Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
United Kingdom	Confusion about Packets	haha ! guess who has an interview date ! my NVC date was before everyone else's but they gave me the last interview date ! MY INTERVIEW DATE IS OCTOBER 19 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's perfect because I dont want to go til 5th November so I would rather my VJ buddies got the october 3... If I go 3rd november I will get a conditional green card and then have to do removal in 2 years If i go 7th November I will not have been in country 5 years on my 65th birthday so I wont get Medicare so it has to be 5th november I really thought they would interview me 6th nov and just spoil my plans by one day THIS 19OCT is perfect !!!!! medical this thursday so i really needed forms too ! so thats great many thanks to all my VJ buddies and a few I have locked horns with too - you have all kept me going through this utter nightmare ok opinion please - I married (ok we married) 4th november 2005 on elm street haha ! Do you reckon if I go Sunday 4th November then I am due a 10 year card or has it to be after midnight -ie the 5th - come on you techies and train spotters and experts ! alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-09-18 05:01:00
United Kingdom	Confusion about Packets	QUOTE (andy2006 @ Sep 18 2007, 10:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (andy2006 @ Sep 18 2007, 09:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm so so so excited I gopt my letter today!!!! My appointment is for 3rd oct!!!! Wow only 2 weeks away!! Got to get that medical sorted quickly now too!! I hope you guys hear too! No packet 3 just packet 4!! Yipee!!!! Plus I'm definately going for a CR! not my K3 anymore! Even better news!!! Andreas Ok medical booked for tomorrow!! I'm so so so excited! Wonderful news and margotdarko gets the virtual chocolates ! andy you have no timeline posted and not in your sig ! when did you leave NVC ? alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-09-18 04:32:00
United Kingdom	Confusion about Packets	QUOTE (andy2006 @ Sep 17 2007, 10:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> also I'm right in the middle of both of you in time wise, my packet was sent to the us emmbassy on the 29thAugust so if and when I hear anything I'll post it, I guess all we can do is watch for the postman! Andreas I have a post lady here and she has a long pony tail and is most pleasant and not the type to tip the mail into the valley. She knows I sit in the back bedroom and watch her come down the road every morning and she is getting edgy Perhaps I should put the binoculars away No wonder I am not getting any mail Heck guys we are all so close together - we are all going to get an interview date within a day or two of each other.. Isnt VJ great -if we didnt have each other to compare notes with, we would all be going nuts thinking our files were lost.. none of us has got a pckt3 - there aint one - there aint one - there aint one ! Everything is on track and they are on the way SOOOOOOOOON !!!!! alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-09-17 09:52:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	I should know better than not to interlope but just can't resist. Who says the Americans can't fight and win a two-front War? Though my hunch tells me that the Ol' Codger from "Saywahtland" is winning over the heart and minds of the Amazon Warrioirs with his cocky and funny ripostes. The Rooshins are putting up a good fight too. I am just loving this A harem ! I always wanted a harem - about a mile way though otherwise i would never get in the bathroom.... Who wants to be Ruby Tuesday ? bit late for Margo Monday as I need some notice to get my bandage off	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 16:26:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	I'm so ashamed...I'm listening to Mungo Jerry and enjoying it. I've been in England for too long. Are they back in the charts again??? Have you got t-rex's last album you know Marc Bolan ? His last hit was 'a tree'	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 15:56:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	I'm so ashamed...I'm listening to Mungo Jerry and enjoying it. I've been in England for too long. Showing your age HA - have a drink have a drive - go out and see what you can find... those were the days before PC- 8 pints and drive home steady only Heather Mccartney can drive while she's legless now...	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 15:52:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	[ Thanks Alan....but you could have just said ...Broma your nice!! Broma my heart was stolen a few posts back - you were pipped to the post - but I will put you on my possibly nice list even though you you made anatomical references with regard to me - but we won't talk about that as I have forgiven you. alan Damn...who pipped me to the post??? well jenn3539 was my first one - but zilla has become my number 1 - but I will never forget Jenn3539 who opened the gates for me to this strange land all I wanted was a stroke I guess - I knew the answer all along - all you need is love John Lennon - 20 miles from where I am sat right now... turns out all he needed was a bullet proof vest - another outspoken Limey in the US !	