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Americans have long been exporting their pop culture to the world. With TV shows and movies being among the most consumed global American exports, it's no surprise that US actors and directors are recognized all around the globe. However, for all of us non-Americans out there, sometimes the silver screens get us all dazed and confused. Do American people really drink from those red plastic cups at parties? Do they really wear shoes inside their houses? Is homecoming really such a big thing as movies make it out to be?

But we're gonna need a true expert's opinion on the matter—our Bored Panda readers living in the US! So scroll down below to read all the questions that people had about the things they saw on TV and feel free to share your answers!

#1

221Lauren Report

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Felix Feline
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Living in a college town I can attest that yes they do. It's all anyone talks about, and the traffic jams are awful. High school football here is just as bad.

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#2

euricawithhope Report

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Andres Tejeda
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Its the easiest reference for us and a football field is 100yards or 300 feet or 91.44 meters.

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#3

PaigeImogenxx Report

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Kristin Scarbrough
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We say goodbye, or something like it. It's an idiosyncrasy of script writing, not Americans.

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#6

kaya_lorne Report

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Erin
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When my relatives from Ireland come to visit, they love to play with the garbage disposal. Even the people in their 60's think it is hilarious. They refer to it as "the murder sink".

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#7

XXXX_G0LD Report

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#9

disposablefilms Report

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Erin
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was in school, it was hard boiled eggs. Now they have high-tech baby dolls called Baby Think About it. It is a Life Skills class that teaches you how to be an adult.

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#12

benallenwf Report

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Kristy P
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The "funeral" is usually in a church and then a burial service graveside.

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#14

RiverrunStately Report

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Catlady6000
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is especially true in small towns. The largest parking lot in town is the local teen hangout

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#15

sam_pIant Report

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Hedy Hahn
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, Homecoming is really big here in the US. Celebrating at high school and university.

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#18

KatieBelsey Report

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Keith Nolen
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because Americans have been sold the lie (mostly by Nestle, thank you!) that bottled water is better than tap water in some way. In truth most of the bottled water IS tap water.

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#22

todorokidokie Report

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Hedy Hahn
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We do call them Kleenex all the time probably because that brand is what we used.

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Erin
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The same way you "hoover" a rug, we use kleenex. It is very weird to us that you say hoover instead of vacuum.

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Lolabean
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

(British) I use both, but tend to favour hoover in terms of both verb and noun. It's hard to think about it when I'm trying to consciously think about what I'd say, but I'm pretty sure I hoover more than I vacuum lol.

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Colin L
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep. Also "asprin" and "frisbee" are also brand names synonymous with their products.

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Perfumista Perfumista
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Frisbee and Tylenol - yes, "aspirin" is not a brand name, just short for acetylsalicylic acid

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Marsha Brown
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yup, Kleenex has become generic, as has Scotch Tape, Saran Wrap... many older people called refrigerators Frigidares, and in England, vacuuming is called Hoovering. All names derived from brand names.

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MammaG
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's a brand name that became a term for any brand of facial tissue

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Helen Haley
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Have never once heard someone say the phrase facial tissue in conversation.

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Tabitha L
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep. Can confirm. Pass me a Kleenex. Make a Xerox of this. I'd like a Coke. This recipe calls for Pet milk. I need a Band-Aid. Ace bandage. We use so many brand names interchangeably with the product.

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Nicki
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I thought Jacuzzi was the name for a spa (not a brand of spa) until I was in my twenties, that's what everybody called them. lol!

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Meyer Weinstock
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We Americans often refer to items by their brand name, mostly out of habit due to advertising, or having only one brand available in certain areas. Kleenex, not tissue; Spam, not canned ham; Cheerios, not floating baked oat rings; Band-Aids, not bandages; Jello, not gelatine...you get the picture.

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Roadkill TheBrave
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Branding is pretty powerful in the U.S. and even though its a brand name we have a tendency to use it. We might not even have Kleenex Brand and will still call it a Kleenex.This happens over a lot of things, and a massive part of that has to do with the Branding the companies have been doing for generations.

