I Love the USA

[Shaguar]

May I just say I have returned from a week in North Florida (my second visit in 3 months) and I just love it. I am now on a one man crusade to stop my ignorant Brit friends from just piling into disney and thinking that is Florida.
I was treated with nothing other than kindness and as ever in the USA I am amazed at the politeness shown in shops and restaurants etc.
I saw my first ever dolphins whilst walking the miles of beautiful Crescent beach and it was magical. I know it is easy to look back through rose trinted glasses and I have read enough Carl Hiaasen to know Florida can be dangerous but where I was (St Augustine) is a great place.

[Ensign Steve]

I saw my first ever dolphins whilst walking the miles of beautiful Crescent beach and it was magical.

On first read, I missed the "whilst" and I thought, Walking dolphins? Yeah, that is pretty magical. :yup:

Glad you enjoyed your trip. I plan to visit Florida sometime this year. I'm a US left-coaster and I've been temporarily relocated to the southeast, so I'm going to try to make the most of my time here.

[viscousmemories]

Glad to hear you had a good time, Shaguar. I've been all over the States in my lifetime, but never to Florida. I moved from Michigan to Southern California to Texas in the last 4 years though, so if I keep moving in the direction I have been I'm headed that way. :D

[livius drusus]

Florida is great. In the winter time. :giggle: And yes, southerners are generally speaking a really courteous, friendly, warm bunch.

I've never been to St. Augustine but I've been curious about it because of it's incredible oldness (for the US, that is). Are there still really old bits of the town remaining? Does it look Spanish at all?

[lady cop]

oh god, NO :eek: ,don't tell them all about crescent beach! ...St. augustine does contain elements of the Spaniards who settled the area, and there is quite a fort as well as interesting architecture. there is a tourist-type area, with quaint shops and pricey B&Bs. the rest of the town is unremarkable, and the beaches ARE magnificent. however, note to ALL British tourists except SHAGUAR.....you do NOT want to go to crescent beach or matanzas inlet....there are sharks, BIG MEAN HUNGRY sharks. and land sharks too. (trust me, i'm a cop. would i lie?) :shark: :shark: :shark: :shark: :shark: :shark: :shark: :shark:...ask Shaguar whether he saw the shark patrol :copter: tell your mates about THAT! :D

[Clutch Munny]

Not to second-guess the kindness of Floridians... no, wait, that's kinda the idea... Anyhow, it is an area that depends primarily on tourism. So folks might just know where their bread is buttered, when it comes to being nice to the visitors who pay the bills.

Also, Britain is the other major Coalition partner (probably the only one that really is Willing). I wonder -- and I'm not indirectly guessing, I really just wonder -- whether someone from France or Germany would find the welcome so warm?

But I'm glad you enjoyed your trip and met friendly people. It's slightly thin grounds for loving the the USA, but all positive cross-cultural experiences are reason to celebrate, in my view.

[Beth]

Florida is great. In the winter time. :giggle: And yes, southerners are generally speaking a really courteous, friendly, warm bunch.

I've never been to St. Augustine but I've been curious about it because of it's incredible oldness (for the US, that is). Are there still really old bits of the town remaining? Does it look Spanish at all?
Some of St. Augustine does. I love going to the old forts and historic sites there. I even get a kick out of the "Fountain of Youth".

St. Augustine and Sarasota are my two favorite places to visit in this state. Although I simply adore the rolling hills going up to Gainsville and in other Northern Florida areas. As far as beaches go, The west coast has some of the best in the country-at least from the beaches I have seen elsewhere. Some are even rated in the lists of the top world beaches.

Anyway, Shaguar, we Floridians, especially are nice, kind and polite. Real southern charm, ya know. -the rest of the southern states try to imitate us in our grace and charm. *ducks*

[Beth]

Not to second-guess the kindness of Floridians... no, wait, that's kinda the idea... Anyhow, it is an area that depends primarily on tourism. So folks might just know where their bread is buttered, when it comes to being nice to the visitors who pay the bills.

