DarkShines — yep, I’ve heard that version too. Seems everybody likes tabbies.
http://cats.about.com/cs/tabbycats/a/tabby_cats_2.htm

Aw. I’m feeling the love everyone. Are you feeling the love?

BTW, I guess every culture has a different story of the tabby M, I was always brought up being told it was Muhammad who stroked the kitty………..

I keep seeing that kitty in a Mohawk…

Mamu, no apologies necessary. What I hope you understand is that often Americans blunder because our press does a seriously lousy job of covering the rest of the world. If you look at a typical U.S. newspaper, it’s going to be 98 percent about us. There might be a column with a title like “International News,” and then perhaps eight to a dozen five-line paragraphs that barely cover the headlines. The news broadcasts are IMO even worse. So the problem is that U.S. folk often don’t know how little they know about the world around them. IMO, that’s the basis for a lot of embarrassing and sometimes offensive behavior on the part of U.S. citizens.

And it does go both ways. For example, on our first trip to Europe in 1981, Ted and I were disappointed to learn how few Europeans knew how widespread opposition to the Vietnam War had been in the 1960s. (I grew up in a conservative area with a nearby Air Force base, e.g., the town was making money off the influx of troops whose next step was Saigon. Nevertheless, by 1970, everyone just assumed that everyone else was against the war. And they were right. NO ONE in that jumped-up farm town of Sacramento, California wanted the war!)

Hope this rambling post clarifies a bit….

Bahtalo Drom, everyone!

Mamu – How do I explain you don’t need to say sorry at all. This is a great conversation.

(You know, there are people from lots of countries who give gypsys a bad name!)

You are concerned about the Romanian’s reputation. I am concerned about Americans’ reputation.

I have had more than a few foreigners sit at my dinner table in my house cutting down Americans. Sigh, smile, and sip the wine like a good host. So I think maybe I can relate to your “paranoia”???

Please be patient with Americans’ reputations (for being loud, rich and ignorant of geography and the rest of the world.) Reputations aren’t 100% true. Americans are people, just like people are.

There are reasons why we are the way we all are. But all we are is people.

Hey… It’s got Princess Di eyes going on. Sahweet.

PS: “come here” is “vino aici” in Romanian

pyrit, I’m sorry then, I think I’ve developed a slight form of paranoia when it comes to how other nations see us (because most of the Romanians that go abroad to steal or beg are gypsies and create a terrible image for the rest of us)
I thought you wanted to come here and be a gypsy… like the rest of us )
Sorry again, and cheers!

pyrit – great impression: you are a true, Bono-fide Cher!

LC, maybe they’re dancers too?