"Roger Hayter" wrote in message
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michael adams wrote:

snip
And yet all he can think of is this anti-American prejudice of his
which (unfortunate though that might be) isn't necessarily shared
by the people he most needs to convince,


Many people don't think long term. Under current management, being
under the Americans thumb more than we already are seems prettys scary
to me.

The US one-way attitude to extradition for one should be totally
unacceptable.

Unfortunately if it hadn't been for US Govt initiatives first
NASA (micro-processors) and then the US Dept of Defence (networks)
its doubtful Tim Berners Lee would have had much of a problem
to solve.

In fact TBL is about the only individual outside of the US
along with Maurice Wilkes of LEO the Lyons Computer who has
made any significant contribution to what you're sitting in
front of right now, tapping away. I don't count Jonathan
Ive and his Dieter Rams knockoffs for Apple as contributing
much.

Love 'em or hate em right now for us British people at least,
Google, Facebook, eBay, Amazon are the only kids on the block
except for refusniks who choose to lead stunted lives instead.
And nobody need reminding where their HQ's are.

There are really only three salient points here IMO.

The USA is fortunate in having extensive coastlines on two
major oceans, in a country replete with naturaal resources
which was stolen from a native population with no comprehension
of private property and using slavery as cheap source of labour
while brushing aside any criticism from the rest of the world.

That's what everyone is up against,

English (American English) is also the first language of the US.
Which is our enduring misfortune IMO.

At least except when it comes to being able to watch the likes
of "The Sopranos","Breaking Bad", or "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
without having to resort to sub-titles or dubbing.

If the Dutch had not so readily capitulated to the small
English Fleet which sailed up the Hudson the whole of the
US might right now be speaking Dutch instead.

And Trump would be building his golf courses in Holland
instead, speaking Dutch (he already has the name for it)
and totally ignoring England.

It probably means the Yanks might have intervened a bit earlier
in WW2 as well.


michael adams

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