Oh my gosh

[Simon Darkshade]

This is for interesting facts and trivia. I just found a few that would probably surprise:

Eamonn De Valera shocked the world in 1945 when he called at the German embassy in Dublin to express his condolences at the death of Adolf Hitler.

One of the oddest military escapades in history took place in 1866 when Irish Fenians, veterans of the U.S. Civil War, invaded Canada with the intention of holding the entire country (all four million square miles of it)hostage to exchange for the freedom of Ireland.

The first casualty of the Civil War (1922-23) was a Free State Sniper smashed over the head with a teapot by an elderly Dublin woman


That's Ireland for thee, though

 

[Crazy Eddie]

During WWII the UK tried to make a deal with Eire over the use of southern Irish ports to help in the battle of the Atlantic. Britain had had naval bases in these ports but handed them back I think in 1926, because of defence buget cuts. Churchill offered, in exchange for re-opening the bases, to hand Northern Ireland to Eire after the war.

 

[CurtSibling]

Originally posted by Simon Darkshade
This is for interesting facts and trivia. I just found a few that would probably surprise:

Eamonn De Valera shocked the world in 1945 when he called at the German embassy in Dublin to express his condolences at the death of Adolf Hitler.

One of the oddest military escapades in history took place in 1866 when Irish Fenians, veterans of the U.S. Civil War, invaded Canada with the intention of holding the entire country (all four million square miles of it)hostage to exchange for the freedom of Ireland.

The first casualty of the Civil War (1922-23) was a Free State Sniper smashed over the head with a teapot by an elderly Dublin woman


That's Ireland for thee, though

Hey Simon!

I can't help thinking you have some thing with those terrorist
lunatics in Ireland? Are you obsessed with them?

I noticed your song glorifiying those guys in the song thread...
You should know some people in the UK and ireland might be insulted
in the same way US citizen would be at Sep 11 references.

Before you start, I am non-religious and spit on anyone who hurts
a human being and then justifies it with some air-fairy religion!

Just a word to the wise, watch your views on terrorists incase an
Admin man gives you some verbal!

Death to terrorists! (of ALL kinds)

ENEMY ACE

 

[floppa21]

Babe Ruth = 1st American with a voicebox

Weird Al's father = Real Life "Polka King"

Steve Martin = Semi-Pro Banjo picker

Okay, so not "Oh my Gosh" material, but interesting tidbits.

 

[MCdread]

Originally posted by Simon Darkshade

The first casualty of the Civil War (1922-23) was a Free State Sniper smashed over the head with a teapot by an elderly Dublin woman

Why do you consider that to be the first casualty? Was that the first death after some political event that it is considered the begining of the war. Or washat the event that officialy began the hostilities.

 

[Simon Darkshade]

Right, first things first:

Found those facts on a Irish culture website at 0400 in the morning, so I won't even begin to vouch for their truth or authenticity. The first two were rather funny, though.

OK,

Mr Sibling said: "Hey Simon!

I can't help thinking you have some thing with those terrorist
lunatics in Ireland? Are you obsessed with them?

I noticed your song glorifiying those guys in the song thread...
You should know some people in the UK and ireland might be insulted
in the same way US citizen would be at Sep 11 references.

Before you start, I am non-religious and spit on anyone who hurts
a human being and then justifies it with some air-fairy religion!

Just a word to the wise, watch your views on terrorists incase an
Admin man gives you some verbal!

Death to terrorists! (of ALL kinds)"

I am just as obsessed as anyone else who has posted more than two posts to do with any country Oh, yes, i am a card carrying member of the Womens Auxillary Balloon Corps of the IRA NOT!
For the record, I have a lot of Irish blood, am not obsessed with any kind of terrorist lunatics (get enough of that in my day job and research), and take umbrage at any such suggestion. I do not have a "thing" for any of the persons you infer.

Cannot someone express pride and opinions for their national heritage?

