I know what you mean. Still, cultural differences are weird. They probably think your soldiers look uninspired and dim-witted or something.

Thinking about it reminds me of an old Andy Rooney column where he proposed having Olympics-style competitions for the military instead of actual wars. It'd be awful interesting to see a bunch of countries putting their crack squads through things like the 105mm howitzer unlimbering, or the 1000m steeplechase for tanks.

Which is probably why they mentioned it in the video...

I think more telling is that the shootings and the like they say are caused by video games and violent movies seem to be unique to the US despite the games and media being prevent all over the world... sure Japan isn't as into FPS games, but they still sell there. Our violent gun movies, often outdone by movies made in other markets, do well all over. Yet the violence seems to come out just in the US. I think the people who blame video games and movies need to see what other factors may be contributing, be it the fact the US is the only nation not to have affordable health care or lack of gun control, a combo of those, or something else like some sort of odd cultural difference.

I'm glad to see that across the world, despite cultural differences, "what the fuck" is still universal.

Maybe judges should do it too.

'Because you have sought help for your problem, I am going to suspend the sentence. However, if I see you before my bench again, I will not hesitate to impose a sentence of FULL ON PIG FUCK ASS REAMING KRAUT BOY'.

Or are cops held to a lower standard of behavior? Why would that be?

BTW those Germans tear about their country at 100mph on a slow sunday morning with less traffic accidents than the US so arguably our sexually aggressive armed state muscle is actually being confronted with a case of cultural differences.
Still I'm sure they learned to respect his culture too..

Different culture, different times, different aesthetic values. There is plenty of virtuostic writing and playing in contemporary styles. Is it musical? Does it add to the whole of the piece? I'd say yes to both in this case.

Lyrics:
The ocean, too, appears to swallow
the vessel that you see
shattered by the storm.

Then it reappears, and it seems
to be raised by the stars.

>> ^Januari:

Ok... she is pretty amazing... but what an absurd song... You can pretty much tell that some composer decided... "'I'm going to write this to sound ridiculous hard to sing... as well as pretty much just sounding ridiculous...".
I don't know... maybe someone with an ear for opera can tell me i'm crazy but find listening to that painful.

>> ^Trancecoach:

racism is the cause, not the effect.>> ^EMPIRE:
so...many...huh......racial...stereotypes.... must..huh......resist... urge... to.... make....racist...... joke.



Hmm... but Latinos are subject to racism (even codified into law, such as in Arizona), have greater linguistic challenges as ESL speakers, and haven't yet closed the US gaps in academic performance, but you never see Latino flash mob robberies, and the average Latino crime rate is actually (contrary to stereotypes) almost as low as the mainstream US crime rate.

At some point it becomes useful to talk about cultural differences and personal accountability, and how we can help kids get out of self-destructive cultures and improve their lives.

I was expecting this to be more about cultural differences (like the tipping thing) than dialect differences. Dialect differences are interesting too, but it's not that we don't get that the "boot" is the trunk and "thongs" are flip flops, it's that we don't call them by these names so some confusion is to be expected.

I got one more thing she can add to her list of shit she doesn't get, too: apostrophes. (Or maybe I should say "apostrophe's")

*nochannel *downunder *talks (it's not about education)

I realize you're being facetious, so don't take this as criticism (I completely agree with the sentiment: flair bartending doesn't really impress me as a useful thing for a bar.)

Your comment got me thinking and I find it really interesting in the different views people have regarding speed when it comes to service in bars or restaurants.

I've seen plenty of Germans send a beer back to the bar for taking less than a minute. From their point of view a beer can't be properly poured in that time. Counter to that, many North Americans would consider a few minutes wait for their drink to be bad service.

Likewise, many of my Canadian and American friends would consider a restaurant to have bad service if you have to signal the waiter to come to your table, or if things take longer than they are used to, while waiters in places like the Czech Republic, Cyprus or Greece will almost never come to your table without a signal and most people expect to spend a few hours at the restaurant.

I think it's fascinating how our environment changes our views on this and how many little problems can be caused by ignored cultural differences.>> ^Gilsun:

He's not that good a bartender... took him nearly 4 minutes to make those 3 drinks and 1 of them wasn't even the right amount!!! Needs to work on his efficiency

>> ^longde:

It just seems like you have an ax to grind with africans, and your last comments show it.
African people aren't violent warlords; but they are homophobic, dogmatic, and patently dishonest. I get it. Thanks for your contributions to this anti-stereotyping video.
Who doesn't try to put themselves in the best light? British people, atheists, and gay people -three of the most moral peoples on the planet -never do that. >> ^Deano:
>> ^longde:
I'd rather like to see you in Nairobi in their faces patronizingly asking them about their personal beliefs.

I'd be quite happy to. Though I don't see why it would have to be patronising. If you want to have an honest dialogue then those matters are going to come up and everyone should be willing to discuss them.
It would make a change from my experience in London where it's quite the opposite way around. I often encounter Nigerians who are often more than comfortable sharing their views about religion and not so subtle opinions about homosexuality. They tend to be women due to the sector I'm in and one was so pushy as to wonder what I did on a Sunday if I didn't go to church. And then followed it with "Are you gay?" She was blissfully unaware that she was putting herself in disciplinary trouble. She just didn't care.
My mate used to work at the passport office here in London which was the centre of quite a few heated political disputes in the last few years. The workforce included a bunch of really nice African guys but dodgy as hell and always pulling some scam.
This is, in my view, definitely a cultural difference. My friend is a straight arrow, very reliable and honest so the contrast between him and others (hell even myself as I like to cut corners sometimes) is more pronounced. In another country some of those behaviours (including racial bullying and generally taking the piss) might be fine but here not so much. The problem with the passport office is that they lacked leadership and strong management so everyone ran amok.
So getting back to the video, yes it's nice to challenge stereotypes but let's remove the rose-tinted spectacles at the same time. I'm sure these chaps are as super nice as they are depicted, but it IS a depiction designed to promote a charitable cause. Everyone has prejudices and blind spots, everyone can and will be an arsehole. Even after you strip away the stereotype you can't get rid of that.



