Ron - I'll believe you if you say so but this is the first time I've heard of folks being upset by the work Yanks. But I live in Texas. We tend to use the formal term "Damn Yankees" - esp if we're talking about the baseball team. But I'll be more careful when I use it in the future.

Of course I've been known to call George W a "carpetbagger" since he came from the north and settled in the south to make money. But people still think he's a Texan.