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[smirk]

Saw the latest Economist cover today. I didn't know you posed for pictures, Owlbread =P

[Owlbread]

Saw the latest Economist cover today. I didn't know you posed for pictures, Owlbread =P

I can just imagine what The Economist's cover must have been like in 1922 in the run up to Irish independence. A drunken leprechaun swigging a pint of Guinness, no doubt.

That picture actually rustled a lot of feathers in Scotland because, considering the subject matter and its usage in light of it, a lot of people found it offensive. I didn't because it's no shock to me that a magazine of The Economist's political persuasion down South would think using a picture like that in that context was totally fine. They have no understanding of Scotland at all.

As for accuracy the only red I've got is in my beard and I have yet to paint my face with our flag or wear a bunnet like that. There's always time.

[Descan]

I think the treatment of Scotland by various Pro-Union and the Better Together campaign serves as a great indicator of just how... Different the two nations are. The English don't understand the Scottish and so make fumbles like that and the many, MANY other gaffes that the campaign has commited, the Better Together campaign doesn't seem to realize (because of their experience with English voters) that their fear campaign will just galvanize the Scots into saying "Stick it up your arse," and vote independence just to spite them, and of course, just how differently the Scots and the English vote every election is a big one.

Because of that, I think that a fair number of people are realizing that Scotland and England *are* separate nations, and should be separate countries, just like how... say, Finland and Sweden are separate nations, and are also separate countries. A lot of BT rhetoric could apply to those two, and can also apply to America and Canada, and a great many other country duos as well. If your points aren't enough to make a good argument for why two nations not already in one country should unify, why on earth would they make a good argument for why two nations in one country should stay in one country?

[smjjames]

I've always thought of Scotland as a separate nation to England....

[Loud Whispers]

I think the treatment of Scotland by various Pro-Union and the Better Together campaign serves as a great indicator of just how... Different the two nations are. The English don't understand the Scottish and so make fumbles like that and the many, MANY other gaffes that the campaign has commited, the Better Together campaign doesn't seem to realize (because of their experience with English voters) that their fear campaign will just galvanize the Scots into saying "Stick it up your arse," and vote independence just to spite them, and of course, just how differently the Scots and the English vote every election is a big one.

I don't think you've noticed but the English and the English politicians are two very different animals. English politicians don't get England, gaffed the pro-EU campaign all the way down with fear and it's pretty much the same boat with Scotland. They have shit experience with English voters, lots of safe seats for cons and labs are being threatened by one another because the voters in their respective boroughs are pissed off from being ignored because they were 'safe seats' and so didn't need to be won over. And someone in Newcastle will get someone  in Edinburgh more than someone in Westminster. They're distinct, but not alien people. There is also a weird thing in that the average Englishman will have had a lot more experience with Scots than Scots with English, because the Scots tend to be the ones going south whereas there is usually very little reason for an Englishman to go north.

[smirk]

I can just imagine what The Economist's cover must have been like in 1922 in the run up to Irish independence. A drunken leprechaun swigging a pint of Guinness, no doubt.

That picture actually rustled a lot of feathers in Scotland because, considering the subject matter and its usage in light of it, a lot of people found it offensive. I didn't because it's no shock to me that a magazine of The Economist's political persuasion down South would think using a picture like that in that context was totally fine. They have no understanding of Scotland at all.

As for accuracy the only red I've got is in my beard and I have yet to paint my face with our flag or wear a bunnet like that. There's always time.

Aye; I usually don't mind reading the Economist but their coverage of the Scotland vote has been pretty specious. Never thought I'd be reading them as a humor mag. The cover does capture a desperate "please baby, don't leave me, I promise I can change" sorta atmosphere though. Maybe they're subtly campaigning for the Yes vote by weakening the No campaign's image?

Arc of Prosperity also has a pretty good pull-apart of the associated article.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Though I'd probably never end up going there, I do think that an independent Scotland is in a prime position to be a good example for more future oriented policies.

[Ukrainian Ranger]

Security service of Ukraine presents yet another interception of Russian communications-  http://youtu.be/9ff_LTlZZI8

[Owlbread]

There is also a weird thing in that the average Englishman will have had a lot more experience with Scots than Scots with English, because the Scots tend to be the ones going south whereas there is usually very little reason for an Englishman to go north.

This is not true at all. There are many thousands of English people in Scotland; in my area they make up the majority of the population. They are predominantly English retirees but you will find many English middle class families who moved here for a better life. Up in Aberdeenshire there's a lot of working class English folk who moved up to work on the oil rigs; same with Shetland. On the islands there was a massive influx of English people to the island council estates and the like back in the 90s.

Despite the fact that I am originally from the West Coast,  my mother moved up here from England 30 years ago though she is Welsh. Both of my uncles are English and so is almost a third of my extended family.

[MonkeyHead]

So I guess we could say you are...

 

No true Scotsman.

[Owlbread]

So I guess we could say you are...

 

No true Scotsman.

This is true, I am of Irish Catholic immigrant ancestry via Belfast, mixed with Scottish, English via Bedfordshire (unrelated to my mother) and Welsh.

[Dutchling]

Let's try awakening the Owlbread.

This is true, I am of British Catholic immigrant ancestry via Britain, mixed with British, British via Britain (unrelated to my mother) and British.

[smjjames]

Security service of Ukraine presents yet another interception of Russian communications-  http://youtu.be/9ff_LTlZZI8

Sounds like Cold War intrigue stuff, like Russia is up to no good, also interfering with the investigation. Hope those investigators find them fast.

Though I wonder if the rebels might take the black boxes from the investigators at gunpoint?

[Owlbread]

This is true, I am of British Catholic immigrant ancestry via Britain, mixed with British, British via Britain (unrelated to my mother) and British.

I understand we are joking but it is accurate to say that, even in the case of my Irish ancestors because they came from the North of Ireland. The problem is it's like an American fellow saying he is "of European Catholic immigrant ancestry via Europe, mixed with European, European via Europe (unrelated to my mother) and European.

[scriver]

That picture actually rustled a lot of feathers in Scotland because, considering the subject matter and its usage in light of it, a lot of people found it offensive. I didn't because it's no shock to me that a magazine of The Economist's political persuasion down South would think using a picture like that in that context was totally fine. They have no understanding of Scotland at all.

As for accuracy the only red I've got is in my beard and I have yet to paint my face with our flag or wear a bunnet like that. There's always time.

I'm slightly offended on your behalf because of the air of "please Britain save us from being uncivilized, backwards buffoons" that picture gives off. If somebody did the similar thing towards Sweden (with a "viking" or 19th century farmer) I'd be furious