What Are the Top 5 Best Things about Your Country?

1. 91

   Nathanvilleposted 4 weeks ago

   According to a YouGov poll carried out in 2022, where Brits were asked to list what they considered the top 5 best things about Britain, 62% of Brits said the NHS is the best thing about Britain, and 61% of Brits said our countryside is the best thing about Britain.
   
   The Top 5 Things Listed by Brits in 2022 as What They Consider to be the Best Things about Britain is as follows:
   
   1.    NHS = 62%
   2.    Britain’s countryside = 61%
   3.    Britain’s history = 37%
   4.    The Monarchy = 34%
   5.    Freedom of Speech = 32%
   
   Being part of Europe came 10th, at 12%; while the UK’s ‘special relationship’ with the USA came 14th, at just 4%.
   
   The full details can be seen here:  https://yougov.co.uk/society/articles/4 … ng-britons
   
   Each country will be different; and for the USA I imagine that healthcare isn’t going to be at the top of the list, but I’m guessing Americans will list Freedom of Speech and Gun Violence as two of what they consider the top best things about America, but what else do Americans consider to be the best things about America?
   
   Or if you are not from America or Britain, what do you consider the 5 best things about your country.

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   1. 82

      peterstreepposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      Spain:
      
      1. Free healthcare.
      2. The weather
      3. A very social society
      4 You feel safe at night walking in the main cities
      5 Amazing nature and incredibly diverse.
      
      cons:
      
      1. Machismo
      2. Animal cruelty like bull fights
      3. Terrible cuisine, and they are proud of it. They call black pepper spicy!
      4. Terrible self employment system that discourages start ups.
      5. You see lots and lots of garbage thrown away along the streets and in nature.
      
      ---
      
      The Netherlands.
      
      1. Great democracy with ± 15 parties, so you can choose the party that fits your view. Representational vote.
      2. Freedom of speech
      3. Affordable education
      4. Great public transport
      5. Bikes
      
      Cons:
      
      1. People are blunt.
      2. People will not easily invite you home for dinner
      3. Prices of houses are incredibly high and difficult to start as a young family.
      4. Language is difficult to learn for a foreigner.
      5. The rainy weather.

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      1. 91

         Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

         Wow – very compressive pros and cons list for two countries:
         
         Yeah, as a Brit, “animal cruelty like bull fights” in Spain does sadden me.  The only blood sport we had in the UK was fox hunting; but fortunately (in line with public opinion) the then Labour Government made fox hunting illegal in 2004 – thank goodness.
         
         Yep, like the Netherlands, “The rainy weather” and the “Prices of houses are incredibly high and difficult to start as a young family.” are also a couple of Cons in the UK – So I can sympathise with you there.

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   2. 86

      tsmogposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      I've been hesitant to answer this OP pondering how to answer the question of the 5 best things of 'my' country.
      
      Why?
      
      Perspective leading to 'my' country.
      
      I mean that in the sense that before I turned 18 I lived in 11 different locations by the time my dad retired. I was a military brat. I lived in 6 different states while one at two different locations and another, California, at five different locations. And, toss in I attended 7 different schools by the time I graduated high school (Grades 1 - 12).
      
      My adult life I lived in two different states and overall I lived at 4 different cities/areas, but 11 different homes/addresses. I spent the last 14 years here in Escondido, San Diego County, California, which is the longest I have lived in one location/home. I am retired now.
      
      I could list five things for a multiple of perspectives over that duration based on location/state/life journey related to 'my' country - USA. But, the first perspective, overall I say, are:
      
      1) Opportunity
      2) People
      3) Diversity
      4) Culture
      5) Education as well as professional training (Formal and continuing)
      
      From there it would by different categories with the perspectives of 'my' country like the majestic beauty of nature. Fortunately I experienced different settings from the high deserts in California to the mountains of the Appalachians in West Virginia to the beaches of California, Washington/Oregon, and South Carolina. 
      
      I experienced those five I listed above as well as the majestic beauty of all the states I lived and locations. They each were unique while had similarities or collective perspectives. Some examples are cuisine, accents, and local customs that have a historical perspective. For instance, while living in South Carolina in my early years businesses were closed on Sundays, but not in California during the same time period. Thus the contrast of conservative vs. liberal or perhaps more pointedly business ($$$).

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      1. 91

         Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

         Thanks for your comprehensive contribution Tim; I too struggle with lists, for similar reasons e.g. looking at the same thing from different perspectives changes my choices.
         
         Like your experiences – one of the things I like in travelling around the UK is that “cuisine, accents, and local customs that have a historical perspective” differ from place to place. 
         
         It’s interesting that businesses closed on Sundays in South Carolina when you lived there – Are they still closed on Sundays?  Businesses (shops) used to be closed on Sundays throughout the whole of the UK until 1994, until 1994, when the Conservative Government lifted the restrictions in Britain – But in Northern Ireland to this day (as in France) shops (businesses) are still closed on Sundays.
         
         When we used to regularly holiday in France, travelling from the ferry port to our holiday cottage in southern France over the weekend, knowing that the shops would be closed on our journey down, we used to bring provisions (food/drink) with us from Bristol to last us until the Monday, when the shops would be open.
         
         But we did get caught out when we took a holiday to Northern Ireland.  We took a ferry from Wales to southern Ireland on the Saturday, and took a leisurely drive up Ireland, arriving at our holiday destination on the Sunday only to find all the shops closed (and we brought no food with us): 
         
         Fortunately, when we arrived at our self-catering holiday cottage in the Mourne Mountains (starving, with no food shops or restaurants open), our host had left a small supply of food for us in the kitchen cupboards and fridge/freezer, all the essentials e.g. bread, milk, tea, coffee etc. but also a few luxurious including ice-cream and a bottle of wine – So we were most grateful for the hospitality.

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   3. 79

      Credence2posted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      1.I love the country's sheer vastness. I have motor tripped from Maine to California and from Washington State to Florida. We have the Virgin Islands, Hawaii, where I lived for 3 years, We have Guam and American Samoa. Look at all the time zones that are crossed. I lament that I have yet to visit the "Last Frontier", Alaska, but it is on the list as are the other 2 states that I have not physically visited, Vermont, Wisconsin.
      
      2.Washington DC, so much to see and learn about the country, its origins and its progress over 250 years. I could spend a lifetime in the museums and galleries.i had a respectful pride and reverence when I visited Arlington Cemetery back in the 1990's.
      
      3. I could write a book about about the large variety of dialects found across the country
      
      4. Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, with corn and wheat planted as far as the eye can see, with a due respect for those that make America a bread basket.
      
      5. The sheer diversity of its people based on geography and ethnicity with all agreeing to respect the democratic process as the prerequisite for our coexistence.

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      1. 91

         Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

         Thanks Credence, I enjoyed reading your list, apart from Britain not being a bread basket, there is a lot on your list that I can relate to on this side of the pond (and therefore appreciate) e.g. touring Europe, visiting museums and soaking up the local history, and the sheer diversity of people and dialects etc. 
         
