What's with the French and the wasteful showers along the Riviera's beaches
Aug 4th, 2008, 06:58 AM
#61
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"Ask the average European how often they take a shower (not counting beach showers) and I doubt you'll get a response of "every day". Ask almost any American and they almost all shower each and every single day, with shampoo and soap"
What an incredibly rude remark. And a stupid one too. You object to people showering at the beach, yet berate us for taking not enough showers?
By the way, I believe that comment about the shower habits in Florida and Texas came from an American.
What an incredibly rude remark. And a stupid one too. You object to people showering at the beach, yet berate us for taking not enough showers?
By the way, I believe that comment about the shower habits in Florida and Texas came from an American.
Aug 4th, 2008, 07:25 AM
#62
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"And I found the comments about Texans to be equally offensive".
It was meant as a joke in case you missed the smiley the OP put at the end of his/her sentence, whereas your comment was not.
It was meant as a joke in case you missed the smiley the OP put at the end of his/her sentence, whereas your comment was not.
Aug 4th, 2008, 08:47 AM
#63
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I beg to differ with you bkluvsNola,
I live in Tarpon Springs, FL and frequent the beaches often. Clearwater, Madiera Beach, Bradenton Beach, St. Pete Beach to name a few all have showers.
I agree they are not 5 feet from the waters edge. They are at the end of the sand where the Facilities are and they are indeed outdoors and they are free.
I will now make it an effort bkluvsNola to take some pictures of these so called "non-existent" showers and post a link here for you to go look at and be shocked and amazed....duh
I live in Tarpon Springs, FL and frequent the beaches often. Clearwater, Madiera Beach, Bradenton Beach, St. Pete Beach to name a few all have showers.
I agree they are not 5 feet from the waters edge. They are at the end of the sand where the Facilities are and they are indeed outdoors and they are free.
I will now make it an effort bkluvsNola to take some pictures of these so called "non-existent" showers and post a link here for you to go look at and be shocked and amazed....duh
Aug 4th, 2008, 09:05 AM
#64
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Here's a picture of the showers at Jones Beach in New York
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1002/...13fe70.jpg?v=0
Showers at the Jersey shore
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/61/19...b70369.jpg?v=0
Showers Santa Monica beach, California
http://www.uscthaiclub.com/usc/strat...ca%20beach.jpg
Is it too late to point out that Austin is landlocked?
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1002/...13fe70.jpg?v=0
Showers at the Jersey shore
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/61/19...b70369.jpg?v=0
Showers Santa Monica beach, California
http://www.uscthaiclub.com/usc/strat...ca%20beach.jpg
Is it too late to point out that Austin is landlocked?
Aug 4th, 2008, 07:44 PM
#66
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zeppole,
I admitted that there were showers along various US beaches, but they are for a totally different purpose.
The ones you showed are for showering at the end of your day. The ones in France were for showering after each swim.
The only reason I can think of having these showers is perhaps the Mediterranean is saltier than other seas and the salt is perhaps more uncomfortable to have on for even a few minutes for sunbathing?
I guess I don't really have a problem with having one shower at the entrance/exit of the beach to wash off sand. I just object to having showers so close to the sea and having people go every 5 minutes.
I can see that I'm in the minority here and there's no sense in me arguing.
I asked a simple question, and instead of people answering the question (why), they resorted to personal attacks.
My question was why do they have so many showers and why do people use them so often. Since I didn't receive any answers as to why, I'll go with my original supposition that it has to do with the salinity of the Mediterranean versus other water bodies.
Case closed.
I admitted that there were showers along various US beaches, but they are for a totally different purpose.
The ones you showed are for showering at the end of your day. The ones in France were for showering after each swim.
The only reason I can think of having these showers is perhaps the Mediterranean is saltier than other seas and the salt is perhaps more uncomfortable to have on for even a few minutes for sunbathing?
I guess I don't really have a problem with having one shower at the entrance/exit of the beach to wash off sand. I just object to having showers so close to the sea and having people go every 5 minutes.
I can see that I'm in the minority here and there's no sense in me arguing.
I asked a simple question, and instead of people answering the question (why), they resorted to personal attacks.
