American joke on the Brits

[ArtKramr]

I remember during the war in England there was a joke that went around. The
best time and place to tell it was in an English pub with lots of RAF around.
The joke went like this:

Eveything in England is smaller.
The cars are smaller.
The trains are smaller.
The rooms are smaller
The houses are smaller.
And they shoot .303's.



Arthur Kramer
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Richard Brooks]

"ArtKramr" > wrote in message
...
> I remember during the war in England there was a joke that went around.
The
> best time and place to tell it was in an English pub with lots of RAF
around.
> The joke went like this:
>
> Eveything in England is smaller.
> The cars are smaller.
> The trains are smaller.
> The rooms are smaller
> The houses are smaller.
> And they shoot .303's.
>
And you wonder how the good ole' U.S. of A. came up with Garrison Keillor ?
:-)



Richard.

[Ken Duffey]

"ArtKramr" > wrote in message
...
> I remember during the war in England there was a joke that went around.
The
> best time and place to tell it was in an English pub with lots of RAF
around.
> The joke went like this:
>
> Eveything in England is smaller.
> The cars are smaller.
> The trains are smaller.
> The rooms are smaller
> The houses are smaller.
> And they shoot .303's.
>
>
>
> Arthur Kramer
> Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
> http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer
>

Then there's the story of the old English pub, somewhere in Norfolk, near a
US airbase.

Three old locals are sat outside drinking their beer when up roars a jeep
with some US Air Force officers aboard.

As they climb out of the jeep to go into the pub, one of the officers turns
to the others and says "watch this you guys - I'll show you how dumb these
Brits are"

He goes up to the old guys and produces a crumpled 1 pound note and shiny
new half-crown coin.

He says to one of the Brits - "Hi old timer - let me buy you a drink - which
of these would you prefer - a crumpled old note - or a shiny new coin ?".

The old timer takes the coin and says "Why thankee sir, I'll take the coin
and get my friends a beer"

The US officers go into the pub laughing at the stupidity of the
Brits................

One of the old timers turns to the man with the coin and says " 'ere, why
didn't you take the 1 pound note ? ".

The other old fella replies - "Don't be daft - if I did that he'd stop doing
it every time he comes here !"

Ken Duffey

[Mycroft]

And of course the one we told about the the yankss, " Overpaid, Over sexed
and whats worse Over here!".

Myc


"Ken Duffey" > wrote in message
...
> "ArtKramr" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I remember during the war in England there was a joke that went around.
> The
> > best time and place to tell it was in an English pub with lots of RAF
> around.
> > The joke went like this:
> >
> > Eveything in England is smaller.
> > The cars are smaller.
> > The trains are smaller.
> > The rooms are smaller
> > The houses are smaller.
> > And they shoot .303's.
> >
> >
> >
> > Arthur Kramer
> > Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
> > http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer
> >
>
> Then there's the story of the old English pub, somewhere in Norfolk, near
a
> US airbase.
>
> Three old locals are sat outside drinking their beer when up roars a jeep
> with some US Air Force officers aboard.
>
> As they climb out of the jeep to go into the pub, one of the officers
turns
> to the others and says "watch this you guys - I'll show you how dumb these
> Brits are"
>
> He goes up to the old guys and produces a crumpled 1 pound note and shiny
> new half-crown coin.
>
> He says to one of the Brits - "Hi old timer - let me buy you a drink -
which
> of these would you prefer - a crumpled old note - or a shiny new coin ?".
>
> The old timer takes the coin and says "Why thankee sir, I'll take the coin
> and get my friends a beer"
>
> The US officers go into the pub laughing at the stupidity of the
> Brits................
>
> One of the old timers turns to the man with the coin and says " 'ere, why
> didn't you take the 1 pound note ? ".
>
> The other old fella replies - "Don't be daft - if I did that he'd stop
doing
> it every time he comes here !"
>
> Ken Duffey
>
>

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: American joke on the Brits
>From: "Ken Duffey"
>Date: 7/23/03 11:48 PM Pacific Daylight Time
>Message-id: >
>
>"ArtKramr" > wrote in message
...
>> I remember during the war in England there was a joke that went around.
>The
>> best time and place to tell it was in an English pub with lots of RAF
>around.
>> The joke went like this:
>>
>> Eveything in England is smaller.
>> The cars are smaller.
>> The trains are smaller.
>> The rooms are smaller
>> The houses are smaller.
>> And they shoot .303's.
>>
>>
>>
>> Arthur Kramer
>> Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
>> http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer
>>
>
>Then there's the story of the old English pub, somewhere in Norfolk, near a
>US airbase.
>
>Three old locals are sat outside drinking their beer when up roars a jeep
>with some US Air Force officers aboard.
>
>As they climb out of the jeep to go into the pub, one of the officers turns
>to the others and says "watch this you guys - I'll show you how dumb these
>Brits are"
>
>He goes up to the old guys and produces a crumpled 1 pound note and shiny
>new half-crown coin.
>
>He says to one of the Brits - "Hi old timer - let me buy you a drink - which
>of these would you prefer - a crumpled old note - or a shiny new coin ?".
>
>The old timer takes the coin and says "Why thankee sir, I'll take the coin
>and get my friends a beer"
>
>The US officers go into the pub laughing at the stupidity of the
>Brits................
>
>One of the old timers turns to the man with the coin and says " 'ere, why
>didn't you take the 1 pound note ? ".
>
>The other old fella replies - "Don't be daft - if I did that he'd stop doing
>it every time he comes here !"
>
>Ken Duffey
>
>


Then there was that famous cartoon in the TIMES. It showed a big strapping
American GI talking to a little older Englishman with a walrus moustache. They
are looking at one of the little English railroad cars. The American is saying
wirh contempt, " Do you know what we would do with that litte car in
America?'" The little Englishman replies, " Well if you wouldn't smoke it,
chew it or love it I don't what you would do with it. That was publiished
around the world and became the by word of the Brit attitude toward the yanks.
Great cartoon.

