re: one more addition to my offtopic tirade. . .
While I was living in Bremerhaven Germany, I was talking to a german friend and had mentioned that I needed to go to Cuxhaven a town about 30 minute train ride to the North. He asked me where I was going again. Cuxhaven I said. Where's that? I couldn't believe it, I thought he was pulling my leg but he wasn't. Finally after repeating the name of the town 5 times he said "Oh Cuxhaven". I swear he said it the same way I did except with a little more enphasis on the u.
Other times I would start talking to a german in german and they'd say "I don't speak English." I really don't think my german is that bad.
-Steve G.