The Oik

"Go Fig" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] wrote:
    >
    >
    > Exactly how many individuals has the UK requested to be prosecuted or extradited ?
    >

The UK gave up when after a US court freed a CONVICTED killer and escapee on the
grounds that he was a 'political prisoner'. Off the cuff, I cant think of a single
successful extradition attempt. Of course, when the US meets this problem, it just
kidnaps people, on the assumption that US law applies everywhere. This despite its
refusal to sign up to the ICC. Still, that's fits, doesn't it - after al, this is a
country that didn't bother joining WWII until it could be sure it could choose the
winning side.

Ash & Jaff

"David Greenhalgh" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    >
    > That the U.K. (and Japan) drives on the left hand side has a sensible heritage; men
    > on horseback carried their swords at their right side. I believe that it was a whim
    > of Napoleon's that France and others moved to the right. I hope someone can
    > elaborate on this.
    >

I am told it has something to do with the fact that cars were invented with standard
(stick shift) transmissions. Since most people are right handed, it was natural for
them to shift with their right hands, and thus to sit on the left side of the car.
(And, in doing so, to drive on the right side of the road.)

This could just be apocryphal, however...

Regards,

Ash

Go Fig

In article <[email protected]>, "The Oik"
<[email protected]> wrote:

    > "Go Fig" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] wrote:
    > >
    > >
    > > Exactly how many individuals has the UK requested to be prosecuted or
    > > extradited ?
    > >
    >
    > The UK gave up when after a US court freed a CONVICTED killer and escapee on the
    > grounds that he was a 'political prisoner'.

No wonder the UK no longer rules the high seas... they give up before they start.

    > Off the cuff, I cant think of a single successful extradition attempt.

But how many did they attempt to extradite for funding terrorism ?

    > Of course, when the US meets this problem, it just kidnaps people, on the
    > assumption that US law applies everywhere. This despite its refusal to sign up to
    > the ICC. Still, that's fits, doesn't it - after al, this is a country that didn't
    > bother joining WWII until it could be sure it could choose the winning side.

And even when Germany showed it might in '36. you sat back and 'Hitler is a man we
can trust'.

The first responsibility of a country is to protect its own nationals.

BTW: whichever side the US selected, and at any time, would have been the winning
side and thats still true today.

jay Tue, May 7, 2002 mailto:[email protected]

    >
    >

--

Legend insists that as he finished his abject... Galileo muttered under his breath:
"Nevertheless, it does move."

The Oik

"Go Fig" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > > The UK gave up when after a US court freed a CONVICTED killer and
escapee on
    > > the grounds that he was a 'political prisoner'.
    >
    > No wonder the UK no longer rules the high seas... they give up before they start.

Sorry? They gave up when the US persistantly released killers.

    >
    > > Off the cuff, I cant think of a single successful extradition attempt.
    >
    >
    > But how many did they attempt to extradite for funding terrorism ?

Why bother with the funders when the place wont even extradite the killers?

    >
    > > Of course, when the US meets this problem, it just kidnaps people, on the
    > > assumption that US law
applies
    > > everywhere. This despite its refusal to sign up to the ICC. Still,
that's
    > > fits, doesn't it - after al, this is a country that didn't bother
joining
    > > WWII until it could be sure it could choose the winning side.
    >
    > And even when Germany showed it might in '36. you sat back and 'Hitler is a man we
    > can trust'.

FYI, back in the 1930s, my Granny was throwing bricks at Oswald Mosley in the UK

    >
    > The first responsibility of a country is to protect its own nationals.

No - the FIRST responsiblity is to hand war criminals over for fair trail. Oh no,
sorry, the very first is to protect the planet. Oh no, wrong again, its 'self
interest' isnt it?

    >
    > BTW: whichever side the US selected, and at any time, would have been the winning
    > side and thats still true today.
    >
ROFLMAO - the US didn't, in the end, select a side, it got beat up by a bunch of
people the other side of the world. At that point, it HAD to join
in.

Keith Anderson

On Tue, 7 May 2002 17:06:48 +0200, "Ash & Jaff" <[email protected]> wrote:

    >
    >"David Greenhalgh" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >news:[email protected]...
    >>
    >> That the U.K. (and Japan) drives on the left hand side has a sensible heritage;
    >> men on horseback carried their swords at their right side. I believe that it was a
    >> whim of Napoleon's that France and others moved to the right. I hope someone can
    >> elaborate on this.

See below
    >>
    >
    >I am told it has something to do with the fact that cars were invented with standard
    >(stick shift) transmissions. Since most people are right handed, it was natural for
    >them to shift with their right hands, and thus to sit on the left side of the car.
    >(And, in doing so, to drive on the right side of the road.)
    >
    >This could just be apocryphal, however...