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 15:50:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	I can't decide whether I love you or hate you Alan. Love, hate - they are but 2 horns on the same goat (The Vikings with kirk douglas)	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 15:35:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	I can't decide if my migraine was caused by this thread or by my trip to the optician this morning where he shined bright lights in my eyes forever. You only thought it was the optician - the bright lights were from my mother ship and you have been abducted all day... Anyway, hope you liked our wallpaper and you are settled back in comfortably now... may we keep the samples ?	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 15:30:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	lisa of the apostrophe police - I throw myself at your feet as I am an apostrophe hound too and I cast spells on people who write carrot's and Jamese's short cuts I am so ashamed that my profile had 1 (2 instances but let's say 1) no really I am and I am going to make myself fast for the next 10 minutes to show how sorry I am I am on a light diet anyway - it gets light and I start eating I have corrected it now - can you ever forgive - it was a first offence - ever alan Hey I would have never pointed it out had you not jumped on JenT for editing. How's that crow taste? Oh, and my siggy pic was here long before I noticed that...it's not some dig at you, btw. I know - I saw it ages ago and loved it at first sight... sometimes I can't eat in a pub if they have quiz night's It makes me feel physically ill ! The crow tastes good as I feel I am doing penance and I won't go down there when I die If you ever need a hit man with spray paint - let me know ! together we can educate the world and then space ! I bet there are Martians selling sausage's so our work will never end Won't it be confusing if the guy's name is 'Martian' too - it will be Martian's Martian sausage's and when we tell him to drop the apostrophe it will be Martians Martian Sausage's alan Edited by saywhat, 21 May 2007 - 03:26 PM.	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 15:24:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	lisa of the apostrophe police - I throw myself at your feet as I am an apostrophe hound too and I cast spells on people who write carrot's and Jamese's short cuts I am so ashamed that my profile had 1 (2 instances but let's say 1) no really I am and I am going to make myself fast for the next 10 minutes to show how sorry I am I am on a light diet anyway - it gets light and I start eating I have corrected it now - can you ever forgive - it was a first offence - ever alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 14:54:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	[ Thanks Alan....but you could have just said ...Broma your nice!! Broma my heart was stolen a few posts back - you were pipped to the post - but I will put you on my possibly nice list even though you you made anatomical references with regard to me - but we won't talk about that as I have forgiven you. alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 14:34:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	What is going on? Are you manic or what? Sorry I thought you were asking if I was a maniac - that would be a relative term I think and in the eye of the beholder... No I'm not manic - just killing time til my wife arrives back from Milwaukee on Thursday I am doing it in the off topic are anything goes so I figured it was ok to have a merry romp there... What makes you think I am manic - do you recognize the symptoms ? does it run in your family ? I am never depressed - I was still smiling when my cat was run over so I must be well balanced	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 14:30:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	A pedler is a person who without horse or other beast bearing or drawing burden travels and trades on foot and goes from town to town or other men's houses Carrying to sell or exposing for sale good wares or merchandise immediately to be delivered except for sellers of fresh fruit and vegetables in amarket your call..	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 14:23:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	Sorry Alan I see now that you are revelling in hogging the limelight. Are you in any way related to Victor Meldrew?? Apology accepted - I nearly got female biological with you but stopped just in time. Wish I was in his will - our new buddies won't know who he is but this is the UK forum right so this is our territory ? Actually I dont like swearing but some of em make my flesh crawl they are so insiduously slimy and I would rather have a page of nasty swearing than that... When I was 19 (in the 60's) I was with Robert Peel's boys in Leeds and I was used to walking up to a crowd of 300 on a Saturday night in the worst areas on my own and telling them to shut up and go home - you could in those days and live to tell the tale... I guess the habit stuck and I don't mind taking on a pack of baying wolves. When I was 21, I was a husband, a father, a householder and a detective - I have been at hundreds of post mortems (autopsies) and held a mother while she was sick down me for an hour after I told her that her son was drowned.. I have eaten my breakfast off a dead man's chest - you get desensitised you know......I have searched hay lofts at 3am - alone and unarmed for a murderer who blasted a policeman's head off 