Preconceived ideas about America/Disney

[WIcruizer]

I've just had my lunch, smoked cod on a layer of cheesy leeks and broccollli,

It's not a matter which country has better food, it's a matter of taste. For example, I would never eat the above referenced lunch. That is why I don't like Englsih food, but it doesn't mean it's BAD food- just meals I don't like.

In the States, within 5 minutes of my house I can get Italian, Mexican, Thai, Chinese, Indian, Seafood, Steak, etc., etc. Not only that, but the choices are endless at each. To go from that to cheesy leeks is a big change for the worse to my taste buds.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

It just goes to show that it is all depending on your experiences as to what your opinion of things might be.

There is an old joke about a group of blind men who were positioned around an elephant, each touching a different area. One reported that an elephant was hard while another said it felt like a hose and yet another said it was hairy. They were all correct, according to their points of view. LOL

Carol, I am wondering if I might come by for a bite one day but I am running away from Disneyfan's area though, it sounds far too dangerous for a woman on a perpetual diet.

I had a hamburger patty with brussel sprouts for lunch, my main meal. Can you tell I do low carb?

Slightly Goofy (who is coming to England for the history and people and not for the food anyway)

 

[Miffy2003]

In the States, within 5 minutes of my house I can get Italian, Mexican, Thai, Chinese, Indian, Seafood, Steak, etc., etc. Not only that, but the choices are endless at each. .

To be fair, so can you in most large towns / small cities in the UK

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Shucks, darn. Here I was looking forward to lots of walking and not much food that I would want on my trip. Sort of like a perfect vacation for a dieter. LOL

BTW, are the castles accessible? (Just kidding, I am not that dumb) Let the drawbridge down and I will joist my way into your hearts. (grin)

Slightly Goofy

 

[floridalol]

How ridiculous. How many US states have you visited? How many US restaurants have you dined at? In Orlando it is very easy to find a bad meal - many people often complain about the dining offered at certain establishments. In the UK we have many high-end restaurants offering excellent cuisine - as well as many bad places - just like in the USA.

I don't mean to "bash" Bournemouth, but please - how many people "vacation" there who are particularly seeking excellent dining? Very few.

I think your assumptions are just that - assumptions.

Ok, Frances999, your questions answered:

States visited: Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Nevada, California, Texas and although stateless, Washington DC.

Restaurants dined at: I've lost count but well past a hundred going on two hundred.

Bournemouth: Please bash it as much as you want. Bournemouth is supposed to be the leading seaside holiday resort in England for ABC1 visitors but as I have said you can count the decent restaurants on one hand AND I'm including Indian, Chinese and other ethnic cuisine. This being the case it is a disgraceful state of affairs.

Facts - You assume too much. You do not know me. My view is different to yours and you obviously don't like it. These boards are about opinions and everyone is entitled to their own whether you agree to it or not.
Just because you live in Bath doesn't mean you know more than me or anyone else. I couldn't care less what you think.

 

[Frances999]

Facts - You assume too much. You do not know me. My view is different to yours and you obviously don't like it. These boards are about opinions and everyone is entitled to their own whether you agree to it or not. Just because you live in Bath doesn't mean you know more than me or anyone else. I couldn't care less what you think.

If you look back through this thread, you will see that you were the one who started this, by disagreeing with my opinion about food. I am entitled to my own opinion, but you decided to say it was wrong and the "funniest quote" you have read.

As for the Bath thing, I do not have a clue what you are talking about. I never even made any reference to where I live - it is totally irrelevant.

 

[pmcpmc]

community spirit in a thread

 

[floridalol]

If you look back through this thread, you will see that you were the one who started this, by disagreeing with my opinion about food. I am entitled to my own opinion, but you decided to say it was wrong and the "funniest quote" you have read.

As for the Bath thing, I do not have a clue what you are talking about. I never even made any reference to where I live - it is totally irrelevant.

