Keep our British friends in your thoughts and prayers

'way to go Chickpea. Living in other countries makes all the difference in the world...

I was amazed a few months ago to read that only 20% of Americans even have passports (this was before one was needed for Canada and the Caribbean).

And the fact that our president has not travelled, and has almost no curiosity about other cultures....well, you've already said it all.

And, one of the most dismaying things to me: when one is coming back into the states via Atlanta...the huge signs that say: "Foreigners Here". Not international guests, not non-resident, but foreigners.....

Hi Goodwitch58,
AGREED and thank you for being observant (your comment about noticing sign at Atlanta airport) - speaks volumes - one of these days I can tell you all just how wonderfully well treated (NOT!!!) I was by INS - for many INS is the first face you see of the US and if educated people like me who speak, read and write english are treated poorly- you can surely imagine how those who are less fortunate are treated.

There are though obviously many amazing people who work for the government, who struggle daily to reverse the impressions that the few and nasty perpetuate!

...and the Dixie Chicks were right:!:

The premise that you have to travel to have a valid opinion is bogus. Anyway, maybe we can get together and discuss this further at Amore over PBR one afternoon...that is the way we do it in my gated community I have never strayed outside of for fear of confronting somebody from France.

The premise that you have to travel to have a valid opinion is bogus. Anyway, maybe we can get together and discuss this further at Amore over PBR one afternoon...that is the way we do it in my gated community I have never strayed outside of for fear of confronting somebody from France.

Re-read me - I never stated that one has to travel to have a valid opinion. What I said was that it gives one an exposure to other cultures that is not so easy to capture in other ways (even if you devour books!).

Tu ne m'effrayes pas!!!!!! Mais tu devrais avoir peur!!!

Re-read me - I never stated that one has to travel to have a valid opinion. What I said was that it gives one an exposure to other cultures that is not so easy to capture in other ways (even if you devour books!).

Tu ne m'effrayes pas!!!!!! Mais tu devrais avoir peur!!!

Je ne sais pas le fran?ais, mais je suis rest? ? un expr?s d'auberge de vacances hier soir!

Hjdjau jduifo hyu opleik ejjdje!!!!!!

Hjdjau jduifo hyu opleik ejjdje!!!!!!

Showoff! ;-)

Showoff! ;-)

What the heck!!! 12:10 AM????????

Je ne sais pas le fran?ais, mais je suis rest? ? un expr?s d'auberge de vacances hier soir!

I would/could correct you but it is actually much funnier this way! At least you are entertaining me

I would/could correct you but it is actually much funnier this way! At least you are entertaining me

Although I live where French is spoken, I sure as Hell don't know French. Spanish, yes, French, nope

Le Grey poupon

Re-read me - I never stated that one has to travel to have a valid opinion. What I said was that it gives one an exposure to other cultures that is not so easy to capture in other ways (even if you devour books!).

Tu ne m'effrayes pas!!!!!! Mais tu devrais avoir peur!!!

ahhhhhh....... I love it when you speak francais..... absolute music!

Although I live where French is spoken, I sure as Hell don't know French. Spanish, yes, French, nope

Yo tambien habla espanol - btw: why not try learn a bit of french - surely in NO it would be appreciated!

Yo tambien habla espanol - btw: why not try learn a bit of french - surely in NO it would be appreciated!

I intend to as I will be heading there next year. I must spend time at Jim Morrison's grave.

Let's see....what French words do I know? Um...oui, chapeau, grey poupon, fromage and surrender. That's about it.

I would/could correct you but it is actually much funnier this way! At least you are entertaining me

Il est tres drole, oui, Chickpea? (Still after all these years have no idea where the accent marks and such are...)

I don't believe being a bada$$ makes you right, anymore than the school yard bully is right. All the reasons they gave to take us to war have been achieved. Even though these continually changed mind you, to suit the spin.

We have stood safely on a ship and declared victory. We are safe from the WMD Saddam was going to use on us, we have torn down the statues, we have removed Saddam and been greeted with flowers as liberators. We have established a democracy, they voted, I saw the purple fingers. Haven't we already won, how can we now call it defeat? We of course had no real plan, so when they destroyed the infrastructure we watched. So now without the infrastructure intact, they are much more dependant on us, but where does it end? Will the supporters of this war be ready to send their sons or daughters to fight there? What is the reason now for occupying this country? Do we stay forever to insure that the leadership is of our choosing. That doesn't sound like democracy to me.

Our country is not safer today than it was, if anything I believe we are more vulnerable. What's the spin, safe on our soil with no attack here, because we fight them there? Goodness we didn't even have the National Guard troops to assist the citizens of NOLA during Katrina because they were deployed. Do you all really feel safer?

My friends in London think we are crazy. Remember England, they were THE superpower of history. They occupied America once.

I don't believe being a bada$$ makes you right, anymore than the school yard bully is right. All the reasons they gave to take us to war have been achieved. Even though these continually changed mind you, to suit the spin.

