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Friendly fire

Posted by Lewis on October 15, 2004

In Reply to: PS: Megan posted by Lotg on October 15, 2004

: : : : : : : I know this may seem needy but I truly feeel as a country we never have people that really care enough ot be friendly and if u do then you are a freak and a wierdo. since when is it wrong to be nice. anyone ever feel this way.

: : : : : : what aspect of language would you like to discuss?

: : : : : : I would like to politely point out that as this is a place where we discuss language (and the sexual conduct of convertible drivers) - at least a token effort towards spelling/typing and general wordiness is in order.

: : : : : : Please don't take this the wrong way, but even if we do wander off-topic, the site is language-based. If you want to chat and be friendly, why not start a topic about a favourite or mysterious phrase?

: : : : : The slogan for my state is: Kentucky. It's THAT friendly. Which sounds kind of kinky to me.

: : : : Then why is your grass so blue?

: : : Well, Bob, that is just something we tell the tourists.

: : : "Bluegrass is not really blue - it's green - but in the spring, bluegrass produces bluish-purple buds that, when seen in large fields, give a rich blue cast to the grass. Early pioneers found bluegrass growing on Kentucky's rich limestone soil and traders began asking for the seed of the 'blue grass from Kentucky.' The name stuck and today Kentucky is known as the Bluegrass State."

: : Sounds like the Blue Mountains where I live - which of course aren't blue, but from a distance I suppose it can be said they look blue. Although I've always found this to be an odd thing to say, because from a distance a lot of mountains look blue. In fairness, I suppose many gum leaves (read Eucalyptus to foreign people), have a slightly blue-green hue), but I still think it's stretching it to call these mountains blue. Maybe it's like those people in Kentucky - just something to bring the tourists in.

: In your original question I didn't notice you specifying exactly what country you are from, so I didn't know to which country you were referring as being unfriendly. I assume by the following responses you meant USA. All I can say is, I've met and known lots of really friendly Americans and that I think overall us Aussies are pretty friendly. Of course, there are always exceptions. But I think most people want to be friendly. Maybe you're hanging with the wrong crowd??? Who knows. Anyway, it's a beautiful sunny day, I'm drinking wine on the verandah, so I'm very friendly right now.

Even though I occasionally rail about Americo-centricity, I had assumed Megan was a fellow UK poster (quality of typing etc!).
one of the strange things about racism/nationism etc - is that many people who label nationalities with particular traits exclude that generalisation applying to those people from that
country who they meet.

Most Americans I know have not been ignorant about world affairs or American-supremicists, yet the 'image' that Americans suffer from is that they have just about heard of New York, but not York or New Amsterdam, but not Amsterdam.

Although there are cultural differences, the vast majority of people around the world could or do get on with people of every nation. Strange that we can't translate that into politics. Even though I am British (not a popular nation), I have rarely been treated unpleasantly - even by the French.

Let the love flow...

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