No Shorts Allowed !!!

Heather, all these little things that guys do in my country(Russia) by no means make Russian girls dependent on them.As a matter of fact they are just as independent as guys are.But one thing that they can do that I noticed american girls can't is accept help.It does not mean that I am insulting you or consider you to be weak when opening a door or whatnot.It is more psychological, more like saying that I am here for you if you need me, I will protect you!I think in the US the notion of I can do what boys can is overexaggerated.Girls in Russia are independent and do whatever guys do, too,but they will accept those little things from a guy but you'd better know what you say or do, because they will kick your butt(not physically) , they have a lot of dignity and self-esteem...

Wow. That's why I love this forum. I, for one, am having a really crappy day. Whenever I think about where I live and where I'm from (U.S.A), I experience a strange mixture of embarrassment, revulsion, and minute relief (for certain obvious reasons - and ya'll seem to have a pretty good imagination). Just my grouchy .02! Is it too early for a cocktail??

Geek, there are also sports in which we get our butts kicked. I'm pretty sure we didn't completely sweep the medals in Athens, and we never fair as well in winter Olympics. Canada has far better hockey. We certainly don't kick the rest of the world's butts there. I'm pretty sure our men's teams didn't win the gold in baseball (hello America's favorite past time), basketball, or soccer. Or does that not count. We didn't even win every swim medal. I'm pretty sure our butts were handed to us on a platter in a few events and in quite a few sports. I'm still hoping you are playing devil's advocate and being tounge in cheek. I truly hope you aren't that arrogant. Also there's a lot of good stuff that came from other countries, pasta, The Beatles, swimming pools (not a US invention), Speedo (curse it as you must), The Stones, The Who, BMWs, VWs, pizza, etc.

I would like to think that we (Americans) do what we please because we believe in something and stick with it despite the objection. I always figure you do what you think is right. As for aligning ourselves with the UN...... Nah, I won't go there. This isn't a political forum! In the end, we will all meet at that big pool in the sky! Originally posted by Alex Aguageek is may be rigth about me taking this too seriously, but there are some little comments that may be we foreigners find agresive comming from US citizens, for example I can undestand that an European calls you Americans, but calling yourselves Americans is like saying Brazilians, Argentinians, Canadians, Mexicans, etc. are part of another continent, and we are not. We all know that the US helps others countries, but may be you are not taking into considerations that many other countries also help when there are difficult times in others countries, it is only that nor the CNN or else US media takes count on it, and of course other help is not as big as the US help economically talking. US many times seems as the bad guy because the US does what it pleases without taking serious what other countries may think, not even the United Nations. "If you are not with us, you are against us" (from George Bush). But do not get me wrong, I like the US and understand very well your culture, there is a reason why you are very succesfull, but I just want to let you know what many people from different countries think. Of course many times happend that, the bad things that other countries say about US is like when we talk bad about the boss with another fellow from the office. The good thing is that swimming it is much the same all around the world. Alex

Dima, I know I actually need to work on that - I want to prove to guys (and myself) that I am not weak. Guess I'm going about it the wrong way. I have been known on occassion to take up a guy on an offer to help me with bags, and holding doors is great! Thanks for clarifying! Kari, it's never too early (it's 5 o'clock somewhere). If you were in Chicago, I'd be leaving work early ... wonder what it'd be like to swim after a couple cocktails ... hmmm ...

Why don´t we all go to that Czeck Republic pool and cancell it with the help of the US. But thinking again, what about women.........., I like to see them with out that long shorts that we see everywhere now. Specially when they swim backstroke, and no matter if they are Russians, Argentinians, from the US or Mexican.

Originally posted by aquageek How was that war working out for folks before the US came along? I bet an autobahn in Canada would be fantastic given so much open space available. . Geek, you must know a lot about second world war and the US impact on it...Hm, well, can you tell me when it was officially over(date?) and where Germans finally surrended?US did have some play in the war, but definitely not the major one.

Heather - before I started swimming with Davis Aquatic Masters, the coach used to do a fun little relay in which a shot of tequila was placed at the end of the pool - each team member would swim a length, do the shot, then swim back....Eeeek. Go figure, 'cause I would be barfing after about 100 yards. I did swim strung out on Vicodin twice - last summer, the day before the PMS Long Course meet, I had a root canal. I don't recommend that, as it turned out to be really painful and the only thing that was helpful was Vicodin. Yikes! I swam the 1500 after taking about 3....can you imagine???? A year before that I broke my back and would work out after taking a few, but that wasn't nearly as bad as trying to compete after a root canal... No more sob stories, I promise! Damn, I wish it was 5:00....

thanks for pointing the Tequila, as what would be the world with out it.

Geek, by tongue lashing the rest of the world you do not realise that you talk about America in a way, because America is nothing but a concentration of a ton of different nationalities...