April

What a ridiculous thread. Since when is there a limit on how often one can post here and since when is getting first hand information not part of "doing your own research?" If someone has many questions for an extensive trip, so what? This IS a travel board. I can't believe people actually sit around counting how many questions a person has asked.

I think most come here to get a variety of opinions. They can use what information they like and ignore the rest. If you're get all wound up feeling like you're planning somebody's "entire vacation" then don't answer!

Tony Hughes

Lori - closely-related topics?

I asked about Missouri, Compton, Kansas, Utah, Arizona, The Donner Pass and Nebraska.

What's close about them?

Lori

Don't mind me; things like people posting closely related subjects as a bunch of separate threads bothers me. Lots of things bother me.

Apparently they bother other people, too, because I didn't start this thread.

xxx

you still didnt answer his question lori

aaa

Tony -

Don't pay any attention to all these nut cases - Mezzaluna, Jim, Lori, Bookie etc. - Are all most likely the same person. Just one lonely bored person who has nothing better to do than complain about how many times a person posts.

Somehow it is better to post some silly complaint over and over again - Rather than several legitimate travel questions.

To the complainers - Please "get a life!"

Laurie

I think you are a bigot based on another recent post, i.e., whether a caucasian is safe in Compton. I'll let the readers decide. The posting is "Stellarossa: From I-10 to Long Beach, Compton?"

Dawn

Don't be surprised when/if that book of Tony's is ever published, he will park himself on this site and try to sell it to the very people who planned his trip for him -- Fodorites! Do you suppose he will split commissions with all the people who provided his "first hand information" for him?

P.S. I bet my money on the sure thing; that Stellarossa would post again. Attention-starved people like him live for this kind of thing! He's getting attention here! Talk about lonely, bored and pathetic.

Tony Hughes

Um Dawn... you're the one that felt the need to share that with everyone.

I was under the impression my postings (the seven or eight you fainted at disgust from) were questions to aid me in my trip, not some desperate plea for company. It may surprise you to know that Scotland has plenty of people in it, I'm not in some rustic cabin miles up a logging road in the Highlands 70 miles from the nearest inn.

As for my trip, I planned all the destinations and itinerary myself (even managed to dress myself this morning as well!) however I required some specific information, most of which I've now got from the mainly helpful Fodors contingent. For example, I asked about the fur-trade museum in Nebraska as I thought it may be worth a look. A poster who lives near there didnt know about it but did point out some other interesting places and so I may modify my itinerary as required. I dont see why that upsets you so much other than the fact you're not going on this trip.

I really can't see how I can force you to purchase/read what I write.

Of course I was going to post again, I didn't mention anything to the contrary.

AS for being a bigot let me say this: A number of refugees from Kosovo which I trust you've heard of, were billeted in a dismal part of Glasgow, Scotland. It was so bad (the area, racism, etc) that they asked to be SENT BACK - to a war zone! Thus is anyone asked if they should visit that area (for whatever reason) I would warn them not to go - especially if they were an ethnic minority or whatever politically-correct word doesn't offend your frail senses.

I'm not a bigot or racist - I'm a realist. I asked whether it would be safe for me, a caucasian, to be in Compton, Los Angeles. It's not the safest of areas - no-one can deny that. For all I know there is a resentment of whites by the blacks (can i say that?) and it would not be safe, I was looking for an opinion, not some crud about bigotry.

I have to say, Scotland has its fair share of bigotry - the Protestants versus the Catholics - that's been going on for hundreds of years and I dont think will ever stop. Walk into the wrong pub in Glasgow wearing the wrong colours and you're looking for trouble (ring any bells - bloods/crips etc?). Colour, religion it all boils down to intolerance of people being different from others.

You're the one that's judging me Laurie.

American

Tony, if it's true that you do want to become an American citizen (?) I would hope that you would use this forum and your upcoming trip to educate yourself about the culture. Although perhaps some of the comments could have been rephrased, people are essentially trying to tell you that the old "white, male, and master of the universe" mentality is no longer politically correct. It may serve you well to absorb and reflect upon these comments rather than self-defensively lashing out at everyone. I think you may be grateful for the insight once you arrive in the states and start experiencing the culture for an extended period of time. And as someone said, the information will definitely serve you well in the workplace. Best of luck with your future endeavors.

Tony Hughes

Firstly - to hell with political correctness. Britain's a shambles becuase of it. Say something like 'disabed' and you'll be whisked away never to be heard of again, possibly via a fall down the police station steps. The visually-challenged this and mobility-impaired that is fast choking the country with extra red tape.

While we're on the subject I suppose I would be vertically and follically challenged (short-ish and balding).

I cant remember asking to be a US citizen but I may hav edone in the past.
I've been to the United States a number of times and never have I been accused of being a white supremacist of any other nonsense you care to wave in front of me.

White, male - that's me, have I to be ashamed for that?. Where do I assume that we the masters of the universe? You're trying to start something that isn't there and unfortunately a few impressionable people with a grudge to bear on either me personally or non-ethnics (can i say that too?) altogether have joined in.

doesn't add up

The more you try to justify your opinion, the more you reveal about yourself. Keep on writing!

Tony Hughes

Nice try, but I dont have to justify anything to anyone. I'm showing you my game of verbal chess is better than yours.

