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badtyndale
Joined: 23 Jun 2004
Posts: 181
Location: In the tool shed
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 Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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| homersimpson wrote: |
| ...like any empire, America will eventually collapse, then who will you b*tch about, the Chinese? |
Some of us have already started!  |
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James_T_Kirk
Joined: 20 Sep 2003
Posts: 357
Location: Ten Forward
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| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 7:46 pm Post subject: |
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| I read the first one and a half pages of this thread and (rightly or wrongly) concluded that this rapidly became the generic "Why are you making fun of Americans?" thread. |
Actually, if you had read a little further, you would have found a nice thread discussing sports around the world, but, thanks to your post, it appears that the sports discussion is over  ...why did the sports discussion have to be replaced with yet another tired "American sucks/no it doesn't/yes it does" discussion?
Bummed,
Kirk |
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Chris_Crossley
Joined: 26 Jun 2004
Posts: 1797
Location: Still in the centre of Furnace City, PRC, after eight years!!!
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| Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 12:50 pm Post subject: Why bashing? Because ... |
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| James_T_Kirk wrote: |
| Why did the sports discussion have to be replaced with yet another tired "America sucks/no it doesn't/yes it does" discussion? |
Because many people just cannot resist bashing this country because of the perception that they have that there exists nothing but egotism there. And where one bashes somebody or something, there will usually be a defence by somebody else.
Those not involved in either bashing or defending usually get a kick out of watching such people sparring virtually (as opposed to physically or verbally, since this is the internet, after all ... ) until saturation point is reach for the moment, meaning that the latest round has ended. Only here, there are no seconds climbing into the ring with buckets of water and sponges ... just another thread waiting to be hijacked, and the whole thing starts over again. |
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peabody
Joined: 19 Dec 2004
Posts: 76
Location: sydney
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| Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 3:39 pm Post subject: |
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Last edited by peabody on Fri Apr 01, 2005 7:14 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Cardinal Synn
Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 586
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| Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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| And another thing, rant rant rave rave...Why do Americans call Stanley knives, box cutters? It's a really crap name and I sincerely hope it isn't adopted in the UK, ever. |
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peabody
Joined: 19 Dec 2004
Posts: 76
Location: sydney
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| Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 5:28 pm Post subject: |
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Last edited by peabody on Fri Apr 01, 2005 7:10 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Cardinal Synn
Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 586
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| Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 5:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Do you call them Stanley knives in Oz? |
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peabody
Joined: 19 Dec 2004
Posts: 76
Location: sydney
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| Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 5:36 pm Post subject: |
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Last edited by peabody on Fri Apr 01, 2005 7:08 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Cardinal Synn
Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 586
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peabody
Joined: 19 Dec 2004
Posts: 76
Location: sydney
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| Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 5:45 pm Post subject: |
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Last edited by peabody on Fri Apr 01, 2005 7:26 am; edited 1 time in total |
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shmooj
Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 1758
Location: Seoul, ROK
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| Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 3:50 am Post subject: |
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| arodeorowdy wrote: |
Can you name just one country that has had a larger IMPACT over the world SINCE THE ROMAN EMPIRE!? Our Food, Music, Culture, Clothes, Language, Movies, Entertainers, Technology, Ect., for good or for worse (can anyone spell Micky D's) has COVERED the globe. Or a country that has attracted more immigrants, from every corner of the world? That's right, The US of A. That's why, my world wide friends, we are PROUD AND NOT SHY TO ADMIT IT!
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yeeeshh... I think it must be a phase that people go through which unfortunately takes generations to take effect (therefore no hope for mr rowdy in our lifetimes)
Sure, the British have plenty of reason to boast about their impact on the world for good but the fact that they have a healthy cynicism of their own nation makes them way more interesting to listen to than the self-serving garbage Mr Rowdy sent our way.
I'm not saying that the British didn't do bad (which they undoubtedly did) but at least they don't blow their own trumpet about their achievements in such a barfable way. The value of understatement cannot be overstated here Mr Rowdy. It has nothing to do with being shy.
Now, for the record, I much preferred sports at the 'American' school I went to as a boy than the British schools I went to. I loved baseball and, though I never played 'American' football, I do enjoy watching it, basketball too. I love watching pretty much any sport. I sympathise with those who bemoan how commercial sport is in the US. I feel the same.
I think the general 'need' that most US citizens I know have to achieve has led to them excelling in many areas. But excelling is not the be all and end all. The drive to be number 1 in Japan which many of my US friends there critizised doesn't seem so awfully different from the same drive in the US though it is carefully dressed in different clothes.
What I'd really like to hear from people like Mr. Rowdy is some humble thankfulness. I mean, when you occupy an area of the earth the size and topographic diversity of the present US you'd really have to try hard not to prosper as the US has. Rather than boasting of what you've achieved, be humble and thankful that you didn't end up with the barren wastes of Chad. Personally, I have a lot more respect for someone who achieves something from Chad than from the US because the odds were stacked against them from the beginning.
What the heck is wrong with being number 35 anyway? |
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homersimpson
Joined: 14 Feb 2003
Posts: 569
Location: Kagoshima
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| Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 11:18 am Post subject: |
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| shmooj, I agree with you on the issue of humility. When i was in the States it drive me crazy how boastful and ignorant many Americans seemed. But, after spending many years abroad and listening to folks who know little about the U.S. bash away freely starts to p*ss me off. As a result, many of us yanks blindly rush into defense mode. I have no problem with criticism of the U.S. (especially the gov't), but when people who have spent litttle or no time at all in America take pot shots at the nation's people, some of us can't help but respond.[/i] |
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ls650
Joined: 10 May 2003
Posts: 3484
Location: British Columbia
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| Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 11:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Cardinal Synn wrote: |
| Why do Americans call Stanley knives, box cutters? |
I've never heard _anyone_ call a box cutter a "Stanley knife".
That sounds like a brand name to me - is it? |
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Cardinal Synn
Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 586
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| Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 11:26 pm Post subject: |
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Are you American by any chance? That's what I meant - Americans call them box cutters.
Stanley is a brand name. It's the brand name of an American tool company, oddly enough.
Do Americans call Vacuum cleaners, hoovers? |
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juststeven
Joined: 18 Aug 2004
Posts: 117
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| Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 11:49 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, Stanley is a company brand name. They make many tools, one of which is a hand-held retractable 'razor' blade that is very useful in many ways. The term 'box-cutter' is derived from one of its many uses. The media in their quest for brilliant new teminology chose to use the 'cutter' for effect, I think. Another one they use ad nauseum is 'embedded'. What the hell is that all about? This is Juststeven reporting to you, embedded with the Women's Air Corps in Dubai, I wish!  |
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