Vanhalen

For the unitiated like myself, Im assuming a perfect game is three strikes every time for every batter without a hit? Also what is a no hitter, Im asssuming its obvious but you never know.

Four words. No Beattie, no trophy

Well Smith is a hypocrite anyway, saying that he loves Leeds so much then just walking out on them, anyway I've got 125/1 on a 6-0 man utd to win the cup, so go reds

Yeah but surely people would get sick of a President after a while, wouldnt they? I mean, Maggie Thatcher looked fucking invinceable after winning her third election, but she was gone two years later, Blair has won two terms, but people are openly talking about him going soon.

A major review of security is under way after a condom full of purple flour was thrown at Tony Blair as he faced MPs in the House of Commons. The PM was speaking during his weekly half-hour question and answer session when the projectile hit his back, prompting MPs to evacuate the chamber. Campaign group Fathers 4 Justice claimed responsibility. Two men aged 50 and 36 have been arrested. It is believed the suspects got tickets to the Commons at a charity auction. The incident occurred despite a £600,000 security screen being installed in the chamber at Easter. Father-of-two Ron Davies, from Worthing, Sussex, threw the flour-filled condom from an area of the gallery reserved for MPs' and Peers' guests and notable visitors as a second, activist, named by police sources as Guy Harrison, held up a poster. Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and Chancellor Gordon Brown, who were sitting either side of Mr Blair, both looked up at the public gallery as the dust descended at 1218 BST. MPs were seen wafting something away from themselves as proceedings were suspended. Government sources admitted that the politicians did not know what to do and expressed surprise that people were let out of the chamber. Unexpected outcome The source said the MPs' response "did not go the way we expected". The attack would have been "incredibly serious" if the dyed flour had been anthrax or ricin. The protest could result in more security restrictions in Parliament In a later statement to the House of Lords, Labour peer Baroness Golding said the two protesters were guests of hers and she offered "unreserved apologies" to Commons Speaker Michael Martin, MPs and fellow peers. Matt O'Connor, spokesman for Fathers 4 Justice, said two members of the group were involved in the incident to highlight MPs' failure to help fathers gain access to children through the courts. 'Serious implications' Mr Blair's spokesman said no sooner had the prime minister left the Commons, he wanted to know when he could return to finish question time - but the Speaker vetoed the move. Instead Mr Blair began preparing his speech for a seminar on alcohol abuse on Thursday, said the spokesman. The prime minister appeared unsure of what was happening to him before he was ushered slowly, almost bemused, from the chamber He added the security breach had "serious implications", but stressed that it was up to the Commons to resolve these. Home Secretary David Blunkett said a security review had already been launched at Westminster after recent breaches at Buckingham Palace. The security services will bring forward recommendations "very quickly indeed", but it could mean there will be more restrictions on access to Parliament, he said. "Thank God it has not led to danger and fatality," Mr Blunkett added. Labour MP Kevin Brennan said he saw what appeared to be a stain on the back of Mr Blair's jacket as the dust hit him. Ex-Tory minister Michael Portillo said he thought "one dose" of the dust had been thrown "before the prime minister reacted". Commons leader Peter Hain said: "This was a serious incident. I have asked for an immediate report on the circumstances and what additional security provisions may be necessary." Mark Oaten, the Liberal Democrats home affairs spokesman, called for an urgent review of security arrangements. "He threw what looked like a paint ball at the prime minister and shouted Fathers 4 Justice," he said. "At that point the prime minister remained remarkably calm, I thought, if not a bit confused and the Speaker quite rightly suspended the session. "Police were then seen rushing into the chamber to try to arrest the individual. There was absolutely no panic at all." For the Conservatives David Davis said: "This incident is profoundly disturbing in the current security situation." Prime Minister's questions was abandoned. Commons business recommenced at 1330 BST.

Man, Im so glad I dont have to suffer Play-Offs, that would just be the worst thing ever for my nerves, I get too highly strung as it is.

