NationStates Jolt Archive

I'm sure many people oppose Bush's administration and so on, but what about the people themselves?

All of the above...

Some are okay, some are bastards. Like everyone else.

However I find two things:
- I have an irrational aversion to the way they speak English. It's horrible.
- You gotta stay away from politics. You have a chance of at least 50% that they are some sort of "conservative", and if that is the case things just go downhill. Seriously. And I have debated Chinese nationalists about the merits of individualism...it's nothing when compared to mentioning Bush and getting anti-americanism thown at you as an accusation.

I'm 50/50 so I went with 'confused'! I'm down with some of this nations' people:fluffle:; the rest just piss me off :sniper:!!!

I voted " :fluffle: " but then, that's my opinion of everyone in the world.

of course, there are individuals who deserve a different choice, but that's individuals.

Liberal America - I love as much as the rest of the world.

Conservative America - I love as much as Nazi Germany.

I'm rather fond of some of them. :D

Seriously, out of all the many people that I have met from different countries, we Americans tend to dance to two different extreams. On one hand, we are friendly and out going to just about everyone we meet as an individual.

And then we turn and gracefully put our feet firmly within our mouths by spouting off generalities or vouching that everyone in the world secretly wants to be American.

Arnold Toynbee said it best, "America is a large, friendly dog in a very small room. Every time it wags its tail, it knocks over a chair."

As a whole, i think Americans are good, hard working people, i feel that way about most nations. Individually, some are great, some are arrogant assholes, like everywhere else on the planet.

Liberal America - I love as much as the rest of the world.

Conservative America - I love as much as Nazi Germany.

:(

Liberal America - I love as much as the rest of the world.

Conservative America - I love as much as Nazi Germany.

Hmmm.... I assume you mean that in the average person way, not in the psycho nazi way. 'Cause if it were in the psycho nazi way, then you would hope the Liberals stick their heads in their own ovens:mp5: , and you REALY REALY loved the Conservatives:fluffle: .

:(

Kind of sad when 300 Million people are pigeonholed into Saints and Nazis, no?

We're people, mostly alright but with our own crop of assholes...just like people anywhere in the world.

Kind of sad when 300 Million people are pigeonholed into Saints and Nazis, no?

Exactly...

Silly question.

Asking "what is your opinion of Americans as a people?" is like asking "Do you like food?"

Silly question.

Asking "what is your opinion of Americans as a people?" is like asking "Do you like food?"

You can eat Americans? :eek:

Kind of sad when 300 Million people are pigeonholed into Saints and Nazis, no?
think about those poor people who are central... they are viewed as traitors from both sides. :(

think about those poor people who are central... they are viewed as traitors from both sides. :(

LOL!

Rightist: **** you, Leftist!
Leftist: **** you, Rightist!
Centrist: People, people, can't we all just get along?
Rightist and Leftist in unison: **** you too Centrist!

You can eat Americans? :eek:
Yes, the same way you can eat Canadians, Mexicans, French, English, or Chinese -- with a rubber and mouthwash....

*Ducks*

Yes, the same way you can eat Canadians, Mexicans, French, English, or Chinese -- with a rubber and mouthwash....

*Ducks*

I find Canadians quite nice in a white wine sauce.

I find Canadians quite nice in a white wine sauce.
With or without mushrooms? They're quite good with mushrooms....

Canadienne Marsala?

Some are okay, some are bastards. Like everyone else.

However I find two things:
- I have an irrational aversion to the way they speak English. It's horrible.
- You gotta stay away from politics. You have a chance of at least 50% that they are some sort of "conservative", and if that is the case things just go downhill. Seriously. And I have debated Chinese nationalists about the merits of individualism...it's nothing when compared to mentioning Bush and getting anti-americanism thown at you as an accusation.

Ugh, whats wrong with American English? Not too mention that California English and the English found in Boston sound as alike as American English and England English. So how can you generalize the way we speak English when theres tons of different ways we do it?

I find Canadians quite nice in a white wine sauce.

*slowly backs off, then quickly turns around and darts for the door*

Well you have your Americans who are sexy beasts, and then you have the inbetweens, and then you have the Americans that are beasts...

I don't have an opinion of "Americans as a people."

It's a category far too diverse to judge.

Kind of sad when 300 Million people are pigeonholed into Saints and Nazis, no?

Saints and Nazis? Interesting....so because one votes democrat automatically makes them a saint? Even if they happen to be a killer gangbanger from a housing project but vote democrat cuz P. Diddy tells them to? And a hard working American is automatically a Nazi if he votes Republican because he wants to actually KEEP the money he makes and earns instead of giving it to the state to become, "the peoples money"?

Well...you've certinaly nailed this country to a tee, fool. :rolleyes:

Saints and Nazis? Interesting....so because one votes democrat automatically makes them a saint? Even if they happen to be a killer gangbanger from a housing project but vote democrat cuz P. Diddy tells them to? And a hard working American is automatically a Nazi if he votes Republican because he wants to actually KEEP the money he makes and earns instead of giving it to the state to become, "the peoples money"?

Well...you've certinaly nailed this country to a tee, fool. :rolleyes:

You are denouncing the wrong poster.

With or without mushrooms? They're quite good with mushrooms....

Canadienne Marsala?

I'm not a big fan of mushrooms. I prefer red onions. It gives them a wee kick.

Too many of them are fat and lazy if you ask me.

You are denouncing the wrong poster.

Then direct it at yourself, if you deserve to be denounced.

Saints and Nazis? Interesting....so because one votes democrat automatically makes them a saint? Even if they happen to be a killer gangbanger from a housing project but vote democrat cuz P. Diddy tells them to? And a hard working American is automatically a Nazi if he votes Republican because he wants to actually KEEP the money he makes and earns instead of giving it to the state to become, "the peoples money"?

Well...you've certinaly nailed this country to a tee, fool. :rolleyes:

Look a few posts above me.

And don't call me a fool.

Ah, but mushrooms lend a particular flavour and aroma to the regions in question that cannot quite be emulated by anything else...

Do you use peppermint as a garnish as well?

Depends on what you mean by eat? ;-)

Depends on what you mean by eat? ;-)
We passed that milestone back before T. rex, dear.

Ah, but mushrooms lend a particular flavour and aroma to the regions in question that cannot quite be emulated by anything else...

Do you use peppermint as a garnish as well?

No. I only use peppermint garnish on my Mongolians.

Look a few posts above me.

And don't call me a fool.

I already saw, look a few posts above yourself.

And why cant I call you a fool, it was obviously an accident so my fool diverts to that fool.

Depends on what you mean by eat? ;-)
:eek:

That's shocking that is. You shouldn't say such things...
Oh, and...You're creepy!

Then direct it at yourself, if you deserve to be denounced.

meet...

Liberal America - I love as much as the rest of the world.

Conservative America - I love as much as Nazi Germany.

followed by...

:(

...dissapointment, and the interpretation of the original post:

Kind of sad when 300 Million people are pigeonholed into Saints and Nazis, no?

Then followed by your misinterpretation.

Too many of them are fat and lazy if you ask me.
Unlike rude and snotty?

What is my opinion of citizens of the US?

Well, it used to be a pretty blanket dislike.

NS has changed that in many ways.

Now, if I dislike you, it's because you're an asshole. I don't assume that being a citizen of the US makes you an asshole. There are many people from the US that I like and admire, and some that I dislike intensely.

As a people? I can't say. I don't know them all, and I hate sweeping generalisations.

