Help with Rum

[belle-isle]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Impossible you got rum that old at Carrefour. Maybe the rum came from a French DROM?

You know, marketing tricks ...

Cheers,
b.

Hahaha 😃, best reply ever to those who rant about French "colonies". As if the Brits and Yanks were exempt in this domain...

Funny how the BVIs are never referred to as a colony. Nor the Caimans, nor Bermuda, nor Pitcairn, nor worst of all Chagos whose inhabitants were deported to make way for the Diego Garcia American base...

But when it comes to Martinique, Guadeloupe, La Réunion, Mayotte and Guyane, on goes the slander. Look this up, please, before saying so. They are indeed DROM, which means they are fully part of France and the EU and as such elect representatives to both French parliamentary houses as well as the EU parliament. Not really the definition of a colony, is it ? (Remember "no taxation without representation" ?)

As for French Polynesia and New Caledonia, they have a totally different status, very highly autonomous, which means that apart from foreign policy and defense, pretty much everything is decided locally. Not colonies either, are they ? At least not more so than Hawaii whose annexation should maybe get reminded here to those in doubt...

Sorry for the post deviation, but I never feel it's right that the same thing is called one way when French and the other when English. If Martinique is a colony, then so are Hawaii and Wales.

Let's now get back to Rum : highly recommended are Père Labat, Trois Rivières, Clément, Damoiseau among others.


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[RedHerring]

This sounds like a good title for the "Crew Wanted".

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by belle-isle

Hahaha 😃, best reply ever to those who rant about French "colonies". As if the Brits and Yanks were exempt in this domain...

Funny how the BVIs are never referred to as a colony. Nor the Caimans, nor Bermuda, nor Pitcairn, nor worst of all Chagos whose inhabitants were deported to make way for the Diego Garcia American base...

But when it comes to Martinique, Guadeloupe, La Réunion, Mayotte and Guyane, on goes the slander. Look this up, please, before saying so. They are indeed DROM, which means they are fully part of France and the EU and as such elect representatives to both French parliamentary houses as well as the EU parliament. Not really the definition of a colony, is it ? (Remember "no taxation without representation" ?)

As for French Polynesia and New Caledonia, they have a totally different status, very highly autonomous, which means that apart from foreign policy and defense, pretty much everything is decided locally. Not colonies either, are they ? At least not more so than Hawaii whose annexation should maybe get reminded here to those in doubt...

Sorry for the post deviation, but I never feel it's right that the same thing is called one way when French and the other when English. If Martinique is a colony, then so are Hawaii and Wales.

Let's now get back to Rum : highly recommended are Père Labat, Trois Rivières, Clément, Damoiseau among others.

I can assure you, no offense of any kind was intended The political content of my post was 0.0%; that is, that post was 100% guaranteed politics free

I should have said FORMER colonies; my mistake.

Furthermore, the French and Dutch parts of the Caribbean are my favorites. Or I should say FORMER French and FORMER Dutch parts, right?

[belle-isle]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I can assure you, no offense of any kind was intended The political content of my post was 0.0%; that is, that post was 100% guaranteed politics free



I should have said FORMER colonies; my mistake.



Furthermore, the French and Dutch parts of the Caribbean are my favorites. Or I should say FORMER French and FORMER Dutch parts, right?

No harm taken, no worries. I just felt I had to mention the facts because even among cruisers, who often are more open-minded than your average person, such myths are still commonplace. And the unconscious usage of such wording reveals how much these myths are taken for granted, even among world travelers.

Now let us drink to all of this, with rum of course !


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[poiu]

Originally Posted by belle-isle

No harm taken, no worries. I just felt I had to mention the facts because even among cruisers, who often are more open-minded than your average person, such myths are still commonplace. And the unconscious usage of such wording reveals how much these myths are taken for granted, even among world travelers.

Now let us drink to all of this, with rum of course !


