Ian Jelf wrote:
In message , Bruce
writes


nightjar nightjar@ wrote:
"solar penguin" wrote in message
ups.com...
Mark Goodge wrote:

The only one in that list that isn't really daft, IMO, is "Do you have
any information on Samantha Fox?". That's a perfectly valid question,
the only thing that's slightly daft is that maybe a tourist
information centre probably isn't the best place to ask it.

IMHO "Is Edinburgh in Glasgow?" is a valid question, even though the
answer is "No."
They're north of Watford aren't they?

I believe so. They're a bit like Inverness, some way south of Kirkwall.

Lerwick's way up North, though, isn't it? ;-)

Yes it is, about 100 miles. Flights from Kirkwall to Sumburgh take 35
minutes.
--
Bruce Fletcher
Stronsay, Orkney
www.stronsay.co.uk/claremont
(Remove teeth to reply)
"You can always tell a Yorkshire man. You just can't tell him much."

On Tue, 2 Jan 2007 20:08:14 -0000, "John Rowland"
wrote:

solar penguin wrote:

IMHO "Is Edinburgh in Glasgow?" is a valid question, even though the
answer is "No."

Quite. After all, the City Of Westminster is in London.

Or (in another context) isn't, but Edinburgh is not in any way within
Glasgow. Bearing in mind that a lot of these questions come from
nationals of a country where for much of the population the next state
is "here be dragons" territory (see also traditional references
concerning "Watford" and "Calais"), it is no surprise that they are
asked.

On Tue, 02 Jan 2007 22:11:41 +0000, Charles Ellson
wrote:

On Tue, 2 Jan 2007 20:08:14 -0000, "John Rowland"
wrote:

solar penguin wrote:

IMHO "Is Edinburgh in Glasgow?" is a valid question, even though the
answer is "No."

Quite. After all, the City Of Westminster is in London.

Or (in another context) isn't, but Edinburgh is not in any way within
Glasgow. Bearing in mind that a lot of these questions come from
nationals of a country where for much of the population the next state
is "here be dragons" territory (see also traditional references
concerning "Watford" and "Calais"), it is no surprise that they are
asked.

When I first arrived on this side of the pond I got so many "are you
English? I went there for my vacation". "Oh, where did you go?"
"Edingurgh".

Also from a waiter in a cheap restaurant "I can't place the accent but
you speak English real good for a foreigner". "Thank you, you speak it
really well for an American".

In article ,
(Paul Terry) wrote:

In message , Tim Roll-Pickering
writes

Jonathan Morton wrote:

The one about the May Day demonstration is permissible. After
all, so-called "May Day" isn't usually on the first of the month -
and at the Universities May Week is in June.

Is it? I've never noticed a "May Week" at any of the universities
I've been at.

AFAIR, only Cambridge has a "May Week" - originally in May, before
the exams, but now in June after exams. Even there, some colleges
prefer "June event" to the more traditional "May ball". The Oxford
equivalent is the Commem. ball.

May week can sometimes start in May, if Easter is early enough. It can
also get perilously close to June.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

In article ,
(Bruce) wrote:

They're north of Watford aren't they?

I believe so. They're a bit like Inverness, some way south of
Kirkwall.

My favourite road sign for challenging people's assumptions is the one in
Thurso for "Inverness and the South". :-)

--
Colin Rosenstiel

In message , Charles Ellson
writes

Or (in another context) isn't, but Edinburgh is not in any way within
Glasgow. Bearing in mind that a lot of these questions come from
nationals of a country where for much of the population the next state
is "here be dragons" territory (see also traditional references
concerning "Watford" and "Calais"), it is no surprise that they are
asked.

And, to be fair, England is about the same size as the median US state,
the UK about the same size as a large one. Parochialism works both ways,
and laughing at foreigners who misunderstand our geography is in itself
indicative of a fairly inward looking attitude. I wonder how many people
in the UK are unsure of the difference (or distance) between Washington
State and Washington DC?