:upyours: Capim, Giant Pumpkin Patches, GreatBritain, MikeGN, Urugualia

I love a whole bunch of people there.

Of course, there's a couple that really get on my wick.

I think about the same of the American people as I do of any nation's people: As brothers in humanity, I value their existence...but if a large percentage were annihilated in some kind of annoying-people-massacre, that'd be ok, too.

That being said, there are a few of them I can't live without, but that's got nothing to do with their birthplace.

*so says a resident of Kansas, the deepest you can get into the US without digging*

Except for the zealots, rednecks, and all those affiliated (including those who voted for them) with the US Republican party, a splendid group of people.

Liberal America - I love as much as the rest of the world.

Conservative America - I love as much as Nazi Germany.



Liberal America - I like a cold sore more than them

Conservative America - Not much better

My fellow Americans are mostly inferior to me.

But I still treat them as equals.

Despite all their faults, Americans are among the best smelling people on Earth.

Some of them are nice, some of them are assholes.

Some are okay, some are bastards. Like everyone else.

However I find two things:
- I have an irrational aversion to the way they speak English. It's horrible.

Now, out of curiosity, would this be how Mississippians speak English, how Bostonians speak English, or how Minnesotans speak English? Because they're all a wee bit different. ;)

As for the original topic - people are people, wherever you go. I have no opinion on the residents of any country other than that they're probably a lot like everybody else.

Being from America, I'm not sure if my opinion counts a whole lot in this post.

That said, I pretty much agree with most of the people here. A lot of us are great, friendly people. Some of us are huge assholes, just like anywhere you go.

As for the political comments, I have to agree that it's sad when someone generalizes all of one party as saints and all of another party as nazis. I think most Americans dwell around the center of the spectrum, and are rather disappointed with their party's leaders for being too "out there".

I'm a conservative/republican (whichever you prefer), but I like to think I'm a pretty good person.

Americans are fat, lazy, uneducated, and not interested in the world around them.

HOWEVER, an American is hard working, ambitious, he gets the most out of the education presented to him and hopes to serve his country and himself in way possible to change the world to how he sees fit, with the thought that even if he doesnt manage to do it for his lifetime, he has achieved progress and his children and his childrens children will live more comfterably in a better time than he did.

I voted for :confused:

I'm not a big fan of some parts of American culture. I don't like the consumerism. I don't like the xenophobia. I don't like the 50's style conformism.

That said, I love the pragmatism, the diversity, and the interesting mix of people you get in the big cities.

All in all, I hate suburbia and love the cities.

There are some Americans who I :upyours:

And some who I :fluffle:

And a few who I :upyours: :fluffle: Simultaniously. We won't talk about that. <.<

But as a whole, I'm left deeply confused that group that can be so right half of the time can be so wrong the other half of the time.

Mostly I did this just to use the smileys that I never use....

I voted for :confused:

I'm not a big fan of some parts of American culture. I don't like the consumerism. I don't like the xenophobia. I don't like the 50's style conformism.

That said, I love the pragmatism, the diversity, and the interesting mix of people you get in the big cities.

All in all, I hate suburbia and love the cities.

There are some Americans who I :upyours:

And some who I :fluffle:

And a few who I :upyours: :fluffle: Simultaniously. We won't talk about that. <.<

But as a whole, I'm left deeply confused that group that can be so right half of the time can be so wrong the other half of the time.

Mostly I did this just to use the smileys that I never use....


I hate consumerism to but don't mind xenophobia so much. The border with mexico is a mess, maybe a little xenophobia would do america good.

ahhhh!!! border with Mexico! *pulls hair out* That is one crazy debate (at least to me). I always get conflicted with it.

ahhhh!!! border with Mexico! *pulls hair out* That is one crazy debate (at least to me). I always get conflicted with it.



I was never conflicted. Seal the border and set up a guest worker program..a real one. There everybody is happy. Conservatives get rid of illegal immigration and immigration is controled, Liberals get the cheap labor and diversity, Mexican can come in to get jobs and work towards citizenship. See. Happy?:)

I've never met an American I didn't like. They're friendly and welcoming in their own country, and generally polite and well behaved travelling abroad. Some of them can be a bit niaive, some can be a bit overbearing, but every country has those sort of people.

I could say the same about just about every country, except South Africa. I've never been there, but I've met a lot of obnoxious South Africans here.

well, I have met many Americans as they have been travelling overseas. Most of them are very friendly and will have no problem with you sharing their table in a crowded restraunt.

-however. The current politcal system in the USA honestly sucks. When a man that >didn't< get the majority of votes wins....that's F*cked up right there. but to make it worse...he gets voted in by the public to have a second term?

I believe that once the politics are changed, the world will welcome all Americans (xept the gangsta type ones >_> ) to sit with them at crowded restraunts. :) :rolleyes:


= just remember, ur leader represents you...not ur individual - think about it.

I was never conflicted. Seal the border and set up a guest worker program..a real one. There everybody is happy. Conservatives get rid of illegal immigration and immigration is controled, Liberals get the cheap labor and diversity, Mexican can come in to get jobs and work towards citizenship. See. Happy?:)
Yeah that seems to be the conclusion I usually come to. I'm definitely for sealing the border, and I like the guest worker program. I think we should keep all the good people (the ones with jobs and that are hard-working, contributing to the nation/economy, etc.) and grant them citizenship and kick out the bad ones (the gangbangers, murderers, the one's that just mooch off the government, etc.) that are already here. How we're gonna do that? I have no idea.

Sorry to everyone for getting off topic.

I'm of the opinion that people are people, and that nationality has much less to do with whether someone is likeable than just what their personality is like.


Some people from every country are assholes. Some people from every country are exemplary individuals. As a nation I don't know how you can lump the former with the latter and still call it an objective assessment of the people as a whole.



3 out of the 4 people I've known from London proper I liked. Does this mean I think 75% of the people from London are likeable individuals? No. Even disregarding factors which might skew the assessment like accounting for the type of individual likely to travel, I just don't know everyone from London or any other place for that matter.




I think on average a person is bound to be a semi-likeable person. Most people aren't especially likeable (not overly smart, nice, charismatic, etc), but most people aren't sociopathic killers either. And I imagine this holds true for all countries.



Side Note:

Mexico has threatened war if the US electrified its fence with Mexico, so I imagine similarly impressive or effective methods of keeping Mexicans out of the US would be met with Mexican disapproval. Need to clean up Mexico's government before any kind of comprehensive clean up of the border/illegal immigration can be effective.

NT

My general reaction is to wonder why they voted in a moron like Bush when all the Americans I've met in RL were so nice.

I don't like most of my fellow Americans. They're apathetic, lazy, irresponsible, fat, incompetent, and rude. It's hard to respect a person when they first have no respect for themselves.

well i live in america. born and raised here and lived here all my life. and what i think is we're a bunch of damd idiots, who have a government i've always been a little ashaimed of but never more then in the last five or six years.

i say we're a bunch of idiots because as long as we keep putting trying to impress each other by trying to see how much useless crap we can accumulate, ahead of a world in which everyone could find gratification, or at least not constant and direct threats through no doing of their own to their very survival, we deserve the shamefully corrupt tyranny we now live under.

nothing other then our own idioticly thoughtless collective priorities has created a market for a global corporate mafia to exist.

people are people and most people everywhere mean well. but people are also gullable, and believing what they hear on the corporate media without gettin a second oppinion, and by that i mean seeking out truely indipendent voices to shed light from directions not in the corporate mafia's vested control, is just plain intellectual lazyness.