         Your first list item; the sheer vastness of America – That always make me think of the film “Horton Hears A Who” (trailer below, if you haven’t seen the film) e.g. in comparison to the USA (where everything is bigger) Britain being the world in miniature on a speck of dust: 
         
         Horton Hears A Who Trailer https://youtu.be/0c57WC9Vc30
         
         The sheer vastness of America isn’t completely lost on me in that when the UK was a member of the EU e.g. no borders – we regularly visited mainland Europe on holiday (vacation) trips – but we didn’t explore it as comprehensively as you’ve explored three of the four corners of the USA; we just headed for our favourite beaches in southern France, and visiting Belgium on our return journey.
         
         Have you got any plans for when you think you might visit Alaska (from video footage I see on TV it looks really picturesque – But Brrr, being cold intolerant, Alaska is one place where I would find it far too cold for me.

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            Credence2posted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

            Positively fantastic animation, at 1080 pixel it was a feast for the eye. Things sure have come a long way since the Disney Animation of the 1940s. I have never really thought of Britain as small, I would say that about Monaco or Luxembourg. 
            
            If I were not married and attached I would indulge myself, return  to Europe and set aside money to spend a month in each capital on the Continent.
            
            If it wasn't for my wife health and my need to stay close I would have already been there by now. It is picturesque, vast and mostly unpopulated. It attracts many just seeking to get away from it all. I am looking for an open window to drop in on Anchorage, And to a lesser degree, Juneau or Fairbanks. I would not even entertain an idea of visiting the state outside of July or August.

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            1. 91

               Nathanvilleposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

               Thanks for your feedback – Yes, I can understand why you wouldn’t want to visit Alaska outside of July or August.
               
               My wife also has health problems (mainly back issues), where I need to be around most of the time to help; albeit I can still take a trip to Portsmouth periodically, for the odd week, to help another partially disabled friend with his DIY projects.  To help ease my wife’s back issues, next month, we’re having a whirlpool bath (in-door Jacuzzi) installed in our bathroom, with 24 water and air jets, and 24 LED lights, as hydrotherapy and chromotherapy for my wife’s back and wellbeing.

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   4. 84

      My Esotericposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      Not sure most Americans consider the rampant gun violence her a good thing, lol.

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      1. 91

         Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

         My apologies, a Freudian slip, I should have written “gun ownership”.  However, your feedback did prompt me think of ‘fox hunting’ (It's funny how the mind works).  Fox hunting being which most Britons opposed – and which thankfully was made illegal in Britain in 2004 by the then Labour Government. 
         
         Fox hunting, which had been a blood sport in Britain by the upper classes in rural Britain from the 15th century until it was made illegal in 2004, may have had a helping hand in creating two different types of foxes in Britain (but I suspect not):  The Urban Fox and the Rural Fox e.g. until 2004 the rural fox was hunted by mankind, whereas the urban fox has always been welcomed in our cities and towns.
         
         And surprisingly, not only is there a behaviour (life style and diet etc.) difference between the rural and urban fox, but they also have a different skull shape, as urban foxes are evolving dog-like skulls and snouts e.g. the urban fox has a shorter snout to its rural counterpart (evolution in progress).
         
         I managed to capture urban foxes (who are shy by nature) on my wildlife camera in our back garden: https://youtu.be/ydE81H7OELs?si=ZU-8n7V … &t=113

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            My Esotericposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

            In my opinion, the only way people should hunt animals for sport is with a camera.
            
            While I don't oppose gun ownership as one of America's best features, I don't consider it the worst either; it is just a fact of life in a liberal society (ironically, it is the Conservatives that get bent out of shape when you trying to add the word "responsible" to the title).
            
            I don't even consider the unprecedented ownership of guns here as a "worst" thing either.  What I do consider one of the worst is the misuse of them.

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            1. 91

               Nathanvilleposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

               I totally agree with you “the only way people should hunt animals for sport is with a camera” and thankfully, with making fox hunting in the UK illegal in 2004, that is now the case.
               
               Yep, when it comes to the issue of guns; that’s where American and British attitudes differ:
               
               In Britain, we take the view that even with the most stringent of checks, to ensure that only responsible people are permitted to own a gun, there will always be far too many apparently responsible people who will end up misusing their gun, resulting in deaths.
               
               Prior to the banning of guns in the UK we used to have very strict gun laws, and people could only get a gun licence through the police e.g. by filling in a detailed form which had to be handed in at a police station in person, and then being vetted by the police – In spite of all that, too many responsible people still misused their guns – So following the Dunblane school massacre in 1996, when 16 school children and a school teacher were killed by the misuse of a gun, the Labour Government quickly made guns illegal in the UK.
               
               So today, there is only an average of 28 gun deaths per year in the UK – 4.9% of all homicides.  These days, the knife has become the weapon of choice, with an average of 282 knife homicides per year in the UK - 41% of all homicides:  So not surprisingly, in the UK, it is illegal to buy a knife under the age of 18, and the maximum penalty for being in possession of a knife in pubic is 4 years prison.
               
               In contrast, there are more than 48,000 gun-related deaths in the USA each year (41% of all homicides); and 1,630 knife homicides (10.6% of all homicides) per year.
               
               Last Week:  UK Government Launches Anti Knife Crime Coalition https://youtu.be/lc69etdY8PU

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               1. 86

                  tsmogposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                  Interesting information, Arthur! I have to ask about gun shops or where one could acquire a gun - pistol, rifle, or shotgun. Are there restrictions for purchasing any kind of gun. Or, being illegal it is flat out against the law to sell them (period). In other words, is there any kind of hunting allowed where a firearm can be used, thus there is ownership?
                  
                  One could say the US has a strong gun culture as is known. One day I may go off on an adventure looking for the historical perspective of guns in the US. I suspect it grew during the 19th century, but unsure.
                  
                  Curious about gun deaths by country I found one source that shows Brazil with more than the US in the category 'all causes'. Interesting. The year used is 2019. We should ask Dr. Mark about that. He is a writer here at HP living in Brazil coming to this forum on occasion.
                  
                  The next category is 'highest rates of violent gun deaths per 100K' again 2019. The US comes in at fourth. There is a suicide category too by 100K where the US is second for rate. Interestingly Greenland was 1st by a large margin for suicides.
                  
                  Gun Deaths by Country 2024 by World Population Review
                  https://worldpopulationreview.com/count … by-country
                  
                  Comparing the US to the UK has an obvious answer with the statistics. Yet, I find it interesting the US is not first in any of the categories in that report, though is second in two.
                  
                  Oddly, or coincidentally, before coming to this forum this early morning I watched a TV program - icrime. It shows crimes committed with amateur filming,  store surveillance, or police officer's body cam.  It showed an armed robber in the UK using a gun - pistol. He robbed 13 places in an hour's time before he got caught.
                  
