50 Reasons To Love America
	found on: Guardian written by chatsubo, edited by Humberto (Plastic) [ read unedited ] posted Tue 11 Jun 11:28am
		chatsubo writes "The Guardian has long been seen as the bastion of 'sneering European Anti-Americanism', so in a possible attempt to redress the balance, British born, American based journalist, Matthew Engle, has compiled as list of 50 reasons why he loves America. Some of the highlights include: 9. A thoroughly creditable reluctance to have spy cameras everywhere. 19. Ice - the Americans' birthright. 39. Public libraries that are usually open. 42. The First Amendment." Engle isn't the only Guardian writer to love America, there's an older list on the same theme.

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1.  I liked this list...   by rombuu       at Tue 11 Jun 11:43am score of 3 funny     I'm sure this will turn into a bash the US, this guy is so naive, can't he see Furher Bush is taking away all of our rights thread, but still, some of these were entertaining... 5. The weather: amazing, decisive, thrilling. At every season there are crystalline days of cloudless perfection. Of course, saying your weather is better than England's is like being the leper with the most fingers. 10. Baseball. He misspelled "football". And not that pansy European football, whatever the hell it is. The God's gift to Monday Night kind of Football. 12. Cities that don't have the life sucked out of them by an over-dominant capital. Chicago is exhilaratingly beautiful. Birmingham and Manchester ain't. You can say lots of things about DC, but over-dominant definitely isn't one of 'em. We have NY and LA for that. 13. The petrol pumps take credit cards and give receipts, so you can avoid what is usually one of the day's least satisfying pieces of human interaction. They don't have those everywhere? Savages... (Its odd though.. I always thought that gas stations made most of their profit from soda and cigarettes -- seems strange they would install things to keep you out of the station and away from the high profit stuff.) 19. Ice - the Americans' birthright. Fucking A-Men. Last time I was in England I wondered how many people I had to kill to get a damn piece of ice. Why do they insist on rationing it over there? 27. Much-derided Amtrak, whose trains allow for the possibility that passengers have legs. I knew British Rail was bad... but I had no idea... 29. Or go and glimpse the Mississippi. More exciting than the Thames, yes? Er, no. 40. Clean streets I thought London was the cleanest big city I'd ever seen last time I was there. http://drlunch.com The site that helps you decide where to go to lunch!   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

38.  Re: I liked this list...   by jgotts       at Tue 11 Jun 12:56pm score of 1.5 informative   in reply to comment 1     I do a lot of traveling by car and, believe it or not, "pay at the pump" is not universal. In heavily populated areas I've seen gas stations replace their pumps every few years but in many rural areas I see pumps that appear to date back to the days when they still sold gas with lead.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   89.  Re: I liked this list...   by tevenson       at Tue 11 Jun 3:27pm score of 1   in reply to comment 38     I do a lot of traveling by car and, believe it or not, "pay at the pump" is not universal. In heavily populated areas I've seen gas stations replace their pumps every few years but in many rural areas I see pumps that appear to date back to the days when they still sold gas with lead. Unfortunately, these are generally the same places where the required interaction with the "attendant" is least enjoyable.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   88.  Amtrak v National (ex British) Rail   by sulli       at Tue 11 Jun 3:27pm score of 1   in reply to comment 1     The guy lived in DC, so he presumably got to experience some of the best Amtrak has to offer (Acela Express). I suspect he would have a different opinion after trying to get a "day return" to Harpers Ferry (say). Once you get off the heavily travelled corridors the service is terribly infrequent. He's right that legroom is better on Amtrak. It's downright luxurious compared to the Thames Turbo (ex Network SouthEast) train I took from London to Oxford a year or so ago. Better snack bars, too. But travel time is much slower here, even on some sections of the NE corridor - and except on that corridor and a couple others, we have a nationally imposed 79 mph speed limit which is pathetic next to the fast intercity services they have there. Both Amtrak and Railtrack (the British track owner/maintainer) have experienced bad accidents recently - there the impact is much, much worse, though. The Auto Train crash probably inconvenienced a couple thousand people, while the big Paddington crash a few years ago inconvenienced hundreds of thousands. It's just a very different level of service. Tout abus sera puni   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   143.  Re: Amtrak v National (ex British) Rail   by Adipic Acid       at Wed 12 Jun 6:57am score of 1   in reply to comment 88     Actually, I felt that he must have never been on Acela Express, since he was singing the praises of the legroom on Amtrak trains. Don't take Acela if you're over 6', take the Metroliner. It'll take longer, but you'll be able to walk afterward. Of course, there is the possibility that British Rail is even more cramped, if so I feel for tall Englishpeople. On the note of safety, a friend who has been involved in both European and US rail design explained the situation to me like this: Europe designs their systems for speed, so they focus on light cars and then try to design the system so that crashes don't happen in the first place. Americans are willing to accept slower trains, so we can afford to build our railcars like tanks. Both are valid design practices, but it does explain why European accidents tend to have higher casualties. he did claim that the accident/passenger mile on the European systems was much lower than the US ones. No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Churchill   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   151.  Re: Amtrak v National (ex British) Rail   by sulli       at Wed 12 Jun 8:38am score of 1   in reply to comment 143     True enough, Metroliner (and Regional service) offer better legroom than Express, but both are much better than either the plane or British regional trains. For max legroom and views, though, you can't beat a Superliner coach (e.g. Coast Starlight) - if you're not in a hurry. Tout abus sera puni   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   140.  Re: I liked this list...   by OSULugan       at Wed 12 Jun 6:26am score of 1   in reply to comment 1     You can say lots of things about DC, but over-dominant definitely isn't one of 'em. We have NY and LA for that. I think he meant that many of our larger cities (like Chicago, LA, NYC) don't have the burden of carrying neither the nation's nor the state's capitals in them, thus freeing them from the "overbearing capital." (Its odd though.. I always thought that gas stations made most of their profit from soda and cigarettes -- seems strange they would install things to keep you out of the station and away from the high profit stuff.) Easy, they've moved the high profit stuff out to the pump... that being, the gas. And you thought it was just our Arab friends inflating gas prices... And God says, "No, that's not right." Yeah. Well. Whatever. You can't teach God anything.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   146.  Re: I liked this list...   by ratkins       at Wed 12 Jun 7:55am score of 1   in reply to comment 1     40. Clean streets I thought London was the cleanest big city I'd ever seen last time I was there. You've got to be freakin' joking, haven't you? London is FILTHY. London is so famously filthy they have a name for the black crap you blow out of your nose after you've been there for a day ("Tube gunk").   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   147.  London Clean?   by mertamet       at Wed 12 Jun 7:58am score of 1   in reply to comment 1     40. Clean streets   I thought London was the cleanest big city I'd ever seen last time I was there. I had the exact opposite impression of London. I thought that it was dirty and the trucks made the whole atmosphere unbearable. But then I was staying out near Earl's Court. Is it Hipster Doofuses or Hipster Doofi?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

2.  Mixed bag...   by PerryStroika       at Tue 11 Jun 11:47am score of 1.5 astute     some good reasons, some lousy ones... 1)"1. Race. It's been a 140-year journey and the US has not arrived yet. But Europe is way behind in its commitment to racial diversity and equality. A black cabinet minister in Britain? So what? Two of the five most important leaders here are black (Powell and Rice), and no one comments." Okay, America is more diverse than Europe, but Powell is a lame duck who is routinely ignored. And who is this Rice person again? 2) "Senators and congressmen are not lobby-fodder. Lobbyist- fodder, maybe, but they play a crucial role in the national debate." Lobbyist fodder as opposed to lobby fodder? What's the difference? How is that preferable? Besides that, how does he know legislators think around here? In the UK the government officials get together and vigorouslly debate each other on TV. YOu have to be agile and think on your feet in that kind of situation. In America (and just watch C-Span if you don't believe me) legislators wheel and deal in backrooms and spend their time on the actual floor reading recipes and ghostwritten speeches into the Congressional record. You can argue aabout which system works better, but in terms of excitment, I'll take the UK parliamentary system any day. 3) "Invincible green suburbs." Ick. That's all I have to say. Just ick. 5) "The weather: amazing, decisive, thrilling. At every season there are crystalline days of cloudless perfection." Stupid Brit. America is a huge country. The weather in Arizona has nothing to do with the weather in New York, or in Chicago or in Maine. It's all different. There is no American weather. 36) "Old-fashioned diners." I love diners, because they're always open just in case insomniacs like me decide they suddenly want a burger at 2:00 in the morning. Still, there's great uneveness in the quality. Some diners are good, others are horrible. Then again, I remember the restaurants in the UK from my short stay, and it seems to me that a Brit eating at the shittiest greasy spoon dive in America would think he was eating nectar and ambrosia. 48) "Michael Jordan." I'm a Knicks fan, with some affection for the Nets as well, so he can kiss my ass. Mouthpiece   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

