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

21 Irony does not mean 'made of iron' [yes yes apologies to Mr T. Pratchett]

It is a sad fact, but a true one, that Lloyd Grossman used to be the lead singer in an 80's punk band.

Really? Wow!

Isn't he Canadian? Or is that someone else... I'm confused now. He's weird, wherever he's from. If he wasn't, he wouldn't have agreed to do Through the Keyhole.

The ulimate reply to the Revocation:

Citizens of the UK may feel free to criticise the democracy of the United States as soon as they have one of their own.

* doubles over with laughter *

Democracy? As if anyone has one of those!

* rolls on the floor in hysterics *

yes - there was a forum a while back where we catalogued (cataloged? it doesn't work!!) the different English spellings. As far as I know, Canada picks and chooses from both bags.

I shall include it in my index on the British English forum - due to come out some time this week. Which forum am I in here? No idea! Will post it here, too, if necessary.

(Having vehemently said I don'd need smileys, I now find this little fella creeping into all my postings.)

catalogged?

What, you mean, based on the oh so efficient and democratic system that has worked so well chez soi. Yes indeed. That's a good plan. At least we can choose between 'right' and 'left', rather than 'very right' and 'a bit less right, but still really rather right when you think about it'

On a related theme - given that all these countries have intependence days (US) or devolution days (Scotland) how is it that those still in England don't choose a day in honour of the fact that they had them in the Empire to begin with...that's about 30 "dependence" days, a couple of "volution" days... we need never work again.

I do seem to remember an Empire Day, or a Commonwealth Day, something like that (not as a holiday though, more's the pity). Can anyone confirm?

Oh no no no. We can't do that. It's dreadfully un PC. Ugh! Reminding people that we have a...history. Dear Mr Blair couldn't possibly allow that. What would people think of him then?

Anyway. Who'd care? Who's even aware when the Battle Of Britain was? Certainly not anyone actually british. Yes, that's right, more people think that it was in 1066 than 1939-40.

But I'm not bitter

Easy, easy. Just repeat the words to A Song of Patriotic Prejudice to yourself and you'll feel better.

With me, now: "The English, the English, the English are best..."

Ummmm - sorry but, what is the Battle of Britain?

confused history student

They made a film of it.

"When history books are written they will say of this chapter: This was their finest hour"
Either (a) The heroics of a few brave pilots prevented the Luftwaffe gaining total domination of the air over Britain and thus allowing the invasion to go ahead or (b) The disasterous tactical change from day bombing of the airfields to night bombing of London prevented the Luftwaffe gaining total domination of the air over Britain and thus allowing the invasion to go ahead.

I fear this is very far off thread, mind you.

The trouble with calling it the Battle of Britain is that it could be lots of things. Should have a more specific name. But how can people get it confused with the Battle of Hastings? Honestly, that's so silly. And what with all the anniversaries of it and such you can't get away from it these days.

How can anyone not know?

Because they don't teach us triumphal British history in Britain any more.
Like someone said, it's not pc


(i do know really)

When Churchill coined the phrase the Battle of Britain, he meant the battle in general terms rather then just the airwar. The specific use of the phrase came later. You have to remember it in the social context of the 20s and 30s, when popular culture and pulp fiction had preached that in the next war the horrors would come from the sky. in fact there was a fairly horrific book entitled just that "They came from the sky".

whoops - got to remember I am no longer a student of military history. *beats tragically on the door of her old uni tutor "Take me back - I have seen the outside world and I want to come back"*

*running away from war history books*
Care to swop Abi ?

yes please!