[QUOTE]Originally posted by mongu
[B]Ah, but there you have yet another issue. Most of Europe has emerged from dictatorship and oppression in the last 50 years – Spain, Germany, France, Austria, Italy, Benelux, all the new members…

But the UK hasn’t.

That’s a damn good point Mongu !!

Och aye the noo , imagine stereotyping us Jocks like thon , next ye will all want to go Haggis rustling , fecking erseholes.

I’ve never heard of any kind of comparison between us Scots and any Spaniards , there are still people who speak Gaelic and some of our TV programming is still broadcast in Gaelic , the English still speak English though – although we need subtitles as they all have mad accents !!!

Originally posted by Snapper
“Snapper, the UK IS Europe, wheter you like it or not. That’s just a fact.”

Nope Geforce, That’s not a fact. Belgium borders France is a fact.

“You feel ashamed to call yourself European?”

No. I am not European. I am English. (British in my passport, but I am not Welsh, Scottish or Northern Irish.)

“be a part of the great civilisations which have created the western world as it is today. “

What, Rome, Greece, Egypt, China, India and the Ottoman Empire or Islam? Or perhaps the British Empire? Or, even more importantly in this century – America? Russia?

And you can stick the Euro currency wherever you like, except in my pocket. If you want an international currency, then take the US Dollar – half the third world runs on it, as does the greatest industrial nation, and most international trade. except somehow I can’t see the French or Germans swallowing that pill.

There is a strip of sea that divides us from Europe. You are a geographical neighbour only. That’s a fact.

Snapper I have to agree with you entirely , I’m Scottish but I’m also proud to be British , I don’t know anybody who wants to accept the Euro OR considers themselves European – I would go as far as say we have a stronger relationship with the USA than we do with mainland Europe.

Originally posted by SteveYoung
Alastair, many thanks mate, I’ll have a sniff around and get myself booked in somewhere.

Meanwhile, on the Concorde topic (sorry for hijacking it earlier folks 😮 ), much as I dearly love the old bird, I fear that we’ll find ourselves in ten years time grumbling about the various museums which have taken an airframe, been unable to shelter her from the elements, and therefore now have an unsafe and unrestorable aircraft on their hands. I really wouldn’t want to see such a beautiful and iconic aircraft end it’s days that way… 🙁

Much the same way the Vulcan’s are going now .

Originally posted by Moggy C
That settles it – you definitely can’t have a Concord!

And whilst you are at it please take the oversexed dwarf with the incomprehensible accent back.

And that bloke who keeps dipping into my pockets to buy more nurses. I never got to one of THOSE parties full of nurses when I was a lad!

Pah!

And I do get bottles of Balvenie down here. Works for me.

Ah no , Robin Cook is Livingston’s MP , not too far from me , you can keep that runt !!.
AAhhh , I have to give you that , Balvenie is a fine whisky , that and Highland Park are the only two palatable whisky’s I have found south of the border , Laphroigh is a fine whisky too and I have found this in a few places , anything that starts with a “Glen” is a Tourist whisky , this is not to say they are bad , but there is better available elsewhere if you look.

Originally posted by dhfan
You’re welcome to have the Prime Monster back, and take the rest of the Scottish cabinet with you while you’re at it.

Gratefully , and we’ll keep our oil revenues while we’re at it.

ONLY KIDDING , I never voted for devolution , I’m British and proud of it , there has NEVER been an independant country called Scotland , Dalriada , Caledonia whatever you want to call it , more Scots fought with the Government at Culloden than with the French Young Pretender.

I still want a Concorde though !!!!!!!

Originally posted by Moggy C
Hear hear!

The Scots have got their devolution. They even have Mel Gibson, an Australian multi-millionaire living in California as their honarary figurehead.

Let them invent their own SST if they want one.

Moggy

But don’t turn off the whisky pipeline – please

Concorde flew into Edinburgh or Glasgow most years for charter flights and was always full , as it was a British achievement why not give one to East Fortune , I mean we gave you our current Scottish Prime Minister , Tony Blair .
As for cutting the whisky pipeline , you are perfectly safe , we never let any decent whisky’s leave Scotland , you only get the Tourist whisky’s down south Glenmorangie , Glenfiddich and Chivas Regal , the only decent whiskys are from the small independant distilleries – if you want a decent whisky you have to come up here.