Happy "We Beat British Butt" Day!

[Errata]

And you gave the Olympics "Eddie the Eagle". Let's call it even.

c.d.

I have an irrational love for Eddie the Eagle

[Errata]

Today is the day when our forefathers threw off the yoke of oppression and tyranny, and announced to the world that they were declaring independence from Great Britain. The day they said that England would no longer interfere with our administration of the Colonies. All of them. The day when we decided to free not only ourselves, but liberate our brothers in Canada and the Caribbean so that they would would be free to dedicate their livelihoods to us instead of England. Ladies and gentlemen, today is the day that we decided to rule Britain's western Empire. Today is the day we decided to conquer the west for our own profit. Whether the rest of the Western colonies liked it or not.

Dear Canada, sorry for invading. But you know... Imperialism is only wrong when it's being applied to us. I'm sure we would have made you a state... eventually.

[Robert]

I never knew the Americans invaded Canada?!

[Mayerling]

This is the third time I have tried to leave a message. Something is wrong (again) with the connections on this website.

1) Canada really was the winner of the War of 1812, which showed her willing to fight and beat the Yanks in several battles. I believe the anniversary of the 1867 Confederation was in June. Belatedly I wish them well - they showed us where to get off!

2) We do misbehave, but we try to make amends - I think of my country as a work in progress, from 1776 onward. Sometimes we need more than one lesson. Eventually it sinks into our collective brains. Jefferson did not free his slaves in his lifetime, even after writing about "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness", and only freed Sally Hemings and their children in his will. Madison wanted to end slavery in Virginia, but he was horrified (when attending the Virginian Constiturional Convention of 1831) by the death and destruction from Nat Turner's Revolt, and decided not to press for the reform. When he died in 1836 he did not free his slaves. But Washington did free his slaves in his will.

3) Sir Guy Carleton defeated the American invasion of Canada in 1775, and was in charge of the evacuation of New York by British forces and Tories in 1783. He refused to turn over the ex-slaves who fought for their freedom under the British flag. He shipped them to safety in Canada and Great Britain (where they wanted to be). Three cheers for Sir Guy!!

4) While I am moved by the death of our spy hero, Nathan Hale, I also mourn the death of Major John Andre, spy for the British, friend of Sir Henry Clinton, and substitute for the more guilty Benedict Arnold. Even Washington did not enjoy this execution - Andre was a decent fellow. In the best known film about the Arnold - West Point conspiracy ("The Scarlet Coat") Andre (Michael Wilding) is the hero and central figure - and the last shot in the film is of the tablet in his honor at Westminster Abbey. For anyone interested, Robert Douglas played Arnold (Douglas usually played villains).

Happy Independence Day
To the British, Happy "Thanksgiving" (if it is their Thanksgiving).
To our French Allies who sent us Lafayette, Rochambeau, D'Estaing, and De Grasse, thanks for helping us achieve our victory, and Happy Bastille Day coming up.

Jeff

[RivkahChaya]

Uh huh. We beat, your pasty white British empire butts, with a couple of pitchforks and a winning disposition. I realize you are trying desperately to put up every "since then" scenario you can possibly muster, but the bottom line remains:

Colonial farmers demolished to glory of the British empire. Whooped by a bunch of farmers. I can understand how you want to redirect.

That sounds vaguely familiar. Oh, yeah...didn't the Vietnamese do that to us? People always fight harder for their homes than for an ideal. That probably has something to do with the whupping Custer got from Sitting Bull's troops, too.

I'd be more convinced about Americans rejoicing over losing the yoke of the British monarchy, if every single magazine or tabloid in the supermarket checkout in the last six months hasn't had an article about Prince William, Kate Middleton, or her uterus. The way Americans fawn over British royalty is strange an ironic, especially since most Americans can't even name another country with a monarchy.

Today is also my mother's birthday. When she was little, she thought the parades and n fireworks were just for her. That explains a lot.

Seriously, while I think the US has many problems, I'd rather be a citizen here than anywhere else. Except when I get a sinus infection or sprain an ankle. Then, I'd like to be Canadian.

[Hunter]

CD, America gave the world the singing of Barbara Streisand. How can you ever atone for this?

We sent the Dixie Chicks afterwards.

[Cogidubnus]

I'll raise your Dixie Chicks a Jedward...please feel free to keep them


Dave

[lynn cates]

"Americans haven't used it in years."

Hello Neil.

"You even speak our language."

Umm?

Cheers.
LC

[Fleetwood Mac]

The last time you saw a war from begining to end.

Usually you don't come it until half time, when all the hard graft is done.

Monty

Isn't that the whole point, Monty?

Minimum casulaties; maximum gain?

I'd have thought that the Americans have gone about things with a certain amount of wisdom, in the old Sun Tzu maxim.

We're the fools. I think it was Wilson who said something like: "keep lending to the British and they'll soon be under our watch".

We borrowed from them and shipped the money to France to keep the war going. Except the French never payed their debts to us, but we paid our debts to the Americans; in effect, the Americans loaned money to the French and we repaid the debt. Not the brightest lot going are we.

And in WW2, the Americans kept the whole thing going for a while. Fed, clothed and provided armoured vehicles to the Russians, and provided the majority of the soldiers in the West.

My take on them is that by and large they're a likeable people and country. Not beyond erring - just look at the whole Sandinista episode - but on the whole infinitely more likeable than the French and associates.

