oranges are exotic as durians, if you're in, say, Nebraska in 18-whatever.
The first time I read the Little House books, I remember being so freaked out at the idea of only having two oranges total before your 15th birthday and remembering eating both of them so clearly. It's interesting to see how much more "civilized" their South Dakota town became between the Long Winter and her marriage, because Almanzo's announcement of bringing Christmas oranges wasn't viewed as all that big of a deal (a nice present, but nothing that they hadn't had before). Of course, being on the grassland prairie, Christmas trees were also in rare supply--the town tree was a big event, and something that Laura's youngest sister hadn't seen before the last book.
Mmm. I have oranges right now! I should go eat one. My big Christmas tragedy is that in moving to Arizona, I have deprived myself of my traditional shipment of giant Texas ruby-red grapefruit from Zeyes' (sp?), because they can't ship here. It is traumatic.
Yay, plastic sushi!
About TAR:Not having anyone to root for happened to me once the Cho Bros were gone.I thought I'd try to cheer forBama, but I just couldn't. Everyone annoys me. So I guess it's Addiction, Bama, Dysfunctional for me. Loved that the blondes lost legitimately, too, because their gameplay irritates me to no end. I wish so much of the strategy didn't rest on totally inconveniencing random locals.
I just think in general, this show is reinforcing negative American stereotypes worldwide, what with all the shouting and public scenes and running around and not looking at or appreciating the local people, culture, or environment.
WHA? I just got a spam email with the subject line: My answer is floppier than Gumby in a microwave.
TAR: I wish that the producers would set a rule stating that
racers can't use a local as guide without paying them, as they do the taxis who lead them to locations. That would most likely cut down on the amount of shanghai-ing involved.
y'all made me eat an orange.
(TAR) What's the objection to
using locals as guides? Everyone has equal opportunity to ask people for help, and the locals certainly aren't being forced into anything. (And since many people do say no, or bail once they've gotten the first free ride, I don't really follow the logic that the racers are unfairly "inconveniencing" anyone. The people who don't have time to spend all day following tourists around aren't the ones agreeing to help.)
TAR: I don't know. I just think it depends on cultural standards, I suppose, how obligated the person in question feels about helping out a desperate-seeming (albeit with full crew & camera) stranger. Do the producers take them back to where they were or want to be? I know it's their choice to go along for the ride, but it just seems so brusque and somehow indifferent to that person & their day. I'm sure they just think it's fun and odd and whatever, but it just seems off to me, somehow.
AWESOME.
Strangely enough, it was not a spam message about Viagra.
(albeit with full crew & camera)
S and I have talked about this re TAR before -- That it's not just racers asking a local for assistance, but racers and their HOLLYWOOD CAMERA CREW!
We feel this is particularly advantageous when racers are trying to talk airport personel into getting them on to planes that are supposedly full or have their doors closed for departure already.
