America

[antryg]

I'm glad you liked your trip to Dallas. As to your question about insects, the population is actually pretty low right now. They aren't bad in the city proper or in the suburbs until July and August when it gets hot and there is no water in the outlying areas. At that point the insect invasion begins. Regarding the heat, I don't know what to tell you since it has been uncommonly cool. Usually by now we are experiencing close to 100F every day and so far this year we haven't gotten hot. It also usually stops raining in April and we are still getting rain every week. Concerning your question about the number of overweight people I can give several reasons. (1) culutural....Hispanic/Mexican cooking is very high in carbohydrates and the use of oil and fat in cooking. "Country cooking" is also a staple food type and it is basically fatty foods which are breaded and deep fried and then covered with cream gravy or meat ala the "Bears" fans from Saturday Night Live. (2)to many "damn yankee's" have moved here and are afraid to go outside and exercise because it is toooo hot! (3)food is plentiful and cheap and is used as a crutch, providing comfort in the face of stress and personal problems.
(4)parents typically work 50-60 hours per week and don't know/teach their children proper and nutrition and allow to many meals to be fast foods which provide excessive amounts of sugar and fats.

or if you are skinny then you can take the moral high road and look down on those who are overweight because their problem/bad habit shows while yours might not. (Sorry, I just had to make sure that I insulted every group equally. [img]smile.gif[/img] )

[Nanobyte]

Originally posted by johnny: quote: Originally posted by Nanobyte: quote: Originally posted by Desdicado: So my question is, having seen a lot about the US on TV, how come no-one ever mentioned all the bugs?. And where did all the fat folks come from?.

Fat is an ugly word. Use it less and appease the crowd. [/QUOTE]Fat is only an ugly word if you're personally offeneded by it. Like it or not, "fat" is reality, and there aren't much terms to make it sound "nicer". Some people just feel the need to use that word to insult other people with it. Now that's the real ugly thing about that word. [/QUOTE]I'm not offended by it, but it has the potential to be offensive. Like it or not ( [img]tongue.gif[/img] ), the fact of the matter is it's an ugly word any way you look at it.

[Desdicado]

Originally posted by antryg: I'm glad you liked your trip to Dallas. As to your question about insects, the population is actually pretty low right now. They aren't bad in the city proper or in the suburbs until July and August when it gets hot and there is no water in the outlying areas. At that point the insect invasion begins. Regarding the heat, I don't know what to tell you since it has been uncommonly cool. Usually by now we are experiencing close to 100F every day and so far this year we haven't gotten hot. It also usually stops raining in April and we are still getting rain every week. Concerning your question about the number of overweight people I can give several reasons. (1) culutural....Hispanic/Mexican cooking is very high in carbohydrates and the use of oil and fat in cooking. "Country cooking" is also a staple food type and it is basically fatty foods which are breaded and deep fried and then covered with cream gravy or meat ala the "Bears" fans from Saturday Night Live. (2)to many "damn yankee's" have moved here and are afraid to go outside and exercise because it is toooo hot! (3)food is plentiful and cheap and is used as a crutch, providing comfort in the face of stress and personal problems. (4)parents typically work 50-60 hours per week and don't know/teach their children proper and nutrition and allow to many meals to be fast foods which provide excessive amounts of sugar and fats. or if you are skinny then you can take the moral high road and look down on those who are overweight because their problem/bad habit shows while yours might not. (Sorry, I just had to make sure that I insulted every group equally. [img]smile.gif[/img] )

He He, good answers, that explains a lot. regarding the temperate, remember I'm from Scotland, anything above 40F is hot to me!. Though I was there before a lot of years ago and it was a fair bit hotter, though later in the year.
I think us Brits imagine the US to be a big version of the UK, which it really isn't. It's very different, mainly much more religious, and full time hours here are part time to you guys.

[ 06-22-2003, 07:40 AM: Message edited by: Desdicado ]

[Desdicado]

Originally posted by Nanobyte: quote: Originally posted by johnny: quote: Originally posted by Nanobyte: quote: Originally posted by Desdicado: So my question is, having seen a lot about the US on TV, how come no-one ever mentioned all the bugs?. And where did all the fat folks come from?.