[Stephen Thomas]

I'd be more convinced about Americans rejoicing over losing the yoke of the British monarchy, if every single magazine or tabloid in the supermarket checkout in the last six months hasn't had an article about Prince William, Kate Middleton, or her uterus. The way Americans fawn over British royalty is strange and ironic, since most Americans can't even name another country with a monarchy.

Not strange or ironic at all, RC.

British history is the only meaningful history you've got, like it or not.

Your tabloid/magazine buyers know that, if only subconsciously.

[Cogidubnus]

Lease Lend et al

Yes, but we kept on repaying the "charity" until as late as 2006 I believe...The discount rates and terms were admittedly generous but no wonder the country was broke for so long...the costs of maintaining resistance to the Nazis virtually solo from 1939 to 1941 were especially crippling...

Still it's not anywhere near as scandalous as the reparations we were forced to pay the French after WW1 for the use of their railways to tranship our troops and materiel to save their miserable hides!

All the best

Dave

[Stephen Thomas]

Still it's not anywhere near as scandalous as the reparations we were forced to pay the French after WW1 for the use of their railways to transport our troops and materials to save their miserable hides!

Ha ha, never heard that one before.

If it wasn't for us and the Yanks they would all be Germans

But they'll never admit it.

[RivkahChaya]

Not strange or ironic at all, RC.

British history is the only meaningful history you've got, like it or not.

Your tabloid/magazine buyers know that, if only subconsciously.

What? What does that even mean? And most tabloid buyers probably can't find Britain on a map.

[Phil Carter]

Happy 4th of July everyone!


I thought the American "language" was just a dialect of the English language?

Or a hybrid, perhaps? Oh well....

We Brits really must not complain though. Many great things have originated in the United States of America. Things that the USA can be very proud of presenting to the world.

Sample some great quotes from their Presidents and Vice Presidents, for example..

''A man I'm proud to call my friend. A man who will be the next President of the United States -- Barack America!''
—Joe Biden, at his first campaign rally with Barack Obama after being announced as his running mate, Springfield, Ill., Aug. 23, 2008

''For seven and a half years I've worked alongside President Reagan. We've had triumphs. Made some mistakes. We've had some sex...uh...setbacks.''
—President George H.W. Bush, in 1988

''As yesterday's positive report card shows, childrens do learn when standards are high and results are measured.''
—President George W. Bush, on the No Child Left Behind Act, Sept. 26, 2007

''Stand up, Chuck, let 'em see ya.''
—Joe Biden, to Missouri state Sen. Chuck Graham, who is in a wheelchair, Columbia, Missouri, Sept. 12, 2008

''I've now been in 57 states -- I think one left to go.''
—Barack Obama, at a campaign event in Beaverton, Oregon, May 9, 2008

''The Holocaust was an obscene period in our nation's history. I mean in this century's history. But we all lived in this century. I didn't live in this century.''
—Dan Quayle

''Folks, I can tell you I've known eight presidents, three of them intimately.''
—Joe Biden, Aug. 22, 2012

''I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future.''
—Dan Quayle

''Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?''
—George W. Bush, Jan. 11, 2000

''Welcome to President Bush, Mrs. Bush, and my fellow astronauts.''
—Dan Quayle

''I am not worried about the deficit. It is big enough to take care of itself.''
—President Ronald Reagan

''Republicans understand the importance of bondage between a mother and child.''
—Dan Quayle

''People have got to know whether or not their President is a crook. Well, I'm not a crook. I've earned everything I've got.''
—Richard Nixon at a November 17, 1973 news conference

''There's an old saying in Tennessee -- I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee -- that says, fool me once, shame on -- shame on you. Fool me -- you can't get fooled again.''
—President George W. Bush, Sept. 17, 2002

''A zebra does not change its spots.''
—Al Gore

''I love California, I practically grew up in Phoenix.''
—Dan Quayle

''I want to say one thing to the American people. I want you to listen to me. I'm going to say this again: I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky. I never told anybody to lie, not a single time; never. These allegations are false. And I need to go back to work for the American people.''
—Bill Clinton, Jan. 26, 1998

''It depends on what the meaning of the words 'is' is.''
—Bill Clinton, during his 1998 grand jury testimony on the Monica Lewinsky affair

''During my service in the United States Congress I took the initiative in creating the Internet.''
—Vice President Al Gore, during the 2000 presidential campaign

''They misunderestimated me.''
—President George W. Bush, Nov. 6, 2000

''I was recently on a tour of Latin America, and the only regret I have was that I didn't study Latin harder in school so I could converse with those people.''
—Dan Quayle

''I was under medication when I made the decision to burn the tapes.''
—Richard Nixon

''I heard there's rumors on the Internets that we're going to have a draft.''
—President George W. Bush, during the second presidential debate, Oct. 2004

''Facts are stupid things.''
—Ronald Reagan, at the 1988 Republican National Convention, attempting to quote John Adams, who said, ''Facts are stubborn things''

''When the President does it, that means it's not illegal.''
—Richard Nixon, in a 1977 interview with David Frost

''Well, I learned a lot....I went down to (Latin America) to find out from them and (learn) their views. You'd be surprised. They're all individual countries''
—President Ronald Reagan



Seriously... Have a great 4th of July everyone!



Phil

[lynn cates]

language

Hello Phil. This will explain the language situation.

Cheers.
LC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAYUuspQ6BY