h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

With the Kaiser's bad grace i take it you mean his saying "Macht doch Euern S****ß alleine!" That phrase has become a bit of a standard phrase.
Is very comprehensive, and what i specially like is that it comes out that WWI and WWII were a unity, that is my understanding as well.

If I had known THAT phrase, I may have used it! How would it translate it? Literally, or just leave it as 'bad grace'. I have my own ideas about that.

This 'continuation' is a theme that a number of historians have taken up. I have always considered the events of 1933-1945 as unfinished business and, given the treatment of Germany after WW1 it is understandable if not enevitable. Anyway we're all friends now, although recent events may not have gone down well in the British Press.

Thanks for the comments.

It's a bit difficult to translate and maintain the distinctive atmospere of the prase, i have given it thought, but not come up with something i like. Anything along the line of "F***k yourself" would captivate the essence i'd say

I have the hope that a lot of the remaining loose ends can be cleared up with the EU, hopefully to everybody's satisfaction. That's another reason why i'm a European first, and a German second.

About recent events, what i find important is that one can disagree while respecting each other, then assess the situation as it presents itself and try to solve it best without any "I told you so" ... "It's all your fault" ..."If you had ... hadn't" ...

I'm afraid we (the Brits) are finding aspects of the EU a little frightening. The spectre of central control is not finding favour on this small, crowded island mainly because we are a small, crowded ISLAND. We still have quite insular trains of thought.

I can quite understand the continental nations wanting more secure boundries on the basis of negotiation and common laws. A fence is not the same as a natural barrier, as I'm sure you will agree, unless you make it high, wide and surrounded by mines, and even then it is still only a human statement.

The English Channel (La Manche, Das Kanal) is a rather more formidable barrier, rather like the Alps. We grew up for generations without serious invasion, protected by a wide stretch of water. We gained a sort of unity by 1800. Looking across the waters, we were protected from Napoleon, Bismark and Lenin and didn't like what we saw. I fear it will take more than legislation to change the habits of an island nation.

Having said that, I have been travelled and lived in Northern Europe, crossing borders and using national currencies. I'm a little bit sad that Deutschmarks, francs and guilden have gone, but I know that the people living along the old national borders won't be too sorry to see them go. Or are they?

To be honest, i'm of two minds about the currency. It was really great to pay with Euros when i was in France or Spain. On the other hand i miss the excitement of foreign coins a little, like you say, guilders, franc, IRP, so exciting.
And my mum says that some of us were making ourselves perfectly intolerable abroad with our mighty posh Deutschmark, and it does us good to be patently no better than anyone else now.
I do think that the countries should participate in the EU to the degree they feel ready to do. That islanders might opt for paddling their own canoe a bit is more than understandable, and i think it's possible to work with that.
As for the central government v. local governments, the US of A have shown how it can be done, their attempts to govern the world in the same way not withstanding.
Talking about the channel, you crossed it yourself in the grey past, didn't you, if you are of Saxon or even Norman descent? Or are you one of the Old Folks, hey? Come now.

My dad is Welsh and they probably crossed too, perhaps on foot. The rest of the family is a mix of Lowland Scots (Angles) and North Yorkshire (a Viking/Welsh mix).

You have to remember that sea travel was not always of Channel Ferry quality. For some of us, anything watery is taboo. My wife can't even step into the car without feeling sick, never mind a rowing boat. Me and the boy couldn't have helped.

Some day, it will all settle. The provoking question is when?

Well i sort of hope that as well, although since Yugoslavia i've become increasingly doubtful about that.
Welsh, is it? Those are deep roots then. Did you ever come across Stonehenge and the Artus-trilogy of Bernard Cornwell? Brillant attempt at the history of early Brittain.

I prefer the real Welsh stories, particularly the Arthur legend. That is very 'lost in time' - we probably won't fingd out the real truth.

The Welsh art is their language. If you want to hear the real thing, go to http://www.red4.co.uk/language.htm My dad is from Mid-Wales and their Welsh isn't pronounced like that. It is said that there is a different sound for Welsh in each valley! It's a bit like Norway.

Nos da! (Good night - in Welsh)

Lookee here, the Kaiser got edited!

Yes.

But without "Macht doch Euern S****ß alleine!"

I wish I'd put THAT in !

Yes then that would have become edited too. I had that mail "Your post has been edited" so i thought now what have i done again, i didn't write anything about That-which-must-not-be-named.
Looks like i can't say S****ß when i want to.

For a German, that would be a nightmare! What would you say in place of 'S****ß,? It has so many uses.

You know it would! I use that word with considerable frequency and zest! It takes all the composure i'm capable off, which isn't much in the best of circs, to refrain in polite or important society.