What is the best country to visit in Europe?

In article ,
Paolo Pizzi wrote:

I read international news, you probably get all your news from
Limbaugh and Faux News. It's not a matter of arrogance but
one of lack of information.

It's true, you lack any information about my sources of news.
Doesn't stop you from making inferences, does it?

Vitaly Shmatikov wrote:

In article 1gbyz2k.1m8o7761e6g9j6N%this_address_is_for_spam@ yahoo.co.uk,
David Horne wrote:

Ever noticed that the
best French orchestras (like Orchestre National de Lyon) are directed
by Americans?

Oh, I wouldn't play _that_ particular card. The principle US orchestras
are _rarely_ directed by Americans- indeed, usually the exception, not
the rule.

True. But they aren't directed by the French

Lorin Maazel (NYP) was born in Paris though!

David

--
David Horne- www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

Vitaly Shmatikov wrote:

What a joke. The US is a dynamic, diverse country

Yeah, too bad "diverse" people don't get much political
and economic power over here, even when they make
half of a state...

which has the entire range of culture from the best
classical orchestras in the world

Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha the "best" orchestras in
the world are so pathetically underfunded their only way
to survive is to kiss ass to the rich and ignorant corporate
pigs, who force them to play country songs instead of
Brahms... The best orchestras are in Europe, where
GOVERNMENTS fund them and they play a much
larger repertoire, from Renaissance music to Berio and
Ligeti, not the just the "classical hit parade" and Bubba
Oil's favorites...

France has been culturally dead since WWI.

Yeah sure, is that why the vast majority of America's
leading artists and intellectuals were living in PARIS
in the 20's? You really don't know what you're talking
about. Please leave culture and intellectual matters to
those who don't share your right-wing ideals. You have
to dedicate your life to endless greed and the exploitation
of the poor, like every good neocon...

Even French art museums are inferior

Yeah right. Where exactly is in America something as big
and rich in EVERY culture from Egyptian treasures to
contemporary art as the Louvre?

ever wondered why the Barnes Collection has more Cezannes than
d'Orsay, and how come _Les Demoiselles d'Avignon_ is in MOMA? Ever
noticed that the best French orchestras (like Orchestre National de
Lyon) are directed by Americans?

Ever noticed that the almost all American orchestras are conducted
by foreigners?

Why do you think French kids parrot American fashions?

Because they are KIDS? Let them grow up and they will develop
a healthy distaste for corporate greed and the crap produced in
the US...

I'll take *Houston* over any provincial French city as far as
vitality is concerned any day of the week, and twice on Sunday.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah ahahaha

Your obsessive America-bashing is so predictable, Sjoerd, it's not
even funny anymore.

Your pathetic love for America is pretty ridiculous, especially for
a person that the average right-wing American would immediately
label as a "commie" just because he happens to have a Russian
name... You are as ridiculous as Condy Rice, a person considered
by 75% of blacks "an embarrassment to the African-American
culture."

In article ,
(Vitaly Shmatikov) wrote:

It all depends on your reference point. Comparing with Molvania
or Canada or some such, yeah, I suppose in France one can find
edible food every now and then, a bit of landscape here and there,
and, provided one is willing to plunk down $100 or more, good wine.
But comparing with the U.S., Latin America, most of Asia, or, hell,
even Spain, France is not in the running on any of these counts.

Most of the food in ordinary restaurants in the US is quite, quite
execrable - though not as bad as the average English pub.

In article ,
bzbzb (zbzbzb) wrote:

Aah. So not a fan of good food, a good climate, good wine, the right way
to
live, lovely countryside and their Government being right about the Iraq
war, eh?

I'm sure Idaho has even more. But I wouldn't go there to eat.



Have you ever been there?

Yup.

I also lived in the US for five years. The words "desert" and "culinary"
spring to mind.

Vitaly Shmatikov wrote:

Human Development Index is bunk. It measures ``gender
empowerment,'' community activities, income equality, and
similar nonsense.

Right, they should measure "corporate greed", "corporate rape",
"gender inequality", "alienation", "highest firearm murder rate
of any western nation" and other niceties typical of the US. In
that case there is no doubt that the US would rank first...

Ideal societies are *un*equal because people are unequal.
Some are smarter and better than others, and deserve a
much better quality of life.

Well, that is if you are a racist... People *are* equal, they just
don't get the same kind of opportunities.

Typical arrogant European's comment. Try to get out more, Sjoerd,
and start traveling, preferably with your eyes open. The difference
between Alabama and San Francisco, or between Boston and Alaska is
an order of magnitude greater than, say, between Portugal and
Finland, in just about every respect except language.

