joe75 Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 "Freedom is Slavery" Excellent reference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baliw Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 I plead the Fifth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Proteo Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 I'm american, just like everybody from Alaska to Argentina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bofors Posted November 11, 2006 Author Share Posted November 11, 2006 I just think if you have an American citizenship, you are an American. Whether you moved here from a distant country, and got citizenship, or if you were born here. Apparently, the Spanish usage of "Americano" is different: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Use_of_the_word_American ... the Spanish americano generally refers to the entire New World; the adjective and noun describing the United States is estadounidense... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Use_of_the_word_American I'm american, just like everybody from Alaska to Argentina. Yes, I am sure the poll would have been more clear (and more "politically correct") if it had been: Are you a "Gringo"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Proteo Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 Apparently, the Spanish usage of "Americano" is different It is, and you're correct by pointing it. Even in México, where the word is more contextualized due to the fact that we're neighbors with us-americans, is generally used to describe something related to the continent, not the USA. In Venezuela where I'm living now (and I guess other countries too), it is even more tied to ancient, precolonial cultures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oregano Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 im not exactly proud to be american, considering the current presidential administration and its decisions, which do no represent the american people but this past midterm election went very well so im expecting changes for the better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bofors Posted November 11, 2006 Author Share Posted November 11, 2006 ... the current presidential administration and its decisions ... do no represent the american people Who do they represent then, Texas? More importantly, who is responsible for this two-term disaster then? (.. and I though Bill Clinton bad, damm.) I mean, surely the Democratic is partly to blame by running that certifiable scum-bag John Kerry instead some decent candidate like Wesley Clark. Why is it that someone who represents the true-interests of the American people, like Ralph Nader, is not even allowed to debate with the mainstream candidates? No, I am sorry, "people [do] get the goverment they deserve". It is quite obvious that the American population is not competent to maintain a democracy. These brainwashed zombies are far more interested in "American Idol" (or god-forbid, something realy stupid and boring like baseball), then spending anytime doing anything useful towards improving their government and society. They are nothing more than Orwell's "proles", but worse they actually think they are free. And if that were not bad enough, a significant portion of Americans are bible-beating Jesus-freaks, crusading to outlaw abortion, homosexual unions and of course the primal sin: teaching evolution in schools. I mean these people are so backwards, not only do they not understand the important issues, they don't even know what the important issues are (and that fascist Murdoch's propaganda channel "Fox News" doesn't example help either). Hey, why bother with the awful truth, when you can just stick your in the sand and be self-righteous? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwprod12 Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 "...but there were some, who resisted...". Most people are sheep, by their very nature. Believing whatever they're told or conditioned to believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oregano Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 well, i guess i meant that the administration does not represent those who didnt vote for him many good americans did not vote for bush, but are now classified as "those stupid americans under bush" but we hate him just as much as, say europeans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbz Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 I am a Canadian, so, yes. It's not that I'm not proud to be Canadian: it's just that I live an American lifestyle, from A to Z. I watch American TV and listen to American music. I also watch some Canadian TV and a whole bunch of music artists are canadian (from Nelly Furtado to the BareNakedLadies!). I guess I am unique, however, in that I speak three languages and live in a mainly French-speaking city, but most Canadians (myself included) are pretty much American. Even if we disagree with our neighbor's views, hate the republicans, or dislike the American public, we are a lot more American than we would like to admit. Oh well. I like it, personally. My family owns a condominium in Florida and I've been all over the States. Scary part is that I don't feel like a tourist! (And i'll never get enough of NYC!) BTW i'm glad the democrats are in control now (well, kinda!). -Urby PS 4got to say that I just wish you would conver to the metric system... the rest of the world has, stop being so arrogant. Although I understand both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killbot1000 Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 PS 4got to say that I just wish you would conver to the metric system... the rest of the world has, stop being so arrogant. Although I understand both. Im american, and I totally agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwprod12 Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 I often wonder why everyone insists on the metric system. Everything in the US is based on the US customary system. As far as I can tell, most people who live here arent bothered by Miles, Feet and Pounds. It would be quite an investment of time and effort to convert to Metric. And, as far as I can see, there's no real benefit, aside from easy calculation (that still has to be learned). It's not arrogance, it's the conservative (yes, I know) idea that stuff that isnt broken doesnt need to be fixed. Is the US customary system broken? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
consolation Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 Who do they represent then, Texas? More importantly, who is responsible for this two-term disaster then? (.. and I though Bill Clinton bad, damm.) I mean, surely the Democratic is partly to blame by running that certifiable scum-bag John Kerry instead some decent candidate like Wesley Clark. Why is it that someone who represents the true-interests of the American people, like Ralph Nader, is not even allowed to debate with the mainstream candidates? I think the electoral college system has a LOT to answer for there. There is something damn odd about the fact that your president can loose the popular vote and still "win." It gives small hick states a disproportionate amount of power and campaigns are designed to appeal to "battleground" states rather than the whole country. So if the key state has a bee in it's bonnet about creationism... I often (well, once or twice anyway) wondered how Americans, err...Gringo Yankee Imperialists , from populous coastal states feel about the fact that their vote counts for less than a vote of some redneck from the bible belt. I often wonder why everyone insists on the metric system. Everything in the US is based on the US customary system. As far as I can tell, most people who live here arent bothered by Miles, Feet and Pounds. It would be quite an investment of time and effort to convert to Metric. And, as far as I can see, there's no real benefit, aside from easy calculation (that still has to be learned). It's not arrogance, it's the conservative (yes, I know) idea that stuff that isnt broken doesnt need to