The United States of America - my thoughts so far

[Empress of Groovy 373]

Raw aggression of the frontier? Goodness gracious.

[Captain Oates 911]

Raw aggression of the frontier? Goodness gracious.

Oh yes ! here in Washington state I can't buy a gin on public holidays as 'hard liquor' is regulated and sold through 'state liquor stores' and they close on public holidays

Cant have the hinjuns buying firewater you know....

There is a big diff - in England you can buy a gin in the supermarkets - its stacked next to the chocolate !

and they ID me too - even though my grandson is taking driving lessons and my grandaughter is due to give birth making me a great grandpaw !

Must be that moist air in england that has prevented me getting wrinkles

[Empress of Groovy 373]

Raw aggression of the frontier? Goodness gracious.

There is a big diff - in England you can buy a gin in the supermarkets - its stacked next to the chocolate !

Here in Arizona too--although it's stacked next to the beef jerky.

[NickyMcMillan 0]

Reminds me of an interesting case back where I'm from in a town called White Clay in regards to Natives and alcohol.

[Captain Oates 911]

Raw aggression of the frontier? Goodness gracious.

There is a big diff - in England you can buy a gin in the supermarkets - its stacked next to the chocolate !

Here in Arizona too--although it's stacked next to the beef jerky.

Let me say something positive about washington state to avoid curmudgeonhood - the electricity from the big dams is 38 dollars for a month in a 100% electric using house and the a/c on 24 /7 in 107 degrees of heat !

And the a/c so low the cats wont stay in the house

In England I was paying $300 per month for heating gas in winter + electricity on top ! (10 years ago)

Yes the US is good in many ways - if they would just pack in with the military conquest thing and the flag waving and 'we are superior to everyone' then it would be quite liveable

It's all the brits fault as we encouraged them to be non isolationist when they refused to fight foreign wars - - and now look at em sticking their nose into korea and vietnam and kosovo and georgia and iraq and everywhere else they can bomb without getting one back...

911 was from a 'friend' - saudi arabia - proving the futility of all the other adventures - bombed by someone they didnt bomb first ! who would have thought it ?

anyway with scary cindy mccain chosing the targets, things might be different. I am an alien and she is a citizen so how come i look like a citizen and she looks like an alien ?

[no name 1]

Hmmm...I always say please when ordering something. It never occurred to me that it would seem like a$$-kissing or unusual. I'm the USC, and I'd consider "Give me a beer" pretty rude. When ordering in a restaurant, "I'll have..." (without the "please") would be acceptable if a bit formal, but I'd never heard of anyone in the service industry questioning someone saying "please." I've worked in various service jobs and can't get my head around the idea that someone would question your motives if you're polite.

My husband is English and I've spent a lot of time over there. I don't think there's a huge difference between the U.S. and England in terms of common politeness. My husband actually thinks that Americans are more polite (he's been here for 3 1/2 years). I was surprised to hear that!

Saywhat, it sounds like you're living in some kind of backwater redneck hell. I'm the first to admit that the U.S. is a crazy place in many ways, but common courtesy is always appreciated.

backwater redneck hell?

Talk about stereotypes....

[Captain Oates 911]

Reminds me of an interesting case back where I'm from in a town called White Clay in regards to Natives and alcohol.

population 14 ! those guys know how to party !

[no name 1]

Oh yes ! here in Washington state I can't buy a gin on public holidays as 'hard liquor' is regulated and sold through 'state liquor stores' and they close on public holidays

Cant have the hinjuns buying firewater you know....

There is a big diff - in England you can buy a gin in the supermarkets - its stacked next to the chocolate !

That is a state law. Some have it, some don't. Some states even have dry countries where you can't buy ANY booze.

[Empress of Groovy 373]

Hmmm...I always say please when ordering something. It never occurred to me that it would seem like a$$-kissing or unusual. I'm the USC, and I'd consider "Give me a beer" pretty rude. When ordering in a restaurant, "I'll have..." (without the "please") would be acceptable if a bit formal, but I'd never heard of anyone in the service industry questioning someone saying "please." I've worked in various service jobs and can't get my head around the idea that someone would question your motives if you're polite.

