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

small typo changes made.

Don't think the word" anexed" would be a good idea - to negative and politically charged, changed it to incorporated though.

WRT Welsh Assembly, changed this and added a footnote to a BBC itome writen prior to the Assembly listing the powers.

On the taxation issue - this was important at the time as the Scots were given the choice of allowing their devolved parliament to have the powers, whereas the Welsh weren't even given the option.

"unless this is a Jersey-Anglesy thing." think you may have your islands mixed up here.

Still not sure over a title.

CHawke

How about "The difference between (Great) Britain and the United Kingdom" - the 'Great' possibly being unneccessary - or maybe 'British Isles' instead of 'Great Britain'.

Pimms

mmm still a bit too narrow.

"The United Kingdom defined"

Too boring

"All you ever wanted to know about the United Kingdom but were afraid to ask"

Too silly and wide.

"United Kingdom - what is it?"

Mmmm

Not easy

CHawke

"Elucidation on the United Kingdom"

Jersey-Anglesey thing???

Although 'annexed' is negative and politically charged, it's also true - we did, after all, basically invade Ireland, annex it and bleed it dry for as long as we could get away with.

And I'm an Englishman - who knows what terms an Irishman would want to use?

I'm sure some Irish residents would use terms like "liberated from papist domination" or something equally offensive - I think I will stick with my words and let anyone add their views to the discussion thread.

Cheers all.

CHawke

Hello

Haven't had chance to read the backlog, and sorry if I have missed this in the entry, but have you thought of mentioning the union jack, and how it is an amalgimation of the english and scotish flags (I believe)?

Researcher PSG

This might be useful

http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page398.asp

Researcher PSG

Interesting link PSG.

I have always seen that the 'jack' frown from the bow of a Navy ship started as 'the Jack Tar's' flag, Jack tar being a name for the common sailor and the reason it is only flown in port is because at sea the sailors do not have the rights that they enjoy in port.

BTW the US also uses a jack aboard ships which consists of the stars on a blue field identical to the cannon of the 'stars and stripes'. if is flown on Navy and Coast Guard ships in port and my be used by merchant ships and yachts in port on Sundays and holidays.

F S

The Union Jack is only flown from a boat - when flown elsewhere it's the Union Flag.

It also has the cross of St Patrick on the flag, but nothing from Wales

A couple of things. You don't need the question mark at the end of the second sentence.

Plus, i don't understand this sentence:

'Attempts have also been made to leave the United Kingdom - the World War Two naval fort of Sealand (originally called Roughs Tower), which being situated 7 miles off the mainland coast (out from the Thames estuary) is further than the 3 miles off official territorial waters - it is therefore considered in international waters.'

Leave the UK? Please explain a bit more!

Sealand has made a unilateral declaration of independence, i.e. it has chosen to leave the United Kingdom.

Will anyone notice?

not sure, I think the Germans did they sent an Ambassador once. All very "Passport to Pimlico" isn't it

Gosh, that's going back a long way. Classic b&w film (starring Jack Warner?).

OFF TOPIC

Cast overview, first billed only:
Stanley Holloway .... Arthur Pemberton
Betty Warren .... Connie Pemberton
Barbara Murray .... Shirley Pemberton
Paul Dupuis .... Duke of Burgundy
John Slater .... Frank Huggins
Jane Hylton .... Molly Reed
Raymond Huntley .... Mr. W.P.J. Wix
Philip Stainton .... P.C. Spiller
Roy Carr .... Benny Spiller
Sydney Tafler .... Frederick Albert 'Fred' Cowan
Nancy Gabrielle .... Mrs. Cowan
Michael Knight .... Monty Cowan
Hermione Baddeley .... Edie Randall
Roy Gladdish .... Charlie Randall
Frederick Piper .... Jim Garland

more at http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0041737/

Crown Dependencies

"in the Isle of Man it is as the Lord of Man"
should be "Lord of Mann"


From http://www.royal.gov.uk

"In fulfilling its responsibilities to the Islands, the Crown acts through the Privy Council, on the recommendation of Ministers in their capacity of Privy Counsellors. The Home Secretary, as a Privy Counsellor rather than a government Minister, has prime responsibility for matters relating to the Islands."

Did Ireland have parliamentary representatives at any time between being conquered and its inclusion in the nation's name?

Jersey-Angelesy: I seem to remember that certain of the Crown Dependencies don't have administration for all of the things one would expect a sovereign nation to have, in particular, the Bureau D'Etranger from Jersey also operates on Angelesy. Was I wrong? In any case, it seemed odd to me that St Helena could have dependencies of it's own, and I was wondering why it was written that way.

"I was wondering why it was written that way"

Because St Helena has dependencies of it's own (Ascension and Tristan da Cunha)