Also, Britain is the other major Coalition partner (probably the only one that really is Willing). I wonder -- and I'm not indirectly guessing, I really just wonder -- whether someone from France or Germany would find the welcome so warm?

But I'm glad you enjoyed your trip and met friendly people. It's slightly thin grounds for loving the the USA, but all positive cross-cultural experiences are reason to celebrate, in my view.

I have noticed that even though people have made fun or mocked a particular nation for political stance, people are able to find a nation an enemy and not the actual people within. I'm not sure I'm making sense.

If we are rude to a Frenchman, it is more likely because he treated us like dumb hicks who are below him than because of their stance on Iraq. THere are French people who do visit here and have this total air of hostility and arrogance, but most of the French I have met are simply wonderful and not at all rude.

[Shake]

St. Augustine is a lovely little city on the Floridian coast. The wife and I visited there on our 5th anniversary and had a good ol' time there. Back then, we'd celebrated each anniversary in a different state. I can't tell you what they all were -- cause I don't remember -- but they were all good, and no, we haven't managed to continue that tradition for all 9 years of our marriage.

/me thinks for a minute

I believe Ohio, Illinois (Chicago, specifically), New York (duh), and South Carolina (also duh) are among the states we've been in on that date. Oh, I should explain the "duh"s: we're both from NY and I was stationed in SC for 6 years after we were married.

[Dingfod]

Thanks for being a goodwill ambassador for Americans, Shaguar. We need the world to know that most of us aren't bad people.

I've been all over the western half of the Untied Stakes and I can't think of anywhere I've been that people were openly hostile to outsiders, but I never went to Colorado City, Arizona or Hildale, Utah (100% mormon polygamist towns). Some places might be a little more superficially friendly than others, but most people anywhere, when asked a question or asked a favor will be as helpful as they can, if they are in a position to do so. Of course, you may run across assholes here, there and anywhere, but they do not represent the majority of people that I've encountered.

When I visited Venezuela people were very kind and helpful to the Yanqui with bare minimum Spanish speaking skills too.

Even in supposedly rude NYC, most people I met were friendly as anywhere else... if you could make eye contact, that is. People there tend to not look directly at other people much, I suppose if I lived in a city that big I'd get that way eventually.

[Weaselboots]

I've spent a total of about one year in the US over three visits. The first time was for 10 months. I'm was crazy enough to fall for a Yank, so i have heaps of relatives and friends over there now. We spent about 5 months driving from one side to the other, camping, hiking, visiting the sites and people. I have to say i loved it. Everyone was very friendly, they love the Aussie accent so i couldn't go wrong. The landscape is amazing, i could rave forever about the beautiful places we went to.
When i was younger i had no real interst in the US, i thought not much different from here but full of bloody Americans. :P

[wade-w]

Wow, Clutch. I must admit I fully expected naysayers to show up in this thread. I am surprised it was you that got here first though. I figured it'd be one of the New Zealand or Australian contigent.

[Goliath]

Glad to hear that you enjoy the US, Shaguar. I, however, have slowly begun to hate this country ever since November 3, 2004.

[Sycophant]

Wow, Clutch. I must admit I fully expected naysayers to show up in this thread. I am surprised it was you that got here first though. I figured it'd be one of the New Zealand or Australian contigent.

America sucks.
Down with the USA!

Actually, I quite like the US. I've spent a bit of time there (although not since I was pretty young) and I liked a lot about the country. And the people.

The US government and it's policies are to be judged apart from the country and it's people (beyond the fact that a slight majority of them voted for this admistration, maybe).

Although with a lot of the seird shit in the world in past few years, and the US government's interesting reactions to those things (legislatively) and stuff, the USA is not as attractive a place for me to visit or live these days.

I still love Canada though (although only the West Coast, the other side is too French!)

