Topic awaiting preservation: More french (freedom) fries nonsense..

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-03-11-freedom-fries_x.htm

ugh.

The left for years have defined themselves with petty and vapid symbolic exercises and marches and to see this stuff going on in the Congress is every bit absurd and a waste of time. It's just stupid. Tom Delay's comment at the end of the article is much more on target. The French don't need any help from us on their way down.

pathetic, really, isn't it?

bug - forgive me, as I don't actually know nything about the people in question, but they were referred to as republicans....which says "right" to me far more than it does left...

so I'm just curious about your comment on "the left"

{edit - and yes, of course, this display is an embarrasment to america. And yet sadly typical.}



[This message has been edited by DL-44 (edited 03-12-2003).]

Embarrassment? It's the mostest cleverest thing ever! And I'ma Biggie Size *my* Freedom Fries!

whatever

Jason

Around the apartment, we've been referring to the French government as the 'freedom government.' Do you think maybe we've been missing the point?

I don't know about you all, but that makes me want to freedom kiss my girlfriend before I fall asleep and dream of freedom maids.

:::krets.net:::

DL, the people in the article are indeed on the right and what makes me so sad about it is that over the last several years people on the left are the ones who typically pull such ridiculous stunts. Since I am a right wing partisan, I don't like to see my side acting the fool

Maw gawd...that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of.

And this administration is supposed to be mature enough to wage a war?

Good grief.

And I thought Democrats could get childish at times...


WebShaman

Really stupid, really... But I often wondered about something... Why do the Americans call the fries French fries since they are originally Belgian ?

Moon Shadow: Remember most Americans can't find America on a map With that (potentially urban myth) in mind I think you'll see that the difference between France and Belgium isn't really worth bothering about

___________________
Emps

FAQs: Emperor

Now Emps...that is just not true. America is not on the map...but USA is!

[edit]

[This message has been edited by mahjqa (edited 03-12-2003).]

Bugs - gotcha.

Emperor - I can too find america on the map. In fact, it's the only country *on* my map!

( )

Emperor, there was a National Geographic survey a few months ago where they gave a geography test to 18-22-year-olds of many developed nations. The results were ghastly, as you might expect, especially on the US side -- even though the questions were relatively US-centric. A full nine percent of US respondents were not able to find their own nation on the map. The rest of the results were equally pathetic.

I've never understood how so many Americans can be so startlingly ignorant, while American continues to be an innovator in many technical fields. Presumably the technological innovators in America are a much smaller percentage of the population than, for instance, scientists in the famed biotech labs of Cuba.

edit: I'm reviewing the survey results again... only 44% of Americans could tell that the euro was the currency of the European Union... even when it was multiple choice, and euro is the initial sound of "European Union"? That's worse than only 58% of Americans knowing that the Taliban was based in Afghanistan, even when American news at the time was nothing but the war in Afghanistan. ...I'm assuming most of the idiots said Iraq.

On the other hand, if you did a survey right now asking where Al-Qaeda is based, I bet 90% would say Iraq, instead of something more reasonable like Pakistan. That's not a matter of ignorance, though -- it's a matter of government spin. Last I heard, we were telling our people that the Mafia is based in Iraq. Barney is in Iraq. The French (pardon me, the Freedom) are in Iraq. Quick, bomb it!

[This message has been edited by Perfect Thunder (edited 03-12-2003).]

I think it depends which side of the fence you sit on as I've seen the right pull some ridiculous stunts, much like the left. Neither side is immune to embarrassing behaviour. Either way, it was a silly and immature thing to do. I'm sure there are more pressing matters.

DL: At least you aren't in Texas - I hear their map of the world doesn't even include the rest of the US

There is a more serious issue - you are welcome to call Autumn Fall (although do you still say autumnal?) and to spell a lot of words fron (colour, centre, etc.) but they aren't french Fries they are chips and what the US calls chips are crisps!! This issue is very close to many a Brits heart (with its furred arteries, etc.).

On a more serious note a lot of the stories about the left (at least the British ones like banning 'Baa Baa Black Sheep' have been investigated and never actually happened they were completely fabrivated by the press).

___________________
Emps

FAQs: Emperor

the press.. sheesh. i heard the other day that the razor blade in the apple was a press hoax too - it never happened. ruined the halloween fun of many many children

research showed 2 children died from halloween candy, candy which their relatives poisoned.. for some reason, they thought the insurance was worth more than the kids
(only 2 to die in the 40 years covered by the research)

I'd like a big mac, a large freedom fri, and a hot baked oppression pie

Pfft..

you brits with your 'tins of biscuits' and all

I always thought it was 'Fish n Chips'...

