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New Zealand Special Air Service

The 1st New Zealand Special Air Service Regiment, abbreviated as 1 NZSAS Regt, is the special forces unit of the New Zealand Army, closely modelled on the British Special Air Service (SAS). It was formed on 7 July 1955. It traces its origins to the Second World War and the famous Long Range Desert Group that New Zealanders served with.

The New Zealand Government states that NZSAS is the "premier combat unit of the New Zealand Defence Force" and it has been operationally deployed to locations including the Pacific region, Afghanistan, and the jungles of South-East Asia. Individual members of the NZSAS have received honours and awards, most notably the Victoria Cross for New Zealand awarded to Corporal Willie Apiata. In 2004, the unit was awarded the United States Presidential Unit Citation for its contribution in Afghanistan.

The NZSAS was accorded regimental status in 2013. It has the responsibility of conducting counter-terrorism and overseas special operations and performing the disposal of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive hazards for military and civilian authorities.

History
The NZSAS can trace its roots back to the famous Long Range Desert Group, a British/Commonwealth army unit which fought in the North African desert in World War II. New Zealanders also served in the original Special Air Service force during World War II. In February 1955, it was decided by the New Zealand Government that a squadron based on the British Special Air Service should be formed as part of the New Zealand Army, as an effective and economic contribution to the Far East Strategic Reserve and the British counter-insurgency effort in Malaya. Major Frank Rennie was appointed to form and command the unit, with the decision having been made to recruit mainly from the general public around a cadre of Regular Force personnel. Over 800 applied, from which 182, including 138 civilians (though 101 had previous military experience) were selected for training beginning in June 1955. In late 1957, soon after the squadron's return to New Zealand from Malaya, the unit was disbanded, having been operationally replaced by an infantry battalion. The NZSAS was re-established in October 1959, with the unit celebrating its 50th Jubilee from 3–12 June 2005.

The NZSAS were granted the Freedom of the Borough of Thames on 27 September 1967.

As part of changes the NZDF's command structure, the 1st New Zealand Special Air Service Regiment was transferred to the command of the new Special Operations Command on 1 July 2015.

Unit location
When the unit was first established in 1955, prior to the departure to Malaya all training was conducted at Waiouru Military Camp. Upon re-establishment of the squadron in October 1959, it was based at Papakura Military Camp, until the unit was relocated to Hobsonville Air Force Base in the mid-1990s, however the NZSAS Counter-Terrorism and demolitions training facilities remained at Papakura and Ardmore Military Camps. In 2001–2002 a new facility for the unit was built at Papakura Military Camp. The facility was named 'Rennie Lines', after the founding NZSAS Commanding Officer Major Frank Rennie and officially opened on 14 December 2002. The Battle Training Facility (BTF) was officially opened on 8 April 2016 in the Ardmore Military Training Area for counter-terrorist training to replace facilities over 30 years old.

Unit designation
On 1 May 1955, after the Cabinet had given its approval the 'New Zealand Special Air Service Squadron' was formally established. From 24 August 1963 the unit was renamed to '1 Ranger Squadron New Zealand Special Air Service', in recognition of the 'Forest Rangers' who fought in the New Zealand Wars being one of New Zealand's first Special Forces units. The unit reverted to '1st New Zealand Special Air Service Squadron' on 1 April 1978. From 1 January 1985 the unit was known as '1st New Zealand Special Air Services Group' until its re-designation as a Regiment before February 2013.

Dress distinctions
When the unit was established in 1955, approval was given for members to wear a maroon beret. The maroon beret was chosen as it was the then colour of the British Special Air Service beret. However, the British changed their beret colour to ecru (sandy-coloured) in late 1957, the same colour as had been worn by the SAS during the early stages of World War II. On 19 December 1985, approval was granted by the (then) New Zealand chief of general staff, Major General John Mace, who had previously deployed to Malaya with the original NZSAS Squadron, for the NZSAS to switch from maroon to the sandy-coloured beret worn by other Commonwealth Special Air Service units. A parade was held on 21 March 1986 to formally hand the new beret over to the unit.

To show the close association between the NZSAS and the British Special Air Service, members of NZSAS are authorised to wear black rank on all orders of dress except mess dress and to wear black web belts whenever web belts are ordered to be worn.

Malaya 1955–57
On 20 November 1955 the NZSAS Squadron departed from New Zealand and after completing parachute training in Changi, Singapore, a 133-strong NZSAS Squadron was attached to the British SAS in Malaya. After undertaking jungle training in the rugged mountains of Perak, the squadron went on to spend approximately 18 of the 24 months it was in Malaya operating in the jungle to fight against pro-independence guerrillas of the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA), the armed wing of the Malayan Communist Party (MCP).

SAS operations in Malaya consisted of going deep into the jungle, locating local people and moving them for their protection, then seeking out MNLA guerrillas in the area and 'destroying' them. From 2 April 1956 when the New Zealand Squadron became operational it was deployed to the Fort Brooke area, bordering the states of Perak and Kelantan. From late 1956 the squadron operated in the 'mountainous' area of Negri Sembilan, between the towns of Seremban, Kuala Pilah, and Tampin. In both locations the squadron was involved in successful operations eliminating the local MNLA groups. During the two-year tour New Zealand patrols were involved in 14 separate engagements with the MNLA, killing fifteen, capturing one and taking the surrender of nine others. The squadron suffered two fatalities. On 2 May 1956 while patrolling, Trooper A.R. Thomas was fatally wounded, and on 11 May 1957 Corporal A.G. Buchanan died of heat stroke while on patrol. The squadron returned home in December 1957. Within the NZSAS, they are known as 'the Originals'.

Thailand 1962
At the request of the Royal Thai Government a detachment of 30 men were stationed in Thailand from 2 June to 16 September 1962 during the Laotian crisis. The detachment was split into two Troops, with one working with United States Special Forces and the Marines at Udon in the north-east and the other deployed with a reinforced United States Army battle group at Khao in the central region. Neither Troop took part in any operations involving action against the enemy, but the deployment provided the detachment with an opportunity to train in jungle and mounted operations while working with American and Thai forces.

Borneo 1965–66
In late 1964, during the Indonesian Confrontation (Konfrontasi) in West Malaysia, the New Zealand Government authorised the deployment of a New Zealand Special Air Service detachment to assist with countering Indonesian Communist insurgents in Borneo. The unit was deployed alongside its British and Australian Special Air Service counterparts. The Detachments served under the operational command of the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment and were employed on reconnaissance tasks and ambushing operations including CLARET operations. These involved crossing the border into Indonesia to gain intelligence information and later deter the Indonesians from infiltrating across the border into Borneo.

In February 1965, the first detachment of 40 men under the command of Major W.J.D. (Bill) Meldrum, known as 1 Detachment, 1st Ranger Squadron, New Zealand Special Air Service, departed for Malaysia. However, as a result of a perceived operational security breach Meldrum was replaced by Major Brian Worsnop from 3 April 1965. After a period of training with 22 SAS, 1 Detachment inserted its initial patrols on 8 April 1965. 1 Detachment carried out patrols, stopping for a training break from June to July 1965, until it was replaced by 2 Detachment on 11 October 1965. 2 Detachment was commanded by Major Rod Dearing and again composed of 40 men. It performed similar tasks to 1 Detachment; 2 Detachment's later patrols were conducted in the Sabah area, "particularly rugged, steep and rocky". The detachment was withdrawn from operations on 10 February 1966, and was replaced by 3 Detachment which was commanded by Major David Ogilvy, who had previously deployed to Malaya with the original NZSAS Squadron. 3 Detachment conducted patrols from February, with the Detachment's last patrol conducted over the period 16 to 28 May 1966, which was also the last CLARET patrol conducted by the NZSAS. 4 Detachment arrived in Borneo in June 1966 under the command of Major David Moloney, just after CLARET operations had been stopped. As a result, this Detachment was utilised to continue a 'hearts-and-minds' campaign to gain support of local Punan tribes living near the border. On 12 August 1966 a formal peace treaty was signed by Indonesia and Malaysia and with the Confrontation finally at an end, 4 Detachment officially became non-operational on 9 September 1966. However the Detachment remained in Borneo until October 1966 before it returned to New Zealand.

Vietnam 1968–71
On 16 November 1968, a Troop from 1 Ranger Squadron, NZSAS known as 4 Troop, New Zealand Special Air Service, was deployed to the Republic of South Vietnam. The Troop consisting of one officer and 25 other ranks was based in Nui Dat, South Vietnam and served in the 1st Australian Task Force, attached to the Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) which had arrived in 1966. Up until October 1968 the Australian SAS were performing a much wider and more aggressive range of actions, however, the new task force commander who took over reverted the SAS role to intelligence gathering and some ambush patrols. After a build-up period, the first New Zealand commanded patrol commenced on 7 January 1969. The SAS squadrons supported the Australian and New Zealand infantry forces in Operation Goodward during January. At the end of February a new rotation of Australian SAS arrived and joint-operations continued.

The troopers were primarily employed on Long-Range Reconnaissance Patrols (LRRP) across Phuoc Tuy and into Bien Hoa province, mostly around the Mây Tào Mountains where the Communist headquarters were located. Patrols were to collect information for 1ATF and sometimes to conduct ambushes.

Each tour of duty in South Vietnam was for 12 months. At the end of each year, the Troop was replaced by another Troop from 1 Ranger Squadron, NZSAS. The first Troop was commanded by Captain Terry Culley; this Troop was replaced in full in late 1969 by a Troop commanded by Captain Graye Shattky.

