Swamp 6 Link Dump Extravaganza

Jerloma · Post by **Jerloma** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 12:20 pm

BSF21 wrote:
Jerloma wrote:Regardless of how cute a thing may be, if it can eat through a tree...probably gonna wanna avoid it.
Trying for Reddit Karma just for way too real.

What you just said is completely indecipherable to me.

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 12:27 pm

Jerloma wrote:
BSF21 wrote:
Jerloma wrote:Regardless of how cute a thing may be, if it can eat through a tree...probably gonna wanna avoid it.
Trying for Reddit Karma just for way too real.
What you just said is completely indecipherable to me.

http://mashable.com/2012/06/06/reddit-for-beginners/

bfj · Post by **bfj** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 12:47 pm

Thanks for that link, Reddit is a great site.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 2:26 pm

Johnnie wrote:10 Things Most Americans Don’t Know About America

This guy nails it. Completely and totally. I'm so mad I didn't read this last year, but I'm thankful a friend just posted it on Facebook. Read it. It's worth the time to.

Throughout history, every dominant civilization eventually collapsed because it became TOO successful. What made it powerful and unique grows out of proportion and consumes its society. I think this is true for American society. We’re complacent, entitled and unhealthy. My generation is the first generation of Americans who will be worse off than their parents, economically, physically and emotionally. And this is not due to a lack of resources, to a lack of education or to a lack of ingenuity. It’s corruption and complacency. The corruption from the massive industries that control our government’s policies, and the fat complacency of the people to sit around and let it happen.

There are things I love about my country. I don’t hate the US and I still return to it a few times a year. But I think the greatest flaw of American culture is our blind self-absorption. In the past it only hurt other countries. But now it’s starting to hurt ourselves.
ETA

Posted that article on FB and started a shitstorm. Even had a friend delete herself because of it.

Can't wait to read the comments. I read the article, and pretty much nodded in agreement. A few points I didn't know, but surely wasn't remotely surprised by anything in the article. Actually surprised anyone would be surprised or upset by anything in the article, but then again, I don't live in 'Murica or know many real 'Muricans.

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 2:39 pm

The Sybian wrote:Can't wait to read the comments. I read the article, and pretty much nodded in agreement. A few points I didn't know, but surely wasn't remotely surprised by anything in the article. Actually surprised anyone would be surprised or upset by anything in the article, but then again, I don't live in 'Murica or know many real 'Muricans.

From my experiences, particularly abroad but at home in America as well, it is not by any means the Murica jingoistic patriot redneck types that are the problem. In fact, you just never see the Murica types abroad; they don't travel. The "Ugly American" as depicted in that article is typically college educated, middle-class (or higher), and simply willfully ignorant. The wealthier an American traveler is, the chances of them being a complete asshole increases dramatically. By far, by very very very far, the worst assholes I've ever met abroad are Brits and rich Americans; both fulfill many, if not all, of the list entries in the column that Johnnie linked. The rest of the world seems to travel well. And as far as the shoe-string filthy hippie type travelers you see abroad, they aren't Muricans either. They're liberal-educated college kids.

testy boxcar · Post by **testy boxcar** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 2:44 pm

Scottie wrote:
The Sybian wrote:Can't wait to read the comments. I read the article, and pretty much nodded in agreement. A few points I didn't know, but surely wasn't remotely surprised by anything in the article. Actually surprised anyone would be surprised or upset by anything in the article, but then again, I don't live in 'Murica or know many real 'Muricans.
From my experiences, particularly abroad but at home in America as well, it is not by any means the Murica jingoistic patriot redneck types that are the problem. In fact, you just never see the Murica types abroad; they don't travel. The "Ugly American" as depicted in that article is typically college educated, middle-class (or higher), and simply willfully ignorant. The wealthier an American traveler is, the chances of them being a complete asshole increases dramatically. By far, by very very very far, the worst assholes I've ever met abroad are Brits and rich Americans; both fulfill many, if not all, of the list entries in the column that Johnnie linked. The rest of the world seems to travel well. And as far as the shoe-string filthy hippie type travelers you see abroad, they aren't Muricans either. They're liberal-educated college kids.

Also, young servicemen. When we got to Spain after Iraq, one of our guys from Alabama was confused because Spanish people "don't look Mexican."

Post by **Shirley** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 2:49 pm

I was pretty embarrassed by the behavior of the fat, gray-haired American retirees I saw in China. Loud, fat and surprisingly ignorant of the country they chose to travel to. Of course, I'm sure many were polite and well-informed, but they were hidden among the loud, obnoxious ones.

Post by **brian** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 3:18 pm

Whenever I travel in Europe (which is not at all recently) I always made it a point to try and NOT do what most of the other Americans were doing. Yelling in English at someone in Slovakia who speaks Slovak isn't going to make them understand English. Of course, like Scottie mentioned* the Brits were actually worse than the Americans by and large, which was cold comfort.

* - he didn't say they were worse, but the lot of them -- in my experience -- certainly aren't any better unfortunately.