Thats Gordon Brown ffs Adam, he will be taking over once Blair quits in the next 2-3 months

British television producers and formats look set for their most successful year ever for US network business, with five UK shows expected to receive series commissions - collectively worth at least £20m - from American TV executives by the end of this week. The good news for the UK TV industry is emerging at the "upfronts", the series of presentations in New York at which the six US terrestrial networks - NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, WB and UPN - are unveiling their new autumn programming line-ups to advertisers. ABC yesterday ordered 20 hours of the US version of hit Channel 4 reality show Wife Swap from UK independent producer RDF Media - a commission that alone is worth £7.5m. The same network also announced plans to broadcast another UK reality format, The Benefactor, from independent producer 12 Yards, for four months on Monday nights from September. Other US versions of British shows include sitcom The Office, which has been commissioned for a six-part series by NBC despite poor test screenings for the pilot. CBS, which is due to present its schedule to advertisers today, will announce a six-part series commission for a US version of BBC hidden camera entertainment show The Sack Race. And tomorrow Fox is expected to confirm a series order for a new Kelsey Grammer comedy, based on The Sketch Show, the ITV1 format co-produced by Avalon and Steve Coogan's company, Baby Cow. Developing shows for the US networks is a high stakes gamble, with dozens of formats piloted every year and only a tiny proportion actually reaching the screen. But in the ferociously competitive US TV market, the hazards do not end with a full commission - many more shows that do not make the grade ratings-wise are axed after just a few episodes. British shows that have suffered this fate in recent years include US versions of Cracker, Cold Feet, Men Behaving Badly and most recently Coupling. So ABC has shown a lot of faith in RDF Media's Wife Swap by commissioning 20 episodes of the 60-minute show. US networks usually place an initial order of only six to eight editions of a new series, extending the run to between 13 and 24 instalments once a programme has proved it has ratings potential. ABC will not change the name of Wife Swap, as had been rumoured, because of fears that the programme title had risque connotations. The US version of the hit Channel 4 programme has secured a plum 10pm Wednesday night slot this autumn on ABC, following on from the network's biggest ratings hit, reality show The Bachelor. Another UK independent producer, 12 Yards, will be making The Benefactor, which will go out on Monday nights on ABC between 8pm and 9pm, before the network's weekly live American football coverage. The Benefactor is a reality show in which 16 contestants must compete to convince billionaire businessman Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team, that they should be the recipients of the programme's $1m prize. David Young, the former BBC head of light entertainment and 12 Yards founder, will be one of the executive producers of The Benefactor. BBC2 show The Sack Race will become Fire Me... Please! and be extended from a 30- to a 60-minute format for its US reincarnation on CBS and may also introduce a studio host. The hidden camera format requires contestants to attempt to get the sack from a new job in the shortest time possible in order to win a prize. CBS has ordered six episodes of Fire Me... Please!, which has no specific transmission date but could be slotted into the network's schedule as a mid-season replacement show this autumn. Sack Race is a BBC entertainment department format devised by Hugh Ryecroft, with the US version being co-produced with American independent producer LMNO. The CBS deal was brokered by Colin Jarvis, BBC Worldwide's director of programming and operations. Mr Jarvis will be an executive producer on Fire Me... Please!, along with BBC Worldwide colleague Robin Meltzer. Fox is expected to order six episodes of The Kelsey Grammer Sketch Show, which is based on UK format The Sketch Show.

Who wants to be A millionaire, Weakest Link.......