I haven't contradicted myself, incrimintaed myself or lied so, if I can borrow a phrase, go figure.

y2ks

This has been a refreshing change from the Election 2000 posts. Tony, thank you for so much entertainment.

Z

Just a thought, Tony. You've given us an overview of your planned itinerary, and frankly, it was underwhelming. I don't mean to criticize, but folks on this site tend to be savvy travellers, not neophytes. It's not clear who your market is - is there a niche for fur museums that you've discovered? Maybe people ought to give Tony a crtique about his book outline, and not so much guff about how he does his "research" (LOL when I use that term). Tony may not understand just how commercial the US really is - if it's not a good travel book, that will be the last we ever hear of Tony. So, should we agree to help him with the substance, or let him continue on his mad way to failure?

Christina

Tony, your posts don't seem racist to me, I read the one on Compton and you simply asked a reasonable question. I can't imagine why that would be racist, your language wasn't racist or pejorative, you simply asked factually, and it is certainly true that whites may have more problems in certain neighborhoods than blacks. I used to live in Los Angeles, that was a perfectly good question (it is asounding to me how little reading comprehension some people have, I believe someone turned your question into claiming that all African-Americans commit crimes!! how bizarre, if an area has a very high crime rate, it doesn't matter if it's not 100 pct of the residents committing them); now I live in a neighborhood that is very multi-ethnic (less than 50 pct white, I think) and I do sometimes encounter problems because I'm white that a black or Hispanic woman would not. (Ever see the movie Grand Canyon with Kevin Kline and Alfre Woodard? Well, it's one of my favorites and you should.) Anyway, I think you are right that these people are jealous of you, as their complaints are simply fabrications, I had to scroll down 4-5 pages or so (maybe 200 posts) just to find a couple of your posts to see what the hoopla was about). You hardly have any posts on here at all and the ones you do are legitimate and interesting (god forbid you took the space of the millionth post on what to do at Walt Disney World during a 15th trip there, or whether the Bellagio or Venetian is the most vulgar casino in Las Vegas). Interestingly, I believe the person who has admitted to being constantly bothered by you and everything else in the world once tried to devastate me by comparing me to you!!!! I guess that was supposed to be the ultimate insult, but since I'd hardly read anything by you except a few interesting, very literate and informative and witty posts, I was mystified as to why I was supposed to be mortally wounded by this "insult." As a matter of fact, I am a published author (unlike these others, I'll bet, in peer-reviewed academic journals, in fact), and see nothing wrong with what you are doing, which is asking people questions to gather information and do research. I'm a feminist so I would be interested in your sexual harassment postings as I must have missed them, so perhaps I might change my mind about you if I saw such things, who knows; it is amazing that you are so rude and sexist and I've never been able to find one of those posts, I don't get it. Anyway, if you read French, here is a good quote which I like and use as my personal mantra, it is by Jean Cocteau: "Ce que le public te reproche, cultive-le: c'est toi!" (BTW, the idea that American service people and employees are so polite and have such great attitudes so that you wouldn't fit in here was really a scream; I had to scrape myself off the floor from laughing when my computer no-help-whatsoever-desk finally took me off hold to NOT answer my question after I'd been waiting 15 minutes).

Cindy

This is a continuation of my question on Tony's "Compton" post. Christina states that whites may have more problems in black areas of town than blacks. Where does this idea come from? I maintain that dangerous areas are dangerous for black and white visitors alike. I believe predators can spot "prey", whether the "prey" is black or white. Sorry to raise this issue twice, but I hear this idea from time to time and it has never made sense to me.

jwagner

As a resource, Tony's method of posting makes it much easier for me to decide whether I want to read a thread or not. It makes perfect sense to me that he break these posts down. I've noticed that Tony has a sarcastic streak, but I like his honesty. Too many people on this board try to be something they are not. And regarding his itinerary, I say bravo for trying to see the real America, not the America that you can see at the postcard shop.

tcc

Well, others took offense to his posts, in particular the Compton post, because as one woman put it, why does he assume that because he is white he thinks he is more at risk than anyone else walking through a dangerous neighborhood? I'm a black woman and, hey, I'd feel wary of walking through Compton myself (!), or any other risky neighborhood. Believe me,I don't have a special code word or "badge" that would protect me in a dangerous situation any more than you or Tony would be. It certainly doesn't mean that Tony is more of a target because he's white and the neighborhood is black. Come on, have some sense.

I agree that I don't see where the sexual harrassment comes in so I can't comment on that.

Tony Hughes

TCC:

1)Easterhouse, Glasgow
2)Macclesfield, Cheshire
3)Pilton, Edinburgh
4) Craigmillar, Edinburgh
5) South Milford, Leeds
6) Byker, Newcastle

We could both walk through those areas and I would probably be ok, you probably would not.

1) Tower Hamlets, London
2) Foleshill Road, Coventry
3) Bradford
4) Leicester

Areas where you would probably be ok and I may have a problem.

I found out the hard way about that area of Coventry.

Z

I', beginning to believe Tony may have created a few friends to speak in his defense. Christiana - such a long discussion suggests you have a racial issue or two (me thinks she doth protest too much). And having a black woman suddenly appear to imprint her fear of Compton on us (playing the race card, are we?). And another poster extolling Tony for a real American itinerary, not that postcard BS we all lap up on the Fodor's site. Too convenient, too. And someone finding the good and praising it in Tony's use of multiple postings. I had to laugh. But now this thread is just becoming too boring.