BS: Mitt & the Brits

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: GUEST,999
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 01:23 PM

I wasn't doubting you, Peter. Just had trouble believing what I'd read.

Romney is not only a fool, he's a stupid and dangerous fool.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: GUEST,GY morris man
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 03:03 PM

Isn'that what most of you paranoid americans like,dangerouse fools,
and continuing on from that, dangerouse fools whith guns.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Don Firth
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 03:25 PM

"Isn'that what most of you paranoid americans like,dangerouse fools,
and continuing on from that, dangerouse fools whith guns."

I hope, GUEST, GY morris man, that you're not including all Americans in your statement. I, along with a large number of other Americans, am not paranoid, am very much in favor of instituting strict gun laws in this country, and I sure as hell won't be voting for Romney or supporting him in any way.

It's fairly easy for some people to accuse everybody in a particular group on the basis of the actions of a few. That's called "bigotry."

Don Firth

P. S.   Mitt Romney is merely George W. Bush redux. Total nincompoop, just a slightly different style.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Greg F.
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 03:52 PM

the bloody eejit let it be known he will fully support a military intervention by Israel in Iran

Not only that, he called it "self defense". Kinda like George Zimmerman, I guess.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: GUEST,Ebor_Fiddler
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 04:32 PM

Is he that bloke who makes those nice frames that so many of us use nowadays? Is he related to Bobbie Zimmerman?

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 07:36 PM

""I suspect that the Americans who denigrate the French got most of their opinions from the Brits.""

If they did, Ebbie, then once again they missed the subtleties of UK humour.

Not entirely surprising! They usually do.

Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 07:42 PM

""If indeed he did, then he he should be tried then shot for giving state secrets to a foreign government.""

Hardly State Secrets, given that the world and his wife (including Akhmedinejad) know that it is an integral part of the Republican agenda.

Possibly you might get him on giving aid and comfort to the enemy though, since Akhmedinejad is probably still laughing his head off.

Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Ebbie
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 07:51 PM

sheeeesh You Brits seem to think that we Americans don't understand Brits' humour(sic) or practically anything else about you; has it ever occurred to you that you don't understand Americans? There is a LOT more to us than what you prefer to see. Frankly, I'm tired of the not-so-subtle shiv in the ribs. Not that I'm sensitive or anything.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 11:12 PM

It get tedious, huh, Ebbie?

Don Firth, I think you will find GY Morris was "taking the piss"...winding you up a bit. Not an excuse, just an observation from an American.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 11:20 PM

I gather, from the latest Daniel Pipes Mid-East bulletin sent me by friend in Santa Monica, that the Israelis much preferred what Romney had to say to them re US-Israel relations than what they have recenly been hearing from Obama. One can imagine at least two diametrically opposed opinions within the US as to that.

~M~

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Penny S.
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 05:25 AM

When I looked up that quote about us having potentially been taken over by the Nazis were it not for the Channel (and there's so many other what ifs if that had been true, that it ill behoves any WASP American to go down that road), he did go on to say that despite being small and so on, we had had a major empire. Not sure if he thought that was a good thing, but it did seem a bit of rhetorical opposition of ideas, and not so anti-Brit as the first part implied.

But, if we (stressed) are a degenerate second class nation, what does the world have to worry about from a degenerate first class nation? Given that there is so much that is good about the USA, about its founding documents, and its so many thoughtful, generous and open-minded people, how are we expected to react when a bunch of over-financed, under-educated holders of ideas which came out of the Ark (or which they think came out of the Ark) get to run it and all its weaponry? (Small and local or earth-threatening.)

And our bankers hold fundraisers for the guy!!! I almost wish I hadn't switched from Barclays for some pettifogging faults some time back, so I could do it more publicly now. Are there rules about foreign money being used in election campaigns over there?

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 05:46 AM

Thing is Ebbie, it looks hideously unsubtle to us. We got used to American politicians of both parties queuing up to shake hands with Adams and McGuinness when they were planning murder and assassinating 'legitimate targets' - like policemen, prison officers, English soldiers, people who made an English soldier a cup of tea. They were going after the Irish vote. Now this character is after the Jewish vote.

Thatcher did that sort of thing. Made racist remarks to go after the fascist vote in England. Its hard not to despise politicians like that.

Plus the fact that the Repulican parties election campaign is funded by the armament industry - and that's the real reason for no gun control on the streets in America, and these damn stupid wars which haven't been thought out - like what to do if we win?