1 mile away and 1 hour before...and much much more After that I was Finance Director of a group of 20 Companies in Europe reporting to Atlanta and I spent a lot of time in Georgia - New York/Paris/Monte Carlo/London/ Munich - flying Concorde etc - I am no stranger to Americans and the ways of Americans and I can handle it and I will be fine My son was an exotic dancer in the Chippendales and lives in Tenerife... My daughter is a beautiful blonde with 3 kids - one of whom is 6ft 2" people come on here and question my manhood and make out I am a wimp and frightened of living in the US and call me various names and just expose themselves as nasty and small minded .... of course I ask for for abuse by setting myself up in a high profile way and I aren't complaining - I am just trying to keep my skills at taking on a mob I guess - varying results but I don't run from the likes of them - but it's a constant reminder that this island has 60 million examples of the most dangerous animal ever to walk the face of the earth- and every other animal is frightened of it with good reason. I will bear that in mind more so in the US where guns are rife. I am no fool and I would not have survived so long if I was a reckless goboff in the presence of violent people - so I will be ok in the US and chose my company and my moments carefully There are some total sweeties on VJ - but as in society, they are in the minority - but it's nice when you come across em alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 14:00:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	PS: Did you mother ever tell you you were 'special'? I love your signature - everyone is praising the lord and all sorts of deities on here You know my mother didn't need to tell me I was special so stop teasing Who else gets a master's degree while they are still in the womb ? Trouble is - I had nowhere to hang it !	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 13:16:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	Alan You asked where can you get your brains washed.....simple answer dear.......YOU CAN'T!!! Do yourself a favour (yes I am british), stop being a #######, picking fights and offending the nation that you are going to call home. It's not cool to generalise that all americans are the same, thank god we can say this about the Brits because I would hate to be categorised as someone like you! Now be a good boy and behave yourself! Don't use obscentities on me - otherwise our hosts will think we are from the lower classes kicked up out of the gutter and all that Anyway it ended up with me finding a lovely American contribution that I value - so don't you spoil it - Limey !	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 13:06:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	Alan, if there is a reasonable bone in your body, can you look back at my original post? If your problem truly is this pesky "American Nationalism", have you listened to anyone who was trying to assure you that it's not as epidemic as you seem to think it is? There ARE blindly patriotic MORONS who don't take issue with our country and it's policies because they are afraid, don't want to think, and do have that mentality that 'America is the best in the world and nobody can mess with us!!". No one is disputing it. What we're trying to tell you, if you really want some sort of comfort, is that it's NOT the majority. You seem to be steadfastly stuck on certain experiences you've had thus far with a small circle of people. How can America be so epidemically nationalist and bullheadedly so, if on a regular basis I gather with people who enjoy discussing what problems American policy has [both foreign and domestic], problems with our media, the apathy of certain groups, etc. etc.? Talking with people whom, while they love where they live, can discuss that our government is not always kind to other countries, and can be somewhat of a bully in it's policy making sometimes? We also discuss bad policies of other countries as well, does that automatically turn us into bullheaded nationalists?? I'm not defined by the country I live in, I had nothing to do with the fact I just so happened to be born here. I DO live here though, and I'm living under a certain government that is capable of both very good things, and absolutely awful things. Who isn't? Show me a country with an 100% clean and dandy record in terms of policies or culture and I'll congratulate you. If what you're expecting is to be 100% embraced and accepted for your outlooks, anyone would tell you that's unattainable, no matter where you go. Would I like it if the blindly patriotic groups who act like the rest of the world only exists in relation to America were less? Sure I would. Do I think it's the majority? No, I don't. Do I think I can't find the same mentality in other countries, The UK included? No, I don't. I can find it anywhere. You don't have to 'blend in', it doesn't have to come to that. Still, I get the feeling with all that you've posted that you're looking for 100% approval, and will not tolerate otherwise. You're playing the role of victim very badly. You're not a victim just because you came across a handful of idiots who force their flag-waving on everyone else. There's more out there for you to find if you really want to. Your experiences are valid, it's just I wish I thought you could break yourself out of them to see a bigger picture. I can't sit here and agree