to think --some-- Americans are just stupid!

[Ithinkitsjustme]

Have just heard that during the Olympic opening ceremony, when Sir Tim Berners-Lee was revealed, NBC commentators came out with "Who's he?" and told viewers that they would have to Google him to find out who he was! Which, ironically would have been impossible without his invention, .

We-eeeel. I've always thought it important to point out faulty thinking/xenophobia even if the targets aren't vulnerable. The problem is the stereotyping-track. And people of a Certain Type hook on to threads whinging about socially-acceptable targets (like Americans) and use them as precedents for why their own definitively racist views are actually okay.

Basically, generalising about Americans or people from Essex based on TV can lead to shadier doings.

No problem! I think I referred to it in a previous post. And yes, it helps if you type slowly.

It's very rare that I get upset about random American generalisations in real life; I never do when it's from friends. It's a bit of fun, and I'm in one of the few locations in the UK where many people seem to have never met an American before. It can be interesting. :) Most people seem to think I'm Canadian. We aren't all shouty, really!

"Have just heard"

does that mean it's true?

Ahem......Olympia MNHQ.....excuse me.

I don't really understand how this thread title has not been deleted? And OP said she has asked?
Whether the OP meant it as light hearted, it is offensive to a nationality.
Is it because people haven't reported?

Reminds me of the tales of Americans supposedly trying to pretend to be Canadian when traveling overseas. Why? If someone is going to dislike you for being American, why are you trying to cosy up to them? Just out yourself; 9 times out of 10 they'll just want to tell you how much they miss having burgers from Wendys or something.

I was born in northern Virginia, and grew up in Washington DC. I've never been to Canada :( but would like to get up there someday. I suspect we will, my husband is German and they have big romantic notions about the American west and Canada in general.

oh not had Harvey's! I have fond memories of Wendy's bacon cheeseburgers, but it's been a very very long time since I had one.

A&W! Not had burgers there but I love the ready availability of root beer floats. I miss donuts, too.

Okay I tried but I'm not sure what you mean by 'got less tourists' re: Canadians? Certainly you're known as being well-traveled than Americans. I do put it down to lack of holiday time in the US. Hell my last job back home I could only take a week off a year. grr.

I think Americans sometimes pretend to be Canadian when travelling, because not many countries feel they have been at war with Canada, or occupied by it, or that they have been at war with a country Canada supports.

I'm told England (mostly before becoming part of the UK) has been at war with every other European nation except Portugal, and has had wars in, or colonised, or occupied, most of the rest of the world at one time or another, including all other oarts of the British Isles, so perhaps globe-trotting Brits should pretend to be Canadian too.

Gormless Such a good word. No, I've no idea what Canadians might be 'known' for, outside of the usual stuff about how polite you all are. Everyone likes y'all. I don't know any Americans here, but we do have a Canadian family nearby that we've talked to a lot. I think North Americans in general are very outgoing. It's probably the only thing I miss from back home, so it was nice to find people I can be randomly chatty with. If that makes sense!

It's about bedtime here. It's been nice talking to you! Am off to read more of one of the Kathy Reichs books I ordered from the Book People. Did you know Quebec is positively riddled with serial killers?

ugh and I don't usually use so many !!'s. I'm not that perky, I promise. Very East Coast, me.

I've heard that globe-trotting Brits have been advised to pretend to be Irish in some corners of the world where we're not too popular.....

Nah, ye'll never get away with it, tarty

I loved living in America! Worked in NY and Texas for a few years, I work in the oil industry and Texas was a bit like an episode of Dallas! Lovely people in both places.

I keeping wanting to change the op word of Americans for a certain country whose initials are N K.
So if it was "self policed" on here,the same way as the op was,the post could remain for 18 hours.

Yep Americans are stupid, Australians are racist, the French are rude and the English have bad teeth and smell bad because they don't bathe...

See how that works.

I watched and listened to the whole NBC coverage in the USA and I would say it was great overall and certainly they were impressed at the end. All the people I spoke to in the USA the next day thought it was a great opening ceremony and was a good show and they all without exception asked me about the Olympics and the effect it was having in the UK and how the ceremony went well.

For me the NBC commentators were no better or no worse than some of the UK ones I have heard covering events and regarding the people from UK history I am sure that many people missed the historical significance of more than one of the figures put forward.

Isn't this,a racist question?

Isn't what a racist question?

There is no doubt that a lot of anti-American sentiment appears on MN and that HQ ignores it.

I just think this particular thread had taken a turn for coffee and chocolate and had moved on from that part of the thread.

I never go to that Tesco, Squirted. I order stuff like that from American Soda, though. Not cheap, but oh so worth it! I do believe they have most, if not all, Reeses' products mentioned herein...

Tee I mid spoke I was trying to describe what an Americano was. You are correct, it is not black coffee with and extra shot. It is 2 shot topped with hot water. Which is what I have been trying to say.
However you seem obsessed with proving me wrong using other posters first you tried to tell me I said it was an espresso etc.
Even if some coffee shops do not put an extra shot it, doesn't mean anything. They should put the extra shot in it, go make it an Americano. Some coffee places uses the term incorrectly.

No, not proving you wrong, correcting your description of what an Americano is. Which you said more than once. Once I'll buy as a mistake. 2 or 3 times is ignorance.

Sorry for trying to educate. I won't let it happen again.