HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: neilp@cs.hw.ac.uk (Neil Postlethwaite)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: royal family
Date: 18 Aug 92 09:51:25 GMT
Distribution: soc
Organization: Dept of Computer Science, Heriot-Watt University, Scotland

In article <1992Aug13.895.15961@dosgate> "richard tanner" <richard.tanner@canrem.com> writes:
>On 08-12-92, Neil Postlethwaite wrote the following to All in an article 
>entitled, "ROYAL FAMILY":
>
>NP>What do we get in return. A few walk abouts and stuff. A little PR so
>NP>we won't question the amount they cost the country.
>
>Much more than a few walk-abouts and PR. From my point of view, as an 
>expatriate Brit living in Canada, the monarchy serves us in ways that 
>could never have a price tag.

You don't have to foot the bill though do you !!

>1. Those of us fortunate enough to live under a constitutional monarchy, 
>as we do in Canada, are protected from the situation in the United States 
>where a president is both political leader and head of state. We are much 
>freer here to relate to our prime minister as a politician who is 
>accountable to us as our elected representative. 

I'm not really sure what this has to do with much.

Consider France. Seperate PM and Pres.

>2. The concept of a politician being commander in chief of the armed 
>forces is highly dangerous. An ex-head of the CIA presently controls the 
>American military machine. Having a constitutional monarch as commander in 
>chief may not mean that s/he DOES anything in that regard. It's just a 
>heck of a lot safer.

UK armed forces are under the control of Malcom Rifkind MP, whose boss is
John Major. The Queen is a powerless figurehead wrt the forces. In her
name, but that's about all.

>3. The Queen of Canada provides for us a link with a human face to nations 
>which share with us common traditions and values. 

How?? Such ass ??

>The bottom line is that what the Queen and the Royal Family around her do 
>or do not do is unimportant. It is what they are, like fixed parts within 
>a watch, holding the moving gears in place (unless, of course, you're 
>wearing a Casio).

Utter Bollocks




Neil


****************************| Sig' Time |*********************************
JANET: 	  neilp@uk.ac.hw.cs   *   Neil Postlethwaite, Rm G.25, 
INTERNET: neilp@cs.hw.ac.uk   *   Dept of Computer Science,  
UUCP: 	  ..!uknet!hwcs!neilp *   Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton Campus
                              *   Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, United Kingdom.
------------------------------*-------------------------------------------
Computer Science Account      *   Phone +44 (0)31 449-5111 x4174
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
From: jackson@soldev.tti.com (Dick Jackson)
Subject: On the Verge of Needing Linguistic Help
Organization: Transaction Technology, Inc.
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 14:58:38 GMT


My very good friend and I engaged in a trans-Atlantic collision the other
day.  The paved footpath next to our house has a grass strip about three
feet wide between it and the road.  We have just installed turf all over
and this caused the subject of what this green strip is called to come up.
She claimed that it is a "parkway".  Well I knew this wasn't proper
English but struggled to come up with the right name.  Finally I hit on
"verge" and confidentally proclaimed it as the correct term.

Privately however I had doubts. I am pretty sure that if I am on a
country lane the side of the road can be termed the (grass) verge. But
can I use this word in the manner described above?

Dick Jackson
From: guy@cogsci.ed.ac.uk (Guy Barry)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: National Anthem
Date: 14 Aug 92 11:51:37 GMT
Distribution: soc
Organization: Centre for Cognitive Science, Edinburgh, UK

richard.tanner@canrem.com (richard tanner) writes:

>By the way, it's nice to hear the familiar strains of "God Save the King" 
>still being played by the Americans on patriotic occasions. The words are 
>often wrong though . . .

The same tune is used for the national anthem of Liechtenstein, which
may surprise one or two people...

-- 
Guy Barry | Computer Laboratory     | Centre for Cognitive Science
          | University of Cambridge | University of Edinburgh
          | Guy.Barry@cl.cam.ac.uk  | guy@cogsci.ed.ac.uk
          | +44 (0)223 334757       | +44 (0)31 650 4422
From: "richard tanner" <richard.tanner@canrem.com>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: royal family
Date: 13 Aug 92 15:37:05 EST
Reply-To: "richard tanner" <richard.tanner@canrem.com>
Distribution: soc
Organization: Canada Remote Systems

On 08-12-92, Neil Postlethwaite wrote the following to All in an article 
entitled, "ROYAL FAMILY":

NP>What do we get in return. A few walk abouts and stuff. A little PR so
NP>we won't question the amount they cost the country.

Much more than a few walk-abouts and PR. From my point of view, as an 
expatriate Brit living in Canada, the monarchy serves us in ways that 
could never have a price tag.