Arthur Kramer
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Blair Maynard]

On 23 Jul 2003 21:10:30 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:

>I remember during the war in England there was a joke that went around. The
>best time and place to tell it was in an English pub with lots of RAF around.
>The joke went like this:
>
>Eveything in England is smaller.
>The cars are smaller.
>The trains are smaller.
>The rooms are smaller
>The houses are smaller.
>And they shoot .303's.
>
>
>
>Arthur Kramer
>Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
>http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

I don't get it.

US forces shot 30-06's, pretty much the same caliber as the .303.

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: American joke on the Brits
>From: Blair Maynard
>Date: 7/24/03 9:46 AM Pacific Daylight Time
>Message-id: >
>
>On 23 Jul 2003 21:10:30 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:
>
>>I remember during the war in England there was a joke that went around. The
>>best time and place to tell it was in an English pub with lots of RAF
>around.
>>The joke went like this:
>>
>>Eveything in England is smaller.
>>The cars are smaller.
>>The trains are smaller.
>>The rooms are smaller
>>The houses are smaller.
>>And they shoot .303's.
>>
>>
>>
>>Arthur Kramer
>>Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
>>http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer
>
>I don't get it.
>
> US forces shot 30-06's, pretty much the same caliber as the .303.


RAF. Air operations. We shot 50 caliber. Get it now? (sigh)

Arthur Kramer
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Steven P. McNicoll]

"Blair Maynard" > wrote in message
...
>
> I don't get it.
>
> US forces shot 30-06's, pretty much the same caliber as the .303.
>

Think US air forces.

[Steve Hix]

In article >,
Blair Maynard > wrote:

> On 23 Jul 2003 21:10:30 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:
>
> >I remember during the war in England there was a joke that went around. The
> >best time and place to tell it was in an English pub with lots of RAF around.
> >The joke went like this:
> >
> >Eveything in England is smaller.
> >The cars are smaller.
> >The trains are smaller.
> >The rooms are smaller
> >The houses are smaller.
> >And they shoot .303's.
> >
> >
> >
> >Arthur Kramer
> >Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
> >http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer
>
> I don't get it.
>
> US forces shot 30-06's, pretty much the same caliber as the .303.

Not from most front-line aircraft, at least during most of the war in
which we participated.

[B2431]

>And of course the one we told about the the yankss, " Overpaid, Over sexed
>and whats worse Over here!".
>
>Myc
>

To which the response was "you are just jealous 'cause you are underpaid, under
sexed and under Eisenhower."

Dan, U. S. Air Force, retired

[Harry Andreas]

In article >, BlairMaynard wrote:

> On 23 Jul 2003 21:10:30 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:
>
> >I remember during the war in England there was a joke that went around. The
> >best time and place to tell it was in an English pub with lots of RAF around.
> >The joke went like this:
> >
> >Eveything in England is smaller.
> >The cars are smaller.
> >The trains are smaller.
> >The rooms are smaller
> >The houses are smaller.
> >And they shoot .303's.
> >
> I don't get it.
>
> US forces shot 30-06's, pretty much the same caliber as the .303.

..303 is actually a .311 bullet
..30 caliber is actually a .308 bullet
so it doesn't make sense from that perspective

but it does make sense if you recall that US aircraft used .50's

--
Harry Andreas
Engineering raconteur

[Paul J. Adam]

In message >, ArtKramr
> writes
>>Subject: Re: American joke on the Brits
>>From: Blair Maynard
>>I don't get it.
>>
>> US forces shot 30-06's, pretty much the same caliber as the .303.
>
>RAF. Air operations. We shot 50 caliber. Get it now? (sigh)

Yeah, but we went to 20mm where it mattered...

--
When you have to kill a man, it costs nothing to be polite.
W S Churchill

Paul J. Adam

[Dingo]

Or perhaps a joke shared ?
~=~
John Ding (UK)

An American soldier, serving in World War II, had just returned from
several weeks of intense action on the German front lines. He had
finally been granted R&R and was on a train bound for London. The
train was very crowded, so the soldier walked the length of the train,
looking for an empty seat.

The only unoccupied seat was directly adjacent to a well-dressed
middle-aged lady and was being used by her little dog. The war weary
soldier asked, "Please, ma'am, may I sit in that seat?"

The English woman looked down her nose at the soldier, sniffed and
said, "You Americans. You are such a rude class of people. Can't you
see my little Fifi is using that seat?"

The soldier walked away, determined to find a place to rest, but after
another trip down to the end of the train, found himself again facing
the woman with the dog. Again he asked, "Please, lady. May I sit there?
I'm very tired."

The English woman wrinkled her nose and snorted, "You Americans! Not
only are you rude, you are also arrogant. Imagine!"

The soldier didn't say anything else; he leaned over, picked up the
little dog tossed it out the window of the train and sat down in the
empty seat.

The woman shrieked and railed, and demanded that someone defend her
and chastise the soldier.

An English gentleman sitting across the aisle spoke up, "You know,
sir, you Americans do seem to have a penchant for doing the wrong
thing. You eat holding the fork in the wrong hand. You drive your
autos on the wrong side of the road. And now, sir, you've thrown the
wrong bitch out the window."