My question was why do they have so many showers and why do people use them so often. Since I didn't receive any answers as to why, I'll go with my original supposition that it has to do with the salinity of the Mediterranean versus other water bodies.
Case closed.
Aug 4th, 2008, 07:55 PM
#67
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One of the pictures showed children simply playing in the showers.
You still don't know why there are so many showers there. Why do you need a theory?
And it isn't true you just asked a quesion. You made all kinds of disapproving noises. But no one may make disapproving noises back.
Now you want to announce that you'll have the last word, take your ball home, etc.
You jump from one conclusion to another conclusion to another conclsion -- about France, about the non-existence of showers in the US, about other posters -- and each time you are forced to revise your conclusion, you don't quite get that the problem is that you come to conclusions prematurely.
Like with your last post. Case isn't closed -- except in your closed mind.
You still don't know why there are so many showers there. Why do you need a theory?
And it isn't true you just asked a quesion. You made all kinds of disapproving noises. But no one may make disapproving noises back.
Now you want to announce that you'll have the last word, take your ball home, etc.
You jump from one conclusion to another conclusion to another conclsion -- about France, about the non-existence of showers in the US, about other posters -- and each time you are forced to revise your conclusion, you don't quite get that the problem is that you come to conclusions prematurely.
Like with your last post. Case isn't closed -- except in your closed mind.
Aug 5th, 2008, 01:40 AM
#68
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This is why there are so showers at the Mediterranean beaches. Have a look.
http://www.pyreneesmediterraneanholi...h%20shower.jpg
Every person knows a dog's coat needs clean after swimming in the salty sea.
Blackduff
http://www.pyreneesmediterraneanholi...h%20shower.jpg
Every person knows a dog's coat needs clean after swimming in the salty sea.
Blackduff
Aug 5th, 2008, 02:35 AM
#69
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"I guess I don't really have a problem with having one shower at the entrance/exit of the beach to wash off sand. I just object to having showers so close to the sea and having people go every 5 minutes"
You object?? You're in a foreign country objecting their customs?
You object?? You're in a foreign country objecting their customs?
Aug 5th, 2008, 02:52 AM
#70
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>>>I admitted that there were showers along various US beaches, but they are for a totally different purpose.
The ones you showed are for showering at the end of your day. The ones in France were for showering after each swim.<<<
I have never read something more ridiculous.
Showers are for showering. Period. It's up to the people how often they use them.
The people in the USA use twice as much much per capita than the people in France and you are accusing the French of wasting water!
bkluvsNola's thread is a textbook example of a prejudiced person.
A prejudiced person generalizes single cases (the one person who showered after each swim - as if ALL French people were doing that). When confronted with the truth (e.g. showers on American beaches, statistical figures) the prejudice is screened against reality ("The ones you showed are for showering at the end of your day. The ones in France were for showering after each swim"
.
(Source: Thomas F. Pettigrew: Prejudice. Harvard University Press)
The ones you showed are for showering at the end of your day. The ones in France were for showering after each swim.<<<
I have never read something more ridiculous.
Showers are for showering. Period. It's up to the people how often they use them.
The people in the USA use twice as much much per capita than the people in France and you are accusing the French of wasting water!
bkluvsNola's thread is a textbook example of a prejudiced person.
A prejudiced person generalizes single cases (the one person who showered after each swim - as if ALL French people were doing that). When confronted with the truth (e.g. showers on American beaches, statistical figures) the prejudice is screened against reality ("The ones you showed are for showering at the end of your day. The ones in France were for showering after each swim"
.(Source: Thomas F. Pettigrew: Prejudice. Harvard University Press)
Aug 5th, 2008, 07:00 AM
#72
<<I saw people taking showers *every* time they got out of the water.>>
No kidding. That's to wash the salt water off your skin before continuing to sit in the sun on the beach! That's what the showers are THERE FOR!!!
I now nominate this for the most ridiculous complaint post this week on the forum.
No kidding. That's to wash the salt water off your skin before continuing to sit in the sun on the beach! That's what the showers are THERE FOR!!!
I now nominate this for the most ridiculous complaint post this week on the forum.
Aug 5th, 2008, 04:18 PM
#73
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Wow, I'll try to be more careful wording my questions in the future.
It's like walking on egg shells with some of you.
