Questions for our American friends

[Greenman]

Why do say math and not maths seeing as it comes from the root word mathematics and is plural not singular?

[Mal Hombre]

Originally Posted by Greenman

Why do say math and not maths seeing as it comes from the root word mathematics and is plural not singular?

Just to be awkward,Same as saying "Track & Field" instead of Athletics..

[Dr Pepper]

Originally Posted by Greenman

Why do say math and not maths seeing as it comes from the root word mathematics and is plural not singular?

Observation would suggest that 'maths' is used by the Anglophone and Commonwealth linguistic sphere-and 'math' only by the US and TV programs...

[SanteeFats]

What do the two posts above have to do with questions for your American cousins????

[Rogerbh]

US people say "Math" to cover all form of mathematics, singular or plural and Brits use the word "Maths" for I guess plural. I noticed this in the film "A Brilliant Young Mind (2014)". Its just a minor variance in our use of language, akin to the use of defence vs defense.

[Greenman]

Right thanks for those explanations but here is another which I am not sure was asked before but hey ho. Where did the term bus boy come from? Is it a corruption of 'buzz' to move quickly around tables. I've asked some Amercian friends in the past and they don't know either.

[bowlinggreen]

Originally Posted by Greenman

Right thanks for those explanations but here is another which I am not sure was asked before but hey ho. Where did the term bus boy come from? Is it a corruption of 'buzz' to move quickly around tables. I've asked some Amercian friends in the past and they don't know either.

As far as I know the term comes from "bussing" tables, in the old days when diners were profligate in their eating and had multi-course meals there would be a large quantity of dishes left on the table when the diners departed.

So the busboy actually needed a cart, or "bus" (slang) to pick up all those dishes and take them back to the kitchen.

Nowadays a busboy usually comes by with a plastic handheld bin in which he dumps the used dishes and cutlery for transport back to the dishwasher, as there is not so much dining apparatus left on the table these days.

I suppose in high-end restaurants a cart might still be used, but seeing as how when it comes to eating out I am more of a McDonalds guy than a Four Seasons guy, I really wouldn't know.

[Greenman]

I've been to Las Vegas and stayed in The Mirage hotel with parents back in 2005 and seen food wastage like I have never seen before whilst 'underground ' there were people living on the breadline and I can believe that last statement so many thanks bowling green that sounds a very plausible answer.

[Roubignol]

Originally Posted by bowlinggreen

They were proxies fighting for elites who were... ready? Protecting their territory.

Or else elites who wanted to take someone else's territory.

It's interesting to see that you defend the fact that elites have sent to death millions of people to defend their illegitimate privileges for millenia, but in the same way you blame schizophreniac First Secretaries to have sent to death millions of people they considered to be dangerous ennemies against the nation.

Where is the border to consider both acts as crimes against humanity?

I'll quote here Brian:

Originally Posted by Brian249x

We don't need to reeducate the children. We just need to drive the selfish bastards out of town in a hail of rocks to die alone on the prairie like ancestors used to do,

[bowlinggreen]

Originally Posted by Greenman

I've been to Las Vegas and stayed in The Mirage hotel with parents back in 2005 and seen food wastage like I have never seen before whilst 'underground ' there were people living on the breadline and I can believe that last statement so many thanks bowling green that sounds a very plausible answer.

I read somewhere once that 40 percent of all the food in the US is wasted. From what I have seen, I believe it.

I am sometimes guilty of that myself, leaving stuff in the fridge until it expires because I don't feel like eating it and then chucking it.

Although my wastage pales in comparison to what rich people waste at their banquets. Shrimp, lobster, the best cuts of steak prepared in quantity at great expense and then a significant portion of it left uneaten and tossed into the swill at the end of the evening.

Conspicuous consumption and waste - always a statement of status and power, I guess.

I understand that our American servings of food are much larger than what Europeans are accustomed to receiving in restaurants as well.

If there is one thing America has always had, it's an abundance of food - perhaps an overabundance.

Originally Posted by xyzde69

It's interesting to see that you defend the fact that elites have sent to death millions of people to defend their illegitimate privileges for millenia, but in the same way you blame schizophreniac First Secretaries to have sent to death millions of people they considered to be dangerous ennemies against the nation.

Where is the border to consider both acts as crimes against humanity?

There is no border. the only difference is one faction is led by a noble or capitalist king and the other is led by a peasant king. You want the peasant king to be somehow more just and actually concerned with the welfare of his fellow peasants, but history has shown that more often then not, he isn't. In fact sometimes the peasant king is much worse than the noble king.

Stop defending evil that claims it is for the salvation of the masses.