British Prime minister - Spelling mistakes (Mark II)

Robin Michael   Sun Nov 15, 2009 8:32 am GMT
I find it surprising that British troops are in Afghanistan. In the sixties, there was a policy of withdrawal from 'East of Suez' and a re-focus on British interests closer to home. This money saving approach to British foreign policy continued until the Argentineans invaded the Falkland Islands. Up to this point the former British Empire was being gobbled up in a piecemeal fashion by who ever wanted to take on colonialism and grab a desirable bit of territory close to them.
Guest   Sun Nov 15, 2009 11:10 am GMT
is there anything that you do not find surprising? for you a capital letter is a surprise.
Guest2   Sun Nov 15, 2009 10:39 pm GMT
Robin Michael said:

<But I just find it ironic and strange that a Russian should criticise British and American involvement in Afghanistan.>

It is no more "ironic" than that an American or British person should criticise the Russian involvement in Afghanistan.

Or do you assume that all citizens of all countries always support all their governments' actions, Robin Michael?
@Damian   Sun Nov 15, 2009 10:53 pm GMT
<As Prime Minister he is a very busy man and has about as hectic a time schedule as it's possible for any individual to get...the pressures on him are intense - so it's to his credit that he can spare time to write personally to the bereaved to express his genuine sorrow and regret to the families...>

Don't be too credulous about it. He also writes "personally" to winners of X Factor:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/3848503/X-Factor-winner-Alexandra-Burke-gets-letter-from-Gordon-Brown.html
antiwest   Sun Nov 15, 2009 11:07 pm GMT
<But I just find it ironic and strange that a Russian should criticise British and American involvement in Afghanistan.>


Ha ha. Why then do you Brits and Yanks go crying about Russia's war in Georgia? Why do you cry when China invades Tibet? Why shouldn't we cry about poor Afghans killed by YOU? Your democracy is a FARCE! How can you impose democracy in Afghanistan if it doesn't even exist in Britain?

It's so ridiculous when you criticise other nations but can't accept criticism yourself. Brits on a daily basis criticise Russia. Your compassion for our people and our rights has no limits, whether we care or not!
Well, I am also worried about democracy in Britain. How can the UK become part of a superstate without asking the people? I'm not even a European but I'm worried about how undemocratic the EU is. I'm going to stand at the British Embassy and shout slogans about the lack of democratic rights in Britain. I'm going to boicot British products until The EU offers a referendum for the people. I'm going to organise a protest in support of the UKIP because I don't believe in Empires, I want the British people to be free! I will welcome the UKIP leaders here and hopefully Putin will give them a state reception, just like the Dalai Lama gets one in the West! If Britain gets to mean to Nick Griffin, we will offer him asylum in Russia and give him honorary degrees for supporting the Opressed people of the world! Because we believe in Humans Rights, wherever they are!
Damian in Edinburgh   Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:10 am GMT
The word is "boycott", dear friend Antiwest. When you refuse to have any dealings or contact with anyone or anything you "boycott" it. The word is derived from the name of Captain C C Boycott - an Irishman from County Mayo, in the Republic of Ireland, who was subjected to a wholesale boycott by people working and living on the land owned by an aristocrat, and these poor people resented his refusal to reduce their land rental payments....they simply went about their business as if he didn't exist.

The surname Boycott is relatively common in the UK - especially in the North of England. Geoffrey Boycott is a well known cricketer from Yorkshire (North of England) and he used to play first class County Cricket for the Yorkshire team. He is now an old man of 69 but his advanced age doesn't mean that he boycotts the game now - far from it -he watches and reports on it for the BBC but no longer plays.

A report in one of the UK's Sunday papers today 15/11/09 states that the EU is now set to become the most stable and economically prosperous area in the world, with an overall quality of life* surpassing that of any other globally.

*The "Quality of Life" factor is based on a whole range of statistics covering many issues relating to all aspecs of daily life in general - such as average incomes**, universal healthcare, education, social welfare, working hours and holiday entitlements, care of the elderly, crime, life expectancy (Europe contains countries with the highest life expectancy rates in the world - top of the world's "long life" list is Norway but other western EU countries are not far behind - admittedly Norway isn't part of the EU - but it certainly is European nonetheless.

**Surprisingly London and the South East of England is the region which has the highest average per capita incomes of any other in the whole of Europe, but it also has quite high living costs to offset that somewhat, and believe me, guys - that is so true! London is horrendously expensive! A lot of fun, yes - but it takes a hell of a lot of your pennies to have it.
Antimoon K. T.   Mon Nov 16, 2009 2:31 am GMT
"is there anything that you do not find surprising? for you a capital letter is a surprise."

Thank-you for not shocking us with a couple of them.
Guest   Mon Nov 16, 2009 7:19 am GMT
that was my intention, you're perceptive as allways K. T.
Emma   Mon Nov 16, 2009 9:27 am GMT
I don't think spelling error is a big deal.

Let me tell you a little story of myself. Days ago I sent a message to a friend in Facebook. Hours after the message was sent, I suddenly realized I made a laughable spelling error. Initially I felt very embarrassed and desperately wanted to take back my message before my friend read it. After some search in Google, I sadly found that Facebook doesn't have this functionality. Hence, once the message is sent, there is no way I can take it back. Of course, if I know my friend's Facebook password, I can log on his Facebook account and delete that message secretly. Unfortunately I don't have his password.

Just when I felt so sorry about my mistakes, I found someone asking the same question in the Internet got an answer like "Life it too short to worry about such little mistake". I may not remember the exact sentence, but the meaning is like that. I suddenly realize what a fool I've been. Why shall I worry about my tiny mistakes all day? That is totally unnecessary. We are human, we are not saint, we make mistakes all the time. Why shall I be so particular about myself? Likewise, why shall we be so picky about others' unintentional spelling errors? There are other big things in the world that need our concern.
H   Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:25 pm GMT
<Or do you assume that all citizens of all countries always support all their governments' actions, Robin Michael? >

Guest2, you speak my mind!
H   Mon Nov 16, 2009 2:24 pm GMT
<why shall we be so picky about others' unintentional spelling errors? There are other big things in the world that need our concern.>

Sure. Spelling errors, lack of helicopters ... What trifles. Get Brits out of there - no more grieving mothers, no more need to proofread letters of condolences.

BTW could anyone please bring in the letter itself to get back to the linguistic aspect? Couldn't find it on the net, just comments.
Guest   Mon Nov 16, 2009 2:32 pm GMT
That WOULD be a good idea. Robin, a task for little idle you.