Pick the sublety out of this situation. I can't see it.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 09:38 AM

More unsubtlety:

Mitt Romney speech in Israel offends

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: GUEST,999
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 09:56 AM

"Romney and his entourage later left for a brief visit to Poland." [Last line of the article Peter linked.]

Romney goes from strength to strength. It wouldn't surprise me to learn he's trying to broker a deal to get an exchange going whereby Poland exports hams to Israel and 'Palestine' in exchange for advice on how Poland and Russia can achieve a permanent peace.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 12:14 PM

Well, no, worse.

Romney expected to return to Cold War rethoric during speech in Poland

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Ebbie
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 12:31 PM

"I'm tired of the not-so-subtle shiv in the ribs.

I referred to the Brits' weaponry.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Donuel
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 01:18 PM

Mitt the Twit
had a fit with the Brits
He said his bit
with a CEO twist
but got buggered with
a big public fist.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: GUEST,999
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 01:23 PM

Ah yeah!

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 01:26 PM

I think ,ost English people love America most of the time. Marin guitars, Gibson, Fender, Leiber and Stoler, Westerns, Rogers and Hammerstein, Charlie Bir parker, Rev Gary davis... our devotion is immeasurable....

But you gotta admit this guy you've sent over is a bit of a twat.

He reminds me of Thatcher. people like that are scary. After some terrorist outrage - she'd say I'D like to reintroduce capital punishment for terrorists.

I'm against CP anyway. But the prospect was doubly unthinkable - Peace vigils, increased contributions to IRA funds, death row scenarios....

Its a sort of populism. Interesting that both Bush the Younger and Romney were draft dodgers when it came to putting their own lives on the line in the battlefield. there was nothing really to stop the Blessed margaret becoming a WAC either.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Greg F.
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 01:53 PM

you gotta admit this guy you've sent over is a bit of a twat.

Hey, I haven't sent him over, Al - I'd be ashamed to.

And you're wrong about his being a bit of a twat. He's the 14 karat, original, classic dictionary definition of a twat. With bells on.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 02:26 PM

has it ever occurred to you that you don't understand Americans?

So far

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Ebbie
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 02:37 PM

Oh, please. Could we make that "twit"?

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 02:46 PM

I thought many Jews might find Romney's caricature of them as Fagin offensive too.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 02:47 PM

No Ebbie, he's a twat.

Dave H

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Don Firth
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 03:21 PM

Er—I think there is a difference between the way British and Americans use that term, but I won't go into the matter in any detail at the moment. Ahem!

Somehow, Mitt the Twit reminds me of something a friend of mine said about a pop singer of some years ago named Anita Bryant. She managed to turn practically every song she sang into a fundy Christian hymn by changing words here and there. And she became positively livid when Dade County, Florida (where she lived) passed a law making it illegal to discriminate against anyone on the basis of sexual orientation. Basically, she wanted all gays and Lesbians to be taken out and summarily slain, which, she maintained, was the Christian thing to do as prescribed in the Bible (Did Jesus ever say anything like that? I don't think so!).

In one of her diatribes, she justified her position by claiming, "God has his hand on me!"

At which point, my friend said, "No, I don't think so. Because if God had His hand on her, it would be over her big, fat mouth!!"

Somehow that came back to me when I started hearing about Romney's little bon mots.

Rather than the "T-word," might I suggest "dork?" Granted, it doesn't have the advantage of rhyming with "Mitt," but the definition seems to fit quite well.

American/Canadian slang for a quirky, silly and/or stupid, socially inept person, or one who is out of touch with contemporary trends. Often confused with "nerd" and "geek," but does not imply the same intellectual proclivity.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 03:34 PM

"There is a LOT more to us than what you prefer to see. Frankly, I'm tired of the not-so-subtle shiv in the ribs."

Well, tough titties (as we say here). I don't mean that in an insulting way, it's simply that if what the world sees of your country is based around belligerent foreign policy, religious fanaticism, climate change denial, past oppressions that not apologised for, belligerent corporate governance and just about everything else that comes with empire, including non-accountability for deaths during military incursions in far away lands. The English know full well how that feels, and we're not all bad, even though the empire was British, not soley English. We pay for the sins of our fathers.

Thing is, if people who have never been to the US believe everything they see on the telly they'll soon forget the good stuff, even though there's plenty to shout about. Luckily, I've spent enough time in the US out in the sticks to get some insight into a resourceful, intelligent, curious and unfailingly polite people who get things done. It's a shame everyone's so isolationist, but if I lived in the US I would never want to leave as there is so much room, so much to enjoy, so much to see.

