Ye Olde Pub (The English Pub)

[( )]

That wasn't an actual answer, but only a statement pointing out that the error has "seniority" (or something). The actual explanation is still missing, since people are completely aware of the error, and yet persist in it.

 

So, why keep calling it that, when it isn't ?

 

Because if the "explanation" is that you play the game while running on your feet, then we have a multitude of games that could be called it! (My take on a sensible name, would be the obvious one: "American Rugby".)

[jjkoggan]

That wasn't an actual answer, but only a statement pointing out that the error has "seniority" (or something). The actual explanation is still missing, since people are completely aware of the error, and yet persist in it.

 

So, why keep calling it that, when it isn't ?

 

Because if the "explanation" is that you play the game while running on your feet, then we have a multitude of games that could be called it! (My take on a sensible name, would be the obvious one: "American Rugby".)

 

 

I like your suggestion but it might be more correct to call it United States Rugby Football since "america" is technically an inaccurate misused term. After all Chile and Canada live in "america".

 

So there you have it, the word america was an accident of map reading and like so much american is an amalgam of mixed cultures/languages. Stir the pot and out pops a sport unique to the world. The origin of american football was european/british football/rugby and it was quintissentially american to shorten and modify rugby football to simply "football" and make it our own with total disregard to european conventions. It was also uniquely american to market it to americans and make lots of money. The Dallas Cowboys are even bigger in value than globally marketed Manchester United.

 

 

Now, after about 150 years of calling it "football" and showing disdain for european "football" ( it is often called a game for wimps) what do you think the chances of changing the name is? Zippo!

 

I can now, however say that the USA is now a footballing nation after winning our group in the World Cup ahead of the motherland England and I believe kicking Norway's butt in a friendly last year.

[jjkoggan]

OK, so I've given some ideas on what I think is quintessentially american, or "helt amerikansk", especially reinventing things like football, baseball, basketball, etc... Many norwegians have told me that a norwegian invented the paper clip. When I googled it once, the source I read said that the origing was unclear. What are some other norwegian inventions that are widely used today?

 

I remember also when I lived in Norway all the jokes about swedes, danes, finns.etc.. I also remember Fleksnes making fun of norwegian-americans. Did you know that if you travel in the upper midwest there is a whole other set of jokes making fun of norwegians because of all the norwegian immigrants that settled there?

 

Do any of you have some good jokes about ole and lena?

 

Here is the one seen of norwegian americans making fun of each other.

 

Ole and Lars were working for the city public works department in Wisconsin. Ole would dig a hole and Lars would follow behind and fill the hole in. They worked up one side of the street, then down the other, then moved on to the next street, working furiously all day without rest, one digging a hole, the other filling it in again.

 

An onlooker was amazed at their hard work, but couldn't understand what they were doing. So he asked Ole, 'I'm impressed by the effort you two are putting in to your work, but I don't get it -- why do you dig a hole, only to have your partner follow behind and fill it up again?'

 

Ole, the hole digger, wiped his brow and sighed, 'Vell, I suppose it probably looks odd because ve're normally a three-person team. But today Sven, who plants da trees called in sick.'

[( )]

Outboard motors (Ole Evenrude),

Covered lifeboat (Ole Brude),

The exploding harpoon (Svend Foyn),

Aerosol cans (spray-paint cans) (name forgotten),

the Hydro process for producing fertilizer from athmospheric nitrogen (Birkeland & Eyde),

a cheese cutter (that cut too thin slices for the Dutch taste...),

the X-bow (recent invention/design, a ship design company made it),

a thing that would be as a "paper clip" for fastening railway-rails to the crossbeams,

 

- and that's where my available list stopped.

 

We can add one or two scientific discoveries:

 

The lepra bacillus (Armauer Hansen),

the nature of Aurora Borealis (the same Birkeland mentioned above).

 

The number of Norwegian inventions is probably in the hundreds (or more), but then I would have to start looking things up...

