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Something I've noticed watching the Olympics


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Plucky, this is what you said:

 

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You want to talk surfing also??? Shut the hell up. Come to the north shore of Oahu with me. I'll show you a workout. You choose asshole - sunset or pipe. I'll lend you a board. Hell, I'll give you my good board. You make it back in alive and tell me it's not a sport or a workout.

 

Am I bragging? No. It's called experience. You shoot your mouth off and believe there are no reprecussions. Well, I challenge you. You want to call me whiney? I invite your dopey, non-sport ass to join me ANY time in any of these pursuits.

 

...and, here come the smarmy remarks that duck the questions/challenges of the post.....

Plucky, Take a look at the last picture and tell me if it looks a little bit like a shifty windy Sunset peak on a small day? Not really that much I suppose, a slight stretch of the imagination is required, but how old was I and what were you riding at the time?
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About my original post. Well, actually, I did post with a smiley attached. I was being a bit sarcastic. \:\) It seemed to me that the whole topic was a bit useless and probably posted just to start one of the nationality "discussions".

 

(And I am from the US and I am male)

 

Smiley > \:D

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Out of interest, do the people who have claimed to dislike the current US administration, presumably for its foreign policy, think the ones before it were significantly better?

 

Hasn't the Bush administration only exacerbated trends that were there already?

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> Alaska! O11 can barely even snowboard and he's making fun of Alaska???? I'm sure he's been though

 

Why Plucky of course I have! Haven't you seen my hit snowboarding video "Alaskan Hubris" where I successfully tackle three of the biggest peaks before an early lunch? I'll send you a signed copy if you like.*

 

But no, really, of course I haven't been. I'm just hoping it's the sort of place where the mentally unstable can go and get lost in that's all.

 

Now as to my ability to snowboard, let me present a few things to consider. I started in my mid-30's when I was lazy, overweight, unfit, responsible for a newly born child, and building my own business. I have never done any board sports before, and I have only been snowboarding some 30-odd times. My wife has no interest in winter sports and never wants to go, and I like to consider her feelings when I run off to the hills. Can I snowboard really well? No. Can I snowboard better than many people who have spent far longer at it? I suspect yes, because I'm passionate about it. But if you imagine that my cheese is going to fall clean off my cracker when some loon says I can barely even snowboard, you haven't been paying attention.

 

Now Plucky, how much more blather are you going to present on this forum? Here you are (with your sporty little 'brah' and fellow cry-boy backing you up), making what appears to be physical threats to somebody who will visit the US. Nice going. We all know how much guts Internet fisticuffs requires. I see you have also challenged db to some surfing. Right. I'm sure you'll follow up on that, just like you followed up on your offer to buy me a ticket to Tohoku so I could be in one of your 'movies' (have you actually made any more than a few clips...?) I accepted, but the tickets just didn't arrive...

 

As for this 'anti-American' tripe, you're just playing the ugly American bait-and-switch game there. I suspect just a few people have some contempt for both you as a person and for the US as a country. By identifying yourself all the time as an American, and by representing the worst, most ignorant, self-pitying, self-aggrandising aspects of the country, you manage to blur the target of everybody's contempt. As an analogy, if db were to call me a prick (again), I could try blubbering on about how anti-British he is, but that wouldn't really work because I don't identify myself constantly with the UK. And when db moans about English beer, I don't immediately say something off-target about Australian bicycles, the likely size of db's pectorals, and how personally friendly many English people can be. So when somebody says "Oh dear, Plucky's cheese has fallen off it's cracker again", you say "Boohoo, can't an American get any space on this forum?", then when somebody says "Oh my, that Bush and his wars really are beyond the pale", you pipe up with "Hey, I'm American too, and I don't even like him. What is it with this indiscriminate anti-American vibe". Classic bait-and-switch.

 

Well, I hope that clears a few things up, and we won't have to go over it all again. Now Plucky, I challenge you to a pooey nappy changing contest in the dark, in a sub-zero bedroom at a location of your choice. I will pay for your ticket because I earn so much money *

 

* that's a "Plucky promise".

