I have just returned from a wonderful trip to Europe, though limited. It gave me a lot of time to compare and contrast some aspects of what I experienced there and what I experience in the US. Anyway, this thread will bring up some issues that I hope you all will respond to. But for now, I need to sleep. I need to recover from London traffic which will be first on my agenda. A prediction: when the Olympics come to London I predict more people will die from being run over because of not looking the right way before crossing than were killed in the terrorist attacks.
I just visited the US.
I wasn't really in a "pedestrian" place and as such there wasn't much provision for crossing the road if you don't happen to be driving a massive gassy humvee type thing.
At least in London the roads are less than half a mile wide and the green man goes on for more than 6 seconds. If you are hit by a car, chances are it'll be a Nissan Micra, not a pick up truck with bull bars, and you'll just break a leg, instead of being broke into several bits.
Originally posted by thetank444Yes, I almost went out with a lot of class as a Mercedes almost plastered me because I looked the wrong way when crossing. Where the hell are all the gas stations in London? Fortunately I didn't drive and I wouldn't recommend driving to a stranger as we did fine with the trains and tube.
I just visited the US.
I wasn't really in a "pedestrian" place and as such there wasn't much provision for crossing the road if you don't happen to be driving a massive gassy humvee type thing.
At least in London the roads are less than half a mile wide and the green man goes on for more than 6 seconds. If you are hit by a car, chances are it'll be ...[text shortened]... ck with bull bars, and you'll just break a leg, instead of being broke into several bits.
This was one major difference between London and the states. We in the US have a gas station on every corner it seems. I will say that it adds to the historic nature of a place like London, but one should always be able to find gas (or petrol) without having to search too far.
Probably something to do with the average American having no sense of environmental conservation and buying cars, to commute themselves from A to B, which get similar mileage to your average tiger tank. Guzzling fuel at a rate that is not only destroying the planet, but also the worlds oil reserves.
Having a gas station on every corner isn't necessary a good thing. It could be seen (by someone more cynical than myself) as a sign of a decadent culture that is intent on destroying itself and bringing everyone else with it.
OK, I love art and what better place to see fine art than Europe. We went to a lot of museums in England and Belgium. I had a love for Rubin's works as it seems he had an affinty for titties. I really enjoyed the art that I saw from that period.
Which brings me to another point. I went to a really nice museum in Antwerp and they tried to blend modern art and art from this period. Let me just say that there is a need for some psychiatric meds in this city. Apparently a dead dog wearing a party hat with confetti all around is "art." If that's art, I see it all the time on the way to work sans the party hat. It gets worse. Then I see another dog hanging from a meat hook. It still gets worse. Then I see a bunch of skulls with dead animals in their mouths.
I know some people in Rubin's time probably didn't like the idea of exposed breasts at the crucifixion of Christ, but a dead dog wearing a party hat is just too much. I'll have more to say about this exhibit later.
Originally posted by kirksey957Then I see a bunch of skulls with dead animals in their mouths.
OK, I love art and what better place to see fine art than Europe. We went to a lot of museums in England and Belgium. I had a love for Rubin's works as it seems he had an affinty for titties. I really enjoyed the art that I saw from that period.
Which brings me to another point. I went to a really nice museum in Antwerp and they tried to blend mod ...[text shortened]... g wearing a party hat is just too much. I'll have more to say about this exhibit later.
sounds like an RHP player!
Originally posted by kirksey957it depends. did it make you think? not all artistic experiences are meant to be mildly pleasing.
...Apparently a dead dog wearing a party hat with confetti all around is "art." If that's art, I see it all the time on the way to work sans the party hat. It gets worse. Then I see another dog hanging from a meat hook. It still gets worse. Then I see a bunch of skulls with dead animals in their mouths.
Originally posted by wormwoodYes it did and I'll tell you what it made me think of which gets me to the other issue I was going to bring up later. It made me wonder when it was going to start to stink. It must have been 90 degrees in this museum. Every room had these elaborate devices to measure the humidity. I'm looking at all these priceless works of art that are over 500 years old and I'm thinking all this heat can't be good for them.
it depends. did it make you think? not all artistic experiences are meant to be mildly pleasing.
It's called air conditioning, fools.
Originally posted by kirksey957there's a finnish one-man musician/performance artist called 'keuhkot' or 'lungs'. at one time he used to have a thing called 'symphony of smells' on his gig. -he had an electric fan and some boxes filled with all kinds of smelly stuff from dog poop to fresh fish, and he blew the smells towards the audience, like playing notes from an 'odour instrument'. none of the smells were nice, but it still was interesting. and funny.
Yes it did and I'll tell you what it made me think of which gets me to the other issue I was going to bring up later. It made me wonder when it was going to start to stink.