American thoughts on Europe?

[Billy]

I've often wondered at that one.

Why call it football if your not using your feet and the ball is really an oval.

Maybe we should call oval toss. Or yard lemon.
:mjedir:

Maybe they should just call soccer kick ball, at least in football we are carrying the ball on foot most of the time.

 

[gloomy-optimist]

Here is another one for yah. why is it that the US acts so peeved at France all the time.
France did play a major role in us winning our independence one would think we'd be a bit more respectful. Or at least less belligerent when talking about the country that is partly responsible for our existence.

Someone should tell that to Bill O'Rielly

Actually, that's a good question. I kind of wondered that myself. I think it might be because of their attitude? I dunno.

But then again, we can't really take our views on countries due to long-gone wars, or else everyone would love America because of WWII and whatnot Besides, we also had some conflicts with France in the earlier history of the country outside of the independence, but I don't think that factors in any...

 

[Billy]

Here is another one for yah. why is it that the US acts so peeved at France all the time.
France did play a major role in us winning our independence one would think we'd be a bit more respectful. Or at least less belligerent when talking about the country that is partly responsible for our existence.

Someone should tell that to Bill O'Rielly

I think it started after WW2 when the French started snubbing the US and telling us to leave and GTFO even though we ya know liberated them from their Nazi overlords. The invasion of Normandy basically is a repayment of their aid in the revolution because I don't recall too many French troops dying to defend us. How many American soldiers are still buried in unmarked graves in French beaches?

 

[testing]

I've often wondered at that one.

Why call it football if your not using your feet and the ball is really an oval.

Maybe we should call oval toss. Or yard lemon.
:mjedir:

Do you know what's really fun? While a group of men are watching football, walk in, say something like, "You know, that's kind of homoerotic, don't you think?" enjoy the stunned silence and walk out.

That is the most fun part of football. In any country.

 

[Billy]

Do you know what's really fun? While a group of men are watching football, walk in, say something like, "You know, that's kind of homoerotic, don't you think?" enjoy the stunned silence and walk out.

That is the most fun part of football. In any country.

To which they reply usually, "really? Why are you so homophobic?"

 

[arbygil]

We do the fries with gravy here to in Michigan. But parts of Mich are practically Canadian. Ever hear of a pasty? They rock (especially with gravy)!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasty

Actually, I think that came from Britain first. Gotta love a pasty!

The British kill food. But sometimes it's so weird it's delicious (Haggis, Rarebit, Spotted Dick...).

 

[Deathjam]

Yorkshire puddings mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[BenW]

I have been wondering for a while, how Europe is seen in the big united states. Do you guys have something like: "ow look at that, all those iny miny little countries, with there own flag and language playing together, it is so cute? :becky:

So:
1. what are the "American thoughts about Europe, the Europian Union, Euro's, ...?

My thoughts are that despite some interesting culture, I'm glad I wasn't born anywhere except the US.
Japan would be my second choice, but those guys are fuckin' squares.
Allegedly, their culture is loosening up, lately.

2. Is there a difference in perspective between east coast, west coast, North, South?

San Francisco-types are probably more stereotypically inclined to like Europe on an ideological level, whereas southern people may be more stereotypically inclined to dislike said countries for the same reason.

3. And (I'm really curious) Did any one of you ever heard about Belgium before? (Or did you believe that Belgium was the capital of Brussels (I have heard that one before )? And if so, what do you know about Belgium (without googles help!)?

I've always thought of Belgium as a smaller, more manly version of France, with beer, waffles, and chocolate thrown into the mix.

 

[INTJMom]

Here is another one for yah. why is it that the US acts so peeved at France all the time.
France did play a major role in us winning our independence one would think we'd be a bit more respectful. Or at least less belligerent when talking about the country that is partly responsible for our existence.

Someone should tell that to Bill O'Rielly

I know that there were suggestions to boycott French products because of the French response after 9-11.
Are you referring to a peeved attitude before that time?

 

[Deathjam]

Here is another one for yah. why is it that the US acts so peeved at France all the time.
France did play a major role in us winning our independence one would think we'd be a bit more respectful. Or at least less belligerent when talking about the country that is partly responsible for our existence.

Someone should tell that to Bill O'Rielly

since the UK and US always play together, maybe our love for the froggy's is rubbing off on you.

Maybe they should just call soccer kick ball, at least in football we are carrying the ball on foot most of the time.

Football was around before your country existed, we keep the name, ta

 

[Billy]

since the UK and US always play together, maybe our love for the froggy's is rubbing off on you.



Football was around before your country existed, we keep the name, ta

Yeah but we got a much bigger schlong, and might makes right.

 

[Blind Bandit]

Yay another one has seen the light! Whenever foreigners come to visit me in the Netherlands they're all "ewww" about fries with mayo. Then I get them some, and they can't get enough.

I don't get what people find so wrong about this.

I'm actually a big fan of horse radish. That stuff is awesome with fries.

