The Off Topic Topic

[Duque de Bragança]

Well it is not even remotely surprising. Russia and China represent a return to nationalist power politics and a rejection of the idea of international institutions and cooperation which is definitely out these days. Nationalist power politics it is, what could go wrong?

I do find it kind of funny an equal balance of Italians regard us as their friends and enemies.

It's more about short term covid-19 related stuff than long term trends.

Well, it is a poll from past late March after all.

[grumbler]

Italy still hasn't gotten enough crap for its entrance into WW1.

Its entry into WW2 was worse.

[The Brain]

Italy still hasn't gotten enough crap for its entrance into WW1.

Its entry into WW2 was worse.

Marginally, and they've already gotten crap for it.

[crazy canuck]

Grass is growing faster now so mowed it twice this week.  And mowed my neighbour's lawn.  Yes, I am bored.

[Sheilbh]

It's more about short term covid-19 related stuff than long term trends.

Well, it is a poll from past late March after all.

Hopefully it has changed since as the European response has properly developed from closing borders and requisitioning each others supplies/banning exports. Especially as in, for example, Czech Republic the Chinese supplies turned out to be defective.

But I'd query if the response to covid-19 doesn't become a long-term trend. I think how countries responded to this will linger in the popular memory for a long time.

Its particularly weird considering China is to blame for Italy being an economic basket case these days as I understand it. Cheap mass manufacture used to be Italy's thing.

I don't know if that's right. My understanding is that, I think, Italy was the first Western country to recognise the PRC and Lombardy/Northern Italy has been very engaged in trade with China since the 70s, way before most of Europe. And I don't think Italy's ever been big on cheap mass manufacture, it's high-end manufacturing, it's just mainly in the North.

Plus I understand that the Lega and M5S are both fairly pro-Chinese and Italy is a big part of the One Belt One Road project so there's a lot of intended Chinese investment - again I think Italy's the first developed, Western country to sign up. I think Italy is a bit of a challenge for Europe if the EU wants to act a bit more geostrategically, as they claim.

On China - I see they've announced a new 80% tariff on Australian barley after Australia led a call for an independent inquiry into the origins of coronavirus, backed by over 60 countries:
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/may/19/australia-deeply-disappointed-after-china-imposes-80-tariff-on-barley-imports

Sad thing is the inquiry was intended, I think, to try and move beyond US v China escalations on coronavirus and give both sides a way out. Hopefully the countries that supported it, including the UK, can do something to back Australia.

[Syt]

Video:

"#OnThisDay 1943: Should a woman or even a Yorkshireman be allowed to read the BBC news? Of course not. John Snagge explained why."

https://twitter.com/BBCArchive/status/1262771244048384001?s=20

[Valmy]

Well obviously not a Yorkshireman, I mean that goes without saying.

[Josquius]

Funny. I was just reading the other day about this Pickles guy being involved in something else around the time when northern accents were used for authenticity as German spies had more trouble with them than they did rp.

[The Brain]

What about British spies who had picked up a teenzy veenzy bit off an accent?

[Syt]

Funny. I was just reading the other day about this Pickles guy being involved in something else around the time when northern accents were used for authenticity as German spies had more trouble with them than they did rp.

I hear the Brits were also using counter-intuitively pronounced names like Fetherstonhaugh to try to ferret out German spies.

[Sheilbh]

I don't know about spies but in WW1 I think we had Welsh speakers for a lot of communications because Germans didn't really speak Welsh. I think German intelligence had caught on by WW2 but it was still used on the frontlines by Welsh regiments, because a group of average German soldiers didn't have a Welsh speaker

They were our Navajo

Edit: Incidentally I suspect there's a thesis to be done on the relative status of the different Celtic languages in the UK (pre-devolution, probably).

[crazy canuck]

I don't know about spies but in WW1 I think we had Welsh speakers for a lot of communications because Germans didn't really speak Welsh. I think German intelligence had caught on by WW2 but it was still used on the frontlines by Welsh regiments, because a group of average German soldiers didn't have a Welsh speaker

They were our Navajo

Edit: Incidentally I suspect there's a thesis to be done on the relative status of the different Celtic languages in the UK (pre-devolution, probably).

Had a flash back to about four years ago on a deserted road outside Port Magee.  We came across an older guy out for walk with his dog so we stopped to have a chat.  It took a few moments but we both looked at eachother with the realization that there was no way, despite our best intentions, to make ourselves understood by the other.  Someone back at the pub explained to me that there are still some folks in the area who speak no English.  But I have to say, despite the fact neither I nor Mrs. CC could understand a word of what he was saying, it was certainly pleasing to the ear.

[Sheilbh]

I wish I had Irish personally. But I agree I think the Celtic language generally sound very nice.

A guy I went to university with had Welsh as his mother tongue. He didn't have any English until they started teaching it at school when he was 8.

[Sheilbh]

They're onto us
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/nebraska-woman-sues-all-homosexuals-liers-thieves-n354301

[HVC]

I just got to assume she was someone's unwilling beard in her youth. Left her heart broken and bitter.