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You must be French. It's funny, but I have seen your response several times from French people. It is as though the notion of keeping a colony was something to be ashamed of and you are trying harder than you should to spin your occupation into something more acceptable in the-right-on-caring modern view of the world. Don't be ashamed of it. You do in facts operate old fashioned colonies across the Caribbean and with great success. They are not autonomous overseas departments despite their official title. They are the most propsperous, best educated and pleasant islands. So well done France. Keep a control of the administration. Continue to ensure the Police are imported from the mainland, the leading government officials and administrators too. Ensure French standards and education systems are upheld. Likewise the rule of law and intolerance for corruption and do not allow too much local autonomy. Colonialism can work.

If Britain hadn't been so soft Africa and a lot of the world wouldn't be the mess it now is.

Oh, and as to rum, don't sweat it too much. It's a mixer usually and it is mostly good and really, really cheap. Best buys Antigua Cavalier Gold and St Vincent Sparrow Gold. Yes, they are all gold. The distilleries spinning a bit too. You and them and the Frenchies - They are all at it.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by poiu

You must be French. It's funny, but I have seen your response several times from French people. It is as though the notion of keeping a colony was something to be ashamed of and you are trying harder than you should to spin your occupation into something more acceptable in the-right-on-caring modern view of the world. Don't be ashamed of it. You do in facts operate old fashioned colonies across the Caribbean and with great success. They are not autonomous overseas departments despite their official title. They are the most propsperous, best educated and pleasant islands. So well done France. Keep a control of the administration. Continue to ensure the Police are imported from the mainland, the leading government officials and administrators too. Ensure French standards and education systems are upheld. Likewise the rule of law and intolerance for corruption and do not allow too much local autonomy. Colonialism can work.

If Britain hadn't been so soft Africa and a lot of the world wouldn't be the mess it now is.

Oh, and as to rum, don't sweat it too much. It's a mixer usually and it is mostly good and really, really cheap. Best buys Antigua Cavalier Gold and St Vincent Sparrow Gold. Yes, they are all gold. The distilleries spinning a bit too. You and them and the Frenchies - They are all at it.

" It is as though the notion of keeping a colony was something to be ashamed ..."

"So well done France. Keep a control of the administration. Continue to ensure the Police are imported from the mainland, ..."

"Colonialism can work, ...."

I am not sure why you elected to say things like that.

I have visited many francophone countries: Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Reunion. None of the countries is a colony and nowhere the way people live there has any air of colonialism. The nations are free to elect full independence, if they wish so. Do some googling for gods' sake.

To me, the way you expressed your point of view is offensive. I am sure it would also be read as offensive by my insular and continental friends; Polynesian, Caribbean or continental.

Maybe you meant to make a joke. Just it did not go very well. Evidently British sense of humour does not translate too well into 21 century discourse.

Regards,
barnakiel

[belle-isle]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

" It is as though the notion of keeping a colony was something to be ashamed ..."

"So well done France. Keep a control of the administration. Continue to ensure the Police are imported from the mainland, ..."

"Colonialism can work, ...."

I am not sure why you elected to say things like that.

I have visited many francophone countries: Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Reunion. None of the countries is a colony and nowhere the way people live there has any air of colonialism. The nations are free to elect full independence, if they wish so. Do some googling for gods' sake.

To me, the way you expressed your point of view is offensive. I am sure it would also be read as offensive by my insular and continental friends; Polynesian, Caribbean or continental.

Maybe you meant to make a joke. Just it did not go very well. Evidently British sense of humour does not translate too well into 21 century discourse.

Regards,
barnakiel

Don't fret. Although I tried to clarify things, he understood that the Caribbean islands were "autonomous overseas departments". So either I was really messed up in my explanation, or he purposely chose to stay with his opinion that they are colonies, refusing to acknowledge that they are entirely part of France and the EU, nothing autonomous at all. I will not take offense with all this, I will just keep repeating the facts. Because the thing I do dislike is people using the term colony unconsciously, but often in a derogative sense, when these islands are not anymore and have not been colonies for a very long time.

Btw, looking up "colony" in Wikipedia, there is a nice map showing the list of non self-governing territories recognized by the UN. The only debatable case relative to France is New Caledonia (and clearly no rum is produced there, so we weren't talking about that one), whereas the US has three and the UK has twelve. Neither Martinique nor Guadeloupe are there.


