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Pnoom!
Forum Senior Member
Joined: September 02 2006
Location: OH
Status: Offline
Points: 4981
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Posted: August 21 2008 at 17:46 |
United States of America. Proud of it for a lot of reasons, disgusted with it for a lot as well. Overall, I'm happy enough to stick with it.
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stonebeard
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 27 2005
Location: NE Indiana
Status: Offline
Points: 28057
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Posted: August 21 2008 at 18:34 |
Indiana, USA.
It's nice, I guess. It's awhile to a big city so you have peace and boredom. Government's f**ked, but most individuals are good. Drinking age is 21, but no one cares. Anyway, it's the people you're with rather than the place you're in that's important.
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NotAProghead
Special Collaborator
Errors & Omissions Team
Joined: October 22 2005
Location: Russia
Status: Offline
Points: 7871
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Posted: August 21 2008 at 18:54 |
kibble_alex wrote:
It is also worth saying that i'm of Polish origin, and very proud of it as well! Although we've had our fair share of beatings in the past 200 years, we've stuck out and remained a respectable nation. And we have Riverside |
And what's Polish in Riverside music? IMHO there are much better Polish bands and artists like, to name a few, Czerwone Gitary, Budka Suflera, Exodus, Skaldowie, Maryla Rodowicsz, Czeslaw Niemen.
About myself. I love Russia and people here. Russian and, by the way, Polish ladies are the most beautiful ladies in the world. Though can't say I love my government.
"I'm happy here and here I'll stay" (UH), but in general I'm not too patriotic. Having a chance to visit some countries (Greece, Hungary, Spain, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, Croatia and, quite a long ago, Poland) I've found that most of people are nice and friendly. There are some inevitable differences, but everywhere people need the same simple things - love, friendship, happiness etc.
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Who are you and who am I to say we know the reason why... (D. Gilmour)
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crimhead
Forum Senior Member
VIP Member
Joined: October 10 2006
Location: Missouri
Status: Offline
Points: 19236
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Posted: August 21 2008 at 19:04 |
Californian by birth. My ancestry is German,Irish,American Indian. I wish America was a better place to live these days.
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keiser willhelm
Forum Senior Member
Joined: September 14 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1697
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Posted: August 21 2008 at 19:54 |
Pnoom! wrote:
United States of America. Proud of it for a lot of reasons, disgusted with it for a lot as well. Overall, I'm happy enough to stick with it.
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pretty much. both sets of grandparents emigrated from Sweden (well one was dutch but we dont talk about her ) born in michigan and though i hate the thought im probably not going to live there when i graduate. economy is a pile and there are NO jobs. but its a beautiful state.
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Dean
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout
Joined: May 13 2007
Location: Europe
Status: Offline
Points: 37575
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Posted: August 21 2008 at 20:19 |
I'm also English, and am proud to be, in the same way the Scots are proud to be Scottish and the Welsh happy to be Welsh and the Irish are just proud and happy. I've never considered myself British.
I have travelled to the USA and most European countries (and even Scotland and Wales) and still believe that England has some indefinable something that those other places lack. I love the mix of ancient and modern, the countryside and the towns, the small villages and hamlets and the big cities. I love our history and heritage, our mix of nationalities and that we don't have a cultural identity. I love the fact we invented most team sports but are crap at them. I love the fact that the sun has finally set on the British Empire, that the Common Wealth would probably be better off without us, that the Flag of Hawi'i features the Union Flag out of friendship not conquest. I love the fact we don't have a national costume, that we drive on the left, that our policemen don't carry guns, that we can toast our muffins and drink our tea hot. I love our weather, with its unpredictability and the fact that it's never too hot or too cold and that it is unlikely that it's ever going to kill me. I love that we don't have to wear skirts to show how hard we are. Most of all I love the fact we are an island and you're never more than 72 miles from the sea.
It's also the only place to get a decent cup of tea.
