A lesson on Britian for AMERICANS

Originally posted by Iamonlyhuman


Texas of all states in the U.S., a territory of the UK...

Yes, I rather suspected that; one of your fellow-countrymen was trying to palm them off on us. I think he saw "don't bring in guns" as the common factor.

Why do you call out just Americans? Why cant you just say "a lesson for all" I am sure we can give you a lesson or two on our history and what it's like to be American. Nobody will ever know what it's like to be British or American if they dont live there or didnt grow up there. I bet most dont even really know their countries history as well as they think they do...Heck I'm American and even my own history gets fuzzy sometimes.
I did enjoy reading the history lesson though I have always enjoyed your history over my own, bad as that sounds, but it's older so to me it's more interesting. There is much more history there!

S&F

Originally posted by DISRAELI

Originally posted by Iamonlyhuman

Texas of all states in the U.S., a territory of the UK...

Yes, I rather suspected that; one of your fellow-countrymen was trying to palm them off on us. I think he saw "don't bring in guns" as the common factor.

It's not the guns themselves but the full realization of the American mentality behind them. The American mentality is one of independence and the state of Texas exemplifies that mentality fully. Other states as well do but to varying degrees.

Did you see my edit?

Originally posted by Iamonlyhuman
EDIT: I think there's more of a chance that Texas would take over Scotland and maybe NI... after all, why would Texans ever want England and Wales?

Don't flame me... just kidding, just kidding...

Originally posted by Iamonlyhuman
EDIT: I think there's more of a chance that Texas would take over Scotland and maybe NI... after all, why would Texans ever want England and Wales?

Don't flame me... just kidding, just kidding...

Now, I think we could let you have Scotland at quite a reasonable price.
What are you offering?

reply to post by DISRAELI


California.


All of us, except the Californians, would probably swap even.

reply to post by pikestaff


Actually, the Scots were a clan from Ireland that raided the west of Scotland and formed a kingdom called Dál Riata (Dalriada/Dal Riada?/Dalriata), forcing the Picts out eastwards and was in place until the Viking invasions.

I could talk about this stuff for days. I've read most of this thread and some people who post "info" or "facts" are wrong with regards to history, the meanings of UK, Great Britain etc and when to use them, spelling and using the word "Scotch" to refer to Scottish people when in fact Scotch is to refer to all things Scottish...we're Scots or Scottish.

With regards to staying on topic...

Geographically, the British Isles are all the islands and isles around and including mainland Britain and Ireland...from the Shetlands to the Scilly Isles and the Channel Islands. The island of Ireland is Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The British Islands are the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. These are the states within the British Isles that have the British monarch as head of state.

Politically, Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales are constituent countries within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or the UK.

Scotland, England and Wales are Great Britain...funnily enough.

Perhaps this image will make it easier.....





When we venture into the world of sports it becomes quite complicated. Have a look at this.


The one thing that annoys me about Americans when referring to the UK (or Great Britain ) is when they call it England or that Scotland is now part of England. It is not the case. I have spent time with Americans on my travels and correct them every time when they make this common error.

But bare in mind that I also learned a lot about America too. In fact, I can name all 50 states of America. Sad I know but many Americans can't even do that. I'm not bashing Americans but many don't know much about anything outside their borders. Of course I don't refer to American ATSers because they are enlightened and know better but the topic started with Americans but our Canadian, Aussie and NZer cousins also make the same mistakes at times.

I've been searching for a video by Alex Jones (I know ) where he asks the general American public some questions about Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan and he has a map where Australia is Iraq and New Zealand is Iran and the people said things like "I didn't realise that they were so far away". I believe that we could do the exact same with British, Australian, NZers and Canadians too, especially the French Canadians. Just joking.

If anyone can find it or knows where it is please U2U me and I'll edit this post. Thanks.



[edit on 3/4/2010 by itchy_tartan_blanket]

Originally posted by MR BOB
reply to post by Merriman Weir

 

"Brits oppressing the Scotch!"

Who the hell ever said that? thats not common.

No, but we do drink the scotch - and are most grateful to our Scots brethren for producing such a wondrous liquid

I find the British to be rude, have a small vocabulary and complain about Americans all the time yet would jump at the chance to have a large house/trappings that they have.

I am British and love travelling to the USA as I find It a breath of fresh air to speak to friendly human beings. The difference is black and white, just sit on a public bus in the UK and see how many people talk to you.

Originally posted by DISRAELI

Originally posted by Iamonlyhuman
EDIT: I think there's more of a chance that Texas would take over Scotland and maybe NI... after all, why would Texans ever want England and Wales?