=^^=
.../\...

I actualy have only met a few Americans in person, so I'll giveyou what I get from news stories and from personal experiance.

If what I hear in the news were to be belived I would see Americans (of course I'm going to generlise now so don't get all uppity about it) as easily lead, not very enlightend, gung ho, loud, brash and full of it. Haveing met a few though I can say that the ones I met where in fact easily lead, not very enligthend, always think they are right, not too loud at all actualy, firm in their belifes(even if they are wrong) and most scaryily easily lead and unable to think for themselves, and ohhh have I said eaisly lead yet?

My general reaction is to wonder why they voted in a moron like Bush when all the Americans I've met in RL were so nice.


Mass voter fraud will do that. Long story short is: We didn't. When partisan members of state governments violate and completely disregard judicial orders to actually follow voting laws and then go on to allow fixed electronic voting to occur one can expect a serious breach of the public intent/trust to have occurred.


You'd think that when one of those bloody machines registered 600% voter turnout that someone would have realized that they botched the job when they tried to fix the election? Or maybe it should have been the mid-vote "maintenance" that gave it away? I don't know; Is it just me or does the idea of anyone having access to voting results, even electronically, before counting has occurred seem fraudulent?


But perhaps the best little tidbit of them all is a republican politician managed to "get declared" a highest degree of severity terrorist warning in a rural town in Ohio. Which coincidentally the FBI denied ever having issued such a warning. Of course this terrorist warning allowed them to close up the place where the votes were being counted, and once the warning "subsided" the "official count" was over.


NT

I am ambiguous towards americans. They are on average very nice, family-minded, likeable and decent people and i know quite a bunch who enriched my life.
But a few things get on my nerves. Overall, most are us-centric, uneducated about a lot of topics overseas, loud, too influenced by fast paced tv infotainment and have a horrible taste. I wouldnt mind the later, if Europe wasnt fast in the hand of american cultural influences. The current american beauty ideal makes me gag for its so artifical; remaking good european films as horrid american clones; godawful tv formats; barely adapted magazines that dont fit the european culture but are accepted because our tv watching habits make us become more american depended for influence every day.
And the political balance is shifted between the US and Europe, your most extreme bleeding heart liberals are our slightly-off-middle lefts, your right-wing conservatives are right off the scale or fringers here. What you consider middleground is still too conservative for me.

In short, everything is bigger over there, the mouthes, the extremes, the egos. :D

Mass voter fraud will do that. Long story short is: We didn't. When partisan members of state governments violate and completely disregard judicial orders to actually follow voting laws and then go on to allow fixed electronic voting to occur one can expect a serious breach of the public intent/trust to have occurred.


You'd think that when one of those bloody machines registered 600% voter turnout that someone would have realized that they botched the job when they tried to fix the election? Or maybe it should have been the mid-vote "maintenance" that gave it away? I don't know; Is it just me or does the idea of anyone having access to voting results, even electronically, before counting has occurred seem fraudulent?


But perhaps the best little tidbit of them all is a republican politician managed to "get declared" a highest degree of severity terrorist warning in a rural town in Ohio. Which coincidentally the FBI denied ever having issued such a warning. Of course this terrorist warning allowed them to close up the place where the votes were being counted, and once the warning "subsided" the "official count" was over.


NT


That being the case, why did the people not do anything about it?
I really could not seeing our politicians getting away with that in the UK.

That being the case, why did the people not do anything about it?
I really could not seeing our politicians getting away with that in the UK.


This is the Bush family we are talking about. They payed off all the right people to make sure that this sort of information didn't make its way to the press till way too late to do anything about it.

Heck most Americans didn't find out about this sort of shenanigans until recently, and many still don't. The Bush family's crooked cronyism is well disguised.

Of course most people, even internationally, still don't realize that the Iraq War is mostly about pay backs to all the people Bush owes because of all the shit he's pulled. Gotta pay em back somehow, and giving them lucrative corporate contracts and political positions is how you do that.


Long story short: Bush and his associates are really good at being shady bastards; apparently they have a lot of practice.

NT

Americans as a people?

I dont think you can really call us a "people" anymore.

Were a nation divided right down the middle politically, and religiously.
We dont agree on the war, our leaders, our economy, our faiths, our immagrants, or our future.

Were tired of being abused by obnoxiously rich bastards, who run the nation, and our livelyhoods into the grounds for bragging rights amongst thier fatcat buddies.

Were hardworking, but jaded.

Every day, we get up, do our morning routines, go to work, work like dogs for peanuts, and go home to our houses that we really cant afford, in our suvs, that our televisions tell us are the absolute safest for our children to ride in.

Maybe this gives some of you Europeans who have maybe met one American, and decided all of us were like that, some insight as to what most of us are really like.


The most important thing any European should know about an American, is that his government, and his country, is in a state of confusion.
Americans are becoming embittered and confused at our government, and its all becuase of WWII.

See, We lead ourselves to believe that we are still "The Good Guys", in terms of global assistance, and military doings.
So, when Bush claims "We are here to liberate the Iraqi People" we DESPERATELY want to believe it, because we feel as thought its what we OUGHT to be doing.
Sadly, we all know that the real reasons we went to war in Iraq, had little to do with the Iraqi people.

So, the Average American sees this, and then slowly becomes apathetic towards every other nation, because he can see that indeed, one lone voice goes unheard rather often here.

That being the case, why did the people not do anything about it?
I really could not seeing our politicians getting away with that in the UK.


Lets put it this way. what if it had been somone with the kind of wealth and influence of say, the Windsors?

Thats kinda what the Bush family is, one of the most powerful, well connected, wealthiest families in America.

Whos going to challenge them?

This is the Bush family we are talking about. They payed off all the right people to make sure that this sort of information didn't make its way to the press till way too late to do anything about it.

Heck most Americans didn't find out about this sort of shenanigans until recently, and many still don't. The Bush family's crooked cronyism is well disguised.

Of course most people, even internationally, still don't realize that the Iraq War is mostly about pay backs to all the people Bush owes because of all the shit he's pulled. Gotta pay em back somehow, and giving them lucrative corporate contracts and political positions is how you do that.


Long story short: Bush and his associates are really good at being shady bastards; apparently they have a lot of practice.

NT


Yeah okay I can understand that I guess, but what about now? I knew about this from the Michel Moore films. If somebody has broken the law there is no time limit to when justice catches up with them.

The American people have it within their power to get rid of Bush, and to punish him and his cronnies, why then are you not doing this? you was quick enough to boot out that other chap for haveing a bit of sex outside the bounds of marriage, but the man that cheats his way into power, leads you into a war that alianates your country, abuses his posistion for his own and his friends material gain, is still there?

Once the American people where proud and rightly so of throwing off the shackles of a goverment that did not do right by the people yet, now here we are again.

The only thing that irritates me profoundly, coming from where I do, about some Americans - the ones that I have met, with the rare exception - is their apparent obsession with Ireland. I don't care if your Irish great-great-great-great grandparents emigrated during the famine. You didn't. You're American, not Irish-American. However, I do recognise that the few dozen Americans I know and have met are not representative of the country as a whole, so I'm sure most of them don't wank on about this country incessantly.

So in general, :confused:, because as has been stated, some are morons, some are great - just like everywhere else in the world. Some of the accents in the States irritate me, but accents from elsewhere do that too - and anyway, it's not as if people there can help it, so I won't go around bitching about it!

