Hello from Andy

You are very very welcome....but I guess you did quite a good job of welcoming yourself :p

I think this is a new trend...introducing yourself,I mean :D

Andy,
I too have just joined (subscribed, joined, submitted etc) as I have used TR for years, and decided to post. I am sure you will be made welcome. Enjoy...now where's that insanity cert...

Kevin Dubya - (I like that tag...thanks M_A_R_K...)

I hope you find this forum as useful (and time consuming, and hilarious at times!) as the rest of us geeks.

KevinDubya has already caught on.....just forward your insanity certificate to prove you have the right to be here.....!

As long as you have a thick skin and a sense of humour, you'll feel right at home!

Enjoy TR!

:D

GG

are flaming fun.

You'll find out what this means soon enough.

G'day cobber, a hearty welcome from down under.

Thanks for the warm welcome.

I have quite a bit of PC knowledge, I've been working with PC's for over 12 years and I'm currently studying for a computing degree, I will try and help out where I can and throw in the odd comment for good measure.

Speak Soon.

After those position shifts the other day, "good" is an insult! :x

Warming the fire and cleaning the bear skin rug for tonight! ]:)

note, can you believe Mambo REFUSED to blog about his trip for us? I am hurt! :_|

First it was kevin dubyah and now andy@.[b]They're announcing their presence like lambs to the slaughter.[/b] Give me a break??? All this sachrine is enough to make me hurl. If you are going to participate get on with it. Otherwise STFU.

[b]Dawg[/b] ]:)

He's been on my case constantly (well, once before this) to blog my Hawaiian adventure. I keep telling him over and over (well, once before this) that nobody's interested.

Never meant to give you any grief. Friends again???

As for JD, I hope he takes a joke better than others.

Hey, maybe we should give Andy his thread back.

BTW, Neil's Parental advice quotes ("... is like making love to a beautiful woman...") was the funniest thing I've read in ages, wonnit?

that you would think I would be offended by such a post. :D

We all know how you have planned trips for that oh so special one, and some of us are taking notes!

If you blog it, they will come......

Andy #2 is a slippery son-of-a-gun. He did a good job of sending me down a rabbit trail. Sorry for digging into your credit records and criminal history, andy #1. But thanks for putting me back on andy #2's trail. Maybe I'm the one who can't find the floor. This CSI stuff is a helluva lot more complicated than they make it look on TV.

P.S. to the Andy twins: Change your usernames!

Hi, its Andy 2 here, the thread topic starter I have changed my name to Large, my nickname I recieved many years ago when working as a lighting jock in my local nightclubs.

Hopefully that will be better and not confuse you all !

I'd be a Canadiens fan if I cared anything about hockey and if I weren't a Canadiens fan I'd be a Bruins fan. Most everyone in the ROC(Rest of Canada) and Quebec, especially Montreallers, hate Toronto with a passion. It wouldn't matter the sport, it's second nature for us all to cheer for anyone playing against Toronto. Now if you were to mention football I'm an Alouettes fan in the CFL and a Patriots fan in the NFL although I still have a soft spot for both the Giants and the Lions since they were the first NFL teams I ever saw live when I was a kid visiting Detroit. Likewise I'd be a Yankees and Red Sox fan because I saw my first big league game at the old Fenway Park. Not too many can say they remember seeing Dimaggio and Williams on the same field in a regular game. The Yanks won 4-1 the 1 being a solo shot by Williams. I can't say I was a big fan of baseball but I was a Ted Williams fan especially after I met him years later and we would talk fishing.

Now don't I remember somebody asking for my seasons tickets to the Als if I weren't using them all and I think you even asked about my Canadiens tickets. Would it bother you to know I've also got eight(that's 8 count 'em 8) seasons tickets to Foxboro. Now aren't you sorry for gatuitously insulting me??? Should I tell your wife you're a closet Leafs fan??? Do you really think you'll enjoy sleeping on the sofa??? :^O
BTW I'll be going to the next Patriots home game and [b]if[/b] all the tickets haven't been given out yet would you care to join me; but mind you no slobbering or pissing on the carpets, oh and if you're prone to being airsick do bring your own barf bag. :^O BTW how was Hawaii??? Hope you and the wife had a good time since it may be a while before she talks to you again. You did say she was an anglo Quebecer didn't you???

