"William Sommerwerck" wrote in message
...
The user manual specifically states that the watch runs a bit fast
with
new cells, until their initially slightly high voltage "settles in" to
its
nominal value. Therefore, an Accutron will run fast with modern cells.

What a crap design then.

I repost this to point out that, in this context, there is nothing
remotely
humorous about "crap". No reasonable person would interpret it as
anything
but a slap.

Say that again when you understand English English, rather than American
English, William. As someone from the same country as the person who said
it, I can assure you that it *was* intended as humour. I understood it as
that. You, and the OP obviously didn't. I can understand him getting it
wrong, as I don't think I've seen him as a regular poster on here, so
maybe
doesn't understand the subtleties of transatlantic language exchanges,
but
you know better, as you've been involved in these conversations many many
times. In fact, come to think of it, on more than one occasion, you have
been the instigator of such interchanges, having said something that
others
have taken as offensive. Gareth has even posted to say that it was
intended
as humour, and to apologise if it was taken as anything other than that.
So
stop deliberately stirring the pot, will you ? The remark was *NOT*
intended
to be offensive to the OP, any more than mine along the same lines was.
Accept that, both of you, and get over it ...

Arfa, I think people too often take offense where none is intended. But if
you can't see that there is nothing even remotely suggesting humor or
irony
in the exchange... It is you who needs to understand us, not the other way
around.

Believe me, as someone who has been a wise-cracker all his life, and
sometimes gotten into trouble over it, I know whereof I speak.


Why can't you just accept that you are wrong ? You simply don't understand
the variety of humour that was in use here. When I come to America, I don't
pretend to be able to speak your variety of the language properly. I get by.
I hope I don't cause too much offense in things that I innocently say that
may be taken wrongly, and I try not to take any offense from anything said
back to me. A lot of the time, I don't understand what people are laughing
at in your comedy TV shows, and I'm sure that the same is true for you with
some of our 'comedy' offerings. So please don't try to pretend that you
fully understand everything about the way the language is spoken and used
here, whilst implying that we understand nothing about how you take offense.
Remember also, that we have been speaking this language for a lot longer
than you, so have had many hundreds of years more to develop strains of
humour that you might not understand. I'm sorry if this type of humour is
just too subtle for you - it certainly doesn't fall into the category of
"wisecracking" - but as I know you understand, when you haven't got your
'silly' head on, there is a huge difference between typical American
'straightforward' humour, and British humour, which often relies on
linguistic subtleties and double meanings.

I don't know how many more ways that I can say it to you. It *was* humour -
allbeit a variety that you seem unable to pick the bones out of. The comment
was *not* intended to be offensive no matter what you think, and would not
have been considered so by any British person.

Now please, whether you understand that or not, stop being a total prat,
climb down off your hobby horse, and just accept what I say.

Arfa