“It's a big bad scary world out there!” Are you sure North America?

24

Comments

  • backseatLover12
    backseatLover12 Posts: 2,312
    edited April 2015
    I find it interesting (and oh, so typical) that in an article about paranoid America, people will actually turn it around and point out that parts of the rest of the world are unsafe. People just can't, they just refuse to look at their own country and find fault. And THAT's more of a N. American problem than the fear that the author thinks is the main concern. The egos, the ignorance and the inability to see themselves as imperfect. Grow up America. Why do you think that being an obvious American in a foreign country is such a bad idea?

  • mcgruff10
    mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 29,145
    edited April 2015
    backseatLover12 said:

    I find it interesting (and oh, so typical) that in an article about paranoid America, people will actually turn it around and point out that parts of the rest of the world are unsafe. People just can't, they just refuse to look at their own country and find fault. And THAT's more of a N. American problem than the fear that the author thinks is the main concern. The egos, the ignorance and the inability to see themselves as imperfect. Grow up America. Why do you think that being an obvious American in a foreign country is such a bad idea?

    i'm not quite understanding how making comparisons is wrong in this case. does america have problems, well yeah of course. but i'm not seeing any ignorance or people acting like they are perfect in this thread. maybe i'm missing something?
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • hedonist
    hedonist Posts: 24,524
    mcgruff10 said:

    backseatLover12 said:

    I find it interesting (and oh, so typical) that in an article about paranoid America, people will actually turn it around and point out that parts of the rest of the world are unsafe. People just can't, they just refuse to look at their own country and find fault. And THAT's more of a N. American problem than the fear that the author thinks is the main concern. The egos, the ignorance and the inability to see themselves as imperfect. Grow up America. Why do you think that being an obvious American in a foreign country is such a bad idea?

    i'm not quite understanding how making comparisons is wrong in this case. does america have problems, well yeah of course. but i'm not seeing any ignorance or people acting like they are perfect in this thread. maybe i'm missing something?
    Nope, I think you got it just fine and realistically, mcgruff.
  • backseatLover12
    backseatLover12 Posts: 2,312
    edited April 2015
    Comparisons are great, actually, especially from someone like yourself who has been to 20 countries. You're probably the best source that can comment. I'm just talking about the thread turning into a thread about the rest of the world and not about what the author is talking about. kwim? Re: people acting like they're perfect, it goes back to other threads attempting to point out our own problems, being realistic, and many refusing to accept that we have problems of our own. Sorry not to fully explain. It's nice to have you here, we need more of a variety of people posting on AMT.
    Post edited by backseatLover12 on
  • mcgruff10
    mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 29,145
    edited April 2015
    hedonist said:

    mcgruff10 said:

    backseatLover12 said:

    I find it interesting (and oh, so typical) that in an article about paranoid America, people will actually turn it around and point out that parts of the rest of the world are unsafe. People just can't, they just refuse to look at their own country and find fault. And THAT's more of a N. American problem than the fear that the author thinks is the main concern. The egos, the ignorance and the inability to see themselves as imperfect. Grow up America. Why do you think that being an obvious American in a foreign country is such a bad idea?

    i'm not quite understanding how making comparisons is wrong in this case. does america have problems, well yeah of course. but i'm not seeing any ignorance or people acting like they are perfect in this thread. maybe i'm missing something?
    Nope, I think you got it just fine and realistically, mcgruff.
    ok cool. i reread this thread trying to figure what the heck the op was talking about. maybe he's been at happy hour too long.
    happy travels everyone. my next trip is the big bad florida keys in august then next year hopefully italy/croatia/slovenia.

    Post edited by mcgruff10 on
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • mcgruff10
    mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 29,145
    edited April 2015
    Bsl, I see we posted at the same time. I just read your explanation and I got it. Take care bud. I ll try to comment more on amt.
    Post edited by mcgruff10 on
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • Jason P
    Jason P Posts: 19,327
    The cost of air travel is my biggest obstacle. $1500 to go to Italy or $200 to go to just about anywhere in the states
    Be Excellent To Each Other
    Party On, Dudes!
  • Jason P
    Jason P Posts: 19,327
    hedonist said:



    Jason, is that you in the photo? I had my luggage thoroughly searched returning home from Vancouver years ago. I'm not sure, but it could've been when asked what my reason for traveling there was..."no, not for business, just pure pleasure".

