Truly British

[Cinder]

''Fix'' Iraq.

 

Seriously now, do you really think that was high on the lists of priority next to the oil and the fact you haven't invaded anywhere for a while?

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I seem to remember Iraq being set up by Britain after WWI as a puppet gov to gain oil. Your old king technically started this mess.

 

To situpking: I too love a good argument, its so hard to find someone where I live without a completely biased point of view.

[doc_newstead]

I seem to remember Iraq being set up by Britain after WWI as a puppet gov to gain oil. Your old king technically started this mess.

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You're right. That was directly my fault. And being the only 110-year old on this forum, the weight of that responsibilty weighs heavily on my shoulders...

[ColDaz]

I cant be *albartroth* to argue, but I do think people shouldn't boast about whatever happened that had toss all to do with them, like US coming late to WW2, even if they are directly related to those who it did happen to.

 

Anyway, keep the thread light hearted, I;m goin' bed.

[Rob15]

no, i approve of you trying to fix iraq, but untill you can do it on your own, with out the sas holding your hand and showing you the way in, you not allowed to boast.

( ok, ive realised im being really un freindly to everyone. so please note, nothing i say is serious.. i just love a good argument.

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Why do we always help people in thier wars, why? because we are british

 

also i am noticing the thread which was my idea is becoming very popular

[doc_newstead]

Anyway, keep the thread light hearted, I;m goin' bed.

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Sledge!!!!

 

We need two fruitcages and a joke about Havoc_Man's sexuality, stat!

[Cinder]

I cant be *albartroth* to argue, but I do think people shouldn't boast about whatever happened that had toss all to do with them, like US coming late to WW2, even if they are directly related to those who it did happen to.

 

Anyway, keep the thread light hearted, I;m goin' bed.

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Col is right, not many countries could hold their own, mostly, against the axis and central powers for two wars for a few years

[ColDaz]

Well, Havoc does have 2 *albartroth* holes, which is a sure sign of .. well.

 

Plus, ''Hold back the barbarians!''

 

 

 

 

 

Guess the quote, win a Brit of the Thread Award.

[Spedz]

if i'm not mistaken is a monty python/or black adder goes back and fourth?

[Sledge]

Dunno about Blackadder, but I fear something was going forth up Havoc.

 

That do you, Doc?

 

[Spedz]

[Crazy_Harry]

n ot meaning to start world war three, but turning up late to both world wars is a little different to kicking over a tinpot dictatorship based on criminally inept intelligence.

 

point taken though- you're right. Put yourself at the top and you're gonna get your bum bit, no matter what you do.

 

back on track:

 

being truly british? cynicism. end of story. Since being in the states I've worked out this is what I miss most of all, more than anything else. More than decent pubs, more than Balti houses, more than the BBC news, more than quality newspapers (but only just).

 

no-one else does understated cyncism better than the british. If thats something to be proud of, and I think it is, then I suggest we all get an OBE, just for the pure, cynical fun of it.

[Cinder]

I do believe anything you say has already been said by Eddy Izzard, the greatest Britainian only second to Churchill.

[pace]

to be truely british, you will be standing next to your trusty landrover with labrador at your side tweed on your back and shutgun in arm

[Hissing_Sid]

I once read a book about this stuff and the author came to the conclusion that the fundamental, key criteria for "britishness" was basically the ability to be chilled out and act unflustered in the face of anything.

 

for example:

When some yank comes up and starts prattling on about invading some ay-rab country or other just exhale cigarette smoke slowly in his face and explain (in a bored voice) "My dear chap, we were invading countries before your ancestors even had a country."

Equally, when some smelly, greasy European is prattling on excitedly about a new invention you simply remind them where, exactly, the industrial and scientific age actually began. Once again, using a bored voice is paramount.

 

Basically, somebody should start printing T-shirts with a Union Jack on and a motto underneath which says something like "Yeah, yeah. Been there, done that."

 

Read "The Boomer Bible" for further details. Specifically, the Book Of Brits.

