Hard Light Productions Forums
Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Thorn on December 07, 2004, 11:16:12 pm
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Y'know, just in case that guy with the Canadian flag is actually an American.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/americas/12/07/canada.tshirts.ap/index.html
Company lets U.S. travelers 'Go Canadian'
Tuesday, December 7, 2004 Posted: 6:09 AM EST (1109 GMT)
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (AP) -- An American T-shirt company has a solution for their fellow citizens who want to vacation in Europe without having to answer questions about U.S. politics -- pose as Canadians.
For $24.95, T-shirtKing.com offers the "Go Canadian" package, full of just the kind of things an American traveler needs to leave their country and its politics behind.
There's a Canadian flag T-shirt, a Canadian flag lapel pin and a Canadian patch for luggage or a backpack. There's also a quick reference guide -- "How to Speak Canadian, Eh?" -- on answering questions about Canada.
It's the brainchild of employees at the Mountainair, New Mexico-based company known for novelty T-shirts it sells worldwide on the Internet.
"It's not meant as a slight against the United States or Canada," explained T-shirtKing.com President Bill Broadbent. "It was meant as something Republicans could give their Democrat friends to say 'C'est la vie.' ... But maybe not c'est la vie because that's a French word."
The "Go Canadian" idea sprouted after one of Broadbent's colleagues heard of someone being harassed about U.S. politics during a recent overseas trip.
Some people might not mind, but others "just want to be on vacation," Broadbent said. "So we were joking that they could just go as Canadians, and that just kind of evolved."
The package went up on T-shirtKing.com's Web site November 12 and the company had sold a couple hundred in the first two weeks or so. Many of the out-of-state buyers were in Michigan, Illinois, and the Seattle area, Broadbent said.
When lifelong Democrat Dani Delaney saw the package, she was immediately sold. After the general election, she said, "if I could move to Canada, I would."
"I admire their liberal, progressive stand on things," said the 57-year-old, part-time writing instructor at the University of New Mexico. "And I thought, 'Well, that's a good way to peacefully protest.'"
Sylvia Dawson's boyfriend has been joking that she needed to find him a Canadian flag for an upcoming trip to Spain. That's after his daughter, who is studying there, warned that he might be questioned about politics when he comes to visit.
So she bought a package.
"I said, 'What are you going to do if someone asks you about the prime minister of Canada?' And he said, 'I'll study up,"' Dawson said.
Such questions are the reason for the package's quick reference guide, which offers tips in case an American in disguise gets quizzed on Canada.
When it comes to sports, the guide suggests: "This is easy to remember. There is only one real sport in Canada and it is called hockey. Regardless of any trivia question, the answer is 'Wayne Gretzky."'
If a Canadian says he had to "deke out of a meeting," it means he avoided the meeting. If someone is headed to "Hogtown," that's Canadian for Toronto. A trip to "Cowtown" means the person is going to Calgary.
And in all cases, the guide advises: "If your vacation is to be stress free, leave those heavy politics behind and travel with a light heart and quick wit, Canadian style."
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For some reason, I'm somewhat sickened by the idea of an American studying up on Canadian politics just so they can come off as NOT American.
On the other hand, maybe the people who buy these will, in learning about another country, realize that there are indeed other countries in the world. Unfortunately, I doubt the people who most need to learn the lesson will.
But yeesh, if they don't want to be an American, they should move. (Although I doubt you guys up north want 'em either. ;) )
If they're so worried about people's response in other countries, they could always wear a Kerry t-shirt or something. (Anyone who hates America's current administration's policies but thinks he's president probably isn't worth talking to anyway.)
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Predicts that Canada's worldwide standing will go down if this idea becomes popular. :p
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Ah...... so this is how the anti-missile defence works; get them to bomb Canada instead.
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It'll never work. I've been trying for over a decade to successfully impersonate the accent of my myriad Canadian friends here, to no avail. There's just something elusive aboat that aboot, eh?
