You know who I am talking about!
I have just been given the blue screen of death.
On the whole, I am very happy with Windows 7
I have just been given the blue screen of death.
On the whole, I am very happy with Windows 7
The obese American
In the Telegraph, the American commanders in Iraq were reported to be like 'Martians' according to British army officers.
The expression was probably 'Daleks'.
There was a problem of communication.
(I do realise that not everyone called 'Uriel' is Uriel. I am not anti-American capitalist pig. Only joking! Do Americans have a sense of humour?)
The expression was probably 'Daleks'.
There was a problem of communication.
(I do realise that not everyone called 'Uriel' is Uriel. I am not anti-American capitalist pig. Only joking! Do Americans have a sense of humour?)
Hostility between British and American military leaders revealed ...
25 Nov 2009 ... Content from the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph newspapers and ... described his US military counterparts as “a group of Martians” for ...
www.telegraph.co.uk/.../Hostility-between-British-and-American-military-leaders-revealed.html - 3 hours ago
"In the papers, the British chief of staff in Iraq, Colonel J.K.Tanner, described his US military counterparts as “a group of Martians” for whom “dialogue is alien,” saying: “Despite our so-called ‘special relationship,’ I reckon we were treated no differently to the Portuguese.”
"I now realise that I am a European, not an American. We managed to get on better…with our European partners and at times with the Arabs than with the Americans. Europeans chat to each other, whereas dialogue is alien to the US military… dealing with them corporately is akin to dealing with a group of Martians."
“If it isn’t on the PowerPoint slide, then it doesn’t happen.”
Gen Stewart was more diplomatic, but said: “As the world’s only superpower, they [the US] will not allow their position to be challenged. Negotiation is often a dirty word.”
25 Nov 2009 ... Content from the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph newspapers and ... described his US military counterparts as “a group of Martians” for ...
www.telegraph.co.uk/.../Hostility-between-British-and-American-military-leaders-revealed.html - 3 hours ago
"In the papers, the British chief of staff in Iraq, Colonel J.K.Tanner, described his US military counterparts as “a group of Martians” for whom “dialogue is alien,” saying: “Despite our so-called ‘special relationship,’ I reckon we were treated no differently to the Portuguese.”
"I now realise that I am a European, not an American. We managed to get on better…with our European partners and at times with the Arabs than with the Americans. Europeans chat to each other, whereas dialogue is alien to the US military… dealing with them corporately is akin to dealing with a group of Martians."
“If it isn’t on the PowerPoint slide, then it doesn’t happen.”
Gen Stewart was more diplomatic, but said: “As the world’s only superpower, they [the US] will not allow their position to be challenged. Negotiation is often a dirty word.”
Never fear, it's really me this time.
I think Americans generally have a great sense of humor.
Now, we don't always get what Brits consider to be humorous. Occasionally I am aware of watching an interchange between British people that I know they find deeply amusing -- lengthy sessions of taking the piss come to mind. Often I find this either only vaguely funny or completely pointless -- not because I disapprove of making fun of people, but because it's really just not moving me much. It's a cultural thing.
But I find other things tremendously funny. So just because I don't laugh at British humor doesn't mean I don't have any sense of humor at all, it just means yours isn't always my cup of tea. Why the British insist that to not find them particularly funny is to not have any concept of humor at all just mystifies me; who made you the pinnacle of drollness?
I think Americans generally have a great sense of humor.
Now, we don't always get what Brits consider to be humorous. Occasionally I am aware of watching an interchange between British people that I know they find deeply amusing -- lengthy sessions of taking the piss come to mind. Often I find this either only vaguely funny or completely pointless -- not because I disapprove of making fun of people, but because it's really just not moving me much. It's a cultural thing.
But I find other things tremendously funny. So just because I don't laugh at British humor doesn't mean I don't have any sense of humor at all, it just means yours isn't always my cup of tea. Why the British insist that to not find them particularly funny is to not have any concept of humor at all just mystifies me; who made you the pinnacle of drollness?
Exactly, Uriel. We need to send a message of "Yes, I get it. No, I don't think it's funny. But that doesn't mean I don't have a sense of humor."
Somehow I landed in the whitest county in California and there are a ton of European immigrants here. In fact, to the southeast is this huge French/German hippy development that is rather... odd. Think Amish with pot and you can picture the clique.
Anyway, I deal with British expats on a daily basis and the weirdest thing I find is that they act like the fact that they are British is a big secret- as if we can't tell. Meanwhile, they cringe at being greeted cheerfully, angrily mumble, and then get upset if you don't catch every single word of it.
What I really like to do is freak these people out by accurately guessing (down to the county or town sometimes) where they are from. They seem to think America is the land of stalkers. In fact, when we put in a customer's account, their name pops up on a screen which faces outward. This freaked out a visiting Brit so badly that he walked out of the store mumbling about the "crazy yanks" after I had to calmly explain that we had never had a customer stalked, only female employees. I tell you- it was hard to keep a straight face as he was first horrified and then protective over poor little me.