Hmm. American culture strikes me as arrogant, jingoistic, self-serving, authoritarian & anti-autonomous. More so than most other western cultures.
It seems to place little or no value on concepts like personal freedom, social equality, justice, education (perhaps knowledge in general) and human life.

The Americans themselves? Well, they're just people. Some are nice, some aren't. I'm with Czardaz on that one, it's like asking what someone thinks of food.

I don't hate all Americans, just the ones who seem to think that the USA is invincible. I'm so tired of hearing Americans say that China isn't a threat or that the world forgets all the aid the USA has given it, which is true the US is the biggest provider of aid worldwide but when you balance that out with say, Iraq and the fact that for some reason that will elude me til the day I die, they voted Bush back in!

There ya go, on the whole I think Americans are ok, no worse or better than most peoples of the Western World, the problem starts with good old Dubya!

And the political balance is shifted between the US and Europe, your most extreme bleeding heart liberals are our slightly-off-middle lefts, your right-wing conservatives are right off the scale or fringers here. What you consider middleground is still too conservative for me.


Well, not exactly.

Keep in mind, that in your country, if I wanted to goose-step and wave a swastika, I can be locked up for that. and over here, its perfectly legal, in fact, protected by law.

So we have a VERY liberal attitude towards freedom of speech, and expression, but RIDICULOUSLY conservative attitude towards issues that contain "morality" or "decency".

Why?

This country was founded by the Puritans.
People so uptight about religion, and sex that the fucking ENGLISH kicked em out.
What does that say about us?
This is why we have our more right-leaning politicians trying to cover up works of art becuase they have a "naked dirty titty on it!"

Think about it.

Think of the average Italian, or French, or Spanish attitude towards sex, and then consider the American one.

Big big difference.

Were a pretty complex bunch of people, if nothing else.

Yeah okay I can understand that I guess, but what about now? I knew about this from the Michel Moore films. If somebody has broken the law there is no time limit to when justice catches up with them.

The American people have it within their power to get rid of Bush, and to punish him and his cronnies, why then are you not doing this? you was quick enough to boot out that other chap for haveing a bit of sex outside the bounds of marriage, but the man that cheats his way into power, leads you into a war that alianates your country, abuses his posistion for his own and his friends material gain, is still there?

Once the American people where proud and rightly so of throwing off the shackles of a goverment that did not do right by the people yet, now here we are again.


The individuals which are directly responsible for the provable misdeeds have all been fired, retired from politics, etc. The issue is that Bush's connection to the whole voter tampering is tenuous at best, and so without rock-solid proof of his involvement any allegations would constitute slander. And here in the US (Dunno about the UK) there is a time limit on justice; its called the statute of limitations. After a certain amount of time passes one can no longer be charged with a crime in this country (murder and treason don't have a statute of limitations, but fraud does). Additionally voter transcripts and records are destroyed after a certain amount of time; as I recall the Ohio ballots from the 2004 election have all been destroyed here recently.


Clinton didn't have his ass in the fire because of a little sex on the side; he got busted for lying under oath. And perjury is much easier to prove than voter tampering...


So while I agree with you that it is shameful and illustrates just how decadent and lazy American culture has become, there isn't much that can be done about it through recourse of law. Really the only way Bush won't see the end of his term as President is if there is an assassination, and that isn't going to happen... The Secret Service is actually pretty good at what they do anymore.

NT

I hate the way they took religion, the ones that think religion is over human law. It makes US similar to some islamic horrid regimes. But I love the way the fight for their own freedom. But I hate the way they say to be fighting for other's freedom. I like their naturality but I hate the way they think that they are teh fucking best country in the world, what makes it worse. US is very big, but the world is much more bigger. I like the way the few americans I know hate more than me the things I dislike from them.

I like they are antigov, as a defend on person rights, and I hate the way they hate the gov, as a way to keep the poor poor ant the rich rich. And this nasty American Dream Tale. And I hate guns.

PS: No border between first and third world can be sealed, just make the blood price to cross it higher, and I know what I'm talking about, I live by the Spanish-Moroccian border, the wider fosseway in PNB in the whole world.

The majority of people in the world are idiots, this rule also applies to the majority of people in America. *nods*

I'm rather found of us...you would have to live here really to make a accurate observation, maybe some of you have. But I will admit some of us can be dicks...there's people in every country who are just plain rude and disliked.

Mass voter fraud will do that. Long story short is: We didn't. When partisan members of state governments violate and completely disregard judicial orders to actually follow voting laws and then go on to allow fixed electronic voting to occur one can expect a serious breach of the public intent/trust to have occurred.


You'd think that when one of those bloody machines registered 600% voter turnout that someone would have realized that they botched the job when they tried to fix the election? Or maybe it should have been the mid-vote "maintenance" that gave it away? I don't know; Is it just me or does the idea of anyone having access to voting results, even electronically, before counting has occurred seem fraudulent?


But perhaps the best little tidbit of them all is a republican politician managed to "get declared" a highest degree of severity terrorist warning in a rural town in Ohio. Which coincidentally the FBI denied ever having issued such a warning. Of course this terrorist warning allowed them to close up the place where the votes were being counted, and once the warning "subsided" the "official count" was over.


NT
As a former employee of the Board of Elections of Stark County, and personal handler of the machines you are impugning with such certainty, I can tell you that you are completely and totally wrong.

The Diebold voting machines were not fixed. How can I know this? Because the information about the elections was not programmed in by Diebold, instead it was programmed in by your local bipartisan Board of Elections. The election data itself was programmed onto a PCMCIA card (which was programmed using a Dell PC), which was loaded onto the machine, just minutes before the election began. When the election ended the PCMCIA card was removed from the machine, and put into the Dell made Server and the votes were tallied from that. When certifying the Diebold machines we ran across a bizarre glitch that occured one time in this process, in which we found the test votes were registered at 600% of what was input. What we found was that when the information was copied over to the PCMCIA Card, Candidate Slot 2 (William McKinley in this case, but it would have been George Bush in Gahanna) was copied six times, as the result of a software glitch. What happened in Gahanna is the exact same thing. All we had to do was put a new PCMCIA card into the voting machine, copy the results over, and it worked correctly. We believe the problem was with the hardware, not with the software. I would emphasize that it was just one of those machines in Gahanna that screwed up that made the news. It was a design screwup, not fraud.

Furthermore, the "fixed machines" certainly weren't fixed. You cannot fix a blank slate. Besides the diagnostic test election on the machines, there was no other election information on the machines.

And the machines did have printers built in. It's just that some counties didn't choose to purchase the secure hoods that are required to use the printers as a secondary method of storing vote totals. As such, not all counties were equipped with the equipment to comply with the judicial order on election day.

Occam's razor kid. Either there was a grand conspiracy to steal the votes with the Diebold machines, or a single, repeatable electronic glitch occured one time. Which is simpler?

You can eat Americans? :eek:
Yes, but it's not recommended. We are very high in cholesterol.

Some are okay, some are bastards. Like everyone else.

However I find two things:
- I have an irrational aversion to the way they speak English. It's horrible.
- You gotta stay away from politics. You have a chance of at least 50% that they are some sort of "conservative", and if that is the case things just go downhill. Seriously. And I have debated Chinese nationalists about the merits of individualism...it's nothing when compared to mentioning Bush and getting anti-americanism thown at you as an accusation.

'mmhm.

If you live in New York City, the word "American" can bring anything to mind. It's the city where all the world's cultures meet. It makes sense that the UN Headquarters would be located here. So...you can find anything here. You'll find both the rudest and friendliest Americans here. We can be mean but we're also much more likely to go out of our way to talk to strangers or lend them a hand. So I guess all I can say is I love New Yorkers.

