Why is the media in this country obsessed with what happens in the States.
It’s cold there, a once in a generation event apparently. However, I watched a documentary the week before about a small town inSiberia. The kids who attended the local school were disappointed because the temperature was only -55 oC not cold enough to close the school. Funny these stories never make the news.

It’s good that Trump has decided that this is enough evidence to disprove global warming. It’s like they have elected someone who is 9 years old.

Because we are its 51st state.

[quote="Snowy"]Why is the media in this country obsessed with what happens in the States.

its the only other country thats outside europe . not interested in the land of the free and would never visit but a lot of brits are and their main ambition is to go there. rather have a couple of weeks in whitehaven.

I’m telling the kids Disney’s cancelled we’re off to Whitehaven for two weeks.

I never, ever wanted to go there. I just don’t see the appeal.
I reckon when they had their revolution, the brains moved to Canada and the rest is history.

Its what you do with the brains that matters, use them to help others or yourself, unfortunately the latter seems to prevail in America. Horrible country, populated in the main by horrible people.

Whitehaven has strong connections with the states.

they,ll love it especially when you tell em there will be a day trip to barrow to look forward too.

How many out of the people saying it’s an awful country have ever been? The country as in itself physically is an amazing place. It’s a bit fucked up and backward in places and they have some bizarre man child running the gaff but it’s somewhere I’d like to see a lot more of. But I’d say that about most places in The World.

I’m saying I don’t want to go because it’s just never appealed to me and doubtless never will. There’s places I would like to go which people might say no thanks to, but it’s all a matter of personal preference.
In the US, their problem is they’ve sold themselves to the world as the greatest place on earth and they appear to believe it as Gospel.
Like a skunk, the publicity it gives itself is what puts you off.

What if we had a referendum to really leave Europe and join America. How would that pan out? I reckon quite a few would go for that, especially all the line dancers.
How would we vote, Republican or Democrat??
Who would be Governor?

What about a replica of the Statue of Liberty on the Jackson Landings site?

With a Pools shirt on too!

An Ian Thomas-Moore pools shirt?

Elvis Presley lived in Whitehaven leading up to his death.

Graceland is in the residential area of Whitehaven, Memphis, Tennessee.

There's a guy works down the chip shop in Whitehaven swears he's Elvis.

He's not dead, he invented the parmo.

Chicago fucked up big time when they stopped being the Chicago Transit Authority.
They went from being a pioneer in horn-based rock to delivering the most twee music that ever existed.
They might have made a fortune out of it but my-oh-my was it shite.

Just been on the bbc news Americans in Chicago have been advised ‘not to take deep breaths and minimise talking’. The second part is totally impossible!!!!!!

In the US, their problem is they’ve sold themselves to the world as the greatest place on earth and they appear to believe it as Gospel.
Like a skunk, the publicity it gives itself is what puts you off.[/quote]
and they dress up as mice and play rounders and netball with their padded version of rugby.

A Red Indian I once knew , told me It used to be a lovely country , then ……..

I've never been, and have no desire to. As a kid I was always suspicious of the place, can't really work out why.

I have worked for 2 different American companies, and pretty much everyone I dealt with from over there was a ruthless ambitious backstabber, who would smile to your face whilst plotting to undermine you at the same time. Perhaps that is just the pharma industry in general, but I suspect not.

Now they are run by an oaf of the highest order, soneone they elected and is still supported by a sizeable chunk of the population. And still think that the answer to gun problems is more guns.

I'm looking forward to when they no longer determine how the world economy pans out, and they don't have the means to invade other countries any more.

Give me Whitehaven any day.

Got to admit I'd be delighted if I could spend some time in the US. As far as free market capitalism goes it is certainly the heart of an evil empire but it has also been the cradle for so much brilliant music and film-making so I'd be very happy to visit and even happier to work there for a while.

I've worked with a few Americans over here and they divide into three camps -

White back-stabbing business monsters who tend to be God-fearing folk on the side. Their God seems to be mostly involved in supporting US foreign policy and stopping other people from doing things they'd like to do.

Annoying self-centred white liberals who also back-stab but use expensive artisan made knives from the Blue Ridge Mountains to do it. Also often into God but a more mellow version who is mostly interested in looking after them.

