Going back a bit, an interesting consequence of Britain's historic connection with Hanover was that in WW1 British and Hanoverian troops sometimes fought each other under regimental standards which commemorated their joint participation in the defense of Gibraltar against the French and Spanish (1778-1783). (When Bismark unified Germany in 1871 he let the Hanoverian regiments, now incorporated in the German army, retain their battle honours).
When the Kaiser heard in 1915 that his cousin George II had changed the British royal family's name to Windsor, he made one of his jokes: "I can't wait for the next performance of 'The Merry Wives of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha'".
Good article in the International Herald - Tribune.
And Heather, since it reports that only 53% of the French want the Coalition to win the war, your friend may have some 'splanin to do to more than just "cowboys".
Meaning, of course they can have their opinions and all that, but they may want to think them through a little more carefully now. People that I know who are pro-war are beginning to watch enough coverage that they know why the French feel the way they do and they don't mind as much because a) they don't expect anything else and b) democracies can disagree on things and still be friends.
But if the "Axis of Weasels" (snerk) gets a rep as being not only opposed to the war but actively rooting for Saddam's regime to continue, that won't help its cause at all. A lot of their moral force has come from the idea that being anti-war doesn't mean they support Saddam. If they start openly supporting him in a fit of anti-Americanism, they'll lose it.
BTW, when the hell did "cowboy" become a synonym for homicidal tactless maniac? Sheesh.
Off to work, see you in twelve hours!
the various friendly fire deaths of UK troops,
Is a real issue here.
Edit: WF current Angel spoilery.* It is an issue we could address/ is being addressed in the Angel thread re: Cordy/ Gunn character assassination and Cordy under fire at the close of current episode.*
Please forgive. The issue is being addressed.
And, incidentally, screw you.
Jim, there's really no call to be rude. Please.
Look, there are thousands of places on the net to debate the Iraq war. I've used them myself, quite a lot. Everyone, please leave the Buffistas forum to us silly but amiable geeks.
So, if there is an unwanted draft will the Aussies split for New Zealand the way the Americans split for Canada?
Trudy, this snippet from an Australian independent media newsletter was in response to a tongue in cheek question as to whether we should just give in and become new states of the USA. However I'd say that you'd get much the same in response to your question.
Lets join Canada they seem a better bunch than the Yanks, and they are members of the Commonwealth. Imagine how we would pummel every other Commonwealth nation in the 2006 Comm. Games right here in good old Melbourne. After all, there are quite a large number of accented Australians, so what difference would 31 Million more accented people make? Plus their health-care system is great, all those French lessons some of us did in high school would be put to good use.
On the map quiz I got all the ME and all the 'stans, I struggled with a few of the middly Africa ones. This is really good because it means that my geography knowledge on these areas has improved out-of-sight over the last few years but I realised as I was doing it that I probably wouldn't score half as well with map of the USA. I must rectify this situation and get a decent atlas.
I probably wouldn't score half as well with map of the USA
What, you think you're expected to know where all the states are?? Dude, place the country, know NY is on one side and California on the other, and I think that's good enough if you don't live here...(Lord knows I couldn't put the Australian states (provinces? whatever) on a map...I know the names of most of them, but. I'd do OK with Canada, but that's becuase it's *right there*)