London has been accepted as an official candidate city for the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics after the shortlist of rivals was reduced from nine to five. The International Olympic Committee chose London, Paris, New York, Madrid and Moscow to go forward to the final vote next year. Rio de Janeiro, Istanbul, Leipzig and Havana failed to survive the cut. The candidate cities must now submit more detailed plans to the IOC ahead of the decision in Singapore in July 2005. The IOC's evaluation commission will visit all five cities for an inspection in February and March next year, with the possibility of a further cut before the final vote. "After the evaluation report the IOC will study their findings in May before making a final proposal for the July session," said IOC president Jacques Rogge at the announcement in Lausanne. London 2012 bid leader Barbara Cassani said: "It is a very special honour to be chosen as a candidate city. There was bitter disappointment in Turkey, however, as Istanbul missed out for the fourth time in a row. "Only three years ago Istanbul was accepted as a candidate city for the 2008 Games - and not now," said bid director Yalcin Aksoy. "Were there any negative developments? No. On the contrary. What has changed?" The five candidate cities are now free to incorporate the Olympic rings in their bid logos and begin promoting their cause more intensively. 2012 BIDS - THE KEY DATES 15 Nov 2004: Cities present formal bids to IOC Feb/Mar 2005: IOC evaluation commission visits cities May 2005: Commission reports on its findings 6 July 2005: Final vote at IOC congress in Singapore Full 2012 timeline Paris, which hosted the Games in 1900 and 1924, is currently seen as the favourite, just ahead of London. France staged the football World Cup in 1998, and the World Athletics Championships in Paris last year were hailed as a success. Paris has almost half its planned Olympic facilities already in place and the bid centres around established venues like the Stade de France, the Parc des Princes and Roland Garros. The French capital has also moved the site of its proposed Olympic village, having failed with a bid for the 2008 Games, to make it closer to the city centre. London is bidding to host the Games for the third time. It was host city in 1908 and in 1948, when it stepped in after the Second World War. It can make a powerful case for an Olympic legacy as the bid will involve the regeneration of a huge swathe of land in the east of the city around Stratford. And London's bid team hopes to overcome doubts about transport problems by using the Channel Tunnel rail link to whisk spectators from King's Cross Station and north Kent to the Olympic zone. New York, which has never hosted the Games before, is the only non-European city to make the cut. The 2012 Games are believed to have a stronger chance of coming to Europe than North America as the 2010 Winter Olympics will be staged in Vancouver. Madrid has promised an environmentally-friendly Olympics, but Spain could be hampered by the fact that Barcelona was the host city in 1992. Rio was axed despite being tipped as an outside bet to win the Games, while Russian capital Moscow had been seen as one of the cities at risk of missing the cut. LATEST 2012 ODDS 11-10 Paris 5-4 London 7-1 Madrid 8-1 New York 20-1 Moscow The nine cities were judged on the 50-page detailed questionnaire they submitted in January. Paris came out on top in the IOC report, based on an overall weighting of 11 technical criteria, ranging from infrastucture to security. Madrid was ranked a close second, followed by London, New York and Moscow. BBC sports news correspondent Gordon Farquhar said the report expressed a lower level of confidence in Moscow than in its four rivals. London was marked better than New York, but behind Paris and Madrid, for transport. It was given a strong rating for security and finance and a weak one for public opinion. Istanbul, the former East German city of Leipzig and Cuban capital Havana had always been seen to be fighting an uphill battle. Havana's bid was considered the least likely to succeed due to its lack of infrastructure and inadequate accommodation. "This is not an indication that we don't trust these countries," said Rogge. "Unfortunately we could not retain certain cities because we did not think their files were totally ready."

