For help, advice and discussion about stuff not related to aviation. Play nice: no religion, no politics and no axe grinding please.
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By Rob P
#1878496
Propwash wrote:Given what we know about the Nazi atrocities ...


It might also be worth considering the fate of the world had Nazi research into atomic weaponry not been halted. Had all Europe been subdued the USA might have been sitting fat dumb and happy in its isolationist bubble until the moment the first atomic bomb landed on New York

Rob P
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By kanga
#1878507
Pete L wrote:.. holding back Islam at the gates of Vienna was really worth it in terms of net benefit to society - if only for the coffee habit...


< Islamic history and Turkist nerd :oops: >

Coffee came from Yemen, and was introduced to Europe in the Ottoman era. Have the Viennese ever thanked the Turks properly ? :wink:

</>
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By StratoTramp
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1878522
Wow this thread has escalated and has some interesting things to read. Not popped in since it reached page 2. Just popped over to say I shall not be drinking gin either in solidarity with the Queen. :lol:

I lied... p4.

The only thing I knew about the Swiss was that they could keep ammo at home, but I seem to be out of date by a decade.

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/soldiers-c ... 20arsenals.

Went to the Matterhorn 4 years back, before I was fat. Ran the middle Matterhorn Ultraks route. I had to be careful not to have an accident too high :lol: Not actually in the event - just the route when I was on holiday. My favourite climate, sunny but freezing!

http://matterhorn.ultraks.ch/en/pages/p ... n-race-137
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By Jim Jones
#1878540
The justification for WWII was considerably post hoc

If the same criteria; preventing atrocity and the extermination of an entire race, was applicable now; there are many candidates.

However, re Betty, I struggle to see an alternative to a constitutional monarchy as a unifying force. But I’d like it to further strip the residual hereditary hangers- on from the system.
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By Flyin'Dutch'
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1878551
Sooty25 wrote:I do wonder how long Switzerland would have remained neutral and un-invaded had the allies not stopped Hitler?


I proffer that the non-invasion and neutrality of Switzerland had more to do with it's banking industry than the Allies' military power in the early 1940s.
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By Sooty25
#1878558
Flyin'Dutch' wrote:
Sooty25 wrote:I do wonder how long Switzerland would have remained neutral and un-invaded had the allies not stopped Hitler?


I proffer that the non-invasion and neutrality of Switzerland had more to do with it's banking industry than the Allies' military power in the early 1940s.


But once you've taken everywhere else, you might as well own the bank! You speak as though Hitler was logical!
By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1878569
Finally got round to reading through this. If you want to change something it is wise to think it through and justify how the new system will be better. That's extremely hard to do in a complex context such as the structure of government.

Our government structure has evolved across more than 1000 years impacted by circumstances and personalities of mind boggling variety, working in a growing global context of relationships with other countries developing in a huge range of ways.

Democracy itself is a complex idea and our structure with a hereditary head of state and first past the post election system is anachronistic in many ways. It generally works reasonably well when the head of state has a strong sense of public duty and those elected a strong sense of public service. It works a lot less well if either of those is not true.

For my money I think the focus should be on the electoral system first and head of state second, simply because the impact of electing dodgy folk is a lot greater than the impact of a lazy head of state :D
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By Bill McCarthy
#1878570
If Harry’s wife has designs on putting herself forward for president of the USA, and if ever she became successful, then there would be major concerns within both the palace and the Houses of Parliament.
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By Flyin'Dutch'
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1878572
Bill McCarthy wrote:If Harry’s wife has designs on putting herself forward for president of the USA, and if ever she became successful, then there would be major concerns within both the palace and the Houses of Parliament.


Why?
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By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1878573
Why?


Because the British political class and the press have royally (sorry :oops: ) p155ed her off, so a situation much the same as a President (like Biden) with Irish connections being not overly impressed with the UK, but more so.....
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By A4 Pacific
#1878586
johnm wrote:
Why?


Because the British political class and the press have royally (sorry :oops: ) p155ed her off, so a situation much the same as a President (like Biden) with Irish connections being not overly impressed with the UK, but more so.....


Biden is absolutely no friend of the UK, indeed his animosity is well known. Obama was much the same. That is true.

However.

The relationships between the UK and the US are not based on the personal likes or dislikes of any individual, not even any president. They are based on shared ideas and national interests which, thus far, have tied occasionally unhappy bedfellows together.
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By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1878594
The relationships between the UK and the US are not based on the personal likes or dislikes of any individual, not even any president. They are based on shared ideas and national interests which, thus far, have tied occasionally unhappy bedfellows together.


This reminds me of the most perceptive description of the "special relationship" that I ever heard

"Fantasy of successive Prime Ministers since WW2 "
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By oldbiggincfi
#1880416
Getting back to her Majesty.

Anybody think she might be suffering from “ Doublejabititis “

Seems fairly common, arrives a couple of months after second jab .

Results in tiredness, severe muscle fatigue with pain, shortness of breath plus various others .

Standard treatment seems to be Paracetamol with codeine.

No wonder , if so, she needs a walking stick .

Certainly hasn't lost her marbles .

Any body else rowing or not that boat ?
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