Lothianlad

According to a long list of proven facts contained in one of today's UK national newspapers (Mon 02/12/13) was this little gem:

Only 22 of all countries in the world have never been invaded by the British, but of those that were invaded by the British were those countries who were being invaded by the British - along with other powers - as a means of liberating them from occupation by enemy military forces in wartime, as was the case during WW2.

The same list includes another little gem, nothing to do with snobbish Britons...more to do with an official report issued by the renowned British Standards Board, containing just over 5,000 words, focused solely on the issue of the correct way to make a cup of tea.

Only the British could produce anything as bizarre as that one. A cup of tea...nothing could be simpler.......

"Switch on kettle....drop tea bag in mug...kettle boils.....pour into mug....stir tea bag around in for a while.....withdraw soggy tea bag and dispose.....add milk/sugar as required...stir"...

...and that's it

33 words in all.

Cape Blue

I don't miss the constant negativity and incessant dissing of their own country.

I find the American who says "Only in America ..." is often talking up the US (albeit in a parochial, ignorant and tedious fashion), but the Brit who says "Only in the UK ..." is always talking the UK down.

I listen to my friends when I go back, all of whom have done very well over the past 10 years - detached houses in the south, swimming pools, Range Rovers/Cayenne's, private schools for kids, tiny mortgages due to low interest rates, multiple ski holidays - and they all moan like f*%k about how bad the UK is (and it isn't social conscience for lowly paid). They have been like this for at least 10-15 years, as have my mother and relatives

It's basically ingrained in the psyche that the UK is crap/going down the pan/to hell in a handbasket/ regardless of any objective evidence.

After a few week's back I want to top myself.

Sally Redux

I agree that is a very bad development over there.

Even if challenged that things aren't quite as dire as they make out - "Well they will be in 10 years!"

Ulsterman in Texas

Kind of tenuously connected to the post above another thing I don't miss the the English press building up the England football team when they qualify for a major tournament (World Cup, European Chairmanships), then tearing them down after they get put out. I am as you can imagine a Northern Ireland supporter, our press, as bad as they are, I think have accepted Northern Ireland's mediocrity and hence they just make up excuses like uncommitted player, and the Republic of Ireland stealing out players and bad managers.

Ulsterman in Texas

Oh yeah and on that note the British tabloid press

markonline1

I don't think there will be that problem next year somehow LOL

cluedweasel

You put the water in before the milk? Wars have been fought over less

cluedweasel

I was back home for a couple of weeks in September and that was the one thing that got on my nerves. I almost lost it with one kid who was working at a hotel we were staying at. He came with some crack about "at least you escaped this sh*thole". Yes sunshine. If you "escaped" you'd be working 80+ hours a week at 3 jobs, making minimum wage at least. You'd have no health insurance and wouldn't be able to go to the doctor or dentist, let alone afford any prescriptions. You could be sacked at any time for any reason with no notice or redundancy pay. You'd have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to get a degree to get a job you could do with GCSEs in the UK. You'd get 10 days a year vacation IF you're lucky. More likely you'd get zero.
Then again what do I know. His granny had taken him to Disney in Florida for his 18th (!) birthday and it was the best place EVER!!!

rpjs

I dunno, my (USC) wife often says "only in America" in response to the latest chicken-wrapped-in burgers-or-vice-versa food monstrosity or GOP ****wittery. Or as her sister likes to say in similar circumstances "America, **** yeah."

Steerpike

This wikipedia article seems to confirm what you are saying, though they do also show a 'wrapped' version ('Doner Kebab in a durum') picture in the 'Germany' section.

For those of you desiring a good old 'doner kebab', you may try asking for a 'shawarma', which (per the article above) is just another version of the doner kebab.

Cape Blue

Maybe some Brit has rubbed-off?

Lothianlad

Try Borough Market, in Southwark......

Steve_

No, it says more concentration is needed to drive down the roads in the UK which is why I don't like driving down them. Some of them are like obstacle courses and very windy. Besides the use of the word "you" in the title of the thread would seem to imply a personal preference.

Steve_

But in Canada the national pastime is obtaining objective evidence.

Honestly I have lost count of the number of times over the years people have told me that Dr Scholl's shoe inserts cost less in the US. I even remember a couple quoted in the Calgary Herald who had driven all the way from Edmonton to Great Falls (500+ miles) and this was what they mentioned they had bought.

I wonder sometimes if there is some epidemic of people with bad feet in Canada. Or perhaps it's because the shoes cost more and they can't afford decent ones.

hungryhorace

Driving American roads is just so god damn boring, it's also why the general level of driving is so abysmal. They're all in their shitty full automatic cars drinking coffee and doing anything other than actually watching what they're doing.

It outrages me, mostly because a car is a death machine in the wrong hands (ie, a distracted driver). If British roads keep your attention, then GOOD, you can't be distracted.