[b]Dawg[/b] ]:)

[b]ROTFLMAO[/b] WTF why not??? Makes as much sense as anything else.
:^O

[b]Dawg[/b] ]:)

...who invented Basketball. But it was the British who invented Football, Rugby , Cricket, Golf, Curling - the list goes on....
Its just that many of the old colonies insist on calling these sports something different.
I also recall that when the Football World Cup (soccer to avoid confusion) was held in the states various ridiculous plans were suggested to "spice" up the game.
What utter nonsense - 4 quarters of 15 or 20 minutes - boll0ck5 - everyone knows its a game of 2 halves and its all about 90 minutes. Furthermore its about goals in the back of the net but the answer is not to make the goal posts bigger....heck why dont we allow the players to pick the ball up and kick it over the goal - oh woops we tried that already !!
Nonsense - its a great game and played all over the world - a truly worldwide sport - which means outside of the North American continent.
I think the issue lies in a cultural inability to understand the ethos and concept behind this sport - where does the arrogance to try and change the rules of an already established sport originate?

As for Newfies - surely the reason I heard that they all understand each other is because they are all related to each other.

And it was all going so well Dawg...;-)

he'll be dead meat!!!:^O

[b]Dawg[/b] ]:)

the Scots did and not many of them would take kindly to having a sassenach saying Brits had invented it. As GG pointed out not too many Brits wish to be classified as European. Having to conduct business in the EEC of which the UK is supposedly a part there is a noticeable difference to doing business on the continent from doing business in the UK; the Uk seeming to be bothered with fewer ridiculous regulations. A few years ago Europe was blaring away as to how they were going to replace the US and The North American Free Trade group as the predominant economic power around the world. Well that hasn't happened; they haven't even managed to catch up yet and in fact are falling further behind. We used to worry about not being able to have access to the European markets, now we don't care as much as we are now more focused on the Orient i.e. the Pacific Rim which we are part of and which Europe is a long way away from. The UK with it's former possession of Hong Kong is about the only European power that seems to have any influence there.

Your comment about Newfies was in poor taste and perhaps you should have remembered that Newfoundland was a British possesion up until 1949 when Canada took it off Britain's hands because she could no longer afford to maintain it.

On another matter, I'd be curious to know if you belong to or support any organisations concerned with animal or childrens welfare.

[b]Dawg[/b] ]:)

I'll PM you on the little town. Do we have a strip? We do have a couple of strip malls, including a Walmart (That should narrow it down - only 4 in VT), but we do not have a strip club, or as you folks say, a peeler bar.

We also have an airport.

who made you paranoid, then?

[b](BOO!)[/b]

OOpppss.....sorry about that ceiling, there, DM!

:p

GG

Dawg , I fear that you may have misunderstood a few points.

Firstly, Scotland (as a country, political and geographica entity exists) its people - proud and brave are Scots or Scottish (not Scotch)- their Nationality however is undenialbly "British". It is also part of the United Kingdom and geographically the British Isles.
I repeat Golf, amongst other sports and pastimes was invented by the British, and indeed not the English, this is what you meant I believe.

Secondly "Sassenach" refers to Saxons as opposed to Celts and therefore includes many "Scots" but I think I get the thrust of your remark. My heritage would be an extremely debateable issue in terms of cultural tags - having legitmate clainm to both celtic and "sassenach" identity. However your quip is futile as it was a Brit who inveted Golf so the insult is redundant.

Thirdly, "As GG pointed out not too many Brits wish to be classified as European." Well thats GG view and many other ignorant individuals - including I fear NeilB - although we nay need to confer here.

Next , "Having to conduct business in the EEC of which the UK is supposedly a part there is a noticeable difference to doing business on the continent from doing business in the UK; the Uk seeming to be bothered with fewer ridiculous regulations."

The UK is part of the EU/EEC no supposed about it. I am not sure what regulations you refer to but you may find that we have streamlined our trade processes to make it easier to deal with or you may find some of the Europeans wishing to obfuscate issues with unneccessary red tape - they can be like this.

On the subject of
"A few years ago Europe was blaring away as to how they were going to replace the US and The North American Free Trade group as the predominant economic power around the world. Well that hasn't happened; they haven't even managed to catch up yet and in fact are falling further behind..We used to worry about not being able to have access to the European markets...

If I was in the States I would worry for the pure and simple reason that if Europe did get its act together then the US would have some serious trade issues. However you're right and its a shame - but thats precisely why I would regard myself as more European so we could seriously compete with not only the US but the far East/pacific rim and probably more importantly China.

Regading Newfies - hey sounds like I touched a raw nerve. I didnt suggest they were like the Mormans or something - just a reference to their close kinship and community. But I gather this have caused offence. I did however hear that the pace of life is quite slow here. Maybe its related...

