# England, land of surveillance cameras...



## Bill Mattocks (Feb 8, 2012)

England is the most heavily-surveilled nation on earth.  There are cameras everywhere, and human eyes watching the monitors they're connected to.  Designed to prevent crime, many question how well they actually work and what the tradeoffs are in terms of personal liberty and freedom.

But in some cases, you just have to laugh.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...himself-after-being-mistaken-for-burglar.html



> But he failed to realise that it was actually the plain-clothed officer he was watching on the screen, according to details leaked to an industry magazine.
> The operator directed the officer, who was on foot patrol, as he followed the "suspect" on camera last month, telling his colleague on the ground that he was "hot on his heels".
> The officer spent around 20 minutes giving chase before a sergeant came into the CCTV control room, recognised the suspect and laughed hysterically at the mistake.



Short version: the police officer tailed himself for 20 minutes while the CCTV operator guided him through back alleys and in and out of small streets, hoping he could catch up to the 'suspect', which was actually himself.


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## ballen0351 (Feb 8, 2012)

That's funny.  I feel like im following myself all the time. 

Cameras do work however.  We have cameras in some of our housing projects and you can see alot more then you could being out there.  Plus one officer can watch multiple areas by themselves so its a force multiplier


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## Tez3 (Feb 8, 2012)

A lot of people have cause to be very thankful for those cameras. Saved many lives. I think you have to understand what happens in the streets when the drinking starts to see how much people appreciate having the cameras there. Councils are besieged by people wanting the CCTV int heir streets, though there's not as many cameras as you might think from the article. People often set up their own to protect their homes.


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## Bill Mattocks (Feb 8, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> A lot of people have cause to be very thankful for those cameras. Saved many lives. I think you have to understand what happens in the streets when the drinking starts to see how much people appreciate having the cameras there. Councils are besieged by people wanting the CCTV int heir streets, though there's not as many cameras as you might think from the article. People often set up their own to protect their homes.



It's kind of funny, then.  England wants the government watching their every move; but they arrest photographers for taking photos in public.  Wow.


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## Tez3 (Feb 8, 2012)

Bill Mattocks said:


> It's kind of funny, then. England wants the government watching their every move; but they arrest photographers for taking photos in public. Wow.




Does 'England'? Or perhaps you mean the UK? or maybe you mean the Scottish or the Irish or the Welsh, they all have governments too. 

http://www.met.police.uk/about/photography.htm


Arresting someone as I have explained before means only they are being questioned, arrest here isn't the same as arrest in the US. Arrest doesn't mean being charged. Arrest here has it's original meaning ie to stop, to halt. 

I think too you may want to sort the difference with what the people want and want a government wants, government btw not Parliament.


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## Bill Mattocks (Feb 8, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> Does 'England'? Or perhaps you mean the UK? or maybe you mean the Scottish or the Irish or the Welsh, they all have governments too.
> 
> http://www.met.police.uk/about/photography.htm



I have no clue.  You people are very confusing.  I think you do it on purpose.


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## ballen0351 (Feb 8, 2012)

An arrest here is the same thing If your not free to leave your "arrested".  I dont have to charge you for it to be an arrest.  And just because I say your not under arrest im only placing you into cuffs for my safety does not mean your not arrested.  Ive lost a case or two because of that.


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## Tez3 (Feb 8, 2012)

ballen0351 said:


> An arrest here is the same thing If your not free to leave your "arrested". I dont have to charge you for it to be an arrest. And just because I say your not under arrest im only placing you into cuffs for my safety does not mean your not arrested. Ive lost a case or two because of that.



We had this discussion a while back here and I was told that being arrested is a big deal in America because it mean you were charged etc, I was going by that information.


For Bill M. http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/how/how-understand-difference-between-uk-and-great-britain


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## Sukerkin (Feb 8, 2012)

As Ballen says, there is evidence that the camera's do indeed have an affect on crime levels, or most certainly the detection of crime.  For myself, if I got into danger, I would feel much happier if there was a Bobby nearby than a CCTV camera.  I have a moral objection to being 'surveilled' by technology that somehow I don't feel about being 'protected' by 'actually there' police officers.