    Yes that's me. I was backpacking in Glacier and decided to go up there for a day trip and they took everything apart while being rude ... and they confiscated my bear spray as if I intended to rob banks with it which left me without protection for the next several days!

    That said, all my other crossings into Canada have been chill. Once going to a show in Vancouver, the guard asked who the opening band was and I replied "The Supersuckers". Dude just waived me through without even asking for my passport.
    Be Excellent To Each Other
    Party On, Dudes!
  • mcgruff10
    mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 29,145
    Jason P said:

    hedonist said:



    Jason, is that you in the photo? I had my luggage thoroughly searched returning home from Vancouver years ago. I'm not sure, but it could've been when asked what my reason for traveling there was..."no, not for business, just pure pleasure".

    Yes that's me. I was backpacking in Glacier and decided to go up there for a day trip and they took everything apart while being rude ... and they confiscated my bear spray as if I intended to rob banks with it which left me without protection for the next several days!

    That said, all my other crossings into Canada have been chill. Once going to a show in Vancouver, the guard asked who the opening band was and I replied "The Supersuckers". Dude just waived me through without even asking for my passport.
    I absolutely loved glacier! It was one of two places where I feared for my life in a different way: nature! At any point a grizzly bear could have charged out of the brush and mauled me to death! That was a very unsettling feeling to say the least.
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • hedonist
    hedonist Posts: 24,524
    Jason P said:

    hedonist said:



    Jason, is that you in the photo? I had my luggage thoroughly searched returning home from Vancouver years ago. I'm not sure, but it could've been when asked what my reason for traveling there was..."no, not for business, just pure pleasure".

    Yes that's me. I was backpacking in Glacier and decided to go up there for a day trip and they took everything apart while being rude ... and they confiscated my bear spray as if I intended to rob banks with it which left me without protection for the next several days!

    That said, all my other crossings into Canada have been chill. Once going to a show in Vancouver, the guard asked who the opening band was and I replied "The Supersuckers". Dude just waived me through without even asking for my passport.
    We saw the Supersuckers too! And the Buzzcocks.

    I sense a trend ... :pensive:

    Undies and personal items being rifled through aside, must say that Canada was one of my favorite travel times. Beautiful country and people.
  • whispering hands
    whispering hands Under your skin Posts: 13,527
    mcgruff10 said:

    I was in the ring at the end of the run with huge ass Bulls running around me. It was some scary stuff. Like literally standing on the grounds of the ring; it was crazy! Loved Pamplona!

    Very brave!! Although by the end of the run you get a fair and even 50/50 shot of being gored.. At the end the Bulls are either too stressed or too tired to negotiate any attack outside of knee jerk reactions. Where as in the beginning it's a source feed of frenetic energy, heightened by the natural fear of the people, this i stilling the need to attack straight out on the run.. So very brave indeed!
  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,764
    I'm kinda scared of the Yellowstone supervolcano. :worried:
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • mcgruff10
    mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 29,145
    whispering hands said:

    mcgruff10 said:

    I was in the ring at the end of the run with huge ass Bulls running around me. It was some scary stuff. Like literally standing on the grounds of the ring; it was crazy! Loved Pamplona!

    Very brave!! Although by the end of the run you get a fair and even 50/50 shot of being gored.. At the end the Bulls are either too stressed or too tired to negotiate any attack outside of knee jerk reactions. Where as in the beginning it's a source feed of frenetic energy, heightened by the natural fear of the people, this i stilling the need to attack straight out on the run.. So very brave indeed!
    My 22 year old self thought it was brave but the current 37 year old me shakes his head and realizes how dumb it was.
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,674
    "I found out that the United States has the worst case of fear of anywhere I’ve ever been in the world. "

    Song break:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IUgz-rZuRc

    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,764
    mcgruff10 said:

    whispering hands said:

    mcgruff10 said:

    I was in the ring at the end of the run with huge ass Bulls running around me. It was some scary stuff. Like literally standing on the grounds of the ring; it was crazy! Loved Pamplona!