First of all, its not a critique, I think the sites great, but will any more column's be added in the near future as sometimes the page is static for a while sometimes, although saying that, it is good that quality control is excercised, rather than just throwing shit to the page and hoping stuff sticks

Yep, despite knowing about these abuse cases and 29 unlawful murders since JULY, hes still failing to resign, which is probably the last thing Bush needs, If I were Bush, I would sack him, if he doesnt resign in the next few days, as he will just cause him more harm then good Rumsfeld 'deeply' sorry for Iraq abuse Rumsfeld joined the president in deploring the Iraqi prisoners' humiliation US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has offered his "deepest apologies" to Iraqi inmates mistreated by US troops. Mr Rumsfeld, who is facing calls for his resignation, told Congress he bore responsibility on the issue. "All the facts... are not yet in hand," Mr Rumsfeld said, ordering an inquiry into the abuse which was to come up with a report within 45 days. Senator John Warner opened the session saying the issue had done irreparable damage to US foreign policy. He said the purpose of the committee hearing was to find out why Congress was not kept informed when senators and congressmen were receiving endless calls to find out what was going on. President George W Bush has said he is "sorry for the humiliation suffered by the Iraqi prisoners" in US custody. Mr Rumsfeld should have told him about the abuse earlier, he said on Thursday. There have been calls for Mr Rumsfeld to be sacked, but the president said his defence secretary was an important part of the Cabinet and would remain in his post. The BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says Mr Rumsfeld's abrasive style has won him many enemies on Capitol Hill. [Mr Rumsfeld] has served our nation well... He is an important part of my Cabinet and he'll stay in my Cabinet President Bush The testimony comes as a new opinion poll suggests 62% of Americans are dissatisfied with the way things are going in their country - the highest in eight years. According to the Gallup poll of 1,000 Americans, only 49% thought Mr Bush was doing his job well - 48% thought he was not. On Iraq, 55% disapproved of the president's performance, and 42% agreed with it. Resignation calls Mr Bush's apology on Thursday came after talks with Jordan's King Abdullah. Three main prisons - Abu Ghraib and Camp Cropper in west Baghdad; Camp Bucca, near Umm Qasr - hold inmates for extended periods Almost all inmates are "security internees"- suspected of posing a threat to the coalition Chaos at Abu Ghraib prison Inmate: 'Treated like dogs' Challenged on the position of Mr Rumsfeld, Mr Bush said: "I told him I should have known about the pictures and the report" on the affair by the Pentagon, completed two months ago. Mr Bush has said he only realised the extent of the abuse when he saw the pictures on television. However, the International Committee of the Red Cross has said it passed a report on conditions at Abu Ghraib prison to US authorities in February. The ICRC's report, leaked to the Wall Street Journal, says the ill-treatment of Iraqi inmates went beyond exceptional cases - it was a practice widely tolerated. On Mr Rumsfeld, Mr Bush insisted that he still supported him as someone who "has served our nation well. He is an important part of my Cabinet and he'll stay in my Cabinet". There have been more calls for Mr Rumsfeld's resignation from senior Democrat figures. On the campaign trail in California, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry said he had called on Mr Rumsfeld to quit "months ago" because of miscalculations on Iraq. Mr Kerry said the abuse scandal only "compounds" the evidence for him to step down. "I think he should have and I think he should now," Mr Kerry said, according to Reuters news agency. Nancy Pelosi, the most senior Democrat in the House of Representatives, said Mr Rumsfeld had been engaged in a "cover-up" of the allegations of abuse and should resign. Tom Harkin also called for him to go, the first member of the US Senate to do so.

