Victoria

You are amongst your own. Welcome, dear friend. Touch my straps, and I'll cut you!

I know. Christians don't react quite the same way, so we're easy targets, Puggy. When Madonna makes fun of Mohammed instead of nailing herself to a cross and flinging herself around the arena (as in her last show in Miami's AAA centre), I'll call her a rebel. Until then, she's a menopausal wannabe poseur-rebel, without guts or originality. A bit like Dave Allen, actually! EDIT: Oh drat, poor Dave Allen died recently in Oz, didn't he? Never mind. RIP Dave!! How I remember those monologues repeats in that chair with fondness.

I was going to welcome you, having already given you a Gold Star, but then I saw that your ID and all those posts in the Looney Bin were one and the same poster. Unlike many women, I don't have problems with men who like the female form, dressed or otherwise (the women are obviously enjoying themselves and getting paid, and men SHOULD love women, WTF feminists?!). But 3 posts, as a newbie? Whew. Courageous, Toadpower.

This is the Looney Bin, so let's be really crazy. Post one of the Prophet Mohammed! (Requisite PBUH, though I'm not Muslim) Don't worry, I have a gun, and I'll cover you, baby!

Give that man a Cigar! Some fatigues! Maybe a Rolex too! P.S.: When I drove to St. Louis (from Chitown), I was in my convertible, top down, when it suddenly dawned on me: "HEY! I'm on ROUTE 66, AWESOME!". Of all the places I've ever travelled to, or on, I don't think I've ever had such a goosepimply moment as that (save perhaps in front of the Vatican).

I just used my zip code.

Awesome. Love the combo. And thanks for serving for us all, so people like me can sit around posting in safety all day.

I stopped reading after that. Goodbye, TTK.

The who, the wha, the where...?? You were only just in Ireland and Paris, gainfully employed, having fun, chatting with Ryyannon in bistros wearing berets and sheah! I'm so sorry.

Not only is your choice of watch and strap impeccable, but so are your diner tastes, Chubbchubb! Yes, indeed, Johnny Rockets in Lincoln Road. P.S.: Drat, I knew that TR-6 answer too. Ah well, anyone care to guess which hamburger speciality I had? Here's a hint: it's a song title too!

OMG OMG! Is that a Caran D'Ache Mille et Une Nuits limited edition fountain pen??? http://www.pianki.com/Mille-et-Une-Nuits-L...e_p_38-230.html Or just a very good rep sold by Ken?

About time someone posted this. Thanks Blindman. RIP Luciano... (Some trivia for you -- his US operatic debut was in Dade County Auditorium performing for the Florida Grand Opera. I believe that was 1969, and the opera was his famous interpretation in A

Yeah, I especially like how one member is apparently floating in the Ocean.

FRIDAY I feel the need to beef up this forum with a little heart-clogging, American flag-waving today. So off we go. First up, burgers and a Coke. And a Fiddy. HAYUL yeah! How ya like my new Mario Paci keyring? And I added an Aston Martin DB5 keyring to it, just to remind myself of my British roots. You can take the girl out of Hammersmith... But it's back to a real bonafide American diner, for some apple pie

Flamewar?? Flamewar?!?! More guns and watches, I served with flamewar in many forums: I knew flamewars; Flamewar was a friend of mine. More guns and watches, you're no Flamewar. I bet you could at least spell potatoe.

Eww. Scaly bugger. The giant lizard too.

Independent from the feudal caste of rulers, lords and dictators? Even the Venetian republic had Doges, Fitmic. George Washington turned down flat a royal title, and a Presidency "in vitalicio" like many South American presidents did not (to this day...). This was an incredible precedent, whose import cannot be overstated for true republics. But Puggy is right about historian overreach, and Admin is even more right, about getting back to watches. So there we are, back to tigers and Daytonas, or perhaps Tiger Daytonas.

Congrats Cornerstone!! And to By-Tor, "Mr Review" too!