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## ballen0351 (Feb 8, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> We had this discussion a while back here and I was told that being arrested is a big deal in America because it mean you were charged etc, I was going by that information.
> 
> 
> For Bill M. http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/how/how-understand-difference-between-uk-and-great-britain


the way its used in the US is arrested means charged but that's not the legal use of it.  I can arrest people question then and release them without charges.  That's one of the tricky things about our legal system.  Sometimes I can be found that I have arrested someone even if I didn't mean too.  If your found to have been arrested then I need to advise you of your miranda right to question you.  So sometimes you can ask people questions and they confess to something then you arrest them only to later be told by a judge you really arrested them before you questioned them so so any questions you asked were in violation of their rights and you loose a case.  Its all legal mubo jumbo


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## Tez3 (Feb 8, 2012)

Sukerkin said:


> As Ballen says, there is evidence that the camera's do indeed have an affect on crime levels, or most certainly the detection of crime. For myself, if I got into danger, I would feel much happier if there was a Bobby nearby than a CCTV camera. I have a moral objection to being 'surveilled' by technology that somehow I don't feel about being 'protected' by 'actually there' police officers.





If you look at many towns on a night there are a lot of police officers on the ground however they are busy dealing with the drunks, the fights, the assaults that our drinking culture has brought about. Police forces these days are having to police the streets as they are taken over by the drunken, the out of control, the vomiting and the yobs, with the best will in the world they can't police everywhere when they are stuck with these idiots. CCTV isn't the best thing but until the UK sobers up it's what you've got. On any given night there will be thousands of coppers out on the streets but they will be tied up, blame the drunks, the pubs and the clubs whoever but don't think the police are any happier than you are by this happening. They didn't join up to nursemaid drunks or arrest drunken chavs.


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## Bill Mattocks (Feb 8, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> If you look at many towns on a night there are a lot of police officers on the ground however they are busy dealing with the drunks, the fights, the assaults that our drinking culture has brought about. Police forces these days are having to police the streets as they are taken over by the drunken, the out of control, the vomiting and the yobs, with the best will in the world they can't police everywhere when they are stuck with these idiots. CCTV isn't the best thing but until the UK sobers up it's what you've got. On any given night there will be thousands of coppers out on the streets but they will be tied up, blame the drunks, the pubs and the clubs whoever but don't think the police are any happier than you are by this happening. They didn't join up to nursemaid drunks or arrest drunken chavs.



A long time ago, I dated a woman who lived in the US, but was a permanent resident, having been born in England  Her brother was born there also.  I asked her if she would ever want to return to England.  She said she and her brother had gone on a visit when they graduated high school.  Her brother was walking down a 'high street' in London and someone asked him where he was from.  He said _"I was born here, but I was raised in America,"_ and the man nutted him in the face, breaking his nose and requiring stitches.  She said that was pretty much it for both of them after that.

When I was in Australia in a club, a man and his friends came up to me and asked me where I was from.  I said "The USA," and he tried to nut me.  He was drunk; I wasn't.  It didn't go well for him.  But I never really saw people in the US act that way towards tourists from the UK or Australia.  Mostly, the women go crazy for guys with accents, and the men don't have a problem with it; at least not like walking up to someone, asking one question and then trying to murder them.  Weird.

If I ever went to England, if someone asked me where I was from, I think I'd just punch them out right then and there, since that's probably their plan for me.


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## jks9199 (Feb 8, 2012)

ballen0351 said:


> the way its used in the US is arrested means charged but that's not the legal use of it.  I can arrest people question then and release them without charges.  That's one of the tricky things about our legal system.  Sometimes I can be found that I have arrested someone even if I didn't mean too.  If your found to have been arrested then I need to advise you of your miranda right to question you.  So sometimes you can ask people questions and they confess to something then you arrest them only to later be told by a judge you really arrested them before you questioned them so so any questions you asked were in violation of their rights and you loose a case.  Its all legal mubo jumbo



It's also actually different state-to-state, somewhat.  