[DarkLite]

A calm and reasonable knowledge that you are from the finest country on Earth.

 

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Quite bloody right.

 

I think the definitve British-ness trait is the ability to take anything in stride with a cool attitude.

 

"Sir, I seem to be missing my leg."

 

Actual quote from Nepoleanic wars, after the soldier in question had his leg blown off by a cannon.

[Xaccers]

I think the biggest mistake americans make when travelling abroad is not telling everyone they're canadians

 

Seriously though, it's to complain when we know it won't do any good, like we have fuel at nearly £4 a gallon (that's proper Imperial Gallon btw), and not complain when it would help, like in a restaurant when you're brought a well done steak when you asked for medium rare.

 

Taking politeness to the extreme when abroad, which is why we're so liked in middle eastern countries, even despite recent events, they're able to differenciate between a Brit and Tony B liar.

 

Most of all, really knowing how great we are so we don't have to spend time trying to convince ourselves and everyone else in the world

[destrukto]

to be a Brit...

 

knowing that you drive on the opposite side of the road from the rest of civilization just because your stubborn..

 

to know that the Frenchies are essentially yours in any war

 

to know that without the British army America would be FRANCE... ungrateful colonists

 

to know that while America might have all this fancy ######.. they still haven't figured out how to make beer, something the Brits have known for centuries...

 

Australia and Canada turned out pretty nice eh?

[Xaccers]

to be a Brit...

 

knowing that you drive on the opposite side of the road from the rest of civilization just because your stubborn..

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Useless fact #1

 

Us Brits drive on the correct side of the road because the Prince Regent was fed up with the congestion on Regent's bridge, so decreed that all carriges shall travel on the left.

Americans, being long time Francophiles (oh how things have changed!) followed their ways, which in turn came from that diminutive Corsican; Napoleon (who us Brits defeated btw)

 

Oh and another thing to be british is to be totally home with a manual gearbox. Don't know how americans cope with automatics, far too complicated for my liking!

 

Useless fact #2

 

Canada means "village" in one of the native tribes' languages

 

Useless fact #3

 

Until the americans wiped them out, there was a native tribe who spoke a form of welsh

[Shin_Kudo]

Gotta love British understatement. Referring to a 5,000 mile wide ocean as "the pond" is one of my favorite, if very tired examples. I was brought up around a lot of Brits and Scots, so I am sorta biased towards the UK over my own homeland, at times. I actually talked like you guys, too, from my first words until about the time I started school and it became akward. Still drift into a light Scotish accent on occasion, though....

 

But.... fixing Iraq? We fixed Iraq like you fix a flat tyre with a hammer.

[hk_chick]

( ok, ive realised im being really un freindly to everyone. so please note, nothing i say is serious.. i just love a good argument.

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True - he is an agumentative s*d

 

when you boys are done aguing about wars, I'll pop round the corner shop in me slippers for some milk then make us all a nice cup of tea....

[orange]

Britain has not been successfully invaded since 1066 thats 939 years. by the way i am not British. i am Ulster-British!

[gazchap]

Us Brits drive on the correct side of the road because the Prince Regent was fed up with the congestion on Regent's bridge, so decreed that all carriges shall travel on the left.

Actually, as far as I know we drive on the left because Britain at the time was a feudal and often violent society (arguably no different to today then ) and because most people were right handed, driving on the left gives good opportunities for duelling and jousting.

 

Or something like that.

 

I think that being British is about sarcasm. It is that one concept that most Americans seem totally incapable of grasping. I'll never forget the conversation I had with a Yank in the local park a few years ago. It was a fairly overcast day - not sunny by any means, but not too gloomy either.

 

I got chatting to this guy and his wife sitting next to me and it soon became apparent they were American. I said "Lovely weather today, eh?" in the tone of voice that to a Brit is instantly sarcastic, and they gave me a puzzled look and said "No, we're used to much nicer weather than this in California!"

 

I felt like rolling my eyes.

