On the wings of a snow-white dove

@Walter Hinteler,

Walter Hinteler wrote:

georgeob1 wrote:

The different spellings we use are irellevant.

For you, that may be.
But if they were for the Labour Party (and party members)- they had used a different spelling already.

Never confuse form with substance. You may not know that while the eastern Laender (to be) were still organizing votes to join the then West Germany, Lufthansa (another tone-deaf-to-nuance crowd) was selling tickets from Berlin to Breslau (sic) with transfer from northern Polish cities (naturally written in their original German versions) appearing on the tickets. I, the unfortunate ticket holder in one of those cases, only got away with actually getting a transfer from LOT Polish Airlines to Wrclw (that's what it sounded like, got to be Polish for Breslau, because LOT actually got me there) by the simple expedient of speaking French and resolutely refusing to respond when addressed in any other language. German colleagues traveling with me knew to remain mute and, if addressed directly, mumble something along the lines "we're with her!" Chancellor Kohl, who had persistently referred to current chancellor Merkel as "das Maedchen" had a harder time with foreign languages than the rest of us. So, please some tolerance on the nomenclature Smile

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@Setanta,

Setanta wrote:

That's no different than what Intrepid posted, it's just anecdotal. And Intrepid alleged that many Americans do this. Of the millions of Americans who travel abroad each year, how many do something like this? For a significant fraction, of say 10%, that means you'd have to document 100,000 Americans out of every million who travel abroad each year do this. I don't see anything like evidence that something like that is true.

However, i have no doubt that this is Canada's favorite urban legend.

Regardless of the number, it does happen. Francis even told you that he has seen it.

The fact that you refute everything that is posted is legend and of no consequence in the scheme of things. What I wrote is fact and you can deny all you want. That does not change the fact.

If you don't believe it. Too bad. Again, the fact that you challenge this does not change anything.

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@Intrepid,

Intrepid wrote:

Regardless of the number, it does happen. Francis even told you that he has seen it.

The fact that you refute everything that is posted is legend and of no consequence in the scheme of things. What I wrote is fact and you can deny all you want. That does not change the fact.

If you don't believe it. Too bad. Again, the fact that you challenge this does not change anything.

I don't think Setanta disputed it "happening", rather his argument appeared to be with the number or fraction doing so, and, in the end, the real significance of it. That Americans are the subject of some distemper among some Europeans, doesn't make them necessarily worthy of it. That some masquerade as Canadians may as likely be a device to make themselves appear inoccuous and unimportant as it may also reflect an admiration for Canada. There are many real demonstrations of things admirable in Canada: this isn't one of them.

I travel a lot and have never masqueraded as a Canadian (I haven't even used my Irish passport) . Moreover, apart from the occasional surly bureaucrat or shopkeeper, I have never encountered real hostility. A smile, a bit of consideration and a greeting work fairly well everywhere - even in Canada. (nothing works with surly Calgary Taxi drivers though).

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@georgeob1,

georgeob1 wrote:

Where did you learn that? Largely a true story. The computers were ubiquitous and involved everything from e-mail to navigation, control of air operations and supply. Unfortunately they were conceptually far ahead of their time and their real ability to perform.

True in every particular. What the hell, people have to be guided by new ideas in order to compete, however badly these ideas are implemented; and there are definitely determined competitors on the world scene. I never, ever, forgot speaking to v. Braun at some point decades ago and asking him how he managed not to get discouraged after his rockets, one after another, went ka-boom shortly after takeoff. Dozens of rockets, hundreds of millions of dollars, back when that was real money. He said: "With each failure we learned something useful and eventually we improved." What choice is there?!

1 Reply

when the Lady Diane and I were in Amsterdam, the hotel concierge was quite rude to me every time I passed his desk. He consistently referred to me as "the texan." I must assume he was an example of all europeans in his dislike of americans. Our last day there I stopped by his desk and asked him "how many minutes would it take the USA to shock and awe Amsterdam? While I may very well have added to the ugly american mythos, I was totally pissed about the label "texan".