Members of this first replacement Troop took part in an operational Squadron parachute insertion on 15–16 December 1969 to provide further intelligence for Operation Marsden (29 November-28 December 1969) in which Australian and New Zealand forces launched attacks on the Communist stronghold in the Mây Tào Mountains which resulted in a major defeat for the Communists.

On 14 January 1970 Sergeant G.J. Campbell was killed in action, being the first and only fatal NZSAS casualty during the unit's time in Vietnam.

A new rotation of Australian SAS arrived on 18 February 1970. By this stage in the war, Vietcong activity in the province was decreasing due to the success of 1ATF operations. Consequently, SAS operations were limited to reconnaissance tasks around Nui Dat. At the same time, the task force commander temporarily repurposed 1ATF's Defence and Employment (D&E) Platoon to conduct LRRP intelligence-gathering patrols further afield. During March and April Australian and New Zealand SAS were sent out again to patrol the approaches to the Mây Tào Mountains and perform other Long-range reconnaissance patrols in Binh Tuy Province.

By 1970 the Vietcong had become familiar with SAS insertion techniques and would lay in wait after hearing the approaching helicopter. To counter this, SAS operations began using "cowboy insertions" involving a second helicopter following the first. Two patrols would therefore be inserted and would travel together for five minutes. The second patrol would then stop and wait another five minutes, while the first patrol continued its mission. If there was no contact with the enemy the second patrol would then return to the landing zone where it would be extracted.

At the end of August and during September 1970 the Australian and New Zealand SAS participated in Operations Cung Chung II and III.

The final rotation of New Zealand SAS occurred in late 1970, when the Troop was again replaced by a new body of men commanded by Second Lieutenant Jack Hayes.

It was a NZ patrol that made the last contact with enemy forces in this rotation of Australian and New Zealand SAS, killing two Viet Cong soldiers north-west of Thua Tich on 4 February 1971. 4 Troop was withdrawn from South Vietnam on 20 February 1971, as a part of the New Zealand Government's withdrawal policy. One more rotation of Australian SAS served in Vietnam before the complete withdrawal of Australian and New Zealand combat forces at the end of 1971.

The NZSAS did a total of 155 patrols in their 26 months of service in Vietnam with the loss of one KIA and four wounded.

Bougainville 1997–98
From November 1997 to 15 February 1998, a 19-man troop sized detachment of NZSAS personnel were deployed as part of Operation BELISI, a peacekeeping operation in Bougainville. The troop was tasked with providing security, medium- to long-range communications and medical support. While the troopers were unarmed except for pepper spray, they were involved in a number of heated situations which required careful negotiation to defuse. The troopers also conducted 'hearts-and-minds' patrols, staying in local villages and developing relationships with leaders.

In addition, the NZSAS were involved in providing security and close protection to the various groups involved in peace negotiations that were held in New Zealand during 1998, including escorting the delegates from their home locations in Papua New Guinea, Bougainville and the Solomon Islands to New Zealand.

Kuwait 1998
Twenty-four NZSAS personnel were deployed to Kuwait in February 1998 on Operation GRIFFIN during a period of international tension with Iraq, tasked with rescuing downed airmen in hostile territory in the event of a US-led aerial campaign. A smaller force replaced them in May 1998 for a further two-month tour. There were no missions into Iraq undertaken during the deployment, though it was considered a useful opportunity to practice mobile desert warfare skills, and to have contact with US Forces which had been limited since the United States suspended its ANZUS relations with New Zealand in 1986.

Once the NZSAS contingent was withdrawn, a New Zealand Coalition force liaison officer was maintained, with the position being commonly held by an NZSAS officer. On 12 March 2001, NZSAS Officer, Acting Major John McNutt was fulfilling this role when he was accidentally killed during a bombing demonstration. The position was withdrawn after this incident.

East Timor 1999–2001
In 1999 NZDF personnel were deployed to East Timor in response to a humanitarian and security crisis. The NZSAS deployed a Squadron sized contingent of 40 men under the command of (then) Major Peter Kelly, with two Troop Captains. On 9 September 1999, nine NZSAS personnel left New Zealand with an RNZAF C-130 aircraft, as the New Zealand Defence Force contribution to Operation DORIX, the evacuation of selected personnel from Dili, East Timor to Australia. Over 1500 personnel were evacuated during the operation under SASR and NZSAS protection.

On 20 September 1999 a 'Response Force' consisting of 3 Squadron SASR, NZSAS troopers and elements of the United Kingdom Special Boat Service, departed Darwin by Royal Australian Air Force transport. They were tasked with securing the airport, a seaport and a heli-port to enable regular forces to land and deploy. This was achieved without any shots being fired. The NZSAS patrols were then utilised to perform to a variety of tasks including direction-action, special reconnaissance and close protection missions. The NZSAS element departed East Timor for New Zealand on 14 December 1999.

Following the deaths of two members of the New Zealand Battalion Group in late June and early August 2000, combat tracking support was requested from the NZSAS. In August 2000, a Troop of about 12 NZSAS combat trackers were deployed with the task of locating militia who were crossing the border into East Timor. The Troops' efforts led to the successful placing of a number of ambushes, resulting in the deaths of three militia. In addition to performing combat tracking, on 6 September 2000, this Troop was utilised to conduct a permissive cross-border helicopter extraction operation of United Nations staff based at Atambua, West Timor. The Troop departed East Timor for New Zealand in January 2001.

Afghanistan 2001–2005
On 11 December 2001, as a part of New Zealand's contribution to Operation Enduring Freedom, the NZSAS commenced Operation CONCORD. This deployment saw the NZSAS deploying a Squadron as a component of Task Force K-Bar to perform operations as part of the War on Terrorism in Afghanistan. The Squadron performed a variety of missions including special reconnaissance, direct action, close personal protection and sensitive site exploitation. Initially special reconnaissance patrols were performed on foot with insertion and extraction being conducted by helicopter in the high-altitude snow-covered areas of southern and central Afghanistan. Three NZSAS patrols were involved in this manner during Operation Anaconda in March 2002. In May 2002 the focus changed to mounted operations with patrols using modified American Humvees, supported by motorbikes to conduct 'long-range extended-duration patrols'. These patrols would often last 20 to 30 days and cover between 1000 and 2000 kilometres. Three six-month 'roulements' of between 40 and 65 soldiers from the NZSAS served in Afghanistan during this time, before the unit returned to New Zealand on 12 December 2002.

The NZSAS returned to Afghanistan in February 2004 on Operation CONCORD II in the lead up to the Afghanistan Presidential elections. Operations occurred in a number of provinces, utilising the same style of operations as the previous deployment. On 17 June 2004, two NZSAS soldiers were wounded in a pre-dawn gun-battle in central Afghanistan. In recognition of his actions during this engagement, SAS trooper Willie Apiata was awarded the Victoria Cross for New Zealand. The Squadron returned home in September 2004.

In 2005, with Afghan Parliamentary elections looming, Operation CONCORD III was conducted. The Squadron sized deployment was to utilise the NZSAS's newly delivered purchase of thirteen Pinzgauer Special Operations Vehicles. The deployment was originally scheduled to commence in March 2005; however, due to problems with the new vehicles, this deployment date slipped to June 2005. Again, the squadron performed long-range patrols as well as direct-action operations, before being withdrawn in November 2005.

Over the three CONCORD deployments to Afghanistan there were "casualties on both sides" during gun battles, with injuries also sustained as a result of vehicle crashes and striking mines or other unexploded ordnance but no New Zealanders were killed.

Afghanistan 2009–2012
82 NZSAS and NZDF support personnel deployed to Afghanistan in September 2009, under Operation WĀTEA to form Task Force 81. This deployment was different from the unit's previous deployments to Afghanistan, as it was based in the capital city of Kabul, primarily to direct counter-insurgency operations in greater Kabul in cooperation with the Afghanistan Police's Crisis Response Unit (Task Force 24), which was operating under NZSAS mentorship. Originally the location of the deployment was not revealed publicly, however, its location was inadvertently revealed in the Norwegian press. Three rotations of troops were conducted to sustain the initial deployment, which was initially due to end in March 2011. However the mission was extended for a further year, although personnel numbers were reduced to 45.

As part of the mentoring activities, NZSAS personnel were among the forces which responded to the January 2010 attack in central Kabul. Two personnel, one of them Corporal "Steve" David Steven Askin, were injured during the terrorist attack against the Inter-Continental hotel in Kabul on 29 June 2011, where members of the NZSAS also provided 'helo sniping' support. Askin and one other serviceman involved at the Inter-Continental were awarded the New Zealand Gallantry Star, the second-highest award after the Victoria Cross.

Two members of the unit were killed during the deployment while mentoring operations. On 19 August 2011, Corporal Douglas Grant was killed when responding to an attack on the British Council building in the centre of Kabul, where the NZSAS was required to utilise specialist entry capabilities and Lance Corporal Leon Smith was killed on 28 September 2011 during an operation in Wardak Province.

In January 2011, General David Petraeus announced that, since 2009, the NZSAS had made 60 "high-risk" arrests of suspected militants or Taliban leaders, seized 20 weapons caches, and foiled four attacks. He added that the unit had successfully executed more than 90% of its operations and raids without firing a shot. The unit was withdrawn from Afghanistan on 31 March 2012.

Operation Burnham war crimes allegations
On 21–22 August 2010, the NZSAS and members of the Afghan Crisis Response Unit participated in a military operation in Afghanistan's Tirgiran Valley known as Operation Burnham as part of the International Security Assistance Force. In March 2017, investigative journalists Nicky Hager and Jon Stephenson published a book on Operation Burnham Hit & Run: The New Zealand SAS in Afghanistan and the meaning of honour which alleged that NZSAS personnel had committed war crimes. The authors alleged that NZSAS personnel had attacked the Afghan villages of Naik and Khak Khuday Dad after Lieutenant Tim O'Donnell, 2/1 RNZIR part of the NZPRT, was killed by a roadside bomb.