WS: Technically that is: "Fish 'n' Chips" - that said the French Fry is a very much inferior beast to the great British chip (that said I can't remember the last time I eat either so what do I know!!)!!!

___________________
Emps

FAQs: Emperor

I just wonder how many people will actually start ordering freedom fries as opposed to french fries. Personally, I always roll up to the next window and order a large frog-fried-tater-sticks... but pfft, freedom fries? Crazy... just crazy...

njuice42 Cell # 551
icq 957255

[This message has been edited by njuice42 (edited 03-13-2003).]

In my opinion, a frie is a frie

What's a frie?

Moon Shadow, since it wasn't really answered, we call them french fries due to the cut used to create them. I believe that it is referred to as a french cut. Probably because you French are so well known for your cuisine.

That being said, most people in the US probably believe that the French invented them because that's what we call them. And yes, DarkGarden, because of this they're tools.

Man... Seneca. You just won't let that go, will ya?

LOL

GrythusDraconis
"I'm sick of hearing that beauty is only skin-deep. That's deep enough. Who wants an adorable pancreas?" - Unknown

We just call them fries here - that eliminates the political aspect of a piece of deep fried potato. Pomme de Tere - Apple of the Earth - how appropriate. If there ever was a historical vegetable it has to be the potato! From the Irish Famine to the happenings now.

sib

Seneca: French fries are thus named because American GI's first came across them in France during the war and brought the idea back with them.


:::krets.net:::

well, just so you know, here in australia, we have fries and chips.

chips are thicker than fries.

(although, i believe that the thinner 'fries' are also called shoestring potato chips).

...and just to confuse things a little more, we call 'crisps' chips as well.



Furthermore, if anyone were to ask for "Freedom Fries" over here, we would assume that they were yankees (and overly patriotic to the point of stupidity), and punch 'em in the nose.

Too right mate.

Too bloody right.

But not if that yank were our very own JKMabry I hope

Yeah...but the good thing about Aussie land is that, after the punch in the nose, they then buy you a beer!

Sort of a greeting ceremony for foreigners...

Hmm... free beer? Maybe I'll have some of those freedom fries after all

emps, be careful what you say about texas...we have more armed pick-up trucks than any other nation

chris


KAIROSinteractive

Texas is a nation?

nation of rednecks

"Salting the back of a snail... My turkish prison is knowing that i fit in...."- Glassjaw

Aside from the ridiculousness, that's kinda humorous.

quote:

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DL: At least you aren't in Texas - I hear their map of the world doesn't even include the rest of the US

---

You mean there's actually places outside of Texas Blasphemer...

quote:

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we have more armed pick-up trucks than any other nation

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Hell, the highschool I went to had enough firepower to occupy Paris... OK, bad example... ::shrugs::

quote:

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Texas is a nation?

---

quote:

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An Abbreviated History of Texas
1836 - Texas gained independence from Mexico

1844 - US made unconstitutional offer of statehood for Texas

1845 - Texas rewrote constitution, voted to join US
(Agreement allowed Texas to withdraw at any time)

1861 (Feb 1 & 2) - Due to US abrogation of state's rights, people of Texas
voted overwhelmingly (4-1) to withdraw from the US
('Allied' with the Confederacy but did not become a Confederate State)

1865 - Union troops marched into Texas and instituted martial law

1876 - US offered to end martial law in exchange for approval of a constitution that they wrote. This amounted to a ransom demand. To end the hostage status of Texas, Texans voted to accept the offer. Martial law ended, as promised, but was replaced with military rule which Texas is still under. Congress passed a resolution allowing Texas representation in Congress and allowing Texans to participate in the US political process. This deception is what has led people to believe that Texas is a state but nothing has lawfully brought Texas back into the union. Therefore, Texas is and always has been
an independent nation.

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For the whole page that came from, go here.

quote:

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Therefore, Texas is and always has been
an independent nation.

