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[Matt Greatorex]

Please be aware that as your fellow UKr's turn in for the night, you will eventually find yourself out numbered

Quality over quantity, dear boy.
Some of us ex-pats are still around.

 

[nomorehype]

Good point. I'd forgotton about the Falklands 'conflict'. If I remember right:

• It was implemented by a rather unpopular leader who got back into power at the next election due in no small part to the victory.
• It worked well as a distraction for the country's populace and media from domestic issues.
• It was actioned against a much smaller, much less well-equipped enemy and all action took place a long way away from our mainland, thereby ensuring minimal cost to voters.
• You couldn't move for Union Jacks.
• People who mentioned words like 'overreaction' were called traitors and unpatriotic.
• Anyone from Argentina who happened to be living in the UK was subjected to racial abuse (e.g. Ossie Ardiles being booed as he came onto the pitch).

I thought I was experiencing a sense of deja vue, of late.

You forgot the DONT EAT CORNED BEEF campaign, but other than that, you've got the broad picture right. I think there's a bit of a leap of faith comparing a country who defends its territory against an illegal invader, and a country that /is/ an illegal invader, though!

 

[KenHigg]

I hate what Americans /stand for/.

A just what would be on a short list of what you think we stand for?

 

[Matt Greatorex]

You forgot the DONT EAT CORNED BEEF campaign, but other than that, you've got the broad picture right. I think there's a bit of a leap of faith comparing a country who defends its territory against an illegal invader, and a country that /is/ an illegal invader, though!

I wasn't questioing the right to defend the land, I was merely drawing parallels with the potential motivation to be so gung-ho about it.

 

[Matt Greatorex]

A just what would be on a short list of what you think we stand for?

You stand for the national anthem, don't you?

That and when a lady enters the room (one hopes)

 

[KenHigg]

You stand for the national anthem, don't you?

That and when a lady enters the room (one hopes)

Ok funny guy...

 

[dan-cat]

I'm sorry, I don't follow you there. I can't dicate whether you're offended by something not intended to be offensive, so it's tough if you /are/ offended by it. What precisely is wrong with that statement?

Let me spell it out for you old boy...

First off you say this...

Sorry old boy, but it is not in the remit of the speaker to dictate how his message is recieved

ie. ANYONE who makes a comment is not allowed to define it's interpretation.

Then you say this in the same sentence...

- if you read insult into a post not intended to be insulting, then I'm afraid that's rather tough.

You say it's tough that the recepient holds their own right to interpretation.

Why should it be tough - you've just said in your first phrase that YOU, as the speaker, do not hold control of how YOUR comments are interpretated. So if YOUR comments are interpretated in a different way to what YOU intended, then it is tough on YOU as the speaker of those comments NOT the recepient of YOUR comments.

Get it?

 

[nomorehype]

I wasn't questioing the right to defend the land, I was merely drawing parallels with the potential motivation to be so gung-ho about it.

Do you think Brits are 'gung ho' about /anything/ anymore? Are we not just a little bit more reserved these days? I've never seen a yellow ribbon round a tree in the UK with a message saying "we support our boys", etc. There *seems to be* (for the benefit of the poster who prefers suppositions to be prefaced as such) a fair bit of that across the pond, doesn't there?

 

[nomorehype]

... then it is tough on YOU as the speaker of those comments NOT the recepient of YOUR comments.

Get it?

Well yes, but its rather semantic, isn't it? Can't we just say no offence was intended in that post and move along?
By the way, what does "interpretated" mean?

 

[KenHigg]

Do you think Brits are 'gung ho' about /anything/ anymore? Are we not just a little bit more reserved these days? I've never seen a yellow ribbon round a tree in the UK with a message saying "we support our boys", etc. There *seems to be* (for the benefit of the poster who prefers suppositions to be prefaced as such) a fair bit of that across the pond, doesn't there?

I for one am thankful for the sacrifce others make on my behalf and I am quite willing to welcome them home by displaying a yellow ribbon.

 

[nomorehype]

I for one am thankful for the sacrifce others make on my behalf and I am quite willing to welcome them home by displaying a yellow ribbon.

On /your/ behalf? Or on behalf of half a dozen oil conglomerates? Or on behalf of avenging the loss of face Daddy suffered when a previous attempt went pear-shaped? Or even (bit of a stretch this one) on behalf of the persecuted peoples of Iraq? Or (bigger stretch, but bear with me) on behalf of the people under constant threat from the WMD that were aimed at their heads?