Generally, there's a distinction between a detention and arrest.  In both cases, you're no longer free to leave.  However formal arrest is generally associated with at least probable cause that the arrestee committed a particular criminal act.  As I recall the earlier discussion, in England (and I presume the rest of the UK), you can actually arrest someone, and take them into custody for investigation.  We are significantly limited in the ability to do that in the US.

As ballen said -- handcuffs often (but not always) escalate a detention to an arrest, and there's no magic phrase that eliminates that.  But you're not arrested just because you feel like you're arrested, either.  It's a more objective determination.

Arrest for the purposes of Miranda is another question...  There are a lot of things to look at, and it's kind of complicated.  And, also, kind of off topic here.


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## Flying Crane (Feb 8, 2012)

eh, I spent two weeks in Britain a couple years ago. Spent some time in London and Bath and Wales as well as Ireland. honestly didn't much notice the cameras. Quite enjoyed the trip, everyone we met was lovely.


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## Tez3 (Feb 9, 2012)

Bill Mattocks said:


> A long time ago, I dated a woman who lived in the US, but was a permanent resident, having been born in England Her brother was born there also. I asked her if she would ever want to return to England. She said she and her brother had gone on a visit when they graduated high school. Her brother was walking down a 'high street' in London and someone asked him where he was from. He said _"I was born here, but I was raised in America,"_ and the man nutted him in the face, breaking his nose and requiring stitches. She said that was pretty much it for both of them after that.
> 
> When I was in Australia in a club, a man and his friends came up to me and asked me where I was from. I said "The USA," and he tried to nut me. He was drunk; I wasn't. It didn't go well for him. But I never really saw people in the US act that way towards tourists from the UK or Australia. Mostly, the women go crazy for guys with accents, and the men don't have a problem with it; at least not like walking up to someone, asking one question and then trying to murder them. Weird.
> 
> If I ever went to England, if someone asked me where I was from, I think I'd just punch them out right then and there, since that's probably their plan for me.




I could explain this but too many people would get miffed so I had better not.


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## Blindside (Feb 9, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> I could explain this but too many people would get miffed so I had better not.



Well now I am just curious, and glad nothing like that happened to me the two times I visited England.


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## Bob Hubbard (Feb 9, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> I could explain this but too many people would get miffed so I had better not.



We get it. Brits and Aussies don't like American's. American's are arrogant gits. Neither knows how to play proper football. American beer is like sex in a canoe and there's no Fosters in Oz.


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## Jenna (Feb 9, 2012)

Bob Hubbard said:


> We get it. Brits and Aussies don't like American's. American's are arrogant gits. Neither knows how to play proper football. American beer is like sex in a canoe and there's no Fosters in Oz.


Perhaps this prejudice is the true of some and but  not all.  I am British.  This does not apply to me.  If it were possible  to distance myself from these kinds of broad-brush anti-American  comments that are skirted around, alluded to on the forum, or sometimes typed outright, I would.


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## Tez3 (Feb 9, 2012)

Actually it's not that, I've already tried to explain about the drunken culture we have here but I get accused of supporting the 'state' and of being a fascist when i try to explain so I'm not going to.


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## Gnarlie (Feb 9, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> .....I've already tried to explain about the drunken culture we have here....



I'll start then.

It's not one of the reasons why I left England, but it is one of the reasons why I'm glad I did, and one of the reasons why I don't enjoy going back.  The hardest thing is to explain that culture to someone who's not English and hasn't lived with it.  

I wouldn't see it as supporting the state to acknowledge that there is a problem, and that it is getting worse.  I once heard a standup comic put it well: In the rest of Europe people drink socially; the Brits drink to projectile vomit onto a statue.

