The Off Topic Topic

[Barrister]

There's no justification for giving Baffin Island to Quebec.  It was British by right of exploration, but only in the 19th century.

hell, in your alt-history, why does America gets Rupertsland in the first place?  Again absent confederation there's no reason Quebec would gain any part of the former HBC territory.

With the collapse of the British position in eastern Canada you think that Rupertsland would have been able to hang on indefinitely in the face of ever increasing American settlement?
The logistics of defending the territory would be quite difficult, I would expect the land to be sold eventually.

Zanza, America's never shown any interest in the Bahamas. Our focus historically has been on Cuba, Puerto Rico is just a bonus that comes with war with Spain.

Okay, but then why does Quebec get part of Rupertsland?  It just doesn't make any sense.  It makes even less sense to give them Baffin Island.

Fun fact: Canada only gained sovereignty over the high arctic very late in the day - 1920s or so.  Up to that point they were British.

[jimmy olsen]

There's no justification for giving Baffin Island to Quebec.  It was British by right of exploration, but only in the 19th century.

hell, in your alt-history, why does America gets Rupertsland in the first place?  Again absent confederation there's no reason Quebec would gain any part of the former HBC territory.

With the collapse of the British position in eastern Canada you think that Rupertsland would have been able to hang on indefinitely in the face of ever increasing American settlement?
The logistics of defending the territory would be quite difficult, I would expect the land to be sold eventually.

Zanza, America's never shown any interest in the Bahamas. Our focus historically has been on Cuba, Puerto Rico is just a bonus that comes with war with Spain.

Okay, but then why does Quebec get part of Rupertsland?  It just doesn't make any sense.  It makes even less sense to give them Baffin Island.

Fun fact: Canada only gained sovereignty over the high arctic very late in the day - 1920s or so.  Up to that point they were British.

Quebec and the US negotiate and agree to extend the western border to the north.

As for the Canadian arctic, what's the British interest in the islands if they don't hold the mainland?

[Neil]

Quebec and the US negotiate and agree to extend the western border to the north.

Because the US really has a history of giving up territory.  Manifest Destiny would never allow it.  But then again, an independent Quebec is so ridiculous that it's not really worthwhile trying to think out the scenario.

[jimmy olsen]

Quebec and the US negotiate and agree to extend the western border to the north.

Because the US really has a history of giving up territory.  Manifest Destiny would never allow it. 

The border with Maine, the border of Minnesota, the Oregon border, the Gasden purchase (which was meant to be much bigger) etc. It's not like there's bad blood between the two governments.

[Neil]

Quebec and the US negotiate and agree to extend the western border to the north.

Because the US really has a history of giving up territory.  Manifest Destiny would never allow it. 

The border with Maine, the border of Minnesota, the Oregon border, the Gasden purchase (which was meant to be much bigger) etc. It's not like there's bad blood between the two governments.

The Maine and Minnesota borders were exchanges of territory, not outright losses, while the Oregon border was a normalization of the border created by the Treaty of 1818.  All these treaties were between the United States and a superior military power, one that had humbled the United States in living memory.  Gasden was a straight up acquisition, albeit one that that the US actually paid for rather than conquest.

Given that the Quebec government didn't (and could never) exist, it's hard to say what the relations would be like.

[jimmy olsen]

Humbled? It was a draw.

[Neil]

Humbled? It was a draw.

That's what Americans tell themselves, in order to maintain the fiction of their divine favour and invincibility.  Still, when the enemy burns down your capital, that's pretty humbling.

[Tonitrus]

Humbled? It was a draw.

That's what Americans tell themselves, in order to maintain the fiction of their divine favour and invincibility.  Still, when the enemy burns down your capital, that's pretty humbling.

Napoleon, eat your heart out.

[Grey Fox]

I have no idea about the possiblity of an alt-hist independant Quebec with sovereignty over Baffin Island but Neil is right "humbled".

[Monoriu]

Chinese restaurants usually charge for tea on a per person basis.  Here is how to avoid some of it.  This works best in mid tier restaurants, and during busy times.

1. Have one person arrive first.
2. The waiter will serve one cup of tea.  They will not serve the second cup to avoid the tea getting cold.
3. The first person should order food for the entire table as soon as possible.  Waiters, especially the senior ones, are far less likely to check on the table after food has been ordered.
4. The second person should arrive when the host is busy talking to other customers.  He should walk right through and search for his pal himself.  If you are greeted, just say you are coming back from the bathroom and you know the way.  Without the host reminding them, a lot of waiters will be too busy to notice the arrival of additional guests, and therefore will forget to serve the additional tea.
5. When the bill comes and the restaurant charges you for tea for two persons, accuse them of bad service. 

Save on tea.  And save on tips too.


Mid tier because high end restaurants are unlikely to be short-staffed, and will probably have designated waiters for each table.  Low end restaurants will just put all the cups on the table and a tea pot for you to serve yourselves. 

[Sophie Scholl]

Humbled? It was a draw.

That's what Americans tell themselves, in order to maintain the fiction of their divine favour and invincibility.  Still, when the enemy burns down your capital, that's pretty humbling.

Good to see your Queen's capital came out of World War II with no damage.

[Barrister]

As for the Canadian arctic, what's the British interest in the islands if they don't hold the mainland?

What's Denmark's interest in Greenland?

Interest has nothing to do with it.  Britain wasn't in the business of giving up territory until post WWII, and even then only when circumstances forced it.  The Falklands are still British, aren't they?

[CountDeMoney]

Humbled? It was a draw.

That's what Americans tell themselves, in order to maintain the fiction of their divine favour and invincibility.  Still, when the enemy burns down your capital, that's pretty humbling.

Good to see your Queen's capital came out of World War II with no damage.

Careful now;  Neil's only Commonwealth and HM's subject when it suits him.
As he was rooting for the Nazis, it doesn't count.

[Josquius]

Good to see your Queen's capital came out of World War II with no damage.

Berlin was worse.

[Neil]

Humbled? It was a draw.

That's what Americans tell themselves, in order to maintain the fiction of their divine favour and invincibility.  Still, when the enemy burns down your capital, that's pretty humbling.

Good to see your Queen's capital came out of World War II with no damage.

It didn't burn down.  It wasn't stomped over by the enemy.  And in the end, Berlin was in much worse shape.

Compare that with the status of London in 1813.