AAFrequentFlyer

I consider myself a very lucky person.

Born in Europe, in a communist country, moved to and grew up in the poor inner city part of Chicago. Thanks to my wonderful immigrant parents I received a great education, eventually moved up to the better parts of the city and finally ended up on a beautiful Florida island with a one of a kind beach just few yards away from my door.

But what I really feel lucky about is the fact that I had/have the opportunity to travel all over the world. I've seen just about everything. The poorest slums to high end resorts and everything in between.

I get to visit the old continent about 6-8 times a year. I know the politics, the people, like I know my own back pocket.

So, you'll have to wait a long time before I change my mind about what the world is all about.

logos999

As I said, I won't give you up, you may just have been brainwashed for too long.

AAFrequentFlyer

Brainwashed? I guess if traveling all over the world and seeing things firsthand is brainwashing then I'm guilty as charged.....

I won't give up on you either,

You need to be educated about the reality of the world.....

I hope I can help

logos999

Well, I doubt we'll ever agree on the basics.

You view is obviously what would be considered "conservative americaan" which "taints" everything you may see anywhere. It's not the reality just your interpretation. It may only change, once you start getting aware of that fact.

AAFrequentFlyer

and I guess your view is totally "on the spot"

ok, think that way....

anyway, my work is done, my shift is ending in few minutes, I don't have to sit in my home office staring at the screen. I need couple of hours of sleep. In couple of hours I would like to watch EPL matches. My beautiful, soon to be wife, made me promised that after, we do the beach thing....

so, I'll say goodnight.

logos999

Goodnight and sweet dreams to you!

Grcxx3

<<<I have no problem whatsoever with some of my money helping people that are temporarily down on their luck, but I do have a HUGE problem just throwing money at people that have no drive or are just plain lazy.>>>


Ditto! I completely agree. I am more than willing to help those who have a true desire to help themselves. But I resent having to endlessly help those who have no desire to try to make something of themselves. For a short time, sure, but not indefinitely.

I have known too many people who are happy to just accept the monthly welfare checks and have no desire to do anything else. Unfortunately, some of the people I've know are not minorities and do not live in inner-city projects.

I've also known people who started out in inner-city housing projects but who HAVE managed quite successfully to get an education, hold down a job, and move to locations that offered more promise for their children.

It can be done, but it takes drive, determination, and commitment. For those people (and for those that are elderly, handicapped, etc) - I am more than willing to provide assistance.

travelgourmet

To those disputing the assertion that not consorting with murderers dramatically lowers your odds of being murdered, I offer:

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicid...m#relationship

And I take the "stranger" category to include victims not known to the assailant, but which might have relatively dangerous jobs, such as cab driver, police officers, liquor store workers, etc. If this is correct, then this lowers, even further, the risk to your average tourist. Finally, avoiding high-crime neighborhoods lowers the risk even further again.

In short, the risk of a tourist being murdered is so low that it should not even register as a concern for anybody on this board. There is no more evidence to support this fear than there is to support the equally silly fear among many Americans that crimes like pickpocketing and petty scams are commonplace in Europe.