h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Oh- pardon me! Did I say that?? hehe

Well, while America is a bit of a culture hog, it should be said that outside of Bill Gates' influence, most of American culture is not influenced by America... but by a lot of overseas advertisers- a lot of whom own major corporations in America (a lot of non-Americans, that is). When it gets right down to it, America is just a big fad- you want big breasted whores, we'll give you them; you want 12 000 different types of pizza? not a prob; you want your music loud so you can take that leather jacket back out of the closet? go right ahead, etc. etc. America is just in it for the money Capitalistic pig dogs

Left off the T - my bad ! heh

I know I'm not reading into the situation very deeply, to be honest I wrote this page because I was enraged by the pig-headedness of certain American researchers on this site. But, I wouldn't let my patroitism control me...shame really, would have been much more interesting reading!

Course, neither of us are taking this seriously. Which is nice

Oh, we all have our moments I've about had it with America too... but it isn't so much the culture as it is the government

There are points you can pick from all over the place. I think they've had it up to here with people pointing them all out for them!

Well, if they didn't keep making asses out of themselves maybe they wouldn't have so many problems

CANADA RULES.....ok so we would probably get are asses kicked if we picked a fight with a kindergarden class, but still. You gotta admit, Canada is a nice place to live, I am in Northern BC, and I love it.

Peace Love, Hangten EH!


Lucas

Cartoon by the late American artist B. Kliban:
Two groups holding signs face off for a fight. First groups' signs say "People For Against". Second groups' signs say "People Against For".

Apart from this being an example (perhaps rare) of good American humour, I think it underlies the point of the discussion. Why is Coca-Cola so popular? Why do so many people of all colours and ethnicities prefer crap to culture?

Unfortunately we have a big lead on the production of puffed sugar because of that clause about our inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Somehow, that has been turned into a sacred pursuit of fun.

India and China produce a lot of garbage for public consumption, too. But you don't speak that language so you pass comment on them.

Probably the most vigorous and prolific source of bad tv, screaming ads, junk food and plastic of all kinds is Japan. Diabolically clever, they disguise their stuff as American. The rest, for domestic consumption, is in Japanese, see previous paragraph.

It's perfectly valid to complain about junk culture. But hmm, where to point the finger?

Where did that Greek come from?

Good point, Lil. Every time I think we have the monopoly on crap pop culture, the Cleo Awards come on tv. The Cleos are given to the best, usually wittiest commercials in the world. Yeah, I know, only in the US would we watch an entire show filled with commercials, but I digress. Anyway, its an excellent window into the rest of the world's crap culture. Even better, though, is World's Funniest, a show filled with home videos and film clips from crap culture all over. It's hard to crown a winner in the Dross Television Derby, between lame nude variety shows in Latin America (think Gong Show quality) and French movies that take themselves way too seriously, but I have to give it to the Japanese. For such an anal retentive culture, they find the most rediculous ways to express themselves. Ever seen the one where contestants don velcro suits and hurl themselves at a velcro wall? And they think American football is dangerous...

>Ever seen the one where contestants don velcro suits and hurl themselves at a velcro wall?

KLINGONS!

I had heard, in previous years, that the Japanese had a trend for conspicuous masochism in game shows. In America we -- excuse me, the masses -- just jump up and own and scream uncontrollably at the prospect of having won a washing machine.

I am going to have to go through my library and look for the book, cos I can't remember its particulars, but I'll describe it and you might recorgnise it. It came out a few years ago. A photographer went all around the world and persuaded a representative family to turn their house inside out and pose in front holding or standing next to their favourite possessions.

The Arabs have the longest sofas in the world, and the Africans are heavy on bowls and baskets, but for sheer accumulation the Japanese won easily. Even their pets have possessions. My dog has two rubber toys, but no wardrobe. I think it was a Nepalese family that had the fewest things, but they had the best views and the most religious objects.

Guess it's that everybody takes note of the Americans, cos they're like, the most famous country around? You canu get away from it. So whenever something silly happens down their end, everyone knows about it.