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 3:40 pm

brian wrote:Whenever I travel in Europe (which is not at all recently) I always made it a point to try and NOT do what most of the other Americans were doing. Yelling in English at someone in Slovakia who speaks Slovak isn't going to make them understand English. Of course, like Scottie mentioned* the Brits were actually worse than the Americans by and large, which was cold comfort.

* - he didn't say they were worse, but the lot of them -- in my experience -- certainly aren't any better unfortunately.

Americans are typically more aggressive when they get going. Like . . . "Why can't we use REAL money here? Why do we have to use this LOCAL crap???"

But the Brits were the worst because of the terrible combination of completely unfounded ridiculous arrogance and the fact that they never shut up. Never. It's amazing they can even breathe given that they are talking shit non-fucking-stop.

Shrew · Post by **Shrew** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 4:20 pm

Shirley wrote:I was pretty embarrassed by the behavior of the fat, gray-haired American retirees I saw in China. Loud, fat and surprisingly ignorant of the country they chose to travel to. Of course, I'm sure many were polite and well-informed, but they were hidden among the loud, obnoxious ones.

If its any consolation, in Paul Theroux's book "Riding the Iron Rooster" he paints a pretty harsh portrait of most of the tourists from every country that visited China. Of course Theroux was equally damning of the Chinese in many instances.

Johnny Hotcakes · Post by **Johnny Hotcakes** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 4:22 pm

I'll third or fourth all of this. Brits were consistently the most drunk and obnoxious in my limited European experiences. I assume that it's due to the dirt cheap travel within the continent and the fact that a bunch of dudes can therefore go somewhere relatively easily together to party for a few days. When I was in Krakow, particularly, it seemed as if there were packs of shitcanned Brits everywhere. Wouldn't have been that bad, but it did kind of bother me that they seemed to treat the locals (and service staff, etc.) like a second class of human being.

Shrew · Post by **Shrew** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 4:23 pm

Scottie wrote:
brian wrote:Whenever I travel in Europe (which is not at all recently) I always made it a point to try and NOT do what most of the other Americans were doing. Yelling in English at someone in Slovakia who speaks Slovak isn't going to make them understand English. Of course, like Scottie mentioned* the Brits were actually worse than the Americans by and large, which was cold comfort.

* - he didn't say they were worse, but the lot of them -- in my experience -- certainly aren't any better unfortunately.
Americans are typically more aggressive when they get going. Like . . . "Why can't we use REAL money here? Why do we have to use this LOCAL crap???"

But the Brits were the worst because of the terrible combination of completely unfounded ridiculous arrogance and the fact that they never shut up. Never. It's amazing they can even breathe given that they are talking shit non-fucking-stop.

Shut up! Shut up, you American. You always talk, you Americans. You talk and you talk and say 'let me tell you something' and 'I just wanna say this'. Well, you're dead now, so shut up!

Be quiet! Englishmen, you're all so fucking pompous, and none of you have got any balls.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 9:49 pm

Scottie wrote:
brian wrote:Whenever I travel in Europe (which is not at all recently) I always made it a point to try and NOT do what most of the other Americans were doing. Yelling in English at someone in Slovakia who speaks Slovak isn't going to make them understand English. Of course, like Scottie mentioned* the Brits were actually worse than the Americans by and large, which was cold comfort.

* - he didn't say they were worse, but the lot of them -- in my experience -- certainly aren't any better unfortunately.
Americans are typically more aggressive when they get going. Like . . . "Why can't we use REAL money here? Why do we have to use this LOCAL crap???"

But the Brits were the worst because of the terrible combination of completely unfounded ridiculous arrogance and the fact that they never shut up. Never. It's amazing they can even breathe given that they are talking shit non-fucking-stop.

I say this without a trace of sarcasm, but I have never met an obnoxious Canadian. I went to Canadian on average once every 2 years for summer vacations, spent 4 years on the border, you just don't find it in their make up or culture. It is the damnedest thing. And yet, a much higher percentage seem to have a good sarcastic wit than Americans.

bfj · Post by **bfj** » Sat Apr 13, 2013 8:33 pm

James Joyce was a redditor.

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Sat Apr 13, 2013 8:54 pm

Later on in Finnegans Wake you'll encounter the sentence: Speak to us of Emailia.

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Sun Apr 14, 2013 12:27 am

Hey, Floridians. Attending the Quidditch World Cup this weekend?

Story from The Atlantic

elflaco · Post by **elflaco** » Sun Apr 14, 2013 11:09 am

i concur - on the 10things murican's are ignant about...

that one.
wasn't born here.
spent the last 14months living out of the country and NOT hanging out with Americans.. so i get to hear all sorts of opinions from around the world on those things about the US that make the news in Tanzania.
fortunately most of the americans you see in that part of the world aren't the loud and ignant type, as there are really two kinds of folks there, the ngo-types who want to save the world and the ones trying to make $$$. Guess if i spent a lot of time near the safari places i'd see the rich asshat types..

spent the last two weeks i've been home working on the missus and wondering why we have as much crap as we do.

rass · Post by **rass** » Sun Apr 14, 2013 3:35 pm

"Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a belieber," Bieber wrote.

