British PM: Britain is "still the greatest country on earth"

youreadthat

billybudd wrote: »

Great Britain....Greatest oxymoron ever!

Cameron should step into the underbelly of society in GB to see what a large part of the population live like, for every gold medal there is a 1000 illiterate people with no hope in this life time.

Do these people not know what an oxymoron is either?

The King of Moo

billybudd wrote: »

Great Britain....Greatest oxymoron ever!

Cameron should step into the underbelly of society in GB to see what a large part of the population live like, for every gold medal there is a 1000 illiterate people with no hope in this life time.

The "Great" in "Great Britain" does not mean "very good," which is the most commonly-known meaning of the word among modern native English speakers.

Rather, it is used in the more archaic fashion meaning "large" (though one finds similar words in modern European languages which mean "large") to distinguish Great Britain from Brittany.

ejmaztec

billybudd wrote: »

Certainly better to glam over the facts and live in denial,ill have a pink lemonade please.

It's standard procedure for all politicians to hide the truth under a thick covering of bullsh1t, and I'm more concerned with ones governing us, than some chinless wonder from across the water who's trying to appeal to people whose hands he would only shake if he were wearing thick rubber gloves.

billybudd

The King of Moo wrote: »

The "Great" in "Great Britain" does not mean "very good," which is the most commonly-known meaning of the word among modern native English speakers.

Rather, it is used in the more archaic fashion meaning "large" (though one finds similar words in modern European languages which mean "large") to distinguish Great Britain from Brittany.

I know, was just jesting.:P

billybudd

ejmaztec wrote: »

It's standard procedure for all politicians to hide the truth under a thick covering of bullsh1t, and I'm more concerned with ones governing us, than some chinless wonder from across the water who's trying to appeal to people whose hands he would only shake if he were wearing thick rubber gloves.

True, im not saying this from a nationlistic point of view but Ireland is 100 times better to live in that GB, even with our own crowd and financial woes.

mitosis

PseudoFamous wrote: »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Difference_engine

Thank you and good night.

Good evening. Here is the news

World's first computer, Rome

summerskin

billybudd wrote: »

ejmaztec wrote: »

It's standard procedure for all politicians to hide the truth under a thick covering of bullsh1t, and I'm more concerned with ones governing us, than some chinless wonder from across the water who's trying to appeal to people whose hands he would only shake if he were wearing thick rubber gloves.

True, im not saying this from a nationlistic point of view but Ireland is 100 times better to live in that GB, even with our own crowd and financial woes.

Trust me, it's not. Not even close to 100 times better. Not even close to better at all.


Ah but sure ye have de hurling so it all must be happy out.

archer22

woodoo wrote: »

At least we have the title of being.. the best small country in the world in which to do business. If you don't believe me just ask Enda Kenny.

And also the envy of Europe (not sure if that needs updating) and world leaders in just about everything (maybe needs updating also) also best standard of living in the world ( maybe needs updating) and everyone loves the Irish (so I heard but unable to find evidence) Also a ragtag Irish guerrilla organisation defeated the army of the worlds largest empire by killing a few hundred of them and forcing them to withdraw (revisionist historians claim they got sick of trying to do anything with the place and just left..this view is disputed).

Eve_Dublin

andrew wrote: »

Well if you're a fan of monarchy and the queen, then it's fair enough to say that you think she's the greatest head of state on earth. And lots of computer scientists integral to the creation of the computer were British; Alan Turing, Charles Babbage etc. And they did defeat the Nazis in some battles, if not the entire world war. As it's name implies, world war II was a group effort.

Pity it's not Charles Cabbage. That'd be gas.

ejmaztec wrote: »

It's standard procedure for all politicians to hide the truth under a thick covering of bullsh1t, and I'm more concerned with ones governing us, than some chinless wonder from across the water who's trying to appeal to people whose hands he would only shake if he were wearing thick rubber gloves.

X1,000,000,000,000

billybudd

summerskin wrote: »

Trust me, it's not. Not even close to 100 times better. Not even close to better at all.


Ah but sure ye have de hurling so it all must be happy out.

Depends how you view life and whats important and whats not.

Whats hurling got to do with it btw?

ejmaztec

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

Pity it's not Charles Cabbage. That'd be gas.

He invented the Green Party.

TheUsual

It's really a coded message for their military.

"We're broke. The money from the North-Sea oil and banking has run out. Time to go back to plundering, pillaging and a bit of raping (though not of cattle this time)."

