Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
NO,no,no there is no excuse for the video above.'She is not interested' is not good excuse.'She don't have to know' is not good excuse.'America is the most powerful country in the world' is not good excuse.
This video only show what is the scale of common knowledge in US.And this video gives credit to stereotype that european people have about american people.And we all know that one of that stereotypes is low cultural and common knowledge education.
The biggest item on Florida's state budget is education. It comes in at about 33% of the budget ($22 billion per year). There is only one item that even remotely approaches education and that is, not surprisingly, healthcare at about 30% of the budget. Everything else that the State of Florida finances for it's citizens is miniscule compared to these two.
So is your answer more money?
Certainly not less money. It's time we start diverting money from our military industrial complex to our schools and/or legalize marijuana and tax it to the hilt. My husband is being recruited to teach in a public high school in Memphis that pays well due to a Gates Foundation grant. The new state bill that was recently passed in Florida will not pay any teacher additional income for years worked or higher accreditation or advanced schooling (such as a master's). This is certain to result in maintaining or worsening Florida's mediocre status quo in education and a diversion of good teachers to states and cities that can pay more.
In Germany I met many that had taken trips to the US. They liked seeing all the big cars, also trucks, the powerful road haulers like Peterbilt and Kenworth. They liked visiting the cities such as New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and the very popular San Francisco. Germans also like the beaches of Florida. Germans liked to see the natural wonders; Grand Canyon, large deserts, the Rocky Mountains, and the coast lines. Germans appreciated the cheap gas prices (compared to Europe). Most said they were thrilled to see America and would do it again, but for living in America, the answer was a definite 'no!'. Reasons given were the general mentality of Americans (prudes, immature, superficial, too much religion, friendly but ignorant), that Americans live to work, not work to live, much less annual vacation time, also the lacking healthcare and various other social services.
Last edited by Visvaldis; 04-12-2010 at 12:16 PM..
I am one of those people that really likes this country. I came here with my family for a better life and I am glad they made the choice to come here. Sure America has its problems but I know that it is a much better place than where I came from. In this country if you want to become somebody you can. In certain countries, they don't even value women and they don't treat them right. Why can't people just appreciate what they have? America is still a better place to live than any other country in the Middle East that's for sure. I can't really say how it compares to countries in Europe because I've never lived in Europe. You can complain all you want about the education system or the high cost of health care or this or that but where will that get you? The answer is that it will get you nowhere. America is still a nice place to be. There is so much diversity in terms of people and geographical landscapes.
In Germany I met many that had taken trips to the US. They liked seeing all the big cars, also trucks, the powerful road haulers like Peterbilt and Kenworth. They liked visiting the cities such as New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and the very popular San Francisco. Germans also like the beaches of Florida. Germans liked to see the natural wonders; Grand Canyon, large deserts, the Rocky Mountains, and the coast lines. Germans appreciated the cheap gas prices (compared to Europe). Most said they were thrilled to see America and would do it again, but for living in America, the answer was a definite 'no!'. Reasons given were the general mentality of Americans (prudes, immature, superficial, too much religion, friendly but ignorant), that Americans live to work, not work to live, much less annual vacation time, also the lacking healthcare and various other social services.
I have lived in America my whole life and most people I know are not immature prudes with too much religion. America is a big place and it is not all Bible-belt. If these Germans you met were so worldly and well traveled in America, they would realize that.
I have spent a lot of time in Germany, more than half of my living relatives are German and Scandinavian so I have a good idea of how those societies compare. While it is true that your stereotype (or rather, that of your German friends) of Americans exists to a great degree, in my opinion, it doesn't typify Americans, especially in the cities you mention that they visited (N.Y.C., San Francisco, New Orleans, L.A.)
Germany and Scandinavia have their Bible-belts, too. You can't compare Berlin with Tennessee or Oklahoma, just as you can't compare New York City with some Bavarian backwater.