---

Um...yeah.

unfortunately, the ugliness of texas history is not includeded in american history books. when mexico still claimed all of the west of north america, many bandits and thieves went south of the border to escape justice. when mexico decided it needed more people in their northern territories, people began to fill the area and set up forts. one bunch decided they didn't want to be part of mexico and wanted to secede (sp).

every couple of years the military academy in mexico city would send out the cadets with their school leader. (the boys were fourteen (14) years old.) they would circle the country showing by their presence who the political power was. when they reached the northern territories and one of the forts, they were fired upon and fired back. unfortunately, none of the men in the fort called for peace or talks or a truce, but kept on firing to the last man so that no one (that i recall) lived.

the troop then continued around the country, but news of the battle went north and General Sherman who had recently cut a swath from the midwest to georgia (dividing the south into 2 parts during the civil war), crossed into mexico with his seasoned troops, for 500 miles or so and slaughtered the boys and their leader, general somethingorother - i forget his name. then the americans went back to their own borders.

this story is not in american history, so how do i know? when president kennedy went to mexico, he was late arriving in mexico city. it turned out he had stopped at a memorial on the site where the battle happened where stands a statue commemorating the boys who died. he left a wreath there. i asked my mother about the statue and why the president would stop there. she told me the story. my ancestors lived in the area for many generations and the reality of the battle of the alamo was well known. btw, the president was welcomed warmly when he arrived in mexico and i'm sure his gesture was part of the reason for that...

if the president knew of this memorial, then there are surely others who do too, yet it still remains missing from american history texts.

[edit- fix spelling

[This message has been edited by velvetrose (edited 03-16-2003).]

hehe... that page about the "republic of texas" is pretty funny. Sounds a bit specious and self-serving... the fun thing to think about is this...

If texas is a soverign and independant nation... then Dubya Bush can't LEGALLY be president can he? Just pondering. hehe

VR - oh c'mon, I don't believe for a second that we aren't given the whole and complete truth in our 7th grade history books. I'm sure the overly simlified patrio-centric version that only takes 2 pages and a foot-note is the whole story. That whole "two sides to the story" is just unamerican, beatnick talk.


It's only after we've lost everything...
That we're free to do anything...

LOL and what have you got against beatniks?

Sorry... did the sarcasm not come across? hehe

Aside from the bongoes and the pretentious poetry, I live a pretty beatnik lifestyle if you think about it. Wear all black, drink espresso, watch independant films. Damned hippies. haha

Okay, official warning: Mindbender is being sarcastic 90% of the time. If you read my post and it only presents one side of an issue, I'm probably being blatantly sarcastic That is all citizens, please return your seats to their fully upright and locked position.


It's only after we've lost everything...
That we're free to do anything...

yes, i understood the sarcasm.
my remark was in jest to see if you had a capper for your comment

[edit-clarify]

[This message has been edited by velvetrose (edited 03-17-2003).]

Some 40,000 Protest as France Denounces Iraq War

I thought this was funny after everything we've talked about in this thread already. I guess the boycott mentality works for some French too.

quote:

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Demonstrators smashed the window front of a McDonald's restaurant in south Paris, forcing police in riot gear to move in to protect staff and customers, a Reuters reporter said. The attackers sprayed obscenities and "boycott" on the windows of the U.S. hamburger chain, whose restaurants are frequently targeted by anti-U.S. and anti-globalism protesters.

---

I always love it when peace protests turn to violence and vandalism to show their compassion.

Irony is a beautiful thing. What's the french word for irony? I bet it sounds better in french...

"Ironie"

But you have to say it with a French accent for it to have the proper effect....

Speaking of anti-war protests...

and those gone wrong
scroll down to the clip about "Cops Lose Temper, Crowd Fights Back"!

Bodhi - Cell 617

quote:

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I've never understood how so many Americans can be so startlingly ignorant.

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Damn right. Just listen to these real-life horror stories.

I heard a story about a bunch of American tourists that came here to Australia. They were on a tour in the north of our country, and not one of them could tell the guide where in the country they were. Even worse, when asked to draw a picture of Australia, not one of them could. They just drew a funny-looking square.

A friend of a friend of mine was in New York a while back on a working visa. He was driving about, but he didn't have an American license. Anyway, one day, a cop pulls him over and asks him for some photo I.D.. My friend said to him "Oh, we really don't need those. There's so few people in Australia that we all know each other." The cop said "Okay" and let him go on.

A large percentage of the American population believes that Steve Irwin is what all Australians are like.

Those poor ignorant superpower citizens.

Except for those (like me) who actually lived in Australia for 3 1/2 years...great land, great people. Even better weather (for those that like it hat, that is).

Oh, and great restaurants, as well.

Of course that's not a *whole* lot different from many people outside the US who seem to think the US is nothing but New York, LA, McDonalds and Oprah. Oh, and hillbillies too.

Stereotypes can be applied to anyone and everyone... It just so happens that the person/group that is in the media the most is how everyone views anyone even vaguely related to them...

It's human nature... We like to group things together to make it easy to "understand" everything...