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flyer.
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July 25, 2012 at 1:01 PM #20008July 25, 2012 at 4:19 PM #748914
briansd1
GuestAmericans are bigger and badder, yeah. That we know.
Of course, there are all types of people in a country. But generally speaking, fat Americans don’t have the moxie, elan and grace of their European cousins. Sit at a cafe in Italy or France and look at the people walking by. Observe the sensual rhythm of life.
Sports is about winning one time competitions.
Good health and quality of life are about staying lean, fit and graceful one’s whole life. For most people, sports is just fleeting glory.
July 25, 2012 at 5:17 PM #748916spdrun
ParticipantBasketball players are extremes. “Fat Americans” represents an average.
July 25, 2012 at 6:07 PM #748918scaredyclassic
ParticipantWe are on average looking a bit shabby. But I look good.
July 26, 2012 at 7:11 AM #748929desmond
Participant[quote=briansd1]Americans are bigger and badder, yeah. That we know.
Of course, there are all types of people in a country. But generally speaking, fat Americans don’t have the moxie, elan and grace of their European cousins. Sit at a cafe in Italy or France and look at the people walking by. Observe the sensual rhythm of life.
Sports is about winning one time competitions.
Good health and quality of life are about staying lean, fit and graceful one’s whole life. For most people, sports is just fleeting glory.[/quote]
B-ri,
I think you have a very small view on sports that seems to come from the bragging about what “so and so” did in high school. Everybody is sick of that. But look at it this way, there are many minorities or disadvantage kids that were able to stay in high school, then some earn sport scholarships to college, get degrees and have successful lives because of sports. Staying fit after competitive sports is another “ballgame”.July 26, 2012 at 8:22 AM #748934Participantswim team at high school is kind of a big swim party.
July 26, 2012 at 10:11 AM #748942Guest[quote=desmond]I think you have a very small view on sports that seems to come from the bragging about what “so and so” did in high school. Everybody is sick of that. [/quote]
Yeah, you read me so well.
I’m sick of my friends telling of their past glory. One day, I’ll snap and respond: “how is the fxxk is that helping you now?”
Perhaps Mitt Romney, who speaks French and lived in France with French families could agree with me. I share the same experience but not as a missionary.
The French have this wonderful food culture and food intuition that we lack here in America. There is this concept of being “bien eleve” meaning well-bred. It’s not so much about class but about comportment and propriety. It’s the art of living.
That includes having proper meals at the proper time. A well-bred family sits down for dinner. The meal could be very simple such as vegetable soup, salad and a beef stew, all in appropriate portions followed with some cheese and dessert.
The soup would not be a Progresso can, but freshly made soup (could be simple boiled vegetables blended with some chicken stock, some creme fraiche and salt and black pepper). Salad dressing would be simple vinaigrette.
A meal is never grab-and-go pizza or bologna sandwiches. Cereal for dinner? Sacrilege!!
Unfortunately, globalization is taking its course and even the French are losing their culture. They are becoming fat in our example.
About sports, in America, we have the most rigorous training and the best programs. Their primary goal is to create the best winning athletes.
July 26, 2012 at 10:31 AM #748943KSMountain
ParticipantLooking for ways to disagree with brian on this one, but it’s hard…
July 26, 2012 at 11:05 AM #748947ParticipantB-ri
Priorities are all screwed up here in America. The sports thing is so out of whack with parents trying as hard as they can to see if their kids can get a sports scholorship that it blinds them from everything else. Now, only true athletes get the scholorships. All the bs special training that is out there rarely works and is a total waste of time and money. As far as your friends glory days torture, always keep the comments you “want” to make to yourself. No use bringing them down and think how you would feel right after your comment? It sucks, but I have found out the hard way that opening my big mouth never works..July 26, 2012 at 11:24 AM #748948Jazzman
ParticipantNo doubt in my mind Europeans know how to live much better, but then they have been at it for much longer. They should ban MacDonalds. You are starting to see the effects of fast food even on the French. Living aside, I’m still hunting for a home in France, and you just would not believe what you pay for the equivalent of a multi-million dollar estate in Montecito. For the price of a modest SFH in a modest neighborhood in SD, you can find fully restored 18C stone dwellings, landscaped gardens and woodlands near to medieval villages in beautiful regions, with a good standard of living. Paris, Megeve, CD are a different story, but there still is (comparative) value out there in truly inspiring parts of the world, just not anymore in CA IMO. US taxes are the only thing keeping me here.
