Hmm. Though arguing may seem to be the thing to do, it is actually quite counter-productive. The goal isn't getting any closer this way, and this is actually just making things even more complicated than they need to be.

It seems to me that when I'm offended, things only get worse when I loose my cool, and I don't think that the results are getting any better with you guys in the same situation. Furthermore, it is also no help to make quick judgements against people (and then blurt them out). First off, in such a case, you who are making such judgements are basing your assumptions, (in most cases), on an insuficient amount of evidence to support your case (and then in many cases, filling the rest of the gaps in with more assumptions).

I dunno if anyone here is hearing this (and understanding what I'm saying). But what I mean is, "quit bickering".

I was slightly offended by the "Americans are lazy" comment. And I'm sure that there were many who were offended by the comments about Western Europe being small. In both cases, I believe the accusers made uneducated statements. I apologize if I have typed something false.

And finally, traveling can be expensive over here. A round trip from Eugene, Oregon to a neighboring state could cost ... well... the price varries according to distance and the time of year, but it can be around 100 dollars, or it could be around 70 dollars, and stuff like that. Going by plane is rediculously more expensive (more than I care to pay). Then there's the issue of finding a place to stay, and taking into consideration food and a possible admitance fee (if the meeting place is a theme park). And with other expenses, the whole occasion could cost over a couple hundred dollars, and that is just a trip to a neighboring state.