Omni: Just for Merry
 

In honor of my jaunt across the pond this evening, and because Merry has been hinting around lately about the Americans on this Board assuming that the US is the Center of the Universe (e.g.: "US business world," "overseas meaning away from US") I thought I'd share with you this jibe I got from a co-worker today:

Ways you can tell the the US has replaced the UK as the center of the Universe:

The world is far more interested in Clinton's affairs than Prince Charles'.

Samuel Adams vs. Guiness: A happy buzz vs. mild constipation.

When it comes to wars, USA Rules the Waves (or waves the rules, as the case may be).

No one wants to be a British Colony, but EVERYONE want to have Most-Favored-Nation Status with the US.

More millionares live in New York City than live in the entire UK.

Nearly all english-speaking third world countries have changed their form of currency from "pounds" to "dollars"; including Canada [sorry, BlondeB, I repost it as I got it!!]

The French now hate Americans more than they hate the British.

AND THE #1 REASON THE US IS THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE AND THE UK IS NOT:

American Web sites do not need to include .uk or .-anything after .com, because the Internet is AMERICAN.


So enjoy that dose of xenophobia, and I'll let you know how the pub-crawl goes (THANK YOU, merry and Baobab for the fantastic London pub web site suggestions)!!!

Matt... one small point...

Guinness is *not* from the UK. It's brewed at St James Gate, Dublin, (Republic of) Ireland... It stopped being even remotely British earlier this century, when the Irish regained their independence.

But Murphys (from Cork) is better...

Have a great time in London.

baobab

OMNI--Matt-just got back from London in Nov. If you haven't been to the Cabinet war rooms yet, they are certainly worth seeing. Good view of how Churchill ran the British side of the war.

. . . then, too, Matt, you could try a shandy which is an exotic U.K. specialty (no, no! honest, that's NOT an oxymoron . . .).

I enjoy the United Kingdom quite a bit. Our employees in United Kingdom are quite respectful, and I don't think there should be a "us" versus "them" attitude even in jest.

Just my two cents,

Phil

Phil - Merry Flyer needs someone to argue with, and we haven't been doing our job recently (as evidenced by his vent on the UA thread earlier)

Besides, "proving" that British is best gives him great pleasure. (please note that such proofs generally hold as much water as a sieve, and would not stand up to sustained legal/mathematical examination)
Mind you, I have noticed that he has desisted from making rude remarks about the French since your appearance on the boards...

As long as we are all aware when a joke is being made, and whomever hands it out is capable of taking it, such sparring should be harmless.

Yours (for the sake of argument),
baobab

Matt - shandies are fine things, particularly in the summertime...

Just make certain that whatever you drink is not blue, green or a virulent red (a drop of blackcurrant in a pint of stout is acceptable)

I am looking forward to getting back to the U-K 2-11 to the 15th even though I have to do some work during the trip. Hoping to see Merry during the trip and get to see the real Great Britain during my trip.

I think Merry has eased on any "critiques" of the French because he's discovered that there are French on here like Pjaucutt and your's truly (French/Polish discent... the first person who makes a joke will get to having a meeting with WILD CAT EDDIE!!!) People should be judged as individuals.

LIke I don't think of Merry as British. I think of Merry as a good friend and FlyerTalk
e-mail pal.

The comparions that you put here Matt were very clever!!! CATMAN

An Omni topic all for me, I'm so touched. If I was capable of crying (they remove your tear ducts when you graduate from HR school) I'm sure I would:

Matt: Let me respond...

1. It's the Prince of Wales to you.
2. Thankfully Bab's has saved me from mentioning this one.
3. Only when there is a political scandal to be distracted from.
4. Why did South Africa re-join the Commonwealth then?
5. How gauche.
6. Who gives a monkeys what the French do? Please remember how much support the French are giving you in Iraq. None isn't it!
7. The Internet was invented by the British. We didn't make you put -.us after -.com because we never thought you would remember!

Djl: There is no bar in the Cabinet War Rooms. What use is that to anyone?

KatW: As you well know Shandy is just a con. We charge the same as a pint and then fill half the glass with 'virtually free' liquid!

God bless Americans.

PJ: Respectfull to you face. Filling their pockets with you dollars. And laughing behind your back.

Babs: How right you are. The cut and thrust of this board has been sadly lacking recently. Vive le difference.

My lack of anti-French feeling has generally been as a result of an increase in loathing for my own Countrymen. I would refer you to the BA threads and a certain upstart. I mention no names but it rhymes with "dyke".

Ahhhhh that feel better. Can you give me a thread like this every week. At least then I can restrict my views to only one thread.

Also note how I didn't pick on Catman. I will try to do better next time!
Nick http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Oh I forgot.

Happy New Year.


[This message has been edited by Merry (edited 01-30-99).]

AN OMNI RESPONSE:

Merry: I hope you feel better and a note of thanks for mentioning that this is OMNI.

I still mean what I say about people.

Say what you may about French or Americans. As I said I overlook where they're from or what family or gender or sex they are... I look at each person as an individual. That's all I ask of everyone for me (because I am one of a kind!) http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Thank you for not going after me. I have enough people on my job who do that!!! That's why I come here... because other than JAWS's friendly ribbing I think you guys like me!

Now that you've gotten a lot off your chest as the PEACEFUL EASY FEELING CAT says: Let's get along everybody!!! CATMAN

OMNI:

The three biggest differences between England and the US:

- The English speak English.
- When the English have a world championship they invite teams from other countries.
- When you meet the English Head of State you only have to get down on one knee.

HKF

(with thanks to John Cleese)

[This message has been edited by Hong Kong Flyer (edited 01-31-99).]

Well, this is turning into a grudge match...

My feeling about it is that the British are more pompous than the Americans, and the Americans are more arrogant than the British.

Someone once said that Americans think other people are underdeveloped Americans. I think that America is probably the most imperial country on the planet. We may espouse democracy, but we have a manifest destiny attitude towards our culture. Apparently, we feel our country is the best. We think the French are rude for resisting our cultural invasion. They aren't rude we (as a French and US citizen) are just proud.

The British are fairly pompous, and I think that is reflected in their business and service attitude often. My British subordinates are more respectful of the fact that I have a noble peerage title than they are by the fact that they work for me. The British are still very class oriented I think.

But no matter what can be said every culture has its pluses and minuses. I think that nationalism is just a nice form of racism. Someone we think we are better than other people just because we come from one country or another is ridiculous. I guess I believe that we should be more respectful of each other.

I have had great travels in the United Kingdom, and I have aweful times in America. Does this make me think the U.K. is better? Not in a million years, but I do appreciate the U.K. as a nice place to visit.

Phil

from this we assume that you are of English extraction, HKF...?

No one STILL wants to be King!!!