Bloody Americans......

Jim:

Timbuktoo - is a small province in the south of mali, africa.

"BTW I've just realised why the guy at the top of the thread thinks South Africans (pronounced Seff Effrikins) sound like Ozzies"

Umm i'm at the top of this thread coz i started it and i never said that aussies sound like s effricans?

"Oz tucked away out-of-sight round the back and down at the bottom. "

And whom said that England/Europe was at the top of the world???

Also give my regards to you Mr Gibbs and Cronje will you. Has gibbs learnt too catch yet?

And i would get caught jumpin over that guys fence coz the way things are i hear in Jo'burg you'll probably get shot b4 the dogs get you.

I did know where Timbuktu is actually. and when I said at the top of the thread I probably should have said towards the top

There is a wonderful world map which I know has been published but I've no idea where- I saw it on the cover of a book in the geography library at the local U. It's a map drawn to break those very misconceptions about the north being the 'top' and the so-called antipodes being the 'back'. This map was a) 'upside down' at least compared to what we normally see on a map (ie south at the top) and b) the 'middle' of the world where the Greenwich Meridian normally is was Australia or thereabouts.

This puts Oz in the prime spot!

Well done on the Ashes.

Take it easy.

ok ta!
wasnt bieng snappy:D

I think the first person to do put oz on top was some ozzie artist forget his name though!

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Definitely in Europe - Europe stretches across to the middle of Turkey (Istanbul & the Bosphorus).

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Not forgetting the Ukraine. The Ukraine stretches even further east than Turkey I believe...

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Oh, and England's not quite at the top - Scotland's on top of it...

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And we mustn't forget old Finland, with the most northerly capital in Europe. :)

Simon, I think Rejkavik is further North, and possiblt Spitsbergen is above that (but I think also that is a Norwegian dependancy...)

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Simon, I think Rejkavik is further North, and possiblt Spitsbergen is above that (but I think also that is a Norwegian dependancy...)

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They might be further north than Helsinki but they're not capitals. The capitals of Norway and Sweden are Oslo and Stockholm respectively but they are further south.

Reykjavik is definitely a capital, technically European and further North than Helsinki.

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Reykjavik is definitely a capital, technically European and further North than Helsinki.

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Capitol of which country?

It's OK, I know now. Iceland.

If that's in Europe then I concede defeat! ;)

I suppose I was talking about mainland Europe.

Like I said, technically in Europe :). But then, even Israel can get into the Eurovision Song Contest... :rolleyes:

Israel won didn't they, with Hava Nagila if my memory serves me, and one of their guys wrote all the Psalms. And Iceland's in the EuroVision contest too aren't they. But Scotland's not Duncan ;-)

Billy Connolly, Nil Points (pronounced neel pwa)

Old Goon Show joke: The man walked with a pronounced limp, l-i-m-p, pronounced 'limp'.

And the other one: The voice came from a man with a military bearing, which he tossed in the air an caught. He emerged from the darkness and walked into the light. (Sound effects: Bonk!) (OK, that sounds better on radio.)

Hands up all the Goon Show and Monty Python fans? One day lad, all this will be yours. What the curtains?

Not to mention Hancocks Half-Hour: A pint? That's a whole armful.

Anyway, going back to the point of this thread, I think the USA won the swimming didn't they?

Which is where we came in.....

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Like I said, technically in Europe . But then, even Israel can get into the Eurovision Song Contest...

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OMG How did Iceland manage to get relegated to only being 'technically' part of Europe???? Iceland is quite categorically part of Europe and has been for ages.
:rolleyes: :p

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OMG How did Iceland manage to get relegated to only being 'technically' part of Europe???? Iceland is quite categorically part of Europe and has been for ages.

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I don't know if they are actually part of Europe. Britain has only been technically part of europe for the last twenty odd years (and I'm not just talking about the common market) and considering how far away Iceland is, I certainly think it's questionable.

Indeed, they are nearer Greenland which should make them part of North America. Infact, seeing as North America only has three or four countries (I can't remember if Greenland is it's own country) then they need it more than we do. Considering how small Europe is and how many countries that divide it, it's only fair that fringe countries (such as Iceland) are handed over to more needing continents. ;)

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Originally posted by Jim Brown
And Iceland's in the EuroVision contest too aren't they. But Scotland's not Duncan ;-)

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Actually, we get lumped in with the UK entry and do startlingly badly - a fact of which we are rightly proud. ;)

The Goons were before my time (although I do seem to recall one about an ejector seat, which was extremely funny). Monty Python was funny in parts, though. "NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition!" :D

(I wouldn't repeat that about the swimming, BTW. There's a couple of antipodeans here that'll have your head.)