 

As for jokes of "Ole and Lena", no, I haven̈́'t heard any. However, did you hear about that Swedish maid who cleaned the elevator on every floor ?

[Lidskjalv]

We should be pleased with what we have achieved, considering the virtually insignificant population we are compared to most countries in the world. The next and biggest task lay ahead of us, given the low birth rate, to reach 10 million Norwegians and stay young as a population.

Endret 24. januar 2011 av Lidskjalv

[jjkoggan]

We should be pleased with what we have achieved, considering the virtually insignificant population we are compared to most countries in the world. The next and biggest task lay ahead us, given the birth rate here, 10 million Norwegians and a younger population.

 

Norway is one of the few oil nations that is not poor and corrupt and should be proud of its achievements, which are many. One of the burdens of a prosperous nation, especially one that is labeled as "verdens best land" and is very small, is to realize that it's success cannot necessarily be transferred to other nations that have their own unique history and culture, nor can it's newer citizens from other cultures easily adapt. I believe Norway is becoming increasingly aware of this problem and has given rise to xenophobic parties like FrP.

 

Highly generous social programs and high levels of transfer of wealth require trust between the giver and the recipient. The unique sense of equality and cultural homogeneity in scandinavia has allowed a unique system of cooperation and a high standard of living for most of the population. Introduce others who do not share this sense of cooperation and don't trust each other, then the system begins to crumble. As cultural and racial heterogeneity rise in scandinavia, I suspect support for generous welfare programs will deteriorate.

[Getingar]

cultural and racial heterogeneity rise in scandinavia

 

 

There are no parties like FrP in England?

Endret 24. januar 2011 av Eysteinn inn illráði

[henbruas]

The British National Party, perhaps, but they seem more extreme than Frp.

[jjkoggan]

cultural and racial heterogeneity rise in scandinavia

 

 

There are no parties like FrP in England?

 

 

Please explain

[Getingar]

Where we stand:

 

- We will put British people first in their own country,

- We demand British jobs go to British workers,

- We say NO to an EU superstate, and YES to keeping Britain free,

- We will stop paying foreign aid and give that money to pensioners,

 

- and we will bring British troops home from Afghanistan.

 

Seems like a good party..

 

Welcome to the website of the British National Party. The BNP is a patriotic, democratic alternative to the old parties that have wrecked our great country.

 

Native British are now treated like second-class citizens in our own country, whilst asylum-seekers and immigrants are pushed to the front of the queue for housing, jobs and benefits.

 

Millions of our people are unemployed yet the politicians continue to allow foreign workers to flood into Britain, taking our jobs or claiming benefits, costing us billions of pounds.

 

While we struggle to pay the bills and live in fear of losing our jobs, the crooked politicians are fiddling their expenses and stealing taxpayers' money.

 

Whilst the politicians lavish billions on undeserving foreigners and mega-rich bankers, thousands of our pensioners freeze to death every winter, or are forced to eke out a miserable existence on tiny pensions.

 

Despite the huge sacrifice of millions of our war heroes to keep our country free and independent, the politicians have sold us out to the European Union, taking away our right to rule ourselves and decide our own laws.

 

The european union is a horrible thing. Good for norway not beeing a part of it.

[jjkoggan]

The european union is a horrible thing. Good for norway not beeing a part of it.

 

If the union had not held together in the USA it would never be a superpower and the same is true in the european union. Without a strong EU most european nations will never be major players in global affairs, but rather whiners and finger pointers at policies they dislike.

Furthermore, very restrictive immigration laws will prohibit the worlds best talent from helping your nations grow. Todays top scholars in the USA are dominated by immigrants and their first generation children, and are not from the west. In graduate schools across america, especially in engineering and science fields, over 50% are not of european descent.

 

You may have noticed that the world's best football teams are not racially homogeneous and neither are top corporations across america. If you want to be the best you must look everywhere, not in your own backyard.

[Getingar]

The scandinavian people are the best. Our culture is far superior to any other culture. Our people the strongest and most intelligent.

