Info and forum posts by 'paul wmids'

RE: Did you hear the one about the Irish bank robbers?

This thread was intended to be a parody of an `Irish` joke but it obviously backfired - never mind. Seriously, most people outside the UK are probably unaware that Sterling exists in any other form than Bank of England notes. I have seen and used Scottish notes on account of having lived there. but in neither Scotland nor England have I ever seen an NI banknote.

I had this vision of them flying Easyjet, Belfast to Geneva and stashing it all away very quickly. Though even at a Swiss bank 20 million squids in Narn Aarland (that`s the right accent?) money wouldn`t exactly go un-noticed.

In most of the world they`ll just think that Irish money doesn`t exist anymore and won`t be willing to accept it.

Paul

Did you hear the one about the Irish bank robbers?

So guys, how are you going to spend 20 million quid in Northern Irish banknotes? Wouldn`t it have been a better idea to have tried this one in Dublin and nicked Euros instead?

Paul

RE: Irish Film Censor`s Classifications

Thanks Markey. I had guessed that it must be the violence issue given that Brotherhood of the Wolf is pretty gory. Had it been the sex issue, then visions of Cinema Paradiso would have sprung to mind.

It`s interesting that Ireland still has a film `censor` whereas with the BBFC, the `C` has long since stood for classification rather than censorship, officially anyway

Paul

RE: Religious (in)tolerance

Apparently the woman who wrote the play has now gone into hiding because of the threats she has received:

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/story.jsp?story=595350

This issue is far more important than one play about one religion. It`s about freedom of speech and sexual equality. What right does a mob of male self-appointed `community elders` have to stop this woman`s voice being heard?

Those of us who wish for Britain to be a free and secular society need to stand up and be more assertive. We are the majority after all.

If religious zealots can get away with violently halting a play, then their next step may well be murder. Just remember what happened to Dutch film-maker Theo van Gogh.

Paul

Irish Film Censor`s Classifications

I rented a couple of `foreign art-house` films from the local library at the weekend. What I`m curious about is the difference of certification on both films:

The Man on the Train has a UK `12` and a Republic of Ireland `15`
Brotherhood of the Wolf has a UK `15` and a Republic of Ireland `18`.

Why the differences? What are the Irish Film Censor`s criteria compared to the BBFC? Neither film is sexually explicit, though `Intimacy`, a yawn a minute British film by a French director, which is `explicit` was passed uncut in Ireland as an `18`; as was `Trainspotting` incidentally.

Paul

RE: Religious (in)tolerance

Hitler, Mussolini and Franco were all Catholics. Adolf also operated with the blessing of most of the Protestant churches as well.

Religion has caused and continues to cause plenty of deaths from Northern Ireland to the so-called `Holy Land` - and lets not forget the Balkans. The former Yugoslavia *was* far more peaceful when it embraced atheism.

The sad fact is that those who violently stopped this play going ahead are no different to the zealots who wished to ban `The Last Temptation of Christ`.

I recommend you read the comments on the BBC site by Dr Evan Harris MP (Lib Dem) - who unlike `Dr` Paisley incidentally is a real doctor - with regard to the point of this thread.

Paul

This item was edited on Monday, 20th December 2004, 21:56

RE: Religious (in)tolerance

Agreed. I thought this religious fundamentalism was limited to the United States and that we were relatively free of it here anyway.

No more criticising the Pope or the Catholic clergy. No more riduculing the `Rev Dr` Paisley or parodying the Orangemen. No more Jerry Sadowitz dressing up as a Rabbi and for feck`s sake don`t say `Jehovah`.

If you can`t even cricitise your own religious background in this country what hope is there for anyone to freely cricitice any religion?

Paul

Religious (in)tolerance

So a few hundred nutcases decide to attack a theatre because it's staging a play that 'offends their culture'. Oh dear. I thought we got over all this lunacy in this country a few hundred years ago. Whatever happened to freedom of speech? . If I wrote a play about Catholic priests raping altar boys (not that any have done of course) would I face a crowd of angry Papists threatening to burn me at the stake? I don't think so, in fact most would recognise what is wrong with fundamentalist religion. Those who attacked the Birmingham Rep are abusing the secularity and tolerance that it took a long time to achieve in this country and which we've now held on to for a long time and should continue to do so. If religious people want tolerance perhaps they should try practising it themselves.

Paul (ex-Catholic, now thankfully agnostic)

RE: Happy Diwali!

Happy Diwali all. I`m guessing from mentions of Melton Road that some of you guys are in Leicester? I`m in Coventry, but I haven`t seen anything here, maybe I`ll have to take a stroll up the Foleshill Road. In Leamington they have the lights up on the Parade with Merry Christmas at one end and Happy Diwali at the other!

BTW what`s the best vegetarian place on the Belgrave Road?

Paul

RE: The Smoking Ban

Long overdue - hopefully it will be possible to go for a drink in a pub in England without your clothes stinking of stale tobacco smoke. Don`t the licencees realise that by permitting smoking they are losing customers?

Having been boozing in Dublin recently, it is really a breath of fresh air (in so far as you can get that in a large city - lol). I look forward to smoke-free boozing soon in Edinburgh - a pint of Caley 80/- for me!