As far as alcohol and food goes, a certain element of the British population need to wake up and wise up, realise the effect they are having on their health, their international reputation and their future, and take responsibility for their lives and actions.  Alcoholic, overweight, undereducated, underage, and looking like we rolled in cheese doritos wearing too much orange fake tan.  It's not big or clever.


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## Bill Mattocks (Feb 9, 2012)

Two words: yob culture.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/uk/2001/life_of_crime/yob_culture.stm

Not to say that America doesn't have issues; even worse ones.  But this is apparently a UK thing.  Or English, or British, or whatever the hell you people call yourselves on any given day.


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## Bob Hubbard (Feb 9, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> Actually it's not that, I've already tried to explain about the drunken culture we have here but I get accused of supporting the 'state' and of being a fascist when i try to explain so I'm not going to.



I was making a joke.


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## Tez3 (Feb 9, 2012)

Bill Mattocks said:


> Two words: yob culture.
> 
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/uk/2001/life_of_crime/yob_culture.stm
> 
> Not to say that America doesn't have issues; even worse ones. But this is apparently a UK thing. *Or English, or British, or whatever the hell you people call yourselves on any given day*.



I really don't know why you find it difficult after all you don't mistake Canadians or Mexicans for Americans do you?


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## granfire (Feb 9, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> I really don't know why you find it difficult after all you don't mistake Canadians or Mexicans for Americans do you?




LOL, But any given day you might get your bum spanked if you mistake a Scot for and English...or Welsh. Is Brit ok?


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## Bob Hubbard (Feb 9, 2012)

You know....I can easily tell a British gal from a Californian.  Get her top off and tell her to smile.  Unless shes a Page 3 model, in which case I'll have to talk to her. 

I can do the same with the guys. Just ask them to get their kit off.  Unless they spring to and let it all hang out, in which case they're either from California's Highway patrol or RAF.  Then we gotta break out the pints and break that tie.  Last one standings probably RAF.


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## Tez3 (Feb 9, 2012)

granfire said:


> LOL, But any given day you might get your bum spanked if you mistake a Scot for and English...or Welsh. Is Brit ok?



Brit is ok!.

All that needs to be remembered is that the United Kingdom is made up of different countries, it's a union. The countries were independent and are now working their way to independence again. Great Britian is the name for the Geographical area, the UK is the political area. As North America is the geographical description of the area, while Canada and the USA are the political descriptions.

In certain areas of Great Britain there has always been a propensity to drink hard, Scotland and Ireland being the foremost of these. Recently and I don't really know why there has evolved a drinking culture among certian young people where getting bladdered, being sick, having sex on the street and fighting seem to be the epitome of a good night out. It's started during the Thatcher years, the greed is good time and self before anything else. It's not everywhere but is fairly widespread. It's a policing nightmare.


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## granfire (Feb 9, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> Brit is ok!.
> 
> All that needs to be remembered is that the United Kingdom is made up of different countries, it's a union. The countries were independent and are now working their way to independence again. Great Britian is the name for the Geographical area, the UK is the political area. As North America is the geographical description of the area, while Canada and the USA are the political descriptions.


you make it look easy!



> In certain areas of Great Britain there has always been a propensity to drink hard, Scotland and Ireland being the foremost of these. Recently and I don't really know why there has evolved a drinking culture among certian young people where getting bladdered, being sick, having sex on the street and fighting seem to be the epitome of a good night out. It's started during the Thatcher years, the greed is good time and self before anything else. It's not everywhere but is fairly widespread. It's a policing nightmare.


tazer their naked behinds!  Then again, that might make it more enjoyable....

:lol:


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## Tez3 (Feb 9, 2012)

granfire said:


> you make it look easy!
> 
> 
> *tazer their naked behinds*!  Then again, that might make it more enjoyable....
> ...



or get a dog to bite them? Our dog handlers had their six monthly inspection yesterday, they have to do various things like chase down a 'baddie', indicate, all the usual stuff as well as 'bite' on too the 'baddies' arm. The two dog handlers on myshift were bating for each other, one of their dogs 'bite' correctly let go on command then nipped the bum of the one acting as 'baddie', so so funny as he couldn't sit down last night and all the jokes and puns were coming out. The dog doesn't get any black marks for this, it was just being cheeky..


