such strong obligations to impartiality. Broadcasting such an appeal directly linked to a current event, they risk undermining the impartiality of the BBC., especially since some of the money donated will probably end up in the hands of Israel and/or Hamas. Of course, the welfare of the people of Palestine is more important than the state of the BBC, but I think everyone is well aware of the situation in Palestine and can make there own decision to donate. There will be enough publicity for the DEC outside of the BBC, especially since this story is now all over the media. You could even argue that the BBC's refusal to show the appeal resulted in more donations to the DEC than if they had agreed to show it. Originally posted by: warrior I am amazed they broadcast that, quote> Not really, It is clear that Tony Benn is not speaking on behalf of the BBC.

I also support the BBC's decision. I think, in fact, that the BBC should never screen DEC campaigns, because they are always related to current news events and could undermine the BBC's impartial reporting. Even Natural disasters have a political edge and the BBC should always be impartial. For example, a lot of money from the DEC tsunami appeal appeal went to Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tigers Rebel group there. On another note, the BBC refusing the screen the appeal has probably drawn more attention to the campaign, and thus more donations, than if the BBC had shown it.

Hamas announces ceasefire in Gaza The Palestinian militant group Hamas has announced an immediate ceasefire with Israel in Gaza. A statement read by a Hamas spokesman said the group would hold fire for a week to give Israel time to withdraw its forces from the Gaza Strip. The move came hours after a unilateral Israeli ceasefire came into effect. The cessation of hostilities was earlier cast into doubt by fresh rocket fire into Israel and an Israeli air strike on militants in Gaza. Hamas' deputy chief in Syria, Moussa Abou Marzouk, said the ceasefire was in the name of all "Palestinian resistance factions". "We... announce a ceasefire of our factions in the Gaza Strip and we stress that our demand is the withdrawal of the enemy forces from the Gaza Strip within a week, along with the opening of all the crossings for the entry of humanitarian aid, food and other necessities for our people in the Gaza Strip." The group said the ceasefire would be temporary unless Israel met these long-standing demands. Hamas' leader in exile, Khaled Meshaal, will make an "important" announcement in Syria on Sunday afternoon regarding Israel's ceasefire, the Associated Press news agency reported. Israel, whose ceasefire came into effect at 0200 (2400 GMT) has said its troops will stay in Gaza for as long as necessary. Hours later, at least 18 rockets were fired into Israel, Israeli sources said, triggering an Israeli air strike in response. One rocket hit a house in Ashdod, injuring lightly two people, police said. The stopping of rocket-fire had been a chief aim of the military campaign. Israeli troops killed a Palestinian near the southern Gazan town of Khan Younis on Sunday morning, reports from Gaza said. If confirmed, the death would be the first fatality since the ceasefire began. At least 1,300 Palestinians, according to Palestinian sources, and 13 Israelis have been killed since Israel launched its offensive on 27 December. Palestinian medics say at least 50 bodies have been pulled from the rubble since Israel halted its offensive. Meanwhile, heads of state from across Europe are in Egypt for a summit with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas and UN chief Ban Ki-moon to try to shore up the ceasefire. They will discuss how to make the ceasefire durable and respected by Hamas, how to get aid to Gaza and beginning the process of rebuilding there. But the BBC's Laura Trevelyan, who is at the summit in Sharm El Sheikh, says with neither Israel or Hamas attending, there are questions about how much can be achieved and whether this will amount to more than a gigantic photo opportunity by those who want to help resolve the conflict . Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/7836205.stm Published: 2009/01/18 13:35:20 GMT © BBC MMIX quote> From BBC News

