Dishwasher Caught Fire

[mr_sparkle]

The same only with an accent!

Yes I agree thom the US and UK are VERY similar! Of course we both have differnt landscapes etc, but culture is pretty much the same, we have walmart here, and costco, macdonalds, the lot. In fact where i am from we lived virtually on the American Air base, and it was weird that Amkericans used to come over, all excited about the UKl, but when they got here I heard more then one exclaim, how its just like the US, the food and culture etc. I think the UK is MUCH more like the US than we are any of our European neighbours. I think it stems that bouth our countries are based on the land of the free, listen to our anthems, also were joined in soooo many ways.

 

[toggleswitch]

Two countries divided by a common language and history

Agreed.

Some small differences exist. But I felt VERY comfortable in London. Paris was another story.

Other than Bruce Springsteen in the *import* section and driving in the left side of the street, oh and huge power-points(outlets) it is not so different.

There are also some customs and traditions that differ, but no big deal.

 

[mr_sparkle]

traditions

yeah, I have a foreskin!!!!

ha ha ha

 

[panthera]

and you have the queen...

Well, there are few differences. But most of them are to the advantage of the English. Since I used to live in San Francisco I guess I am entitled to comment on the weather. Other folks have climates, the English have weather.
This is more than made up for by the beauty of the countryside, the wonderful (don't laugh if you haven't been there in the last 10 years) cooking and the 99% of the English who are content to live and let live.
I often wonder what would have become of England and the US if Cromwell had crossed the big pond.
Hmm, the US might today be a fundamentalist, repressive society...nah, that's just a silly thought...

 

[mr_sparkle]

Oh on the subject of the weather.....

I really think climate change is taking its toll with us, water supply is a big thing at the moment, cos apparantly it dosnt raid enough here, AND WE HAVE THE WRONG TYPE OF RAIN!!! LoL

 

[sudsmaster]

Panthera,

You flatter me too much on that count. I'm not sure if my apparent knowledge is more educated guesswork than received wisdom. I passed most of my college English requirement in high school, and after that I had a mostly technical education, even at university, and never had formal study of philosophy. But I'm on my third professional career now and that must in itself force a broadening if not a deepening of my knowledge of some things.

It seems to me that observations such as from Jefferson and Adams on "happiness" are the result not so much of book learning as it is from examining their own experiences, and observing other's experiences, with the "purfuit of happiness", and they drew some conclusions about what really constitutes a successful bottling of that elusive elixir, i.e., one that will age gracefully, and not leave one with a sour aftertaste.

Since college I set about to broaden my knowlege. I used to pour through a borrowed set of Collier's Encyclopedia, and then my own set of Grolier's. Now the Internet is like a vast if somewhat chaotic and mostly unedited encylopedia. One of my favorite works is Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Can that man write, and of things that actually happened, too. I'm pretty sure my own writing would generally improve when I read his work, and as you may discern, I haven't read him for a while. He is, I think, the ultimate journalist, because he makes ancient history almost seem like it is happening in the here and now. His exposition on the comparative suitability of soldiers vs. kings to govern is breathtaking, even if one doesn't agree with his point of view (which is predictably pro-British crown, but not without a little winking). I suppose it's one of those rare cases of a historical treatise also being a work of great literature.

 

[panthera]

nah, Rich -

I stand by my comment. You got brains, baby.

 

[sudsmaster]

OK, Panthera, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree ;-)

 

[panthera]

as you like it - still think you are pretty damn smart

Just saw Enigma with Dougray Scott...Beautiful Mind is coming up this Thursday.
Must be "let's make Panthera feel inadequate upstairs" week over here.
One of my favourite definitions of "happiness" is from Robert Heinlein:
"Happiness is working long hours at something you enjoy."
- Jubal Hershaw

There is something to be said for that, IMHO

 

[rinso]

Some very good friends of ours came home to a smoke-filled house recently. The culprit was their 2 year old TOL KA dishwasher, whose detergent dispenser wiring caught fire when the release mechanism failed to function correctly. The fire spread to the surrounding cabinets, then petered out for some fortunate reason. The irony is that their insurance company replaced it with a nearly identical model. Needless to say, they no longer run any appliances while they are away from home.