[Clutch Munny]

Wow, Clutch. I must admit I fully expected naysayers to show up in this thread. I am surprised it was you that got here first though. I figured it'd be one of the New Zealand or Australian contigent.

Wade,

Huh?

Pop quiz, now. True or false: Meeting friendly people on one trip to one state is slightly thin grounds for saying "I love America!".

I also thought I ended on a rather positive note. Your reaction, seems to me, is more about your sensitivity to criticism of the USA than about anything I wrote.

Beth, your explanation looked just fine to me; no doubt there's a real gap between attitudes towards a nation and attitudes towards individuals. On the other hand, for a while there it really was a matter of heaping contempt on the French, and not so much as a country but as a culture and a people. (Which you might have meant by "nation".) So I guess I'd be surprised to learn neither that individual French and Germans were treated with the same warmth as everyone else, nor that they were treated less warmly on balance. I just wondered if there were any reports or solid information about it.

[Petra]

Jeez, wade!


I lived in the States (Ohio) and went to high school there. I had a blast. I travelled all around, and agree that the landscape is magnificent. People were very friendly and open to me - right up till I got myself a black boyfriend. Then things changed a little and my name was mud among some of my fellow students. But for the most part, the people were great to me.


I lived in Israel, too, and both the Palestinians and the Israelis were wonderful to me, for the most part.


Does that mean I must always love the policies and actions of those countries?

You're either with us or against us, eh.

[wade-w]

Does that mean I must always love the policies and actions of those countries?

You're either with us or against us, eh.

Where did I say that?

[Petra]

Where did I say that?

Technically, you didn't; but you did infer that we Kiwis and Aussies are die-hard American haters who couldn't possibly say one nice thing about the country or the people in it...

I fully expected naysayers to show up in this thread. I am surprised it was you that got here first though. I figured it'd be one of the New Zealand or Australian contigent.

..didn't you?

[Weaselboots]

**Technically, you didn't; but you did infer that we Kiwis and Aussies are die-hard American haters who couldn't possibly say one nice thing about the country or the people in it...**

I'm not a American hater, but i'll admit to being a Seppo Mocker....its soooo easy, like kicking puppies. :giggle:
I married to one, so i have Rights of Mock, its in the constitution i'm sure.
The problem is, that my laid back, long haired Californian agrees with most of what we Mock him and his ilk with....no fun.

[Petra]

...Seppo...

LOL.

[wade-w]

Where did I say that?

Technically, you didn't; but you did infer that we Kiwis and Aussies are die-hard American haters who couldn't possibly say one nice thing about the country or the people in it...

I fully expected naysayers to show up in this thread. I am surprised it was you that got here first though. I figured it'd be one of the New Zealand or Australian contigent.

..didn't you?

No, I didn't. I most certainly did not say or imply that merely criticizing the US gov't means you are a "die-hard American hater."

ETA: I think I may need to stop posting here. It seems that all I can do lately is piss people off.

[Petra]

No, I didn't. I most certainly did not say or imply that merely criticizing the US gov't means you are a "die-hard American hater."

Then I apologise.

So, why did you expect the Kiwis and Aussies to show up as automatic naysayers, especially in a non-political thread?

[Weaselboots]

wade-w
**ETA: I think I may need to stop posting here. It seems that all I can do lately is piss people off.**

(havn't worked out quote stuff yet, one day.)



stop being a martyr
i don't think you are pissing anyone off, well not here...somewhere else, don't know. Whats the point of these forum's if you can't disagree and completely misunderstand someone else's post, get on your high horse, then realise they were on you side in the first place.

[livius drusus]

This might help (http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/misc.php?do=bbcode#quote), Weaselboots. Oh, and :hug:.