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## Bob Hubbard (Feb 9, 2012)

granfire said:


> tazer their naked behinds!  Then again, that might make it more enjoyable....
> 
> :lol:



I see Gran's volunteered to sort out the guys.  Thanks!


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## Gnarlie (Feb 9, 2012)

Here's an example, and sadly not one that I view as distorted or exaggerated.  This kind of aim-for-oblivion drinking is the reason why I started martial arts, the reason why we need CCTV, and the reason why it's almost impossible to get a taxi or a police car to your out-of-town home on a friday night:


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## Sukerkin (Feb 9, 2012)

Aye the drink-yourself-comatose fashion so common these days amongst the young is a mystery.  Where did it come from?  In my youth the very last thing you wanted was to be visibly drunk - you'd never live it down amongst your mates for a start!  I guess being poor had it's advantages too as we simply could not afford to get lashed when we were in our teens.  When a can of weak lager cost half what you got in pocket money for a week then you didn't drink much.  

Plus, I think that drinking in the pub was cheaper than getting cans from the offie (off-licence) too, so if you went out for a drink with your mates you would more likely got to the pub.  Speaking from my own circumstances, because in said pubs there would be people who knew your dad, the incentive to behave well and not drink more than you could handle was inherent in the environment.

By the way Tez, is it my imagination or did pub landlords thirty years ago take their responsibilities more seriously when it came to *not* serving people to the point that they fell down drunk?  Even when I was older and experienced a lock-in or two, the landlords would still on occasion 'turn off the tap' for those that got too much the worse for wear.  Now it seems the night clubs just liquor 'em up and sling 'em into the street for the police to deal with.


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## Tez3 (Feb 9, 2012)

Thanks Gnarlie, I have to say that's actually fairly tame as well. Perhaps people can also see where the difficulty is that I was trying to explain on another thread about girls who don't know whether they've been raped or not, they aren't in a condition to make 'informed consent' but may have said yes anyway or they may have been taken advantage of. Literally no one knows. There's also the danger of being attacked, violence isn't confined to males, the women go at it too. This is where the police are on a night when you need them and yes why we need CCTV.


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## Flying Crane (Feb 9, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> Brit is ok!.
> 
> All that needs to be remembered is that the United Kingdom is made up of different countries, it's a union. The countries were independent and are now working their way to independence again. Great Britian is the name for the Geographical area, the UK is the political area. As North America is the geographical description of the area, while Canada and the USA are the political descriptions.
> .



Hey Tez, 

Just to make sure I'm clear on the terminology, lemme run it by you: Britain, or Great Britain (is there a difference between the terms?) consists of all of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Anyone who makes their home in one of those areas is "British". Am I right so far?

Then, the United Kingdom is a politicial union of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, while most of Ireland is an independent nation outside the UK. Correct?

Then within the UK, people are specifically English, Scottish, Welsh, or Irish. Correct?

So one could be simultaneously British, English, and living in the UK, or British, Scottish, and living in the UK...etc. Have I got this right?

Thanks!

Oh, and the North America-United States-Canada-Mexico issue isn't really quite the right analogy. North America being simply the continent, and the other enties being independent nations/political entities that do not have a political unification like the UK. I think that's where people on this side of the pond get confused, that UK issue that we don't have anything similar to over here... unless you want to look at the US as a union of 50 separate political entities that are NOT working toward independence, in spite of what people like Rick Perry and Chuck Norris might be saying...:rofl:


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## Bill Mattocks (Feb 9, 2012)

Flying Crane said:


> Hey Tez,
> 
> Just to make sure I'm clear on the terminology, lemme run it by you: Britain, or Great Britain (is there a difference between the terms?) consists of all of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Anyone who makes their home in one of those areas is "British". Am I right so far?