Don't flame me... just kidding, just kidding...

Now, I think we could let you have Scotland at quite a reasonable price.
What are you offering?

Give us 1 cent for every midge in Scotland and it's yours

Though you may need to print a few trillion more dollars first

reply to post by evoga


You can't tar everyone with the same brush. With the influx of many foreign nationals into the UK, and many opting to live in smaller towns as opposed to the cities, I have met so many people in my town. Lithuanians, Latvians, Polish, Serbians, Romanians and Russians. My fiance is Russian too.

I've been approached for help by some and I've approached them myself out of curiosity toward them and their countries. It has always ended up with me as pished as a f@rt and having some great adventures...man have I had adventures by means of vodkas and whiskies. Many of these people have told me of the negative attitudes they've experienced from people in the UK but were glad for people like myself and my mates making them welcome and getting a feel for the place. And of course get absolutely steamin' in the process

English people, in my experience, have a bad reputation abroad, especially in Europe. A Dutch friend said "The English are alcoholic, take-away-eating, yobbish @rseholes, unlike you Scots". To which I drunkenly replied "Aye, well two out of three isn't bad" eating a pizza at the taxi rank.

Originally posted by itchy_tartan_blanket
reply to post by pikestaff

 

Actually, the Scots were a clan from Ireland that raided the west of Scotland and formed a kingdom called Dál Riata (Dalriada/Dal Riada?/Dalriata), forcing the Picts out eastwards and was in place until the Viking invasions.

I could talk about this stuff for days. I've read most of this thread and some people who post "info" or "facts" are wrong with regards to history, the meanings of UK, Great Britain etc and when to use them, spelling and using the word "Scotch" to refer to Scottish people when in fact Scotch is to refer to all things Scottish...we're Scots or Scottish.

I used the word 'Scotch' precisely because of this earlier in the thread. I've come across many Americans in the past declaring Scottish ancestry and empathy towards the modern day Scots who, apparently, oppressed by bowler-hatted Nazis from the South of England and it's surprising how often these enlightened Nationalists use the term 'Scotch'. All I think of is savoury eggs whenever I hear the word 'Scotch' or maybe a pie. Never mind, eh? Can't let stuff like this get in the way of their Braveheart interpretation of history.

As far as the notion of 'all Celts together against the Anglo-Saxon English oppressor' - another theme I'm all too familiar with - it's funny how your above point about the Scots tribe from Ireland invading and conquering what's now modern day Scotland, something I've pointed out myself on these boards and elsewhere many times, is forgotten or assiduously skirted around. But I forget my place: as ever, it's only the English that can ever invade, oppress or conquer.

Originally posted by Essan

Originally posted by DISRAELI

Originally posted by Iamonlyhuman
EDIT: I think there's more of a chance that Texas would take over Scotland and maybe NI... after all, why would Texans ever want England and Wales?

Don't flame me... just kidding, just kidding...

Now, I think we could let you have Scotland at quite a reasonable price.
What are you offering?

Give us 1 cent for every midge in Scotland and it's yours

Though you may need to print a few trillion more dollars first

Hey I'll give them two for one

Get yourself a nice bottle of Laphroaig Essan and if at all possible stay away from the blended whiskies unless you have friends over. You don't want to be giving them the good stuff...why do you think there are blended whiskies?

reply to post by woodwardjnr


Em, I think you'll find that some of us do actually stop for tea at 4pm every day... ;-)

reply to post by Merriman Weir


Aye I am the same when I hear Scotch...Scotch Eggs, Scotch Pie, Scotch tape, Scotch VHS tapes...

You are correct with regards to people saying about only English oppression etc. Scotland has had it from Vikings, English, Irish but strangely enough the Romans couldn't conquer the country. They built a wall to keep us in Scotland :lol in fact, they built two.

Personally my grievance with England isn't the country itself but Westminister and relatively recent history and oppression but that's off topic. I lived in England for 2 years, ok it was Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. They're just Scottish with their heads bashed in

Well I have not read the entire thread I would like to point out that you all over their in Great Britain, that you lost a little war in 1776.

lol

That should be placed in your timeline because a couple hundred (very rough) years later (less) we saved your asses from Hitler.

Well...us and the Russians.

I know you all held them at bay..( I mean you let them take over all Europe) before we arrived but why isnt ww 2 on the roster.

lol

Just being a jerk I am...lol

Anyhow here is a great little paragraph that must be read with a pint of Guinness.

(I have Guinness for breakfast by the way)

here are four kinds of people in the UK -

First, there were the Scots who kept the Sabbath - and everything else they could lay their hands on.