Which song was it glorifying them? "Garryowen", a well known traditional tune? "A Soldiers Song/ Amhran Na bhFiann" which happens to be the Irish national anthem, correct me if I'm wrong? "Fenian Record Player" which basically mocks sectarianism of either colour. "Fields of Athenry" which is a traditional ballad? Ditto "Only Our River Run Free"
Or maybe it was "The KKK took my Baby Away"

I am well aware that some things will offend some people, so I do not post anything that I would consider offensive. Your statement to that effect was quite correct. By the same token, you should realise that some people might be insulted by the inference of what you are saying.
End result: If you have a complaint, take it up with the appropriate channels, and do not feel it necessary to warn me about "watching (sic) your views on terrorists incase an Admin man gives you some verbal!"
I've been round here and the world long enough to look after my own actions, and face whatever consequences.

Nothing I have wrote has ever been in favour of terrorism ,and I invite to try and assert otherwise. Just posting something that vaguely smacks of Irish republican leanings does not tar someone with the same brush as the Real IRA. Please Consider.

That said, one will contine searching for "Oh gosh" trivia of all nationalities

 

[CurtSibling]

Originally posted by Simon Darkshade
Right, first things first:
Nothing I have wrote has ever been in favour of terrorism ,and I invite to try and assert otherwise. Just posting something that vaguely smacks of Irish republican leanings does not tar someone with the same brush as the Real IRA. Please Consider.

That said, one will contine searching for "Oh gosh" trivia of all nationalities

Whoa! Simon put that Explosive device down!!!

What a rant! No-on is having a go at you pal. I just thought it was being laid on a bit thick, you being Austrialian and all.

Hey, maybe I'm wrong? If so...no harm done!
Go on! have an Irish time! Don't let me stop ya....

Party on and Chill out!

 

[joespaniel]

Simon, isnt it funny how English or American accented people change to Irish after being in an Irish pub for a couple hours?

 

[allan]

floppa: "Okay, so not "Oh my Gosh" material, but interesting tidbits."

A couple more:

The late Sam Kinnison (one of the best comedians in recent memory, IMHO) was once a fire-and-brimstone gospel preacher, like I believe his father was.... Surely his father was rolling around in his grave a few times!

And the Reverend Billy Graham was once a Fuller Brush salesman....

 

[BlueMonday]

Because the universe is only 10-16 billion years old, the limits of our known universe extend only 10-16 billion light years in a sphere's radius around us. Anything ouside the visible sphere -which may have been created before the big bang- is not observable to us.

...More fodder for my "Atomic Reality Theory."

 

[Sixchan]

Extension of theory:

If it were possible to travel faster than the speed of light¹(c.), therefore, we would reach the outside of the universe in 10-16 billion years². If space is inside the universe, and makes up part of it, then whatever the universe is expanding into cannot be space, or it would be part of the universe already. What exactly is the universe expanding into? Milk? Isn't milk then the final frontier?

sub-theory¹: This must be possible as dark always manages to get out of light's way very fast.

sub-sub-theory¹: What is the opposite of light? It cannot be dark as dark is merely the absence of light. As we have not observed this, it may be travelling faster than light.

sub-theory²: If time gets slower as it reaches the speed of light, are photons (light particles) travelling through space without time? If I were to travel faster than light, I could go back in time!

sub-sub-theory²: If every action has an equal and opposite reaction, and you can have speed, and speed-somehow-slows you down, and a speed of 0 causes no time distortion, can 'anti-speed' take you into the future?


Conclusion

'Milk' is outside the universe. It is possible to travel faster than light. Light has an opposite, 'Anti-light.' Time travel IS possible, or you could actually get outside the universe.

 

[BlueMonday]

I think it's time to revise my Theory of Atomic Reality...if we could find matter created during the big bang further then 10-16 billion light years away from the universe's center that would prove that matter can travel at a speed greater then that of light assuming that the given matter was created by the same explosion that created us. However, another possibility arises that the matter was created before the big bang which would move to reinforce the model of the universe as atomically infinetesimal.