I guess I won't dare post my other observations as it may be too much for some of you to bear.
I thought this was a forum where we could engage in a wide variety of ideas and points of view, but it looks like if my point of view doesn't agree with yours, you don't want to talk to me.
It's like walking on egg shells with some of you.
I guess I won't dare post my other observations as it may be too much for some of you to bear.
I thought this was a forum where we could engage in a wide variety of ideas and points of view, but it looks like if my point of view doesn't agree with yours, you don't want to talk to me.
Aug 5th, 2008, 04:28 PM
#74
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It wasn't your point-of-view that was the problem. It was the way you worded it and the fact that your statements were patently untrue re: showers at US beaches.
If you have a valid observation that doesn't REEK of ethnocentrism, then I'm sure it would be welcome.
If you have a valid observation that doesn't REEK of ethnocentrism, then I'm sure it would be welcome.
Aug 5th, 2008, 05:23 PM
#75
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zeppole,
You write:
"One of the pictures showed children simply playing in the showers.
You still don't know why there are so many showers there. Why do you need a theory?
And it isn't true you just asked a quesion. You made all kinds of disapproving noises. But no one may make disapproving noises back.
Now you want to announce that you'll have the last word, take your ball home, etc.
You jump from one conclusion to another conclusion to another conclsion -- about France, about the non-existence of showers in the US, about other posters -- and each time you are forced to revise your conclusion, you don't quite get that the problem is that you come to conclusions prematurely.
Like with your last post. Case isn't closed -- except in your closed mind."
You just contradicted yourself. A close-minded person is one who never changes his mind, even in the light of new evidence to the contrary. However, even you state that I revised my conclusions when I had new evidence. I've been to many of the beaches that have been mentioned in the US that actually have showers, and for some reason I didn't actually either realize it or pay attention to it.
There's an old saying in baseball that asks the umpires how they decided if a pitch is a strike. One response is "I call it like it is". Another is "I call it like I see it" and another is "It isn't anything until I call it."
I'm of the view "I call it like I see it". I know I'm biased, just as everyone else in the world is. I presented my viewpoints on a certain matter and asked some questions. The fact that I asked questions indicates that I wanted further information. If I was close minded there would have been no need to ask questions, because I would have been convinced of the answer.
Maybe I didn't remember all the details I should have, and people reminded me of them. I readjusted my viewpoints in light of the new evidence.
No, I'm not prejudiced in the least. A prejudiced person holds onto prejudices even in light of new evidence to the contrary. As for me, when presented with evidence, I didn't deny that evidence, but I did attempt to fit that evidence within my original schema.
The fact that a couple of kids were playing under a shower in the US doesn't change my view that the "showering" culture along beaches in the US and France is different. Perhaps that is all I should have said, but then people would want further details.
As for why I need a theory, well, if someone had just replied to me and said "Well, showering after swimming is an important part of French culture" then we could have stopped at that and I would have been satisfied. Or "the Mediterranean has higher sality (due to being an enclosed sea) and the salt is extremely uncomfortable once dried."
Also, there were other posts that you didn't find offending, but they could have been construed as being offensive. What about the one poster that said he/she didn't understand why they didn't shower in Dom Perignon? Why weren't you offended by that?
I think my posting has made people realize that they themselves have been wasting a bit of water when they visit the beach and they had to defend their behavior. Yes I know I don't have proof, just a hunch. When you're hand is caught in the cookie jar, it's hard to fess up and easier to go on the offensive.
You write:
"One of the pictures showed children simply playing in the showers.
You still don't know why there are so many showers there. Why do you need a theory?
And it isn't true you just asked a quesion. You made all kinds of disapproving noises. But no one may make disapproving noises back.
Now you want to announce that you'll have the last word, take your ball home, etc.
You jump from one conclusion to another conclusion to another conclsion -- about France, about the non-existence of showers in the US, about other posters -- and each time you are forced to revise your conclusion, you don't quite get that the problem is that you come to conclusions prematurely.
Like with your last post. Case isn't closed -- except in your closed mind."
You just contradicted yourself. A close-minded person is one who never changes his mind, even in the light of new evidence to the contrary. However, even you state that I revised my conclusions when I had new evidence. I've been to many of the beaches that have been mentioned in the US that actually have showers, and for some reason I didn't actually either realize it or pay attention to it.