I was never conflicted. Seal the border and set up a guest worker program..a real one. There everybody is happy. Conservatives get rid of illegal immigration and immigration is controled, Liberals get the cheap labor and diversity, Mexican can come in to get jobs and work towards citizenship. See. Happy?:)
True liberals don't want cheap labor. We want decent wages paid to all workers. Because of that we don't want a guestworker program. We don't want illegal immigration. I would like to see it made much easier and quicker for the large numbers of Mexicans who want to come to the USA to become full citizens with all the rights and responsibilities that go with that status.

I've been calling people in the states to do market research and there is some variety. Some people are nice, some people are jerks.

I figure that the best indication of whether someone's nice is how they treat complete and total strangers they are under no obligation to be nice to.

As a former employee of the Board of Elections of Stark County, and personal handler of the machines you are impugning with such certainty, I can tell you that you are completely and totally wrong.

The Diebold voting machines were not fixed. How can I know this? Because the information about the elections was not programmed in by Diebold, instead it was programmed in by your local bipartisan Board of Elections. The election data itself was programmed onto a PCMCIA card (which was programmed using a Dell PC), which was loaded onto the machine, just minutes before the election began. When the election ended the PCMCIA card was removed from the machine, and put into the Dell made Server and the votes were tallied from that. When certifying the Diebold machines we ran across a bizarre glitch that occured one time in this process, in which we found the test votes were registered at 600% of what was input. What we found was that when the information was copied over to the PCMCIA Card, Candidate Slot 2 (William McKinley in this case, but it would have been George Bush in Gahanna) was copied six times, as the result of a software glitch. What happened in Gahanna is the exact same thing. All we had to do was put a new PCMCIA card into the voting machine, copy the results over, and it worked correctly. We believe the problem was with the hardware, not with the software. I would emphasize that it was just one of those machines in Gahanna that screwed up that made the news. It was a design screwup, not fraud.

Furthermore, the "fixed machines" certainly weren't fixed. You cannot fix a blank slate. Besides the diagnostic test election on the machines, there was no other election information on the machines.

And the machines did have printers built in. It's just that some counties didn't choose to purchase the secure hoods that are required to use the printers as a secondary method of storing vote totals. As such, not all counties were equipped with the equipment to comply with the judicial order on election day.

Occam's razor kid. Either there was a grand conspiracy to steal the votes with the Diebold machines, or a single, repeatable electronic glitch occured one time. Which is simpler?


It's easier for Bush's opponents to believe that he cheated somehow, and that there's a grand tinfoil hat conspiracy for Republicans to take over the US and turn us all into Christian Bible-beaters than it is to face up to the fact that the Democratic candidates were equally lame, and that their campaign sucked, and that people didn't vote for them.

Note the last part - people didn't vote for the Democrat - and the people who still believe the last election was somehow "stolen" can't figure for the life of them why anyone would vote for Bush. Well, it happened.

True liberals don't want cheap labor. We want decent wages paid to all workers.

And why do you suppose people are fighting and dying just to get across the border? Perhaps the wages paid to them in their home countries aren't enough or there aren't enough job opportunities. You wouldn't risk your life to enter another country if you didn't have a change to benefit from it.

It's easier for Bush's opponents to believe that he cheated somehow, and that there's a grand tinfoil hat conspiracy for Republicans to take over the US and turn us all into Christian Bible-beaters than it is to face up to the fact that the Democratic candidates were equally lame, and that their campaign sucked, and that people didn't vote for them.

Note the last part - people didn't vote for the Democrat - and the people who still believe the last election was somehow "stolen" can't figure for the life of them why anyone would vote for Bush. Well, it happened.
The democrats in Ohio failed to beat Bob Taft twice. TWICE. Bob "6% approval rating" Taft. How lame must they be?

The sheer lameness (and incredibly disorganization. I was at a Kerry rally, and they couldn't get power to the speakers or lights for nearly four hours. It was a pure embarassment.) of the dems in Ohio cost them 2004, not cheating.

So..

Actual politics had nothing to do with it. It was a question of the candidates charisma & fucked up sound systems?

If that's really true, add it to the list of things I can't stand about America.

You can eat Americans? :eek:

No, but you can eat a Danish :p

And why do you suppose people are fighting and dying just to get across the border? Perhaps the wages paid to them in their home countries aren't enough or there aren't enough job opportunities. You wouldn't risk your life to enter another country if you didn't have a change to benefit from it.
They shouldn't need to die trying to enter the US. The laws regarding immigration should be relaxed and more Mexicans should be allowed to become legal citizens of the USA. I'm not trying to keep Mexicans out, I'm trying to keep businesses in the US from exploiting the people who are here illegally by paying them unfair wages and denying them the rights that citizens enjoy.

They shouldn't need to die trying to enter the US. The laws regarding immigration should be relaxed and more Mexicans should be allowed to become legal citizens of the USA. I'm not trying to keep Mexicans out, I'm trying to keep businesses in the US from exploiting the people who are here illegally by paying them unfair wages and denying them the rights that citizens enjoy.

So...you would reward them for breaking the law in the first place (entering here illegally)? What kind of message would that send to other lawbreakers--it's okay to enter the US illegally, as long as your here long enough, we'll reward you with citizenship!?

2 legs, 2 arms, 1 head, yep there definatly meople. i'd say pritty well made, just like the rest of us. Certainly they arn't many mutations.....

What is my opinion of citizens of the US?

Well, it used to be a pretty blanket dislike.

NS has changed that in many ways.

Now, if I dislike you, it's because you're an asshole. I don't assume that being a citizen of the US makes you an asshole. There are many people from the US that I like and admire, and some that I dislike intensely.

As a people? I can't say. I don't know them all, and I hate sweeping generalisations.

The only truly intelligent post in this thread so far.

Although Kat's post here (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=11218436&postcount=38) was great, too. :)

So..

Actual politics had nothing to do with it. It was a question of the candidates charisma & fucked up sound systems?

If that's really true, add it to the list of things I can't stand about America.

No, actual politics had everything to do with it - getting a message out (a coherent one that people liked), etc.

Grand conspiracies about how voting machines are actually owned by a Republican cabal had nothing to do with it.

They shouldn't need to die trying to enter the US. The laws regarding immigration should be relaxed and more Mexicans should be allowed to become legal citizens of the USA. I'm not trying to keep Mexicans out, I'm trying to keep businesses in the US from exploiting the people who are here illegally by paying them unfair wages and denying them the rights that citizens enjoy.

I agree that we should be more open to immigration and that they should be given a way to become citizens and should enjoy the same rights as us. But I actually don't believe in such a thing as "fair wages" for us either. Heh.

No, actual politics had everything to do with it - getting a message out (a coherent one that people liked), etc.


That is so sad.

You actually think that politics is about getting a marketing message across, rather than about how the country is run. :(

As for Americans, there are 300 million of them, what do you expect? The majority are OK, some are great, some are unbearable. However I only know a few, and of those one was a complete idiot, another was one of the nicest people I ever met. The remaining half a dozen are decent ordinary people.

(I don't count people here as people I know)

I really feel sorry for the American people, they are kept stupid, fat and distracted with Brangelina and American Idol. They truly have no idea what their government has done and is doing, no idea about the world at large and do not understand just how hated their country is.

The said part is, they're the only ones how can stop this roque/failed state!

That is so sad.