The allegations of war crimes in Hit & Run generated considerable public and media interest in New Zealand, which generated calls for an independent inquiry. Despite initial denying that the raids had occurred in the two villages, the NZDF subsequently acknowledged that NZSAS forces had been present in one of those villages but asserted that claims of civilian casualties were "unfounded." On 11 April 2018, the Labour-led coalition government announced that the Government would be holding an inquiry into Operation Burnham and the allegations in Hit & Run.

2021 Afghanistan evacuation
On 19 August 2021, the NZDF deployed a RNZAF C-130 aircraft to evacuate New Zealanders and other foreign nationals from Afghanistan under Operation Kõkako which involved approximately 80 NZDF personnel. NZSAS personnel, including the Female Engagement Team, guided evacuees safely through crowds outside the perimeter of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul to perimeter entry points.

Other deployments and activities
Regular exchanges of personnel with foreign special forces units are conducted in order to build and maintain skills. This primarily occurs with the British Special Air Service and Special Boat Service the Australian Special Air Service and the 2nd Commando Regiment but has also included units from Canada, Thailand and Malaysia with NZSAS personnel often providing combat tracking training in return. In addition "a number" of individual NZSAS personnel have successfully served alongside other New Zealand soldiers on peacekeeping operations and in peace-monitoring roles, including the New Zealand Contingent attached to the Multinational Force and Observers in Sinai.

Training Malaysian Police Field Force personnel 1977–1980
The New Zealand Military Attaché in Kuala Lumpur was alerted to the Malaysian Police Field Force's intention to raise a special forces unit. The NZSAS deployed a small training team, who were based at Ipoh and Sungai Pateni to assist with training the new unit. By rotating officers and non-commissioned officers, the NZSAS were able to sustain Operation RETURN ANGEL, for some two years until it reached a successful conclusion and the units were operational.

Rhodesia 1979–1980
Seven individual NZSAS personnel deployed to Southern Rhodesia as part of the "New Zealand Army Truce Monitoring Contingent Rhodesia 1979–80" on Operation MIDFORD. The contingent also included a number of ex-NZSAS personnel and served in Rhodesia from 7 December 1979 to 10 March 1980.

Bosnia 1995–1996
Initially a number of individual NZSAS personnel deployed as part of the infantry company that New Zealand contributed to the United Nations peacekeeping operation in Bosnia during the break-up of Yugoslavia. From the third rotation of this infantry company, a group of four NZSAS personnel deployed in a Close Personal Protection capacity, with three rotations occurring over approximately eighteen months.

Papua New Guinea tsunami 1998
On 17 July an earthquake occurred off the northern coast of Papua New Guinea. The shock occurred on a reverse fault and led to a tsunami that caused significant destruction and a high number of deaths. In response to an international request for assistance, New Zealand dispatched a Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 aircraft loaded with relief supplies and six NZSAS advanced medics. The short notice deployment of the medics helped preserve lives that otherwise might have been lost.

Solomon Islands 2000
By June 2000, after several years of tension, the situation in the Solomon Islands had become unstable, resulting in the NZSAS being tasked with developing an evacuation plan for the New Zealand High Commission and its staff, as well as other New Zealanders in the Solomon Islands. A small NZSAS Troop was deployed on HMNZS Te Kaha (F77), one of two Royal New Zealand Navy vessels that were stationed off the island. The Troop performed reconnaissance activities, however the situation calmed and the Troop was returned to New Zealand in July 2000.

Support to New Zealand Police
In 1964, NZSAS troopers were utilised to instruct early New Zealand Police Armed Offenders Squad members in field craft and weapon handling. This training relationship continued with the establishment of the Police Anti-Terrorist Squad (now known as the Special Tactics Group) and also included joint exercises. On 25 January 1968, David Maxwell Heron entered a farm house, murdered his brother-in-law and assaulted his brother-in-law's wife with a heavy object, before tying her up and fleeing. Five days after the incident armed NZSAS troopers joined the search for the suspect in a large area of swamp near Meremere, however Heron surrendered without incident the next day. During the Mount Eden Prison riots which occurred on 20–21 July 1965, the "battle trained" NZSAS troopers armed with automatic rifles with fixed bayonets, who "were prepared to shoot if necessary", were called to support police on the prison perimeter. The rioting prisoners eventually surrendered. Following the arrest of two of the French agents involved in the sinking of the ship Rainbow Warrior on 10 July 1985, the NZSAS were requested to support the New Zealand Police at an emergency holding prison established in Ardmore. The prison was used to hold Dominique Prieur, one of the arrested agents, due to concerns that French authorities might launch a rescue operation.

Organisation
As at February 2013, the main elements of the 1st New Zealand Special Air Service Regiment were:
 * Headquarters
 * A Squadron – Special Air Service
 * B Squadron – Special Air Service
 * D Squadron – Commando
 * E Squadron – Explosive Ordnance Disposal
 * Support Squadron

A and B Squadrons – Special Air Service
The two NZSAS Sabre Squadrons are combat units capable of conducting a wide range of Special Operations tasks. Each squadron is divided into four troops. The four troops specialise in four different areas: Amphibious, Air, Mobility and Mountain operations.

After completing the full NZSAS Regiment selection course, NZSAS candidates go on to undertake an intensive training cycle to build core skills. Those who complete the training cycle are accepted into the NZSAS and wear the sand beret with NZSAS badge and blue NZSAS stable belt. NZSAS operators then conduct further training to learn advanced special operations skills.

Female Engagement Team
In 2017, the NZSAS established a six woman Female Engagement Team (FET) to provide support on operations with FET members able to engage with local women and adolescents in situations in which engagement with NZSAS male soldiers would be culturally unacceptable. The first FET selection course was held in November 2017 over three days with physical and mental assessments, and in January 2018, five successful candidates commenced a four month training course including gender issues, cultural knowledge and how to "move, shoot, communicate and medicate" to be able to work alongside Sabre Squadron soldiers.

D Squadron – Commando
The Commando Squadron (formerly Counter Terrorist Tactical Assault Group until 5 December 2009 ) was formed in 2005 in a bid to provide a dedicated counter terrorist capability within 1 NZSAS and the New Zealand Defence Force. The squadron consists of an undisclosed number of Counter Terrorist operators. Members of the Commando Squadron wear the sand beret with the Commando badge and stable belt. The Commando Squadron has the role of responding to domestic terrorist and special recovery incidents in New Zealand. The Commando Squadron is based full-time alongside the badged squadrons at the Papakura Military Camp in Auckland and are under the command of the Commanding Officer, 1 NZSAS. The Commando Squadron uses the Battle Training Facility at the Ardmore Military Camp to conduct their Close Quarter Battle urban, dynamic entry and room clearing drills as well as their marksman skills.

E Squadron – Explosive Ordnance Disposal
The 1st New Zealand Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Squadron is a specialist task unit within the NZSAS Regiment. It was established in August 2005 as an independent Force Troops Squadron, before coming under Operational Command of 1 NZSAS Regiment in July 2009. It provides support to the New Zealand police to "render safe" chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and improvised explosive devices, commercial explosives and military munitions, domestically as well as overseas where New Zealand troops are operating. Personnel who serve in the squadron wear the sand beret with the EOD Squadron badge and stable belt. The Squadron badge includes the motto "Into Harm's Way". The Squadron is based at Trentham Military Camp, with Troops located in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

Support Squadron
The Support Squadron is responsible for meeting the support needs of the NZSAS Regiment and includes logistics, intelligence, medical, administration and communications personnel. Personnel are given specific trade training upon joining the Regiment as well as having the opportunity to complete other specialist courses such as parachuting. Qualified Support Squadron personnel wear the sand beret with their corps badge.

Selection
To join the NZSAS Regiment, New Zealand Army, Navy, or Air Force personnel must pass a selection course, with the course varying depending on the role they seek within the Regiment. In 2011 the selection course was also opened to civilians; they spend two days preparing for the selection course learning military skills considered necessary to compete safely against military applicants. In 2007, a four part documentary NZSAS: First Among Equals was produced on the selection course and training.

Special Air Service / Commando
The SAS selection standard remains the same, with the full course aiming to identify "self-disciplined individuals who are capable of working effectively as part of a small group under stressful conditions for long periods of time". However, the earlier phases of the selection course have been opened up to candidates who wish to join the Regiment as a Commando. This is described as advancing through a series of 'gates'.

 * Gate 1: After four days the first gate is reached which allows a candidate to be considered for a role as a Commando. This phase involves completing "1 NZSAS Regt fitness testing and mixed terrain navigation".
 * Gate 2: Gate 2 is reached after nine days and is the conclusion of the selection course. This phase involves completing "close country navigation and other activities" and those who get to this point are considered for SAS training. Those who are selected go on to complete an intensive period of training to build core special forces skills. On average 10–15% of candidates pass both selection and cycle training.
 * Commando and SAS commissioned Officer candidates also undergo an additional two days of selection to test their suitability to solve problems when tired and under pressure.

Support / Explosive Ordnance Disposal
All support and EOD personnel who wish to join the NZSAS Regiment must complete a ten-day 'Special Operations Forces Induction Course'. This involves completing a revised version of the first two days of NZSAS Selection. Given the nature of their roles, support and EOD candidates are given more time to complete the activities than NZSAS and Commando candidates and are provided with normal sleep and food intake. The course also "provides familiarisation with specialist weapons and equipment, and educates personnel on the ethos and values of the Unit".