1. Those of us fortunate enough to live under a constitutional monarchy, 
as we do in Canada, are protected from the situation in the United States 
where a president is both political leader and head of state. We are much 
freer here to relate to our prime minister as a politician who is 
accountable to us as our elected representative. 

2. The concept of a politician being commander in chief of the armed 
forces is highly dangerous. An ex-head of the CIA presently controls the 
American military machine. Having a constitutional monarch as commander in 
chief may not mean that s/he DOES anything in that regard. It's just a 
heck of a lot safer.

3. The Queen of Canada provides for us a link with a human face to nations 
which share with us common traditions and values. 


The bottom line is that what the Queen and the Royal Family around her do 
or do not do is unimportant. It is what they are, like fixed parts within 
a watch, holding the moving gears in place (unless, of course, you're 
wearing a Casio).

Richard

--- WinQwk 2.0 #0
--
Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario/Detroit, MI
World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044
From: czl30@duts.ccc.amdahl.com (Chris Lee)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: What are the yellow "H" signs?
Date: 14 Aug 92 22:13:33 GMT
Reply-To: czl30@DUTS.ccc.amdahl.com (Chris Lee)
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA

In article <l8o293INNiuj@news.bbn.com> clements@bbn.com (Bob Clements) writes:
>I'm sure I'll smack my forehead and say "Of course!", but I
>couldn't figure it out.
>
>On many buildings in the UK there are metal signs, about a foot
>square, with a yellow background and a large black "H".  There
>are smaller numbers written in the space above and below the bar
>of the "H".  Every hypothesis I came up with for meaning of these
>signs seemed to be disproved by a contradicting set of numbers.
>
>So I'll publicly admit my ignorance and ask:  What are these signs
>and what do the numbers mean?
>
>Thanks,
>Bob Clements, K1BC, clements@bbn.com

Fire hydrant. In the UK they're below street level, under metal covers.

The figures tell how far they are from the sign.

Chris Lee
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british,uk.misc
From: cooper@cos.com (Gary Cooper)
Subject: Re: Americanising of the UK
Organization: Corporation for Open Systems
Distribution: world  
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 02:12:46 GMT

>One thing which I have always wondered about this song, I wasn't around
>at the time, but I'm pretty sure that cherry cola wasn't either. Did they
>invent it or not?

Nope - cherry cola is ancient.  When Coke came out with theirs, his
quote was "goooood, I haven't had any cherry cola since I was a kid"
(he's pushin' fifty)
-- 
Gary Cooper (not the dead one)
	Don't bother flaming or writing, I just quit my job and will only
be here for another day or two.  Sure - what the hell - I speak for the
corporation for open systems - sue me!
From: gledbet@heartland.bradley.edu (Gene Ledbetter)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: A shocking suggestion
Date: 22 Aug 1992 21:35:50 -0500
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
Reply-To: gledbet@heartland.bradley.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu



Gentlemen,

I should like to call to your attention the following 
declaration which I have just read a short while ago:

   " It is always a joy to me to meet an American, Mr. 
   Moulton, for I am one of those who believe that the 
   folly of a monarch and the blundering of a Minister in 
   far gone years will not prevent our children from 
   being some day citizens of the same world-wide country 
   under a flag which shall be a quartering of the Union 
   Jack with the Stars and Stripes."

The speaker is none other than Mr. Sherlock Holmes of Baker-
street, likely a hero of every last reader of this group, 
and these words appeared in The Adventure of the Noble 
Bachelor, which was published in The Strand Magazine 
sometime between July 1891 and December 1892.

Were such notions current at the turn of the century?

Not long ago, while I was seated in a restaurant in 
Williamsburg, the reconstructed capital of my native state, 
I looked up and was startled to see the the Union Jack 
flying over the Governor's Mansion.  Bloody hell!

Ledbetter.
From: Geraint.Jones@comlab.oxford.ac.uk (Geraint Jones)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: Any more new countries due???
Date: 14 Aug 92 15:44:05 GMT
Organization: Isiah's Enervation Ltd, the Antillectual Poverty Company of Oxford

(  }: Obvious long term candidates are
 ) }:   Catalonia, Scotland, Wales, East Timor, New Caladonia.
(  }
 ) }YORKSHIRE!!!
(  
(  Oh, come on, Pete, let's do this properly shall we?
 ) 
(  Northumbria, Mercia, WESSEX!, etc
 ) 
(  And as for Mr Coyne -  how about Deheubarth, Dyfed and Gwynedd?

