Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with America

What were the liberals wrong about?

AngerBoy — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 09:24:20 -0800

I socialize almost exclusively with friends who are politically liberal, spanning the spectrum from left-of-center progressive to the more radical fringe. Frequently, among ourselves, political conversation drifts inevitably toward variations on this theme:

"The history of our country has always proven liberalism correct and conservatism incorrect. The principles of those on the left have been validated over and over again, while those on the right have been proven wrong by the progress of history."

While I admit that this hypothesis is selfishly pleasing (I'm a liberal too, after all), it seems to me that it can't be completely true. But I don't have a strong enough grasp of American history to prove it wrong. So what am I missing? What have liberals been proven wrong about? Evidence marshaled in support of this argument often includes the following:

Conservatives were wrong about the Civil Rights Act.

Conservatives were wrong about women's suffrage.

Conservatives were wrong about the "Red Scare."

Conservatives were wrong about Vietnam.

Conservatives were wrong about the invasion of Iraq.

...and so on, and so on, and so on.

So what I'd really like to do is be able to come up with a similar list of cases in which history proved that conservatives have gotten a thing or two right as well. What historical facts can prove my point? Should I just start hanging out with more Republicans?

So many great options, why can I pick one?

BusyBusyBusy — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 13:43:47 -0800

[Overly broad project topic filter] Works of fiction or scholarly articles on American places? Help me find a work about or set in an American place that was written at the time. In a class I am taking this semester, we have been assigned a final project. We are supposed to examine a creative work (novel, poem, painting, scholarly article, movie, or even a blog) in terms of how it describes the character of an American place.

In class so far we have discussed
Tales of the City (Los Angeles in the 1970s),
Winnesburg, OH (for the Midwest),
Home to Harlem (for Harlem in the Jazz age) and
Sunset Blvd (for Hollywood in the 1940s).

For the final project we are supposed to do something similar. Pick a work, and analyze how it describes the setting in order to determine the "Americaness" of the place. It doesn't matter if we argue if its American or Un-American. Preferably created at the time it depicts. The problem for me is there are soooo many possibilities. But I can't seem to find one I'm interested in. It's like I have a mental block there, so I'm turning to you MeFites.

What is a great work that you love that is set in an American place? Anything interesting from any American time period. Please give me the best and most interesting works you can find. Extra points for things that aren't movies. I am bad at writing about movies.

Options I have considered (but am not thrilled about): A Christmas Story for 1940's midwest. Farewell to Manzanar for Japanese internment in during WW2.

Ultimate trip to Peru

deeman — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:55:53 -0800

Help me plan the ultimate trip to Peru!!!!!!!! Ok here is the deal: a buddy of mine is Peruvian and we're looking into going to Peru beginning of June next year. Just me and two of my friends. The closest I've been is parts of Mexico for spring break but I want something more substantial for a trip and want to journey through south america. Three things that have always drawn me to Peru:

1) Machu Picchu - it's just so mysterious and ancient. kind of feel like I lived there in a past life and want to go home
2) Nazca Lines - mysterious and beautiful. taking a plane ride over the Nazca desert would be absolutely amazing
3) Ayahuasca - I work in a cubicle where my soul is slowly dying. I would love to take some Ayahuasca tea with a Shaman and take a spiritual journey

I'm 6'2" and your typical white guy from Boston. I would be so out of my element it's not even funny. Help me plan the ultimate trip:

1) what should I watch out for/avoid? I want this to be a safe trip as in coming home alive with all of my organs intact
2) what should I absolutely see/do before I come back home.
3) how should i prepare?
4) what should i not bring home with me (other than illegal drugs)?

Any tips/tricks/advice would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!

Help me understand America.

lapsangsouchong — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:35:06 -0800

Americans: if you had to represent the USA with only three things, what would they be? I've just moved to the US. For the moment I'm still in decompression mode: the fact that I've crossed the Atlantic hasn't properly sunk in yet. But I'm here, and will be for the next two years.

So--Americans: If you had to choose three things to represent what you take to be the essential parts of US history, culture, society, to help a recent arrival understand the place, what would they be? And why?

Three things for Britain might be a copy of What a carve up! by Jonathan Coe (I've given this to several UK-resident foreign friends: pretty good guide to the country, post-WWII); the way you can never get a decent cup of tea in places that sell you a cup of tea, only places that sell it to you in a pot; and, more positively, the view from the Malvern Hills. Obviously I could come up with loads more, good and bad.

