Thread: I have some America questions for you!

Originally Posted by jaegerhund

... To bad there isn't some inhouse female rule a guy can call sometimes ---


Justin

Actually, I tried a variation on the 'Infield Fly Rule' one time.....












....they made me zip it up!


-whatever

-Lou

Jesus! I've only been away for 3 days and I have 11 pages!

If only my online shop was this popular!

Thanks for all the info guys. I think I understand about the burrito now and I am up to speed on NFL defense strategies. I love that game, its like a game of chess but the peices are 300lbs muscle bound thugs. Great stuff. I may have some more questions on this when the season starts again.

I was guessing the gun laws would vary by state but on the whole the results you have given me are quite surprising. Sounds like a large amount of people have a gun either concealed or in the home/car. This is a weird concept for me where in the UK even the police do not carry guns (they are not needed except in the worst places of Manchester or London and even then a special police team carries them only).

Gun crime is increasing though, thats for sure, but it is just gangs shooting each other at the moment.

I'm glad you guys had a good time at Cambridge. Oxford is very nice too. Bill Clintons "smoked but didn't inhale" while he was at university here . Funny guy.

Actually I have a question about that. In Europe (especially Holland and the Scandinavian countries) there is a pretty relaxed view about smoking weed. Its illegal but you would be really unlucky to get busted for smoking it. You would have to be doing it in a public place. Whats the deal in the US? The US takes a fairly hardline view on alcohol so I'm guessing other intoxicating substances are viewed dimly as well. I'm not interested about whether its morally right or wrong, again I am just interested in the facts as I am interested in American culture. Please be careful with your answers as I am aware this subject is a bit dodgy.

Rob

I will try and address your last question. It is illegal here unless you live in California and have a prescription for it. I still think it's illegal to grow there, but somehow there are a few places that are able to sell it as a controlled substance much like that of any other drug.
I believe it became illegal sometime around the period where prohibition was enacted. My take is that because marijuana grows so easily, it will always be illegal here. Unless someone is making alot of money on it or it's generating revenues in the form of taxes or both, it will be illegal. Most pharmaceutical companies make their money by fomulating and patenting synthetic drugs which are then approved by the FDA for certain ailments. No pharmaceutical company is ever going to waste any time on something that's natural and won't produce a profit.
Lastly, in our country, marijuana is looked at as a gateway drug leading up to other drugs. IMHO, you're either an addictive personality or not. The only difference between this and alcohol is that alcohol generates revenues and profits.
-Fred

Bobbo -- can you explain how American's take a hardline view on alchohol?

What you call a hardline view might vary from region (state, county) to region.



Justin

When I was in BC a few years ago I didn't realise you couldn't drink alcohol in public out of the bottle/can etc. In the UK if you want to drink a tinny, then you just crack it open right there on the street (or park or wherever you are) and swig. It's great when you're outside on a hot day, in the park, playing a game of footie, and swigging from a can.

I got some serious looks that day in BC and nearly got arrested. I had no idea! It seemed so... unnecessarily restrictive. It's such a civilised thing to do, to share a cold beer outdoors with your wife on a hot summer's day, no?

I know BC isn't USA, but I gather many states have similar restrictions? (I'm thinking all those Hollywood films that show hobos drinking from bottles concealed within a brown paper bag.)

Originally Posted by majurey

I know BC isn't USA, but I gather many states have similar restrictions? (I'm thinking all those Hollywood films that show hobos drinking from bottles concealed within a brown paper bag.)

You know I'm not that big of a drinker so I'm not sure about public drinking regulations but let me just say that the attitude towards drinking (which sometimes spills over into general law enfourncement) can vary greatly because of religious and political reasons. For example here in South Louisiana (mostly Catholic), drinking alcohol is a way of life ---- goes well with the ongoing festivals that we have around here. It's not unusual to see young teenagers drinking (although illegal) without much issue.
However, if you travel a little north to north Louisiana there is a considerable different attitude --- it being part of the Bible Belt ((protestant (Baptist,etc)) --there are a few dry parishes I believe and the atmosphere is somewhat different (can't stop the teenagers though).

It's not uncommon to find "dry and wet" counties scattered over a state ----


Justin

Justin - In France, Spain and Italy it would be custom for children to have watered down wine at meals and the drinking age is 18 in most European countries, rather than 21 in the US.

I remember an American friend of mine being horrified at a 14 year old kid taking a sip of his fathers beer in a UK beer garden and said in the USA this was a total no-no.

I get the feeling attitude towards booze is a lot more strict. I may be wrong....

Originally Posted by Bobbo

Justin - In France, Spain and Italy it would be custom for children to have watered down wine at meals and the drinking age is 18 in most European countries, rather than 21 in the US.

I remember an American friend of mine being horrified at a 14 year old kid taking a sip of his fathers beer in a UK beer garden and said in the USA this was a total no-no.

I get the feeling attitude towards booze is a lot more strict. I may be wrong....

Bobbo, again the attitude about drinking can vary...I've been drinking wine at family gatherings since I was 12 and beer at crawfish boils since I was about 14 -- this isn't uncommon in South Louisiana. Some local Cajuns will sometimes give toddlers sips of beer. But you know, South Louisiana is really unique to the U.S. --- so overall you are probably correct. The 21 law is fairly new and when I was in highschool, alcohol could be bought without much issue --- you could get into bars and drink as well --- it's more difficult now

Justin