From: Dehede011@aol.com
Date: Thu Nov 21 2002 - 18:12:52 MST
In a message dated 11/21/2002 5:04:59 PM Central Standard Time,
amara@amara.com writes: There exist on this planet almost 200 independent
states (i.e. countries)
http://www.state.gov/www/regions/independent_states.html
Amara,
Thank you for the geography lesson but it doesn't get to the point. I
believe Max was from Denmark so let me take that country as an example of the
problem that exists with each of those 200 independent states.
I am given to understand that my family left Denmark to go Viking in
about the year 1000 AD. With that fact and a couple of other facts that
predispose me to notice incoming information about Denmark. I do pay
attention to what I read or hear about that country.
Yet despite reading widely and being a bit of a news junky I doubt an
average of one news article a month comes to my attention. Now I could put
my life on hold, take a year to acquaint myself with Denmark, spend that
year's vacation in Denmark, read widely on the country, look up the various
friends from my past that were from Denmark, see if the country is available
on my short wave radio and at the end of the year I would have a beginning
grasp of what Denmark is all about. At the beginning of the next year I
would have only 199 independent states to go. But my knowledge of Denmark
would still be very limited and aging rapidly. Even after that I wouldn't
insult the Danish by saying I "know" their country.
As to taking Max's word for anything about Denmark. I am sure he is
intelligent, educated and well intentioned. But any of his opinions about
social conditions in Denmark are just that -- one well intentioned person's
opinion. I take those as data points not as summaries.
Amara, I worked as a political worker in this last campaign and yet
the result came as a surprise to me. Well, it would have been a surprise
except that I have been surprised off and on by political campaigns for the
past forty years -- I was prepared. <G>
I am sorry you seem to regard me as an "Ugly American" but I think you
have it wrong -- I am just one man that knows his limitations. I ask
everyone, do you know yours?
Ron h.
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