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[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Once you taste that stuff, you'll understand Winston Churchill's phrase "Rum, bum, and the lash"

I don't get it.
At any rate, it seems that attributing a quotation about rum, sodomy and the lash to Winston Churchill is nothing but an old British naval tradition.

➥ This Day in Quotes: The origins of “Rum, sodomy and the lash” – Churchill’s alleged quip about British naval tradition…

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by belle-isle

Don't fret. Although I tried to clarify things, he understood that the Caribbean islands were "autonomous overseas departments". So either I was really messed up in my explanation, or he purposely chose to stay with his opinion that they are colonies, refusing to acknowledge that they are entirely part of France and the EU, nothing autonomous at all. I will not take offense with all this, I will just keep repeating the facts. Because the thing I do dislike is people using the term colony unconsciously, but often in a derogative sense, when these islands are not anymore and have not been colonies for a very long time.

Btw, looking up "colony" in Wikipedia, there is a nice map showing the list of non self-governing territories recognized by the UN. The only debatable case relative to France is New Caledonia (and clearly no rum is produced there, so we weren't talking about that one), whereas the US has three and the UK has twelve. Neither Martinique nor Guadeloupe are there.


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I think you’ve seen from Poiu’s post that we Anglospherians often – maybe usually – don’t associate any negative connotation with the word “colony”. I think you are way off base assuming that the word “colony” was anywhere used as a careless derogatory term.

What Poiu was saying was a compliment to French colonial administration, and that’s a nice compliment coming from an Englishman. Like Poiu, I admire what the French left behind in some of their former colonies, which are among the nicest (i.e. best run, least corrupt, most prosperous) places in the Caribbean; also some of the former French colonies in Africa are pretty nice, too.

I think we can all agree that slavery was an abhorrent, a hideous crime against humanity, but was colonialism? As practiced by the British, and even much more by the French, I’m not so sure it was always so bad. I think it’s pretty obvious that self-rule has not been a boon to most of the natives of these countries. There is, after all is said and done, such a thing as “civilization”, and although many injustices were done by colonialism, it was not always a one-way street. Some colonial powers invested in the future of these countries and surely left them better off than they found them.

[becrux]

Stop in at Barbados and get 20L of heavy molasses and some industrial yeast.
Make your own rum along the way. My friend, a professional rum distiller, blends molasses and water to about 15 Brix and ferments down to 7 (molasses has a lot of solids), then distills. Toss the first 100ml (MtOH) out of every 5L batch. Beware of open flame or spark. When the distillate starts to taste funny, you're done.

Age in a small whiskey barrel. You might have to proof down the product to get it below 120 in order to prevent dissolving the barrel.

I'm still trying to figure out how to leverage engine heat ..

It's a little farfetched, but I would be very surprised if someone out there hasn't already done it in spite of the risks (explosion).

Barrels, yeast, and cookbooks are out there. Google is your friend.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by becrux

. . .

I'm still trying to figure out how to leverage engine heat ...

That's easy:

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I think you’ve seen from Poiu’s post that we Anglospherians often – maybe usually – don’t associate any negative connotation with the word “colony”. I think you are way off base assuming that the word “colony” was anywhere used as a careless derogatory term.
(...)

Some do not. But people in Antigua, St Vincent, NZ and Australia do.

A colonist may say the term colony is not an offensive word. No wonder. But what is the take of a citizen of Martinique, Australia or Antigua?

You know the term POM? I heard it used by my Kiwi fellow workers a lot. Other terms of endearment included 'lippy poofta' and 'colony'.

Is Kiwi an offensive term then? I doubt it, Kiwis call themselves Kiwis. But do read on.

So, go to Australia now, tell them you feel good in this HM colony. Then run fast and cover your ass with an old kevlar sail.

Or just land on Bequia and go trekking, look in black people's faces NEVER A SMILE. Only because I am foking white. Now tell me I can walk up to any of them tell them 'oh dear, you are living in such a fine British colony here'. Now I have to run covering my ass with a piece of kevlar.