Finally - I'd be curious to know if you belong to or support any organisations concerned with animal or childrens welfare.

Dawg - I am assuming that you did not seriously think that I was "for real" regarding the lie down remark.
If you knew me better then you would laugh - I apologise only because I know there are sick individuals all around the world who don't respect animals or children.
(for the record I rescused a Saluki (a beautiful b!tch) whose leg had been smashed by gypos/pikies. At considerable expense to us we paid for private reconstructive surgery. She will also require medical treatment in years to come as she is almost certainly going to have arthritis...I have never beaten her. We sadly lost our Scottish Deerhound/Greyhound dog to a brain tumour last year and I nursed him through some very traumatic epileptic fits. He was a rescue dog too and we gave him a loving family home, he was on the verge of being destroyed.

On the subject of children, I am the proud father of two.

I do not belong to any organisation that is concerned with children or animals (welfare).
I dont know what relevance this has to nationality though?

Now has that cleared a few issues?
Perhaps we can move on now - and leave the nutrasweet out of it?

K . W

I am afraid you are wrong about Basketball.
James Naismith was born in Canada and therefore was Canadian by virtue of birth.
Its debatable whether the game/sport was invented "in" Canada whilst he was in Montreal/McGill..or whether it was conceived in the States - but hey who cares - Naismith was Canadian.

Welcome to the miscellaneous area of TR. Previously known as Area 52. The twilight zone. The place where techies go to let their hair down (if they have any). Any age, any race, religion or credo. Democrat, Republican or other.

I'm sure you will find miscellaneous to be an entertaining experience and a diversion from tech when you've had too much.

they no longer conduct public executions. Kevin, it would be truly interesting watching you try to convince a [b]real[/b] Scot that he was British. Assuming he had a modicum of intelligence he might own to living in the "Britsh Isles" but you might find he would object quite strenuously to being labled British and he would even argue as to whether the "Kingdom" was united or not. Considering the Ulster question; he has a point. Similarly he would also object to being called European as do the vast majority of Englishmen. In Ireland you will be told that Ireland is a member of the EEC but they also resent being called Europeans. Logic might say you're right but nationalism says you are wrong. That is the stumbling block to your supposed logic.

One of the major reasons the EEC has encountered difficulties is the nationalistic tendancies of its various members. Until WW I England's(read UK)traditional enemy had always been France and in fact France has been most of Europe's traditional enemy. France's foreign policy regardless of its form of government has always maintained its focus on "La Gloire de France" in supremacy to all of its neighbours. There has never been nor will there ever be any true cooperative efforts from France in view of there being a united Europe, unless she is in charge. Then there are the linguistic problems; how many languages are there in the EEC??? Nationalist sympathies keep the nations from adopting any other language than their own as an official language, even though, again, logic would indicate that they should. As long as nations exist they will each have their own political and economic interests and how can any nation control its economy unless it can control its currency and its supply. Why do you think the UK opted out of using the Euro as well as a few other nations have done. Note Switzerland did not get sucked into the frenzy of a united Europe because of that very reason. The idea of the EEC is great in theory but very tenuous, at best, in practice. The Commonwealth with its linguistic and political ties has a difficult time maintaining its existence so how could you expect the EEC with all its divergent history and interests be expected to fair any better. There is every indication that France is losing interest and if that should happen , how long can you expect the rest to last??? If you doubt my opinion you might try reading a "British" publication, 'The Economist' which has been indicating this for well over a year now. There will have to be very serious efforts made to retrieve the promise that the EEC once had because right now their seems little interest in the UK, Germany, Denmark, Holland and France in preserving it. It's not about to disappear but it certainly isn't the healthy institution it once was.

[b]Dawg[/b] ]:)

from a post or two up.....

?that?s GG?s view, and many other ignorant individuals?

Yes, that?s my view. How does that prove me ignorant? That proves I have my own view on this, to which I hope you agree that I am entitled. But proves my ignorance? I don?t think so. People that I have recently come to work alongside have told me I?m quite intelligent; as have colleagues of long standing. I may keep to the lighter side of things on the board, but again, that neither proves nor disproves my ignorance ? the lighter side is the side of me that I allow people on this board to see. Some ? admittedly, very few ? others on the board get to know the ?intelligent? side. I get quite a few peer mails asking for advice on UK Legal Statute, and in two cases, people have consulted me rather than their own security services for clarity.

