Interesting how the Yanks see NZ

[Drew]

tell that to e e cummings and he will kick your arse.

Since he's dead, I don't think it's gonna be a problem.

[HenryDorsetCase]

heh heh "cummings"

[Drew]

heh heh "cummings"

My cummings are quite capital.

[HenryDorsetCase]

my cummings are quite capital.

wwop

wwop

[Ender EnZed]

They are not exactly known for their excellence in world geography knowledge.

I've had a conversation with one that was familiar with the Lord of the rings scenery and mountains but thought NZ was a small island next to Jamaica.

[HenryDorsetCase]

a statisticoid I remember reading was that 5% of Mrkns have passports, and >50% of Kiwis do.

[jasonu]

Probably comes from the feeling most American's have that there is always someone to be held responsible for everything that happens. Being able to look at a tradegy and realize it was a accident that could not have been realistically prevented is not a concept that they are able to accept for the most part. Hence the continuos run of lawsuits because people are not able to take responsibility for their own actions.

And the 'yanks' look at most of the rest of the world as backwater compared to the US, so NZ is in good company.

What do you base these conclusions on? Been there? Lived there? Actually know or have even spoken to anyone from there? Or do you get all of your info from the crack reporting teams of the NZ Herald and/or TVNZ?

[puddytat]

A university graduate I'd met in the states admitted that she hadnt heard of or knew where N.Z was....
She then went on to explain that it was only recently that she'd realised that the state of Alaska was actually attatched th the North American continent. This was because the only atlas she'd seen was of the 52 states of America on the classroom wall & on that map Alaska is an island in the Pacific above Hawaii. Shed always wondered why it had such a straight coastline.

[ellipsis]

What do you base these conclusions on? Been there? Lived there? Actually know or have even spoken to anyone from there? Or do you get all of your info from the crack reporting teams of the NZ Herald and/or TVNZ?

...it is far easier to be critical...not so much thought needed...out of the cities, specially on the west coast I found Americans to be so much like us that it was a pleasure to be with them...per capita I reckon we are becoming as homogenously as thick as any other people/countries on the globe...

[tail_end_charlie]

a statisticoid I remember reading was that 5% of Mrkns have passports, and >50% of Kiwis do.

Don't know the statistics, but in my expierence that would probably be a accurate estimate. The number of American's who have traveled internationally per capita would be quite low compared to Europeans, Canadians, Aussies, Kiwis, ect. I was surprised just how many NZer's had travelled around the world after then got out of school and worked for a couple of years.

What do you base these conclusions on? Been there? Lived there? Actually know or have even spoken to anyone from there? Or do you get all of your info from the crack reporting teams of the NZ Herald and/or TVNZ?

Born, raised, schooled and lived in the States for 26 years. Its the sort of attitude which lets lawsuits (for example, let me put this coffee that I just got from McD drivethru between my legs so that I can take the lid off and put in the sugar and creamer.......OOOOWWWW I just got my thighs burned by said coffee, how could they give me coffee that hot and not tell me its HOT!!!!) not only go to court, but get awarded compensation. The attitude that 'I'm not responsible for what I do, and there is always someone else I can blame for my actions' is very prevalent in American thinking. Granted, this sort of attitude is all over the world, but I think generally American's take it to the extreme, more so then other cultures.

[misterO]

If Americans are as quick to make broad sweeping generalizations as the KB community seems to be then they must be pretty thick, indeed.

[misterO]

Sorry if that came across as a broad sweeping generalization (this IS KB, after all).

[Grumph]

As Billy and others have pointed out the writer of that article has not done his research properly - even the phrase about an obscure little racetrack etc is actually a misquote.
Cycle magazine I'm pretty sure described it as an obscene little racetrack - I remember reading that when it came out and thinking, well, they got that right....

What seems to have been forgotten is that we lost Neville too...which was IMO a far bigger blow for NZ than losing Rayborn was for the US.

[gonzo_akl]

A university graduate I'd met in the states admitted that she hadnt heard of or knew where N.Z was....
She then went on to explain that it was only recently that she'd realised that the state of Alaska was actually attatched th the North American continent. This was because the only atlas she'd seen was of the 52 states of America on the classroom wall & on that map Alaska is an island in the Pacific above Hawaii. Shed always wondered why it had such a straight coastline.

small point - there are 50 states in the US

[scumdog]

They are not exactly known for their excellence in world geography knowledge. Another one I like is as follows:

Me: "Yeah, I'm living in New Zealand currently."
Them: "Where??? Oh, you mean New Zeeeeeeeeeeeeeland. That's so cool, I would love to live in a part of Austrialia!!!"

Kiwis are full of thier own feelings of self-importance and expect EVERYBODY to know about them and their country...even if this whole country could be swallowed up in 50+ cities throughout the world.