Simviation Forum - Half a millenia!

May 6^th, 2006 at 3:55pm

ozzy72 Offline
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Well this weekend the Vatican Guards celebrate their 500th anniversary! And thusfar only one Pope wounded and no deaths... quite an amazing record Shocked

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Reply #1 - May 7^th, 2006 at 2:06am

H Offline
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Well this weekend the Vatican Guards celebrate their 500th anniversary! And thusfar only one Pope wounded and no deaths... quite an amazing record Shocked

Some guards -- they managed to wound one pope and none of them have died for 500 years?
Just kidding -- probably should back off on my strange humor on this one before I'm accused of irreverence

(again).

8)

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Reply #2 - May 7^th, 2006 at 6:37pm

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Aren't the vatican guards Swiss and haven't they been using the same equipment for 500 years? not making fun of them, I saw a documentary about Swiss guards at the Vatican and they still wore armour and carried medieval style pole-arms.

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Reply #3 - May 8^th, 2006 at 3:11am

myshelf Offline
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that's just the ceremonial guards.
well, i wouldn't want to take on someone who got the edge with that medevial equipment to begin with, and you can bet that just out of ssight are the "real guards" with modern weapons and all.

remember, once upon a time the swiss were feared so much that the vienna congress ruled that switzerland should be forbidden to ally herself with any other country, and they are only allowed to fight on their homeland and the vatican.

the reasonable man adjusts to his souroundings, while the unreasonable man insists on adjusting his souroundings to him.&&&&therefore all progress is due to the unreasonable man.

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Reply #4 - May 8^th, 2006 at 5:04am

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Historically, one of the reasons the Swiss Guard is in the Vatican is to serve much the same purpose as the Roman Preatorian Guard...to limit the powers of the Pope. The Swiss ensure the the sanctity and the neutrality of the Vatican...which, of course, prevents the Pope from allying with any other power.

The title has been disavowed and allowed to wither, but those in conflict with the Church during the period of the Reformation were well aware that it is still technically correct to greet the Pope with a clenched fist over your heart and the cry of Ave! Ave! Ceasar Imperator!

Of note:

In 1944, when the Wehrmacht marched into Rome, the Swiss Guard changed to field grey uniforms and positioned themselves behind cover while manning machine guns and mortars.

They take their duties very seriously and they are well aware that they are the last vestiges of a venerable tradition of Swiss Mercenaries.

Steve (Silver Fox) Daly

&&

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Reply #5 - May 8^th, 2006 at 9:05am

Felix/FFDS Offline
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BTW - those pretty ceremonial uniforms date only to about 100 years ago ....

No, you do NOT want to mess around with any of the Swiss Guards.

Felix/FFDS

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Reply #6 - May 8^th, 2006 at 10:24am

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If I'm not mistaken, aren't ever Swiss young male required to take a stint in the Swiss military? If that's the case, you wouldn't want to mess with any Swiss.

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Reply #7 - May 8^th, 2006 at 10:46am

Hagar Offline
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If I'm not mistaken, aren't ever Swiss young male required to take a stint in the Swiss military?

That is not confined to Switzerland by any means. Compulsory conscription is gradually being phased out in some European countries. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscription

PS. Shouldn't the subject of this topic be; Half a millennium?

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Reply #8 - May 8^th, 2006 at 11:21am

Felix/FFDS Offline
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PS. Shouldn't the subject of this topic be; Half a millennium?

Are you disputing the correctness of a ticher of Englisch?

Felix/FFDS

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Reply #9 - May 8^th, 2006 at 11:52am

Hagar Offline
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Are you disputing the correctness of a ticher of Englisch?

Yup and not for the first time. Roll Eyes

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Reply #10 - May 8^th, 2006 at 12:43pm

H Offline
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Are you disputing the correctness of a ticher of Englisch?

Quote:

Yup and not for the first time. Roll Eyes

Nor even for the disputer to be disputed, hey, Hagar? Nevertheless, since we seem of late to be beating up on Ozzy, I'll give him a far flung way out on this one: you see, he was starting his count from a date which put the 500 span of time through two millenial segments, thus his plural usage. Right, Ozzy? Tongue

8)

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Reply #11 - May 8^th, 2006 at 1:09pm

ozzy72 Offline
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You try teaching Present Perfect all day long and then sink a couple of beers and see if ANYTHING makes sense....
I'm going to go and make some more bookshelves Tongue

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Reply #12 - May 8^th, 2006 at 1:45pm

H Offline
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You try teaching Present Perfect all day long and then sink a couple of beers and see if ANYTHING makes sense...

I'm unsure we presently have the sense to make anything perfect on purpose. Roll Eyes

??? 8)

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Reply #13 - May 8^th, 2006 at 4:39pm

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I can't make sense of anything! Thank goodness it is only Business English classes at the uni. tomorrow! I don't think I can cope with any more grammar at the mo.

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Reply #14 - May 8^th, 2006 at 7:15pm

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No, you do NOT want to mess around with any of the Swiss Guards.

On that note, my poking finger is acting up. Reminds me of the British soldiers with the funny hats. Royal Guards maybe? Everything's royal in England. Tongue

Are they really supposed to not do anything regaurdless of what you do? Can you poke them? [poke poke] I wonder if you could poke a Swiss Guard. [poke poke]

[poke poke] Grin

The Devil's Advocate.&&

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Reply #15 - May 8^th, 2006 at 9:17pm

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*I* wouldn't go around poking people that have swords and other sharp things with which they can poke you!

Felix/FFDS

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Reply #16 - May 9^th, 2006 at 2:46am

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The guys in the bearskin hats actually come from one of four regiments, either the Scots Guards, Irish Guards, Welsh Guards or Grenadier Guards.
The way to tell the difference is the little coloured thingie (that I can't remember the name of at this early hour) on their hat Wink

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Reply #17 - May 9^th, 2006 at 3:10am

Hagar Offline
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You forgot the Coldstream Guards. Details here. http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/royal/footguard.htm

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Reply #18 - May 9^th, 2006 at 4:18am

ozzy72 Offline
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Whoops! Thanks Doug Wink

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Reply #19 - May 9^th, 2006 at 4:27am

Hagar Offline
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Whoops! Thanks Doug Wink

I have to watch you chaps like a hawk. Tongue

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The way to tell the difference is the little coloured thingie (that I can't remember the name of at this early hour) on their hat

Those little thingies are called plumes. http://www.changing-the-guard.com/guards.htm

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Reply #20 - May 9^th, 2006 at 9:00am

ozzy72 Offline
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I couldn't think of that word this morning Doug... I was in my pre-coffee/tea/solids state and the braincell wasn't even ticking over Grin

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