I wasnt calling for his resignation, I just think that if he doesnt resign, then it will hurt Bush, much like Neil Hamilton did to john Major at the 97 Election

Yeah my bad. This week has been a bit blurry. Well last night sucked. Without Jenas, Dyer, Woodgate and Bellamy it was always going to be tough. (Excuses out of the way). But fair play to Marseille they were good. That turn by Drogba deserved to win the match on its own. I guss it's all about 4th place now... Well, you've still got to beat us for the first time in 36 years in the league at home to qualify first.

Images of US soldiers allegedly abusing Iraqi prisoners at a notorious jail near Baghdad have sparked shock and anger. Politicians in the US, Britain and the Middle East expressed disgust at the images, broadcast on US television, and called for those responsible to face justice. CBS News said it delayed the broadcast for two weeks after a request from the Pentagon due to the tensions in Iraq. Last month, the US army suspended 17 soldiers over alleged prisoner abuses. Elsewhere in Iraq, US marines have begun withdrawing from the Iraqi city of Falluja after a month of bloody clashes with rebels. Saddam Hussein's prisoners were not only tortured but executed. It was much worse than what is there now Adnan Al-Pachachi Iraqi Governing Council 'Appalled' Six soldiers - including a brigadier general - are facing court martial in Iraq, and a possible prison term over the PoW pictures. A spokesman for British Prime Minister Tony Blair said he was "appalled" and described the incident as regrettable. Abu Ghraib prison was much feared in Saddam Hussein's era US Republican congressman, Jim Leach - who had opposed the war - said: "The US has historically prided itself on treating prisoners of war with decency and respect. "This has to be investigated and accountability obtained within the American military justice system." Adnan Al-Pachachi, a member of the Iraqi Governing Council, said it would create a great deal of anger and discontent among Iraqis already concerned about security in the country. But he rejected a comparison with the treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad during the days of Saddam Hussein. "I don't think you can compare the two. Saddam Hussein's prisoners were not only tortured but executed. It was much worse than what is there now." Graphic The graphic images include one of a hooded and naked prisoner standing on a box with wires attached to his genitals. CBS said the prisoner was told that if he fell off the box, he would be electrocuted. Another shows naked prisoners being forced to simulate sex acts. In another, a female soldier, with a cigarette in her mouth, simulates holding a gun and pointing at a naked Iraqi's genitals. We had no support, no training. I kept asking my chain of command for certain things... like rules and regulations Staff Sergeant Chip Frederick One of the suspended soldiers Blair condemns abuse CBS's flagship 60 Minutes programme said it had been pressured by the Pentagon not to show the images, until the photos started circulating elsewhere. "The Pentagon was really very concerned about broadcasting the pictures, and I think they had good reason," said 60 Minute executive producer Jeff Fager. "The idea that there are hostages being held in Iraq concerned us quite a bit in terms of broadcasting them. It wouldn't take long to get on Al-Jazeera at all." Mr Fager told the BBC's Today programme the pictures were initially brought to the attention of US military in Iraq, and formed the centrepiece of proceedings against the soldiers. 'No training' One of the suspended soldiers, Staff Sergeant Chip Frederick, said the way the army ran the prison had led to the abuse. "We had no support, no training whatsoever. And I kept asking my chain of command for certain things... like rules and regulations," he told CBS. "It just wasn't happening." He said he did not see a copy of the Geneva Convention rules for handling prisoners of war until after he was charged. Deputy head of coalition forces in Iraq, Brig Gen Mark Kimmitt told CBS the army was "appalled" by the behaviour of its soldiers. He said the suspected abusers "let their fellow soldiers down". Meanwhile, a new opinion poll for the New York Times and CBS News suggested dwindling support among Americans for the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Only 47% of 1,042 Americans questioned believed invading Iraq was the right thing to do, the lowest support recorded in the polls since the war began.

