I'm trying to like the USA
Dec 21st 2012, 4:45 pm
#106
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: I'm trying to like the USA
Yeah, it is a bloody pricy endeavour but a small price to pay for having the ability to tell USCIS to shove it and to keep Mittens out of the White House
Dec 21st 2012, 4:59 pm
#107
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Joined: Feb 2012
Location: Purgatory (PU, USA)
Posts: 860
Re: I'm trying to like the USA
Actually the drivers in MA pale in comparison to the drivers here in South FL. My only real issue with driving in / around Boston was the poorly lit highways (or not lit at all) and dangerously short merging lanes. I do not miss the Beverly > Burlington commute at all!
Dec 21st 2012, 11:45 pm
#108
Occasionally here
Joined: Feb 2006
Location: 28 North, 82 West
Posts: 147
Re: I'm trying to like the USA
Hello again. Well for one thing you have to like the fact that you're in S.Fla this time of year, right?
But I'm not going to sugarcoat things. I've been here 20 years and the longer I stay the more I come to loathe it. I came with an open mind, I didn't jump to conclusions - I watched and learned and experienced American life. Now after 20 years I've made up my mind. Here's a few starters:
1) capital punishment - Wrong
2) Lack of gun control - Wrong
3) Lack of affordable healthcare - Wrong
4) Callous disregard for road safety - pathetic driving test standards - Wrong
5) Political system controlled by a fascist industrial lobby (medical and military) - Wrong
6) Lack of proper public transit (especially Florida because I want an alternative to being killed by a product of our lax driver training system and lack of vehicle safety checks and pathetic minimum insurance requirements) - Wrong
7) Asinine zoning/planning rules encouraging urban sprawl and unwalkable neighborhoods - Wrong
8) The rise of neo-con right wing evangelical militants and being perpetually at war - Wrong
9) Florida 'stand your ground law' - F**king stupid (and so say all the Sheriffs and Police chiefs, but that counts for jack shit in Tallahassee)
10) 1 million concealed weapons permits in Florida - yeay! Totally f**king scary
11) Civil law - lack of 'loser pays' system - Wrong (I've seen someone almost bankrupted even though he won the case!!)
I could go on and on, but feel free to chime in with a few of your own!
As you can probably gather I have some serious moral contentions with this place. I'll stay until I retire (pretty hard to change jobs in mid-50's), then you can be sure I'm outta here.
So don't feel bad - it's ok to not like it
But I'm not going to sugarcoat things. I've been here 20 years and the longer I stay the more I come to loathe it. I came with an open mind, I didn't jump to conclusions - I watched and learned and experienced American life. Now after 20 years I've made up my mind. Here's a few starters:
1) capital punishment - Wrong
2) Lack of gun control - Wrong
3) Lack of affordable healthcare - Wrong
4) Callous disregard for road safety - pathetic driving test standards - Wrong
5) Political system controlled by a fascist industrial lobby (medical and military) - Wrong
6) Lack of proper public transit (especially Florida because I want an alternative to being killed by a product of our lax driver training system and lack of vehicle safety checks and pathetic minimum insurance requirements) - Wrong
7) Asinine zoning/planning rules encouraging urban sprawl and unwalkable neighborhoods - Wrong
8) The rise of neo-con right wing evangelical militants and being perpetually at war - Wrong
9) Florida 'stand your ground law' - F**king stupid (and so say all the Sheriffs and Police chiefs, but that counts for jack shit in Tallahassee)
10) 1 million concealed weapons permits in Florida - yeay! Totally f**king scary
11) Civil law - lack of 'loser pays' system - Wrong (I've seen someone almost bankrupted even though he won the case!!)
I could go on and on, but feel free to chime in with a few of your own!
As you can probably gather I have some serious moral contentions with this place. I'll stay until I retire (pretty hard to change jobs in mid-50's), then you can be sure I'm outta here.
So don't feel bad - it's ok to not like it
Dec 22nd 2012, 12:03 am
#109
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,021
Re: I'm trying to like the USA
Hello again. Well for one thing you have to like the fact that you're in S.Fla this time of year, right?
