Describe the United States in a sentence.

Curiosity

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Jul 30, 2005
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But but Blackleaf

Weren't they running away from him???

No taxation without representation ... and the royals...and all that????

I guess I better watch more of the History Channel!

And what about the tea????

I am mixed up !
 

CanEcosse

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Mar 9, 2006
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Yeh its true people are enamoured of America here in the UK.

I think it has to do with American culture (this includes pop music and tv shows). There is this concept that US shows are better than British ones (however British ones are far more humourous and original). American pop artists are always popular in Britain (however this isn't always the same with British artists in the US). Britain isn't right next door to the US; therefore they aren't bombarded with their culture as much as Canada is. However here in Britain there are 'American' nail salons and 'American' golf centres as well as KFC, Mickey D's and Burger Kings. Brits are also quite entrigued with accents; when they hear an American one some think its the coolest thing ever (even when it might be considered annoying by the rest of the world). I have had several people ask me after hearing me speak if I was American. Several times I have wanted to scream 'No!!!! are you daft?' at them. However there are many people in Britain who can't tell the difference between Canadian and american accents; their sense of hearing hasn't been refined yet it seems !
 

FiveParadox

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Dec 20, 2005
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CanEcosse, a few years ago I probably would have been unable to differentiate between American and Canadian accents (with the exception of, of course, more Southern-oriented accents in the United States). However, in recent years and months, I have started to notice more of a contrast. Not sure what brought that about, though.
 

Curiosity

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Accents

There is quite a difference for me and I can spot a Canuck within hearing distance. I had occasion to telephone Passport Canada on Friday in Gatineau, Qu and after a half hour wait (they at least played nice music and kept telling me how many people were ahead of me - 16 at the start)....when the nice man came on - of French ancestry there was no doubt... I immediately lapsed into my Canadian with the sentence ending in a question...up up up....

I will say something - the Canadian Passport people are far nicer than the U.S. government berks! Those sods could drive a person to physical harm.
 

CanEcosse

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I am originally from a city that borders a major US city. When I was in Canada I found that for the most part I could tell the difference between Canadian and American accents (working in a service industry type of job with many american customers). However there are some american accents that don't have the typical american twang and are a bit harder to discern.

There are a ton of different accents here in the UK though !
 

Curiosity

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CanEcosse

I purchased a house about from a couple who were geologists working for some corporation in S. California - but they were from London - right smack in London - not the outskirts - but London...
(this is how she put it to me).

She was telling me there are about six or seven different accents right in the city itself - and people can be identified by their accent as to where they were brought up...
 

Said1

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Apr 18, 2005
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In most traditional (notice I said most, not all) the President is the head of state, not head of the government and appoints a Prime Minister. The President is elected by the people and as in cases like France, can disolve government if they feel compelled to do so - with good reason of course. Actually, I'm really just speaking about the French model since they all vary.
 

Daz_Hockey

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Nov 21, 2005
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RE: Describe the United S

wednesday's child has a point, if you've been to the states and to canada and stayed long enough in both...u can tell the difference......I still dont honestly know ANYONE who's "enamered" by the states...possibly a scottish thing.

wednesday is also right on the accent for londoners and southerners as well, there's about 30 variations in the south of england so it's hard to tell anywhere really
 

Curiosity

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Thanks Daz

I can spot a commercial or a movie made in Canada as well....there are little things most people wouldn't pick up on unless someone was prompting them....

I am not sure but I'll swear the Vonage commercials were made in Canada because of the "dotty" music played.... no American would get that kind of humor. I think they are wonderful and if they are produced down here, a Canadian has something to do with the production of them.... (kinda like you never miss a Belushi thing.... or a Dan Ackroyd thing....). Some things are just Canadian.
 

I think not

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FiveParadox said:
The United States sometimes takes democracy to an extreme, whereby peace, order and good government are compromised in the interest of partisanship.

Or, maybe because we're the US and not Canada, hence we have no business following your Constitution.
 

Blackleaf

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Oct 9, 2004
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Wednesday's Child said:
But but Blackleaf

Weren't they running away from him???

