From: billy@anon.com 
  
 "JNugent"  wrote in message news:mfpdguFd8jc 
 2@mid.individual.net... 
  
 > On 08/08/2025 05:45 PM, billy bookcase wrote: 
 >> 
 >> * In The Franco Prussian War of 1871, started by France, the Germans had 
 >> surrounded Paris within two months. In 1914 they thought they could repeat 
 >> the trick, but came badly unstuck. Which as it then turned out, had 
 >> all been the fault of the Jews all along. 
 > 
 > For once, I'm impressed. 
  
 As you'd apparently never heard of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and 
 thought that the Sopranos came from Sicily, there was of course always 
 a strong possibility that you wouldn't have heard of the Franco-Prussian 
 War, either. 
  
 Which as if happens, with Paris tied up, gave a big leg-up to the birth 
 of the British Cycle Industry in Coventry; and James Starley's Ariel 
 (Ordinary/Penny Farthing) bicycle, announced 2 years later in 1873. 
 While it was his nephew John Kemp Starley who in 1884, produced the 
 first commercially successful chain driven safety bicycle, the Rover. 
  
 Another result of The Franco-Prussian War was that the deposed French 
 Emperor Napolean III came to live in Chiselhurst in Kent; and briefly 
 put them on the map until his death 2 years later 
  
  
 bb 
  
  
  
 > 
  
 --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05 
  * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)