You actually think that politics is about getting a marketing message across, rather than about how the country is run. :(


Tell me, if you have a candidate who never articulates how they will run the country, in any meaningful manner, but does nothing but sound bites, and the news covers his sailing and hairstyle because he can't be bothered to really say what he means (he's told by his staff to either shut up, not respond, or stick to the teleprompter), how are voters supposed to make a choice?

Telepathy? Is that how you do it in your country?

Tell me, if you have a candidate who never articulates how they will run the country, in any meaningful manner, but does nothing but sound bites, and the news covers his sailing and hairstyle because he can't be bothered to really say what he means (he's told by his staff to either shut up, not respond, or stick to the teleprompter), how are voters supposed to make a choice?

Telepathy? Is that how you do it in your country?
What's more, why should I (as a voter) want to have my country led by somebody who can't express herself/himself clearly? These candidates are, supposely, trying to become representatives for the people, and I would like to be represented by somebody who is able to communicate effectively.

What is my opinion of citizens of the US?

Well, it used to be a pretty blanket dislike.

NS has changed that in many ways.

Now, if I dislike you, it's because you're an asshole. I don't assume that being a citizen of the US makes you an asshole. There are many people from the US that I like and admire, and some that I dislike intensely.

As a people? I can't say. I don't know them all, and I hate sweeping generalisations.

(I lurv Sinuhue, truer words are not present here)

Seriously, opinion threads about Americans need to stop. (Will you agree with me when French and British opinion threads pop up?) We acknowledge that our President is a bumbling idiot. He's only here for 2 more years, so get over it, and find another country to harrass.

I'm tired of hearing "America Sucks!" You know what sucks? Intolerance sucks. Ignorance sucks.

America is a country just like any other. Its people are just like any other. We have good ones and bad ones. What is so wrong with people that they have to lump together an entire nation? Why can't you just accept the fact that like everything else, there is good and bad?

I can make generalizations too, you know, but I don't because I'm more respectful and intelligent than that. People from countries other than America who want to make judgements need to step up to the plate and acknowledge the faults of their country's people as well. Yes, it's true, your shit stinks too.

So to anyone who thinks all Americans are horrible: :upyours: :upyours: :upyours:

Up yours, indeed.

What's more, why should I (as a voter) want to have my country led by somebody who can't express herself/himself clearly? These candidates are, supposely, trying to become representatives for the people, and I would like to be represented by somebody who is able to communicate effectively.
I still recall the 2004 Presidential "debates".

There are high school debaters in my town who would have wiped the floor with Kerry and Bush. Both struck me as completely incompetent in their ability to discuss any issue.

Most of them :) or :fluffle: but some are :mad: or even :upyours:

Overall, I like Americans...they got a decent Baseball Competition :(

I really feel sorry for the American people, they are kept stupid, fat and distracted with Brangelina and American Idol. They truly have no idea what their government has done and is doing, no idea about the world at large and do not understand just how hated their country is.

The said part is, they're the only ones how can stop this roque/failed state!

Oh, you're gonna get on well here. Not just a "rouge" state, but a "roque" state. Well done. :rolleyes:

I really feel sorry for the American people, they are kept stupid, fat and distracted with Brangelina and American Idol. They truly have no idea what their government has done and is doing, no idea about the world at large and do not understand just how hated their country is.

The said part is, they're the only ones how can stop this roque/failed state!

We don't need your pity or your sweeping conspiratorial comments. Americans are perfectly aware of what the government is doing and some of them are ok with it. Others are not. How dare you call us a roque state. Surely we do more in this country than play croquet! :rolleyes:

Tell me, if you have a candidate who never articulates how they will run the country, in any meaningful manner, but does nothing but sound bites, and the news covers his sailing and hairstyle because he can't be bothered to really say what he means (he's told by his staff to either shut up, not respond, or stick to the teleprompter), how are voters supposed to make a choice?

Telepathy? Is that how you do it in your country?

Oh we have marketing messages, but we do not call them actual politics. How we do it is on track record of politicians voting records, on reading the policy statements of the parties concerned, etc. Well that is how I and many friends do it, how most people do it is on the basis of whose name they remember - which, as I said, is sad.

(Did I link my comment to any country? - No. I simply indicated that the idea that politics was about media messaging was sad.)

What's more, why should I (as a voter) want to have my country led by somebody who can't express herself/himself clearly? These candidates are, supposely, trying to become representatives for the people, and I would like to be represented by somebody who is able to communicate effectively.

No argument there. What matters is what they are communicationg. If they are communicating their policies, what they will do, then fine. If they are communicating how bad the other guy is, and how much you should trust them, regardless of what they have done, then I have a problem caling that politics. I call it confidence scamming.

Oh we have marketing messages, but we do not call them actual politics. How we do it is on track record of politicians voting records, on reading the policy statements of the parties concerned, etc. Well that is how I and many friends do it, how most people do it is on the basis of whose name they remember - which, as I said, is sad.

(Did I link my comment to any country? - No. I simply indicated that the idea that politics was about media messaging was sad.)

We also look at voting records - but it takes more research than you think.

The typical bill in the US Congress for instance, runs well over several hundred (and in some cases, several thousand) pages. And the devil is in the details.

So, if a Congressman votes on several hundred bills, you get to read tens of thousands of pages of legislation to see what he might really be after.

I'm sure that you and all of your friends have the copious free time to pursue such an activity in detail, and make intelligence choices.

And I'm sure that your politicians never have to say anything, or make promises or pledges.

Why?

This country was founded by the Puritans.
People so uptight about religion, and sex that the fucking ENGLISH kicked em out.
What does that say about us?
Now...

What do you exactly mean by that swear word followed by a capitalisation of "English"?

I'd love to know.

Considering I am English.

Now...

What do you exactly mean by that swear word followed by a capitalisation of "English"?

I'd love to know.

Considering I am English.

It's comparable to the common usage of "fucking USian" or "fucking American" on this forum, although the mods frown on that sort of thing after a while. Considering that I am American (and some of my ancestors were English).

Why?

This country was founded by the Puritans.
People so uptight about religion, and sex that the fucking ENGLISH kicked em out.
What does that say about us?

Actually the country was founded by Free-Masons who leaned more towards religious tolerance. That's why you find the "All Seeing Eye" universal symbol for God on our currency instead of a cross.

To all of those who voted :fluffle: or :) , thank you. To all of those who voted :confused: , I don't blame you; Americans are often a mystery to even Americans. To all of those who voted anything else ... go perform an impossible act upon your own body. We no longer give a shit what you think. Go crawl into a hole somewhere and fucking die.

Originally Posted by McKagan
Liberal America - I love as much as the rest of the world.

Conservative America - I love as much as Nazi Germany.


liberal = socialist - remember ussr? really like it? to bad - you own a car? go do a teddy kennedy and kill someone and see how long you stay out of jail or do a bubba klintoon and ignore bin laden and hope you aren't in some building some day......

conservative = nazi? when did we kill 6million in concentration camps?

Liberal America - I love as much as the rest of the world.

Conservative America - I love as much as Nazi Germany.

May I quote John Stewart?

"Please, stop calling people Hitler when you disagree with them. It demeans you, it demeans your opponent and to be honest, it demeans Hitler. That guy worked too many years too hard to be that evil to have any Tom, Dick and Harry say, 'Hey, you're being Hitler.' No. You know who was Hitler? Hitler!!"