All that do not belong here must be sent home or slain. One from another race can never be a part of the scaninavian society. They are genetically incompatible. I can assure you that the old days of glory will come again. We just need to break free from the european shackles. We are not european - we are scandinavian! You as a foreigner can not understand this. You think culture is something you learn. WRONG! You inherit it from your forefathers that have lived here thousands of years ago.

[Slimda]

You're absolutely bonkers, do you know that? We Scandinavians are not superior in any way. In fact, in many areas we are inferior to other cultures. Like being open to people and being friendly. Like not binge-drinking every weekend. Like not complaining about every little aspect of life.

 

Sure, our culture is better than certain stone-age cultures, but it doesn't mean we are the world's best people. That's just silly to state.

[kris98]

I might view myself as an elitist in regards to most things, but this is just plain stupid. Might I remind you of the Law of Jante?

 

Don't think you're anything special.

[jjkoggan]

I might view myself as an elitist in regards to most things, but this is just plain stupid. Might I remind you of the Law of Jante?

 

Don't think you're anything special.

I suspect our friend is pulling our legs so to speak.

[kris98]

I suspect our friend is pulling our legs so to speak.

Could be, but I have my doubts (regrettably). I wont even bother to speculate.

[jjkoggan]

I suspect our friend is pulling our legs so to speak.

Could be, but I have my doubts (regrettably). I wont even bother to speculate.

 

Its kind of interesting from an american perspective. One only needs to look at California in which there is no majority race to see that no race is superior in any significant way. I fear that resistance to globalization in a more racist europe will stunt Its growth. Whomever is able to keep, develop and retain the best talent has the best shot at success, the best talent comes in all shapes sizes and colors. Corporate america uses it and is one reason we will stay competitive.

[Getingar]

I might view myself as an elitist in regards to most things, but this is just plain stupid. Might I remind you of the Law of Jante?

 

Don't think you're anything special.

 

Why obey a Danish law?

 

You're absolutely bonkers, do you know that? We Scandinavians are not superior in any way. In fact, in many areas we are inferior to other cultures. Like being open to people and being friendly. Like not binge-drinking every weekend. Like not complaining about every little aspect of life.

 

Sure, our culture is better than certain stone-age cultures, but it doesn't mean we are the world's best people. That's just silly to state.

Well, i might have exaggerating a bit. But I still think scandinavia is the best.

 

Being open to people and being friendly

I think scandinavians are plenty open and friendly. We are TOO open and frindly.

 

Like not binge-drinking every weekend

That's a part of our heritage. The only reason you should drink is to get drunk. othewise you can just as well drink soda.

 

Like not complaining about every little aspect of life.

I only complain about globalization and heavy snow fall.

[Slimda]

Being open to people and being friendly

I think Scandinavians are plenty open and friendly. We are TOO open and frindly.

Hardly. Scandinavians, and perhaps Norwegians in specific, are known to be cold and unfriendly to strangers. In Norway, living in a apartment complex and not knowing a single soul inside the very building you live in, is not only common but the very standard of living in the city.

Like not binge-drinking every weekend

That's a part of our heritage. The only reason you should drink is to get drunk. othewise you can just as well drink soda.

It's part of our heritage to binge-drink? Sorry, but binge-drinking is one of the really bad sides of our Nordic culture. That, coupled with depression during wintertime causes a large number of suicidal attempts, many of whom are successful.

[jjkoggan]

]Well, i might have exaggerating a bit. But I still think scandinavia is the best.

 

Being open to people and being friendly

I think scandinavians are plenty open and friendly. We are TOO open and frindly.

 

 

I would describe it more as reserved and naive. Norwegians are very friendly once you get warmed up. Nothing wrong with being friendly, only when it crosses into naivete, believing all have good intentions or will respond the same way as norwegians. This is why there are so many norwegians who are offended by immigrants who don't reciprocate generosity in the same way.