My view/opinion consists of this: whilst I would be more than willing to lay down my life for my own country, I am [b]NOT[/b] willing to throw this singular chance away for a country in which I do not live and for which I have no loyalty. The old saying is ?For Queen and Country?, not ?For Queen and however-many-countries-are-classed-as-European-at-this-time?.

Britain is an island; we have a man-made connection to Europe. Made by man ? ergo, it is an artificial connection. It is for the ease of trade and travelling. It is not some sort of umbilical cord or apron string; it is purely for convenience. That artificial connection, [b]IMHO [/b], does not make us European by any stretch of the imagination.

I could go on for reams about the cost to the UK households of being members of the EU, but I don?t think that was the point you were getting at. I?ll just state that I, for one, do not willingly pay my households approximate ?1000 per year for the Common Agricultural Policy alone. Yes, it is swings and roundabouts, and the UK does gain money in certain areas from the EU funding, but by far we pay out more than we receive per capita.

But don?t call me ignorant. By all means, try to colour my opinion, or change my view, or give me cause to rethink my opinion in other ways. But you do not know me well enough to call me ignorant. You never will.

Accused of ignorance from someone who at the weekend, signed himself as [i]K dot Dubya [/i]on a post......

Speaks volumes.

GG

An interesting post. Please take this reply as "conferring" on my feelings (or lack of them) as a "European".

I rarely - if ever - think of myself as European. I'm English by birth and Welsh by genetics and I identify in different ways with both of those countries. I rarely even consider myself British as English fits the bill on most occasions and is what I invariably answer if questioned on my nationality except on official forms. If this, by your criteria, makes me ignorant then I can probably live with it.

When I was at school, "European" was a matter of arbitrary geography. Neither Russia nor Turkey were considered in any way Eoropean. Now I am a fully paid-up member of the European Union, do I feel more European? Well, no. And in this "ignorant" state, I have the company of most of my fellows. The most recent survey by the London School of Economics reported that whereas 80 per cent of those questioned said they felt British, only 38 per cent said they felt in any significant way European. Of that 80 percent, the Scots were more likely to reject European identity than Welsh or English people.

One thing that I have noticed is that the fact that although Britain is an island, this is something that is hardly ever mentioned in media coverage involving Europe. The importance of this geographic fact and imagery is unique among the EU countries and to forget that or to try to diminish it in any way shows the ignorance of the pro-Europeans. By the way, this insularity is also cultural and linguistic and no amount of EU spin is going to get around that and make me feel closer to my "fellow Europeans".

From a personal viewpoint, I feel a sense of alienation from both Europe and European politics generally. Unlike most of my fellow doubters, though, I do not consider myself ignorant of Europe. I just feel that the hyper-regulatory European socialist model that is being forced upon us is too divorced from the reality of the globalisation of the world economy to be successful. You only have to compare the level of unemployment in France and Germany with our own to understand that.

If you want to argue the relatives merits of Britain in and out of Europe then start a thread but if you just want to call me, my friend GG and the other 60 percent "ignorant" in your posts (http://tinyurl.com/dg9cj) then you had better be prepared to back it up.

Neil

Scotsman, something I had absolutely no need for and was perplexed as to why he would think I did, I've come to the conclusion that our old friend Kevin here, is a bit of a know-it-all prat. Then I read Neil's and GG's posts and am confirmed in my suspicions, especially as they confirm my own observations, gathered through the experiences of conducting business over there for over twenty years.

One thing you might not have realized Kevin is that I have lived and worked in Germany as well as in England. While that was several years ago, I still conduct business there and have holdings and interests there. That being said, I would suggest it is required of me to stay on top of the financial and economic affairs of these areas more so than yourself as any miscalculations or misinterpretations of data and facts could cost me money. Unless you have lived in a place for some time and have learned the language, how can you have any sense of a people. Your unnecessary lecture on Scotland and Scots is further proof of that; you may live on the same island as them but you have little or no understanding of them and I would also suggest you have little or no understanding of the vast majority of your own countrymen.

Since you seem of a pedantic nature I will leave you with this thought: "T'is better to remain silent and thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt." Your pseudo-intellectual opinions are just that; pseudo. I might take greater cognizance of your opinions if you were backing them, as I do mine, with money. So far, I've managed to stay in the black since 1991 although I did have a losing quarter or two back in 92-93. I have an established record of sorts; how do you choose to backup your opinions??? Frankly I doubt you can; so in consideration of that, I would suggest you bear in mind the quotation.