Recognition for Perfeddgwlad now!  And what about Eifionydd ac 
Ardudwy, Powys, y Glywysing, Elfed, Deifr, Llwyfenydd, Erechwydd,
Bryniach, Rheged, Ystrad Clud, Prydyn, Manaw'r Tir Mawr, Ynys 
Manaw and the Gododdin?  And any of the others I missed out.
Rise up, slaves, and cast off the Roman yoke!                     /
                                                                 /
Ah, sorry.  Whrong newsfroup.                                   / g

_________________
Phurahwaringlishffrens and the geographically challenged, this thing called
``Yorkshire'' would be roughly Deifr, Erechwydd, and a bit of Bryniach
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
From: jackson@soldev.tti.com (Dick Jackson)
Subject: Re: Private Eye Records.
Organization: Transaction Technology Inc.
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 15:12:47 GMT

In Dennis Davis writes:
>The UK satirical magazine "Private Eye" was in the habit of issueing
>the occasional free record, often at Christmas time.  These were
>extremely flimsy pieces of plastic, complete with a sticky patch to
>ensure that they stuck to your turntable and not to the needle.

Regretably I only experienced one of these. It came affixed to the front
of the magazine, and when removed revealed a picture of Sir Alexander
Douglas Hm sitting on the WC, and saying "Hey, put that record back!"

The song on the record went as follows:

	When Jesus was alive,
	A million years ago,
	Jesus voted Conservative
	And Jesus ought to know.

Sung to the tune of a very well known hymn whose name I am glad to say I
have completely forgotten.

Dick Jackson
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
From: david@postman.gr.osf.org (David George)
Subject: Re: Mansell out ? [was Re: VNS: Mon 17-Aug-1992]
Keywords: VNS,news,sport
Organization: OSF RI Grenoble
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 08:56:28 GMT

In article <Aug20.182848.58449@yuma.ACNS.ColoState.EDU>, 
|>
|> Prost and Senna are far better and I really want to see both of them in
|> a Williams next year. A real war on the track.

Mentioning Senna and Prost in the same breath is stretching it a bit.  Remember Sennas' first race at Monaco in uncompetitive car (Tyrell) where, within a whisker of catching Prost the French FISA mafia stopped the race ?

Still things seem to be even more stupid with Bernie Ecclestone at the helm, he'll have them all driving Metros soon.

|> Michael Schumacher,....

I wouldn't let him drive a shopping trolley around Tescos.

|> Are there really no other sports [activities] in which the UK excells?

Britain seems to be able to excel in all small scale highly specialised engineering tasks.  It's when it comes to the regimented worker ant mentality needed to stamp out Golfs and Hondas that we're crap.  Still which would you rather do ?

David.
From: guy@cogsci.ed.ac.uk (Guy Barry)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: National Anthems (was Re: Why only ONE british olympic team)
Date: 13 Aug 92 20:10:48 GMT
Organization: Centre for Cognitive Science, Edinburgh, UK

darragh@maths.tcd.ie (Darragh J. Delany) writes:

>Just while we are on the subject can someone e-mail me the full lyrics of
>"land of Hope and Glory" and "There'll always be a England"(or is that
>the correct title                                ^^^^^^^^^

Hardly!

-- 
Guy Barry | Computer Laboratory     | Centre for Cognitive Science
          | University of Cambridge | University of Edinburgh
          | Guy.Barry@cl.cam.ac.uk  | guy@cogsci.ed.ac.uk
          | +44 (0)223 334757       | +44 (0)31 650 4422
From: jackson@soldev.tti.com (Dick Jackson)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: Royal Family
Date: 14 Aug 92 19:56:20 GMT
Organization: Transaction Technology Inc.

In article <1992Aug11.221634.26892@menudo.uh.edu> chem91@Rosie.UH.EDU writes:
>
>The Americans _love_ the Royals, and seem far more aware of their 
>goings-on than most Brits.

This completely accords with my observations.  I work here (in the LA
area) with highly rational, cynical/skeptical technical people -- at least
two of these unlikely souls keep up with our Royal Family with something
like an obsession.  Sometimes they ask me questions such as "Why is Di (or
someone) doing blah blah?" I have to reply "I didn't know that, but why
should I care?"