that "Because these particular people I've met are scarily nationalist, it means the whole country is that way and I'll never feel peace unless I pretend I agree". It doesn't have to be that way. Stretch out and meet new people, visit the coasts. You don't have to be a flag waving, "AMERICA IS THE BEST" sort of person to live here happily. You have the discretion to make your choices as to whom you discuss what with, and I think you might find a lot of friends if you don't decide who and what they are before they even open their mouthes. What a beautiful post - it will be my honour to share the continent with someone like you Makes it worth suffering the slings and arrows Of course your right and if I sleep under the railway bridge with the tramps then I am going to catch fleas So I need to chose my company carefully and tell them who I am and what my motives are before I get rolling It's who you mix with Well I am going to close my contributions to this thread now with a little poem which sums it up One evening last October When I was one third sober And carrying home a load with manly pride My poor feet began to stutter and so I laid down in the gutter and a pig came up and laid down by my side... So we sang 'it's all fair weather When good fellows get together' Til a lady passing by was heard to say 'You can tell man who boozes by the company he choses and the pig got up and slowly walked away.. hasta la vista friends and enemies -until next time	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 12:20:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	Though, I must say if you are so severely unhappy, frightened, and emasculated with your wifes bid to relocate you to the states, I'm sure there are many other locations, such as beach front property in Antarctica which would better suit your needs. You and the penguins can duke it out for supremacy there mate! Maybe you can even wrangle them into servitude - an army of snide penguins - to do your evil bidding! Good luck with Florida though, really. Bring loads of sunscreen! quick stab at my masculinity and bravery - last underhand resort of a villain who would like to swear but wants to keep the moral high ground and does it in a really nasty way Failed Sorry - Won't need the sunscreen because I will have developed such a thick skin from all the acid you are pouring out I may be provocative but most of it is jolly stuff whereas you sound horrible - mate	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 12:08:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	So I want to know how I deal with zealous intolerant prickly nationalism I have no idea. Ignore it? Avoid those sorts of people? You've already admitted that you can't change mindsets, so you'll have to live with it or distance yourself from it as much as possible. Politics does not come up in every day conversation with acquaintances, at least for me it doesn't, so I really don't think you have a whole lot to worry about. HOORAY YOU ARE THE FIRST TO GIVE A NON AGRESSIVE CONSTRUCTIVE REPLY !!!!! All these posts and you are a winner ! oh that I had met you on the first reply we could have saved so much hard drive space.... are you an American ? If so you are a credit to your country and you have restored my faith ! alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 11:58:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	Tell us why we should care about the ease of your insertion into US society again? Because I am a huddled mass and you are well known for reaching out to us ! I might also need you to feed me through the first winter pilgrim	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 11:54:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	You have your opinions about america and americans and nothing we would say will change that. I love you Americans ! you just need your sensibilities rearranging a bit and thats why I am coming ! Yes - think of it as the second coming and send your dollars to the saywhat ministry - stone mountain Georgia !!!!! No look I cant rearrange all your mind sets - i started off by saying there is too many of you for me to do that... So I want to know how I deal with zealous intolerant prickly nationalism and I just get stay away shut up it doesnt exist here - its a slur on the american people saywhat is an idiot Nobody is making an attempt to ease my insertion into your society (mind pictures or what) alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 11:50:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	Al, baby, What happened? Last time you were here you were running away from firey wife as she was gonna blast your ####### off with a 9mm and you wanted divorce advice. Did you confiscate the gun? Like Robin says, we have missed you. I see you're still homesick. Bless yer little cotton socks. and LOU LOU !!!!! only real lou-lou I ever met was in a gay bar in munich - 6ft skinny guy and built like 2 yards of pump water - I should say I didnt know it was a gay bar (but my boyfriend did ) JOKE !!!!! Me and my fiery yank slugged each other to a stop metaphorically speaking - there was nowhere to go from there but up ! Bit like an alky that reaches rock bottom - we did and then built it all up from there. She got this weird idea I was provocative just for the sake of it - now she knows I am a fluffy bunny really she has a superior condescending a*s*s hooole fixation so she decided to come here to the Uk so