The only thing that really shocks me is how densely populated our country is compared to other countries and something I really notice when I return home from trips away - England has 448 people per square kilometre of land (twice the UK value) and out of 130,357 km² there is only 1 km² that is completely featureless... (to quote QI).
kibble_alex wrote:
I'm from England myself. I love the country and it don't feel right anywhere else, but i have one "complaint". What the hell happened to us??? We used to be one of, if not THE, most powerful country in the world. Now we are reduced to a little island of chavs, unraged OAPs and a very unstable government! Oh, and Gordon Brown, he doesn't help either. So what happened? Did we suddenly get too nice?
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What happened to us is we became "normalised" to a level of conformity, where everyone is the same but with different languages/accents - we wear the same clothes, listen to the same music, watch the same TV programs and films, eat the same food, drink the same drinks and read the same books - it's not specific to England, it is Europe-wide, America-wide and World-wide - globalisation of the Multinationals has created a globalisation of the world's population.
One part of me applauds that while another laments the passing of cultural identities.
So I proclaim my location as Wessex, my nationality as English, yet I'll happily munch on a burger, drink Pepsi and listen to Prog music from all over the world on my Dutch CD player, through my British amplifier and Japaneese speakers.
Edited by Dean - August 21 2008 at 20:23
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What?
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Atkingani
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin
Joined: October 21 2005
Location: Terra Brasilis
Status: Offline
Points: 12288
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Posted: August 21 2008 at 20:54 |
Just like my avatar (the real one) said before being killed and quartered: "If there's a second life may God allow me to be born again as a Brasilian!"
Too much wrong deeds and bad features in 200 years of independence side by side with some great achievements, the backward actions make us go forward even stronger. I share with many countrymen/women the truthful feeling that we are building a new and different CIVILIZATION here - the future will tell if it's for the good or for the evil, although I still bet the first will prevail.
Edited by Atkingani - August 21 2008 at 20:55
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Guigo
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Padraic
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: February 16 2006
Location: Pennsylvania
Status: Offline
Points: 31169
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Posted: August 21 2008 at 20:56 |
Pnoom! wrote:
United States of America. Proud of it for a lot of reasons, disgusted with it for a lot as well. Overall, I'm happy enough to stick with it.
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I know I already posted, but this sums my feelings up pretty well. We have a hell of a lot of problems, but I'd still rather live here.
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tszirmay
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: August 17 2006
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 6673
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Posted: August 21 2008 at 21:04 |
Born in Hungary, left during the people's uprising against the Stalinist regime (how awkward is that?) at the age of 1 and went to Canada (aka the Dump, according to vibrationbaby) . Lived all my life in Montreal (yeah, its turning into a heavy town) , studied in Switzerland and now heading (post-divorce) to Calgary. But I have been to many countries and US States , speak 7 languages and obviously not biased or bigotted in any way. I have seen good people and bad people everywhere. There is no paradise , you make your own paradise (except maybe for Brasil ). Might go back to Hungary though , Budapest is truly beautiful and I cannot renounce my roots. Be proud of your heritage but respect those of others.
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I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth.
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LinusW
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: September 27 2007
Location: Sweden
Status: Offline
Points: 10665
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Posted: August 21 2008 at 21:24 |
Ah yes. Sweden, the Glorious Motherland and Home of the Brave. Haven't been in war since 1809 which some find strange. Well, we've got a secret. When someone gives Sweden two alternatives, we choose the third. Sometimes questionable when the decision is made, often cowardly, but it saves our but most of the time. Like during WWII. Apparently one of the nations that pay most tax on our planet. Around 33%. So far, all feels good. Free schooling, healthcare and stuff. Slightly too meddlesome government at times, but we've lived with social democracy since 1898. Or about 80% of the time. I guess. One of the most secularised countries. Yup, and also tops the suicide list. So all isn't top notch. Once home of the Vikings, brutal plunderers of foreign shores, nowadays a cosy little nation full of moderately sized cities, communities and villages. Conditions can be hard during winter. Cold and dark - but the summer is excellent. We've got a lot of untouched wilderness as well. A silent people according to some, personally I don't know. We've been doing stuff our own way for quite some time, with the Swedish Model (not the blonde, female ones - even though they appear to be frequent abroad ). We've got moose. And enjoy drinking a lot. Beer and vodka in the past, nowadays more and more of the fancier stuff. We've got a royal family without power and in which we place no interest. We keep them as a tourist attraction and pay them well for it. Being non-Swedish in personality is considered good. We have no national pride, since that's ugly, and yet we value Swedish products higher than everything else. IKEA anyone? ABBA. Almost forgot them. Any further questions? Just post them then.