Go ahead and guess Anne "who?".

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Sun Apr 14, 2013 3:46 pm

Coulter, clearly.

Somewhere there is a concrete embankment patiently waiting for a kiddiepop star to hit it at 180 MPH.

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Thu Apr 18, 2013 12:53 pm

New App Prevents Icelanders from Sleeping With their Relatives

Gunpowder · Post by **Gunpowder** » Thu Apr 18, 2013 12:54 pm

Scottie wrote:Hey, Floridians. Attending the Quidditch World Cup this weekend?

Story from The Atlantic

People were talking about this, but I didn't pay much attention. I'm there! (Not really)

EDIT: Then again, I do have a kickball tournament in two weeks in Austin, so who am I to judge them

Jerloma · Post by **Jerloma** » Thu Apr 18, 2013 12:58 pm

Those are the most Icelandish looking people I've ever seen.

bfj · Post by **bfj** » Thu Apr 18, 2013 1:17 pm

Badass of the week

Gunpowder · Post by **Gunpowder** » Fri Apr 19, 2013 4:25 pm

Scottie wrote:This is a very bizarre story. Three Canadian kids (from London, Ontario), one White-Canuck, one Korean-Canuck, one Algerian-Canuck, all converted to Islam in High School. Two of them end up dead in a massive Al-Qaeda attack (yes, they joined Al-Qaeda) on an Algerian gas plant that resulted in scores dead and the other (a kid named Aaron Yoon) ended up in a prison in Mauritania, convicted of "terrorist actions".

CBC story, includes some video.

National Post story.

Globe And Mail story.

It's a mystery why these unlikely kids from an easy-going Ontario town chose to convert to Islam and join Al-Qaeda. Presumably they just thought it was "cool".

Just noticed this from the link in the Boston thread. The gf is from London, here parents (and their families) are Christians who fled over here, so they aren't the biggest fans of Muslims.

Well before this story broke, she told me how the Muslims were moving to London in droves. They even moved away from their old neighborhood about ten years ago (have I mentioned that they don't really like Muslims?). So apparently London is becoming Little Mecca.

howard · Post by **howard** » Fri Apr 19, 2013 4:40 pm

Hong Kong is up for grabs
London is full of Arabs
We can be in Palestine
Overrun by the Chinese Line
With the boys from the Mersey
And the Thames and the Tynes

Post by **brian** » Fri Apr 19, 2013 5:25 pm

Scottie wrote:Hey, Floridians. Attending the Quidditch World Cup this weekend?

Story from The Atlantic

Central Michigan qualified for that. Shaping up to be a big month of firsts for the 'ol Chippewas.

Jerloma · Post by **Jerloma** » Fri Apr 19, 2013 7:50 pm

Howard, we get it...you're a black guy that loves Elvis Costello and hates Barack Obama.

bfj · Post by **bfj** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 9:48 pm

Princess Kate and her d-bag.

Johnny Hotcakes · Post by **Johnny Hotcakes** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 7:04 pm

Saudi Arabia deports three men for being too handsome.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 7:39 pm

Fascinating article on a study about modernizing the U.S.'s power grid.

rass · Post by **rass** » Wed Apr 24, 2013 10:36 am

Man has eaten (and cataloged his meals) at over 6000 Chinese restaurants in the US and Canada.

bfj · Post by **bfj** » Wed Apr 24, 2013 9:49 pm

Now we know why Dave moved down under

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Thu Apr 25, 2013 9:31 am

bfj wrote:Now we know why Dave moved down under

Fitting specialist Victoria Jubb? This has to be satire!

Post by **brian** » Fri Apr 26, 2013 2:08 pm

Awesome takedown of Kevin Smith(and specifically "Chasing Amy"). I wholeheartedly co-sign.

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Tue Apr 30, 2013 5:15 pm

http://juggalosonokcupid.tumblr.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post by **Shirley** » Tue Apr 30, 2013 5:55 pm

P.D.X. wrote:http://juggalosonokcupid.tumblr.com/

Poof - time gone. That was fun.

Post by **brian** » Tue Apr 30, 2013 5:58 pm

What a mess.

Post by **brian** » Tue Apr 30, 2013 6:05 pm

I had to stop after 15 pages. I couldn't do it any more.

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Tue Apr 30, 2013 6:33 pm

Canada's new polymer $5 and $10 bills

Most people I know don't like the polymers. Also, I do a lot of work in banks and I can tell you that the tellers flat-out hate them.

travzilla · Post by **travzilla** » Tue Apr 30, 2013 7:19 pm

Scottie wrote:Canada's new polymer $5 and $10 bills

Most people I know don't like the polymers. Also, I do a lot of work in banks and I can tell you that the tellers flat-out hate them.

I love 'em, but it's true that most people aren't fans. Everyone says the stick together (static cling on the plasticy part). i handle hundreds of these a day and it's not a problem, but then again i have always suspected i have magic fingers.