“What Things Are Normal For Americans But Weird For Non-Americans?” (43 Surprising Answers)
Tell me you're in America without telling me you're in America... I'll go first. Metal detectors at schools, gallons of gas, exorbitant healthcare costs, corn dogs.
Each country has its unique quirks and kinks that make it special, and America is no different. There are certain things that just scream "United States." But often it takes a non-American to point them out because, for those living in the Land of the Free, there's nothing unusual about having a garbage disposal in the kitchen sink while living under the rules of a power-hungry HOA.
Someone asked, "What things are normal for Americans but weird for non-Americans?" and the answers came flying in at 100 miles per hour. Bored Panda has put together a list of the best ones for you to scroll through while you wonder why the States is worlds apart.
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Excessive thanking of veterans for their service, but also apparently providing them limited access to mental health support.
I'd say borderline obsessive adulation of armed forces. It's weird to everyone else.
One of several reasons I no longer watch NFL football is the "Official We Love War Military Circle Jerk brought to you by Bud Light and Cialis" at the beginning of every game. It's nauseating.
Load More Replies...It's an American embarrassment. Politicians will campaign on loving our troops, etc. Then they slash funding for our troops.
"They are sսckеrs and lοsеrs" - DJ "Heroic Bone Spurs" Trump. "They knew what they signed up for".
Load More Replies...The simple fact is, if you're American and not a WW2 vet, and you're not, your military service was meaningless. You didn't preserve freedom, or defend your country or anything else you believe. You defended billionaires and corrupt politicians, and in fact may have even played a part in hurting freedom. F*** your service. All of the people who died, in Vietnam or the Middle East or wherever, died for nothing, a complete waste of their life.
The excessive praise of the armed forces, at this point, just looks like overcompensation to hide the guilt of not giving a s**t about soldiers once they returned with any kind of health issue. Similar to how glorification of motherhood usually gets along with doing sh/t all for mothers.
Well, yeah, cuz "thank you" is a lot cheaper than actually providing help. /s
Yupp. Same with the balcony clappin BS during COVID. Clapping doesn't pay bills, and thanks don't fill staffing schedules. Them greedy nurses still want money! /S
Load More Replies...This has only come up in last few decades. Growing up in 50's-60's almost everyone had family who had served in military, either WWII or Korea.
Unfortunately, those family members are six feet under.
Load More Replies...Thank you for your service to our country and any allied country.
Load More Replies...Oh, it's just a bandwagon everyone has jumped on. They say 'thank you for your service' to the veterans not because they're grateful, but because they like themselves when they do it. "I said thank you to a veteran, aren't I a wonderful person?" F**k off.
Depending on who I'm talking to, (I am a 3 yr vet) I either say "Thanks for doing the tough stuff" to folks who saw combat, or nothing at all. I tell those who say "Thank you for your service" "gee, thanks", as I view it as the equivalent of have a nice day.
America. The Land of the Free … It’s all cotton candy, glitz and glamour, endless opportunity and big dreams. Or is it?
The country was once seen as a top place to live by many Americans and non-Americans alike. But recent research reveals that people are nowhere near as proud as they once were to be a U.S. national. A Gallup poll conducted in June 2025 found that American pride is at a record low.
"58% of U.S. adults say they are “extremely” (41%) or “very” (17%) proud to be an American, down nine percentage points from last year and five points below the prior low from 2020," reports Gallup.
Gallup first asked Americans how proud they were in January 2001. Back then, 87% said they were “extremely” or “very proud.” That figure increased to 90% after 9/11 and remained steady between 2002 and 2004.
Being poor can potentially [put] you in debt for life.
I had a heart operation in the UK and didn't even have to pay for parking. A guy on Reddit in the U.S. had the same operation and is now in debt 1/4 million dollars.
He is also likely to be in & out of hospital for the rest of his life and no insurance company will go anywhere near him.
To a non-US person this is both mind-blowing and disgusting in equal measures.
"Not guilty until proven otherwise" or something like that, though?
Load More Replies...It really looks as if the USA loves money and doesn't care about the human beings. And it pretends that this was how it must be, while literally hundreds of other countries get their priorities straight.
maybe it's too late. people strongly supporting things like universal healthcare in US aren't the types to "go to war" for it (and I don't say that they should). they would rather see a civilized, peaceful transition. they have too rich and strong opponents. the beginnings of healthcare systems in Europe were in completely different conditions.
Load More Replies...We lost everything, twice. When my son was born, both he and my wife weren't expected to live. Wonderfully, both did, but we had to sell our home and empty our savings to pay what wasn't covered by (quality) group health insurance coverage. Slowly rebuilt; then 25 years later, had to sell everything--including our car, furniture, rights to my writing and exhaust our savings when we were hit with open heart surgery (me) then back-to-back different forms of cancer (my wife). Lost everything again, but my wife beat both cancers so no regrets; but we're both haunted by the question of what others do who didn't have those resources. Greed is the culprit in American healthcare. Edited to be clear we're not whining.
I think the medical profession will figure this out when people start defaulting on their medical bills in a huge, huge way. And then maybe when the insurers and the medical admins start leaning on our stupid politicians, something might finally be done about universal health care. I'm deliberately not going in for some needed surgery because I want to keep my credit score to get a loan in the next couple of years, but I honestly know I will never be able to pay my medical bill from that surgery. I mean, Medicare will cover 80%, but I know I won't ever be able to afford the 20%. So my plan is to just not pay the bill. What are they gonna do? Sue me? Seriously, I have absolutely nothing of value. Maybe they can take my 20 year old car.
Repubs are going OUT..Of..Their...Minds over the ACA and wish to abolish it. Ironically, they have faced such significant blow back from their constituents, there is now a majority to preserve it.
Pfft. Didn't have to pay for parking? Where is this utopia of a hospital! When I was in hospital for three days I racked up a £24 parking charge!
I know right! I've had to pay around $40 in total over the last 5 years for the many, many outpatient visits to my local hospital... :-)
Load More Replies...Have had surgery and undergoing radiation for stage 2 breast cancer, it hasn't cost me anything - Australia
Attaching medical insurance to employment. One shouldn’t have anything to do with the other.
I don't know if it's true but I think this went back to WW2. During WW2 there were wage and price controls in place. There was also a labor shortage due to the war. Companies couldn't raise wages to attract workers so they instead started adding non-salary benefits, like company paid health insurance.