Oh, and of course, if Americans like making fun of the Canadian accent, Canadians LOOOVE making fun of Americans doing bad Canadian accents. :p
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Well that's it, everyone who speaks at least some English is now target of my Personal JihadPod Experience.
Sorry.
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Yes, but the English themselves can't tell the difference between an American and a Canadian accent, at least most of them can't.
Much the same way that many Americans can't tell a cockney accent from an a Australian one ;)
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They so want to be Canadian's...I think its absolutely hilarious...
They will have to answer pop quizes about Canadian politics soon. Better start studying!
Pop quiz: What is the sponsorship scandal? Which Liberal MP was booted out of the party for stepping on a Bush doll? Etc. :D
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I have a couple of Canadian friends and theres nothing they hate more than people asking them if they are American ;)
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Posing as Canadians has been the "underground" way of avoiding trouble while travelling in Europe for 30 years.
Just in case any of you thought this was new ;)
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LOL Well, I doubt Americans would get torn apart by angry crowds or even grilled on their politics in the UK, such a thing would be considered 'Bad Form', and believe it or not, most British do still think like that ;)
Theres a very strong feeling in the UK at least that your politics are your own, we will discuss politics if it is bought up, but asking what party somebody supports is sort of along the same lines of asking them how much they earn, it's not really considered 'Good Manners' ;)
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Of course, the entire point is just bull****, because if you are a loud-mouthed ignorant ****wad who knows nothing about local culture, it doesn't really matter whether you're from America, Canada or Picopico Atolls. You could just act nicely and no one would give a **** about where you are from, except in places where you propably shouldn't even go (Teheran ghettos, Jalalabad by night).
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Exactly right Janos, well said, assholes are assholes, you don't need any special qualification :)
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It's funny, but if people are being serious then that is pretty sad. If you are REALLY trying to pose as some other nationality then just move there. Then you don't have to lie.
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It's funny, but if people are being serious then that is pretty sad. If you are REALLY trying to pose as some other nationality then just move there. Then you don't have to lie.
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It's funny, but if people are being serious then that is pretty sad. If you are REALLY trying to pose as some other nationality then just move there. Then you don't have to lie.
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Oh dear, another MMMmmultipost ;)
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Color me retarded, but I don't dig on picking on my neighbors up north. They have to put up with enough **** from us as it is.
That goes DOUBLE for talking smack about Mexico.
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I prefer to pose as a travelling journalist from another region of the galaxy, writing an update for the Guide entry about Earth.
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Originally posted by ionia23
Color me retarded, but I don't dig on picking on my neighbors up north. They have to put up with enough **** from us as it is.
That goes DOUBLE for talking smack about Mexico.
I'd love to see Canada put up some heat on US.
You know, they control quite a bit of northern State's electricity.
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If the situation were reversed and us Canadians wanted to pose as Americans we wouldn't need all this crap and wouldn't have to specially order something from on online store. Hell, we probably already know more about America than some Americans. And, with the exception of the east coast, Canadians don't have an accent, everyone else does.
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Originally posted by Janos
Well that's it, everyone who speaks at least some English is now target of my Personal JihadPod Experience.
Sorry.
The jIhad?
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It's easy to imperosonate an American.
1. Drink about 90 gallons of Budweiser to get that nice, pronounced beer gut. Sorry, no Guiness for you.
2. Make sure the clothing you wear meets the following "code"
a. Your t-shirt was purchased at a rock concert you attended when you were 15 years old. You are now 36. It is also perfectly acceptable to wear a shirt you got from trading in your "Marlboro Miles", as long as there's a nice hole for your man-boob to poke out of.
b. Make sure your shirt is just short enough so that when you lift your arms, said-gut pokes out the bottom of it. Body hair is essential.
c. Since you're balding now, what better haircut could you have than a mullet??
d. Wear your pants low so you can pretend your waist size is smaller than it really is (preferably with the gut hanging over it
e. If you are female, make sure to include a half-shirt so your thong is exposed at all times (though it may be mistaken for a bra-strap
3. Replace "National Geographic Presents" with re-runs of Nascar races you've already watched, convinced that Dale Earnhart will 'make it' this time.