10.  Re: Mixed bag...   by SimpsonsQuoteBot       at Tue 11 Jun 12:02pm score of 1.5 astute   in reply to comment 2     Stupid Brit. America is a huge country. The weather in Arizona has nothing to do with the weather in New York, or in Chicago or in Maine. It's all different. There is no American weather. Ah yes, but that's the point, there is "British" weather. American weather is as diverse any any other in the world, British weather is, um, grey when I was there. WWD4D?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   104.  Re: Mixed bag...   by Ayn Marx       at Tue 11 Jun 4:25pm score of 2 funny   in reply to comment 10     5) "The weather: amazing, decisive, thrilling. At every season there are crystalline days of cloudless perfection." Stupid Brit. America is a huge country. The weather in Arizona has nothing to do with the weather in New York, or in Chicago or in Maine. It's all different. There is no American weather. Still, Arizona does really have "crystalline days of cloudless perfection." *Every* freakin' season. *Every* freakin' day. Amazing, decisive, HOT. Today it was around 106 F. By the end of the week, 108. Next time I see a cloud, I'm taking a picture. Mde_de_ondragon? WTF?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   23.  Rice...   by PerryStroika       at Tue 11 Jun 12:21pm score of 1   in reply to comment 2     "And who is this Rice person again?" Condeleeza Rice he's talking about. I just realized. Mouthpiece   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   32.  Re: Rice...   by JET24       at Tue 11 Jun 12:44pm score of 1   in reply to comment 23     Perry - if you hadn't said anything, I (like most of the readers) would have given you the benefit of the doubt and assumed you were making light of the fact that she's not an overly-visible part of the administration... Religion don't mean a thing; it's just another way to be right. - Spoon   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   39.  Re: Rice...   by PerryStroika       at Tue 11 Jun 12:56pm score of 1   in reply to comment 32     "Perry - if you hadn't said anything, I (like most of the readers) would have given you the benefit of the doubt and assumed you were making light of the fact that she's not an overly-visible part of the administration..." My temporary inability to place her comments on her visibility within the administration just as effectively, either that or my forgetfulness... Mouthpiece   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   63.  Re: Mixed bag...   by Anonymous Idiot       at Tue 11 Jun 2:14pm score of 1 interesting   in reply to comment 2     And who is this Rice person again? That would be Condoleeza Rice, the most powerful woman in the world. She is the President's go-to guy, as it were. He trusts her completely, and asks for (and listens to) her opinion. Condi Rice is significantly more "black" than Powell, as Powell is of Caribbean ancestry, and Rice is of American slave stock. It is rumored that she narrowly missed being one of the girls killed in that famous church bombing. She plays piano beautifully, and would like to be NFL comissioner someday. When the shit hits the fan, the President says "Get me Condi!". With any luck, she will be President herself someday.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   130.  Re: Mixed bag...   by dirty beatnik       at Wed 12 Jun 2:23am score of 1   in reply to comment 63     as a politics and international relations student i must admit i have plagarised...i mean researched from many of rice's articles on the USSR and my lecturers have found them to be of a high distinction standard...unfortunately like the us in general as of late she seems to be losing the plot   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   134.  Re: Mixed bag...   by zaydoun       at Wed 12 Jun 3:29am score of 1   in reply to comment 63     She did indeed miss being killed in that church and even wrote about it recently, though I can't remember where.. Ziad http://kuwait-unplugged.com   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   100.  Re: Condi Rice you F*%#ing Idiot   by viscount9       at Tue 11 Jun 4:06pm score of 1   in reply to comment 2     Sure, you may not know her But she is the NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR Who would of thought in the 50s that a BLACK WOMEN would become one of the most important people in the American Government with the ear of the President and help shaping Foreign Policy. Let's see France put an Algerian in some high-government post for foreign policy. Kittens are made of meat. I like meat. Ergo, I like kittens.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   106.  Re: Condi Rice you F*%#ing Idiot   by PerryStroika       at Tue 11 Jun 4:33pm score of 1   in reply to comment 100     Look, the article only referred to her as "Ms. Rice". "Ms. Rice", like I'm supposed to automatically realize who he's talking about. If he had just said Condeleeza Rice, that would have made it perfectly clear. I don't consider her such a household name that you can vaguely refer to a "Ms. Rice" that is in politics and assume that everyone knows who you're tlaking about. Besides that, I realized who he meant not 10 minutes after I wrote the post, if you just observe my other post that was a reply to the original one. I'm quite familiar with her work. She was a former board member of Chevron. She was going to have a friggin' Oil Tanker named after her. That's who Condoleeza Rice is. Anyway, I must say I'm rather bewildered at your incredibly hostile reaction. I ask a perfectly honest question, and I get called a "Fucking Moron" (that's right, you can type the actual word here; we're not AOL after all). Is that Ms. Rice in disguise, perhaps? Well, whatever. Anyway, I've moved far beyond drooling like a Pavlov Dog about "the doors that such and such a person is opening" every time a person of minority background gets a high placed government post. We've had two black Supreme Court justices, black Senators, black Governors, Cabinet members, mayors...etc. At this point, such tokenism no longer means anything to me. Mouthpiece   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   125.  Re: Condi Rice you F*%#ing Idiot   by malvoisin       at Tue 11 Jun 10:18pm score of 1   in reply to comment 106     At this point, such tokenism no longer means anything to me. i wouldn't really call it tokenism here, although certainly it it exists, and we -clearly- don't have everything worked out, and i really can't speak for england. i have, however, observed more of the behavior that you'd expect from the less sophisticated denizens of mississippi in continental europe than i have seen in, well, mississippi.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

3.  10 more reasons...   by David Flores       at Tue 11 Jun 11:50am score of 2 funny     1. Jesse Jackson 2. Noam Chomsky 3. Title 9 4. Roe v. Wade 5. Bill Clinton 6. The Endangered Species Act 7. Jazz 8. Central Park 9. The Catalytic Converter 10. The internet/Plastic Just to piss of a few conservatives... GAFB and GAFB2   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

15.  Re: 10 more reasons...   by gordon shumway       at Tue 11 Jun 12:10pm score of 3 witty   in reply to comment 3     How does jazz, central park, or the internet piss off conservatives? Personally I've always been more amused by figures 1,2, and 5 than angered, but then I drink a lot, so I'm usually in a cheery mood. Since you brought it up, I will add two reasons I love America that will piss of a few liberals: 1. Guns! And lots of them! Pow! 2. One word: Rumsfeld.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   81.  ohh a better one.   by sideshow       at Tue 11 Jun 3:14pm score of 1   in reply to comment 15     Ashcroft. Hollow words will burn and hollow men will burn.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   95.  Re: ohh a better one.   by JET24       at Tue 11 Jun 3:39pm score of 1   in reply to comment 81     Smart Liberal and Conservatives alike despise Ashcroft for the potential loss of different civil rights - I have several conservative friends that are quite concerned that Ashcroft is going to take their guns away from them if he has the chance to call it terrorism... Religion don't mean a thing; it's just another way to be right. - Spoon   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   50.  Jesse Jackson?   by rkanodia       at Tue 11 Jun 1:27pm score of 2 brilliant   in reply to comment 3     I always thought of him as someone to piss off liberals. Every time a liberal says "Conservatives don't understand the separation of church and state" or "Conservatives are hypocrites when it comes to family values" then a conservative will point at Jesse Jackson and the whole argument is shot to hell.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   139.  Re: Jesse Jackson?   by David Flores       at Wed 12 Jun 6:22am score of 1   in reply to comment 50     1.- How does Jesse Jackson work to undermine the separation of church and state? Has he worked to have Creationism taught in the Biology classroom? Has he pushed to have public schools begin their day with a prayer? Has he pushed to have America officially declared a "Christian nation"? Just because the man's a preacher doesn't mean his public persona undermines the separation of church and state. 2.- I have never heard Jesse Jackson promoting that vicious nonsense that conservatives denominate "family values." I have never heard Jesse Jackson lambasting gays who seek to marry for "undermining the institution of marriage" while simultaneously undermining his own marriage with outside dalliances. I've never seen Jesse Jackson spend 40 million dollars to investigate a political opponent's sex life, while simultaneously boinking his secretary on the side. I've never heard Jesse Jackson attack Roe V. Wade while writing out checks to pay for his own wife's abortions. But top Republican leaders do all of these things. GAFB and GAFB2   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   157.  Re: Jesse Jackson?   by rkanodia       at Wed 12 Jun 1:22pm score of 1   in reply to comment 139     You're right that a preacher's religious life doesn't necessarily interfere with his political life. And Jesse might be a little more down-to-earth than say Jerry Falwell, but I've heard him talking God this and the Lord that at stump speeches enough times to turn me off of him. No, Jesse Jackson hasn't spent 40 million dollars investigating anyone else's sex life, but someone sure was investigating his. Or maybe you forgot that he fathered a child out of wedlock? Odd coming from a man who has blasted top Republican leaders for divorcing their wives and soforth. (Not that Newt didn't deserve it, he went to his wife in the hospital with CANCER for chrissakes to tell her he wanted a divorce etc etc)   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   127.  wow!   by malvoisin       at Tue 11 Jun 10:26pm score of 1   in reply to comment 3     outside of linguistics, i didn't know that people still mentioned noam chomsky without irony.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

4.  Why I love America, by jbou   by jbou       at Tue 11 Jun 11:50am score of 3 brilliant     I love America for one big ass reason, FREEDOM TO BITCH AND MOAN AS LOUD AS I WANT WHEN SHIT DOESN'T GO THE WAY I THINK IT SHOULD GO WHILE HANGING OUT AT THE ALL NIGHT 7 ELEVEN WITH THE OTHER IDIOTS WHO CAN'T SLEEP, AND DRINK COFFEE ALL NIGHT, AND BOTHER THE POOR GUY FROM EGYPT WHO CAME HERE TO BE AN ENGINEER, AND IS STUDYING FOR HIS TRIG EXAM HE HAS IN THE MORNING, WHILE RINGING UP THE ORDERS OF THE DRUNKS COMING FROM THE BAR, AND THE BURNOUTS WITH THE MAD MUNCHIES. How can you not love a country that has human theatre like that. Arguments have no chance against petrified training; they wear it as little as the waves wear a cliff.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

76.  Re: Why I love America, by jbou   by Linux Ate My Dog!       at Tue 11 Jun 3:00pm score of 2 brilliant   in reply to comment 4     You can get that in Amsterdam, Paris, London, Berlin. Probably even in English. "He's old school." -- byrne   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

