My impression is that most people are just people. The soi-disant intellectual 'elite' are usually the ones who create the problems.

I did run into an interesting piece of resentment last week. A number of Brits at my workplace were irritated about the movie 'Saving Private Ryan'. This is th emovie starring Tom Hanks with possibly the most realistic depiction of battle ever offered by Hollywood.

Anyway, these Brits were affronted that the movie showed only heroic Americans and not heroic Brits. Well, the soldiers on Omaha Beach were Americans. The Brits had their moments. Arguably the battle of Pegasus Bridge between a small SAS unit and a battalion of German armor was more heroic. But also shortlived and (obviously) done in the dark. In any case, why doesn't Ealing Studios make a Pegasus Bridge or El Alamein film? Or pitch a studio to make a flick of the latter with Hugh Grant playing Montgomery?

I was referring to the opening 30 minutes - the part covering Omaha Beach, Zyme. The rest of it had a Hollywood plot with all that implies. Less ideological than usual if anything.

Strange, improbable thing happen in wars. I recall a story about an American paratrooper who had a hell of a day, capturing a batch of Germans with the help of one other soldier and a few other exploits. Amazingly he survived it unscratched and even more amazingly did not get the Medal of Honor, though what he did made most MOH winners look sick.

I have occasionally spotted an 'arrogant' Englishwoman although not at a dinner party. No, I spotted one reading the riot act to a couple of Southern Californian girls, both with that cringe-making Valley Girl accent ('Fer Shure, Fer Shure').

I could almost sympathise with the Englander - but not quite. She was reading them out for being in London - doesn't like their kind. I was too cowardly to intervene 'cause she would have reamed me also! "Americans are barbarians and just not on!".

But most Brits are just people. 'Nice' often seems to be part of the national character except sometimes when a few pints have been taken.

That was quite well-grounded, SC. Particularly so coming fromn a college perfessur! ;)

"I would add, it came up only in conversations I've had with university associates here at home or elsewhere."

I'll take you're word for it, SC. Although given my own passing acquaintence with university circles leads me to think there are a number of variants of the above, not infrequently in the vein of "why "they" (and we) hate those knuckle-dragging missing links who label themselves 'Republicans'". AND who have the temerity to win elections and therefore refuse to subordininate themselves to the proper 'ruling class' (people like ourselves, of course).

From the POV of Certain People (aka the Ruling classes) the best ting about the EU is the fact that the Ruling Classes have firm control over there - in the form of the EU beaurecracies. Unlike the US, in which the people can elect whom they will.