Random Thoughts Showing 7,351-7,400 of 17,689

[Lisa]

Nancy it's a common theme : dumbing it down to the lowest denominator. Combine that with the current generation of entitlement, and the future will certainly be interesting.

[Darcy]

Theoretically, Americans don't need a passport to come to Canada, they just need a special driver's license (unless they come by plane - then they need a passport, and that only in the past 10 years), but it's true that most are less well travelled than other nations.

[Jane]

Lisa wrote: "Nancy it's a common theme : dumbing it down to the lowest denominator. Combine that with the current generation of entitlement, and the future will certainly be interesting."

And the schools want to do away with teaching cursive writing because everyone has computers--now, come on, how foolish!!

[Andy]

Terri wrote: "I have been watching the news channels the last couple days to keep abreast of the Malaysia plane mystery.
A couple times the American news channels Fox News and CNN have made me giggle with their ..."

Yer comment jus reminded me of a brilliant sketch video from a few years ago that an Aussie film crew did in the good ol US of A about their geographical knowledge & perspective of the world ;) one in particular regarding North & South korea which in fact was a map of Aussie & Tasmania (S.Korea) & the FACT that the bigger neighbour Aussie was always picking on their smaller neighbour :) I shall find it if i can.

I DO actually know some "Yanks" in person, allbeit they are the minority 10% that do travel outside the US through my playing of sport - American football - but it always amazes me that when they first come to Europe how "scared" some of them actually are & im talkign about big fellahs too. We arranged trips for them to go to paris & they were like dont ALL the french HATE americans they thought they were goign to be lynched or summit & as for the piss-up trip to Dublin - it was like isn't it a WAR ZONE! :) we did rib them something cruel & Irony was lost on them for the first year but for the most as individuals a genuine group of people if a little green at first.

As for dumbing down, thats a universal thing id say - the UK is quite shocking in that respect.

[Andy]

Margaret wrote: "Terri wrote: "Margaret wrote: "I think half the problem is the fact that only 10% of the population of the USA has passports... this means a staggering 90% of Americans have never left their own co..."

Earls court = Little Anzac! :)

[Gretchen]

I am an American without a passport. It's not that I have never wanted to travel. I would love to spend time eating my body weight in carbs and drinking French or Italian wine after touring the English countryside but travel is a little out of my budget at this point. I have been to Canada. That's not really that impressive since I live in Minnesota and the only reason I went was because some places in Canada let you drink at 18 (I had way more fun than necessary in college). I plan on having a midlife crisis in the future involving my adult children and lots of travel. For now, as my children grow l, I plan on forcing them into family vacations such as Mount Rushmore and the Grand Canyon. I imagine at some point considering I have 3 daughters we will have to make a trip to Princess- I mean- Disney World.

[Jesse]

Well I'd have to say not just foxnews or cnn but all media outlets here have a biased from which they present and they realize that most of their viewers will never fact check the so they can get it wrong and no one cares/notices.
Secondly, I'm from the US but not a Yank. Southern rebel through and through from the south and whether some might choose to call us hicks, rednecks or country bumpkins...this redneck has his passport, has traveled to 20 countries and served as vocal accompaniment to a mass in St Peter's all before the age of 28.
That being said, most of my friends are British or Canadian. Derek is right about the gap between socio-economic classes and I pray Jane that the situation of schools without cursive and proper non-computer skills will never happen.

[Andy]

Gretchen wrote: "I am an American without a passport. It's not that I have never wanted to travel. I would love to spend time eating my body weight in carbs and drinking French or Italian wine after touring the Eng..."

Reading your post Gretchen & me thinking about it, the US actually does have everything catered for in terms of holiday resorts, sports & recreation that maybe many dont actually need let alone want to travel. Which is a shame really. meanwhile we in the UK dont even have the guarantee of the Sun :( lol so we have to spread our wings some.

Mind cost is defo a factor in the last 3-4 years but before that I found it very cheap & easy to be able to travel about, ok not in style but that was always part of the adventure & a ways of immersing yerself in others culture.

