The Gruen Transfer!

bt, I love that show. The recent one about the mining ads was really interesting. That show? Would never fly in America. We like our fear-based advertising just fine, thanks. No need to see, much less discuss, what is behind it.

I can deal with people being irritated or angry about cultures subsuming their own. What I'm not keen on is the smug sense of superiority that the guy in China had. There's a difference, right?

The Americans that were on our tour of Italy years ago were so awful and rude, that my family and I couldn't be insulted when one of the English citizens on our tour said we weren't like other Americans.

Happy Birthday, Teppy!!! I hope it was a wonderful day!

My friend I traveled with and I worked hard to not reinforce ugly American stereotypes. Once, when we hit an annoying situation at U.S. Customs on the way back, we looked at each other and said, "Hey, we can be rude now. Thank god."

they are often assholes about it

I've known more Americans who pretend to be Canadian when travelling than I've known Canadians who were assholish about not being American. And that's after a pretty long time living both places. That's where I come at it from. Before I'd even get into counting "ugly tourist" stats. Which, as a Jamaican, just make me want to weep. And then I'd have to get to "ugly host nation" ... and, well, I found writing off Canadians to be little less hostile than Canadians reacting overtly defensively about mistaken identity.

Sorry: ETA to I posted this before I saw the latest tourist posts. I don't mean to interrupt.

Have any of you peeps been following the Mehserle trial? Our local police advisory has sent out notices that the verdict could be in very soon (late June). I am nervous. I don't think it's gotten as much infamy as the Rodney King case, but Oakland will likely see looting or worse if Mehserle isn't convicted. I am a little nervous. I don't live near downtown, but I am still nervous.

Yikes, java. That sounds like yuk. I hope it ends up that the police are just being overly cautious.

On another note - can I get some safe~ma for Joe? He's not home from school and we have the second tornado warning although this time a tornado was spotted less than 10 miles from us. He's not picking up his phone and I hoping it's just cause he's driving and fine or in the school building and has crappy reception. I'm sure he's fine, I'm just a little freaked at the moment. Em and I are totally fine and in the basement.

Totally sending "let Joe be safe" vibes towards Michigan now.

And that should probably be powerful enough for all the Joes out your way.

Thanks, sweetheart. And you can bet your bippy that WCC is getting A Letter tomorrow. No tornado alarm in the buildings? Really? There HAS to be a protocol.