                  Also, here in California it is illegal to carry a knife with a blade 4" or longer (10 cm).
                  
                  California Knife Laws – What You Can & Cannot Carry Legally by Shouse California Law Group
                  https://www.shouselaw.com/ca/defense/knife-laws/

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                     DrMark1961posted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                     Maybe living in an island is a little different, but banning guns has not worked in the US or Brazil. In places like Chicago and LA, with strict laws against guns, there is more gun violence. Here in Brazil it is almost impossible for a law-abiding citizen to get a gun to defend themselves but with a thousand dollars or so you can buy an illegal weapon and go out and steal from the civilians out on the street. After all they are not going to be able to defend themselves.
                     The Workers Party (PT) outlawed guns and since then the thieves have hada field day. In a big city most people are afraid to carry around a cell phone because of gun violence. Car jackings are a common occurence because few drivers would ever have a gun to defend themselves.
                     When I lived in the US I remember people in rural areas leaving their tools outside and their garages open since thieves know that farmers are armed and will defend themselves. That does not exist here since all farmers were disarmed by the PT.

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                        My Esotericposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                        It is interesting that in America where an average person owns 3 or so guns, the incidents of them using them to protect themselves is very, very low. There are no current studies (which may be because the NRA got laws passed prohibiting the gov't studying the impact of guns on society), but the most recent one, 2011 - 2014, suggests 1%.

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                        1. 99

                           DrMark1961posted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                           You have no idea how often Guns are used for protection, much less how often the possibility of a gun impedes a criminal from attempting a crime. Anyone that claims they know are inventing statistics to stroke their bias.

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                        2. 99

                           DrMark1961posted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                           Your reply is not showing up.
                           I do suggest you go out an interview a few hundred armed robbers and ask them if they are faced with a home where the owner has a sign out front telling the people that he does not support guns, and a neighbor with a "this home protected with guns" which one he would choose to rob. Who knows, you might learn something.

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                        3. 96

                           wildernessposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                           Lets find out.  Where can we go to find out how many people have done nothing but show a gun and their "attacker" (whether mugger, robber, murderer, whatever) promptly ran off without doing anything at all?  Where would you suggest we look for such data?

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                              DrMark1961posted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                              I agree it t does not exist despite what he says, and people that live in Florida and benefit from the castle doctrine are certainly in no position to claim that it does.
                              Now if he could show that there was no gun violence in places like Chicago, New York City, and Chicago (which all have strict laws against guns) that would be interesting and support his argument.

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                        4. 91

                           Nathanvilleposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                           My understanding is that the laws on self-defence in the USA & UK are radically different in that in the UK you can be found guilty of murder if you use ‘excessive force’ to defend yourself.
                           
                           The most famous such case in the UK is when a farmer was initially given life in prison for murder, when he shot dead an intruder with a shotgun.  He was later freed on Appeal, on the grounds of diminished responsibility!
                           
                           This short video clip gives a detailed overview of the case:  https://youtu.be/dGeHddPQtWM

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                           1. 84

                              My Esotericposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                              Watched the video and I am on the line. To me, it is not relevant whether he was allowed to have the shotgun or not, what is relevant is the amount of fear he had at the moment he shot.
                              
                              I would have had to been on the jury to render a reasonable judgement on this one, but the raw facts I heard would lead me to believe murder might have been the right outcome.
                              
                              Where I am stuck is, assuming I heard it correctly, that he shot down a stairway without seeing the intruder.  That said, it would take very little to convince me it was self-defense, American-style.
                              
                              If I understood the commentary correctly, in the UK a person could be threatening you with a gun and you still might get convicted of murder if you killed him or her.
                              
                              I rarely read over here of cases where "stand your ground" killings meet the reasonable test.  More often I read about people getting killed for knocking on some person's door or being on their property outside of a house.  There are also several reports of wives or husbands getting shot when they get home unexpectedly.

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                              1. 91

                                 Nathanvilleposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                                 To put the case in context:  Factors to consider under British Law:
                                 
                                 1.    It is illegal to use excessive force in self-defence in the UK e.g. if you do harm to the intruder because you used excessive force e.g. the use of a gun, you yourself can be prosecuted in the Courts.  The law is quite specific that you can only use ‘reasonable’ force to defend yourself, your family and your property.
                                 
                                 2.    Illegal ownership of a shotgun in the UK is a serious criminal offence in itself.
                                 
                                 The maximum penalties for firearm possession in Britain are as follow:-
                                 
                                 •    Possession of a gun without certificate e.g. keeping it at home = max 5 years prison.
                                 •    Carrying a gun in public = max 7 years prison.
                                 •    Possession of a gun with intent to cause fear of violence = max 10 years prison.
                                 •    Possession of a gun with intent to endanger life = max sentence is life in prison.
                                 
                                 So on both counts above (1 & 2) the farmer could have faced a long prison sentence e.g. even if he didn’t intend to use the gun to endanger life, it could easily be argued that he intended to use the gun to cause fear of violence, which attracts a maximum of 10 years prison.  On top of which, using a gun in self-defence in the UK is generally considered ‘excessive force’, in that in the UK intruders do NOT generally carry guns; therefore, using excessive force in self-defence (by using a gun) leading to the death of the intruder would normally be considered murder – with a maximum prison sentence of life.
                                 
                                 NOW GETTING ON TO THE SPECIFIC POINTS YOU RAISE:
                                 I had to take a coffee break to think about how best to respond to this, in that American and British cultural attitudes on this matter is quite different:
                                 
                                 Two points to bear in mind is that in the UK the maximum sentence for burglary is 10 years in prison; whereas the maximum sentence for ‘aggravated burglary’ e.g. being in possession of a knife during the burglary is life in prison.  Therefore, most burglars don’t carry any weapons, and will tend to flee if disturbed – flight rather than fight.
                                 
                                 #1:  So moving to your first point:  I can understand from the American perspective, where gun ownership is the norm, that “whether the farmer was allowed to have the shotgun or not” is not relevant; and “the amount of fear the farmer had at the moment he shot” is relevant. 
                                 
                                 From a British perspective, if the farmer didn’t have the gun he couldn’t have used it, so the fact that he was not legally allowed to have the gun is relevant. 
                                 
                                 Yep, sure, anyone who has intruders is going to have fear; but in Britain, most burglars don’t carry weapons, and are just as fearful of being detected, and will flee if they are disturbed. 
                                 
                                 #2:  Yep, you did hear correctly, the farmer did shot down the stairs, quite probably without seeing the intruder – But it also seems obvious that he didn’t even give any warning; it was simply a case of shoot first and ask questions later.  If the farmer had just shouted, and at worst, given a warning shot in the air, the intruders would have scarpered, and no one would have been hurt.
                                 