[Gretchen]

Andy wrote: "Gretchen wrote: "I am an American without a passport. It's not that I have never wanted to travel. I would love to spend time eating my body weight in carbs and drinking French or Italian wine afte..."

I never really thought about the amount of resorts etc. in the US until you brought it up Andy. I know people who only go on vacation to stay in resorts and be catered to. Personally I think it's kind of a wasted vacation if all you're going to do is stay in a hotel with an indoor pool. Of course I live in Minnesota where there's not exactly a shortage of outdoor water. I think another potential factor in lack of US travel (and this is just my opinion based on people I know) is people's fear of flying. I know quite a few people afraid of flying. I myself have only ever been on an airplane once. Any other trip we have taken cross country has been in an overcrowded vehicle. I know quite a few people who have flat out refused to fly anywhere after 9/11.

[Andy]

It's not only the resorts mind, it's like you have the great outdoors, Florida, the Rockies, Frisco, Conneticut, Cowboy country, the Disneys etc.... what do we have in comparison? Yes we have some sites & attractions in the UK but my thinking is the US has it ALL on tap from one end to the other & maybe that's why over a period of time you've become somewhat isolationists in terms of travel, n also the media I believe doesn't exactly portray us in the rest of the world too favourably & i'd include Hollywood in that too :0 Oh look it's Lethal Weapon XX - I wonder if it's our turn to be the baddies again OR the Germans OR the French OR xxxxx ;)

[Allison]

I'm an American with a passport! It's empty though :(
I was all gung-ho about traveling Europe and now my savings has to be used for paying bills while I look for a job. I will get there! I will!

[Andy]

Allie wrote: "I'm an American with a passport! It's empty though :(
I was all gung-ho about traveling Europe and now my savings has to be used for paying bills while I look for a job. I will get there! I will!"

I would invite yous..... but..... I have a long memory.... Sherlock parties ;)

[Gretchen]

Andy wrote: "It's not only the resorts mind, it's like you have the great outdoors, Florida, the Rockies, Frisco, Conneticut, Cowboy country, the Disneys etc.... what do we have in comparison? Yes we have some ..."

Or how you can trace U.S's stance on foreign affairs over time just by watching the James Bond movies from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig? Which is funny considering Bond is an MI-6 agent. I wonder, if with Obama's current stance on Russia, the next Bond movie is being re-written to include a Russian baddie. P.S. I absolutely LOVE James Bond. I'm trying to convince my husband he needs to read Flemming's work but he's one of those the movie is always better than the book type. Oh my.

[Jane]

Allie wrote: "I'm an American with a passport! It's empty though :(
I was all gung-ho about traveling Europe and now my savings has to be used for paying bills while I look for a job. I will get there! I will!"

I have an empty passport too, but I'm afraid of travelling abroad after 9/11--getting to where I might be going. Europe does have some fascinating places I'd love to see, but I'll be an armchair traveller for awhile.

[Allison]

Andy wrote: "Allie wrote: "I'm an American with a passport! It's empty though :(
I was all gung-ho about traveling Europe and now my savings has to be used for paying bills while I look for a job. I will get th..."

LOL! oh whatever Andy! :)

[Allison]

Jane wrote: "Allie wrote: "I'm an American with a passport! It's empty though :(
I was all gung-ho about traveling Europe and now my savings has to be used for paying bills while I look for a job. I will get th..."

I'm willing to risk it for time in Paris/London :)

[Andy]

Paris! Bit manky in reality :0

Now Rome, Milan, Venice OR Vienna is worth a looksee not to mention Prague, Riga, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Dublin, Athens, Oslo.... sorry am I namedropping :)

[Allison]

I'll visit them all if $$ allows! plus, I didn't want to type those all out lol. Paris/London is much shorter :)

[Dawn]

Paris is not manky, I don't know what you were doing there Andy......

[Dawn]

Honestly, you could spend a lifetime seeing everything there was to see in the US. I have and do spend quite a bit of time there, the overseas trips are fabulous but if you weren't into that I could see having enough to do without it.