[b]Dawg[/b] ]:)

P.S. I have had various contretemps at one time or another with both NeilB and GG. As to whether I won or lost the arguments is immaterial; what I did do in each instance, was to learn something new from them. In your place I would be very careful as to whom I would label ignorant, especially when there is another expression that says, "It takes one to know one." Right now you are not doing too well by comparison. [b]Dawg[/b]

I predicted that Dawg would chew up and spit out Dubya. That GG and Neil were prompted to do the same is a bonus.

Thanks, all

(GG, calm down now, you're back among friends.)

I'm calm, honestly, I'm calm.....

But note he has not replied yet...there is a chance that could change. But, honestly, I'm ignorant because I don't believe the same things he does? ....grief.....

Thanks DM!

:D

GG

PS: Who let the Dawg out? ooops, cross thread, earwig alert! Sorry!

]:)

You'd have to take the chance of getting jumped on and getting big slobbering kisses. [b] Woof!!! Woof!!! Woof!!! [/b] Also you might get a cold wet nose in places you might least expect. [b]ROTFLMAO Oh yes!!! Definitely Woof Woof!!![/b] Poor wee GG at the mercy of big old Dawg and his cold wet nose. Drool and slurp, drool and slurp to the accompanying cries from GG of, "Nice Dawg, nice Dawg. Be a good Dawgie. Down Dawgie. (DE)" [b]LOL[/b] ;) ;\

[b]Dawg[/b] ]:)

Now, Dawg ? no, keep your nose OUTTA there?.Dawg?! Bad boy! Si-t! Now Dawg, you should no better than to?.Stay! Dawg, I said STAY! No, your nose doesn?t go there?.bleah! Nothing worse than drool all over your jumper?.DAWG!

NO, DON?T LICK ?..

Although??

Mmmmm

MmmmmMMMMMM!

sorry, guys, couldn?t help myself?.literally!

That was just too good to miss??

Predictably, GG

]:)

:^O No drool on your jumper. I wouldn't do that. This Dawg has been better trained than that. It's under the jumper and..... yes m'dear you can scratch my ears or hang on to them, whichever pleases you, the most. Oh BTW slurp, slurp.]:) ;)

[b]Dawg[/b] ]:)

Hmm. Dawgs' have paws, so you would still find obstacles in your way, even if you did manage to get under the jumper....although you could get lucky if I wore a front loader....!! ;)

Glad you don't drool, though, Dawg - it's wet, gets everywhere, slimy....oh! Bad Boy!! Naughty thoughts!

oh - and I'd have the ideal excuse if you keep on woofing like that....I'd have a headache!!

]:)

GG

(in answer to last line of yours: same as a French woman........)

]:)

We're more than just our barks. We have been known to lick and bite as well but of course in your case only the most gentle of nibbles rather than bites. (Heavy panting);)

[b]Dawg[/b] ]:)

with panting, hot Dawg breath in your ears...but it's not that off-putting....

Gentle nibbles....ooooh! Yum. I could be putty in your paws....

I do hope you're not TOO big a Big Bad Dawg....cos I'd rather be tickled than choked....

]:)

GG

Yes you can feel the Dawgs hot breath as he nuzzles your neck and works his way across your soft white shoulders and goes lower and lower to that little spot just behind the knee. He rests for an instant before starting to work his way up........ARROOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Damn but this Dawg does so enjoy himself when he is on the prowl. ;)

[b]Dawg[/b] ]:)

[b]FETCH![/b]

Now, what sort of games does Dawg like playing? Chase? Tickletum? Scratch? Walkies? Roly-poly?!

Now Dawg....stop....OY! Get your cold wet nose OUTTA THERE!!!

(well, at least warm it up a bit first.......)

[b]Good Boy![/b]

GG

]:)

I was thinking along the lines of drinking Champagne from your navel as well as nuzzling and nibbling away at you so as to experience you more fully.;) An ooooh and a bounce would be appropriate right now [i]n'est ce pas???[/i] The Dawg is what he is!!! Enjoy!!! But now I have to leave for a bit. Never fear m'dear, I'll soon be back to take up where I left off. ARRRROOOOOOO!!! If you're going to run with the Dawg you have to get up off the porch. :^O B-)[b]LOL[/b]

[b]Dawg[/b] ]:)

Never tried it on a porch......yet!

And I think the sound you mean is the semi-high AAaawwwww! But I couldn't be sure, it's a bit hard to hear over the sound of a Dawg panting....:D

If you supply the Champagne, I'll supply the naval, btw...

]:)

GG