Posted this very question a long time ago on this newsgroup, and there appears to
be little logic to it. FWIW, Britain, Ireland, Cyprus and Malta still drive on the
left in Europe. Former Czechoslovakia used to do so until 1938 (I think Austria too
until the time of the Anschluss but I stand to be corrected) and Sweden changed
over in 1962.

Japan drives on the left, so does Indonesia, so I'm told - as a former Dutch colony
one wonders why.

I thought for a long time that the story about Napoleon had credibility, but
apparently not.

Keith Bristol UK

The Oik

"Ash & Jaff" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    >
    > "David Greenhalgh" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > >
    > > That the U.K. (and Japan) drives on the left hand side has a sensible heritage;
    > > men on horseback carried their swords at their right side. I believe that it was
    > > a whim of Napoleon's that France and others moved to the right. I hope someone
    > > can elaborate on this.
    > >
    >
    > I am told it has something to do with the fact that cars were invented
with
    > standard (stick shift) transmissions. Since most people are right handed,
it
    > was natural for them to shift with their right hands, and thus to sit on
the
    > left side of the car. (And, in doing so, to drive on the right side of the road.)
    >
    > This could just be apocryphal, however...
    >
yep, thats right, stick shift on a horse drawn carriage (they didn't have autos then)

The Oik

"Keith Anderson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > On Tue, 7 May 2002 17:06:48 +0200, "Ash & Jaff" <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    >
    > Posted this very question a long time ago on this newsgroup, and there appears to
    > be little logic to it. FWIW, Britain, Ireland, Cyprus and Malta still drive on the
    > left in Europe. Former Czechoslovakia used to do so until 1938 (I think Austria too
    > until the time of the Anschluss but I stand to be corrected) and Sweden changed
    > over in 1962.
    >
    > Japan drives on the left, so does Indonesia, so I'm told - as a former Dutch colony
    > one wonders why.
    >
    > I thought for a long time that the story about Napoleon had credibility, but
    > apparently not.
    >
Allegedly, ever since the successful Swedish change over, all motorway junctions in
the UK have been designed to allow for a similar change. It would certainly cut down
on the number of drivers if the UK ever did change (not sure about short term
congestion, though)

Johnt

"R J Carpenter" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
    > David Lewis wrote:
    > >
    > > True story from Charlotte Church ( a young singer who is very well known in the
    > > UK.)
    > >
    > > She was introduced to a certain G.W.Bush who, on hearing she came from Wales,
    > > asked "What state is that in?"
    > >
    > > No further comment required.
    >
    > 1) I don't think of W as any sort of well-versed genius, but being an expert in
    > foreign pop stars isn't in my list of qualifications for his job.
    >
    > 2) She could have been from:
    >
    > Wales, Alaska Wales, North Dakota Wales, Utah Wales, Wisconsin or perhaps Lake
    > Wales, Florida North Wales, Pennsylvania
    >
    > There isn't just __one__ Wales, though Brits may not know of any others .

1. She isn't a pop star.

2. Your response is further proof of the assertion of the OP.

JohnT

Jonathan Morton

David Greenhalgh <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>. ..
    > Battery powered equipment is fundamentally different from mains powered. I would
    > expect to get AA or AAA batteries for my radio or camera anywhere in the world
    > since the same products can be bought anywhere. But the question is still valid.
    > It's easy to forget how naive you can be when young.

Yes, and sometimes it's easy to overlook the obvious. The mains voltages are
different for historical reasons and lots of expensive infrastructure means standards
get set for regions which then remain. With batteries there's no reason not to have
world standards, but one could be tempted to overlook this. When the answer is
pointed out, it's one of those "d'oh" moments.

    > That the U.K. (and Japan) drives on the left hand side has a sensible heritage; men
    > on horseback carried their swords at their right side. I believe that it was a whim
    > of Napoleon's that France and others moved to the right. I hope someone can
    > elaborate on this.

Well, it's very ancient. We know from literature that the Romans drove on the left
and the sword theory is as good as any. Napoleon's change is always said to have come
from the fact that he was left-handed, but that could be nonsense for all I know.
It's of no consequence, and of course there is no prospect of the UK changing at this
stage. The cost in money and lives would be horrendous. But, of course, if *you* all
want to change *back*...

BTW an earlier poster said that distances and speeds were posted in different units
in the UK. Not so: miles and miles per hour are here to stay for a good while yet,
I suspect.

    > When I was travelling by train in the U.S. I was asked by an American if I had come
    > from England by train. Another believed that New Mexico was part of Mexico. But it
    > was an English woman who asked me if my mother had had any children.

Surely the answer to that depends on whether you had any parents...?

The original post may have been a troll, but there was *some* point to it in that we
do seem to be getting many repeats of the same questions which resort to Google would
probably answer.

