Sorry, but don’t consider it to be almost proportionate. The 2.4 million people who voted for Gore in Texas got zero electors. Whereas the 148,000 people who voted for Bush in Wyoming shared three electors. I don’t consider zero and 1/50,000 to be “almost proportionate.”
Voting is compulsory in many countries, so they get turnouts of well over 90%. At the last General Election (i.e for the national government) in the UK the turnout was 59%, the lowest since 1918. Turnouts at local elections can be much lower and most predictions of the next General Election are that the turnout will be lower than last time. We don’t get a holiday to vote.
In case that post needs clarification, in countries where voting is compulsory you would be fined for not participating in the election at all, but it’s usually OK to hand in a blank paper or spoil your paper by writing something suitably opinionated on it if you don’t support any of the candidates.
The reason why the turnout was so low in the 2001 UK election is because the result was a foregone conclusion and the main reason why it might be lower next time is a lack of support for any of the main parties. Although we don’t get the day off to vote, the polling stations are open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and if you still can’t make it you can arrange for a postal vote or a proxy vote. Some constituencies have also experimented with electronic voting methods.
Most of them are telling us that everyone hates us in Europe.
This summer, I will be travelling to Europe for the first time. Aside from a beach vacation in a very Americanized area of Mexico, it will be my first travels abroad. I am very curious to see if the UK and France match my expectations.
You only have to look at this thread to see how a political conversation can turn into a political fight. My advice would be “don’t mention the war”, but otherwise you should have a great time.
Cold Beer (yeah)…Warm Beer (booooo)
huh, oh, not now, okay…
In case it is not clear from the low turnout, voting is not compulsory in the UK, but registering to vote (although we don’t call it that) is compulsory.
I doubt that Socialism (at least under that name) will ever gain any power in the US. Most Americans equate Socialism to Communism, and communists were considered the enemy for many decades. That doesn’t mean that initiatives that socialists would support don’t sometimes make their way into law.
I think that it’s important to note that many Americans are anti-gun ownership. It’s simply not a large enough percentage as of yet to overturn the 2nd Amendment. The NRA is a very large and loud lobby, though. (Before I get flames, I’m stating facts, not a personal opinion. There are some topics that I refuse to get into one way or another, because there’s just no end to it.)
“From scratch” means exactly that to most Americans – starting from Brownie mix would raise quite a few eyebrows here as well. It’s not a particularly difficult recipe.
About the American’s can’t take crticism thing, That unfortunately is largley true these days, and it annoys the hell out of me.
For the last 20 years or so Self-esteem has been a major emphasis point of the edjucational system. The proper way to do everything is to use euphamisms, vagueness, and flat out lies to avoid telling kids that they arn’t good at something. We encourage dumb people to delude themselves into thinking they’re smart, ugly people they’re pretty, etc. I find the American idol things kind of funny, when the people can’t believe they can’t sing. Most likely nobody ever did tell them they suck, everybody just kept lying to encourage their self-esteem, they they just can’t believe it when somebody finally does tell them.
And as to the Americans eating alot thing. Well many of us were taught that way. Cleaning your plate is the only way to be polite for many older people. They were poor as hell during the depression, and food was important. And if someone went to the effort to put that food on your plate, then by god your are going to eat every last bit to show how much you appreciate it. It doesn’t matter how full you are, finish it all, and possibly seconds or thirds, or you a rude ill-manered brat.
It’s hard to overcome what you were taught by manners, and I still have to make a conscious relization that I’m full and don’t need to eat anymore, or else I will eat any amount of food on my plate out of ingrained habit.
But The Depression was a global thing, not strictly American. Most people went short of food in lots of countries and so were taught not to waste it. That was further reinforced during WWII wherever food was rationed.
acsenray writes:
> I’ve never heard an American of any kind refer to someone as a “Yank.” It’s
> always “Yankee,” whatever the context.
You’re correct, and the problem is that I was trying to make a statement about both those terms as concisely as possible and merely confused things. In fact, the term that’s sometimes used by non-Americans for Americans is “Yanks.” There a few foreigners who would call Americans “Yankees,” but it’s distinctly less common. The term that some Americans use to refer to some other Americans is “Yankees.” I agree that “Yanks” is at least very uncommon.
The words okay and hello. They have to some extent been hijacked by the rest of the world.
The rocking chair.
“Hello” certainly seems to have replaced other spellings, but credit for the invention of the rocking chair is disputed. Can you give a cite that it was definitely an American idea?
Coincidentally I recently had to look this up. While there is no “official” New England (and the New England Patriots do not play in “New England, Mass.” for there is no such place), and there are no officials to enforce the so-called definition of New England, the states which are generally agreed to comprise the area are Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connnecticut, and Rhode Island. Not New York or New Jersey, which was the question I was originally researching.