In Damascus, just after arriving for the first of several long stays, I met a chap who was about to go and work as a pastry chef in the Taif Sheraton (Saudi Arabia). The night before his departure he invited me to join him and his friends for a night out eating fatteh (way too heavy for me) followed by a trip to the Midan for pastries ("the best!"). Then we all piled into a car and just drove around the city, which I'd just arrived in for the first time. It was his way of saying goodbye to his hometown, and it was also the most intensely "Syrian" evening I had in all my time there.

And a Canadian once made me watch Strange Brew so that I would understand Canada, though I've often wondered if that was more of a self-hatred thing.

It can be anything. Driving over the Brooklyn Bridge; Sunday morning service at a mega-church in exurban Illinois; or going to a certain Georgia diner on a Wednesday morning, getting a cup of coffee, and just looking out across the street. Please, tell me about it--and tell me why you think it represents America. Positive, negative, or sentimental things are all fine, provided they're thoughtful too.

Last weekend I saw this exhibition of Robert Frank photos, which was a start...

Using a Japanese phone stateside?

greasepig — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:28:12 -0800

Is it possible to use my Japanese Toshiba 810T in the States? I'm moving back to the states, and would love if I could use my little black phone to email my Japanese friends. It's Softbank, and does use some kind of SIM card. Basically I want to be able to use the Japanese input and also the handy dictionary. Is this just a pipe dream, something that will cost a lot, or just a plug-and-play situation? If it's no good, can I at least transfer the dictionary to a US carrier's phone, or is there anyway I could have a US carrier phone that would work with Japanese input?

What are the exact dimensions of Captain America's shield?

XQUZYPHYR — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 10:16:35 -0800

I'm making a lightweight replica of Captain America's shield (the modern-day circular one), most likely with PVC in a laser router machine. The only dimensions I can secure online are that it's 30 inches in diameter, but I can't find any info on thickness and concave depth. Anyone know the missing dimensions I need? Bonus points if there exist specifics on the width of the color bars but I'm pretty sure that part I can eyeball during painting. Thanks!

Magically delicious.

cobain_angel — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 15:39:28 -0800

Help me send my friend in Ireland some very American things. Bobby's birthday is coming up, and I would like to send my dear Irishman some mail-resistant stuff that he wouldn't be able to find in Ireland in a store. An example is Lucky Charms, which he informs me, is NOT available in Ireland.

Any ideas?

Where to find data on the size of the informal sector?

andoatnp — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:20:00 -0800

Does anyone know a good source for the size of the informal sector by country in Asia and Latin America? I'm at a university so I have access to any books you could recommend as well as JSTOR or other online resources. The data I've found so far seems old and bad.

I'm hoping to find information on the size of the informal sector for as many countries in Asia and Latin America as possible. The more recent and academic the source, the better.

How do I get hired in the UK?

theraflu — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:51:58 -0800

My favorite site is hiring developers and I'm qualified. I'm American and they're in the UK. Possibly assuming they're willing to sponsor me for a work visa, what do I need to know? Information on differences in the application/hiring process, any business-related etiquette quirks an American might miss out on, and how to present myself as an employee worthy of sponsorship are all helpful.

A little background: I am young, married, no kids and have a very small amount (just enough for maintenance) in the bank. I've been professionally working in Web dev for about two years - the position I'm looking at is entry/associate level. The company has fewer than 100 employees but is an internationally-known site. I'd be going from a very rural to a very metropolitan style of living.

I'm pretty sure that getting what would be my dream job is a (very) long shot, but I'll be more disappointed if I didn't give it a go. I want to give it my best shot. Any advice and input is more than welcome and I'd like most to hear from Americans working abroad in the UK.

Amazon, the place not the store

Freedomboy — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 08:51:15 -0800

I have a friend about to move to Manaus, Brazil for a two year work related stay. Any hive members have experience there or in Brazil in general that can help him be ready for the good the bad and/or the ugly?

I want the biggest and smallest. The rest can suck it.

rileyray3000 — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:37:42 -0800

Where can I find a list of the smallest things (and for that matter) the biggest things in America? I've got some time off coming I have to take and I'm thinking of taking a trip with my new camera to photograph some of these things. I'm thinking of stuff like the smallest bar in America. The biggest hamburger. The breeder of the smallest dogs. The biggest shoes. Stuff like that.

