Oh, how very English.

Yes I do try to avoid pickles at all times. And Fennel. And cilantro. Green is bad, come to think of it.

 

Well, I'll take the pickles but I agree with you on cilantro... it tastes like soap! 

I see it as a marketing ploy. To me, the bank is out there to make money.

Dear Ashley, I couldn't help but notice what you said about the Co-operative Bank.  I think if you had a look at the history of the Co-operative Movement, you would see that ethical dealing is not a marketing ploy.  On the contrary, it is and has always been its raison d'être.  I quote a bit from their web site:

The Co-operative Group is a co-op, a co-operative society. We're not a company. We have shares but their value doesn't fluctuate, they can't be traded and it doesn't matter how much members invest - money doesn't buy power in the Co-operative Group.

All co-ops have members and our customers become members to show their support for the way we do business.

Our members own and democratically control what we do. Their priorities are our priorities.

So what? - you may ask. Well, that's where our difference begins. It's our co-operative difference.

The modern day co-operative sector sprang to life in 1844 in Rochdale, Lancashire, when 28 workers, sick of seeing people in their community exploited not only as workers but also as consumers, decided to set up a co-operatively owned, co-operatively run shop that would treat customers fairly and trade honestly. Not only that, it was decided that customers who became members to show their support for the way the shop was run, would have a democratic right to have a say in the business.

It was a revolutionary idea.

Until then, private traders cheated customers. They adulterated products and gave customers short measures, reaping large profits that found their way into their own ever-deeper pockets. The customer was certainly not king.

The 'rules' the Pioneers agreed would guide their business are still the hallmarks of co-ops throughout the world, large or small and whatever their area of business - housing, health care, childcare, leisure services, education.    From http://www.co-op.co.uk/

Howard

Oh how very English and I'm still not sure how to respond!

Mother-in-law: "Then I had to stop and get myself a drink, didn't I?" They just stick in random "didn't I"s at the end of sentences.  I'm never sure what to say to that.  "Yes"? "Of coures you did"? Nothing?

And then there's the famous, "Hi, you alright?".  I think the first time I heard that, I kinda stuttered and said "Yes, I'm alright." and then turned to my husband and asked if I looked upset or something.  He kindly informed me it was just like "Hi, how are you?" in the US.  Just a pleasantry.

Those two things stick out as very English to me.   

-Shellie

And then there's the famous, "Hi, you alright?".  I think the first time I heard that, I kinda stuttered and said "Yes, I'm alright." and then turned to my husband and asked if I looked upset or something.  He kindly informed me it was just like "Hi, how are you?" in the US.  Just a pleasantry.

Its funny though when you turn that around - Americans say "whats up?" and to the English that means "whats wrong?", least the English that Ive met lol.

Its funny though when you turn that around - Americans say "whats up?" and to the English that means "whats wrong?", least the English that Ive met lol.

I go another route. I always say que pasa? or quoi de neuf? They just look at me funny but at least there's no cultural misunderstanding.