My husband is English and I've spent a lot of time over there. I don't think there's a huge difference between the U.S. and England in terms of common politeness. My husband actually thinks that Americans are more polite (he's been here for 3 1/2 years). I was surprised to hear that!

Saywhat, it sounds like you're living in some kind of backwater redneck hell. I'm the first to admit that the U.S. is a crazy place in many ways, but common courtesy is always appreciated.

backwater redneck hell?

Talk about stereotypes....

Yup.

[Captain Oates 911]

backwater redneck hell?

Talk about stereotypes....

I didnt say it but i sure implied it....

nope it isnt that bad - they don't know they are rednecks and they think they are helping the community by wanting to lynch mexicans

stereotypes are very important and valid in 95% of cases or they wouldn't be stereotypes.

When I go to the hospital and the doctor says I am going to stick this needle in you, I stereotype the doc as a responsible rational person even though he might be a total psycho for all i know.

We couldnt get through the day without stereotyping

When someone runs towards you screaming his head off waving a sword, its best to stereotype him as a danger rather than wanting to investigate whether he is film actor and there is a camera behind you.

Our brain works on images and set templates - in other words stereotypes - they are very useful.

The fact that we are regularly surprised when someone doesnt fit the stereotype does not invalidate stereotypes which fit very well most of the time

If you invite a drunk home out of the public park, he is more likely to pee on your carpet than barbara bush (is).

I am sure that most rednecks fit their stereotypes

Edited September 3, 2008 by saywhat

[Krikit 1,164]

When someone runs towards you screaming his head off waving a sword, its best to stereotype him as a danger rather than wanting to investigate whether he is film actor and there is a camera behind you.

Our brain works on images and set templates - in other words stereotypes - they are very useful.

I hate when this happens. Especially on a Friday. It ruins my whole weekend.

[SteveLaura 0]

When someone runs towards you screaming his head off waving a sword, its best to stereotype him as a danger rather than wanting to investigate whether he is film actor and there is a camera behind you.

Our brain works on images and set templates - in other words stereotypes - they are very useful.

I hate when this happens. Especially on a Friday. It ruins my whole weekend.

I agree. Just like when I invited that Barbara Bush home. I used up three bottles of Resolve.

[Captain Oates 911]

When someone runs towards you screaming his head off waving a sword, its best to stereotype him as a danger rather than wanting to investigate whether he is film actor and there is a camera behind you.

Our brain works on images and set templates - in other words stereotypes - they are very useful.

I hate when this happens. Especially on a Friday. It ruins my whole weekend.

I agree. Just like when I invited that Barbara Bush home. I used up three bottles of Resolve.

resolve eh - I bet the alkis in the park mix it with wrung out skunk road kill essence - they know how to party

I havent tried that - might mix it with tonic water and a lime as i can only get gin at the state run liquor store for sober non-indians

If I was them I would scalp the officious nitwits - you can get a machine gun but not a gin and tonic and as for bare nipples !

good heavens reginald, to what are things coming ?

queen mother would not have done well here with no g and t

[SteveLaura 0]

... and as for bare nipples !

good heavens reginald, to what are things coming ?

I used to get annoyed at the pixellation of uncovered mammaries on the TV. Now I just squint.

[Captain Oates 911]

... and as for bare nipples !

good heavens reginald, to what are things coming ?

I used to get annoyed at the pixellation of uncovered mammaries on the TV. Now I just squint.

like that bird with the brown eyes and gums on CNN

She thinks its cute to do this incredible cross-eyed squint every now and then

never got that from BBC news readers - bit of gravitas you know - not purient peeping tom stuff from over made up air heads

Quote don henley:

the bubble headed bleach blonde, comes on at 5

she can tell you bout the plane crash

with a gleam in her eye

it's interesting when people die

we love dirty laundry