Apologies for not replying promptly @longde but work has consumed most of my time over the weekend.

I have no axe to grind. I thought I had expressed myself clearly but I apologise for failing to do that. My original comment was intended to counter the somewhat rosy, unrealistic and some might say shallow depiction of African men in the video.

It's not much different from those lovely promo videos showing off everyone in their best light (anyting from the Olympics springs to mind). We intuitively KNOW the reality behind such things and my comment was merely a reminder of that. And I put the smiley face on because, no, I do not have a problem with anyone from Africa and I resent that accusation. I have plenty of experience and appreciation for people from all walks of life but I'm not afraid to call it as it is. If this video was going the other way I'd be providing counter-examples as well. I've got plenty of experience of the good and bad in people - and if you heard me rant about my Norwegian family I can only assume you'd think me anti-Scandinavian

Finally I'm a bit puzzled by your last sentence. It really doesn't make any sense to me. Perhaps you could explain. Honest question.

It just seems like you have an ax to grind with africans, and your last comments show it.

African people aren't violent warlords; but they are homophobic, dogmatic, and patently dishonest. I get it. Thanks for your contributions to this anti-stereotyping video.

Who doesn't try to put themselves in the best light? British people, atheists, and gay people -three of the most moral peoples on the planet -never do that. >> ^Deano:

>> ^longde:
I'd rather like to see you in Nairobi in their faces patronizingly asking them about their personal beliefs.

I'd be quite happy to. Though I don't see why it would have to be patronising. If you want to have an honest dialogue then those matters are going to come up and everyone should be willing to discuss them.
It would make a change from my experience in London where it's quite the opposite way around. I often encounter Nigerians who are often more than comfortable sharing their views about religion and not so subtle opinions about homosexuality. They tend to be women due to the sector I'm in and one was so pushy as to wonder what I did on a Sunday if I didn't go to church. And then followed it with "Are you gay?" She was blissfully unaware that she was putting herself in disciplinary trouble. She just didn't care.
My mate used to work at the passport office here in London which was the centre of quite a few heated political disputes in the last few years. The workforce included a bunch of really nice African guys but dodgy as hell and always pulling some scam.
This is, in my view, definitely a cultural difference. My friend is a straight arrow, very reliable and honest so the contrast between him and others (hell even myself as I like to cut corners sometimes) is more pronounced. In another country some of those behaviours (including racial bullying and generally taking the piss) might be fine but here not so much. The problem with the passport office is that they lacked leadership and strong management so everyone ran amok.
So getting back to the video, yes it's nice to challenge stereotypes but let's remove the rose-tinted spectacles at the same time. I'm sure these chaps are as super nice as they are depicted, but it IS a depiction designed to promote a charitable cause. Everyone has prejudices and blind spots, everyone can and will be an arsehole. Even after you strip away the stereotype you can't get rid of that.

>> ^longde:

I'd rather like to see you in Nairobi in their faces patronizingly asking them about their personal beliefs.


I'd be quite happy to. Though I don't see why it would have to be patronising. If you want to have an honest dialogue then those matters are going to come up and everyone should be willing to discuss them.

It would make a change from my experience in London where it's quite the opposite way around. I often encounter Nigerians who are often more than comfortable sharing their views about religion and not so subtle opinions about homosexuality. They tend to be women due to the sector I'm in and one was so pushy as to wonder what I did on a Sunday if I didn't go to church. And then followed it with "Are you gay?" She was blissfully unaware that she was putting herself in disciplinary trouble. She just didn't care.

My mate used to work at the passport office here in London which was the centre of quite a few heated political disputes in the last few years. The workforce included a bunch of really nice African guys but dodgy as hell and always pulling some scam.

This is, in my view, definitely a cultural difference. My friend is a straight arrow, very reliable and honest so the contrast between him and others (hell even myself as I like to cut corners sometimes) is more pronounced. In another country some of those behaviours (including racial bullying and generally taking the piss) might be fine but here not so much. The problem with the passport office is that they lacked leadership and strong management so everyone ran amok.

So getting back to the video, yes it's nice to challenge stereotypes but let's remove the rose-tinted spectacles at the same time. I'm sure these chaps are as super nice as they are depicted, but it IS a depiction designed to promote a charitable cause. Everyone has prejudices and blind spots, everyone can and will be an arsehole. Even after you strip away the stereotype you can't get rid of that.

>> ^G-bar:

indeed one of the best shows of my childhood. Every day in the Kibbutz we would gather and watch it.
there was another show with the same characters - I only found the hebrew version of it, since I have no clue what it was called - that was awesome as well!



Interesting fact is that they left out the lovemaking in the hebrew version:
In the french and german version you can see two naked teens get together in the beginning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxdUEvuYE4E

talk about cultural differences..

Thanks. I thought this was going to be funny. Some idioms in German are quite the challenge. But rather than talking about the informative side of the subject this dude found it hilarious to just bullshit about it for the whole video. What went through his mind?
In reply to this comment by Barseps:
>> ^luxury_pie:

Alternative title: How to be a dick about cultural differences.


I wish I could promote a comment, but I can't so you'll have to settle for an ^upvote^ :

>> ^luxury_pie:

Alternative title: How to be a dick about cultural differences.


I wish I could promote a comment, but I can't so you'll have to settle for an ^upvote^

Alternative title: How to be a dick about cultural differences.