Where are you from?

[Twinky]

I've always been interested to know who comes to the Cafe. And I wonder where people come from. These days, everyone seems to be into politically correct questionnaires about one's background, whether you're black, white, striped or checkered.

So here's a go at a poll, if you want to humor me. Of course, there will be the usual complaints that I forgot your country or racial group.

If you live in one country but have roots from another (eg, "Irish American") it would probably be more realistic checking "America" as your country, unless you were born in Ireland.

Neither the countries nor the racial groups are in any kind of order.

I don't know if we'll end up as a spread of nationalities and racial groups. It always seemed to me that TWI was mostly white, with darker skinned peoples in their countries (eg, Zaire) but not an overwhelming number of black Americans. But post-PoP, that might just be the people I happened to meet while I was in, or the countries I lived in at the time.

[Mister P-Mosh]

One error in your poll is that a few of the countries listed would classify as part of "America" and there's no option for U.S.A. so I selected other. Also, I'm mixed between primarily northern European with a few slivers of Native American ancestry, so I selected other for that as well.

[GeorgeStGeorge]

Incidentally, it should be "Whence are you from?". ;)

George

[Twinky]

Actually, George, if you're being really pedantic, "Whence come you?" since "whence" also incorporates the "from part.

But don't let everyone whence (wince) by getting too fancy about stuff.

Whence (Once) upon a time I lived in various other countries. Maybe I should tick them, since I'm not actually coming from anywhere at the moment, I'm here and nearly always have been. (LOL)

P-Mosh, I was thinking of USA as "America" which is why I also put Canada and South America, rather than "North America" but agreed it's ambiguous/misleading. Do you identify as being an "Other" rather than white/caucasian? Pleased that you give credit to native American ancestry.

Antipodean poster, where do you hail from?

[WordWolf]

(snip)

P-Mosh, I was thinking of USA as "America" which is why I also put Canada and South America, rather than "North America" but agreed it's ambiguous/misleading.

(snip)

BTW, citizens from the rest of North and South America would appreciate it if we stopped calling

ourselves "America", as if we were the only country in this hemisphere....

[GeorgeStGeorge]

Actually, George, if you're being really pedantic, "Whence come you?" since "whence" also incorporates the "from part.

Right you are, twinkish one! Whence is correctly an adverb or conjunction, not a pronoun. See, howeverm this note from freedictionary.com"

Usage Note: The construction from whence has been criticized as redundant since the 18th century. It is true that whence incorporates the sense of from: a remote village, whence little news reached the wider world. But from whence has been used steadily by reputable writers since the 14th century, most notably in the King James Bible: "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help" (Psalms). Such a respectable precedent makes it difficult to label the construction as incorrect. Still, it may be observed that whence (like thence) is most often used nowadays to impart an archaic or highly formal tone to a passage, and that this effect is probably better realized if the archaic syntax of the word without from is preserved as well.

George

[Twinky]

WW - yes, what a good idea. In fact, if the USA realized there were actually other countries and civilizations outside the USA it would be a brilliant thing. Summa those places have cultural backgrounds going back millennia. Before, in fact, the American continents were discovered and claimed (as if they were so much abandoned property) by Europeans. (Don't be too harsh, Twinky; which countries did they learn Imperialism from???)

[RumRunner]

WW - yes, what a good idea. In fact, if the USA realized there were actually other countries and civilizations outside the USA it would be a brilliant thing.

That comment was ridiculously harsh. People in the USA are quite conscious of other countries and cultures. Certainly not everyone - but your comment simply lumps all of us into one big lump of ignorant fools. Companies in the USA do business with every country but six as limited by certain export laws in the Department of Commerce. I have been on six continents and over 100 countries and EVERYTIME I go someplace new I read a good book titled "Kiss, Shake or Bow." I have made every effort to understand other countries and cultures as have all of the employees of my previous company and the university I work for now. We have mandatory training for international travel so that you do not get labeled as a typical loud mouthed ignorant Brit who stabs every teen they can find...oops...musta been the daemon's in me controlling the keyboard for a second.