[JoeP]

I've spent a total of about one year in the US over three visits. The first time was for 10 months. I'm was crazy enough to fall for a Yank, so i have heaps of relatives and friends over there now. We spent about 5 months driving from one side to the other, camping, hiking, visiting the sites and people. I have to say i loved it. Everyone was very friendly, they love the Aussie accent so i couldn't go wrong. The landscape is amazing, i could rave forever about the beautiful places we went to.
When i was younger i had no real interst in the US, i thought not much different from here but full of bloody Americans. :P
Welcome, :weasel: (I don't think I've greeted you before). Go on, put your location in your profile and remind the Americans (and other northern hemispheroids) there are other parts of the world! :P

I've only ever spent 3 months in North America and it wasn't nearly enough. I really feel like a world tour ....

[JoeP]

This might help (http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/misc.php?do=bbcode#quote), Weaselboots. Oh, and :hug:.
Good thing you sent the hug there, liv, or you might have come across all Use the forum code features or you'll be arrested! :cuffs: :livcop:

[viscousmemories]

Okay fine, I'll bite.

Is Seppo the Marx Brother separated at birth, or...?

[Weaselboots]

Okay fine, I'll bite.

Is Seppo the Marx Brother separated at birth, or...?


Well blame the Poms for rhythming (is that spelt right, looks wierd) slang.
THis won't sound funny to you guys but here goes.

Septic tank=Yank=Seppos=Americans......
You really had to be there.
Its a term of endearment really, all the seppos i know don't get too offended :P

[viscousmemories]

It's okay. That's way too goofy sounding to be offensive.

[Weaselboots]

I think its pretty funny, in a wierd way and use it all the time.
When we first started going out, he would come over and stay, and my charming housemates would say "So does the Seppo want a cup of coffee?". I was slightly horrified, thinking they would scare him away and offend him. Nah, he thinks its great and uses it to. Has totally embraced the Australian way of life, except he won't eat Vegemite...traitor.

(Totally off topic, never knew there were so many smilies, someone has too much time on thier hands. :cthulhu: )

[livius drusus]

Totally off topic, never knew there were so many smilies, someone has too much time on thier hands. :cthulhu:

Why do you hate America? :bull:

[Beth]

I edited a Wiki page on slurs by nationality. I already knew what a Seppo was. :P

[Weaselboots]

Why do you hate America?

Where do i begin...

Twinkies
Can't make a decent cup of tea.....no not iced, or in a huge freakin cup
Klu Klux Klan
Reality TV
Fred Phelps
Olestra
Rabies
No Vegemite...... :australia:

[viscousmemories]

I knew it. Anyone who doesn't like Twinkies has more than just one screw loose.

[livius drusus]

Yeah and for someone who talks smack about the smiley wonderland, he sure has no problem rolling around in it. :glare:

[Weaselboots]

:octopus: :jerry: :belly:

[livius drusus]

Damn skippy. Speaking of which, I think we need more marsupials.

[Weaselboots]

:kangaroo: Yes, bit under represented here. Bring on the Platypus, Echidna, Tassie Devil, Tassie Tiger, Saltwater Croc, Funnel Web Spider, Box Jellyfish.... :clever:
Also a "Talk to the Hand" could come in useful.

Ok why do you love and/or hate Australia?

[livius drusus]

Pshaw... We've had a talk to the hand one for aaaages. :talkhand:

Okay a few weeks, but still, from before you got here.

[LadyShea]

Oh I am glad you went there! St. Augustine is wonderful. We were catching the backwash of Hurricane Irene while we were there, and the water was so high there was no beach, but we still had a great time just roaming the old part of town and watching the awesome power of mother nature safely. The dolphins came right up to the dock by our condo, and the more we cheered them the better the show they put on for us.

[livius drusus]

Here ya go, Weaselboots. :)

:platypus: :jellyfish: :kooka: :echidna:

[Weaselboots]

they are great.... i will use them at every opportunity whether they are relevent or not.. :P

[livius drusus]

When is a platypus not relevant? I seriously can't think of a time.