be fixed. Is the US customary system broken? Only when you guys leave your country. I had to teach SCUBA diving to Americans when I worked in Thailand, lesson 1, the metric system... Or, you teach them in imperial and hope like fck that they don't screw up and get bent because someone gave them metric tables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwprod12 Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 It pisses them off. (votes counting for less). What else pisses off blue areas about red areas is that blue areas contribute the most tax revenue and get the least back. (Red is the opposite). In reference to knowing the metric system, I dont disagree, that it's important to understand and know it. And I see how total conversion to the metric system might help that. But why the insistence from outside the US that the US adobt the metric system universally? Would everyone also prefer that Spanish be the national language here as well? Some people (most [united States of] americans) dont much like to be told their business, or to tell others their business. That's why the "Telling people their business" conservatives just got booted from the legislature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe75 Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 Yup, its always fun to watch polls go off in to politics, numerical arrogance, immigration and lets not forget Gringo Yankee Imperialism Oh, I almost forgot, I cant call myself American anymore without pissing off the rest of the continent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwprod12 Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 Well, I think we might agree that a Mexican, a Canadian and an [united States of] American are all North Americans. If people who live in the United States arent Americans, what should we call ourselves? Statesers? Unitedines? Aside from American, people from the United States dont really have their own name for themselves, unlike Canadians, Mexicans, Guatamalans, Chileans, Argentinians or El Salvadorians. Why cant we have American? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Proteo Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 Ok. I know I'm going to touch a nerve here, but this might help you us-americans to understand why other countries people are... sensitive about this matter. It is not only about the grammatical or geographical issue, but as somebody else stated before, it's about politics too. Some of us (because I do believe so) are inclined to believe that your government thinks about Latin America as the USA backyard. Since the infamous Monroe doctrine (but mostly Roosevelt's interpretation), to the fact that the USA has military invaded, or at least politically manipulated nearly all the countries of the continent, I think there are reasons to believe that the use of the word can represent more than a way to call yourselves, and is an extension of what you think the world's order should be. In other words, many people think that you use the word because you think more or less like Roosevelt (I don't, I'm sure you people are just used to call your country America and yourselves "americans" as we mexicans call our country Mexico although it is officially called "Mexican United States"). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe75 Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 I'll stick with "New Yorker" and hope someone cant take that away too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgrimes80 Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 It pisses them off. (votes counting for less). What else pisses off blue areas about red areas is that blue areas contribute the most tax revenue and get the least back. (Red is the opposite). In reference to knowing the metric system, I dont disagree, that it's important to understand and know it. And I see how total conversion to the metric system might help that. But why the insistence from outside the US that the US adobt the metric system universally? Would everyone also prefer that Spanish be the national language here as well? Some people (most [united States of] americans) dont much like to be told their business, or to tell others their business. That's why the "Telling people their business" conservatives just got booted from the legislature. It's very simple... (1) there is less room for error when doing conversions with the metric system. (2) EVERYONE ELSE uses it. (3) small increments are easier to pronouce (ie. 10 nanometers) and create less confusion. I think it's annoying that people care so much about the imperial system. I've gotten tired of having our guys write reports/documents/drawings using the metric system for manufacturing, engineering, archive (etc), and then having someone comb through them to change EVERY number just to please some @$$hat who's showing the money, or backing the project. Believe it or not, the metric system is pretty mainstream in the tech sector of USA especially with the outsourcing becoming very mainstream. I hit a snags when I deal folks that are much older and still using paper drafting, manual milling .... who just happen to be my biggest clients. That's what happens when you resist change; you become slow, outdated, outdone, and pay others to fill your contracts. BTW... I'm in the SF Bay, CA (Silicon Valley) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snackole Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 If you are a US citizen and don't consider yourself to be an American there is a bus that leaves from the Dally Center (downtown Chicago) that will take you to China. You can catch it everyday at 12:00 pm. See ya later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oregano Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 PS 4got to say that I just wish you would convert to the metric system... the rest of the world has, stop being so arrogant. Although I understand both. i know, i wish we would too we use it sometimes, but not enough its so much easier they built some sattelite or something-it was a collaboration of many countries, and the u.s. used their system and evryone else used metric, and it was all ****ed up so there u have it, we should definately use metric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwprod12 Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Yes, good idea. Let's just replace all the street signs, recall all the cars, and spontaneously convert all US Customary units into metric. Are you going to know how to deal with those units? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildcat69410 Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Wow, for once, I find myself agreeing with gwprod. A conversion to metric in the US would simply be a pointless, and aggrivating affair. Sure, it is obviously a much easier system, but the effort and money required in converting every form of measurment to metric would be enormous, and for what gain? So I could more easily calculate distance and weight? The only field where metric is actually important is Science, where metric has already been generally adopted in the American scientific community. As long as the scientific community, as well as the technological community has a standard system of measurement, then we're fine. However, to change simply for more easily pronouncable increments of measure, or for a slightly lower percentage of error, then I don't really see the point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwprod12 Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Mandatory is unamerican. Americans like encouragement. If there was more encouragement to higher education in science and mathematics, the issue would take care of itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killbot1000 Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Well, thats gonna take a while, I mean were arguing whether we should be talking about god in a science classroom for gods sake.... (just in case sarcasm doesn't translate well over text...thats bad) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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