Equipment
Soldiers are armed with a variety of weapons systems including the Barrett MRAD sniper rifle and the Barrett M107A1 anti-materiel rifle.

In 2017, the Thales Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle entered service with five surplus Bushmasters purchased from the Australian Defence Force for direct action designated Protected Heavy. In 2018, an undisclosed number of Supacat HMT Extenda vehicles entered service replacing the Pinzgauer for special reconnaissance designated Mobility Heavy. An undisclosed number of two modified civilian vehicle types also entered service in 2018. The vehicles for terrorism and support and influence are designated Low Profile Utility and Low Profile Protected and were supplied by Jankel Armouring.

Honours

 * Military Cross: Lieutenant Ian Burrows, Major Frank Rennie.
 * Mention in Dispatches: Lieutenant Earle Watson Yandall, Major Frank Rennie, Captain Graham Neil McLaren Boswell, Lieutenant John Airth Mace.
 * British Empire Medal: Trooper Stephen Colin Watene.

Malaysian awards

 * Negri Sembilan Conspicuous Gallantry Medal: Lieutenant Ian Burrows, Lieutenant Earle Watson Yandall.
 * Negri Sembilan Distinguished Conduct Medal: Trooper Grey Otene, Lance Corporal Robert Percy Withers, Lance Corporal Raymond Stennett Hurle.

Honours

 * Military Cross: Lieutenant Eru Ihaka Manuera.
 * Mention in Dispatches: Corporal Niwa Kawha, Temporary Sergeant Kenneth Michael Schimanski.

Victoria Cross
It was announced on 2 July 2007 that Corporal Willie Apiata of the NZSAS had been awarded the Victoria Cross for New Zealand for carrying a severely injured comrade 70 metres "under heavy fire" from machine-guns, Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) and grenades after their vehicle was destroyed in an ambush and then joined the rest of his comrades in a counter-attack.

Other Honours
When announced, some names of personnel were withheld for security reasons.
 * New Zealand Gallantry Decoration: Captain Craig Wilson (listed as Captain 'C' when announced ), Corporal 'B', Lance Corporal Leon Kristopher Smith.
 * New Zealand Gallantry Medal: Corporal 'R'.

In July 2012, Smith was also posthumously awarded the Charles Upham Bravery Award, performing in the opinion of the Upham trust, the most outstanding act of heroism during the two previous years.

United States awards

 * Silver Star: unnamed 'non-badged' medic.
 * Defense Meritorious Service Medal: Lieutenant Colonel Christopher John Parsons.
 * United States Army Commendation Medal: Colonel Karl Cummins

Presidential Unit Citation
At a ceremony held at the Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar, California on 7 December 2004, the United States Navy Presidential Unit Citation was awarded to the NZSAS and the other units that comprised the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-SOUTH/Task Force K-BAR between 17 October 2001 and 30 March 2002. It was awarded for "extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance of duty in action" and noted that those awarded established "benchmark standard of professionalism, tenacity, courage, tactical brilliance, and operational brilliance, and operational excellence while demonstrating superb esprit de corps and maintaining the highest measures of combat readiness."

New Year and Birthday honours
In addition, a number of awards have been made for services while posted to the NZSAS in the New Year and the Queen's Birthday Honours lists.
 * Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit: Acting Lieutenant Colonel James William Blackwell, Acting Lieutenant Colonel R.M. (2005), Acting Lieutenant Colonel R.G. (2006).
 * Member of the Order of the British Empire: Captain Lenard Donald Grant, Major Neville Sutcliffe Kidd, Captain Paul Tekatene Andrew, Major Derek Graye Shattky, Acting Warrant Officer Class One Kevin R. Herewini, Captain Kenneth Edward McKee Wright, Warrant Officer Class One Busby Otene, Captain William John Lillicrapp.
 * Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit: Corporal David Alexander Ryan, Captain Christopher John Parsons, Corporal J. (2000), Major Peter Te Aroha Emile Kelly, Sergeant T. (2002), Staff Sergeant Adrian Garry Vogt, Staff Sergeant G. (2003), Major R. (2006), Staff Sergeant Troy Elliott Perano.
 * British Empire Medal: Sergeant Eric Ball, Lance Corporal Niwa Kawha, Staff Sergeant Henry Keith Handley, Sergeant Peihopa Brown, Temporary Warrant Officer Class Two Daniel Wilfred Wilson, Temporary Staff Sergeant Frederic Donald Barclay, Sergeant Joseph Johnston, Sergeant Maurice Edwards, Sergeant Michael Anthony Cunningham, Warrant Officer Class Two Whi Wanoa, Staff Sergeant Benjamin Ngapo, Staff Sergeant Victor Kawana Timu, Lance Corporal Earle Alexander John Henry, Sergeant John Howard Joseph Ward, Staff Sergeant Sotia Ponijasi, Staff Sergeant Patrick Anthony Tracey.
 * New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration: Lieutenant Colonel Christopher John Parsons, Major Brent John Quin.

Notable members

 * Ashley George (Pat) "Shocker" Shaw – a founding member of the Armed Offenders Squad
 * Barrie "Baz" Rice – star of Treasure Island: Extreme.
 * Sir Jerry Mateparae the 20th Governor-General of New Zealand, who joined the Army as a Private and ended his service as a Lieutenant General and Chief of Defence Force, New Zealand's senior uniformed military appointment.
 * Martyn Dunne – Former NZSAS Squadron Commander, who went on to later become a General in the New Zealand Army.
 * Mike Coburn (pseudonym) – later joined 22 SAS, was a member of the much publicised Bravo Two Zero patrol and authored the book Soldier Five about his experiences.
 * Willie Apiata VC – first (and currently the only) recipient of the Victoria Cross for New Zealand.
 * Wilson Whineray – Honorary Colonel Commandant from 1997 to 2001.
 * Steve Askin – Former NZSAS soldier who was killed in a helicopter crash fighting the 2017 Port Hills fires.
 * Karl Cummins – Former NZSAS Commanding Officer and Deputy Director of Special Operations during Operation Burnham.

Alliances

 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom – Special Air Service

Memorial
The regimental memorial, known as the "Granite Parachute", is at Rennie Lines, Papakura Military Camp. Inscribed upon it is an extract from the poem The Golden Road to Samarkand by James Elroy Flecker: ":We are the Pilgrims, master; we shall go
 * Always a little further: it may be
 * Beyond that last blue mountain barred with snow
 * Across that angry or that glimmering sea..."

This is the same inscription as on the British Special Air Service's memorial.

title: New Zealand Special Air Service


text:
Skokie

Skokie may refer to

 * Skokie, Illinois, a village in Cook County, Illinois
 * National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie
 * Skokie (film), a movie about the NSPA Controversy in Skokie
 * Skokie (rocket), a parachute test rocket used by the U.S. Air Force
 * Skokie Lagoons, a nature preserve in Cook County, Illinois

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Skokie


text:
Innuendo (album)

Innuendo is the fourteenth studio album by the British rock band Queen, released on 4 February 1991 by Parlophone in the United Kingdom and it is the band's first studio album to be released by Hollywood Records in the United States. Produced by David Richards and the band, it was the band's last album to be released in lead singer Freddie Mercury's lifetime, and their most recent one to be composed of entirely new material, save for The Cosmos Rocks by the Queen + Paul Rodgers collaboration. The album reached the No. 1 spot on the UK album charts for two weeks, and also peaked at No. 1 in Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland, staying at No. 1 for three weeks, four weeks, six weeks, and eight weeks, respectively. It was the first Queen album to go Gold in the US upon its release since The Works in 1984.

The album was recorded between March 1989 and November 1990. In the spring of 1987, Mercury had been diagnosed with AIDS, although he kept his illness a secret from the public and denied numerous media reports that he was seriously ill. The band and producers were aiming for a November or December release date in order to catch the crucial Christmas market, but Mercury's declining health meant that the release of the album did not take place until February 1991. Stylistically, Innuendo is in some sense a return to Queen's roots, with its harder rock sound, complex musical composition (title track), psychedelic effects ("I'm Going Slightly Mad"), and strong vocals from Mercury ranging three octaves (F2-F5). Nine months after the album was released, Mercury died of AIDS-derived bronchopneumonia.

The album cover was designed by Queen and Richard Gray. The booklets and single covers from the album are inspired by illustrations by 19th century French artist Jean-Jacques Grandville. Innuendo was voted the 94th greatest album of all time in a national 2006 BBC poll.

Background and recording
Queen released their thirteenth album, The Miracle, in May 1989, but unlike their previous albums, they did not conduct a live tour. Freddie Mercury conducted an interview with BBC Radio 1, where he said that he wanted to break from the "album – tour – album – tour" routine. He had privately been diagnosed as HIV positive in 1987, and was now diagnosed with AIDS, which was not yet publicised; however, rumours had been spreading since 1988 about Mercury's health and of the possibility that he had the disease, with speculation fuelled by a clear physical decline in his appearance, particularly weight loss. While he kept quiet due to his personal rule not to talk to the media, the other band members denied the rumours; at one point, band member Roger Taylor told reporters that "he is healthy and working". In February 1990, Queen won the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. While Mercury accepted the award for the band at the Dominion Theatre, Brian May spoke for the band. Mercury's increasingly gaunt appearance at the ceremony sparked further speculation from the public about his health, which persisted throughout 1990. The 1990 BRIT Awards would be Mercury's final public appearance.