[av8r]

>>
>>US forces shot 30-06's, pretty much the same caliber as the .303.
>
>
>
> RAF. Air operations. We shot 50 caliber. Get it now? (sigh)


Hi Art

The British (and other Commonwealth air forces) shot .50 caliber as
well. Not only with American-built aircraft but also with Avro
Lancasters that had the .303 machine guns replaced.

Cheers...Chris

[[email protected]]

(Harry Andreas) wrote:

>> US forces shot 30-06's, pretty much the same caliber as the .303.
>
>.303 is actually a .311 bullet
>.30 caliber is actually a .308 bullet
>so it doesn't make sense from that perspective
>

C'mon Harry, you can do a better comparison between these two
rounds than that. Hell, that's like comparing the cartridge
primers.

The 30-06 is twice the round that the .303 is isn't it now?. I've
fired thousands of each and there's no comparison at all.
--

-Gord.

[Peter Stickney]

In article >,
"Gord Beaman" ) writes:
> (Harry Andreas) wrote:
>
>>> US forces shot 30-06's, pretty much the same caliber as the .303.
>>
>>.303 is actually a .311 bullet
>>.30 caliber is actually a .308 bullet
>>so it doesn't make sense from that perspective
>>
>
> C'mon Harry, you can do a better comparison between these two
> rounds than that. Hell, that's like comparing the cartridge
> primers.
>
> The 30-06 is twice the round that the .303 is isn't it now?. I've
> fired thousands of each and there's no comparison at all.

I've got almost the full collection of Enfields. (Rifle, SMLE No. 1 Mk
III, Pattern 14, M1917, and Rifle, SMLE, Mk IV), in both .30-06
(M1917), and .303, (The other lot). The biggest problem I have with
the .303 is those danged rims. A Royal (Arms Factory) pain in the
butt. How they made machine guns work with that cartridge has to be
an amazing example of dogged determination.

Odd that you'd mention primers, though. I picked up a case of
ex-Yugoslav .303 (Back before we blew it all up) and they had the
_worst_ primers you'd ever encountered. Pukk the trigger, hear the
click, think "Oh, ****!", and start counting before touching the
bolt (And doing it "One Hippopotamus, Twho Hippopotamus...is a good
idea.) The round would go off somwhere between "One and "otamus". It
wasn't weak primer strikes, either. Wierd, thouh, like firing a
bolt-action flintlock.

--
Pete Stickney
A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many
bad measures. -- Daniel Webster

[Peter Kemp]

On Thu, 24 Jul 2003 10:25:55 -0700, Steve Hix >
wrote:

>In article >,
> Blair Maynard > wrote:
>
>> On 23 Jul 2003 21:10:30 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:
>>
>> >I remember during the war in England there was a joke that went around. The
>> >best time and place to tell it was in an English pub with lots of RAF around.
>> >The joke went like this:
>> >
>> >Eveything in England is smaller.
>> >The cars are smaller.
>> >The trains are smaller.
>> >The rooms are smaller
>> >The houses are smaller.
>> >And they shoot .303's.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Arthur Kramer
>> >Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
>> >http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer
>>
>> I don't get it.
>>
>> US forces shot 30-06's, pretty much the same caliber as the .303.
>
>Not from most front-line aircraft, at least during most of the war in
>which we participated.

But surely by the time the US joined the war, UK front line aircraft
were 20mm armed - all the 8 x .303 fighters had gone IIRC?

[Paul J. Adam]

In message >, av8r >
writes
>The British (and other Commonwealth air forces) shot .50 caliber
>as well. Not only with American-built aircraft but also with Avro
>Lancasters that had the .303 machine guns replaced.

Also, the E-winged Spitfire was armed with 2 x 20mm and 2 x .50".

--
When you have to kill a man, it costs nothing to be polite.
W S Churchill

Paul J. Adam

[Bill Silvey]

"Ken Duffey" > wrote in message

> "ArtKramr" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I remember during the war in England there was a joke that went
>> around. The best time and place to tell it was in an English pub
>> with lots of RAF around. The joke went like this:
>>
>> Eveything in England is smaller.
>> The cars are smaller.
>> The trains are smaller.
>> The rooms are smaller
>> The houses are smaller.
>> And they shoot .303's.
>>
>>
>>
>> Arthur Kramer
>> Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
>> http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer
>>
>
> Then there's the story of the old English pub, somewhere in Norfolk,
> near a US airbase.
>
> Three old locals are sat outside drinking their beer when up roars a
> jeep with some US Air Force officers aboard.
>
> As they climb out of the jeep to go into the pub, one of the officers
> turns to the others and says "watch this you guys - I'll show you how
> dumb these Brits are"
>
> He goes up to the old guys and produces a crumpled 1 pound note and
> shiny new half-crown coin.
>
> He says to one of the Brits - "Hi old timer - let me buy you a drink
> - which of these would you prefer - a crumpled old note - or a shiny
> new coin ?".
>
> The old timer takes the coin and says "Why thankee sir, I'll take the
> coin and get my friends a beer"
>
> The US officers go into the pub laughing at the stupidity of the
> Brits................
>
> One of the old timers turns to the man with the coin and says " 'ere,
> why didn't you take the 1 pound note ? ".
>
> The other old fella replies - "Don't be daft - if I did that he'd
> stop doing it every time he comes here !"
>
> Ken Duffey

Have at you! There's this old chestnut:

Did you hear the last colo(u)r television factory in England closed
recently?

Yes, it's rather sad. They had to quit manufacturing them. They couldn't
figure out how to make them leak oil.

:-)

--
http://www.delversdungeon.dragonsfoot.org
Remove the X's in my email address to respond.
"Damn you Silvey, and your endless fortunes." - Stephen Weir
I hate furries.