I'm pleased to say some of the people in my life I have the greatest respect for are Americans, and I can't wait to get back there and see them again later in the year.

One thing though, you've got to stop giving wankers like Romney any credence; the man is dangerous, and as thick as a baboon's arse and does the US no favours. He's off to Poland to rekindle the cold war now. Stone the crows.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: GUEST,Sugarfoot Jack
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 03:35 PM

That was me above - me cookie's gone awol.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: GUEST,999
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 03:40 PM

Anita Bryant paid for her transgressions, too. The Florida Citrus Commission got rid of her. Her kids suffered because when they had teeth come out and put them under their pillows, well the tooth fairy wouldn't show up. Rocky times back in the day.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Don Firth
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 03:52 PM

I definitely agree with your last paragraph, Jack. That's why I'm working my butt off to get Obama re-elected.

Now, I'm not that fond of Obama, based on what he has accomplished--or failed to accomplish--so far. BUT I am fully aware that he has had to buck a hard-nosed Republican Congress that is hell-bent on seeing his policies fail.

Unfortunately, there are no really viable alternatives, so as I see it, Obama is my candidate.

The tricks at this point are, 1) get Obama re-elected, and 2) get some of those Republican obstructionists out of Congress so Obama can actually DO something. I can't do much about the latter in my home state, because both of my Senators and my Congressional Representative are good, solid Progressive Democrats, and only Maria Cantwell, one of our senators, is up for re-election. And she's fine, so I'm supporting her.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Don Firth
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 04:11 PM

Yeah, Bruce, I remember Anita Bryant getting bit on the ass by the "little orange bird" (logo of the Florida Citrus Commission) for generally making a total--yeah, "dork" will work in this case--of herself.

She was fairly popular during a time when I worked for a brief time as a disc jockey in a pop music radio station and I had to play some of her records. I would sit there (with the mic switch off) and mutter and writhe at how her "Chrisianizing" would butcher the otherwise good songs she was singing.

Nice singng voice. Too bad she was born without a brain.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 04:13 PM

There's a lunatic fringe of people with all kinds of nasty political and social beliefs in every country.

The trouble is that in some times and places that fringe stops being a fringe and turns into a mainstream - and the impression we get is that this is on the edge of being the situation once again in the USA.

A major party with enormous power, and with a significant chance of winning the presidency, and it appears certifiably crazy. It's frightening.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Ebbie
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 04:31 PM

I give Romney no credence whatever, if by that you mean: firm belief in the integrity, ability, effectiveness, or genuineness of someone or something (online thesaurus). I don't consider him to have integrity or genuineness; I would hope that I never gave anyone cause to think that I do.

The part I tire of is the piling on by Mudcatters who should know better on any of many different issues regarding Americans in general and certain Americans in particular.

They all seem to end with "Oh no, we are not referring to you; we have met many good, decent, friendly, thinking Americans..."

It makes one - specifically me - want to attack all things British and then weasel out with the smarmy cop out.

I think Brits would do well to keep in mind that we Americans, as a country and a culture (don't start) or dynamic, if you will, are a diverse lot and have been from the start. MUCH more so than the tamed, domesticated, emasculated, old nations across the waters. (Oh, but I don't mean you; I have met many good, decent, friendly, thinking Brits...)

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 05:18 PM

George Orwell once wrote "England is a family with the wrong members in control." That tends to be true enough of most countries most of the time, including the USA.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Greg F.
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 06:16 PM

I think, Ebbie, it would be well for you to remember that what happens in the U.S. and what the U.S. government does or does NOT do directly impacts the residents of the British Isles --- and for that matter, the rest of the nations of the world.

Oh - and its "British" not "Brit" unless you're trying to be a twa...ooops! make that twit.

This from a "Yank"

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 07:01 PM

Racial stereotypes.....

Cor Lummy Guv'nor....you know us English are far too repressed and and stuck up, to discuss such intimate matters after only a brief acqaintance! We've not been introduced.

Now if I were Trevor Howard and you were Celia Johnson, I'd travel with you to the end of the world.......

As it is I'll travel to the end of time, knowing that we passed up our chance for a passionate and carefree life together - to return to our humdrum existences. Our little lives, our very little lives.....

So try to be sorry for us in our Englishness, and little decancies, and warm beer, and the soft thud of leather on willow over on a summer night on the village green....

We really are frighfully decent in many ways. Oh so many funny little ways.....

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Don Firth
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 07:05 PM

True, indeed, Kevin! It appears to be a world-wide problem.