                                 Yep, you are right; it was “self-defense, American-style” – but it’s not ‘self-defence’ by British standards:  By British standards its ‘excessive force’ and thus ‘murder’.
                                 
                                 #3:  For clarity.  In the UK, if a person did threaten you with a gun (which is highly unlikely), then you would legally be justified in killing him or her (using reasonable force for self-defence); but unless it was captured on CCTV, the police would still want to establish the fact, so if there was any doubt that it was self-defence you might have some tricky questions to answer.
                                 
                                 More likely in the UK, it would be a person threatens you with a knife; and in the ensuing struggle you kill that person with their own knife or another knife, if you have lots of defensive wounds on your hands and arms, and you only stabbed the attacker once or twice in self-defence then the police are more likely to believe it was self-defence.  But if you have no wounds on your arms/hands and you stab the attacker dozens of times, then the police would be more inclined to think you committed murder.
                                 
                                 #4:  Yep, I also read about cases in the USA where Americans “get killed for knocking on some person's door or being on their property outside of a house.”  And “wives or husbands getting shot when they get home unexpectedly.” Etc.  In the UK all of those cases would simple be ‘murder’, and of course, with gun ownership being illegal in the UK, people can’t be shot and killed for simply knocking on a door or being on someone’s property outside their house; and if the wife comes home inexpertly early catching her husband with his lover, then there might be some domestic violence but the chances of it leading to a killing is greatly diminished because British people just don’t have guns.
                                 
                                 EVEN THE POLICE ARE NOT ABOVE THE LAW IN THE UK
                                 E.G. THE BRITISH POLICE CAN BE PROSECUTED FOR MURDER IF ‘IN THE LINE OF DUTY’ THEY SHOOT DEAD AN INNOCENT PERSON
                                 I also hear about a lot of cases where the American police frequently shoot dead innocent people, and almost never get prosecuted. 
                                 
                                 In the UK, only 3.9% of the Police are licenced to carry a gun, but they are not immune from prosecution if ‘in the line of duty’ they kill an innocent person - as per this recent case:   https://youtu.be/HWMC7NWHMzM

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                                    My Esotericposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                                    Learning the reality is that most burglars don't carry weapons pushes me to the guilty side of the verdict.  Maybe America ought to try life in prison if a weapon is used in a crime.  I know we have enhanced sentences, but not life (we would need a lot more prisons).
                                    
                                    We try, in occasion, to hold our police accountable here but several things make that problematic.
                                    
                                    1. Conservatives oppose any effort to hold bad apples accountable.
                                    
                                    2. Although we are make a little headway, the police still protect their own.
                                    
                                    3. When a prosecutor does has the will to actually bring charges, the jury often acquits, although that to is starting to change as more and more police abuse makes the papers.
                                    
                                    In point #3, the federal gon't sometimes steps in when possible to remedy the unjust outcome.

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                                       Nathanvilleposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                                       A very informative reply, thanks….
                                       
                                       We also need a lot more prisons in the UK, but currently the Government doesn’t have the money to build more. 
                                       
                                       The capacity in the UK is approximately 97,800 prison places; and this month, due to all the convictions so far, from the anti-immigration riots during the week of 5th August by far-right protestors, our prisons reached full capacity. 
                                       
                                       Therefore from the 10th September (10 days ago), the Government released around 5,500 non-violent prisoners who had served at last 40% of their prison sentence.
                                       
                                       Based on current reoffending rates, the Government expect that around 1,375 will reoffend, and soon be back behind bars – but at least the remaining 4,125 who go straight do get a chance to rebuild their lives.
                                       
                                       But what I do find interesting is that while the UK has around 97,800 prison places, the USA has over 1.9 million people in prison, which when taking into account the USA population is 5 times greater than the UK, means that America has almost 4 times as many people in prison per 1,000 citizens than the UK:  Given that, as you say, you don’t have “life in prison if a weapon is used in a crime” it would be interesting to know why a greater percentage of the population (per head of population) are in prison in America than in the UK?
                                       
                                       I found the Wikipedia article on the subject interesting reading; which may shed some light on the above, and also makes comparisons with other counties.
                                       
                                       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compariso … _countries
                                       
                                       HOLDING POLICE ACCOUNTABLE
                                       Yes, what you say about the difficulties of holding the police accountable in America accords with my general impression from what I see on British TV news and British documentaries on the subject.
                                       
                                       And yes, likewise in the UK, the police will close ranks and ‘protect their own’ on less serious offences.  But fortunately, whenever a Police Officer is suspected of or accused of a serious crime, such as murder; and without exception if anyone is killed by the police, whether accidently or otherwise, the police in the UK have a legal obligation to refer themselves to the IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct) for investigation.  The IOPC is an independent Government Department, who are Independent from both the Police and Government, and is the watchdog over the police.
                                       
                                       And if the IOPC believe there is a case to answer they will refer the matter to the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service).  The CPS is an independent Government Department who has authority over the police, and who are Independent from both the Police and Government.
                                       
                                       For Info:  In the UK an Independent Governments Department is not answerable to the Government; they are answerable to Parliament ONLY:  A system set up by Labour in the late 1990s to prevent unscrupulous Governments from using politically sensitive Government Departments for their own political purposes.
                                       
                                       Your point ‘3’ is interesting e.g. in America the jury often acquits.  It’s quite the reverse in the UK in that the Courts take the view that a Police Officer who commits a heinous crime has ‘abused his position of trust’ and therefore he will tend to get less sympathy from the jury, and a harsher sentence from the Judge.
                                       
                                       10 Most Evil Police Officers in British History https://youtu.be/CqJzQcYNsWQ

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                     Nathanvilleposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                     There are NOT gun shops in the UK, like there is in the USA.  We don’t have hunting in Britain, but farmers can use shotguns to protect livestock from foxes and for pest control of hares and rabbits; but in order to buy a shotgun they must first obtain a firearms certificate issued by the police and they must obtain a separate ‘certificate to buy ammunition’ also issued by the police.  Then, there are specialist suppliers in the UK that (with the farmer’s certificates from the police) the farmers can buy shotguns from, which then has to be licenced by the police.
                        
                     But for the ordinary Joe Blog in the street it is illegal to buy and sell guns, or to hunt with guns.  It’s also illegal to manufacture, import, or sell a realistic imitation firearm.  The maximum penalty for being in possession of an imitation firearm in the UK is 12 months prison.  The maximum penalty for possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear or violence is 10 years prison.
                     
                     Thanks for the links – it’s good to see the UK way down on the list in all respects.
                     
                     Interesting that the icrome TV program you watched showed an “armed robber in the UK using a gun” – Something which is thankfully rare in the UK, robbers in the UK are more likely to choose something like a sledge hammer (as per video clip below), or knife – but more often than not most robbers are unarmed (especially as the police are also unarmed) because the penalty if caught is significantly less than being caught with a weapon.
                     
