[Semi-Serious] The Holy Grail

Author	All Replies
jvmorris I Am The Man Who Was Not There. Premium,MVM join:2001-04-03 Reston, VA	[Semi-Serious] The Holy Grail I take great pleasure in informing all of you (wherever you may be) that I have now obtained access to the Holy Grail. These days, it is referred to by the more mundane descriptor of a ten-year family visit visa to the UK. This time, the UK Border Agency graciously accepted my $1100 contribution and awarded me a visa for the requested period of time (rather than last application's two-year visa). This does not mean that I will be spending more time in the UK (to the muted relief of residents of the isle and disappointment of those readers still on this side of the pond). It just means that I will be somewhat less irritable. What? You hadn't noticed? All I have to do now is finish up the eye surgery (so I don't run anyone over when driving in the UK) and submit myself to the gleeful hands and eyes of TSA 'security' personnel so that I can, once again, visit my wife in the UK. And please don't close down any more pubs! They're getting to be hard enough to find, as it is. -- Regards, Joseph V. Morris
	to forum · permalink · 2011-02-02 15:29:33 ·
AB Premium join:2006-04-04 Leesburg, VA kudos:3 Reviews: ·Verizon Online DSL	Allow me to be the first to congratulate you, sir! Eng-a-land swings like the pendulum do! (Or at least so I've heard.) Real haggis, real kidney pie! Pip-pip, cheerio, and all that sort of rot! Don't forget your mack when you're off! Helpful link.
	to forum · permalink · 2011-02-04 23:16:59 ·
Pjr Don't Panic join:2005-12-11 UK	reply to jvmorris Congratulations from me, too. said by AB: Helpful link. LOL I believe that. -- It hurt the way your tongue hurts after you accidentally staple it to the wall.
	to forum · permalink · 2011-02-05 03:52:48 ·
dave Premium,MVM join:2000-05-04 not in ohio kudos:7	reply to jvmorris I thought you should know: the Prime Minister doesn't want you living in a segregated community sticking to your old cultural ways and getting involved in extremism.
	to forum · permalink · 2011-02-06 18:58:03 ·
stevepas join:2009-04-19	Just ignore the prime minister, it says so in the small print on your Holy Grail.
	to forum · permalink · 2011-02-07 09:17:23 ·
poacher 1rtd Premium join:2004-02-25 oxford UK	reply to jvmorris Jv is an adopted Brit, he dose`nt need to listen to anyone, just come and go as he pleases. -- los valientes no asesinan. Guillermo Prieto (1818-1897)
	to forum · permalink · 2011-02-07 09:47:34 ·
jvmorris I Am The Man Who Was Not There. Premium,MVM join:2001-04-03 Reston, VA	Yes, well, thanks for that, still . . . "... I much fear that British juries have not yet attained that pitch of intelligence when they will give the preference to my theories over Lestrade's facts. " [from Sherlock Holmes, somewhere.] -- Regards, Joseph V. Morris
	to forum · permalink · 2011-02-07 10:11:00 ·
jvmorris I Am The Man Who Was Not There. Premium,MVM join:2001-04-03 Reston, VA	reply to stevepas said by stevepas: Just ignore the prime minister, it says so in the small print on your Holy Grail. I believe what it actually says is that the UK Border Agency will just ignore the Prime Minister, not that I can! -- Regards, Joseph V. Morris
	to forum · permalink · 2011-02-07 10:12:56 ·
jvmorris I Am The Man Who Was Not There. Premium,MVM join:2001-04-03 Reston, VA	reply to dave said by dave: I thought you should know: the Prime Minister doesn't want you living in a segregated community sticking to your old cultural ways and getting involved in extremism. dave, What's sort of funny about that statement is that the community in which I live here in Reston has been so culturally diverse for so long that we don't even think about it anymore, much less brag about it. -- Regards, Joseph V. Morris
	to forum · permalink · 2011-02-07 10:17:24 ·
stevepas join:2009-04-19	Sounds like you are almost perfectly 'pre-acclimatised' to living in England. I guess the primary nationalities present in Reston are African/Spanish/Asian? Over here you just need to swap Spanish for East European. Looks like the USA are lagging behind us in the East European stakes, but winning in the Spanish stakes.
	to forum · permalink · 2011-02-07 11:51:51 ·

AB Premium join:2006-04-04 Leesburg, VA kudos:3 Reviews: ·Verizon Online DSL	said by stevepas: I guess the primary nationalities present in Reston are African/Spanish/Asian? Mr. Morris did not stutter when he spoke. It's all-inclusive. Finding an Inuit or native-born Atlantisian might be difficult, but beyond that, virtually every culture and language is well-represented.
	to forum · permalink · 2011-02-07 12:01:51 ·
jvmorris I Am The Man Who Was Not There. Premium,MVM join:2001-04-03 Reston, VA	reply to stevepas said by stevepas: Sounds like you are almost perfectly 'pre-acclimatised' to living in England. I can't speak to AB's situation out in Leesburg (Loudon County) which has experienced a population explosion that would have had to be seen to comprehend, but Reston is somewhat unique (and mostly in good ways). It's become something of a true melting pot; there really aren't any concentrations of immigrants in any particular area; they're everywhere. Also, if you're first-generation (born here), you're just an American, doesn't matter about complexion or religion. When I talk about immigrants, that's exactly what I mean. My particular 'cluster' has 120 townhouses with probably around 400 residents. It's so diverse that I'm now having to deal with surnames that I have no idea where they come from. I guess the primary nationalities present in Reston are African/Spanish/Asian? When we say Spanish, we're most likely talking about Hispanics, i.e., Latinos or Latin Americans, typically some mixture of Spanish, black, and native Indian heritage. I don't think we have any true Spaniards nearby. There are some native Africans, mostly from the former English or French African colonies; they may be white, black, or South Asians who passed through before arriving in the US. Traditionally, most Asians here were from the Pacific Rim, i.e., Korea, Japan, China, or Southeast Asia (and at one time I could have told you who comes from where, but no longer). Now, we have a goodly mixture of South Asians and Arabs also. You might be surprised to learn that, even in the cluster, we have a mixture of West and East Europeans, and now we have, I think, three families from the 'stans of Central Asia. There are at least two families of English ex-pats in the community and my ex-wife is married to an Irish ex-pat now. Indeed, about the only place not represented in the nearby area is probably Australians, New Zealanders, etc. Over here you just need to swap Spanish for East European. Looks like the USA are lagging behind us in the East European stakes, but winning in the Spanish stakes. I think the major distinction between immigrants in the UK and those we are now seeing in the US (especially in my area) is that ours tend to more likely be economic refugees. Almost all of the South Asians and Arabs that we see are small businessmen or professionals who've come here (and often via the UK) because of the economic possibilities. That's not what I saw in London proper. And you really do need some proper Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Thai restaurants! For that matter, an English curry is not an Indian curry. -- Regards, Joseph V. Morris
	to forum · permalink · 2011-02-07 12:42:46 ·
stevepas join:2009-04-19	Thanks for interesting info about where you live jv. quote: And you really do need some proper Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Thai restaurants! For that matter, an English curry is not an Indian curry. There is definitely room for improvement restaurant wise. I have been on some interesting curry eating adventures. Some have been well dodgey, a few have been very good, but what some of the indians and pakistanis cook in their own home is outstanding.
	to forum · permalink · 2011-02-07 18:36:16 ·

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