General Thread For This and That!!....

[maxx]

David you answered the question.I just wanted to know how the average Brit.Felt about Sir Frances Drake today.I knew he didn't lead a perfect life.I was just curious to see if he was as popular now as he was before.I read somewhere that there is a couple of statues in his honor in England.

I read a book a few years ago about seven guys who tried to sail around the world alone.Without stopping to make repairs or take on supplies.Back in 1968.Before there was GPS.big sponsors or thirty million dollar boats.One English man made it all the way.Robert Knox Johnson.After the race Robert was asked who is sailing heroes were and he said Sir Francis Drake.And a guy I think was named something like wilchester.

In the sailing community around the world.Robert Knox Johnson is still a hero.He does speaking engagements.Is a official on the around the world race.He has written a couple of books on sailing.He even raced a couple of more times.With different partners.He never got close to finishing in the top ten.But he is still a hero in the sailing community.

Like I mentioned before some heroes loose there luster after time.It doesn't look like Robert Johnson or Sir Francis Drake has lost there luster.


Some hero's even gain in popularity.Take Abraham Lincoln for example.16Th president of the United States.He barely won the presidential election.Was hugely unpopular in the North and the south.Different people tried to assassinate him on 5 different occasions.When someone did succeed in assassinating him.Other people tried to steal the body for there own personal gain.

Today in the United States Lincoln is considered one of the greatest presidents we have ever had.We celebrate his birthday.There is towns,Streets monuments named after the man.They teach Children about him in Schools.The students will do plays about his life.He is hugely popular now.When he wasn't popular in his own time.

[ttwjr32]

did some research on lincoln and it is interesting the perception that was
of him during his lifetime versus what is taught of him in schools. sometimes
these post make you go back and learn some interesting things either you didnt
know or had just forgotten:icon_cheesygrin:

[Bee964]

Throw off the shackles of political correctness my brothers!
           Who wins?
US poiticians Vs British Royal family.  
 
Random selections from W's verbal assault on the English language:
 
"Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream." —LaCrosse, Wis.,
"I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family." —Greater Nashua,
"I hear there's rumors on the Internets that we're going to have a draft." —second presidential debate, St. Louis, Mo.
"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." —Saginaw, Mich.
"You work three jobs? … Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that." —to a divorced mother of three, Omaha, Nebraska
"Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." —Poplar Bluff, Mo
"They misunderestimated me." —Bentonville, Ark
"Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?"
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." —Washington, D.C
 "There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again." —Nashville, Tenn.

W's gaff's where always good for a smile but he was nothing in comparison to the master that was Ronald Reagan:
 
My fellow Americans. I'm pleased to announce that I've signed legislation outlawing the Soviet Union. We begin bombing in five minutes." -joking during a mike check before his Saturday radio broadcast.
"I have left orders to be awakened at any time in case of national emergency -- even if I'm in a Cabinet meeting."
"Well, I learned a lot....I went down to (Latin America) to find out from them and (learn) their views. You'd be surprised. They're all individual countries"
"Trees cause more pollution than automobiles."
"You can tell a lot about a fella's character by whether he picks out all of one color or just grabs a handful." -explaining why he liked to have a jar of jelly beans on hand for important meetings.
"I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born."
"My name is Ronald Reagan. What's yours?" -introducing himself after delivering a prep school commencement address. The individual responded, "I'm your son, Mike," to which Reagan replied, "Oh, I didn't recognize you."
"I am not worried about the deficit. It is big enough to take care of itself."
"All the waste in a year from a nuclear power plant can be stored under a desk."
"I want you to know that also I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience." -during a 1984 presidential debate with Walter Mondale
"We are trying to get unemployment to go up, and I think we're going to succeed."
"As a matter of fact, Nancy never had any interest in politics or anything else when we got married."
 
Now you have Barack Obama its just not the same:
I would have to investigate more of Bill's dancing abilities, you know, and some of this other stuff before I accurately judge whether  he was in fact a brother.
Ok, look, you know, when I was a kid, I inhaled frequently. That was the point.
Who is Barack Obama? Contrary to the rumors you have heard, I was not born in a manger. I was actually born on Krypton and sent here by my father Jor-El to save the Planet Earth. Many of you know that I got my name, Barack, from my father. What you may not know is Barack is actually Swahili for "That One." And I got my middle name from somebody who obviously didn't think I'd ever run for president. If I had to name my greatest strength, I guess it would be my humility. Greatest weakness, it's possible that I'm a little too awesome.

