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Aussies: Believe you should look out for your mates.
Brits: Believe that you should look out for those people who belong to your club.
Americans: Believe that people should look out for and take care of themselves.
Canadians: Believe that that's the government's job.

Aussies: Dislike being mistaken for Pommies when abroad.
Canadians: Are rather indignant about being mistaken for Americans when abroad.
Americans: Encourage being mistaken for Canadians when abroad.
Brits: Can't possibly be mistaken for anyone else when abroad.

Americans: Spend most of their lives glued to the idiot box.
Canadians: Don't, but only because they can't get more American channels.
Brits: Pay a tax just so they can watch 5 channels.
Aussies: Export all their crappy programs, which no one there watches, to Britain, where everybody loves them.

Americans: Love to watch sports on the idiot box.
Brits: Love to watch sports in stadiums so they can fight with other fans.
Canadians: Prefer to actually engage in sports rather than watch them.

Americans: Will jabber on incessantly about football, baseball and basketball.
Brits: Will jabber on incessantly about cricket, soccer and rugby.
Canadians: Will jabber on incessantly about hockey, hockey, hockey, and how they beat the Americans twice playing baseball.
Aussies: Will jabber on incessantly about how they beat the Poms in every sport in which they played them.

Americans: Spell words differently, but still call it "English."
Brits: Pronounce their words differently, but still call it "English."
Canadians: Spell like the Brits, pronounce like Americans.
Aussies: Add "G'day", "mate," and a heavy accent to everything they say.

Brits: Shop at home and have goods imported because they live on an island.
Aussies: Shop at home and have goods imported because they live on an island.
Americans: Cross the southern border for cheap shopping, gas and liquour in a backwards country.
Canadians: Cross the southern border for cheap shopping, gas and liquour in a backwards country.

Aussies: Are extremely patriotic to their beer.
Americans: Are flag-waving, anthem-singing, and obsessively patriotic to the point of blindness.
Canadians: Can't agree on the words to their anthem, when they can be bothered to sing them.
Brits: Do not sing at all but prefer a large brass band to perform the anthem.

Brits: Are justifiably proud of the accomplishments of their past citizens.
Americans: Are justifiably proud of the accomplishments of their present citizens.
Canadians: Prattle on about how some of those great Americans were once Canadian.
Aussies: Wollow on about how some of their past citizens were once outlaw Pommies, but none of that matters after several beers.

Americans: Seem to think that poverty and failure are morally suspect.
Canadians: Seem to believe that wealth and success are morally suspect.
Brits: Seem to believe that wealth, poverty, success and failure are inherited things.
Aussies: Seem to think that none of this matters after several beers.

Canadians: Encourage immigrants to keep their old ways and avoid assimilation.
Americans: Encourage immigrants to assimilate quickly and dump their old ways.
Brits: Encourage immigrants to go to Canada or America.

Canadians: Endure bitterly cold winters and are proud of it.
Brits: Endure oppressively wet and dreary winters and are proud of it.
Americans: Don't have to do either, and couldn't care less.
Aussies: Don't understand what inclement weather means.

Aussies: Have produced comedians like Paul Hogan and Yahoo Serious.
Canadians: Have produced many great comedians, like John Candy, Martin Short, Jim Carrey, Dan Akroyd, and all the rest at SCTV.
Americans: Think that these people are American!
Brits: Have produced many great comedians, but Americans ignore them because they don't understand subtle humour.

A group of Americans was touring Ireland. One of the women in the group was a real curmudgeon, constantly complaining. "The bus seats are uncomfortable.The food is terrible. It's too hot. It's too cold. The accommodations are awful."

The group arrived at the site of the famous Blarney Stone. "Good luck will be followin' ya all your days if you kiss the Blarney Stone," the guide said. "Unfortunately, it's being cleaned today and so no one will be able to kiss it. Perhaps we can come back tomorrow."

"We can't be here tomorrow," the nasty woman shouted. "We have some other boring tour to go on. So I guess we can't kiss the stupid stone."

"Well now," the guide said, "it is said that if you kiss someone who has kissed the stone, you'll have the same good fortune."

"And I suppose you've kissed the stone," the woman scoffed.

"No, ma'am," the frustrated guide said, "but I've sat on it."

The following are actual stories provided by travel agents:

I had someone ask for an aisle seat so that her hair wouldn't get messed up by being near the window.

A client called in inquiring about a package to Hawaii. After going over all the cost info, she asked, "Would it be cheaper to fly to California and then take the train to Hawaii?"

A man called, furious about a Florida package we did. I asked what was wrong with the vacation in Orlando. He said he was expecting an ocean-view room. I tried to explain that is not possible, since Orlando is in the middle of the state. He replied, "Don't lie to me. I looked on the map and Florida is a very thin state."

I got a call from a man who asked, "Is it possible to see England from Canada?"
I said, "No."
He said "But they look so close on the map."

A nice lady just called. She needed to know how it was possible that her flight from Detroit left at 8:20am and got into Chicago at 8:33am. I tried to explain that Michigan was an hour ahead of Illinois, but she could not understand the concept of time zones. Finally I told her the plane went very fast, and she bought that!