 

[Matt Greatorex]

Do you think Brits are 'gung ho' about /anything/ anymore? Are we not just a little bit more reserved these days? I've never seen a yellow ribbon round a tree in the UK with a message saying "we support our boys", etc. There *seems to be* (for the benefit of the poster who prefers suppositions to be prefaced as such) a fair bit of that across the pond, doesn't there?

Undoubtedly.

The Falklands was the last time I can remember anyone being all 'I-bleed-red-white-and-blue' to the sort of degree one - perhaps mistakenly - associates with the US, based on TV, films, newspapers, speaking to Americans, etc.

There's a program on TV here called The Daily Show (hosted by the guy who hosted the oscars this year). It's the only one I've found that comes close the sort of political satire we take for granted in the UK. They did one item last year on how London was dealing with the aftermath of the attacks last year, and the comedian playing the reporter made the point of saying how disappointing it was that the country was going about it's day-to-day business in a determined, dignified manner. Where were all the bumper stickers, for example? He ended by saying that he personally preferred his patriotism to be done the American way - in the form of a t-shirt or a badge. All done very tongue in cheek, but spot on.

 

[dan-cat]

Well yes, but its rather semantic, isn't it?

Well you did ask ...

What precisely is wrong with that statement?

Can't we just say no offence was intended in that post and move along?
By the way, what does "interpretated" mean?

As you say, let's move along now shall we?

 

[Kraj]

Can't we just say no offence was intended in that post and move along?

As you say, let's move along now shall we?

OK....fine. *post deleted*

But if this crap keeps up the claws are coming back out.

 

[KenHigg]

On /your/ behalf? Or on behalf of half a dozen oil conglomerates? Or on behalf of avenging the loss of face Daddy suffered when a previous attempt went pear-shaped? Or even (bit of a stretch this one) on behalf of the persecuted peoples of Iraq? Or (bigger stretch, but bear with me) on behalf of the people under constant threat from the WMD that were aimed at their heads?

Yes on my behalf. I helped elect the decision makers.

 

[dan-cat]

But if this crap keeps up the claws are coming back out.

Excellent ... I look forward to that with relish

 

[Tasslehoff]

I've never seen a yellow ribbon round a tree in the UK with a message saying "we support our boys", etc.QUOTE]

Here in the USA, we have ribbons for everything, nowadays. I just saw a car covered bumper to bumper with those ribbon sticker things. Personally, they annoy the hell out of me. If you guys really don't have these ribbons over there, I think I'll move.

 

[nomorehype]

If you truly meant no insult at all - and frankly I don't buy it for one second, but I'll at least be willing to give the benefit of the doubt - then your words are still horribly chosen. There is a huge difference between someone perceiving an unintended meaning in your words, and someone being offended by horribly chosen words that clearly convey many insulting implications.

And while I'm at it, your assertion is actually completely wrong. It is the responsbility of the communicator to communicate clearly and effectively, not the listener to decipher and determine.

Conventional wisdom doesn't agree with you, I'm afraid. The deliverer of a message has absolutely no control over how it is received once it has left him. Example [and I emphasise the word EXAMPLE, so lets not get all bunched up about it, eh?] in a conversation with a close friend, you might well call him a 'tosser' or something similar, its almost an expression of endearment "How are you, you old tosser". That, in that particular context, wouldn't be offensive. In a conversation with a complete stranger, the opposite may apply.

If you don't care whether someone is bothered by what you have to say, fine. If you choose to be a sanctimonius sociopath, then have the balls to stand by that. Say whatever the hell you want and make no apologies. But then don't whine when if something you say pisses someone of, that it's their fault.

If I didn't care, I wouldn't have pointed out that no offence was intended, would I? Do try to keep up at the back. I make no apologies for your interpretation - if you choose to be offended, tough sh*t. Thanks for the psycopath bit though

Thank you for proving my point. Your own experience with American individuals contradicts your assumptions, but you hold onto them anyway. Bravo.

Ooops, try reading more carefully. I stated that in the singular, Yanks dont seem so bad. In the group, they are definitely so. Ergo, my own experience backs up my assumptions of how Americans are as a group.

 

[KenHigg]

I've never seen a yellow ribbon round a tree in the UK with a message saying "we support our boys", etc.QUOTE]

Here in the USA, we have ribbons for everything, nowadays. I just saw a car covered bumper to bumper with those ribbon sticker things. Personally, they annoy the hell out of me. If you guys really don't have these ribbons over there, I think I'll move.

Ok, ok.... If I take mine down will you stay?

 

[KenHigg]

Ergo, my own experience backs up my assumptions of how Americans are as a group.

What 'group' or 'groups' are you speaking of? I'll have a word with them