Gallup's experts put the decline in U.S. pride down to a few things... They say national unity has eroded over the past 25 years due to a combination of political and generational changes.
"These changes have occurred mostly over the past decade, and have done so amid greater pessimism about the economic prospects for young people, widespread dissatisfaction with the state of the nation, greater ideological divides between the parties, unfavorable images of both parties, and intense partisan rancor during the Trump and Biden administrations," explains the site.
The fact that a 18 year old can drive and buy a gun while still being considered too young to drink alcohol.
You can actually drink at any age in most European countries. Buying it is restricted. In America, even drinking beer is illegal under 21 in some states!
You can drive at 16. Well, you can get your learner's permit at 15 I think.
Probably why the USA has such a high rate of fatal vehicle accidents.
Load More Replies...The federal government forced 21 in all states by withholding funding for those who didn't do it.
Well, would you want them to drive and have a gun WHILE drinking alcohol? Doesn't seem very logical.
In the state of Utah (USA) for many years you could only buy 3.2% beer. Any other alcoholic beverage had to be purchased at the state liquor store or at a few licensed "private clubs" that you had to have a membership for. You were also allowed to carry a bottle of alcohol to some restaurants to hand to them and they would pour your drinks for you with your own bottle of alcohol. Then they would give it back to you at the end of the night, but there was a "no open carry" law as well, so it rather encouraged you to drink the entire bottle, as you couldn't take an already opened bottle into the restaurant with you.
My friend attended his cousins high school graduation in LA a while ago and he had to go through metal detectors and all that, as if he was going through airport security.
So I guess metal detectors at school.
Your founding fathets never thought of this kind of shít ...
Load More Replies...Uh, yes. That's weird. Only place I can think of off the top of my head (aside from airports) that have metal detectors here are courts.
We have one at our parliament, but last time I walked through, I had a nice chat with the security staff about my hand knitted jumper afterwards. don't get me wrong, they do their job - just in a matter that is still welcoming.
Load More Replies...As a part time consultant for several school districts it was sad watching schools installing metal detectors.
I wouldn't be surprised if these security companies had a deal with the gunlobby...
In the UK there are an increasing number of schools having metal detectors.
1. The units (non metric ones)
2. The overall insanity of politics no matter what colour
3. The heavily biased main stream media
4. The lack of affordable health care
5. Guns, guns, guns
6. The importance of credit scores
7. Checks as payment
8. (Lack of) Worker's rights (like paid vacation, maternity leave, etc.)
Parents had a hard time using checks in the (late?) 90s, the stores didn't have knowledge of how to receive and verity them.
I'll give you a better example .... Lots of european "touristy places", -and not just- don't accept amrican credit cards. The most obvious example, i have seen was last year in Barcelona, where in even a small ice-cream place was stated "We don't accept Amex cards".
Load More Replies...Yess, the check thing. During covid there where checkes send to people all over the world that once worked there and amerikans same. But what can you do with a check of 1500 dollar in countrys that don't take checks?
I havnt seen a check since the early 90s (Denmark) You havnt ben able to use them for 10 years. In the mid 80s People began useing credit cards insted of check
I still have the original checkbook from when I opened my account at 18 (I'm 42) and have used maybe 5 of the checks over those nearly 25 years. They still have their place for larger amounts because most US banks have a pretty low limit on debit or cash withdrawals or other electronic transfers like Zelle, Venmo(usually $5,000 or less per day). EG, I wrote a check to purchase my condo (6-figures) - I suppose I could have wired the money, but there are fees for that. A simple check at closing was easy peasy.
2. and 3. doesn't seem to be unique for the US. I think that most of the people despise some/all of their country's politicians. and it's generally hard to maintain really un-biased media
Despite many Americans voicing their lack of pride, this hasn't stopped people from flocking to the country in search of a better life. The so-called American Dream... The United States had, until recently, seen 50 years of rapid growth in terms of the number of people immigrating there.
"In January 2025, 53.3 million immigrants lived in the United States – the largest number ever recorded. In the ensuing months, however, more immigrants left the country or were deported than arrived," reports Pew Research Center. "By June, the country’s foreign-born population had shrunk by more than a million people, marking its first decline since the 1960s."
Seeing someone post on Reddit the other day about feeling guilty for calling a coworker an ambulance because they knew their wage and worried they would leave them in debt.. my mind was blown.
No matter, if they have insurance, or not ... anyway won't matter, because they won't pay even for their empployee denying your covering.
Having opinion presented as "news".
Fox was the first network to figure out that if you want to insert editorial opinions into the news, you just have to start by saying "Some say..."
Christiane Amanpour on The Daily Show: "Get your news from reputable, or at least several, sources". DJT's war on journalism is VERY close, IMO, of being a Constitutional violation. Yes, they skew stuff on both sides, but you fight that with facts, not criminalization.
Tipping as standard.
This only a standard for businesses that pay LESS than LEGAL FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE and expect tips to cover the rest. I view it as a federal crime, and I have no idea how they get away with it. I am a small courier service and we have a no solicitation policy, where mentioning or asking for tips is never allowed, but if people want to gift us something that's their choice.
The federal minimum wage for servers and other tipped employees is $2.13 per hour. You must pay your tipped employees at least $2.13 per hour.
Load More Replies...When you think about it, the American public is paying the salary of a lot of employees through tips like welfare, food stamps, etc, because the businesses that hire those employees won't pay them a decent wage.
According to Pew Research Center's analysis of Census Bureau data in June this year, 51.9 million immigrants lived in the U.S. and 15.4% of all U.S. residents were immigrants. That's down from a recent historic high of 15.8%, notes the center.
So, what are the main reasons someone would want to move to the United States?
"At the heart of immigration decisions is the push-pull dynamic," explain the experts over at Boundless, an immigration company. "Push factors like violence, poverty, and political instability compel people to leave, while pull factors such as job opportunities, education, family connections, and safety draw them to the U.S."
Having to mentally add sales taxes on everything you buy. In Europe 9.95 means paying 9.95.
anon:
Every state has different tax.
The "every state has different tax" argument just doesn't cut it. Why do the state not just add their "different" tax to the item so that what you see is what you pay. In South Africa we have zero rated items and VAT items. If we can figure out how to get our cash registers to add up everything without making a mistake between zero rated and taxable, surely each state could do the same? It's not rocket science
That was what I was thinking originally, but that'd involve different price tickets for different states for companies that have many branches across different states and that would probably be seen as too much effort for them (even though in actuality it wouldn't be that difficult to do).
