OT: Rule Britannia!

Sep 05, 2005 24 Replies
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Be very proud to be British because...



Only in Britain... can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance.



Only in Britain... do supermarkets make sick people walk all the way to the back of the shop to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.



Only in Britain... do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries and a DIET coke.



Only in Britain... do banks leave both doors open and chain the pens to the counters.



Only in Britain... do we leave cars worth thousands of pounds on the drive and lock our junk and cheap lawn mower in the garage.



Only in Britain... are there disabled parking places in front of a skating rink.



NOT TO MENTION...


3 Brits die each year testing if a 9v battery works on their tongue.


142 Brits were injured in 1999 by not removing all pins from new shirts.


31 Brits have died since 1996 by watering their Christmas tree while the fairylights were plugged in.


19 Brits have died in the last 3 years believing that Christmas decorations were chocolate.



British Hospitals reported 4 broken arms last year after cracker pulling accidents.


18 Brits had serious burns in 2000 trying on a new jumper with a lit cigarette in their mouth.

A massive 543 Brits were admitted to A&E in the last two years after opening bottles of beer with their teeth.


5 Brits were injured last year in accidents involving out of control Scalextric cars.

And finally.........



In 2000 eight Brits cracked their skull whilst throwing up into the toilet.



RULE BRITANNIA!!


Thanks for the laugh Pat. But it does give me an opening to tell about the stupidity on Alberta's 100th birthday. They made a huge birthday cake; it looked about 6 feet by 10 feet. They surrounded it with candles about 4 deep. Then they lit all the candles. Result? The start of a fire storm. The cake was so burnt, that it was ruined, and people seemed to be badly affected by the smoke. As Mortimer Snerd said when asked How can you be so stupid? - "Weeeeeell, it isn't easy".

-- Jim Cripwell. A volante tribe of bards on earth are found,/ who, while the flattering zephyrs round them play,/ on "coignes of vantage" build their nests of clay;/ how quickly from that aery hold unbound,/ dust for oblivion!/ To the solid ground/ of nature trusts the mind that builds for aye. Wordsworth.

No, I'm afraid it isn't only in Britain, Pat. The difference with Britain is that someone collects statistics on it.

As for Jim's little story, well, untoward things happen to students sometimes. The culinary arts students at SAIT were hoping to set a world record by making the a cake with the most candles ever as a Centennial project. Fortunately no one was injured and even the restaurant didn't suffer permanent damage.

Dora

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Wouldn't surprise me in the least Pat. Dora

That is hysterical! Almost had a cracker incident last Christmas with my mother-in-law. I had explained to her about the "bang," but she jumped, screamed (and once dropped to the floor) etc. everytime one was pulled.

Jaenne

"Jaenne Bonner" That is hysterical! Almost had a cracker incident last Christmas with my

LOLOLOL! That conjures up a hilarious scene! Where is she from that she doesn`t know about crackers?

Pat P

We don't typically have them in the US.

Elizabeth

I did a course years ago on drawn thread. Just a small piece, maybe nine inches across. One of the women there (big snob type) said, "I shall make five more and turn them in to crackers for my Christmas table" - I pondered this a bit, thinking crackers made of fabric, how do you pull those etc. and finally I asked her how she was going to do it.

She explained and I realized they were just going to be a decorative effect, not 'real' crackers you could pull. I said this and she gave me a withering look and said "people don't "pull" crackers at my table, I have valuable Steuben crystal and Doulton china" (shades of Hyacinth of course) to which I said "Well I have valuable crystal and china which receives an airing on Christmas Day but all my kids and grandchildren would be mightily disappointed if they couldn't pull them, read the crappy jokes and wear the paper hats" Her disgust showed in her face and I added "Not only that but my grandchildren compete to pull crackers with me as it is traditional, pull a cracker with Granny and she always falls right off the chair when it lets go"

- sheesh - you should have seen her face! (Mavia if you are reading this, I just bet you can guess who said it to me lol)

We still love our crackers, they are readily available in Canada and becoming more popular every year.

LOL! I`m visualising all the Grannies with broken hips from falling off the chairs - or do you arrange nice Christmassy cushions around the chair in advance?

Pat P

New Mexico. I guess they're a little sheltered there. I'm a native Californian, but I had family living in Carlisle, so I've known about them all my life. Most of my childhood friends never knew about cracker till I sent them some when I was living in Germany.

Jaenne

What a jolly place your home must be during the holidays! I think crackers are extremely charming. I would not have a Christmas without them!

Jaenne

Absolutelyl--Christmas, and Hogmany, at my house must involve both the Royal Doulton and crackers. Dinner is not served until dumb paper hats are in place. Lots of choice available to match the snootiest of table settings (last year I had some sort of Black Watch tartany ones for New Year), and Lewiscraft sometimes has kits (essentially the snapper strips and I forget which other bits) so you can make your own with custom contents. I can just imagine Hyacinth there if you had suggested she could wrap her drawn thread around recycled toilet paper rolls!! Dawne, thinking I must get my Lewiscraft discount thingie renewed. Thanks for the inspiration.

She's a shallow woman and that is her measure - everything for how it looks and preferably it should look like it cost so much nobody else present would be able to afford it. She really is a Hyacinth.

I always remember the episode where Hyacinth was having her new 3 piece suite delivered and it would be delivered in the van with the Royal Trademark on the side, she was quite specific which way down the road it had to come and park, so that side showed to her neighbours lol It's funny when it is Hyacinth but it's sad when it's a real person doing those things. Guess most of us know one like that though.

I was trying to think who it might be as I read your post but couldn't recall anyone with that attitude. Doesn't sound like Christmas would be very much fun at her house! :)

Mavia

Just found this. If you go to

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you will find instructions on making a basic cracker plus a few sources for supplies. Dawne

"What cracker is this same that deafs our ears / With this abundance of superfluous breath?" -- Shakespeare's King John, Act II, Scene I)

Middle English definition of cracker is an abnoxious person. Not pointing any fingers at anyone, especailly old GOWs.

American southern definition is poor white trash.

What kind of craker are you talking about?

George

What a great site! Love the "take a pudding break"!!!

Cheryl

Thanks for "reminding" me of this site, I found it last year before Christmas and loved it, but somehow lost the link. It's awesome, it has the coolest ideas and now I know I'm not the only one test-baking before birthdays *lol*

cu nicole

Hee hee - LOVE the title of the site!

Pat P

A cracker over here is something EXCELLENT! So up YOU!!! LOL!

Pat P

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