Then there were the Welsh - who prayed on their knees and their neighbors.

Thirdly there were the Irish who never knew what they wanted - but were willing to fight for it anyway.

Lastly there were the English who considered themselves self-made men, - thus relieving the Almighty of a terrible responsibility.

reply to post by Haydn_17


Second thing about your timeline is you guys sure got your butts handed to ya a lot.

(sipps Guiness)

I'm not supposed to enter this heated debate about so-called lack of geographic knowledge from the Americans. Being French means I'm gonna get a lot of angry answers ( froggy, blabla ) , but I take the risk.

Seriously, who gives a damn about a 4-page long thread about something everyone could find on wikipedia? just tell me what the point is. If you have enough time to read some bs "ETs are reptilians under human appearance" threads, you have the time to see a map and read a couple of lines underneath it.

You guys are funny having a debate on something the Encyclopaedia Britannica is pointing as fact. you buy crazy stories about Greys and NWO and then you discuss the difference between the British Isles and the U.K ? seriously, this is what I call a loss of server space on ATS

This has been most instructive for us Colonials. Little did we realize that, although you have reality entertainment in the royal family, the posters on this thread all write skits for Monty Python.

That aside, the history of your island[s], and empire, is not completely unknown and is actually interesting to many Americans. Our once obscure mutual language now dominates the globe. James Bond is known everywhere [I had a tough time with the movies after Sean Connery but Daniel Craig is the most realistic Bond. Much like Dr. Who, reincarnation in cinema must be common in GB.] In addition, the special relationship with the US remains, in spite of recent British political rhetoric. I stopped in London in 1981 on the way to the US from Bahrain. I found it interesting, in spite of the language barrier. I did not get rained on so did not have cause to buy a brolly; the best in the world, I was told at the time. Tea time is any time, and I found a nice place to have tea and scones. I rode in a double decker bus and a cab. The cabbie had encyclopedic knowledge of London. I found that they must pass a rigorous test on the roads to be licensed [licenced]. I had a Shepherd's-pie-and-a-pint lunch in a pub that had an entry on Picadilly but was actually located on an adjacent street. There was a longish tunnel that connected the desired address with the establishment. I rode the underground, visited a castle, saw Wren's architecture, and watched the changing of the guard. I saw a black mariah pull up and 6 Bobbies got out to go after some lads causing trouble. Terry Thomas was the sergeant and the smallest Bobby was about 6'4" tall....without his hat. How they fit in the van was unknown. I was told later that families tradtionally from Kent are large in stature and that they were sought after as Bobbies. There were many shops that claimed to be "purveyors to the crown," an endorsement that gives the shopper confidence.
At some point, I will return and visit the Salisbury plains to see Stonehenge [and the origin of Salisbury Steak.] Whales is on th elist and I'll make it to Scotland to see Edinbugh and to play golf on a famous course. I may even visit a distillery for a lunchtime hydraulic sandwich.
Of course, before I come to visit, I'll ask the ATS boards for advice on what else I should see.
You are forgiven for the War of 1812 and burning down the Whitehouse. We all understand why the king did it and hold no grudge against you for the actions of a long dead king.
God save the Queen.

reply to post by whiteraven


And there it is. Took almost four whole pages too

Of course, before I come to visit, I'll ask the ATS boards for advice on what else I should see.
You are forgiven for the War of 1812 and burning down the Whitehouse. We all understand why the king did it and hold no grudge against you for the actions of a long dead king.
God save the Queen.

Woooa.

Hold on. I believe the going rule is the guys that won SAID war gets to write the history of the war they won.

Its called spoils. ( ask a Scotsman)

Candadians helped burn down the Whitehouse...well researched by fellow historian and green lover Pierrre Burton.www.abebooks.com...

They picked up supplies in Canada which included conscripts.
You don`t think the brits were gonna do this alone did yaÉ

The British and Canadians were badly outnumbered by the Americans but better prepared for war, thanks to the prescience of Maj-Gen Isaac BROCK, administrator of UPPER CANADA

www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com...

THE BRITS LOST

read

together with the Sept 11 defeat of the hastily built British fleet in Plattsburgh Bay by the American commodore, Thomas Macdonough, caused Prevost to abort the ground attack and withdraw

Tecumseh and Lord Brock had died.

At this point Thomas Jefferson's remark that the capture of Canada was "a mere matter of marching" returned to haunt Washington.

Canadians held their own

In the west, the Canadian voyageurs took Prairie du Chien on the Upper Mississippi and beat off an American attack on Michilimackinac I, capturing 2 warships on Lk Huron.

lol