By the way, robomatic,

when I said it was "just a European poll" I didn't intend for that to be disparaging toward Europeans! I meant that it was not the opinion of either the writer who was being quoted OR the 'catter doing the quoting, so there was no point making it the central focus of the thread.

In case anyone wonders, I have a great respect for Europeans, speak French quite well and (to relate this to Robomatic's Revolutionary War points) just got back from a trip to the Fortress of Louisbourg and other Acadian sites in Nova Scotia. You won't catch me eating "Freedom Fries"; I prefer pommes frites!