It seems that it is so much fun for people to make fun of the USA. Enjoy Twinky. The sun finally did set on the British empire as it will someday set on the USA. Your comment however, shows ignorance, arrogance, and gross ego. Maybe you guys are just holding too much PMS water and need to go beat up on the Falkland Islands again to let of some off your imperialistic steam.

As I recall it was YOUR poll that lumped all of the Americas together...and a few citizens of the USA who pointed that out to you.

Why don't you spend the money to come to the USA and instead of going to an ex-cult BBQ take the time to visit people here - get to know US instead of always coming down on USA for not getting to know YOU.

And before you decide that this is a personal attack...I really expected more from you than a cheap shot at the USA as a whole. That was well beneath most of your other posts. I shall expect a prompt call on the telly tomorrow from the G.B Ambassador to the U.S.A. offering immediate delivery of some excellent Brit scones and tea..and some good ale as well.

Edited November 10, 2009 by RumRunner

[Bolshevik]

I hadn't heard of the term "antipodean" before. Thought is was some kind of arthropod.

[Twinky]

Rummie, did I hit a sore point?

Okay, I was poking fun just a little at USA imperialism - but also at Brit imperialism before that, too!!! Look at the whole post...!

I like Americans (inhabitants of the USA) as individuals. I have met some pretty nice people, open and generous in a way not found in a lot of places or some other countries. I have visited the USA on a number of occasions over many years, before, during and after my involvement with TWI.

I have a problem with USA imperialism and wanting to run other countries. Your immediate past president did no favors in this regard.

Ah well, that's for another forum. If you wanna carry on, start something in Politics and Tacks.

If you say, Rummie, it was me who lumped the Americas together as one (and I would change the entry on the poll if it were possible, but it doesn't seem to be possible to change the poll) ...what nationality do you call yourself, Rummie? An American? Or a "USA-an?" If someone from Quebec called himself an American, would you object and say, no, you're a Canadian? What about someone from Mexico, Buenos Aires, Columbia, Tiera del Fuego?

[RumRunner]

Rummie, did I hit a sore point?

Not a bit dearest - I have very few sore points - twas just an observation on my part.

Okay, I was poking fun just a little at USA imperialism - but also at Brit imperialism before that, too!!! Look at the whole post...!

I like Americans (inhabitants of the USA) as individuals. I have met some pretty nice people, open and generous in a way not found in a lot of places or some other countries. I have visited the USA on a number of occasions over many years, before, during and after my involvement with TWI.

Cool

I have a problem with USA imperialism and wanting to run other countries. Your immediate past president did no favors in this regard.

Agreed wholeheartedly

Ah well, that's for another forum. If you wanna carry on, start something in Politics and Tacks.

Not interested dear

If you say, Rummie, it was me who lumped the Americas together as one (and I would change the entry on the poll if it were possible, but it doesn't seem to be possible to change the poll) ...what nationality do you call yourself, Rummie? An American? Or a "USA-an?" If someone from Quebec called himself an American, would you object and say, no, you're a Canadian? What about someone from Mexico, Buenos Aires, Columbia, Tiera del Fuego?

I don't call myself by any nationality except when I have to go through customs and immigration. BTW since you bring up Mexico - they refer to their country as Estatos Unos - or United States - and it has nothing to do with the country I live in. Saying USA is kind of accepted around the world. It is the name given to this country by the founding fathers and is globally accepted (generally). Good enough for me.

Also BTW Buenos Aires is a fine place - almost bought retirement property there as well as in Valparaiso Chile.

My objection is when anyone lumps any other group all together.

So now in Edward Morrow's words - good night and good luck - although it is middle of the night for you right now.

[mstar1]

I dont know the methodology on this page or how accurate it is but HERE is a site that has the greasespot demographics

Edited November 12, 2009 by mstar1

[Jim]

BTW, citizens from the rest of North and South America would appreciate it if we stopped calling

ourselves "America", as if we were the only country in this hemisphere....