Load More Replies...That would piss me right off. Our sales tax is set federally, so all states are the same, but it's included in the price you see on the shelf. On your receipt you'll see which items have been taxed and the amount of tax you've paid in total for your goods.
Exactly, like I said in my comment, it's pretty easy. Some of our receipts actually show each item with pre tax, tax amount and total inclusive as a line item.
Load More Replies...It has taken me several years to believe that when I go into a store here in France I don't have to mentally scramble to see how much my total will actually be, especially for a small item. When an item has a price on it, that's actually the price you pay at check-out. Who thought that would take a while to get used to?
Hey anon, in Europe you have different VAT per country or even per service. And we manage. don't play dumb. Unless you aren't 'playing'....
Even if tax differs between states, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to display the price including tax in this shop!
And? Any European country has its own regulations for VAT.
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Paying for college for 30 years after you graduated.
Both girls came out of college $60k in debt. One has nearly paid hers off, the other is a teacher, and is eligible for forgiveness from the feds/State for 10 years service. On the plus side, the teacher (Spec Ed) is currently taking on-line masters courses paid for by the Saginaw/Chippewa Indian tribe.
There are a lot of people who, realistically, will never get out of student loan debt.
Again, this is something that will come back to bite our worthless politicians in the a*s big time. Without a degree, people make less money. Making less money means they pay fewer taxes. Fewer taxes means less money to the infrastructure, the schools, the libraries, the whole fabric of a town. Once all that crumbles, the town is gone. But we still have idiots in Congress who would rather be the big t**d in a run-down toilet than actually do something for their constituents and make their states something to be proud of.
This is also an England thing, although the loan setup is much more reasonable and sensible than in the US, as the payments are only taken when you earn over a certain threshold (about £22,000 per year) and only a percentage of the amount above that threshold (currently 9%). You also cannot fall into default with the repayments, and the debt is cancelled after a certain amount of time, which depends on when the loan was taken out as there are different plans.
Seeing a possible serious medical problem with yourself and going “ehh”.
woopbeeboop:
No literally. Most Americans go to the doctor as the last option and not the first one.
PlayedUOonBaja:
Yeah, I ignored a non-stop splitting migraine for 3 months before I finally went to the Doctor. Well, technically I waited until the migraine became a Hemorrhagic stroke, then I finally decided to go see one. In the back of an ambulance.
This was the main reason my spouse and I moved from the US - our concerns that healthcare would wipe us out financially as we aged. Of course, the political climate made it essential to leave as well. I feel a mixture of joy that we are somewhere that we feel safe from the fear of losing everything to a health crisis (and the hellscape that politics have turned the country into) and guilt that others can't have the same security that we now feel.
If myself or my husband ever require long term care, we are going to have to do the unthinkable.
A survey conducted by Boundless in 2025 found that nearly half of recent immigrants moved to the U.S. for job opportunities. The company notes that immigrants are vital to the U.S. labor market and often fill critical roles in agriculture, construction, and healthcare.
"They’re also more likely than U.S.-born individuals to start businesses, fueling innovation and job creation," adds the site.
But economic opportunity isn't the only reason families choose America...
Large gaps above, below and between the bathroom stalls....
coleus:
We're weird. We hate public indecency, but have no problem with big stall gaps.
Before anyone gets in here to defend this weirdness and shout "NOBODY IS LOOKING! OMG! SO WHAT!" It literally costs nothing to make doors that close without a disgusting big gap, every other country seems to be able to manage, and why the héck are you so determined to defend it?
We arent defending it. We agree it is weird. Bucees has individual room stalls floor to celing. Glorious! Always stop on roadtrips.
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If you drive for five hours in the United States, you’re pretty much still in the same place.
If you drive for five hours in Europe, everyone’s talking funny and the cheese is different.
insainodwayno:
In the US, 100 miles is nothing, 100 years is a lot.
In Europe, 100 miles is a lot, 100 years is nothing.
The stone retaining wall for the front of our property (here in Germany) is dated 1846, and it's nothing special. Many of the houses in the old part of our small town are 1300 and older.
In my state in Australia, you can drive for 16 hours and barely get across a quarter of the state, then see artwork that's 40,000 years old
When we first moved to France from the US we were at the mayor's office and saw the blueprint of our town from when Napoleon was surveying the area, and our house was on it. However, the town itself was built during a little tiff between the English and the French that lasted about 100 years and an earlier version of our house was plotted and built as it is a bastide town.
when I was stationed in Germany there was a bar in the town. It was in a building that was older than the USA was. This was the bar's "new location" you understand, they had been forced move locations sometime in the 15th century. The town itself dates back to the 11th century.
Five hours gets me from my house in Oregon to my Sister in Washington. I also regularly drive 9 hours across Oregon to visit my son and grandkids just over into Idaho. Not a big deal, we have the roads and cars for it.
One of my local pubs dates back to 1505 and there are plenty that are way way older
My house was built in 1880, there are others here that are much older
HOAs like wth. Other people who don't pay your mortgage telling you how to maintain your home.
We (possibly, depending on what OP includes in the concept of 'maintain') have something similar in the form of strata, but this is only for (some) units and apartments. Essentially you pay a levy which covers repairs to communal areas such as driveways, the building itself, etc and they may also set rules like you're not allowed animals or whatnot. I don't think houses have a similar thing, though.
American, I have an idea, if you want rid of your HOA, may I suggest fostering a few Glaswegians, scousers, brummies, Mancunians and a sprinkle east and south Londoners and apply beer, I can PROMISE you, nobody will be approaching your house again especially if you play football on the TV while administering said beer , I find (I know this will be censored) screeching “f**k off ya wee maggot, COME HERE AND SAY THAT, COME HERE AND SAY THAT, YA Kock! Usually works wonders
You CHOSE to buy a house with an HOA because you didn't want to look at "undesirables". Don't expect any sympathy from us when they deem YOU an "undesirable".
Do council houses in Great Britain have some of the same issues or has that been done away with?
The difference being council houses are paid for by the council, so you gotta follow their rules
Load More Replies...Investigate if the so-called HOA has a real legal basis. Many don't and are a big bluff.