As for "insulting" or "naive" posts, maybe we could try reading our own questions
before posting, with "Europe" substituted for "USA" and vice versa. If the result is
insulting or naive, consider not clicking "send".

Regards

Jonathan

Chris Brown

In article <[email protected]>, Ash & Jaff <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    >"David Greenhalgh" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >news:[email protected]...
    >>
    >> That the U.K. (and Japan) drives on the left hand side has a sensible heritage;
    >> men on horseback carried their swords at their right side. I believe that it was a
    >> whim of Napoleon's that France and others moved to the right. I hope someone can
    >> elaborate on this.
    >>
    >
    >I am told it has something to do with the fact that cars were invented with standard
    >(stick shift) transmissions. Since most people are right handed, it was natural for
    >them to shift with their right hands, and thus to sit on the left side of the car.
    >(And, in doing so, to drive on the right side of the road.)
    >
    >This could just be apocryphal, however...

Speaking as a right handed person, I'd really rather keep my right hand on the wheel
when I change gear.

--
/* _ */main(int k,char**n){char*i=k&1?"+L*;99,RU[,RUo+BeKAA+BECACJ+CAACA" /* / `
*/"CD+LBCACJ*":1[n],j,l=!k,m;do for(m=*i-48,j=l?m/k:m%k;m>>7?k=1<<m+ /* |
*/8,!l&&puts(&l)**&l:j--;printf(" \0_/"+l));while((l^=3)||l[++i]); /* \_,hris Brown
-- All opinions expressed are probably wrong. */return 0;}

Miguel Cruz

Go Fig <[email protected]> wrote:
    >> Off the cuff, I cant think of a single successful extradition attempt.
    >
    > But how many did they attempt to extradite for funding terrorism ?

It's pretty much impossible to get a country to extradite one its nationals for
something that's not illegal in that country. If the US government doesn't classify
the groups receiving the money as terrorist, there's no starting point for the UK.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu

Miguel Cruz

AM <[email protected]> wrote:
    >[email protected] says...
    >> On the other hand a popular game here on the Norwegian South Coast at least is to
    >> ask questions like: "What other states does Nebraska share a border with?". One a
    >> good day somebody might actually suggest Kansas.
    >
    > A bit like asking what other state Karnataka (India), Kedah (Malaysia) or Hessen
    > (Germany) share a border with. Why should somebody who is not a local know the
    > answer ?

I could come up with a few correct answers (but not all) off the top of my head for
each of those. Presumably one just has to look at maps from time to time, visit the
places involved, and pay a little bit of attention.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu

Me

I'd think that perhaps the accent might have been SOME indication she wasn't from
North Dakota. GW sometimes makes Dan Quayle seem scholarly.

"R J Carpenter" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
    > David Lewis wrote:
    > >
    > > True story from Charlotte Church ( a young singer who is very well known in the
    > > UK.)
    > >
    > > She was introduced to a certain G.W.Bush who, on hearing she came from Wales,
    > > asked "What state is that in?"
    > >
    > > No further comment required.
    >
    > 1) I don't think of W as any sort of well-versed genius, but being an expert in
    > foreign pop stars isn't in my list of qualifications for his job.
    >
    > 2) She could have been from:
    >
    > Wales, Alaska Wales, North Dakota Wales, Utah Wales, Wisconsin or perhaps Lake
    > Wales, Florida North Wales, Pennsylvania
    >
    > There isn't just __one__ Wales, though Brits may not know of any others .

mpprh

Hi

Go FIG said
BTW: whichever side the US selected, and at any time, would have been the winning
side and thats still true today.

Hmmm

Do you really mean that ?

Vietnam, Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan (the enemy are still in place ?) or were you thinking of Grenada ?

Peter

Jenn

In article <[email protected] >,
[email protected] (Jonathan Morton) wrote:

    > David Greenhalgh <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>. ..
    > > Battery powered equipment is fundamentally different from mains powered. I would
    > > expect to get AA or AAA batteries for my radio or camera anywhere in the world
    > > since the same products can be bought anywhere. But the question is still valid.
    > > It's easy to forget how naive you can be when young.
    >
    > Yes, and sometimes it's easy to overlook the obvious. The mains voltages are
    > different for historical reasons and lots of expensive infrastructure means
    > standards get set for regions which then remain. With batteries there's no reason
    > not to have world standards, but one could be tempted to overlook this. When the
    > answer is pointed out, it's one of those "d'oh" moments.

but the same argument applies to VCR tapes which ought to be the same on both sides
of the pond but aren't. No more reason to expect sensible battery standards than
sensible VCR standars -- in fact since VCR technology is relatively new, there is
less reason to expect non standardization. Every year tourists buy tapes they can't
watch -- from both sides of the pond.