On the other hand, I find the masses of South Africans here to be rather pleasant and was asked just the other day by a Scandanavian (Norwegian I think, but I'm not sure) if I would run away with him on a yacht should he win the lottery.
Wow, I just got massively off topic. My apologies, but it is late and I think I shall go to bed now.
Somehow I landed in the whitest county in California and there are a ton of European immigrants here. In fact, to the southeast is this huge French/German hippy development that is rather... odd. Think Amish with pot and you can picture the clique.
Anyway, I deal with British expats on a daily basis and the weirdest thing I find is that they act like the fact that they are British is a big secret- as if we can't tell. Meanwhile, they cringe at being greeted cheerfully, angrily mumble, and then get upset if you don't catch every single word of it.
What I really like to do is freak these people out by accurately guessing (down to the county or town sometimes) where they are from. They seem to think America is the land of stalkers. In fact, when we put in a customer's account, their name pops up on a screen which faces outward. This freaked out a visiting Brit so badly that he walked out of the store mumbling about the "crazy yanks" after I had to calmly explain that we had never had a customer stalked, only female employees. I tell you- it was hard to keep a straight face as he was first horrified and then protective over poor little me.
On the other hand, I find the masses of South Africans here to be rather pleasant and was asked just the other day by a Scandanavian (Norwegian I think, but I'm not sure) if I would run away with him on a yacht should he win the lottery.
Wow, I just got massively off topic. My apologies, but it is late and I think I shall go to bed now.
***What I really like to do is freak these people out by accurately guessing (down to the county or town sometimes) where they are from***
Well, all I have to go on here are all the comments made by British people on their Expats in the USA website which clearly indicate just how wide a gulf the Atlantic Ocean is.
Rene, you must be quite a remarkable American lady to have the ability to freak out all those weird Brits by accurately guessing sometimes their home localities back here in Blighty, even down to the county or town - you obviously have a lot of dealings with my fellow compatriots over there. I don't know whether to congratulate you or offer my sympathy to you.
Anyway, as I've said before, many of those British expats in your country do get wound up, in true British style, either warranted or unwarranted, when being constantly told that they have a "real cute accent, where are you from?" or that "they speak real good English" and even more amazingly "You're fro England? What language do they speak there?"
It's surprising how many British people in America are mistaken for Australians purely on the basis of their accent. I can understand a Brummie or someone from parts of the English Midlands and most probably an Eastender from London and at a stretch perhaps a Mancunian, but not most Brits generally. And surely a Scottish accent would always be identified as such in America - wouldn't it? If I was ever taken for an Ozzie in America I would immediately head for the airport and take the next plane out to New Zealand. Apparently the South Island has quite a sizeable Scottish contingent now living there.
Some of the responses given by the expats to those unfortunate Americans are such that they can only come from Brits - you know what I mean - acid sarcasm. Apparenty we are very good at that - well, let's just say that the English are in particular.
As I say, the Atlantic is quite a huge divide between us......culturally and quite often - linguistically. I don't think I would like it too much if we were the same in every way - just think how boring that would be.
Well, all I have to go on here are all the comments made by British people on their Expats in the USA website which clearly indicate just how wide a gulf the Atlantic Ocean is.
Rene, you must be quite a remarkable American lady to have the ability to freak out all those weird Brits by accurately guessing sometimes their home localities back here in Blighty, even down to the county or town - you obviously have a lot of dealings with my fellow compatriots over there. I don't know whether to congratulate you or offer my sympathy to you.
Anyway, as I've said before, many of those British expats in your country do get wound up, in true British style, either warranted or unwarranted, when being constantly told that they have a "real cute accent, where are you from?" or that "they speak real good English" and even more amazingly "You're fro England? What language do they speak there?"
It's surprising how many British people in America are mistaken for Australians purely on the basis of their accent. I can understand a Brummie or someone from parts of the English Midlands and most probably an Eastender from London and at a stretch perhaps a Mancunian, but not most Brits generally. And surely a Scottish accent would always be identified as such in America - wouldn't it? If I was ever taken for an Ozzie in America I would immediately head for the airport and take the next plane out to New Zealand. Apparently the South Island has quite a sizeable Scottish contingent now living there.
Some of the responses given by the expats to those unfortunate Americans are such that they can only come from Brits - you know what I mean - acid sarcasm. Apparenty we are very good at that - well, let's just say that the English are in particular.
As I say, the Atlantic is quite a huge divide between us......culturally and quite often - linguistically. I don't think I would like it too much if we were the same in every way - just think how boring that would be.
To be honest with you I don't see that many Americans over here who can be classified as obese. I know that there really is an obesity problem over in America, and we are not all that far behind in that respect over here either, but I suppose that all those obese Americans can't afford to come over here because they are too busy spending all their money on crap junk food and stuffing all kinds of horrid sickly sweet stuff down their necks.