we could be together until we could resume marital harmony in rabid nationalist land We have been all over europe and its paris in the spring on friday... she is in Milwaukee until Thursday so I am whiling away the time slapping these unimaginative cuckoos around until then (sorry cuckoos - didnt know you were listening to me and lou lou - she used to knock me around too on this site in 2005 - but with more success) nice to see ya ! lou lou and the coven ! alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 11:42:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	Well, we can at least pity the OP... must be a very lonely life up there on that pedastal all by himself. I agree Jen. Too bad he's more concerned with slagging off Americans then trying to see the "big picture" and blend in and hopefully make a decent life for himself and his wife. blend in is just another way of saying shut up...jeez you are the torch bearers of liberty and free speech and all you can say is shut up and be quiet and blend in.. some exciting place I am coming to... If that lot in Boston had done that you would not even have had a revolution - come on and show some spirit and have energetic reasoned debate - or did that all end in 1777 ?	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 11:30:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	Well, we can at least pity the OP... must be a very lonely life up there on that pedestal all by himself. Jent ! a whole line almost and without an edit ! I vote for you as homecoming queen ! Brevity is so much to be admired as long as it is the product of incisiveness and not lack of vocabulary... what else do you have besides short grunts of weak insults ? I would rather have a-s-s man back to give me a proper working over	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 11:24:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	Maybe there's hope for us Alan, but I guess you'd have to see whether or not I'm out of my depth in England first. Are there qualification forms I can fill out to make it all easier? Actually it was tougher for my wife to get equiv of ss number here than for me - and licence -and bank account- still no credit card uk residency was 10 mins in chicago but everything else was much tougher than US I am going to start work on identifying which area of the brain is responsible for extreme nationalism and establish whether it is enlarged in Americans - call me saywhat phd if i am successful	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 11:17:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	Alan piece of advice - bring your own duvet next time. Also, try the electric kettles at Target, they should meet your needs! And Robin too !!! It's like a wildlife film where the 29 lions leap on the buffalo ! Robin I am all geared up this time - kettles, duvets, cheshire cheese sources everything ! swap my wisconsin driving licence for a florida one and bobs yer uncle and fanny's yer aunt I know there are no red necks in Florida so I should be ok It's weird how mob mentality takes over but I must enjoy the pounding secretly ? It's like a 'rook's court' where they all circle the victim and start pecking - some of em get a gentle peck back sometimes Not one person has taken up the theme of the thread though I keep stopping it and repeating it. Basically everyone is saying that the whole world views america thus - but there is no truth in it and I should not repeat these defamations I am hoping they all calm down and relax and start to discuss the original post - they might as well treat me as family and wash dirty linen in public because I am coming to stay this time only one mention of a-s-s - that's wonderful - perhaps american culture is on the change !	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 11:11:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	I laughed quite hard when I read that. Yeah, me too! I third that. He's not a creature of reason. I DO have a very strong sense of irony, and it's the irony of his apparent expectations of everyone else in the face of what he doles out that is quite funny. It also makes me feel just a tiny bit sad, but then I remember that I'm not the one marrying him. Already married chucky - next time praps ?	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 11:02:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	I would like to thank everyone for disagreeing with the OP that Wisconsin is entirely filled with 300-lb. guys with shotguns. Yeah there are places like that in WI, like in any state, but really Milwaukee and Madison (the latter, especially, IMO) are lovely cities and the natural sites can be stunning. Anyway, I'm glad to see that WI stereotypes were not perpetuated in the making of this thread. OP: It's so effing fashionable to make the same tired generalizations about Americans without any critical thought. I'm always open to criticism of my country and am usually the first critic myself. But put some thought into it instead of recycling shallow bullsh*t I've heard a million times and don't be such a condescending a*hole about it. Nobody is resisting your criticisms of Americans because our tiny minds are filled with patriotic propaganda; people get irritated with you because you seem to enjoy feeling superior without any reason. If you spent 18 months here and didn't learn about the spectrum of opinion in the US, then you must not have been very open to having your opinions challenged either. I liked Madison and Milwaukee and met some lovely people - but we didn't talk politics and only mentioned god once ... that was when i said 'oh god where is my passport' I wondered how long it would be before someone mentioned the latter part of the alimentary canal and you have the prize ! I only feel superior in one or two areas of life and being able to construct a sentence without mentioning botties is one of them. Superiority is a relative concept - if you don't feel inferior to me then I cannot be superior - so relax - you may be my superior in so many ways for all I know - except when it comes to not mentioning whats inside the back of your check underpants - and then I am definitely superior to you..	