Mercury did not speak publicly about his health, saying that he did not want to sell his music out of the people's sympathy. He was determined to continue working on music with Queen for as long as he could, saying that he would "keep working until I fucking drop". Mercury was persistently bothered by reporters at his London home, making it difficult for the band to record music. As a result, the band relocated to Mountain Studios in Montreux, where the safer and more peaceful atmosphere allowed the band to concentrate. Early in Innuendo's recording, the band decided again that all work would be credited to Queen as a whole instead of to individual contributing members; May said that the decision made a significant impact in the recording process, while Taylor said that it helped eliminate much of the egotistical struggles that would normally cause bands to break up.

The album was released in the US under a new label, the Disney-owned Hollywood Records, in an effort to garner greater exposure there. Hollywood had also secured the rights to Queen's Elektra and Capitol back catalogs, and began reissuing albums early in 1991, marking Queen's 20th anniversary.

"Innuendo"
"Innuendo" began as a jam session in Switzerland amongst Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon in spring 1989. Freddie Mercury was upstairs and heard them playing the beat, and turned it into a song, creating the melody and starting off the lyrics. From then on all four worked on polishing the track and Taylor took over the lyrics (which were written as a tribute to Led Zeppelin and their song "Kashmir"). The middle section, written by Mercury, was included later and it featured a synth-orchestra programmed by producer David Richards and a flamenco interlude played by Yes guitarist Steve Howe, who had come to visit them and was asked to play. "Innuendo" was released as a single in January 1991, debuting at No. 1 in the UK.

"I'm Going Slightly Mad"
"I'm Going Slightly Mad" was begun in Mercury's London house, after he had the idea of writing a song about madness, inspired by Noël Coward's camp one-liners. Most of the lyrics like "banana tree" or "one needle", came from both him and his friend Peter Straker, who stayed up all night in Mercury's kitchen, devising ever more outlandish lines. The music is Mercury's and is one of the earliest songs the band were working on in Montreux when Steve Howe came in. The video that accompanied the song saw Mercury dressed in a costume suit with wild hair, white gloves, long pointing shoes and extremely heavy make up, filmed in black and white. Whilst Queen fans were thoroughly amused by the band in the video, in the documentary, Champions of the World, Taylor confessed, from the band's perspective, the video was marred by Mercury's appearance having to be camouflaged by costume and make-up, as Taylor admitted Mercury looked "pretty ill, at that point."

"Headlong"
"Headlong" was written by May at the studio they had in Switzerland. He recorded it for his debut solo album, Back to the Light, which he was making at the same time, but after hearing Mercury sing it, decided it worked better as a Queen song.

"I Can't Live with You"
"I Can't Live with You" was also written for May's solo album. He gave it to the band as well since Taylor, Deacon and Mercury were fond of the track. Drums were programmed on synth by May, and the keyboard-pads were added by the producer. An alternative version of this song appeared on the 1997 compilation album Queen Rocks, billed as the "'97 Rocks Retake". It was said to be more along the lines of how May and Taylor originally wanted the track to sound, with a harder, guitar-driven rock edge. May has stated in an interview that most of the original demo is in the recording, making the song "impossible" to mix.

"Don't Try So Hard"
"Don't Try So Hard" came from Mercury. The intro "rain" is actually the pre-set sound of the Korg M1, which appears when it is switched on ("00: Universe").

"Ride the Wild Wind"
"Ride the Wild Wind" was composed by Taylor, who recorded a demo with his own vocals. The album version is sung by Mercury with Taylor on backing vocals. The song is a sort of sequel of Taylor's A Night at the Opera composition, "I'm in Love with My Car", which focused on Taylor's passion for cars and racing. This time, the song involved all of the other members, that gave life to a fast song with beating drums and rhythmic bass line, eerily note-for-note similar to The Smiths' "Shakespeare's Sister", which create the sensation of speed and engine's roar. In the mid-part, a May solo, which accentuates the sense of high velocity, and also gives the song a heavier sound. In some parts, a racing car can be heard.

"All God's People"
"All God's People" was co-written by Mercury and Mike Moran, initially as part of Mercury's Barcelona project under the title "Africa by Night". He'd asked May to play guitar, then one thing led to another and the entire band played. The keyboard parts were played by Moran. Similar to "Somebody to Love" from A Day at the Races, "All God's People" has a strong gospel influence.

"These Are the Days of Our Lives"
"These Are the Days of Our Lives" was written by Taylor. Keyboards were programmed by all band members in the studio, and conga percussion was recorded by David Richards. The music video for this song was Mercury's last appearance in a video medium, and with his knowing farewell look straight at the camera, Mercury whispers "I still love you" at the end of the song. By the time the video was made, it had become impossible to disguise that Mercury was seriously ill. The video was filmed in colour, but converted to black and white to minimise Mercury's frail appearance. At a later date, colour footage of the band making the video was released, revealing just how ill Mercury was at the time.

"Delilah"
"Delilah" is a song Mercury penned for his favourite female calico cat named Delilah. Although Mercury had about 11 cats, Delilah was special. May recorded his solo using a talk box. Taylor later admitted he is not fond of the song, stating "I hate 'Delilah'. That's just not me."

"The Hitman"
The fly-away rocker "The Hitman" was started by Mercury. The original version was apparently on keyboards and in a different key. May took Mercury's riff (not uncommon), changed the key and recorded a demo of the heavy version. Deacon then re-arranged the structure and they all filled the gaps in lyrics and recorded it. All of the backing vocals were done by May. The demo version is sung by May, with Mercury making spoken comments (like "Bite the bullet baby!").

"Bijou"
"Bijou" was an idea Mercury and May had of making a song "inside-out", having guitar doing the verses and the vocal doing the break. Mercury put the chords, title and lyrics, and the two of them worked on the guitar parts. Mercury sang the first line and then May transferred the melody to his Red Special. The song was finished without any input from Taylor or Deacon. The inspiration for the song itself is twofold, Brian May; “The vocal is a succinct and very precise little verse, a little gem, a "Bijou" - a jewel buried at the heart of the piece: hence the name of the song.” “My Mum was given a budgie by a friend - it became a great companion for her after she lost my Dad. She called it "Bijou" and she would spend hours talking to it! ..It was her little Bijou.” In 2008, Queen + Paul Rodgers performed this song in their shows of the Rock the Cosmos Tour by May playing the verse live and then having Mercury's studio vocals play while a screen showed footage from the band's Wembley concert in 1986, with the visuals put in sync with the tape.

"The Show Must Go On"
"The Show Must Go On" was written by May, based on a chord sequence he had been working on. May decided to use the sequence, and both he and Mercury decided the theme of the lyrics and wrote the first verse together. From then on May finished the lyrics, completed the vocal melody and wrote the bridge, inspired by Pachelbel's Canon. Some keys and ideas were suggested by the producer too. The song chronicles the effort of Mercury continuing to perform despite approaching the end of his life. The song was initially not released as a single as part of promotion for the Innuendo album, but was released in October 1991 as the band launched their Greatest Hits II album. The video for the song featured a compilation of clips from all their videos since 1982, in support of the Greatest Hits II album. Due to Mercury's critical health at the time of its production, a fresh appearance by the band in a video was not possible. The track is a personal favourite of fellow British artist Elton John, who performed the song at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert with the remaining members of Queen, and Tony Iommi playing rhythm guitar. A different live version featuring Elton John on vocals later appeared on Queen's Greatest Hits III album.

Singles
"Innuendo" was the lead single from the album in most countries, except for the US where "Headlong" was released to radio as a promo prior to the album's release. The single was released on 14 January 1991 in Europe and in March 1991 in the US as a promo single, becoming Queen's third UK No. 1 single. The song also achieved modest success in the US, charting at No. 17 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Still, the length and style of the track limited its appeal, and it only spent one week at No. 1 in the UK and quickly slid down the chart, spending only six weeks in the top 75. (B-side on 7 inch release: "Bijou").

"I'm Going Slightly Mad" was released on 4 March 1991. The song reached No. 1 in Hong Kong and reached No. 22 on the UK charts. (B-side on 7 inch release: "The Hitman" in some countries, in others it was "Lost Opportunity", which was a non-album cut).

"Headlong" was released as a promotional single in January 1991 in the US and as a single on 13 May 1991 in the UK. It entered the UK charts at No. 14, and reached No. 3 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. (B-side on 12 inch release: "All God's People" in some countries, in others, "Lost Opportunity" and in a few, "The Hitman". The 12" and CD also feature "Mad the Swine").

"I Can't Live with You" was released as a promo single to radio stations in the US. This two-track promo single, completely remixed by Brian Malouf, uses slightly different lead vocal tracks by Mercury, louder and tighter harmony tracks, and reprogrammed synth drums, resulting in a much more punchy and "over the top" poppy version than included on the album. It reached No. 28 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

"These Are the Days of Our Lives" was first released in the US on Mercury's birthday, 5 September 1991 on cassette and to radio. In the UK it was released in December 1991 following Mercury's death, as a double A-side with "Bohemian Rhapsody". The single was the UK's Christmas No. 1 of 1991.

"The Show Must Go On" was released on 14 October 1991 in the UK. The single was taken from the album but was released as promotion for the Greatest Hits II album (Classic Queen in the US/Canada), and peaked at No. 16 on the UK charts. After Mercury's death in November, the song re-entered the British charts and spent as many weeks in the top 75 as it had upon its original release. This single was released just six weeks before Mercury died. In 1992, the song was released as a double A-side with "Bohemian Rhapsody" in the US and reached No. 2 in the US. (The original B-side in October 1991 was "Keep Yourself Alive").

