Sometimes I feel like people would argue that "We're just like everyone else" if we were violating human rights and forming a religious republic. After all, so many other countries do it, it must be okay.blisteringsilence wrote:
...just like in every other country in the world. The only difference is you might have to endure a public trial here first, whereas other places, your well-connected friends kill the investigation before it comes time to press charges.CameronPoe wrote:
Yes apparently now if you're a close buddy of say the president you can pretty much buy your way out of jail...
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- Is America really the land of opportunity you tell me your thoughts
It looks like a bad conversion to dollars in the last column. The Euro is obviously higher. I'll investigate more. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purchasing_power_parityCameronPoe wrote:
I don't understand what exactly is going on with Ireland's PPP In that picture - it has the same PPP index as the US and yet in monetary terms it is lower than the US despite the fact that the euro is far stronger than the dollar. Anybody help?Kmarion wrote:
Americans are very high in PPP (purchasing power) as a whole. Simply put, how far our income can go when purchasing goods or services.blisteringsilence wrote:
You've got a good start here. Food is indeed cheap. And good. Nothing against you Brits, but I was hard pressed to find a good cut of beef the whole time I was there. You can get an excellent, prime cut KC Strip at the grocery store for about 10 bucks a pound (5 if they're on sale that week). Foodstuff wise, we're MUCH cheaper here than in Europe. It helps that a lot of it comes from our country.
http://i10.tinypic.com/540oldj.jpg
Our middle ground is slipping though... not good.
Also Real estate is very much a local thing. A bunch of houses with Million dollar price tags doesn't mean much. I could put a double wide trailer on the market for 800k. That doesn't mean it will sell. The nation as a whole is in a slump.. no doubt . http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oreg … amp;coll=7
Xbone Stormsurgezz
Same with the conversion from pounds.Kmarion wrote:
It looks like a bad conversion to dollars in the last column. The Euro is obviously higher. I'll investigate more. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purchasing_power_parityCameronPoe wrote:
I don't understand what exactly is going on with Ireland's PPP In that picture - it has the same PPP index as the US and yet in monetary terms it is lower than the US despite the fact that the euro is far stronger than the dollar. Anybody help?Kmarion wrote:
Americans are very high in PPP (purchasing power) as a whole. Simply put, how far our income can go when purchasing goods or services.
http://i10.tinypic.com/540oldj.jpg
Our middle ground is slipping though... not good.
Also Real estate is very much a local thing. A bunch of houses with Million dollar price tags doesn't mean much. I could put a double wide trailer on the market for 800k. That doesn't mean it will sell. The nation as a whole is in a slump.. no doubt . http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oreg … amp;coll=7
But that's just due to the dollar falling in value for a few years.
yes it is, Tokio is full of opportunitiesblisteringsilence wrote:
How many real poor people do you know? I only ask because I work with the "poor" on a daily basis. And the people I work with would be a hell of a lot wealthier if they'd stop paying for some consumer goods in favor of building some wealth.jonsimon wrote:
You pretty much hit the nail on the head. If you're rich, you've got more oppertunities than even the law provides. If you're poor, you're lucky to have your constitutional rights and your life.
The fact of the matter is that anyone, no matter their background, has the opportunity to make a lot of money in this country. Some embrace this, others choose not to. It, like many things here, is a matter of personal choice.You've lost your mind. Japan? I'd agree with Australia, but Japan? There are NO entrepeneurs in Japan. Not to mention the rigid social striations in that country. While it is indeed a nice place to live, I would never call it a land of opportunity.suomalainen_äijä wrote:
no it isn't, Japan or Australia are the ones
Last edited by suomalainen_äijä (2007-07-05 10:18:20)
I know but that's the point in PPP formula. It's supposed to factor in exchange rates and inflation to determine real purchasing power.Bertster7 wrote:
Same with the conversion from pounds.Kmarion wrote:
It looks like a bad conversion to dollars in the last column. The Euro is obviously higher. I'll investigate more. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purchasing_power_parityCameronPoe wrote:
I don't understand what exactly is going on with Ireland's PPP In that picture - it has the same PPP index as the US and yet in monetary terms it is lower than the US despite the fact that the euro is far stronger than the dollar. Anybody help?
But that's just due to the dollar falling in value for a few years.
