Are you proud to be British ?

Very funny and apt, though

rosequartz - agree about going slightly off op

I had to refer back to the OP after reading the last few posts as I forgot what itnwas all about.

But in fact they are interesting and relevant because they are about men colonising and invading other people's space. Which, if applied historically, is probably why the majority of us are not pure-bred anything and are a mix of backgrounds.

janeainsworth - I suspect many men colonise space in the home, studies, desks, any available surface in fact. I like to keep the kitchen table clear - it's a great clear space for himself to come in after work, and put down his newspaper, telephone, car keys, diary, empty lunch box, even work bag on occasion. On non work days, it can be any kind of useful implement, screw drivers, bicycle tyre repair kit, newspapers, the several books he's reading at any one time.

I'm sure there are probably others Galen but the family code prevents me from alluding to them

One advantage of living on my own!

We have a small study but fortunately it has room for two desks and two computers. For some reason MrA likes to sit at my desk and at my computer, and leave bits of paper that he has scribbled important notes on, documents related to his boat and the sailing club, and his computer glasses, and occasionally even his beanie, on it.
I just gather all the debris up and transfer it to his desk.
Then when I am asked the inevitable question 'Have you seen that bit of paper I left somewhere?' it means the entire house does not have to be turned upside down in the ensuing search.
Sorry, gone off topic

Muddled sentence. You get the idea: I file paperwork; he doesn't.

He's trying to blame me for tidying up and chucking them out by mistake – like I never look in envelopes that are lying about without checking their contents first. Humph. If he'd given them to me to look after they wouldn't have got lost. He knows this, the blighter (but not very; I've learned to take his disorganisedness in my stride).

I will live in hope then, g23

That sounds like an Aldi advert, jings.

Sorry to go a bit off topic but 'Don't Panic' Bags. We also have bought Commonwealth Games tickets but they have not yet been issued. All we have is an e.mail confirming the booking and that the money was received.

Good. I like Wales too. And Scotland.

I can understand Scotland wanting independence. But it would bugger up mess up their economy. And it would n't be great for ours.

Nothing whatsoever!

I feel English before "British". What's wrong with that?

Like that one, Aka!

Here's a better one!

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.”
― Albert Einstein

What a horrible quote.

The majority of us are not pure-bred.

I realise that the idea of an independent Scotland is important to you. That's fine. I accept that you have a different point of view. I am simply stating mine, and agreeing with Einstein that "nationalism is an infantile disease; it is the measles of mankind".

Sorry, g23, I thought a did answer your question. My answer, concerning weird only, was that I think Scottish (or welsh or english) nationalism is weird. It seems weird to me because I feel British rather than English. I always have even before I had the reasons of one half Welsh child and two half Scottish children to feel it. We are a British family, not an English or a Welsh or a Scottish one. We also have some Irish blood, southern Irish. Separating the countries just feels weird when they are so conjoined in so many ways.

Still no answer to my question - I am not holding my breath.
Perhaps I should also ask what for views on the Right to Self Determination - by peaceful democratic referendum - what is wrong with that?

A wee aside to Galen - A commission of learned professors, commissioned by the Scottish Government determined that a currency union would be in the best interests of RUK as well as iScotland in preference to the other available options. The same view has been affirmed by various international experts. Two weeks ago an anonymous Westminster cabinet Minister leaked a statement claiming that the 'No to Currency Union' position was a campaigning tactic and that if there was a YES vote, that position would then become a flexible negotiating tool. Subsequently it has been revealed that any advice from the Treasury was given AFTER all 3 main parties had stated their absolute opposition to the idea i.e. they were asked to find some arguments to back up a political decision, not to give impartial advice as the Treasury of a currently United Kingdom. On the other hand, the Governor of the Bank of England stated clearly that a currency union might pose some difficulties but was do-able and that it was not for him to recommend for or against the proposition.

On holiday last week and without internet connection I read (free) paper copies of the Independent and Guardian and found that their 'take' on many issues was diametrically opposed to the same stories in say the Herald (my usual paper) or even the very anti-independence Scotsman. I do not agree that all the nations of the UK are politically,socially and culturally the same - quite the opposite.

I remember arguments about internationalism with my (much loved) dad when I was in my teens and twenties. During that period, I longed for borders to be open, and for people to communicate properly and avoid war. there's a big chunk of me that continues to yearn for this utopia, but I increasingly value the fact we are British, or English, Scottish, Welsh, NI, and Irish. I continue to wish we'd appreciate each other more, and I agree with earlier posters in having a fear of excessive nationalism. There are far more positives about our shared history, than negatives.
There is a good article in the Observer today, about the Scottish independence issue. The writer talked to many people in various parts of England. He reports that all the people in the north he spoke to, could understand why the Scotts may vote for independence. They wanted independence from London as well, and felt if Scotland gained independence, that my spur the northern regions on to demand some form of northern independence from London parliament, which doesn't represent them (us!)

I read the other day that due to the rapid increase in the internationalism of everything from trade to travel aided by the spread of common languages, the days of the nation state may well be limited. Would that be a good thing?

Thank you, aka. It appears I was misinformed.