I don't mind the Unamerican thread becoming the de facto War Thread for a little while, although it's had the rather strange and not entirely accurate effect that "Unamerican" has almost become a synonym for "anti-war" in some people's posts.

...it's had the rather strange and not entirely accurate effect that "Unamerican" has almost become a synonym for "anti-war" in some people's posts.

Well, quite. We're not French, after all.

(kidding....)

Heh. What I mean is, many (but not all) of us Unamerican Buffistas are in exactly the same position as many (but not all) of the American Buffistas: our nations are active participants in the war, but we're personally opposed to it.

Speaking of French. I was telling Natter a few days ago that my friend will be in from Paris on Thursday with her boyfriend. I'm nervous about some "patriotic" cowboy being nasty to him. Mostly the people I usually hang around are a)not stupid enough to take a view, even if it's the view of a majority, and mistake it for the view of one person they might meet and b) pretty reasonable people. It's the anti-French stuff on the radio and bumperstickers, and in the newspaper (mostly letters to the editor).

I went to college with a member of the Greek ex-royal family -- she was listed in the school phone book as "Greece, Alexandra."

Bwah! Really? How fabulous!

(Cheers for the gen on Prince Phil, btw - makes sense. Royalty - it's a funny old game, isn't it?)

My only namedropping thing is that I was at University with the present Max Von Hapsburg. He does have the Hapsburg chin. He was, spookily enough, studying Modern European History, which meant that he had to write quite a lot of essays about his ancestors and relations.

FayJay, I can't believe you witnessed this in person! It's like meeting someone who used to make buggy whips.

It's a bit mind-boggling, isn't it? But there are lots of people in the world who are living the way that people in the First World did in the past - whether we're talking 20 years ago or 200 years ago. I saw plenty of horse-drawn carts in towns, and in the market you had to take a box to put your eggs in if you wanted to buy eggs, and you bought your chicken still alive and had to pull its head off yourself. In towns life was much like the UK in the 40s or 50s. I was in the gorgeous little medieval town of Brasov the day after a McDonalds opened there (in the outskirts of the town, praise the lord, because it didn't get planning permission for the beautiful old square in the centre). People were driving in from far and wide. There was a party atmosphere. We saw a young bride and groom, still in their wedding gear, who had come with the best man to treat themselves to a McDonalds Milkshake as part of their Big Day. I got talking to one lad about it all,and he had mixed feelings about McDonalds, but he said that it felt like being able to go to America. And he knew he couldn't afford to go to America for real, but this felt like being able to do that, because it all looked like the McDonalds restaurants you saw on TV and the burgers were the same. It wasn't something people could afford to do except for a special occasion, or if they were very rich, but it was pretty exciting.

Thing is, my own travels are very limited - I haven't been further afield than Eastern Europe (and North America). Sounds like Jim's seen some much more strikingly different cultures. And KateP will have seem all manner of wildly different places too in her travels lately. But you have to go a bloody long way to find somewhere that Coca Cola (and other icons of Americana) hasn't reached. I've never seen anywhere. From my own limited travels, though, I've really gained a different perspective on what "normal" is, in terms of material possessions and world picture and all that. The vast majority of people in the world don't have the everyday things that the First World takes for granted - and this isn't said in a spirit of "Oh, poor deprived them," because not being in the First World doesn't equate with living in misery. I mean, it definitely can do, but it's way more complicated than that.

...er, why yes, I do like to state the obvious. Um.

I'm nervous about some "patriotic" cowboy being nasty to him

Oh dear. Fingers crossed.

I knew what you were getting at, Angus.

Heh. What I mean is, many (but not all) of us Unamerican Buffistas are in exactly the same position as many (but not all) of the American Buffistas: our nations are active participants in the war, but we're personally opposed to it.

Which, as I think you're saying, is ironic when "UnAmerican" has become synonymous with being anti-war. (Sorry if I'm being a bit slow, I slept really badly last night).

Heather, I think if you do encounter any patriotic cowboys, the welcome you and your friends give your friend's boyfriend should go some way to countering that. If the French guy is expecting to be unpopular he may be pleasantly surprised. I don't think there's any more that you can do, but it may go a long way to making his stay nicer.

On a related note: my SO sometimes listens to AFN (American Forces Network) in the car. A few weeks ago, he came in a bit... perplexed. He said he'd been listening to this guy doing some sort of monologue who'd been saying really weird things, including that Germany was against the war because all Germans were anti-semitic. He was really upset that someone could accuse him of being anti-semitic simply because he was German, and wondered if this was a typical American view.