I think you have the wrong end of the stick again. I found your quote about choosing bad restaurants funny because no one in their right mind purposely eats at a bad restaurant. My statement proclaimed that it is hard to find a genuinely bad meal in America which I believe is true, no one (presumably) would ever enter a dirty rundown looking restaurant so with the ones left to choose from although most will be ordinary (as I stated) truly bad meals will be rare. This you cannot say about restaurants in England where I believe that a lot of restaurants are serving inedible food.

You stated that no one would go to Bournemouth for good food - why not? Your comments indicated that Bournemouth was a town for those who did not want good food - you are erronous in that belief - many visitors come looking for good food but rarely return because of the lack of it. Although you did not state that Bath was superior, rightly or wrongly I perceived an air of superiority, my turn to assume.

 

[florida sun]

Hi

Can I once again please remind you all that the board rules clearly states no personal attacks, which is what is happening here, if you have issues with what a poster has written, please address each other via email, or I will close this thread.

Thank you for your cooperation.


Sue

 

[disneyholic family]

Whilst I agree there are also benefits of living here compared to the USA, I disagree about the health care situation. In my opinion the NHS is a mess - and it isn't really free as we pay for it in our ridiculous taxation rates. Personally, I would much prefer a similar system to the USA with regards to the health care.

i'm not familiar with the problems of the NHS, however i do believe that everyone is entitled to medical care in the UK....is that true?

the problem with american health care is that not everyone is covered...
there are millions of people with no health coverage at all.....

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Thank you Florida Sun. Sometimes feelings get hurt when we cannot see each others faces.

I am enjoying this thread and am learning things. We get frustrated here sometimes because health care is so insurance driven and dream of 'free' health care however if we read and talk to each other we can see that while both systems have advantages there are also disadvantages. We get quite a few Canadians who come down here to get services because they cannot or do not want to wait any longer. (how is that for a run on sentence?? LOL) Money rules, whatever country you live in. I get frustrated because some severe cases get more help (private donations etc.) than others because of the publicity given to some cases. If you are attractive etc. you get more notice. Reminds me of a sad show from my childhood "Queen for a Day" when three ladies would come on and tell their appalling stories of woe and whomever 'won' the prize. It was heartbreaking to see the other, often also worthy, people walk away with no help.

I do not know the answer as to how to solve these problems but I do think talking to others with different solutions is one way to learn in what direction to go, or not.

Slightly Goofy

 

[basas]

We get quite a few Canadians who come down here to get services because they cannot or do not want to wait any longer.

Not only do Canadians flock down to get treatment (to get it faster), doctors actually SEND people down by the hundreds to get treatment. Canada's health care system is a MESS! Alot of the provinces are pushing for a two-tiered system and private clinics but the government seems to favor an all Medicare system.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Nothing is perfect but it does seem as if there could be something between what we have and what you have that would be better.

If you are rich or very poor here you get care. Rich get better care though. One bad illness can bankrupt most anyone. Is scary.

I have a dear Canadian friend who has waited over a year for a pacemaker. I worry for her.

Slightly Goofy/Linda

 

[basas]

Nothing is perfect but it does seem as if there could be something between what we have and what you have that would be better.

If you are rich or very poor here you get care. Rich get better care though. One bad illness can bankrupt most anyone. Is scary.

I have a dear Canadian friend who has waited over a year for a pacemaker. I worry for her.

Slightly Goofy/Linda

Exactly...there have been many stories of people who needed immediate operations and have not been able to get them (or afford to go south to get them) and have died while waiting for treatment. It is pretty scary. That's why i favor allowing those with more money to go to special clinics to get their operations done. It would allow the people paying to get the treatment faster, but also dramatically shorten the waiting times for people who can't, or don't want to pay the fees. I see it as a win-win situation.

 

[WIcruizer]

there are millions of people with no health coverage at all.....

Yes but that statement is misleading. Many young people choose not to have coverage. Many poor people don't have coverage but medical care is paid for with our vast safety net. Medicaid, etc. And ERs generally don't turn anyone away for urgent care if it's paid for or not.