We have stood safely on a ship and declared victory. We are safe from the WMD Saddam was going to use on us, we have torn down the statues, we have removed Saddam and been greeted with flowers as liberators. We have established a democracy, they voted, I saw the purple fingers. Haven't we already won, how can we now call it defeat? We of course had no real plan, so when they destroyed the infrastructure we watched. So now without the infrastructure intact, they are much more dependant on us, but where does it end? Will the supporters of this war be ready to send their sons or daughters to fight there? What is the reason now for occupying this country? Do we stay forever to insure that the leadership is of our choosing. That doesn't sound like democracy to me.

Our country is not safer today than it was, if anything I believe we are more vulnerable. What's the spin, safe on our soil with no attack here, because we fight them there? Goodness we didn't even have the National Guard troops to assist the citizens of NOLA during Katrina because they were deployed. Do you all really feel safer?

My friends in London think we are crazy. Remember England, they were THE superpower of history. They occupied America once.

No, not quite...our dingbat Edith Bunkeresque governor had to request the National Guard be mobilized before they could act. She didn't at first...just so you know, they are still here, and they do make me feel mighty safe when they roll around in their humvees. And the other shoe that falls with this story is our brilliant governor announced last week she would not seek reelection:clap_1:

No, not quite...our dingbat Edith Bunkeresque governor had to request the National Guard be mobilized before they could act. She didn't at first...just so you know, they are still here, and they do make me feel mighty safe when they roll around in their humvees. And the other shoe that falls with this story is our brilliant governor announced last week she would not seek reelection:clap_1:

Like she had any chance of getting the votes to win. Hope you get someone great to fill the job. My understanding during the time of the hurricane from (Fox news, CNN, & MSNBC) was that the National Guard was short staffed there due to deployment in Iraq and they were short of some essential transport vehicle. I know Shepherd was upset saying the equipment was useless in the desert but needed for high water. He was very indignant and had the furrowed brow happening. But he's been wrong before and I was safe and dry here flipping channels, so I must be as misinformed as Brownie. Sorry for the confusion, I should know better...goofy reporters.

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Like she had any chance of getting the votes to win. Hope you get someone great to fill the job. My understanding during the time of the hurricane from (Fox news, CNN, & MSNBC) was that the National Guard was short staffed there due to deployment in Iraq and they were short of some essential transport vehicle. I know Shepherd was upset saying the equipment was useless in the desert but needed for high water. He was very indignant and had the furrowed brow happening. But he's been wrong before and I was safe and dry here flipping channels, so I must be as misinformed as Brownie. Sorry for the confusion, I should know better...goofy reporters.

There was so much misinformation here, alot of it understandable as communications were virtually destroyed and rumor became the preferred means of information exchange. The fact is that the closest national guard barracks flooded (only the army could build a baaracks and equipment storage area at the lowest point in the city ), and Blanco was so in over her head she couldn't pull the trigger on getting more stuff down from north Louisiana and she REFUSED to let the emergency response be federalized. That was a huge mistake. Anyway, there is still to this day massive confusion regarding what did and did not happen here, and we have a 30 second soundbite media, so the facts are difficult to come by

I hope we get a good governor too. The guy she beat last time who is now a US rep was ahead of her something like 50 points in the last poll they ran. The Democrat party is dusting off John Breaux, our former US Senator to run against Jindal...never mind Breaux lives in Maryland, is registered to vote in Maryland, works as a drug industry lobbyist...apparently, our progressive constitution says one must simply be a 'citizen' to run for governor, and the legal definition is not provided. He maintains he is a citizen because he still has property here, he grew up and was educated her and his family has been here since the 1700s:roll:

Well since this thread has degenerated into a veritable love-fest and folks are discussing meeting over low grade domestic beer???..allow me to pucker a few conservative back sides with a relevant question:

Why all the hoo-rah back slapping ?Way to stand by us you good ?ole Brits? attitude versus the ?Merde a la tete? towards the French when both countries show an equal disapproval rating towards the Iraq war and the policies of Dubya?

Shouldn?t you be hurling praise only on Tony Blair, one of the few Brits who actually agrees with Bush?

Or does the fact that Blair sent troops to Iraq (in defiance of the will of the British people) earn the entire country unbounded gratitude of conservative America despite the fact that most Brits would happily tell Red State Americans to kiss their arse.

Apparently the French troops in Afghanistan are not relevant to conservative attitudes.

Me thinks I spy a knee jerk conservative tendency to French bash. Tired, and inherently xenophobic.

I guess we need to amend Bush?s ?You are either with us or against us? to ?You had better be with us, ALL the time.?

I love the French because they're consistent. They are duplicitous 24/7 regardless of our left or right administration. Their trains also go very fast and they are to be admired for this. They willingly supply basketball talent to the Gators, and should be encouraged to continue....or we will bomb them!

I the French cause they invented french fries .
Mostly the French are just like any other people. most of the french people I know are highly intelligent, quite open minded and progressive, but certainly just regular old people.

The children over there are smart too. Did you know that almost all the children in France can speak French by age 2???

So thankful the Brits are being :clap_1: :clap_1: released