Originally posted by: hawkpride147 i think we should just leave it alone...the people voted...TWICE...who cares if you agree or not, this is a democracy. it was put to the people twice and both times, the people voted the same. if you take this vote away from the people, what vote are you going to disallow next? the point is, a line has to be drawn. there has to be a point at which a vote cannot be overturned. otherwise, you risk moving into a dictatorship, tyranny, or communistic society. none of which would come close to benefiting the US. when the people vote, that should stand. it was what our country was built on...quote> Democracy shouldn't be about allowing the majority to restrict the freedoms of the minority. What if the majority of the population had voted to reintroduce slavery, would that be acceptable? Just because something is popular, doesn't mean it is right. and before any of you call me a homophobe, or that i'm a bigot, or that i don't understand, or anything along those lines, realize this: my fiancee's mom and sister are lesbians. one of my closest friends is a lesbian. 2 guys i consider to be my best friends are gay. yes i am straight, but i do understand the issue, i understand the people, and i do feel for them. but when the people vote, it shouldn't be for naught.quote> "some of my best friends are gay"

Reviving a couple of old things. The roof is loosely based on Leeds Railway Station. I'm not sure I what I'm going to do with the Templehof model, I'm hoping to be able to make it work with existing modular airport pieces, as I'm not really up to do the whole Airport. Any suggestions are welcome. Real thing looks like this:

Originally posted by: pcgirl24 I've been trying to come up with some creative Trixies but my creative juices just don't seem to be flowing. Chrissy, quote> Try some of this. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7824071.stm.

I'd like to point out that no one called Iceland 'terrorist'. The legislation was introduced as a part of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. Perhaps the British government are therefore implying that the owners of the Landsbanki are criminals, but neither the act nor the legislation were ever intended to be used solely against terrorists.

Originally posted by: Cockatoo-210893 Dick Chaney probably thought there might be oil there.quote> Coming Soon: The War on Coral.

Originally posted by: manticorefan We didn't create the beetles that are killing all those trees (see full text of story).quote> If you had read the article properly, you would also have noticed that the increased spread of these beetles is due to the higher temperatures caused by man-made climate change. Another sign that we have reached, or are about reach, a tipping point where climate change becomes irreversible. Some of you may prefer to continue ignoring the 99% of scientists who agree Climate Change is happening and is man-made, but I, for one, think this isn't a risk we can afford to take. If we act and it turns out they are all wrong, we've wasted a lot of time and money. But if we don't act and it turns out they're right, then we're all dead. I know which option I prefer. It's time to stop pissing around with 'carbon trading' and fancy light bulbs and to seriously invest in Public Transport, renewable energy and, if necessary, nuclear energy. If we stand any hope of defeating climate change then all Co2 emissions need to be halted as soon as possible.

