i think it's just that we don't understand the significance of what "yank" really means because its not part of our history. I thought it was just a term for all Americans (and a quick wiki check says that most outside of the US call Americans Yanks informally). It reminds me of when a tv show here had people dressed in black-face doing a jackson5 skit and the uproar it created. The average aussie didn't understand the fuss, because they don't realise the sordid and painful history behind black-face in it's US origins. So please don't be offended by anything we chat about here, just enlighten us as you did, and we will all take it on board. And Welcome.