Boundless found that the U.S. education system is also a big drawcard when it comes to immigration. "With over 1 million international students currently enrolled, the U.S. remains a global leader in higher education," the site elaborates. "Many students also pursue long-term work opportunities and permanent residency after graduating."
Of course, family can also be a reason why someone would move to America. Boundless revealed that nearly a quarter of immigrants arrive in the States to join loved ones who are already there.
Road infrastructure, terrible public transport.
I almost exclusively walk everywhere in my city or use public transport if I'm in a hurry.
Not only that, but the road infrastructure is hostile to pedestrians. I tried walking around Addison in Texas, and it was dreadful trying to even get 3 doors down, as everything was separated by parking lots and waste ground. Crossing the road was a nightmare as there were so few crossing points.
Depends on the city is even faster walk than use the car (I speak for pisa for example)
An English colleague was stopped by the police while walking 500 yards from his hotel the shops in America.
I saw a map showing railway lines in Europe and North America. I'm still not sure if it was real, the difference was just too big.
Light-emitting white teeth.
A friend had hers done this year. She made sure the dentist understood she did NOT want american white
Yeah but all you have to do is buy a few Crest White Strips. Pretty easy to get white teeth.
Load More Replies...Yeah, this is nonsense. Go to any Mediterranean holiday spot and it's wall to wall veneers. This is the flip side of saying British people all have bad teeth.
At least we have our own teeth - and no debt for being turned into lighthouses.
Load More Replies...Um i watch lots of reality shows and every influencer on you tube/tik tok in Europe/Austrailia all get veneers very white. Ahem UK, Austrailia Love Islands!
The plastic people on Love Island are very much not representative of the UK population and are highly influenced by American beauty standards.
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Those safety bags for school "emergencies", yano the bullet proof ones, and security in schools.
I saw an article about bullet proof bunkers in classrooms, while I’m glad they are there as I wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt, the fact that American schools need them is heart breaking 💔 we have our fair share of idiots here in the UK but I can’t get over the fear parents must have when their kid messages them in school time, I’d be on my nerves all the time.
Well oversized schools, without school nurses or psychologist, or even councilors who care about anyone but the wealthiest students, is probably the real problem. Nothing like having a troubled teen be bullied, ignored, and have no safe place, to lead to hate.
If you're considering moving to the United States, you might want to familiarize yourself with this listicle … so that you aren’t caught off-guard when you see your neighbor disposing of trash in the kitchen sink or receiving a fine from your HOA for not mowing your front lawn!
Do you live in America already? Tell us you live there without telling us you live there, in the comments below.
Guns. I live in the country where even some of the police don't carry guns. But I heard almost everyone had it over there.
Not everyone, but it's way too easy for most to get one. Being afraid of your own government or fellow citizens to the point where you need lethal weapons is a cause for medical intervention in most countries.
Not even close to everyone. The numbers come from the fanatics who have dozens.
Most people do not have firearms, and most those who do never take them outside of their homes. But many who do own them have multiple (hunters, competitors, etc.). I have five, but I'm not a "gun nut" or criminal - they rarely leave my home unless I'm going to the range - I'm not even a hunter, I just find target practice fun and relaxing.
The issue is though, the only reason you don't hear about knife incidents as much in the USA is because it is dwarfed by gun violence. For example, you will hear right wing media defend gun ownership by saying in the UK there is knife violence. However, the homicide rate by stabbing in the USA is actually far higher than the UK, but is not discussed as it is just a small proportion of overall homicides when compared to the gun rate.
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Political commercials that are trashing their opponent. When I moved to the US, some of these commercials are just downright horrendous. No where else does this happen.
Didn't work so well for the LNP in Australia last election though, lol.
Load More Replies...Which leads to (at least in my country) a incompetent government whose greatest argument for getting voted was that they prevent the other party from governing.
Yeah whatever happened to stating your case? Not lobbing insults like grade school wth
Being too obese to walk.
True - but US obese is a whole different universe to UK obese
Load More Replies...This isn’t only the states! As an undertaker here in England I can tell you we have started to have work done to widen doorways to accommodate larger coffins
That's because we have HFCS in everything. It needs to be banned but some members of Congress just lack a spine.
If an adult is aware of what they are eating then their choice. But its overweight kids that upsets me
Not having any idea about your nations' foreign policy or illegal wars.
Getting a bill for healthcare.
Standing in line at the pharmacist and wondering what exactly will be covered this week, as the coverage year has just changed and you don't know how much will be covered this year. Going for a referral for a suspected allergy to penicillin, having the first appointment, and not being able to return for a second one because at the first appointment the insurance only covered the first 1,500 out of 3,000 dollars and the physician's office couldn't tell how much the second appointment might be. Then having to have expensive antibiotics because one doesn't know whether they are allergic to penicillin, which is much cheaper.
Yesterday I received a bill from my health insurance about a ride with an ambulance from one hospital to another. The first hospital could not provide the treatment I nedeed so I was transported to another one. The bill was in total 10 Euros, I live in Germany.
Having a pledge of allegiance, especially one that's practically mandated in public schools.
The American flag is an official symbol of the US. So is the bald eagle. So let's all stand, put our right hand on our hearts, and recite in unison "I pledge allegiance to the bald eagle, and the republic for which it stands..." Now let's try it for another official symbol, the Great Seal of the United States.
Being able to criticize your government without being jailed.
You think so? Just try being "politically incorrect", whistleblowing, or reveal a government "secret".
Ha ha! If we didn't take the pïss out of our politicians, they'd think something was wrong!
Until Trump hauls out his ropes for the Trump executions of seditionists, Democrats, and everyone with an opinion he disagrees with. He's such an a*****e.
I tell those who know me I am an 'enemy of the people' due to the pushback I have given my GOP Rep.
Americans call the 24 hour digital clocks “military time” and it’s actually how every other country views digital time.
Both in Australia too. The funniest thing is when I have to put in the times for my shifts on our rostering program, it has to be in 24 hour time, but then it automatically changes them to 12 hour time!
Load More Replies...This American doesn't call it 'military time.' It's 24-hour time. The military uses it, but they didn't invent it and don't own it.
I don't like 24-hour time. Its clock doesn't allow me to go back to sleep at 10 a.m. on the "mistaken" belief it's bed time.
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Writing the date format as mm-dd-yyyy instead of dd-mm-yyyy.