Xbone Stormsurgezz
I know that's how it's supposed to work. But if you look at the actual figures they correlate perfectly with the exchange rates at that time.Kmarion wrote:
I know but that's the point in PPP formula. It's supposed to factor in exchange rates and inflation to determine real purchasing power.Bertster7 wrote:
Same with the conversion from pounds.Kmarion wrote:
It looks like a bad conversion to dollars in the last column. The Euro is obviously higher. I'll investigate more. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purchasing_power_parity
But that's just due to the dollar falling in value for a few years.
In 2003 the exchange rates fitted perfectly with those figures. $0.62 to the £. 39000x0.62=24180.
*edit*
D'oh - except for the fact that I've got the year wrong. It's 2004/5 - not 03/4. Whoops.
Last edited by Bertster7 (2007-07-05 10:32:44)
This is the only data I could find that used the same year for everyone.Bertster7 wrote:
I know that's how it's supposed to work. But if you look at the actual figures they correlate perfectly with the exchange rates at that time.Kmarion wrote:
I know but that's the point in PPP formula. It's supposed to factor in exchange rates and inflation to determine real purchasing power.Bertster7 wrote:
Same with the conversion from pounds.
But that's just due to the dollar falling in value for a few years.
In 2003 the exchange rates fitted perfectly with those figures. $0.62 to the £. 39000x0.62=24180.
*edit*
D'oh - except for the fact that I've got the year wrong. It's 2004/5 - not 03/4. Whoops.
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DATA … /GNIPC.pdf
It's from the world bank.
Xbone Stormsurgezz
Some very good posts THANK YOU all!
Wow. This is the first thread i've ever read coming from the UK that doesn't bash our great land.wah1188 wrote:
Note this is not a yank bashing thread!
Was having an interesting conversation with a friend the other day about going to another country to live.
We talked about how cool it would be to live in America since food is so cheap and how you ain't got to go far to holiday the different states are like different countries in themselves. Also the huge houses you can get, not to mention the perfect weather.
Then we thought isn't the community more divided and unintentional racial segregation more prominent, I mean there are pretty much all white areas and all black areas.
We also talked about how if your poor its really bad, if your rich its really good and how theres a huge range between social economic classes.
Yes its the same in all countries don't get me wrong. I was just thinking is it really bad to be poor in America compared to the U.K we get benefits and stuff here so we can still at least eat, clothe ourselves and live on a day to day basis.
From what I know you guys give out state benefits for a certain amount of time then your off right? I'd also think your healthcare is quite good but thats due to having to pay for it but how to poor families do without it if they simply can't afford the medicine or operation.
As you all know the U.K has a free health care system and private, some of the economists will tell you its needed because health care is a merit good and is under consumed by the market. Due to this we pay taxes which go into funding this service are your taxes a lot lower, because it sure does suck to look at your paycheck before and after tax here.
Would you feel a bit annoyed paying for fat bills gastric bypass, even though he spends all his money on food but cannot "afford" his operation.
I just feel a little cheated that the working are punished by the government with taxes and yet the jobless are leeching off us.
Some of you may read this and take offense I'm sorry but this is just my thoughts and views, I don't want personal attacks I want your views on what I know. If its correct or did it get mixed up over the sea. I guess I would like to know more about living in America from a Americans point of view.
Also the college thing you guys have to pay loads to go right, we get loans and grants off the government to help us. Are the poor denied education even though they have the ability I know there are scholarships but they can only give out so much.
The thing I want to know is in America if you got the balls and the heart is there really the opportunity to become successful?
Oh and gross you guys get huge spiders over there .
http://forums.bf2s.com/viewtopic.php?id=79511
Your correct, when your poor, its bad. But there are also a lot of jobs that require no skill. Im not saying you could afford to feed a family with this income but its still something. Also, you are correct about the racial division. Although personaly i do not like the stereotypical black man (A.K.A. a "gangster") I do however love the NORMAL acting, respectable, black man. Although in our great country the Stereotype calls this kind of man an 'Uncle Tom' and shames him for wanting to act respecable, (white). Anyways, As long as you stay out of the black neighborhoods you wont get shot.
Luckly, theres still PLENTY of white (with the accasional respectable black family) neighborhoods and it will be that way for a long time. There are around 300 million total people in America and 30 million of them are black. <- Just a fun fact. Haha not to go on a race thing here but i just HAVE to state, that even though blacks only make up like 15% of America, around 80% of crime is from blacks. True fact.
Anyways. Come to America, i'll show you around.
Oh and yeah i never really thought about it but all the states are different, with different laws, different people, and different accents. So its kind of like different little countries all pressed into our great land. But thats what makes it great.