The only thing that would be ideal (but not entirely necessary) is that there's some sort of designation of some kind. Like a sign that says "Smallest town in Texas" or "Biggest shoe in Tulsa."

If someone has one of these lists somewhere please help me find it. If not, feel free to list anything you personally know about.

Let's go to Little Canada!

Korou — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:15:40 -0800

A few months ago I read about French-Canadian immigration into the U.S. from the 1840s to 1930s. Evidently, some of these immigrants established "Little Canadas." I'd like to learn more about them. Are they still established in some form, like Little Italys or Chinatowns? How did their culture change from when they lived in Canada to living in the U.S.? What resources cover this topic? (there are some sources mentioned on the page I read)

I had never heard about this type of immigrant community, and hadn't ever considered their existence. What other little covered, niche, or surprising immigrant groups came/are coming to the States?

What US food has this Brit never tried?

Nufkin — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 00:49:22 -0800

My first trip to the US is coming up; having been brought up with American films and American TV shows, I am compiling a list of all the things we just don't have in the UK (mostly food) to try. Only my list isn't too long at the moment. Can any MeFites help? Examples of what I am talking about:

Eating a Chinese takeaway from a square white box with a folding lid (al la Roseanne's intro sequence)
Peeps (Not even sure what these are, but they have been mentioned in a lot of American TV shows over the past couple of years)
Twinkies (No idea again)

If it helps, I will be spending a week in Las Vegas and a week in San Francisco.

Constitutionality of US federal death penalty

East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:34:03 -0800

How would a more qualified person refute my dumb legal theory regarding the death penalty? Article II, Section 2 of the US Constitution states that the President "shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States". The Supreme Court has interpreted this language to include the power to grant pardons, commutations of sentence, remissions of fines and forfeitures, and amnesties.

The death penalty unnecessarily infringes on this executive power by killing the inmate. The inmate’s punishment can no longer be reprieved (and arguably no legitimate pardon can be issued). Therefore the federal death penalty is unconstitutional, and the Bureau of Prisons has an obligation to attempt to keep prisoners alive so that the President can decide to issue a reprieve of their punishment.

Has this argument or a related one been dealt with in court?

What's changed in 11 years of this American life?

stuck on an island — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 09:31:32 -0800

Time Travel Filter: I grew up in the USA but have been away since 1998. What have I missed? Remember when America's biggest presidential headache was a certain White House intern's blue Gap dress? I left the US that year for university abroad. For complicated reasons I won't go into here, I have remained outside the US ever since, and have been back only two or three times for short (less than a week) visits.

Cast your mind back to 1998. How has everyday life in the US changed? Assume I know broadly about the major changes (the rise of the TSA and gas prices) and those that have affected other countries too (recession, LOLspeak). How much does it cost to send a letter? Do grocery stores still ask "paper or plastic"? How's life in the workplace? What menaces threaten our children? And someone on MeFi mentioned that free refills are no longer standard in restaurants. Dear God, America, say it ain't so.

RoadTripFilter: In search of wide open spaces

The Shiny Thing — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:50:36 -0800

Another "where to go in America" question (who needs a travel agent when you've got Mefi?). This time, it's a road trip - I want to get away from the cramped little island I'm living on, and the Southwest seems like the place to go. Where should I go and what should I see? The general plan is for a 10-day drive across the Southwest and west into California, avoiding the interstates for the smaller roads, staying in quiet little towns with quiet little BnBs, and stopping every five minutes to gape at the scenery and get my Ansel Adams on - and then finish up with the drive up CA-1 to San Francisco.

My original plan was to start in Dallas and head west toward El Paso - but apparently that's six hundred miles of not very much? Would it be better to start in Phoenix or Vegas or somewhere similar?

After that, the plan was to head north through New Mexico, make a left toin at Albuquoique, head through Flagstaff (and see Meteor Crater), through the Grand Canyon and Vegas and Mojave, then hit the coast somewhere around Santa Barbara (carefully avoiding LA traffic) and take the coast road north to San Francisco.