[Dingo]

"Bill Silvey" > wrote in message
news:2ZaUa.16546There's this old chestnut:

<bijou snipette>

> Did you hear the last colo(u)r television factory in England closed
> recently?
>
> Yes, it's rather sad. They had to quit manufacturing them. They
couldn't
> figure out how to make them leak oil.

FWIW
File under 'useless' information.

Now, it may come as a surprise Bill, but back in the 1960s one UK factory
had devised an oil leaking TV ....... true. The company's name was Murphy
who produced a range of TVs which had better than the then avearge of
picture quality. A lot of this was down to the type of line output
transformer they used. It was oil cooled and yes, you guessed it ..........
they sometimes DID leak !!
~=~
John Ding (UK)

[Steve Hix]

In article >,
(Peter Stickney) wrote:

> In article >,
> "Gord Beaman" ) writes:
> > (Harry Andreas) wrote:
> >
> >>> US forces shot 30-06's, pretty much the same caliber as the .303.
> >>
> >>.303 is actually a .311 bullet
> >>.30 caliber is actually a .308 bullet
> >>so it doesn't make sense from that perspective
> >>
> >
> > C'mon Harry, you can do a better comparison between these two
> > rounds than that. Hell, that's like comparing the cartridge
> > primers.
> >
> > The 30-06 is twice the round that the .303 is isn't it now?. I've
> > fired thousands of each and there's no comparison at all.
>
> I've got almost the full collection of Enfields. (Rifle, SMLE No. 1 Mk
> III, Pattern 14, M1917, and Rifle, SMLE, Mk IV), in both .30-06
> (M1917), and .303, (The other lot). The biggest problem I have with
> the .303 is those danged rims. A Royal (Arms Factory) pain in the
> butt. How they made machine guns work with that cartridge has to be
> an amazing example of dogged determination.
>
> Odd that you'd mention primers, though. I picked up a case of
> ex-Yugoslav .303 (Back before we blew it all up) and they had the
> _worst_ primers you'd ever encountered. Pukk the trigger, hear the
> click, think "Oh, ****!", and start counting before touching the
> bolt (And doing it "One Hippopotamus, Twho Hippopotamus...is a good
> idea.) The round would go off somwhere between "One and "otamus". It
> wasn't weak primer strikes, either. Wierd, thouh, like firing a
> bolt-action flintlock.

Worse. None of my flintlocks ever hungfire that long, unless the priming
charge was wet.

[[email protected]]

(Harry Andreas) wrote:

>In article >, "Gord Beaman"
) wrote:
>
>> (Harry Andreas) wrote:
>>
>> >> US forces shot 30-06's, pretty much the same caliber as the .303.
>> >
>> >.303 is actually a .311 bullet
>> >.30 caliber is actually a .308 bullet
>> >so it doesn't make sense from that perspective
>> >
>>
>> C'mon Harry, you can do a better comparison between these two
>> rounds than that. Hell, that's like comparing the cartridge
>> primers.
>>
>> The 30-06 is twice the round that the .303 is isn't it now?. I've
>> fired thousands of each and there's no comparison at all.
>
>LOL, but where does one start? Books have been written...
>Yes the .30-06 is a much more powerful round, but the joke was
>primarily about size.
>
>I've fired a "few" of each, too, although the most painful I remember
>was from a friend's Mk5 Jungle Carbine (a real one too).
>Recoil was vicious, and from prone the muzzle blast kicked up a hell of a
>dust cloud.

Pretty well all my 30-06 was from an M-1 Garand...used to be
great fun toting that monster along on hunting trips with a
couple good old boys armed with "Sure-Shot" 12 gauge singles and
Marlin 44-40's with hexagon barrels. They'd say 'What in 'ell is
that, an artillery piece?'...they'd quiet down when I'd "walk" a
large block of wood all over the yard from the hip while chipping
large hunks out of it and the yard surface. Those 30-06 rounds
packed a wallop. You used to get away with things (on yer daddy's
farm) like that years ago :)

Guess most of my .303 was from twin Brownings in the nose turret
of Lancasters firing at smoke markers on the sea surface plus my
dad's Ross and my P-14 Enfield
--

-Gord.

[Jim Atkins]

Re English automotive technology my brother-in-law taught me this one when I
was helping him restore an MGA- The english drink warm beer because they
have Lucas refrigerators.

--
Jim Atkins
Twentynine Palms CA USA

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
- Groucho Marx

[Nick Pedley]

"Jim Atkins" > wrote in message
t...
> Re English automotive technology my brother-in-law taught me this one when
I
> was helping him restore an MGA- The english drink warm beer because they
> have Lucas refrigerators.
>
Lucas : The Prince of Darkness

Nick

[ANDREW ROBERT BREEN]

In article >,
Peter Kemp > wrote:
>On Thu, 24 Jul 2003 10:25:55 -0700, Steve Hix >
>wrote:
>>Not from most front-line aircraft, at least during most of the war in
>>which we participated.
>
>But surely by the time the US joined the war, UK front line aircraft
>were 20mm armed - all the 8 x .303 fighters had gone IIRC?

The only fighter types that I can think of from the start of '42 which
still used the 0.303" were the Spitfire (some variants), with 2x20mm
hispano cannon and 4x0.303" Brownings in each wing, the fighter-bomber
version of the Mosquito (4x20mm hispano, 4x0.303" browning) and, of
course, the mighty Beaufighter, with four hispanos in the nose and
four brownings in one wing, two in the other. Regardless of the presence
of 0.303"s, the Beau was not short of the abilities to throw nastieness.