5.  A few differences   by Pax       at Tue 11 Jun 11:51am score of 1     Sounds like most of the author's experience of the US is in Washington, DC and it's environs. How sad. 25. The matzo ball soup at Wagshal's Deli, the pizza at Ledo's, and (as my brother would wish me to mention) the chocolate pretzels from Trader Joe's. The pizza at Ledo's sucks. That's not his fault, though... all the pizza in Washington sucks. I had to move back to Jersey just to get decent pizza. 33. And Potomac Video, which has loads of films up to 70 years late And porn, too! 37. Defibrillators in public places. I have yet to see this, and the very idea scares me. Evil, pure and simple, from the eighth dimension   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

16.  Re: A few differences   by elforman       at Tue 11 Jun 12:12pm score of 1   in reply to comment 5     I agree with you on the pizza. And as anyone in the western part of the country that's served by Trader Joe's there is no better place for specialty food at spectacular prices. If only they would stay open 24/7 so I could go there when there aren't a hundred people in the space-saving but annoying checkout lines that require you to back out of the line after you've paid.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   26.  Re: A few differences   by maml       at Tue 11 Jun 12:23pm score of 1   in reply to comment 16     Hey, we've got Trader Joe's in Boston too. With the annoying checkout lines too. A friend of mine just moved back from 'Frisco and he likes to go there and hang out to feel like he's on the West Coast again. I've blocked AI. I'm happier now.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   158.  Re: A few differences   by hurls       at Wed 12 Jun 2:26pm score of 1   in reply to comment 16     Well pizza pretty much sucks anywhere outside the NY city corridor, though I've finally taken to california woodfired pizza after years of trying for something reminiscent of home. And MY Trader Joes has "go through" checkout lines now ...though they are still tiny and crowded...   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   53.  Trader Joes is Everywhere   by Philosawyer       at Tue 11 Jun 1:42pm score of 1   in reply to comment 26     Trader Joes is also in the DC area not just in the West (none in DC as far as I know but 5 in Maryland and 5 in Virginia of which most if not all are in the DC metro area) You can even find them in Ohio a www.traderjoes.com link Sorry to burst you bubble, but appearing to be exclusive is part of their marketing strategy and less so the reality. They are authentically expensive, however. The marketing division of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation defines a robot as "Your plastic pal who's fun to be with."   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   56.  Re: Trader Joes is Everywhere   by maml       at Tue 11 Jun 1:56pm score of 1   in reply to comment 53     Well, they aren't always expensive. It depends on the item. They definitely have the cheapest Mango Salsa around. But if I want bread, vegetable, eggs, etc..., there are a lot of cheaper options. I've blocked AI. I'm happier now.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   77.  Re: Trader Joes is Everywhere   by MikeD       at Tue 11 Jun 3:02pm score of 1   in reply to comment 56     The basics are not necessarily expensive. I buy my cereal from them. $1.99 for a box of Muesli. Kellogg's runs around $4-something. The only difference--K's has cinnamon (and unless it's "magic" cinnamon, it's not worth $2). -MKD   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   33.  Re: A few differences   by Courier       at Tue 11 Jun 12:46pm score of 1.5 nuanced   in reply to comment 5     The pizza at Ledo's sucks. That's not his fault, though... all the pizza in Washington sucks. I had to move back to Jersey just to get decent pizza. And he had to move to DC to get pizza that sucked. To characterize British pizza as sucking would be libel against sucky things -- it is not merely bad but miserable, not merely miserable but execrable. The writer's problem is that before DC he had never had pizza that rose to the comparatively glorious height that is mere American suckiness. --G This world must be destroyed.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   128.  Re: A few differences   by Anonymous Idiot       at Tue 11 Jun 11:16pm score of 0.5 succinct   in reply to comment 33     dude they put corn on their pizza. CORN.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   47.  You can have good pizza in DC ...   by panpan23       at Tue 11 Jun 1:16pm score of 1   in reply to comment 5     ... you just have to know where to go. Ah, in general the pizza sucks, but anyone from the NY Tri-state area is going to think pizza sucks everywhere else in the world. And I should know ... I'm from LI. That being said, try Tutto Italiano in Arlington (S. 23rd street in Crystal City) and The Italian Store off Lee Highway in Arlington. Best pizza in the area. Way better than that sauce on cardboard at Ledo. Now, I haven't been able to find a quality Chinese place in the DC area. And btw, yes ... God BLESS Potomac video!!! I TOLD YOU NO WIRE HANGERS, EVER!!!   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   82.  Re: You can have good pizza in DC ...   by Pax       at Tue 11 Jun 3:14pm score of 1   in reply to comment 47     Oh man, the Italian Store... I used to go there for lunch once a week. The only reason I didn't go more often was because I didn't feel that it was right for mere mortals to get that close to heaven more than once a week. I'm drooling like a waterfall thinking of the proscuitto.... Take-out Chinese or dine-in Chinese? Evil, pure and simple, from the eighth dimension   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   93.  Re: You can have good pizza in DC ...   by ibuck       at Tue 11 Jun 3:37pm score of 1   in reply to comment 47     Damn, I forgot about The Italian Store...that IS some damn fine pizza (subs aren't too shabby, either). I still must disagree with all the Potomac Video hosannas...Video Americain is the place to be.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   121.  Re: You can have good pizza in DC ...   by Hound       at Tue 11 Jun 6:43pm score of 1   in reply to comment 47     Now, I haven't been able to find a quality Chinese place in the DC area. Hunan Palace on Shady Grove Rd., in Gaithersbug is pretty good. And there's a place in Wheaton, walking distance from the Wheaton Metro Stop that is also very nice (I can't remember the name, I'm afraid...). Hound   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   138.  Re: You can have good pizza in DC ...   by panpan23       at Wed 12 Jun 6:05am score of 1   in reply to comment 93     There's a Video Americain in the DC area? I always thought that was a Baltimore thing (I went to Loyola college and lived about a block away from the Video Americain where "Serial Mom" was filmed). I TOLD YOU NO WIRE HANGERS, EVER!!!   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   148.  Re: You can have good pizza in DC ...   by ibuck       at Wed 12 Jun 8:04am score of 1   in reply to comment 138     Yeah, it's over on 18th Street in Adams Morgan, near the corner of Wyoming Ave. (A block north of California, two blocks north of Florida). Right across from the tennis courts in a basement space. Well worth checking out. There's one up in Takoma Park, which is bigger, but not necessarily better (caters to the more family oriented crowd up in T.P.).   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   90.  Re: A few differences   by ibuck       at Tue 11 Jun 3:34pm score of 1   in reply to comment 5     all the pizza in Washington sucks. Bite your tongue. I've got just 5 words for you: Jumbo slice. Adams Morgan. 2am. 33. And Potomac Video, which has loads of films up to 70 years late And porn, too! See my post #84.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   101.  Re: A few differences   by nuckferr       at Tue 11 Jun 4:07pm score of 1   in reply to comment 5     all the pizza in Washington sucks. I had to move back to Jersey just to get decent pizza. I hear this all the time and it pisses me off. I hate the New York/New Jersey pizza snobs.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   107.  Re: A few differences   by Anonymous Idiot       at Tue 11 Jun 4:36pm score of 1 funny   in reply to comment 101     Hey, give them a break - it's the only thing people from New Jersey have to be proud of.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   160.  Re: A few differences   by Teaflax       at Wed 12 Jun 7:55pm score of 1   in reply to comment 101     There isn't an american pizza made that comes close to the true glory of pizza (wait for it): Swedish Pizza. Unlike any other thin-crust pizza in the world, and surprisingly homogenous across this California-sized nation where the pizza parlor owners all seem to come from various parts of the levantine and near-east. During my 3 years in DC (there's a Video Americain near Dupont Circle too - that's the one that has the Prisoner episodes), I may have missed many swedish foods, from christmas time saffron buns to herring, caviar in a tube and lingonberries. All those can be purchased and/or made in your own kitchen, though. Not so the Swedish Pizza. It's one of the few reasons I enjoy being back in Stockholm right now. But I miss KFC. "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

6.  some stuff left out   by skeletor       at Tue 11 Jun 11:52am score of 2 funny     He didn't mention my favorite, which is the honorable tradition of Refillable Soda. Every time I go out of the country and get homesick, the first thing I do when I get back is go to some fast food place, order a small soda for $0.90 and drink soda for a half an hour. I also like this: 21. Oregon pinot noir (forget California - the north-west is the place for wine). So this guy notices Oregon! Nobody in America seems to realize it exists (and that it is the greatest place on Earth -- except for that 9 months of rain a year thing). The world, at this point, needs a straightforward tune and a good backbeat.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