Critical reception
In 1991, Chuck Eddy of Rolling Stone wrote that Innuendo was "the group's most playful top-to-bottom pile since The Game" and "there's no getting around the new album's craft", which he suggested meant the band were "finally satisfied with their lot in life", but he added that "Innuendo is so lightweight you'll forget it as soon as it's over — which, with this band, should go without saying anyway". In 2016, for the same publication, Ron Hart described it as "Queen's last masterpiece" and an album which "boldly confronted mortality," likening it to David Bowie's final album Blackstar.

People wrote, "If this is cartoon rock and roll, at least it's good and brazenly cartoonish." The Orange County Register wrote, "Queen dispenses with any stylistic variations or flirtations with dance music and offers its basic sound: lots of Mercury vocal leaps, fuzzed-out May guitar, choral overdubs and a sense of orchestral importance mixed with straightforward hard rock", concluding that it was a "mixed bag". The LA Times wrote, "Given the bombast and harsh assault of Queen's biggest hits, it's a shock to find that the heart of... Innuendo, is made of soft, sweet, sticky, sentimental goo", but added "the goo actually goes down well" and "Queen hasn't forgotten how to rock."

In a retrospective review, AllMusic wrote, "Innuendo was a fitting way to end one of rock's most successful careers". For Classic Rock in 2016, Malcolm Dome ranked it as Queen's ninth greatest album, writing that "Innuendo had a lot of intelligent humour and pathos about it." He praised the title track's "brilliantly synthesised orchestrations" and added "perhaps most poignant of all is the low key yet mesmerising 'These Are The Days Of Our Lives', which ended with Mercury’s whispered paean 'I still love you', which was moving in its simplicity." Dome concluded, "The album summed up how Queen could draw people close, yet still keep them at a convenient distance."

Track listing
All tracks credited to Queen, except "All God's People" credited to Queen and Mike Moran. All lead vocals by Freddie Mercury, except "Ride the Wild Wind", sung by Mercury with Roger Taylor.

Original release

 * Due to the total length of the album, five tracks had to be shortened in order to fit on the LP release. These tracks were "I'm Going Slightly Mad" (4:06), "These Are the Days of Our Lives" (3:55), "Don't Try So Hard" (3:33), "The Hitman" (3:43), and "Bijou" (1:19). The track listing for the LP release is also slightly different from the one for the CD release, with "Don't Try So Hard" moved to side 2, between "Delilah" and "The Hitman". Some of the shortened tracks can be found on the B-sides of concurrent 12" singles.

2015 LP
Innuendo was re-released on vinyl on 25 September 2015 by Virgin EMI Records and Hollywood Records, alongside all of Queen's other studio albums. This was the first time the album had been presented on vinyl in full, spread across 2 LPs. Just as the original LP had an altered track listing, the 2 LP version swapped the placement of “I Can’t Live With You” and “These Are the Days of Our Lives” to have a more equal amount of time on each side of vinyl.

Personnel
Track numbering refers to CD and digital releases of the album.

Queen
 * Freddie Mercury – lead vocals (all tracks), backing vocals (1–9), keyboard (1, 2, 5, 6, 8–11), drum machine (2, 9), piano (2, 7, 9)
 * Brian May – electric guitar (all tracks), backing vocals (2–5, 10, 12), keyboards (3, 4, 12), drum machine (3, 4), acoustic guitar (1), lead vocals ("Lost Opportunity"), piano (3), slide guitar (2)
 * Roger Taylor – drums (1–3, 5–8, 10, 12), backing vocals (3–5, 10, 12), percussion (1, 7, 8, 11), keyboards (6, 8), drum machine (2), co-lead vocals (6)
 * John Deacon – bass (all but 11), keyboards (10)

Additional personnel
 * Steve Howe – Spanish guitar (1)
 * Mike Moran – keyboards (7)
 * David Richards – producing, engineering, keyboard (4, 8)
 * Noel Harris – assistant engineer
 * Justin Shirley-Smith – assistant engineer
 * Richard Gray – sleeve design
 * Grandville (1803–47) – illustrations
 * Angela Lumley – additional illustrations
 * Simon Fowler – photography

title: Innuendo (album)


text: User talk:81.174.168.250

title: User talk:81.174.168.250


text:
Wawa (company)

Wawa, Inc. is an American chain of convenience stores and gas stations originating in the Philadelphia metropolitan area and located along the East Coast of the United States, operating in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Florida, Alabama, and North Carolina. Wawa is based in, primarily associated with, and mainly concentrated in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, though in recent years it has gradually expanded its store locations beyond the Philadelphia area. The company's corporate headquarters is located in the Wawa area of Chester Heights, Pennsylvania in Greater Philadelphia.

, Wawa was the largest convenience store chain in the greater Philadelphia metropolitan area and the third-largest food retailer in greater Philadelphia after Acme Markets and ShopRite.

History
The Wawa business began in 1803 as an iron foundry. In 1890, George Wood, an entrepreneur from New Jersey, moved to Delaware County, Pennsylvania; it was here that he began the Wawa Dairy Farm. Wood imported cows from the British Crown dependency island of Guernsey, and bought 1000 acre of land in the Chester Heights area; the corporate headquarters would later be renamed Wawa. Since pasteurization was not yet available, many children faced sickness from consuming raw milk. Wood arranged for doctors to certify his milk was sanitary and safe for consumption, which convinced many consumers to buy the product. The strategy worked, and allowed the Wawa dairy to grow. Demand for dairy products grew rapidly during the 1920s, and so did the company. Wawa began using the slogan "Buy Health by the Bottle"; they served customers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, delivering milk to customers' homes.

In the 1960s, however, many consumers began buying milk in stores instead of using home delivery. Wawa started to open its own stores to adjust to these market changes. On April 16, 1964, Grahame Wood, George Wood's grandson, opened the first Wawa Food Market at 1212 MacDade Boulevard in Folsom, Pennsylvania, which remained in operation until June 17, 2016, when it closed in favor of a new "Super Wawa" down the street. A parade was held from the original location to the new store on opening day.

The Wawa Food Market stores were also part of a then-new trend in retailing, the convenience store. Open both earlier and later than traditional supermarkets, they carried other foods and beverages besides milk, as well as other items from the Wawa dairy.

In 1977, Wawa began sharing ownership of the company with its associates through profit-sharing plans. In 1992, Wawa formalized its associate ownership with its Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), with stock being awarded to associates annually based on the prior year's service. Because the company is privately held, Wawa secures an independent assessment of its stock value at regular intervals to ensure that the ESOP is fairly maintained. Today, the ESOP accounts for more than 40% of Wawa stock.

Name and logo
The chain's name comes from the site of the company's first milk plant and corporate headquarters in the Wawa, Pennsylvania area. The name of the town Wawa is in turn derived from the Ojibwe word we'we (pronounced "way-way") meaning snow goose, despite the company's image of a Canada goose.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow uses the word "Wawa" in Book II of his 1855 poem "The Four Winds" in The Song of Hiawatha, in which he writes, "He it was who ... sent the wild-goose, Wawa, northward." Although the poem does not identify the species, an image of a Canada goose in flight appears in Wawa's corporate logo.

Leadership
The current CEO of Wawa is Chris Gheysens, who succeeded Howard Stoeckel in January 2013. Eleuthère (Thère) du Pont has served as both the CFO and president, but is no longer associated with the company. Richard "Dick" Wood Jr. is chairman of the board of directors. Many Wood family members are active in the company. Although Wawa is a family-run business, Wawa associates own roughly 50% of the company, more than 40% of which is owned through the company's employee stock-ownership program.

Holdings and locations
In 2015, Wawa ranked 34th on the Forbes magazine list of the largest private companies, with total revenues of $9.68 billion. , Wawa employs over 22,000 people in 720+ stores (450+ offering gasoline). , Wawa's New Jersey stores were concentrated mostly in South Jersey.

Wawa Inc. and the Wood family together control about 725 acre of land, containing the corporate headquarters, the Wawa dairy farm, and J.T. Farms, within two municipalities in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The properties are located in Chester Heights and Middletown Township. Wawa Inc. owns 50 acre of land around "Red Roof," the corporate headquarters, 150 acre of land around the Wawa dairy, and the 225 acre J.T. Farms. The Wood family owns 300 acre of estate property. Cynthia Mayer of the Philadelphia Inquirer said that, as a result of the land holdings, the Wood family was "the closest thing to a feudal barony this side of du Pont."

Beginning in the 1940s, the dairy facility began selling excess parcels of land. In 1964, it sold about 40 acres to the Franklin Mint. Several years prior to 1989, the dairy sold 25 acres of land to a retirement complex, Granite Farms Estates. The process of selling excess land continued sporadically.

Wawa Inc. owns the 225-acre J.T. Farms, a separate farm property. Wawa Inc. leases it to Bill Faul, who maintained a herd of 100 Holstein cattle and paid $1,500 (currently $2778.12) per month. Wawa continued to own the farm due to symbolic reasons. It also kept heifers along Route 1 in a strip of land adjacent to the plant which did not produce milk; Fritz Schroeder, then-vice president of Wawa Inc., said in 1989, "[w]e like them for the ambiance."

Corporate headquarters
The company's corporate headquarters is located in the Wawa area, along Baltimore Pike in Chester Heights. The headquarters is in proximity to Middletown Township. about 300 employees work in the headquarters. The Borough of Chester Heights receives a majority of its local services tax from employees of Wawa.

Programs and promotions
Wawa provides surcharge-free ATMs, the result of a partnership with PNC Bank that began in 1985. Wawa implemented the program in stores in 1996. In 2010, Wawa surpassed 1 billion transactions under the PNC brand.

