A matter of interpretation ? Danger Will Robinson - navel gazing !

[Zeuk in Oz]

I was reading Jeff's "lookie" thread this morning and it took me a long time to realise that he was serious and was buying the 850i, whereas many of you others worked that out straight away.

This then also reminded me of Wingman's recent post where he warned of the dangers of the dreaded drink, tongue in cheek, but this wasn't realised by all as quickly as we Aussies saw it.

Obviously then, despite speaking a common language, there must be many nuances that we miss when the author is from another country.

No wonder then perhaps that Gayle's prayer thread caught me by surprise and gave me cause for serious reflection. I presume that religion is taken far more seriously in the States than perhaps it is here in Oz. We tend to take the mickey out of everything !

So sorry Gayle, I can't say that I will be praying for you, but I am sure your obvious qualities will shine through nontheless. ;)

Anyway, I've navel gazed enough for one thread, just wanted to share the concept.

BTW Jeff, a road trip is the only solution ! :D

[632 Regal]

I think there definetly are words that arent clearly understood over the ponds. Forinstance your term "drink" means to me at least drinking something. Other than that I could hardly understand much of what you were talking about lol. I'm getting better over time but sometimes it is confusing especially with slang words.

you probably dont understand what I'm trying to say either.



Obviously then, despite speaking a common language, there must be many nuances that we miss when the author is from another country.

[calmloki]

Dunno Zeuk - thought all you lot were C of E. This great nation was founded on the principle of religious tolerance, which i take to mean that we have to tolerate the religious. Seems to me that most things move in pendulum fashion - it is my fervent hope that we are swinging back toward freedom and away from our fearless leader's version of truth, justice and the American way. It's possible to be a good American without being a Republican, pro-Iraq war, theyblewup3000ofourcitizenssowe'llgiveupourfreedom , "fundamentalist" Christian. But that's just my voice in the wilderness. And Gayle certainly has my best wishes and confidence in her ultimate success.
Tom, Humanist

[Zeuk in Oz]

I think there definetly are words that arent clearly understood over the ponds. Forinstance your term "drink" means to me at least drinking something. Other than that I could hardly understand much of what you were talking about lol. I'm getting better over time but sometimes it is confusing especially with slang words.

you probably dont understand what I'm trying to say either.

Perhaps we have a slight advantage there, in that we are bombarded with American television & movies, but you lot seldom get to see anything from Oz, and only a select few from the UK. Thus we recognize more of your slang than than you do of ours.

May I suggest you try to get hold of a movie called "The Castle" if you want an insight into classic Ozzie humour. The same people also made "The Dish" and it is also worth a look.

Both were made about 5 years ago or so.

[Zeuk in Oz]

Dunno Zeuk - thought all you lot were C of E. This great nation was founded on the principle of religious tolerance, which i take to mean that we have to tolerate the religious. Seems to me that most things move in pendulum fashion - it is my fervent hope that we are swinging back toward freedom and away from our fearless leader's version of truth, justice and the American way. It's possible to be a good American without being a Republican, pro-Iraq war, theyblewup3000ofourcitizenssowe'llgiveupourfreedom , "fundamentalist" Christian. But that's just my voice in the wilderness. And Gayle certainly has my best wishes and confidence in her ultimate success.
Tom, Humanist

I was just thinking before I viewed any replies, how my navel gazing would have been interpreted. Your country's religious and political fundamentalism was what I was thinking about.

We are a mix of C of E, Catholic, Uniting (The old Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregational), a few Baptists and whatever else newer migrants are bringing with them - Islam, Buddhism, etc.

Religious fundamentalism and southern evangelism have jumped to our shores and have a beach hold which is growing and, more worryingly from my point of view, are starting to influence political views and opinions.

I also get the opinion that freedom to think as I do is becoming increasingly considered sedition and am expecting to be branded a traitor soon.

Such is life !

[pundit]

Australians are generally reknown for being somewhat cynical and distrusting.
This may sound harsh, but Australians often tend to view Americans as 'dumbass-believe-anything-they're told-in-the-name-of-making-a-buck'.
Reality TV and those ****ing slimey TV evangalists are now permeating the planet... of course don't get me started on U.S. foreign policy.