24.  Re: some stuff left out   by coil       at Tue 11 Jun 12:22pm score of 1   in reply to comment 6     Oregon itself is great, but I have to disagree on the wine. The climate in Oregon(and nearly all the PNW) is just too cool and wet. The wine is good, but Chaparral/Mediterranean still produces the best wine. (When in Spokane, I drink as much of that local "Oly" wine as possible, however.) Do you really feel ignored? Hrmm... here in Minnesota, everyone I know likes/visits/longs for the pacific northwest. I have family out in Washington, and try to get there as often as possible, especially in the winter. Try living in Nebraska if you want to feel ignored. "This is the real world, muchachos. And you are in it." -B.Traven   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   78.  Re: some stuff left out   by RedX       at Tue 11 Jun 3:04pm score of 1   in reply to comment 24     Do you really feel ignored? Hrmm... here in Minnesota, everyone I know likes/visits/longs for the pacific northwest. I have family out in Washington, and try to get there as often as possible, especially in the winter. Interesting comment. The few times I've been to the Northwest, I've had to travel through Minnesota to get there since Minneapolis is a Northwest Airlines hub. Perhaps there's some correlation between the Northwest being a popular destination amongst Minnesotans and the availability of direct flights (and I presume that they're cheaper too) to the Northwest from Minnesot?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   94.  Re: some stuff left out   by mrjeff3000       at Tue 11 Jun 3:38pm score of 1   in reply to comment 78     Back in the day, Minnesota was the Northwest.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   165.  well, still is   by coil       at Thu 13 Jun 7:38am score of 1   in reply to comment 94     Sort of. When the Mississippi river was the US frontier, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan made up the NW. Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas made the SW, and the states sandwiched in between were the Middle West. The country expanded, pretty much obsoleting the geographicaly relative place names. Modifiers were added to the new territories ("Pacific" Northwest, "Desert" Southwest) but the passage of time clouded the memories of the old names. The "Northwest" name still lingers in Minnesota, though. In business names (like Northwest Airlines)and in slogans for older businesses, etc. For some reason that confuses the hell out of me, Minnesota is now considered Midwest. "This is the real world, muchachos. And you are in it." -B.Traven   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   65.  Re: some stuff left out   by stet       at Tue 11 Jun 2:16pm score of 1   in reply to comment 6     So this guy notices Oregon! Nobody in America seems to realize it exists (and that it is the greatest place on Earth -- except for that 9 months of rain a year thing). Pish! Only rains if you have the misfortune of living on the wrong side of the Cascades. Remember, Southeast Oregon is right next door to Nevada. "All of the juice had been sucked out/ Before Mel Bay taught us children to play"   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   153.  Rain rain rain....   by switcha       at Wed 12 Jun 10:29am score of 1   in reply to comment 65     I grew up in Central Oregon (desert) and now live in Portland. Do I mind the rain? No. In fact it rains less here than many popular cities that don't have a "rain stigma." I don't even own an umbrella. (Of course, no self-respecting Portlander does...) If people insist on thinking we are in a perpetual rainstorm, fine. Maybe that will slow the tide of Californians deserting their hell-hole cities and coming here.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

8.  A Practical Reason to Love America   by Eric Blair       at Tue 11 Jun 11:56am score of 3 astute     I love America because I became well-off financially here. If my family had stayed in India, I would have been making $2,000/yr in a job with no estate to speak of. Instead, I am anxiously watching how the repeal of death tax legislation is progressing through the Senate. The death tax only affects about the top 2% of American households, so we've (my family) have done pretty well here.       In India I would be struggling to survive. Here I await the results of the nullification of a tax that only affects the most-well off Americans (the top 2%). In India I would have been driving around on a cheap motorcycle, here I drive around in a Mercedes S-Class. In India I would be living in a 800 sq.ft. apartment, here I'm looking into a house that is over 6000 sq.ft. with two acres of land. I'm the same person here (intellectually, morally, etc) that I would have been in India. It's the country, along with our own efforts, that helped our family, and millions like us, to succeed.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

9.  Re: A Practical Reason to Love America   by Anonymous Idiot       at Tue 11 Jun 12:00pm score of 1.5 funny   in reply to comment 8     Better hold the praise 'till after your job is outsourced back to India.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   85.  Re: A Practical Reason to Love America   by Eric Blair       at Tue 11 Jun 3:18pm score of 1.5 informative   in reply to comment 9     Certain jobs (some software jobs, manufacturing jobs) are vulnerable to being outsourced. Others, like aerospace (because of its high cost for infrastructure) are less vulnerable to outsourcing. "Professional" jobs (doctors, dentists, lawyers, etc.) are less vulnerable because, at least at this time, there is a "block" on some or all foreign competition. (It generally requires an American law degree to practice in America, it is difficult for a foreign dentist to "mainsteam" into the America system, America generally no longer recruits foreign doctors like they did in the 1970s, etc.)       Since America has a high standard of living, it may be difficult for Americans keep up that standard of living in the future when faced with competent foreign competition who will work for much less than what an American works. This is why America has to be the leader in specialized fields (ex. satellites, computer software) in the world.       As of today, the software companies, while they do outsource, still employ a significant percentage of their workers inside America. If the software companies could leave America and still produce the same quality product, they might just do so. The infrastructure for the companies is here however, and America is a politically stable country, unlike many third world countries which are rife with corruption, electricity problems, disease, communal violence, etc. all making it difficult for an advanced American company to completely move there.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   34.  Re: A Practical Reason to Love America   by random1       at Tue 11 Jun 12:47pm score of 1   in reply to comment 8     Are you the same person morally? On $2000 a year, you would be anxiously waiting for(and I assume supporting) a repeal of a tax on the very wealthy? Hard to believe.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   62.  Re: A Practical Reason to Love America   by Anonymous Idiot       at Tue 11 Jun 2:14pm score of 0.5 funny   in reply to comment 8     In America you own your own cars. In Soviet Union the Politiboro owns YOU! I'm sorry I thought your rant on India vs USA sounded like Yakov Smirnov. God I miss him.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

11.  "Hot-air things" violate our fundamental rights   by Philosawyer       at Tue 11 Jun 12:03pm score of 1.5 clever     23. Paper towels in the public toilets, not just those useless hot-air things. Those useless hot-air hand dryers have not yet been eliminated and still thrive in many areas of the country. We should declare War on hot-air hand dryers as a substitute for paper towels and run them out of the country forever! The marketing division of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation defines a robot as "Your plastic pal who's fun to be with."   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

44.  Re: "Hot-air things" violate our fundamental   by semonyenko       at Tue 11 Jun 1:02pm score of 1.5 clever   in reply to comment 11     violate our fundamental rights? No, they violate fundamental laws of nature. They are aberrations in the sight of Man and God, and should be eliminated. Unfortunately, they are one of the few things still made here in the U.S., so eliminating them is going to have to buck some congressman who wants to protect jobs in his home district. Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach. Those who can't do or teach become school adminstrators.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   46.  Re: "Hot-air things" violate our fundamental   by ridsel       at Tue 11 Jun 1:11pm score of 1   in reply to comment 44     I suspect the hot air things are less wasteful than paper towels. *****   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   49.  You're making this too easy   by Notyou       at Tue 11 Jun 1:27pm score of 1   in reply to comment 46     I suspect the hot air things are less wasteful than paper towels. Precisely why paper towells represent what's great about America. Our lack of bidet's on the other hand... Me neither.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   55.  Re: "Hot-air things" violate our fundamental   by gte910h       at Tue 11 Jun 1:54pm score of 2 brilliant   in reply to comment 46     I suspect the hot air things are less wasteful than paper towels. Of course they are; instead of having a nice paper towell to wipe your hands on, you wipe your hands on your pants.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   71.  Science Says: Down with Hot Air- Up with Hygene   by Philosawyer       at Tue 11 Jun 2:32pm score of 1   in reply to comment 46     Fortunately our friends in the UK have studied the issue and found paper towels to be superior. Energy efficiency is not the only issue - personal hygiene is the critical one! I am especially concerned having worked in a hospital and having a wife that is a physician. Without a papertowel how do you open the door without getting germs from those who didnt clean their hands? Studies carried out since 1993 out at the University of Westminster have consistently shown that warm air dryers do not perform as well as paper towels or continuous cotton towels in terms of speed, drying efficiency, hygiene and microbial environmental contamination. This summary highlights the main findings and conclusions of these studies. http://users.wmin.ac.uk/~redwayk/research/WADsummary98.htm Join Today - Boycott no paper towel establishments now! :)Small caveat the above quoted study was Sponsored by the Association of Makers of Soft Tissue Papers Another comment can be found at: a www.sciencenet.org.uk link Frankly most websites are sponsored by those that sell the dryers. Other caveat - I hate them hot air dryers and do not think they work. The marketing division of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation defines a robot as "Your plastic pal who's fun to be with."   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   98.  Re: "Hot-air things" violate our fundamental   by Anonymous Idiot       at Tue 11 Jun 3:50pm score of 0.5 helpful   in reply to comment 55     Step 1: press button Step 2: dry hands thoroughly under warm air Step 3: wait for automatic shutoff Step 4: wipe hands on pants   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   64.  Fucking Love 'Em   by Plastic Jesus       at Tue 11 Jun 2:16pm score of 1.5 clever   in reply to comment 11     I'm always tickled pink to use an air dryer instead of paper towel. Soft, supple skin without the smell of cardboard on your hand? Not having to touch (with your freshly washed hands) that nasty door on the trashcan? These things are a Godsend. Oh, and that "Push butt; Rub hand under arm' gag cracks me up everytime. Just like Regular Jesus, only dishwasher safe.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   126.  waste of electricity and time   by mudfoot       at Tue 11 Jun 10:21pm score of 1   in reply to comment 64     Not having to touch (with your freshly washed hands) that nasty door on the trashcan? having to pull the bathroom door, that others who didn't wash their nasty germ, possibly poo/pee, covered hands also touched, open with freshly washed, air dried, hands is ok though? no thanks, i'd rather use a the towel that i just dried my hands with.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   164.  Re: waste of electricity and time   by Ajax       at Thu 13 Jun 5:29am score of 1   in reply to comment 126     This seems to me to be the most universally American attitude: the idea that every other human being on the planet is filthy and disease-ridden, including other Americans. Just remember that you are the descendants of people who used to wade through ankle-high piles of horse shit on every public street, and managed to survive. Hopefully that'll remind you that a bathroom door handle that someone may have touched is pretty banal as health hazards go. "Coca-ColaŽ and ArmageddonŽ / We like it, like it, yes we do!" -- Clutch.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   103.  You gotta find the GOOD hot-air dryers   by Brian Jones       at Tue 11 Jun 4:15pm score of 1   in reply to comment 11     The ones with the electric eye on them that spots when your hands are underneath, and doesn't shut off until you're good and ready to walk away. Those rock. Cheap crass attention-whoring plug goes here.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