[Dawn]

Andy wrote: "Now Rome, Milan, Venice OR Vienna is worth a looksee not to mention Prague, Riga, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Dublin, Athens, Oslo.... sorry am I namedropping :)"

And you should go to all these places....you can get to all of them in a couple hours!!

Would you be such a smartass if we said San Fran, LA, New York, DC, Dallas, Montreal, Vancouver...... :)

[Allison]

mmm Montreal. Must go there too. And Vancouver. Damn, this list is getting long :/

[Simona]

I've been in NY once, once at Cayman Island, a couple of times in the Arab Emirates, once in Turkey,never in Australia - :( - , and I travelled quite a bit in Europe.
I've never found a place that I didn't like, and there isn't a place I wouldn't like to visit. A girl can dream.

[Andy]

Dawn wrote: "Andy wrote: "Now Rome, Milan, Venice OR Vienna is worth a looksee not to mention Prague, Riga, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Dublin, Athens, Oslo.... sorry am I namedropping :)"

And you should go to all ..."

:) clue was in the name drop craic, some of my European trips over the years & yes I have been stateside too, allbeit jus along the east coast & buffalo. Also N Africa which is an experience but maybe not so these days after all the recent upheavals.

Going back over a coupla decades, travel wasn't as expensive as nowadays, especially if you dinny mind back-backing & Yoof Hostelling n all :) & if yer amiable enough you can always mingle with the locals & get shown arounfd the cheap joints too.

[Dawn]

Allie wrote: "mmm Montreal. Must go there too. And Vancouver. Damn, this list is getting long :/"

Hey, at least the Canadian cities aren't so far away!!

My sister and I have a list long enough to last us 15 years and that's with no repeats!! We're hoping to up the frequency to fit everything in sooner....

[Andy]

Dawn wrote: "Paris is not manky, I don't know what you were doing there Andy......"

Watching Rugby was the original purpose of the trip.... compared to other cities I jus thought it a tad overated, it's ok jus a bit manky is all - Ive also checked the definition of said manky too. ;)

[Dawn]

Simona wrote: "I've been in NY once, once at Cayman Island, a couple of times in the Arab Emirates, once in Turkey,never in Australia - :( - , and I travelled quite a bit in Europe.
I've never found a place that..."

And you live in one of the most visited countries.....lucky you!! Desperately wanna go back to Venice and Rome...
Australia is such a long way away from everywhere. I wanna go there too but I don't have the budget or time yet. :(

[Dawn]

Andy, you need to get out more. Just the East Coast?? So much more to see....I've managed to see your entire country, you know. ;)

[Andy]

Dawn wrote: "Andy, you need to get out more. Just the East Coast?? So much more to see....I've managed to see your entire country, you know. ;)"

LOL Touche! ;D

[Simona]

Dawn wrote: "Australia is such a long way away from everywhere. I wanna go there too but I don't have the budget or time yet. :( "

One day we will *puts a coin in the piggy bank*

[Dawn]

Andy wrote: "Dawn wrote: "Paris is not manky, I don't know what you were doing there Andy......"

Watching Rugby was the original purpose of the trip.... compared to other cities I jus thought it a tad overated..."

I loved Paris, it was beautiful and interesting. You saw the wrong parts of town obviously....you footballers are all the same! (imagine me saying this with amused sarcasm, I wouldn't want you to think I really mean it!)

[Dawn]

Simona wrote: "Dawn wrote: "Australia is such a long way away from everywhere. I wanna go there too but I don't have the budget or time yet. :( "

One day we will *puts a coin in the piggy bank*"

Yep, I have every intention........along with Russia, Scandinavia, Hong Kong, Iceland, Argentina......*sigh*...so many places, only so much vacation time!

[Andy]

As if Dawn :D I AM a Brit after all, amused sarcasm is all we Know & do!

City of love they say, must admit it was all a bit of a red wine haze after the 2nd half of the match! so guess my perceptions may be a tad tainted after all.

