DAILY DIRT: Taboos Americans should avoid when traveling in other countries

Be especially careful about crossing your fingers for good luck … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,081 of The Daily Dirt

1. In many areas of the world, Americans are considered rude by nature.

• Here are a few reasons why that you might want to avoid, just in case you are planning to travel abroad in the near future:
• Asking for condiments is a terrible thing to do in many European restaurants. It means you do not trust the talent of the chef who prepared your food.
• Casually asking “how are you” is considered an acceptable greeting in the U.S., but in many other countries it is meant as a serious question — and you should be prepared for a detailed response.
• Wearing shoes indoors is frowned up in most countries outside America. Households in Asia and Europe do not allow shoes to be worn inside, and hosts often provide slippers for guests.
• Not tipping at a restaurant in the U.S. is considered bad taste, but in some other countries it is looked upon as rude and unnecessary. Superior service is expected without such incentive and is calculated into the bill.
• Crossing your fingers in America is often done as a gesture when hoping for good luck, but in Vietnam, for example, the gesture refers to a female’s private parts.
• Asking someone about their job is considered part of normal conversation for Americans, but in many countries such behavior is looked at as rude. It is considered akin to asking how much money someone makes.
• Most Americans have no shame in eating in a public setting, such as walking down the sidewalk. In other countries it is considered as extremely impolite and downright weird. Many foreign countries prefer their citizens eating only inside restaurants and their own homes.
• Opening gifts in front of others is considered greedy and uncouth in many countries. In most foreign countries, you should wait until you are on your own to unwrap the present(s). It is not designed to be a shared social activity.
• Laughing loud and with your mouth open is fine in the U.S., but in some other countries, particularly Japan, it is considered extremely rude.

2. Did you know (Part 146)

That there are only two Waffle Houses in Illinois (Collinsville, Granite City), 38 in Missouri and none in Iowa. (PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Because Illinois is a Yankee state and Missouri … isn’t. JRG)

That the first new Butterfinger candy bar in about a decade is scheduled for release in the coming weeks. It’s the “salted caramel” Butterfinger.

That Hostess will soon be releasing its new “fritter rings” donettes. Also look for Oreo ice cream bites and Snapple Peach Tea/Lemonade.

That Chuck Norris can find hay in a needlestack.

That former WWE superstar Stone Cold Steve Austin had no problem in sharing some career highlights:

•  Who hit you hardest in the ring: “That’s easy, Booker T.”
•  What current wrestling star would you like to face: “Brock Lesnar.”
•  What former star do you wish you had had the opportunity face: “Superstar Billy Graham.”
•  Who was the funniest superstar you encountered: Mick Foley.

3. A tip of a Mountain Dew to this week’s celebrities who are a year older:

• Singer Tanya Tucker will be 66 on Thursday.
• Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre turns 55, also on Thursday.
• And another Thursday birthday will see former NASCAR driver and current TV analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr. will celebrating No. 50.
• Singer Paul Simon will be 83 on Sunday.
• Singer/actress Marie Osmond will be 65, also on Sunday.

Steve Thought O’ The Day — If a dinosaur and a human were to race, the human would be most likely to win — because dinosaurs are dead.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. He is an example of a living dinosaur.