AIBU to ask you some questions about the USA?

[BreakfastInAmerica]

I've been reading lots of US fiction over lockdown, I've never been there.

What's the big deal with joining a fraternity house at College? What is the benefit of it? Why the Greek frat house names?

Is public access television still a thing?

Why do they call savoury muffins English Muffins when I'm more likely to see a blueberry or chocolate muffin when I'm out and about?

How do Americans eat things like thick pancakes with cream for breakfast, even the people who are slim?

What are grits?

Why are Automatic cars so prolific in the US, rather than manual/stick shift?

I'm sure I've got lots more questions and please pitch in with your own questions and answers.

AIBU to ask for your answers and questions about the small differences between the US and the UK?

@x2boys

I do find the language difference between the US and UK fascinating thoughJust

Me too, just from the opposite direction. During my first year or so on MN I had to do a lot of googling to understand what everyone was talking about. Skint? Cheeky?

I hardly every have to google UK terms anymore.

Holdmylobster how can you say he is quite good even compared to Trump.
This is the man who came out with the classics
Poor kids are just as bright and talented as white kids To a group of Asian and Hispanic voters
And
If you have a problem figuring out if you are for me or trump you ain’t black
To an African American radio host.

If trump had come out with just one of those he would have been crucified and yet Biden gets away with it.

@MissConductUS

You could indeed sell your house in NY and buy a mansion in Texas but in my neck of the woods, the property and school taxes will keep you in NY!

There's a neighborhood in my area that is relatively new and has houses that are pretty affordable and beautiful but the taxes are 3.75% of the appraised value. Let's also add monthly HOA fees and holy hell that house gets expensive quick! Especially since those houses get appraised yearly unlike the UK where they can be the same for several years.

On the topic of laundry, I heard that the main reason Americans have top loafers and british front loading machines is that many U.K. households have their machine in the kitchen. Most US households have a laundry room or basement? Or else not often in the kitchen anyway.

Also heard we are pretty much the only country who uses fabric softener and non-bio washing powder!

Holdmylobster how can you say he is quite good even compared to Trump.

Because I've paid close attention to American politics over the last decade.

On the topic of laundry, I heard that the main reason Americans have top loafers and british front loading machines is that many U.K. households have their machine in the kitchen. Most US households have a laundry room or basement? Or else not often in the kitchen anyway.

Yes. It’s called a European style washer/dryer when it’s in the kitchen.

Use fabric softener in the States too. Grew up with adverts about Downy Fabric Softener with a cuddly teddy bear hugging a blanket and saying how soft it is.

Where would you do your laundry @HelloToMyKitty ? Serious question ,I live in a small house no laundry room ,just a kitchen ,living room,two bedrooms and Bathroom ,I'm not being sarcastic btw just curious?

What is a 'fly over state'. Sorry I've seen that mentioned a couple of times! Interesting thread thank you.

@Dollywood

What is a 'fly over state'. Sorry I've seen that mentioned a couple of times! Interesting thread thank you.

It's a state in the midwest or center of the country, so called because so much air traffic goes from coast to coast, say NY to California.

leannb I'm very jealous of your house based on your description

@Dollywood

A flyover state are the states that are in the middle of the US east and west coasts. You "fly over" these states as you travel from coast to coast.

Oftentimes, it's an area referred to pejoratively.

It's best known as "middle America".

Do Apartment buildings have laundrette/ Laundromat attached ,sorry this is from "Friends" or would people in their own apartment have a washing machine?

And yes a lot of people don't have a dryer in the UK I didn't for years I had to dry stuff outside on the line or airers it's a pain tbh ,but I do now and couldn't live without it.

Where would you do your laundry

Most homes have a nook somewhere that is meant for washer and dryer installation (usually the dryers need to vent outdoors so has to be carefully placed) or if an older or smaller house, then the basement for sure.

Some apartment complexes have a room full of (coin-operated 😓) washing machines and dryers, only relatively luxury ones in some cities would have internal units.

But never, ever in the kitchen. The concept is so weird to me!

What an interesting thread.
In books/films etc such importance is placed on going to college rather than uni.
Here kids just attend the sixth form attached to their school or the college up the road. There isn’t a big deal about it.
Whereas it seems in the US it’s a really big thing.

Some people have their washer and dryer in the downstairs toilet/bathroom if there isn't space elsewhere. Mine has plumbing for washer and dryer, but they were moved to the basement at some point before I bought the house.

Also, talking about backyards and gardens, in New England we have dooryards. Sometimes it's out back, sometimes it's to one side of the house. You might pahk your cah in the dooryahd. There's much controversy over whether a dooryard can be in front of the house.

In books/films etc such importance is placed on going to college rather than uni

No one says uni. It’s such a British thing. I went to a university, but called it college like everyone else.

We really don’t make a distinction between the two.

Here kids just attend the sixth form attached to their school or the college up the road. There isn’t a big deal about it.

The US equivalent of that would be community college rather than university.

Holdmylobster fair enough if you could bring yourself to vote for him.

But if the democrats lose then they only have themselves to blame for nominating Joe Biden in the first place. Same with 2016 had they nominated anyone other than Hilary Clinton they would have won.

Joe Biden is nothing like Hilary Clinton. Clinton was divisive, easy to pin conspiracy theories onto, and had a marginal lead over Trump. Biden is non-divisive, incredibly bland, and has a wide lead over Trump.

It'll be an interesting election, for sure.

Generally, college and university are used interchangably in the U.S.

Thank you @HelloToMyKitty & @HoldMyLobster

One more thing, is the jock and cheerleader stereotype as true in real life?

Thinking about it, I think the Democrats have picked Joe Biden so they have someone as different to Clinton as possible. They want someone really low-risk. That's how it feels to me. I didn't vote for him in the primary, but I'll vote for him in the election to get rid of Trump.

I don't know any jocks or cheerleaders through my kids' schools, but our schools are not all that typical, I don't think. My daughter does know lots of college basketball players, football players and cheerleaders, and she says most of them are quite stereotypical, and the cheerleaders tend to have eating disorders while the jocks train incredibly hard and just about manage to fit in their college work.

But according to the polls in 2016 Hillary was also the front runner.
Polls are pretty meaningless when it comes to trump as I don’t think a lot of his voters would admit it as there does seem to be a back lash against people wearing maga hats and such.

And what's the deal with prom Queen and Home coming Queen ? Sorry I read a lot of 80,s high school books 🙄