Wearing shoes in someone else’s house.
In Alaska we have mudrooms, shoes, boots, coats, and raingear get taken off there.
Who's "we"? We definitely don't do that over here. Unless you count slippers.
Load More Replies...Not exactly. Shoes in the house has always been customary for me, my family and almost everyone I know. Having said that, the person whose home it is makes the rules.
Same here. Where i live, visitors removing their shoes is about as common and welcome as them removing their pants. (In certain cases, a lot less welcome.)
Load More Replies...For the most part, I've noticed that no shoes in the house is more observed in places with extreme weather, especially snow.
When I wrnt barefoot in house my dad would intentionally step on my feet.
Americans "Shoes in the house is gross ewww". Also Americans "Bare feet are sooo disgusting I don't want to see your stinky feet ewwww". Make up your minds.
How about "Tastes can differ and do."?
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Driving around cities with big trucks.
You know what they say. Little hands and little feet equal big truck.
I heard a story once, some exhausty truck pulled away, and the person telling the story loudly yelled out their widow SORRY ABOUT YOUR P***S!
Load More Replies...We'd call the one in the picture a dual-cab ute (Aus). So under the law it'd just be considered a car (albeit a big one). A truck is a heavy vehicle (generally commercial) for which you need a separate license.
A 'truck' (swe) here is a forklift. Bonus, a 'cab' (cabriolet, swe) is a convertible (car with roof thingy that can be opened).
Load More Replies...I saw an old early 70's pickup the other day. It looked like the nicest man in the world drives it. Like the sort who will help their neighbour harvest a crop without being asked. Pickups now just look like a******s drive them. The trucks themselves look mean and aggressive and angry.
Canadian here. What I find weird is that your conservatives (Republicans) are coloured red while your liberals (Democrats) are coloured blue. In Canada it is the opposite: Conservative Party, blue. Liberal Party, red.
Oh, and you leave out the u in colour. wth?
Everyone knows what you mean no matter if you spell it 'color' or 'colour'. Not quite sure why the poster's getting their knickers in a knot over 'colo(u)r"; there are also many other words that Americans spell/pronounce differently to us. Eg: We use 'aluminium' foil, not 'aluminum' foil. I find it interesting to compare the differences, personally, but it's not like one is better than the other.
More confusing is the Australia Liberals are actually less liberal in ideology than the Labor party. Like the US though, both major parties are right wing.
It comes from TV news coverage of one presidential election (I forget which). On an election map, states that had gone Republican were red, ones gone Democratic were blue, and the undecided white. Red white, and blue being the national colors. (I've always thought choosing red for Republicans was a bit of a nose tweak.)
As far as I have seen, blue is conservative and red is socialist nearly everywhere outside the US
Well, nowadays it's wasting that extra keystroke rather than ink, but yes; yes we do.
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Being super outgoing and friendly and yet at the same time being very aware and protective of our personal space.
We'll talk your ear off and charm the pants off of you but if we are on a bus or subway car that is all but empty with us in there, sit as far away from us as you can. Personal space, please. I know this may seem like the opposite points of each other but to Americans, it makes perfect sense. I'm serious. If we are the only two people on a bus and you want to have a conversation with us, don't sit next to us. That will make us feel as uncomfortable as hell. Instead, sit as far away as possible from us and shout at us. We won't think of it as rude. And it will signal that you are friendly and respectable. Then if we want you to get closer, we will tell you to come closer. But it is then and only then that you should do so.
Writing and cashing checks all the time. I'm 54, and checks were something my parents used when I was little. What a quaint, old-timey thing to be doing these days.
They're virtually obsolete here, though. For some reason the DVLA (think DMV) only accept cheques or postal order(!), but they're very much an outlier.
Load More Replies...I still use checks to pay some of my bills because holy Christ, it's such a pain in the b**t to go to the website, log in with yet another password and find the pay function. Some companies practically make it a quest. All I have to do with a check is to fill it out, put it in a (supplied) envelope and drop it in my mailbox on the way out. I'm sorry writing a check is sooooo difficult for some people. You have my sympathy for not being able to do something so hard.
I'm sorry that going into a website and logging in with password is sooo difficult for some people, you have my sympathies. Jokes aside, I don't even think you can pay with a cheque here anymore. And paying with bank apps take about 10 seconds, is secure and money is tranferred immediately.
Load More Replies...Yeah, I only see some granny occasionally still write a check at the grocery store. Many places no longer accept checks.
Had a bunch of US tourists last year asking to pay via "tap it" or whatever you guys call it.... they seemed to think our backward nation would not have it... we then realised it was what they called contactless.. a system we've had for many years
I write checks every week. But, yes, I am old enough to be the OP's parent.
All the time? I'll admit I had to write one once this year, but a) it's November and 2) it was for the city gas inspector, which an extremely rare thing for me (once in my life, so far).
Most places don't take cheques here any more (Australia). I think places like car dealerships would still take bank cheques, though.
Only for the next 3/4 years, then they will no longer be legal tender
Load More Replies...Alice drills in schools.
"ALICE stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate, and is a training program designed to prepare students and staff for active shooter situations” The mantra has since been shortened to “Run, hide, fight,” but that doesn’t have an acronym that sounds like the title of a children’s book.
I found fire drills alarming enough when I was a little child. How do US children live with that, with the knowledge that it happens often - and with the awareness that the adults who should fight tooth and nail to end this shyte just....do next to nothing, apart from the occasional online outrage?
Watch 'Thoughts and prayes' on HBO. This is so hard on the childrens mental health
Circumcisions.
Sometimes it's necessary. Having had to have it, I'm a fan actually. Many advantages.
Load More Replies...It was once claimed that circumcision reduced the chance of p***s cancer, but further study found insufficient support for that. Of course, you're not going to get cancer in your f******n if you no longer have one.
I've heard only one comment actually voiced, by a girlfriend. "Much better" she said.
I've been told this too. My girlfriend is particularly well versed in the matter, too!
Load More Replies...Doesn't make it right. Especially for religious or traditional reasons. If it's necessary for mans health, fine, but every other reason is nonsense.
Load More Replies...So your child does not get a say in whether his genitals get mutilated or not? Nice. You gonna mutilate your daughter's too?
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City design. American cities and stores are designed for access by car, not on foot. Sadly that's permeating to other countries, too.
