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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: Snake Eyes snake.eyes@********.att.net
Subject: Geography & Priorities (was: the value of education)
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 16:47:07 -0700
Although the tendency to ignore affairs occurring outside one's own county
(or Country) is hardly a phenomenon unique to the USA, the sheer ignorance
of my fellow countrymen never ceases to amaze me.

I grew up in Alaska, and whenever I ventured down to the "Lower 48," I
would occasionally endure the standard questions about passports, the
weather, no sunlight, igloos, kayaks, harpooning whales, snowmobiles,
dogsleds, and clubbing baby harbor seals for lunch. That last one was a
constant source of entertainment -- useful for baiting junior eco-weenies
who didn't know any better.

However, what amazed me most was that, no matter where in the USA I went,
every single teenager I ran into was conversant in the fact that (until
1990) it was legal in Alaska to possess a quarter-pound of marijuana for
"personal consumption" (that's 113.5 grams for you metric folks). I guess
it only pays to learn and remember stuff that may actually come in handy
some day.

In SR terms: do you think that education and attitudes regarding "foreign"
lands & cultures have become more global in perspective or more insular?

~Snake Eyes
Message no. 2
From: Drew Curtis dcurtis@***.net
Subject: Geography & Priorities (was: the value of education)
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 09:46:00 -0400 (EDT)
On Mon, 12 Jul 1999, Snake Eyes wrote:

> I grew up in Alaska, and whenever I ventured down to the "Lower 48," I
> would occasionally endure the standard questions about passports, the
> weather, no sunlight, igloos, kayaks, harpooning whales, snowmobiles,
> dogsleds, and clubbing baby harbor seals for lunch. That last one was a
> constant source of entertainment -- useful for baiting junior eco-weenies
> who didn't know any better.
>
I had the same problem growing up in Kentucky. I had a penpal once ask me
if I wore shoes.

> In SR terms: do you think that education and attitudes regarding "foreign"

> lands & cultures have become more global in perspective or more insular?
>
I'm more cynical, I'd say more insular. I would expect the UCAS and CAS
to know a lot about each other but other than that have relatively little
clue as to what was going on in the rest of the world. Residents of
Seattle visiting the UCAS/CAS would probably have a similar experience
that you described regarding being from Alaska.

I think it boils down to an issue of time. Most people are too busy doing
other things to pay attention to the news.

Drew Curtis, President, Digital Crescent, Incorporated
http://www.dcr.net (502) 226 3376 Internet and Software Design services.
Offering dial-up Access from Frankfort to Louisville and all points between.

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Thwap!