What a lot of other nations don't understand about the American "obesity" problem is just how strict our bmi charts are- to the point where many people who really aren't overweight are classified as such.
Body builders, of which I've known a ton, cannot get health insurance because they are classified as "obese". For me to qualify for health insurance I would have to crash diet because being a very physical, and therefore muscular, person has got me to the point where at 5'7" and a size US 8/10 (UK 10/12, EU 42/44) I am considered medically overweight. This, of course, is ridiculous seeing as the average woman in this country is 5'5" and a size US 14 (UK 18, EU 48).
But, I rest my case. Clearly, America does have a genuine problem, but with the "healthy" weight reduced by 20 pounds in the last 50 years and me and my ultimate fighter friend being considered medical risks, I do think our doctors and insurance companies have some major rethinking to do.
Body builders, of which I've known a ton, cannot get health insurance because they are classified as "obese". For me to qualify for health insurance I would have to crash diet because being a very physical, and therefore muscular, person has got me to the point where at 5'7" and a size US 8/10 (UK 10/12, EU 42/44) I am considered medically overweight. This, of course, is ridiculous seeing as the average woman in this country is 5'5" and a size US 14 (UK 18, EU 48).
But, I rest my case. Clearly, America does have a genuine problem, but with the "healthy" weight reduced by 20 pounds in the last 50 years and me and my ultimate fighter friend being considered medical risks, I do think our doctors and insurance companies have some major rethinking to do.
Oh, and by the by, that ultimate fighter friend I briefly mentioned is 6' tall, 195 pounds, and 2% body fight. I don't think anyone in their right minds should be able to call him fat.
<Some of the responses given by the expats to those unfortunate Americans are such that they can only come from Brits - you know what I mean - acid sarcasm. Apparenty we are very good at that - well, let's just say that the English are in particular. >
I don't know where British people get this idea that British people abroad are anything special or have "such a great sense of humour". It belongs with pinstripes and bowler hats in the mythological trashcan.
As for sarcasm, anyone can do sarcasm. (Even "acid" sarcasm.) British people are no better and no worse at it than anyone else.
I don't know where British people get this idea that British people abroad are anything special or have "such a great sense of humour". It belongs with pinstripes and bowler hats in the mythological trashcan.
As for sarcasm, anyone can do sarcasm. (Even "acid" sarcasm.) British people are no better and no worse at it than anyone else.
No way have I ever suggested that the British are any "better" or any "worse" in any respect than any other nationality no matter what and no matter where they find themselves on this planet. In any case, being "acidly sarcastic" in manner and style is not really something anyone would actually boast about is it?
But I think we can agree that "sarcasm" masquerading as "humour" can indeed be percieved by many as being part of the British psyche, more especially that of the English.
The English people may well intend it to be a form of humour bearing no malice at all in actuality, while other nationalities see it in a more negative light - snide and even nasty to a degree. It's yet another cultural thing among the British as a whole. Maybe there are some other nationalities who have a similar sense of "humour" in this respect, (perhaps the Dutch, speaking from personal experience?) - I wouldn't really know for sure.
Anyway, it's late on the old clock face now back home here in Bonnie Scotland, and I'm off to see my good pal Morpheus the noo. See you around when the cockerel crows. Cheers.
But I think we can agree that "sarcasm" masquerading as "humour" can indeed be percieved by many as being part of the British psyche, more especially that of the English.
The English people may well intend it to be a form of humour bearing no malice at all in actuality, while other nationalities see it in a more negative light - snide and even nasty to a degree. It's yet another cultural thing among the British as a whole. Maybe there are some other nationalities who have a similar sense of "humour" in this respect, (perhaps the Dutch, speaking from personal experience?) - I wouldn't really know for sure.
Anyway, it's late on the old clock face now back home here in Bonnie Scotland, and I'm off to see my good pal Morpheus the noo. See you around when the cockerel crows. Cheers.
Obviously Damian thinks they are funny because he is one. Hahaha!
I find Brits dead boring, and yes I get their humour but it is just not funny. Tough. Deal with it. Only your fellow Brits find you funny, and not because everyone else doesn't get it, they get it but find it to be shit.
<<Damian is cool>>
Now there's some acid sarcasm, ha ha.
<< Expats said this, expats said that>>
Haha, don't believe the British expats. They are nothing. They are nothing. Nothing. They are insignificant, pathetic worms.
I find Brits dead boring, and yes I get their humour but it is just not funny. Tough. Deal with it. Only your fellow Brits find you funny, and not because everyone else doesn't get it, they get it but find it to be shit.
<<Damian is cool>>
Now there's some acid sarcasm, ha ha.
<< Expats said this, expats said that>>
Haha, don't believe the British expats. They are nothing. They are nothing. Nothing. They are insignificant, pathetic worms.