Only in America

[Viking Bastard]

High School.

Grade school seems pretty normal to what one would expect, but High School... just about everything about it, other than it being full of teens and teachers, seems alien to me. American colleges seem like what I'd expect from High School aged kids and there's never anything (on-screen) that resembles what I'd expect from an university.

It's like this High School institution got stuffed into the school system, shifting everything else about to accommodate it.

Go to the UK or the Netherlands, and it's different but still pretty recognizable.

 

[Ahnehnois]

See also New Orleans.

Agreed. New Orleans is very distinct.

Most like which bit of Europe?

Like the large cosmopolitan cities in Western Europe that most Americans think of when they think of Europe (to be fair, I was probably overgeneralizing).

Architecturally, DC looks very different than any other American city and has many European influences (not just our Greek-looking monuments, but say, Georgetown's famously gothic appearance). We also have small convoluted streets, and DC is one of the few areas where car ownership is not mandatory and where one sees the small vehicles that are the norm in, say, London. Unlike where other posters commented below about things being spread out, in DC everything is close together. For example, one night I went out walking and ran into the White House by accident.

Also, things are old. Not as old as Europe, but much older than most of the US, where our western parts were essentially uncivilized even 150 years ago or so, and even around our older cities many of the suburbs are post-WWII developments.

Culturally, we are very diverse. Unlike in many parts of the country, it's normal to see and hear many different languages on a daily basis. We're also more in tune with politics, world affairs, and our own military. We're highly educated and don't have the same aversion to knowledge that some people associate with Americans, which is good, but there's also a social stratification here that calls back to European royalty, which is bad.

We are also somewhat disenfranchised from the American political system (we do not have a representative in Congress), and so in some ways native Washingtonians feel like very informed outside observers of America, rather than a part of it. Which is, as I said, ironic, because American history and politics are centered right at our doorstep.

I make this contrast because I've spent about half my life inside of The District and the other half outside (but near) it, and the differences are quite profound.

 

[sabrinathecat]

One of the great ironies of the US is that people who live in Washington DC have no real direct representation in the Federal government, but have to pay taxes just the same. (Technically, DC is separate from any state, so they have no senators or members of congress).

A couple months ago, I had a thread up about teenagers and responsibility. I wonder if the way High School is now handled in the US (used to be very like European Colleges), has any effect on that. Graduating High School used to be an accomplishment. When I was there, all you needed was a pulse and moderate attendance. Grades didn't matter unless you were going to college. No, really. Grades didn't matter. You could fail every class, have a parent go in a bitch that it wasn't fair, and if necessary, the principal would change the grades. All the exchange students used to laugh about how easy the classes were, but how convoluted and petty the culture was.

 

[Scott DeWar]

... is it wrong that my first thought was "China Lake, Edwards or Vegas?"

No, it is not wrong at all. I was stationed pretty close to Edwards.

or Ft Irwin, 29 Palms, or Yermo.

A buddy and I visited 29 stumps to get some great camping equipment.

 

[pedr]

I can't say I've studied comparative education systems, but the US practice of relying almost entirely on teacher-awarded grades to judge student achievement is odd from a British perspective. While student performance lower down the school system is monitored mainly by teachers, the important judgements about qualifications are made by (or under supervision of) external bodies. 16 year olds sit externally set and marked exams to be awarded qualifications which reflect a national standard, and the same at 17 and 18. While teacher-marked work might contribute to those qualifications, the marking is moderated to ensure comparable marking standards. There's no concept of "graduating high school"; the question is what GCSEs and A-levels you passed, and with what grades.

 

[tomBitonti]

They get chartered by schools, too. Schools don't tend to own buses.

I think you're supposed to be careful all the time here.

No. Just different bus companies. Red's popular, but there are blue ones and green ones and stuff. Here's a blue one from a local bus company:

View attachment 60894

Anyone else pick up on the "Solent Blue Line" and think "Soylent Blue Line", then twig to Soylent Green? Maybe one should pause before boarding that line.

Thx!

TomB

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

While teacher-marked work might contribute to those qualifications, the marking is moderated to ensure comparable marking standards. There's no concept of "graduating high school"; the question is what GCSEs and A-levels you passed, and with what grades.

We have our own suite of statewide and national educational standards tests starting in grade schools and continuing into higher education: the SAT, ACT, GRE, Miller Analogies Test, LEAP, TAAS. The list goes on a bit.

 

[delericho]

Depending on how they're fried, I may also eat them with:

1) lemon juice with black pepper
2) malt vinegar- the Brits really did get that one right
3) chili & cheese
4) dipping them in a mix of 50% yellow mustard, 50% A-1 steak sauce, seasoned with black pepper & Tabasco to taste
5) dipping them in a vanilla milk shake- its a kind of salty-sweet combo that is culinary surprise (has to be a good shake, though).

Some good choices there. A Scottish speciality is curry sauce. Which is better than it may sound.

(As opposed to deep-fried Mars bar, which I can't recommend. )

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Culinary secret: a lot of things we eat are what I call "flavor delivery systems" (FDS). They are foods that, while they may have a distinct flavor, those flavors are often subtle enough to be overwhelmed by whatever seasonings or dips we choose to put on them.

French fries are a FDS. Well, potatoes in general, really. Ditto most rice, breads, yucca, grits/hominy, etc., all on my menu. As a result, I have gotten good at finding nifty sauces to dip things in.

Greek garlic spread is a killer.

However, a new one I've been doing is combining honey with Chinese hot oil. Actually, one hot oil in particular. A local place adds pan-seared garlic and ginger to the chilis in their hot oil, and when diluted in another sauce- like honey- those other flavors bloom.

So now I'm trying to learn how to make Chinese hot oil...

 

[Scott DeWar]

Anyone else pick up on the "Solent Blue Line" and think "Soylent Blue Line", then twig to Soylent Green? Maybe one should pause before boarding that line.

Thx!

TomB

I did think that, But remained silent in hope no one would catch our company's, soylant produce, faux pas.