And now I'm fair behind everyone else.lol

 

[domino]

I remember thinking that there are a lot of social rituals that are ignored, and there are a lot of new social rituals that I was not familar with.

What do you mean?

 

[Questingpoet]

Actually, I think that came from Britain first. Gotta love a pasty!

The British kill food. But sometimes it's so weird it's delicious (Haggis, Rarebit, Spotted Dick...).

Yes, it did come from Britain. That's what the wiki says and that's what I always heard (for the miners). I was impling that they are popular in Northern Michigan and lower parts of Canada. Traditional ones have rutabaga in them. I think we added the gravy part somewhere on this side of the Atlantic.

 

[Morgain]

http://www.belgium-mapped-out.com/belgian-lace.html
"After the Belgian chocolate and the Belgian French fries, Belgian Lace is a very well known product from Belgium. The chocolate and the French fries will be found at almost every street corner, but the Belgian lace is much harder to find. It can be found in Bruges, Ghent, around Aalst, in Brussels and in Antwerp."

Interestingly, I've never heard of Belgian fries... though I do LOVE the waffles! :becky:

You are right, I didn't understand the meaning of lace correctly. We call it "kant" and we are famous for it. About the fries, that is a very heated topic here, lol! The French fries are actually Belgian fries, it is our national dish and we don't know why the hell everyone calls it French fries. It is even so that you can hardly find French fries in France!! :becky:

I have been to Belgium several times and particularly enjoy La Grand-Place in Brussels. The food is fantastic, the beer is great, and the chocolate is the best in the world, no question about it. One thing that is difficult to understand is the extreme antipathy between the Flemish and the Walloons.

The Flemish - Walloons antipathy is very present, and it is getting worse every year. We don't even know why that is and what we can do about it. In the daily life Flanders and Wallony are two different countries. We speak an other language (that is a major cause), we have an other gouvernement (except for the federal couvernement), other television, newspapers, and in fact a different lifestyle and culture. Flanders is more "hard working" and serieus like the northern part of Europe (Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia) and Wallony is more "easy going", take life as it comes, like the southern part of Europe (France, Spain, Italy). But the difference is not that big. In my opinion the antipathy is still a remainder of the Flemish suppression and the Flemish language since the formation of Belgium in 1830. School, politics, justice, army, church, industry, everything was in French and if you wanted to improve your life above the status of working classe you needed to speak French. So the Flemish revolted against that buth change came really slow. The university of Gent, located in Flanders, remained french untill 1932! in WOI everything became more radical since Flemish soldiars (who where in the mayority) got orders in French, which they didn't understand and since the Germans used the Flemish movement to break Belgium. And even after all the efort from the Flemish, the french kept on suppressing the Flemish and the Flemish language. Than they had all the economical power so they something to stand on but now Wallony is the most poorest part of Belgium but still they can't respect ower language. For example, when I go shopping in Brussels (which should be bilingual and I asks something in Flemish, do you know what they answer? "'Je ne parle pas Anglais (I don't speak English)". That can pisses me of. So as long as the French doesn't give us the impression that they respect us and our language, I don't see how the problem is going to be solved other than to split up ...

 

[Puck]

 

[NeverAmI]

To put it simply, I don't think the average americans think about Europe at all unless they have business/travel over there. Most are concerned with what to buy next and what TV shows are on tonight, and what kind of alcohol to drink.

I know very little about Europe. Once I am done studying the Middle-East, I am sure my studies will move in that direction.

 

[Norton]

How "football" became "Soccer"

right on. the name "football completely covers the aim of the game: "kick a ball with your foot" while soccer, where did that came from?

Apparently, in the late 1800's, "soccer" was called "association football" in England. At that time, it was common for young people to truncate a word and add "er" to the root. This was considered a cool way of speaking. Thus, "association football" became "assoccer," which, in turn, was soon abbreviated to "soccer." In the US, I guess, the term "soccer" has persisted because it easily distinguishes soccer from American football. Anyway, I remember reading this in some book about the history of the English language.

 

[Norton]

The Flemish - Walloons antipathy is very present, and it is getting worse every year...

When I was in Antwerp a few years ago, I was warned not to speak French. Indeed, it may now be more common to find the Flemish speaking English than French.

I should think that it would be a gift to live in a multilingual culture where bilingualism is the strongly encouraged norm. This doesn't seem to be the case in Belgium or Canada. The Swiss seem to have succeeded with this, though.

 

[Morgain]

When I was in Antwerp a few years ago, I was warned not to speak French. Indeed, it may now be more common to find the Flemish speaking English than French.

I should think that it would be a gift to live in a multilingual culture where bilingualism is the strongly encouraged norm. This doesn't seem to be the case in Belgium or Canada. The Swiss seem to have succeeded with this, though.

Yes, you would think that is an asset but in most bilingual countries there is or has been a fight about it. It is difficult to live together when you don't understand each others language. If Flemish and French people would live amongst each other (instead of being separated by a language barrier) it Would be easier because you come in contact with the other language all the time. But now I only here French on television when there is an other dispute in politics, it is really irritating