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 10:55:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	I have had a few suggestions - ranging from f-off and stay away to shut up Are those suggestions for us, or for yourself? ok Jent - the fact that you had to edit a half line post means you are disqualified - go and stand at the back of the class - and put this hat on !	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 10:43:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	Right you lot - stand to attention, pin your ears back and hear this ! In November I am coming to the USA and I am going to make my life there - my base there - forever ! I am coming for the following reasons : A my wife feels out of her depth in Europe B I can buy half your stolen continent with my beer money given your devalued currency C I like alligators D You Americans are a spectacle all on your own - a bit like watching 9-11 with the repeat button on - and it interest me for now. I want to come in peace and be able to discuss what is happening in my new home without being raged at by hyper xenophobes with nazi tendencies and creeping paranoia and this thread is asking how I do that... I have had a few suggestions - ranging from f-off and stay away to shut up I think you people need to be taken back to your glorious roots of free speech and progress and the founding fathers would be ashamed of you and your hostile attitudes Your alright in a mob though aren't you ? I posted on the UK forum as I was expecting some advice from UK bods as to how to handle the situation - instead I get the female branch of the KKK on my neck and a few sneering men taking turns to have a pop.. Now shake your brains about and get with the thread - stop telling me there is no cultural difference - admit there is and give constructive advice as to how to deal with it which does not include obscenities, shut ups or stay home stuff alright now - stand at - ease ! thinking caps - wait for it - thinking caps - ON !!! alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 10:38:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	We all should step back and admire the OP for the skill he has which enables him to sidestep any decent argument and instead resort to insulting someone who doesnt agree with him, awe inspiring. If that's 'intelligence' I'm glad to be a doorman. Dear Mr Oath - you insulted me first by likening me to your friend who was a 'effing idiot' - that is not a reasoned argument as you claim and so I had a pop back at you by asking why you chose idiots for friends ? If I am an idiot then perhaps we could be friends ? alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 10:20:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	I found many an ignorant Brit while living there. You are going to have a hell of a time living in America. You will find ignorant people everywhere - even in the white house >>You are going to have a hell of a time living in America <<< Sounds like another threat - I know I will have a great time with all your cheapo currency haha ! see what I mean about the underlying simmering violence ? it's runs through so many replies - you are all there with your hot pokers just aching to get at me for saying that GENERALLY Americans are not receptive to the slightest flaw in their country being pointed out... That is all I am saying and all I have said - and it raises you all to such fury ! Collective paranoia or what Edited by saywhat, 21 May 2007 - 10:12 AM.	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 10:11:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	The original poster will have a pleasant and enjoyable time if he learns when to shut up, it's that simple and it's something everyone else learned from childhood. How true. A friend of mine used to have a torrid time of going to the pub every Friday, he would almost always end up being beaten up or threatened. The reason: He was smart and liked to used he smarts to go to pubs full of squaddies and argue politics with them. I.e. he was a ###### idiot. oh dear more violence and swearing - if he was a friend of yours, how come he was an idiot - birds of a feather ?	