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 Quote:
Originally posted by Kintaro:


And Dimwit (Dims for short?) What's gonna be your US address in 2005 I'd love to welcome you to the good ol' US of A in person, friend. Tinny little bit of advice, don't call your new US of A male friends 'mate'...k- love? ;\)
I was going to let this one slide but, what the heck

Advice taken...............mate ;\)

My address will be somewhere around Duke University in North Carolina, where I have been invited to head up my own research project. I am sure you have heard of it, definitely one of the top 10 research colleges in the states. Now if I am a dimwit as you suggest, what are you implying about the standard of your country's university system....hmm?

Just for the record, the vast majority of Americans I have met (especially through this forum) have been very friendly, great people and I am excited to go and live and hopefully make a lot of new friends in the US. Both you and Plucky are most welcome to come and say hello, and I am sure we will have a good time, especially if you like a drink, having a laugh, the odd toot of the 'erb.....and most importantly you don't take yourself too seriously. \:D
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I am beginning to think that you didn't actually want to talk about why so many athletes go to the US but...

 

I don't think you understood my post. In NZ and many other countries sports is (poorly) funded by the government (hence my tax dollars) I think this is good as I don't want to give them my money.

So, Mr. Jonny Wants-to-be-an-athlete follows the money to the US Uni's where there is plenty of (non-tax) money for sports.

 

 

I almost feel like this post is off-topic.

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I find it hard to believe that the general attitude on this board or the general attitude towards Americans in Japan is overwhelmingly negative. I have never been attacked for being American. Maybe the general attitude towards loud-mouthed, ill informed, quick to jump off the handle Americans shifty.gif is a bit negative. Who would imagine that?!

 

The university system in America is one of the things that we as Americans can be really proud of. I think it is awesome that people come from all over the world to attend universities here. I think it is too cool that my good friend Dims is coming to America, attracted by the idea of doing research at one of the top institues in the world. That is what a "leading world power" (or whatever) should excel at. Instead we have what... the most military bases? nukes?

 

Maybe you would have had a more positive response if you had approached this issue like, "Hey have you guys noticed that a lot of the athletes in the Olympics went to school in the US? Pretty cool to see, huh? I wonder if this comes from a desire to study at the best universites... or just to ride the best mountains? ;\) " ...or maybe not.

 

 Quote:
Originally posted by Plucky:

No wonder you and O11 get along.

Now that is funny.

 

 Quote:
Originally posted by Plucky:

I've seen pics and footage of both DB and O11. they suck. simple as that.

Actually "Dear Britain" (pfff) doesn't suck at snowboarding at all... he just sucks at videoing himself. \:D
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decided to come out of my summer snow-japan hibernation because I heard gloves came off and blood was a flyin'!

 

I just wanted to say... I'm a better snowboarder AND surfer than any of you. My proof is my big talk.

 

That being said:

 

What I post means more than what you post.

I am a better person than you.

I lead a better life than you.

 

case closed.

 

p.s. USA will kick your country's ass! Bush/Cheney 2004! wOOT!

 

;\)

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The return of the old gang!

 

Ocean, that was a well structured statement and I think quite correct. Did I call you a prick 2 times? I didnt know you were counting ;\)

 

Baby animals are so cute.

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 Quote:
Originally posted by Dims:

Just for the record, the vast majority of Americans I have met (especially through this forum) have been very friendly, great people and I am excited to go and live and hopefully make a lot of new friends in the US. \:D
Now that's what I'm talking about (even though I havent said a word), I welcome anyone and everyone to live in Texas, I grew up with alot of Vietnamese immigrants in my school and one of them ended up being my best friend. I just want to make this clear, I know there are alot of arrogant mother f****rs in the US but I think people like me outnumber them 100:1. Sure I'm a proud American, also a proud Texan, but I'm also proud of my German, Irish, English, French, Blackfoot Indian roots (as was discussed in the roots thread) because, combined, that's who I am. Shouldn't everyone be proud of who they are?

I never mentioned I was in the US Air Force before either because of some things I have read on this forum, I thought I would get attacked with nasty threads for supporting this war. I want to make something else clear now that I have "come out", being in the US military doesnt make me have any less compassion for human beings all over the world and same goes for every person I've known since I've been in the military.

The only thing I never want to hear is somebody talking shit about my country with no basis (ex. America is a piece of shit... F*** Americans.. etc.) wakaranai.gif When I go home next year (Texas) I will lose all self control if I hear something like that out of somebody's mouth who is currently residing in my country. I know we have freedom of speech, but in my book thats an invitation for an ass kicking.

