Tyburn answers Americans' questions about the UK

[Tyburn]

Originally Posted by rockdawg21

Haha, thanks Dave.

1. Was just curious, as they are pretty good!

2. I just got that impression from you, I've only known a few Brits in my life, but never really asked them about the Monarchy so I wasn't sure if it was just you or if that's how everybody felt.

3. I was in the Philippines in 2007 and was at a mall in Manila. I saw another white person (female) and walked up to her and asked here where in the U.S. she was from, she said "I'm not from America". I said, "Oh, I see, you're from Britain, I can tell!" She thought that was funny. She was bright red in some areas and bright white in others. Any other Brit I've met is pretty light so I was wondering if they just lack the pigment to tan or not. Thanks for that clarification Dave.

This is kinda funny. Anybody watch Chappelle's Show and remember the segments, "Ask a Black Dude" and "Ask a Gay Dude"? This is "Ask a Brit Dude"

1) we call them pancakes in England...and they are more...heavy then the lighter crepes version I think. You should listen to the video...see how tense things are at a Royal Banquet RECENTLY when The Queen met Sarkozy...can you tell the two feel...uncomfortable or what Her first sentance mentions "Cloth of Gold" under Henry 8th "Respectful yet competative" equates to all out war

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HnePKE9AAE

2) most people think that the Monarchy is a waste of money, and that it should be stopped. However, most people would say as Monarchs go, the Queen is very good. The danger for the Monarchy as a whole will occure upon her Death....namely...because the Rest of the family isnt much loved, particularly her first heir.

It could historically end the Monarchy I reckon...its a worry...Her death could potentially go increadibly sour for about two thousand years worth of history and tradition.

The Commonwealth may not want Charles as head of State...its a big possiblity we will lose commonwealth and Monarchy when Elizabeth dies. I hope not...but its a possiblity and the recession hasnt helpped, people basically are saying why should we be wasting money, particularly when its hard times financially.

3) LOL your welcome

[Tyburn]

Originally Posted by atomdanger

Thanks Dave

you're welcome

next question

[Tyburn]

Originally Posted by Play The Man

I have a couple follow-up questions for clarification:

1) After the Prime Minister meets with the Queen and calls for an election, when does it occur? 3 months from that date? 6 months from that date? If the opposition party wanted to stall could they make a political deal with the Queen to deny the call of the ruling party?

2) Please explain the vote of no confidence.

3) Can you explain the system of money? Do you still have shillings, guineas, farthings, etc.? When I read older British literature I get confused. I don't know if they are talking about a lot of money or a little money.

4) Please explain the term "posh". In this Youtube clip, Archie Bunker from "All In The Family" rips on England. Does "posh" refer to the "handkerchief and skinny umbrella" style he is mocking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ3yDb3J-J0

5) Do you pronounce "gaol" like our word "jail"?

6) Currently, President Obama is proposing major changes to our healthcare system. Michael Moore had a documentary called "Sicko" in which he lauded the British health care system (to be honest, I didn't watch the documentary because I don't want to give the guy one cent of my money; however, I saw clips and read reviews so I think my description is accurate). It looks like we could be headed towards something like you have. What is your experience with your National Health Service. I just saw an article yesterday where a hospital in the UK was so dirty that a patient climbed out of bed and cleaned the room herself! Are there long waits for surgeries, etc?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...n-herself.html

7) How much of your income (as a percentage) do you pay in taxes?

8) You are a Royalist. It seems over the past 1,000 years there has been a steady diminution of royal power. In your opinion, who was the quintessential monarch? At what point in your history was there a correct balance between the King (or Queen) and parliament? Or are you advocating a pure monarchy with no input from the common people?

9) The Church of England is the established church. Do the taxes of atheists, Catholics, Muslims, Jews, etc. go to pay for church salaries, property, etc.?

Thank you for educating me (us) about your country!

1) Not sure how long between the Prime Minister and the Date of the ellection needs to be made public...but we all know the end of the four years so we all know when the ellection MUST happen if its not been announced. Usually its public about four or five months before the actual date i believe...has to happen by May 3rd next year

2) if your not careful you'll see a vote of no confidence in Labour soon. Bassically supposing you were a rulling party and you were worried that the current prime minister would not win a general ellection BUT you wanted your party to win the next ellection. You must force your Prime Minister to either quit...in which case a new prime minister will appear by default (the person who is the party leader under the prime minister) exactly what happened with out current prime minister. OR you must force them into telling the public they will not stand for re-ellection...in which case the party will then be judged on the NEW prime minister that is the party leader...and at that point...many in the party will want to be party leader, so a leadership contest will happen first.

