Paddy's "Things that cheer you up"

[StefanAVFC]

My only experience of Boston is the bus station

[troon_villan]

I remember the Boston two-step from school at Xmas time.

[BOF]

 

[HanoiVillan]

6 hours ago, maqroll said:

Random history type question for yuz- When you think of British Colonial America, do you think Boston, New York, Phily, Virginia...or do you not really view it that narrowly?

I basically think of vast forests populated exclusively by witches and ghosts, interspersed by occasional wooden villages populated exclusively by religious zealots. 

[BOF]

43 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said:

I basically think of vast forests populated exclusively by witches and ghosts, interspersed by occasional wooden villages populated exclusively by religious zealots. 

That's Arkansas.

[Ginko]

Thats something that I never got.

Why is Kansas pronounced 'can-zus' but Arkansas is pronounced 'arr-kun-saw'?

Edited April 23, 2016 by Ginko

[chrisp65]

2 minutes ago, Ginko said:

Thats something that I never got.

Why is Kansas pronounced 'can-zus' but Arkansas is pronounced 'arr-kun-sore'?

errrrmmmmmm, I didn't know Ar-kan-sas and Ar-ken-saw were the same place! 

every day's a school day....

[Ginko]

Yup, same place, and after a quick Mooney I found a rather interesting (in my opinion, at least) explanation:

Source: http://mentalfloss.com/article/58490/why-isnt-arkansas-pronounced-kansas

Quote

Kansas was named for the Kansa, a Siouan tribe that lived in the region. The Kansa people were called, in plural, Kansas, and that became the name of the state. But before it did, English, French, and Spanish speakers, as well as speakers of various Native American languages, all came up with their own ways of pronouncing (and writing) the name of the tribe. The Kansa themselves pronounced it with a nasalized “a” (rather than a full “n”), a “z,” and an “eh” sound – approximately “kauzeh.” Everyone else had their own versions, and historical records show all kinds of spellings: Kansa, Kansas, Kantha, Kances, Konza, Kauzas, Canees, Canceys… Eventually, Kansas won out.

Arkansas was named for a related Siouan tribe, the Quapaw. The Algonquians called them “akansa,” joining their own a- prefix (used in front of ethnic groups) to the Kansa name (the same root as that for Kansas). The Algonquians’ name for the Quapaw was picked up by others, and was also spelled in various ways: Akancea, Acansea, Acansa. However, it was the French version, Arcansas, that became the basis for the eventual state name. In French the final plural s is not pronounced. Somehow, the English speakers that took over after the Louisiana Purchase decided to go with a modified French spelling along with a French pronunciation – an s on the page, but not on the tongue. (Incidentally, the name Ozark comes from French aux Arcs, short for aux Arcansas. And the same native word that became Wichita in Kansas went with the Frenchified spelling Ouachita in Arkansas.)

 

Edited April 23, 2016 by Ginko

[mjmooney]

I thought 'aux arcs' was because they carried bows? 

[colhint]

2 bits of trivia about the new England states, 

1  nutmeg was thought to be a cure for the plague. you could only get it from a couple of Indonesian Islands. The Brits and dutch fought over these Islands for centuries. In the end after loads of deaths and costs of war they came to an agreement. The dutch kept the nutmeg, In return they gave us the lands of the Manhatta indians , Basically NY state. 

2 The French were pissed off we and the dutch were settling in America, So they claimed the rest of the country (everything but the east coast) as theirs. And named it after King Louis. 

So for a time Louisianna was the largest state.

[mjmooney]

French Louisiana was a territory, not a state.

[chrisp65]

Last game of the season for my local team today. A lovely sunny day, everyone there for a good bit of chat and a shouty sing song.

Then a very pedestrian 0:0 draw which ensured we'll finish 2nd not 1st. An excellent result that is the highest finish you can have without promotion to financial ruin.

Three completed seasons since the club became fan owned, 2014: 1st and promoted, 2015: 1st and promoted, 2016: 2nd, stick.

Isn't football great....

[sharkyvilla]

16 hours ago, chrisp65 said:

Last game of the season for my local team today. A lovely sunny day, everyone there for a good bit of chat and a shouty sing song.

Then a very pedestrian 0:0 draw which ensured we'll finish 2nd not 1st. An excellent result that is the highest finish you can have without promotion to financial ruin.

