281 replies to this topic

[Autumnpuma]

Jenson_Rules!!!, on Feb 27 2007, 04:58 AM, said:

so you have never seen one like this atrocity...

Look fine to me, but what's all that land mass to the left and right? Probaby nothing but a few wild savages in huts.....


BTW, Ben, you pulled that from a company based in Connecticut, U.S.A. so what did you expect? (www.blairandcompany.com)

Edited by Autumnpuma, 27 February 2007 - 09:45 PM.

[Jenson_Rules]

And that perfectly answers my point mike!

[Jenson_Rules]

And europeans have culture, heck so do asians and africans. American culture is a mis-match of everything else and your country has no real history. Ours goes back thousands of years! so there

[Jenson_Rules]

oh and everything below the USA also has culture thats worth a lot. I particularly find meican culture very intriguing and their past with the aztecs and mayans! Very interesting indeed!

[Autumnpuma]

Jenson_Rules!!!, on Feb 27 2007, 02:42 PM, said:

And that perfectly answers my point mike!

Hmmm....My point was that the map you pulled up was being used by an American company, so it's understandable they'd put America in the center. If you're advertising a tyre on a car, would you show the rear-view mirror? In advertising, you speak to your audience...American audience, America-focused map. I see your point, though, but you're trying to say Americans only see America and not the rest of the world. Maybe that's true, but you can't really prove that by citing that particular map. The ones I had in school looked like the one ecap posted: Atlantic ocean in the middle and no continents 'cut-off'.

Here's an example of this. ykick posted this comment:

ykickamoocow, on Feb 26 2007, 12:57 AM, said:

The only objection i have to the American map is that it cuts entire continents in half for the make to work which makes it very confusing. The European map is better as where it cuts is mostly ocean which isnt nearly as bad.

He is assuming that the map you posted is the 'American Map'. Incorrect. I have just told you that ecap's map is the one taught in schools here.

jemstride, on Feb 27 2007, 05:23 AM, said:

and what about the 'Universal' logo-thing at the beginning of Hollywood films? the globe/earth spins and ends up with a close-up of usa

Again, this is an American company (or it was when that logo was created). American company, American focus. I'm sure an Australian company would have a pic of Australia, not the whole world, right? Would I then be able to say Australians are egocentric? I think not.

Jenson_Rules!!!, on Feb 27 2007, 02:44 PM, said:

oh and everything below the USA also has culture thats worth a lot. I particularly find meican culture very intriguing and their past with the aztecs and mayans! Very interesting indeed!

Respectfully, Ben, you are jumping on the anti-american bandwagon and are quite incorrect. Mexico, for instance, has a skin-colour based caste system where the lighter skinned you are the better you are thought of. The darker, more indian you look, the lower on the social scale you are. There are exceptions, but that's pretty much how it mostly is. Certain parts of South America still have dictators that steal from poor citizens and rape the women simply because they are in power. These cannot possibly be what you are saying is 'worth alot'? American/Australian/Canadian culture is closer to English culture than not so lets have no more of this unthinking bashing of everything American!

[ecapdeville]

Autumnpuma, on Feb 27 2007, 05:15 PM, said:

Mexico, for instance, has a skin-colour based caste system where the lighter skinned you are the better you are thought of. The darker, more indian you look, the lower on the social scale you are.

I would love to know where you got this...

[Autumnpuma]

ecapdeville, on Feb 27 2007, 04:06 PM, said:

I would love to know where you got this...

From the many co-workers I've had over the years that have come here. You know half your countrymen are here in California, right? I have many opportunities to talk with people from south-of-the-border.

[Quiet One]

Autumnpuma, on Feb 27 2007, 11:15 PM, said:

Certain parts of South America still have dictators that steal from poor citizens and rape the women simply because they are in power.

