[ghporter]

America is a country that wants desperately to look inward. Many, many Americans want to let the rest of the world go away so they can concentrate on their kids' soccer league, what the boss will do at the meeting tomorrow, and what to thaw out for dinner tonight. It's sad that we Americans take for granted so much that our forefathers gave so much for.

However, we are not all this way. My father spent four years in Europe in the early '50s setting up radio communications with the US Air Force. He actually got shot at by Belgian separatists/insurgents/communists/whatever. He also was decorated by The Netherlands for his actions in the flood relief after the dikes broke and the Zider Zee came in. My father-in-law got a "wonderful tour of North Africa, Italy, England, France and Germany" in the early '40s as part of the US Army's 82nd Airborne division. He earned four combat jump stars, three Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star and a Silver Star. I have had the singular priveledge of spending the last two years of Noriega's reign of terror in Panama-my wife and son came with me on that assignment because it was "perfectly safe, and it's just like Hawaii, only cheaper!" Bahh! We are not, as a family, isolationists, nor are we ignorant of the rest of the world. However we are all saddened that we are atypical.

[d4nth3m4n]

Originally posted by ghporter:
America is a country that wants desperately to look inward. Many, many Americans want to let the rest of the world go away so they can concentrate on their kids' soccer league, what the boss will do at the meeting tomorrow, and what to thaw out for dinner tonight. It's sad that we Americans take for granted so much that our forefathers gave so much for.

However, we are not all this way. My father spent four years in Europe in the early '50s setting up radio communications with the US Air Force. He actually got shot at by Belgian separatists/insurgents/communists/whatever. He also was decorated by The Netherlands for his actions in the flood relief after the dikes broke and the Zider Zee came in. My father-in-law got a "wonderful tour of North Africa, Italy, England, France and Germany" in the early '40s as part of the US Army's 82nd Airborne division. He earned four combat jump stars, three Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star and a Silver Star. I have had the singular priveledge of spending the last two years of Noriega's reign of terror in Panama-my wife and son came with me on that assignment because it was "perfectly safe, and it's just like Hawaii, only cheaper!" Bahh! We are not, as a family, isolationists, nor are we ignorant of the rest of the world. However we are all saddened that we are atypical.

exactly.

[Oisín]

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
Big and isolated? American doesn't know jack about the largest country in the world that they are right next to.

Since when are the US and Russia right next to each other?

Also they are hardly the largest population in the world.

No, third-largest, right after China and India. And if you take out all the people in India and China that live in extreme poverty (and thus have no hope of ever travelling anywhere, roughly speaking), I don't think the US is that far behind.

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Originally posted by Ois�n:
Since when are the US and Russia right next to each other?

Oh please you know what I mean. Even at that I don't think many know jack about Russia either.

Here are some other facts about Canada for your to brush up on.
http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa052500a.htm

[BasketofPuppies]

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
American doesn't know jack about the largest country in the world that they are right next to.

No one outside of Canada knows much about Canada. You guys rarely do anything interesting and the cost of non-Canadian companies conducting business in Canada prevents non-Canadian news outlets--except for Reuters, which is everywhere--from opening bureaus or even sending correspondents into the country.

Largest country in the world? Whatever happened to Russia?

Why do I even bother responding to an admitted troll?

[Oisín]

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
Oh please you know what I mean. Even at that I don't think many know jack about Russia either.

But, again, this is not something that's limited to Americans. There are lots of people in lots of countries who won't know a thing about neither Canada nor Russia. Just because a country is one of the biggest in the world doesn't necessarily mean people know more about them. For instance, I personally don't know all that much about Russia or Brazil, apart from the basic stuff, though they rank 1st and 5th, respectively. I know my neighbouring countries fairly well, but then again, I live in a country that takes up 43,000 km2, so I can go from where I am now to every neighbouring country we have in less than five hours [one of them in just over 25 minutes, actually].

[BasketofPuppies]

Originally posted by Ois�n:
Since when are the US and Russia right next to each other?

Since 1868.

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Originally posted by BasketofPuppies:
No one outside of Canada knows much about Canada. You guys rarely do anything interesting and the cost of non-Canadian companies conducting business in Canada prevents non-Canadian news outlets--except for Reuters, which is everywhere--from opening bureaus or even sending correspondents into the country.

Riiiiiiight

[E's Lil Theorem]

McD's or some other chain should this in an anti Burger King campaign.

Something like, "See, you can't have it your way and not even the police can help you!"

[chris v]

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
That would make a great t-shirt

Why, yes, it would.

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Originally posted by chris v:
Why, yes, it would.

Actually I was talking about:

"Originally posted by budster101:
I am suprised at the people in here from Europe or Candaa that have such a little understanding of America."

[fireside]

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
Actually I was talking about:

"Originally posted by budster101:
I am suprised at the people in here from Europe or Candaa that have such a little understanding of America."

he made a typo, whats the big deal?

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Originally posted by fireside:
he made a typo, whats the big deal?

Ya, same goes for that guy wearing the t-shirt

[Zimphire]

No big deal, SWF just likes being a petty bitch.