I just got off the phone with a man who asked, "How do I know which plane to get on?" I asked him what exactly he meant, to which he replied, "I was told my flight number is 823, but none of these darn planes have numbers on them."

A business man called and had a question about the documents he needed in order to fly to China. After a lengthy discussion about passports, I reminded him he needed a visa. "Oh no I don't, I've been to China many times and never had to have one of those." I double checked and sure enough, his stay required a visa. When I told him this he said, "Look, I've been to China four times and every time they have accepted my American Express."

These are questions e-mailed to the Olympics info line in Sydney, Australia.

I have a question about a famous animal in Australia, but I forget its name. It's a kind of bear and lives in trees. (USA)

Does it ever get windy in Australia? I have never seen it rain on TV, so how do the plants grow? (UK) (Upwards, out of the ground, like the person who asked this question, who himself will need watering if his IQ drops any lower.)

Will I be able to see kangaroos in the street? (USA) (Depends on how much beer you've consumed.)

Will I be able to speak English most places I go? (USA) (Another intellectual giant.)

It is imperative that I find the names and addresses of places to contact for a stuffed porpoise. (Italy) (I'm not touching this one.)

Which direction should I drive - Perth to Darwin or Darwin to Perth - to avoid driving with the sun in my eyes? (Germany) (Excellent question, considering that the Olympics are being held in Sydney.)

I want to walk from Perth to Sydney - can I follow the railroad tracks? (Sweden) (Sure, it's only 7,000 miles, so you'll need to have started about a year and a half ago to get there in time for this October.)

Is it safe to run around in the bushes in Australia? (Sweden) (And accomplish what?)

Are there any ATMs in Australia? Can you send me a list of them in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville and Hervey Bay? (UK) (?)

Where can I learn underwater welding in Australia? (Portugal)

Can I bring cutlery into Australia? (UK) (Why bother? Use your fingers like everyone else.)

Do you have perfume in Australia? (France) (No. Everybody stinks.)

Do tents exist in Australia? (Germany) (Yes, but only in sporting supply stores, people's garages, and the national parks.)

Can I wear high heels in Australia? (UK) (This HAS to be a blonde.)

Can you tell me the regions in Tasmania where the female population is smaller than the male population? (Italy) (Yes. Gay nightclubs.)

Do you celebrate Christmas in Australia? (France) (Yes. At Christmas.)

Can I drive to the Great Barrier Reef? (Germany) (Sure, if your vehicle is amphibious.)

Are there killer bees in Australia? (Germany) (Not yet, but we'll see what we can do when you get here.)

Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia?(USA) (What's this guy smoking, and where can I get some?)

Are there supermarkets in Sydney and is milk available all year round? (Germany) (Probably another blonde?)

Please send a list of all doctors in Australia who can dispense rattlesnake serum. (USA) (No rattlesnakes in Australia, sport!)

Which direction is north in Australia? (USA) (Face north and you should be about right)

Can you send me the Vienna Boys' Choir schedule? (USA) (Americans have considerable trouble distinguishing between Austria and Australia.)

I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in Australia? (USA) (From Liz Taylor, perhaps?)

Are there places in Australia where you can make love outdoors? (Italy) (Yes. Outdoors.)

I was in Australia in 1969 on R R, and I want to contact the girl I dated while I was staying in Kings Cross. Can you help? (USA) (You should keep quiet about that, mate.)

The Colorado State Department of Fish and Wildlife is advising hikers, hunters and golfers to take extra precautions and keep alert for bears while in the area.

We advise that people wear noise producing devices such as little bells on their clothing to alert but not startle the bears unexpectedly. We also advise you to carry pepper spray in case of an encounter with a bear.

It is also a good idea to watch for fresh signs of bear activity. People should recognise the difference between black bear and grizzly bear droppings. Black bear droppings are smaller and contain berries and possibly squirrel fur. Grizzly bear droppings have little bells in them and smell like pepper.

An American soldier serving in World War II, had just returned from several weeks of intense action on the German front lines. He had finally been granted R&R and was on a train bound for London.

The train was very crowded, so the soldier walked the length, looking for an empty seat. The only unoccupied seat was directly adjacent to a well dressed middle aged lady and was being used by her little dog.

The war weary soldier asked, "Please, ma'am, may I sit in that seat?"

The English woman looked down her nose at the soldier, sniffed and said, "You Americans. You are such a rude class of people. Can't you see my Little Fifi is using that seat?"

The soldier walked away, determined to find a place to rest, but after another trip down to the end of the train, found himself again facing the woman with the dog.

Again he asked, "Please, lady. May I sit there? I'm very tired."

The English woman wrinkled her nose and snorted, "You Americans! Not only are you rude, you are also arrogant. Imagine!"

The soldier didn't say anything else. He leaned over, picked up the little dog, tossed it out the window of the train and sat down in the empty seat.

The woman shrieked and demanded that someone defend her and chastise the soldier.

