A quick search of the forums shows that this has come up before over on this thread, but it didn't get very far and the thread had an HP topic.

Someone else just linked this to me though and I figured I'd share. This is a series of shorts compiled from a comedy show in Canada. Or at least that was my understanding, I'm not 100% sure.

Rick Mercer's Talking to Americans (Canadian TV)

Now in some cases here, Rick is leading them on a bit much. If some crazy Canadian guy is in your face, then one might say "Sure, congratulations on your crazy idea/thing" just in case it's real even though it seems like it can't be... to be polite, to help him out since he says he's after support for his idea/thing, and to get him to go away. They might know better but they're being nice. Same with getting them to stay stupid words like "Woodie." They might realize what they are saying is stupid/funny, but hey, it'd be rude to point that out yeah? Canada has a 20 hour clock? If you call BS on that I'm willing to bet Rick there would argue with you til you said something to make him stop.

On the other hand only a few of the shorts are like that, and on the whole this is frickin' hilarious. Even the ambiguous ones.

So, Point 1 of the post -- HUMORZ LAWL.

Point 2 -- I can understand all the desires of these people to act like they know what they're talking about when they don't. Is that an American thing? I had always assumed it was more universal. If not maybe it has something to do with our culture and people never wanting to be seen as uneducated or wrong... so you act like you know what you're talking about even if you don't? People would get a lot of crap for saying "Hey, I don't know where Edmonton is" to someone who makes it seem like they should, so we all learn early to pretend?

I don't know, but I'm curious about the psychology of this now.

Anyway, CONGRATULATIONS to Tim Horton, Prime Minister of Canada, on getting a double-double (which means that he has the support of both sides of Congress in Canada, clearly). Now if he can just get Canada to stop leaving their Senior Citizens out on ice floes to perish all will be will.