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Padraic
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: February 16 2006
Location: Pennsylvania
Status: Offline
Points: 31169
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Posted: August 21 2008 at 21:27 |
LinusW wrote:
Ah yes. Sweden, the Glorious Motherland and Home of the Brave. Haven't been in war since 1809 which some find strange. Well, we've got a secret. When someone gives Sweden two alternatives, we choose the third. Sometimes questionable when the decision is made, often cowardly, but it saves our but most of the time. Like during WWII.
Apparently one of the nations that pay most tax on our planet. Around 33%. So far, all feels good. Free schooling, healthcare and stuff. Slightly too meddlesome government at times, but we've lived with social democracy since 1898. Or about 80% of the time. I guess.
One of the most secularised countries. Yup, and also tops the suicide list. So all isn't top notch. Once home of the Vikings, brutal plunderers of foreign shores, nowadays a cosy little nation full of moderately sized cities, communities and villages. Conditions can be hard during winter. Cold and dark - but the summer is excellent. We've got a lot of untouched wilderness as well.
A silent people according to some, personally I don't know. We've been doing stuff our own way for quite some time, with the Swedish Model (not the blonde, female ones - even though they appear to be frequent abroad ).
We've got moose. And enjoy drinking a lot. Beer and vodka in the past, nowadays more and more of the fancier stuff.
We've got a royal family without power and in which we place no interest. We keep them as a tourist attraction and pay them well for it.
Being non-Swedish in personality is considered good. We have no national pride, since that's ugly, and yet we value Swedish products higher than everything else. IKEA anyone?
ABBA. Almost forgot them.
Any further questions? Just post them then.
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Great hockey nation too, don't forget that.
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LinusW
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: September 27 2007
Location: Sweden
Status: Offline
Points: 10665
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Posted: August 21 2008 at 21:32 |
NaturalScience wrote:
LinusW wrote:
Ah yes. Sweden, the Glorious Motherland and Home of the Brave. Haven't been in war since 1809 which some find strange. Well, we've got a secret. When someone gives Sweden two alternatives, we choose the third. Sometimes questionable when the decision is made, often cowardly, but it saves our but most of the time. Like during WWII.
Apparently one of the nations that pay most tax on our planet. Around 33%. So far, all feels good. Free schooling, healthcare and stuff. Slightly too meddlesome government at times, but we've lived with social democracy since 1898. Or about 80% of the time. I guess.
One of the most secularised countries. Yup, and also tops the suicide list. So all isn't top notch. Once home of the Vikings, brutal plunderers of foreign shores, nowadays a cosy little nation full of moderately sized cities, communities and villages. Conditions can be hard during winter. Cold and dark - but the summer is excellent. We've got a lot of untouched wilderness as well.
A silent people according to some, personally I don't know. We've been doing stuff our own way for quite some time, with the Swedish Model (not the blonde, female ones - even though they appear to be frequent abroad ).
We've got moose. And enjoy drinking a lot. Beer and vodka in the past, nowadays more and more of the fancier stuff.
We've got a royal family without power and in which we place no interest. We keep them as a tourist attraction and pay them well for it.
Being non-Swedish in personality is considered good. We have no national pride, since that's ugly, and yet we value Swedish products higher than everything else. IKEA anyone?