12.  he left something out   by maml       at Tue 11 Jun 12:04pm score of 5 brilliant     What about The Funk? America is the home of The Funk. Funk was created here (out of ingredients from around the world), and our Funk has Funked up the whole Funking world. When they get Funky in Beijing, they using the Funk we generate and distribute free of charge. We are an immense Funk engine, pumping out pure Funkatude and Funkadelica to whole planet and beyond. I've blocked AI. I'm happier now.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

29.  Re: he left something out   by Anonymous Idiot       at Tue 11 Jun 12:33pm score of 1 funny   in reply to comment 12     This is perhaps the only time in my life that I have ever agreed with maml 100%. Truly, no other land can tear the roof off the sucker like us.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   36.  Re: he left something out   by JET24       at Tue 11 Jun 12:51pm score of 1.5 funny   in reply to comment 12     Obviously, maml just returned from the afternoon matinee of "Undercover Brother". Solid. Religion don't mean a thing; it's just another way to be right. - Spoon   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   51.  Re: he left something out   by maml       at Tue 11 Jun 1:37pm score of 1   in reply to comment 36     Actually, I'm just listening to P-Funk while I work. Make my Funk the P-Funk, I wants to get Funked up. Groovy. I've blocked AI. I'm happier now.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   54.  Re: he left something out   by JET24       at Tue 11 Jun 1:45pm score of 1   in reply to comment 51     Very nice...I know this is veering dangerously OT, but James Brown's greatest hits (2 CD edition) is my favorite to listen to while I'm working, at least from a funk perspective. I don't know Karate, but I know Ka-Razy! Is there a funnier line in the history of music? All that said, I'm sitting here listening to vintage Pixies today, so there you are. I suppose that's one of the things I love about America - the music variety. Not as OT as I thought after all... Religion don't mean a thing; it's just another way to be right. - Spoon   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   129.  Re: he left something out   by jimmyjazz       at Wed 12 Jun 12:39am score of 1   in reply to comment 54     Is there a funnier line in the history of music? I dunno, but in the middle of "I Lost Someone," when he earnestly screams "Gee whiz, I love ya!" -- that's funny. If you thought the 20th century was fun, you're going to LOVE the 21st.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   161.  Re: he left something out   by Teaflax       at Wed 12 Jun 8:11pm score of 1   in reply to comment 54     I suppose that's one of the things I love about America - the music variety. Surely you jest? The most homogenized musical nation in the western world, where 95% of all music is pentatonic and when anything new comes along, it is almost always thoroughly ignored until Europe has latched onto it and sold it back to you. What label were The Pixies on, for instance? Q.E. Fucking D. While there's plenty of crapitude on all national charts, you're never going to see anything as left-field as The Streets, Badly Drawn Boy or DJ Shadow in US charts. The only unlikely chart entry in recent US top ten albums lists is the soundtrack from "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?", which is, after all, highly traditional and, yes, almost purely pentatonic music. The only US mainstream field where some invention grows and occasionally surprising things are allowed to happen is R&B, where producers like Timbaland and acts like N*E*R*D are pushing more envelopes than any hip "alternative" acts have ever done. There are many reasons to love the US (and DC), but that bland, uninventive music isn't one of them. "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   166.  Re: he left something out   by JET24       at Thu 13 Jun 7:46am score of 1   in reply to comment 161     I should have been more clear. When I was speaking about music variety, I was not equating it with today's popular music. Britney Spears, *NSYNC, and all that crap isn't music. It's soulless corporate craptacular "entertainment" that is only out to make a buck or two off of 13-year-olds that are too young to know better. Personally, I think there's a ton of great American music out there, but you have to be willing to go look for it. I've been on a mellow kick as of late, so there's a lot of bands like Pinback, Granddaddy, and Mojave3 that I'm listening to - (full disclosure: I'm also listening to Doves (UK), Beta Band (Cnd), and Sigur Ros (???), so it's not all US music). Underground is where it's at right now for good variety and quality US music. Also, you can't go wrong with old school blues. That's what I was talking about originally... P.S. I love that Badly Drawn Boy CD "Hour of the Bewilderbeast". Quality stuff, that. Religion don't mean a thing; it's just another way to be right. - Spoon   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   40.  He sure did: jazz, blues, rock   by alumshubby       at Tue 11 Jun 12:57pm score of 2.5 astute   in reply to comment 12     After I got through blowing Diet Coke out my nose all over the keyboard, it hit me: The list doesn't say much about music, but the US has given the world some major music genres: blues, jazz, rock 'n' roll. I guess we're partially culpable for disco, though, so our contribution to music has been somewhat of a mixed blessing. "How many light bulbs does it take to change a person?"   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   48.  Re: He sure did: jazz, blues, rock   by fin       at Tue 11 Jun 1:24pm score of 3 compelling   in reply to comment 40     blues, jazz, rock 'n' roll What do blues jazz, and rock and roll have in common? They are the result of the interaction of black (African-derived) with European-derived musical traditions. This illustrates the fact that most of the greatness of America is directly attributable to our openness to immigration (and to imported slave labor); the constant influx, over the last 300 years, of people from all over the world, each bringing interesting cultural, artistic, culinary, and intellectual traditions.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

13.  Other stuff   by Prairieman       at Tue 11 Jun 12:08pm score of 3 interesting     The Grand Canyon. My Eurpean friends saw this about five years ago now. They still talk about it, like some kind of mystical experience. The American West in general. There aren't many places in Europe where one can drive for hours and not see anyone. There is the thought that the US still has so much room to grow. This desire of reinvention. Americans are pretty notorious for reinventing themselves, their cities, and the country in general. While the UK and most of Europe have Tradition to hang onto, most American adopt a "whatever is going to work" attitude and adapt from there. "News is what somebody somewhere wants to suppress. Everything else is publicity." --Lord Northcliffe.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

124.  Re: Other stuff   by sketerpot       at Tue 11 Jun 7:49pm score of 1   in reply to comment 13     Mike Wong has written another list of why people in America are extremely lucky. It ranges from serious things like universality of phone service to funny things like the availability of Doritos.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

17.  Blatant Plagarism   by shadarr       at Tue 11 Jun 12:13pm score of 4 brilliant     Some people look at a flag, swaying in the breeze of the White House and say, "That's America." Whenever I see an American flag hung in a window of a basement apartment by guys who have better things to do with their money than buy curtains, I say, "That's America, to me." In America, there are fifty-one states. Or maybe it's eighty by now. Does England count? I'm not quite sure. The one thing I am sure of is, if I'm standing in a warehouse beside a timeclock, and a guy is punching in his best friend who's too hungover to get out of bed, I'm standing in America. The makeover capital of the world. The place where every young man has to answer in his heart the question: What do you love more, your girlfriend, or your car? Where that young man can buy a beat-up car for three hundred dollars, but have to spend a thousand to insure it. The land where even a paperboy can option the film rights to a book. America. In America, a woman on an assembly line works out her overtime in her head to infinity, and at the exact same moment, her husband gets into a car crash because he was looking at a girl in a tube top. America. A land where spelling doesn't count, but people's pets do. Where else can you get a job riding a whale at marineland? The land where a guy's girlfriend breaks up with him over the phone, so he takes a gun, and kills the principal. Everyone's sad until they get the day off. Next week, another guy, another gal, another, "We can still be friends" phone call. Whuh-oh! The assistant principal gets killed. And everyone is sad because they don't get the day off. Because he was only the assistant principal. America. A land of opportunity. Yes, that great lumbering beast that journeys tirelessly and stops only to eat a clubouse sandwich, pick its teeth with a matchbook cover, and fall asleep with the tv on. America. A place for Americans. -Bruce McCulloch   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

31.  Re: Blatant Plagarism   by skeletor       at Tue 11 Jun 12:42pm score of 2 astute   in reply to comment 17     That's the problem with Canadians. They always have to be so damn funny all the time. The world, at this point, needs a straightforward tune and a good backbeat.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   41.  Re: Blatant Plagarism   by JET24       at Tue 11 Jun 12:57pm score of 1   in reply to comment 17     I miss The Kids In The Hall. I really do. *Sigh* Religion don't mean a thing; it's just another way to be right. - Spoon   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

19.  These Thirteen   by plexi       at Tue 11 Jun 12:15pm score of 2 brilliant     1. Profit 2. Endless Plains 3. The Huddled Masses / Ellis Island 4. William Faulkner 5. Potato Chips 6. New Orleans 7. Unfettered Optimism 8. Thomas Jefferson 9. Hip Hop 10. Water Pressure 11. Thomas Pynchon 12. PCH 13. Sister Ray   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

20.  My $.02   by LostBoyJim       at Tue 11 Jun 12:16pm score of 1     Jazz The Smokey Mountains ...and the Rockies Yellowstone   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

22.  What a country!   by MAYORBOB       at Tue 11 Jun 12:19pm score of 2 interesting     It was a nice list and it's nice to hear, now and again, from someone who appreciates America for its fullness and richness and diversity. But it occurs to me that sometimes foreign visitors to our shores have altogether better antennae for picking up stuff like this. I have worked with a wide variety of foreign nationals over the past three decades, most of them from Europe, but an admixture from places like Colombia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Japan, and Thailand. Invariably, to a person, they will leave with their families after spending a couple of years posted here and consider America as their second home. They very aggressively go and see a lot of America that most U.S. citizens probably don't go and see. And they pick up quickly and comment favorably on aspects of American life that we would just take for granted. If you can imagine a couple have even commented favorably upon our Motor Vehicle Department (no bribes accepted unlike back home). Tending to final details.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