Well, it looks like everyones having a good end to the season apart from us, we are just aimly drifiting along, winning a couple, losing a couple, I think all our team just want to go on their holidays

Heres an interesting article in todays Mediaguardian, there is a bit of a storm brewing about whether the UK pics were fake or not Pressure was today mounting on Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan as he faced growing calls to resign if the paper's pictures of Iraqis being tortured by British troops prove to be faked. And he is expected to be called before a parliamentary committee to answer questions about the provenance of the photographs, which rival newspapers today claim to be part of an elaborate hoax. The Express, which Morgan yesterday likened to a village idiot, today claims the soldiers came to the Mirror with the story but were told they needed to get corroborative evidence. It said they then came back with the photos of the Iraqi prisoner being urinated on and prodded with a gun. Senior Mirror journalists are reported to be questioning the veracity of the pictures, despite a trenchant defence of their credibility in the newspaper over the past two days. Rival tabloids and MPs today turned up the pressure on Morgan, who admitted over the weekend that his colourful eight-and-a-half-year tenure at the Mirror could be brought to a premature end if the photographs proved to be part of an elaborate scam. Labour and Conservative backbenchers have criticised the Mirror for publishing the pictures, which appear to show British soldiers urinating on and beating an Iraqi prisoner, despite concerns over their authenticity. Morgan was also criticised for paying a fee, believed to be £20,000, to the soldiers for their story. Labour MP Mark Hendrick warned that if the pictures were proved to be fraudulent the paper would become known as the "dodgy daily", while another Labour backbencher, Janet Anderson, said if they were faked then Morgan should resign. The chairman of the Commons defence committee, Bruce George, told Channel 4 News last night Morgan could be called to give evidence before the committee. "I shall put before the members of the committee the option of inviting the editor of the Mirror to come before us to explain how he got hold of those pictures," he said. "Was there any payment made? Is he convinced these pictures are genuine? What efforts did he make to ensure these pictures were genuine?" he said. Rival tabloids today turned up the heat on Morgan, with the Express saying the Mirror's push for sales had put the lives of troops in danger. It alleges that the whistleblowers were told by the Mirror their story would be worth a fortune if there were corroborating pictures, only for the soldiers to return with the pictures weeks later. "This in itself should have been cause for deep suspicion but in its rush to publish a sensational story, the Daily Mirror seems to have swallowed the package hook, line and sinker," the Express says in its leader. "Judgement looks to have taken a back seat in a frantic desire to reverse the decline in sales, down seven percent in the six months from October to March." The paper also says the Mirror gave the Ministry of Defence only a few hours to respond on Friday after sending it the pictures, while US TV network CBS gave the Pentagon two weeks to verify the pictures of American soldiers humiliating Iraqi prisoners that shocked the world. There is also speculation in the Times that the reporters at the paper's Oldham office who were working on the story were encouraged to publish sooner than expected following last week's revelations of torture at the Abu Ghraib prison, which showed Iraqi prisoners being forced to simulate sex acts and lie naked in human pyramids. "Just whose side is the Daily Mirror on? It has handed those who hate us wonderful propaganda on a plate. With it they can alienate decent Iraqis and recruit them to their cause. Our troops now face reprisals and the fear they will be tortured if captured... The Daily Mirror, once a great newspaper, has a great deal to answer for," it adds. The Daily Mail says today in its leader that the "the Daily Mirror's case looks increasingly shaky" but said that an inquiry, however rapid, might not be enough and that the damage to Middle East relations had already been done. "And the consequences, tragically, are likely to be felt by the brave, decent British troops who are already under intense pressure - and the thousands more who may be sent to support them," it adds. Morgan dismissed the criticism of rival newspapers as jealousy over its scoop and is standing by the veracity of the pictures. "As for the attacks on us in papers like the Express, being called a liar by that lot is like being called a halfwit by the village idiot... a crushing blow but you get on with the day as best you can," he said yesterday. Launching the inquiry yesterday, the defence minister, Adam Ingram said the pictures would be taken at face value unless it was proved otherwise. "Any decent-thinking person will have been disturbed by photographs published in the Daily Mirror which appear to show the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners by British soldiers. From the outset we have taken the photographs at face value and will continue to do so unless there is evidence to the contrary," he said yesterday in a Commons statement. But he also urged the paper to pass on the names of the two soldiers from the Queen's Lancashire Regiment who had made the allegations so their claims could be investigated, adding he was confident those with information would be "treated fairly and lawfully". The Daily Star today urges the Mirror to persuade the whistleblowers to meet investigators. "This extremely important inquiry needs to be completed double quick. It's vital that the Mirror gives its full co-operation. That will mean the Mirror must persuade its sources to meet with investigators. With their colleagues lives at stake, they can't afford to hide," says the paper which, like the Express, is also owned by Richard Desmond. Yesterday the Mirror handed over 20 photographs to the Royal Military Police and agreed for a number of its journalists to be interviewed. "The Mirror still believes the truth of the story and the pictures which substantiate it. That gives us no pleasure. On the contrary, we, like the squaddies who came to us, are shocked by what went on," the paper says today in a leader. The paper adds that it would refuse to reveal the identity of the whistleblowers from the Queen's Lancashire Regiment. "It is a fundamental principle of journalism, enshrined in law, that sources are protected. The Mirror is helping the inquiry as much as it can but that is a line we cannot and will not cross," it said. But if the pictures turn out to be faked it is inconceivable that Morgan would hold on to his job, despite having ridden out other scandals, including his "Achtung! Surrender" front page on the day of the Euro 96 semi-final between England and Germany and the City Slickers share tipping affair that led to the paper being censured by the Department of Trade and Industry.