July 26, 2012 at 12:19 PM #748956ParticipantOTOH, you get more bang for your “buck” with French taxes. Decent health care, public transit, better maintained infrastructure to name a very few things.
July 26, 2012 at 1:47 PM #748962Allan from Fallbrook
Participant[quote=briansd1][quote=desmond]I think you have a very small view on sports that seems to come from the bragging about what “so and so” did in high school. Everybody is sick of that. [/quote]
Yeah, you read me so well.
I’m sick of my friends telling of their past glory. One day, I’ll snap and respond: “how is the fxxk is that helping you now?”
Perhaps Mitt Romney, who speaks French and lived in France with French families could agree with me. I share the same experience but not as a missionary.
The French have this wonderful food culture and food intuition that we lack here in America. There is this concept of being “bien eleve” meaning well-bred. It’s not so much about class but about comportment and propriety. It’s the art of living.
That includes having proper meals at the proper time. A well-bred family sits down for dinner. The meal could be very simple such as vegetable soup, salad and a beef stew, all in appropriate portions followed with some cheese and dessert.
The soup would not be a Progresso can, but freshly made soup (could be simple boiled vegetables blended with some chicken stock, some creme fraiche and salt and black pepper). Salad dressing would be simple vinaigrette.
A meal is never grab-and-go pizza or bologna sandwiches. Cereal for dinner? Sacrilege!!
Unfortunately, globalization is taking its course and even the French are losing their culture. They are becoming fat in our example.
About sports, in America, we have the most rigorous training and the best programs. Their primary goal is to create the best winning athletes.[/quote]
Brian: I’m with KSM on this one: Kinda hard to disagree and you make some good points. However, I’d ask one question: When’s the last time you were in Paris (or Brussels) visting? I remember the Paris you mentioned, but it’s truly been a while (mid-1990s). As of late, the Parisians (and Londoners and Berliners) are, sadly, more like Americans and in some of the worst ways (constantly checking their devices, doing the grab-and-go lunch or dinner and moving at a faster pace.)
I’d actually opine that the Italians are doing a better job of resisting “Americanization” (and it’s not “globalization” that’s doing this, it’s the inexorable sprawl of the American mono-culture).
Yeah, France should ban McDonalds. Along with Disney. There is much to love about the French culture, especially the desire of the French to maintain its distinction and history.
And Americans have truly lost their minds when it comes to sports. I coach and it seems like it gets worse every single year. No, sir, your 9 old is NOT going to be playing in the NFL, so please don’t spend $4,000 on a QB camp this summer.
July 26, 2012 at 1:54 PM #748963Participant[quote=spdrun]OTOH, you get more bang for your “buck” with French taxes. Decent health care, public transit, better maintained infrastructure to name a very few things.[/quote]
True, but the tax regime is slanted towards middle class families, and can seem disproportionately high for some groups. Still, if it is not your main residence, you can still get many of the benefits without paying all the taxes.July 26, 2012 at 2:43 PM #748973The-Shoveler
Participant“As of late, the Parisians (and Londoners and Berliners) are, sadly, more like Americans and in some of the worst ways (constantly checking their devices, doing the grab-and-go lunch or dinner and moving at a faster pace.)”
Yes We Win…
It’s all about Cheap GM Corporate farm FOOD !!Slowly we will kill off all the remaining small euro farms and the American GM corn feed hormone inject beef burgers will take over the WORLD !!!
YES PINKY WE WIN !!!
July 26, 2012 at 3:49 PM #748978Participant[quote=The-Shoveler]”As of late, the Parisians (and Londoners and Berliners) are, sadly, more like Americans and in some of the worst ways (constantly checking their devices, doing the grab-and-go lunch or dinner and moving at a faster pace.)”
Yes We Win…
It’s all about Cheap GM Corporate farm FOOD !!Slowly we will kill off all the remaining small euro farms and the American GM corn feed hormone inject beef burgers will take over the WORLD !!!
YES PINKY WE WIN !!![/quote]
You want fries with that?
Don’t forget High-Fructose Corn Syrup. That’s kinda like the hat trick or troika right there, isn’t it? Beef, HFCS and heavily salted French (or Freedom, depending on your political predilections) Fries.
At the rate we’re going, we’re all gonna be carrying portable AEDs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_defibrillator
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