If it seems to good too be true... then it is.
We get fed so much American TV culture here that's it smothers our own... and it has with the exception of our own ABC and SBS TV stations. Though the Government is attempting to strangle the ABC's 'left wing bias' by making noises about funding and hinting the ABC may have to eventually become a commercial station whichs means goodbye ABC.

This is now the problem...

"Ladies and Gentleman, please mind your step as you exit the aircraft... and welcome to Australia... the 53rd state of the United States of America!"

If I think of my last trip to the U.S. 7 years ago I now realise we in Australia are getting as fat and socially brain dead as most of you guys. (Generalisation intended :D )
Big business, and Governments which suppport it (which of course are most) have a vested interest in fostering a brain dead consumer orientated population without a social conscious.

[rob101]

If I think of my last trip to the U.S. 7 years ago I now realise we in Australia are getting as fat and socially brain dead as most of you guys. (Generalisation intended :D )
Must be associated with the increased market penetration of gelati and other delicious foreign desserts (mmmmmmm baklava)

[Paul in NZ]

The solution
All world leaders should be women....
An interesting fact er statistic,92 percent of the time there is a war......

[Zeuk in Oz]

The solution
All world leaders should be women....
An interesting fact er statistic,92 percent of the time there is a war......

You mean like Maggie Thatcher ?

[genphreak]

Religious fundamentalism and southern evangelism have jumped to our shores and have a beach hold which is growing and, more worryingly from my point of view, are starting to influence political views and opinions. I also get the opinion that freedom to think as I do is becoming increasingly considered sedition and am expecting to be branded a traitor soon. Such is life !Heh, maybe we're going past that complete apathetic state, totally disrepectful of authority and professionalism (due to our convict past) and have finally taken a step towards thinking about things... ie we're gone from apathy to religion (ie supporting the evangelistic political lobby).

I guess the reason that it took us so long in comparison to the US is that (being Aussies) we went via the pub.

Somehwere past that we might get an education and start thinking about our future too...

[genphreak]

Must be associated with the increased market penetration of gelati and other delicious foreign desserts (mmmmmmm baklava)Buddy, you're in the poo now, the DoHS (is that acronym the real one? Doh!] forum bots are gonna swoop on you as you said an extremist's word for 'holy deserts'... best stick to the Gelati, the NSA has its own branch offices in our 53rd state now!

[GJPinAU]

Somehwere past that we might get an education and start thinking about our future too...
That requires too much effort mate!
Can't someone else do it?

[genphreak]

The solution
All world leaders should be women....
An interesting fact er statistic,92 percent of the time there is a war......Yep, and 99% of fatal snake bites in Oz happen to men too. We're just doomed. Brawn is all we have to keep the rest of the world from destroying us...

[genphreak]

That requires too much effort mate!
Can't someone else do it?LOL, Bloody pollies mate, they're all the same! What was that bud? - sorry I was opening a beer and throwing another prawn on the Barbie when you said that... oops we're running out of fish, best get the tinnie out and grab some tackle before the sun goes!

[genphreak]

You mean like Maggie Thatcher ?She must be the reason that that snake bite figure was 1% off 100. Maybe one of those snakes thought the female human it was biting was her... you'd have to forgive it for being unable to differentiate though.

[GJPinAU]

You grab you're own tackle, no poofs around 'ere mate!

[Zeuk in Oz]

Yep, and 99% of fatal snake bites in Oz happen to men too. We're just doomed. Brawn is all we have to keep the rest of the world from destroying us...
And 95% of them involve grog ! ( Sorry Jeff, that's a form of drink ;) ).

[Zeuk in Oz]

She must be the reason that that snake bite figure was 1% off 100. Maybe one of those snakes thought the female human it was biting was her... you'd have to forgive it for being unable to differentiate though.
" Don't mention the (Falklands) war - I mentioned it once but I think I got away with it ! "

Those were the days when we used to send letters with "Argies eat babies" written on the front of the envelopes. :D