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If your girlfriend cheated on you with a girl would you be mad?
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gerry1
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2. February 2006 @ 13:24 |
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Ah, I can't tell you how glad I am that I was wrong! Sometimes even when you speak the same language, meaning of things can be different. Earlier, I mentioned the differences between the meaning of the word "homely" ... this guy I know told this really funny story about it...someone trying to not be insulted when the insult, by their definition, was a great compliment.
I've heard cockney on TV before and I've got to tell you, it really had me scratching my head in bewilderment! Not just cockney but some accents too. I remember renting this movie called "The Full Monty" and I didn't understand a word for the first twenty mins. then it all fit into place and I started it over. Americans are no different; I'm sure you've had much the same reaction to some American films or TV shows. The US is a pretty big country and there are regional accents everywhere. Certain southern US accents can be something of a labor to understand. While I live in Philadelphia, I come from New England where I guess the use of the language would be more like the english than the rest of the country...at least the english accents we hear of TV...not the cockney stuff. The never pronounce the letter "R", some don't pronounce the letter "H" and even some british words which they don't use anywhere else in the US like "plaster" instead of band-aid, "elastic" instead of rubber band, "flat" instead of apartment. There are others but I forget. I think some of the most difficult to understand can be some of the Afro-Americans. Some speak what you could only call a dialect or a patois...they call it "ebonics". Every now and again something will spark somewhere and there will be all these arguements as to whether it should be allowed in schools etc.
I'm afraid I would be the last person to teach you some American slang; while I was born in the US, I was raised in Quebec and spoke very little english until I was about 18. French is much more literal than english and I use to get so confused by slang and American expressions. I still run into expressions that throw me; a woman at work was relating an experience and she came out and said "Lord, did I have egg on my face". I didn't have a clue what she meant but at least I don't take it literally anymore! I saw this Star Trek movie which made me laugh because it reminded me of when I was a kid and english expressions really confused me: going back to a previous conversation, Kirk asks Mr. Spok "Spok, have you changed your mind?" With a quizzical look, Spok responds "Captain, is there something wrong with the one I have?"
Well, must go, I;ve a friend coming over and I'm babbling. Glad I didn't piss you off! Take it easy buddy! ... Gerry
@Maxburn: How are you buddy? I just sa your post. I must admit, I'm jealous. I've always wanted to go to england but somehow never got around to it.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 2. February 2006 @ 13:27
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3. February 2006 @ 10:46 |
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@Gerry
Coming to England? Well... I don't think you're missing much... Too cold, always raining, virtually foggy all the time... The food isn't exactly the best... Then you have to drive on the left! LOL
I think you would like the monuments and sh¦t like that... Ever heard of the Big Ben in London? It's some sight when you see it... Altough England is a nice country to visit, (i know this place from top to bottom) the rest of Europe is much more appealing to me. I have been to quite a few countries on various bike/car trips around Europe. France is beautiful, they have an amazing road system, the food is good, the wine is even better... Then Paris is one of the most romantic places ever... Going in there with the mrs is a must... There's the mountains and the sea coast... They have it all there...
Germany is also very nice, very clean and organized, not like in UK where everything is all over the place... They have the beer festival that lasts a week! We were there for two days, some germans didn't bother moving for the whole time!!! Oh, and their autobahns (motorways=freeways LOL) are unrestricted! There was me having the time of my life, legally for once(!) on my CBR doing about 140mph, when i got flashed by a Merc, i just pulled to the side... He overtook me like if i was just standing... The Germans are awesome!
Spain and Portugal are just the best countries ever! Everyone looks so relaxed... The food is my favorite in the whole world... They have such a variety of meat, fish, smoked meat, sea food, veg... I never seen anything like it before! Then they also have the festivals! It's like, anything is good for a party! Dream place, i know where i wanna go when i retire! They look after you the whole time you're there! I went there to the biggest bike meet in Europe, and i was only 22 at the time, it's not easy to ride 3000+ miles when you're that young... I rode about 20 different bikes... And about 100 people rode mine LOL!! If you're talking to someone about their bike and say 'can i have a go', they'll give you the keys!
I have a dream of doing route 66 on a Harley Davidson...