"The Difference Between America and England is that Americans think 100
years is a long time, while the English think 100 miles is a long way"

The quote from the article was actually "What Tube line runs to
Edinburgh?". Less dumb if what the questioner actually meant was "which
tube line gets me to Kings Cross to connect with the train to
Edinburgh", or "I'm going to Edinburgh, which way out of this ********?"

--
Steve Walker

In message , Steve Walker
writes
In message , Charles Ellson
writes

Or (in another context) isn't, but Edinburgh is not in any way within
Glasgow. Bearing in mind that a lot of these questions come from
nationals of a country where for much of the population the next state
is "here be dragons" territory (see also traditional references
concerning "Watford" and "Calais"), it is no surprise that they are
asked.

And, to be fair, England is about the same size as the median US state,
the UK about the same size as a large one. Parochialism works both
ways, and laughing at foreigners who misunderstand our geography is in
itself indicative of a fairly inward looking attitude. I wonder how
many people in the UK are unsure of the difference (or distance)
between Washington State and Washington DC?

"The Difference Between America and England is that Americans think 100
years is a long time, while the English think 100 miles is a long way"

The quote from the article was actually "What Tube line runs to
Edinburgh?". Less dumb if what the questioner actually meant was "which
tube line gets me to Kings Cross to connect with the train to
Edinburgh", or "I'm going to Edinburgh, which way out of this ********?"

In England we think 1000 years is a short time, however only native
Americans have That much history , for the rest their history is much
shorter.
--
martyn dawe

In message , Steve Walker
writes
And, to be fair, England is about the same size as the median US state,
the UK about the same size as a large one. Parochialism works both
ways, and laughing at foreigners who misunderstand our geography is in
itself indicative of a fairly inward looking attitude. I wonder how
many people in the UK are unsure of the difference (or distance)
between Washington State and Washington DC?
Quite a number, I should think. Furthermore, few I suspect would have
any idea of distances between - say- New York City and Washington DC.

"The Difference Between America and England is that Americans think 100
years is a long time, while the English think 100 miles is a long way"
I *do* like that! :-)) Is it your quote, Steve?!

The quote from the article was actually "What Tube line runs to
Edinburgh?". Less dumb if what the questioner actually meant was "which
tube line gets me to Kings Cross to connect with the train to Edinburgh",
I bet they didn't mean that, though! I once saw a spoof tube Map
somewhere entitles "Keep London Tidy: give this map to an American"
which had places like Edinburgh and Brighton on the map. My one memory
was that Mill Hill east was labelled "Balmoral"!

or "I'm going to Edinburgh, which way out of this ********?"
At the risk of rising to the bait, London is anything but a "********"
in my view! ;-)
--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk

In message , Ian Jelf
writes
In message , Steve Walker
writes
And, to be fair, England is about the same size as the median US
state, the UK about the same size as a large one. Parochialism works
both ways, and laughing at foreigners who misunderstand our geography
is in itself indicative of a fairly inward looking attitude. I wonder
how many people in the UK are unsure of the difference (or distance)
between Washington State and Washington DC?
Quite a number, I should think. Furthermore, few I suspect would have
any idea of distances between - say- New York City and Washington DC.

Exactly.

"The Difference Between America and England is that Americans think
100 years is a long time, while the English think 100 miles is a long
way"
I *do* like that! :-)) Is it your quote, Steve?!

No, it's, Earle Hitchner, whoever he is.


or "I'm going to Edinburgh, which way out of this ********?"

At the risk of rising to the bait, London is anything but a "********"
in my view! ;-)

I'd say much the same about any large built-up area. The only reason why
central Swindon, for example, is better than central London is that
there's much further to run to get out of London...

--
Steve Walker

"Tim Roll-Pickering" wrote in message
...
Jonathan Morton wrote:

The one about the May Day demonstration is permissible. After all,
so-called "May Day" isn't usually on the first of the month - and at the
Universities May Week is in June.

Is it? I've never noticed a "May Week" at any of the universities I've
been at. Also most have been rearranging their term structures so there's
very little term time in June now.

Judging by my cousins timetable they have very little termtime in ANY month!

Nick



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