27.  sneering Euro anti-Americanism????   by ladle       at Tue 11 Jun 12:28pm score of 2 astute     Oh purlease! Can we understand that what US citizens often mistake for anti-Americanism is usually comments stemming from a more critical and vigorous media and political climate. The Euro media (especially the Guardian) have a tradition of being critical of the hegemony of whatever country they comment on. It's not sneering, it's a critique; it's (by a long measure) not just directed at the US, it's applied to every country/body/entity worldwide. Sneering would suggest a position of superiority and the Guardian has for all of its centuries long history critiqued (and just plain criticised) the British way of doing things. Sorry *deep breaths* it just felt like you attacked a family member.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

28.  Part two, with less CAPS   by jbou       at Tue 11 Jun 12:31pm score of 2 brilliant     Mark Twain Lenny Bruce Richard Pryor George Carlin Andy Kaufman Stanley Kubrick South Park The Simpsons Arguments have no chance against petrified training; they wear it as little as the waves wear a cliff.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

137.  On Kubrick   by lucas_m       at Wed 12 Jun 5:56am score of 1   in reply to comment 28     Stanley Kubrick moved to England in 1961, filming everything he really got famous for over there. From Lolita to Dr. Strangelove to A Clockwork Orange to The Shining to Full Metal Jacket. But technically he was an American. Moi, j'aime ricocher.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

30.  10 more   by timnet       at Tue 11 Jun 12:41pm score of 1.5 interesting     All over the map (literally), in no particular order: 1. Buffalo chicken wings 2. The Seattle Mariners 3. The Mississippi delta blues 4. Chicago deep dish pizza 5. Yuengling beer, Pennsylvania's too-well-kept secret 6. Savannah, Georgia 7. Texas hots 8. The Golden Gate Bridge 9. The Duke Blue Devils 10. Five Great Lakes "I feel like I wouldn't like me if I met me." -- Tegan and Sara   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

69.  Re: 10 more   by Anonymous Idiot       at Tue 11 Jun 2:29pm score of 0.5 funny   in reply to comment 30     Dude, no offense, but how much do you weigh?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   115.  Re: 10 more   by timnet       at Tue 11 Jun 5:24pm score of 1.5 witty   in reply to comment 69     About 170. It helps to have the metabolism of a squirrel. "I feel like I wouldn't like me if I met me." -- Tegan and Sara   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   131.  Re: 10 more   by dirty beatnik       at Wed 12 Jun 2:32am score of 1   in reply to comment 115     bollocks... everyone knows americans are fat, lazy pieces of shit who care too much for guns, pizza and cars.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

35.  the Low Country of South Carolina   by alumshubby       at Tue 11 Jun 12:47pm score of 1     ...and Georgia's Sea Islands. If you don't mind humidity and bugs, it's an incredibly beautiful place. "How many light bulbs does it take to change a person?"   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

37.  Lame   by Anonymous Idiot       at Tue 11 Jun 12:51pm score of 1.5 astute     Most of the reasons he lists aren't unique to the United States in any regard. You could replace 'America' with any random country, and most of these reasons would still apply. The whole list is kind of lame, if you ask me. I mean, "walk-in closets", "hot water", "swimming pools" and "basements"??! Which first-world nation (apart from Britain, apparently) doesn't have these things? Certainly none I've ever been to.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

45.  Re: Lame   by rombuu       at Tue 11 Jun 1:08pm score of 1   in reply to comment 37     "basements"??! Most of my acquaintances who live in Texas were impressed and jealous when I bought a house that had a full basement... seems that they are almost unheard of down there. I could see where that could be the case in most places with a high water table. http://drlunch.com The site that helps you decide where to go to lunch!   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

42.  Diversity, Diversity, Diversity   by keta       at Tue 11 Jun 12:57pm score of 1     This is what I most appreciate about the USA. When travelling through the states, or meeting US travelers here in Canada, the myriad backgrounds and cultures of folks is what most appeals. And of course there is no shortage of amazing, distinct geography in the US. The only thing that most Americans seem to have in common is they all, no matter what the topic, believe absolutely, positively they are right. Somehow this is appealing too, if only in its humorous predictability. own your words...   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

43.  Ketchup   by ksu93       at Tue 11 Jun 12:58pm score of 1 disingenuous     How could he leave ketchup off his list? After three weeks of my summer in England a few years ago I was absolutely dying for real, thick American ketchup. Sure, they had ketchup over there, even some made (allegedly) by Heinz. But it was totally lame compared to the stuff we have over here. The solution? Hard Rock Cafe in London. A cheeseburger with fries has never tasted so good. "War is God's way of teaching Americans geography." -Ambrose Bierce   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

52.  Re: Ketchup   by terrymcdermott       at Tue 11 Jun 1:40pm score of 1   in reply to comment 43     I totally agree. I went to Ireland for two weeks and brought along 2 bottles of ketchup. And when I found Burdoch's Fish and Chips by Saint Pat's in Dublin I was glad I toted that shit the whole way. It was well worth worrying about it spilling all over. Also came in handy in the morning at the bead & breakfast joints when they would try to foist that tomato-like-paste off on my person.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   68.  Re: Ketchup   by CaptainLiberal       at Tue 11 Jun 2:28pm score of 1   in reply to comment 52     I'm glad I'm not the only person who was surrounded by the physical beauty and cultural splendor of Ireland, and still wanted some good old Heinz 57 to go with his "chips". For an old and venerable culture, they haven't a clue as to how to make the red stuff. But they have Curly-Wurly bars, so they are keeping the beacon of caramel and chocolate alive. Every dream turns into something on a T-shirt -- Shriekback   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   83.  Re: Ketchup   by Mikey777       at Tue 11 Jun 3:16pm score of 1   in reply to comment 68     Yeah, well, you Yanks can't make decent baked beans, so we're even. :P   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   87.  Re: Ketchup   by Mark McGrath       at Tue 11 Jun 3:26pm score of 1   in reply to comment 43     Looks like I'm not alone in my hatred for Euro ketchup. American ketchup is the same as Canadian ketchup, so I assumed it would be the same in europe. If I'd known how god-awful that shit is I would have brought my own ketchup with me. In fact, next time I go to Ireland/England, I really should bring my own food supply. I thought it was a stereotype that their food sucks, but it really isn't. Oddly enough, their sweets/snacks/desserts -- or anything with sugar in it -- is much better than what I'm used to.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

57.  CaptainLiberal's favorite things about America   by CaptainLiberal       at Tue 11 Jun 1:56pm score of 1     1. Comic Books - We invented them, and the spandex-clad super-heroes who zoom through their pages. 2. Animation - We did it first and we'd still do it best if the corporate killjoys at disney would just turn the artists loose. 3. Dissent - Regardless of your opinion on the current administration, I can call George Bush a cow-fucker in a public forum without having to talk to the secret police and without being censored. More importantly, I can publish damning information on the elite of the country with very little fear of violent repercussion. 4. Cheap Postage - For all you whiners who complain about increasing postage rates, try sending that letter from virtually anywhere else. IF you can get it there, you probably aren't going to do it for 35 cents. 5. Low Taxes - In exchange for a panoply of services, we pay an incredibly low income tax, particularly in those states that don't have an additional income tax. Compare our tax rate with other industrialized nations and bask in the tiny sliver our gummint takes to provide us the best roads in the world, if nothing else. I think 5 is enough. I have tons more, along with a similar list of things that are bad about America. I'll save that one for another thread. Every dream turns into something on a T-shirt -- Shriekback   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

66.  Re: CaptainLiberal's favorite things about   by dasc       at Tue 11 Jun 2:24pm score of 1.5 compelling   in reply to comment 57     What kind of crack are you smoking? We have a tax rate that for anyone who owns a car and lives inside a building takes more then half their income. And I'm damn sick and tired of replacing my struts cause American roads are so good. You pooped in the refrigerator and you ate a whole wheel of cheese How'd you do that I'm not even mad Thats amazing   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   86.  Re: CaptainLiberal's favorite things about   by ibuck       at Tue 11 Jun 3:23pm score of 1   in reply to comment 66     What the hell do owning a car and living in a building have to do with how much you're taxed? The Feds don't get any taxes from your car other than those assessed at the original sale, and I have no idea where you're assessed taxes just for living inside a building. I'm pretty solidly middle class, I own a car, AND I even live inside a building (SHOCKER!) and I sure as hell don't pay anywhere near half my income on taxes. How much smoke is he cracking indeed. Why don't you try providing some support for those drug-addled claims of yours?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   112.  Re: CaptainLiberal's favorite things about   by Daemonik       at Tue 11 Jun 5:16pm score of 1   in reply to comment 66     Dude, try paying $5 a gallon for gas due to the taxes on it. Try having half, HALF of your salary taken each payday automatically, before the VAT and yearly taxes kick in. Try driving through a city who's roads were laid down by the fucking Roman army and are just wide enough for a donkey.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   170.  Re: CaptainLiberal's favorite things about   by captainebo       at Thu 26 Sep 5:01pm score of 1   in reply to comment 66     We have a tax rate that for anyone who owns a car and lives inside a building takes more then half their income. And I'm damn sick and tired of replacing my struts cause American roads are so good. and you know, reducing taxes will do much to improve those roads. You can't have it both ways. I don't like paying taxes either, but I like the idea of having no roads, no schools, no cops and no defense against wayward airliners much less. Ebo "In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds." -Martin Luther King   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   70.  Re: CaptainLiberal's favorite things about   by plutocracy       at Tue 11 Jun 2:30pm score of 1   in reply to comment 57     I can call George Bush a cow-fucker in a public forum without having to talk to the secret police and without being censored You'd be walking a very thin line there, my friend.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   73.  Re: CaptainLiberal's favorite things about   by CaptainLiberal       at Tue 11 Jun 2:40pm score of 1   in reply to comment 70     Well, politeness is still expected. Calling George a cow-fucker when I have the floor is one thing, but shouting down someone who is also engaging in their right to speak, is just impolite. Honestly, I just wanted to say cow-fucker some more. Cow-fucker. Every dream turns into something on a T-shirt -- Shriekback   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