Bombers were another matter: there were good reasons for sticking to
0.303"s in the night bombers, where ranges were very short and the role
of the gunners was keeping a look-out (and where the volume of fire from
the 0.303" was more desirable than the heavier weight of the 0.5"), but
the day-bomber force (the mediums) would certainly have benefited from
the 0.5", as would the fleet air arm bombers (the Barracuda could well
have done with a 0.5" instead of the futile pair of Vickers K-guns).

--
Andy Breen ~ Interplanetary Scintillation Research Group
http://users.aber.ac.uk/azb/
"Who dies with the most toys wins" (Gary Barnes)

[Guy Alcala]

ANDREW ROBERT BREEN wrote:

> In article >,
> Peter Kemp > wrote:
> >On Thu, 24 Jul 2003 10:25:55 -0700, Steve Hix >
> >wrote:
> >>Not from most front-line aircraft, at least during most of the war in
> >>which we participated.
> >
> >But surely by the time the US joined the war, UK front line aircraft
> >were 20mm armed - all the 8 x .303 fighters had gone IIRC?
>
> The only fighter types that I can think of from the start of '42 which
> still used the 0.303" were the Spitfire (some variants), with 2x20mm
> hispano cannon and 4x0.303" Brownings in each wing, the fighter-bomber
> version of the Mosquito (4x20mm hispano, 4x0.303" browning) and, of
> course, the mighty Beaufighter, with four hispanos in the nose and
> four brownings in one wing, two in the other. Regardless of the presence
> of 0.303"s, the Beau was not short of the abilities to throw nastieness.
>
> Bombers were another matter: there were good reasons for sticking to
> 0.303"s in the night bombers, where ranges were very short and the role
> of the gunners was keeping a look-out (and where the volume of fire from
> the 0.303" was more desirable than the heavier weight of the 0.5"), but
> the day-bomber force (the mediums) would certainly have benefited from
> the 0.5", as would the fleet air arm bombers (the Barracuda could well
> have done with a 0.5" instead of the futile pair of Vickers K-guns).

Apparently, the reason the Brits didn't have .50 cals on their bombers is
because they (AM Harris, before taking over BC) had arranged to set up four
factories produce them. Unfortunately, the four factories were in the U.S.,
and just about the time they were coming into production we entered the war
and commandeered them to meet our own needs.

Guy

[bendel boy]

(ArtKramr) wrote in message >...
> I remember during the war in England there was a joke that went around. The
> best time and place to tell it was in an English pub with lots of RAF around.
> The joke went like this:
>
> Eveything in England is smaller.
> The cars are smaller.
> The trains are smaller.
> The rooms are smaller
> The houses are smaller.
> And they shoot .303's.
>
>
>
> Arthur Kramer
> Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
> http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

The people are smaller, too.

[Peter Kemp]

On 30 Jul 2003 18:50:10 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:

>>Subject: Re: American joke on the Brits
>>From: (bendel boy)

>>The people are smaller, too.
>
>They were back then. But with more protein in their diet and cleaner air, they
>are now growing a lot bigger.

Spot on. My Dad's generation (b. 1944 - average about 5'8") average
about 3" shorter than mine (b.1975 - average a hair under 5'11"),
mainly from good nutrition compared to the war and the austerity
period afterwards compared to the modern day - critical for the first
10 years or so.

All heights are IIRC since it's a long time since my biology classes.

[Paul J. Adam]

In message >, ArtKramr
> writes
>>Subject: Re: American joke on the Brits
>>From: (bendel boy)
>>Date: 7/30/03 8:57 AM Pacific Daylight Time
>>The people are smaller, too.
>
>They were back then. But with more protein in their diet and cleaner air, they
>are now growing a lot bigger.

Horizontally as well as vertically, sad to say.

Oddly, I was tall compared to most of the passers-by in DC, while in
London I've usually got a fair few people at or above my eye level. No
idea why - less crowded sidewalks so fewer people total so fewer tall
ones?)

--
When you have to kill a man, it costs nothing to be polite.
W S Churchill

Paul J. Adam

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: American joke on the Brits
>From: Peter Kemp
>Date: 7/30/03 12:10 PM Pacific Daylight Time
>Message-id: >
>
>On 30 Jul 2003 18:50:10 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:
>
>>>Subject: Re: American joke on the Brits
>>>From: (bendel boy)
>
>>>The people are smaller, too.
>>
>>They were back then. But with more protein in their diet and cleaner air,
>they
>>are now growing a lot bigger.
>
>Spot on. My Dad's generation (b. 1944 - average about 5'8") average
>about 3" shorter than mine (b.1975 - average a hair under 5'11"),
>mainly from good nutrition compared to the war and the austerity
>period afterwards compared to the modern day - critical for the first
>10 years or so.
>
>All heights are IIRC since it's a long time since my biology classes.
>


We were surprised when we got to England during the war. The men were short,
hollow chested, round shouldered and pale. They looked ill. Then we saw some
German prisoners, tall, strapping, well muscled and energetic. We just shook
our heads in bewilderment.