No taxation without representation ... and the royals...and all that????
So what? They still had the monarchy, but they got rid of it.

And the American colonists were stupid to complain about taxation because the British people who lived in Britain had to pay taxes that were around 12 times higher than what the colonists had to pay.
 

Daz_Hockey

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Nov 21, 2005
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RE: Describe the United S

I must admit, I think Blckleaf has just pointed out the main gripe that english ppl have with americans there....you canot have a tax-free haven if you are involved in a world war........so in essence, you could say that France was the puppet master in all this, going to war with us, pushing up taxes concurrently, unrest occuring and revolutionary outcry's played upon by.......guess who?


France.....no sir Mr Washington you surely were taken for a fool by the french
 

CanEcosse

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Mar 9, 2006
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Different accents continued ...

As for the variety of accents here in the UK you would have to spend time here in order to get to know all the different varieties and sounds of them. I am not sure how the people from 'smack in the middle of London' would have sounded. If they were proper professional people they might have sounded like the typical day-time BBC news presenter (if you have ever watched BBC world news that is what they may have sounded like).

Some Brits (notice I said Brits ; not necessarily Scots but probably for the most part some English) are enamoured (again take notice - this time of the correct spelling) with American culture. I wasn't really aware of this until I came here.[/i]
 

Daz_Hockey

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Nov 21, 2005
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RE: Describe the United S

I cant spell for toffee CanEcosse sorry.....I'll blame my keyboard! :)
 

I think not

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Blackleaf said:
And it's true that Constitutional Monarchies are usually more free, and have less corrupt governments, than Republics. The Americans and the French made a big mistake when they got rid of their Monarchies.

Bwahahaha! Ahahahahaha! Ha!

Blackleaf said:
So what? They still had the monarchy, but they got rid of it.

And the American colonists were stupid to complain about taxation because the British people who lived in Britain had to pay taxes that were around 12 times higher than what the colonists had to pay.

Colonialists had no representation in parliament, that was the main issue, not the taxation in itself.
 

Curiosity

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Re: Different accents continued ...

CanEcosse said:
As for the variety of accents here in the UK you would have to spend time here in order to get to know all the different varieties and sounds of them. I am not sure how the people from 'smack in the middle of London' would have sounded. If they were proper professional people they might have sounded like the typical day-time BBC news presenter (if you have ever watched BBC world news that is what they may have sounded like).

Some Brits (notice I said Brits ; not necessarily Scots but probably for the most part some English) are enamoured (again take notice - this time of the correct spelling) with American culture. I wasn't really aware of this until I came here.[/i]

CanEcosse - they may have been putting it on a bit for the dumb Americans which oozed out of them. I saved that bit for my offer on their house.... no use falling in love when you are buying property! I didn't mention I am Canadian - not wanting to blow my cover hahaha.

She talked with the same accent Debbie Travis uses on HGTV - if you have ever had the courage to watch that cable channel with all its redesign and painting and general mucking around.... sort of through her nose....and a bit whiney "motherly".

Her husband had the House of Lords twang and cold heart. Never letting us forget he revered "rocks" over people.

I thusly directed my attention to her more warm demeanor and let the Lord of the Manor flub around with "Well um's and hear hear's"....he clearly was uncomfortable and angry the Real Estate Agent had told them to hit the road out of the house while we inspected it. He answered the door and stood there for a full minute as if weighing the prospect of actually letting us with our Agent into his domain.

I am a devil I know. It is probably a good idea I not ever travel to Europe! Although a book on regional accents would be a bit of fun when they are matched with those who either have them at birth or have morphed into them later in life...for status.

Must be awful being identified by your manner of speech. Down here people wear T-shirts proclaiming our "things".... "Soccer Mom"..."Retired and Loving It"...blah blah blah...like being an insecure billboard to give a person an identity.
 

Daz_Hockey

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Nov 21, 2005
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RE: Describe the United S

I would certainly agree with the point ITN made about the representation, I mean Washington only moaned because he wanted to join the "proper" british army and not the "british colonial army"....apart from being as thick as theives with the traders, I'd agree this was one BIG misunderstandning.....one could as then why until 1982? did canada allow the uk parliment to hve the right to change laws in canada on their own?.