Mike, sorry to say this but I think Ben was just flaming and you've fell into the trap. There are no dictators doing that anymore. At least not since USA decided that it was better to support civilian presidents than to fund, train and support those dictatorships you talk about. Country by country we have in southamerica:

Colombia: President Alvaro Uribe, right Center civilian. Moderate. Democracy
Ecuador: President Rafael Correa. Left Center civilian. Moderate. Democracy
Venezuela: President Hugo Chavez. Left Center (flirts with left but nothing else so far) military. Demagogic. Democracy. (You may object it but its still a democracy)
Peru: President Alan Garcia. Former Left Center, presently Center Civilian. Moderate. Democracy.
Bolivia: President Evo Morales. Left Center. Populist. Democracy
Brazil: President Lula Da Silva. Left Center civilian. Moderate. Democracy
Paraguay: President Nicanor Duarte Frutos. Center civilian. Moderate. Democracy
Uruguay: President Tabare Vazquez. Center civilian. Moderate. Democracy
Argentina: President Nestor Kirchner. Center cilvilian. Moderate. Democracy
Chile: President Michelle Bachelet. Center civilian. Moderate. Democracy.

I only avoided the three former european colonies of Guyana, Surinam and French Guyana because i was too lazy to google them.

As you can see, there are no rapist dictarors. They all (including chavez) adhere to capitalism despite local idiosincracies and theatrical gestures of extreme leftism. All of them keep excelent relationships with USA whether they confess it or not (Chavez has multi billion businesses with american oil companies...cheney & bush anyone?)
There is a considerable degree of freedom, considering the circumstances. Even in Venezuela, despite many authoritarian measures they are still far from becoming a totalitarian country.
I do agree that Ben's post was tinted with some naif anti-americanism. My post is not in support of the anti american position. Just to clarify some common misconceptions about southamerica

Edited by Quiet One, 28 February 2007 - 04:37 AM.

[ykickamoocow]

Autumnpuma, on Feb 28 2007, 12:01 PM, said:

From the many co-workers I've had over the years that have come here. You know half your countrymen are here in California, right? I have many opportunities to talk with people from south-of-the-border.

Ah, but have you seen "The Day After Tomorrow" where half of America freezes and the entire population try to get into Mexico. Think about it  

Edited by ykickamoocow, 28 February 2007 - 05:09 AM.

[ecapdeville]

Autumnpuma, on Feb 27 2007, 07:01 PM, said:

From the many co-workers I've had over the years that have come here. You know half your countrymen are here in California, right? I have many opportunities to talk with people from south-of-the-border.

I wish half of my countrymen were in the USA! hahahahaha thats funny

Yes..you can talk with people from the south of the border...but almost every people who leaves the country are people with a low level of education and knowledge...thats why they are used as gardeners and nannies and plumbers and etc...
do you think the people that cross the line is representative of the country?

nope...I invite you to come here...you will se other world...and other stereotype.  

[Jenson_Rules]

Mike, american culture unfortunantly has spread, i.e. fast food, obeseness etc. America has no real culture, or history. England has lots of impressive buildings, in salisbury for example a lot of the houses date back to tudor times. But I agree British culture is going to the dogs. But look at Italy, that is one impressive country, I fell in love with it when I went there!

[FantasticoKimi]

ecapdeville, on Feb 26 2007, 12:36 PM, said:

Haha....

Will be a great sight, watching the Honda engine blow, spilling oil and smoke with the green earth suffering for pollution...

Hahaha...

I think this livery its just a demo isnt it?....isnt it?...no?

Hahaha

Couldn't agree more.  I thought it was going to be green in color, not like tree hugger green.  Maybe they could put some baby seals on it that could be coated in oil when the engine goes Kerblamo.

[jemstride]

FantasticoKimi, on Feb 28 2007, 03:07 PM, said:

Couldn't agree more.  I thought it was going to be green in color, not like tree hugger green.  Maybe they could put some baby seals on it that could be coated in oil when the engine goes Kerblamo.

welcome to the forum. Another kimi fan I presume? Looks like Kimi has the biggest army on TotalF1, Alonso only has about 5 fans here, Kimi has about 25!

[ecapdeville]

jemstride, on Feb 28 2007, 09:56 AM, said:

welcome to the forum. Another kimi fan I presume? Looks like Kimi has the biggest army on TotalF1, Alonso only has about 5 fans here, Kimi has about 25!

And believe it nor not...there still are Jenson Button´s fans!

this is an amazing forum, welcome!

[jemstride]

ecapdeville, on Feb 28 2007, 04:12 PM, said:

And believe it nor not...there still are Jenson Button´s fans!

yes but only 2 or 3, we need more!