:platypus:

See? Totally relevant.

[The Lone Ranger]

:platypus: trivia:

Supposedly, when the first platypus was brought back to Europe, naturalists refused to believe that such a creature existed, and thought it was some sort of elaborate hoax.

I mean, really! A mammal that lays eggs, has a ducklike beak, and is venomous? Who would believe that such creatures exist?

Cheers,

Michael

[livius drusus]

That would have had to have been an elaborate hoax indeed. It is a rather improbable creature, though, isn't it? And so cuuuuuute! :wriggle:

[Weaselboots]

A bit about the non-hoax. Can understand why they thought it dodgy at first. Nothing quite like them.
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/platypus.html

I've been lucky to see one :platypus: in the wild, quite a few :echidna:, hundreds of :kooka: and millions of :kangaroo: (taste good too)

[livius drusus]

Interesting link, Weaselboots. I didn't realize the Chinese had a reputation for stitching together hybrids. I'd be curious to see some of what they produced (particularly the beasties people fell for).

Anyway, that's a whole other thread, I think. :)

[wei yau]

I didn't realize the Chinese had a reputation for stitching together hybrids.

Well, I'm Chinese and my wife is not. That makes my daughter a halfbreed, though no stitching was involved.

However, she probably doesn't qualify as she's fully human.

Mostly.

I think.

:shifty:

[godfry n. glad]

Yeah and for someone who talks smack about the smiley wonderland, he sure has no problem rolling around in it. :glare:

pssst...liv...I think weaselboots is female...I may be wrong.

[livius drusus]

No you're right, but I didn't know it until a couple of days ago. :doh:

[godfry n. glad]

And I had no idea the cute little buggers were venemous.

As for Auz and Auzzies, I spent the month of May in the company of 12 denizens of Australia, along with one Canuck and two Tasmanian poms. As the one and only Yank, I immediately became "Septic" and was threatened with becoming the token American sacrifice in the event we ran into anti-western mobs. I found that Auzzies are great company when travelling, particularly if you pitch it back.

However, I have yet to manage a taste for Vegemite. That stuff is vile. How 'bout some peanut butter?

godfry

[godfry n. glad]

Oh...oh...

Since I've somebody to ask who has actually seen one of them, how big is the platypus?

I've always pictured them as being the size of the North American beaver (probably because of the tail similarity), but that's a pretty big rodent. The article you linked us to has a description of a "duck bill attached to a mole's body." Now, moles, in my experience, are much smaller rodents than beavers.

godfry

[Weaselboots]

pssst...liv...I think weaselboots is female...I may be wrong.

No you're right, but I didn't know it until a couple of days ago.

Thats ok..not hugely obvious....i'm still in two minds about half you people. :P


found that Auzzies are great company when travelling, particularly if you pitch it back.

You have to give as good as you get with us. Being sarcastic is our second nature. Our sense of humour is slightly off kilter with the yanks. We will find the same things funny, but for different reasons. Many times while travelling over there, i would make a off hand flippant comment (which would crack me up) and would be treated by stares. Though i think half the time they couldn't understand what i just said.
Peanut butter has its place aswell. But nothing beats vegemite on toast and a cup of tea for breakfast.

[Weaselboots]

:beaver: are much bigger than :platypus: i remeber seeing them in a zoo and was surprised how big they were.

The info i found is " At maturity, male platypus measure on average 50 centimetres in total body length (bill tip to tail tip). They typically weigh 1.2-2.6 kilograms, although the heaviest platypus yet recorded (captured in Tasmania) tipped the scales at 3 kilograms. Adult females are smaller, measuring an average 43 centimetres in total body length and weighing 0.7-1.6 kilograms.
Adult males have a pointed spur (about 15 millimetres long) located just above the heel of each hind leg, which can be used to inject poison produced by a gland in the thigh "
http://www.totalretail.com/platypus

[viscousmemories]

Oh thanks, Weasleboots. Of course you could've just told us in cubits.