 

[Pellaken]

Originally posted by CurtSibling


Hey Simon!

I can't help thinking you have some thing with those terrorist
lunatics in Ireland? Are you obsessed with them?

I noticed your song glorifiying those guys in the song thread...
You should know some people in the UK and ireland might be insulted
in the same way US citizen would be at Sep 11 references.

Before you start, I am non-religious and spit on anyone who hurts
a human being and then justifies it with some air-fairy religion!

Just a word to the wise, watch your views on terrorists incase an
Admin man gives you some verbal!

Death to terrorists! (of ALL kinds)

ENEMY ACE

I am insulted by this... first of all, you refer to Ireland, then refer to terrioists in Northern Ireland, then to some kind of "air-fairy religion" The IRA is Roman Cathoic, and, so am I. I dont think my religion is an "air-fairy religion" thank you very much.

you also made a refernce to bin laden, I would just like to say that Northern Ireland is NOTHING close to the situation with bin laden. Ireland was hostily invaded by oppressive protestantss, who occupied a part of the island. let me ask you this, if bin laden occupied New York or London, would you not fight back?

please, think before you speak

 

[JoeM]

I just got off the US vc. China thread...

Back to the topic:

The first statement is a well known fact. Ireland treated Hitler with the same respect as it would any other (European?) head of state on hearing of his death. It's not a joking matter, people have been known to get quite upset about it, but I see both sides of the argument on that one.

 

[Cunobelin Of Hippo]

THe Fenians were twits. They remind me of that trio in "Canadian Bacon"

 

[Sixchan]

I am insulted by this... first of all, you refer to Ireland, then refer to terrioists in Northern Ireland, then to some kind of "air-fairy religion" The IRA is Roman Cathoic, and, so am I. I dont think my religion is an "air-fairy religion" thank you very much.

you also made a refernce to bin laden, I would just like to say that Northern Ireland is NOTHING close to the situation with bin laden. Ireland was hostily invaded by oppressive protestants, who occupied a part of the island. let me ask you this, if bin laden occupied New York or London, would you not fight back?

please, think before you speak.

First, Curt would say that mentioning the oppressors are protestants is proving what he would say that religion is the main cause of war.

Second, he'd probably maintain that since god doesn't exist, RCs are just as well-off worshipping invisible pink unicorns or air-fairies. And if he does exist, isn't he just a big air-fairy with some extra powers?

Third, he'd say that blowing up BBC buildings is JUST like what Bin Laden is doing.

Fourth, although I'm not sure about this, I'd say Curt wouldn't fight back if Bin Laden occupied London as Curt is Scottish, and from some of his posts, I'd guess a supporter of independence for Scotland and is pretty unhappy with oppressive English rule.

 

[Pellaken]

to respond

I am not religious, infact there is only one thing that makes me defend my religion, and that is northern ireland. when people invade a place and oppress the people, no matter who or what religion they are, it is WRONG. its wrong in bosnia, in kosovo, in chechnya, in afganistan, in iraq, AND in Northern Ireland.

After a history like that, I would say that what the IRA is doing, is... not enough. they should totally remove these false immigrants from thier island, in my opinion. its kinda like if lotsa brits moved to scotland, just so that they form 50%+1 of the population. then they have a referendum, and it, of course, looses, so they say that scotland dosent want to leave. it was wrong in bosnia, and it is wrong in northern ireland...

thats all I have to say.

 

[Sixchan]

But how can the IRA know who the oppressors are?

The IRA have it wrong. Who is the oppressor? Every person in London, or the British Government? Obviously, it's the goverment, I hear you say. Then how is it not enough? How many innocents were killed in Omagh? How many in other terrorist attacks? What did the residents in Omagh do to deserve to die? If you feel what the IRA do to kill innocents in N. Ireland is not enough to get Eire's independence, do you sympathize with the idea of blowing up a few towers with thousands of innocent people in it to get Palestine's independence? Indescriminate killing is WRONG. If you need to be a terrorist, for god's sake only target the government, okay?

 

[Pellaken]

well, I dont agree with that part. but it was the whole history of ireland thing, you know. maybe they have carried it too far, the british arent to blame. I just think that all of ireland, the island, should be 1 united nation. depsite of religion

 

[Vrylakas]

Simon Darkshade wrote: One of the oddest military escapades in history took place in 1866 when Irish Fenians, veterans of the U.S. Civil War, invaded Canada with the intention of holding the entire country (all four million square miles of it)hostage to exchange for the freedom of Ireland.

This is a bizarre incident, but sadly true. This is also a major part of Canadian identity. The United States had invaded Canada twice, during its Revolution (1776) and the second war with Britain (1812-1815), and while it remained neutral many Canadian rebels operated from the American side of the border during the Canadian rebellions in 1837-38 led by William Lyons MacKenzie. During the American Civil War the British governors allowed French Canadian bandits and even occasionally Confederates to raid American towns (especially in Maine) from Canadian territory. London was then afraid when the civil war finished that the Americans, having a massive and battle-trained army, would use it to once again attempt a conquest of Canada. Lincoln scared London further when he did use this army for foreign political reasons, when he forced the French to evacuate Mexico after they'd set themselves up with the Habsburg Maximilian as emperor in an attempt to turn Mexico into a French colony. As usual with the U.S. the army was demobilized shortly after the war ended so no real threat existed, but London was already jittery when a group of Irishmen - the Fenians - launched their adventure in 1866. It was over in a couple days, but London used this "invasion" as an excuse to dump Canada in 1867 with the Canada Act which essentially said, "You're on yer own, and we are no longer responsible for defending you from the Americans. Bye." The Canadians chose the word "Dominion" to describe the new country (taken from the Bible) so as to both reject American republicanism and at the same time not upset them too much.

The Fenians collected in 1866 in what was then a growing border city, Buffalo, N.Y., and crossed the Niagara River near the Black Rock canal at night. (Can you tell I once used to live in Buffalo?) They marched passed Fort Erie (a British military installation from the 1790s) northwards towards the town of Ridgeway. It's pretty much a straight road. (A friend and I biked the route, and we noticed whenever there was a historical plaque saying something like, "The Fenians halted here to camp" or something like that, there was a historic bar nearby...) By morning they reached Ridgeway where they met Canadian militia and a small British force, which they defeated. They began to fall back in disarray after the battle, however, as rumors of a larger British force approaching spooked them and they filtered back disorganized to the American border where most were arrested by the Americans as they crossed the river. The Canadian museum in Ridgeway today portrays the U.S. as complicitly involved with the rebels if only to avenge the French Canadian and Confederate raids during the war, but Buffalo in the 1860s was a strongly Protestant city trying hard to keep Catholics - especially Irish - out. (Today Buffalo is a solidly Catholic city...) It's a little bit difficult to believe that local authorities would be willing to potentially provoke a local war over revenge or to help a pathetic band of Irish Catholic rebels. American sympathy for the Irish would grow after 1900, but in the 1860s it was nil.

Eamonn De Valera shocked the world in 1945 when he called at the German embassy in Dublin to express his condolences at the death of Adolf Hitler.

De Valera was a certified a**hole who betrayed many people in his life. Being a friend of his was a very dangerous position, because you may find a knife in your back someday. He sent Michael Collins to negotiate Home Rule with the Brits in 1922 and let him take the blame for not getting complete independence - which De Valera knew the Irish couldn't get anyway - then he led the opposition to Collins and eventually probably had him killed. He is once reported to have said when he lost an election, "Clearly the Irish ppeople are mistaken as to who they really wanted", and very bearly attempted to overthrow his successor's administration. Good riddance.