Thanks, Tx Walker. Just to keep this on topic, Princess Viktoria-Luise (called Sissi by her intimates, like the famed Empress of Austria) was a watch collector. She and her father both. When Red soldiers invaded her husband's palace in Brunswick in November 1918, they tried to palm off her watch collection from her bedroom. She stopped them with a sour look in her eye. In fact, one of the first outsized, pilot type wrist-watches I EVER saw being worn by a man, was one of Kaiser Wilhelm II en pleine Guerre Mondiale, surrounded by his two grandsons, Prince Louis Ferdinand and Prince Hubertus. This must've been circa 1916, because he was already wearing puttees (didn't become the WWI norm uniform until around 1916). I have also been searching for that photograph for years, so if anyone finds it, please PM! P.S.: Remember, I am a Historian. And it so happens that this is my speciality subject. I am VERY flattered at the kind word, but really, it's like being astonished a medical doctor knows what bronchitis is.

Great minds think alike! And strapaholics rarely disagree.

Nice Stanley! But even Bear Grylls needed a wee knifey bigger than that in the Everglades.

I'll see your pussy, and raise you a Florida gator. And yes, that was me taking the photo less than a foot away. It wun't no zoo, neither, and I assure you he was very much alive.

That's simple. It's because of what Europeans are always saying they have, that Americans don't -- tradition based on long cultural history. - We Europeans come from the feudal tradition when Lords and masters were the only ones allowed to possess firearms, or weaponry, being enjoined not to hunt, fish and shoot in select property at the point of death. Americans do not. - We Europeans were prevented from taming our comparatively smaller land, by homesteading it, farming enormous tracts of unclaimed territories because it was given out as prizes for Court favorites, generals, and other worthies. Americans were not. - Americans declared their independence YEARS before anyone in Europe, and the rest of the Americas did so. Europeans did not, since those shambolic republics which followed the American Revolution were ludicrous at best (Haiti), and overturned at worst (France). Switzerland being the perennial odd man out, of course, has a tradition of being heavily armed at the private level. - Americans had slaves which needed to be controlled. Later, when slavery was abolished, owning a gun became a right of passage, as a way to snub one's nose at the past. Europeans did not. - Americans think an armed citizenry keeps excessive government intrusion out of their private lives. Europeans do not. So, to recap, it's a question of tradition based on culture, rule of law, force of isolation, anti-government sentiment, and protection of property and family from marauding attackers (including neighbours). That your typical middle-class person owns a lot of crap worth robbing, much more than any other citizens around the world, I'm sure plays a role. As my old history tutor used to say: It's really a very easy thing to understand. But you have to WANT to understand. Otherwise, you will never understand.

Harsh! Why fascist-enthusiasts? Not challenging, just genuinely want to know. Is it because of the XaMas in close proximity to the death skull and rose? (The Fascist cult of death, etc) One time I told my father that Panerai was the watch of the Italian "maiale" submariners, who bombed Allied cruisers. He pointed out that his uncle was one such victim of those "subs", and why would I wear such a tribute to those who had killed my own kin? I countered with, "for the same reason you and mum had a Volkswagen in the 70s". You know, Hitler's pet project? A car for "the masses". He grunted, and changed the conversation. P.S.: I wonder if people like Paolo Di Canio would wear this new watch. *g*

Talking of nightmares, guess what I had the bright idea of doing just now? Clive had mentioned something about petroleum and beeswax as an alternative for Lord Sheraton. Well, Miss Genius over here decided to rub some pure liquid beeswax (lightly lemon scented) used for my mother's antique furtniture -- a very expensive product used in museums! Has turned the Metta a darkish brown/red...sigh. I'm hoping this will dissipate in time, as you said in the other thread, Lanikai (I think it's "wet" so I briefly put it against the a/c vent, then decided that's an even worse idea!). But I really should've stopped at the Lord Sheraton. The long strap side (which was the one I tested the beeswax on, only) is now about 2 shades darker than the buckle strap side. We'll see... P.S.: On Risti, where I got this strap, I recently saw a listing for another Metta Catherina in "rare black" leather. HAH! I bet you they just used beeswax...