Im American and everyone loves me:D :D :D :D so everyone should put :fluffle:

To all of those who voted :fluffle: or :) , thank you. To all of those who voted :confused: , I don't blame you; Americans are often a mystery to even Americans. To all of those who voted anything else ... go perform an impossible act upon your own body. We no longer give a shit what you think. Go crawl into a hole somewhere and fucking die.

You rule, Eut. :D

I've decided to judge all americans by how much I like all you american NSers.

I'm going to vote...



...:fluffle: *drowns a puppy*

I've decided to judge all americans by how much I like all you american NSers.

I'm going to vote...



...:fluffle: *drowns a puppy*

Stop drowning puppies! :p

:fluffle:

- I have an irrational aversion to the way they speak English. It's horrible.

Oh shut it... our dialects are better than yours! Ya'll are jealous that ya'll ain't cool like us Americans!

To all of those who voted :fluffle: or :) , thank you. To all of those who voted :confused: , I don't blame you; Americans are often a mystery to even Americans. To all of those who voted anything else ... go perform an impossible act upon your own body. We no longer give a shit what you think. Go crawl into a hole somewhere and fucking die.

Hoo-rah!

well, the people are generally fine. And in my experiance them being a melting pot doesn't really matter, theres enough cultures you could call american that its hard to call one in particular american lol. But, in terms of politics, looking at it generally, they're insane. Does the term moderate mean anythign to them! lol. And ya it's true, I've talked to honest to god neo-nazi's who at least see the merit of any opinion but their own, but politicly americans take extremes on EVERYTHING and if you even mention anything related to anything even moderate, the democrat half brags about how many books they've read on it, but can't seem to do anything more than quote the book, and the "conservative" (i don't know what that is, but it sure as hell isn't conservatism lol) half either announces they have never considered any opinion other than they're own because they know in they're gut they're right (luckily they seem to be a minority) and the rest, also brag about the books they've read, but then can't seem to do anything more than say why those books offended them lol. The only ones i've met who had something more than an ivory tower education or aimless passion wear mocked by both sides lol. But ya, you keep out of politics or religion (and oh my god don't get me started on that one!) the majority really are an all around good people, so much so it freaks you out when you start talkin politics lol

Stop drowning puppies! :p

:fluffle:
Just for you I wont drown a puppy for that fluffle you gave me...

Now stop telling me want to do. I actually voted that this: :fluffle: is how I feel about americans, and I told everyone about it. Just don't tell the other cool kids...

well, the people are generally fine. And in my experiance them being a melting pot doesn't really matter, theres enough cultures you could call american that its hard to call one in particular american lol. But, in terms of politics, looking at it generally, they're insane. Does the term moderate mean anythign to them! lol. And ya it's true, I've talked to honest to god neo-nazi's who at least see the merit of any opinion but their own, but politicly americans take extremes on EVERYTHING and if you even mention anything related to anything even moderate, the democrat half brags about how many books they've read on it, but can't seem to do anything more than quote the book, and the "conservative" (i don't know what that is, but it sure as hell isn't conservatism lol) half either announces they have never considered any opinion other than they're own because they know in they're gut they're right (luckily they seem to be a minority) and the rest, also brag about the books they've read, but then can't seem to do anything more than say why those books offended them lol. The only ones i've met who had something more than an ivory tower education or aimless passion wear mocked by both sides lol. But ya, you keep out of politics or religion (and oh my god don't get me started on that one!) the majority really are an all around good people, so much so it freaks you out when you start talkin politics lol
lol...lol...lol...lol...lol...lol...lol...lol...lol

My main issue was that the bloke was defending Americans whilst slagging off another country at the same time.

My main issue was that the bloke was defending Americans whilst slagging off another country at the same time.

It's easy to get drawn into that, then it becomes an eye for an eye and no one can remember who did the original 'slagging off.' So guys...don't do it, please.

They're cool, dude. The politicians are wankers, but, then, whose aren't?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,1804172,00.html

Everywhere I turn, members of the service industry are smiling at me, holding doors open, straining to help. I know most of the time they're angling for tips, but I don't care. Sometimes they're just being nice. In London, Frank the engineer would've told me to piss off. The clothes shop guy wouldn't have said anything. I'd be nothing. I'd be less than dirt. Here I'm treated like Sir Lordship of Kings.

My experience in London, exactly - even at a five-star hotel, they tell you to piss off.

You rule, Eut. :D
LOL! Liked that, did ya? :D

Hmm, let's see:

On one hand:

65% are overweight and 35% are obese
The dominant musical genres are pop, rap, and country
50% voted for a fundamentalist with speech issues
The education system is the worst in the first world
45% believe in creationism
Many have told me to go to North Korea and die

On the other hand:

They don't have an endemic fetish for schoolgirl rape and tentacles
Female genital mutilation isn't practiced
You can own a gun if you feel it is necessary
The government is not a dictatorship

Overall, my opinion is negative, but not overwhelmingly so. I think they could improve a lot if they just ate less, read more, and looked into some real music and science.

Overall, my opinion is negative, but not overwhelmingly so. I think they could improve a lot if they just ate less, read more, and looked into some real music and science.

As could any country. Why single out the US?

We also look at voting records - but it takes more research than you think.

The typical bill in the US Congress for instance, runs well over several hundred (and in some cases, several thousand) pages. And the devil is in the details.

So, if a Congressman votes on several hundred bills, you get to read tens of thousands of pages of legislation to see what he might really be after.

I'm sure that you and all of your friends have the copious free time to pursue such an activity in detail, and make intelligence choices.

And I'm sure that your politicians never have to say anything, or make promises or pledges.

Way to go on misconstrual WL! All I said is that promises and pledges aren't politics. Congrats, you are still the same as ever.

As could any country. Why single out the US?

Because this thread asks what we think about Americans. DUH.

As could any country. Why single out the US?

Touche'

First, fluffle. :fluffle:

Then, *shrug* maybe smile if I meet someone I can manage to talk to.

Then more shrug.

Then dismay at those that just spout bullshit and make me tired and whatnot.

Then hatred at those who would hurt my fluffle >:Ø or for anyone who spouts so much bullshit that my bullshit meter goes off the charts and my head explodes.

But first of all: :fluffle:

Everywhere I turn, members of the service industry are smiling at me, holding doors open, straining to help. I know most of the time they're angling for tips, but I don't care. Sometimes they're just being nice. In London, Frank the engineer would've told me to piss off. The clothes shop guy wouldn't have said anything. I'd be nothing. I'd be less than dirt. Here I'm treated like Sir Lordship of Kings.
I hate all these american fast-food restaraunts and coffee shops that are around now. The people that work there may be polite but they are so annoying. 'Would you like large fries?' 'Do you want a drink with that?' 'Are you sure you wouldn't like anything else?' I'd actually rather be treated like dirt thanks. At least I get what a want faster. Or at my local chippy I get on well with the lady who works there and we actually talk about interesting things other than all this up-sale and add-on talk.

Then hatred at those who would hurt my fluffle
I wont hurt your fluffle, I'll just drown two puppies.

:fluffle: Make that three.

I hate all these american fast-food restaraunts and coffee shops that are around now. The people that work there may be polite but they are so annoying. 'Would you like large fries?' 'Do you want a drink with that?' 'Are you sure you wouldn't like anything else?' I'd actually rather be treated like dirt thanks. At least I get what a want faster. Or at my local chippy I get on well with the lady who works there and we actually talk about interesting things other than all this up-sale and add-on talk.

What I loved was when anything broke down in London (Internet connection, elevators, virtually anything), the person in charge of fixing the problem gave up on arrival.

Nice job if you can get it.

