Conservative. Idaho. Software engineer. Historian. Trying to prevent Idiocracy from becoming a documentary.
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Monday, March 10, 2014
From a Discussion of Odd Aspects of America Noticed by Non-Americans
"Of COURSE guacamole is the appropriate alternative to wasabi."
There is a legend that at the buffet in the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, someone put a pot of green pasty substance on the Mexican food island... and it wasn't guacamole.
That's not surprising, Federalism is losing to the homogenization by the national media and the national government. I had a conversation about government structure and elections and representatives with my cousins in Bavaria in 2003. The idea the states came together to form the national government and did not surrender all power to the federation is alien to Europeans as well as 75% of Americans.
Along with a lot of criticisms, quite a number of the foreigners pointed out that customer service is America is light-years ahead of the situation in the rest of world, not just lots of smiling and waiters introducing themselves, but the ability to return items without much discussion.
I did notice that a number of people (mostly Americans, but sometimes foreigners) pointing out that the devolution of political power to states and cities is part of why there is such enormous variation within the U.S. concerning laws and attitudes of police officers.
"Of COURSE guacamole is the appropriate alternative to wasabi."
ReplyDeleteThere is a legend that at the buffet in the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, someone put a pot of green pasty substance on the Mexican food island... and it wasn't guacamole.
Mistaking Guacamole for Wasabi is much safer than the reverse.
ReplyDeleteIn all that huge thread, nobody noticed anything about US federalism. It was completely invisible to them.
ReplyDeleteThat's not surprising, Federalism is losing to the homogenization by the national media and the national government.
ReplyDeleteI had a conversation about government structure and elections and representatives with my cousins in Bavaria in 2003. The idea the states came together to form the national government and did not surrender all power to the federation is alien to Europeans as well as 75% of Americans.
I got the distinct impression from the commenters that they think it's the US that's the one with the problems.
ReplyDeleteAlong with a lot of criticisms, quite a number of the foreigners pointed out that customer service is America is light-years ahead of the situation in the rest of world, not just lots of smiling and waiters introducing themselves, but the ability to return items without much discussion.
ReplyDeleteI did notice that a number of people (mostly Americans, but sometimes foreigners) pointing out that the devolution of political power to states and cities is part of why there is such enormous variation within the U.S. concerning laws and attitudes of police officers.