Americans, have you been watching England and France

[vince]

Oh bullshit.

Every Canadian I know traveling abroad always wears the Canadian Travel Costume. This consists of some kind of Roots boots, T-shirts and underwear emblazoned with maple leaves (ties for the gentleman of business), and a large head apparatus with a 360 degree electronic scrolling marquee that announces, "I AM CANADIAN," in over 150 languages. In conversation they say things like, "Hi, I'm Bob from CANADA."

Them damn furingners. LOL

18 years ago when four of us were traveling in Africa- a Czech, a Brit, an American, and me (Canuck), the American guy replaced the US flag on his backpack with a maple leaf patch, so he wouldn't get hassled so much.

 

[TurkeyWithaSunburn]

Do you wonder why your "mainstream" media didn't report this much, but blatantly would, if the pendulum was swinging in the other direction. do you know what Sarkozy stands for. Any update on Germany?

How many Americans can actually FIND the USA on a map? (and I say that as an American) We have a whole continent of largely monolinguistic middle of the road politically minded people which is why I think we hardly ever seen world news ON the news. We are, as a whole, a very inward looking people.

Brittney Spears shaved her head, Anna Nicole Smith died. Those were lead stories on CNN Headline News for almost a full day. There were other more important things happening in the world I'm sure. If it's not pop culture or sports or won't affect your life then it's not real news. That's the way I take the news broadcasts anymore. Fit everything you want to say into a 2minute report. There is no depth to that at all.

Watch a BBCNews Show and any American news show. You'll be in for a shock at how much the BBC news covers the world. The American shows are just the USA and maybe, just maybe ONE report about someplace that's not America.

(Please save the flames... read carefully I'm bashing the news and how little they like to tell us about the world outside of America)

 

[deleted15807]

Watch a BBCNews Show and any American news show. You'll be in for a shock at how much the BBC news covers the world. The American shows are just the USA and maybe, just maybe ONE report about someplace that's not America.

How is there time to cover America, Britney AND the world? :smile:

 

[dong20]

Jeremy Clarkson let loose on the unsuspecting American public.

A practitioner in wielding the sweeping generalisation. Funny enough to be true. Like the Scottish kid who thought George Bush was the British PM. Sigh.:redface:

... most Europeans have some very wild ideas about what America is like based on their equally biased media. They have an idea that there's New York, Los Angeles, Florida, and Las Vegas with a few other cities, but have little understanding of our political processes or just how individualistic states are. Like everyone else, they tend to want to define America in the most simplistic terms painted with the broadest strokes. The lack of even an attempt to understand the US is as appalling as the video clip I posted above.

The irony! - Using broad strokes as an argument against using broad strokes.

Most Europeans don't know about America other than what they read in the media and also because the US is actually very diverse and states are individualistic? As if Europeans and their nations are not. You don't say.

It often makes me laugh when a person writes most XXX think this or that way. Have they met most XXX to render such an informed opinion of their sensibilities? I can't speak definitively to how most Europeans think or feel because a) I have not met most Europeans and b) they are a pretty disparate bunch. Much like Americans come to think of it. What qualifies you to do so?

You may be right, of course (or not) - Personally I suspect the level of cultural ignorance and misunderstanding on both sides of this equation is deeper than either of us suspect. But I'd never speak for most Americans in saying so, nor most Europeans either.

... For all their airs of superiority, Europe can be just as provincial and narrow-minded as anywhere else in the world.

And then some. Quite frighteningly so sometimes.

But of course only some Europeans are that way, in much the same way only some Americans are lazy, overweight, ill educated and/or stupid.

Clarkson may disagree and he's as entitled to his opinion as anyone.:biggrin1:

 

[dong20]

How is there time to cover America, Britney AND the world? :smile:

Britney who?

 

[2322]

The irony! - Using broad strokes as an argument against using broad strokes.

You're far to clever for me!

Most Europeans don't know about America other than what they read in the media and also because the US is actually very diverse and states are individualistic? As if Europeans and their nations are not. You don't say.

I did say!

Clarkson may disagree and he's as entitled to his opinion as anyone.:biggrin1:

Clarkson would piss me off if he wasn't such a lout to everyone. I see him as an equal opportunity offender and besides, he really is funny.

