Joined: 5/2/2006
Posts: 1020
Location: Boulder, CO
The Geneva convention does apply to all people, and has been applied in Guantanamo. The critical difference is weather or not the prisoners count as enemy soldiers (meaning they could be held without trial until the conflict has concluded) or if they are "non-combatants" and are therefore covered by article 3, granting them greater legal rights, including the right to a trial.
The issue of torture is the only place where the Geneva convention was violated, and it is quite frankly inexcusable. That said, putting known terrorists in a military prison seems like a worthwhile endeavor. [/soapbox]
Joined: 5/2/2006
Posts: 1020
Location: Boulder, CO
Derakon wrote:
The Bill of Rights and the entire Constitution apply to everyone on US soil.
And they aren't on US soil. Gitmo is in Cuba.
Derakon wrote:
They enumerate inalienable rights that are inherent to all people as human beings. There are privileges (and responsibilities) that you get by being an American citizen, including e.g. not getting deported if you outstay your welcome, but rights are for everyone.
The bill of rights is not for everyone. The rights it secures are for the people of the united states of america, if you want to find a list of rights that apply to all people on earth, you might have to defer to international acts, such as the geniva convention.
The united states can not, and should not try to enforce the Bill of rights for every person on earth. Canada and UK probably don't want our version of the right to bear arms. The middle east doesn't want our version of freedom of speech.
That said, we owe it to our follow man to try to prevent egregious abuses of other people, but we should not think for a minute that the bill of rights extends past our boarders.
Alden-- I actually agree with you, but my point is, even if our own system is flawed, we can still help others. We don't need to be 100% perfect before helping others is the kind thing to do. I just wanted to illustrate that even if there are bad things being done in American operated prisons, we can still care about the torture and inhumane conditions of prisons abroad.
Joined: 5/2/2006
Posts: 1020
Location: Boulder, CO
First of all, keep in mind that the bill of rights does not apply to the people detained there, as they are not U.S. citizens. Our bill of rights does not extend to foreign nationals.
Their status is listed as enemy combatants (prisoners of war), so their rights legally speaking are only that granted through the Geneva Convention. As such, over the last few years, some have been freed, others have seen trial, and others have been convicted.
It is wrong to keep people there indefinitely without trial, (which seems to be the plan for some of them) so its a good thing that this practice is being ended, but "fixing" your ship before helping others is a really, really bad prescient.
Think about issues like education, inside the US, there are minor problems and there are defiantly the occasional few for whom the current system works badly. But overall, things are good. Does this mean we can't offer educational support to other countries just because our system isn't perfect?
We don't need to be 100% flawless in our own practices to care about the inhumane treatment that takes place in other countries.
Joined: 5/2/2006
Posts: 1020
Location: Boulder, CO
Not to excuse Guantanamo, but all evidence suggests that Guantanamo bay is paradise next to prisons in the near east. If you want to read up on human rights violations, take a look at the prisons in Turkey, or Lebanon. It kinda annoys me when there are people spending great effort to end the abuses in Guantanamo, when their efforts could help with even greater atrocities elsewhere.
Joined: 5/2/2006
Posts: 1020
Location: Boulder, CO
I did see the sequels as well, and I kinda liked both of them, but neither really lived up to the original in my eyes (squeals rarely do). I would say they are worth the time, but its not really anything you will be raving about.
I think I have to check out 12 monkeys, that is the third time its been recommended to me, so I guess its time to check it out.
Joined: 5/2/2006
Posts: 1020
Location: Boulder, CO
No point in re-station how awesome crank is, or telling people that fightclub is worth the time, what movies managed to slip through the cracks but still rock socks?
CUBE!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0123755/
sometimes referred to as a cult classic, but that is just code for unpopular but still bad ass.
anyone else have any suggestions?
Joined: 5/2/2006
Posts: 1020
Location: Boulder, CO
Punch out is a good call. I looked in to doing an improvement there after getting the same game-clock time as the current run on glass joe, but I rapidly realized why that was, and just how tight the current run is.
Also, I would put lagoon in the "I can't imagine what would possess anyone to bother" category.
Joined: 5/2/2006
Posts: 1020
Location: Boulder, CO
Which published run would the rest of you be most surprised to see an improvement of even a single frame in?
SMB1 is an obvious choice, but I would have said that before the last two improvements, so I guess you can never be sure. Anyone care to weigh in?