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Guam: The America that Americans forget

nytimes.com

171–180 of 555 posts

Re: Guam: The America that Americans forget

#171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

American actions post world war II and post cold war are founded from the experience post-world War I, when USA left Europe to fend for itself, defend itself, and rebuild itself it resulted in a much worse outcome for the world. We tried again after World War II, but after it became clear that Europe would be ripped apart by their internal issues after World War II, and stalin would exploit that to continue to drive…

USA keeping "peace" using Japan as example is detached from reality. The entire reason PRC (and TW and both Korea's and RU via USSR) has DISPUTED maritime borders and territorial claims with Japan (read: not Japanese territory / water) is because USA deliberately kept post war East Asian order unresolved post WW2. There's a reason Japan, the loser of the war, has maritime / territorial disputes with EVERY one of her…

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Re: Guam: The America that Americans forget

#172
post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Flight costs are a pain, and the flight durations are nothing to sneeze at either. I live out in Guam (my wife is stationed here with the Navy) and the two most common ways to get back to the mainland are via Tokyo (Narita) and Honolulu. I would definitely encourage visiting if you have the means! I find there are two types of people here: those who feel limited by the island and its infrastructure (no Target, no Sta…

I thought about retiring in Guam someday since Medicare would actually work there. But I can’t imagine it is much nicer than Bali or some parts of Thailand I’m also thinking about (if my health is good 20 years later), and it’s definitely more expensive than.

Bali is a victim of it's success unfortunately.

Re: Guam: The America that Americans forget

#173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am making that point regarding USA != America. America is a continent, not a country and Guam is not part of it despite being part of the USA. It would be like saying that Bora-Bora or New Caledonia were in Europe. Well no, they are part of France and the European Union, but not Europe. The America/USA ambiguation is very annoying to hear or even considered rude/insulting for most america inhabitants outside of the…

I'm well aware of it's political decisiveness in LATAM, but it's pretty clear the context here is the colloquial usage in English; despite your personal feelings.

Well, US people are prompt to point finger at the rest of the world and tell them how they should treat/call other peoples in order to not hurt them, so I think it is valid from non US people to tell US people to also fix their colloquial usage if it is rude towards other nations. Also colloquial doesn't mean universal.

You know, putting your own house in order and stuff like that.

Re: Guam: The America that Americans forget

#174
post #25

The article touches a little on flight costs, but as someone who'd love to visit sometime and never has, it annoys me how flights to Guam work. Given its location most airlines don't fly direct from the mainland, so many flights to Guam are from Asia. But, you can't buy a ticket from the US with a layover in Japan from JAL or with a layover in Korea from Korean Air because any flight with a US origin to a US destinat…

I wish we'd get rid of this rule entirely. Just seems like naked protectionism, no? If a non-US carrier abides by local regulations, I don't see an issue with letting them run domestic flights.

In the past you could have made an argument about foreign airlines not being held to FAA standards.

But today, FAA knows exactly which jurisdictions regulate airlines to a comparable standard and which don’t. Denying cabotage and other higher rights to those airlines is 100%, as you say, naked protectionism.

Re: Guam: The America that Americans forget

#175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You make it sound like that's a US-specific rule, but there's an equivalent rule in basically every country (with some exceptions, the main one being between EU member states).

Two wrongs don't make a right?

No, but they often add up to a stable Nash equilibrium.

Re: Guam: The America that Americans forget

#176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm well aware of it's political decisiveness in LATAM, but it's pretty clear the context here is the colloquial usage in English; despite your personal feelings.

Well, US people are prompt to point finger at the rest of the world and tell them how they should treat/call other peoples in order to not hurt them, so I think it is valid from non US people to tell US people to also fix their colloquial usage if it is rude towards other nations. Also colloquial doesn't mean universal. You know, putting your own house in order and stuff like that.

The colloquial usage is far greater than the US. Go watch some German, Dutch, British, Australian, French, etc media and then come back and talk.

