Brits vs. Americans
By Jessica Yadegaran
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
What is it with us and the Brits? Seems we'll always be like brothers -- friends, but with a fierce competitive streak. This time, it has to do with our health.
Turns out Brits 55 and older are a lot healthier than Americans of the same age, according to an international study published this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
This comes as quite a blow, especially since the United States spends more than twice as much per person on health care. But, we're rational Yankees, and can sort of understand the discrepancy:
The British are far thinner than we'll ever be. They make a national pastime out of drinking tea, with its wonder-drug antioxidants. And they lead a European lifestyle, which equates "holiday" with several three-week romps to Tuscany a year. Here, "holiday" is the Fourth of July.
The health study prompted us to compare other areas of life between the Brits and Americans, all in good fun. Read on, blokes.
TV shows
British: Groundbreaking "The Office," mega-hit "Pop Idol," reality-TV phenoms "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" and "Big Brother."
Americans: OK, so we pretty much copied all of these shows. But "Lost" and "Grey's Anatomy"? All ours.
Advantage: British.
Lingo
British: Hipster words like shag and blimey said in that charming, delicious accent.
Americans: Phat and dope and other lame monosyllabic words.
Advantage: British.
Royalty
British: The Queen, Prince Charles, Duchess Camilla.
Americans: We have better pseudo royalty: Prince, Queen Latifah, Oprah.
Advantage: Americans.
Music
British: They gave us the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Sex Pistols and Duran Duran.
Americans: Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen and dozens of Duran Duran knockoffs over the decades.
Advantage: A tie.
Style
British: They gave us mod, go-go boots and vinyl. Designers? Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano and Alexander McQueen.
Americans: T-shirts and jeans, not to mention Donna, Ralph, Calvin and Isaac. And now Britain's Luella Bartley designs for Target. That's what you call the best of both worlds.
Advantage: Americans.
Courtesy Contra Costa Times