Last edited by Mitch (2007-07-05 13:06:30)
15 more years! 15 more years!
America is a land of opportunity just as much as it was in the past. The proof of that is that people are still flocking to the US. The difference is that instead of starving-poor-diseased-criminal Europeans, now you have Mexicans, Brazilians, Cubas, etc.
"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them."
Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)
Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)
Dunno why people bash America seems like I nice place from what I have heard from someones visit to Texas, your quite a friendly bunch.Wow. This is the first thread i've ever read coming from the UK that doesn't bash our great land.
Your correct, when your poor, its bad. But there are also a lot of jobs that require no skill. Im not saying you could afford to feed a family with this income but its still something. Also, you are correct about the racial division. Although personaly i do not like the stereotypical black man (A.K.A. a "gangster") I do however love the NORMAL acting, respectable, black man. Although in our great country the Stereotype calls this kind of man an 'Uncle Tom' and shames him for wanting to act respecable, (white). Anyways, As long as you stay out of the black neighborhoods you wont get shot.
Luckly, theres still PLENTY of white (with the accasional respectable black family) neighborhoods and it will be that way for a long time. There are around 300 million total people in America and 30 million of them are black. <- Just a fun fact. Haha not to go on a race thing here but i just HAVE to state, that even though blacks only make up like 15% of America, around 80% of crime is from blacks. True fact.
Anyways. Come to America, i'll show you around.
Oh and yeah i never really thought about it but all the states are different, with different laws, different people, and different accents. So its kind of like different little countries all pressed into our great land. But thats what makes it great.
Oh Really?Mitch wrote:
[Anyways, As long as you stay out of the black neighborhoods you wont get shot.
-Columbine
-Santee
School Shootings and White Denial
http://www.alternet.org/story/10560/
I can think of no other way to say this, so here goes: white people need to pull our heads out of our collective ass.
Two more white children are dead and thirteen are injured, and another "nice" community is scratching its blonde head, utterly perplexed at how a school shooting the likes of the one yesterday in Santee, California could happen. After all, as the Mayor of the town said in an interview with CNN: "We're a solid town, a good town, with good kids, a good church-going town…an All-American town." Yeah, well maybe that's the problem.
I said this after Columbine and no one listened so I'll say it again: white people live in an utter state of self-delusion. We think danger is black, brown and poor, and if we can just move far enough away from "those people" in the cities we'll be safe. If we can just find an "all-American" town, life will be better, because "things like this just don't happen here."
Well bullshit on that. In case you hadn't noticed, "here" is about the only place these kinds of things do happen. Oh sure, there is plenty of violence in urban communities and schools. But mass murder; wholesale slaughter; take-a-gun-and-see-how-many-you can-kill kinda craziness seems made for those safe places: the white suburbs or rural communities.
And yet once again, we hear the FBI insist there is no "profile" of a school shooter. Come again? White boy after white boy after white boy, with very few exceptions to that rule (and none in the mass shooting category), decides to use their classmates for target practice, and yet there is no profile? Imagine if all these killers had been black: would we still hesitate to put a racial face on the perpetrators? Doubtful.
Indeed, if any black child in America -- especially in the mostly white suburbs of Littleton, or Santee -- were to openly discuss their plans to murder fellow students, as happened both at Columbine and now Santana High, you can bet your ass that somebody would have turned them in, and the cops would have beat a path to their doorstep. But when whites discuss their murderous intentions, our stereotypes of what danger looks like cause us to ignore it -- they're just "talking" and won't really do anything. How many kids have to die before we rethink that nonsense? How many dazed and confused parents, Mayors and Sheriffs do we have to listen to, describing how "normal" and safe their community is, and how they just can't understand what went wrong?
I'll tell you what went wrong and it's not TV, rap music, video games or a lack of prayer in school. What went wrong is that white Americans decided to ignore dysfunction and violence when it only affected other communities, and thereby blinded themselves to the inevitable creeping of chaos which never remains isolated too long. What affects the urban "ghetto" today will be coming to a Wal-Mart near you tomorrow, and unless you address the emptiness, pain, isolation and lack of hope felt by children of color and the poor, then don't be shocked when the support systems aren't there for your kids either.
What went wrong is that we allowed ourselves to be lulled into a false sense of security by media representations of crime and violence that portray both as the province of those who are anything but white like us. We ignore the warning signs, because in our minds the warning signs don't live in our neighborhood, but across town, in that place where we lock our car doors on the rare occasion we have to drive there. That false sense of security -- the result of racist and classist stereotypes -- then gets people killed. And still we act amazed.