Arthur Kramer
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[James Hart]

Peter Twydell wrote:
> In article >, Peter Kemp
> > writes
>> On 30 Jul 2003 18:50:10 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:
>>
>>>> Subject: Re: American joke on the Brits
>>>> From: (bendel boy)
>>
>>>> The people are smaller, too.
>>>
>>> They were back then. But with more protein in their diet and
>>> cleaner air, they are now growing a lot bigger.
>>
>> Spot on. My Dad's generation (b. 1944 - average about 5'8") average
>> about 3" shorter than mine (b.1975 - average a hair under 5'11"),
>> mainly from good nutrition compared to the war and the austerity
>> period afterwards compared to the modern day - critical for the first
>> 10 years or so.
>>
>> All heights are IIRC since it's a long time since my biology classes.
>>
> My Dad (b.1904) was a mere 6'2", and 3 of his 4 brothers were over
> 6'. I managed to get to 6'6", so genetics has an effect too.
> SWMBO and I have noticed on our visits to NL that the Dutch have got a
> lot taller in the last 30 years or so.

When that much of the country is below sea level I guess it helps to be tall
:)

--
James...
http://www.jameshart.co.uk/

[[email protected]]

"Paul J. Adam" > wrote:

>
>Oddly, I was tall compared to most of the passers-by in DC, while in
>London I've usually got a fair few people at or above my eye level. No
>idea why - less crowded sidewalks so fewer people total so fewer tall
>ones?)

Speaking of which, you ever notice that tall people have a hard
time with judging height?. I'm fairly tall (6'2") and unless the
person in question is my height or taller I have a hard time to
judge. I think it's because we (tallies) are generally looking
down (actually-not fig.).
--

-Gord.

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: American joke on the Brits
>From: (ANDREW ROBERT BREEN)
>Date: 7/30/03 4:18 PM Pacific Daylight Time
>Message-id: >
>
>In article >,
>Peter Twydell > wrote:
>>In article >, Peter Kemp
> writes
>>>On 30 Jul 2003 18:50:10 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:
>>>
>>>>>Subject: Re: American joke on the Brits
>>>>>From: (bendel boy)
>>>
>>>>>The people are smaller, too.
>>>>
>>>>They were back then. But with more protein in their diet and cleaner air,
>they
>>>>are now growing a lot bigger.
>>>
>>>Spot on. My Dad's generation (b. 1944 - average about 5'8") average
>>>about 3" shorter than mine (b.1975 - average a hair under 5'11"),
>
>>My Dad (b.1904) was a mere 6'2", and 3 of his 4 brothers were over 6'. I
>>managed to get to 6'6", so genetics has an effect too.
>>SWMBO and I have noticed on our visits to NL that the Dutch have got a
>>lot taller in the last 30 years or so.
>
>The place I've noticed this most is Finland - when I first went there
>in (IIRC) 1991 it was quite startling - people of mid-40s and older were
>5'-5'6", people in their early 30s and 20s were well over 6'. But of
>course Finland had gone from scorched earth and famine in the 1940s to
>probably the highest standard of living in the world by the 60s, 70s and
>80s (and then got stuffed again by the collapse of the neighbour, and
>then put themselves back together again to the extent that they
>effectively own the mobile communications industry - I have a lot of time
>for the Finns)..
>
>--
>Andy Breen ~ Interplanetary Scintillation Research Group
>

What was interesting was that if we saw a bunch of guys in Brit uniforms we
could tell at a distance who was English and who were Aussies, New Zealanders
and Canadians, They were tall and strong. The little guys were English..

Arthur Kramer
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Steve Hix]

In article >,
(ArtKramr) wrote:
>
> We were surprised when we got to England during the war. The men were short,
> hollow chested, round shouldered and pale. They looked ill. Then we saw some
> German prisoners, tall, strapping, well muscled and energetic. We just shook
> our heads in bewilderment.

All the strapping, big Brits were in service and somewhere else?

[Jim Herring]

ANDREW ROBERT BREEN wrote:

> In article >,
> Peter Twydell > wrote:
> >In article >, Peter Kemp
> > writes
> >>On 30 Jul 2003 18:50:10 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:
> >>
> >>>>Subject: Re: American joke on the Brits
> >>>>From: (bendel boy)
> >>
> >>>>The people are smaller, too.
> >>>
> >>>They were back then. But with more protein in their diet and cleaner air, they
> >>>are now growing a lot bigger.
> >>
> >>Spot on. My Dad's generation (b. 1944 - average about 5'8") average
> >>about 3" shorter than mine (b.1975 - average a hair under 5'11"),
>
> >My Dad (b.1904) was a mere 6'2", and 3 of his 4 brothers were over 6'. I
> >managed to get to 6'6", so genetics has an effect too.
> >SWMBO and I have noticed on our visits to NL that the Dutch have got a
> >lot taller in the last 30 years or so.
>
> The place I've noticed this most is Finland - when I first went there
> in (IIRC) 1991 it was quite startling - people of mid-40s and older were
> 5'-5'6", people in their early 30s and 20s were well over 6'.

Same thing in South Korea. Pre-war people are short. First generation post-war are
taller. And, the next generation is as tall as people in the USA. More and better food
seems to help.


--
Jim

carry on




----== Posted via Newsfeed.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
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[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: American joke on the Brits
>From: av8r
>Date: 7/30/03 8:15 PM Pacific Daylight Time
>Message-id: >
>
>Hi Art
>
>The 'little' ones fit nicely into the turrets. So, they must of all be
>air gunners. LOL
>
>Cheers...Chris
>

They were little guys, but tough as nails.

Arthur Kramer
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Peter Kemp]

On Thu, 31 Jul 2003 01:33:29 GMT, "Gord Beaman" )
wrote:

>"Paul J. Adam" > wrote:
>
>>
>>Oddly, I was tall compared to most of the passers-by in DC, while in
>>London I've usually got a fair few people at or above my eye level. No
>>idea why - less crowded sidewalks so fewer people total so fewer tall
>>ones?)
>
>Speaking of which, you ever notice that tall people have a hard
>time with judging height?. I'm fairly tall (6'2") and unless the
>person in question is my height or taller I have a hard time to
>judge. I think it's because we (tallies) are generally looking
>down (actually-not fig.).

