On Tue, 10 Sep 1996, Doug Murphy wrote:

the rule rather than the exception, occasionally to the point of 
absurdity. (Ever hear of "multiculturalism?" No, of course you haven't. 
American cultural movements don't interest you.

 Actually I mut disagree...at least with this point...
 The usual American point of view (at least since Henry Ford) has been
that of a "melting pot" ratherthat a muli-cultural view....this is I admit
changing....Canada on the other hand is more generally accepted as being
mulicultural especially after W.W.2 (this is a sad attempt to make up for
those we did not let in before and during the war...but nevermind.) I also
have a bone to pick over having two official languages...one which has to
be rigidly enforced or it will fade ( Why should they? um, good
question... and one I have no answer to esp., since I just didn't get 2 (
count em...two!!!) jobs last week because my french (to put it
simply..sucks) of course Canada is not the only place where french as a
language is on the decline....France also has strict cultural regulations
on the subject.....I find that if a language is destined to fade away such
maintenence is useless in the end).
 America 

has nothing of interest, right?) Americans just borrow the cultural 
innovations of other nations and make them their own. Often the American 
version's better than the original. (I _love_ Chicago-style pizza. What, 
you don't know what that is? Poor dears.) 

 Hmmmm 
  Well considering pizza it's a time and culture thing....after all it
possibly originated in China.
We can't forget basketball either....if we look at inventing
one-upmanship...it's Canadian of course...along with most of the major
Hollywood actors....it's strange that the Captians of old Enterprise and
Voyager are both Canadians...they just Play Americans. 
 This is just annoying boasting...I'd go on but it's not my point and is
making my fingers tired.
 What I will say however is the stereotype of Americans must have come
from somewhere....and it is one that seems to be continually be being
re-enforced....

 BUT!!!!!!!

 and this is important....
 By in large those on the net tend more and more to be the exceptions to
any of these templating rules. They are USUALLY (and I mean this...again
we have exceptions....and when they exist they are doozys) already
exceptions to the social norm in their outlooks.
 Cultural bias is the same as family bias...or liking he colour green.
When it comes down to final detales it's the person and not the culture
which we see in their opinions and of course in this group ...their
writing.
 I doubt we will however see any of the really biased perceptions here
simply because their culture would be already so biased against the
subject that no true frame of reference would exist. For this reason we
will only see "The Swift Sword of Allah, Sailor Moon." (veils and sailor
fuku) and "Amish Ranma." ( "You look mighty plain Akane." "Thank thee
Ranma...and I admire your martial arts barn raising as well" 
writen by those who are unrelated to those particulair cultures or sitting
on the fringe.  

Well, like I said, made for American's because they don't care about those 
little details (We would just LOVE to save the world from aliens and have 
everyone worshipping one of our national holidays)
  

Our PM would take the aliens on in a cage match and win!!!

it's far more universal in appeal than that of other nations. (My Irish 
relations tell me that Australian soaps get more American by the day. 
That's called competition.) 

 two words 
 Corination Street
 You bet your life American movies are 

consistently hits in Japan. (I can't speak about _Independance Day_--I 
haven't seen it--but if you didn't like it there's no need to condemn the 
whole American movie industry.)

one word: Ishtar :)

 Okay...
 Well enough of that.... 
those last little bits were just goofy bits of sniping....
and my real opinions expressed above...well okay I was serious about or PM
kicking butt but I'm on my 4th cup of coffee today...
 I do not honestly believe that one country is "better" than another
(although some places are much worse....anywhere where it would not be
possible to have thes conversations and sharing of opinion)
 Anyway...I've spammed enough...
        that's my $.02 ( $.000005 American :) )

                                     Neil
 
 
 ___________________________________________________________________________
     Nene   Nene    Nene    Nene    Nene    Nene    Nene    Nene    Nene   
                    I met a Lady in the Meads,
                    Full beautiful, a faery's child,
                    Her hair was long, her foot was light
                    And her eyes were wild.
                                            J.Keats
  ________________________________________________________________________    
           Agent Of Chaos. Robyn, Duke of Amber. Unicorn Knight
 ****************************************************************************