Yep, its 15 hours to go, until the final end of the cold war, russia vs usa, whatever you want to call it, as the final members of the warsaw pact become part of the European community from midnight tonight, and essentially unify East and West europe, who'd have thought this would have all happened within 15 years, I mean its only 15 years ago the East and West Germany were split by the Berlin wall, and Russia was on the edge of collapse, its a truly remarkable day for the world. It is hard for those of us living in Western European countries with decades or centuries of stable democracy to appreciate just what an event 1 May will be for the nations of Eastern and Central Europe who will join the European Union. Millions of new EU members can still remember communism The phrase "end of the Cold War" has been much over-used, on many occasions since the fall of the Berlin Wall and collapse of communism, but this time it will not be hyperbole. The entry of eight former communist states into the EU really is, for them, the final step across the Rubicon they began to cross 15 or 16 years ago. In the existing EU states the debate about Europe centres on "voting weights" and the wording of a constitution, the division of power between Brussels and the member states, or whether more decisions should be taken by majority voting rather than unanimously. But in the new states these are trivial matters compared to the historic importance of simply being members. Years of suffering Three of those countries - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - were not just satellites of the Soviet Union but part of it, for half a century. Slovenia was part of communist Yugoslavia. Hungary, Poland and Czechoslovakia (now entering the EU as two states, the Czech Republic and Slovakia) were occupied by Soviet troops after World War II and remained under Kremlin control until the revolutions of 1989. Stalin's satellites have moved to a different orbit Attempts to break out from Soviet control had ended in bloodshed in all three of these countries. A national uprising in Hungary, including an attempt to leave the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact, ended with the deaths of thousands when Soviet troops invaded in 1956. The flowering of "socialism with a human face" in Czechoslovakia in 1968 was also crushed by Soviet tanks. And the free trade union movement, Solidarity, in Poland in 1980-81 was ended by martial law, in which Polish generals carried out the Kremlin's wishes. Baltic battleground The three Baltic nations suffered even greater indignities after they were absorbed into the USSR under a secret pact between Stalin and Hitler. After the war they were flooded with Russian nationals as part of a deliberate Moscow policy of diluting their populations and inextricably linking their economies with the Russian one. Latvians ended up comprising under half of the republic's population, and Estonians just 60% in their own country. Russian was the official language. All policies were dictated from Moscow. In 1988 the three republics experienced a stunning national revival as Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev loosened the reins and allowed so-called "popular fronts" to be founded. These became mass movements that led the way to independence - though they had to wait for a failed pro-communist coup in Moscow in August 1991 before the Kremlin finally let them go. It's against this background - of colonial rule, oppression, resentment, and liberation - that entry into the EU has to be seen. The cultures of many new states were buried for generations None of the new nations expects "Brussels" to be a new "Kremlin". They know no one is going to force them to stop speaking their own languages, or impose a foreign culture and way of life on them. Their influence on Brussels decision-making may end up small, but at least their voice will be heard, not brutally silenced. And the economic system they are joining is one they were cut off from when they were annexed by the Soviet Union, and longed to return to. Above all, the eight new EU nations from central and eastern Europe "feel" themselves to be true Europeans - indeed, at the heart of European thinking and culture. Prague, Bratislava and Budapest were mainstream European cities, part of "Mitteleuropa", with its traditions of coffee-houses and music and intellectual ferment. Communist shroud All of these nations feel slighted even to be referred to as "east" Europeans - with the hint, inherent in the term, of mediocrity, lack of culture and underdevelopment. For too long they were seen as Soviet lackeys - and few ordinary people in the West were aware that the communist system imposed on them totally obscured a deeper and ancient "west" European legacy. Since they achieved independence, knowledge of the English language has flourished, while teaching of Russian (previously obligatory) has all but ended. Eight proud nations have turned their heads 180 degrees and now look decisively westwards. All eight have terrible economic and environmental legacies to overcome. They are still littered with inefficient factories, built for the communist era which had little regard for satisfying consumers or protecting the environment. Positive Europeans Some still find it hard to shake off Soviet-era notions of human rights, and there remain concerns about the treatment of minorities (Roma in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Russians in Estonia and Latvia). But few people in these countries have any doubts at all about where their future lies. And joining the EU, they hope, will not only help them improve their economies and environment, but allow them to re-take their rightful place in Europe. Having once been ejected from that position, they are likely to prove much more enthusiastic "Europeans" than many of the people in the existing EU states, whose comfortable and increasingly prosperous lives over the past half-century have often made us forget how valuable peace and democracy are