@Max
What's your opinion about the UK tough? Did you like it?
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 3. February 2006 @ 10:47
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3. February 2006 @ 11:59 |
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permiggs,
Hi there buddy, the UK, well you have to remember i was born there, of american parents, but left when i was 6 months old, so first impression was none. Second time i was there in 1980-81. I had this whole concept of the UK in my head, but nothing like the real thing to straighten you out. Yes, cold, damp, raining, dismal, dreary, and those were the good days.. :) No really, it has tons of history, castels , old pubs, good beer, cemetaries, very small roads, and driving on the left. Now the food was different. The UK had many non-uk ppl and you could get just about any kind of food. I started getting these kabobs from a small indian ran shop. They were made with some kind of meat,, lamb and something else, all put in a pita bread thing with all the fixings.. Made a meal in one sandwich. And fish and chips are a MUST do in the UK at least once in your life. Overall, id say the UK is fine in my book. Nice place to visit or even stay a while, but the excessive laws, and excessive taxes will get anyone opressed/depressed after a while. That and the northwest US coast type weather all the time, without the sun, probably leads to the ppl of UK being somewhat depressed and not so funny most of the time, serious would be a better term, but they did produce Monty Python and the gang, and thats some funny sh*t. Benny Hill was funny in a corny way. If you get to know the ppl they are fine and friendly, but at first they can be a little stand offish. Id lived in Texas before going to the UK and almost everyone of them had an old west TV western concept of that state.. I gave up trying to tell them TX grew up with the rest of the world and even had TV and electricity now.. :)
Die CMC Mag!!! |
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3. February 2006 @ 13:23 |
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Quote:
I gave up trying to tell them TX grew up with the rest of the world and even had TV and electricity now..
And Bush... LOL
Yeah, i dont mind kebabs and fish n chips... They're especially nice when you come out of a club and are pi$$ed out of your head... LOL Like you said there's a lot of foreign people here that brought their culture and gastronomy... You can find restaurants from India, China, Japan, Mexico, France Italy, Portugal, Spain etc... The variety is quite remarkable.
Quote:
well you have to remember i was born there, of american parents, but left when i was 6 months old,
Well, i was born portuguese but lived in here forever... LOL As far as i'm concerned i'm british... It's quite good when i go there (been there twice to the meet), i can scratch a bit of portuguese, so we're never lost! LOL
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 3. February 2006 @ 13:24
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gerry1
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4. February 2006 @ 11:03 |
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@permiggs and maxburn...how are you guys? I've sort of been away for the last couple of days; neck and back were raising hell and I've spent the last two days watching movies in a narcotic induced haze...all is fine now.
It's been quite awhile but I've been to Athens, Rome, Naples, southern France and Majorca and Barcelona. My favorite was France not because its better but because I'm from quebec and fluent in french. In france, like everywhere, I'd hit the cities for awhile but loved to rent a car and go out into the countyside. France was neat because I'm fluent and I was treated like a king...like a francophone colonial visiting the motherland. I don't think I paid for a single meal nor stay at a single hotel...just slept in the spare rooms or on the sofas for total strangers! Unbelievable. Like Maxburn, it's the history that's so facinating ... the US is like a babe in diapers compared to europe.
I live in downtown Philadelphia in what many consider to be the most historic district in the US. Right in front of my apartment, kids would put horse-turds in their sling shots and hurl them at the redcoats (no offense there permiggs LOL!). To my right is constitution hall and the liberty bell. And a stones throw away is "Elfreths Alley" which is the oldest street in the US. It's all pretty neat in a quaint sort of way, the history is facinating but historically, it's brand new compared to Europe and certainly none of the grandeur. Damn, some of those European cathedrals took seven hundred years to build...three times longer than the US is old! It really to my breath away to look at some of the European architecture and realize that it was all constructed in days that were as low tech as it gets yet with grandeur and artwork that will never again be matched despite our technology and progress.
Well, gotta go. Hope your're both well!
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4. February 2006 @ 11:57 |
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Hi Gerry.
