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Having spent some time earlier this year travelling the West Coast of America I have to say I was bewildered and distraught by some of the eerie towns I went through and the long lost outposts steeped in poverty and decrepitation that would make even the worst slums in Ireland seem like Malibu beachfront apartments by comparison.
Speaking of which, Mailbu looks great on telly but in reality? Sanitation is putrid and it is not even in the same league as Bournemouth in England which is so fresh, full of vitality, clean and so immersed in historical arbhitecture, ports, sandbanks and forests.
San Francisco I love, a very quintessentially American city but away from there I travelled through Sonora and little places whose names I can't even remember except that everywhere shuts at 8pm and the bars are spit and sawdust deathpits. Travelled through one outpost where instead of wine I was served moonshine in jam jars and came across nothing but hicks and tralier trash yokels who were caked out on meth or moonshine and who thought I was an alien from another planet even though they had never even been to the nearest town.
Many told me how their healthcare was non-existant. Alot of hard working people who lost their houses and once considered themselves "part of the blue collar middle-class" or whatever were now on the scrap heap.
Much as I like America and am always blown away by the sheer intensity and tenacity of what makes America a great country I also am disheartened by the contrast and the empty vessels masquerading as people that seem to be part of an Amerca neglected. As many of these people are even unaware of what is happening in San Francisco are there many middle-upper-class Americans who are blissfully ignorant of the poverty and degredation that sits precariously perched on a rocking chair in their own back porch.
What worries me though is that since Thatcher entered Downing Street in the early 80's we've mimicked American style policies with frequent turbulence and instability an inevitable result. Really hope the UK never ends up like America and pursues the kind of policies that have made America a nation of corporate investors that doesn't really know or care what to do with the people that time forgot who are left behind.
Good luck! You're going to need it! May the force be with you!
Last edited by Fear&Whiskey; 07-29-2012 at 06:03 AM..
You ought to visit the reservations of So Dak. I don't think there is any worse poverty and hopelessness in the US than the Pine Ridge reservation here. The sad part is, the reservation system is a gov't made and fostered phenomena.
You ought to visit the reservations of So Dak. I don't think there is any worse poverty and hopelessness in the US than the Pine Ridge reservation here. The sad part is, the reservation system is a gov't made and fostered phenomena.
That's sad, have you visited the place for yourself? What is happening to the Pine Ridge reservation? Am I right in believing that this is an American Indian reservation site? What kind social problems are a problem in Pine Ridge? I am not very knowledgable on this subject.
That's sad, have you visited the place for yourself? What is happening to the Pine Ridge reservation? Am I right in believing that this is an American Indian reservation site? What kind social problems are a problem in Pine Ridge? I am not very knowledgable on this subject.
I have traveled frequently through the reservation on Pine Ridge along with the other reservations in So. Dak. The poverty is jaw dropping. The reservations were set up as a way to 'protect' the Native Americans, but offered no viable and sustainable way to make a living. It is a pool of people that, through generations, have been forced to be reliant on gov't programs to sustain their people. Education and healthcare are lacking, and alcoholism is a big problem.
There has been progress made, and many wonderful people are putting their efforts back into improving conditions, but it will take years for true progress to come about.
I am sure David Cameron and his stooges will do their best to sell the UK out! ha, ha
They are already trying to open up the NHS to more private tendering for contracts. Even when New Labour introduced PPI investments it reeked of unecessary costs of production which have served no purpose but to qraduple the costs of state hospitals whilst private contractors siphon off profits and use the taxpayer to absorb the losses.
It's no surprise that the best NHS hosptals are the ones that have stayed truest to the universal integrity of the NHS ideal. I had a bad car accident over a year ago and had a serious abdomen wound. I was in a poor part of town but ended up getting treated by one of the top surgeons in the country.
My guess is the probability of this happening in the States for most Americans would be remote. I certainly wouldn't like to be waiting for an ambulance in one of those sawn off outposts on the road to nowhere.
Having spent some time earlier this year travelling the West Coast of America I have to say I was bewildered and distraught by some of the eerie towns I went through and the long lost outposts steeped in poverty and decrepitation that would make even the worst slums in Ireland seem like Malibu beachfront apartments by comparison.
Speaking of which, Mailbu looks great on telly but in reality? Sanitation is putrid and it is not even in the same league as Bournemouth in England which is so fresh, full of vitality, clean and so immersed in historical arbhitecture, ports, sandbanks and forests.
San Francisco I love, a very quintessentially American city but away from there I travelled through Sonora and little places whose names I can't even remember except that everywhere shuts at 8pm and the bars are spit and sawdust deathpits. Travelled through one outpost where instead of wine I was served moonshine in jam jars and came across nothing but hicks and tralier trash yokels who were caked out on meth or moonshine and who thought I was an alien from another planet even though they had never even been to the nearest town.