It's easy to get drawn into that, then it becomes an eye for an eye and no one can remember who did the original 'slagging off.' So guys...don't do it, please.
No worries, Sirrvs, I had no intention of doing that.

Confusion.

And a hard working American is automatically a Nazi if he votes Republican because he wants to actually KEEP the money he makes and earns instead of giving it to the state to become, "the peoples money"?
Not a Nazi, but certainly immature.

Not a Nazi, but certainly immature.

Private property is immature? Sounds like we'd have to go back to hunter-gatherer societies again in order to avoid being 'immature.'

Whilst I accept that the USA is diverse, I have three principal issues:

- the overt and ignorant jingoism that seems to pervade the country
- their inability to enunciate words properly
- their utter ignorance regarding any country beyond Mexica and Canada

Confusion.


Not a Nazi, but certainly immature.

Immature? How does a degree of self-interest make on immature? I rather thought that provision implyed maturity.

Whilst I accept that the USA is diverse, I have three principal issues:

- the overt and ignorant jingoism that seems to pervade the country
- their inability to enunciate words properly
- their utter ignorance regarding any country beyond Mexica and Canada

You are mostly correct at least when it comes to American youth. Especially when you compare them to the youth of Europe, for example. And a personal example: When I tell people that I work at the U.N., even here in New York some people my age have no clue what it's all about or what goes on here. We tend not to be as globally minded when compared with other nations. But at least some of us strongly support knocking down barriers and engaging other countries through trade.

I'm sure many people oppose Bush's administration and so on, but what about the people themselves?

Their ignorance frightens me and amuses me at the same time... As they present themselves to the world, I can't say I like them very much, but I'm sure they can't all be like that.

You are mostly correct at least when it comes to American youth. Especially when you compare them to the youth of Europe, for example. And a personal example: When I tell people that I work at the U.N., even here in New York some people my age have no clue what it's all about or what goes on here. We tend not to be as globally minded when compared with other nations. But at least some of us strongly support knocking down barriers and engaging other countries through trade.

I was in Florida on holiday in April, and was asked;

-"so, when did you your computer then?"
-" it must be nice to see some new cars"

and.......

"Scotland, is that in Canada?"

"Scotland, is that in Canada?"

Lol, reminds me of this girl I know...

"I get to go to a lot of overseas places, like Canada." -Britney Spears

Everywhere I turn, members of the service industry are smiling at me, holding doors open, straining to help. I know most of the time they're angling for tips, but I don't care. Sometimes they're just being nice. In London, Frank the engineer would've told me to piss off. The clothes shop guy wouldn't have said anything. I'd be nothing. I'd be less than dirt. Here I'm treated like Sir Lordship of Kings.
I haven't been to England since I was in the 3rd grade, so I won't comment on how it is there (I seem to remember everyone being friendly, but maybe it was because I was a little kid), but most people here (in America) are genuinely friendly to strangers. I always see people holding doors for others, saying "hello" as they pass eachother in an empty hallway, etc. and I do the same to others. It's really makes you feel welcome in a place where you don't know anyone.

Same as everyone else: Some are cool, some are not. C'est la vie.

I live here. I think that the people (normal everyday people- not including certain conservative TV/ Radio talk show hosts. Well, there are some crazy liberals out there too) are generally okay and pretty friendly. A little insincere (ie. always asking how are you when they don't care/ expect an answer). A lot of people aren't that globally minded hardly at all.

In short: Nice but not too bright on some things- and don't get into political discussions x_x

I live here. I think that the people (normal everyday people- not including certain conservative TV/ Radio talk show hosts. Well, there are some crazy liberals out there too) are generally okay and pretty friendly. A little insincere (ie. always asking how are you when they don't care/ expect an answer). A lot of people aren't that globally minded hardly at all.

In short: Nice but not too bright on some things- and don't get into political discussions x_x


Most americans aren't global minded and some still fall into petty stereotypes of people from other nations.

All of the above...
Exactically. Hence no voting on poll for me. :(

A little insincere (ie. always asking how are you when they don't care/ expect an answer).

I think that's not so much insincerity as just...our customs. The polite thing to do when you meet someone is say "How you doin'?" or "How's it goin'?" A 'nicety' I guess you would call it.

A little insincere (ie. always asking how are you when they don't care/ expect an answer).

This is why, when asked by strangers on the street if I am experiencing a satisfactory day, I respond that "I'm doing just terribly, thank you ever-so-much for reminding me of why I'm going home to kill myself." Of course, this only works if it's a total stranger who a) has no invested interest in your future and b) you will only be passing for the next millisecond, and will never glimpse again. Otherwise you might accidentally say this to someone with a cellphone, who may chose to restrain you and call an emergency help hotline. And then there's all that mess with psychiatrists, medication, padded rooms... it's all very unpleasant.

On another (slightly more on-topic) note, I myself am a citizen of the U.S. (albeit an underaged citizen, with no political rights and only so much legal protection as assures that I am, indeed, still breathing). I find my fellow citizens to be largely uninformed, sub-standard examples of the human race, who find basic reasoning and logic to be unfathomably difficult to comprehend. There are a very few select persons with whom I make a willing acquaintance. Then again, I know only a small handful of persons from the global community, and cannot accurately judge if this opinion is based more on the U.S. psyche specifically, or humanity as a whole. Suffice it to say that out of the countless people I have 'met' (in the sense that I have encountered them at least once in my lifetime) I have only actually been capable of tolerating the company of perhaps a dozen and a half of them for more than thirty minutes at a time.

Why yes, I'm a natural cynic, why do you ask?

Whilst I accept that the USA is diverse, I have three principal issues:

- the overt and ignorant jingoism that seems to pervade the country
- their inability to enunciate words properly
- their utter ignorance regarding any country beyond Mexica and Canada

- Depends on where you are.
- Depends on your perspective.
- Oh dear. That's painting with a very wide brush. :(

I'll concede that most Americans don't keep a valid passport and don't travel outside of the US all that much. By the same token, the number of bad French, English and German tourists I've seen in midtown Manhattan is staggering. Maybe half of them are as bad as the "Ugly Americans" I hear spoken of/see when I'm in Europe!
But many Americans are immigrants or 1st/2nd generation Americans that have a strong understanding of their ancesteral homelands. This is why Little Italys, Chinatowns, Little Polands etc exist. Go to Brighton Beach, it's almost as if you've wandered into Russia.

Even the "Average American" (whatever that is) probably isn't any more or less knowedgeable about the world than a European is. While some Americans may not know where Luxemborg is, few Europeans know where Wyoming is, etc...

Too many of them are fat and lazy if you ask me.

Yea the most powerful economic engine on the planet often occurs because everyone in the country is lazy. At least our country doesnt have an official "nap time" in the middle of the day where the entire economy shuts down for the afternoon so people can sneak in a nappy poo as does parts of Europe.

I think they could improve a lot if they just ate less, read more, and looked into some real music and science.

Let me get this straight. American Music is probably the most distributed music on the planet, and certainly the music that has the greatest cultural impact and awareness on the entire planet. If Michael Jackson(for a random example) went to Indonesia he would be swarmed by adoring fans. American developments in Science, Spacetravel and general tech are #1 in the world and that pretty much goes without saying. So what exactly is your problem again?

I hate all these american fast-food restaraunts and coffee shops that are around now. .

?????? So DONT GO to them. America =bountiful choice. Enjoy your other options and stop bitching.

So DONT GO to them. America =bountiful choice. Enjoy your other options and stop bitching.
Good shout, boss.