 

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

Oh bullshit.

Every Canadian I know traveling abroad always wears the Canadian Travel Costume. This consists of some kind of Roots boots, T-shirts and underwear emblazoned with maple leaves (ties for the gentleman of business), and a large head apparatus with a 360 degree electronic scrolling marquee that announces, "I AM CANADIAN," in over 150 languages. In conversation they say things like, "Hi, I'm Bob from CANADA."

1) Now don't be talkin' shite, jason. We only put the large head apparatus on when we're in cruising parks or bathhouses. (Those 11-inch screens are damnation under fleecy sweatpants.)
2) The only province that still allows the dimunitive 'Bob' is Prince Edward Island, which grandfathered the option for gents born before 1982. (Facts, jace ... facts. Try them ... you might like them.)

Most Europeans have some very wild ideas about what America is like based on their equally biased media. They have an idea that there's New York, Los Angeles, Florida, and Las Vegas with a few other cities, but have little understanding of our political processes or just how individualistic states are. Like everyone else, they tend to want to define America in the most simplistic terms painted with the broadest strokes. The lack of even an attempt to understand the US is as appalling as the video clip I posted above.

It's a two-way street. For all their airs of superiority, Europe can be just as provincial and narrow-minded as anywhere else in the world.

Ummmm, yes ... and noooo.
The European media is not quite as biased, quite as inward-looking, as America's.
I'm sure European knowledge of the U.S. is rather shallow, but substantially deeper nonetheless than the American knowledge of Europe.
This is only natural. The elephant is always of greater interest to the mice than the mice are to the elephant.

 

[faceking]

I'm sure European knowledge of the U.S. is rather shallow, but substantially deeper nonetheless than the American knowledge of Europe.
This is only natural. The elephant is always of greater interest to the mice than the mice are to the elephant.

Wow... look at that... well done piece of literary postin'

 

[dong20]

...The elephant is always of greater interest to the mice than the mice are to the elephant.

You know what they say about elephants and mice ... :smile:

 

[kalipygian]

Britney who?

I think that is a peninsula in western France, formerly an independent Duchy, anciently Armorica. Inhabited by refugees from the Saxon invasion:biggrin1:

 

[dong20]

I think ... anciently Armorica. Inhabited by refugees from the Saxon invasion:biggrin1:

So either way, Britney is American. :smile:

 

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

You know what they say about elephants and mice ... :smile:

When the mice are away,
The elephants decay?

Better a mouse in your trunk
Than a rat in your junk?

I don't phukhin' know, dong.
Will you spit it out, puhleez?
-{ })

 

[dong20]

When the mice are away,
The elephants decay?

OK, that too.

 

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

Wow... look at that... well done piece of literary postin'

Is this like a Hoofers' Restaurant.
Well done = rare?

 

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

OK, that too.

Good good good ...
Now, you still haven't told us the dongster's gen on elephants and mice.

 

[dong20]

I don't phukhin' know, dong.
Will you spit it out, puhleez?
-{ })

Tsk, tetchy today!

Mice and elephants

But, I saw it on Mythbusters so it must be true:

Mythbusters - Elephants scared of mouse

 

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

Tsk, tetchy today!
Mice and elephants

Sorry, old boi ... crotchety in my early senescence.
That info is pretty much what I would have assumed.

But, I saw it on Mythbusters so it must be true:
Mythbusters - Elephants scared of mouse:smile:

My friend, the link doesn't work.

 

[dong20]

Sorry, old boi ... crotchety in my early senescence.
That info is pretty much what I would have assumed.


My friend, the link doesn't work.

It's OK, I get tetchy too!

I've edited it - somehow 'smile' got appended!!

If all else fails ... Mouse v Elephant

 

[faceking]

Is this like a Hoofers' Restaurant.
Well done = rare?

Typo... you meant Hooter's, right ? ;-)

Well done laddy was more the tonality.

 

[Mr. Snakey]

Congrats to England and France. The people have spoken. Welcome news indeed. I have been watching this unfold for some time now. Interesting as they move to the right we may move to the left this time.