                     In the UK - 71-year-old grandma defeated sledgehammer gangsters with a handbag: https://youtu.be/Kk4BbpIwkXY
                     
                     The maximum sentence for armed robbery in the UK is life imprisonment.  So along with the fact that guns are not freely available in Britain and the fact that the penalty for armed robbery is very stiff; armed robbery in the UK is thankfully uncommon.

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                  My Esotericposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                  Differences between guns and knives.
                  
                  The OLNY reason guns were invented were to kill other people. They happened to be used for other purposes like target practice.
                  
                  Knives were invented to, I suppose, kill animals for food and to help prepare meals.  They happened to be used to kill other people.
                  
                  Banning things that were designed for the purpose of killing other people, e.g. guns and atomic bombs makes a world of sense to me so long as it is a worldwide ban.  But since that can never be the case, the liberal in me says that people who can prove themselves responsible enough should be able to possess them (yes, that includes the atomic bomb, but the proof of responsibility must be almost impossibly high).
                  
                  That also carries over to where you can carry them.  Now that I am done with the theoretical, let's turn to the practical.
                  
                  Since we do not do a very good job of keeping guns and knives out of the hands of irresponsible people, it makes sense to me to ban where and how they can be carried.
                  
                  It also makes sense to attach "strict liability" to ownership.  Meaning if they come into the possession of another without the owner taking proper precautions to secure them or check out who they are going to, then the original owner is equally liable for their misuse.

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                     Nathanvilleposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                     Yep, I concur with what you say - it seems a fair assessment; and as DrMark surmised above, living on islands (like Britain, Japan and Australia etc.) does make it a lot easier to make a blanket ban on guns to be effective e.g. it’s a lot more difficult to smuggle guns into Britain or Australia that it would to smuggle guns into counties like the USA and Brazil.
                     
                     However, Canada is not an island, yet their gun violence is just a 5th of gun violence in the USA, so the picture is a lot more complex than just the ability to control the smuggling of guns – I suspect the level of gun violence in a country today has a lot to do with its history and culture, as well as the gun laws in that country.
                     
                     From the ‘Gun Deaths by Country’ per 100K link that Tim gave above:
                     
                     •    Brazil = 23.32
                     •    USA = 10.72
                     •    Canada = 2.2
                     •    Australia = 0.9 (Australia brought in tight gun control laws in 1996 after a mass shooting in Tasmania)
                     •    UK = 0.23 (UK banned guns in 1997)
                     •    Japan = 0.08 (Japan has had strict gun laws since 1958)
                     
                     I totally agree with you that without a worldwide ban on nuclear bombs, we need to keep them as a deterrent e.g. the UK has four nuclear submarines (at all times, at least one is always hidden somewhere in the world in the depths of the sea).  Each of the four British nuclear submarines has the capacity to carry 192 nuclear warheads; but in practice (at the moment) only generally carries 48 nuclear warheads per submarine.
                     
                     In fact, as with a lot of ill’s and good’s of the world, the UK was the first country in the world to begin nuclear weapons research (Project codenamed Tube Alloys) in 1941; and the following year (in 1942) the UK collaborated with the USA and Canada (as a joint adventure) to build the world’s first nuclear bombs (the Manhattan Project) – And the rest is history……

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                        My Esotericposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                        I believe another first for the UK was to ban slavery, something to be very proud of. You did it initially in 1807 and then was followed by several more laws.  We did it (and ONLY because of the Civil War) in 1864.  (This is probably THE worst thing about America.)
                        
                        The South rose quickly after Lincoln's assassination to reestablish de facto slavery. It wasn't until 1964 that this form of overt discrimination was addressed and largely eradicated. Unfortunately, it is slowly coming back to America as antidiscrimination laws are challenged starting as early as 1978 with the Bakke ruling. Sadly, that movement has accelerated since 2018. Ironically, antidiscrimination laws are now viewed as discriminatory by many here.

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                           Nathanvilleposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                           Thanks for your informative feedback; it led me to read up about the ‘Bakke ruling’ (which I was unaware of), and then brush up on the current laws in the UK as a comparison, the gist of it is:
                           
                           In the UK, in relation to protected characteristics, including race, age, gender reassignment, marital status, disability, religion, and sex, under the Equality Act 2010 ‘setting quotas’ and ‘positive action’ are both legal, but ‘positive discrimination’ is illegal: 
                           
                           So the UK Governments have has tried to hold a ‘fine line’, which is never perfect – Thus, in 2022 the Conservative Government took positive steps to address inequality and promote diversity, including their ‘Inclusive Britain’ Policy:  The ‘Inclusive Britain’ policy is an action plan to address unfair disparities and promote unity. The plan includes initiatives such as improving learning quality, increasing access to finance for entrepreneurs from ethnic minority backgrounds, and providing career advice to expand social mobility.

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      My Esotericposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      I put that question to ChatGPT and got back:
      
      1. Freedom of Speech and Individual Rights
      
      2. Economic Opportunity and Innovation
      
      3. Diverse Culture and Melting Pot Society (at least the liberals amongst us do.)
      
      4.Technological and Scientific Leadership
      
      5. Natural Beauty and National Parks
      
      I don't know if that is the way they are actually ranked or not, but they make sense.

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      My Esotericposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      I also put that question to me and got back:
      
      1.  The aspirations laid out in our Declaration of Independence (sorry Britain) and our Constitution's Preamble and the fact that in spits and starts we keep trying to achieve them.
      
      2. The diversity of our cultures.
      
      3. The Natural Beauty and National Parks
      
      4. Our Scientific Achievements.
      
      5. Our ability to get ultimately get passed divisiveness (although it may not look like it now. Believe it or not, it was much worse several times in our history including just after we became a nation in the early 1800s).
      
      3.

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         Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

         Thanks for your ChatGPT and your own responses to the question; both are positive, with similarities – and like all the responses, regardless to which country people live in, Natural Beauty is a common theme, which is wonderful to hear.
         
         “The aspirations laid out in (your) Declaration of Independence” is admirable, and I do certainly hope that America does achieve them; in spite of the current “divisiveness” plaguing American politics – and I certainly do hope that America does “ultimately get passed” that hurdle too. 
         
         In Britain, we’ve also had our moments in history e.g. the various civil wars, including ‘The Anarchy’ civil war (two cousins fighting for the Crown) from 1138 to 1153; the ‘War of the Roses’ (the various royal families fighting each other for the Crown) from 1455 to 1487 and the English civil war (Parliament vs the Royal Family for control of the country) from 1642 to 1651 etc., and the various civil unrest e.g. the ‘peasants revolt’ of 1381, and the numerous other struggles by the people since (especially from the 1830s) fighting for various aspects of freedoms and rights:  But, we’ve always come out the other side all the better for it – A much stronger, and more united nation.

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   theraggededgeposted 4 weeks ago

   Best:
   
   1. The scenery: mountains, coastline, dog walks, towns
   2. The accents
   3. The rugby
   4. People's sense of humour
   5. Male voice choirs
   6. The flag.
   
