Seat Pocket Surprise

[prozac]

As tuberculosis is air borne and can be spread by people speaking, you can't claim that one is caused by differences in manners I'm afraid - Tuberculosis (TB) Transmission

That is an empty argument. Indeed TB can be spread by talking, singing etc. but more commonly accepted it is spread by coughing, sneezing and spitting.

I was not passing a judgement on any culture or race, merely stating a statistical fact that you asked for. Get off your high horse, you have made your point already. If you want to bring an argument onto the board then pm someone instead. Otherwise keep it nice.

 

[JohnK]

I'm not trying to lecture you on manners, I'm trying to lecture you on making racist remarks on a message board.

It is not a racist remark. Stop playing the racist and sexist card every opportunity.

Despite your opinion, that doesn't make me right and them wrong. One set of manners is not superior to another - they are just different. Your comment was racist because you see yourself as superior to people from other cultures. You're not.

I do not consider myself superior to anyone.

I am not rude and I do consider myself considerate. Sadly I cannot say the same for those I encounter on my travels and if I see something that does make sense or is disgusting I don't tolerate it.

I have experienced it 100s of times. My fiancee experienced it on numerous occasions on recent trip to Hong Kong and she is Thai. She said never again. She asked me about Singapore because she is concerned.

Open your eyes and stop justifying filthy, disgusting manners.

 

[boomy]

I have experienced it 100s of times. My fiancee experienced it on numerous occasions on recent trip to Hong Kong and she is Thai. She said never again. She asked me about Singapore because she is concerned.

Open your eyes and stop justifying filthy, disgusting manners.

Regarding culture and manners, the Chinese culture is more rich and complex then western but in a big city you can find all kinds of people, some have better manners then others, especially in Hong Kong where you can find a lot of immigrants from rural parts of China.
Same rule applies for Bangkok. Last time I was there I took a walk from my hotel to Siam Centre and saw some disgusting things on the way which reflect on the manners of some locals, not on the Thai culture.
I suggest next time you take you fiancée to Japan, I think the manners of the locals there will exceed her expectations.

 

[Rebekkap]

It is not a racist remark. Stop playing the racist and sexist card every opportunity.


I do not consider myself superior to anyone.

I am not rude and I do consider myself considerate. Sadly I cannot say the same for those I encounter on my travels and if I see something that does make sense or is disgusting I don't tolerate it.

I have experienced it 100s of times. My fiancee experienced it on numerous occasions on recent trip to Hong Kong and she is Thai. She said never again. She asked me about Singapore because she is concerned.

Open your eyes and stop justifying filthy, disgusting manners.

So you think people from all non-Western cultures have "filthy, disgusting manners", and you honestly can't see how that comes across as racist? That's fairly unperceptive of you.

If I see racism or sexism I will call it. I'm not "playing a card", as you so rudely put it. I don't believe in ignoring bigoted behaviour or attitudes - as a great man once said, "the standard you walk past is the standard you accept".

If you went back and looked at all my posts in the four years or so I've been a member here, you'd see very, very few of my posts have been about racism or sexism - my guess is you just don't like hearing it; that doesn't mean I'm doing it "at every opportunity", even if that's your perception.

 

[Pushka]

I understand that Westerners consumption of milk products makes us smell vile to non consumers. Or is that an urban myth?

 

[Rebekkap]

That is an empty argument. Indeed TB can be spread by talking, singing etc. but more commonly accepted it is spread by coughing, sneezing and spitting.

I was not passing a judgement on any culture or race, merely stating a statistical fact that you asked for. Get off your high horse, you have made your point already. If you want to bring an argument onto the board then pm someone instead. Otherwise keep it nice.

Actually, you've stated your opinion. If tuberculosis is spread more by people spitting than by other vectors, post a link with evidence of that.

I didn't realise you were a moderator on this board?

 

[JohnK]

I understand that Westerners consumption of milk products makes us smell vile to non consumers. Or is that an urban myth?

Urban myth. Now garlic is a totally different story.

 

[Quickstatus]

Urban myth. Now garlic is a totally different story.

Garlic is perfume compared with durian

 

[eminere]

Garlic is perfume compared with durian

Beauty is in the nose of the beholder.

 

[Quickstatus]

Getting back to Seat pocket.