You're right, in terms of history, Europe is fantastically rich! Just take Greece, where stuff like the time, speed, the stars, maths os philosophy to name just a few(!) were invented... Or Rome, we still live like they used to... They had sewers, a senate, currency and a paid army!... It's from them that every modern civilization model spawns from... The Portuguese discovered 2/3 of the world by sea... In the 17th century they had the most powerfull army in the world... They used to be part of Spain that 'borrowed' the Portuguese Columbus to discover most of South America...
It is quite remarkable how Europe only now managed to be together as one... Not that it hasn't been tried before with Cesar, Napoleon or Adolf... They just didn't do it the right way!
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dr_no
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4. February 2006 @ 14:59 |
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permiggs,
so you traveled a bit huh?
I pretty much share your views on all the countrys you described cause had the same experiences more or less. BTW will have to borrow those keys from you, didn't ride a bike since I moved from Spain to the US.
Let me ask you a question though, how can an englishman tell if a person is from the US if the american says only two words?
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5. February 2006 @ 13:56 |
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LOL! Two word? Dunno...
Quote:
BTW will have to borrow those keys from you, didn't ride a bike since I moved from Spain to the US.
It would be a pleasure... But at the moment the bike is in bits... I'm rebuilding in for the summer... Bought a light crashed CBR 600 not long ago to rebuild into a streetfighter...
Yea, i love to travel, but now it's a bit harder since the kids and all that comes with it... Done France, Belgium, Luxemburg and Germany last year in a car... The X was pregnant at the time, had some right dodgy moments but it was nice and romantic...
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dr_no
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5. February 2006 @ 17:18 |
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When he asks for cold beer :)
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5. February 2006 @ 18:22 |
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gear79 and dr_no u rock!!!
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5. February 2006 @ 23:27 |
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@dr_no
LMAO!! :) Keeping that one!
@droogie
Gear is a closed subject now...
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6. February 2006 @ 05:32 |
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Yes, Dr_no, the warm beer freaked me out the first time i had some in the UK. I even asked if their fridge was busted, that got a laugh from the brits.. I eventually got used to it. The more warm beer you drink, the less you care anyway.
Hang in there gerry1. Pain is a b*tch. Sometimes i have to take a break from burning DVDs and actually watch them. I seem to have more fun burning them, than acutually watching them.
Gear79 will be missed. He was one of my best buddies here. I knew we could say anything to eachother, and the other one wouldn't get offended. Thats rare, as you can offend ppl here without even trying to. :)
permiggs
Got old Jack Straw going here for you, and in memory of Gear79. This hits for you gear79!!!
Die CMC Mag!!!
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 6. February 2006 @ 05:32
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dr_no
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6. February 2006 @ 06:33 |
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Anytime asking for a cold one they come back as "where from the US are you from?". Or something along that line, it always happens to me.
As for gear, I will miss him too, it was nice to kid around with him. But now I have my sights set on permiggs :)
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6. February 2006 @ 07:02 |
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@dr_no
Quote:
But now I have my sights set on permiggs
Should i feel worried? My mom, my nan, my 3rd grade teacher and my farmer neighbour used to say that all the time... And the end result made me quite a quick runner!! LOL
@Max
Quote:
I knew we could say anything to eachother, and the other one wouldn't get offended. Thats rare, as you can offend ppl here without even trying to.
True to me as well. I know who i can joke with, some ppl are just too uptight. With those i just end up baiting them (not very ethical but hey, i feel better like that... lol) to get the reactions... After that there's always someone taking it off my hands and taking them down completely... Because permiggs was only joking... ;)
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dr_no
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6. February 2006 @ 07:41 |
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So why you need the CBR for?
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6. February 2006 @ 07:55 |
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@dr_no
To cut a long story short, i divorced my X about 6 months ago. Sold my CBR, my CRX, left the house with my pc and my clothes. She had the lot. After a lot of arguments she hid the kids from me, i forced seeing them, got arrested. I'm now living at my folks and i see the kids every weekend under supervision... (they reckon i'm dangerous... But i won't hurt a fly, unless i'm stoped from seeing my kids, then it's different!)
I enjoy mechanics as much as burning (maybe mechanics more, actually), and because i cant afford to buy a better, more expensive bike, i bought a crashed up one and i'll be building it bit by bit into a streetfighter. I done that before with my other one when i had a little spill. You feel so proud after when you get to ride the finished product!