   Worst:
   
   1. Welsh Labour
   2. The NHS
   3. War on motorists: 20 mph limits, potholes, parking charges/fines
   4. Three-weekly bin collections, charges for using municipal tips
   5. Education system
   6. BBC Wales.

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      Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      Thanks for your contribution:
      
      Best:
      Yep, I love the scenery in Wales – we often nip across the Bridge into Wales for a day trip, just a half hour drive from where we live, and from time to time we go to Wales on a week's holiday.
      
      And most defiantly I love the Welsh accents and language, and of course the British sense of humour.
      
      My favourite flags in the UK are the Welsh Flag and the Kernow (Cornish) flag.
      
      Worst:
      Yes, I’ve heard about the 20mph blanket speed limits in Wales; that must be so frustrating.  We also have 20mph limit on some roads in most cities in England, including in Bristol, but it’s not a blanket speed limit e.g. the city trunk (main roads) are still 30mph, it’s just a lot of the less busy side roads where the speed limit is often 20mph.
      
      Our general waste is collected bi-weekly (recyclable waste weekly) in Bristol.  They also charge for non-recyclable waste at the municipal tips in Portsmouth where my friend lives, but they don’t in Bristol; so occasionally, when our friend from Portsmouth visits us, he’ll bring up a bag of non-recyclable waste for me to dispose of in Bristol.
      
      Politics:
      Bristol used to be Labour, but in recent years (in local elections) Bristol has steadily shifted towards the Green Party – So Bristol Council is now controlled by the Greens; and in the recent General Election the Greens even won a seat from Labour in Bristol.

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         theraggededgeposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

         I'm Cornish. Lived in Wales since I was 10

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            Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

            Cool  
            
            In spite of being called an Emmet by Cornish people on social media from time to time (which I don’t mind) we love Cornwall – It’s not too far to drive from Bristol, so we spend a week’s holiday there once every few years – And when there, we always make a point of treating ourselves to a Cornish Cream Tea.
            
            In fact we went to Cornwall this summer for a holiday, staying at Helman Tor Holliday Cottages within the Helman Tor Nature Reserve.  And on this holiday the places we visited included:-
            
            •    Pendennis Castle
            •    Restormel Castle
            •    Cornwall at War Museum at Davidstow Airfield
            •    Cornwall’s Army Museum at Bodmin
            •    Looe
            •    Falmouth
            
            And we enjoyed our visit to see the Minions on Bodmin Moor: https://youtu.be/vjxviEU99X0
            
            But one of the highlights of our holiday in Cornwall was the Bodmin and Wenford Steam Railway – A Day trip on the Bodmin and Wenford Steam Railway from Bodmin General to Boscarne Junction, and then a 10 minute walk to the Camel Trail Tea Garden for a Cornish Cream Tea before making our way back to Boscarne Junction to catch the next steam train back to Bodmin General in Bodmin, Cornwall. https://youtu.be/zd41XYy_cng
            
            On our previous holiday to Cornwall, in 2019, the highlight of the week was our day trip to the Eden Project.

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   IslandBitesposted 3 weeks ago

   Puerto Rico
   
   1. Our people
   2. Our resilience
   3. Our food
   4. Beaches
   5. Natural beauty: Mountains, rivers, etc.

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      DrMark1961posted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      I call you on the natural beauty and raise you on the beaches. You guys definitely win out on the resiliance!

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         Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

         Yep, from what I've seen on telly, Brazil has a lot of natural beauty to be proud of.

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      Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      Thanks for your feedback; it’s a good list.  I know very little about Puerto Rico, reading about a place on-line is no substitute to learning about it from the people who actually live there – so I appreciate your contribution. 
      
      I guess by your resilience, you’re referring to all the tropical storms and hurricanes you get in Puerto Rico?

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         IslandBitesposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

         Thank you for the thread! A much needed breather from the partisan bs that's HubPages forums these days.
         
         
         I guess by your resilience, you’re referring to all the tropical storms and hurricanes you get in Puerto Rico?
         
         Well, yes but not only that. Sociocultural resilience too.

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            MizBejabbersposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

            I was privileged to meet some of your young people at a National Conference of State Legislators in Seattle, WA (I believe it was) a few years back, and I was very impressed with them. I was astonished to learn that they publish Puerto Rico's code of laws in both languages, English and Spanish, but that does make sense. And I thought we had challenges here in Arkansas. My hat goes off to them.

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            Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

            Sociocultural resilience:  If I understand correctly, Puerto Rico culture is a blend of three main cultures: indigenous Taíno, African, and Spanish; plus the American influence.
            
            I can relate to that to some extent in that the UK is made up Celtic cultures in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Cornwall, and Anglo Saxon culture in England.  And I note from a comment that MizBejabbers made, that “Puerto Rico's code of laws are in both languages, English and Spanish” – similar to Wales e.g. the official language in Wales is Welsh (Celtic), and all their Official Publication, Road Signs and Public Announcements etc. are bilingual.
            
            This short video clip is a taster of what the language can sound like when catching a train in Wales:  https://youtu.be/iIKBikooTWU

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               IslandBitesposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

               I cant say its the same.
               But yes, although must goverment issues are in both spanish and english, we speak spanish. Not even half the population speak english too. Even beign a USA colony (USA tried to make english the only language, they couldnt.) That's only one aspect of our resilience.
               
               We are puerto ricans, not "americans".
               
               I tried to make it short so I dont make this a politicial thread. Sorry.

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                  DrMark1961posted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

                  I really appreciate your last comment. This is a really positive thread, and, as you already pointed out, a nice break from all the politics on the other threads on this forum.

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                     Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

                     Most refreshing change

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                        DrMark1961posted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

                        Thanks for starting this Arthur. It is really nice to hear how people here feel about their countries.

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                           Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

                           Thanks:  I, like many I’m sure, is getting bored and fed-up with all the negative circular arguments on HP these days; so I tried to pick a topic that would hopefully be more positive for a change.

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                  Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

                  Yep, I think I get the picture, all summed up in your penultimate sentence:  “We are Puerto Ricans, not "Americans".”  The same sentiment felt by some Cornish People e.g. where they say “This is Kernow Not England” – As expressed in this short video (Kernow being the Cornish (Celtic) word for Cornwall):  https://youtu.be/-nN9I_7djgo
                  
                  But one contrast is that unlike Puerto Rico where the USA tried to make English the only language, the UK Government (in England) encourages, and financially supports, the Celtic nations to speak their own native tongues; even the UK’s State owned TV stations broadcast in the Celtic native languages in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
                  
                  A few years ago, a smallish Cornwall Ice-cream company (competing with the big national companies in the UK) made a big splash across the UK by making a couple of TV Adverts in the Cornish language; and the adverts proved very popular (a big hit) across the whole of the UK.
                  