Dick Jackson
From: cc433336@LANCE.ColoState.Edu (Constantinos A. Caroutas)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: How did Australia and New Zealand Decimalise?
Date: 21 Aug 92 20:01:11 GMT
Organization: Colorado State U. Engineering College


 sp@mirabeau.osf.fr (Simon Patience) writes:
}In article <BspsDD.GoD@newcastle.ac.uk>, w.p.coyne@newcastle.ac.uk writes:

}> The UK did it by going from 240 pence in the pound to 100 new pence
}> in the pound.  they kept the pound the same but messed about with
}> the subunits - so causing massive problems and possibly suffering
}> and distress to people as they struggled to cope with the conversion
}> of 1 old penny being 5/12 of a new penny.
}
}To say that this is an overstatement is an understatement. There were no
}'massive problems' or any real 'suffering and distress' except to maybe
}the elderly who normally take unkindly to change generally. 

I heard that bus fares that were one shilling (12 old pence) became one
new shilling (10 new pence = 24 old pence) after the conversion in 1971 (?)
Is this true?
--
Constantinos A. Caroutas

"It's easy to make mistakes when others will be held responsible."
From: mic@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Murray Cole)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Smiths
Date: 13 Aug 92 11:17:07 GMT
Reply-To: mic@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Murray Cole)
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of Edinburgh

While flicking the dial the other evening, I (as a bit of a Smithophile)
was intrigued to discover that "This Charming Man" has re-appeared in the 
UK top 10. Since such events seem to have a propensity for coinciding with
one of
         (a) release of another greatest hits album
         (b) demise of artist (Paint a Vulgar Picture?)
         (c) advertising jingle (Interflora?)
         (d) ad campaign for some film

I was wondering what's going on? Any ideas? (not that I'm complaining!)

Murray Cole.
From: w.p.coyne@newcastle.ac.uk
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Coins - last year of minting
Date: 9 Aug 92 11:36:32 GMT
Reply-To: w.p.coyne@newcastle.ac.uk
Organization: Chemical & Process Engineering Dept, University of Newcastle, UK.


           Old UK Coins - last year of minting
The following scale might be helpful
     4 farthings in a d (penny), 
     12 d in an s (shilling)
     960 farthings or 240d or 20 s in a L (pound)

The following is a list of the last year in which a coin was 
minted
1862  1.5 d
1868  1/4, 1/2 farthing. 
1888  4d (Groat)
1890  4s (double florin)
1913  1/3 farthing
1956  farthing
1966  1s, 
1967  half crown (2s 6d), florin (2s), 6d, 3d, 1/2d

1/4 farthing  1868
1/3 farthing  1913
1/2 farthing  1868
farthing      1956
1/2 d         1967
1 1/2 d       1862
3 d           1967
4d (groat)    1888
6d            1967

Maybe it won't be too long before the 1p, 2p are also phased out.
When that happens we will have the pound divided into 20 rather
than 100 smaller coins.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
From: hallam@zeus02.desy.de (Phillip M. Hallam-Baker)
Subject: Re: Confound their politics
Reply-To: hallam@zeus02.desy.de
Organization: DESY ZEUS Central Data Acquisition
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 15:10:12 GMT

In article <1992Aug14.040623.8939@osf.org>, dbrooks@osf.org (David
Brooks) writes:

|>In article <1992Aug13.162532.25210@osf.org> I miswrote:
|>>    Scatter her enemies,
|>
|>*our* enemies.

THINE!

Also have to sing EN-EER-MYS rather than EN-EER-MEES...

So now how about nailing those pesky verses of Rule Brit Anya! BTW who
was Anya and why does she have this song named after her? Sounds fishy
to me, isn't Anya a German name. Next thing you know we will find out
that the Queen is German.


Phill

Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
From: smckinty@sunicnc.France.Sun.COM (Steve McKinty - Sun ICNC)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: BBC address
Date: 18 Aug 1992 08:11:09 GMT
Organization: SunConnect
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: hardy.france.sun.com

In article <1992Aug17.132654.1@v9.vitro.com>, terr05@v9.vitro.com writes:
> Hello,
> 	I am looking for the address of the BBC. I want to get tapes on accents
> of the British Isles and a Punch and Judy show. I would like to knoe if there
> is a catalog on the net. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
> 							Jim

This bounced when I tried email, apologies to the rest of the group:

You could try writing to:

BBC World Service Mail Order
Room LG26 NE
Bush House
Strand
London
WC2
England

Fax: +44 71 497 0498


I've never used them but that's the address in the world service magazine.
I know the BBC video department has quite a large range of tapes, and
you should be able to get a catalogue. I'm not sure if they are available
in formats other than PAL though.

Steve

Xref: sparky soc.culture.british:11500 soc.culture.canada:5730 soc.culture.usa:6548
From: pete@minster.york.ac.uk
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british,soc.culture.canada,soc.culture.usa
Subject: Re: Any more new countries due???
Date: 13 Aug 92 13:49:03 GMT
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of York, England
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5

w.p.coyne@newcastle.ac.uk wrote:
: Obvious long term candidates are
:   Catalonia, Scotland, Wales, East Timor, New Caladonia.