*Sent from the hill of Tara service station watching for parachutes*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfQwHb1pWPE

Heroditas

billybudd wrote: »

Great Britain....Greatest oxymoron ever!

Cameron should step into the underbelly of society in GB to see what a large part of the population live like, for every gold medal there is a 1000 illiterate people with no hope in this life time.

Yes but while the underbelly has no chance of going to the Olympics, its own dreams and aspirations consist of X Factor

billybudd

Heroditas wrote: »

Yes but while the underbelly has no chance of going to the Olympics, its own dreams and aspirations consist of X Factor

Or getting on the Jeremy kyle show.

joncon45

Its better than this corrupt little dive we have to live in!

billybudd

joncon45 wrote: »

Its better than this corrupt little dive we have to live in!

Every countries political class are corrupt. either by greed or power or most often than not : both!

ejmaztec

Heroditas wrote: »

Yes but while the underbelly has no chance of going to the Olympics, its own dreams and aspirations consist of X Factor

...and people here are drawn into the crap as well, it's contagious. :eek:

billybudd

ejmaztec wrote: »

...and people here are drawn into the crap as well, it's contagious. :eek:

Only the underbelly :pac:

patwicklow

Written for him and read off an auto cue any monkey can do that
but yeah some bull**** said needed a bucket to get sick listening to it!

Happyman42

His speech is the verbal equivalent of the Olympic opening ceremony...all the good bits and none of the shameful, bad bits.
The British system is probably the one that stinks the most in these here parts, they are so corrupted by the class and entitlement that they swallow guff like this, not because they are stupid but because they are either at the trough or trying to get to it. They succeed in drowning out anybody who does object to it.

pragmatic1

Britain is actually a very good country in many ways. Far more open minded and tolerant than a lot of countries, also forward thinking and progressive. On the whole I like the modern British but I'll never forget what they've done to countries like Ireland in the past.

K-9

Seanchai Location: Béal Feirste, Éire, disagrees that Britain is the best country in the world and would probably be of the opinion it's one of the worst.

mike65

Happyman42 wrote: »

His speech is the verbal equivalent of the Speical Olympic opening ceremony...all the good bits and none of the shameful, bad bits.

The Irish system is probably the one that stinks the most in these here parts, they are so corrupted by the class and entitlement that they swallow guff like this, not because they are stupid but because they are either at the trough or trying to get to it. They succeed in drowning out anybody who does object to it.

That's about right I think.

To think a Brit had to invent the world wide web so he could be abused at a distance by angry thick paddies.

looksee

billybudd wrote: »

True, im not saying this from a nationlistic point of view but Ireland is 100 times better to live in that GB, even with our own crowd and financial woes.

So, you'd be better phoning all your family and mates and tell them to come home, see what they are missing.

Happyman42

mike65 wrote: »

That's about right I think.

Another one who can't hear any criticism of old blighty without some whataboutery about the Irish. You'd probably be the first to say the Irish are irelevant to them, if that suited your deflection. :rolleyes: Tiresome.

ejmaztec

K-9 wrote: »

Seanchai Location: Béal Feirste, Éire, disagrees that Britain is the best country in the world and would probably be of the opinion it's one of the worst.

In the scheme of all places bad I think he's got the UK in first place with hell a distant second for the 900th year running.

Sound of Silence

summerskin wrote: »

Trust me, it's not. Not even close to 100 times better. Not even close to better at all.


Ah but sure ye have de hurling so it all must be happy out.

I would actually be very interested to discover why you personally have developed such a contempt for both Ireland and the Irish. Perhaps I'm being slightly presumptuous here, but from having read your previous rants, I imagine that the trigger must certainly have had to have been something momentous and life-changing.

In regards to the thread itself: The UK is a great Nation in it's own right, and we certainly can't deny that as a Nation it has had a wealth of accomplishments to show pride in, but I simply can't help but cringe whenever any Nation declares itself to be the "Greatest on Earth". Good old 'Merica is certainly the biggest culprit for this glorified self-promotion, and it's generally frowned upon by everyone, including the British themselves.

Japer

pragmatic1 wrote: »

Britain is actually a very good country in many ways. Far more open minded and tolerant than a lot of countries, also forward thinking and progressive.

There are more people of Irish extraction living in the UK than there are Irish people living in Ireland, so I guess you could say people have voted with their feet.

