Thank you, MortyForTyrant, and for Ansonia and Mr. Ima – perhaps an examination of some defensive, insular atitudes are in order – Morty might have been an American with dual citizenship but the assumption was made that he was some kind of nosy German (with great idiomatic English, though) who should refrain from telling Americans what they do wrong. And supposing that a non-US citizen does dare to criticize? Shouldn’t Americans welcome another point of view? Especially given all that is wrong with the USA and the poor performance of the outgoing 112th Congress, I think Americans need all the good ideas out there. (And, by the way, are Americans shy about telling others what to do? or, come to think of it, were they even shy about actually invading another country under false pretences in 2003?)
Morty, whenever I watch Congress on C-span it depresses me. Perhaps it is because I do have US citizenship that the hurt is closer to home. Have you watched the UK’s Prime Minister’s question time in Parliament (Wednesday mornings ? I think) ? Everyone there can speak English properly and sticks to the point under discussion -
Thank you for this comment – although perhaps it is too rational for “jonesb” , “antiquetracman”, and their ilk. I live in Switzerland, and here, as in much of Europe, the only ceremony which counts is the one performed by the secular official at the Town Hall. Some people wish a religious ceremony in addition, for decoration, so to speak, and so they have a second “wedding” in a church, synagogue, or whatever, sometimes the next day, sometimes weeks or months later, but only the secular Town Hall marriage has legal significance. No one seems to mind this arrrangement.
Perhaps, if things go the way “Ima” predicts, the standard of living in the USA might rise to that of Norway or Sweden? There would be no danger of such an increase (in standard of living) under a Romney administration ….
FYI – Well, “agent provocateur” might sometimes be used to mean someone with a joke in mind – but the usual meaning is more one of troublemaker – as, from wikipedia,“More generally, the term may refer to a person or group that seeks to discredit or harm another by provoking them to commit a wrong or rash action.” – or, “Un agent provocateur est une personne chargée secrètement de perturber l’activité d’un groupe” – Michael wme was just being funny, no? no harm intended.
It was supposed to be a joke – the comment of “Michel wme”, that is … I suspect that he does know the difference between climate and weather, and was just teasing a bit.
How about thinking economically? The Confederacy states are “moocher” states – http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-the-confederacy-of-takers/2012/11/13/d8adc7ee-2dd4-11e2-beb2-4b4cf5087636_story.html?tid=pm_opinions_pop
Thank you, MortyForTyrant, and for Ansonia and Mr. Ima – perhaps an examination of some defensive, insular atitudes are in order – Morty might have been an American with dual citizenship but the assumption was made that he was some kind of nosy German (with great idiomatic English, though) who should refrain from telling Americans what they do wrong. And supposing that a non-US citizen does dare to criticize? Shouldn’t Americans welcome another point of view? Especially given all that is wrong with the USA and the poor performance of the outgoing 112th Congress, I think Americans need all the good ideas out there. (And, by the way, are Americans shy about telling others what to do? or, come to think of it, were they even shy about actually invading another country under false pretences in 2003?)
Morty, whenever I watch Congress on C-span it depresses me. Perhaps it is because I do have US citizenship that the hurt is closer to home. Have you watched the UK’s Prime Minister’s question time in Parliament (Wednesday mornings ? I think) ? Everyone there can speak English properly and sticks to the point under discussion -