But listen up my fellow white Americans: your children are no better, no nicer, no more moral, no more decent than anyone else. Dysfunction is all around you, whether you choose to recognize it or not.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, and Department of Health and Human Services, it is your children, and not those of the urban ghetto, who are most likely to use drugs. That's right: white high school students are seven times more likely than blacks to have used cocaine; eight times more likely to have smoked crack; ten times more likely to have used LSD and seven times more likely to have used heroin. In fact, there are more white high school students who have used crystal methamphetamine (the most addictive drug on the streets) than there are black students who smoke cigarettes.
What's more, white youth ages 12-17 are more likely to sell drugs: 34% more likely, in fact than their black counterparts. And it is white youth who are twice as likely to binge drink, and nearly twice as likely as blacks to drive drunk. And white males are twice as likely to bring a weapon to school as are black males.
And yet I would bet a valued body part that there aren't 100 white people in Santee, California, or most any other "nice" community who have ever heard a single one of the statistics above. Even though they were collected by government agencies using these folks' tax money for the purpose. Because the media doesn't report on white dysfunction
A few years ago, U.S. News ran a story entitled: "A Shocking look at blacks and crime." Yet never have they or any other news outlet discussed the "shocking" whiteness of these shoot-em-ups. Indeed, every time media commentators discuss the similarities in these crimes they mention that the shooters were boys, they were loners, they got picked on, but never do they seem to notice a certain highly visible melanin deficiency. Color-blind, I guess.
White-blind is more like it, as I figure these folks would spot color mighty damn quick were some of it to stroll into their community. Santee's whiteness is so taken for granted by its residents that the Mayor, in that CNN interview, thought nothing of saying on the one hand that the town was 82 percent white, but on the other hand that "this is America." Well that isn't America, and it especially isn't California, where whites are only half of the population. This is a town that is removed from America, and yet its Mayor thinks they are the normal ones -- so much so that when asked about racial diversity, he replied that there weren't many of different "ethni-tis-tities." Not a word. Not even close.
I'd like to think that after this one, people would wake up. Take note. Rethink their stereotypes of who the dangerous ones are. But deep down, I know better. The folks hitting the snooze button on this none-too-subtle alarm are my own people, after all, and I know their blindness like the back of my hand.
Tim Wise is a Nashville-based writer and activist and can be reached at tjwise@mindspring.com
Yeah texas is one of the friendliest and most welcoming place. Everyone treats everyone like family. And theres very low crime because anyone can be carrying a gun so you think again before mugging themwah1188 wrote:
Dunno why people bash America seems like I nice place from what I have heard from someones visit to Texas, your quite a friendly bunch.Wow. This is the first thread i've ever read coming from the UK that doesn't bash our great land.
Your correct, when your poor, its bad. But there are also a lot of jobs that require no skill. Im not saying you could afford to feed a family with this income but its still something. Also, you are correct about the racial division. Although personaly i do not like the stereotypical black man (A.K.A. a "gangster") I do however love the NORMAL acting, respectable, black man. Although in our great country the Stereotype calls this kind of man an 'Uncle Tom' and shames him for wanting to act respecable, (white). Anyways, As long as you stay out of the black neighborhoods you wont get shot.
Luckly, theres still PLENTY of white (with the accasional respectable black family) neighborhoods and it will be that way for a long time. There are around 300 million total people in America and 30 million of them are black. <- Just a fun fact. Haha not to go on a race thing here but i just HAVE to state, that even though blacks only make up like 15% of America, around 80% of crime is from blacks. True fact.
Anyways. Come to America, i'll show you around.
Oh and yeah i never really thought about it but all the states are different, with different laws, different people, and different accents. So its kind of like different little countries all pressed into our great land. But thats what makes it great.
15 more years! 15 more years!
what a load of bullshit, grow up kid.Mitch wrote:
Wow. This is the first thread i've ever read coming from the UK that doesn't bash our great land.wah1188 wrote:
Note this is not a yank bashing thread!
Was having an interesting conversation with a friend the other day about going to another country to live.
We talked about how cool it would be to live in America since food is so cheap and how you ain't got to go far to holiday the different states are like different countries in themselves. Also the huge houses you can get, not to mention the perfect weather.
Then we thought isn't the community more divided and unintentional racial segregation more prominent, I mean there are pretty much all white areas and all black areas.
We also talked about how if your poor its really bad, if your rich its really good and how theres a huge range between social economic classes.