[BigBlue2]

Weaselboots, luv, you gotta talk imperial to the Seppos. Allow me to translate:

" At maturity, male platypus measure on average 20 inches in total body length (bill tip to tail tip). They typically weigh 2.5-5.5 pounds, although the heaviest platypus yet recorded (captured in Tasmania) tipped the scales at 6.5 pounds. Adult females are smaller, measuring an average 17 inches in total body length and weighing 1.5-3.5 pounds.
Adult males have a pointed spur (about 0.5 inches long) located just above the heel of each hind leg, which can be used to inject poison produced by a gland in the thigh "

[viscousmemories]

Good lookin' out, BB! :2thumbsup:

[godfry n. glad]

Good lookin' out, BB! :2thumbsup:

Thanks, weaselboots for the description. I actually did quite well with my estimations (must be the hanging about with the right people), but I'll admit it was nice to have the conversions done for me to confirm it. Thank you BB2.

So, it's about half the size, maybe more, of my tomcat. The size of a small throwpillow. Or a clutch purse. Cute.

godfry

[godfry n. glad]

pssst...liv...I think weaselboots is female...I may be wrong.

No you're right, but I didn't know it until a couple of days ago.

Thats ok..not hugely obvious....i'm still in two minds about half you people. :P

Yeah, I've been here a while, and I'm still not absolutely sure. I'm a short, wide, bearded, bespectacled, balding, middle-aged, Anglo-Celtic American male. 'Zat help? I'm told I'm irasible.

found that Auzzies are great company when travelling, particularly if you pitch it back.

You have to give as good as you get with us. Being sarcastic is our second nature. Our sense of humour is slightly off kilter with the yanks. We will find the same things funny, but for different reasons. Many times while travelling over there, i would make a off hand flippant comment (which would crack me up) and would be treated by stares. Though i think half the time they couldn't understand what i just said.
Peanut butter has its place aswell. But nothing beats vegemite on toast and a cup of tea for breakfast.[/QUOTE]



I will...I'll beat it. With a stick. :whup:

And, yes, my bet would be that they did not understand what you said, much less the content of the humor. Once explained, many would probably find it as funny as you. I had a great time trading barbs with the Aussies and I think I went over okay....if a bit obnoxious. (Y'know, "typical American" crap. Bumbling. Loud and boorish. Of course, I'm obviously partially deaf, so it is allowed me to a certain degree.) But it took me a while to acclimate to the Aussie accent, much less their pet words and phrases.

I had a great time watching the Aussie guys deal with the locals whose English was limited to a few catchphrases. If they were children who wanted to jabber, the guys would all repeat the phrase, "Free Cold Beer." It took me a while to realize that those three words are the Aussie male's anthem. They were spreading the gospel teaching the locals the critical phrase to make Aussies happy.

Love that sarcastic humor. And they loved hearing me bitch about American politics.

godfry


(oh...and weaselboots? ya gotta be careful about your use of the term "yank" around Americans. The down-south folk don't tend take kindly to be referred to as a "yank" or "yankee". We do have an ample representative sample of southerners around these parts.)

[Weaselboots]

Oh thanks, Weasleboots. Of course you could've just told us in cubits.
:giggle:

Well i could pander to an out of date system or..... :cool:

I am about as crap in maths as you can get, but even i can work this out

# 10 millimeters = 1 centimeter - yep
# 100 centimeters = 1 meter- got that
# 1000 meters = 1 kilometer- no worries
# 1000 milligrams = 1 gram- easy peasy
# 1000 grams = 1 kilogram- sorted
# 1000 kilograms = 1 metric ton- how else

As opposed to this


220 yards = 1 furlong - huh
8 furlongs = 1 mile - WFT
437.5 grains = 1 ounce -whatever
16 ounces = 1 pound (7000 grains) -my brain hurts
14 pounds = 1 stone - get outta town.