- Random Thoughts -
I would never “sheepishly admit” I am an American, as I don’t think anyone should ever “sheepishly admit” they are from their country, whatever it may be. If someone in a French cafe I’m visiting detects by my accent that I’m American and has a problem with that,…then they have a problem. If I choose to make it mine and join them on their level, I’m wasting my time instead of enjoying their nation’s culture and spending my dollars in their economy.
What might be termed “brainwashing” against socialism (and its perfectionistic cousin communism), may just as easily be called a responsible education and recognition of the rights and freedoms people cherish the world over. If anything, children these days are not educated nearly enough about what socialism really does to people. It is axiomatic that humans are born with a desire to have meaningful choices about their lives and the freedom to take their lives in the direction they prefer. Rather than crushing this desire along with the will, individuality, spirit and wealth of the people, as we have witnessed in the former USSR, China, Cuba and elsewhere, democracy and free enterprise allow people the option of pursuing their dreams, living the life they have imagined for themselves instead of the one prescribed for them by the state.
The famously polite British will no doubt cherish an opportunity to enhance their already sterling image as a polite and civilized people, to wit: Yank or Yankee is a mild slur. I’ll preface by saying I lived in England for a year, and was treated splendidly, all the time, by nearly everyone. But calling someone a Yank or Yankee always makes you sound vaguely offensive and slightly ignorant, while we know all along you’re only trying to be good-natured and friendly. For the term to remain only in sports usage, like Washington “Redskins”, New York “Yankees” and Atlanta “Braves”, would be good. First, if the referent is from anywhere in the southern or western US, it sounds just plain silly. And second, it’s not really possible to take this word as a compliment. If I’m suddenly asked, “Are you a YANKEE?” I’m instantly on my guard. It makes a person uncomfortable–Did I do something wrong?–Why are you calling me that? … …See, the term “yank” or “yankee” is a one-way street, and a dead end. By that I mean there is no way of reciprocating. We can’t call you “Brits”, “limeys” or “blokes” in return without seeming rude to some. (I was not aware until today that “Brit” was considered offensive, and I’ll not use it again.) Two friends on opposite sides of the pond who agree on calling each other these nicknames is a different matter, of course.
It’s no big deal, and no one gets highly offended by it, mind you; it’s just a term we never use in any friendly way among ourselves. A person from the southern US calling someone from the northeast a “yankee”, for example, sounds like he’s being superior, intimidating, uncomplimentary, or at best, just ignorant. The reason is once again that there is no counterpart term for the northerner to call the person from the south. If you tried to call them a “reb” or a “rebel” in return, you’d just get a cross-eyed look–or something worse. There is unfortunately even today a tangible, lingering resentment about losing the Civil War among many who call the southern US their homeland. So please, tell all your friends,…Just say no to “Yanks”.
I disagree with your interpretation of socialism as it has been applied in western European countries, but this thread doesn’t seem to be the appropriate place to debate it.
Perhaps I ought to clarify what I meant by my objection to “Brit”? It’s used by Irish people as a disparaging term for the British generally, and also for people in Northern Ireland from the unionist (i.e. pro-United Kingdom) side of the political divide there. I’m an Englishman, but of Irish ancestry, so it antagonises me in the way “yankee” might over there. Most British people refer to themselves as Brits and see it as an uncontroversial colloquialism, and so you wouldn’t get any negative reaction in most cases. “Bloke” is analogous to “guy”, so that would be OK too (even though it might be unexpected). I thought “limey” was very old-fashioned? I’m sure people wouldn’t take offense if it was said with a smile.
I promise not to call you a yank though.
peanut butter.
Sorry I didn’t mean to imply that other countries didn’t have food shortages, I was just refering to the apparently uniqely American result of it. That a good host will do what ever it takes to provide the guest with a bounty/surplus of food out of hospitality, and a good guest will show their appreciation by not wasting one bite.
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I believe non-religious circumcision is decreasing here in the US though, and it wouldn’t surprise me if the majority of males soon aren’t circumsised, if that isn’t indeed already the case.
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Count another American here who is totally confused by all this talk about silverware all over the plate or wherever to signify you are or aren’t done eating. I don’t know what I do but it has never been an issue for me.
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I doubt most Americans think Australia is “postage stamp sized”, although they may not realize exactly how big it is. Surely most of us realize it is bigger than, say, England, yes?
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I agree both “Yank” and “Yankee” come across as slightly offensive, although I realize people might at times use them on purpose for that reason. I’ve never met anyone who used either term to refer to themselves. To me it is like calling natives of two certain countries “Limeys” or “Canucks”.
Mikie, they had to move Kilimanjaro out of Japan to make room for Mt. Fuji.
Wait a minute, ‘Brit’ is offensive now? I am British, and I had literally no idea I was being insulted all this time. You bastards.
It is to me biscuit man!