>Reached for comment in Brussels, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Nicholas Burns said,
>"Qing wen, ren min gong yuan zai na li?"

"Would you please tell me where the People's Park is?".
> This one I even passed along to a group of my friends.  Thanks.... er...
> I mean, Danke.
>
> Carrol Cox wrote:
>
> >State Department Warns Americans Not To Act Like Americans
> >By R.O. Whatley (Washington, D.C.)
> >
> >In what is believed to be its strongest travel advisory ever, the U.S.
> >State Department warned Americans abroad not to act like Americans. The
> >advisory was issued simultaneously in Washington by State Department
> >spokesman Richard Boucher and in The Hague by a man who, in halting
> >Dutch, denied he was U.S. Ambassador Clifford Sobel.  Unlike previous
> >alerts, which have warned Americans to keep a low profile or avoid
> >certain destinations, the new advisory notes that it is now unwise to
> >come across as American at all.  As a result, the State Department
> >cautions U.S. citizens to avoid behavior that could cause them to be
> >singled out as obviously American.
> >
> >This includes:
> >- the wearing of white socks and tennis shoes.
> >- complaining if asked to share a bathroom.
> >- threatening to sue over bad service, television reception,
> >  or weather
> >
> >In addition, U.S. citizens attempting to speak a foreign language are
> >urged to curb their Americanisms.
> >
> >For example:
> >Correct  : Est-ce que vous l'avez aux autres couleurs?
> >Incorrect: Est-ce que vous, like, l'avez aux, like, autres
> >           couleurs?
> >
> >The advisory immediately created turmoil overseas, particularly for U.S.
> >military personnel, who pretended to
> >be French and were forced to surrender.
> >
> >In an apparent response to heightened fears of terrorist attacks by
> >Islamic militants, the U.S. embassies in
> >Islamabad, Jakarta, Manila, Kuwait City, Riyadh, Bangkok, Saana and
> >Jordan were all proudly displaying the red, white and blue flag of
> >France.
> >
> >The alert also caused confusion at home, as it seems to contradict the
> >U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which has warned Americans not to
> >act un-American.  In a press briefing this afternoon, White House
> >spokesman Ari Fleischer attempted to unravel the paradox.  "What we are
> >saying is, when you are in America, you need to behave like an American,
> >particularly if you are not American...or are Colin Powell.  But when
> >you are outside America, you should not behave like an American, unless
> >you are not American, in which case we urge you to act American.  Here I
> >refer specifically to the NATO representatives from Germany, France, and
> >Belgium."
> >
> >The advisory," Fleischer added, "applies to all Americans, including
> >President Bush.  When the President is traveling abroad, he will only
> >act American while aboard Air Force One or in the company of U.S.
> >media.  At all other times, he will attempt to come across as Kosovian
> >or Grecian."
> >
> >Reached for comment in Brussels, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Nicholas Burns
> >said, "Qing wen, ren min gong yuan zai na li?"
> >
> >
> >