YORKSHIRE!!!

--
*Peter Fenelon -- Research Associate -- Software Safety Assessment Procedures*
Dept. of Computer Science, University of York, York, Y01 5DD (+44/0)904 433388
EMAIL: pete@minster.york.ac.uk `There's no room for enigmas in built up areas'
From: w.p.coyne@newcastle.ac.uk
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: We now know DECIMALISATION was a waste of time
Date: 9 Aug 92 11:41:11 GMT
Reply-To: w.p.coyne@newcastle.ac.uk
Organization: Chemical & Process Engineering Dept, University of Newcastle, UK.


  Those old enough to remember decimalisation of the currency might
remember the problems this caused especially for some older people 
as they struggled to cope.  The sad thing is that with hindsight 
it is now obvious it was all unnecessary - a complete waste of time.
And the reason for this is simple - the erosion of money value due
to inflation.  

    by itself inflation would have decimalised the currency.
Before decimalisation there were 12 pence in a shilling and 20
shilling in a pound.

   Now the 1p and 2p are virtually worthless, the 5p (the old shilling)
is almost the smallest useful coin.  The half pence was worth so little
they phased it out in the early 1980's.   BT pay phones and some ticket
machines refuse to accept 1p or 2p coins now.

  So if the UK had not decimalised the smallest coins would now be 
the shilling and tthe florin (ie two shilling) -  which are 0.05 
and 0.10 pounds.    
 
   So they could now decimalise without any pain.  Just divide the
pound into 10 florin, and keep the shilling as a half florin coin.

  The sad thing is if they had delayed just a few more years the
high inflation of the 1970's would have hit them and they might have
realised decimalisation was unnecessary.  BUT its easy to be wise
in hindsight :-(


A final thought - if the inflation of the next 20 years is like 
that of the last 20 then there won't be on pence coins left, the
smallest coin will be the 1 pound.  This would mean there would
never have been any need to decimalise at all.
-----------------------------============\\\\\\\\\\\////////>>>>>
ZZ
From: hg798502@LANCE.ColoState.Edu (Hugh Graham)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: Mansell out ? [was Re: VNS: Mon 17-Aug-1992]
Keywords: VNS,news,sport
Date: 20 Aug 92 18:28:48 GMT
Organization: Colorado State U. Engineering College


Neil Poselthwaite (no relation to Harvey I trust :-)) writes

>[Out of date silly season stuff deleted] 
>Mansell is a crap driver. He only won because he had the best car by a
>long stretch and he is a little better than Patrese.
>
>Prost and Senna are far better and I really want to see both of them in
>a Williams next year. A real war on the track.


Exhaust flame time.......

When Prost and Senna used to win races (remember?..:-)) they had the best
car by a long way.  I think you are still remembering the bad old
days when Mansell drove bad cars badly and too fiercly resulting in
too many early retirements.  He was always fast.  When he was in the
same team (Ferrari) as the tousle-haired French gent, he was faster.

Name me one crap driver to win the world championship.  Have you done it?
                                                             (-:
Mr Mansell has announced that he'll either drive for Williams next
year or retire.  So has Senna - Senna would drive for free I hear.
Renault still want Prost to drive one of their engined cars and
Ligier couldn't attract him last season as they are basically crap.:-)

>Michael Schumacher, Martin Brundle and John Alesi are pretty promising
>prospects for the future. I would like to see all these three in
>competetive cars aswell.

Yup.  Alesi was a disappointment this season.  Obviously he's a crap
driver then. :-)
>
>Apart from the engines (though Cosworth/Judd make many of the rest),
>Formula 1 is one sport where the UK nails the rest of the world: McLaren,
>Williams, Benneton, Lotus (among others) are all British teams.

Most of the cars and engines in the US CART (Indy cars) series are
made in Britain too as are most of the Jaguar/Le Mans sports cars
used in the World Sports cars and IMSA series - even the Toyotas.
This is partly because the UK has a virtual monopoly on the carbon
as used in race cars and there is no major car industry left to soak
up all the mechanical engineers :-)

Are there really no other sports in which the UK excells?  Snooker?
Darts? Other beer related activities??


Smilingly yours                      
Hugh Graham
A crap driver.  It's all relative :-)
--
--------------------------------------------/T\--------
Hugh says...Don't read this, read that.    / I \      :
......CSU are responsible for neither.   /__I__\     :
hg798502@longs.lance.colostate.edu.us.      I        :