Jim's 4th grade teacher... "You're no more of an American than the people of South America or of the rest of North America." You are from the United States".

[Twinky]

Hmm...

So far, 80% American [uSA] which I'd expected.

And 70% identify as white/caucasian, which I'd sort of expected but had hoped might be a lower percentage.

[waysider]

.

And 70% identify as white/caucasian, which I'd sort of expected but had hoped might be a lower percentage.

Just curious as to "why?".

[Twinky]

Waysider, because I'd wondered if there might be more darker-skinned people, African Americans.

[Oakspear]

Citizens probably started referring to themselves as "Americans" because "United States of America" has "America" in it and anything else would be kind of clunky. As far as I know none of the other nations in either North or South America has "America" in its name. The country to our south is officially named Estados Unidos Mexicanos, the United Mexican States, or United States of Mexico.

[Twinky]

Unsurprisingly, overwhelmingly from the USA, at 82%.

Also overwhelmingly white/caucasian, which is a little disappointing but don't know if that's because TWI was not attractive or welcoming to non-whites; or GSC is not attractive to non-whites, or maybe non-whites have "got a life" elsewhere by now (shrug). Or maybe many other reasons.

Would the antipodean please PM me and introduce yourself? Whereabouts do you live?

Bolshevik - hope you've discovered by now that antipodeans are interesting characters in their own right, though with perhaps not as much variety as anthopods. Here's a little anthropod summary for you:

Edited November 22, 2009 by Twinky

[kimberly]

Alright now, Twinky and GeorgeStGeorge, get it right...it is..."HEY, where ya'll from?" :P

Some years ago an exchange student from South America, (and if my memory serves me correctly, Buenos Aires), responded to a person in our group, that said something about speaking English, "You don't speak English, you speak American."

I found that interesting.

[HAPe4me]

We are all antipodes, but for we in the USA, pretty much all of us are antipodal to a place in the ocean, which is why we are unfamiliar with the term. It is used primarily in the Brit isles, to refer to roughly Australia and New Zealand, (and occasionally to South Africa). The places where they sent orphans to be slaves and sex objects, and took diamonds back when THEY were the imperialist warmongers. (JUST poking fun at you Twinkie!!!!)

BY the way, the Brits got it wrong, because they are antipodal to a spot in the ocean too., but close counts in empire building as well as grenades I guess.

Here, you can find the antipode of anywhere you want.

http://www.antipodemap.com/

Edited November 22, 2009 by HAPe4me

[Twinky]

Hap, yes, the export of criminals as slaves, and of small children...to fill a newly-stolen land... not very polite (Brit understatement). Antipodes from Britain is usually considered Aus/NZ and islands thereabouts. Not usually South Africa.

Kimberly, yes, there is "English" and there is "American" or "American English." And also idiomatic constructions in other English-speaking countries as well. The differences can be fun. When I was in rez, it was easy to bewilder or be bewildered by, to offend or be offended by, use of normal English expressions, whether Brit or antipodean, compared with US English.

Of course, one could always say, "Where's yous from?"

[Ham]

I noticed you did not include "from the planet Xenu" or something similar on the poll..

*some of us* identify a little closer to something like that..

[Twinky]

So what'd'ya tick, Ham? "Other" - which might include Planet Xenu? And "Other" for racial group, since Squirrel wasn't one of the choices?

[Ham]

yep.. it was "other"..

Oh yes. My first day of High School. There were two "ladies". Of course of opposite ethnic origin..

they both were persuaded for some reason or another that they were "owned(?)" by this character.. ethnic origin, by employment or any other extenuating worth, as a young Squirrel, I could not determine..

I watched as two different colors of hair blended as they flew into one indistinguishable pile..

it was then, I realized as a young Squirrel.. something was amiss..

All I can say.. there was more distinguishable blond hair, than the other..

I'd like to interview the two ladies today..

[Twinky]

bump