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 09:58:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	No, it's because she's been quite vocal here in describing living in an atmosphere around people like you. And you can go and search posts on how she took a lot of sh!t for it, from many people including myself. You're the one who actually proved her point, not me. I also said 'IF' they are like you, I can understand. I use you because your attitude today has fit the description of everything she's been saying. I never really believed it, tbh. I did differentiate between 'all brits' and 'you' because I've said my own experience was wonderful and I regard those I've met as family. Did you miss that bit, or are you just selectively blind? Selectively blind. I agree that there is a lot of aggro against the US here- many americans in London claim to be canadians. It wasn't always so- most of it is the self-shame of the Brits turned outwards - that the US made us do something we should have been strong enough to say 'no' to. I cringe when we go in a pub, because every time someone is ragging on america - and i feel embarrassed for Carolyn. Perhaps it's this universal condemnation that has given the US a siege mentally where everyone sticks together and stands by to repel the outside world....	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 09:53:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	I offered a comment that I thought might help. When I've felt the culture gap here in the UK, I've gone to my husband to discuss it, and he's made really good, interesting points that have helped me. That's why I suggested talking to your wife. Hey Margo- missed ya ! She can't hack it here at all - the English speak so quietly and she can't park and can't undertake on the motorway etc - in contrast I think I did ok in Wisconsin in the end but I am aiming for perfection this time and I want to feel comfortable without being a sell-out. I passed my driving test there and the motorbike theory and got a social security card and bank account and credit card etc etc Yes I was doing ok but had to be SO careful about engaging anyone in a real conversation because if your not with us then you are against us is the ethos... When you go in a bar in Wisconsin and all the guys are 300lbs and they all have a pick up with a shotgun in it and a boy serving in iraq, all you can do is say how wonderful the beer is and much better than home. Its a bit different from a wine bar in Harrogate. Carolyn is a fiery readhead but quiet as well and a thinker underneath- and the most European thinking of any American I have ever met. She dislikes dubbleyer intensly, but if she didn't I would be ok with it - and she can give me a tolerant discussion without identifying me as an 'alien' and the 'anti-american enemy' to be stubbed out alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 09:38:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	I have to agree with previous replies. You are generalizing all Americans as being the same. If you have this sort of mentality now, how will you ever be happy in the states? I can't speak for my husband but I do know many times he has commented on how much friendlier people here are than they were back home. Obviously it all depends on the area you will be living in, BUT if you come in with the attitude you have and take it out on every person you meet you definetly will end up with the response you want. So the circle is forming - all ladies, all American - seems I am outnumbered - until it gets to 15 to 1 like in iraq, I needn't be worried. I say I am generalizing but not stereotyping but even that isn't acceptable - it's close ranks against the foreigner and don't give an inch - that is the aggressive intolerance and latent violence that this thread is supposed to be discussing and you don't give me chance to make my point cos you all keep making it for me... Generalizations are valid - most pigmies are shorter than most watusis - get it ? Stereotypes aren't - I am 6ft but many Chinese are far taller than me... jeez it's like pulling teeth- oops that sounded a bit violent	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 09:24:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	This thread is actually vindicating HA a lil bit because she's been very vocal about not being happy in the UK. If it's because of attitudes like this...I can somewhat understand. . Now you are stereotyping the Brits because of one bad apple (me) You guys keep on making my point for me -its ok for you and its not ok for the foreigners it really is hypocrasy - no i wont give you a dictionary link - ok i will http://www.zwsafaris.....EER HIPPO.jpg	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 09:13:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	Maybe if you make a few more VAST generalizations about 300 million people, judged on one persons experiences with Americans... Yo welcome ! All of you had a flag in your classroom didn't you ? some generalizations are 100% accurate and some are true but are just generalisations...there is no smoke without fire and most stereotypes have a basis in truth The US is a violent society (as a whole) - surely you don't want to say that isn't so ? I wouldnt be married to an American if I thought it was everybody - I am just saying a large proportion This thread is how a foreigner should cope in the US without becoming cowed by what many people around the world see as a very strident and dominating national ethos which is very prickly about admitting any faults in America to 'a foreigner' I want to be able to discuss American Government policy domestic and international without being shouted down or threatened - how can I do that ? alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 09:03:00
United Kingdom	Where can I get my brains washed	http://www.phrases.o.....n petard.html	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-05-21 08:46:00