Three completed seasons since the club became fan owned, 2014: 1st and promoted, 2015: 1st and promoted, 2016: 2nd, stick.

Isn't football great....

My local team Horsham got promoted as champions back to the Ryman league last week.  I dunno whether people have seen the vid of the striker (Terry Dodd) swigging a fan's pint after missing an open goal, but it was that match.  Got at least 3 million views now, it's crazy what the Internet can do.

[Xela]

On my non league travels its taken me to towns that I'd never visit normally... in the last 6 week or so I've been to Alfreton, Corby and Gainsborough. These little places fascinate me... full of characters! Some good, some just plain odd!

[blandy]

18 hours ago, chrisp65 said:

Last game of the season for my local team today...Three completed seasons since the club became fan owned, 2014: 1st and promoted, 2015: 1st and promoted, 2016: 2nd, stick.

Isn't football great....

There's a non league team just down the road from where I live. They've come in to a spot of money, to say the least

Quote

“You’re just a pub team with money” sing an inebriated throng of Boston United supporters, as their opponents score yet another goal in a 5-2 demolition job. Though sung in jest, they’re not far from the truth. The Birley Arms is a pleasant country pub just like countless others in West Lancashire, apart from the fact that at the bottom of its car park is the home of National League North side AFC Fylde.

Fylde’s wealth is well-known in non-league circles. Backed by the deep pockets of chairman David Haythornthwaite, the club, formerly Kirkham and Wesham F.C. have made improvements to their existing home Kellamergh Park and seen a rise from the West Lancashire League in 2007 to The National League North in 2014. Last season Fylde manager Dave Challinor, of Tranmere Rovers and long-throw fame, banked an impressive 85 points in the league in 2015/16, but second place and a play-off semi final defeat to Guiseley meant their campaign ended in heartbreak. Poorer clubs would see a loss like that as a huge opportunity missed, and potentially damaging to a club’s future, but for Fylde it just seems a minor inconvenience on the road to something greater.

Once again, The Coasters sit second in the league below The Conference (or National League as it’s known this season). A late penalty for Nuneaton Town in their last encounter costs them three points and has created a surely unassailable gap between them and league leaders Solihull Moors, so Fylde will have to ready themselves for another crack at the play-offs. Behind the goal in which Nuneaton score their equaliser, is a banner reading “2022: Stop us if you can”, a reference to Fylde’s ambition to become a league side before the Qatar World Cup. ...As important as promotion would be to Fylde, the much-coveted ‘next step’ in their development from scrappy West Lancashire League side to bona fide professional football club is already underway. As Challinor’s players hammer Boston and blow it against Nuneaton, work continues at Mill Farm, an £18m development that includes a 6,000-capacity stadium – the Coasters new home next season. Fylde will soon no longer be just the pub team with money..... 

Much more on the link. I cycled up to the new ground the other day, it's not far from being completed now and it's a million miles away from typical non league - it's like a mini Premiership ground. On the one had I'm curious and sort of interested, but on the other...it doesn't seem right, somehow.

[maqroll]

On April 22, 2016 at 07:09, StefanAVFC said:

My only experience of Boston is the bus station

Not as shiny and slick as New Street, but it has character

[maqroll]

3 hours ago, blandy said:

“You’re just a pub team with money” sing an inebriated throng of Boston United supporters, as their opponents score yet another goal in a 5-2 demolition job

Christ, even my second club sucks

[maqroll]

On April 23, 2016 at 08:09, colhint said:

2 bits of trivia about the new England states, 

1  nutmeg was thought to be a cure for the plague. you could only get it from a couple of Indonesian Islands. The Brits and dutch fought over these Islands for centuries. In the end after loads of deaths and costs of war they came to an agreement. The dutch kept the nutmeg, In return they gave us the lands of the Manhatta indians , Basically NY state. 

2 The French were pissed off we and the dutch were settling in America, So they claimed the rest of the country (everything but the east coast) as theirs. And named it after King Louis. 

So for a time Louisianna was the largest state.

Did you know that Maine was once part of Massachusetts? Mainers hate it when you remind them, lol

[sidcow]

I find beer cheers me up. It's so much more than just a breakfast drink you know 

[mjmooney]

8 minutes ago, sidcow said:

I find beer cheers me up. It's so much more than just a breakfast drink you know 

There is something about that moment of settling into your seat in a good pub and quaffing the first pint. Sheer bliss.