4. Ask Canadians thoughtful questions like "Hay! Ya'll live in Igloos??"
5. Feel 'enlightened' by such well-evolved persons as Fox News' Bill O'Reilly because 'he done spake da truth!'.
6. Take the song "America (**** Yeah)" seriously.
7. Be absolutely convinced that what goes on in the World Wrestling Federation is real. Remember, hockey is for 'queers n' fah-guts (since there's obviously a difference).
8. Have way more children than you could ever afford. When they can't eat because you spent your welfare check on (see #1) blame it on "Them thar damb liberals"
9. Ford or Chevy. Ford or Chevy. Decisions..decisions
10. See the world! Consider yourself well-travelled now that you've managed to make the 50 foot walk across the border into Nogales, Mexico! Show off your brilliant foreign language skills!
"DOSE TAY-COS PORE FAVER!!! COMP-RAY ES-PANG-YOL???"
(note, I have heard #10 for real. No joke. Kudos to the first person to translate.)
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Originally posted by Shrike
The jIhad?
jiPhod?
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Originally posted by ionia23
"DOSE TAY-COS PORE FAVER!!! COMP-RAY ES-PANG-YOL???"
(note, I have heard #10 for real. No joke. Kudos to the first person to translate.)
"Two (or maybe twelve!) tacos please!!! Understand spanish???"
my cookie please :)
note: I've heard much worse... :shaking:
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Originally posted by Ghostavo
"Two (or maybe twelve!) tacos please!!! Understand spanish???"
my cookie please :)
note: I've heard much worse... :shaking:
When I heard that it took me awhile to figure it out. This was being said by the biggest Texan i've ever seen in my life. He was out of his head, it was hysterical.
And it's 'two' Tacos . Have a box of Bosch Baked Cookies :)
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Everything I know about Americans I learned from watching King of the Hill, I tell you what.
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Welcome to America, Home of the Whopper.
;) ;)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/041206/480/ny83712061735
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"Sponsored by CBW Medicare! (Cardiac division)"
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This whole package is a whicked idea...
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Originally posted by Rictor
Everything I know about Americans I learned from watching King of the Hill, I tell you what.
Me 2! Those Texans sure are dumb.
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I'm actually glad that someone is standing up to all this low-fat health food BS. Damnit, we have teeth for a reason. Its getting to the point where you can't even buy anything which isn't low fat or calorie reduced or whatever.
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Originally posted by Janos
jiPhod?
The JiPod by Apple. Think fanatic.
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Edit: Wrong thread. :p
Edit 2: Incidentally, is the commercial for the jiPod the one that has a silhouette with a turban and machetes, doing dance moves on a colored background? ;)
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Originally posted by MicroPsycho
If the situation were reversed and us Canadians wanted to pose as Americans we wouldn't need all this crap and wouldn't have to specially order something from on online store. Hell, we probably already know more about America than some Americans. And, with the exception of the east coast, Canadians don't have an accent, everyone else does.
It's only the Newfies and Cape Bretoners. Mainland Nova Scotians have pretty neutral accents. It's why all we have here for work is ****ing call centers.
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I slightly resent all the Texas bashing. But since I know people that match most of those criteria, I don't have much room to talk. Still, most of us aren't like that (except for the 90 Budweisers part, in which case only a few of us aren't like that).
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The small towns. I know I grew up in one. When I mean small I mean less than 1500 people. The cities there is no difference. If I was blind folded and couldn't tell how the landscape was I couldn't tell if I was in Dallas or Houston from being in Newark.
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Do the streetlamps have city motif's on them? That way, you could always examine the shape of the bruises ;) hehehehe