People from a range of ethnic backgrounds who seem very open, friendly and quite happy to criticise aspects of the US. Some of them are religious but it tends to be the sort of socially aware, positive approach that you get with a lot of religious people in the UK.

Be good to meet more of them on their home turf and see how it goes. Obviously I would want a '50s Cadillac and a massive firearm to help me settle in.

I dont think they do determine how the world economy pans out, thats their problem and to a lesser degree ours as well, they think they do. Its just a shame the back stabbing cancer appears to have reached our shores as well.

The middle camp sound very much like our own neo - liberal New Labour Party of Bliar and Co.

I don't think anyone can deny its a beautiful country. Though way down on my bucket list, I would find travelling on their railways interesting and the exploring the old Blues haunts of Austin and New Orleans, also the man v food size portions would be nice as a one off as well.

Hmmmm...... Cumbrian Disney...... hmmmmm.

Really enjoying Portillo’s new series on Canada. Funny, always thought Canada would be a great place to visit but not their next door neighbour.

I always said I never wanted to go to America, but Portillos ( A bloke I detest as you can imagine ) railway series on America whetted the appetite.

a few years ago my sister and her husband visied canada and then went to the u.s.a. they both said once they went over the boarder from canada they felt in a different world never mind a different country. they loved canada and the canadians and wished they had not crossed the boarder.

I never liked the bloke, but ever since this series I see him in a different light. Maybe once the burden of politics is lifted you change.

Load of bollocks, how many times have you been to the US?, how many Americans do,you actually know?

Perhaps I've been lucky, but the vast majority of Americans I have met, both socially and through work have been generous and educated, this country has its fair share of shit holes and thick as shit ignorant fuckers too

I once worked in a Houston fabrication yard prior to mobilising to the Gulf of Mexico. I requested a few commissioning technicians to assist carrying out start up and system checks. To cut a long story short 2 awld gadgies about 70 plus turned up as my ‘techs’ complete with bib and brace and chewing tobacco. I issued them with a couple of system drawings to check, total blank look, ‘shit I ain’t seen nothin’ like this before, all I ever did was sign timesheets for the mex’s’. I asked what they were doing working at their age and working in that environment. The reply was that they each had around $300,000 medical bills to pay.

Very true.

I love his railway programmes. I would very much like to go on a few of those journeys, especially in Alaska and Canada.
I have only been to America once and drove all over the place. Some of the scenery is awesome. The locals I met were friendly and extremely polite. Would definitely go again. The wife's godmother lives there, in a place called Friend in Nebraska. We keep meaning to visit them but as yet haven't made it.
America is certainly worth a visit but each to their own.

I'd love to visit the U.S.A. but I doubt if I'll ever be able to afford and, even I could, I'd wait until Trump's dumped. I'd avoid places like Las Vegas and Florida but I'd love to see the deserts, badlands, bayous and cities like New York, Chicago and San Francisco. As the dominant military and economic power of the last 100 years it could have been far worse (look at the history of the dominant power that preceded it for example). Hollywood, Jazz, Soul, Rock and Roll all invented in America. I haven't met many Americans, but those I have seem okay, but then I've never met a nasty Frenchman, or German, or Italian, or Spaniard.....

Let's see:
Americans - one or two fairly pathetic ones but none really nasty
German - never had the pleasure of being in a sun-lounger joust with one
Spanish - once you dig past the "who cares?" exterior, you find a ... "who cares?" interior.
French - affirmative; some really obnoxious ones but only in small doses; the French stole the Gallic shrug from the Spanish
Italian - plenty of conniving ones but none really nasty
British - ah! we have a winner

I have family in New York uncle (boro lad) and aunty (Glasgow) moved there about fourth years ago. I been loads have three yank cousins all very great people. Even drove from Long Island to Boston and then Cape Cod. God a Uni mate there. I have to say I would stick to east coast as they are more European than rest of the USA. I have drove to Florida from my uncles once and have to say most of the out of the way places are full of people who look like they come from deliverance.

Just to add if you ever get to go to upstate NY esp Buffalo and Saratoga it’s beautiful very like Hexham and Northumberland. I been lucky enough to go to the Breeders Cup there as my uncles and Aunt moves over there as jockies and worked in game ever since.

I took the Greyhound bus from New York to Orlando in the late 80's everyone on the bus looked half crazy , took over a day .never again.