Things that look like alternate history, but aren't

[Klisz]

Originally Posted by TurkishCapybara

It already is by Geography.

Only arbitrarily.

[Iori]

Originally Posted by Chris S

Hmm...well the article does say that Haiti is now an Observer Member (I guess they mean simple Observer) and that Haiti's application will be considered at the next summit in June (2013 is implied). Although it doesn't even say Haiti plans to become a full member, just an Associate Member.

A quick search shows that what they're seeking is to have their Observer Member status Upgraded to Associate Member status, now if that means full membership or is something else I'm not sure.

Overall though I have no idea why they'd want to be part of the dismal failure that is the African Union, I mean if anything they should be trying to join ECOWAS, since, like the vast majority (85% in Haiti's case) of African-Americans (in the sense of the Americas), Haitians ancestry is West African.

[Alex Richards]

Originally Posted by Iori

A quick search shows that what they're seeking is to have their Observer Member status Upgraded to Associate Member status, now if that means full membership or is something else I'm not sure.

Overall though I have no idea why they'd want to be part of the dismal failure that is the African Union, I mean if anything they should be trying to join ECOWAS, since, like the vast majority (85% in Haiti's case) of African-Americans (in the sense of the Americas), Haitians ancestry is West African.

They recognise a kindred spirit?

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by Thande

That one can go with my Olympic Torch one above.

Of course strictly speaking the Irish are British considering the name "British Isles", but obviously politics and history means they reject the title, much as we don't call ourselves "European" and Canadians aren't going to call themselves "American" despite being part of the American continent...the term has been muddied by being applied to other things.

Some Southern Irish prefer to call them the "Anglo-Celtic Isles" for this reason, which is somewhat reasonable, or "Atlantic Archipelago", which is bloody stupid.

We aren't part of the American continent, because there isn't one.

We're North Americans.

[BillyShears]

Henry Ford's Amazonian jungle-town
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fordlândia

and

New Australia... in Paraguay
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Australia

[Thande]

Originally Posted by Beedok

We aren't part of the American continent, because there isn't one.

We're North Americans.

That very much depends on who you ask. Everyone here over the age of 40 or so was taught in school that there is one American continent, and it remains a common view across the world. Continent definitions are so arbitrary that this will inevitably arise.

[metastasis_d]

Originally Posted by Thande

That very much depends on who you ask. Everyone here over the age of 40 or so was taught in school that there is one American continent, and it remains a common view across the world. Continent definitions are so arbitrary that this will inevitably arise.

I like C G P Grey's video on continents. Sums things up pretty well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uBcq1x7P34

[Thande]

Originally Posted by metastasis_d

I like C G P Grey's video on continents. Sums things up pretty well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uBcq1x7P34

Indeed, I partly had that in mind.

[Petike]

Originally Posted by metastasis_d

I like C G P Grey's video on continents. Sums things up pretty well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uBcq1x7P34

Haha, I love his videos.

Well, in Slovak geographic tradition, it goes something like this... We have two dedicated terms, each reflecting the different focus of their categorization. The terms are kontinent and svetadiel (lit. "worldpiece"/"worldpart").

Kontinent is a continent in the geological and ecosystem sence. Traditionally, the kontinenty are :

Eurasia
Africa
The Americas / America
Australia
Oceania
Antarctica

Svetadiel is a continent in the cultural and historical sence. Traditionally, the svetadiely are :

Europe
Asia
Africa
Australia & Oceania
North America
(sometimes Central America being separate)
South America
Antarctica

[Iori]

I seperate the Continents thusl;

Super Continents:
Afro-Eurasia
America
Antarctica
Australia

Continents:
Africa
Antatrctica
Australia
Eurasia
-Indian Subcontinent
-Arabian Subcontinent
North America
South America

[Nekromans]

Iori: India and Arabia get their own subcontinents, but Europe doesn't?

[Iori]

Originally Posted by Nekromans

Iori: India and Arabia get their own subcontinents, but Europe doesn't?

No, Europe, along with the large bulk of Asia are part of the Eurasian plate, while Arabia and Europe actually have their own continental plates.

[RGB]

Originally Posted by Nekromans

Iori: India and Arabia get their own subcontinents, but Europe doesn't?

Agent of Euro-Imperialism! No continent for you!

[metastasis_d]

So is central America/the Caribbean a sub-continent?

[Thande]

Originally Posted by RGB

Agent of Euro-Imperialism! No continent for you!

The phrase "Continent Nazi" creates a strange mental image...

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by Thande

The phrase "Continent Nazi" creates a strange mental image...

Well it's much more popular on the continent than Britain isn't it?

[TurkishCapybara]

Originally Posted by Thande

The phrase "Continent Nazi" creates a strange mental image...

Grammar Nazi confuses me. Should`nt it be Grammar Vigilante?

[Nietzsche]

Originally Posted by TurkishCapybara

Grammar Nazi confuses me. Should`nt it be Grammar Vigilante?

No. Vigilantes don't hold rallies.

[simonbp]

Originally Posted by serbrcq

Just saw this a minute ago on the very last page of post-1900:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_time

Which itself seems ASB that it's penetrated so far into our civilization...

[Marc Pasquin]

Originally Posted by TurkishCapybara

Grammar Nazi confuses me. Should`nt it be Grammar Vigilante?

Originally Posted by Nietzsche

No. Vigilantes don't hold rallies.

I just had an image of Charles Bronson waving a gun while telling me I misconjugated an irregular verb.