Grab bag of stuff just to make an update

[owl]

The Times commented yesterday that France had given the world a new element in rioting, to go with barricades and flung cobblestones: voitures bruleés. Actually, we got there first; a portion of the population of Northern Ireland semi-regularly gets disgruntled and starts lighting cars on fire. They then save effort by using the flaming cars as barricades. Oh, how I love my country.

I'm going to a wedding on Friday. It seems a little strange to wear a poppy to a wedding, but I wouldn't feel right not to wear it on that date. (The groom tells me he chose it because he wanted one that was easy to remember.)

I know there are several people on my flist who sail. I was reading the Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea, and I at last learned what the Surprise is doing when she's griping: turning up into the wind too much. So far so good, but it then went on to say that although this was usually due to poor hull design, it could be helped by reducing forward sail. Now perhaps this is me being stupid, but surely reducing the force of the headsails in relation to that of the mainsail is going to tend to turn the head of the boat into the wind, not away from it? Mind you, the typestting of the book was a bit hiccuppy in places; maybe there was a vital line of meaning missing.

Comments

[emmy-roo.livejournal.com]

What's the significance of the poppy?

[owl]

For Remembrance Day. Don't you have them in America? i'm surprised you've never seen it on the world news; it's a pretty big thing here, commemoration services on the BBC with the Queen and Prime Minister and stuff.

[ivylore.livejournal.com]

Is it Remembrance Day there as well? Silly me, with my ignorant American roots firmly on display. I thought it was Canadian!

[ivylore.livejournal.com]

It's a huge deal here as well. I lose all my poppies and usually have to keep donating for them.

[vader-incarnate.livejournal.com]

To be fair, Oakland Raiders fans frequently riot. They burn things when the Raiders lose and burn things when the Raiders win -- equal opportunity mayhem. :)

[owl]

But of course! Where do you think the Dominion of Canada got it from? :-P