                  Kelly's Cornish Ice Cream Advert in the Cornish Language:  https://youtu.be/jlNaz_zm2nM

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      My Esotericposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      Your Resilience, especially from hurricanes.

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   abwilliamsposted 3 weeks ago

   The United States of America
   1. Gov, of, by and for the People
   2. The Right to speak freely
   3. The right to bear arms in order to protect family, home, property & neighbors from crooks and crooked Gov.
   4. Her Majesty is her beauty
   5. From sea to sea and the mountains, plains, waterfalls, caverns and many wonders, too many to list, in between.

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      Sharlee01posted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      The U.S. is a melting pot of cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds, which fosters innovation, creativity, and cultural exchange. This diversity is our core strength and greatly contributes to its dynamic society.
      
      Innovation and Technology --  America is home to some of the world's leading technology companies and research institutions. From Silicon Valley to renowned universities, the U.S. drives global innovation in fields like medicine, space exploration, and artificial intelligence.
      
      The Values and Freedoms -  The U.S. was founded on the principles of democracy, freedom of speech, and individual rights. These values have shaped both domestic policies and global influence, supporting the belief in government by the people. 
      
      America boasts incredibly diverse landscapes, from the Grand Canyon to the Appalachian Mountains. The country has a strong tradition of preserving its natural beauty through a vast network of national parks.
      
      Our wonderful cultural Influence --  American music, movies, literature, and art have had a profound impact on global culture. Hollywood, jazz, rock, hip-hop, and other creative industries showcase the country’s rich cultural contributions.

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         Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

         It’s refreshing to see areas where the UK and USA have a lot in common e.g. the UK is also a “melting pot of cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds”; and like the USA, the UK “is home to some of the world's leading technology companies and research institutions.”; and although some Americans would disagree, Brits do value our “Values and Freedom”, and “the principles of democracy, freedom of speech, and individual rights” the birth of which was founded in the Magna Carta of 1215.
         
         And although we don’t have the Grand Canyon to the Appalachian Mountains – we do have ‘The Lake District’ and the ‘Norfolk Broads’ and many other areas of ‘outstanding natural beauty’, most of which are protected by various designations, such as:
         
         •    46 x AONBs (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty)
         •    15 x National Parks 
         •    221 x NNRs (National Nature Reserves)
         •    71 x Wetlands
         
         Yep, most certainly, with the big movie studios like Hollywood etc. America certainly does have a wonderful cultural influence on the world, and as you said, great music, literature and art to showcase America’s rich cultural contributions.   Britain may not be in the same league when it comes to movies, although it has made some contributions, such as the James Bond movies, Dr Who etc., and of course the Beatles from England had a big impact on the music industry; just as ABBA from Sweden has.
         
         So I guess, regardless to where we are, we all have many good things to celebrate about our own country – “The Wonders of the World”.

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            Sharlee01posted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

            Great thread!
            
            Let.s face it -  America and England are like two cousins who grew up together, moved to different neighborhoods, but still share the same quirky family traits! We both love tea—although one of us insists on putting it in a microwave now and then. We've got a shared history full of twists, turns, and friendly rivalries (seriously, who won that Revolution anyway?), but our love for democracy, Shakespeare, and really good accents unites us. Whether it’s the Queen’s English or a New York drawl, we’re basically the same, just with different wardrobes and slightly different driving habits!

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               Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

               Thanks
               
               I’m not a tea drinker myself, but I am guilty of putting my coffee “in the microwave now and then” to reheat it when I’ve let it go cold!
               
               Yep, you put it so eloquently that the USA & UK are “like cousins”; I’ve never thought of it that way before – but it’s a good view point.  Likewise, the UK & EU (Europe) are like brothers e.g. the UK’s culture is more aligned with Northern European culture; most of the UK laws are EU laws (inherited from a time before Brexit) and even after Brexit new laws passed in the UK are often similar to new EU laws being passed - such as the UK’s Online Safety Act 2023, which is very similar to the EU’s ‘Digital Services Act’ of 2022.
               
               And the UK’s drinking culture is more in align the Europe than America e.g. Not only can you legally drink in public from the age of 16 in the UK (with a meal, at a table, provided someone over 18 buys it for you), but you can also legally drink from the age of 5 at home; a similar culture to France, where young children traditionally have wine with their parents at home on special occasions.  The question of whether parents should allow or encourage young children to legally drink at home (from the age of 5) is something that was discussed on a TV show a few years back: https://youtu.be/pc-YN5P-9D8
               
               But yeah, whether we are American, European, or Australian, as you said, “we’re basically the same, just with different wardrobes and slightly different driving habits!”

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            My Esotericposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

            I toured part of the Lake District when I visited there last year, it is indeed beautiful!  I even got to like you Tube system, but not the high price to travel by other means, lol.

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               Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

               Yes, public transport, especially outside of London, can be expensive; but with Labour in the process of renationalising the Railways rail fair should once again become cheaper (in real terms) over the coming years – like they used to be in the 1980s before the Conservatives privatised them.
               
               Labour's plan to fix Britain's railways https://youtu.be/NHl8FJNSvUI

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      Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      It’s wonderful that everyone, regardless to which country they come from, is listing ‘natural beauty’ as one of their top best things about their own country e.g. the seas, beaches, mountains, plains (Moorlands being the UK’s nearest equivalent to the American Plains), waterfalls, rivers and caves etc. – something we should all cherish.

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         MizBejabbersposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

         I agree with you, and it is nice that people appreciate the beauty of their land. The Ozark Mountains where I am from in the U.S.A. are listed as some of the oldest mountains in existance in the world. They are so old that they are worn down and not as tall as some of the more world famous, but their beauty is unexcelled. Someone posted on Factbook a beautiful photo of the famous fall foliage of the Ozarks (from a previous year since we haven't had our fall show yet), and someone replied that it was "AI generated." What an insult from a dummy! I have no idea where that person lives, but he certainly has never been to the Ozarks in autumn, nor anytime apparently. I would never disparage the beauty that anyone finds in any country.

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            Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

            Wow – I looked up The Ozark Mountains on Wikipedia, and wow – Breathtakingly beautiful.
            
            I guess that person you spoke of who dissed the autumn leaf fall in the “beautiful photo of the famous fall foliage of the Ozarks” doesn’t come from any northern hemisphere country where we have the beauty of the autumn leaves. 
            
            A few years back (2019) our Australian cousins took a three months tour of the UK, and visited us during the autumn; and living in Australia, they’ve never seen the beauty of the autumn leaves – so all excited, they actually took photos of the multi-coloured (autumn colours) of the blanket of autumn leaves on our lawn in our back garden, to add to their photo album of their trip to the UK.

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               MizBejabbersposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

               That is very interesting. I'd never thought about people being deprived of the beauty of fall foliage. And then of course the spring blossoms are breathtaking. But I learned the hard way not to park under the large redbud tree in our front yard. The tiny rose colored petals that fall and stick to the surface of our car or truck are really difficult to clean off.