Seems like its a FAA regulation that nothing can be stored in airline seat pocket except for the information cards and a small amount of airline magazines

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/business/25road.html?_r=3&ref=travel

 

[prozac]

Actually, you've stated your opinion. If tuberculosis is spread more by people spitting than by other vectors, post a link with evidence of that.

I didn't realise you were a moderator on this board?

I am not going to justify that with an answer. You are as capable of looking it up as I am in giving you a link. If you are unaware of the re-emergence of TB in Australia the past 2 decades then you could look that up as well. Now you stated I made racist remarks and I reject your accusation. My words speak for themselves.

And no I am not a moderator. As a board user I am entitled to express my opinion you are poking this and deliberately putting words into poster's mouths. You have said your piece and should be satisfied with that. Time to give it a rest

 

[hossein_au]

And bad manners by spitting all over the place as people from some countries do, nothing to do with culture just filthy habits.

TB is far worse in some countries than others so I do indeed claim manners make a difference.

Matt

TB has been eradicated in many non-western countries as well (in Iran, for example, since the 70's). I agree there are diseases that are helped by filthy habits, but that's not the point. It is the self-righteousness of some that is being pointed out here, not justifying habits of this culture or that culture.

 

[JohnK]

So you think people from all non-Western cultures have "filthy, disgusting manners", and you honestly can't see how that comes across as racist? That's fairly unperceptive of you.

I never said that.

Westerners can be just as bad. e.g. scratching groin in public.

If I see racism or sexism I will call it. I'm not "playing a card", as you so rudely put it. I don't believe in ignoring bigoted behaviour or attitudes - as a great man once said, "the standard you walk past is the standard you accept".

What you are saying is I am not allowed to say anything even remotely related to race/culture or you'll label me a racist. That's wrong.

Indian food stinks. Fact. Maybe not all Indian food but it is not a racist remark.

Stayed at the Eastiny Inn in Pattaya last New Years Eve as all hotels were fully booked out. Played golf and attended the party at golf bar and let's just say by about 9:00pm I was sloshed. Go and collect our bags and go to check-in and then to our room. The curry stench in the room was overpowering. We went out to balcony to wait for fireworks but luckily for me I crashed at 11:00pm. Woke up the next day and the stench was still there. Needless to say we had breakfast and spent the rest of the morning at the beach. My fiancee said never again. Again.

What went on in that room before us and why? Cooking? What should I do? Accept it? I had to. No choice. Full hotel.

Do you think the rooms at a Hilton or Intercontinental would be like that? Why? I would say the same thing if someone wad cooking and eating garlic in the room 3 times a day everyday.

It doesn't make me a racist person. I am a sensitive person and I try not to bother others.

 

[Virgin Bart]

I never said that.

...

It doesn't make me a racist person. I am a sensitive person and I try not to bother others.

Honestly mate don't feel like you have to defend yourself. People that play the racism card immediately are extremely irritating and normally incorrect, but I'm sure it gives them a sense of satisfaction.

Let's leave it.

 

[Quickstatus]

I never said that.

Westerners can be just as bad. e.g. scratching groin in public.


What you are saying is I am not allowed to say anything even remotely related to race/culture or you'll label me a racist. That's wrong.

Indian food stinks. Fact. Maybe not all Indian food but it is not a racist remark.

Stayed at the Eastiny Inn in Pattaya last New Years Eve as all hotels were fully booked out. Played golf and attended the party at golf bar and let's just say by about 9:00pm I was sloshed. Go and collect our bags and go to check-in and then to our room. The curry stench in the room was overpowering. We went out to balcony to wait for fireworks but luckily for me I crashed at 11:00pm. Woke up the next day and the stench was still there. Needless to say we had breakfast and spent the rest of the morning at the beach. My fiancee said never again. Again.

What went on in that room before us and why? Cooking? What should I do? Accept it? I had to. No choice. Full hotel.

Do you think the rooms at a Hilton or Intercontinental would be like that? Why? I would say the same thing if someone wad cooking and eating garlic in the room 3 times a day everyday.

It doesn't make me a racist person. I am a sensitive person and I try not to bother others.

At least they cooked in their hotel room.

i had an experience when curry pots were cooking in the foyer of the Perisher Manor hotel (which is a ski in ski out hotel in Perisher ski resort- I can't afford to stay there). during lunch time.
Luckily the front manager evicted them. The foyer is a very large area and people usually sat there eating their lunch and maybe the family thought they could set up there. Looked like they had small portable gas burners...... But the aroma was strong.

