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Apr-23-2004 19:49
(sticky post)

So, looking at the web logs, I know that we have players here from about 30 different countries. I just thought it would be interesting to put somes names with places.

My wife and I live in Boulder, COlorado in the U.S. Where the winter has returned for the weekend. We actually moved here pretty recently from Seattle, which is my home town.

May-8-2005 08:40

And even though my facts weren't entirely correct, it seems that my point was valid nonetheless. Holland is not a country in its own right, so cannot be counted!

May-8-2005 09:29

Exactly. It is not legally our name.

May-8-2005 16:20

Marcus: Aside from being just a tad pedantic, I think you'll find most people, at least from Britain, would disagree about Wales not being a country.

Ultimately it all comes down to the definition of what a country is, but one definition is "an area distinguished by its people, culture, language or government." It's a little hazy, but it's better than a lot of definitions I've heard. For example, it's been said that if it's a country, it would have it's own seat in the UN, which to me is just about the worst argument possible. If that were the defining matter, then at a stroke England, Scotland and Northern Ireland would all be stripped of their status as being countries.

Wales has a seperate boundary, culture, language and people to England. It has its own National Assembly and heritage. Welsh is a distinct nationality to English and any other. Yes, we might all be British and Wales might not be an independant state, but it's a country in its own right.

As a last challenge (and it really would be the last) to any Englishman that emphatically states that Wales is not a country, I would suggest making your opinion vociferously known in a pub in Cardiff on a Friday night. On seconds thoughts, it would probably better if you didn't ...

May-9-2005 01:05

Hehe! I feel that I must apologise for being a little (perhaps more than that) pedantic. While Sorry for getting off topic - I never intended to be so controversial! *grins* Thanks for your comments though, Blaise and jstkdn! :D

May-9-2005 02:19

hii there...i am from singapore;a very small country..my real name is raine.although we are that but all of us are unitied,that's it...don't look down on us because we are small country...we are beautiful,with no natural diasters like others do..

May-9-2005 03:46

Blaise the language argument about Wales is a little weak i'm afraid!!!
go into the same pub in Cardiff and ask them to tell you the numbers up to 10 in Welsh and i think you'll be able to count the ones who can on a blind butcher's hand!!!! (there are more Welsh speakers in South America than the whole of wales)
Also the "Assembly" of Wales receives ALL of it's cash from Westminster and is nothing more than a talking shop for nationalists that MP's in Westminster are glad to see the back of!!!!
Strange as an "independent" state it returns MP's to Westminster as well as having it's own govt but does not allow English MP's to speak in the Assembly!!!! (the West Lothian question)

May-9-2005 04:10

Croesy - my argument wouldn't rest on the language ... there are many areas in the world that have their own language but are not considered countries (Basque region in Spain, for example, though that is again controversial). However, the collective sum of what Wales is, in my opinion (and I state that it is an opinion due to the fact that the defintions of what a country is are so bluured)makes Wales a country and not a region, county, area or whatever else some might call it of Britain.

As a further point, I believe Wales is thought of in many circles as a principality - under the glorious protectorate of the Prince of Wales (typed as a patriotic Briton with a faint grin) ... : o )

May-9-2005 07:32

Oh dear God, look what I've started....

May-9-2005 08:52

Well, at least Wales, Scotland, and Ireland has their own football (soccer to you Americans) teams which play, and are recognized, in international matches. I think that's enough to say all of them are countries in their own rights.

jstkdn, you're not like most Europeans I've seen on the internet, who think Americans are ignorant (okay, SOME of them REALLY are.) I have to respect you on that. However, I do not agree with your argument. See, the Netherlands (or even Lithuania) is a COUNTRY; which has its own sovereignty. Texas and Wisconsin is a STATE, situated inside the USA. I think it's a different magnitude of importance. Yes, some states like New York might be more important to the world than Lithuania, Latvia, or Faroe Islands. But the fact that these countries have their own culture, language, government, and a seat in the United Nations means they deserve more recognization than an American state.

I think it's fair enough to the Europeans, or any other people, to be able to point out where the USA and Washington DC is, and maybe some of their important cities. I, for one, can point out where most of European countries are. Of course, I know where the USA is, but not about any US states. I think the US, as a whole, is as important as any European countries and deserve the same amount of recognization. I also think the American states are as important as German (or any European) states. If you can't remember where Bavaria or Saxony is, it's not wrong for you not remembering where Texas or Wisconsin is either.

That, or because I'm more obsessed with European culture than American. :)

P.S. Hope I don't piss off any Americans along the way, and turn this thread into Americans VS Europeans VS Asians debate. :)

May-9-2005 12:07

Uhm I never said that The Netherlands isn't a country. Last time I checked, it was, or I wouldn't have a passport. :)

Holland is NOT a country, but a nickname of one, being The Netherlands.

And I know that Texas is not a country and I never said it was, however it is geographically way bigger, with more people, more richer, more a lot of other stuff then a small ass country like the Netherlands.

The reason why I am different from many europeans. Because yes some general statements about Americans may be true......but the many American people that I know, love, work with do not have a tag on them that says "I fit a stereotype, and I am not an invidual, I am a clone of all the other millions of American the same as me."

Sure some American stereotypes are for a lot of Americans true. But you know what, for some reason a lot of people in the world just want to see some bad sides to Americans. While they can lie comfy, and be lucky with their positive stereotype. Generally, all cultures and the people living it have good and bad sides. You should look at both.

And definitely not judge, until you say you thoroughly understand their culture as they live it. And for that you need to have lived there, really understand them, have known many of them, taken a lot of classes in cultural appreciation and intercultural communications. And even then, you don't even fully grasp it. Instead of seeing it through the glasses of interpretation that you learned from having grown up in your own culture.

For instance, and example.
Stereotype:
Americans are loud.
- I know a great amount of Americans that are just as loud as Europeans, or less loud.
- American culture in itself communicate differently in social situations.
- While being loud is not acceptable in european culture, in American culture this could be different.
- Loud could also be an expression of excitement in some cultures
- Or if you want to compete in a discussion, being louder expected.