Yes its the same in all countries don't get me wrong. I was just thinking is it really bad to be poor in America compared to the U.K we get benefits and stuff here so we can still at least eat, clothe ourselves and live on a day to day basis.
From what I know you guys give out state benefits for a certain amount of time then your off right? I'd also think your healthcare is quite good but thats due to having to pay for it but how to poor families do without it if they simply can't afford the medicine or operation.
As you all know the U.K has a free health care system and private, some of the economists will tell you its needed because health care is a merit good and is under consumed by the market. Due to this we pay taxes which go into funding this service are your taxes a lot lower, because it sure does suck to look at your paycheck before and after tax here.
Would you feel a bit annoyed paying for fat bills gastric bypass, even though he spends all his money on food but cannot "afford" his operation.
I just feel a little cheated that the working are punished by the government with taxes and yet the jobless are leeching off us.
Some of you may read this and take offense I'm sorry but this is just my thoughts and views, I don't want personal attacks I want your views on what I know. If its correct or did it get mixed up over the sea. I guess I would like to know more about living in America from a Americans point of view.
Also the college thing you guys have to pay loads to go right, we get loans and grants off the government to help us. Are the poor denied education even though they have the ability I know there are scholarships but they can only give out so much.
The thing I want to know is in America if you got the balls and the heart is there really the opportunity to become successful?
Oh and gross you guys get huge spiders over there .
http://forums.bf2s.com/viewtopic.php?id=79511
Your correct, when your poor, its bad. But there are also a lot of jobs that require no skill. Im not saying you could afford to feed a family with this income but its still something. Also, you are correct about the racial division. Although personaly i do not like the stereotypical black man (A.K.A. a "gangster") I do however love the NORMAL acting, respectable, black man. Although in our great country the Stereotype calls this kind of man an 'Uncle Tom' and shames him for wanting to act respecable, (white). Anyways, As long as you stay out of the black neighborhoods you wont get shot.
Luckly, theres still PLENTY of white (with the accasional respectable black family) neighborhoods and it will be that way for a long time. There are around 300 million total people in America and 30 million of them are black. <- Just a fun fact. Haha not to go on a race thing here but i just HAVE to state, that even though blacks only make up like 15% of America, around 80% of crime is from blacks. True fact.
Anyways. Come to America, i'll show you around.
Oh and yeah i never really thought about it but all the states are different, with different laws, different people, and different accents. So its kind of like different little countries all pressed into our great land. But thats what makes it great.
ok, so, i a gree, it is A land of opportuniy, not THE land of opportunity.
oh, and about the grants and stuff, when i grduated from high school, i had between a 3.3 and a 3.4 GPA (based on a 4.0 scale)
the biggest grant i got was onyl for $150 and it was THE only one i got
really, the way i have been seeing it, the few that managed to get 4.5 GPA's (4.0 scale, but AP classes are worth 5 for an A), they're the one's that get a majority of the "opportunities" and all the grants and scholarships
with $150, what can i buy? one book for one class, wow, thats great...
sry, rant over
oh, and about the grants and stuff, when i grduated from high school, i had between a 3.3 and a 3.4 GPA (based on a 4.0 scale)
the biggest grant i got was onyl for $150 and it was THE only one i got
really, the way i have been seeing it, the few that managed to get 4.5 GPA's (4.0 scale, but AP classes are worth 5 for an A), they're the one's that get a majority of the "opportunities" and all the grants and scholarships
with $150, what can i buy? one book for one class, wow, thats great...
sry, rant over
Can you explain GunSlinger?GunSlinger OIF II wrote:
what a load of bullshit, grow up kid.
the racism is his post is pretty apparent. Dont use his words to gauge society in the United States.wah1188 wrote:
Can you explain GunSlinger?GunSlinger OIF II wrote:
what a load of bullshit, grow up kid.
Really well he has his opinion of black people nothing I can see thats really bad. Hold on I can kinda see what you mean.GunSlinger OIF II wrote:
the racism is his post is pretty apparent. Dont use his words to gauge society in the United States.wah1188 wrote:
Can you explain GunSlinger?GunSlinger OIF II wrote:
what a load of bullshit, grow up kid.
Last edited by wah1188 (2007-07-05 14:02:59)
Indeed.GunSlinger OIF II wrote:
the racism is his post is pretty apparent. Dont use his words to gauge society in the United States.wah1188 wrote:
Can you explain GunSlinger?GunSlinger OIF II wrote:
what a load of bullshit, grow up kid.
