Common Myths About Our Respective Countries

[krashkart]

I'm leaning toward silliness for this, of course. (idle minds are the devil's playground )



In America, the streets are paved with gold.

This is simply not true. Our streets are actually paved with a mixture of pyrite and rave glitter, and then spray painted a translucent purple color.



Feel free to add myths about your country, be they of your own imagination or actual myths.

[Weiss Pinguin]

Originally Posted by krashkart

In America, the streets are paved with gold.

"There are noooo cats in America, and the streets are paved with cheeeeese!"

[TarJak]

Australian men are a mysoginistic, beer soaked lot of ex-cons whose favorite saying is "Maaaate!"



No we are a mysoginistic beer soaked lot of ex-cons who's favourite saying is "It's your shout!"

[UnderseaLcpl]

Texas is part of the same United States that California is.

[ivank]

America is the land of free. I have not seen something free ever

[Méo]

Originally Posted by ivank

America is the land of free. I have not seen something free ever

lol

[ivank]

Originally Posted by Méo

lol

I have seen banks chain pens to the counter but leave vaults open

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by ivank

I have seen banks chain pens to the counter but leave vaults open

Because the money in the vault is insured.

Funny story, I have a friend who works in a smelting plant (they melt precious metals), they stamp all the gold/silver/etc bars they make so no-one could sell them without the paper work (unless they know someone on the black market who owns a smelting plant).

Well the armored truck who was to take a shipment to NYC flipped over in Ohio and the company never called the plant to tell them it wasn't going to show up.

One of the guards offered to drive it (about 12 grand) to NYC in his truck pointing out if its stolen it can't be sold and no one would expect his truck to have 12 grand in the back! The idea was shot down of course by the boss and the plant now contracts with a different armored truck company.

[krashkart]

The Myth Of How Arkansas Got Its Name

It is commonly believed that the state of Arkansas was named out of jealousy. According to legend, the original settlers of Arkansas had been prevented from settling in Kansas because they weren't 'Kansasy' enough. Crestfallen, the wayward group moved on and soon found an empty spot to the southeast. They claimed the land for themselves and called it Arkansas (southern-speak for "Our Kansas"). This is, however, entirely untrue.

The founding fathers of the state actually named it in honor of one Arkan Williamson, the man who first discovered the land. He sent his assistant back to the group to tell them of the discovery, who ran to them excitedly shouting, "Arkan saw unclaimed land! Arkan saw unclaimed land!".


I made that one up maiself.

[Castout]

That my country is a champion of democracy.



The truth is it's much flawed in practice so it should have been called the champion of flawed democracy or the champion of corrupt democracy. It's getting worse the past 5 years or so. As expected.

If I'm lucky I might see East Timor progressing beyond my beloved 65 years old country.

It would only need a small amount of external induced conflict perhaps due to a struggle to secure water supply due to global warming to bring this nation to collapse WHEN it runs out of its natural resources in less than 50 years. And since it's already pathetically so weak militarily(the only faction that the army can win war with is the civilians), a future conflict with its neighbor is becoming more and more likely. Central Kalimantan looks tempting to Malaysia and North Sumatra could be the new place for the Singapore regime because their city is literally drowning and it will only gets worse with time.

[UnderseaLcpl]

Originally Posted by krashkart

The Myth Of How Arkansas Got Its Name

It is commonly believed that the state of Arkansas was named out of jealousy. According to legend, the original settlers of Arkansas had been prevented from settling in Kansas because they weren't 'Kansasy' enough. Crestfallen, the wayward group moved on and soon found an empty spot to the southeast. They claimed the land for themselves and called it Arkansas (southern-speak for "Our Kansas"). This is, however, entirely untrue.

Did you attend school in Kansas, too? That state is always coming up with excuses for why it shouldn't just be considered a flat, boring state in the middle of many truly great states (except for Oklahoma, which is even worse, as evidenced by the fact that we sent all the Indians there. IIRC, the motto is "Ad aspera per aspera", which means: "We are hopeless optimists".

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by krashkart

In America, the streets are paved with gold.

I think you'll find that was said of London loooooong before it was said of America

Of course neither are true

[Dowly]

A Finnish man doesn't speak if he doesn't have to.

-If he's not drunk that's true. If he's under the influence of alcohol, you can't make him shut up. He has always a lot of important things to tell you.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Dowly

A Finnish man doesn't speak if he doesn't have to.

-If he's not drunk that's true. If he's under the influence of alcohol, you can't make him shut up. He has always a lot of important things to tell you.

And for those who've never been on the GWX TeamSpeak server.......every word is true

[Oberon]

It always rains in the UK


This is not true...there is in fact ten minutes in June when it does not, most sunbathing in the UK is done during this time.