G.Feduccia Loc: Paradise in Florida Panhandle

John N, I would certainly welcome you in as the 51st state, but you might have to wait in line after Puerto Rico. Anyway, am reminded from the movie, Patton, that we are the same people just separated by a common language . . . .

davehill Loc: Home UK, working Globally.

No chip on my shoulder - but your railing against me suggests that you have one. Trying to impress with your "worldliness", when you plainly have not properly read my missive.
Wouldnt it be more worthwhile to have a go at the countless idiots who write software that gives us British Europeans an option of English language, and then spells everything in Yank, with no regard to correct spelling at all. There is no such thing as "American English", so pick that up as a cause celebre, and stop whinging on about a system that we, the British (and English too actually) invented, which classified the continents and sub-continents. We made the rules, so let's play by them.
And I say further - what a load of prehistoric creatures you sound. For heavens sake - get a life all of you.

rt1379

:| Hehehe.... I take it that you wont be voting UKIP then ? lol

Bazamac Loc: Manchester, UK

I'm British. I'm English. I'm Mancunian. And yes, I'm European. And very proud of it too.

toolman1224 Loc: Vandalia, OH

What...you do not want to join the EU and have Germany running the show?? Why not...then you could have the same monetary system (go broke) as the rest of Europe.

davehill Loc: Home UK, working Globally.

Quite correct! In fact, not because I disagree with their stance on Europe, but because of all the extreme right wing/fascist connections that SOME of their supporters have.
I voted against Britain joining the Common Market in the 1970s, and have always felt that it was a wrong move, but things cannot be undone without enormous damage and cost now. So I think the better course of action is to try to change the system from within.
I actually have enormous sympathy with some of the emotions expressed by previous writers here, such as their assertions of "Cornishman" or "English", to name but two, and I have often - and probably will again - declared on forms that I am English, (usually after we have beaten the Welsh or Scots at rugby or something similarly silly) (.....a whole new line of abuse and insult develops from here). But (never begin a sentence with "but"... I just found myself so amused and generally intrigued by the daft dialogue taking place that I thought I would put in my two-pennorth to see if anyone had a logical response. As they haven't, it rather proves my point, that it's all a lot of hot air. The reason the world and his wife want to come here is that we have probably the best and fairest system in the world when it comes to dealing with distressed and underprivileged and needy people, but that system has been completely over-ruled and ruined by the unelected overpaid unrepresentative people in Brussels who now run all of our lives, wherever we are in Europe. They don't want to come to Britain because it's not in Europe, they want to come to Britain because it IS.
Anyway... on to the matter of rugby football...

rt1379

;) nope ... I wont discuss "odd shaped balls"...

rwill19050 Loc: Witney, Oxfordshire, UK

Never.
I was born in England and think myself English first, British second and European NEVER.........

GeneB Loc: Chattanooga Tennessee

Well, why do your football teams play in European Competitions and other countries not in Europe do not? Just curious.

rt1379

Obvious ... Its educational .... we need to show how its done! ... were nice like that .. :|

rt1379

Witney ? ... I'm up in Brize Norton soon ... I may just call in and buy you a "British" beer ...

john vance Loc: Granbury,Texas

My not be on the European continent but are never the less European.

ole sarg Loc: south florida

I teach modern world history at the university level. It is interesting that the texts discuss the continent, major nations of Asia - India, China, Japan, then the US just a little on LA and separate chapters on England. When taking graduate courses the text on modern european history treated England as almost a separate entity.

I would tend to say that England is a part of Europe but different. Because it chooses when and when not to partake in European continental affairs.

Lastly, it is different because the English cannot cook a decent meal. I mean only the English can call smashed peas part of of the entre!

GeneB Loc: Chattanooga Tennessee

thanks for making that clear for me. I will enjoy the games more now.

bemused_bystander Loc: Orkney Islands, UK

I am English. I live in Orkney, the Orcadians are not Scottish. I always put English as a nationality on forms. I will never be European, not while I have breath in my body