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dr_no
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6. February 2006 @ 08:38 |
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Permiggs,
Wish you the best, I know I would go crazy if in the same situation, sometime I do crazy stuff myself. But we still together and plan to stay that way for the sake of my daughter. Well, mechanics I don't really do anymore, I used to tweak and fix my own sports cars when I had them. Sold it shorlty after my daughter was born, now driving a regular car :( That's one of the reasons I don't ride either. Got to enjoy other less dangerous hobbies these days like photography or camping and fishing.
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6. February 2006 @ 09:19 |
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@Dr_no
I used to be half way like you... I had a sports car, the X had the estate... I had a motorbike, she had curtains, sofas, you know what i mean... I had my tool boxes, she had all the hair and make up gear... I had a big telly and a massive sound system...(professionally fitted by ME.lol) She had a nicely fitted kitchen...(by me!)We kinda shared all the stuff we wanted... Mind you we have good jobs as well... Right now, i live for my weekends with my kids...
I must admit i like the dangers of riding. Like i said before to Gerry and Max i rode for 3000+ miles in a group of 17 bikes when i was only 22! I had my first crosser at 11, road scooter when i was 14... At 17 i had a GS 500, at 20 i got my first CBR, and since then i had 4 different CBR's among others! They are my favorite bike since i can't afford to insure a Blade!...
I always say that it's only dangerous IF you make it dangerous, i know i'm a lot more susceptible to die from a spill, but if you think about it, you won't even leave the house, or even take a bath, because it can be dangerous!
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gerry1
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6. February 2006 @ 10:43 |
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"Vengence is mine" sayeth the Lord! "NOT IN YOUR LIFE!" sayeth good ol' Gerry. We have this serious kiss a$$, brown-nosing woman at work; I'm sure you know the type. She made a mistake reading my notes in our data base here at the office (yes, I sometimes do work while I'm at work)and to score brownie points and steal a bit of my thunder, she writes to the president, cc's all the vice presidents and made comments regarding the quality of my work which would have been quite damaging save that she looked at the wrong thing and I was able to respond to all concerned saving my hide but crucifying and publically humiliating her in the process. You know, I'm the nicest guy in the world but cross me and I not only hold a grudge but I savor every moment of it. When my initial anger is over and I'm once again rational, NOTHING gives me more pleasure than plotting my revenge ...admittedly, a character flaw, but we all need a bit of tarnish on our otherwise sterling personalities n'est ce pas? As de LaClos put it:"revenge is a dish best served cold". In a couple of days, this woman won't know what hit her save for my tire tracks across her back! (metaphorically speaking).
Well now boys, having gotten that out of my system, how is everyone? I haven't been around much; first I was not quite up to snuff and turned myself into a zombie for a couple of days then I return to work only to find out that I actually have to work. How can they be so unreasonable?
Permigg, I actually didn't know that the Portuguese army and fleet were that pervasive. I must confess that I envy your ability to travel to all these places...it's too much of an undertaking on this side of the pond to travel with that sort of regularity. You know, though permigg, you're right about Europe unifying in certain ways and they could go further. People around the world have this image of the US being a phenominally wealthy country and it's true to one degree...the GOVERNMENT is very wealthy because were 300 million people in one tax base ... just one large economy, not a dozen or so little ones. Many think that all Americans are rich and nothing could be further from the truth and actually, we are becoming more and more of a have/have not society. As a social worker, I deal with the worst that society has to offer most of it being the consequence of generation after generation of poverty...the dysfunction and the violence that comes from it. Somewhere in this thread you spoke of weapons laws...God what I would give to have your weapons laws in this country permiggs! My city, Philadelphia, has the dubious honor of having the largest number of firearm murders in the US, I believe there were nearly 400 hand gun related murders last year...Just in Philly! As a social worker, we see it all the time ... and all these weapons were stolen from legitimate sources...they were legally obtained before they were stolen and illegally obtained. Now, all of these weapons on the street is the fault of the Brits (no offense there permiggs!!) you see, before the American Revoltion, the Brits forbade firearms and the early days of the revolution were fought with farm implements until the french and the irish decided to help out and gang up on the Brits. As a consequence, it was later written into the US constitution that citizens had the rights to bear arms ... and in the US, that means virtually everything but your own personal nuclear weapon. Ah well, I'll get off the soap box.