Some more Ralf Schumacher fans would be good too, if there are any in the world. Maybe Cora Schumacher should log on!

[FantasticoKimi]

jemstride, on Feb 28 2007, 10:56 AM, said:

welcome to the forum. Another kimi fan I presume? Looks like Kimi has the biggest army on TotalF1, Alonso only has about 5 fans here, Kimi has about 25!

Thank you.  I am a ferrari fan always, but I am a big Kimi fan so this year it worked out well.  The Iceman Cometh..

[Autumnpuma]

Quiet One, on Feb 27 2007, 08:36 PM, said:

Mike, sorry to say this but I think Ben was just flaming and you've fell into the trap. There are no dictators doing that anymore. At least not since USA decided that it was better to support civilian presidents than to fund, train and support those dictatorships you talk about. Country by country we have in southamerica:

Colombia: President Alvaro Uribe, right Center civilian. Moderate. Democracy
Ecuador: President Rafael Correa. Left Center civilian. Moderate. Democracy
Venezuela: President Hugo Chavez. Left Center (flirts with left but nothing else so far) military. Demagogic. Democracy. (You may object it but its still a democracy)
Peru: President Alan Garcia. Former Left Center, presently Center Civilian. Moderate. Democracy.
Bolivia: President Evo Morales. Left Center. Populist. Democracy
Brazil: President Lula Da Silva. Left Center civilian. Moderate. Democracy
Paraguay: President Nicanor Duarte Frutos. Center civilian. Moderate. Democracy
Uruguay: President Tabare Vazquez. Center civilian. Moderate. Democracy
Argentina: President Nestor Kirchner. Center cilvilian. Moderate. Democracy
Chile: President Michelle Bachelet. Center civilian. Moderate. Democracy.

I only avoided the three former european colonies of Guyana, Surinam and French Guyana because i was too lazy to google them.

As you can see, there are no rapist dictarors. They all (including chavez) adhere to capitalism despite local idiosincracies and theatrical gestures of extreme leftism. All of them keep excelent relationships with USA whether they confess it or not (Chavez has multi billion businesses with american oil companies...cheney & bush anyone?)
There is a considerable degree of freedom, considering the circumstances. Even in Venezuela, despite many authoritarian measures they are still far from becoming a totalitarian country.
I do agree that Ben's post was tinted with some naif anti-americanism. My post is not in support of the anti american position. Just to clarify some common misconceptions about southamerica

Indeed.

ecapdeville, on Feb 27 2007, 09:23 PM, said:

I wish half of my countrymen were in the USA! hahahahaha thats funny

Yes..you can talk with people from the south of the border...but almost every people who leaves the country are people with a low level of education and knowledge...thats why they are used as gardeners and nannies and plumbers and etc...
do you think the people that cross the line is representative of the country?

nope...I invite you to come here...you will se other world...and other stereotype.  

Fair enough. I suppose I could push the point, but to what end? I'd possibly end up making my point but I'd certainly alienate a few members regardless. It's not worth it.

Jenson_Rules!!!, on Feb 28 2007, 12:25 AM, said:

Mike, american culture unfortunantly has spread, i.e. fast food, obeseness etc. America has no real culture, or history. England has lots of impressive buildings, in salisbury for example a lot of the houses date back to tudor times. But I agree British culture is going to the dogs. But look at Italy, that is one impressive country, I fell in love with it when I went there!

Ben, American culture is closer to British culture than not and I'd think someone at a University would know that. What kind of education are you getting? I'm not sure you even know the proper definition of 'culture' or you wouldn't be saying what you have. Culture is loosely defined as 'the daily life of the citizenry'. If you came to America, you'd notice the daily life is very similar to England's, with the general attitudes and reactions of people to a given situation being the same. Ditto for Oz and Canada. Hell man our whole society is based on the English model! Not liking American culture is almost saying you don't like your own.....

Why the hell are you people so obsessed with being anti-American? Are you incapable of independent thought or do you simply follow the current trends? Sheesh....