DEFTLEFTHAND

There's no doubt that at one time Great Britain was the greatest nation on the planet, whether that remains the case in 2012 I'm unsure really.

Certainly when you look down through the ages they've contributed quite a lot to mankind, and have excelled in many different fields.

Japer

full text of the speech here....its quite interesting and thought provoking, and he does make some true and interesting points about the EC, China , 21st century etc.
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/politics/2012/10/david-camerons-speech-conservative-conference-full-text

Seanchai

petersburg2002 wrote: »

And yes the Russian army and brave civilians helped win the War, but the Germans did get their asses kicked in the Battle of Britain, in North Africa etc. Give credit where credit is due.

Here we go again with the British nationalist propaganda machine. Those stats again: 20 million Russians/Soviet Union citizens died in WWII. 40,000-60,000 British people died in the air assault that was the Battle of Britain. This attempt to understate the magnitude of the Russian/Ukranian etc effort in WWII and overstate the British effort is typical of the most repellent of British nationalists.

The Battle of Britain was a picnic compared to the land assault on Russia by 3.9 million German/Axis soldiers in Operation Barbarossa June 1941. In a single battle, Stalingrad, approximately 1 million people died. In a single siege, Leningrad, approximately 750,000 people died.

There is no comparison between the Nazi war in the Soviet Union and the Nazi air assault on Britain during the Battle of Britain. World War II could not have been won without that incredible sacrifice by people in the Soviet Union. The same sacrifice was not made by the British. That the British are reluctant to acknowledge this truth is shown with their poppy war commemorations, which specifically only commemorate British Commonwealth forces.

billybudd

looksee wrote: »

So, you'd be better phoning all your family and mates and tell them to come home, see what they are missing.

No family there, thankfully.

Tox56

Happyman42 wrote: »

His speech is the verbal equivalent of the Olympic opening ceremony...all the good bits and none of the shameful, bad bits.
The British system is probably the one that stinks the most in these here parts, they are so corrupted by the class and entitlement that they swallow guff like this, not because they are stupid but because they are either at the trough or trying to get to it. They succeed in drowning out anybody who does object to it.

Honest to god is this serious? Did you expect the Prime Minister speaking at his party conference and the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic games to include all the "shameful bad bits" of British history? Sweet jesus

wes

Of course he is going to say that. I would expect nothing else really.

somairle

I think the OP should watch The British on Sky Atlantic a very good documentary on the British, you will see their flaws but also their contribution to the world which is pretty amazing when you consider their size. I'm sure someone will remind me of the ills of empire and of course their are many but the enlightened thinking, innovation, invention and entrepreneurship in Britain during the industrial revolution, and in Ireland as part of that empire at the time, changed the world for ever. Not always for the better, but impacted on our lives today hugely.

I have lived in both Ireland and Britain, and while I understand some of the bitterness in Ireland lingers from British ills here, if we put that to one side as modern people's we actually have a lot in common.

Any country which has such a good Public Health Service, courage to stay out of the euro and control it's own destiny has my respect.

looksee

billybudd wrote: »

No family there, thankfully.

So you don't live there, you have no family there, how do you know so much about it that you can make such a confident statement?

Seanchai

ejmaztec wrote: »

In the scheme of all places bad I think he's got the UK in first place with hell a distant second for the 900th year running.

Give over with this "UK" nonsense. It never was united, and it never will be. It was just an obvious attempt by the English to dress up their conquest over surrounding countries, an attempt which only succeeded when they could use the riches of the British Empire to buy off the Scots. With that Empire no more, it's more difficult to buy off Scottish acquiescence to the imperialist English project that is the "UK", and its surrogate English imperialist project the "British Isles".

ejmaztec

Seanchai wrote: »

Give over with this "UK" nonsense. It never was united, and it never will be. It was just an obvious attempt by the English to dress up their conquest over surrounding countries, an attempt which only succeeded when they could use the riches of the British Empire to buy off the Scots. With that Empire no more, it's more difficult to buy off Scottish acquiescence to the imperialist English project that is the "UK", and its surrogate English imperialist project the "British Isles".

Titter titter :pac:

Seanchai

Tox56 wrote: »

Honest to god is this serious? Did you expect the Prime Minister speaking at his party conference and the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic games to include all the "shameful bad bits" of British history? Sweet jesus

Of course, because the only alternatives are the extremes of blind "faith and fatherland" British nationalism, and pro-EU Scandinavian-style social enlightenment?