But I'm not going to sugarcoat things. I've been here 20 years and the longer I stay the more I come to loathe it. I came with an open mind, I didn't jump to conclusions - I watched and learned and experienced American life. Now after 20 years I've made up my mind. Here's a few starters:
1) capital punishment - Wrong
2) Lack of gun control - Wrong
3) Lack of affordable healthcare - Wrong
4) Callous disregard for road safety - pathetic driving test standards - Wrong
5) Political system controlled by a fascist industrial lobby (medical and military) - Wrong
6) Lack of proper public transit (especially Florida because I want an alternative to being killed by a product of our lax driver training system and lack of vehicle safety checks and pathetic minimum insurance requirements) - Wrong
7) Asinine zoning/planning rules encouraging urban sprawl and unwalkable neighborhoods - Wrong
8) The rise of neo-con right wing evangelical militants and being perpetually at war - Wrong
9) Florida 'stand your ground law' - F**king stupid (and so say all the Sheriffs and Police chiefs, but that counts for jack shit in Tallahassee)
10) 1 million concealed weapons permits in Florida - yeay! Totally f**king scary
11) Civil law - lack of 'loser pays' system - Wrong (I've seen someone almost bankrupted even though he won the case!!)
I could go on and on, but feel free to chime in with a few of your own!
As you can probably gather I have some serious moral contentions with this place. I'll stay until I retire (pretty hard to change jobs in mid-50's), then you can be sure I'm outta here.
So don't feel bad - it's ok to not like it
But I'm not going to sugarcoat things. I've been here 20 years and the longer I stay the more I come to loathe it. I came with an open mind, I didn't jump to conclusions - I watched and learned and experienced American life. Now after 20 years I've made up my mind. Here's a few starters:
1) capital punishment - Wrong
2) Lack of gun control - Wrong
3) Lack of affordable healthcare - Wrong
4) Callous disregard for road safety - pathetic driving test standards - Wrong
5) Political system controlled by a fascist industrial lobby (medical and military) - Wrong
6) Lack of proper public transit (especially Florida because I want an alternative to being killed by a product of our lax driver training system and lack of vehicle safety checks and pathetic minimum insurance requirements) - Wrong
7) Asinine zoning/planning rules encouraging urban sprawl and unwalkable neighborhoods - Wrong
8) The rise of neo-con right wing evangelical militants and being perpetually at war - Wrong
9) Florida 'stand your ground law' - F**king stupid (and so say all the Sheriffs and Police chiefs, but that counts for jack shit in Tallahassee)
10) 1 million concealed weapons permits in Florida - yeay! Totally f**king scary
11) Civil law - lack of 'loser pays' system - Wrong (I've seen someone almost bankrupted even though he won the case!!)
I could go on and on, but feel free to chime in with a few of your own!
As you can probably gather I have some serious moral contentions with this place. I'll stay until I retire (pretty hard to change jobs in mid-50's), then you can be sure I'm outta here.
So don't feel bad - it's ok to not like it
Dec 22nd 2012, 2:01 am
#110
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2012
Location: Purgatory (PU, USA)
Posts: 860
Re: I'm trying to like the USA
I agree. Florida is a toilet. I cannot argue with any of your (valid) points. I am kicking myself for returning here from the comparative sanity and normalcy of Massachusetts; 4 seasons of the year, better employment rights, public transport and somewhat better drivers.
Dec 22nd 2012, 4:11 am
#111
.
Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Where bad things rarely happen in movies
Posts: 8,933
Re: I'm trying to like the USA
Have you tried Nirvana? Memorial/Dairy Ashford. Went to the lunch buffet there last week. Cracking good meal for $12.50. Need to get there early though, cos it gets busy. In the evening its a bit pricier, but offset by BYOB...
Dec 22nd 2012, 4:13 am
#112
.
Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Where bad things rarely happen in movies
Posts: 8,933
Re: I'm trying to like the USA
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Dec 22nd 2012, 4:17 am
#113
.
Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Where bad things rarely happen in movies
Posts: 8,933
Re: I'm trying to like the USA
Next meet up - leave the kids at home and head to the Swinging Door....best BBQ around, and a good selection of beer. Eating is "family style" which to them just means a continually refilling buffet in the middle of the table, relieving you of the inconvenience of having to get off your fat arse to go and refill your trough
Dec 22nd 2012, 7:13 am
#114
Banned
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,300
Re: I'm trying to like the USA
Dec 22nd 2012, 7:35 am
#115
Joined on April fools day
Joined: Apr 2012
Location: 30 miles from a decent grocery store.
Posts: 10,642
Dec 22nd 2012, 1:19 pm
#117
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Joined: Feb 2012
Location: Purgatory (PU, USA)
Posts: 860
Re: I'm trying to like the USA
I've never been anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere. No burning desire to, but that's not to say I wouldn't give it a shot, should the opportunity arise. The time difference between Oz and the UK would make it 10 times more difficult to watch live footy though. I really would have to find a new sport.
)
Dec 22nd 2012, 2:59 pm
#119
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Posts: 860
Re: I'm trying to like the USA
Dec 22nd 2012, 3:09 pm
#120
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 0
Re: I'm trying to like the USA