This makes me mad as hell.....

[kiwigeo]

No offence taken......its only a game and Im not a die hard fan of it either.

According to the myth a British Journalist was of the opinion that the ABs played so well even their forwards played like backs. When the article went to press "All Backs" became "All Blacks" due to a typo. Nobody has been able to find the article in question which suggests its a myth.

[ST John]

I don't believe the Americans can point the finger at us, or even us at them. Unfortunately every society has its fair share of racists. Go to Japan they'll call you a 'White Demon' or go to Ghana and see all the angry faces staring at you. Racism sucks but everyone pigeon-holes someone sometime or another in their lives.

[ubeaut]

I've been in the US Since Dec 6th and still here. All I can honestly say is the bulk of them are basically clueless when it comes to anything outside the US and in some instances outside their state.

In a recent quiz show on the idiot box the host asked a lady and her friend something about Ayres Rock and Australia. Missed the whole question because I wasn't really all that interested in the show so wasn't paying much attention till I heard the reply (not verbatum but pretty close as I recall) "Australia? Is that a country, I don't think so, I think I've heard of it.... No it's not a country, I think it's somewhere in Texas, I'm sure I heard of it somewhere. Wait it's a town in Germany or Russia isn't it. Her friend then intervened with "No I thnik it's a country somewhere because they made a film about it. Yes it's a country."

Shows compare - "Your right. it is a country, you win $175?" Idiot woman and friend go right off the face cheering whilst the compare looks directly into the camera and says. "Isn't it amazing what you can learn from the movies folks....." Then rolls his eyes.

Got to say that here in Texas the vast majority seem to be pretty much clueless about anything outside of Texas and as for a sense of humour..... None.

Get really peed off listening to Obama being touted all over the place as "The leader of the free world." What a freakin crock of sheeeit that is.

Currently the big gripe here is that the US is the only country in the world who ever help when there's an earthquake or other natural disaster. According to them NO-ONE else is ever involved or helps out.

Oh yes and then there's this one. "Australia..... No they weren't in WWII they were neutral like Swaziland. Yes I actually heard someone say that.

Don't beat yourself up over what the yanks think. I'm pretty sure a great many of them don't.

Rant off

Back in Aus in a few weeks and can't wait to have a piece of bread that doesn't taste like sugar or honey and some meat that hasn't been smoked or BBQ'd and to talk to people who actually understand English or at least will try.

Cheers - Neil

PS a little of this is a bit tongue in cheek but mostly it's dead true.

PPS Apologies to our yank friends on the forums who must all be nice and thoughtful etc because they found us and we rub off on people.

[rsser]

An Oz consular official over there described the US as a dragon: a large impressive head and a loooong tail.

In my visits to universities over there what was good was very good, and what was mediocre there was a lot of.

[Grumpy John]

During a trip to the States a few years ago SWMBO and I wend into a supermarket to get some milk. SWMBO is slightly lactose intolerant asked a register operator for soy milk to which the person replied "what kind of animal do you set soy milk from?" I told her it came from a bird and she said "oh, really".

[rsser]

Innergrant or wot?!

Everyone knows it's a byproduct of soy sauce.

[Honorary Bloke]

PPS Apologies to our yank friends on the forums who must all be nice and thoughtful etc because they found us and we rub off on people.

No offense taken Neil. Not all Americans are that ignorant.

By the way, when does the Vienna Boy's Choir perform again? Is it before or after the hippo races?

[jimbur]

By the way, when does the Vienna Boy's Choir perform again? Is it before or after the hippo races?

Nice one Bob
cheers,
Jim

[artme]

Any sort of racism pi55e5 me off. But I was particularly struck by an incident I witnessed a few weeks after moving to Brisbane.

We were parked at a set of lights, where there was a pedestrian crossing, waiting to turn left. There was a young woman pushing a stroller with a child in it and holding the hand of a little girl as they crossed the road. Nothing to take any notice of, just a normal daily happening until the long haired, rotten toothed yobbo in the ute behind us blasted his horn and yelled out"Run over the black bitch!" His 2 mates, both of equal intelligence and sartorial elegance to the driver thought this was hilarious.

Me? I just sat there and waited for another light change.

Racism is too narrow a definition for a problem that pervades all societies. lack of respect is probably a better term. How we perceive and treat others is the root cause of the problem. For many the tendency to see those who are different to us as somehow being inferior or unworthy and therefore deserving of scorn, ridicule or even hatred is the birthplace of what is often too hastily seen as racism.

[rsser]

Agree.

Wld say tho that some folk fear difference and aggression arises from this.

[jerryc]

Every country and every culture has a streak of racism in certain quarters. It is a natural, ANIMAL response to something that is different, that manifests itself in suspicion and aggression. Most of us aim a little higher than the animal.

However, GJ's objection and that of some others is that most Americans appear hypocritical and moralising.

I remember Lenny Henry, a very funny English gentleman of dark hue recounting his experience in a Greenwhich Village nightclub. He sends up negroes mercilessly. On this occasion he made a negro joke and as he says "It went down like a lead balloon" The audience was so politically correct they would'nt laugh. They considered themselves non racist but in acting this way they only showed their true colours.

While I was in London recently I was chatting with a West Indian woman. She told us how much they hated the Nigerians. She said they were arrogant and called West Indians "slaves". She grinned and said our reply is "And who sold us into slavery?"

But as I said above, it is the image the US projects abroad that upsets people

Jerry

[artme]

Agree.

Wld say tho that some folk fear difference and aggression arises from this.

True Ern. We all fear difference to some extent, in the same way most of us fear change because change means different.

Witness the the flurry of nonsense in stable countries like Australia when there is a change of government. Most of the fears are unfounded and most of the changes are easily coped with by most people.

I know this is off track but it is interesting how we can draw so much from one observation with several points of view or divergence.

[woodnut]

I'm not racist at all, I just can't stand those effing Yanks! Mongrels think they are as good as us whites!!!