Apparently America still doesn't get it

I love fast food because it goes through both ends fast then i am hungry again.

 

In the Whole Foods parking lot this morning I saw a shiny black Lincoln Navigator with engine running. Behind the wheel was a blonde woman thumbing on her pink smartphone, apparently oblivious to the world around her.

There was a beautiful sunrise outside and the temperature was a more than pleasant 75F. Talk about cluelessness!

 

I am a right winged conservative living in the Bay Area, and I am proud to be driving a Prius. Was spending 40$ a week to take public transportation to school alone, not counting work... I think my transportation costs will be cut by 75% by having the Prius... Some love the Prius for being green, I love it for the mpg, and I also like the low emissions but the mpg is my favorite part.

 

Actually worse than you think. I'm about 35 miles from Chicago and every month i meet people who have never been to Chicago or its been 5 years or more. In this country as long as people have a tv with baseball in the summer football in the fall and cold beer their world is fine. They only know what the "hear about the rest of the world.

 

And that is usually precious little. Quite amusing to flick through the satellite tv news channels over here after some world disaster and find it covered by all of them (Indian, Chinese, European, Asian etc) except the American ones where it isn't even mentioned as they are concentrating on who said what in the Primaries.

Another example was that defunct satellite falling to earth last week - the official line from Nasa to the World about where it would fall was;

."...the space agency said only that the spacecraft would "not be passing over North America" when it is expected to be pulled through the atmosphere to Earth." BBC News - Nasa refines satellite crash time

So the press release to the World was that it's gonna fall somewhere, but not on America, so really we don't give a ****. And then you wonder why you have so many friends in other Countries!?!

 

i personally would like to apologize for this 'america' i live in. it is embarrassing at times. the rest of the world deserves better. we are trying...

apparently evolution requires time (some FAR more time that others)...as does enlightenment.

 

You can have self guilt for being an American, I will not join you however.
Europe's situation is completely different, and that accounts for a completely different mindset. Populations far away from others tend to think differently for obvious reasons.

 

The Russian satellite news channel followed the story everyone else did and they're a big Country.

Also I could understand your argument if Europe acted one way and America another (they're both similar size with similar populations) but it isn't this. It's America against the World. I find it quite sad that you miss out on so much. The reasons why you're like this are complex and probably to do with having it all on your doorstep and no need to travel elsewhere or maybe once being the World superpower, but things are changing. I think America is in the same place England was in 1910 just as our 'Empire' was starting to fall apart and yours was just beginning.

 

You certainly have a right to that opinion, but I feel that on balance America owes no apologies to the 'rest of the world'. I'm embarrassed that our national appetite in the news is so myopic, but you have to remember that we're living in a country where the vast majority of its citizenry cannot name their Senators or Congress member, have no idea who becomes President if the Big guy and his (*cough!*) able assistant get killed at the same time. We don't vote in large numbers. We dang sure do not know history.
Face it.
We're just not all that bright.

What we try to be as a nation is a force of good. Not perfect by any means, but I'll put my country's record up against another.

NPR runs the BBC at night (I work nights) and when the ^&$#@! radio in my car can pick up an NPR station, I like to listen in.
You'd be amazed what world news sounds like over on the other side of the pond .

 

Drudge report has listed many articles about the satellite crashing down and it is something I was well aware of. The original post about Nasa's press release was a bit out of context considering all the other news articles about it from the USA press. My former career was that of a Commercial pilot and it is why I have been all over this Country. I have visited Ecuador on vacation, and British Colombia. Living in Miami has introduced me to many different cultures, as has San Francisco. I find it quite interesting how quickly you jumped to a conclusion to about the kind of person I am. I am the farthest thing from some one who has never gone more than a few miles from where they grew up.
And Europe is much different. Many different countries very close together that speak different languages, and until recently, used different currencies. Their mindset has to be different, they have to work together... I can drive for a week straight in one direction and still be in the same country. We are separated by large Oceans, the distance apart has a huge impact on how we view things.
To discuss the actual differences would be purely political and the opinions of the individuals only, painting such a broad stroke on a single populace would be a very poor way to argue such point.

 

apparently we really still don't get it.

 

We or just yourself?

 

Seems like much of America still doesn't as evidenced by land barge sales at http://priuschat.com/forums/other-c...in-september-2011-big-trucks.html#post1397256.

Today, on a busy expressway today in San Jose while waiting at and/or going thru 3 stoplights, in that timespan, I saw an Ford Expedition, Expedition EL (extended length), at least two Pathfinder Armadas/Infiniti QX56s, several Tahoes and either Suburbans or extended length Tahoes/Yukons, including a lifted one, a Hummer H2 and a Navigator. The Expediton next to me was racing to a red light and appeared to have 1 passenger. The other land barges I saw seemed to be (as usual) driven solo or w/minimal cargo and passengers.

By the time I pulled into a parking lot before a 4th stoplight, I saw another Hummer H2.

Over here, the cheapest gas price per San Jose Gas Prices - Find Cheap Gas Prices in California is currently $3.62. I was hearing about $2.89/gal gas on another forum. I believe that guy was in St. Louis, MO where I currently see $2.90 gas at St. Louis Gas Prices - Find Cheap Gas Prices in Missouri.

 

so.....how bout those bumper stickers that same "My car was made with wrenches, not chopsticks"..... ehh...heh heh ::crickets::

 

Well if Ford could make a hybrid as reliable as Toyota did, I guess I wouldn't laugh at that bumper sticker...

 

It's not that they don't get it, they don't care! Some people have more spending money than I do! Personally I'd rather put the money in the bank than spend it on gas... But hey, that's just me...

 

I think the two are intertwined... If they got it, I think they'd be more likely to care. I have PLENTY of savings and spending money, likely more much more than those monstrosity drivers, yet, I do care.

Problem is that their behavior and choices affects a lot more than just their pocketbook, which they apparently don't seem to care much about either.

 

I must say people do not get it at all... When I bought our Prius back in February people thought I was completely crazy till the "Arab Spring" took place and gas prices shot above $3. After a few months at those prices people at my work finally started having second thoughts, and asking questions about my Prius/considering purchasing them.. Now the gas has dropped a whopping $0.30 (cue sarcasm) in my are I am again stupid. In fact they think I am even more crazy now because we traded our truck for the Volt. At least with the Volt though I can keep a vast majority of my dollars in America. It was designed here, final assembly took place here (with other parts built overseas), and all of the electricity to my knowledge it domestically produced... Even if gas is $2 a gallon again to me it is worth not supporting the Middle East, and helping to keep jobs here. I do not think the masses will ever see much farther than their own wants for huge SUV's until gas is priced similarly to Europe which I personally think is coming. People can do what they wish with their money though. I did it for a number of years. Personally I am glad to be free of the $70 fill ups every less than 300 miles, and higher insurance premiums.

 

You get it

 

You talking about those "made in China" wrenches?