You people are :crazy2:

When road tripping around your fair land i saw a few road signs with both miles and Kms, to get people used to a change over, that never happened. It was all too hard.

leader of the free world, indeed. bah



oh...and weaselboots? ya gotta be careful about your use of the term "yank" around Americans.

Noted, is Seppo still ok??

[viscousmemories]

Well duh... I can convert metric quantities to metric quantities too. :P

What I can't do is visualize metric measurements beyond:

200 milligrams is an Advil
2 Litres is a big bottle of soda
1 millimeter is a reeeeally tiny distance

That sort of thing. Whereas:

1/2 pint is the size of a small box of milk
1 pint is a box of milk twice that size
1 quart is a tall skinny box of milk
1/2 gallon is a box of milk twice that size
1 gallon is a plastic jug of milk

An inch is about this long _______
My foot happens to be a foot long
A yard is three feet
A football field is 100 yards long
A mile is ... a mile

And on and on. See? It's not my fault the vast majority of my visual associations are measured in units of stupid. I'd be all for switching to the metric system if they would just start making things I could identify with.

[Weaselboots]

Ok i shouldn't be admiting this, it will blow my whole rant out of the water, but the sever is down on World of Warcraft :fuming: done the washing up, have glass of wine white and trying to keep cool.

If you asked me what is my height i would say "about 5ft 6'", in centimeters can never remember (ahh google,you never let me down). With confidence i can say i'm about 167cm ish
Did i fair bit of hiking in the US, and can visualize miles in a walking sense. I know to the bottom of the Grand Canyon is 11 miles, and back up is 14 miles, Arches National Park in Utah trail is about 8 miles...and so on. Though i had to convert in my head when driving....i tell ya that was no fun, brain don't like math.

still a dumb system


olympic pool - 50 meter = 164.0419948 feet
from that is should be easy :wink:

[godfry n. glad]

Noted, is Seppo still ok??

Sure, as long as you don't have to explain it to a southerner. Once you explained the "yank"-"tank" thing, they'd deny any connection, 'cause they're not "Yanks". Nine out of ten will never even think to make the connection, though. I suppose to anyone out country, all Americans are Yankees.

As for me, personally, I qualify as a bonafide Yankee. Well, sorta.

[The Lone Ranger]

What the word "Yankee" means really depends upon where you're from!


To those living outside the U.S., all residents of the U.S. are "Yanks" or "Yankees."

To those living in the Southern half of the U.S., "Yankees" are all those who live North of the Mason-Dixon line.

To those living North of the Mason-Dixon line, "Yankees" are New Englanders.

To New Englanders, "Yankees" are from Maine (especially Southern Maine), New Hampshire, and Vermont. "True Yankees" might be willing to consider people from Massachusetts as "honorary Yankees" (especially if they're not from Boston), and maybe people from Rhode Island too (if they're feeling especially generous). People from Connecticut are not Yankees according to most other New Englanders.

Such is my general observation, anyway.

Cheers,

Michael

[godfry n. glad]

What the word "Yankee" means really depends upon where you're from!


To those living outside the U.S., all residents of the U.S. are "Yanks" or "Yankees."

To those living in the Southern half of the U.S., "Yankees" are all those who live North of the Mason-Dixon line.

To those living North of the Mason-Dixon line, "Yankees" are New Englanders.

To New Englanders, "Yankees" are from Maine (especially Southern Maine), New Hampshire, and Vermont. "True Yankees" might be willing to consider people from Massachusetts as "honorary Yankees" (especially if they're not from Boston), and maybe people from Rhode Island too (if they're feeling especially generous). People from Connecticut are not Yankees according to most other New Englanders.

Such is my general observation, anyway.

Cheers,

Michael

Yep... I concur.

Of course, I met one Aussie who was very aware of this, as he'd served in 'Nam with American troops and had gotten to know a captain from Louisiana, who made it ever-so-clear to the Aussie that he was no "damned Yankee."