An armed society is a polite society.Mitch wrote:
Yeah texas is one of the friendliest and most welcoming place. Everyone treats everyone like family. And theres very low crime because anyone can be carrying a gun so you think again before mugging them
I heard a statistic, which I can't find again, that said crooks in the United States average 4 hours to case a home before they rob it, while in the UK they spend on average 15 minutes.
If you were a crook and knew that the homeowner could legally kill you on their property, wouldn't you take precautions?
Speaking about school shooting many argued that the Virginia Tech Massacre that killed 33 people could had been averted if professors had the option to carry a handgun. I forgot exactly which state, perhaps Nevada or Utah, but one of their universities voted to allow professors to have guns.
If 1 of the professors at Virginia Tech had a gun perhaps it may have saved lives?
And if 1 of the students hadn't had a gun, it would have saved more.Harmor wrote:
If 1 of the professors at Virginia Tech had a gun perhaps it may have saved lives?
Im not a big fan of Texas...sorry. I grew to like the place eventually but I was coming from sunny southern California and was moved to Texas by Uncle Sam. Also, Killeen a shit hole. I really like Austin though, and San Antonio too. But I always thought it funn, when youre on the 10 entering texas through el paso, you see the big star "Welcome to Texas" then, 100 meters later you gotta sign that says "Dont Mess With Texas"
I don't want to stray too far away from the topic, but you are right if everyone followed the law that Virginia Tech had, "No guns on campus."jonsimon wrote:
And if 1 of the students hadn't had a gun, it would have saved more.Harmor wrote:
If 1 of the professors at Virginia Tech had a gun perhaps it may have saved lives?
Problem is criminals, by their own definition, do not follow the law.
Texas, like [almost] any other state, has its good and bad points. I find that, generally, the south is warm and open and inviting. If you have the time, and are visiting the states, try to check out the south. Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North and South Carolina especially. The people are warm, friendly, and inviting. Not to mention, you haven't lived until you've had some rural southern BBQ. You've never tasted happiness before. Man, some dry rub ribs, a little smoked pulled pork, corn on the cob, cole slaw, baked beans, and some cornbread. Now that's a meal.GunSlinger OIF II wrote:
Im not a big fan of Texas...sorry. I grew to like the place eventually but I was coming from sunny southern California and was moved to Texas by Uncle Sam. Also, Killeen a shit hole. I really like Austin though, and San Antonio too. But I always thought it funn, when youre on the 10 entering texas through el paso, you see the big star "Welcome to Texas" then, 100 meters later you gotta sign that says "Dont Mess With Texas"
That's actually one of my million dollar ideas. Move to England and open up a good bbq place. I'd make a fortune. Of course, I'd have to find a way to sneak the meat in, but other than that, it'd be awesome.
What do you barbecue on?blisteringsilence wrote:
Texas, like [almost] any other state, has its good and bad points. I find that, generally, the south is warm and open and inviting. If you have the time, and are visiting the states, try to check out the south. Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North and South Carolina especially. The people are warm, friendly, and inviting. Not to mention, you haven't lived until you've had some rural southern BBQ. You've never tasted happiness before. Man, some dry rub ribs, a little smoked pulled pork, corn on the cob, cole slaw, baked beans, and some cornbread. Now that's a meal.GunSlinger OIF II wrote:
Im not a big fan of Texas...sorry. I grew to like the place eventually but I was coming from sunny southern California and was moved to Texas by Uncle Sam. Also, Killeen a shit hole. I really like Austin though, and San Antonio too. But I always thought it funn, when youre on the 10 entering texas through el paso, you see the big star "Welcome to Texas" then, 100 meters later you gotta sign that says "Dont Mess With Texas"
That's actually one of my million dollar ideas. Move to England and open up a good bbq place. I'd make a fortune. Of course, I'd have to find a way to sneak the meat in, but other than that, it'd be awesome.
Please, please tell me you don't use propane like a lot of Americans I've encountered. The best thing to barbecue on is wood. Different types for different flavours, oak is always a good bet.
Most people in England seem to use charcoal stuff - but I'm not a big fan of that - better than gas, but still a bit rubbish. So many people do barbecues so wrong. It makes me sad.
In England people tend to ruin their meat too. ESPECIALY on barbecues, there's so much paranoia about food not being properly cooked - so everyone always overcooks everything. On the continent you don't have this problem - which is one reason I like French resaurants, when I ask for my steak 'bleu' - that's what I get.
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