That vid’s understandably long gone viral (do also check out Dan and Dan’s blog for some more low-key British humor, BTW). Which got me to musing about memes and the similarities between today’s Web and days gone but not forgotten, when song—and, loosely, “folk” song—served a similar purpose in spreading news, opinions, and reactions.
HuffPo reports that UK tourist agency VisitBritain has issued an edict to us shirty Brits, in an effort to avoid international incidents during the upcoming 2012 Olympic Games:
The frank etiquette tips were written by agency staff about their own native countries.
Polish tourists are likely to be hurt by stereotypes that imply they drink excessively, while the French are notoriously picky in restaurants, the guidelines claim.
U.K. workers are told to brush off common Argentine jokes about a person’s clothing or weight. Belgians take offense at people snapping their fingers while Australians are fond of coarse language.
Japanese people consider prolonged eye contact impolite and smile to express a range of emotions – not simply to show happiness.
Tourism workers are advised to show extra patience when dealing with guests from India or the United Arab Emirates.
“Indians are in general, an impatient lot, and like to be quickly attended to,” the guidelines claim. “The more affluent they are, the more demanding and brusque they tend to be.”
Indians also don’t like being touched by strangers and may be suspicious about the quality of British food, the guide said, without noting the latter might be a common concern.
Travelers from the Middle East are likely to be demanding with staff and “are not used to being told what they can’t do,” the guide warns.
Guests from China and Hong Kong may find winking or pointing with an index finger rude, while “mentioning failure, poverty or death risks offense,” the advice claims. Chinese visitors may be unimpressed by landmarks just a few hundred years old, tourism staff are told.
Workers are advised against discussing poverty, immigration, earthquakes or the Mexican-American war with visitors from Mexico – who prefer to chat about history and art.
Canadian tourists are likely to be quite annoyed about being mistaken for Americans, the guide suggests – urging workers to keep an eye out for maple leaf pins or badges on tourists’ clothing.
And Americans? They can appear “informal to the point of being very direct or even rude” and won’t ever hesitate about complaining, the guide says.
A relatively rare zebra-donkey hybrid was born at the Chestatee Wildlife Preserve in Florida a few days ago. With a sweet donkey face and utterly adorable striped stocking legs, this has got to be one of the cutest things around. I want one!!
UPDATED to provide a link and clarify that the wildlife refuge is actually in GA, not FL.
It may have been more than halfway finished, but with an exquisite sense of irony, publisher Zondervan has shelved plans for the Palin biography/hagiography for kids that was slated to hit a bookstore near you in September like a flurry of buckshot peppering a barn door.
They’re keeping schtum on the reason for this decision, but it would be irresponsible not to speculate. So let’s speculate away.
I’ll start us off with a few softballs:
1. It’s an unauthorized biography and Palin’s not about to let anyone else cash in on her brand.
2. They want to hold it back in anticipation of a Palin run for the prezziditzy.
3. It was an absolute honker destined for instant relegation to the remainder stacks and eventual pulping.
Still, silver linings—now the market’s clear for our astounding Betty Cracker’s version, Guide for Grizzly Girls, which I’d be sure to buy even though I have no kids. Why should they have all the fun anyway?
Get to it, Betty. Another 70 pages or so and you’re made for life!
Pekar was a truly unique American spirit. He will be missed. Gruff, hilarious, intense, creative and unquestionably one-of-a-kind. I interviewed him for my fanzine in the late 80’s and it was an absolute joy. He couldn’t have been nicer. If I can dig up a copy I’ll reprint the very funny things he had to say about David Letterman, who he was somewhat famously sparring with at the time.
SHE HAD AN AFFAIR WITH TROTSKY! SHE HAD AN AFFAIR WITH TROTSKY! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!
Obviously, there is no limit to the perfidy that America-hating Google will perpetrate on decent people who detest modern art, Mexicans and the Ear;y 20th Century. Google’s modest tribute to Frida Kahlo has greatly exercised certain precincts of the Clenched-Ass-O-Sphere, but screw them. If you want apolitical art, buy Keane prints and contact paper.
After more than 60 years of fighting crime in a bathing suit WW gets a makeover!
Although Wonder Woman was one of my fave cartoon heroes growing up, I confess I haven’t paid her much attention in recent (recent being about 40) years. So I’m glad to see she’s finally getting a modern touch with just the right element of glam.
Alas, if this so-called doctor gets her way female super-heroes may be a thing of the past. I really just have no words.
We’ve been taking a fair bit of righteous bashing over here in the UK recently, what with Elton John piling insult on to BP injury by serenading Limbaugh at his nuptials.
So leave it to the allegedly dead but somehow surviving and ever-diplomatic still-cute ex-Beatle to take up the slack and butter up the Obamas while royally pissing off your right-wingers.
Flushed with pride at his Gershwin Award, Macca gushed:
“Getting this prize would be good enough,” Mr. McCartney said. “But getting it from this president ...” He smiled.
He added that despite “difficult times” for the president, “you have billions of us who are rooting for you.” Then, with the first lady in the front row, Mr. McCartney sang “a song I have been itching to do at the White House,” he said. It was “Michelle.”
“It’s a fantastic honor (for) the Gershwin family to give me this incredible award and for me to be awarded it by the Library of Congress. And in fact, after the last eight years, it’s great to have a president who knows what a library is.”
McCartney’s enthusiasm for Obama isn’t just over-politeness at an awards bash. It’s worse than that. He swigged the KoolAid long ago.
In retaliation, John Boehner is reported as saying*:
I’ve always had the greatest respect for dope-smoking, freeloving, IRA-supporting criminal peacenik hippy Sir Paul McCartney, and I’ve often handjived to “Jet” and other beat platters, but this is more than human flesh can stand.
Of course President Bush knows what a library is. He’s been balling a librarian for most of his adult life. So this is a cheap shot, and he should apologize.
Personally, I find it hard to forgive Sir Paul for the execrable “Freedom” and a few other crimes against music in among the gems, but on balance, he still comes out ahead.
If McCartney does apologize, my copy of Sergeant Pepper‘s an ashtray. Promise.
* Loose paraphrase. It’s more reliable than Fox News, and I think it cuts to the fair and balanced nub.