From the BBC Israeli troops 'move into Gaza' Israeli forces move towards the Gaza Strip Israeli ground troops have started to enter the Gaza Strip, Israeli military officials have confirmed, a week after the offensive against Hamas began. An Israeli military spokeswoman said the intention was to take control of areas from which Palestinian militants have been firing rockets into Israel. A BBC reporter in Gaza says it appears to be a limited operation with 10 to 15 vehicles crossing the northern border. Earlier, Israel intensified air and artillery attacks on the territory. In one raid, at least 13 people were killed when a missile struck a crowded mosque in Beit Lahiya, Palestinian medics said. Witnesses said more than 200 people had been inside the Ibrahim al-Maqadna mosque for evening prayers when it was struck. If you commit the stupidity of launching a ground offensive then a black destiny awaits you Khalid MeshaalPolitical leader of Hamas UK protests over Gaza air strikes Aid worker diary: Part six Gaza voices: Family fears In pictures: Assault intensifies Correspondents say Israel has accused Hamas of using mosques to hide weapons and ammunition, but this is the first time a mosque has been hit at prayer time. Militants in Gaza meanwhile fired more rockets into southern Israel on Saturday, one of which hit the port of Ashdod, injuring two people. Israel has carried out more than 800 strikes on the Gaza Strip since launching the offensive eight days ago, including 40 on Saturday. The UN has warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis, and believes 25% of more than 400 Palestinians killed by Israel so far were civilians. Israel says about 80% of those killed were Hamas militants. Four Israelis have been killed by rocket fire from Gaza. 'Not war-hungry' A small column of Israeli military vehicles, backed by attack helicopters, were seen crossing the border into the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday evening. Hamas leaders have warned Israel against launching a ground offensive An Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed the incursion had begun and said the objective was "to destroy the Hamas terror infrastructure in the area of operations". "We are going to take some of the launch areas used by Hamas," Maj Avital Leibovitch told reporters. Later, Defence Minister Ehud Barak said the ground campaign against Hamas "will not be easy or short, but we are determined". "Our aim is to force Hamas to stop its hostile activities against Israel and Israelis from Gaza, and to bring about a significant change in the situation in the southern part of Israel," he told a news conference. "We have carefully weighed all our operations. We are not war-hungry, but we shall not allow a situation in which our towns, villages and civilians are constantly targeted by Hamas." Mr Barak also said Israel would "keep a sensitive eye" on its northern border with Lebanon, where it fought a short but bloody war with the Shia Hezbollah movement in 2006. "We hope the situation will remain calm. Nevertheless, we are ready and alert to face any unwanted development in that area," he added. Map: Gaza and Israel violence The BBC's Paul Wood in Jerusalem says this is probably just the first wave of the assault, since there are said to be some 10,000 Israeli troops and hundreds of tanks massed on the border with Gaza. The office of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has also announced that the government has ordered the urgent call-up of "tens of thousands" of extra military reservists. Just before the ground offensive began, Hamas issued a statement promising that Palestinian children would be picking over the ruins of Israeli tanks and the body parts of Israeli soldiers. The militant group's exiled political leader, Khaled Meshaal, meanwhile warned Israel against a ground offensive, saying that a "black destiny" awaited Israeli forces if the entered Gaza. "We will not break, we will not surrender or give in to your conditions," he said in a speech from the Syrian capital, Damascus. Our correspondent says this promises to be a very bloody encounter. Ceasefire calls Tens of thousands of demonstrators meanwhile have been protesting worldwide against Israel's military operations in Gaza, calling for an immediate ceasefire. Organisers of the London protest said it was "just the start of the campaign" The biggest rally was in Paris where more than 20,000 people gathered. About 10,000 people joined a rally in London, during which hundreds of shoes were thrown at the entrance to Prime Minister Gordon Brown's residence, echoing the protest of an Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at US President George W Bush last month. Protests also took place in Brussels, The Hague, Amsterdam, Ankara and Cyprus. In Israel itself, tens of thousands of Israeli Arabs staged a protest against Israel's actions in the town of Sakhnin. One politician, Jamal Zahalka, said it had been the biggest demonstration by Israel's Arab minority in the past 10 years. President Bush, however, blamed the violence firmly on Hamas. quote>

Originally posted by: manticorefan Originally posted by: TheQuiltedLlama [text]quote> I never said I expected anyone to do anything, I was simply putting my point of view into context, as others do all the time.quote>My apologies if this is incorrect, but I got the impression that you supported prop 8.

Originally posted by: manticorefan It's hard to discuss w/o pissing people off, so please understand my viewpoint; I have gone through this struggle myself. I turned my back on homosexuality years ago, and found that it can be done successfully. Over time, it became much easier.quote> Just because you were able to 'turn your back' on homosexuality, does not mean you should except others to be willing and able to do the same. You chose your religion over your sexuality, clearly, for you, the conflict between the two meant you could otherwise not live a fulfilled life. But by saying that people should be forced to conform to your expectations, you would be denying them a fulling and happy life, something which you were able to do because other people accepted the choice you made. Just as it was your right to choose your religion over your sexuality to achieve a fulling life, it is others' right to choose to marry the partner they love to achieve a fulling life.

