Mal Posted March 18, 2012 Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 I use it as an excuse to cook up a corned beef. I'm not much of a drinker so... eh on that department. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faiblesse Des Sens Posted March 18, 2012 Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 Question: Why do the Americans make such a big thing out of one nations patron saint, while ignoring all others. Or is it pretty much just an excuse to get plastered and call it "tradition"? Pretty sure that's the basis of why we celebrate most holidays in America. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterDex Posted March 18, 2012 Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 That's what Paddy's Day is for us here in Ireland anyway. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yantelope V2 Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 Question: Why do the Americans make such a big thing out of one nations patron saint, while ignoring all others. Or is it pretty much just an excuse to get plastered and call it "tradition"? Pretty sure that's the basis of why we celebrate most holidays in America. Yep, same reason we celebrate Cinco De Mayo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted March 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 So in todays global news: Everyone hates China (or at least its companies) http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20120322PD214.html http://delimiter.com.au/2012/03/24/govt-bans-huawei-from-nbn-tenders/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyEthan Posted March 24, 2012 Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 That solar article is terribly written. "The US has introduced a tariff and people worry Europe might take on similar investigations." Similar to what? There's no other mention of investigations. What is it talking about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted March 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 http://thinkprogress...tion/?mobile=nc Probably better article I guess. Basically it's reckoned that Chinese gov't is subsidising development of solar panels. As folks are pointing out: 'Well durr, why you sending your manufacturing over to China? Cos they can make it cheaper.' And now their ability to make things much cheaper is biting industries at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterDex Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 This seems as appropriate a place as any. I just got done watching the latest episode of The Savage Eye. It's a comedy documentary that casts a critical eye over Ireland and the Irish. Some great stuff in it, even if you're not Irish yourself. How our government is elected: http://youtu.be/TsnLyHKWtrg Drinking: http://youtu.be/7acUNw-SegY (Subsequent parts can be found on Youtube) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thursday Next Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 http://thinkprogress...tion/?mobile=nc Probably better article I guess. Basically it's reckoned that Chinese gov't is subsidising development of solar panels. As folks are pointing out: 'Well durr, why you sending your manufacturing over to China? Cos they can make it cheaper.' And now their ability to make things much cheaper is biting industries at home. Good ol' US protectionism. Why make something better or cheaper yourself when you can just stick a big fat tax on the imported goods? Free market my arse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyEthan Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 This must be an English vs. English thing. Over here "free market" means "we get all the money." What does it mean there? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yantelope V2 Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 I saw this article today. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2012/04/10/still_the_least_racist_country_in_the_world_113784.html We have a lot of people here from a lot of different places so I thought I'd ask the question here. What does it take to be known as "British" or "Irish" or "Sweedish" or "Austrailian" or whatever simply in terms of culture. Do people who moved to your country when they were young maintain their old nationality or fuse with your indigenous culture. At least in my small experience in America it's a bit weird. There are a lot of Mexicans in Texas who love America and call themselves American but still wave Mexican flags and celebrate their heritage. It's also very uncommon to really care where people are from just because it's so common to see people from so many different places. I've worked with people from all over the world. Anyway, I'm just wondering. It does seem like people just kind of all mesh together in America still. I was wondering if that's true in your countries as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyEthan Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 (edited) Most black Americans and the entire left deny this. I would consider myself part of the left and I wouldn't necessarily dispute this. Blanket statements are fun. *Edit* - Okay, now that I've read the whole article I can actually comment on the rest of it: I think it's just as disingenuous to say that "Democrats intentionally promote the idea of racist America to get black votes" as it is to say "Republicans are racists." I'm sure there are some Democrats who think that way, just like there are some Republicans who are racist. Also, to say American is the least racist country in the world (whether true or not) is entirely different from saying it's not racist. There is plenty of institutionalized racism in the US. For instance, black and latino defendants are more likely to be convicted, and when convicted in general receive a harsher sentence, than similarly situated white defendants. Is it better than a lot of people act like? Hell yes it is. But that doesn't mean it's not a problem at all. Edited April 10, 2012 by TheMightyEthan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted April 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 Well generally if you're born here, you're British. Some communities do become quite insular though. That article seems more like "everyone has more equal rights as american citizens" than "people aren't really racist, honest". i.e Even Muslim and Arab writers have noted that nowhere in the Arab or larger Muslim world does an Arab or any other Muslim have the individual rights, liberty, and dignity that a Muslim living in America has. A third-generation Turkish-German, whose German is indistinguishable from the German spoken by an indigenous German, will still be regarded by most Germans as a Turk. Well yeah. That be your heritage, it doesn't suddenly disappear because of a fluent tongue. Not like they be the only ones... (What's wrong with being a turk anyway, saying "you're a Turk" isn't really racism unless you're really really sensitive.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyEthan Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 I'm fourth generation German-American, but no one would ever consider me "German", or even German-American. I'm just American. The African-American thing is used to refer to the racial group, similar to white or Caucasian or European, because the other terms for that racial group became too politically charged. Black is becoming more acceptable again though. In the words of my friend's dad: "I'm not African-American! I've never even fucking been to Africa! I'm just American!" In pretty much every other context "Heritage-American" pretty much only refers to people who actually immigrated from that place. Anyone born here tends to just be "American". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yantelope V2 Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 Sorry, I didn't so much care about the article but more about how quickly other cultures blend. Here if you were born here you're American. Even if you've been here for a while you're American. The blending process is very very quick. It's the old term "the melting pot". My ancestors were welsh I believe but it goes back quite a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted April 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 It'd make for one dull census to just have everyone down as "British". We do have "Black British" though. tbh as far as UK racism goes, I guess we all pick on each other like "the welsh shag sheep", "Scots are tight", "Irish are drunks", but if you're wanting to target specifically on coloured racism, then you might want to hit up UK members from the south. We don't really have much around here(racism and people to be racist too). I don't really personally know many/any sons/daughters of immigrants to say how quickly they integrate. There's a Polish woman at Fatsos if that counts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yantelope V2 Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 Yeah, What is the immigration status in the UK? Is it mostly in or out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted April 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 I think most of the immigrants in the UK are coming in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyEthan Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 Then of course there's the fact that none of you can stand those frogs across the Channel. Us versus Them is built into our brains, and racism is just one manifestation of that. Others are nationalism, political parties, religious prejudice, sports team rivalries, etc etc. We're never going to fully overcome it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yantelope V2 Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 Yes, your brain is built to compartmentalize. It's the way we function in everything everyday. I think the best any of us can do is acknowledge when we're making assumptions based on ethnicity or whatever and actively work against them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted April 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 Yes, your brain is built to compartmentalize. It's the way we function in everything everyday. I think the best any of us can do is acknowledge when we're making assumptions based on ethnicity or whatever and actively work against them. I am totally up for actively working against those foul smelling frog eating French any day of the week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yantelope V2 Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 Bunch of cheese eating surrender monkeys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted April 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 That's you guys that call them that. The ones that owe your nation to the French. We were at war with them for 100 years. We know they don't surrender. Statistically they're better than us at this whole war business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyEthan Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 I can't find that old French Military Victories Google bomb. I knew the bomb was fixed but I was hoping I'd still be able to find the site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yantelope V2 Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 (edited) Ameirca always wins! (Vietnam doesn't count) I can't find that old French Military Victories Google bomb. I knew the bomb was fixed but I was hoping I'd still be able to find the site. Was that the one about the French can only win when being led by someone who is not French? Edited April 10, 2012 by Yantelope V2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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