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Inés Sanz
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's like when you use Levi's to name a pair of jeans, or Toyota to name a car. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synecdoche

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elfin
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes. Kleenex is a brand owned by a specific company, but it's so common that it became a name applied to facial tissue in general. Kleenex has to fight hard to keep its trademark.

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Meyer Weinstock
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kimberly-Clark of Neenah, Wisconsin, created Kleenex as a filter for gas masks during the First World War (called the Great War, everywhere else). The tissue failed to keep the smoke out, and it sat around until someone (as the legend states) in the R&D grabbed a sheet to blow their nose...and Kleenex was born. -Dr M

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Bored Silly
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Who says give me a tissue. Most people say Kleenex. That is the company that invented it so now regardless of the brand people say Kleenex.

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Cdickson
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My husband says tissue and it’s so adorable. He is English Kiwi though.

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Peter Showers
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes a lot of people call tissues Kleenex because it’s probably the most recognizable brand of tissues to blow your nose with

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Brent Kaufman
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just like we call catsup - ketchup (which is also a brand name).

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Beth Arriaga
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kleenex for all tissues. Bandaids for all adhesive bandages. Xerox for all photo copying etc etc. The Brand names that have permeated so deeply into the American psyche due to constant, chronic advertising is very effective. Not so much welcome, but effective.

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Emily Smith
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep. 'Kleenex' is specific. You could say 'tissue' but do you mean bath tissue, tissue paper, facial tissue? We don't just do it with tissue either. Bandages are 'Band-Aids', ibuprofen is 'Advil', gelatin is 'Jell-o'...

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Carrie Roettger
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Its like calling hot tubs jacuzzis or copy machines xeroxed. All jacuzzis are hot tubs but not all hot tubs are jacuzzis.

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Kitsune Chan
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Poland people call diapers "Pampers(es)". And we used to call the tape player "Walkman" too. or we call shoes "Adidas(es)". Funny thing, isn't it?

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Tanyard Park
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes. We also refer to adhesive bandages as "Band Aids" and some Americans refer to all carbonated sodas as "Coke" (brand that is ingrained in us early).

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(((Sherlocat))) she/her
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I photoshopped a picture of the Queen using Pixlr (free online pic editor). I listened to a mixtape on my walkman (from Sanyo, not Sony). Blew my nose on kleenex made my Scotties. Hoovered my floor with an Electrolux. Ate some No Name brand jello. Patched up a scrape with bandaids by Elastoplast. Drank some 7-Up (that was actually Sprite).

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Felix Utterback
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kleenex is a popular brand and all tissues are kleenex. Just like all punch drink stuff is kool-aid even if it isn't kool-aid brand

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Ronald Nye
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Branding is pretty common. Quite a few things are called by the brand name even when they are made by some other company. Cresent wrenches like Kleenex are common

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Randy Roberts
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kleenex is a brand that gets used most by all so they are just using the brand name. There are quite a few products we do that with.

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Aimee Simmons
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kleenex is the brand that first marketed them I think. There are many brands now, but it's a habit. They are actually called Facial Tissues. :D

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Steve Barker
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That kind of thing happens all over the world. Usually, the first or longest-lasting/most popular item is referred to by its' commercial name. My grandparents referred to their refrigerator (when they didn't call it an icebox) as a Frigidaire, which was the manufacturer.

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Ruth Beaty
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kleenex has become a generic name for tissues, just like many other brand names have. It's just a thing.

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Jim Wyatt-Lees
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well we do the Hoovering in the UK and it's nothing to do with that director of the FBI

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Id row
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's kind of like ordering a Coke instead of cola. The brand name itself has come to symbolize the product in general. So, yes, we call tissues Kleenex because it's catchy and a popular brand that has been around forever.