So, the questions:
1) Is the drive west from Dallas worth it, or should I start from Phoenix and head east then north? It adds up to about 2,000 miles either way, which sounds do-able in 10 days.
2) What's on the NM-AZ-NV-CA section of the route that I absolutely shouldn't miss? Mind-meltingly expansive scenery is the main thing I'm after - wide open spaces and big blue sky and long open roads, all that sort of thing.
3) I'm thinking of early-mid October for this little escapade - what's the driving like around that time of year? Is there any danger of snow and ice and such?

Thanks in advance,

Help find Wendell Berry writing about urban biases toward rural America

jeffmshaw — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 07:52:49 -0800

I am looking for an essay by Wendell Berry where he talks about urban America's dismissive biases toward rural America, and critiques this attitude. I believe I read this in the updated version of The Unsettling of America, but I'm not at all sure. I'm sure he's made the argument elsewhere, and that would be fine too.

The point is, I'm far from a library and need to find passages where Berry makes this argument as soon as possible. Can anyone help?

If you know of good progressive critiques along the same lines as Berry's, please feel free to post those too. Thanks!

How to find someone to travel with? (Strangers will do.)

pixxie — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:41:50 -0800

Are there any websites that pair up lone backpackers/travellers with others who are also looking for companion(s) to travel with? Money saved up? Check. Physical stamina? Check. Time freed up (well, it's during the xmas break)? Check. Companion to go travel with? Nope. For the past 2 years, I have asked NUMEROUS people (college friends, HS friends, acquaintances, etc) to go travel with me in South America, not for long, perhaps for a 2- to 3-week period. Their replies have always been the same: no money, school, work, kids, too hot, dirty, language issues. All of those reasons are very understandable, and I guess I shouldn't obtrude upon others to commit in something that they don't feel very passionate about. If I wish to experience a completely different culture than mine, but too scared to do it on my own since I have never even stepped out of my OWN country, what should I do? (Please don't tell me to watch the Lonely Planet because, trust me, I have already seen them ALL.) Where can I find fellow "loners" who are in the same situation as I am? Thank you & take care!

Mall of America--best hotel to stay and where should I take my 5 year old?

lynnie-the-pooh — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 18:26:42 -0800

What is a good hotel that is right next to or connected to Mall of America? And what are the "must go to's" for a five year old? We are looking for a hotel that is clean and nice that is right next to or connected to the Mall of America. It would be nice if there was a restaurant attached to the hotel, although that is not necessary. Also, we would like a clean pool, preferably one that is kid-friendly, where there are steps that lead off down the pool and then there is a gradual recession in the water.

Also, is there anything that I just HAVE to go to in the mall, where my five year old will LOVE it?

Thanks!

Lynnie-the-Pooh

What can we do about all these overdraft fees, which we think are unjustifiable?

GrooveStix — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:51:07 -0800

My girlfriend received $506 in fees for overdrafting about $40 from Bank of America. Is there anything we can do about this? Here's her question, since she doesn't have an AskMefi account:

Hey Everyone, I urgently need guidance on how to deal with some outrageous banking fees.

I have a checking account with Bank of America. My card has a credit card function on it, which I used last week in order to purchase food. Meanwhile, I had not realized that the bank hadn't processed several of my other past charges - they decided to process all the charges at once, over-drafting me by $40 and slamming me with 5 $35 overdraft fees. Apparently (I just learned this tonight from a cold-voiced manager at a Customer Service center) it's the fault of the merchants, since they gave me a receipt, meaning the charges would be consider debit - NOT credit, even though each of the 9 charges were specified as credit. When I called on the 22nd, I learned that if I didn't pay what was originally $216 in fees, the total balance I owed would jump with 6 more incoming overdraft fees. Being a struggling college student, I couldn't just pay it all off and move on; the total balance is now $506 and are about to jump again. All of my attempts to escalate the problem via phone have failed, despite my threats to use legal and public action. I am also awaiting replies from emails I sent to CEO Ken Lewis, as well as several other executives - I am sending more emails tonight.

Is there anything else I can do? I really need help soon! I have a paycheck coming in next week that auto-deposits and, if I don't have a solution before next Friday, I will have MORE overdraft fees (as explained to me by a service rep) and I won't be able to cover a payment to my University, which was a strict agreement.

Please let me know what can be done. Thank you so much!!!

Where did this mystery song come from?