In the late 1980s and through the 1990s, Wawa engaged in a scholarship sponsorship program that involved Irish students (mainly from UCC in Cork, Ireland) running some stores on the Pennsylvania Main Line, allowing the students to study for their MBAs from Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia.

In 1994, Wawa opened a store in Center City, Philadelphia, which sold food only.

In 1994, Wawa debuted the "Super Wawa", larger stores with public restrooms and more parking. Gasoline pumps were added in 1996. On October 21, 2010, Wawa began testing the sale of diesel fuel at 12 of its New Jersey locations due to an increasing number of cars using this fuel.

In the 2000s, Wawa was among the first stores to implement self-serve computer touch-screen menus for food orders, in an attempt to improve order accuracy, speed and for upselling.

In 2003, Wawa and McLane Co. reached a 30-year agreement to construct a distribution center in Carney's Point, New Jersey, to handle the majority of Wawa's distribution. The center began operation in May 2004.

In 2005, Wawa partnered with JPMorgan Chase to offer a Visa credit card branded with the Wawa name. It ceased issuing new cards in December 2007 and the program was canceled in November 2010. Wawa would later partner with Citi to restart the Wawa credit card program.

Wawa moved into social media to connect with its customers, and in 2006, its "I Love Wawa" MySpace page had over 5,000 members. By the middle of 2013, its Facebook page had reached nearly 1.1 million likes.

On June 30, 2010, 20 Wawa locations in Pennsylvania started a trial of selling Pennsylvania Lottery tickets from automated kiosks. On December 6, 2010, it announced that all 210 Pennsylvania Wawa locations would sell lottery tickets from kiosks by spring 2011.

On April 16, 2014, to celebrate its 50th anniversary, Wawa gave away free coffee and launched a nonprofit foundation to donate $50 million to health and hunger initiatives.

Products
Wawa offers products found at most convenience chain marts such as chips, drinks, and soda. Wawa also sells its own branded iced tea, orange juice, and milk. Wawa used to sell its own branded soda but it has been discontinued. Wawa has Coca-Cola Freestyle soda fountains.

Key products include its variety of coffee, latte, and cappuccino flavors and sizes, and made-to-order hoagies. Wawa also offers a brand of hot breakfast products, most famous of which is the "Sizzli", and also a full deli with touch-screen ordering of sandwiches, hot sides, drinks, and deli meats. Wawa sells alcohol in Florida, Virginia, and at select locations in Pennsylvania.

For a short time between 1994 and 1996, Wawa sold Pizza Hut personal pan pizzas and Taco Bell burritos. In 2014, Wawa began selling a 7.5-inch deep-dish pizza on focaccia bread available in five varieties; this was later discontinued.

In 2020, Wawa tested burgers, waffle fries, and chicken sandwiches at six locations. Later in the same year, Wawa begin testing a dinner menu at select locations. The dinner menu includes items such as burgers, fries, pasta, and rotisserie chicken.

In 2022, Philadelphia magazine ranked the Gobbler, Wawa's seasonal Thanksgiving-themed hoagie, as their best sandwich among 15 taste-tested.

In 2023, Wawa began selling pizza during dinner hours at select locations, with plans to expand pizza to all locations. The pizza comes in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes in either plain or with an assortment of toppings.

Store locations
Wawa operates stores in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Wawa's territory once stretched into Northern New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, but in the late 1990s, the decision was made to abandon the franchised stores in the New York metropolitan area, as it was too competitive. The abandoned stores were re-branded when they were sold to Krauszer's (in Connecticut) and a variety of other convenience retailers, but most are still recognizable as they retain their distinctive "Wawa" design. The company continued to operate numerous stores in Central Jersey and South Jersey, and re-entered North Jersey in 2010, when Wawa opened a new store in Parsippany. Wawa opened its 100th Super Wawa in New Jersey on October 12, 2012, in Woodbridge. Wawa moved farther into North Jersey opening in Kearny on January 11, 2013, and Lodi on October 4, 2013. The company plans to open five Wawas a year in North Jersey for the next 10 to 12 years.

On July 18, 2012, Wawa entered the Florida market when it opened its first location in Orlando. It had expanded to more than 70 Florida locations by the end of 2015, with plans for 120 more by 2022.

, Wawa has over 900 locations across Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Florida.

In some Jersey Shore towns, Wawa designs its stores to match the aesthetic, and changes operating procedures to adapt to shore culture. In Cape May, Wawa has a Victorian-themed store. In Wildwood, there is a 1950s-themed store. Additionally, its Princeton University/Princeton train station store went viral on TikTok in 2023 for its "aesthetically pleasing" minimalist design.

Wawa opened its largest location at the time in the Farragut Square area of Washington, D.C. on December 14, 2017. On December 14, 2018, Wawa opened a flagship location at 6th Street and Chestnut Street in Center City, Philadelphia. The store, at 11500 sqft, is the largest Wawa location and features a living greenery wall, large digital screens, couches, café seating, and two "Philly Firsts" murals.

On December 18, 2020, Wawa opened its first drive-thru at a convenience store/gas station location in Westampton, New Jersey. In September 2020, Wawa began construction on its first drive-thru only location in Falls Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania; this location opened on January 8, 2021.

In 2022, Wawa announced their intentions to expand to North Carolina by 2024. On May 16, 2024, the company opened its first location there, in Kill Devil Hills. The company also announced plans to open stores in the Florida Panhandle (including Panama City, Pensacola, and Tallahassee) and Mobile, Alabama in 2024. Its first store in Alabama opened on April 25, 2024, in Fairhope. Wawa has plans to expand into the Nashville area in Tennessee, with the first location to open in 2025 and plans for up to 40 stores. In 2022, Wawa announced a push into South Central Pennsylvania and specifically Harrisburg, which has long been Sheetz territory but also has Rutter's and Turkey Hill as strong local competitors alongside national competitors such as 7-Eleven and Speedway. In October 2022, Wawa announced it would be expanding into Georgia, with the first location opening in Waycross, by 2024. On December 7, 2022, Wawa announced an expansion into Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio after 2025.

In 2023, the first Ohio location was approved and will be located in Liberty Township, near Cincinnati, and the first Indiana location will be in Noblesville. In 2023, it was announced that up to 40 Kentucky locations would be opened.

Competitors
Wawa, for the most part, covers parts of Pennsylvania not already served by rival stores such as Sheetz, which Wawa is often compared to due to their similar business models and Pennsylvania roots. This led to a "rivalry" between the two chains among Pennsylvanians, though the two companies themselves have a friendly relationship. The character of the two chains has been described as, "Sheetz is typically louder and flashier, with a more intense vibe than Wawa's unassuming, plain and simple appearance. ... But while Sheetz may seem like it has more options, Wawa reminds us that no matter how you are dressed, you are welcome there." Despite the rivalry, the two stores generally do not compete head-to-head in Pennsylvania, with only a few small overlapping areas in the eastern part of the state served by both chains. In Virginia, both chains share a market in the Greater Richmond and Northern Virginia regions. Wawa's planned expansion into South Central Pennsylvania as well as North Carolina will see more head-to-head competition from both chains, enough where Sheetz subsequently announced more store locations in Western Pennsylvania (where GetGo, 7-Eleven/Speedway, and locally based Coen Markets are major competitors as well a Circle K to a lesser extent) to fend off a potential expansion of Wawa into the Pittsburgh market. Maryland-based Royal Farms also shares a market with Wawa in several Mid-Atlantic states.

Data breach
On December 20, 2019, Wawa's CEO Chris Gheysens announced that the company had found malicious software on its payment processing servers that affected every location across the country, according to the statement. The malware is believed to have been on the servers since as early as March 4, 2019, and contained on December 12, 2019. It affected approximately 34 million cards.

On December 27, 2019, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that at least six lawsuits seeking class-action status had been filed against the company in federal court in Philadelphia.

On July 26, 2022, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced an $8 million agreement with Wawa to resolve the data breach.

Popularity
Wawa enjoys a level of popularity in the Greater Philadelphia region likened to a cult following. This has been attributed to its focus on service and by its fostering a sense of community, described as, "Somehow, whether because of the goofy name or the iconic Canada goose soaring in the sunset, Wawa succeeded in creating an atmosphere that intimately connects with a broad sense of community." Wawa CEO Chris Gheysens has attributed this to a slow-growth strategy, comparing Wawa's cult popularity with that of stores with similar strategies, such as In-N-Out Burger.

Controversies
Wawa's expansion efforts have sometimes met with controversy from local communities. In Coral Gables, Florida, land which was planned to be used for affordable housing was instead approved as a new site for a Wawa gas station.

title: Wawa (company)


text:
Talk:Anti-French sentiment in the United States/Archive 2

The following text has been reverted from the opening paragraph by User:VerilyVerily:  he following former text was bowdlerized: "Anti-French sentiment or Francophobia in the United States is an exaggerated discrediting of all things French, which is given a rationale through disapproval of the actions and attitudes of the French government, but which can be recognized by its undertones of moral censure ("treacherous" "cowardly" or "frivolous") and by implicit jingoism."

What a very ignorant entry and what an abysmally stupid discussion.

