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Post by kiev4a on Jul 3, 2007 14:12:57 GMT -5
Since we will have something like 20 people wandering around our house Wednesday I wanted to wish everyone the best for the July 4 holiday.
I realize this date isn't as significant to members outside the U.S. But if it wasn't for some of you (especially in the U.K.) we wouldn't have this day to celebrate! As a student of history I'm well aware that our Revolutionary War was pretty much a trumped up affair, fomented by guys like Sam Adams who, would be in the slammer today if he pulled some of the stuff he did back then. Still, that seems to be the way both "good" and "bad" revolutions start.
Despite the fact that we sometimes have our political disagreements, I have to say I was a proud Yank earlier this year when I saw a statue of Abraham Lincoln in a Paris square and when I stood at the shrine in Westminster Abby dedicated to Americans who died in England during WWII.
And to our friends in the U.K. who have had more than their share of problems in the past few weeks, may the clouds, both natural and man-made depart.
Best Regards to all
Wayne
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Post by John Parry on Jul 3, 2007 14:52:47 GMT -5
You guys had just no idea what you were missing! But congratulations nevertheless!
Best regards to all you Yanks (I know, Rick - but you're all Yanks to us!!)
John
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Post by nikonbob on Jul 3, 2007 15:08:17 GMT -5
Best wishes to everyone in the States for a safe and happy 4th July.
Bob
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Reiska
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Post by Reiska on Jul 3, 2007 15:45:05 GMT -5
Look what I found in our kitchen. Unluckily for me it was empty. A couple of visiting grandchildren, I presume ;D A package of chewing gum. The first and most popular domestic brand "Jenkki" . Guess what it means . That word has not the slightest negative meaning here. Best wishes to everyone in the US for a happy 4th July Reijo
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Post by Rachel on Jul 3, 2007 16:08:44 GMT -5
You guys had just no idea what you were missing! But congratulations nevertheless! Anyway, Best Wishes to all of you in the US
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Post by kiev4a on Jul 3, 2007 16:42:44 GMT -5
The only problem with July Fourth is that it falls on Wednesday this year which means I work two days, then celebrate, then try to go to sleep with fireworks exploding until the wee hours of the morning because I have to get up and go to work Thursday and Friday.
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mickeyobe
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Post by mickeyobe on Jul 3, 2007 18:38:03 GMT -5
To all you folks south of the 49th.
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY.
Mickey
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mickeyobe
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Post by mickeyobe on Jul 3, 2007 18:39:57 GMT -5
JENKI can only mean WRIGLEY'S Is there any other gum?
Mickey
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Post by Randy on Jul 3, 2007 19:32:12 GMT -5
Happy Independence Day....well, somebody had to say it. ;D Cup of tea Guvna?
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PeterW
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Post by PeterW on Jul 3, 2007 21:39:47 GMT -5
Wayne:
You had every right to be proud. To most people in the UK today - at least, those younger than 65 or so - the US servicemen in England during WWII are just part of history. It's only old dinosaurs like me who knew them and remember them.
Yes, there were typical English goodnatured jokes, like their being 'over paid, over sexed and over here', and a few, like any soldiers half a world away from home, overstepped the line sometimes if they'd been drinking. But the vast majority were welcomed and well liked.
I was only 16 going on 17 in 1944, but a lot of US servicemen here were not much older. I don't remember any feelings of 'we're English and they're American'. We were all just 'us', and the losses by the Eighth Air Force before D-Day and the ground troops after D-Day were felt as much as those by the RAF and British Army. Sadly, today so few people remember what we owed them.
PeterW
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Post by byuphoto on Jul 4, 2007 8:34:17 GMT -5
I for one am proud to be of Angl-Saxon heritage. I am also very proud to be an American John this is one time it is OK to call me a "yank". Peter the sad fact is most have forgotten the sacrafices here also. Wars are to far away and to electronic. It's like a big video game to the young people. I had to uncles, "over there" one with the 8th and one awaiting D day. I also had numerous cousins. To bad we have to keep pulling the French noogies out of the fire. Then they can slap us in the face. If not for the Tommies and the Yanks this world would be very different
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Reiska
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Post by Reiska on Jul 4, 2007 10:17:24 GMT -5
Anyway it is also good to remember, that a yesterday's enemy could easily be an ally today. In the American War of Independence, France was an ally and Britain was an enemy. In the WWII my brother has to fight against US made Airacobras (P-93). They were a part of the weapon aid to SSSR ? Big and mighty Communist USSR considered us as a threatening factor of their safety ;D ;D , what a compliment, 4 million against 250 millions. Afterwards Germany was our ally and at the end, surprise, surprise, it was an enemy. Onward from the AD1100 to the AD1806 our country was occupied by Sweden and after that until 1917 by Russia. Today both of them acts like a friend, ridiculous isn't it, and edifying. For millions war is too far and sacrifice is extremely relative thing. We managed to eliminate over 500 000 ruskies versus our 80 000 casualties but in proportion to population Soviets "should" have lost over three million soldiers. Not that bad, we got the second prize ;D and lost some parts of our homeland, included our second biggest town. Not the big city but again if you take it proportionally. Indipendence is a great thing to people all over the world. It is a good reason for celebration and a reason for a fight. You can neither export nor import it.
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