BURNING FLAGS, This is the biggest insult of all, I can't wait to see somebody burning my flag in my streets, If I do, I hope Im there in person. There will be no regard for life or limb, mine or theres.

Wow I must have alot of balled up rage huh? I dont know why... hey we have alot of self-proclaimed psychiatrists on this forum, anyone want to take a stab?
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 Quote:
Originally posted by sakitumi:
I want to make something else clear now that I have "come out", being in the US military doesnt make me have any less compassion for human beings all over the world and same goes for every person I've known since I've been in the military.
Well that's an interesting point of view, but I'll take a stab at explaining what's wrong with it.

When I was in the UK military, I knew a lot of people who were quite prepared to go off and kill anybody around the world as ordered, for no very good reason that they knew of. Some of them are still at it now. So they have demonstrably less compassion than normal people. Now the US military generally has far lower moral and operational standards than many other countries, from the top to the bottom of their organizations, so what I observed in the UK military will apply more in the US military. From what I know from having talked to them, many members of the US military have a very high opinion of their own morality, but it's nothing but self-congratulatory, mutually reinforced fantasy. In practice, it so often boils down to a "We had to destroy the village to save it" kind of compassion.

I wouldn't normally raise this with you, and I know there are other forum members who are in the US military and don't make outlandish statements about it. It's just that I've had enough recently of this kind of guff.

BTW, I agree with you that flag burning is contemptible, but then so is overreaction...
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I dont think you would have been flamed at all for saying you were in the air force.

 

This Thread is going a bit wacky dont you think.

Thje stands in greece be empty

 

Ps how did we get to flag burning I would guess no one here would be that bold or that ................... whats the word disrespective of of someones country no matter what.

 

90% of all people want the same things jobs money , family, a life of saftty and some fun mixed in. Governments twist us for monetary gains and we fall for it.

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I'm not having a go I'm just trying to understand.

 

Could you explain why you feel so strongly about a flag that you would actually assult someone over it?

I had a fairly unusual upbringing but I don't feel anything for flags,national anthems etc. they are just words/songs/pieces of materiel to me.

Thats why I would never bother burning one if I wanted to protest something and I would never care if someone else did.

Obviously you are not alone as enough people care to make it against the law.

Why do you care? What do you feel someone is doing if they burn a flag?

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You can't blame all Americans for the foreign policy decisions of their government, yet by the same token Americans would have to be bloody stupid to not understand why so many people are angry with the USA.

 

Plucky, I reckon you set out to get a bite and you were bitten. I'm not anti-American at all but I am anti jingoistic, flag waving, chauevenistic/nationalistic bullshit. I hate those black van jackoffs in Japan as much as I hate the National Front pricks back in my own country. They shame their national flags and the current US administration is shaming the stars and stripes. In the current climate it's pretty much a given that your post will generate the response it's received.

 

I loved the US when I visited and I've got a lot of American friends. Have met plenty of US military people while snowboarding in Japan and generally get on very well with them. Having said that I generally make a point of not talking politics/international affairs with them as powder, amongst other things, is a better topic of conversation. I've got nothing against military people at all but I don't want to provoke pointless arguments.

 

I actually feel sorry for Americans being automatically associated with the actions of their government. Also I don't think you were being a jingoistic flag waver-you were trying to get a rise for laughs and it all turned into a (somewhat predictable) vicious circle of traded insults. In this climate mate you were asking for it- expressions of American national pride ala "we are the champions of the world" tend to have negative connotations these days. Peace wave.gif

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Been away for awhile and look what happens!

 

whoever grouped BC and Alberta in with a bunch of US snow destinations....please don't mislead the masses. Being that I'm from alberta(and alot of people think that canada is just another state - pedictably many are americans) I'd hate to be labeled as "american" and targeted with totally unfounded, completely at random anti-american antagonistic posts. \:D ;\)

 

oh bugger....i didnt know you had to be able to surf too to post on this site..... clap.gif

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Glad to see this little thread floating back to the top.

 

I have one further thing to say to you Plucky. You suck at skiing and surfing. You're too dumb to do it without breaking yourself constantly. Anybody who keeps needing the downtime that you take is doing something badly wrong. :p

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This thread has nothing to do with the olympics.

 

The judges in gymnastics blew it and it turns out the guy who won the bronze should have won the Gold. 4 years of training to have your dreams squashed by an error that is so correctable.

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