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Britain has only been technically part of europe for the last twenty odd years

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:rolleyes: And ur history source is??? :p

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(I can't remember if Greenland is it's own country)

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Ruled by Denmark, as are Faroes

Alaska is closer to Russia than any other state of U.S so hand that back to them i say. Hawaii? Hmmm England now, Gibraltar?

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, it's only fair that fringe countries (such as Iceland) are handed over to more needing continents

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Sometimes our ski season is slow to start and they need to use snow making equip.. does that make us needy enuf to qualify? :p

I think we'll need an adjudicator here soon... about what's Europe and what's not.

So what about the Falklands then.

(Or Islas Malvinas if you prefer, which sounds more like a pudding.)

Our weapon is surprise. That's all. And fear. Our TWO weapons are.... I can Bore-for-Britain on Monty Python BTW. How about the EuroVision Bore-for-Europe Contest , or should that be BoreForEurope to go with the VB naming convention.

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Britain has only been technically part of europe for the last twenty odd years

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And ur history source is???

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I f**king live in the country. I don't have to quote my history source to an American! :p If you don't believe me, go find out for yourself!

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Alaska is closer to Russia than any other state of U.S so hand that back to them i say. Hawaii? Hmmm England now, Gibraltar?

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I'm not talking about handing over countries to different owners. Purely about continental membership is all. :p

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So what about the Falklands then.

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I think it's safe to say that the Falkland isles are not in Europe.

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I f**king live in the country. I don't have to quote my history source to an American! If you don't believe me, go find out for yourself!

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LOL language language :rolleyes: Emmm check location.. not American. Also, just cos u live there doesnt mean u know history. If u are talking land masses even then britain is definitely attached to the continent. What is ur condition for being part of europe that only happened in the last 20 odd years? Economic? Political? Military? hmmm Waiting for enlightened response :D

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Emmm check location.. not American.

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Oh! :o I'm terribly sorry. I hope you can forgive the insult! ;)

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Also, just cos u live there doesnt mean u know history.

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OK, you have a point but the ownus must be on you to prove my idea of British history wrong. If I questioned your idea of Australian history, it would be up to me to find evidence to the contrary.

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If u are talking land masses even then britain is definitely attached to the continent.

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Eh...What? Not since the last ice age have we been actually attached to Europe.

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What is ur condition for being part of europe that only happened in the last 20 odd years? Economic? Political? Military?

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I think it's down to self-recognition. Britain didn't regard itself as part of Europe. It was definitely a political thing anyway.

LOL
Am going to bed and not gonna argue this point anymore. Suffice to say that you are wrong wrong wrong on all points :D

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Eh...What? Not since the last ice age have we been actually attached to Europe.

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Eh What back at ya!! Britain is part of the continental landmass of Europe. Wonder what ur definition of a continent is. Just cos a little bit of dirty water separates you from too much cheese and wine doesnt mean that the land mass isnt the same. :rolleyes:

Iceland isnt part of the European continental land mass and is in fact part of the Atlantic ridge underwater mountain range. But it has been politically, economically and socially part of Europe since Viking days - Leif Erikson etc. :rolleyes:

Go read a history book :p and one on plate tectonics

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Originally posted by beachbum
But it has been politically, economically and socially part of Europe since Viking days - Leif Erikson etc.

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Would now be a good time for my very poor Leif Erikson joke?

No, thought not. :rolleyes:

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Originally posted by beachbum
Iceland isnt part of the European continental land mass and is in fact part of the Atlantic ridge underwater mountain range.

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Oh, and that's why I qualified my statement that Iceland was part of Europe...

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Eh What back at ya!! Britain is part of the continental landmass of Europe. Wonder what ur definition of a continent is. Just cos a little bit of dirty water separates you from too much cheese and wine doesnt mean that the land mass isnt the same.

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Well, don't get me wrong, I am not anti-european or anything. Indeed, I am probably more pro-european than most people in this country. And I don't dispute that we're part of Europe now.

You go to sleep and dream of the days when all we had was one continent. There was no war then! :rolleyes:

And so New Zealand must be part of Australia except for a bit of water in between?