FatherDagon — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:53:19 -0800

Trying to track down the source of a very early ('82) Minsitry song. I've got a large chunk of Ministry tracks from across their early years - unreleased remixes, live recordings, etc. One of the songs is called "America", and there's a few different live versions dated around 1982. I'm guessing this is a track from before 'With Sympathy' or around the same time, but it has a more aggressive edge to it than most of their pop-type work around that era. It sounds halfway between 'With Sympathy' and 'Twitch', really. However, I can't find any reference on an official release, either from back then or on the 'Early Trax' comp that came out in '04. Anyone have any idea what release it was off of, if any? Was it just a live track?

How to travel and volunteer for a very first timer?

pixxie — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 07:49:17 -0800

My current volunteering gig is standing still, how do I search for a new one and be able to travel? I am a 26 year-old female living in Canada throughout much of my life. I have never traveled anywhere except moving from one province to another. In 2007, I obtained my BSci in Chemistry, then I decided to pursue something I truly want which is Nutrition and Physiology. Since last year, I have been volunteering @ this NGO with the hope that I would be “shipped off” somewhere to do humanitarian work. However, this NGO will NOT send any volunteers oversea and being a French (especially) and/or Spanish speaker is a plus for this fairly big organization. At the office, I perform mostly secretarial tasks such as being a webmaster for its website, using Illustrator CS3 to design icons for training modules, etc. In spite of meeting some wonderful people in the office and doing something I enjoy on the side, I get very very bumped out every now and then. Why? Because what I wish to do is to volunteer with regard to global nutrition, not doing clerical tasks that are identical to my job @ school. In addition, it is also a personal reason. I have spent the past 8 years always worrying/stressing about money and student loans (I receive zero contribution from my parents), such that I never get to enjoy much of my summer or life rather. Instead of just moping around, I really want to make some changes NOW. Therefore, I really need some step-by-step advice as to where to start:

1) Is everyone volunteering for NGOs always multilingual? What other organizations can you recommend to me that will emphasize more on my education background (I don’t want to teach English or get some random jobs just for the sake of “seeing the world”, I want to help the underprivileged), rather strictly based on what languages I can speak?

2) Starting in September, I plan on taking some Spanish classes @ the YMCA. In the meantime, I want to get a head-start in the next few weeks before school starts so that I can become more familiar with the language. I honestly don’t expect to grasp a new language overnight, but if I keep this up, do you believe I will have the adequate background to converse semi-fluently by the end of April?

3) Like I mentioned earlier, I am a total noob when it comes to traveling, thus I don’t want to shop around and try to learn everything any person can possibly know about cheap airfares, restaurants, etc. I decided Argentina is where I want to go. With this focus in mind, where can I find the best site (e.g. blogs?) that is not only there to discuss about the country’s hot destinations, but is also informative as to HOW to travel for a clueless person like me?

4) Money is a major issue for me. Trying to support myself throughout the school terms and saving for the trip can be challenging. Hence, I need to set some sort of a goal to get myself motivated. How much money do you think I need to save prior the trip? Is $4000 CDN enough?

4) Is anyone here familiar with Idealist.org or has had participated for this organization? What are some of your thoughts about it? Pros and cons?

What to put in a care package to Australia, from America?

Xere — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:31:50 -0800

My Australian friend sent me a lovely package of Australian goods (Marmite, Vegemite, Aero, Tim Tams, Jaffa, Violet Crumble, Chokito...), and I'd like to reciprocate. But I'm clueless as to what American things are rarities in Australia. Any suggestions of what I can send? FWIW, my friend is in Newcastle, I'm in Los Angeles.

Farewell gift for a traveler?

pixxie — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:45:21 -0800

I have a 20-something friend who's leaving on the 22nd of this month, he plans on traveling for a whole year throughout Europe and South America. I want to get him something that is useful/meaningful for the journey, any ideas? For example: A watch? A Compass? (good or bad?)

Help me pick the potential next Miss America

Thrillhouse — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:19:44 -0800

Need interesting questions for Miss America local pageant interview. I've judged several local pageants within the Miss American program but my question list has gotten a little stale. I need some new and interesting questions for the contestants for the interview portion. This isn't the on-stage interview so nothing cheesy. This is the real interview. They can be political (always fun), academic (within reason), social, religious, etc... ALMOST anything goes.

Be creative or even silly if the mood strikes you. Specifically I'd like some new trick questions that lead into integrity and honesty.

Thanks!!