Have your say

I normally try to contribute to a “have your say” debates on the BBC site every now and again and was just checking to see some archives of replies. There is limited space when replying so sometimes I am very concise and straight to the point. This might be of some interest to some of you just to see other point of views:

Debate: Palastine/Israel
There NEVER was a country called Palestine. There was a region of that world called Palestine. It never was a country, never had a functioning government (still doesnt). You may have fooled some, but many of us ACTUALLY know our history.
User,United States
My reply: Like there never was a country called USA...Ofcourse when discovered it was only Land, The indians never had a government...need I continue.

Debate:Palastine/Israel
No Israeli of Jew EVER did a suicide bombing. We are not the ones who blow up buses for martrydom.
User, UK
My reply: No Jews aren’t that bad, they only kick you out of your Land, beat you up and ultimately shoot you. But suicide bombs NEVER...its not THAT bad. USER who you kidding ???

Debate: Terrorists
Anybody wanting to say that July 7 could have been avoided by not invading Iraq, consider that these terrorists will always have some excuse
User, London, United Kingdom
My reply: I'm sorry USER I don't recall terrorist bombs in the UK prior to operation "Iraqi Freedom" or operation "WMDs" or operation "Democracy" or whatever you wish to call this. I prefer to call it operation "Secure Oil reserves".

Debate: Palastine/Israel
Generally Israelis do not like to kill Palestinian children- but only the ones that do use American weapons.
User, UK
My reply: Coca-cola cans are American weapons now, User where do you get your news from mate. Most Palestinian kids use rocks and stones as weapons. Hardly WMD when compared with what the Israeli’s use.

Debate: Immigration (This sounds familiar though)
Loads of immigrants taking our jobs - jobs being outsourced to foreign countries - where is there a job left for us - as for saying they only do jobs we wont do - rubbish - the immigrants are taking all the jobs now - how do they afford it - dont they have the bills that we have maybe they rent but they should still have the other overheads we have - or is it because they are on benefits as well - we could all do that - work for less as long as we claimed of our welfare state - and they also make claims, open a bank a/c move back home and draw from their British bank a/c and they arent even here!
User, UK
My reply: I was waiting for that. Stop blaming your failings on immigrants.

Britz in the hood

I am not sure if anyone outside of the UK would’ve seen or even heard of this. Britz is a two-part fictional thriller of two British-Born Muslim brother and sister. Without giving away much of the story; both there lives are affected by a similar chain of events but both choose a different conflicting direction in dealing with them.

The Story

Sohail is an ambitious law undergraduate who signs up with MI5 and, eager to play a part in protecting British security, begins an investigation into a terrorist cell.

His sister Nasima is a medical student in Leeds who becomes increasingly alienated and angered by Britains foreign and domestic policy after witnessing at first hand the relentless targeting of her Muslim neighbours and peers.

Britz is undoubtedly a gripping thriller and an absorbing drama that addresses many sensitive issues. All I can say is if you can beg, steal or borrow a copy of it or find the two episodes online somewhere, I strongly urge you to view it.

Ludicrous Laws

I’ve been so busy at work lately I have to sneak away from my desk at lunch/home times when no ones looking. I guess it’s better than sitting in the office twiddling your thumbs waiting for something to happen as I don’t how the last two weeks flew by.

Thought this might be an interesting read as I sometimes see blog entries on silly or outdated rules and laws in the Middle East. Well here’s one (in order of % )for the rest of the world from the BBC website:

The UK's top 10 most ridiculous British laws were listed as:
• 1. It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament (27%)
• 2. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British king or queen's image upside-down (7%)
• 3. It is illegal for a woman to be topless in Liverpool except as a clerk in a tropical fish store (6%)
• 4. Eating mince pies on Christmas Day is banned (5%)
• 5. If someone knocks on your door in Scotland and requires the use of your toilet, you are required to let them enter (4%)
• 6. In the UK a pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants, including in a policeman's helmet (4%)
• 7. The head of any dead whale found on the British coast automatically becomes the property of the King, and the tail of the Queen (3.5%)
• 8. It is illegal not to tell the tax man anything you do not want him to know, but legal not to tell him information you do not mind him knowing (3%)
• 9. It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament wearing a suit of armour (3%)
• 10. It is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls of York, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow (2%)

Other bizarre foreign laws voted by those polled included:
• In Ohio, it is illegal to get a fish drunk (9%)
• In Indonesia, the penalty for masturbation is decapitation (8%)
• A male doctor in Bahrain can only examine the genitals of a woman in the reflection of a mirror (7%)
• In Switzerland, a man may not relieve himself standing up after 10pm (6%)
• It is illegal to be blindfolded while driving a vehicle in Alabama (6%)
• In Florida, unmarried women who parachute on a Sunday could be jailed (6%)
• Women in Vermont must obtain written permission from their husbands to wear false teeth (6%)
• In Milan, it is a legal requirement to smile at all times, except during funerals or hospital visits (5%)
• In France, it is illegal to name a pig Napoleon (4%)

I'd try and pick out a favourite but I just can't. Mind you #3 comes really close though...