Taking sides: UK vs US

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"Knowing Willesden as you seem to, i am sure that it is fair to assume that the rest of the UK is exactly the same as your experience! jeez!"

What! You're telling me Willeden isn't a microcosm of your great British nation?!

I lived in Oxford as a kid. I've travelled around the country a bit. The pissy shower thing is a cultural constant.

― An Australian, Wednesday, 5 November 2003 12:50 (twenty years ago) link

Are Americans really loud? I've never noticed it before.

― Mandee (Jerrynipper), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 12:53 (twenty years ago) link

you've been very unlucky with your showers then An Australian. i've never had one that bad.

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 12:54 (twenty years ago) link

that said, given our apparent love for water conservation perhaps it's a good thing.

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 12:55 (twenty years ago) link

Me either!

x-post

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 12:55 (twenty years ago) link

Are Americans really loud? I've never noticed it before.

You need to live somewhere touristic like... Oxford... where it is unnaturally misty and rainy and damp (and beautiful, romantic, mysterious etc)

― Enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 12:56 (twenty years ago) link

Well, I won't let my egregiously poor experience with British plumbing diminish my admiration for your fine country. Once global warming really gets going, I'll gladly come back and live somewhere that's not Willesden. Clapham maybe.

― An Australian, Wednesday, 5 November 2003 12:59 (twenty years ago) link

*sigh*

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:00 (twenty years ago) link

the other end of the Antipodean Arc :)

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:01 (twenty years ago) link

Once global warming really gets going, I'll gladly come back and live somewhere that's not Willesden. Clapham maybe.

If we let you!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:03 (twenty years ago) link

Clapham is Australian? I didn't know that. I have this funny feeling that a population exchange is under way. There seem to be more Brits in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney than Australians.

― An Australian, Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:05 (twenty years ago) link

(imagines pinkpanther with placard and megaphone outside Clapham Housing Association)

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:06 (twenty years ago) link

"If we let you!"

You can't stop me. I hold a UK passport. Mwa-ha-ha!

― An Australian, Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:07 (twenty years ago) link

you think that can stop us? silly boy!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:07 (twenty years ago) link

Clapham is the southern end of a crescent (including Wandsworth, Earl's Court, Shepherds Bush, Queen's Park and Harlesden) that reaches back to Willesden in which you will find the vast majority of Australians residing in London it seems.

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:09 (twenty years ago) link

I had a nice drink in a pub called The Sun in Clapham once. Followed by tapas at a Spanish bar nearby, the name of which escapes me.

― An Australian, Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:10 (twenty years ago) link

*sniggers*

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:11 (twenty years ago) link

*looks down, but no, his fly is done up*

OK, so what's the joke?

― An Australian, Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:12 (twenty years ago) link

What is this Spanish Bar of which you speak?

― Madchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:22 (twenty years ago) link

We totally whooped their ass in the Revolutionary War.

― Spinktor the Unmerciful (mawill5), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:30 (twenty years ago) link

What is this "Revolutionary War" of which you speak?

― Her Royal Highness Queen Kate (kate), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:31 (twenty years ago) link

That time with the guns. Some had knives.

― Spinktor the Unmerciful (mawill5), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:32 (twenty years ago) link

The American War Of Independance? A mere footnote.

― Her Royal Highness Queen Kate (kate), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:32 (twenty years ago) link

Today I hate everyone, neither country wins.

― Nicolars (Nicole), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:33 (twenty years ago) link

Or the Revolutionary War. Ka-pow!

― Spinktor the Unmerciful (mawill5), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:41 (twenty years ago) link

"What is this Spanish Bar of which you speak?"

It is/was on the high street, not far from a pizzeria whose name I think was Marco's. I'm thinking this bar's called Rachel's, but that's hardly a Spanish name so perhaps I've got it wrong.

I also remember a jolly few pints at the Bread & Roses after a vigorous swim at the pool down the road.

― An Australian, Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:46 (twenty years ago) link

America sucks because there are no cats in America and the streets are filled with cheese.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:49 (twenty years ago) link

Yeah, well...i just found out from my mother that one of my cats was ripped apart by a mountain lion or something. Tore its head clean off. Great news to start a day off with.

― Spinktor the Unmerciful (mawill5), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:51 (twenty years ago) link

Americans: talk too loud, invade countries, don't let you smoke in restaurants, don't know much about other cultures, have crap coffee

"Talk too loud": That's because we have to shout over all the progress that's happening herein. Continually. (Or we could all have mothers like mine, who constantly prod us to "speak up" or "speak louder".)

"Invade countries": No we don't. We liberate them. Difference! :)

"Don't let you smoke in restaurants": Dependent on the location, this one is. My city just recently enacted new ordinances that would make restaurants have to meet stringent guidelines in order to have a "smoking" section. But by default, most restaurants locally are "smoke-free". Thank God! (Though there is some kind of insanity behind banning smoking in bars, IMHO.)

"Don't know much about other cultures": I don't know about that. We're all so many different cultures and peoples that we're all too keenly aware of differing cultures. If you were to run into me on the street, you'd probably think I wasn't American. But *surprise*, I am!

"Have crap coffee": I've had excellent coffee. I've had bad coffee. This happens. Good coffee can be found herein, again IMHO. But I end up relying on soft drinks for most of my caffeine intake. Robert D. Kaplan put it best when he said that coffee has a destabilizing effect on one's stomach in a hot climate. This is true. I live in a climate that could accurately be described as "hot" 75% of the year or so. Yay for sodas!

― Many Coloured Halo (Dee the Lurker), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:51 (twenty years ago) link

Sorry to hear that, Spinktor the Unmerciful. Where in America did your cat live?