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                  Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

                  Thanks.  I note that the redbud tree (Cercis Canadensis) is native to eastern North America and Mexico; but you might be pleased to know that it’s also popular in gardens and Parks the UK for its striking foliage and flowers.  Another popular tree commonly grown in the UK for its beautiful spring blossom is the ‘Ornamental Cherry Blossom’ tree.
                  
                  Yes, "the spring blossoms are breath-taking" we have the same problem here if we park in the wrong place during the spring blossom; we also occasionally get sand from the Sahara desert coating our cars in the UK (see video) https://youtu.be/6WAhV63fozs

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            DrMark1961posted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

            I taught some courses in Perryville about 30 years and really miss the colors there. Our forests here have a lot of greens but we do not have the fall colors because we do not have a real winter here in this part of the world.
            Shout out to the beauty of the Ozarks!

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               MizBejabbersposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

               Perryville, how interesting. I know that the little town of Perryville is not too far from me, but when I googled it to see how far (less than 50 miles), Perryville, MO came up. It would be in the Ozarks, too. So enlighten me, Perryville, AR or Perryville MO.

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                  DrMark1961posted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

                  Perryville Arkansas. I was teaching at the Heifer Project International farm in that region.

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                     MizBejabbersposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

                     Thank you. That's nice to know. I'm quite familiar with the Heifer Project International. I try to donate a little to them each Christmas. I love how they provide an animal to a family in an impoverished area or country for a start up herd or flock.

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                        DrMark1961posted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

                        They are a great organization. In the 80s I ran a family nutrition project in Morocco and HPI supported us and allowed us to buy more dairy goats to sell to the village women. (They could not afford to buy a goat at the market but we sold them subsidized and allowed the women to pay a small amount for 10 months) HPI donations also allowed me to hire two female extensionists who spoke the local language and were able to discuss nutrition and health with the women, something I as a male was not able to do.

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                           MizBejabbersposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

                           That is so interesting to me. You mentioned not being able to discuss nutrition and health with the women. I think I can safely mention that one of the things that I love about this country is our culture that allows the sexes to mix and mingle and work together. The free flow of information makes for a more intelligent populace. There may be a few drawbacks, but I really can't think of any. It certainly makes life more interesting.

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                              DrMark1961posted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

                              I totally agree. It is similar here in Brazil. The other problem I dealt with there was language.  I am a fluent Arabic speaker só I could chat with the male farmers but the women did not go to school (not as bad as Afghanistan but similar issues) só only spoke Tashelhait.

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            My Esotericposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

            I agree, the Ozarks are a beautiful area. Used to own a small piece of land near Eureka Springs.

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   MizBejabbersposted 3 weeks ago

   Everyone has done such a wonderful job of listing and describing their favorite things about their countries, so I won't duplicate mine. However, I'd like to mention one thing that nobody has mentioned, and that is the food. Because of our diversity, one can get practically any cuisine a person could want, be it at a restaurant or buy the ingredients and cook it at home. I live outside of the city limits, but within five miles of my home I can get almost anything, including a hamburger, chicken, fish and seafood, soul food, pizza, Chinese, Mexican, even what we call "yuppie food." No more than 10 miles from my home other ethnic foods are available: different varieties of Asian, Thai, Indian, African, German and some I probably don't know about. We have steakhouses, vegetarian, vegan and, fortunately for me, gluten free dining. When you visit Little Rock, if you don't see what you want to eat, walk on down the street or drive around the corner and you may find it. The Little Rock-North Little Rock Combined Statistical Area, which includes Conway (CSA) has an estimated population of less than one million people. We aren't that big, but we have it all!

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      Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      An interesting point (observation) - Cool:
      
      Looking at Wikipedia, and in reading your comments on cuisine, Little Rock metropolitan area seems quite comparable to Bristol, albeit larger e.g. population of Little Rock metropolitan area (2020), 748,031, and population of Bristol (2023), approx. 483,000.
      
      Like you, I also live 5 miles from the city centre, and with Britain being multicultural e.g. in the 2021 census only 74.4% of UK residents are white British, we also have a multitude of cuisine from all over the world in cafes and fast food outlets in our city centres, not dissimilar to how you describe. 
      
      Obviously, in Britain, if you move away from the city centres, into the suburbs, towns and rural areas then the choices rapidly diminishes; and if you visit coastal towns and villages that have a large fishing industry then the vast majority of cafes and restaurants in those areas are fish menus only, which for a vegetation like me can be very frustration – so in such situations (when we’re on holiday in coastal fishing areas) we usually drive out into the countryside at the end of the day (before returning to our holiday cottage) to look for a country pub e.g. most country pubs serve pub meals (traditional British food), which are too our liking, my favourite dishes often found on country pub menus, include something like an ‘All Day Full English Breakfast’ (vegetarian version), or omelette and chips (fries).
      
      Full English Breakfast (in the vegetarian version, the meat is substituted by vegetarian sausages).  N.B.  Black pudding mentioned in the video is normally only found in Northern England: https://youtu.be/rmieAqTG1wI 
      
      Traditional Pub Food in a SMALL Village Pub in Rural Britain:  https://youtu.be/JmfHNBYNcaM

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   Perspycaciousposted 3 weeks ago

   Amen, and more cookbooks than you can shake a stick at.

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      Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      Cool

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   abwilliamsposted 3 weeks ago

   Yes, food! My hubby and I always seek out Mom and Pop restaurants or unique little places, when traveling. From a mountaintop restaurant, with country cooking served up family style to a riverbank hole-in-the-wall spot serving up the best fried catfish... it is one of the best things about traveling and seeing America.

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      Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      Absolutely; we’re the same - one of the highlights for us in travelling and seeing Britain, in the evenings after a day out and about, and before returning to our holiday cottage, is looking for a country pub (renowned for their superb Traditional British food menus) where we sit down and enjoy a relaxing meal to round off the day nicely.

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         MizBejabbersposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

         At one time, there was an authentic English restaurant in Little Rock located across the street from the the Union Train Station in Little Rock. The station, once known as the MoPac Station has been here since the railroad heydays. Some people call it the Amtrack Station. Anyway, the restaurant was located about two blocks from the State Capitol, and it was there for about five years. The food was good, but I didn't like the boiled cucumbers they served with every meal.

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            Nathanvilleposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

            I’m not that keen on cucumber either, I prefer marrow (which is usually baked rather than boiled); but it’s interesting that they boiled cucumbers the restaurant, to serve with every meal – Restaurants in the UK serve them uncooked as part of a salad that they serve with most meals.

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   My Esotericposted 2 weeks ago

   I am not going to be responsible for letting Nathanville's forum devolve into another contest where I provide some facts and the opposition does not.
   
   If they have alternative numbers, let them show them.
   
   Sorry Nathanville, I will drop it now.

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