No Shorts Allowed !!!

Originally posted by craiglll@yahoo.com Sorry about the "wait," I was talking to some one else & not really paying attention to what I ws writing. Swimming with shorts, especially cut-offs, is somewhat dangerous. However, If you are trying to stay afloat after a ship wreck, having pockets in/on your clothing can help save your life. When I get ship wrecked I prefer long pants I tie the legs together near the bottom, catch air in them and I have water wings. George

Originally posted by Bob McAdams The name of our country is "The United States of America", but that's a pretty long name, so we tend to abbreviate it as either "The United States" or as "America". "America" is shorter, but we often opt for "The United States" for exactly the reason you have described. But it sounds awfully awkward to call ourselves "United Statesians", so we call ourselves "Americans", instead. This usage normally doesn't cause confusion because there isn't a continent called "America". The continents are called "North America" and "South America". And while we call ourselves Americans, we would agree that Canadians, Americans, and Mexicans are all North Americans. Bob The first time I heard about two Continents in America it surpriced me, I was working for Lucent Technologies at that time and I remember the discussion with a friend in Atlanta, I was able to comunicate with colleges from other countries in Latinamerica using the company intranet, and I discovered that as we have learn in Mexico from junior school, these guys from other countries also manage the idea that there are 5 Continents: Europe, Asia, Oceanía, Africa and América (about Greenland I just don´t know, specially because it should be named Whiteland). I have never asked Europeans if they also manage the idea of two Continents in America, I guess the Spain people think that there is only one as they discovered it, because Columbus arrived in America not in South America. 12 of Octuber it is known in Mexico and the rest of the souther countries in America as the "Discovering day of America", different from the US, as every one in this forum knows it is called the "Columbus Day". May be we are just mis-informed and sometime, somewhere, sombody decided to divide it and we just did not know about it (forgive me if it sounds sarcastic but it is not my intention, I just want to understand why we know different things about the same). Let me tell you that we do manage the concept of North America, South America and also Central America but as differente regions not Continents. By the way ¿do you know where the name of America comes from? Regards

Originally posted by Alex Aguageek is may be rigth about me taking this too seriously, but there are some little comments that may be we foreigners find agresive comming from US citizens, for example I can undestand that an European calls you Americans, but calling yourselves Americans is like saying Brazilians, Argentinians, Canadians, Mexicans, etc. are part of another continent, and we are not. The name of our country is "The United States of America", but that's a pretty long name, so we tend to abbreviate it as either "The United States" or as "America". "America" is shorter, but we often opt for "The United States" for exactly the reason you have described. But it sounds awfully awkward to call ourselves "United Statesians", so we call ourselves "Americans", instead. This usage normally doesn't cause confusion because there isn't a continent called "America". The continents are called "North America" and "South America". And while we call ourselves Americans, we would agree that Canadians, Americans, and Mexicans are all North Americans. Bob

Originally posted by Tom Ellison While being hammered by this French Media person over and over and over...Rumsfeld finally tired of it....and stopped everyone in their tracks...by asking three questions.... "Miss, you are French...correct? Yes, I am French! Ok, let me ask you a question...! What country saved France during WW1? Answer....Well, ahhhh, the USA....! Ok, let me ask another question....! What country saved the French during WW2? Answer....Ahhhh....well, the USA.... Rumsfeld reply...."Your welcome!" NEXT! Are you sure Rumsfeld said this? I find it extremely difficult to believe. As much as I can't stand Bush or Rumsfeld even I can't believe he'd make a statement this dumb.