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@dyslexia,

I was in Ireland when JR got shot, I too was constantly asked if I were a Texan. I share your sentiment. Wink

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@dyslexia,

Anybody calls me that, I open a can of "whup ass" on them.

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@edgarblythe,

But, but.. but I thought you was one?

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I once was walking the streets of San Francisco. A group of five girls joined together to sing, when I passed: "Well I'm a long tall Texan." I said, "Jesus. I grew up in California." They just shook their heads and laughed.

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@Intrepid,

I dispute your claim to the effect that "many" do it. Out of the literally tens of millions of Americans going overseas each year, how many do this? Just how meaningful is it.

I'd say, not many, and not meaningful at all.

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@Intrepid,

Intrepid wrote:

The fact that you refute everything that is posted is legend and of no consequence in the scheme of things.

A fact isn't the same thing as a legend - make up your mind, please, because the difference really is of consequence in the scheme of things.

1 Reply

@dyslexia,

Maybe on considering your cowboy hat and boots he made what for him appeared to be a logical deduction. In the Netherlands the distinction between Texas cowboys and those affecting the style from New Mexico may be no more apparent for him than are the fine differences between towns and provinces within the Netherlands for us.

I'll bet he had you down as cranky though.

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@High Seas,

High Seas wrote:

Intrepid wrote:

The fact that you refute everything that is posted is legend and of no consequence in the scheme of things.

A fact isn't the same thing as a legend - make up your mind, please, because the difference really is of consequence in the scheme of things.

As most of what you write is of little consequence to me.

Based on your post, you have little comprehension of what I said and your post reflects that.

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@dyslexia,

Men in Europe are supposed to take off their hats the moment they set foot indoors; exceptions are made for ecclesiastical, military, and religious headgear such as Jews or Moslems wear. Ladies may wear any hats they like indoors or outdoors. Etiquette doesn't provide for Texans.

1 Reply

@High Seas,

That etiquette applies in North America, as well. Men are to be uncovered when under cover, or in the presence of a lady. The only exception for militry personnel is that uncovering in the presence of a lady out of doors is optional--otherwise, they are to uncover when they are under cover. You should have been taught those rules in the military.

1 Reply

@georgeob1,

Quote:

the new President Eisenhower gave the go-ahead for the CIA operation to which you referred.

Why are you being so honest about this war crime, Gob, but you try to cover your own with cute little stories?

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@georgeob1,

Quote:

The different spellings we use are irellevant.

OmSig would agree with you, Gob.

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@Setanta,

Quote:

You should have been taught those rules in the military.

You amero-centric view needs reminding that different armies have different rules.

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@High Seas,

Quote:

I never, ever, forgot speaking to v. Braun at some point decades ago

= I read it in a book and thought, "Someday I can use this to name drop and try to impress people".

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@dyslexia,

dyslexia wrote:

when the Lady Diane and I were in Amsterdam, the hotel concierge was quite rude to me every time I passed his desk. He consistently referred to me as "the texan." I must assume he was an example of all europeans in his dislike of americans. Our last day there I stopped by his desk and asked him "how many minutes would it take the USA to shock and awe Amsterdam? While I may very well have added to the ugly american mythos, I was totally pissed about the label "texan".

C'mon dys, you know you prefer being called a "Texan," to a "Chocolate Maker."

It has always been my experience (especially when I was a 17 year old, long haired hippie backpacking around Europe) that you are never more a patriot then when you are outside of the US of A.

Having marched against the Vietnam War in 1969 and got suspended in my HS for taking on The Man in our school newspaper, I found myself beaten up in a gutter in Paris in 1971, because after hearing a bunch of French college kids in velvet jackets and coiffed curls try to convince me that all American soliders in Vietnam were "baby-killers," I told them their problem was that the US had pulled their asses out of two world wars.

3 Replies

On the wings of a snow-white dove

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