The United States of America

[Lyndhurst 14]

The Southern US accent on a lady can be bettered for me

And American ladies really go for the British accent..................

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

They are the only ones with the balls to do something about FIFA

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

I like the way they limit a President to two consecutive terms. They could do with that in the UK - would have stopped the worst excesses of both Thatcher and Blair

 

[knocky1]

The US only entered the war against Germany because the Germans made the silly mistake of declaring war on the Americans , until they did, US policy was to concentrate solely on the Japanese in the Pacific and let us carry on against the Germans in the European theatre, in other words , they were going to leave us to sink or swim, their sacrifice in defeating fascism came about purely by accident rather than design.

The British took control of Danish Iceland in 1940, after Denmark allowed a Nazi takeover. This controlled the Northern Atlantic shipping route from America to Europe. 5 months before German declaration of war on US we gave control of Iceland and the shipping routes to America or America took control. The US, as today, were involved before declaration. Not many tommies would know that.

On a different note bushy must admire america's support of the nationalist IRA in the 70's. Also the right to photoshop posters to ridicule the dead.

On topic I could easily spend the rest of my life there but would prefer the South Downs.

 

[alfredmizen]

The British took control of Danish Iceland in 1940, after Denmark allowed a Nazi takeover. This controlled the Northern Atlantic shipping route from America to Europe. 5 months before German declaration of war on US we gave control of Iceland and the shipping routes to America or America took control. The US, as today, were involved before declaration. Not many tommies would know that.

On a different note bushy must admire america's support of the nationalist IRA in the 70's. Also the right to photoshop posters to ridicule the dead.

On topic I could easily spend the rest of my life there but would prefer the South Downs.

Gibberish as usual.

 

[hi__neighbor]

One thing I do not understand is, Why have a President who carries the can for everything, but give effective power to Congress who may be a majority of the other party? ..It is a recipe for stagnation.

Welcome to our nation's political speed bump--the one thing that stops anyone from implementing effective change in Washington. And yet we accept it as a necessary evil and continue to play passive-aggressive media games in an endless loop.

 

[hi__neighbor]

And American ladies really go for the British accent..................

It's true, I lost a girlfriend to some Hugh Grant jagweed back in the day.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Lived and worked there for 18 months and never got shot once.

 

[Marlton & Hove Albion]

27 years now for this Brighton Boy. Homesick always and back and forth so many times I recognize the water when I look down from 35K feet. I've never seen a gun in all of this time, rarely felt endangered, never worried about muggings, assaults, vandalism. When I read the Argus, it's depressing the amount of mindless crime that goes on in Sussex.

The USA - Politically frustrating, a real undercurrent of racism, culturally thin, hopelessly homogeneous suburbs and lots of other stuff to dislike.

What sells it for me.....friendliest people I've ever met, hospitable, positive, polite, welcoming, generous, open to new ideas, always pushing ahead, honest about shortcomings and love a good time.

I've been all over, all the places that rank - Australia, Canada, Switzerland etc - but there are upsides and downsides to everywhere. Cost of living, climate and so on. USA...pretty damn good.

 

[El Presidente]

I was hoping the sacrifice made by the US in helping to defeat Fascism in defence of democracy and freedom would speak for itself sorry if you missed the point.

That's odd, I didn't see them do much when Hitler invaded Poland, France and so on, or during the Blitz.

The Americans entered WWII because Japan bombed Pearl Harbour, on December 7 1941. They weren't anywhere to be seen when it was just the UK trying to stop the unitesticled goosestepper.

Back to the original question though, I love America, all the Americans I have met have been great fun, and Americana is fantastic.

 

[Gilliver's Travels]

A place of extraordinary contrasts.

The bad points: the instinct for violence, guns for everybody, shoot first and sod questions. Ridiculous prudishness – home of the pixelated bum-crack. Nauseating patriotism, and belief that the USA "best country in the world" is the envy of everyone else.

Grotesque levels of religiosity, for a supposedly enlightened Western country. A place where politicians can invoke God routinely without embarrassment, and where atheism is on a par with devil worship, making it impossible for an atheist ever to achieve high office.

Mass stupidity, despite the huge amounts spent on education.

Terrifying levels of oesity, despite the huge amounts spent on education.

Excessive materialism, reflected in TV channels that screen ad breaks every five minutes.

Unhealthy obsession with race: has Obama's position done much to change that?


The good points: Freedom of Information guarantees that go way beyond anything we have in the UK.

Enormous contribution to culture, particularly music, cinema and comedy, obviously.

The instinctive friendliness of most Americans you get to meet. (Though this may not extend to members of other races.)


