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Thoughts On My Vacation (Its A Necessity Not A Luxury Alert)
Townhall.com ^ | 01/16/2007 | Dennis Prager

Posted on 01/15/2007 10:23:01 PM PST by goldstategop

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Dennis Prager has travelled extensively in his lifetime. There is a case to be made that one can learn more about the world by going where one has never been and one can learn more about life vacationing than by going to college. Above all vacations are a necessity rather than a luxury. They both recharge you and they change your outlook. You always come back home a changed person.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

1 posted on 01/15/2007 10:23:06 PM PST by goldstategop
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To: goldstategop
"Ivy League graduate school"

How can you tell that a person went to an Ivy league school? Wait 15 minutes, and they will tell you.

2 posted on 01/15/2007 10:28:39 PM PST by Rudder
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To: Rudder
As Dennis points out, for the Left, feelings count for more than reasoned thought. You have to search long and hard to find a liberal who goes beyond a bumper sticker thought on the issues of the day.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

3 posted on 01/15/2007 10:32:40 PM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: goldstategop
Visited States

Visited Countries

4 posted on 01/15/2007 10:36:40 PM PST by Paleo Conservative
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To: Paleo Conservative
So you're a globetrotter, eh? Congrat!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

5 posted on 01/15/2007 10:38:52 PM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: goldstategop
Travel -- especially when done alone -- can confer much more wisdom than college.

This doesn't say much for travel, LOL.

6 posted on 01/15/2007 10:42:51 PM PST by donna
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To: goldstategop
Thanks GoldState, good post. I agree with Prager about travel (and vacations being a necessity, even if it's just low-budge camping). Having spent my 17th summer in Central America was a tremendous education. I came home sooOOOoooo grateful for how good I had it here in the U.S., on so many levels, and realized how materially wealthy I actually was. Prior to my trip I was only aware of my family's relative financial poverty in that teen-aged "everyone else has XYZ" perspective.

I gotta save up so I can get my first cruise on!
7 posted on 01/16/2007 1:10:25 AM PST by MonicaG (In hoc signo vinces)
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To: goldstategop
I'm sure visiting New Guinea is a hoot now that they've given up that "eating the tourists" thingy. Much truth to this article. Thanks.
8 posted on 01/16/2007 1:16:22 AM PST by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: goldstategop

So when is Dennis Prager paying for my vacation?

(sound of crickets ...)

It sounds like he's an advocate of "adultescence" - I was married and had a child at the age when he suggests people should take a year off for travel (who's paying, again, honey?) and THEN college, grad school, blahblahblah.

Oh, well, somebody has to do the work ...


9 posted on 01/16/2007 2:22:58 AM PST by Tax-chick ("I don't know you, but I love who you seem to be.")
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To: Tax-chick

Prager isn't paying for his own, LOL. Get 75 folks to sign up for a tour, and you'll get a free ticket, I'm sure.

As far as travel, it is beneficial. I don't advocate sending your recently graduated high schooler off on a year by themselves though. That's a scenario for disaster, IMHO.

We send our teenager to Central America each summer, in order to practice his Spanish and help out some friends who work with the rural folks in several countries.

It does make one appreciate what we have in the US and Prager is right, ask a poor Central American if he's happy, and that question won't have crossed his mind. He's more concerned about where the next meal is coming from or where he'll get medicine for his child, than wondering if he's happy.


10 posted on 01/16/2007 2:49:22 AM PST by dawn53
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To: dawn53
I don't advocate sending your recently graduated high schooler off on a year by themselves though.

I'm thinking my high schooler needs a year working at Wal-mart, to make her appreciate the advantages of higher education!

It does make one appreciate what we have in the US and Prager is right, ask a poor Central American if he's happy, and that question won't have crossed his mind.

Oh, I agree with that! Even visiting Europe made me appreciate what we have in the United States ... things like working toilets, jobs, and people who take baths!

I do think, though, that he's illustrating one of the distortions of our society: the elevation of leisure and expensive recreation to a "necessity." With his plan, young people *might* reach adulthood by 30; presumably Mommy and Daddy are covering the costs until then.

11 posted on 01/16/2007 3:01:36 AM PST by Tax-chick ("I don't know you, but I love who you seem to be.")
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To: goldstategop

The reason why Australians get on with most immigrants is that the general attitude of Aussies is that you are a mate until you prove otherwise.

Of course once you prove otherwise your likely to receive a severe ass-kicking -see Cronulla riots

Mel


12 posted on 01/16/2007 3:17:17 AM PST by melsec (A Proud Aussie)
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To: goldstategop

Vacations are a necessity. That's one area where the US does lag - Prager's privileged situation aside, it isn't surprising that so few Americans travel broadly with only twoi weeks a year leave. Who wants to spend a day or two traveeling out of such a meager allotment.

Personally I favour longer breaks - the productivity payoffs are worth it.


13 posted on 01/16/2007 3:52:34 AM PST by Androcles (All your typos are belong to us)
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To: Tax-chick
I do think, though, that he's illustrating one of the distortions of our society: the elevation of leisure and expensive recreation to a "necessity." With his plan, young people *might* reach adulthood by 30; presumably Mommy and Daddy are covering the costs until then.

Great point. Sending your 18 year old on a year of travel is a great way to keep them immature (because they can't pay for it). Be better to have them in the military (travel, and you get paid), or get a job and learn to appreciate college. Vacation is a luxury.

14 posted on 01/16/2007 5:41:29 AM PST by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: redgolum

The military is the other course that I'm encouraging for my teenager! Or, if one is a good administrative assistant, there are a surprising number of cool overseas Civil Service jobs in the DoD and State Department. (I applied for a typist post in Oman, when I was with the Army Corps of Engineers, but got married before the job was filled :-).


15 posted on 01/16/2007 5:44:50 AM PST by Tax-chick ("I don't know you, but I love who you seem to be.")
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To: Tax-chick
My Dad was the "Radar O'Reily" of his unit. Saw a lot of the world, and came home to Nebraska with a better understanding of what is what.

I wanted to do something similar, but my Mom was very against it. But my career has sent me to some very odd and interesting places anyway.
16 posted on 01/16/2007 5:52:22 AM PST by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: redgolum

I've been on a couple of trips abroad with my parents, but I think you can get a good exposure to *reality* without leaving the U.S., too ... especially if you're having to pay your own way!


17 posted on 01/16/2007 5:58:48 AM PST by Tax-chick ("I don't know you, but I love who you seem to be.")
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To: Paleo Conservative

Why ain't y'all never been to Kentucky yet?!


18 posted on 01/16/2007 6:07:15 AM PST by nkycincinnatikid
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To: goldstategop; redgolum
I would suggest to any person in his or her 20s to spend a year working on a cruise ship. It is an incomparable experience.

Oh, come on, Dennis ... how do you know what it's like being a waiter or cleaning worker on a cruise ship? Or a waiter or cleaning worker on dry land in the U.S., for that matter?

Redgolum, notice how he expects the person "in his or her 20's" to have a year for cruise ship work. Now how old is this person when he *finally* settles down to a real job and family?

This is an example of why we red-state cleaning folks are outbreeding Dennis Prager's New York elitists by such a huge margin.

19 posted on 01/16/2007 6:16:52 AM PST by Tax-chick ("I don't know you, but I love who you seem to be.")
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To: nkycincinnatikid

Do they speak English and accept dollars there?

Should we bring bottled water or is the water there safe?


20 posted on 01/16/2007 6:20:11 AM PST by Eagle Eye (I'm a RINO because I'm too conservative to be a real Republican.)
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