He could have made a more intelligent reasoned speech with inclusive and progressive language. He chose, however, to emulate Thatcher by appealing to the tabloid-reading, flag-waving, French-hating, Irish-hating, German-hating, EU-hating underclass that abounds in British public discourse, and here on Boards.ie with some émigré British citizens in Ireland who have a chip on their shoulders about the Irish/Germans/French etc.

youreadthat

Happyman42 wrote: »

His speech is the verbal equivalent of the Olympic opening ceremony...all the good bits and none of the shameful, bad bits.
The British system is probably the one that stinks the most in these here parts, they are so corrupted by the class and entitlement that they swallow guff like this, not because they are stupid but because they are either at the trough or trying to get to it. They succeed in drowning out anybody who does object to it.

Yes, the world was waiting for the mass black people in chains choreography.

mike65

Seanchai wrote: »

He chose, however, to emulate Thatcher by appealing to the tabloid-reading, flag-waving, French-hating, Irish-hating, German-hating, EU-hating underclass

You are you appealing to?

K-9

Land battles did involve more deaths then, bit like the battle of the Somme during WWI. Air raids tended to be more targetted, as I'm sure you'd know as you'd use Dresden against the British.

Seanchai wrote: »

Here we go again with the British nationalist propaganda machine. Those stats again: 20 million Russians/Soviet Union citizens died in WWII. 40,000-60,000 British people died in the air assault that was the Battle of Britain. This attempt to understate the magnitude of the Russian/Ukranian etc effort in WWII and overstate the British effort is typical of the most repellent of British nationalists.

The Battle of Britain was a picnic compared to the land assault on Russia by 3.9 million German/Axis soldiers in Operation Barbarossa June 1941. In a single battle, Stalingrad, approximately 1 million people died. In a single siege, Leningrad, approximately 750,000 people died.

There is no comparison between the Nazi war in the Soviet Union and the Nazi air assault on Britain during the Battle of Britain. World War II could not have been won without that incredible sacrifice by people in the Soviet Union. The same sacrifice was not made by the British. That the British are reluctant to acknowledge this truth is shown with their poppy war commemorations, which specifically only commemorate British Commonwealth forces.

Happyman42

Tox56 wrote: »

Honest to god is this serious? Did you expect the Prime Minister speaking at his party conference and the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic games to include all the "shameful bad bits" of British history? Sweet jesus

Good rule in life...don't bull**** if what you are hiding is worse than the bit you are bull****ting about. Just don't do it, because that is all it is-self promoting bull**** and it deserves to be criticised and laughed at.

Chuck Stone

I think it's important to make a distinction between the British English elite and the average British person.

Cameron is one of a hugely disproportionate amount of 'elite' Eton College boys to make high office in the UK - no doubt having his path to the Tory leadership smoothed by the connections he made there rather than any discernible talent.

That kind of speech appeals to right wingers and cotton head conservatives and probably prevents them frittering away to UKIP and the like.

Playboy

I'm sure for the British and many of the immigrants that live there it is the greatest country in the world just like for most Irish Ireland is the greatest country in the world.

Britain is a 'great' country ... the greatest? Not now but maybe one time. The industrial revolution and the fact that English is the International language of the world has to count for something.... Britain of which Ireland was a part of for a long time has lots to be proud of, lots more than a lot of other nations and the things both Islands have achieved over the centuries in relation to their size is nothing short of staggering.

It's a modern progressive nation which is very tolerant of others (including Irish) who live here. It's probably the most inclusive place for foreign nationals in the world I have been... at least London anyway. Yes it has a history littered with injustice and crimes but what Empire doesn't? The British didn't do the things they did because they were British, they did them because that's what happens when Empires evolve... any other race of people including the Irish would have done similar things if they were in Britain's position. Don't kid yourself into thinking that the Irish would have been some amazing benevolent Empire if we had been in Britain's position just because we were Irish. Modern Britains aren't responsible for the sins of their ancestors.. it's about time people grew up and moved on and realised that we have far more in common with the British than any other nation in the world and that our success as a nation is closely tied to theirs.

I have lived here for 6 years and found it to be a wonderful country. I have been given great opportunities in my career, always have been treated with warmth and kindness, never made to feel different or at a disadvantage because of where I come from... and I am the second member of my family to have immigrated here and become successful. Lots of other Irish who are flocking to Britain at the moment will tell you the same things. Maybe the Evil Britain we were thought about in school isn't a reality anymore? Maybe it's about time we moved on and put this petty attitude to Britain behind us. From what I have experienced no one here holds any kind of animosity towards the Irish... in fact it’s the opposite usually.. people seem to have a genuine affection for Irish people and usually support us as their second team whenever we play in any sporting event.

