Erica

I think you are all interesting. This site often turns into a place for debate I have noticed. No one bothered to wonder how old this student is. It is quite possible that this is an American college student even studying abroad. If this were you and you were in such a position, how would you go about doing the research? (this is rhetorical by the way) Typing in the question here as opposed to typing in the question on a search engine is quite the same thing. It just depends on which source you choose to trust. I guess that asking parents for help is also cheating as well. I find that strange as I graduated with honors in high school as well as university and my parents helped me quite a bit in my younger years. But if Sloppy is now a cheat, then I would be willing to wager that at least 75% of American students are also cheats for one reason or another. Ever get help from a person on a science project? How awful of you.

Jennifer

Erica-People are assuming correctly or incorrectly "Sloppy" is probably a junior high or high school student. Regardless, he should be doing his own work and not asking others to do it for him. As for American kids cheating, eventually that kind of behavior catches up with one at some point in life.

As for your personal circumstances, your parents are to be commended for helping you and being good parents. Unfortunately, not all kids have parents as attentive as yours and many just plain don't care!

xx

How else could Sloppy find out the information to certain questions(first fast chain). If we were to go to Chicago, enter a fast food chain and ask that particular question, would he be cheating?

Jump

Why are you all assuming Sloppy is cheating or lazy? Do you really think he/she is tackling a project that only requires that he/she spew out the answers to these specific questions? I can only guess, but the project must be a lot broader than that, and these could be background questions to help Sloppy get started on a much bigger project. If so, what's wrong with getting the background any way you can so that you can start to tackle the substance of the assignment?

Al

Answer chgo river flows opposite of what it use to-------mcdonalds is head quartered in chgo but 1st was calif, not sure but may be white castle----ohare opened in the 1960's I believe but not sure exactly what year.

SharonM

...Maybe, Sloppy's taking a poll on "urban legends"....I think it's got potential!
There are ALL kinds of ways of getting info...
Sloppy, if you're for real, take what you need and leave the rest behind...look at how the "adults" are arguing!
Listen.
..some good points have been made, and you have made some good remarks, as well!

Good luck/research. (tell your teachers what a stir you caused!!!! get input from your peers! have fun!) don't abuse.

you'll be fine.

Sharon.

sloppy

Hello All!

I cannot believe the debate that my question has stirred. I still stand by my logic that the internet is like a huge book,full of ideas and inspiration. I know this is a travel forum - it made sense to log on to this site as I knew I could contact 'real people' with answers.

I have now learnt alot about the Chicago river, much more than by probably looking into an encyclopedia - anyway what is the difference.

I have used the internet in a legal, logical and loyal way - what is wrong with that.

Thanks to those who helped and to those who understood. For those who could only criticize, think again - why are you on the internet? Is it not to find out information? Why are you on a travel forum? Why don't you go to a Travel Agency/shop - now do you get my point?

Also, 'Dad' - don't forget not all students have the support of parents, some parents don't give 2 hoots about what their kids are doing. OK I'm not in that situation, but don't criticize someone until you know their situation.

Chow for now!

Tom

WOW! Q you have actually figured out a way to tell where people are when they are on the internet! How many fingers am I holding up?

You're right again! Just one. Now guess which one.

Pris

Sloppy, since you've copied your own replies here and at the DC question, so will I, but first a comment -- esp. to Cindy. It would be you, Cindy, who would be sloppy if you accepted research taken from websites of uncertain reliability. There is no guarantee that anything posted on this forum is accurate information. The web can provide some good resources for quick research -- for example, corporate or gov't. statistics posted on their own official sites -- but to use it for everything -- _especially_ historical information -- is very, very risky. And finally, if students like Sloppy never learn how and where to get the original information on their own, without depending on the 'net, they can't be considered fully competent sources of information, for an employer or anyone else.

As I said on the DC thread:

"Sloppy, you should never equate the 'net with first-level research materials like encyclopedias, etc. What is on-line may or may not be accurate, may or may not have been researched. And a forum like this is made up of a miscellaneous group of people with very different backgrounds and resources.

I applaud your interest in reaching out to the world through the 'net (although deaf people can read encyclopedias as well as the hearing can). It's one thing to be looking for various opinions and perspectives. It's another to be looking for reliable, accurate information. Note the difference between:

-- asking Fodorites what they think about the White House or to report what they may have learned in their travels;

-- going to the White House home page for the "official" information, which might be a glorification but will have factual information about things like dates and dimensions;

-- going to an encyclopedia-like on-line reference site for additional information that may or may not have been formally researched by the web editors;

-- going to a paper-and-ink encyclopedia, that has been edited and checked before going to press;

-- going to specific history books written by researchers specifically on the presidency or Washington, DC, or American architecture.

Good luck."

sloppy

This is my final posting on this subject.

Do you know what really concerns me? The fact that so many of you are so critical and visciously vindictive, you need to take a step back and cool off.

How can you get so aggressive over such a trivial matter. Some of your replies are frighteningly threatening. I thought Americans were laid back and eager to please,but I can see how you have become victims of your own violent society where every man is for himself!

I'm don't want to get too personal about this, but some of you are obviously genuinely kind warm-spirited people. However, I query what drives a person to victimise and persecute another over such a small thing.

Take a deep breath and count to ten - there are far more serious and worrying things to get stressy about than some 'dude' on the net asking interesting questions about the Chicago River and the White House. As a nation I thought you would be proud to assist in sharing part of your heritage, unfortunately I was wrong.

Don't worry I won't disturb you again. If you were genuinely browsing on the travel forum for travel information, I can only hope that I do not end up one day sitting next to you on a plane or in a restaurant, because obviously the slightest thing must unnerve you, or perhaps you're just bitter because you failed your own education.

Bye forever. Sloppy.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------