OnionTerror Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Sorry, about the terrible cliche in the title, but to counter all the doom and gloom on here...what makes Britain like no other place on earth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Coates Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Sorry, about the terrible cliche in the title, but to counter all the doom and gloom on here...what makes Britain like no other place on earth? The quirkiness of the humour? Yes I miss that and it was/is one of the reasons I come to HPC. There has been some funny and intelligent stuff over the years. I will add that site to my news sources for a laugh. I miss real ale, Private Eye and witty shows like 'Have I Got News For You.' American style sat tv requires the attention span of a goldfish whatever the subject. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 its hard to say being a person born and raised here, i have sampled other countires, but only on holiday, and that does not giveature reflection to compare them too. if i left i would miss the food. no one else can make a roast like we can, nor proper fish and chips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffneck Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 its hard to say being a person born and raised here, i have sampled other countires, but only on holiday, and that does not giveature reflection to compare them too. if i left i would miss the food. no one else can make a roast like we can, nor proper fish and chips. theres precious few that can do proper fish and chips nowdays frozen chips? cooked in vegetable oil? travesty.... why not rename it to mediocre britain? only the most patriotic would say her best days are not behind her Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Hovis Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 We'll fight anybody. That's served us brilliantly over the years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Pubs/grub, changing seasons, bonfire night, green and pleasant land, rich and present history, not being any other country, home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustYield Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Sorry, about the terrible cliche in the title, but to counter all the doom and gloom on here...what makes Britain like no other place on earth? The Victorian engineers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riedquat Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 The bits of the landscape that we haven't managed to trash are a work of art. Ditto for cities, at least the pre-WWII parts and in a few cases the most modern parts. Trading real ale for a life abroad wouldn't be worth it. Although we've got some of the most unpleasant people in the world we've also got some of the best. Plenty of signs of an interesting history. A decent climate (plenty will disagree, but I like it - I get bored with endless sunshine and don't cope well with heat). There's still some TV and radio made for people with more than a five-second attention span. And of course you can get rich guarenteed by buying a house (joke!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porca misèria Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 It's a mistranslation from french "Grand". Meaning "Big". A simple statement of geographic fact: Britain (Grand Bretagne) is bigger than Brittany (the Northwest France peninsula). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 I have posted this before but it is worth repeating for this thread. NATO invasion of Kosovo to push out the Serbs. TV News crew filming a NATO check-point manned by a Brit and a Yank soldier. The Yank was in helmet, sunglasses, body armour, full combat kit, side-arm and holding his automatic rifle - looked really menacing. The Brit Para was in rolled-up shirt sleeves, red beret, fatigues, no weapons - that was about it. As the camera panned with the vehicles going past the Para leaned into shot, glanced towards the Yank besides him and said to camera: "Do you think he knows something that we don't?". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byron Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 I have posted this before but it is worth repeating for this thread. NATO invasion of Kosovo to push out the Serbs. TV News crew filming a NATO check-point manned by a Brit and a Yank soldier. The Yank was in helmet, sunglasses, body armour, full combat kit, side-arm and holding his automatic rifle - looked really menacing. The Brit Para was in rolled-up shirt sleeves, red beret, fatigues, no weapons - that was about it. As the camera panned with the vehicles going past the Para leaned into shot, glanced towards the Yank besides him and said to camera: "Do you think he knows something that we don't?". Trouble is, we think that this British underplaying is clever. Look at that shameful incident in the Gulf when some RN sailors were captured. They had fewer weapons than a group of Texas 'Good ole boys' out on a turkey shoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number79 Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Sunglasses dehumanise someone as seen in the Stanford prison experiment, http://www.psychologistworld.com/influence_personality/stanfordprison.php "For example, Professor Zimbardo cites the fact that all of the "guards" wore sunglasses as an example of their dehumanization." The British military know this so when in charge of areas in Iraq the soldiers were told to not were sunglasses or take them off when communicating with the locals for example. That is also the reason why when the situation allows that British troops patrol in berets without body armour. Winning hearts and minds can only be done if locals are not afraid for their safety when you are there and feel that they can approach and talk to you. The yanks always wear helmets, body armour, webbing and rarely dismount from their hummers. Locals always hate the yanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number79 Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Trouble is, we think that this British underplaying is clever. Look at that shameful incident in the Gulf when some RN sailors were captured. They had fewer weapons than a group of Texas 'Good ole boys' out on a turkey shoot. That was not being underplayed, it was a colossal screw up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number79 Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 I have posted this before but it is worth repeating for this thread. NATO invasion of Kosovo to push out the Serbs. TV News crew filming a NATO check-point manned by a Brit and a Yank soldier. The Yank was in helmet, sunglasses, body armour, full combat kit, side-arm and holding his automatic rifle - looked really menacing. The Brit Para was in rolled-up shirt sleeves, red beret, fatigues, no weapons - that was about it. As the camera panned with the vehicles going past the Para leaned into shot, glanced towards the Yank besides him and said to camera: "Do you think he knows something that we don't?". classic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
non frog Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Sorry, about the terrible cliche in the title, but to counter all the doom and gloom on here...what makes Britain like no other place on earth? Nothing. Britain is very similar to many other places. London is rather odd in that it is a genuine multicultural city with few other places that I have been to to match it's vibrancy and diversity. Most the UK is just wet and boring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
South Lorne Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Trouble is, we think that this British underplaying is clever. Look at that shameful incident in the Gulf when some RN sailors were captured. They had fewer weapons than a group of Texas 'Good ole boys' out on a turkey shoot. ...yes...but ...did one not start crying when his iPod was taken away from him.....?.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AThirdWay Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Sorry, about the terrible cliche in the title, but to counter all the doom and gloom on here...what makes Britain like no other place on earth? We do...... The Scots that is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffneck Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 HP Sauce Although it is made in the netherlands now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worzel Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Our Democracy The BBC Our sense of irony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Our Democracy The BBC Our sense of irony Very well put! I'm still awake here, even if nobody else is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Hovis Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Our Democracy The BBC Our sense of irony Very well put! I'm still awake here, even if nobody else is! Very true! I was just about to say wtf? when reading your post stopped me exposing my hignorance... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Allegro Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Religious and political apathy (not always a good thing but there's a general lack of extremism) 26 miles of water between us and 'less happy lands' Real ale and country pubs (not so good since the smoking ban but still nice) Huge variety of beautiful countryside Loads of culture and historic places Temperate climate (hardly ever too cold and certainly never too hot) Sense of humour and good comedy Amazing writers Good TV and radio (I know it's hard to believe when you watch Guardian TV aka the BBC but compare it to other countries, most of which offer something like the Fast Show's 'Channel Nine') Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest_ringledman_* Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 It is only when you get into middle age you realise that as crap as the UK is some things are still amazing - humour, history, amazing countryside. As told by Bill Bryson - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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