I think the Republic of Ireland might not care to be referred to as part of Great Britain, the United Kingdom, or anything else with the term 'British' or 'English' in it.  Northern Ireland is part of the UK, not the Republic of Ireland.  That's about all I know.


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## Flying Crane (Feb 9, 2012)

Bill Mattocks said:


> I think the Republic of Ireland might not care to be referred to as part of Great Britain, the United Kingdom, or anything else with the term 'British' or 'English' in it. Northern Ireland is part of the UK, not the Republic of Ireland. That's about all I know.



If I understand it correctly, Britain is the name of the islands.  the British Isles are just those islands and do not denote a political entity.  Kinda like saying "Central America".  Lots of little nations down there in that region, but that particular term is not a political term.  Just a regional designation.

Hoping Tez or Suk will clarify.


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## Sukerkin (Feb 9, 2012)

Pretty good, *FC*.  A few elaborations just to pin things down.

Great Britain means the main island that consists of England, Scotland and Wales i.e. a geographical term rather than a political one.  Britain can be either a shorthand term for Great Britain geographically or can be a shorthand term synonymous with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland if it is used as a political term.  There are also the difference between the British Isles and the British Islands to consider ... but we won't go into that one .

Oh all right!   The British Islands is the United Kingdom plus the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.  The British Isles are all those plus Eire.

Hope that helps :lol:.


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## Flying Crane (Feb 9, 2012)

Sukerkin said:


> Pretty good, *FC*. A few elaborations just to pin things down.
> 
> Great Britain means the main island that consists of England, Scotland and Wales i.e. a geographical term rather than a political one. Britain can be either a shorthand term for Great Britain geographically or can be a shorthand term synonymous with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland if it is used as a political term. There are also the difference between the British Isles and the British Islands to consider ... but we won't go into that one .
> 
> ...



OK, so Ireland is not part of Great Britain.  It's just Ireland, and the Irish are not British.  Correct?


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## Flying Crane (Feb 9, 2012)

Flying Crane said:


> OK, so Ireland is not part of Great Britain. It's just Ireland, and the Irish are not British. Correct?



I mean the Republic of Ireland, and not Northern Ireland...


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## Tez3 (Feb 9, 2012)

Flying Crane said:


> Hey Tez,
> 
> Just to make sure I'm clear on the terminology, lemme run it by you: Britain, or Great Britain (is there a difference between the terms?) consists of all of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Anyone who makes their home in one of those areas is "British". Am I right so far?
> 
> ...



The term Great Britain  not a political term but a geographical one covering all the islands of which there are a great many. It's basically a term that if we were big enough to be a continent would denote a continent! Eire the proper name for Southern Ireland should be included in this but won't be for political reasons! confused enough yet? The United Kingdom is Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands aren't part of the UK. They are Crown Dependancies with the Queen as head of State but with their own governments, the Manx one being the oldest continious in the world. Scotland, Northern Irland and Wales also have their own governments with the Queen as head of State.

You can certainly be British, Scottish and living in the UK! Official documents usually ask 'are you British' and ask you to state whether English, Welsh or Scottish British.

The important thing for us is that the laws are different in each country as well as things like education, healthcare costs etc. And of course national pride!


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## Bill Mattocks (Feb 9, 2012)

Flying Crane said:


> OK, so Ireland is not part of Great Britain.  It's just Ireland, and the Irish are not British.  Correct?



You could always call an Irishman 'British' and see if he thinks it's a good idea...


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## Tez3 (Feb 9, 2012)

Sukerkin said:


> Aye the drink-yourself-comatose fashion so common these days amongst the young is a mystery. Where did it come from? In my youth the very last thing you wanted was to be visibly drunk - you'd never live it down amongst your mates for a start! I guess being poor had it's advantages too as we simply could not afford to get lashed when we were in our teens. When a can of weak lager cost half what you got in pocket money for a week then you didn't drink much.
> 
> Plus, I think that drinking in the pub was cheaper than getting cans from the offie (off-licence) too, so if you went out for a drink with your mates you would more likely got to the pub. Speaking from my own circumstances, because in said pubs there would be people who knew your dad, the incentive to behave well and not drink more than you could handle was inherent in the environment.
> 
> By the way Tez, is it my imagination or did pub landlords thirty years ago take their responsibilities more seriously when it came to *not* serving people to the point that they fell down drunk? Even when I was older and experienced a lock-in or two, the landlords would still on occasion 'turn off the tap' for those that got too much the worse for wear. Now it seems the night clubs just liquor 'em up and sling 'em into the street for the police to deal with.