Paul

Map of the Human Heart

Has this ever been released as a Region 2 DVD? I`ve just looked on Amazon uk and it is only available as a Region 1 import. It stars Anne Parillaud (aka Nikita).

Paul

RE: Watching Spanish TV

Jean, did you get anything sorted out? I am interested in the same thing re French network telly. I`ve never got satellite installed because I`m not interested in Sky (or supporting Rupert Murdoch).

Paul

RE: TV Scheduling oversensitivity

They could have put Logan`s Run on instead for us Jenny fans if showing anything train-related is a bit too much.

Paul

RE: TV Scheduling oversensitivity

Maybe Jenny Agutter getting her petticoat off was just a bit too much!

Paul

RE: Bonfire night sucks!!!

Agree with Fitz and a lot of other comments. It should really be licensed displays only, Nov 5th, Diwali, New Year and so on. Maybe sparklers should be the only things that are allowed on general sale for the kiddies.

Firework month is a real pain!

Paul

RE: 3 Black Watch Soldiers Dead already

Have to agree with you Ed. I gave up voting Labour when Blair became Fuhrer ten years ago. As a possible party of government the Lib Dems is the only credible one. Sadly with our electoral system they`d be lucky to gain more than a few dozen seats.

I`m no great fan of Scottish squaddies. Most of the ones I`ve come across are bigoted sectarian Rangers fans, but for obvious reasons their loyalty and duty is to defend the UK. They didn`t deserve to be sacrified by Blair and Hoon for the United States` oil war any more than to be killed by a bunch of IRA scum (and where does most of the the IRA terrorists funding and support come from? ... best not go into that!)

Yes and if Bush had had to send more troops to Iraq last week, who knows, it may just have tipped the electoral balance against him?

Paul

RE: As it looks like four more years of Bush...

OK, so my first (belated) input to this thread - its my first log-in for a month or so ...

Instead of contemplating moving to Canada to escape four more years of hell, I`d suggest that Yanks living in those parts of the US more clued up about the outside world (the West Coast and North East) declare independence and leave the rednecks elsewhere to their own fate. Have your own `tea party` and get rid of `King` George. Quite a few of us Limeys would be happy to help you!

Paul

RE: Gas Provider Advice

PowerGen was bought by Eon yonks ago. They`ve abolished the standing charge on the leccy bill which suits me fine (the daytime rate has gone up, but the night-time Economy 7 is unchanged).

As for gas, they are all putting their prices up as wholesale prices are going up. Pretty soon, the UK will be a net importer as the North Sea resources are getting depleted.

Paul

RE: Amelie

OK, it`s syrupy and I have to say I enjoyed it better on DVD than at the cinema - why I don`t know. It does have a great soundtrack though. `Delicatessen` has far blacker humour.

As for my favourite French film, it`s one of Patrice Leconte`s called `Tango` (from 1992), which I haven`t seen on video for a good few years (Artificial Eye did release it) and never on DVD.

I contains such gems as `Médecins sans Frontières - infirmières sans culottes`

Salut

Paul

RE: Wanted: One Summer (Billy & Icky)

Hopefully Granada will get round to releasing it on DVD sooner or later. I`d long since forgotten who Jane West was!

Paul

RE: Wanted: One Summer (Billy & Icky)

You just reminded me of a great programme. Wasn`t Billy played by David Morrisey? It must have been on in `83 or `84, its that long ago. Have Channel 4 shown it since?

After a bit of googling I just found this:

http://one-summer.tv83.net/

Paul

RE: BT Together Option 1 - new call plan - a rip off for people using other telecom providers?

Yes, I have just got my latest BT bill, together with a lot of bumf on how they are `bringing prices down` whilst putting up the standing charge.

I wrote to Oftel many years ago about BT abusing its monopoly in this way, but their reply didn`t address my concern. BT was the first utility to be privatised (20 years ago now) and has always been more laxly regulated than either the gas, electricity or water utilities, which were privatised in 1986, 1989 and 1990 (I think).

After all you can now get all three of these from one company if you wish and only pay one standing charge, though this will be passed on to the owners of the pipes or cables.

Paul

RE: Betty Blue

`Arty` or not, its still a good film, though `Betty` (Dalle) is a bit one-dimensional. My concern over the stereo (or not) is primarily because of the music soundtrack.

The point above about US films being foreign is dead right! And most of what emanates from the the US of A is crap!

Paul

RE: Anyone with hacks for a prisim dvd player

Yep, I tried this sequence and it works. I have tested out a region 1 DVD on it OK, but not yet a region 3 or 4.

Paul

RE: Movie Search......

Did you buy it Kirky and, if so, how did you find HK Flix` service?

Paul

RE: Betty Blue

Thanks for the info - if I didn`t like the film I wouldn`t be asking the question! I saw the directors cut at the cinema 11 years ago and it has been on Channel 4 once many moons ago.

Personally I don`t go overboard on `arty` films, but given that 99% of what comes out of Hollywood is sh*te, than anything is preferable.

Paul

Betty Blue

Has anyone purchased Betty Blue on DVD? I am puzzled by the fact it states that the (original) French soundtrack is in mono and the (dubbed presumably) English soundtrack is in stereo; and what about the music?

Paul