I would remind some of our British friends here that they tend to be dealing a bit in stereotypes with their jibes at Americans. That is, Americans in general—often with, as Ebbie pointed out, quickly inserting the disclaimer, "Oh, but I'm not talking about you!"

Once again, I think it needs to be said, at the risk of being repetitious, that "Americans" do not constitute a monolith. Jaysus! look at all the political fanging and clawing going on in this country!

It is unwise to deal in stereotypes. One stereotype of Americans that appears to be popular with some of our British friends seems to be something like THIS.

Be it noted that there are Americans who think that's just about right!

But then there are stereotypes of "Brits" as well, one of which is THIS.

Stereotypes are essentially caricatures, and a good caricature is based on elements that really are there. But times change, and insisting on hanging on to the same old stereotype tends to lead one to prejudiced thinking, which is the foundation of bigotry.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 08:03 PM

What Ebbie & Don Firth said! Gratuitous generalization NEVER is a good idea.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Ebbie
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 10:25 PM

OK, now. I feel *much* better now. :)

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Bobert
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 10:30 PM

Seems that Mitt is 0-2 and hoping for 1-2... All he has to do in Poland is not tell any "Polish jokes"... I donno if he call pull it off...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 31 Jul 12 - 07:18 AM

Virtually all stereotypes tell the truth, but only part of the truth, and typically not the most important part of the truth.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 31 Jul 12 - 09:12 PM

Ebbie, I'm sorry that you should take my comments to be generalisations about all Americans. They certainly aren't meant that way.

My comments are aimed at the specific types which do the USA so much harm.

Those who call the French surrender monkeys and mean it, if they got the idea from British sources, are indeed missing the subtleties of British humour.

Mitt Romney is indeed a brain dead boor, whose visit we could easily have managed without, and whose utterances are utterly lacking in subtlety, tact and intelligence.

The thing we least understand is how you seem to elect such to govern your country on a more or less regular basis.

I have a great deal of respect for most of the US population, except for their somewhat suspect taste in representatives.

Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 01 Aug 12 - 12:45 AM

If they did, Ebbie, then once again they missed the subtleties of UK humour.


It's pretty easy to figure out Brit "humour." They actually mean the insult until someone gets offended. Then they use retroactive Romney magic and the insult becomes a joke. Sprinkle in some faux indignation and some condescending bullshit about how "sophisticated" the humour is in the home of Benny Hill and Mr. Bean and viola! C'est ca!

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 01 Aug 12 - 03:24 AM

Well, he seems to have escaped Poland without more of a gaffe than an aide swearing at the press for asking questions.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 01 Aug 12 - 03:30 AM

I've heard of Benny Hill and Mr Bean; but who is this Viola, Jack?

~M~

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 01 Aug 12 - 07:06 AM

Retroactive eh?

Naah, just 800 more years of joking has made that kind of humour part of the British character.

You should catch up around 2612 Jack.

Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Musket
Date: 01 Aug 12 - 08:15 AM

You know, the main problem I have with this guy, speaking as an outsider who being British not American, has no say in the election, is how he may pan out on the world stage.

The world expects homophobia, tea party pandering, state murder remaining on the statute book, creationism taught as science and fear of reds under the bed...   However, such speeches are for domestic fodder. Nobody bats an eyelid outside of The USA, but set foot on foreign soil and the world's media is looking for a statesman. Not statesman as in a citizen of the states, but as in statesmanlike behaviour.

Calling Jerusalem the capital of Israel, hinting that some races have a higher calling than others in the same speech...

At least Dubya had the benefit of being seen as a fool. This bloke is dangerous...

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 01 Aug 12 - 08:30 AM

They actually mean the insult until someone gets offended.

In the case of Romney (or of course Dubya before him) any offence is of course quite intended. When it comes to national stereotypes, such as tfor the French or the Americans, it's not normally intended to offend.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 01 Aug 12 - 08:40 AM

Don - like it or not - we seem to have upset someone.

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 01 Aug 12 - 08:46 AM

And that's not good. After we started it We sent them Russell Brand. How they must hate that! The biggest turd on the planet!

Subject: RE: BS: Mitt & the Brits
From: Stu
Date: 01 Aug 12 - 10:08 AM

"It's pretty easy to figure out Brit "humour. . . Then they use retroactive Romney magic and the insult becomes a joke. Sprinkle in some faux indignation and some condescending bullshit about how "sophisticated" the humour is in the home of Benny Hill and Mr. Bean and viola!"

My god man, take an aspirin and sit down. Also, don't go for the low-hanging fruit, there's enough of that for everyone.