Originally posted by SwiminONandON Thanks Geek! There have been a lot of comments made (especially on this thread) that could be taken as personal attacks. Take these threads with a grain of salt. I also noticed that you jumped all over my comment about Bush (and while I apologize if it was offense I will not apologize for my comment, because my opinion is that both Bushes are terrible presidents - see that is the beauty of living here in the good ole US of A I can bash presdients all I want) yet you didn't jump all over the personal attacks made against Dima by Geek, perhaps because you agree? That's not fair either. I would never intentional try to attack someone personally. Every comment I make should be viewed as least partially as a joke or an attempt to diffuse the situation. I am very opiniated and have very strong liberal views. I enjoy healthy debates as long as no ones feelings are hurt and no one takes things too seriously. Again I apologize if you were offended, but at the same time relax, it's a message board, it's a political thread now and people are going to make comments that offend. Politics are always a tricky topic (I'll launch my religion thread soon so we can totally piss off everyone ... again, kidding!). So relax and enjoy it! Apology accepted. Yes, I took it personally. I didn't realize you were joking. No, I didn't jump to Dima's defense. I guess I don't feel like it is my job to defend everyone on this board. I can tell when a person is opinionated and it would be futile for me to comment. I don't like debate. I'm too sensitive ;) No, I don't agree with MANY comments that have been made on this thread by all involved. I was only willing to address that one comment. Everyone is intitled to their opinions and has a right to express them. Everyone doesn't have to agree. BUT...NO ONE should think they are right and everyone else is wrong. That is what I was addressing in my comment.

Originally posted by Tom Ellison As to our being the police force for the globe...well, I sure as heck hope the folks that live around me....when I am old and feeble....will come to my rescue if some tin horn thug is wearing me out...rather then sitting on the side line and not getting involved.... I just don't understand why people think the French should have joined in on the Iraq thing. In WWI and II they were invaded and the U.S. and other countries entered the fray to help repulse the aggressor. With Iraq we are the invading force. Perhaps the French have learned over the course of the 20th century that being invaded isn't so hot? Now, if a foreign army invaded the U.S., and the French didn't help to defend us, then I can see getting upset at them.

Originally posted by SwiminONandON My biggest (and really only) complaint about the Clinton presidency was his lack of involvement in Rwanda. I don't like the selective nature in which the US polices the rest of the world. If oil is involved you bet will be there, but when MILLIONS of people are being slaughtered in Africa do we go intervene? No we look the other way. That is my issue. If the US wants to be the world police they need to police the world not just select parts. First, I find it surprising that his utter lack of a moral compass doesn't bother folks. He lied to the nation and his wife and his kid and cheated on his wife. Why does the left forget that there is no excuse for this? If you don't have a moral leader, you have an immoral nation. I'm embarrassed I voted for a man that showed such abyssmal judgement to those he loved the most. Rwanda his biggest failing, that's laughable, when he committed adultery left and right. Second, if the world needs us to police them, they they should pay some of our taxes. We can't do everything for everyone with our resources. Give me a break! At some point, countries have to take responsibility for even part of their own actions. We will always select where we go and some will always complain. For every 1 place we commit hundreds of millions of dollars there's 100 other places that need us just as much. Every day isn't Christmas for the rest of the world and we're not Santa.

Originally posted by knelson I just don't understand why people think the French should have joined in on the Iraq thing. In WWI and II they were invaded and the U.S. and other countries entered the fray to help repulse the aggressor. With Iraq we are the invading force. Perhaps the French have learned over the course of the 20th century that being invaded isn't so hot? Now, if a foreign army invaded the U.S., and the French didn't help to defend us, then I can see getting upset at them. Oh, I get it, the French only have to get involved if they are getting their butts whooped. Wait, they didn't get involved, others did and bailed them out. I guess you are right, if they can't defend their own freedom, we shouldn't expect them to defend the freedom of others getting trampled on.

Originally posted by aquageek Oh, I get it, the French only have to get involved if they are getting their butts whooped. Wait, they didn't get involved, others did and bailed them out. I guess you are right, if they can't defend their own freedom, we shouldn't expect them to defend the freedom of others getting trampled on. The French "weren't involved" in WWI or II, huh? That's news to me. The big distinction to me is the distinction of who's doing the invading and who's being invaded. Not to mention it's not like the U.S. jumped right in in either of the world wars. But, obviously this whole discussion can go nowhere...so return to the discussion about Greece or whether or not shorts should eb allowed in the pool :)

Heather...NO....YOU'RE WRONG!:D ;) (See, I can joke too!) ;)