So is Cameron talking ****e...? ofc he is but what politician doesn't tell his own people that they are great and have lots to be proud of? If they didn't they wouldn't be in a job very long

LordSutch

Seanchai wrote: »

British PM: Britain is "still the greatest country on earth"

Well there'e no doubting that Great Britain is a great country, and of course its debatable as to weather its the greatest country in the world, but if its not, it aint far off it. The saviour of Europe in two world wars, the giver of the English language to the world, Britain was also the architect of the agricultural & industrial revolutions, think science, think Sir Issac Newton, Darwin, Russell. The Commonwealth of countries, then there's Britains massive musical contribution to the world, from Elgar (thats for you N) to the Beatles, to Oasis, Bowie, The Who, to techno and beyond . . . great sports cars, Jaguar, Aston Martin (James Bond), Mini, Range Rover. 'The National Health Service' Great British fashion icons, great British universities, for British literature think Shakespeare, Milton, Brontes, Kipling, Dickens, J.K Rowling. Great British sporting stars too like Sir Chris Hoy, Seb Coe, Addlington, Murray, Sir Steve Redgrave. Britain is Great, always has been, and always will be in so many ways, and all this may be said in context, specially if you are the current PM who's looking for massive inward investment into Britain, while also selling a Britain in recession to the world at a Tory conference.

Any PM preaching to the party faithful in their own country could probably do a similar flag waving piece on their own country, its no big deal, just high profile optics for the party faithful, and for those overseas investors who need to be wooed to inwardly invest in GB/UK.

Tox56

Seanchai wrote: »

Of course, because the only alternatives are the extremes of blind "faith and fatherland" British nationalism, and pro-EU Scandinavian-style social enlightenment?

He could have made a more intelligent reasoned speech with inclusive and progressive language. He chose, however, to emulate Thatcher by appealing to the tabloid-reading, flag-waving, French-hating, Irish-hating, German-hating, EU-hating underclass that abounds in British public discourse, and here on Boards.ie with some émigré British citizens in Ireland who have a chip on their shoulders about the Irish/Germans/French etc.

Would you describe yourself as having a "chip on your shoulder" with regards to the British?

K-9

Chuck Stone wrote: »

I think it's important to make a distinction between the British English elite and the average British person.

Cameron is one of a hugely disproportionate amount of 'elite' Eton College boys to make high office in the UK - no doubt having his path to the Tory leadership smoothed by the connections he made there rather than any discernible talent.

That kind of speech appeals to right wingers and cotton head conservatives and probably prevents them frittering away to UKIP and the like.

I doubt Labour would be any different. The days of Maggie vs. Kinnock or Foot politics are long gone.

phoenix999

Seanchai wrote: »

Here we go again with the British nationalist propaganda machine. Those stats again: 20 million Russians/Soviet Union citizens died in WWII. 40,000-60,000 British people died in the air assault that was the Battle of Britain. This attempt to understate the magnitude of the Russian/Ukranian etc effort in WWII and overstate the British effort is typical of the most repellent of British nationalists.

The Battle of Britain was a picnic compared to the land assault on Russia by 3.9 million German/Axis soldiers in Operation Barbarossa June 1941. In a single battle, Stalingrad, approximately 1 million people died. In a single siege, Leningrad, approximately 750,000 people died.

There is no comparison between the Nazi war in the Soviet Union and the Nazi air assault on Britain during the Battle of Britain. World War II could not have been won without that incredible sacrifice by people in the Soviet Union. The same sacrifice was not made by the British. That the British are reluctant to acknowledge this truth is shown with their poppy war commemorations, which specifically only commemorate British Commonwealth forces.

You conveniently forget the role of British intelligence, the air raids over Germany, and a lot more besides. Britain did what needed to be done without jeopardising her own borders and needlessly sending her troops on suicidal missions. Russia was invaded, Britain was not. The Brits used their brains, Stalin used his people as cannon fodder.

Tar.Aldarion

Tox56 wrote: »

Would you describe yourself as having a "chip on your shoulder" with regards to the British?

It is mere coincidence that people with their usernames and locations in Irish tend to talk about the British a lot.