[Rob15]

Actually, as far as I know we drive on the left because Britain at the time was a feudal and often violent society (arguably no different to today then ) and because most people were right handed, driving on the left gives good opportunities for duelling and jousting.

 

Or something like that.

 

I think that being British is about sarcasm. It is that one concept that most Americans seem totally incapable of grasping. I'll never forget the conversation I had with a Yank in the local park a few years ago. It was a fairly overcast day - not sunny by any means, but not too gloomy either.

 

I got chatting to this guy and his wife sitting next to me and it soon became apparent they were American. I said "Lovely weather today, eh?" in the tone of voice that to a Brit is instantly sarcastic, and they gave me a puzzled look and said "No, we're used to much nicer weather than this in California!"

 

I felt like rolling my eyes.

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Some people just don't get sarcasm someone i know is really sarcastic, so much to the point where if he fell over walking to school he would say

"ah, what a lovely day it is"

 

And a month back i was talking to someone i know called john who happens to be scottish about the jumps he built and he said

"oh, i used to love it dovn trentham, i allways used to be down there, broke my arm, knocked 4 teeth out, broke my leg, Oh it was great fun"

 

 

Something else that is truly british is Doctor Who, n one else could come up with somthing like that

[Redcap]

In addition to the fine points made above, I've found that the ability to look down ones' nose at someone, and comment acidically that they're being a little bit silly, is a fine art perfected only by us, the best nation on Earth, the British

 

Oh, and Shin_Kudo? yep. That's why British Engineers are best.

 

"This looks complicated. I need a bigger hammer"

[ColDaz]

Lets sum up.

 

What really makes Great Britain and its inhabitants Great is:

 

- You need to queue orderly (on pain of death)

- Phone ahead before turning up at someones house, by at leastan hour (on pain of death)

- We have the ability to put our flag on other peoples flags.

- We have bulldogs .

- And are in possession of ''A calm and reasonable knowledge that you are from the finest country on Earth.'' (but Wales isn't really a country, so doesn't count.)

- Knowing that the above does not count for Americans as well.

- We have many mindlessly drunk alcoholics.

- The ability to ''maintain your stiff upper lip''.

- ''Always having your trusty gun near to shoot people who turn up at your house has a bandana made of old clothes''

- ''we had largest empire'' ''we ruled many countries''

- TEA! We invented the holiest of holy inventions. No coffee for us!

- We founded Australia and Canada. Who are by extention great in their own little way.

- They also had the sense to declare independance. Good breeding that.

- Also, Cinder can't claim any British Glory.

- We invented curry. Oh yes.

- ''i shall just remind you that pervy comments from members of a nation that turned up late to both world wars and then just went dancing, shall be ignored.'' Speaks for itself really.

- ''To me, what makes Britain great is the fact that we're not that big, not that rich, not that well armed, and basically a league behind America. Yet our actors, scientists, authors, politicians, soldiers, directors and culture are, pretty much, very well known internationally.''

- No American has 'fixed' Iraq. End of story. And they needed the SAS to hold their hands the whole way. Plus, we are invited to all other peoples wars - ''coz we're 'ard innit''.

- The slagging off for days on end - oh I love this country.

- We *get* sarcasm. Half of my daily speech is made up of sarcasm. I'm sure we invented that too. Just like the cat.

- Cynicism makes up the other half of my speech. We invented that too.

- All that Hissing Sid said. We did it first. And we can make beer. REAL beer. (spits on an armalite)

- We can drive on the correct side of the road and understand the concept of a roundabout (rolls eyes).

- So polite we are loved almost everywhere.

- The French literally are ours. Nothing more to say.

- ''to know that without the British army America would be FRANCE... ungrateful colonists'' Thats right, bow down.

- Understatement-ness. Thats great.

- TEA! Did I mention tea!? And real beer!

- Britain has not been successfully invaded since 1066 thats 939 years.

- We also have Doctor Who. How do you beat that, hey?

 

And, how could we forget, we have Arnies Airsoft. Co dot ->*UK*<-