Fat is an ugly word. Use it less and appease the crowd. [/QUOTE]Fat is only an ugly word if you're personally offeneded by it. Like it or not, "fat" is reality, and there aren't much terms to make it sound "nicer". Some people just feel the need to use that word to insult other people with it. Now that's the real ugly thing about that word. [/QUOTE]I'm not offended by it, but it has the potential to be offensive. Like it or not ( [img]tongue.gif[/img] ), the fact of the matter is it's an ugly word any way you look at it. [/QUOTE]Whoops, looks like I slipped up by inadvertantly using the "F" word (no not that one, the other one). I didn't mean it insultingly, just descriptively if that makes sense.
That said, if you're morbidly obese, you're still fat, like it or not!.

[wellard]

Intresting observations Desdicado [img]smile.gif[/img]

Any others? I like to listen to peoples travel stories. How about you Barden? Did you go to the USA?

[Lanesra]

Originally posted by Desdicado: quote: Originally posted by Nanobyte: quote: Originally posted by johnny: quote: Originally posted by Nanobyte: quote: Originally posted by Desdicado: So my question is, having seen a lot about the US on TV, how come no-one ever mentioned all the bugs?. And where did all the fat folks come from?.

Fat is an ugly word. Use it less and appease the crowd. [/QUOTE]Fat is only an ugly word if you're personally offeneded by it. Like it or not, "fat" is reality, and there aren't much terms to make it sound "nicer". Some people just feel the need to use that word to insult other people with it. Now that's the real ugly thing about that word. [/QUOTE]I'm not offended by it, but it has the potential to be offensive. Like it or not ( [img]tongue.gif[/img] ), the fact of the matter is it's an ugly word any way you look at it. [/QUOTE]Whoops, looks like I slipped up by inadvertantly using the "F" word (no not that one, the other one). I didn't mean it insultingly, just descriptively if that makes sense.
That said, if you're morbidly obese, you're still fat, like it or not!. [/QUOTE]If you wern't that easy on the eye, would you rather be known as 'unatractive' or f*****g MINGING ?

Originally posted by Nanobyte: quote: Originally posted by johnny: quote: Originally posted by Nanobyte: quote: Originally posted by Desdicado: So my question is, having seen a lot about the US on TV, how come no-one ever mentioned all the bugs?. And where did all the fat folks come from?.

Fat is an ugly word. Use it less and appease the crowd. [/QUOTE]Fat is only an ugly word if you're personally offeneded by it. Like it or not, "fat" is reality, and there aren't much terms to make it sound "nicer". Some people just feel the need to use that word to insult other people with it. Now that's the real ugly thing about that word. [/QUOTE]I'm not offended by it, but it has the potential to be offensive. Like it or not ( [img]tongue.gif[/img] ), the fact of the matter is it's an ugly word any way you look at it. [/QUOTE]Its’ the connotations which are most important.
For example:

Skinny carries connections of illness and starvation and stuff like that.
Slim carries connotations of being fit, attractive and in shape.

Yet in the end they mean the same thing.

Fat carries some positive conations, like a “fat pay check” (what I wouldn’t give for one of those eh?) a “fat contract bulging with promise”
But Obese.
That carries connotations of unhealthiest, ugly, and all that.

[Reeka]

Originally posted by wellard: Intresting observations Desdicado [img]smile.gif[/img] Any others? I like to listen to peoples travel stories. How about you Barden? Did you go to the USA?

Bardan hasn't been to the USA yet (we are working on that). I went to visit him in May. I love England and have been there alot of times (but never to see my boyfriend thought---that was a first).

[Bruce The Aussie]

"fat is only a state of mind, Mcdonalds is a way of life"

also, fat people i don't mind, but obese people, whatever the reason, even if its genetic, i still don't like them. i'm sorry but thats how i am.
also i think if i went to america they'd boot me out. seeing as i blaspheem constantly (an enlightened soul takes pleasure pissing with the big man, or is that an idiot...oh well) and i'm against other poeple having guns. (if i have it, thats fine, just nobody else is allowed it)

[Melusine]

Eisenschwarz... wow... you... you made sense!! Just teasing...
Anyway, I agree - it all depends on what connotations people attach to words. You're spot on about the difference between skinny and slim (ever notice how it *is* much more accepted to call people thin and skinny or even skeletal out of jealousy, when they're simply slim? Sorry, just a pet peeve)

Anyway, personally I can totally understand why people wouldn't like to be called fat, even if they *are* overweight. Really, how hard is it to use a term that is less hurtful? It doesn't cost you any trouble and you might avoid hurting people. [img]smile.gif[/img]