# Foreign dopers: Um...how can you stand these boards right now? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 16, 2008, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254 "2008-10-16T19:42:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/81 "2008-10-19T21:58:56Z")
I don’t mind it so much. We’ve finally got some new names. It makes a change from my entire time here prior to this election consisting of “Dubya is stupid” threads. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/82 "2008-10-20T00:10:08Z")
On the plus side, there have been fewer threads lately on whether God exists. ---
**Author:** ![Merhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Merhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merhouse)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/83 "2008-10-20T03:00:23Z")
> [@Illuminatiprimus](#): > > Driving on the right is wrong (how’s that for a contradiction in terms?). > > Anyway, we wouldn’t want you back. You clearly don’t realise that America was used as a dumping ground for all the overtly religious types thus allowing the UK to become a secular society where religion doesn’t get in the way of politics or day to day life - if we get you back we’ll be overrun by people who (gulp) go to church regularly. How about if I promise to not break that law? 😃 BTW, have you ever been to the dumping ground where you sent all those prisoners? Those prisoners did OK for themselves 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/84 "2008-10-20T03:14:59Z")
> [@Merhouse](#): > > BTW, have you ever been to the dumping ground where you sent all those prisoners? Those prisoners did OK for themselves 😉 Look, I know you’re joking, but the whole “Australia started as a Penal Colony!” thing is just tiring. The percentage of people here with convict ancestors is tiny (I believe one of the Aussie posters here has a convict ancestor, though) and the vast, VAST majority of immigrants to this country were free settlers. BTW, wasn’t at least one of the US states used as a Penal Colony as well? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/85 "2008-10-20T03:39:28Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Look, I know you’re joking, but the whole “Australia started as a Penal Colony!” thing is just tiring. The percentage of people here with convict ancestors is tiny (I believe one of the Aussie posters here has a convict ancestor, though) and the vast, VAST majority of immigrants to this country were free settlers. > > BTW, wasn’t at least one of the US states used as a Penal Colony as well? 😉 Georgia, IIRC. And I _think_ that in both cases, the criminals sent into exile were generally guilty of what we’d call “petty crimes” and **not** your hardened killer types. ---
**Author:** ![Merhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Merhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merhouse)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/86 "2008-10-20T13:52:10Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Look, I know you’re joking, but the whole “Australia started as a Penal Colony!” thing is just tiring. The percentage of people here with convict ancestors is tiny (I believe one of the Aussie posters here has a convict ancestor, though) and the vast, VAST majority of immigrants to this country were free settlers. > > BTW, wasn’t at least one of the US states used as a Penal Colony as well? 😉 Yeah, sorry. ::flogs self with wet trout:: Have to admit, I spent 2 and a half glorious weeks in Australia many years ago, and have nothing but the fondest memories of that visit. Well, OK, I could have done without the funnel web spider that wanted to make me theirs, but even so 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/87 "2008-10-20T15:19:19Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > I agree. Nothing should take this long to decide. Nothing. > A simple solution: > 1 month before the primaries the candidates declare themselves. > The primaries take place on the same day everywhere. > A week later the conventions. > A month later the general election. > 2.5 months = Done. In theory that’s nice, but in practice it would simply result in the richest candidate winning. Even more so, I mean. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254.md?page=4)