An English gentleman sitting across the aisle spoke up, "You know, sir, you Americans do seem to have a penchant for doing the wrong thing. You eat holding the fork in the wrong hand. You drive your autos on the wrong side of the road. And now, sir, you've thrown the wrong bitch out the window."

• CAUTION: Driver Singing
• Cover me. I'm changing lanes.
• Don't laugh - your daughter could be in this vehicle.
• Driver carries only $20 worth of ammunition.
• Forget about world peace... visualise using your turn signal.
• Hang up and drive.
• Hit me; I need the money.
• Honk if you're illiterate
• Honk if you love peace and quiet.
• Horn broken. Watch for finger.
• I'm just driving this way to piss you off.
• I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather... not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.
• I brake for no apparent reason.
• I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.
• I don't care who you are, what you'd rather be driving, or where you would rather be.
• If you can read this, I can hit my brakes and sue you.
• If you can read this, you're in phaser range.
• If you don't like the way I drive, get off the sidewalk!
• It is said that if you lined up all the cars in the world end to end, someone would be stupid enough to try to pass them.
• Keep honking - I'm reloading.
• No radio - already stolen.
• So many pedestrians, so little time.
• There are two kinds of pedestrians: the quick, and the dead.
• This is not an abandoned vehicle.
• Towers will be violated
• Who cares who's on board?
• Why am I the only person on earth who knows how to drive?

17 BASIC RULES FOR DRIVING IN NEW JERSEY

1. A right lane construction closure is just a game to see how many people can cut in line by passing you on the right, as you sit in the left lane waiting for the same jerks to squeeze their way back in before hitting the construction barrels.

2. Turn signals are just clues as to your next move in road battle, so never use them.

3. Under no circumstances should you leave a safe distance between you and the car in front of you, no matter how fast you're going. If you do, the space will be filled in by somebody else putting you in an even more dangerous situation.

4. The faster you drive through a red light, the smaller the chance you have of getting hit.

5. Never get in the way of a car that needs extensive body work. (Remember no-fault insurance: he might not have much to lose, you do.)

6. Braking is to be done as hard and late as possible to insure that your anti-lock braking system kicks in to give you a nice relaxing foot massage as the brake pedal pulsates.

7. Construction signs tell you about road closures immediately after you pass the exit but before the traffic begins to back up.

8. The electronic traffic warning system signs are not there to provide useful information; they're just to make the Turnpike look progressive.

9. Never pass on the left when you can pass on the right. It's a good way to scare people entering the highway.

10. Speed limits are arbitrary figures to make NJ look as if it conforms with other state policies; these are given only as suggestions and are readily unenforceable.

11. Just because you're in the left lane and have no room to speed up or move over doesn't mean that the driver flashing his high beams behind you doesn't think he can go faster in your spot.

12. Please remember that there is no such thing as a shortcut during rush-hour traffic on the Garden State Parkway.

13. Always slow down and rubberneck when you see an accident or even a person changing a tire. If you're lucky, you may see the unwitting breakdown victim get mugged, the proceeds of which are vested directly into the Democratic frontrunner's campaign for governor.

14. Learn to swerve abruptly. NJ is the home of the high-speed slalom driving thanks to NJDOT, who put potholes in key locations to test drivers' reflexes and keep them on their toes.

15. It is traditional in NJ to honk your horn at cars that don't move the instant the light changes. The state is founded upon such traditions.

16. Seeking eye contact with another driver revokes your right of way.

17. All unmarked exits on the Parkway lead to downtown Newark.

A French man is having his petit dejeuner (coffee, croissants, bread, butter and jam) when an American man, chewing gum, sits down next to him.

The Frenchman ignores the American, who nevertheless starts a conversation. "You French folk eat the whole bread?" he asks.

The Frenchman replies, "Of course."

The American blows a huge bubbles and says, "We don't. In the States, we only eat what is inside. The crusts we collect in a container, recycle it, transform them into croissants and sell them to France."

He has a smirk on his face, but the Frenchman only listens in silence.

The American persists. "D'ya eat jelly with the bread?"

The Frenchman replies, "Of course."

The American cracks his gum between his teeth and chuckles. "We don't," he says. "In the States we eat fresh fruit for breakfast, put all peel, seeds and leftovers in containers, recycle them, transform them into jam and sell the jam to France."

The Frenchman then asks, "And what do you do with condoms once you've used them?"

"We throw them away, of course."

The Frenchman smiles. "We don't," he says. "In France, we put them in a container, recycle them, melt them down into chewing gum and sell it to America."

Two elderly women were out driving in a large car - both could barely see over the dashboard. They came to an intersection at which the stoplight was red, but they just went on through. The woman in the passenger seat thought to herself: I must be losing it - I could have sworn we just went through a red light.

After a few more minutes they came to another red light, and again they went right through. This time the woman in the passenger seat was almost sure that the light had been red but was really concerned that she was losing it. She was getting nervous and decided to pay very close attention to the road and the next intersection to see what was going on.

At the next intersection, sure enough, the light was definitely red, and they went right through. She turned to the other woman and said, "Mildred! Did you know we just ran through three red lights in a row? You could have killed us!"

Mildred turned to her and said, "Oh, am I driving?"