Totally agree Stan. Said I wouldn't add fuel but here's a log. Royal wedding 1981. Couldn't stand the thought of all the media hype and wondered where I could hide for the duration. That's it, I thought, Paris; they won't put up with all that **** there... Booked a hotel near my uncle's place in Asnieres. Spent my days with the marvellous old guy drinking, smoking, playing cards and backgammon... Come THE day, he had the telly on the ****ing wedding from dawn till dusk. He was mesmerised with all the pageantry. Couldn't pull him away!! As for Col's notion of the French. They're a particular breed, those people BUT believe me, extremely warm and very interesting when you get up close.
Very true Pete. But the US President at the time was a Democrat. I can't think of much good ever having been done by a right wing maniac in power. Had that of been Reagan or someone at the time, they would've said let them sink or swim: Survival of the fittest. Funny how most of these Free-Marketers use that phrase so often when most of them don't even believe in evolution. Smashing post. A lot of its down to our Moderators letting it flow.
But mostly it's down to the type of people who choose to back them Rs year in year out, rather than indulge the safer options!
I think the joke itself is history. I was first sent it a few years ago during the Iraq war when US/French relations were at rock bottom and the Americans had re-named 'french fries' as 'freedom fries'. There was something going on with google at the time where if you typed in 'French military victories' it said: 'don't you mean French military defeats'. They're all friends again now of course; last time out in Libya, the French and Americans shared the plaudits (with Britain).
I completely agree with you on this one, Swords. I would go one further, however, by saying that not much good has been done by any maniac in power. Or did you mean that any right-winger in power is, by definition, a maniac?
Thought my last would be argued with - usually is. I guess I know too many people who voted for Thatcher. Just to be pedantic - and I DO understand your point Swords - Lincoln was a Republican. (Sounds like I want a row - I don't honest!)
For the record I think Brix and Goldhawk do a great job and only step in when needed unlike some mods on other forums who act very Hitler like!
Correct. Indeed he was Pete but they were the Liberals then. I know its not as black and white as this but the two big parties in the US basically swapped sides over a period of post WW2 - the late 60's. If you check out a map of Blue States/Red States its almost perfectly flipped over. The Dems used to have all the South and none of the North. Now its the total opposite. But as I say, there are many shades of grey between those two parties. The way I see it, the modern Democratic party is pro business, pro rich and not much else. The Republicans are far right Wacko's who are seriously crazy people. There's no left / Liberal alternative in the USA.
Thanks Swords. My knowledge of 1950s internal American politics is not good enough. I'll take my own advice and read some books!
Pete although this thread has gone slightly away from my intended point I do reccomend you read Noam chomsky's book, 'deterring democracy' written at the time of the first Gulf War Very enlightening although swords will have Chomsky down as some guardian reading liberal...
Great thread and some very interesting reading lads, helping me while away another boring shift at work.
Like most of us I have searched and live with a person who embraces every new spiritual marketeer I am simply a Yin Yang man Rotate the symbol it's unique A balance white/black with one side sometimes on top but never out weighing the other in the big picture Both parents dead by early illness A couple of suicides A couple of relationship blow outs 3 sons 1 unknown Made a few quid lost and spent a lot more I gave my families money to my sister ...never seen her since Gave everything away once Best thing I did ...Yet now I have everything Sometimes **** happens Who are you going to call? Today its Bon Iver and plans on my final French return to watch my sons make exactly the same mistakes You can read as many books as you like ... I have ... In the end it's all inside all of us anyway
