1776 by David McCullough

Reading 1776, Pulitzer Prize winning author David McCullough, made me realize just how close we Americans came to continuing as a British colony for a long time.

McCullough did a masterful job in compiling and presenting the records and papers of important men and bodies on both the British and American sides of the matter of independence. The descriptions of both the noble traits and the frailties of the key player in the pivotal year were very enlightening. I had always held George Washington to be a man of almost superhuman strengths. To read of his indecisions and misjudgments, as well as the intrigue on the part of some of his staff, made the story of our independence even more a thing to be cherished as a gift!

I highly recommend this book for your enjoyment!

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There are 600,000 kiwis living...

Submitted by huttriver12 on Thu, 2008-08-28 22:57.

overseas and probably over half in Aussie. I can see a currency union; they are probably quietly working on that now. CER is to be expanded until there is one ANZAC market. But the political union is a long way off, maybe. However the apology given to your aboriginal people by your new PM Rudd and the Labor Government on behalf of the Australian people clearly indicates that Australia wants real change and this would see a real warming between the ANZAC partners, considering NZ's multicultural history; and the change of government will prove to be a vehicle of change in many other areas that will see us move closer together. I hope this is beyond petty politics. It will be interesting during the next six years or so.

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When I was a little fellow decades ago...

Submitted by huttriver12 on Wed, 2008-08-27 19:30.

people used to stand up in picture theatres/cinemas and sing God Save the Queen.I used to wonder what was wrong with them!

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How long has NZ been independent, HuttRiver?

Submitted by Familyfunandfaith on Wed, 2008-08-27 21:07.

I know little of your history.

Live Well, Learn Much, Laugh Often

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We almost became part of Australasia in 1901...

Submitted by huttriver12 on Thu, 2008-08-28 16:17.

but the slow transportation and communications of the times resulted in us going alone and becoming a dominion later. It took days to sail to Ausssie and cable was the quickest communication. I will post a story over the weekend. If we had become part of the Commomwealth of Australasia, there would never have been the All Blacks or the Anzacs.
Until later!

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We wonder if NZ and Aus

Submitted by Elly on Thu, 2008-08-28 19:18.

might get together as one country or similar at some stage. I think there must be few New Zealanders left in their home country now, as they are in plague proportions here. Welcome, mind you, and most are good. Some I'd like to send back on a slow boat in a storm!

Elly

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There has been one woman...

Submitted by huttriver12 on Thu, 2008-08-28 23:02.

a one person crime wave in Australia who was imprisoned and deported back to NZ after living in Aussie for over 30 years. Now where did she learn her bad ways? LOL

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