I've noticed the same - I'm only 6'1" - no, down here Gord, further
down, keep on looking down...there I am - you tall git :-)
Ever since I passed 6' I have a lot of trouble with heights under
5'11" or so.

[bendel boy]

Based on an intensive survey of people at Disney Orlando (I looked
around me while waiting in the lines), in size, as in so many other
areas, the US growth rate continues at a higher rate than the UK. Not
so much up, you understand.

(ArtKramr) wrote in message >...
> >Subject: Re: American joke on the Brits
> >From: (bendel boy)
> >Date: 7/30/03 8:57 AM Pacific Daylight Time
> >Message-id: >
> >
> (ArtKramr) wrote in message
> >...
> >> I remember during the war in England there was a joke that went around. The
> >> best time and place to tell it was in an English pub with lots of RAF
> around.
> >> The joke went like this:
> >>
> >> Eveything in England is smaller.
> >> The cars are smaller.
> >> The trains are smaller.
> >> The rooms are smaller
> >> The houses are smaller.
> >> And they shoot .303's.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Arthur Kramer
> >> Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
> >> http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer
> >
> >The people are smaller, too.
>
>
> They were back then. But with more protein in their diet and cleaner air, they
> are now growing a lot bigger.
>
> Arthur Kramer
> Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
> http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: American joke on the Brits
>From: (bendel boy)
>Date: 7/31/03 2:26 AM Pacific Daylight Time

>Based on an intensive survey of people at Disney Orlando (I looked
>around me while waiting in the lines), in size, as in so many other
>areas, the US growth rate continues at a higher rate than the UK. Not
>so much up, you understand.

Sadly you are right. (sigh)

Arthur Kramer
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[[email protected]]

> (bendel boy) wrote:

>Based on an intensive survey of people at Disney Orlando (I looked
>around me while waiting in the lines), in size, as in so many other
>areas, the US growth rate continues at a higher rate than the UK. Not
>so much up, you understand.

And based on an intensive survey of people from the UK and Europe
visiting our lovely state of Florida (I looked around me while waiting
in the lines) in hygiene, as in so many other areas, the UK and
European continues to be non-existent. ****-breath, rotten teeth,
fanny packs and dark socks with sandals, or weenie benders on
the beach, you understand.

-Mike (Remember, everyone has guns in America. Shooting foreigners
isn't a crime anymore) Marron

[Kulvinder Singh Matharu]

On 31 Jul 2003 03:35:02 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:

[snip]
>They were little guys, but tough as nails.

Description of hobbits!

--
Kulvinder Singh Matharu
Contact details : http://www.metalvortex.com/form/index.htm
Website : http://www.metalvortex.com/

"It ain't Coca Cola, it's rice" - The Clash

[Paul J. Adam]

In message k>,
Kulvinder Singh Matharu > writes
>On 31 Jul 2003 03:35:02 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:
>[snip]
>>They were little guys, but tough as nails.
>
>Description of hobbits!

Or Paras. Or Gurkhas.

--
When you have to kill a man, it costs nothing to be polite.
W S Churchill

Paul J. Adam

[vincent p. norris]

>They were little guys, but tough as nails.

For confirmation of that, read Cornelius Ryan's _Last Battle_
(the battle for Berlin) about the long trek of the released British
POWs to reach Allied lines.

vince norris

[[email protected]]

"James Hart" > wrote:

>
>When that much of the country is below sea level I guess it helps to be tall
>:)

Sure...it's the basic human subconscious will to survive
influencing their stature I'm sure...:)
--

-Gord.

[Drewe Manton]

"Nick Pedley" > wrote in
:

> LOL! You can spot the American tourist in Britain from half a mile
> away. In London last week the style was a tartan flat cap, t-shirt
> saying "I went to London and all I got was this lousy t-shirt" or a
> drawing of a London landmark, shorts, sandals with socks, camera and
> camcorder around neck, bum bag (aka fanny pack) and a guide to London
> gripped in one hand. A US flag can often be seen somewhere about their
> person and they buy overpriced tat from the expensive tourist shops
> without question. And they wonder how people know they're American
> before they say a word? ;-)
>
> (The variations to the above are endless but the main change is that
> if they are ex-military they wear a baseball cap with their unit name,
> ship name or the aircraft they flew. These are usually WW2 veterans.)
>

And they *ALL* seem to have a seriously overweight wife in a blue
trouser suit with curly blonde-ish hair in tow. And those wives are
always, to a woman, called Millie. They must get issued with them at
customs. Next time I'm at Heathrow I'm gonna keep an eye out for the
Millie check-in counter . . . it's probably in the departures lounge
somewhere.
Well. . . whilst we're on the amusing stereotype kick and all!
(Trust me, I'm a Limey, would I lie to you?)

--
Regards
Drewe
"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"

[[email protected]]

>Drewe Manton > wrote:
>>"Nick Pedley" > wrote:

>>LOL! You can spot the American tourist in Britain from half a mile
>>away. In London last week the style was a tartan flat cap, t-shirt
>>saying "I went to London and all I got was this lousy t-shirt" or a
>>drawing of a London landmark, shorts, sandals with socks, camera and
>>camcorder around neck, bum bag (aka fanny pack) and a guide to London
>>gripped in one hand. A US flag can often be seen somewhere about their
>>person and they buy overpriced tat from the expensive tourist shops
>>without question. And they wonder how people know they're American
>>before they say a word? ;-)

>>(The variations to the above are endless but the main change is that
>>if they are ex-military they wear a baseball cap with their unit name,
>>ship name or the aircraft they flew. These are usually WW2 veterans.)

