Ah yes, quite right Bustino. It went on for so long I forgot that we finally paid it all. The Germans got the Marshall Plan, and, financially, we got bugger-all. Sometimes wonder who really won the bloody war?
I read that the USA lent US$4.33 to the UK in 1945. Today that amounts to about US$60 billion. Canada lent US$1.1 billion. About another US$15 billion now. Did the UK actually pay in today's values?
From memory the last payment to the US was about $400million, so there could have been an a inflation figure in there, Also from memory Major attempted to get the US to be reasonable and drop the repayments in 1995-6. No luck I'm aftraid, their strategy to get rid of British influence had to be played (paid) out.
my memory was wrong the last payment was $43million, the last of 50. So looks like we repaid $2150million.
Whilst in continental terms we are geographically European, but as Churchill wrote “we are with Europe but not of it”. So you did already answer your own outraged questions. Clearly my attempts at levity on the topic of Wellington went straight over your head. He spent most of his military career fighting the Europeans, pretty successfully.
Still black and white QM. When asked on the matter of joining the proposed Federal European system he answered. "We are prepared to consider and, if convinced, to accept the abrogation of national sovereignty, provided that we are satisfied with the conditions and the safeguards… national sovereignty is not inviolable, and it may be resolutely diminished for the sake of all men in all the lands finding their way home together." This marks a big turnabout from the 1930 statement you quoted. Politicians say a lot of things that in time can lead to contradiction. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, PC, DL, FRS, RA was no exception.
That's very interesting, Cyc, but do excuse me if I engage in a bit of levity (not unusual), but old Winston had enough letters after his name to choke a w****, wouldn't you say?
1) It's a ****ing wonder you accept that, as it is a suprise that you are a Geography buff too. 2) What the goddam hell has that got to do with anything? I enjoy a bit of the old levity, but that's a silly comment. Every swinging dick was at war for hundreds of years prior to 1946? Had a few years of peace since then, since spoilt mostly by ill-judged decisions by the USA and the UK, and now, Muslim extremists.
Say, Cyc, my missus just told me that for the next Olympics a U.S. pay-tv company has been awarded the worldwide television rights? My goodness, as much as I love the Olympics, they can stuff it up their Yankee corporative backside if this is true, Where I live we pay enough for a TV licence every year, and that is why I have never, and never will, subscribe to Sky, for example. Heck, there's only so much one can watch on the box, without being drowned in Sky offerings? Sure hope the streaming services are still going strong when the old Olympics come round again.....
Excuse my lack of knowledge in history, geography and popular culture but would Waterloo be sited in 'modern' Wallonia? To return to the source of this thread I hold a copy of the final Sporting Chronicle dated Saturday 23 July 1983. The main headline refers to the chances of Time Charter in the King George VI and the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes.
[QUOTE="bayernkenny, post: ........To return to the source of this thread I hold a copy of the final Sporting Chronicle dated Saturday 23 July 1983. The main headline refers to the chances of Time Charter in the King George VI and the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes.[/QUOTE]Priceless
You know Swanny, I've been well and truly pissed off with Olympic coverage for a long time. The local broadcasters fill the screen with all manner of talking heads who seem intent on boring us all the death. I love sport and watch loads of it on line, but these big occasions have been hijacked and ruined. Thank goodness for streaming. Getting the chance to watch the best sport on the planet for free is a godsend.
Yes, it is just the same here, Cyc, waffle waffle waffle even after an athlete has done nothing of note. Fair enough, but I prefer to watch the athletics. Streaming is indeed a godsend.
Quite right, BK, as I only know the whereabouts of the station had to look-up the famous one in Belgium. Waterloo is a municipality in the province of Walloon Brabant. Somewhere, I've got a copy of the 100th edition of the old "Sporting Life". God only knows where it is though!
SH; was going to make/construct a wisecrack about a reformed ABBA, the EU - Canada trade 'agreement' and Wallonia/Freedonia but life is too short! F..k; it is staring me in the face "Money, Money, Money"
You mentioned Wellington, so I tried to cram a load of Wellington facts into one paragraph – I even got the boots in! As his armies were frequently made up of friendly Europeans fighting against the unfriendly Europeans, perhaps we should consider him a European military genius. Those that think that the European Union or its predecessor the European Economic Community are the reason that there has been no conflict in Europe (other than that resultant from the break-up of Yugoslavia) deserve to be enthralled by it. I have nothing against the European people – not that I know many of them to form an opinion – but I have everything against the European Soviet Socialist Republic, Federal Europe, the United States of Europe and the European Union.
You've done it again QM "I have nothing against the European people." Either you still refuse to admit the reality of being a European, or you're saying that you have nothing against your own people, I hope it's the latter.
Sorry, Ron, dunno how on earth we landed up on this thread, but to carry on: "I have nothing against the European people......" - That is thoroughly decent of you old fellah. However, your are correct inasmuch as you certainly do not know many Europeans, that is quite obvious. "- but I have everything against the European Soviet Socialist Republic, Federal Europe, the United States of Europe and the European Union." - What utter rubbish. Sometimes you sound like an Internet "Nigel Farage", or even "Donald Trump", you really do.
Clearly you appear to be a little lost. Let me give you a recap: Swanny questioned: I responded that he had already given the answer that I would have given – I am British not European. Therefore, I consider my fellow British citizens not to be European. The European continent is a matter of geography not demography. We have teams from Turkey and Israel in European football competitions and neither of them is a European country. I know a couple of Australians that live in Britain but I bet they do not consider themselves British or Australasian.
I think I am being perfectly reasonable. I have not visited the vast majority of EU states, so it would be unreasonable to form a like or dislike for any of their populous in the absence of any first-hand evidence. I will assume, for now, that they are perfectly decent people and wait to be proven wrong (or right). If you are so endeared of the E.U., with its catalogue of continuing failings, you are quite welcome to stay in the E.U. and sink with it. Most of the people of Europe have been failed badly by the yoke of the Eurozone and Federal policy handed down from the Brussels Elite. The free movement of people is proving to be a disaster and the ECB-inspired debt mountain is out of control. I voted for Brexit and I stand wholeheartedly by my decision.