 * (The above by Wetman.) What are you talking about?  I can't even understand this.  I didn't revert anything; I rewrote the paragraph to make it more neutral, clearer, and similar to Anti-American sentiment.  And what discussion are you referring to?  And please sign your posts.  Why on Earth do you say RickK and me "control" this article?; the edits I made a few hours ago were the only ones I've ever made to this article, and RickK has only a few minor edits before then.  So, you'll have to explain. - VV 05:19, 16 May 2004 (UTC)

I don't understand the purpose of this external link at the end of the page, a dead link ? Editorial- "The Truth Behind the French Opposition to America" ? -- phe 03:11, 25 May 2004 (UTC)

jingoism
RickK: in our own article, Jingoism is described as "chauvinistic patriotism, especially with regard to a warmongering political stance." These seems to me to be an accurate description of some of the discourse in the US w.r.t to the French over the past year (Freedom Fries and all). Why do you object to this term? -- Viajero 21:21, 16 May 2004 (UTC)

 * Take it out of the first sentence. The term is loaded, and implies that the only reason why there is anti-French sentiment is because of American bias.  It does not allow for the possibility that there might be just some possibility that justifies the reactions.  I'm not saying that the reactions ARE justified, only that the tone of including words like jingoism makes the first sentence POV.  RickK 23:56, 16 May 2004 (UTC)
 * I added a note about anti-French sentiment corresponding with tensions in Franco-U.S. relations, and called "jingoism" an extreme manifestation of this sentiment. These concerns have been addressed. 172 00:00, 17 May 2004 (UTC)

 * It is a POV term in describing anything, and is grossly innacurate in decription of the anti-french in the USA generally. Shouldn't this article just be titled Anti-French sentiment? The English are better known for their "francophobia" (geez, what a joke term, like ANYBODY is scared of the french?) Sam [Spade] 23:58, 16 May 2004 (UTC) Sam
 * Much of the content in this article isn't that bad, actually, at least the stuff not dealing with the 2003 Iraq war. Perhaps this article it should be redirected, and the content integrated with the text in an article about Franco-U.S. relations. 172 00:04, 17 May 2004 (UTC)

 * Current wording about jingoism is much better, but I think the historical import of anti-french sentiment amongst english speakers generall;y is unaddressed. Sam [Spade] 00:07, 17 May 2004 (UTC)
 * The romanticized overview of Franco-U.S. relations before the Second World War (the "Francophobia" section) is of even greater concern. It's a bit problematic that, say, the Quasi War and the XYZ Affair get no mention. And what about the French Revolution? 172 00:23, 17 May 2004 (UTC)

France does not recognize civil rights.
what is this about? Can I hear a bit more about this accusation? I consider myself rather well versed in amusing characterizations, but this one escapes me. Sam [Spade] 15:09, 21 May 2004 (UTC)

 * Like: "France has no freedom of religion/speech/whatever." or "France anyway has the presumption of guilt, how dare they hint that we treat prisoners badly or don't offer them a fair trial." (Bill O'Reilly more or less said the latter, if I remember well.) David.Monniaux 20:35, 21 May 2004 (UTC)

 * Wow, ok. I hadn't heard that (I always assumed France to be rather liberal). Is there truth to it? You are French, yes? Sam [Spade] 05:09, 22 May 2004 (UTC)

 * Presumption of innocence, freedom of speech and freedom of opinion (including, but not limited to, religion) are constitutional rights (1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen). Of course, as everywhere, there may be a difference between the ideal and what happens in practice.
 * Interestingly, many people in France with at least some tinge of anti-Americanism consider the US justice system to be unfair, biased against defendants as long as they are poor and/or from ethnic minorities. David.Monniaux 11:26, 22 May 2004 (UTC)

accusations section
I think this section was a great idea, bringing the subject into the light, and placing the square light of objectivity on what are many of the common stereotypes. Sam [Spade] 06:24, 22 May 2004 (UTC)

 * I strongly disagree. The encyclopedic content is the history of Franco-US relations and its effects on perceptions of France within the US.  That information, though incomplete, should form the heart of the article.  The "accusations" section is nothing but a list of crude stereotypes so overstated that few could seriously hold most of them to that degree (e.g., the French may be vaguely considered weak, but Napoleon is well known), and then (almost as crude) rebuttals using POV language which seem designed to make Americans look ignorant rather than provide balance, which would be the only useful function of such counterclaims.  The section should have a heavy rewrite rather than heavy prominence. VV 23:06, 22 May 2004 (UTC)

 * Well, an encyclopedia document facts, and it is a fact that those stereotypes and jokes are often said, including by some US politicians. The rebuttals are simply meant to explain how these jokes are factually wrong - in a similar way that Wikipedia guidelines state that when discussing fictional characters or events, one should always state that they are fictional in the introduction. If we have to explain that Darth Vader is a fictional character and not a real person, I guess that we may explain why some jokes ignore facts. This has nothing to do with making Americans in general look "ignorant".
 * Now, my opinion is that any person making jokes like "how many Frenchmen does it take to defend Paris? nobody knows, it has never been tried" either is utterly ignorant of history, either shows enormous bad taste and insensitivity. I think that it is a significant fact in international relations that some prominent citizens of a country, especially politicians with a national career, can allow themselves to make such comments about foreign allies, and that it is very telling of some attitudes inside that country. David.Monniaux 06:12, 23 May 2004 (UTC)

 * Okay, well, it's important to not be bring sensitivities into this. Jokes are just that, jokes, and the Paris joke can be found as funny even though it is obviously not true.  By encyclopedic content, I mean professional quality, not lists of crude jokes.  The article should be about anti-French sentiment.  It would also be inappropriate in the article racism to include long lists of "nigger jokes".  Rather, the phenomenon should be discussed from a dispassionate point of view as a sociological phenomenon.  A few examples might help in this regard, but the "accusations" section both is not written very neutrally and has a choice of examples which are too extreme and rebutted too coarsely. VV 09:09, 23 May 2004 (UTC)

 * I may have expressed myself insufficiently well. To me, it is a significant fact that major US politicians can afford to make jokes such as the Paris joke over the tomb of the millions of French soldiers that died in WW1 to defend Paris, or the hundreds of thousands that died in WW2. To follow your example, no major US politician could nowadays make a "nigger joke" without being asked to step down. Still, interestingly, it is possible to mock France in such a way, and it is perfectly acceptable; your own dismissal of the matter as insignificant is actually very significant in that context.
 * To me, sociologically, it means that there's an ingrained acceptance in the American society of mocking the French in ways that would instantly gain condemnation on grounds of racism or xenophobia if jokes of similar insensitivity and arrogance were aimed at other communities.
 * In short, what I find interesting is not those particular examples of anti-French sentiment, but the fact that they may be regularly uttered in the press, political meetings etc... and that everybody finds that acceptable or merely dismisses them as harmless jokes.
 * I also note that if in a foreign country some major politicians made jokes about the United States on the same level, that foreign country would be branded "anti-American" by the American press.
 * The examples I gave may be extreme, but most were taken in the mainstream American media. Yes, it is probably a sad fact that the American political and mediatic establishment may go to such levels, and I find it enterely appropriate to reflect that fact, however unflattering it is for the said establishment. David.Monniaux 14:31, 23 May 2004 (UTC)

Anti-French / Anti-American
This article is a counterpoint to the even more-virulent Anti-Americanism article in which the US are criticized for everything down to the fact that "In God We Trust" is on the coins. Each of these articles are untouchable in one sense in that they describe perceptions. If the perceptions exist they are unarguable whether or not they are factual.

For my part, both could go. -- Cecropia | Talk 16:06, 23 May 2004 (UTC)

 * I'd prefer everything factual to stay, including a variety of disgusting articles I won't list here for the sake of our respective sanities ;) I will admit that the franco-american conflict (which goes back to British/French historical rivalries) amuses me to no end. I see France as a rival superpower, something which would send many of the merry pranksters who coined some of the "accusations" into hysterics, but they are a signifigant nuclear power and the #3 military spender generally . I tend to think the most of the stereotypes about France (and about americans, and heck, most generally) are true, altho I will say I never noticed any lack of cleanliness on the part of any French person I have met, altho one did sing the praises of horsemeat and male bisexuality ;) (anecdotal of course, I've met less than 5 native French in my life). On the other hand, most americans do seem to be fat, arrogant, and stupid, at least in my crude estimation (the evidence, while anecdotal, is more striking here, being that I am american ;) Anyhow I love information, and so long as its not innaccurate (and opinions rarely are) and is fairly presented (as I think this is) it has a place here. That being said, theres no reason for people who are annoyed w such to be editing these pages, nor reading them for that matter. Sam [Spade] 16:33, 23 May 2004 (UTC)

most americans do seem to be fat, arrogant, and stupid

Do you really think it's fair to judge most Americans on Rush Limbaugh, Al Franken and Michael Moore? ;-) -- Cecropia | Talk 16:44, 23 May 2004 (UTC)

 * Actually I was going off of me and my friends, but those are pretty good examples too ;) Sam [Spade] 16:57, 23 May 2004 (UTC)

 * If you think about it, arrogance is one stereotype both the french and americans have in common. Perhaps we should find a way to celebrate this common ground? ;) Sam [Spade] 16:59, 23 May 2004 (UTC)

Over Texas barbecue and French wine, of course. :) -- Cecropia | Talk 17:18, 23 May 2004 (UTC)

The portrayal of pre-WW2 American sentiment towards France as Francophilic is correct insofar as the facts it portrays, but a bit too rosy. Americans still had a bit of anti-French sentiment, though it was more light-hearted. The two main components of it were a feeling that French were snooty, overly-concerned with formality, and aristocratic (as compared to down-to-earth Americans), especially after the restoration of the monarchy, and a feeling that Parisians in particular had loose morals (especially as regards promiscuity). As Mark Twain (a 19th-century American author) put it, "France has neither winter nor summer nor morals—apart from these drawbacks it is a fine country." So something about that should be added in. --Delirium 17:42, May 23, 2004 (UTC)