Originally posted by: CarmineHilton Crazy Americans have never seen this in Europe before...quote> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4252421.stm

BNP membership list posted online by former 'hardliner' The entire membership list of the British National party has been posted on the internet, identifying thousands of people as secret supporters of the far right and exposing many to the risk of dismissal from work, disciplinary action or vilification. The BNP leader, Nick Griffin, claimed today that he knew the identity of the person who published the list, describing him as a "hardliner" senior employee who left the party last year. "He didn't like the direction the party was going and broke away, taking the list with him," Griffin told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Around 13,500 names and home addresses were posted on a website on Monday evening. As well as names and addresses, the list includes the home and mobile phone numbers and personal email addresses of BNP members. It is thought the list may include lapsed members of the party and the names and addresses of people who have expressed an interest in joining the party, but have not signed up. Many of the members' occupations are listed, revealing a small number of police, two solicitors, four ministers of religion, at least one doctor and a number of primary and secondary school teachers. The list was removed from an internet blog today after complaints by the far right group. A BNP spokesman, Simon Darby, said: "If we find out the name of the person who published this list it will turn out to be one of the most foolish things they have done in their life." Griffin insisted this did not represent a threat of violence but the reality that the person faced prison for breaching a high court injunction. The BNP leader admitted the party was relying on the Human Rights Act, based on EU legislation, which it opposes, to try to protect the privacy of its members. He said he had no problem with publication of members' occupations but listing their names and addresses represented "a nasty piece of intimidation on behalf of the Labour regime". However, Griffin welcomed the publicity the story had garnered for the party, saying the list showed the perception of the average BNP member as a "skinhead oik" was "simply not true". Last night, Darby said the police had been called in to investigate the data security breach. Describing the posting as "malevolent and spiteful", he said: "This isn't a question of us mislaying the information, this is theft." The BNP list includes the names and ages of children who have become members of the party after a parent has taken out a family membership, and several people who have joined the party at the age of 16. Against the name of a woman said to be a serving police officer and living on the Wirral, Merseyside, is the note: "Discretion required re employment concerns - police officer", along with the names and ages of a number of her children. Other notes against the names of individuals include: "Discretion requested (employment concerns), government employee, IT consultant" and "activist (discretion requested), teacher (secondary school)". The BNP is known to go to considerable lengths to conceal the identities of members. Membership lists are held on computer spreadsheets, usually by an official based in York. He sends limited lists to local organisers as encrypted attachments to emails that can be accessed only by officials who have been given a password. The BNP conceded that very few people would have had access to its full membership list. The party said the list was not up to date, featuring no members who had signed up since late 2007, and included the names of people who had never been members of the party. The party said it had obtained an injunction this year at the high court in Manchester to prevent the misuse of its membership list. Griffin confirmed on the party's website that much of the list was genuine, and that it contained data stored at some point between November 30 and December 2 2007. "This latest attack is not really directed against our own people, who are already tough-minded and know that nothing ever comes of this sort of bluster, so much as against the thousands of [members of the UK Independence party] who are thinking of joining us. "It probably will frighten some of them, but it's water off a duck's back to the stout hearts of the British National party." Last night, internet chat rooms frequented by British supporters of the far right were buzzing with anger, indignation and considerable alarm. One typical posting said: "The most shocking thing is some of the comments by the names! God help anyone who is in the army, the prison service, health care, a police officer or a teacher." It is thought the information commissioner, who enforces the Data Protection Act, may investigate the matter, looking not only at the posting of the list but at the amount of information the BNP has been storing about its members. A spokesperson for the Information Commissioner's Office said: "Following media reports that the personal details of BNP members have been incorrectly disclosed, we will be contacting the party to establish the full facts. We will then decide what action, if any, is appropriate. "We encourage all organisations to alert the Information Commissioner's Office if they discover a security breach has occurred." The membership list reveals that the BNP has a handful of members in Australia, one in Oman and around 17 living in the United States. Some of the members' hobbies are listed. One gives her occupation as "holistic therapist" and her pastimes as "metaphysics, cartoon drawing". Another lists his hobbies as "fantail doves, koi carp, gardening". There are one or two insights into reasons that people have left the party. Against the name of one lapsed member from Gillingham, Kent, is the note: "Objects to being told he shouldn't wear a bomber jacket." • Additional reporting Duncan Campbell and Paul Lewis Link The BNP leader admitted the party was relying on the Human Rights Act, based on EU legislation, which it opposes, to try to protect the privacy of its members.quote>

Ponsonby Rule The Writer Unrewarded. Fun game

Originally posted by: JanYpe It´s a fun gimmick, what´s wrong with that?quote> amen