A few days later he came in again and said, "I heard that monologue guy again, his name is Rush Limbo or something". So I was able to give him a bit of background and put what he'd heard into perspective.

I do find it pretty scary that AFN is broadcasting Rush Limbaugh, though.

My only namedropping thing is that I was at University with the present Max Von Hapsburg.

My dad taught a descendant of Lord Elgin at school. He was doing Greek and Latin because there were some old rocks at home he wanted to be able to decipher.

We've had over a decade to sort out a way to identify our own side, to make sure that the Americans can identify the Brits and vice versa. At present, they are relying on sticky tape and good luck, as far as I can gather.

Some sort of signature –electronic perhaps. You know like the banners you guys used to wear over your armour a few years back to say “Hi, I’m Erik of the House of XXX if you are on my team please don’t spear me Else bring it on!”. I do agree with you only well the reason they invented those coats of arms back then was because in skirmishes people do get killed by their own side sometimes. There are however limits.

I cited the Romanian peasants (with scythes et al) because that's the only first-hand example I've had of seeing the weird juxtaposition of US television shows piped via satellite into a setting which was in most other respects medieval.

Oh OK. You’ve never lived in the Highlands then. Running water. Check. Electricity (Hydro) Check. Gas. Um? Phone line. Nope. TV Huh? (speaking of me own wee but n ben here. Real all year round Highland people are just as 1st world as the rest of us UK people).

I don't think - although I'm not an expert on EU politics by any means - that Germany's familial ties with the House of Hanover Windsor give us any real leverage with them.

I’m not sure but they might. Worth thinking about I thought.

Since the close blood ties between the German and British monarchies (the Kaiser was King Edward's nephew) didn't stop, or even slow, WWI, I think that's a safe bet.

According to my school history lessons what with the treaties of treaties of alliances etc we were a gnats whisker away from fighting WITH Germany in WWI.

is the Greek Royal Family actually imported from somewhere else? Because as far as being sexy and Mediterranean looking - well, he ain't all that and the proverbial bag of chips.

*snicker* t straight face

FayJay I’m sorry if I sound brusque honestly I am. I get an idea and I want to say “hey everyone I’ve had an idea!” so I type out the idea and then see what everyone says -"usually your idea is rubbish". My actual exposition always takes several to many individual posts because the ideas come in bits and I’m slowly putting them together. I admire your ability to put so much together so coherently into a single post.

I do so like my sources to be primary.

I don't think - although I'm not an expert on EU politics by any means - that Germany's familial ties with the House of Hanover Windsor give us any real leverage with them.

I'm not sure but they might.

No, they won't. Not a bit. The Germans do not see the British royal family as being German, perhaps because they're *not* German. They like it when they look pretty (or not, as the case may be) on the cover of glossy magazines, and watch their weddings and funerals on TV, but that's as far as it goes. (And that fascination extends to all European monarchies, not just the Brits.) Monarchs of various nationalities have been marrying into and conquering other countries for millennia. You're the nationality of the country you rule. It's The Law.

Oh OK. You've never lived in the Highlands then. Running water. Check. Electricity (Hydro) Check. Gas. Um? Phone line. Nope. TV Huh? (speaking of me own wee but n ben here. Real all year round Highland people are just as 1st world as the rest of us UK people).

There will always be pockets in first-world countries where amenities are not quite as readily available, like holiday homes. This doesn't negate Fay's argument in any way.

I'm sorry if I sound brusque honestly I am. I get an idea and I want to say hey everyone I've had an idea! so I type out the idea and then see what everyone says.

Zoe: I have to confess that very often I too have no clue as to what you're getting at, while at the same time finding you rather rude. I would respectfully suggest that perhaps you should take a bit more time over your posts, or at least respond politely when other posters take issue with your style.

Oh OK. You've never lived in the Highlands then.

Oh OK. You've never lived in the Highlands then. ;-)

You're the nationality of the country you rule. It's The Law.

Yes, but law adheres to sovereignty, sovereignty does not adhere to law. It's a fine point but still hold within Euope.
The Queen is ABOVE the law as are all other monarchs because the law works FOR the Queen. No-one can sue the Queen, she can't be prosecuted for any offence etc.

Yes, but law adheres to sovereignty, sovereignty does not adhere to law. It's a fine point but still hold within Euope.

I think you may be confusing the person with the post. The person of the Queen has some German ancestry (as well as French ancestry, Dutch ancestry, a Greek husband, etc. etc.). "The sovereign" (Rex/Regina) as used in law is by definition not subject to the considerations of ordinary people, such as what nationality granny was.

On edit: my "It's The Law" was a joke, btw, but the point stands.