Am with you on Venice thou! beautiful city as is most of N.Italy (Lucky you Simona!!!!) :)

[Dawn]

Just had to make sure. I've learned that things in writing don't always come across like you intend, figured I was safe with you though. :)

[Allison]

Dawn wrote: "Allie wrote: "mmm Montreal. Must go there too. And Vancouver. Damn, this list is getting long :/"

Hey, at least the Canadian cities aren't so far away!!

My sister and I have a list long enough t..."

haha, nope. I can travel to Windsor in about 15 minutes.

[Darcy]

That makes you 2.25 hours away from me :D

[Dawn]

And 36 hours away from me! lol

We should have coffee....

[Allison]

Darcy wrote: "That makes you 2.25 hours away from me :D"

Where are you Darcy??

[Allison]

Dawn wrote: "And 36 hours away from me! lol

We should have coffee...."

Come to Windsor. We'll totally get coffee :D

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Gretchen wrote: "I am an American without a passport. It's not that I have never wanted to travel. I would love to spend time eating my body weight in carbs and drinking French or Italian wine after touring the Eng..."

I must admit, I don't agree with the theory that amount of passports reflects how well a country is at geography.
I agree that the abundance of passports in some countries does reflect an awareness of the big wild world and a want to go out there, even if they cannot afford it.

The US is a large country with plenty of variations in landscape and history. I don't think you guys need to travel anywhere but the US. You couldn't see everything you want to see in your own country in a lifetime.
I think people should stay at home and investigate their own country before they go traipsing off to investigate others. :)
That bit to Gretchen and others Americans who have chatted about their passport situation...

This next to the general conversation...:)

I have only been out of Australia once. So my knowledge of geography certainly doesn't come from world travel. It originally came from having to do geography through highschool. It was compulsory. You had to do it.
IN Primary school. (Before highschool). Geography was also part of the curriculum and I remember learning about other countries from a very young age.
Then after school to now, my knowledge of other countries comes from an interest in learning about other countries.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Jesse wrote: "Well I'd have to say not just foxnews or cnn but all media outlets here have a biased from which they present and they realize that most of their viewers will never fact check the so they can get i..."

Oh you're a yank. You are all yanks to the outside world irrespective of where in the US you come from. It doesn't mean we think you are all Yankees and fought for that team. It is just the nickname the world has given to all Americans. :)

[Allison]

You're no fun Terri :P

I don't want to visit anywhere in the U.S. I've seen enough of it. Other than Chicago for the shopping and Seattle because I want to move there, no thank you to the rest. Although L.A wouldn't be bad if I did all those old Hollywood tours. And Grumman's Chinese Theater of course :)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Gretchen wrote: "I know quite a few people who have flat out refused to fly anywhere after 9/11. .."

This is completely understandable. I can't even begin to imagine the scars that event left on your country and especially on New York state. You have to admire those in New York for managing to get back to life. They must be mentally tough.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

But what about all those awesome National Parks of yours, Allie? :)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Andy wrote: "Paris! Bit manky in reality :0

Now Rome, Milan, Venice OR Vienna is worth a looksee not to mention Prague, Riga, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Dublin, Athens, Oslo.... sorry am I namedropping :)"

You are showing off, is what you are doing. You poms are so lucky that all that is right on your doorstep. You can get there in no time at all. :)

Us poor Aussies are quite isolated. We can't just duck out to France on a Saturday morning to buy some cheese and be home that afternoon. lol

[Allison]

Nahhhh...I'm not a nature kind of girl. If they had a supersized shopping mall inside those parks, I might consider it lol.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

ahhh, I see. National Parks were factored into my 'you could not see all of the US in your lifetime' comment. :D

I am a nature girl.

[Darcy]

Allie wrote: "Darcy wrote: "That makes you 2.25 hours away from me :D"

Where are you Darcy??"

I'm in London

[Allison]

Terri wrote: "ahhh, I see. National Parks were factored into my 'you could not see all of the US in your lifetime' comment. :D

I am a nature girl."

Well, I would hope so! Owning a farm and all :)

[Allison]

Darcy wrote: "Allie wrote: "Darcy wrote: "That makes you 2.25 hours away from me :D"

Where are you Darcy??"

I'm in London"

Oh nice. Passed thru there many times on the train to Toronto.