It's a criminal offence to serve drunks alcohol but it does seem that this is ignored despite the big breweries and club owners saying they are careful. There seems too to be despite the recession a lot of money around as well, a night out like this doesn't come cheaply. Looking at the drinks they were pouring down their necks before they went out they weren't the cheap supermarket own brands were they? What a complete waste of money!


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## Gnarlie (Feb 9, 2012)

And the British Virgin Islands?  I'm English and the remnants of the British Empire confuse the hell out of me.


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## Tez3 (Feb 9, 2012)

Flying Crane said:


> OK, so Ireland is not part of Great Britain. It's just Ireland, and the Irish are not British. Correct?



Northern Ireland aka The Province still belongs to the UK but has it's own government. Southern Ireland is known as Eire and is a democratic republic not belonging to us ( though it is in debt and looking for a buyer lol)

some of the islands we have, as it says there are actually thousands.
http://www.ukcoastguide.co.uk/uk_islands.htm


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## Bob Hubbard (Feb 9, 2012)

How about the Principality of _Sealand? _


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## Tez3 (Feb 9, 2012)

Gnarlie said:


> And the British Virgin Islands?  I'm English and the remnants of the British Empire confuse the hell out of me.



British Overseas Territory now and in view of the OP it's inhabitants are very happy to be in the Caribbean far away from the drunks!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Virgin_Islands


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## Gnarlie (Feb 9, 2012)

Maybe we should introduce compulsory measures to bring them in line with the rest of the territory.  Pre-pub absinthe, mandatory chasers and octagonal kebab shops to be implemented at the first opportunity.  CCTV available on request after trial period.


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## jks9199 (Feb 9, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> It's a criminal offence to serve drunks alcohol but it does seem that this is ignored despite the big breweries and club owners saying they are careful. There seems too to be despite the recession a lot of money around as well, a night out like this doesn't come cheaply. Looking at the drinks they were pouring down their necks before they went out they weren't the cheap supermarket own brands were they? What a complete waste of money!



We face the same problem here...  At least in Virginia, the Alcoholic Beverage Control laws prohibit serving or selling alcohol to intoxicated persons.  It's a law that I think is more observed in the breach, though...  Or as an excuse to get someone out of the establishment.


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## Scott T (Feb 12, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> I really don't know why you find it difficult after all you don't mistake Canadians or Mexicans for Americans do you?


As someone who has been confused for an American (In both Switzerland and Poland. At least the Brits get it right.) I have had the urge to 'educate' the offenders quickly. Instead, I jist grinned with teeth clenched and verbally reminded that there is more to North America than the lower less-than-half...


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## Bob Hubbard (Feb 12, 2012)

If Canada is America's Hat, what does that make Mexico?


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## Scott T (Feb 12, 2012)

Bill Mattocks said:


> I think the Republic of Ireland might not care to be referred to as part of Great Britain, the United Kingdom, or anything else with the term 'British' or 'English' in it.  Northern Ireland is part of the UK, not the Republic of Ireland.  That's about all I know.


Heh, when my Irish (from Ireland, not one of those Canadians or Americans who claim they're Irish) brother-in-law came to visit the first time, I made a joke by calling him British.

Unfortunately, we were in Dad's garage at the time.

He started looking for a drill...


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## ballen0351 (Feb 13, 2012)

Looks like it wont just be the UK with all the cameras soon.  Obama is getting ready to give permission for local state and federal law enforcment to use drones.  They said by 2020 there will be over 30000 drones flying over US cities.


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