[Quiet One]

Ben's position (and most bitter debates on political issues over the Forum) are based, IMHO, precisely on common misconceptions about other countrie's culture. It's unavoidable because we all know very little about other countries except our own. If you ask anybody what is what they first think when you say "Mexico" they will tell you about small villages with plenty of mexicans with their big hats sleeping against the white walls. Kind of a "Speedy Gonzalez" view on Mexico. If you ask about France you will think about guys wearing striped sailor shirts, caps, and a musketeer-like moustache. Americans? A bunch of guys with no culture overweight because of junk food and with no personality.
This is all a bunch of crap, of course. Not very different than the thought that black people was genetically lazy and criminal, or that all jews are rich and cheap, or that all muslims are fanatical killers.
IMHO, again, I think that one way to really take advantage of these forums is to ACTUALLY know people from different cultures and with different, perhaps opposite POVs. The first thing you will notice is that they actually aren't that different. They all have their dreams, care for they children, laugh, cry, get angry, argue over stupid things. Just like us.
I've been going out with a couple of ladies from San Diego, CA, that I've met on the Inka Trail. I also came with the prejudice that they will be your typical nice, but distant american. They were anything but that. I enjoyed enormously being with them as they enjoyed being with us and were actually surprised at discovering how complex is life here in Buenos Aires. We all learned our lessons.

Sorry for yet another long post. Just wanted to say that, despite loving political discussions as much as the next guy, I think it is vital for us not to forget that is alway better to try to know and understand each other than jumping into anti-americanists positions (or anti-indians, or anti-canadian or whatever). Maybe it will be less cathartic, but it will be make all of us better persons. And that counts.

[Autumnpuma]

Quiet One, on Feb 28 2007, 11:42 AM, said:

Ben's position (and most bitter debates on political issues over the Forum) are based, IMHO, precisely on common misconceptions about other countrie's culture. It's unavoidable because we all know very little about other countries except our own. If you ask anybody what is what they first think when you say "Mexico" they will tell you about small villages with plenty of mexicans with their big hats sleeping against the white walls. Kind of a "Speedy Gonzalez" view on Mexico. If you ask about France you will think about guys wearing striped sailor shirts, caps, and a musketeer-like moustache. Americans? A bunch of guys with no culture overweight because of junk food and with no personality.
This is all a bunch of crap, of course. Not very different than the thought that black people was genetically lazy and criminal, or that all jews are rich and cheap, or that all muslims are fanatical killers.
IMHO, again, I think that one way to really take advantage of these forums is to ACTUALLY know people from different cultures and with different, perhaps opposite POVs. The first thing you will notice is that they actually aren't that different. They all have their dreams, care for they children, laugh, cry, get angry, argue over stupid things. Just like us.
I've been going out with a couple of ladies from San Diego, CA, that I've met on the Inka Trail. I also came with the prejudice that they will be your typical nice, but distant american. They were anything but that. I enjoyed enormously being with them as they enjoyed being with us and were actually surprised at discovering how complex is life here in Buenos Aires. We all learned our lessons.

Sorry for yet another long post. Just wanted to say that, despite loving political discussions as much as the next guy, I think it is vital for us not to forget that is alway better to try to know and understand each other than jumping into anti-americanists positions (or anti-indians, or anti-canadian or whatever). Maybe it will be less cathartic, but it will be make all of us better persons. And that counts.

NOW HE'S GOING FOR SAN DIEGO!!!! IS THERE NO ONE TO STOP HIM!! HIDE YOUR WOMEN, THE BALD CASANOVA COMETH!!

[Quiet One]

Autumnpuma, on Feb 28 2007, 07:51 PM, said:

NOW HE'S GOING FOR SAN DIEGO!!!! IS THERE NO ONE TO STOP HIM!! HIDE YOUR WOMEN, THE BALD CASANOVA COMETH!!

As friends!!!!! Just as friends!!!! *looks around and mutters to himself "much to my regret..."*

[Ferrariphile]

jemstride, on Feb 27 2007, 10:48 AM, said:

why is london in the middle anyway? Did the english devise the concept of timezones? That would make sense if London is right down the centre

A long time ago, a pope settled a dispute by drawing "a line of Demarcation", and the two rulers of England and France (I believe they were the two fighting at the time) where he said England would own everything west of the line and France would own everything east of it.  The line was drawn through England and part of what is now Greenwich.  Then when the British started sailing all over the world they realised it was dark in India when it was light in England.  So some yahoo decided to standardise timekeeping and based his measurements from distances from Greenwich (hence G.M.T, or Greenwich Mean Time).  So yes, the British are quite self-centered.