58.  A truly American list   by shantih       at Tue 11 Jun 2:02pm score of 1.5 astute     1. Truckloads of amateur porn 2. Great heaping piles of Sinsemilla 3. At least five 24 hour sports channels everywhere 4. More ice cream flavors than you'll ever get around to 5. Sour mash whiskey 6. Perky co-eds tricking their way through school 7. Tom Tomorrow 8. Walter Miller 9. All the cutting edge steel roller coasters 10. Hooters Where do I go to march for democracy?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

72.  Re: A truly American list   by dasc       at Tue 11 Jun 2:36pm score of 2 funny   in reply to comment 58     I would like a link to #6 on your list. You pooped in the refrigerator and you ate a whole wheel of cheese How'd you do that I'm not even mad Thats amazing   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   113.  Here you go, pal   by shantih       at Tue 11 Jun 5:17pm score of 1   in reply to comment 72     But, Jeez, get a Google already . . . www.asstr.org/~Kristen/@/b.htm Where do I go to march for democracy?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

59.  Pay at the pump   by dasc       at Tue 11 Jun 2:02pm score of 1     This is nice and civilized isn't it? Unless you're one of those heathens who live in New Jersey where the motorist isn't deemed skillful enough to pump his own gasoline. You pooped in the refrigerator and you ate a whole wheel of cheese How'd you do that I'm not even mad Thats amazing   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

67.  Re: Pay at the pump   by SteamboatDreamboat       at Tue 11 Jun 2:24pm score of 1   in reply to comment 59     Heh. Oregon does the same thing. On a recent trip there I was shocked to be accosted by a gas station attendant and told to "slowly put the pump down, and step away from the car." Still, you can pay at the pump there and the kind attendants will top off your tank to make your purchase a nice round figure. "When life hands you lemons, make coffee... and then you'll have the desire to make lemonade." --Jon Friedman   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   79.  Re: Pay at the pump   by chickie       at Tue 11 Jun 3:05pm score of 1   in reply to comment 67     ah, oregon. as a former oregonian, i miss having my gas pumped (especially since it was much cheaper than pumping it myself here in san francisco...)   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

84.  One Correction   by ibuck       at Tue 11 Jun 3:16pm score of 1.5 intriguing     33. And Potomac Video, which has loads of films up to 70 years late. It's sort of a local secret, so he can be excused for not realizing, but everyone who's anyone knows that the best video store in town is Video Americain, tucked into a basement space on 18th Street in Adams Morgan. Potomac Video is pretty good, and I used to be a very loyal customer there, but there are things you can find at Video Americain that you'd be hard pressed to find in many other locations in the country let alone elsewhere in DC, including a local filmmakers' section, underground videos, foreign films that never saw US distribution, a much more extensive and esoteric cult section, a much larger, more comprehensive and diverse Director's section, tons more documentaries, not to mention the a largely friendly and knowledgeable bunch behind the counter. And any store with an "I'm with Stupid" Dick Cheney bumpersticker on back of one of the registers is OK by me. Sure, it's cramped, dirty, and often smells bad in the summertime due to frequent flooding during thunderstorms, but I've never been to a video store that I'll miss so much once I leave town.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

91.  My List   by Jojo       at Tue 11 Jun 3:34pm score of 1     As another recent immigrant, here's my list: 1. The weather (SoCal). Beautifully sunny almost every day. Rarely too hot. Never too cold. Never that awful depressing grey rainy British weather. 2. Big Fridges. 3. Master bathrooms - instead of 1 cold, mouldy bathroom per 3 bedroom house. 4. Good sushi. 5. The landscape of the Southwest. From big-ticket, everyone-knows-about-it stuff like the Grand Canyon, to small and beautiful places like Zion Canyon or Bryce Canyon in Utah. 6. Good service*. Waiters/waitresses and shop assistants that don't look grumpy and irritated because you dared to ask a question and interrupt their conversation about what Wayne said last night. 7. Free refills on coffee and sodas. 8. 24 hour supermarkets and hardware stores, and shops open normal hours on Sundays. 9. No football hooligans. 10. Good coffee. 11. Cheap petrol (gas, sorry). 12. More public holidays than the UK. 13. Krispy Kreme Donuts. Thank god there isn't one nearby, or I would be a 300lb monster. 14. Affordable broadband internet to the home. (That should have been no.1 I think). 15. Being able to return items to the store without scrabbling around in the garbage for the receipt, and being subjected to the spanish inquisition. 16. Wide roads and easy parking. 17. Free iced water at restaurants. 18. Eating out is affordable. 19. Spa/Jacuzzis. 20. Affordable hotels/motels when travelling. *Amusingly, some American colleagues of mine recently took a trip to Japan, and came back gushing about how good the service was in comparison to American stores and restaurants. It's all relative I guess.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

108.  Re: My List   by C_James_B       at Tue 11 Jun 4:37pm score of 1   in reply to comment 91     12. More public holidays than the UK. Is this in no way offset by the fact that most UK companies give 20 - 25 days leave a year? I don't know how many more public holidays there are. 14. Affordable broadband internet to the home. (That should have been no.1 I think). That is definitely available in the UK. L25 / month. And we split it between a house of four. Mmm - broadband.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   110.  Re: My List   by Jojo       at Tue 11 Jun 5:10pm score of 1   in reply to comment 108     That is definitely available in the UK. L25 / month. And we split it between a house of four. Mmm - broadband But only if you happen to live in the right postcode, right? Which is true in the US too, but generally you can get broadband in any major metropolitan area of the US. Whereas in the UK everyone is busy lambasting BT for being slow on rollout. Is this in no way offset by the fact that most UK companies give 20 - 25 days leave a year? I don't know how many more public holidays there are.. The (Japanese) company I work for in the US, gives us 25 days paid holiday a year. So that's why it makes my personal list. However I gather the majority of US companies are somewhat stingier, giving a measly 10 or 15. Oh, and IIRC we get 10 public holidays a year in the US, as opposed to something like 6 in the UK. But don't quote me, I'm going from memory.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   116.  Re: My List   by Daemonik       at Tue 11 Jun 5:25pm score of 1   in reply to comment 91     Krispy Kremmmmmmmme, damn I'm drooling. /me hops in the car and drives off for some hot donuts yelling "Top that you Euro wankers!!"   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   122.  Affordable hotels/motels? In America?   by Erik Riker-Coleman       at Tue 11 Jun 7:15pm score of 1   in reply to comment 91     20. Affordable hotels/motels when travelling. It really is all relative--paying $9 American for a clean private room in a hostel one dune away from the Pacific during my trip to New Zealand last year soured me on American hotels & motels forever and ever. stand up, keep fighting.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

92.  One Addition   by ozymandius       at Tue 11 Jun 3:35pm score of 1     51. American Women - beautiful, scantily clad, and educated. Mmmmmm. -Ozy needed: a "+obnoxious" moderation option   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

97.  Don't Forget..   by alternadox       at Tue 11 Jun 3:43pm score of 1     -Customer Service, as opposed to shopkeepers and postal workers who shortchange you. -Waffle House covered & chunked hash browns -Access to good skin care products. -Politeness (English are polite until the third pint.) -Working toilets almost everywhere, including punk clubs. -All the Socialists are rich, educated kids, therefore innefectual. -7 Geological reigons within a day's journey, if you live in the right places. -Don't like where you live, move. -alternadox - Win at Losing and Fail Successfully   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

102.  Yet another story   by doomjesse       at Tue 11 Jun 4:08pm score of 1 obnoxious     Where we pat ourselves on the back for being the "greatest". Joy. (Yes Folks that's sarcasm) Can't we just have our individual preferences and be done with it? I mean I'd take London(despite the bad food) or Paris(I have my own white flag) or Vienna over any place in the U.S. in a heartbeat. But that's just me. And he'd obviously take someplace in the U.S. Does it require publication that he thinks the U.S. is better?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

111.  Re: Yet another story   by Anywhere       at Tue 11 Jun 5:15pm score of 1   in reply to comment 102     How exactly is it "us" patting ourselves on the back? The man is British and writes for the (British) Guardian from DC. Gateway computers are pieces of shit, and their customer service is abysmal. Ask me why if you want to hear me vent.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   118.  Re: Yet another story   by Daemonik       at Tue 11 Jun 5:32pm score of 1   in reply to comment 102     Hey dumbass, it's called reveling in national pride. Being connected to lots of other people by a common cultural thread. Being so sick and tired of kiss-ass journalists who spare no opportunity to treat the US like so much toilet paper that it actually gives us a childlike glee when someone who wasn't born here admits to actually liking the place. But then what can I expect from someone who'd like to live with the French, and in Paris no less.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   119.  Re: Yet another story   by timnet       at Tue 11 Jun 6:01pm score of 1   in reply to comment 102     I was under the impression that this was a discussion site. As in: We post issues to discuss them. Sometimes this means people beating up Bush, American jingoism, the RIAA, Noam Chomsky, Canadians, Disney, cow-fucking, Microsoft, etc., etc., etc. In this case, this seems like a story that allows people discuss what they like or, since this is a free flow of ideas, even what they don't like about the United States. I'm glad to see some pride of place being discussed here as opposed to the steady diet of criticism and complaining that often seems so prevalent. Let people be proud and positive about something. "I feel like I wouldn't like me if I met me." -- Tegan and Sara   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   141.  Re: Yet another story   by pete_townshend       at Wed 12 Jun 6:33am score of 1   in reply to comment 119     I was under the impression that this was a discussion site. As in: We post issues to discuss them. Sometimes this means people beating up Bush, American jingoism, the RIAA, Noam Chomsky, Canadians, Disney, cow-fucking, Microsoft, etc., etc., etc. Sometimes?!?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   154.  Re: Yet another story   by tinsguy       at Wed 12 Jun 10:40am score of 1   in reply to comment 102     So why are you still here? Please take Paris for me. I can do without. Maybe we all can pitch in and get you a one-way ticket. VIVA LA SHIT i have no problem with jesus christ, it's his fan club that bothers me.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

