Dear America, by John Cleese

[granturismite]

As an Australian, this is HILARIOUS!!!!

Who doesn't enjoy ripping on (making fun of) other countries? even your own!

and for anyone who finds this material offensive, grow a sense of humour...

 

[Chairman7w]

Both are bad ass sports played by bad ass guys. Period.

Noooooooooo! *Runs away*

Just to chip in on the Rugby vs. American Football debate:

I'm sure certain athletic types on the American Football team would do pretty well at Rugby, however, I'd dispute Duke's point about them being surprised by a 300lb Linebacker.
Yes, if they got hit by someone like that at full tilt, it'd be shocking, however a 300lb linebacker is on the gridiron very briefly to do one thing: Spend 10 - 20s at a time trying to stop an opposition player from running by. He's not supposed to come out with the Football / Throwball* and if by chance he does, you very, very rarely see them collect the ball and sprint 90 yards with it to score a touchdown, and then get straight back into the starting lineup and be expected to do it all again. He works in 10 - 20s explosive energy bursts and goes to sit down afterwards, and consequently is generally (but not necessarily always) less physically fit, less agile and flabbier than a Rugby player.
The Rugby player is expected to run, tackle, pass and carry the ball repeatedly for 40 minutes without much of a break (except for Scrums) and then do the same again after halftime (or until he's one of the 7 lucky few who're subbed off or, less luckily, goes off injured!)

* Delete as regionally applicable

 

[GT Pro]

Definitely agree with no. 17: American football players are pansies compared to those of Rugby. Also, what is it with Americans being completely unable to pronounce foreign regions properly? None of us, here in Australia, pronounce the US states wrong; we don't say 'Ki-kargo' or 'Sarn-frarn-kisco' or 'mikey-gayan' and, yet, Americans seem to infallibly utter 'Bris-bain' and 'Mal-born' when speaking about us on the news. It's quite disrespectful and consistent with the majority's hopeless lack of foreign geographical knowledge.

 

[blaaah]

There was once a letter sent from China to England saying "Dear Queen, please give us Hong Kong back, it is part of China.*" And it worked.
If England actually took the trouble to write a letter perhaps once a year to America asking for the return of the country back to it's original owners, you never know what might happen.


*Made up but you get the picture.

 

[ExigeEvan]

[EDIT] Ignore

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

None of us, here in Australia, pronounce the US states wrong; we don't say 'Ki-kargo' or 'Sarn-frarn-kisco' or 'mikey-gayan'

The first two aren't even states and they're nowhere close.

Americans seem to infallibly utter 'Bris-bain' and 'Mal-born' when speaking about us on the news. It's quite disrespectful and consistent with the majority's hopeless lack of foreign geographical knowledge.

I don't ever recall hearing about Australia on the news. And it's not Bris-bain?

 

[Adamgp]

I admit I had a good laugh at the first letter.

But mainly because who ever wrote the original letter seems to be implying that America's independence was given by the British and not earned by the colonists.

 

[Joey D]

Also, what is it with Americans being completely unable to pronounce foreign regions properly? None of us, here in Australia, pronounce the US states wrong; we don't say 'Ki-kargo' or 'Sarn-frarn-kisco' or 'mikey-gayan' and, yet, Americans seem to infallibly utter 'Bris-bain' and 'Mal-born' when speaking about us on the news. It's quite disrespectful and consistent with the majority's hopeless lack of foreign geographical knowledge.

Every foreigner I've ever met has had a hard time with the correct pronunciation of US cities and states. Even going state to state people can't pronounce things "correctly". I mean Detroit isn't hard to say but it seems like everyone slaughters it when they come here, but it's all understandable. It just comes from accents in different parts of the world. When I as in the UK I confused people by apparently saying Maidenhead incorrectly.

And it has nothing to do with lack of geographical knowledge, it really comes down to dialects. So before you start accusing Americans of being geographical inept, maybe you should look into learning some linguistics.

 

[Roo]

There was once a letter sent from China to England saying "Dear Queen, please give us Hong Kong back, it is part of China.*" And it worked.

*Made up but you get the picture.

Not quite - China and the UK signed a 99 year lease on Hong Kong in 1898. When the lease expired in 1997, ownership was transferred back to China.

 

[Crash]

Not quite - China and the UK signed a 99 year lease on Hong Kong in 1898. When the lease expired in 1997, ownership was transferred back to China.

Not quite either - The 99 year lease of Hong Kong only applied to New Territories. Hong Kong Island and a small part of Kowloon was ceded perpetually to the UK. However, UK decided it would be better to keep Hong Kong together as a whole rather than splitting it apart into Chinese held Hong Kong and British held Hong Kong post-1997, so an agreement was signed so that the entire Hong Kong was transferred back to China.

 

[homeforsummer]

Holy grave-dig batman!

Every foreigner I've ever met has had a hard time with the correct pronunciation of US cities and states. Even going state to state people can't pronounce things "correctly". I mean Detroit isn't hard to say but it seems like everyone slaughters it when they come here, but it's all understandable. It just comes from accents in different parts of the world. When I as in the UK I confused people by apparently saying Maidenhead incorrectly.

You should hear the pronunciation of Knaresborough by the American couple who once asked me for directions. I'm sure they used about eight syllables, when really it's just two: Nares-bru'