Of course it can! I learned nothing about the rest of the world in my US schools. I learned after I grew up and became curious. In meeting people in other countries I find they know much more about world history. How many people in countries outside the US think their country is the centre of the universe?
You didn't learn world history at any point while you were in school? I don't know where in the states you went to school but I recall learning about world history all throughout my school years.
I'm not saying people aren't poorly educated, but world history IS taught in the American school system. My point is if you're in ANY developed country there is NO excuse to not be educated with so many resources available to learn something. I don't think it's solely the school's responsibility to make sure its students are properly educated. I think parents have a HUGE role to play in it.
BTW, no where in any of my history books has it ever said "The United States of America is the center of the universe." Sure, certain bits of history are curiously missing but I don't think any world history book has ever painted America in some beaming light. There is A LOT of blood on the hands of this country and it is not hidden in textbooks.
I am one of those people that really likes this country. I came here with my family for a better life and I am glad they made the choice to come here. Sure America has its problems but I know that it is a much better place than where I came from. In this country if you want to become somebody you can. In certain countries, they don't even value women and they don't treat them right. Why can't people just appreciate what they have? America is still a better place to live than any other country in the Middle East that's for sure. I can't really say how it compares to countries in Europe because I've never lived in Europe. You can complain all you want about the education system or the high cost of health care or this or that but where will that get you? The answer is that it will get you nowhere. America is still a nice place to be. There is so much diversity in terms of people and geographical landscapes.
Bingo!
And that, to me, is THE most unique thing to North America (including Canada) on the positive end of the spectrum ~ diversity in geographics AND cultures.
'Scapewise, there is something here for everyone ~ cities bearing different "character", rich agriculture in various areas, awesome National and State Parks of different types, coastlines, incredibly beautiful deserts, Everglades and bayous, mountains and flatlands. . . And I'm one of these who finds beauty in ALL of these (as opposed to a lot of northwesterners who think that mountains and hills full of trees is the only sight that is beautiful).
We enjoy a variety of wonderful things brought to us by so many different cultures ~ food, entertainment, festivities. . . And there are cultures within cultures. For example, New Orleans is unlike anywhere else in the US. Our Afro-Americans are, in a sense, a culture within a culture. I've never been to Florida but I know that they enjoy unique gifts from the Caribbean cultures.
American cuisine differs radically from place to place. Louisiana has its own (and is probably the TASTIEST in the whole continent). Arizona and California is known for its Mexican food, Texas for Tex-Mex, Pacific NW for salmon, and the south for it's. . . well, southern dishes. I grew up in Central California where certain Portuguese delicacies are to be found everywhere (as are parts of Massachusetts).
I like to attend cultural festivals: Cinco de Mayo, Portuguese Festas in Calif., Scottish Highland Games, Renaissance Fairs, Oktoberfest, etc.
My Japanese friends appreciate the openness of Americans. The also like the space, and bigger homes.
But none of them like it more then Japan..... They come here to go "slumming it" but always decide they want the stability, safety and freedom that Japan offers.
You didn't learn world history at any point while you were in school? I don't know where in the states you went to school but I recall learning about world history all throughout my school years.
I'm not saying people aren't poorly educated, but world history IS taught in the American school system. My point is if you're in ANY developed country there is NO excuse to not be educated with so many resources available to learn something. I don't think it's solely the school's responsibility to make sure its students are properly educated. I think parents have a HUGE role to play in it.
BTW, no where in any of my history books has it ever said "The United States of America is the center of the universe." Sure, certain bits of history are curiously missing but I don't think any world history book has ever painted America in some beaming light. There is A LOT of blood on the hands of this country and it is not hidden in textbooks.
I graduated in 1970 and there was one world history class which was optional in high school. Otherwise, nothing. And I went to a good suburban school.
I wasn't talking about history books saying the US is the centre of the universe. It's a common attitude of Americans and the government in general. It's very common to hear Americans state as FACT, not opinion, that America is the greatest country in the world.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