There's an old saying in baseball that asks the umpires how they decided if a pitch is a strike. One response is "I call it like it is". Another is "I call it like I see it" and another is "It isn't anything until I call it."
I'm of the view "I call it like I see it". I know I'm biased, just as everyone else in the world is. I presented my viewpoints on a certain matter and asked some questions. The fact that I asked questions indicates that I wanted further information. If I was close minded there would have been no need to ask questions, because I would have been convinced of the answer.
Maybe I didn't remember all the details I should have, and people reminded me of them. I readjusted my viewpoints in light of the new evidence.
No, I'm not prejudiced in the least. A prejudiced person holds onto prejudices even in light of new evidence to the contrary. As for me, when presented with evidence, I didn't deny that evidence, but I did attempt to fit that evidence within my original schema.
The fact that a couple of kids were playing under a shower in the US doesn't change my view that the "showering" culture along beaches in the US and France is different. Perhaps that is all I should have said, but then people would want further details.
As for why I need a theory, well, if someone had just replied to me and said "Well, showering after swimming is an important part of French culture" then we could have stopped at that and I would have been satisfied. Or "the Mediterranean has higher sality (due to being an enclosed sea) and the salt is extremely uncomfortable once dried."
Also, there were other posts that you didn't find offending, but they could have been construed as being offensive. What about the one poster that said he/she didn't understand why they didn't shower in Dom Perignon? Why weren't you offended by that?
I think my posting has made people realize that they themselves have been wasting a bit of water when they visit the beach and they had to defend their behavior. Yes I know I don't have proof, just a hunch. When you're hand is caught in the cookie jar, it's hard to fess up and easier to go on the offensive.
Aug 5th, 2008, 07:46 PM
#76
<<I think my posting has made people realize that they themselves have been wasting a bit of water when they visit the beach and they had to defend their behavior.>>
That is absolutely hysterical!!! You really don't see how crazy you are sounding?
The showers are at the beaches for people to rinse the salt water off... that is the PURPOSE of them, whether in France, in Florida, in Mexico, in Hawaii. Same situation, same reason, same solution.
That is absolutely hysterical!!! You really don't see how crazy you are sounding?
The showers are at the beaches for people to rinse the salt water off... that is the PURPOSE of them, whether in France, in Florida, in Mexico, in Hawaii. Same situation, same reason, same solution.
Aug 6th, 2008, 12:47 PM
#77
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suze,
You are so right.
Simply put but very true. Showers at the beaches are for rinsing sand, salt or even sweat off while enjoying the outdoors.
I guess we may have all hit a nerve here with bkluvsNols is because maybe taking a shower for him is ridiculus because maybe he doesn't shower....period...so any use of water would be a waste for him !!! Ya Think...
I smell somthing amiss here....
You are so right.
Simply put but very true. Showers at the beaches are for rinsing sand, salt or even sweat off while enjoying the outdoors.
I guess we may have all hit a nerve here with bkluvsNols is because maybe taking a shower for him is ridiculus because maybe he doesn't shower....period...so any use of water would be a waste for him !!! Ya Think...
I smell somthing amiss here....
Aug 6th, 2008, 06:26 PM
#79
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stfc,
"This thread has to be a candidate for the funniest/silliest thread list that came up some time ago. What is everybody going on about?"
I'm glad you found humor in my original posting.
I meant my original posting to be a whimsical posting about "cultural differences" but I guess I should have put some smileys in it to indicate that. It degenerated after that with everyone getting so worked up about this.
Once it got personal and people started attacking me personally instead of debating the issue, then obviously I had no choice but to defend myself.
The things people are sensitive about, huh
"This thread has to be a candidate for the funniest/silliest thread list that came up some time ago. What is everybody going on about?"
I'm glad you found humor in my original posting.
I meant my original posting to be a whimsical posting about "cultural differences" but I guess I should have put some smileys in it to indicate that. It degenerated after that with everyone getting so worked up about this.
Once it got personal and people started attacking me personally instead of debating the issue, then obviously I had no choice but to defend myself.
The things people are sensitive about, huh