I'll be home soon and I'll enjoy and nice tall Stoley on the rocks for a really ugly day. I don't like beer...warm or cold; I drink only good vodka or good scotch on the rocks but never when I'm taking the other stuff though...I have a half a notion that I'd never wake up from that combination!
What happened with Gear was really unfortunate; I too had a good time with gear not to mention that I learned a lot from him. We're both seriously into the home theater stuff and I sure as hell have the best home theater system in the poorhouse it put me in! I hope he makes out o.k. / and how are you doing in that department permiggs? Are you hanging in there? You know, Dr._no, with gear gone, I'll set my sights on permigg too; we'll gang up on him! That way there, if he's the good runner he says, one of us can be waiting at either end!
Well guys, gotta go; it's been one of those days! I hope you are all well and I'll talk to ya' soon! ... Gerry
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 6. February 2006 @ 10:50
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dr_no
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6. February 2006 @ 12:48 |
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Hey Gerry,
Did you mention HT and poorhouse in the same sentence?
Don't get me started, but I whisper this to you, I feel that the cabling in my system might contain more gold then my other halves wedding ring :) But don't turn me in, will you?
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gerry1
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6. February 2006 @ 12:52 |
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Hell no, I wouldn't turn you in! I admire your priorities lmao!
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6. February 2006 @ 13:03 |
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Hi Gerry!
I didn't know Philly was the 'Far West'... I know people in US live as bad as we do... But somethings they take the mick here... You'll be paying about £4 per gallon of petrol here... That would be about 6 dollars... How about that?
@Dr_no
Quote:
the cabling in my system might contain more gold then my other halves wedding ring
Shame on you to give your MRS a brass ring... LOL
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gerry1
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6. February 2006 @ 13:25 |
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@permiggs: Yes, I've heard that gas (petrol?) is very expensive all over Europe; right now we're about half your cost and people are raising all sorts of hell! To be honest though, I don't thing Americans are going to come to their senses about cars until they're forced to. Americans like their big-powerful cars and I'm no different but there are ways to do that with better technologies which the american oil industries in general (and Bush and sidekick in particular) won't allow to have happen despite their lip service to the contrary.
I have a second car which I keep garaged at home in New England which is something of a show-piece...my brother in law actually keeps it up, puts it in shows etc. I don't have a pic to attach; wish I did but it would be worth a google images search just to check out this boat! It's a 1965 Chrysler Imperial Crown Coupe convertible. It is bright red, with white leather interior, a lot of wood in the interior, radio behind a powered sliding wooden panel and you could switch stations by pushing a small pedal of the floor. It is awesome. It is so large that I once put a hammond organ right in the truck (I forgot what you brits call that)as well as a couple of boxes and able to close the trunk lid. It has a 447 hemi engine with two holly dual feed four barrel carburators...It can't get anymore than five or six miles to the gallon. My friend's dad bought it in 1965 with an oversized radiator because they use to tow this huge camper/trailer thing and my friend bob, who was an auto mechanic, fixed the engine with those two particular carburators to give it more power when towing. When he got a new one, he gave it to his son. Bob died in the viet nam war though so his dad gave me the car. It's always been sort of a keep sake for me. Take a peek at it in google; it's pretty neat.
Want to see what I think is the strangest car ever made? Do a google image search for the 1939 Duesenberg Coupe Simone. Guaranteed...the oddest auto you've ever seen...it will give you a good laugh.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 6. February 2006 @ 13:28
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6. February 2006 @ 13:36 |
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@Gerry
Bloody Hell!! You could smuggle half of China in that boot!
I would love to have a go on one of those! What would be a quarter mile on that! I would say the cornering is sh@te with a wobbly chassis, i would pick a sharp jap for that!
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dr_no
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6. February 2006 @ 13:38 |
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Now this original thread started off in a similar topic.
Ganging up almost brings it back full circle :)
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