Jenson_Rules!!!, on Feb 27 2007, 07:58 AM, said:

so you have never seen one like this atrocity...

Not that I can recall.

[Ferrariphile]

Jenson_Rules!!!, on Feb 28 2007, 03:25 AM, said:

Mike, american culture unfortunantly has spread, i.e. fast food, obeseness etc. America has no real culture, or history. England has lots of impressive buildings, in salisbury for example a lot of the houses date back to tudor times. But I agree British culture is going to the dogs. But look at Italy, that is one impressive country, I fell in love with it when I went there!

The day a Brit talks smack about the healthiness (or lack thereof) of the crappiest of America's food is the day pigs fly.  At least we have yet to start frying our ice cream and candy bars...

[Jenson_Rules]

Ferrariphile, on Feb 28 2007, 10:38 PM, said:

The day a Brit talks smack about the healthiness (or lack thereof) of the crappiest of America's food is the day pigs fly.  At least we have yet to start frying our ice cream and candy bars...

Oh right. So your saying british food, which involves a lot of vegetables, roast meat etc, or cottage pies, stews etc are against american food just as bad. Um I dont think so matey. And we do not fry ice cream, i have never heard of that before and only Sh#tty fish and chip shops sell battered mars bars, which i know noone who have ever had one. Please get your facts straigt first!

[Autumnpuma]

How many outbreaks of mad cow have you had in Britain, Ben? All because you insist on eating the organs and crap normal people throw away!!

Seriously, do you really think all Americans live on a diet of McDonalds? That's simply absurd. And you have the nerve to say 'get your facts straight'....

[Ferrariphile]

Jenson_Rules!!!, on Feb 28 2007, 05:59 PM, said:

Oh right. So your saying british food, which involves a lot of vegetables, roast meat etc, or cottage pies, stews etc are against american food just as bad. Um I dont think so matey. And we do not fry ice cream, i have never heard of that before and only Sh#tty fish and chip shops sell battered mars bars, which i know noone who have ever had one. Please get your facts straigt first!

I know they're from Ireland, I thought you should answer for your Celtic cousins' culinary capers (that's a nice alliteration, eh?).  I was just joshin ya, Ben.  Every culture has its own bad food.  It's just that the bad parts of American culture are so darn overpowering, we're a country of excesses and I'll be the first to admit it.  Though, I nor anybody I know eats at Mickey D's every day of the month either.  Tit for tat, it would seem Europeans are vegetarians compared with Americans.  Shall we discuss haggis?  Mmmm, I had some from a Scottish shop back when I was 8 or 9 and thought it tasted great.

Autumnpuma, on Feb 28 2007, 06:07 PM, said:

How many outbreaks of mad cow have you had in Britain, Ben? All because you insist on eating the organs and crap normal people throw away!!

Seriously, do you really think all Americans live on a diet of McDonalds? That's simply absurd. And you have the nerve to say 'get your facts straight'....

that made me laugh.

Edited by Ferrariphile, 28 February 2007 - 11:12 PM.

[ykickamoocow]

Ferrariphile, on Mar 1 2007, 10:08 AM, said:

Every culture has its own bad food.

Not mine  

[Autumnpuma]

All you Aussies eat down there are shrimps on the bar-b, right?

[ykickamoocow]

Autumnpuma, on Mar 1 2007, 12:13 PM, said:

All you Aussies eat down there are shrimps on the bar-b, right?

Change the word Shrimp for Prawns and you are correct  













































Though i do feel like eating a meat pie at the moment  

[Autumnpuma]

[ecapdeville]

Autumnpuma, on Feb 28 2007, 01:22 PM, said:

Fair enough. I suppose I could push the point, but to what end? I'd possibly end up making my point but I'd certainly alienate a few members regardless. It's not worth it.

Ok...I respect your point of view... and I want to say that I´m not Anti USA...you have quite a lot of good people... (everyone I know from this forum)

You are great puma.