Riots in Oakland

[Captain Oates 910]

Ta muchly, Six.

The reality is that I love this country and the things that I would need to make it the place I want it to be are nigh on impossible, and not something that can be agitated for through political change. Can you bring me an English May? Can you bring the village pub to me? An autumn night in Scotland. My friends. My family over there. A (slightly) less consumerist society. BBC Four. The NHS. Lying back on a punt on the Isis in June. There is something ineffable about the longing I feel for all of this and it cannot be recreated over here, nor would I want it to be.

There is a German word for this emotion -- Sehnsucht -- a sense of longing for something gone, that we cannot readily identify or pin down. One is aware that one is longing for something, and it is this feeling of discomfort and loss that I feel on occasion. I have a feeling it is connected to Britain, but I cannot be sure; it could just as easily be for years and experiences gone by.

I didn't know you were ineffable ? I thought they were under 16 - or under 18 in some States

[elmcitymaven 9,711]

I didn't know you were ineffable ? I thought they were under 16 - or under 18 in some States

No, I'm completely effable.

[Captain Oates 910]

No, I'm completely effable.

I want this guys name when I naturalise

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_of_Effingham

[elmcitymaven 9,711]

I note with interest that the current heir apparent is close to my age, and crucially, English. I totally want to be the next Countess of Effingham.

[Captain Oates 910]

I note with interest that the current heir apparent is close to my age, and crucially, English. I totally want to be the next Countess of Effingham.

The most effable Countess of Effingham - a certain ring to it..

Better than being the mayoress of:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rude_Britain

Edited July 12, 2010 by saywhat

[elmcitymaven 9,711]

The most effable Countess of Effingham - a certain ring to it..

Better than being the mayoress of:

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Rude_Britain

Well, I've certainly called enough people that in my day, sans the title.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

We are not allowed to speak of Social Darwinism!

"Social Darwinism" is B/S!

It was a thinly veiled attempt by racists in the 1800s to use Darwin's theories to support their own claims that some races are naturally more deceitful or less intelligent that "White Folks".

[Heracles 417]

"Social Darwinism" is B/S!

It was a thinly veiled attempt by racists in the 1800s to use Darwin's theories to support their own claims that some races are naturally more deceitful or less intelligent that "White Folks".

Strange how this racism argument goes out the window when it comes to sport or singing amongst other things. Then we are all for identifying and talking about genetic differences.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Strange how this racism argument goes out the window when it comes to sport or singing amongst other things. Then we are all for identifying and talking about genetic differences.

Who is "we"

[Captain Oates 910]

"Social Darwinism" is B/S!

It was a thinly veiled attempt by racists in the 1800s to use Darwin's theories to support their own claims that some races are naturally more deceitful or less intelligent that "White Folks".

A yorkshire saying is :

' Clogs to clogs in three generations'

Poor guy has a kid who makes it - then his kids turn out to be spendthrifts and it's all gone...

It is interesting in a Darwinian and genetics way because if it is genes that make people stupid or spendthrifts, then hundreds of years ago this would have dictated that they were less likely to survive - tripping up, banging into treees, not saving food etc

Evolution would have favoured the intelligent

Now we have the intelligent on the pill and carefully planning their lives while the unintelligent are breeding like mice on acid.

Is it therefore the case that evolution is running backward ?

As all modern humans are cro-magnons from 100,000 years ago (very recent) - or 6,000 years ago if you come from Oklahoma, we can assume all races are the same and they are.

[Ban Hammer 12,853]

... like US folks are simply more blood thirsty than your European cousins

at least when american soccer fans show up, that country does not need to mobilize their national guard.

Edited July 12, 2010 by charles!

[mawilson 2,133]

the fact that guns have not made America safer and actually resulted in the opposite.

You'd think so, but crime statistics disagree with you.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

Strange how this racism argument goes out the window when it comes to sport or singing amongst other things. Then we are all for identifying and talking about genetic differences.

Just because you believe that the basketball star is so good due to the color of his skin don't limit me to that mindset.

I recognize that he probably spent more time playing basketball than I did and based on where he lived basketball or football may have been his best bet at improving his financial and social opportunities in adulthood which would have been a big motivation for him to devote a lot of time to developing the required skills.

His skill has no genetic basis but might have a social basis which is not what "Social Darwinism" claimed.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

You'd think so, but crime statistics disagree with you.

That rather depends on how you interpret statistics. I was looking at it the other day and not only does the US have 3-4 times murder rate of the UK, but the majority of murders are committed with handguns.

[Captain Oates 910]

at least when american soccer fans show up, that country does not need to mobilize their national guard.

That's coz they are all in Aghanistan getting IEdeed indeed...

I once got stoned at a UK football match

That was in the days when that meant people throwing stones at you.

Actually I got stoned in the middle of the road when I was a hossifer - good job I didn't have my Glock then eh ?

Heaps of bodies - the hossifer has discretion in self defence and all that

I just took 2 steps towards em and they ran away. That's the English way.

Edited July 12, 2010 by saywhat