I remember when I was little, I'd read these books and things that would give all sorts of wierd facts about the USA. And I'd be thinking "America AGAIN?!"
But know, when I read that it's legal to strap two mini-guns to a helicopter, I think "only in America!"

But, this hoo-ha about that Cuban kid, I think that's bad stuff.

Here's a headline we *should* be seeing in the Washington Post on that:

The Elian Gonzalez Debacle: Further Evidence that the Clinton Administration Should Be Lined Up Against the Wall And Shot for Their Idiotic Handling of All Things International

Just when we thought that, after George Bush puked all over the Japanese prime minister, it couldn't get any worse.

Well, I've just fetched in the paper and seen that Reno sent the feds in to get Elian away from the mother's relatives.

And this is one case where the Clinton administration can't be faulted, actually: they have been consistently behind the INS in the business of repatriating the kid back to his dad. But in the first place you have a total asshole named Jesse Helms (Republican) chairing our foreign relations committee in the Senate, which means we are effectively pursuing a policy line from 1955. I forget which other Republican conservative blocked Elian's return initially.

And then you have the Judiciary wing of government acting on a suit (let's not even get started about the lawyers who accepted this case) which was filed after the Miami clacque had already defied the US government on a repatriation ruling and basically disagreeing with the executive wing.

And finally you have the expatriate Cubans in Little Havana pursuing their own private agenda with norespect for the laws of the country in which they have sought asylum.

There is no winning in a situation where numerous ideological groups are using one stressed-out kid stuffed full of candy to further their own ends.

What the republican party has done to the governmental institutions of this country over the past 8 years in the pursuit of personal power just sickens and angers me. I voted for Clinton and still think he is one of the most intelligent men who've ever held that office. Why everybody is so horrified to discover that he's also a politician bewilders me. Nothing BUT a devious and intelligent person could deal with the slimeballs, sleazos and psychopaths who dominate the political machines of so many countries on this planet. Our president is best of class and we need more like him.

Spoken without irony, I think. Plenty of cynicism, though. One of my best friends despises Clinton and can't discuss political issues without falling back into personal excoriation. I keep saying What about the ISSUES, man... But then she mentions Jesse Helms and my blood pressure absolutely foams

I have something good to say about Clinton... ooops, false alarm.

But at least Jesse Helms... no, nothing positive to say there, either.

I'm of the opinion that the best way to cure the political ills of the US is to put both the democrats and republicans on a little banana boat to Cuba.

During hurricane season

Oh, we talk about Politician. This guy called Gary Bauer got awarded Buffoon Of the Week in Kerrang! two months back.

"A US Presidential candidate, Bauer implied that Rage had somehow influenced the Columbine killers. Since we ran the story, Bauer has dropped from the running for Prez, due to the general US public believing him to be a prime buffoon. Arf, and indeed arf again."

By Rage they mean Rage Against The Machine, which this guy had ended up calling The Machines Rage On. What an ass.

This always happens to the religious conservative (Protestant) presidential candidate. He gets going on a wave of family-values, no-abortion, put-prayer-back-in-school-and take-evolution-out sentiment and then the press discovers that he doesn't know where Korea is or some such. Such was the case with Pat Robertson, who went around saying there were Russian missiles still in Cuba. Now it's Gary Bauer.

Mike, does that fellow still run for MP as leader of the Raving Looney party? Forget his name, was a minor rock star once.

In America, the governor of Minnesota is an ex-professional wrestler! Ex-Navy SEAL, and actually a decent and intelligent guy. Sure makes a change from ex-lawyers!

Who, Screaming Lord Sutch? He's dead now. I think they got this one guy and a cat leading the Monster Raving Loonies. They sound a laugh, but they have done decent stuff for the country! Cat for Prime Minister!

Hey, they once had a horse for a Pope

*gasps* Screaming Lord Sutch is DEAD??

Tonight's news: Now those yappity Miami Cubans are saying that the photo of Elian reunited with his Dad is a fake. Next they'll be saying that the Feds killed Elian and ate him for dinner.

Cat for PM? Depends on what kind. I wouldn't countenance one of those flat-faced longhairs leading the British Empire.