Way off topic, but it has do to with the French

Bertie the Bunyip wrote:


He didn't lie about being a journalist , you did.


Bertie

Thanks Bertie, but I'm a girl.
I'll be happy to discuss the issue over a pint or two, anytime. :-)

Stella Starr wrote in
:

Bertie the Bunyip wrote:


He didn't lie about being a journalist , you did.


Bertie

Thanks Bertie, but I'm a girl.
I'll be happy to discuss the issue over a pint or two, anytime. :-)


Sorry... But I might take you up on the pint..



Bertie.

there are some basic differences as Europeans (not all, I'm generalising)
tend to be not so we-wee about sex etc, so we don't ask for a bathroom
(the bathroom is for taking a shower or brushing your teeth etc.) but for
the toilet (or other words to that effect). So there might come the
situation for your son where he is confronted with things in public he
might not see in the US like an openly displayed female nude breast in
advertising, nudity on TV before 8pm, breastfeeding in a bus, etc.

Thanks for the tips. I know Joe is hoping to see all those liberal European
women gallivanting around Spain with their breasts exposed -- but I told him
not to get his hopes up.

Conversely, at the orientation meeting we attended the girls were told in NO
uncertain terms not to "dress like you do here" because Spanish boys have an
"interesting" idea of what American girls are like. In other words, they
think they're all "loose" because of what they've seen in Hollywood
movies...

But I *do* find it aggravating and disconcerting that he's had to attend
not one, but THREE separate 2-hour classes on "how to behave in Spain" --
and those instructions include basically hiding the fact that the kids
are American.

hm, who gave the instructions? People from Spain?

Nope, the chaperones -- who between the three of them have been to Spain
over 30 times in the last 15 years.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Do "we" still owe "you" anything for what "you" did during WWII?

Again, all good questions. Should we bear the guilt of our fathers?

Part of the problem with Middle Eastern cultures is that they perhaps take
generational responsibility TOO far, and you end up with thousand-year
grudges. On the other hand, perhaps we in the West are trying to forget too
quickly?

Let's not forget the second World War just yet. I'd hate to repeat it.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Perhaps I misinterpreted these claims, then:
I've
worked for and with the New York Times, the Racine Journal Times, the
Chicago Tribune, and the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

Those aren't claims -- those are facts. I have worked for and with all
four of those newspapers. For you (or anyone else) to assume that my
employment had anything to do with being a reporter, of all things, is
presumptuous. I've never claimed to be one, nor, after my first two years
in newspapers, did I ever want to be one.

Anyone who has ever worked in newspapers knows that the newsroom makes up a
tiny percentage of the workforce -- probably less than 10%. Why in hell you
would think that everyone who says they've worked in newspapers is a
reporter is a mystery.

I told the newsroom people what to do in order to maximize
sales.

That is 100% correct. I did precisely that, in daily meetings, for years.
That's marketing -- and if newspapers had paid more attention to it over the
years perhaps they wouldn't be dying now.

You have commented on reporting in this newsgroup and said it was because
of your previous career as "a newsman." That's what I object to.

That is a lie. I have never, ever claimed to be a reporter at a daily
newspaper -- even though I have published magazine articles.

Amazing rant, and it explains a lot about your disdain for reporting. I
didn't think you were the type to make such an attack, or that you hated
journalists so intensely.

I don't hate journalists. I hate people who claim to be journalists that
call me a liar or a fraud in an international forum.

If I'm not making myself clear here, that would be YOU, Stella.

Jay, I'm disappointed in you. While people enjoy your descriptive writing
about flying ventures, you seem to put more energy into silly arguments
and a great deal of vitriol into defending some wild-ass opinions. If you
stick with your strong points, you could regain some of that respect.

I don't give two ****s about your "disappointment". No one accuses me of
lying about my newspaper credentials and doesn't get called to task for
it -- I don't care how many times you've stayed in my hotel, or how many
times your husband buys the beer. You were totally, 100% out of line for
saying what you did, and your pointless blather isn't going to change that.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck schrieb:
there are some basic differences as Europeans (not all, I'm generalising)
tend to be not so we-wee about sex etc, so we don't ask for a bathroom
(the bathroom is for taking a shower or brushing your teeth etc.) but for
the toilet (or other words to that effect). So there might come the
situation for your son where he is confronted with things in public he
might not see in the US like an openly displayed female nude breast in
advertising, nudity on TV before 8pm, breastfeeding in a bus, etc.