>And they *ALL* seem to have a seriously overweight wife in a blue
>trouser suit with curly blonde-ish hair in tow. And those wives are
>always, to a woman, called Millie. They must get issued with them at
>customs. Next time I'm at Heathrow I'm gonna keep an eye out for the
>Millie check-in counter . . . it's probably in the departures lounge
>somewhere.
>Well. . . whilst we're on the amusing stereotype kick and all!
>(Trust me, I'm a Limey, would I lie to you?)

Amusing stuff, but elderly tourists from Jolly Ol' England don't
exactly look like Pierce Brosnan or Elizabeth Hurley, ya' know.
In fact, weight-wise they're just as rotund as any old fart American
couple...the only difference is that in addition to being just as
overweight as the Yanks, the Limeys are pasty white, vitamin-D
deprived, effeminate "fat" old farts with rotten teeth to boot!

-Mike Marron

[Kulvinder Singh Matharu]

On Fri, 1 Aug 2003 00:07:00 +0100, "Paul J. Adam"
> wrote:

>In message k>,
>Kulvinder Singh Matharu > writes
>>On 31 Jul 2003 03:35:02 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:
>>[snip]
>>>They were little guys, but tough as nails.
>>
>>Description of hobbits!
>
>Or Paras. Or Gurkhas.

Met a few Gurkhas in London and Hong Kong. Very friendly too!

--
Kulvinder Singh Matharu
Contact details : http://www.metalvortex.com/form/index.htm
Website : http://www.metalvortex.com/

"It ain't Coca Cola, it's rice" - The Clash

[Claude BRUNET]

Really too stupid !!!!
And bad taste comments !
Claude

--
============================
Claude Brunet
Toulon France

http://perso.club-internet.fr/clbrunet
============================
"ArtKramr" > a écrit dans le message news:
...
> >ubject: Re: American joke on the Brits
> >From: "Nick Pedley"
> >Date: 8/1/03 2:52 PM Pacific Daylight Time
> >Message-id: >
> >
> >
> > wrote in message
> ...
> >> > (bendel boy) wrote:
> >>
> >> >Based on an intensive survey of people at Disney Orlando (I looked
> >> >around me while waiting in the lines), in size, as in so many other
> >> >areas, the US growth rate continues at a higher rate than the UK. Not
> >> >so much up, you understand.
> >>
> >> And based on an intensive survey of people from the UK and Europe
> >> visiting our lovely state of Florida (I looked around me while waiting
> >> in the lines) in hygiene, as in so many other areas, the UK and
> >> European continues to be non-existent. ****-breath, rotten teeth,
> >> fanny packs and dark socks with sandals, or weenie benders on
> >> the beach, you understand.
> >>
> >LOL! You can spot the American tourist in Britain from half a mile away.
In
> >London last week the style was a tartan flat cap, t-shirt saying "I went
to
> >London and all I got was this lousy t-shirt" or a drawing of a London
> >landmark, shorts, sandals with socks, camera and camcorder around neck,
bum
> >bag (aka fanny pack) and a guide to London gripped in one hand. A US flag
> >can often be seen somewhere about their person and they buy overpriced
tat
> >from the expensive tourist shops without question.
> >And they wonder how people know they're American before they say a word?
;-)
> >
> >(The variations to the above are endless but the main change is that if
they
> >are ex-military they wear a baseball cap with their unit name, ship name
or
> >the aircraft they flew. These are usually WW2 veterans.)
> >
> >Nick
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> But there is a way to handle that. When a Brit says to me, "you are
American
> right?" I just answer in German.
>
> Arthur Kramer
> Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
> http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer
>

[Paul J. Adam]

In message k>,
Kulvinder Singh Matharu > writes
>On Fri, 1 Aug 2003 00:07:00 +0100, "Paul J. Adam"
> wrote:
>>Or Paras. Or Gurkhas.
>
>Met a few Gurkhas in London and Hong Kong. Very friendly too!

They're generally nice guys. Until you give them reason _not_ to be
nice...

Being Really Tall(TM) doesn't seem to be a battlefield asset any more,
is the main point. Being Really Fit(TM) matters more.

--
When you have to kill a man, it costs nothing to be polite.
W S Churchill

Paul J. Adam

[Gernot Hassenpflug]

Kulvinder Singh Matharu > writes:

> On Fri, 1 Aug 2003 00:07:00 +0100, "Paul J. Adam"
> > wrote:
>
>>In message k>,
>>Kulvinder Singh Matharu > writes
>>>On 31 Jul 2003 03:35:02 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:
>>>[snip]
>>>>They were little guys, but tough as nails.
>>>
>>>Description of hobbits!
>>
>>Or Paras. Or Gurkhas.
>
> Met a few Gurkhas in London and Hong Kong. Very friendly too!

I guess they go by Churchill's motto 'If you have to kill a man, it
doesn't hurt to be polite'....just kidding.

--
G Hassenpflug * IJN & JMSDF equipment/history fan

[funkraum]

>ArtKramr )

[...]
>We were surprised when we got to England during the war. The men were short,
>hollow chested, round shouldered and pale. They looked ill.
[...]
>
>Arthur Kramer
>Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
>http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

An image, surely incomplete, without a pipe clasped between lips,
above a huge Adam's apple, one sunburned arm folded, the other
sunburned hand clasping the bowl of the pipe, a dusty service cap, and
a quite fabulously baggy pair of shorts.

Still. It's not the size of the dog. It's the size of the fight in the
dog.