>>>>The Title must be Oprah says: No Deal
>>>>
>>>>Some minutes ago I saw the "Deal or No Deal" show where Oprah Winfrey was the guest. She said "No deal" till the very end. The consequence was that the winner (someone from the audience) did not get 75,000, not 50,000 dollar, but only 5,000.
>>>>
>>>>We too have this show in the Netherlands. There was a striking difference between the American audience and ours. The Americans all reacted like little children, yelling "No deal!" all the time and they are sooo greedy.
>>>>
>>>>Then finally Oprah and the host didn't give the 5,000, but the max: 100,000. It was all a setup. Gheez.
>>>>
>>>>The Americans can be soo childish in their behavior.
>>>
>>>You remind me of an English teacher I had. First day of class she asked us if we had read this author and that author. She grew frustrated at our repeated negative answers and finally asked us if we were illiterate. I stood and said, we're not illiterate but at least we're not STUPID enough to insult a room full of people.
>>>
>>>You really are a twit.
>>
>>Hi Mike,
>>
>>Your anecdote makes clear to me that you were STUPID enough to perceive the question of the teacher as an insult. Apparently your arrogance, pride and self-esteem at that time were obscuring your thinking. And you apparently haven't learnt much since then, because you are still STUPID enough to preceive my remark as an insult. Did you also mention her a twit at that time? Who is/was insulting who then?
>
>I apologize for calling you a twit, although your responses only support the designation. Your calling me stupid is ridiculous for I was correct. The teacher herself admitted she was wrong to, as I remember her words, "suggest we were illiterate". This was an English teacher I remind you. It was her frustration that was obscuring her thinking. She insulted us. She admitted it. I defended the class. They approved. It certainly does not seem that I am now or was then stupid.

I think the teacher was merely somewhat more mature than you all were at that time. She most likely decided to rephrase in order to keep peace.


>Furthermore I used the word twit - which is provided and supported by the Universal Thread itself. This term is understood to be less insulting than STUPID. I used the word STUPID while citing an incident with that teacher. I did not apply it to you. I suppose your thinking was obscured as mine was not.

Implictly you were accusing ME of being stupid. It begins with 'You remind me of ...' and it ends with the insinuation that this woman (who I remind you of) is stupid for insulting a group.


>You are obviously unaware of a particular aspect of English. Though it is your responsibility to learn English and not mine to teach, if one does not qualify plural forms, it is generally understood that ALL is meant. "Americans like cheese" means all Americans. "Some Americans like cheese" means only some like cheese. "This/That American" means only a particular American.

I doubt that I am the one who must learn English here. The phrase "Americans like cheese" certainly does not mean that all like cheese. There's no difference here between our languages.

There is a reason why I opposed all attempts to let me soften my statement so far. I think people here are not addressing the issue in the proper way. Instead of saying "Yes, I understand how you came to that conclusion, but believe me, we're not all like that" I get attacked asif you all are stinged by a bee. And also I want to have the right to generalize somewhat. Some generalizing enables us to discuss certain issues.

Mike, please don't take it all so personal. I can handle remarks like 'twit'. Now you do your best also.