Heh...Hence, the warning.

godfry

[livius drusus]

I object! Connecticut Yankees are not only genuine, they're enshrined in literature. Them other New Englanders are just bitter about it.

[godfry n. glad]

I object! Connecticut Yankees are not only genuine, they're enshrined in literature. Them other New Englanders are just bitter about it.

Well, first of all, the term "Connecticut Yankee" was coined by a southerner.

Then, if Connecticut was once Yankee country, it is no longer. It's merely a New York City suburb.

godfry

[livius drusus]

Well, first of all, the term "Connecticut Yankee" was coined by a southerner.

Used, yes; coined, I dunno about that.

Then, if Connecticut was once Yankee country, it is no longer. It's merely a New York City suburb.

That, sadly, is very true. My great-grandmother was the last CY in our ancestral neck of the woods. She died in '82 and her outhouse and cast iron handpump died with her. Now the property she left and our neighbor's dairy farm are the last remaining non-commercial, non-condo, non-giant house on tiny plot pieces of land in the town.

[Ensign Steve]

Well duh... I can convert metric quantities to metric quantities too. :P

What I can't do is visualize metric measurements beyond:

200 milligrams is an Advil
2 Litres is a big bottle of soda
1 millimeter is a reeeeally tiny distance

3.5 grams is 1/8 oz.
A kilo is a brick.
10cc is a syringe.

c'mon, vm. Has your sordid past taught you nothing about the metric system? ;)

[Dingfod]

10cc is a syringe.10cc is a loving spoonful.

[Corona688]

:kangaroo: Yes, bit under represented here. Bring on the Platypus, Echidna, Tassie Devil, Tassie Tiger, Saltwater Croc, Funnel Web Spider, Box Jellyfish.... Boy, I'm learning more about marsupials every day!

[Corona688]

:beaver: are much bigger than :platypus: i remeber seeing them in a zoo and was surprised how big they were.

The info i found is " At maturity, male platypus measure on average 50 centimetres in total body length (bill tip to tail tip). They typically weigh 1.2-2.6 kilograms, although the heaviest platypus yet recorded (captured in Tasmania) tipped the scales at 3 kilograms. Adult females are smaller, measuring an average 43 centimetres in total body length and weighing 0.7-1.6 kilograms.
Adult males have a pointed spur (about 15 millimetres long) located just above the heel of each hind leg, which can be used to inject poison produced by a gland in the thigh "
http://www.totalretail.com/platypus I actually understand those units, but I think a picture (http://www.livejournal.com/community/baaaaabyanimals/399417.html#cutid1) worth a thousand words when it comes to terms of scale.

[viscousmemories]

Ahhh, now there's something I can understand. Thanks Corona. Very cute buggers. :)


They really could've done without the fetal ones, though. :yuck:

[Shake]

Oh thanks, Weasleboots. Of course you could've just told us in cubits.
:giggle:

Well i could pander to an out of date system or..... :cool:

I am about as crap in maths as you can get, but even i can work this out

# 10 millimeters = 1 centimeter - yep
# 100 centimeters = 1 meter- got that
# 1000 meters = 1 kilometer- no worries
# 1000 milligrams = 1 gram- easy peasy
# 1000 grams = 1 kilogram- sorted
# 1000 kilograms = 1 metric ton- how else

As opposed to this


220 yards = 1 furlong - huh
8 furlongs = 1 mile - WFT
437.5 grains = 1 ounce -whatever
16 ounces = 1 pound (7000 grains) -my brain hurts
14 pounds = 1 stone - get outta town.

You people are :crazy2:

When road tripping around your fair land i saw a few road signs with both miles and Kms, to get people used to a change over, that never happened. It was all too hard.
Or you could get a decent conversion program (http://www.joshmadison.com/software) (it's called Convert), and let it do the work for you.