Not Germany, and not Scotland, as far as I can tell. Probably not the rest of the UK either. Can't imagine that would take hold anywhere in Europe. Why would we, we have public transport (btw, Scotland thinks about making bus travel free for everyone - currently it's kids, teenagers, young adults and seniors who travel for free. Boohoo, socialism! Communism! Whateverism!
With old city centers and many historic buildings, towns and cities were built when walking was the main method of transport so, of course cities are walkable. Unfortunately, much of the US was built after the automotive and the oil and gas interests had taken hold and influenced the way cities were built.
Load More Replies...Could that be due to most of our cities being developed after cars became common?
Warming your coffee or tea in the microwave. dont you guys have a kettle???
I seem to recall reading that because the US runs on 110-120v, it's slower to boil than countries that use 220-240v and so it's quicker for you guys to use the microwave?
No, this is not true. Technology Connections on YouTube tested this.
Load More Replies...Lord get over it. I do have a kettle. But when im sick i want to heat water up in microwave for 1 minute for tea so it doesnt scald my throat. Every morning I do kettle heat water for my coffee carafe.
We have a kettle that can heat water to the temperature you want it.
Load More Replies...I am not putting an already brewed cup back into the kettle. Use kettle (or coffeepot) for initial heating of water, yes.
No. Most households don’t have a kettle. I do but I’m a huge tea enthusiast but I’m unique in my family. Most families in my area boil water in the microwave or on the stove in a cooking pot.
Like I need one more thing to sit on my stove top? Boiling water is boiling water, who cares how it boils?
Just as I don't need another thing to take up some of my limited counter space. Either way, it has to take up space somewhere when you're not using it.
Load More Replies...I'm American, and I have a kettle. It's the kind you put on the stovetop, not an electric one. It is for the initial boil so you can MAKE tea or coffee. It is not for reheating you beverage that's gone cold.
What do you do when your tea gets cold add more water to already weak-looking tea?
Nobody. We boil the kettle and then make tea or coffee.
Load More Replies... Expressing huge amounts of patriotism only when someone from another continent criticizes us.
I talk so much [trash]about our country and our government, but the second a European says anything I turn into the most stereotypical ‘Murica-Loving [jerk] you’d ever meet.
Not really something to be proud of. Real patriotism is to see one's country's weaknesses and flaws - and if possible, work to make them a thing of the past.
Patriotism isn't what you say about your country - it's what you do about it.
Load More Replies...Drinking a small amount of alcohol then shouting WHOOO as if you've done something interesting.
In the same vein, acting like getting drunk is a fun pasttime. But I guess that's not uniquely American
If you want an example, I'd suggest looking at stereotypical Aussies in Bali, Thailand etc. (... actually, don't. The bogan count is too high.)
Load More Replies...Garbage disposal unit installed in kitchen sink.
Ours ends up in our garden. Horses for courses.
Load More Replies...Canada as well. It interferes with water processing.
Load More Replies...We tried installing them in pool tables, but there were all these complaints.
Long live the garbage disposal! We have these bc our plumbing is young and can handle ground up food being washed down the sewers. When I lived in an older house the plumbing was just not compatible with a garbage disposal.
So, it's basically a replacement for composting food leftovers?
Load More Replies...I've had a garbage disposal and I'd give a lot to have another one. If you live in an apartment and don't have a garden, what the hell are you supposed to do with this stuff after it composts, besides just throw it out, which is what a garbage disposal does in the first place?
Food that comes in a box. Seeing ppl comenout of grocery stores with boxes instead of veggies and fruit is really weird to me.
No ceiling lights in living rooms.
This is actually common in Switzerland. Most floor level sockets are 3-way, with one of the three connected to the light switch, so nearly all lighting is via stand-alone lamps plugged in where you want them. I've always added ceiling lighting where possible, although that can be more complicated than it might seem if there is no wiring built in where you need it.
I've found this more in England than in the US. My opinion is that it's best to have ceiling and task lighting. Different amounts of light for different purposes.
I have a friend who uses her ceiling light only in her living room. That is the coldest, most uncomfortable room I've ever been in. I use lamps in my living room and it looks cosy and welcoming.
Miles, gallons, 110 volt outlets, feet and more...
It's what many of us grew up with in the US and doesn't take long to switch when you move from the US. I am now "bilingual" in Fahrenheit/centigrade, MPH/KPH, and culinary measurements. ;-)
Except the gallon is different from a British gallon, and miles, feet and most others were absolutely not British in origin, it's just that they hung on to them a lot longer than their continental neighbours.
Load More Replies...Volts are used worldwide. Sorry if you're displeased by the number of them we were handed.
110V. Is a good idea talking about lethality of shocks, but a bad idea because of heating and losses due to double the current.
Asking someone you just met what they do for a living is an annoyingly offensive habit for "Americans." When I first meet someone from another country they never ask.
In America neither the asker nor the answerer regard it as offensive. But like anyone, we resent people assuming their customs are the norm.
From what I understand the British Royal Family asks that question right after the introduction. Actually, there's a book on the RF on Amazon called ...And What Do You Do?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've heard peanut butter and jelly isn't a thing outside of America.
Something similar in Turkey is tahin (tahini) and pekmez (grape molasses). It's great on toast, freshly-baked bread hot out of the oven, and--in the absence of anything else--a spoon. 😋
its 2 different things. jam is actual fruit, jelly is just fruit flavoured gelatin
Load More Replies...I do a Belgian compromise : PB and chocolate spread. NO Nutella, but actual, dark, chocolate spread (abbreviated in Dutch to 'choco'). Sometimes the deluxe version : pb on one slice, choco on the other, and slices of banana in between.
I'll have to give it a go. Any flavour of jam (jelly) you'd recommend in particular that goes with the PB? Or is it just what you'd normally have with toast, etc? (Raspberry for me!)
Load More Replies...American here, I've heard other places don't refrigerate eggs.
American eggs are washed in chlorine to clean off potential salmonella But this also removes the egg's natural protective layer, leaving the egg vulnerable to contamination and therefore it has to be refrigerated. European eggs don't need to be washed because the chickens are vaccinated so the eggs retain their protective layer and no refrigeration is required.
As the owner of some very creative cats over the years, I've found eggs last better inside the fridge, rather than descending at speed from the work surface.