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:53 (twenty years ago) link

Greenville, SC. Parents moved there about 2 years ago or so.

― Spinktor the Unmerciful (mawill5), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:54 (twenty years ago) link

:-( I lived there for a year.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:54 (twenty years ago) link

Is it me, or didn't the British WIN the American War Of Independance?

It's just that some of them were called 'Americans' afterwards.

― mei (mei), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 13:58 (twenty years ago) link

Regardless, we have stars on our flag now.

― Spinktor the Unmerciful (mawill5), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 14:00 (twenty years ago) link

The Canadians stayed loyal to Us, after all!

― Her Royal Highness Queen Kate (kate), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 14:01 (twenty years ago) link

Canadians and their war-mongering.

― Spinktor the Unmerciful (mawill5), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 14:02 (twenty years ago) link

We mean, what about the War of 1812?

― Her Royal Highness Queen Kate (kate), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 14:04 (twenty years ago) link

You didnt fare so well agains the Mongolians though.

― Spinktor the Unmerciful (mawill5), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 14:10 (twenty years ago) link

We have craps that are bigger than the UK.

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 14:12 (twenty years ago) link

I just had to explain to my instructor why i had just bursted into laughter...now im the asshole. Great.

We have craps that are bigger than the UK

― Spinktor the Unmerciful (mawill5), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 14:15 (twenty years ago) link

...why i had just bursted...

Wow. I dont know what happened there. Sorry. Re-reading that line makes my head hurt.

― Spinktor the Unmerciful (mawill5), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 14:16 (twenty years ago) link

let us not forget the war of 1812-1815, when the british basically urinated all over american soil and burnt most of the public building in washington DC. a bit more effort from us and you guys would all be drinking bovril for breakfast

― Bob Shaw (Bob Shaw), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 14:24 (twenty years ago) link

Num num!

― Sarah (starry), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 14:27 (twenty years ago) link

"I'll have a pint of the black stuff"
"You can't drink a pint of Bovril!"

― Sarah (starry), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 14:28 (twenty years ago) link

Euw bovril!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 14:28 (twenty years ago) link

slackers! finish the job you lazy gits!

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 14:28 (twenty years ago) link

The answer is Germany you fuckfaces.

― Allyzay, Wednesday, 5 November 2003 14:30 (twenty years ago) link

No one asked for your opinion, Ally. Go back to work.

― Spinktor the Unmerciful (mawill5), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 14:31 (twenty years ago) link

America does have the kraft-genius that is Taco John's though. well at least in the North West. So i'm willing to put history aside for that.

― Bob Shaw (Bob Shaw), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 14:32 (twenty years ago) link

"Our tax dollars at work"

― Allyzay, Wednesday, 5 November 2003 14:32 (twenty years ago) link

Skipping 226 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

btw - a pedantic point, but had it been introduced earlier maybe all of the shouting wouldn't have happened: the WTC terrorists did not go through Customs as the flights they hijacked were all DOMESTIC flights.

― hstencil, Monday, 10 November 2003 02:57 (twenty years ago) link

I mean like DUH.

― hstencil, Monday, 10 November 2003 02:58 (twenty years ago) link

but to answer the question, I have not been to the UK but I think I'd like it a lot (aside from that not rinsing the dishes thing).

― hstencil, Monday, 10 November 2003 02:59 (twenty years ago) link

Sorry gaz, you know I'sa just joshin ;)

Good point stence - also, gaz did (quietly) point out his customs experience was in 1994, well before any of this current terrorist hoo-ha.

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 10 November 2003 03:13 (twenty years ago) link

yeah I know, just felt like being a pedant.

And for bitchiness' sake, I'll point out that I've had my stuff rudely searched by Spanish airport security upon leaving two times now, but hey I still love Spain and would go back in a minute if I could. One rude person in a country /= all people in a country

― hstencil, Monday, 10 November 2003 03:16 (twenty years ago) link

and that wasn't directed at anyone in particular, just saying.

― hstencil, Monday, 10 November 2003 03:22 (twenty years ago) link

The customs officers in the UK were hilariously uninterested in me. I told them I had food to declare (well, it was vegemite and bikkies) and they laughed and said "this isnt Australia you know - just go through!".

I wasn't sure wether to be relieved or insulted! =)

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 10 November 2003 03:23 (twenty years ago) link

I mean in terms of 'ugly alliances to criticise the us for' israel's pretty far down the list (behind saudi arabia, egypt, russia, the uk)

What the fuck planet are you on?

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 10 November 2003 10:42 (twenty years ago) link

Trayce, it wasn't really the original comment that caused the fight, more Oops's persistent inability to acknowledge that what he posted might have some dubious connotations. Admittedly, the fact that I think the guy is an utter prick did colour my reactions somewhat.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Monday, 10 November 2003 11:13 (twenty years ago) link

seven years pass...

I don't understand what's so goddammed funny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzj1OF7d9m4

―  (Pleasant Plains), Tuesday, 26 July 2011 15:06 (twelve years ago) link

I mean, they're the ones who drink tea from gas cans.

―  (Pleasant Plains), Tuesday, 26 July 2011 15:06 (twelve years ago) link

five years pass...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3782563/I-lost-husband-sacred-ground-m-disgusted-British-stag-cause-outrage-taking-selfies-NAKED-BLOW-DOLL-Ground-Zero-eve-15th-anniversary-9-11-police-order-leave.html

― pplains, Sunday, 11 September 2016 01:18 (seven years ago) link

one year passes...

OK, fine. Limeys win.

https://i.imgur.com/8fMzRjL.jpg

― pplains, Saturday, 20 January 2018 04:06 (six years ago) link

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