The point is, no kevlar sails on my boat. And so I elect to land on Martinique, go spend the whole day in the interior, trekking and returning smiles to local people. (Smiles, mostly, as my French lags 'somewhat' behind my English).

So, is a colony an offensive term when talking about francophone countries? Well, I am yet to hear them say 'we are colonists' or 'welcome to Madinina, a French colony'.

So much for colonies and 'colonies'.

Yes, it is an offensive term and it has been used in an offensive way. Not by a French though.

That the forum language is English does not imply we have to stick to English mentality.

(Now PLS try to prove 'English mentality' is not an offensive term.)

I hope you can see my point. I have no ill intentions. I am just trying to show that apparently non offensive words can easily be used in an offensive manner. It is easy to avoid that while one tries. Language skills failing, spray some emoticons over your haggis. ;-)

Getting my boat ready now to hopefully visit Martinique and Guadeloupe this winter.

BTW I did not notice any noteworthy rum in the BVI.

+Big hug,
b.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Some do not. But people in Antigua, St Vincent, NZ and Australia do.

A colonist may say the term colony is not an offensive word. No wonder. But what is the take of a citizen of Martinique, Australia or Antigua?

You know the term POM? I heard it used by my Kiwi fellow workers a lot. Other terms of endearment included 'lippy poofta' and 'colony'.

Is Kiwi an offensive term then? I doubt it, Kiwis call themselves Kiwis. But do read on.

So, go to Australia now, tell them you feel good in this HM colony. Then run fast and cover your ass with an old kevlar sail.

Or just land on Bequia and go trekking, look in black people's faces NEVER A SMILE. Only because I am foking white. Now tell me I can walk up to any of them tell them 'oh dear, you are living in such a fine British colony here'. Now I have to run covering my ass with a piece of kevlar.

The point is, no kevlar sails on my boat. And so I elect to land on Martinique, go spend the whole day in the interior, trekking and returning smiles to local people. (Smiles, mostly, as my French lags 'somewhat' behind my English).

So, is a colony an offensive term when talking about francophone countries? Well, I am yet to hear them say 'we are colonists' or 'welcome to Madinina, a French colony'.

So much for colonies and 'colonies'.

Yes, it is an offensive term and it has been used in an offensive way. Not by a French though.

That the forum language is English does not imply we have to stick to English mentality.

(Now PLS try to prove 'English mentality' is not an offensive term.)

I hope you can see my point. I have no ill intentions. I am just trying to show that apparently non offensive words can easily be used in an offensive manner. It is easy to avoid that while one tries. Language skills failing, spray some emoticons over your haggis. ;-)

Getting my boat ready now to hopefully visit Martinique and Guadeloupe this winter.

BTW I did not notice any noteworthy rum in the BVI.

+Big hug,
b.

Ahahahahahaaaaa.... sometimes you are so funny.. then blow it by associating Haggis with the English.. that's still a colony

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

. . . So, go to Australia now, tell them you feel good in this HM colony. Then run fast and cover your ass with an old kevlar sail.. . .

Really? Are they so sensitive? I'm asking sincerely; I've never been to Antipodea.

Certainly wouldn't bother any Americans. We are even proud to have been a British colony. "Colonial" is a positive term in the U.S., when referring to our own colonial times. Of course, we sunk half your navy on the way out, so there was no humiliation to us in getting out of the arrangement

We'll let it go that you burned down the White House a few decades later

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Really? Are they so sensitive? I'm asking sincerely; I've never been to Antipodea.

Certainly wouldn't bother any Americans. We are even proud to have been a British colony. "Colonial" is a positive term in the U.S., when referring to our own colonial times. Of course, we sunk half your navy on the way out, so there was no humiliation to us in getting out of the arrangement

We'll let it go that you burned down the White House a few decades later

Antipodea is a great place, the people are friendly, it is safe to walk the streets at night, the public toilets are kept clean and you can drink the water out of the taps.

The people of many of the countries de-colonised were actually far better off when they were still colonies. For instance Zimbabwe.

From the look of U.S. politics at the moment, from the outside, the White House could do with another burning down.