George Sellios' layout

Hi Keith,

I have no problem with Encarta's definitions. Numbers 1 and 2 clash and therein lies the problem. If a US citizen uses "America" in an international forum to mean the USA then he/she is denying/denigrating the existance or value of all those other people/countries in the Americas. Is it therefore any wonder that other people take offense?

Regards, Greg.P.

Keith La> Searching in MSN Encarta using searchword 'America'

On Mon, 4 Aug 2003 12:44:05 UTC, Mark Newton wrote: 2000

Areas like this are where we begin to get into some real disagreement. You see, I cannot accept the fellow who builds Lego trains and the one who collects Brio as fellow model railroaders, or railroad modelers, if you will. Now, I am not interested in arguing about it, because there is no point to it. If your definition of this hobby is that broad, then so be it. For me, it is not.

There are prototype modelers specializing in steam, who look down their noses at anyone who models diesels. There are prototype modelers who model diesels who look down their noses at anyone who does not model diesels. Some members of both sects look down on anyone who does not model a real-life prototype railroad. Following accepted engineering standards, but painting your equipment in a fictitious livery is anathema and high heresy to some of these hard-liners. I've had one or two of them tell me that they do not consider me as a "true" model railroader because I am a freelancer. I don't care one damn bit about that, because I do not enjoy doing what they consider "model railroading" Why then, should I expect anyone to care what I think of their efforts or their direction of interest? I don't. If anyone gets their feelings hurt because they think they don't measure up to what I define as a model railroader, they need to grow a thicker skin. It is only my opinion and is of no use other than as an anchor point from which to begin a discussion on the topic.

I have every right to an opinion and I have every right to state it. This applies to every single person posting to this newsgroup. What I do not have the right to do is flame you and call you a blackguard because you do not mewl a politically correct opinion.

At any rate, thank you for your comments Dan. It is interesting to see how broad some people's definition of the hobby of model railroading is.

...............F>

You want to see "Identity Crisis" go to Quebec. Tell them they're Americans and you will be in deep merde. :-O

.......................F>

Laissez Le Bon Temps Roulet, GA

Cor, blimey, countin' rivets now are ya? Ok then, I'll be sure ta put the rivets in between the "U" the "S" and the "A" if it'll make ya feel better ;-)

..............F>

U.S.A., GA.

What has all this CRAP have to do with model railroad?

It's because calling ourselves "United Statesians" is too much of a tongue twister....

Canadian, Mexican, Colombian, Panimanian, Brazilian, etc., roll off the tongue. Requiring us to identify ourselves by something that is hard to say shows how selfish you *other Americans* are.

Well, as you know, we United Statesians are damn arrogant, so we don't really care how the rest of the people from the Americas feel...

--Dan

I hope you won't mind me pointing out that you used a US-centric source to make your point. I wonder what a french or brasilian encyclopedia would say?

No counter-point, just an observation ....

Cheers, John

If the crap McDonald's serves tastes like cardboard, then they have made some major improvements. Or was the Italian guy just trying to suck-up to McDonalds?

............................F>

Hates Fast Food, GA

Distribution:

Methinks you are pulling our collective leg. Do you know anyone from Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Chile, etc.? I know enough of them to know that they are all proud to be Mexicans, Canadians, Chileans, Brazilians.....

Would they like to be called Americans? Not at the risk of denying their own unique nationality. Most of them call me "friend" not American. It's easy to generalize when you can't put a face to a name.

BTW, I'm an ex-Rochesterian(NY), living in Ohio(by way of Atlanta, GA and Ft Wayne IN.), of Sicilian ancestry, citizen of the USA. Does that make me a Gypsy?

Gregory Procter ( snipped-for-privacy@ihug.co.nz) wrote: : Hi Keith,

: I have no problem with Encarta's definitions. : Numbers 1 and 2 clash and therein lies the problem. : If a US citizen uses "America" in an international forum to mean the USA then : he/she is denying/denigrating the existance or value of all those other : people/countries in the Americas. : Is it therefore any wonder that other people take offense?

: Regards, : Greg.P.

: Keith La : > Searching in MSN Encarta using searchword 'America' : >

>

: > 1. United States of America : > Article-Encarta Encyclopedia : > United States (Overview), United States of America, popularly referred to : > as the United States or as America, a federal republic on the continent : > of... : >

: > 2. America* : > Article-Encarta Encyclopedia : > America, second largest isolated landmass of the earth, comprising the two : > continents of the western hemisphere. America is a common designation for... : >

: > 5. North America : > Article-Encarta Encyclopedia : > North America, third largest of the seven continents, including Canada (the : > 2nd largest country in area in the world), the United States (3rd... : > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - : > As per 1 & 2, America is the U.S. in common and popular usage. Calling : > anybody else from the Americas an American would confuse some people and in : > some other parts of the world possibly get him or her killed by mistake. : >

: > Regards, : >

: > Keith Laing : >

: > > : > >

: > > > The U.S.A. is not the only country in America. : > >

: > > True, it's part of NORTH America. : > >

: > > > America means everything from Northernmost Canada/Greenland to : > > Southernmost : > > > Chile/Argentina : > >

: > > There are two contients, North and South America. : > >

: > > > Mexico is certainly included therein. : > >

: > > Yes, it's part of NORTH America. : > >

: > > > Mexicans are Americans : > >

: > > No, they're North Americans. : > >

: > > Canadians are Americans : > >

: > > We bloody well are not! : > >

: > > We are, if anything NORTH Americans. : > >

: > >

: > >

: > > -- : > > Cheers : > > Roger T. : > >

: > >

: > >

> > Home of the Great Eastern Railway : > >

: > >

Yes, I believe that was the question.

"There are some people who don't love their fellow man, and I HATE people like that!" - Tom Lehrer

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- Pre-Interstate Urban Archaeology

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What I want to know is, how to you turn off the sound module in a terrier?

Andy

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- Pre-Interstate Urban Archaeology

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That Italian critic is in trouble - the cardboard tastes better.

food tasted like cardboard<

McD's is in a great bunch of Doo Doo if they end up with a jury of "HIS" peers. He is actually a chef and restaurant owner, listened to him on PBS one day not long ago. I would suspect suing a chef in Italy would be similar to suing a chef in France by someone like McD's!

Somewhere in the dusty recesses of my Schooldays memories, I recall that "Yankees" was derived from early American history.

If I'm not too confused, it was a hybrid word, originating from the French for "English" (Anglaise), which was then modified by the Native/Indians and French 'Trappers'(?) to something like "yangese". Then it became "anglicised" with a hard-sounding 'K' in the middle.

Am I close?

David.

A 'Cockney Sparra' from Hackney (pronounced 'aknee'), London, England.

The same way I did it with my Beagle and Cocker Spaniel, you throttle them (back.) {G}

No. Alan was referring to the derivation of "Seps", or "Seppos", two popular Australian slang names for citizens of the U.S.A. It goes:

Yank = Septic Tank, which is then corrupted to Seppo, and then Sep.

(It's difficult to explain to non-Australians.)

Mark.