    Very brave!! Although by the end of the run you get a fair and even 50/50 shot of being gored.. At the end the Bulls are either too stressed or too tired to negotiate any attack outside of knee jerk reactions. Where as in the beginning it's a source feed of frenetic energy, heightened by the natural fear of the people, this i stilling the need to attack straight out on the run.. So very brave indeed!
    My 22 year old self thought it was brave but the current 37 year old me shakes his head and realizes how dumb it was.
    Abusive to the animals too.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • mcgruff10
    mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 29,145
    PJ_Soul said:

    mcgruff10 said:

    whispering hands said:

    mcgruff10 said:

    I was in the ring at the end of the run with huge ass Bulls running around me. It was some scary stuff. Like literally standing on the grounds of the ring; it was crazy! Loved Pamplona!

    Very brave!! Although by the end of the run you get a fair and even 50/50 shot of being gored.. At the end the Bulls are either too stressed or too tired to negotiate any attack outside of knee jerk reactions. Where as in the beginning it's a source feed of frenetic energy, heightened by the natural fear of the people, this i stilling the need to attack straight out on the run.. So very brave indeed!
    My 22 year old self thought it was brave but the current 37 year old me shakes his head and realizes how dumb it was.
    Abusive to the animals too.
    I ve hunted since I was ten and I was not a fan of bull fighting.
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,764
    edited April 2015
    mcgruff10 said:

    PJ_Soul said:

    mcgruff10 said:

    whispering hands said:

    mcgruff10 said:

    I was in the ring at the end of the run with huge ass Bulls running around me. It was some scary stuff. Like literally standing on the grounds of the ring; it was crazy! Loved Pamplona!

    Very brave!! Although by the end of the run you get a fair and even 50/50 shot of being gored.. At the end the Bulls are either too stressed or too tired to negotiate any attack outside of knee jerk reactions. Where as in the beginning it's a source feed of frenetic energy, heightened by the natural fear of the people, this i stilling the need to attack straight out on the run.. So very brave indeed!
    My 22 year old self thought it was brave but the current 37 year old me shakes his head and realizes how dumb it was.
    Abusive to the animals too.
    I ve hunted since I was ten and I was not a fan of bull fighting.
    I haven't seen it in person, but it looks like blatant animal torture to me, and a friend of mine - kind of a tough guy, psychologically and emotionally - went to a bull fight in Spain thinking he would be able to handle it, and he was absolutely horrified. He said he still feels disturbed by it, and it was something like 15 years ago.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • rr165892
    rr165892 Posts: 5,697
    Jason P said:

    Speaking of going through border inspections, this is a picture that I took after crossing through near Waterton National Park ... you can guess how it went ... at least they used the rubber gloves ....

    image

    Jay,I had you pegged as a backwards fitted hat guy.(in aTony Romo type way).I see Im wrong.I thought I was in good company.
  • hedonist
    hedonist Posts: 24,524
    mcgruff10 said:

    PJ_Soul said:

    mcgruff10 said:

    whispering hands said:

    mcgruff10 said:

    I was in the ring at the end of the run with huge ass Bulls running around me. It was some scary stuff. Like literally standing on the grounds of the ring; it was crazy! Loved Pamplona!

    Very brave!! Although by the end of the run you get a fair and even 50/50 shot of being gored.. At the end the Bulls are either too stressed or too tired to negotiate any attack outside of knee jerk reactions. Where as in the beginning it's a source feed of frenetic energy, heightened by the natural fear of the people, this i stilling the need to attack straight out on the run.. So very brave indeed!
    My 22 year old self thought it was brave but the current 37 year old me shakes his head and realizes how dumb it was.
    Abusive to the animals too.
    I ve hunted since I was ten and I was not a fan of bull fighting.
    15 years can make a huge difference in action and perspective.

    Going back to the earlier discussion of Madrid, one of our spots to visit was a bull-ring. It hurt, inside, to see this huge lumbering noble motherfucker with scars - intentional scars - all over - was the antithesis of strolling through and breathing in Picasso's museum in the same city (my god I loved him and his painted visions).

    I think we all shake our head at our younger self; such is the nature of life and learning.

    Go bulls! ;)
  • hedonist
    hedonist Posts: 24,524
    Sweetness. Fitting, in a way?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S5zaPXybD4

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