Oh Sh*t, now I've done it... Well I'm off home.

Reunite Gondwanaland

New Zealand is joined at the teet insofar as our social security system goes but not in continental land mass :D

simonm and beachbum:
It would probably help if you argued the same point.

Simonm's point i think is that the political boundaries it wasnt part of europe. And since europe is a political boundary/ies than i would say that simon is right.

Beachbum: Was saying that britain is part of the same landmass/continental plate as the rest of europe.
Which is also correct.

But since all boundaries that are mostly adhered to are political then i'd go with simon. Otherwise you could call Australia part of europe!

Jim: NZ is on a ridge between 2 not on the same plate!

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Originally posted by HarryW
This is probably due to the fact that most Americans don't know there are actually other countries outside the US.

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countries? what countries? :D :D :D

LOL Beacon
Don't worry i am not really arguing any point just playing around. I still can't fathom how u consider Britain as a separate political entity from Europe (whatever that is politically) and yet can include Germany, France, Italy etc in Europe. What did they do before? - Sign up to a "we love europe" contract? Come on, get real.

Europe is not a political separation per se. It is a separation of the euro / asian landmass at the Urals. Hold on i was tempted to get more in depth there but will leave it :rolleyes: . It is not worth arguing about. Bring back Pangea i say. :p
Regards

PS Australia is geographically and politically an unruly part of the Great Fijian Empire and so is not part of Europe.

And JB... u can identify ppl from other countries by the lack of baseball caps, hawaiin shirts, pot bellies and volume level stuck on VERY HIGH :D

BB:
I dont consider Britain separate from Europe anymore but it once was, they all were separate.
I believe there probably was some sort of agreement probably to do with The Eurpean Union or NATO or something else.

"Europe is not a political separation per se"
Yes it is!
Your statement should be "The European Plate is not a political boundary" in which case you'd be right!
If your going to talk geology then that'd be better.

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I still can't fathom how u consider Britain as a separate political entity from Europe (whatever that is politically) and yet can include Germany, France, Italy etc in Europe. What did they do before? - Sign up to a "we love europe" contract? Come on, get real.

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eh...Yes actually. The did form the European Union before Britain joined.

And that "dirty strip of water", that we call the channel, has spared Britain from European domination several times in the past. Most notably Napolean and Hitler were left lapping at the channel, desperate to conquer Britain but having to turn back due to their inability to cross it. :p

Don't mean to be rude Beacon but i really dont think u are making much sense with ur 'argument'. And to both of ye, so u consider that Europe was only Europe after the formation of the European Union? So, that left a lot of countries out of Europe then didnt it? And even some right in the thick of it.
I think i may pull out of this arg cos i dont think it is going anywhere. :p

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so u consider that Europe was only Europe after the formation of the European Union?

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No, not as such. It was you who said "still can't fathom how u consider Britain as a separate political entity from Europe (whatever that is politically) and yet can include Germany, France, Italy etc in Europe. "

You were refering to Europe in a political sense.

At the end of the day though, it is all down to recognition. There is no hard and fast rule for allocating countries to continients and it just comes down to a consensus view.

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I think i may pull out of this arg cos i dont think it is going anywhere.

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I'm sure you said this before but you just can't get enough! :D

M...u....s...t stop typing :p LOL yeah simon i feel a bit like galileo. Anyhow, i think u missed the irony that was intended in that sentence about europe as a political entity. Didnt u see me smirk as i typed it in??

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Didnt u see me smirk as i typed it in??

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I did...But I thought you were just constipated. ;)

bb:

aaaaaaaahaha I'm not making sense!

You said this ""Europe is not a political separation per se""
Yes it is. Europe is a group of separate countries.
What else is it?

It is not a landmass!!
Thats what i'm saying.

If you say Europe is the separation between the european and asian landmasses then you'd be actually talking about the European Techtonic Plate NOT Europe as a political Entity!

Now i'm confused! I dont think anything makes sense any more!
See we got everything sorted up here in up over(australia) none of this small countries and crap!

Damn right simon!

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See we got everything sorted up here in up over(australia) none of this small countries and crap!

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Yeah right! And in Europe they want to get even smaller. If some people had their way, Britian would split into even smaller countries. Scotland and Wales would go their own way. Even England would split up. Cornwall and Yorkshire would become seperate countries.
In the end, Europe will be nothing more than a collection of city states like Luxemburg.
Maybe that's a good thing though...:confused: