Coldfire,
yes, I’ve spent a lot of time on chess. (I qualified for the Master section one year at Wijk). That probably explains my high score on the Spark.com purity test - although Ayesha got 68%(!) less than me, and she plays chess too…
Woo-Hoo! I get to be European, too!
Thanks for explaining Ambrosia to me, Glee. I have that song running through my head constantly - Ooh Ahh its Ambrosia - British commercials are the best! I need to get a copy of the one for Coleman’s mustard, with the pig singing Staying Alive.
If it’s not to rude to ask, how exactly do people manage to afford living in England? Is there a minimum wage there? I read a British parenting magazine and I am just amazed at what things cost, something that costs $100 in the States costs 120 pounds! Again, I hope this is not too nosy, my husband and I have wondered about this but we haven’t gotten up the guts to ask anybody.
I’m also wondering, are there any stupid people in Europe? Coldfire speaks four languages and Glee plays chess in tournaments and is a teacher…wow! I feel a little inadequate.
So, please if you are stupid and posting from Europe report immediately to this thread so I won’t feel so lonely.
Tschus!
Tracy
Stop putting yourself down Tracy, you’re quite eloquent for a Yankee 
I’m sure I can make a joke like this in this thread, right ? I mean, it’s not like those egocentric partiotic gun-toting Uncle Sam Worshiping dweebs are reading this. Right ?
Huh… whoa ! What’s with the baseball ba_______________
Coldfire
“You know how complex women are”
- Neil Peart, Rush (1993)
Yankee! Hey, I’m from the South! That’s just like you Europeans to think that everyone in the States lives in New York. Humph. How would you like it if I called you a Belgian or something? Huh? Doesn’t feel so nice, now does it?
And yes, I am quite eloquent, isn’t I? 
Nahw, aaahm troooley saahrry my love 'bout calling yourselves a Yankee and all… ya damn Rebel
Actually, I was born 4 kilometers from the Belgian border and I even lived in Belgium for 2 years, but NO, you can’t call me Belgian !
Us Dutchies are probably even MORE patriotic than Americans
Coldfire
“You know how complex women are”
- Neil Peart, Rush (1993)
now do I count in here, or not…you be the judge. I was born in Finland, but now live in Canada. I guess I am a dualie!!
Unforgiven
You can add me to the list.
Born and currently residing in Dublin, Ireland.
Pssst, Coldfire: Just this year I vacationed in Netherlands & Belgium. I loved every day. Amsterdam is quite a city (but too many people!) and I loved the Milkweg club! Are you familiar with the music scene in your country (bands like Celestial Seasons, Beaver, and 35007 from Eindhoven)? If you are, I would be very interested in asking you some questions and maybe even having you send some CDs my way. There’s a ton of stuff I can’t seem to find. If there’s anything you can’t get over there, we could perhaps trade.
Yipee! More people, but it’s still only six so we can continue to chatter amongst our selves without any regard to the OP.
Bobinelli, I love Irish people! We have several Irish Pubs here in Heidelberg (complete with genuine Irish people) and I just love going and having a pint of Kilkenny (sp?). They are always filled with friendly people & lots of fun.
Gypsy, I will include you since my my best friend in 3rd grade had a Finish mother. She always used to tell us that Santa Claus really lived in Lapland…is this true?
Okay, so now when’s the get-together? And who’s bringing the beer?
and
tatertot, yes it is true, Santa Clause does live in Finland, just around a place called Korvatunturi. I will bring a case of Lapin Kulta and Molson Canadian! (beer, just in case you did not know!)
Unforgiven
Gypsy: as long as you don’t mention the name “Mika Hakkinen”, you’re welcome to join us
Sake: I don’t know any of those bands. But I’ll be happy to ship you some CD’s you can’t get. As for my music taste, I seem to be able to find everything just fine, but thanks for the offer anyway. Just a few links where you might be able to find those CD’s by yourself: www.boxman.nl www.frs.nl
They’re Dutch online record stores. Good luck !
Coldfire
“You know how complex women are”
- Neil Peart, Rush (1993)
Welcome to gypsy, Boboinelli and Sake Samurai. At last I’m a member of an exclusive club!
tatertot, feel free to ask anything about England (well almost anything). After all I count as an expert just because of where I live. And don’t call yourself stupid - if you can cook an awesome Memphis-style pork shoulder, then you’re OK with me. The last thing I managed was a boiled egg 35 years ago - I’ve even had people refuse to drink tea made by me. We all have our talents.
OK, you asked is there is a minimum wage in England? - yes, it’s £3.50 an hour. A 40 hour week is typical, so that’s £140 a week. Prices vary depending where you live. The South-east is the most expensive.
I was all set to give you prices of household goods (I like research), but everything’s got a bar-code on it. I found a can of soup at 65p (100p = £1).
Apart from that I can only tell you house prices (now they really vary!)
In my town (9,000 folks), my 3 bedroom house is valued at £60,000. You could buy a one bedroom house here for around £40,000.
In London (most expensive) my parents 3 bedroom house in the suburbs would fetch around £110,000.
My stockbroker mate bought a one bedroom house overlooking a central London park for £250,000.
I don’t want to clog up the thread (but hey, it’s our thread) so if you want to know more, let me know and I’ll ask my mum. She likes research as much as me and she does shop, so knows the prices.
I posted one post in may in Europe.Does that count?
glee:I thought the Rutles had just invented Rutland. Are there Rutland jokes over there?
I posted once from Pennslyvania near A-mish country, does that count for something?
BTW, thanks for the " Ein Prosit, Ein Prosit" ( The national anthem of Germany, dontcha know?)…now the damn thing is stuck in my head…ARGH…I can’t escape these Germans! ::pulling hair:::
Glee - Where is Rutland anyways? Didn’t I read on some newswire that the Duke/Whatever of Rutland died at the ripe old age of 73ish? Last spring, I think. I only remember this because if this is the same guy your little neck of the woods is known for, didn’t he lay down in front of developers/construction equipment to keep them from destroying something in his county in the late sixties or thereabouts. ( How’s that for being vague?)
Quote -
Bobinelli, I love Irish people! We have several Irish Pubs here in Heidelberg (complete with genuine Irish people) and I just love going and having a pint of Kilkenny (sp?).
- cheers Tatertot
or
Go ráibh maith agát - as we’d say in Gaelic
I’d like to know does anyone live somewhere without an Irish pub?
Oh my god ! They Kil Kenny !!
ROTFLMAO… well yes, at my own joke. So what ?
Actually Kilkenny is a FINE beer, as is Guiness. A helluvalot better than the crap that’s brewed in the UK. Murphy’s Stout is great too - I believe it is Irish as well.
And Bobinelli, NO, I don’t think there’s a country in the world without an Irish pub
We’ve got a few here in Amsterdam, usually with real Paddies manning the draughts… lessee, O’Donnel’s, O’Leary’s, etc etc etc.
Welcome aboard, and may our good friend Eddy Irvine become world champion after all (OK, don’t flame me, I know he’s an Ulsterman, but any guy with an orange helmet sporting a shamrock must be a True Paddy by heart ).
Coldfire
“You know how complex women are”
- Neil Peart, Rush (1993)
I was born in Linz, Austria. Later we moved to Bremenhaven and from there sailed to Canada. Does that count?
Wally,
Posting from Sarnia, the armpit of the planet
I have lots of willpower.
I’m just too strong to be a slave to it.
Coldfire…
Irvine may have been born in the six counties but he’s still Irish. Says so himself. IIRC he said the orange on his helmet is to keep the loyalists happy and the shamrock to keep the republicans off his back. In short a man with no politics, just a great driver.
As for him winning the world championship we’ll have to wait and see what tomorrow’s appeal tribunal says.
Okay, so when and where are we all going to get together? Gypsy’s bringing beer, and I’m going to make bbq, so all we need is a place, a time and lots of money for plane/trains/automobiles.
That reminds me, I’ve been meaning to ask how do people in Europe afford to drive? Gas here in Germany is almost $4 p/gallon! (In case you’re wondering why I don’t go down the street and ask an actual German, well, I just can’t. I’m shy ;))