Back in 1983 when I first started driving a taxi in New York I made some quick observations, namely that passengers from France and Germany and Russian, and Spain too in general did not tip. Back in those days I was pretty ,ilitant about tips, I was in fact just plain pretty militant in my conduct as a taxi driver, once even chasing a fare beater while swinging a bicycle chain I illegally carried around my neck, I was younger, stronger and in things physical more self confident than I am now. ALso a whole lot stupider.
Anyhow I still believe that it's me personally who probably is the author of the word "Eurotrash" though I could be wrong and I could never prove it. I do know that the word popped into my head and out of my mouth without ever having heard it spoken by another.According to wikipedia a rich European calling himself Taki used to write a column in a New York weekly that was called "Eurotrash." I'd like to know if he had heard a taxi driver use the term, maybe towards himself.
Anyhow I still believe that it's me personally who probably is the author of the word "Eurotrash" though I could be wrong and I could never prove it. I do know that the word popped into my head and out of my mouth without ever having heard it spoken by another.According to wikipedia a rich European calling himself Taki used to write a column in a New York weekly that was called "Eurotrash." I'd like to know if he had heard a taxi driver use the term, maybe towards himself.
I also thought that it was a payback for the Ugly American that we were blessed with Eurotrash, the rich, non working part time residents who owned or rented New York apartments and commuted to and fro their homelands. They went to clubs alot, did drugs, had lots of sex with exotic New World partners and never ever tipped a taxi driver.
As far as know the Ugly American was the Yankee tourist with his almighty dollar, tipping the help and spoiling them, and being loud and garrish.
The Ugly American also was and is a reference to the arrogant belief in exceptionalism and manifest destiny that today makes many Americans think it's just fine that their government is busy spying on the personal lives of many citizens of other countries and keeping electronic files on them.
I thnk the next time the US Government or The New York Times starts to yammer about Chinese hacking into American computers and servers the complaint will be met with a yawn.