Your umbrage at the word is your problem and your insecurity. Americans are quite aware of the difference between America and America, and it's pretty clear in context. As a Spanish speaker, it's also obvious in 99% of contexts in Spanish. So there's nothing to fix beyond your feelings, which affects no one but yourself.

Re: Guam: The America that Americans forget

#177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish we'd get rid of this rule entirely. Just seems like naked protectionism, no? If a non-US carrier abides by local regulations, I don't see an issue with letting them run domestic flights.

It's better than that. Those are IATA rules, and IATA has been functioning as a cartel more or less since it has been founded..

They‘re actually defined by ICAO, a UN agency with states as members. And the actual restrictions are of course a matter of domestic legislation stemming out countries sovereignty over their airspace. These restrictions largely don‘t exist among European Union member states and between Australia and New Zealand.

IATAs cartel like behavior was due to them regulating airline prices and services. This started at a time when governments where still regulating domestic prices thinking that competition on price or service would lead to cutting corners on safety.

Re: Guam: The America that Americans forget

#178
post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> those who feel limited by the island and its infrastructure (no Target, no Starbucks, etc.) I hate those people. I live in a city of 1.5 million (there's everything here), and it's a constant background radiation talking point for a significant number of my highschool friends: how unfortunate they are that they don't live in the nearby city of 15 million. IME this constant moping has everything to do with the amoun…

I mean some like hyperdense megacities and everything that comes with it bleeding edge/underground scene for X, 24 hours life, close proximity to people. It's completely alien to me as well but why look down on people liking different things?

It's interesting. I live in London UK, which some might think of as a megacity - though when I look at the biggest cities in the orient (Singapore, Shenzhen etc) London feels like Hobbiton in comparison. I suppose what you're used to becomes your "zero line", and one inevitably assesses other places relative to that.

Re: Guam: The America that Americans forget

#179
post #54
post #25

The article touches a little on flight costs, but as someone who'd love to visit sometime and never has, it annoys me how flights to Guam work. Given its location most airlines don't fly direct from the mainland, so many flights to Guam are from Asia. But, you can't buy a ticket from the US with a layover in Japan from JAL or with a layover in Korea from Korean Air because any flight with a US origin to a US destinat…

Flight costs are a pain, and the flight durations are nothing to sneeze at either. I live out in Guam (my wife is stationed here with the Navy) and the two most common ways to get back to the mainland are via Tokyo (Narita) and Honolulu. I would definitely encourage visiting if you have the means! I find there are two types of people here: those who feel limited by the island and its infrastructure (no Target, no Sta…

No Target, but there's a very good Kmart! Plus, anyone with a military connection has access to the exchanges, which are effectively tax-free Targets.

Most of the domestic tourists I saw around Guam (I was stationed there for a stretch) were divers. I don't know that I'd recommend it for the average non-diving traveler over cheaper-to-get-to alternatives unless it's someone who's specifically looking for the remote character of Guam (and in that case, there are less developed islands that can be gotten to more cheaply).

Re: Guam: The America that Americans forget

#180
post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> those who feel limited by the island and its infrastructure (no Target, no Starbucks, etc.) I hate those people. I live in a city of 1.5 million (there's everything here), and it's a constant background radiation talking point for a significant number of my highschool friends: how unfortunate they are that they don't live in the nearby city of 15 million. IME this constant moping has everything to do with the amoun…

I've visited Charleston and Huntington, WV. I went to all the 'hippy' spots (the only festival in the area, the farmer's market, bar with gigs, a museum on the outskirts). US 50k cities have less infrastructures and cultural events than 10k cities in my country to be honest, i can quite understand your peers (you also have really good small towns like Fayetteville, WV, if you like outdoorsy stuff and physical activit…

Picking metro areas in a state that has suffered prolonged economic malaise is a bizarre way to make conclusions about the amenities of a typical U.S. midsized city.
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