Antiquis Scotia

Well, the hustings are over; the votes have been counted, and Scotland is still a part of the UK.  As I said before, I was happy to go with whatever the Scottish people decided.  It's not for an English-born Brit like me to stick my oar in in this debate.  

The English are the dominant power in this kingdom...yes, they are...so when it comes to judging how valid the union is, it's not for us to say.  All we can do is note the genuine concerns of the Celtic Brits, and try to address them.

However, all that said, it does feel a little disappointing that the status quo has been maintained.  I really hoped we could have rebuilt the UK.  I also think it would have been fantastic for England and the English too.

For those of you unfamiliar with this sceptred Isle, travelling around Wales and Scotland with an English accent can and will attract the ire of the locals.  There is a very real and visceral dislike of the offices and institutions of the union in those countries, and the English are held to be responsible for the creation and maintenance of these instruments.

I had hoped that if the union were recreated along fairer lines, we could live alongside each other as peaceful siblings.  No more would the union flag been spurned by some Welsh and Scots.  The English could have adopted Jerusalem as their anthem, as most of them want.

Cobb(L)ers

We're in the midst of an Ashes series here in England (let's not pretend the Celtic fringe are in the least bit interested in cricket because thems am not). For any foreigners reading this, the Ashes is a series of cricket matches played between England & Australia. Doesn't sound like much, does it? It's HUGE. It means so much to the respective countries that it's hard to quantify its impact on the collective psyche.

England have today beaten Australia in the second test (match), which enabled anyone with access to an Aussie male to let him have it le big style.

English and Australian men have a sibling mentality toward one another, particularly when it comes to sport. The Australians in particular won't thank me for pointing this out, but they and the English are essentially the same race, which is why they squabble so much. I am able to distance myself somewhat from "Englishness" by dint of my Irish lineage, but even I find it difficult not to gloat when England have the upper hand.

Australia are breath-takingly better than England at most sports you care to mention. The reason for this is that they take sport seriously, in a way that the English cannot bring themselves to do. To take sport that seriously is taken to be very gauche. So when the English lord it over the Aussies on the back to a rare victory, it's taken to be a bit of good natured ribbing. To the Aussies, however, it's no laughing matter.

It's this dichotomy that causes such problems between the two nations. The English can't believe the Aussies really take sport as seriously as they appear to. And the Aussies can't believe the English don't. It reminds one slightly of when an American starts up about God, thanking Him for a successful business meeting or a bountiful lunch table. It's toe-curlingly embarrassing for the English, this - really excruciating. The same is true, to a lesser extent, with Aussie sport fetishisation. Come on, mate, let it go. It's just a game.