Load More Replies...We still like to shock our relatives when they come over to visit from the US by coming home from the grocery store and leaving our eggs and milk on the shelf instead of refrigerating them right away. However, it did take a while to get used to it, I'll admit.
UHT milk, I assume? Disgusting stuff, but still the most common in France; thankfully fresh (pasteurised) milk has become much more common over the last 20 years or so.
Load More Replies...Eggs don't need to be refrigerated until they are refrigerated. Then they have to stay refrigerated.
I don’t think that’s correct. I think washed eggs need to be refrigerated. The US washes eggs to prevent salmonella. Other countries don’t so the protective coating on the egg is intact.
Load More Replies...Nah, leave them in a basket on the kitchen side, no need for the fridge
Ranch dressing.
Sorry, but that is a hill I'll die on. I quite like ranch dressing and it is one of the few things I miss from the US. I can buy the occasional bottle of Paul Newman's at the local Carrefour, but I loved Hidden Valley ranch and I miss it a lot. However, I don't miss it enough that I would give up anything I've gained from moving out of the US.
Even better... balsamic glaze! I discovered that one recently and it's delicious.
Load More Replies...Wikip: “buttermilk, salt, garlic, onion, black pepper, and herbs (commonly chives, parsley and dill), mixed into a sauce based on mayonnaise or another oil emulsion. Sour cream and yogurt are sometimes used in addition to, or as a substitute for, buttermilk and mayonnaise."
Load More Replies...LOL! A buddy and I (both US) were in Ireland when my friend asked for a side of Ranch with her fries. The poor waitress was utterly confused.
Never understood the American obsession with this bland dressing.
Properly made it is quite nice. I guess the popularity is just that it makes it easier to lubricate the bland, crispy, beige food as you eat it.
Load More Replies...Getting sued.
Unfortunately we have way more law schools than we need, graduating way more lawyers than we need - and everybody needs to get paid. It's also a big reason why our healthcare is so overpriced! The father of one of my best friends growing up was a physician and was paying almost $250k/year for malpractice insurance, and he's a pediatrician not an ortho/cardiac/neuro surgeon!
Sometimes suing big corporations is the only way to make them change their behavior. McDonald's hot coffee judgement for example.
Fahrenheit and MPH.
Fahrenheit is Polish/German, and it's really time to move on from it. We still use MPH/Miles in the UK, but that's largely because everyone is used to it and they'd have to change ALL the road signs. Most people can work in KM or miles, if needed.
Load More Replies...Drinking rootbeer. It is almost exclusively sold in the USA.
Baby girl drinks root beer. Baby girl is the cat empress of the house.
This one i wish had gotten more popular abroad. Growing us with American friends meant I developed a taste for root beer, unfortunately good root beer can be hard to get or expensive in the UK
Try to buy Hires root beer. It's the brand God drinks when He can find it.
Small talk.
While in Mexico me and my group of friends (all in our early 50’s) sat next to a group of Spring Breakers, totally lovely, calm, sensible young adults that were an absolute pleasure to talk to and they approached us! Talked to us about what they were studying, what they wanted to do in life and it was great, we all ended up having dinner together every night. It was weirded they wanted selfies with us to send to their parents who were probably not too far off our age, but truly lovely people.
Saying hi to random strangers in public.
I wasn't born in America but live here now. Still go home every few years. People like their privacy.
Some of us. My mum always will, but I rarely do.
Load More Replies...It's common courtesy here to say good morning to anyone you pass in the street. 'Here' being smaller towns and villages, it's not so normal in the big cities, but still required when you enter a shop or restaurant for example.
Heaven forfend you walk into a store or restaurant in France without greetings to the shop tender/owner.
Load More Replies...Come from being country of immigrants where everyone was a stranger.
Hunting
In some areas deer season is such a big deal that schools close on opening day. Here hunting is the hobby of the poor masses instead of the rich elite like a lot of other countries.
"I went and shot the maximum the game laws would allow: two game wardens, seven hunters, and a cow."
My first year teaching in a very rural school in the southern US, I was shocked that there was no school on the first day of deer season. It was an area the polar opposite of wealthy. I had no idea that was even a thing. I grew up 20 miles away, and it was just another day in school there. I think more of my kids parents lived off what they hunted instead of k*****g just to mount a head on their walls.
Schools close on opening day because people with guns are roaming the land.
Every extra person hunting is an extra limit you can take and hopefully feed your family.
Load More Replies...Our district in Michigan has 'safety day' even though very few kids hunt anymore. Kids love it because it occurs a week before Thanksgiving so 2 shorts weeks of school.
We should hunt rich people. I've always felt that fox hunting should be legal as long as those of us opposed can take pot shots at the hunters. Level the playing field a little.
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Thanksgiving! People visiting from other countries have no reason to celebrate US Thanksgiving.
There’s probably many US holidays that someone visiting wouldn’t celebrate. What a silly comment.
And yet yesterday online I had three different Americans unironicalky ask me if I was visiting family for Thanksgiving. One of them seemed incapable of understanding why I was not celebrating it.
Load More Replies...Well, google "Erntedankfest" (German, "harvest-thanks-festival"). The actions may be different, but the USA is not the only country to celebrate harvest time. And why "people from other countries" should have "no reason" to celebrate US Thanksgiving - what the f**k? It's a family festivity with lots of food (and hopefully fun). What's exclusive about that? See, there it is again, American exceptionalism.....
Also Canadian tradition and holiday, they just do it a month earlier.
I watch a French Chateau channel and they celebrate. Non are American. From London and South Africa mainly. One who lives from Argentina. Another from Ukraine. They love the concept of Thanksgiving. Its just gathering with friends/family & food, simple. Celebrate being grateful.
Umm how they gonna act like all that good isn't reason enough to celebrate it
In a way, I think it is as disrespectful to the Indigenous Americans, as having Australia Day on the 26th Jan is to Indigenous Australians. Celebrating British people coming and taking over their land.
Some people regard not living in America as ample reason for giving thanks.
Having the light switch on the inside of the bathroom instead of outside.
Pharmaceutical and lawyer commercials.
So if outside washroom you could be naked showering and someone turns light off on you???? If no windows I would freak out.
Yeah. We have way too many viscous siblings to leave the lights for the toilets on the outside. People would constantly have to p**p in the dark.
Load More Replies...Yeah - why do you guys have the light switches outside the bathroom?
