american or british

The war against Britain was certainly a revolution, against British rule over British colonies.

It became a war, against the country of which the rebels were citizens.

Most do not seem to understand that their early heroes were in fact people who had turned against their own country.

This still colours present-day attitudes of those who know a little history.

>>For me, sugary drinks defeat the purpose of drinking. They just make me more thirsty.<<

Of course, the, the purpose of drinking is not always to quench one's thirst, but rather to help facilitate the ingestion of some active agent (e.g. caffeine, alcohol). The sugar is then just to make the drink in question drinkable (rather than having it be bitter or taste like some antiseptic or organic solvent).

Im just having a brew now, its a deep caramel colour, 2 sugars and the smallest amount of milk.

Guest, what does you average American think of that period of time. How do they feel about Britian, in relation to it?

"The war against Britain was certainly a revolution, against British rule over British colonies. It became a war, against the country of which the rebels were citizens. Most do not seem to understand that their early heroes were in fact people who had turned against their own country.
This still colours present-day attitudes of those who know a little history."

Most Americans don't realize that the American Revolution was actually their country's first civil war rather than the big Union-versus-the-Confederacy affair of the next century.

But that's understandable since, after all, it was the rebels who won that first civil war (with a bit of French help).

<<I thought that maybe Americans prefered to think of British rule as imposed on them rather than them being previously British? Revolution = British rising against their system of government, War of Independance = Induvidual nation throwing off the shackles of British oppression. >>


Oh, not at all, Jim -- we think of the American Revolution as a revolution of a British colony full of basically British people against the British government of the day. It certainly doesn't color our feelings toward the UK of today, which are largely warm and fuzzy, despite the fact that the modern-day American is likely to have no British blood at all in his or her veins, as Travis points out, and despite the fact that geographically the US contains more French, Spanish, and Russian land than the original 13 British colonies.

The British seem to have many more hard feelings about the subject than we do....as I've said before, that's such ancient history to us!

To us there is no semantic difference between a revolution and a war of independence, and you will hear it called either here -- I think "revolution" just happens to be the more common term. You know us and our penchant for brevity....

Tea is rarely drunk with milk here, unless it's chai -- we usually prefer lemon. And herbal teas are VERY popular! I don't care that much for chamomile either, but bring on the mint, hibiscus, or fruit-flavored teas, as well as aromatics like Earl Grey, jasmine, and Darjeeling..... Exotic tea-like infusions like rooibois (redbush) and honeybush are making an appearance, as are fancier varieties of Camellia sinensis like green teas and white teas.

My understanding is that American and British tea manufacturers actually process teas to accentuate different flavors in each market, so they are not exactly the same on both sides of the pond. Brits apparently enjoy a heavier, bitterer tea than Americans.

Very interesting Uriel, I dont like Early Grey, and I've never heard of most of those others you mentioned! Nettle tea is nice, one of my friends is a right tea fiend, he has them all... his ambition in life is to go to Japan and do the whole tea ceremony thing.

Yeah that what I thought you Americans thought, I was a bit confused at why the bloke appologised for saying revolution? I wonder why?

<<Tea is rarely drunk with milk here>>

Tea without milk is like beer without alcohol.

<<Brits apparently enjoy a heavier, bitterer tea than Americans.>>

Yeah, weak tea is the devil's work! As for bitter, that's the reason why we add milk to neutralize the taste of the tannin.

I didn't say it was weak, just lighter and not as bitter. ;)

I've had tea with milk. It's different. Not unpleasant. That's how I drink coffee, too -- the more milk the better, when it comes to coffee! Pile on the sugar, too -- coffee is best when heavily disguised!

I can't stand coffee, I hope our tea rooms arn't all bought up by StarBucks, there are something like 8 starbucks in York!

<<I can't stand coffee, I hope our tea rooms arn't all bought up by StarBucks, there are something like 8 starbucks in York!>>

Starbucks is a wonder of the modern world- how can relatively small towns support multiple shops so close to each other? It's not like bars where you have one drink in one and move onto the next one for another- at least not unless you want to start jittering by mid-afternoon. I think the first one in Manchester opened in about 1999, now there must be at least a dozen, plus a whole load of Costa Coffees and other pretenders.

At least ordering a coffee in the UK is still a relatively easy affair, I remember being daunted by the number of questions I had to answer in the US - an interrogation with the Gestapo easier!

What type of coffee do you want?
What type of bean would you like?
What size would you like?
How many shots do you want?
What type of milk would you like?
What quantity of milk do you want?
Do you want a mug or a paper cup?
Do you want syrup?
What flavour of syrup would you like?
Do you want cream?
Any topping- Chocolate etc?
..............by which time I'd fallen to the floor in tears......"All I want is a cup of Coffee for Christ's sake!"

Anyway, the lady eventually made my Voluminoso 32oz Mocha latte chocolata with quadruple shots, skinny milk, double cream, chocolate topping and enough maple syrup to wipe out a forest in British Columbia. I handed over my $12 and left.

Its the same with Subway which have apeard here in the UK recently. Ive only been in one once, I asked for BLT, pretty self explanitory yeah? they started to ask what kind of bread... whether I wanted onions...what kind of sauces with special secret spices..blah blah blah blah! Never again, choice does not equate to service...Service is doing what the bloody hell I orderd a soon as you can!

But being English we don't complain until we get home, or once we are in the pub with friends. To be honest they could dunk their genetalia in the drink in front of your eyes and we'de suffer it just to avoid a scene.

"It certainly doesn't color our feelings toward the UK of today, which are largely warm and fuzzy"

How big of you. The UK is today perhaps a bit too forgiving of nations which have waged war on it.

"I can't stand coffee, I hope our tea rooms arn't all bought up by StarBucks, there are something like 8 starbucks in York!"

Have to agree with Jim. I've never been into a Starbucks and never will.

Tea's the go, and not just in the UK.

"The UK is today perhaps a bit too forgiving of nations which have waged war on it."

What a silly remark. All countries have to eventually get along with one another at some point, regardless of past animosities and slights.

It could just as childishly argued that many other countries are "a bit too forgiving" of the past actions of Britain.

Tea is for girlies, coffee is for blokes, and not just in the UK.