105.  My two cents   by Brian Jones       at Tue 11 Jun 4:27pm score of 1     25. The matzo ball soup at Wagshal's Deli, the pizza at Ledo's, and (as my brother would wish me to mention) the chocolate pretzels from Trader Joe's. How'd he forget barbecue (not barbecues, as mentioned in #47)? Italian beef sandwiches in Chicago? And the exquisite taste of baseball-card gum? 28. The poetry of the placenames. Just murmur the rivers of Pennsylvania: "the Monongahela and the Allegheny; the Susquehanna and the Juniata; the Schuylkill and the Delaware" (thanks to reader Roger Horne). Not to mention places like Coxsackie and Big Bone Lick. Heh heh heh. 30. Or try the Badlands of South Dakota. Try Mount Washington or Steens Mountain. 48. Michael Jordan Eddie Gaedel. Cheap crass attention-whoring plug goes here.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

152.  Coxsackie   by maml       at Wed 12 Jun 9:01am score of 1   in reply to comment 105     For those of you not from Upstate NY, let me point out that Coxsackie is pronounced "Cooks Sock E". Really. I've blocked AI. I'm happier now.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

117.  Mon Oncle D'Amerique   by mrwarmth       at Tue 11 Jun 5:28pm score of 1     What I love about America? Well, lots of things. But if I were to pick out a single one it is our relentless optimism. We really don't give up. Unlike other countries where people give up before they even try. This is a country where the future is more real than the present, which is why we race with such energy towards it. I wouldn't be fair to our Canadian and European friends if I didn't say what I hate most about America. It's this: Americans are pretty dull to talk to. We have no real intellectuality, and we never want to talk about anything abstract. Americans just want to talk about sports, food and themselves. Our relentless self-absorption makes much of our culture quite dull. We think we're the most interesting topics of conversation, when we're not. This is one thing I appreciate about Europeans and Asians. They can talk meaningfully about something other than themselves. That must be why they spend so much time talking about America. :) -Niall Where is Ratko Mladic?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

120.  How did he forget...   by BatGuano       at Tue 11 Jun 6:10pm score of 1     Rock and Roll?!? Don't forget, Brits, it grew here. It's a unique and great thing about this country, that rural white country and western comingled with black urban R&B. That in its early days a DJ (Allen Freed) snuck black R&B into white radios by using that old term for sexual intercourse to camoflage its blackness -- the kids and their parents didn't know what "rocking and rolling" meant, but bluesmen in Chicago and Memphis and the Delta knew. Could a DJ at the BBC do that in the mid-'50s, throw on Big John and the Buzzard's "Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash" and not get canned? It still grows and sorta thrives here. Unfortunately, real US rock gets more attention in the UK than it does here (White Stripes). But, I don't know... how's Creed doing there? your radio friend, Bat Guano   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

132.  Re: How did he forget...   by dirty beatnik       at Wed 12 Jun 2:47am score of 1   in reply to comment 120     though unfortunately that whole superior radio thing is a bit different now hey?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   149.  Re: How did he forget...   by BatGuano       at Wed 12 Jun 8:09am score of 1   in reply to comment 132     The glory days of rock and roll radio are long gone, but pockets of freedom and rebellion exist on the US dial. your radio friend, Bat Guano   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

133.  50 reasons to love America   by nicky       at Wed 12 Jun 2:55am score of 1     1. The Constitution 2. The landscape 3. Rock & Roll 4. er...thats about it. Nothing else I can think of thats uniquely American and 100% good. there aint no future...in england's dreaming   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

136.  As he does in all things   by ppilot       at Wed 12 Jun 5:46am score of 1     Alice shall show us the way I love that mountain with those four big heads I love Velveeta slapped on Wonder Bread I love a commie...if'n he's good and dead, yup I love America I love Old Glory and homemade pie I think them Ruskies should be sterilized I love my chicken Kentucky Fried... Finger Lickin' Good! Hey there, this is A.B. Cooper from Cooper's Carnival of Clean and Classic Cars It's our Fourth of July ... sale. Here at Cooper's Carnival of Clean and Classic Cars At the corner of Collins and Commerce I've got lot full of the finest funny looking cars money can buy At prices even you can afford So come on down and say hello to me, and granny And bring the kids to meet my snake I say, "bye" Granny says, "bye" and the snake says, "sssssssssss" I love General Patton in World War II My Pocket Fisherman and my Crazy Glue I love the Beav and Wally too, yeah I love America I love the bomb, hot dogs and mustard I love my girl, but I sure don't trust her I love what the Indians did to Custer I love America Here they come! There they go! I love my jeans and I love my hair I love a real tight skirt and a real nice pair And on the fourth of July, I love the rockets' red glare I love America I watch the A-Team every Tuesday night I graduated, but I ain't to bright I love Detroit 'cause I was born to fight I love America I love the Tigers but I hate the Mets I ride my Hog but I race my Vette I gotta job, but hell I'm still in debt I love America I love my bar and I love my truck I'd do most anything to make a buck I love a waitress who loves to...flirt! They're the best kind I love America Turn me on Well, I gotta go now I love America Bye Bye, I tell you what though, I really do love it You ain't going to catch me at no mayday rally   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

150.  May I add the following...   by bigstevec       at Wed 12 Jun 8:26am score of 1     Jennifer Connelly Tabasco Sauce Troma The Maine coast Iggy Pop Never having to worry about clean water Archie McPhee IMHO "These are my principles. If you do not like them, I have others." Groucho Marx   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

162.  Re: May I add the following...   by Teaflax       at Wed 12 Jun 8:25pm score of 1   in reply to comment 150     Jennifer Connelly Sadly taken from us by the Anorexic Ideal [TM]. When I saw her emaciated frame at the Oscars, I could almost weep. Here was one of the most attractive women in movies ever, turned into a lollipop-head stick girl by the sick idea that a woman's curves are "fat". Where the girl from Rocketeer, The Hot Spot, Mulholland Falls and Dark City looked healthy, sultry and knowing, the "Jennifer Connelly" of A Beautiful Mind seems to have escaped from Auschwitz about a week ago. It's just really sad. "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   163.  Re: May I add the following...   by bigstevec       at Thu 13 Jun 4:28am score of 1   in reply to comment 162     Yeah, I know. I lamented this a few months ago. Fortunately, there's home video and DVD where the old Jennifer lives on. "These are my principles. If you do not like them, I have others." Groucho Marx   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

156.  yeah, and what about   by Elvis_x       at Wed 12 Jun 12:48pm score of 1     - the Dodge Hemi balls-out V-8 engine - NASCAR fans - Rockabilly - Memphis barbeque - Graceland - Station wagons with wood paneling on the sides - Les Paul - Fonzie - the Lear Jet by & large a Southern theme, granted   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

167.  The penance   by Ajax       at Thu 13 Jun 4:19pm score of 1     I guess I'll post this all the way down here, where nobody will notice it and it won't rain on everyone's parade. But it's gotta be said, so I'm sayin' it: 28. The poetry of the placenames. Just murmur the rivers of Pennsylvania: "the Monongahela and the Allegheny; the Susquehanna and the Juniata; the Schuylkill and the Delaware" Yeah, it sure was nice of the Native Americans to give our rivers all those pretty names, before we, y'know, killed most of 'em and moved the rest to the parts of the continent we didn't feel like stealing. I'm not saying this isn't a great country, but we oughtn't to forget that an awful lot of people paid a big price in blood and pride in order to create our happy country of buffalo wings and antibacterial soap. We now return you to the happy part of the thread. "Coca-ColaŽ and ArmageddonŽ / We like it, like it, yes we do!" -- Clutch.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

168.  Re: The penance   by Richard Banks       at Fri 14 Jun 4:17am score of 1   in reply to comment 167     By "we" you mean european immigrants. "We" did not kill most of "them"; exotic microbes did. It is generally misguided to judge territorial wars of centuries past through our own moral lens. It must suffice to have learned better than our forebears and to have discontinued many of their immoral and unjust practices. Attention and energy is better focused on righting current wrongs and continuing to work toward improvement of relations between peoples with competing territorial claims and interests. "I'm Against This War. But I'm not with These Other People."   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   169.  Re: The penance   by Ajax       at Fri 14 Jun 5:04am score of 1   in reply to comment 168     It is generally misguided to judge territorial wars of centuries past through our own moral lens. It must suffice to have learned better than our forebears and to have discontinued many of their immoral and unjust practices. To have learned better than them, one must keep what they did firmly in memory. That is the penance we owe. I found the author's dreamy rambling about the "poetry" of the aforementioned names to be insufficiently respectful (or, for that matter, cognizant) of the history behind them. However, you've confused me; if it's misguided to judge previous land grabs through our own moral lens, how, then, are we to discontinue immoral practices? We have attention and energy to spare, and I for one feel the occasional brief remembrance of the victims of Manifest Destiny pays plenty of dividends, whether or not it "solves anything" in practical terms. If nothing else, it keeps us honest. "Coca-ColaŽ and ArmageddonŽ / We like it, like it, yes we do!" -- Clutch.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]