In the UK the switch is mounted on the ceiling and operated by pulling a cord. Touching a toggle switch (or tumbler switch) with wet hands is not a good idea.
Touching the switch with wet hands is fine. They've been made of plastic (or bakelite) for nigh on a century. The switch actuators, not the hands.
Load More Replies...Yellow cheese.
It's not cheese, though, is it? I'm allergic to cheese, but I can eat the American stuff.
Depends on which kind you're talking about. Yes, some of what is called "American cheese" has to be described in the fine print as "cheese food product" because it doesn't technically meet the legal definition of cheese. But it is also common in America to find versions of cheddar that have been colored yellow/orange with annatto for historic reasons having to do with the fact that cheese makers were trying to imitate the slightly yellower color milk can get in the summer, but make it last all year long. ( As someone who dislikes the bitter aftertaste I get from this supposedly "tasteless" food coloring, I'm with the English who say cheese that color isn't really cheddar. )
Load More Replies...Eh? Most cheese across the world is some shade of yellow. Some varieties are almost orange.
But it does seem to be a peculiarly American thing to use food dyes to produce an orangey-yellow cheese (excluding Red Leicester which is a British oddity).
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Drinking milkshake and pretending that it is coffee.
I think they're referring to some of the "coffee" drinks that are mostly milk.
Load More Replies...? I drink espresso lightly sweetened. Not even close to a milkshake cup of coffee.
And yet Starbucks is all over Europe now. So apparently we're not the only people who like coffee milkshakes.
Or, a company with enough money can just take over all the 'visible' and expensive spots, while the independent coffee shops are in side streets.
Load More Replies...Donuts for breakfast.
Lol, I actually had a jam doughnut for breakfast this morning. There were some left over from yesterday.
Free public bathrooms.
Not at all. Sometimes you seem a bit too confident on how different countries handles things. Here in sweden it’s definitely pay to pee. Its to pay for the cleaning witch is to a very high standard, but still annoying that you have to pay with cash when the government is trying to get rid of cash use.
Load More Replies...Sorry, but I haven't run across a bathroom in France yet that I've had to pay to enter. Even little villages have a free public bathroom and they are quite well maintained (at least in the southwest of France where I live). In a number of these smaller public bathrooms both men and women can enter, and yet we still have 1/4 the rapes that the US has. Funny thing, that.
I think tourists get the impression that all public toilets are pay-to-use because in places with very high foot traffic they often are. So major train stations and popular tourist areas will charge, but most places don't.
Unlike Europe where not tipping/paying to pee earns Skunk eye from attendants.
Random men on the street coming up and asking for your phone number. Strangers talking to you at the bus stop, in the shops, on the footpath. So weird!
Sixty-nine years in States and never had stranger hit me up for phone number. Making conversations with strangers is just being friendly and polite
It's how you can meet people and actually find friends. I'm an introvert and even I talk to strangers.
Sweet potato and pumpkin desserts. I'm sure other places also do this but americans really seem to be obsessed with making vegetables dessert.
Hmm, could it be that both plants are NATIVE to this continent? Not to mention, delicious pie fixings?
They've become mush more common in your neighbouring countries than they were 20 years ago, and I suspect that's true in Italy as well.
Load More Replies...Love sweet potato anything! Watched a you tube video today from Jolly channel. They had British schoolers try American thanksgiving foods. Sweet potato was #1 favorite all around.
Living rent-free in non-Americans heads, apparently.
Well the internet and social media are full of Americans thinking and acting like it's the only country in the world
We admire all countries. I watch shows from all over world. Find everywhere fascinating; food, customs, nature, culture ECT. We dont talk badly about other countries. I dont understand the weekly almost hate of American citizens.
Except for the obvious... I guess you guys would call them rednecks? We call them bogans 😆 I completely agree with you. *Some* Americans are ugly. The same could be said of any other country's people. I don't agree with a decent chunk of the US law, and I imagine the average US person would say the same of Australian law. I think lots of people forget that the average citizen has very little say in what is enshrined in law. Don't hate the person; hate the people that implemented the law, if you need to hate someone.
Load More Replies...I get 15% off Coupons for guns in my Sunday paper. I look forward to those deals every Sunday and every gun I've ever bought has been with a coupon out of the paper.
There are puzzle competitions in my Sunday newspaper. Several times, over the years, I've won a book token which is much more use than a gun.
Well speaking from my own experience from the “old country” I’d say:
Not being randomly pulled over for no reason other than “regular check” every 20 minutes and having to bribe the cop to let you go.
Being able to defend your home and not go to jail for years for it.
Being able to find a job.
Having an abundance of things in the supermarket.
Being friendly and smiling to other people.
Being in the center of the western culture.
Not fearing a war breaking up every month and/or a neighboring nation invading you.
Being able to go to the beach and go to a snowy mountain all in the same country.
Many many many other things. I am so grateful to live here now. God bless America 🇺🇸.
"center"? Sorry, we can do all this and a great deal more, and you're not CENTRE of anything except bizarre news stories!
Being the center is not always optimum. Think of a dart board.
Load More Replies...OMG - this is pretty funny. 🤣 I was just waiting to see a little American flag pasted on to this silliness and I wasn't disappointed. Except in the person who wrote this.
In my 54 years I never had to "defend my home". Never lived in war - and by that I also mean that the soldiers of my home country weren't sent elsewhere to fight and die for the interests of big money like oil. And "being in the center of the western culture"? W*F, do you guys believe that? That you are the shining sun? Yeah, how about you learn about the meaning of the words "humble", "hubris", or just "reality". In the saying, what comes after pride or arrogance, pray tell?
Where was this guy from that the opposite to all of these was a problem for him?
Ah yes, true. To the point of fanaticism, unfortunately. It's quite scary sometimes.
Load More Replies...Wasn't there an article on this topic here a while ago? It's still interesting, though.
So much is around in other countries, except checks (cheques) and guns. I'm good with that!
Ah yes, BP's second favorite topic "American bashing" only surpassed by "boomer" bashing.
Ah yes, true. To the point of fanaticism, unfortunately. It's quite scary sometimes.
Load More Replies...Wasn't there an article on this topic here a while ago? It's still interesting, though.
So much is around in other countries, except checks (cheques) and guns. I'm good with that!
Ah yes, BP's second favorite topic "American bashing" only surpassed by "boomer" bashing.