A vote of no confidence is when the whole party basically tells the minister, they no longer believe in the authority of that particular person in office. They stand to be voted out by the party if they undergo a vote of no confidence.

They can also do that to the Speaker of the House...which they did less then a month ago. Usually, when someone threatens with enough support a vote of no confidence...the leadership caves in with resignations...noone wants to face the result of such a vote in public. It is the ultimate form of blackmail to get rid of a leader...but you have to be a card carrying member of the party, or in parliament to vote

3) England Abolished the Imperial measurements for weight and Money before I was born. We now use metric...weights are in Kilograms, not in Lbs anymore. Also Money is now 100penies to make up One pound Stirling. There are NO notes below the value of £5.

In Coinage

1pence (circular small bronze)
2pence (Circular large bronze)
5pence (circular small silver)
20pence (Hexagonal small silver)
50pence (Hexagonal large silver)
1 pound (Circular large gold
2 pound (circular large two toned gold/silver)

In Notes

Five Pounds
Ten Pounds
Twenty Pounds
fifty Pounds
One Hundred Pounds
Two hundred pounds

I've added rough size shape and the colour

4) think snobby style upmarket type speech

5) yes...and we use both words as well, its just gaol is the older term for a jail

6) In england there are two types of Hospital, the Private Hospital which is self funded and for which you have to pay, and the National Health Service, which is relatively recent in that it appear during the second world war 1948 I believe.

Basically the National Health Service is an Established Health service so for every area of England there will be a Hospital run by the Government, paid for by taxes.

Some Hospitals are better then others for cleanliness, the reason being, the Government never give enough to the Helath Service so its alwaysd over stretched, there are issues with not enough beds, there are reasonably long waiting lists unless there is something seriously wrong with you...and I mean...like unless you'd become terminal.

The Doctors Surgeries are also all paid for by the Government...but it doesnt extend to Dentistry...all dentists are private...you pay through the teeth for them

In England since the war we believe that we have the right to public health in the same was you believe you have the right to bear arms. How the government funds it we dont care...but they must fund it.

7) Income Tax is done on a percentage of your sallery. the more you earn, the more you pay tax. I think I nearly work one week in every callendar month for free

Council tax is a fixed amount, but it differs depending on which council you live under and also how many people are in the house...for example, I get a discount coz I live on my own, a family rate is higher, obviously split between the parents

The danger with England is its benefit systems mean you can almost get a better deal unemployed, then you can working a low paid job.

8) I hate to say it, but the Queens have done better then the men I think, Recently, Queen Elizabeth 1st, who really built the Empire to its height and fought of the Spanish Armada, Queen Victoria, the Longest Reigning Monarch, though not for much longer is very famous, and Queen Elizabeth 2nd is much loved. Elizabeth is most to blame I guess for the backseat role of the monarch in politics...she believes herself to be more of a symbol and figure head and less of a political leader

I personally believe that in the wake of the Claims Scandle and the peerage scandle, this year Elizabeth 2nd should have stept in, dissolved the parliament and immediately called for a General Ellection.

They all need to go...and its exactly what Oliver Cromwell did during the Years of the Republic after the Civil War...he told Parliament that they were so corrupt they must all go...they ignored him...so he went in...and he physically removed them from the Palace of Westminster

I believe that the ballence is too much Parliament at the moment. I can think of Twice this decade when the Queen should have acted to over-rule parliament in the interests of the public and she didnt. One I outlined above...the other was over the decision to go to war with Iraq.

If the Queen does not react to those two..then its safe to say she will NEVER act in a political situation short of an Invasion of England...I think in terms of going to war, in terms of corruption...and cases that need something outside of Government to deliver the final verdict, the Monarch should act.

She should have Stopped England going to war, when the Government wanted it, but the People didnt and the Government refused to give a referendum. She should have forced them to give us a vote, and only if positive to pass it through the commons.

She should now enforce a public inquiry into Iraq which the Government keep avoiding, along with enforcing criminal procedures for things like the Oval Tube shooting after 7/7

She should have thrown Speaker Martin out of Parliament (you know they are putting him in the House of Lords now...dispite being the first Speaker ousted in about 300 odd years!) she should have dissolved Parliament, and should have instigated an immediate General Ellection.