ABBA. Almost forgot them.
Any further questions? Just post them then.
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Great hockey nation too, don't forget that.
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Damn! How could I forget it...even I watch a lot of hockey. Elitserien - most interesting league in the world
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Drew
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 20 2005
Location: California
Status: Offline
Points: 12600
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Posted: August 21 2008 at 21:37 |
My ancestry is Swedish and Irish And I bleed Red White & Blue.
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JJLehto
Prog Reviewer
Joined: April 05 2006
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Status: Offline
Points: 34550
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Posted: August 22 2008 at 02:13 |
I am Ukranian, Italian, and Spanish
Yea...a melting pot, I AM AMERICA!!!
But yea, born and raised in the USofA it has its share of problems and its share of things to love, just like most other countries.
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BroSpence
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 05 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 2614
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Posted: August 22 2008 at 02:17 |
I'm from the big ol' John Wayne US of A. Although I am not incredibly fond of many goings on and had been ons, but I do enjoy life for the most part. I wish this continent was a bit closer to Europe/Africa and those places so it would be easier to visit, but at least the Wright brother came along a gave us a plane we could work with until there's a massive continental shift.
I feel removed from this country sometimes. Politically and socially. However, I imagine this would be the case or at least the partial case if I were from/living somewhere else. Politics stink everywhere. And so do jackasses.
I was born in S. Korea though so thats interesting....German and Irish heritage. I like to study Icelandic. WOO USA! WOO!
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moreitsythanyou
Forum Senior Member
VIP Member
Joined: April 23 2006
Location: NYC
Status: Offline
Points: 11682
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Posted: August 22 2008 at 02:23 |
Well I'm from the United States, but I think that patriotism is a rather silly concept. One has no choice to be born somewhere. If I were born somewhere else, I'm sure I would be equally proud of that nation. Do I like living here? I guess so. Am I sincerely proud that I'm from here, not really, but that would be the case no matter which country.
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<font color=white>butts, lol[/COLOR]
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Jozef
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 17 2008
Location: Pennsylvania
Status: Offline
Points: 2204
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Posted: August 22 2008 at 02:32 |
I'm American. My father's of Italian ancestry and my mother is from Ecuador originally.
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Jim Garten
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin & Razor Guru
Joined: February 02 2004
Location: South England
Status: Offline
Points: 14693
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Posted: August 22 2008 at 03:44 |
Luke. J wrote:
I am German and also a bit proud of its younger history.. from 1950 on.. how they managed to built up a strong economy and peaceful country after two terrible wars and how we managed to show we left this behind |
Very nicely put
Like Dean, I consider myself English, not British - this is nothing to do with knuckle dragging nationalism (of which this country has more than its fair share), just recognition that English people are different to Scots, the Welsh and the Irish - no better, no worse, just different.
England's a great country overall; yes, it's overcrowded in places, but you get to places like the Peak District, Cumbria, the Yorkshire Moors, Exmoor and others too numerous to mention & you can still find places with no evidence of humanity.
Our socio-political-cultural base is definitely changing, and in many cases not for the better, but is this so much different than most other countries? You can too easily get into the "grass is greener on the other side" mentality - earlier in this thread, Vibrationbaby ranted about the shortcomings of Canada, whereas the small part of Canada I've visited (Newfoundland) impressed me immensely, with its clean air, sheer space & unbelievably friendly people.
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Jon Lord 1941 - 2012
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Atavachron
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: September 30 2006
Location: Pearland
Status: Online
Points: 65289
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Posted: August 22 2008 at 04:00 |
I'm American but wish I were Dominican.. is that wrong?
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Petrovsk Mizinski
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 24 2007
Location: Ukraine
Status: Offline
Points: 25210
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Posted: August 22 2008 at 04:01 |
Atavachron wrote:
I'm American but wish I were Dominican.. is that wrong?
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Yes..........
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