Despite the 'typical' American caricature – of Gahd and guns, materialist, anti-government, uneducated, unsophisticated, ignorance of other cultures, by no means all fit that stereotype. The ones I've met and worked with have generally been of a more liberal turn of mind, college educated, with a progressive world view. A minority, but a very welcome one.

 

[Mackenzie]

I've never been there. Some of the Americans I have met have been pleasant, some not.

I hope that helps.

 

[Marlton & Hove Albion]

That's odd, I didn't see them do much when Hitler invaded Poland, France and so on, or during the Blitz.

The Americans entered WWII because Japan bombed Pearl Harbour, on December 7 1941. They weren't anywhere to be seen when it was just the UK trying to stop the unitesticled goosestepper.

Back to the original question though, I love America, all the Americans I have met have been great fun, and Americana is fantastic.

They were most certainly late in both WW1 & the sequel BUT they made up for tardiness with their commitment and performance!!! Difficult decision with a huge German, Italian immigrant community. Many soldiers fighting not so distant relatives in towns that were home to their fathers and grandfathers.

They did come to our aid in WW1 when they really had no threat personally, 105 years after we burned down Washington DC.

 

[jackanada]

Nice to visit, though I found it shockingly racist. I present the Tories love it as they seem intent on copying it's failing education and health systems and overtaking their levels of income inequality and child poverty.

 

[RexCathedra]

Nice to visit, though I found it shockingly racist. I present the Tories love it as they seem intent on copying it's failing education and health systems and overtaking their levels of income inequality and child poverty.

I'm sure your future slavish imitation of our system of health care provision will be every bit as big a hit as the current move to adopt the US system of funding and providing post-secondary education.

My parent loans for two kids (M.Arch and BA from nationally ranked schools -- Mrs Clinton went to one of them) is in excess of £60,000. Their own loan exposure is £32,000 and £9000 respectively.

 

[BiffyBoy]

For no good reason really. I remember watching the 2012-13 Championship playoffs and liking the way they played and kind of pulling for them I suppose. I learned more about the club and then watched some games the following season (no easy task over here) and before I knew it I felt pretty familiar with the squad and just continued to keep tabs on how they were doing. It was a pretty casual following at first but then I got caught up in the Poyet drama and everything that followed, learned more about the club, watched some old youtube clips and such. Then just kind of went all in this preseason, getting myself a Seagulls Player subscription and getting Naylor's latest in my inbox every morning.... yadda yadda yadda.... I guess I like to think that Brighton chose me! Way more fun than the rest of these assholes over here supporting Chelsea or Man United or Arsenal or whatever. Always liked the underdogs

Wow, nice to see Brighton getting a US following! I moved out to Boston in Jan time, maybe we could set up the Beantown seagulls supporter club

 

[Cesar Chavez]

I suppose it's stating the obvious, but the folk from the UK who have visited frequently, or like myself, live here, tend to have a far more balanced view of what is a huge country - a continent, with massive contrasts in geography, culture, politics, almost everything. Sure there are some crazy goings on, and some turn offs - but that is what makes the country so interesting - and let's face it, what country doesn't have it's fair share of dislikes? I've been lucky enough to have lived in New York, Virginia, and now California and don't regret moving across. I've always felt very 'at home' here, sure I miss people, places, and 'things' back in the UK, but am pleased to be away from some of the negativity, over-entitlement and expectations that some people have, and of course the weather! Got a bit of a drought here at the moment, but with low 80's for the week end, it's easy to get used to sun and warmth. Obviously miss the Albion, friends & family, a decent, straight forward curry, and other such comforts. Big plus is the speed at which things can get done when everything gets pulled together - the speed at which the Sacramento Kings new arena has shot up down town is a good example. UTA and up the USA!!

 

[Shuggie]

Lived and worked there for 18 months and never got shot once.

Hopefully I'll be able to make the same claim in another 10 months. So far so good.

 

[hi__neighbor]

Wow, nice to see Brighton getting a US following! I moved out to Boston in Jan time, maybe we could set up the Beantown seagulls supporter club

Dude YES. That would be awesome.

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

Wow, nice to see Brighton getting a US following! I moved out to Boston in Jan time, maybe we could set up the Beantown seagulls supporter club

Think there at least 10 of us based in NYC, maybe more. Shaun, the landlord at Foleys, is a big Brighton fan and there are several Brighton shirts (including a framed signed one) hanging proudly in the bar. The now defunct Virgin Megastore used to sell Brighton shirts along side the Chelsea and Man U tat because of the Fat Boy Slim connection