The US system isn't perfect, but quality of care is higher and more accessable when needed than NHC.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

basas, it sounds like you have a good idea. Of course many doctors will prefer to work for the pay system so they will most likely get the better doctors but some care sure beats no care.

WIcruizer, you said a truth. In my own, large, family I have members who have opted either not work at all or work for low stress places that offer little, if anything, in the way of benefits and now they are older and are sick and in much trouble. We plodded along working for a reliable company and have insurance etc. We have something and are now expected to pick up for those who have nothing, by their own choice. I help as much as I can without taking us down also. It is hard to see.

Slightly Goofy

 

[#1MMFan]

This is the funniest quote I've read in ages. In America it is genuinely difficult to find a BAD meal, lots of ordinary meals admittedly but very hard to find a bad meal, in Britain it is genuinely difficult to find a GOOD meal, almost as difficult to find an ordinary meal but certainly very easy to find a BAD meal. In general over here you get served a luke warm gelatinous mess. I live in Bournemouth a supposed top resort in England but you can easily count on both hands the number of restaurants serving a good meal. Egon Ronay used to say that no matter what the price you are paying there is no excuse in serving anything but delicious food. I think that America must have catering schools because their service and quality are in general excellent.

Well, I must be incredibly fortunate because the food up here in my area of Scotland is nothing like you describe. I have plenty of places to choose for a good meal. On the point of cultural differences, I found when my own american cousins were over staying they found food items with which they thought they were familiar, slightly different than they are used to back home. Unfortunately, they made no bones about voicing this, which I do personally find rude (particularly when I or my family are paying for the meal.) I am very pro-America - heck, my entire bedroom is tastefully American themed (imported stuff from the States for this purpose), but sadly I found some people on my last trip ignorant, often to the point of rudeness. I don't want to elaborate on these situations, but they were few and far between until our last day. I guess it was just a matter of time till I because exposed to more of the rudeness over there. It still doesn't compare to the rudeness in the UK, it just seems Americans are more direct.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi Ya Fan!

I am afraid that I am rather ignorant of most things Scottish (haggis not withstanding). (smile) I am a fan of Off Kilter though. (grin) (my smilies are broken) It is just my opinion and therefore might be faulty but I think that many rude things are done out of ignorance. I have not travelled much outside the US so I may be guilty of some trangressions but I do not believe I would be complaining about the local food. I believe in trying different things and while I am sure I would not like some things that is part of getting out and about. If I want to eat familar foods I will stay at home.

Do not take it personally about your American cousins. My own family complains about this and that when I cook them a meal. Too dark, too light, not the brand they are used to etc. Is rude though. I smile politely and put up with pretty much all they serve, including the raw in the middle, burned on the outside burgers my sil serves up sometimes.

Oh my, the English are ruder than Americans?? No problem, I will just pretend that I am at a family gathering and will not notice one bit. (laughing)

Generalizations are NEVER right. LOL

Slightly Goofy

 

[#1MMFan]

Hey Slightly Goofy! Thanks for the sympathy. I will bear that in mind the next time they are over here (which I fear will be Easter!) Did I mention that they almost drank us out... all without asking. My dad's retirement gift (a specially aged malt whisky) was nearly all done without him having a drop. Argh, it makes me mad.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

#1MMFan, I know just what you mean. Are these really relatives or folks who just think of themselves as such to avail themselves of your too generous hospitality?

I personally know someone who visited a brother's home and spent the evening drinking only ONE bottle of booze. It was prettily covered with a velvet bag. (sigh)

I have a rule that anyone who visits more than 3 days has to start helping out with the chores. Few overstay their welcome.

I read a column once that suggested that people sleep in their guest rooms occasionally to make sure it is comfortable enough. My tack is that it is alright for a few nights, no more.

Ben Franklin said "Fish and visitors stink after three days".

Hide the good stuff before these people visit next. Might you be able to go visit them and get some retribution? Jest a thought. (grin)

Slightly Goofy (who knows that there are people of all kinds everywhere)