Does Britain suck?

[Rhisiart]

Originally Posted by rubaiyat

The Poms astonish me, when I was there, with their ignorance of anything to do with Europe. A sister of a friend of mine in Horsham politely asked me after I visited her the second time, where I had just been. I said Helsinki, Oslo and Stockholm. She thought for a while and then said "Where are they?"

Here I have to agree with you. Most 'Poms' are as intelligent as anyone else, but we do have a growing minority of citizens who are ignorant of just about anything around them. Sure all countries have them, but Britain has become a dunces paradise.

As far as WWII is concerned, Britain paid a very heavy price to assist in the freedom of Europe. Quantifying damage doesn't tell the full story.

With reference to BBloke's comments about the stability of the UK, there is indeed concern in some quarters about the 'Balkinisation' of Britain.

Scotland will eventually go it alone, I am sure of that. I do not think Wales will. This small little country is too geographically, economically and emotionally tied to England.

Northern Ireland should be returned to its righful owners.

[rubaiyat]

I am not belittling Britain's outstanding effort against Hitler. Nobody else stood up to him, except Britain's loyal Commonwealth members, who Britain just counted amongst her own statistics. That is until it came to working out who would pay for the struggle. PM John Curtin used to complain it would be cheaper to house all our troops in Tobruk in the best Cairo hotel.

What we were discussing was the attachment to the idea of a united Europe that would foreswear the use of wars to settle disputes. A break through idea after 1000s of years of conflict that resulted in the 2 most horrific wars ever.

Because the mainland Europeans had gone through comparatively worse than the British (which by any measure I think can easily be established) and had the new Soviet threat on their borders or actually occupying them, they can plainly see the necessity of the EU.

Many British deny they are Europeans and seem to have learnt nothing or forgotten what little they had learnt. It is a small world view that is absolutely astonishing.

The girl I spoke of, who knew nothing of Scandinavia, is actually first generation English. Her parents were Italian immigrants, yet Europe, except for bits of Italy are outside of her consciousness.

My kids are like that. They like to travel and have been more places than most their age, but they have no interest in the context or meaning of all the places they go to. Nothing exists beyond a few years of their birth and their circle of friends.

It is a view of the world through the wrong end of the telescope.

[Graviton]

No

[reed]

"from Land's End to John o' Groats?"

This is fun...

"Your Roman-Saxon-Danish-Norman English." Daniel Defoe (1701)

See you all at the Pub at 7 o'clock. Cheerio.

[ApeintheShell]

Yesterday morning Graviton held a press conference at 7:00 a.m. to discuss the topic of whether Britain sucks. After twenty eight minutes of deep debate between collegues and friends he responded with a absolute, "No". The answer is controversial at best and journalists from various news outlets are contacting him for a followup. An official spokesman explained to the British Sizzler, "We expect Graviton to make another appearance in the next few days. Hopefully he will be able to clarify his response". This has been an Apeintheshell News Alert.

Coming up next: How high can a bear jump on a trampoline? Found out after these messages.

[frankrod1]

Sorry blokes, but isn't this a Tech support page?

[lurk]

Nope, it is in Bob's place, the old cafe where all the non-technical stuff goes.

You could discuss belly button lint in here and everybody would be just fine with it.

[frankrod1]

Sorry then. New at this.