Too bad Portugal is a much nicer place than both Alabama and
Alaska, fertile ground for right-wing racists like you...

Paolo Pizzi wrote:

David Horne wrote:

Vitaly Shmatikov wrote:

Ever noticed that the
best French orchestras (like Orchestre National de Lyon) are
directed by Americans?

Oh, I wouldn't play _that_ particular card. The principle US
orchestras are _rarely_ directed by Americans- indeed, usually the
exception, not the rule.

Not to mention that classical music schools in the US are
crammed with foreigners, students *and* faculty (well
over 50%.)

In what way is that a bad thing? The reason they are so popular is
because they're among the world's finest. I've got something of an
interest in this- I did my bachelor's degree at the Curtis Institute.

The average American is definitely not interested
in classical music.

Unfortunately, nor is the average anyone.

Classical music in America is sponsored by
rich corporate morons who know very little about music, just
look at the ridiculously limited repertoire, basically all American
orchestras play is a "classical hit parade" (when they don't have
to play "happy birthday to you" for the ignorant CEO who sponsors
the whole thing...)

I think you've got a limited view of the arts in the rest of the world
if that's your impression. The top US orchestras are among the world's
finest. Sure, there are average orchestras playing uninteresting
programmes- you get that anywhere.

David

--
David Horne- www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

Vitaly Shmatikov wrote:
In article ,
Paolo Pizzi wrote:

I read international news, you probably get all your news from
Limbaugh and Faux News. It's not a matter of arrogance but
one of lack of information.

It's true, you lack any information about my sources of news.

It's quite clear WHERE you get your disinformation...

In article ,
Paolo Pizzi wrote:

Yeah, too bad "diverse" people don't get much political
and economic power over here, even when they make
half of a state...

Boy, does this sound familiar. Lessee...
...does not understand US politics...

Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha the "best" orchestras in
the world are so pathetically underfunded their only way
to survive is to kiss ass to the rich and ignorant corporate
pigs, who force them to play country songs instead of
Brahms...

...hasn't been to a symphony in the US...

The best orchestras are in Europe, where
GOVERNMENTS fund them and they play a much
larger repertoire, from Renaissance music to Berio and
Ligeti, not the just the "classical hit parade" and Bubba
Oil's favorites...

...not even familiar with their repertoire...

Yeah sure, is that why the vast majority of America's
leading artists and intellectuals were living in PARIS
in the 20's?

...mistakes American artists and intellectuals for French ones...

Yeah right. Where exactly is in America something as big
and rich in EVERY culture from Egyptian treasures to
contemporary art as the Louvre?

...has not been to the Met...

Ever noticed that the almost all American orchestras are conducted
by foreigners?

...*definitely* hasn't been to a symphony in the US...

Because they are KIDS? Let them grow up and they will develop
a healthy distaste for corporate greed and the crap produced in
the US...

...hasn't been paying attention to cultural trends in Europe...

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahaha

...unable to maintain a coherent conversation...

Your pathetic love for America is pretty ridiculous

...resorts to crude insults when at a loss for an argument...

You are as ridiculous as Condy Rice, a person considered
by 75% of blacks "an embarrassment to the African-American
culture."

...and does not understand the first thing about Condy Rice.

Wow, quite impressive. Are you sure you are not Sjoerd's alter ego?
The style and general attitude remind me more of **** #1, though.
Are you fond of plonking?

David Horne wrote:

Not to mention that classical music schools in the US are
crammed with foreigners, students *and* faculty (well
over 50%.)

In what way is that a bad thing?

Never said it was bad, just that Americans don't particularly
care about classical music schools...

The reason they are so popular is because they're among the
world's finest.

True, but America has very little to do with it, except for trying
to make a buck out of foreign teachers and foreign students...

The average American is definitely not interested
in classical music.

Unfortunately, nor is the average anyone.

Classical music in Europe is WAY more popular, not to mention
in Asia...

Classical music in America is sponsored by
rich corporate morons who know very little about music, just
look at the ridiculously limited repertoire, basically all American
orchestras play is a "classical hit parade" (when they don't have
to play "happy birthday to you" for the ignorant CEO who sponsors
the whole thing...)

I think you've got a limited view of the arts in the rest of the world
if that's your impression.

Really? I was born in Europe, educated in the US, married an Asian
woman and I travel through three continents every year...

The top US orchestras are among the world's finest.

Same story: most of the players are foreigners (typically Asian)
and almost all conductors. Once again, the only role America
plays is collecting the money and paying for the auditorium to
be named after an oil company...

Sure, there are average orchestras playing uninteresting
programmes- you get that anywhere.

Yeah right, is that why so little contemporary music is played
in America as opposed to Europe and Japan?