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ADHD
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

we call all vacuums Hoovers in the UK, Hoover was a company

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Johnny Farnen
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why do people call acetylsalicylic acid "Aspirin" when it that is a German brand name? Same difference.

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Sinkvenice
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My boyfriend says 'hoover', even though our vacuum cleaner isn't a Hoover and it bugs me every time ;-D

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Karen Perez
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Of course in the south, and a soft drink is called Coke As in what kind of coat do you want? Sprite? Dr Pepper? Orange Fanta?

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Loki C
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kleenex is a brand, tissues are not. It's like how Jacuzzis are all hot tubs, but no joy y

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Karasu
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kleenex, Band-Aids... there are just some things known by a flagship brand name. In parts of the South, they call all soda "Coke" no matter what it actually is.

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Mary Kelly
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

yes, and the makers of kleenex want us to stop using their trademark this way

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albertmarksjr@aol.com
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Only one brand can legally be called KLEENEX. But the name has developed into a generic term similar to asking for a COKE when you'd be okay with any cola EXCEPT DR. PEPPER.

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Karon Sheffield
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kleenx is usually accurate. In Texas all sodas are generally referred to as " Do you want a Coke?"

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Lisa Shelton
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, just like we refer to most bandages as Band-Aids and most cotton swabs as Q-Tips.

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Jane Petersen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most of us do call it that even though most of us use off-brand tissue!

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Dre Mosley
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kleenex is such a popular, known brand that's associated with tissue, so. . .yeah, many do.

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Lynda Momalo
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

IDK, I just say tissues. But maybe that's because I'm old (60). Maybe younger people are more likely to use the brand name as generic.

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Shart
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kleenex is the brand name of the tissue..its like saying i drive a ford instead of saying i drive a car

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Siena Valenta
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, of course. The main brand of tissue is Kleenex, that's why people call it that. Kinda like how people call it an "IPad" instead of "tablet" or something. That's the brand.

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Philler Space
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kleenex is a maker of facial tissues so ubiquitous as to by synonymous, like Q-tip or Frisbee. It is an example of brand-recognition that gives larger companies an advantage over smaller, lesser known businesses, and is a practice encouraged only by those with no moral integrity and a spine of Jell-o.

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Bettina Jansen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They do that in France too. It's weird when you're not used to it. Like, I lived in the Netherlands until '94, where they used the equivalent of 'tissue', so the first time someone asked me a kleenex, I answered "I don't, but I can give you a tissue, if you want."

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#24

ThandekaMsane Report

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Dynein
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think that is to avoid accidental advertising? I'd think that in most (industrialized) countries, the typical bags offered by stores have the store logo all over them...

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#25

tobesostyles Report

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ROSSELAIRA EUGENIE CRUZ
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I guess it depends. My family and friends only do photoshoots for weddings, 18th birthdays (girls), 21st birthdays (boys), or someone's first birthday.

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#26

danaokeke Report

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Erin
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Chicken and waffles is a religious experience. I live in the Midwest and some of the best chicken and waffles in the world is right here in Indianapolis at Maxine's Chicken and Waffles. Another awesome place is in Harlem (where chicken and waffles was invented).

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#28

Fkatiee Report

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April Simnel
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3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's ground meat with binders like egg and breadcrumbs, and can also have minced onions and peppers (capsicum), and seasonings that's all mixed together and baked in a loaf pan in the oven. Most people make it with just ground beef, but when I was little in the 70s, in our home it was made with ground beef, pork, and veal, and we had it maybe once a month with homemade mashed potatoes and brown gravy, and a green vegetable. I don't eat meatloaf now. It's not horrible, it's just not my first choice for comfort food.

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#30

aIIexx_ Report

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April Simnel
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the big cities, all you need to do is raise your arm on a busy street. I've lived in NYC almost 30 years now, and no one yells "TAXI!" here. I grew up in a smaller town, though, and in the smaller places, you pretty much have to call a taxi in advance. I never flagged a cab until I moved to NYC.

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Note: this post originally had 40 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.

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