Vancouver Secrets

You Could Hear A Pin Drop

There’s an email that’s made the rounds this week and I thought
I’d share it with those that missed it…

When in England , at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was
asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an
example of empire building by George Bush.

He answered by saying, ‘Over the years, the United States has sent many
of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond
our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is
enough to bury those that did not return.’

You could have heard a pin drop.

* * * * *

There was a conference in France where a number of international
engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break,
one of the French engineers came back into the room saying ‘Have you heard
the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to
Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intended to do, bomb
them?’

A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: ‘Our carriers have
three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are
nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore
facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people
three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water
from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in
transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck. We have
eleven such ships; how many does France have?’

You could have heard a pin drop.

* * * * *

A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included
Admirals from the U.S., English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies. At
a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of
Officers that included personnel from most of those countries.

Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but
a French admiral suddenly complained that, whereas Europeans learn many
languages, Americans learn only English.’ He then asked, ‘Why is it that we
always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking
French?’

Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied ‘Maybe it’s because
the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you wouldn’t have
to speak German.’

You could have heard a pin drop.

* * * * *

AND THIS STORY FITS RIGHT IN WITH THE ABOVE…

Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in
Paris by plane. At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his
passport in his carry on. ‘You have been to France before, monsieur?’ the
customs officer asked sarcastically. Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been
to France previously.

Then you should know enough to have your passport ready.’
The American said, ”The last time I was here, I didn’t have to show it.

‘Impossible. Americans always have to show your passports on arrival in
France !’

The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he
quietly explained, ”Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944
to help liberate this country, I couldn’t find a single Frenchman to show a
passport to.’

You could have heard a pin drop.