I think the real reason why MikeSC is pissed about this, is becuase EU is now the economic powerhouse, now the EU has the worlds biggest trading economy, not the US, and with China expanding at the rate it is, the US could find itself pushed to #3 in 5-10 years, thats probably the real reason.

Well it looks like it isnt a isolated problem as people claim, and to our countrys shame, people in the british army are torturing iraqis now A HOODED Iraqi captive is beaten by British soldiers before being thrown from a moving truck and left to die. The prisoner, aged 18-20, begged for mercy as he was battered with rifle butts and batons in the head and groin, was kicked, stamped and urinated on, and had a gun barrel forced into his mouth. After an EIGHT-HOUR ordeal, he was left barely conscious and close to death. Bleeding and vomiting and with a broken jaw and missing teeth, he was driven from a Basra camp and hurled off the truck. No one knows if he lived or died. URINATED ON: A British soldier urinates on an Iraqi prisoner in a vile display of abuse. The captive was beaten and hurled from a moving truck. Army chiefs are investigating. The shocking pictures on this page were handed to us by one of the attackers and a colleague. We have agreed to protect their identities as they fear reprisals. Last night, their damning testimony was in the hands of appalled ministers and Army chiefs who pledged an urgent investigation. Chief of the General Staff General Sir Michael Jackson said: "If this is proven, the perpetrators are not fit to wear the Queen's uniform. They have besmirched the good name of the Army and its honour." No 10 said: "The Prime Minister fully endorses the general's statement." The outrage, which emerged the day after US troops were pictured torturing Iraqi prisoners of war, makes a mockery of the Army's attempts to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. GUN TO HEAD: The terrified suspect cowers as a gun is placed at his head - then the rifle barrel was forced into his mouth Army chiefs believe it was an isolated incident involving a few rogue troops. But, it is claimed, officers turned a blind eye. One of the soldiers said: "Basically this guy was dying as he couldn't take any more. An officer came down. It was 'Get rid of him - I haven't seen him'. The paperwork gets ripped. So they threw him out, still with a bag on his head." Weeks after the pictures were taken, a captive was allegedly beaten to death in custody by men from the same Queen's Lancashire Regiment. It is also alleged a video was found of prisoners being thrown off a bridge. Soldier A told how the young victim was hauled in suspected of stealing from the docks. He said: "You pick on a man and go for him. Straightaway he gets a beating, a couple of punches and kicks to put him down. Then he was dragged to the back of the vehicle." Immediately a sandbag was placed over the man's head and his hands tied behind his back. Soldier A said: As we took him back he was getting a beating. He was hit with batons on the knees, fingers, toes, elbows, and head. You normally try to leave off the face until you're in camp. If you pull up with black eyes and bleeding faces you could be in s**t. "So it's body shots - scaring him, saying 'We're going to kill you'. A lot of them cry and p*** themselves. Because it was so hot we put him in the back of a four- tonner truck which has a canopy over it. That's where the photos were taken. Lads were taking turns giving him a right going over, smashing him in the face with weapons and stamping on him. We had him for about eight hours. http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/mirror/m...0BFB6FA0000.jpg BLEEDING: Blood seeps through the mask of battered suspect You could see blood coming out early from the first 'digs'. He was p****d on and there was spew. "We took his mask off to give him some water and let him have a rest for 10 minutes. He could only speak a few words, pleading 'No, mister' . No, mister'. I did less than the others. But I joined in. Me and my mate calmed down. Then two lads come on and it starts again. "He was missing teeth. All his mouth was bleeding and his nose was all over the place. He couldn't talk, his jaw was out. He's had a good few hours of a kicking. He was on his way to being killed. There's only so much you can take. After the officer allegedly told the attackers to get rid of the suspect he was driven off. Soldier A said: "The lads said they took him back to the dock and threw him off the back of a moving vehicle. They'd have freed his hands, but he'd still be hooded. He'd done nothing, really. I felt sorry for him. I'm not emotional about it, but I knew it was wrong." Referring to the second alleged beating in custody - said to have taken place in September - Soldier B said: "It was only a matter of time. BUTT IN GROIN: A rifle is cruelly jabbed in the young man's groin as his eight-hour nightmare goes on "We had one who fought back. I thought 'Don't do that', it's the worst thing you can do. He got such a kicking. You could hear your mate's boots hitting this lad's spine. "One of the lads broke his wrist on a prisoner's head. Another nearly broke his foot, kicking him. We're not helping ourselves out here. We're never going to get the Iraqis on our side. We're fighting a losing war." Soldier B claimed after the alleged September beating troops were told to destroy incriminating evidence. He said: "We got a warning, saying the Military Police had found a video of people throwing prisoners off a bridge. It wasn't 'Don't do it' or 'Stop it'. It was 'Get rid of it.' " The death is being probed. At least one soldier is expected to be charged with manslaughter. The two infantrymen claim abuse has started because Iraqi police are powerless to process suspects. Soldier B said: "There's no point taking them to the police station because they're released within 20 minutes. The coppers don't want any comeback and let them go. All we do is teach them a lesson our way. "You're knackered and you don't want to be going to a police station and doing statements, just for them to be released. Give them a kicking, then it's done and dusted. "A lot of the younger ones are worse. It's as though they've something to prove. You've got a gun and you're the law. You can make people do whatever you want." Both men fear the situation is worsening , with UK troops now seen as the enemy, rather than liberators. One said: "I can't believe it has taken the Iraqis so long to fight back. If it had been me or my family, I'd have retaliated straightaway. "They've just got f****d around so much. You can't go in now, and say 'Right, let's forget about what has happened and start again'. "We're struggling now. There are too many people against us." The MoD confirmed eight cases of alleged mistreatment of Iraqis by British personnel are being investigated by the army's Special Investigations Branch. A spokesman said: "All allegations will be investigated - and every soldier knows it."

Hmmmmmmmm, not sure you know your Western European history too well there mate, try reading up on the History of Nato and the Benelux treaty

Just one last note before I go, im not liberal, im not a hawk either, nor am i on the fence if that makes sense, its just i see things on both sides of the war which are just wrong, i.e the jessica lynch thing, and also those poor people who are being hijacked and mutilated two or three weeks ago, if i see something interesting in the news that hasnt been picked up, i try to bring it out, if you know what i mean, not to cause arguments or to try and start some silly america is evil, Bush is evil stupid argument like some silly leftys do.

I dont support anyone to be honest, both sides are right and wrong, both the pictures in that link and also the ones I posted are completly wrong, they all make me feel sick.

I still retain faith in the human race , it was a little joke in reference to the little title, hence the smiley.

So torture and psychological trauma is ok, as long as you deal with it afterwards?