Thanks for the tips. I know Joe is hoping to see all those liberal European
women gallivanting around Spain with their breasts exposed -- but I told him
not to get his hopes up.

well, it all ends up in stereotypes (as you wrote below about spanish
men). Spain (hm, it depends heavily on the area where he is in Spain; it
is a rather small country in your terms, but it has many different
cultural areas, besides the differences living in a city or on the
country or close to the beach with heavy tourism) as a southern country
is for sure more relaxed than northern countries (compared to Florida
and states in the north) - it is (remember, I'm generalising!) a more
easy-living, taking it more relaxed, etc.
But there aren't Spanish girls walking around topless everywhere. You
might see that on the beaches (this is nothing really special beeing
topless at the beach). But there are also strict rules like for walking
into churches (don't do it with shorts etc.) etc..

Conversely, at the orientation meeting we attended the girls were told in NO
uncertain terms not to "dress like you do here" because Spanish boys have an
"interesting" idea of what American girls are like. In other words, they
think they're all "loose" because of what they've seen in Hollywood
movies...

as above, everybody loves to feed his stereotypes. What most see here is
what they 'learn' from the TV-soaps, and then many take it for ganted
that Americans are the same like the folks in TV-soaps. :-)
But the spanish climate for sure opens your mind and it is easier for
some close encounters (oh well, I remember some beach nights on a
Spanish beach ... hmmmm ... yummie ... those where the days ...).

One of the - IMHO - biggest differences between USA and Europe are the
topics of discussions (again, generalising, bear that in mind!):
in the USA it is OK to talk about:
- job, salaries, cost of your house, ...
and not so OK:
- family, health, religion, sex, ...
in Europe one does not want to talk about salaries, but it is easier to
talk about more private things. Also sex is seen more open minded. Don't
talk about politics if you don't really have a good knowing about
details and if you are good in real discussions, you easily may find
people who are fit in US politics. Talkink about politics is not a no-no
itself.
(So) it is harder to make friendship in Europe, but once you made
friendship it is a real friendship where you can talk about everything.

It might sound harsh, but the _stereotypes_ are this way: Tell your son
that he should not walk around as "hey, I'm American, you're nothing!"
but more as "Hey, I know you might have a bad picture about us
Americans, but I'm here to see and try to understand your point of
view". Hope you get the idea (he still can think whatever he wants, but
presenting him the other way makes these 2 weeks easier for him). And he
should try to speak Spanish, at least for a greeting and a good bye. He
might be offered a cheek for a welcome-kiss and/or a big hug. This might
be disturbing for him, especially after 20 hours or so en-route with
7(?) hours time difference.

#m

"Jay Honeck" wrote in
news:6pJAj.67620$yE1.58863@attbi_s21:

Do "we" still owe "you" anything for what "you" did during WWII?

Again, all good questions. Should we bear the guilt of our fathers?

You're a facist **** NOW.


Bertie

"Jay Honeck" wrote in
news:kCJAj.67638$yE1.38355@attbi_s21:

Perhaps I misinterpreted these claims, then:
I've
worked for and with the New York Times, the Racine Journal Times,
the Chicago Tribune, and the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

Those aren't claims -- those are facts. I have worked for and with
all four of those newspapers. For you (or anyone else) to assume that
my employment had anything to do with being a reporter, of all things,
is presumptuous. I've never claimed to be one, nor, after my first
two years in newspapers, did I ever want to be one.


It was your implication and you know it, paperboi.

Bertie

It might sound harsh, but the _stereotypes_ are this way: Tell your son
that he should not walk around as "hey, I'm American, you're nothing!" but
more as "Hey, I know you might have a bad picture about us Americans, but
I'm here to see and try to understand your point of view". Hope you get
the idea (he still can think whatever he wants, but presenting him the
other way makes these 2 weeks easier for him). And he should try to speak
Spanish, at least for a greeting and a good bye.

I guess I didn't make it clear that this was a Spanish immersion trip. The
kids are not allowed to speak English for two weeks. Not even amongst
themselves -- although I suspect that rule is pretty tough to enforce.

So Joe -- horrible accent and all -- will be seeking "el bano" in Spanish
for two weeks, for better or worse. I suspect he'll do well -- he's had six
years of Spanish.

(Actually, his biggest worry is that he's not well-versed in European
Spanish, having been more exposed to Mexican Spanish. Apparently the
vocabulary and pronunciations have grown apart fairly significantly.)

He might be offered a cheek for a welcome-kiss and/or a big hug. This might
be disturbing for him, especially after 20 hours or so en-route with 7(?)
hours time difference.

Nah, kissing won't bother him. Unless it's a big, hairy guy trying to do
the kissing. Being a sleep deprived wrestler and power-lifter, I'd hate to
see the outcome of that...

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Bertie the Bunyip" wrote in message
...
"Jay Honeck" wrote in
news:6pJAj.67620$yE1.58863@attbi_s21:

Do "we" still owe "you" anything for what "you" did during WWII?

Again, all good questions. Should we bear the guilt of our fathers?

You're a facist **** NOW.

Please provide proof that a **** is anything other than a ****, let alone a
fascist ****.

Thank you.