Many told me how their healthcare was non-existant. Alot of hard working people who lost their houses and once considered themselves "part of the blue collar middle-class" or whatever were now on the scrap heap.
Much as I like America and am always blown away by the sheer intensity and tenacity of what makes America a great country I also am disheartened by the contrast and the empty vessels masquerading as people that seem to be part of an Amerca neglected. As many of these people are even unaware of what is happening in San Francisco are there many middle-upper-class Americans who are blissfully ignorant of the poverty and degredation that sits precariously perched on a rocking chair in their own back porch.
What worries me though is that since Thatcher entered Downing Street in the early 80's we've mimicked American style policies with frequent turbulence and instability an inevitable result. Really hope the UK never ends up like America and pursues the kind of policies that have made America a nation of corporate investors that doesn't really know or care what to do with the people that time forgot who are left behind.
Good luck! You're going to need it! May the force be with you!
Sounds like you were in California. Yes, California is a national disgrace. You should have come to Texas.
Having spent some time earlier this year travelling the West Coast of America I have to say I was bewildered and distraught by some of the eerie towns I went through and the long lost outposts steeped in poverty and decrepitation that would make even the worst slums in Ireland seem like Malibu beachfront apartments by comparison.
Speaking of which, Mailbu looks great on telly but in reality? Sanitation is putrid and it is not even in the same league as Bournemouth in England which is so fresh, full of vitality, clean and so immersed in historical arbhitecture, ports, sandbanks and forests.San Francisco I love, a very quintessentially American city but away from there I travelled through Sonora and little places whose names I can't even remember except that everywhere shuts at 8pm and the bars are spit and sawdust deathpits. Travelled through one outpost where instead of wine I was served moonshine in jam jars and came across nothing but hicks and tralier trash yokels who were caked out on meth or moonshine and who thought I was an alien from another planet even though they had never even been to the nearest town.
Many told me how their healthcare was non-existant. Alot of hard working people who lost their houses and once considered themselves "part of the blue collar middle-class" or whatever were now on the scrap heap.Much as I like America and am always blown away by the sheer intensity and tenacity of what makes America a great country I also am disheartened by the contrast and the empty vessels masquerading as people that seem to be part of an Amerca neglected. As many of these people are even unaware of what is happening in San Francisco are there many middle-upper-class Americans who are blissfully ignorant of the poverty and degredation that sits precariously perched on a rocking chair in their own back porch.What worries me though is that since Thatcher entered Downing Street in the early 80's we've mimicked American style policies with frequent turbulence and instability an inevitable result. Really hope the UK never ends up like America and pursues the kind of policies that have made America a nation of corporate investors that doesn't really know or care what to do with the people that time forgot who are left behind.Good luck! You're going to need it! May the force be with you!
From a true blue American, apologies for the bad experience you had while visiting here. Truth be told, you somehow ended up in a poverty stricken area of the USA taking a tour and I have to ask you WHY? We are in the midst of the worse time ever with our economy so people are struggling everywhere throughout the USA, some worse than others. What you don't know is that although there are no jobs here for people, there are always those people who refuse to work, who might be hung up on drugs or have health issues. It isn't a good situation by a long shot but it is also far from how you describe it. You only saw part of the USA so lets say you still have to see the beautiful Mid-West and also the East Coast where I am. Have you ever been to Northern New England in the fall? There is so much more to see that is better than where you were. Come on...don't tell me that all of London/England is absolutely beautiful. You too have your fair share of poverty and people who can't afford to take care of themselves. England is notorious for not having proper dental care for their people so lots of you have absolutely horrid teeth from what I can see..sound petty? Well, when you visit a different country you gotta learn that there will be bad mixed in with all the good. I love the USA...been here my whole life, mostly on the East Coast but have been out to California and have to say that although California is busy and full of activity, has a high incidence of drug abuse and more...there are gorgeous areas there as well. Somehow you missed them and found yourself right in the midst of the worst of it all. My sister has lived in California most of her adult life, I believe her town is in Miramar Valley?? Always call her or talk via computer..anyhow, it is so amazingly beautiful there. All I am saying is....check yourself in England for bad areas, drug areas, slums, poverty, etc. then tell me that you don't have any serious issues with your population as well.
I have traveled frequently through the reservation on Pine Ridge along with the other reservations in So. Dak. The poverty is jaw dropping. The reservations were set up as a way to 'protect' the Native Americans, but offered no viable and sustainable way to make a living. It is a pool of people that, through generations, have been forced to be reliant on gov't programs to sustain their people. Education and healthcare are lacking, and alcoholism is a big problem.
There has been progress made, and many wonderful people are putting their efforts back into improving conditions, but it will take years for true progress to come about.
That's very interesting. I have to confess I haven't done much research into this subject but it sounds terrible. Thanks for your contribution.
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ha, ha