She should have forced a General ellection the moment Blair Retired, England should never be lumped with an unellected Prime Minister...Neither should the United States with a Vice President...if the President is killed...they oughta go into a General Ellection to ellect another...you just CANT have unellected politicians in democratic countries of our status

If worst comes to worst...I'd rather have a Monarchy, sole Monarchy...then a Government without one.

9) Its an Established Church...but its not Funded by the Government.

No Taxes go on The Church of England. (well maybe there is a miniscule amount, but to the best of my knowledge, nothing) In the begining they didnt need to because the Church owned the majority of land in the Country...why would the Government need to fund a wealthy land baron?

But times have changed, the Church sold most of its assets to "The Church Commisioners" IMHO a BIG mistake. Infact the Church itself pays for itself. Each Church in Each diocise pays an amount to a kitty that goes on stipenderies for the Employed people of the Church...where the Churches find the money from is...well...most of them are in the red.

Without a major shake up of priorities...my own church goes bankrupt three years from now....thats why Cathedrals have started charging people for entry as tourists...thats the only way they can afford to exist!

The Established part of the Church has no more bearing on politics outside of two places. The Church is Established via the Monarch...and we've already seen she doesnt act politically...so the Church isnt as Established Politically as the name implies. Its Minister do have the legal entitledment to marry and burry without a registrar of the crown, so the Official Records of the Church interms of baptisms, marriage and deaths are legal documents...but other then that and the fact that a few Bishops have seats in the House of Lords...


..the Church is really connected to the monarchy...bring down the monachy, and you end the Established Church...its Established to the Monarch NOT the Government. It is the Queen...NOT the Prime Minister who is Defender of the Faith.

Remove her office, and the links that tie State and Church are over.

[Tyburn]

Originally Posted by MattHughesRocks

I agree.16 is way to young for....for anything

So what about the teeth? Why do so many English people have bad teeth?

because you cant get dental health on the National Health service

you have to pay private...we believe Health should be funded by the government...so...we dont do Dentists

[Tyburn]

Originally Posted by F34R

Some of my most fondest memories are from when I lived in England. It was definitely one of my favorite places to live.

A few funny things that I remember....
1) Right before we left in 1987, some places were just getting cable tv. Before that, we only had four channels, so we never watched TV. When played outside ALL the time. There were always kids around outside, rarely did anyone stay inside; regardless of the weather.

When we moved to the states, it was harder to make friends because cable TV was around and a lot of kids stayed inside watching tv lol.

2) We didn't pay sales tax on items we bought. I don't remember if it was just the stuff that we, as kids, were buying; candy, toys, etc., but the price you saw, was what you paid. When we moved here, a ten cent piece of candy suddenly costed more lol.

London was amazing! McDonalds was a weekly trip to London for us lol. I know it sounds weird.

The school I was in when I left England rivals most college campus settings. I was in 6th grade at the time. If anyone wants to look it up, I went to LAMS. It was for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade.

3) I could go on and on about all things England that I remember.

Indeed...Terrestrial TV only consisted on BBC1, BBC2, ITV and Channel4 when I was young. The Channel5 came along...all of those received through a roof ariel.

Then Freeview Boxes arrived which allowed you to get digital TV, then came Sky which you could receive via a satalite dish...and now ground cable.

They will be turning off the Terrestrial Television altogether in a few years time. You will still be able to receive them...but only through digital means...no need for a roof ariel anymore...and TVs wont work without something extra then an ariel plugged into them.

Terrestrial TV goes the same way as Tapes and VHS

2) thats because the price they displayed included the Tax! its called VAT Value Added Tax...and its included in the price of sale

3) PLEASE DO

[F34R]

Originally Posted by Tyburn

Indeed...Terrestrial TV only consisted on BBC1, BBC2, ITV and Channel4 when I was young. The Channel5 came along...all of those received through a roof ariel.

Then Freeview Boxes arrived which allowed you to get digital TV, then came Sky which you could receive via a satalite dish...and now ground cable.

They will be turning off the Terrestrial Television altogether in a few years time. You will still be able to receive them...but only through digital means...no need for a roof ariel anymore...and TVs wont work without something extra then an ariel plugged into them.