Durian is banned in hotels all over Asia because the smell will percolate from one room to the whole hotel very quickly.

 

[Rebekkap]

I am not going to justify that with an answer. You are as capable of looking it up as I am in giving you a link. If you are unaware of the re-emergence of TB in Australia the past 2 decades then you could look that up as well. Now you stated I made racist remarks and I reject your accusation. My words speak for themselves.

And no I am not a moderator. As a board user I am entitled to express my opinion you are poking this and deliberately putting words into poster's mouths. You have said your piece and should be satisfied with that. Time to give it a rest

I did look it up - apparently the resurgence is due to the disease developing drug resistance, not to a decline in manners due to foreigners. Who would have thought, eh?

If you're not a moderator, why do you think it's ok to tell people they should not be posting? Others are still discussing this, why should I not be, exactly?

 

[Rebekkap]

I never said that.

You fairly strongly implied that non-western cultures don't have manners in your comment "manners are a western tradition". So no, you didn't use those exact words, but I was paraphrasing what you said.

What you are saying is I am not allowed to say anything even remotely related to race/culture or you'll label me a racist. That's wrong.

That's not at all what I'm saying. I said if you say something racist, not if you say anything at all about other cultures. Cultures can be a very interesting topic of discussion - it may have escaped your notice, but other cultures get discussed all the time on this forum - which is after all about travel, something which frequently brings people into contact with people from other cultures, and generally speaking no one says racist things and (despite your previous assertion) I don't call their comments racist.

Indian food stinks. Fact. Maybe not all Indian food but it is not a racist remark.

A lot of Indian food does have a strong smell, yes. I wouldn't call that a racist remark either. As I said, and as you said, not everything said about another culture is racist. Saying (or implying) that other cultures don't have manners is though.

 

[prozac]

I did look it up - apparently the resurgence is due to the disease developing drug resistance, not to a decline in manners due to foreigners. Who would have thought, eh?

If you're not a moderator, why do you think it's ok to tell people they should not be posting? Others are still discussing this, why should I not be, exactly?

You are busting for a fight with everyone. Who are you, Julia Gillard? I never once mentioned in any of my posts race, manners, or habits of any culture or people. You posed a question to the board and I gave you one example which is a fact. You are now choosing to twist that answer into some crusade.
Why should you not be discussing this? Because you are choosing to selectively quote other posters in order to fulfil some obscure agenda.

I will not be not be answering any more of your accusatory toned posts. You're simply not worth it.

 

[hossein_au]

I am not going to justify that with an answer. You are as capable of looking it up as I am in giving you a link. If you are unaware of the re-emergence of TB in Australia the past 2 decades then you could look that up as well. Now you stated I made racist remarks and I reject your accusation. My words speak for themselves.

Sorry if as a non-westerner I don't have any manners, but one would have thought logically the burden of proof is on the person making the claim!

Having said that, as a scientist, I can assure you that if you make a universal claim, you better make damn sure you're able to proof it beyond reasonable doubt, or else your credibility is at risk. That is why scientists are extremely careful making general, universal, claims. Even widely-accepted ideas, such as the theory of relativity by Albert Einstein, are merely called "theory" not a claim to a fact. To disproof a "fact", one needs just one case against the claim. Therefore, if "one" case against your claim of fact is proved, your "fact" is down the tube... But I am digressing... maybe it is my lack of manners kicking in (again!)...

 

[Virgin Bart]

Sorry if as a non-westerner I don't have any manners, but one would have thought logically the burden of proof is on the person making the claim!

Having said that, as a scientist, I can assure you that if you make a universal claim, you better make damn sure you're able to proof it beyond reasonable doubt, or else your credibility is at risk. That is why scientists are extremely careful making general, universal, claims. Even widely-accepted ideas, such as the theory of relativity by Albert Einstein, are merely called "theory" not a claim to a fact. To disproof a "fact", one needs just one case against the claim... But I am digressing... maybe it is my lack of manners kicking in (again!)...

I didn't want to get involved (again).. As an engineer I agree with what you said about backing up claims.. But, AFF forum is not about ensuring referenced and 100% accurate statements, that's the beauty of being on forums IMO. No one wants to be on a forum which is cough about this kind of thing.

*not meaning to sound rude or anything, but that'll be my last post on this thread, I'm finding some people here quite irritating (not yourself, hossein_au)*