No, I think what it really boils down to is the somewhat gung-ho attitude the specific group of people have or had....I mean, if you watch "Bowling for columbine", this view does explain a lot, about then and now.

Effectivly it could be seen as "throwing one's dummy out of the pram"......I suspect that the status quo that William Pitt the elder established in tax breaks, funding and his general fondness for America and the changing circumstances of our global war with the french combined with the said gung-ho attitude is what caused it all.

Just my view.
 

unclepercy

Electoral Member
Jun 4, 2005
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unclepercy said:
I received this speech in email from a good friend. I have no source, and I am posting it here because it seems to fit into a far corner of this conversation. I simply thought it was an interesting perspective <but I did not write it>:

WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT TO TURN ON THE TV AND HEAR ANY U.S. PRESIDENT, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN GIVE THE FOLLOWING SPEECH?

My Fellow Americans: As you all know, the defeat of Iraq regime has been completed.

Since congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in Iraq is complete.

This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American forces from Iraq. This action will be complete within 30 days. It is now to begin the reckoning.

Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict. This list is short. The United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, Australia, and Poland are some of the countries listed there.

The other list contains everyone not on the first list. Most of the world's nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing copies of both lists later this evening.

Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those nations on List 2 ceases immediately and indefinitely. The money saved during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the Iraqi war.

The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world Hellholes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption.

Need help with a famine? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France.

In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this money toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home. On that note, a word to terrorist organizations. Screw with us and we will hunt you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the earth.

Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France, or maybe China.

I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with France, Germany, and Russia. Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are retiring from NATO as well. Bon chance, mes amis.

I have instructed the Mayor of New York City to begin towing the many UN diplomatic vehicles located in Manhattan with more than two unpaid parking tickets to sites where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don't care about whatever treaty pertains to this. You creeps have tens of thousands of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch your precious Benzes, Beamers and limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops in the world. I love New York.

A special note to our neighbors. Canada is on List 2. Since we are likely to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try not pissing us off for a change.

Mexico is also on List 2. President Fox and his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. I will have a couple extra tank and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess where I am going to put em? Yep, border security.

Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA treaty - starting now.

We are tired of the one-way highway. Immediately, we'll be drilling for oil in Alaska - which will take care of this country's oil needs for decades to come. If you're an environmentalist who opposes this decision, I refer you to List 2 above: pick a country and move there. They care.

It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens. Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, "darn tootin."

Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America. It is time to eliminate homelessness in America. To the nations on List 1, a final thought. Thank you guys. We owe you and we won't forget.

To the nations on List 2, a final thought: You might want to learn to speak Arabic.

God bless America. Thank you and good night.

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you are reading it in English, thank a soldier.

Uncle

I read in the newspaper that Jordan hanged 2 people for killing US officials.

************************************************************************************

AMMAN, Jordan - Two men convicted of killing a U. S. aid official were hanged before dawn Saturday in Jordan's first execution of al-Qaeda-linked militants. Libyan Salem bin Suweid and Jordanian Yasser Freihat were executed for the 2002 killing of Laurence Foley, a 60 year old administrator with the U. S.Agency for International Development who was gunned down outsidie his Amman home.

**************************************************************************

Looks like the U. S. needs to add Jordan to List #1.

Uncle
 

Curiosity

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UnclePercy

Are you actually writing that the U.S. would be in favor of hanging when an act was perpetrated against one of their own in a foreign country?

I think if you look at the terrorist acts which have been perpetrated against the people of the U.S. over the past thirty years for instance - in Lebanon, Lockerbie, Munich, New York, Kenya, etc. etc., there have been no "hangings" by the U.S. government or its law enforcement.

Even Hussein is being tried by his own country in a court of law.

I believe most Americans would prefer binLaden meet Allah from military gunfire because they would have to deal with him legally if he is captured alive.

Here is the most complete list I have knowledge of concerning terrorist acts against Americans:
http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/13059