Terrestrial TV goes the same way as Tapes and VHS

2) thats because the price they displayed included the Tax! its called VAT Value Added Tax...and its included in the price of sale

3) PLEASE DO

Yea, those are the same channels we didn't watch as kids lol. Yea, I never really knew what taxes and such were back then. It was only when we moved state side and actually had to see it first hand.

I remember going to this really really awesome roller rink in Bury St. Edmunds every few months. That was always fun. It would be a bunch of the kids from our neighborhood and our parents, loaded in a van.

I also was a really good bowler(not cricket lol) when I was young. I went to several tournaments while I was in the Prep division, including the Coca Cola tournament in Germany, after qualifying in England. I placed in the top 50 out of a couple hundred in my division.

Another thing that was completely different between England and the States, was the snow! I moved to Louisiana when I first came from England, and there wasnt any freakin' snow!! We maybe had two or three occasions where it would snow enough to build stuff out of it. Over in England, we always had a blast when it snowed in the winter. We also had to go to school, regardless of how much snow there was lol. In Louisiana, and in SC where I am now, if it snows just a little (rare that it snows at all here in SC), they cancel school outright.

I used to go watch Liverpool play once a month if they were in Anfield on the days we would be available to go. I watched my share of domination throughout the 80's with Ian Rush, Kenny Daglish, Gary Gillespie, Jan Molby, and a few games with John Barnes. I remember collecting football cards with GUM!! for my booklets, if you remember those.

[Tyburn]

Originally Posted by F34R

Yea, those are the same channels we didn't watch as kids lol. Yea, I never really knew what taxes and such were back then. It was only when we moved state side and actually had to see it first hand.

I remember going to this really really awesome roller rink in Bury St. Edmunds every few months. That was always fun. It would be a bunch of the kids from our neighborhood and our parents, loaded in a van.

I also was a really good bowler(not cricket lol) when I was young. I went to several tournaments while I was in the Prep division, including the Coca Cola tournament in Germany, after qualifying in England. I placed in the top 50 out of a couple hundred in my division.

Another thing that was completely different between England and the States, was the snow! I moved to Louisiana when I first came from England, and there wasnt any freakin' snow!! We maybe had two or three occasions where it would snow enough to build stuff out of it. Over in England, we always had a blast when it snowed in the winter. We also had to go to school, regardless of how much snow there was lol. In Louisiana, and in SC where I am now, if it snows just a little (rare that it snows at all here in SC), they cancel school outright.

I used to go watch Liverpool play once a month if they were in Anfield on the days we would be available to go. I watched my share of domination throughout the 80's with Ian Rush, Kenny Daglish, Gary Gillespie, Jan Molby, and a few games with John Barnes. I remember collecting football cards with GUM!! for my booklets, if you remember those.

Are you English?

I mean...were you born in England?

You know the thing about the snow during the 1970s and 1980s is that we havent had that kinda snow since you left not that far south anyway

If it snows now, London grinds to a halt

I love Liverpool...not the football club...but the city...sadly my days of visiting Liverpool are over. The Mixed Martial Art Promotion that I would visit every other month and report on, collapsed yesterday

[Play The Man]

I came across a copy of The Book of Common Prayer that was on sale (1979 edition). In your opinion, what edition is the best?

[Play The Man]

I remember seeing footage of Churchill's funeral in 1965. It was a very dignified event. It was especially moving when the dock workers lowered their cranes as a sign of respect when the casket went by them. Fast forward to 1997 and the funeral of Lady Diana. It was a maudlin affair with Elton John recycling a Marilyn Monroe song like it was some great tribute. What year did the culture turn? For us, it was probably 1968. Did you have a hippie and anti-war movement?

[Play The Man]

When an American has a break during work it is informally called a "coffee break". When you take a break is it called a "tea break" and do you literally drink tea every day?

What do you call an English muffin? Do you just call it a muffin and if so then what do you call the baked good that we call a muffin?

What do you call potato chips? You eat fish and "chips" but your "chips" more resemble an American "French fry", what name does that leave to the poor potato chip?

How did the vulgar adjective "bloody" become so widespead in use in England? In the "Winnie the Pooh" books and "The Wind in the Willows" the exclamation "Oh, Bother!" is used to express frustration. I have adopted this exclamation to avoid saying worse in front of my child. Is this phrase still used in England or is it an archaic Victorian expression?