 
Now the US may have the politicians but WE have the royal family and especially Prince Phillip.{ That's the queens Husband}
There seems to be an indulgent embarrassment about Prince Phillip among many Brits like one would have for your crazy, crotchedy, sometimes kinda drunk old uncle or grandpa who’s uncomfortable around people “different” from him. But really, the guy is a hardcore, straight up bigot with a history saying very uncool things of an ethnic nature
 China State Visit, 1986...If you stay here much longer, you’ll all be slitty-eyed.
 To a blind women with a guide...“Do you know they have eating dogs for the anorexic now?”
 To an Aborigine in Australia...“Do you still throw spears at each other?”
 To his wife, the Queen, after her coronation...“Where did you get the hat?”
 When asked if he would like to visit the Soviet Union...“The bastards murdered half my family”
 To a Briton in Budapest...“You can’t have been here that long – you haven’t got a pot belly.”
 To a driving instructor in Scotland...“How do you keep the natives off the booze long enough to   get them through the test?”
 After the Dunblane shooting...“If a cricketer, for instance, suddenly decided to go into a school and batter a lot of people to death with a cricket bat, which he could do very easily, I mean, are you going to ban cricket bats?”
 To a student who had been trekking in Papua New Guinea...“You managed not to get eaten, then?”
 To Elton John after hearing Elton had sold his Gold Aston Martin...“Oh, it’s you that owns that ghastly car – we often see it when driving to Windsor Castle.”
 On the London Traffic Debate...“The problem with London is the tourists. They cause the congestion. If we could just stop tourism, we could stop the congestion.”
 To the President of Nigeria, dressed in traditional robes...“You look like you’re ready for bed!”
 Unknown...“If you see a man opening a car door for a woman, it means one of two things: it’s either a new woman or a new car!”
 On key problems facing Brazil...“Brazilians live there”
 To the matron of a hospital in the Caribbean...“You have mosquito's. I have the Press”

Then threre's the queen, Ahrrrr bless. I'm not saying she's out of touch but sometimes well...
Queen Elizabeth II....."And what do you do?" speaking to Jeff Beck and Brian May, at reception for British music industry at Buckingham Palace.
"Have you been playing a long time?" to  Eric Clapton
"Are you a guitarist, too?" To Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page

Don't take this tooo seriously guys...I think we get the leaders we deserve.

Are you kidding! these are absolutly hilarious!! I have tears running down my cheeks from laughing.

Dave I've heard of it but I couldn't have placed it where it was? I guess the brain is full? The more I learn some of the old knowledge falls out the other ear? hehe

Thats why they made ear plugs. Just put one in and the stuff stays put. Put both in to retain everything.

[Philip]

Paul,
just based on those quotes, G. Dubya comes across as an idiot, and we're laughing at his unintentional gaffes. Reagan comes across as a really funny guy, intentionally funny most of the time, who was much smarter than many people gave him credit for, and Prince Phillip, well, he's an embarrassment.

[ttwjr32]

some of these are to funny but i guess it shows their lighter side.
i agree with th ecomment about Reagan was much smarter than
credit was given

[maxx]

Reagan didn't take any lip off of people.He would of turned Iraq into a parking lot by now.

[ttwjr32]

i always thought that he was ok as president
even though the president doesnt run the country
we need to shake up the congress to make some
significant changes i think

[David5o]

Many of you here have mentioned about the Hotels in China that cannot accept Foreign Guests.
The reason for this is that, The Chinese tourist bureau want tourists/visitors to have a good impression of China, so they set standards for Hotels that foreigners would expect to find at a hotel. Those that don't meet the minimum standards, can't accept foreign guests...

Therefore Hotels that Foreigners can stay at, are regularly inspected so that those minimum standards laid down by the government are provided and are ongoing adhered too. The hotels  are registered once they have conformed to those minimum standards. Any hotel in China can apply to be registered for receiving foreign guests, once they have satisfied the inspectorate of compliance....

David....

[ttwjr32]

so the other ones who dont are not exactly good to stay at anyway.
good to know when traveling about.

[David5o]

Ted,


Not necessarily, it might be just that all the rooms have squat toilets, that sort of thing. I know one of the requirements is that the hotels require to have at least one English speaking member of staff on duty 24 hrs a day. (English because that's is now recognised as the international language) The registration has to be applied for by a hotel, then inspected before they can be registered!!!

David,......

[ttwjr32]

ok thanks David5o will keep that in mind when we
start travelling this summer

[Willy The Londoner]

Sir Francis Chichester sailed around the world in Gypsy Moth IV - then many others followed him.  He received a knighthood for it - then another did and he got a knighthood then too many were doing it so it seemed to weaken the honour.

I thought about it once - for ten seconds.  Then asked WHY?  You want to spend your day looking out over water then go sit by the swimming pool with a Bud in one hand and a pretty lady in another.   Solo round the world -  no fun in that.  

Willy

[maxx]

Willy didn't Sir Francis Chichester row a boat across the Atlantic ocean with Cly Blyth?

[ttwjr32]

Willy  if you kept dating all those chinese ladies before you found angel
maybe the govt here would have put you on a boat by yourself, point,
and tell you to go home :icon_cheesygrin:

[Scottish_Rob]

Willy  if you kept dating all those chinese ladies before you found angel
maybe the govt here would have put you on a boat by yourself, point,
and tell you to go home :icon_cheesygrin:

Hey Ted....lol....You got that right....lol:icon_cheesygrin::icon_cheesygrin: