Do Poles feel America is going down the drain?

i've met many, and they were...let's say in their 60s...


protecting all the houses in the gated neighborhood? well, lets just say that he wouldn't be efficient... and, sorry, but no young men wants this job anyway...

and don't tell me he walks around (or drives) your block to check if all is alright... they sit in their little booth, eat sandwiches with hot tea and watch tv... but you don't know it because you're at work... :)

An old Czech lady shot an intruder not too long ago...Great piece of advertising for ceska zbrojovka

You've noticed them and other people notice it too. As long their guns are loaded and they can pull the trigger when needed I’m cool with them eating sandwiches in their little booth.


lol

Everybody buy American :D

It's more about the freedoms you give up for this promised security. For example, in most of these gated communities here you can't even plant a fruit tree in your (supposedly) yard. No pickup trucks or vans allowed in your driveway. You have two colors you can paint your house - white or light beige. Essentially, your house has to look like all the other houses in the neighbourhood.

Here is my favorite Ben Franklin quote:
"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

I keep my house nice and clean because I choose to do it and not because I decided to give up my liberty.lol (are you serious?) I prefer neighbors who do the same, that’s all.

I can sell my house in this neighborhood in less than a month. Try to sell yours ...

Great! You'll probably will be looking for something without the Homeowners Association next.
;) I won't tell.

Everyone wants to live in a nice quiet neighborhood but no one feels like maintaining it.
Think of the homeowners association as of a personal trainer helping your fat-lazy-happy American as$ to get in shape.

Some my call this an infringement on personal liberty, others, a pain in the as$, myself I hire landscapers, housemaids, and my wife and I just enjoy our lives. I could not ask for more.

Oh, c'mon, paying the landscaper gets your a$$ in shape??
If you're fortunate enough to actually own a piece of earth, you owe it more than to turn it into a fertilized/pesticided/overwatered suburban piece of rubberstamp wastelawn. But then, you don't really own it, since you don't get to make any decisions about what's done to it.

My wife likes to mess with flowers in the front yard sometimes, I guess she finds it entertaining.

You don't have to be fortunate to own land in Texas. It's dirt cheap… I'm no farmer, you know, I have a degree in computer science.

What i suposed to do, grow potatos in my back? buy a goat? Think of it as a life choice.

I lived in a gated community in "Porto Santa Maria Spain" in 1979, the guards were all armed and in their thirties. They also had guard dogs, and checkpoints were they punched a card when they patrolled. The areas were all landscaped and kept beautiful by full time gardeners, All the houses were serviced by a team of cleaners. The houses were also alarmed and connected to the guard house. The best part about it, it cost me nothing the tab was picked by Marathon Oil.

No, little less chemicals for the sake of nice lawn color seeping into the water supply would be a nice start...
The only reason I'm still going on with this is because the homeowners associations are one of the major culprits in keeping up this stupid (and harmful) idea of what the home and lawn should look like, keeping them alive with fear of decreasing property values.

I have a degree in engineering and I still find the time to invastigate what native plants should and will grow in my area, how to create a healthy ecosystem that does not use unnecessary resources or harms the environment.

That is virtually impossible in most of current gated communities. They have to cater to the lowest denominator, who believe nice green lawn, at all cost, is a status symbol.

My home is 'Green'. I use no pesticides, chemicals and my yard is stellar green. It's actually easy and takes the same amount of time.

I gotcha, infringement on peoples' rights, not cultivating the land, not eco-friendly and you suck Havok..

Ok, you convinced me, I'm moving out and joining your crusade against anyone who ever decides to live in a gated community.

All I’m saying is that I don't feel like dealing with the landscape around my house or talking to my neighbors about their junk in the front yard when I need to sell my house. I like living there and I pay people to take care of this shi* for me.

LOL Havoc.
I just could not help using this as a nice seque into what I think is taking America "down the drain".

Wait, are you saying that paying landscapers to do my lawn caused the recession?

Crap.. I'm sorry everyone.

Yes, is getting more and more in Warsaw/Poland. No armed guard though, so should be even cheaper....

I would definitely agree. Why is Warsaw so expensive bud?

lol - try a much bigger picture.

This is exactly my point too.

What happened to the economy is a way bigger problem than me or you.

I'm a productive member of this society. I pay taxes, I don’t steal, educate myself about candidates I vote for.

I served in the military, I help out less fortunate people when I can, I keep my house energy efficient, drive a smart car in an f-ing Texas, recycle (even though I don't think it's efficient). What else do you want form me? Move out of my house because you’re jealous?

I’ve met people like you. They’re called Jehovah’s Witness. Go door to door,,, and than try to ram their opinions or ideas down your throat for no apparent reason.

Blah blah blah, F stop you should join them, you would fit in.

Where is the resident 'expert', grubas? I'm sure he's gonna tell us all about it and a little more :)

whoa... whoa... aren't you assuming a bit much? Trust me, you never met anyone like me, but that's besides the point. You think gated communities are great, I think they're not. People who get so mad at different opinions usually don't enjoy life as much as they claim they do. And when they resort to personal attacks, it's a sure sign they don't believe their arguments can stand on their own merits.

That guy is very rude.

He sure is. Hotshot businessmen can be that way :(

You're overanalyzing me... I get mad because it feels like you're blaming me for all that is wrong with the U.S tooday.

Please, keep to the topic.

I am!
[JK]

I seriously doubt he's a hot shot businessman. Most likely he’s a semi-successful person, happy to have a full time job, just like us.


I do, people feel that Polish yuppies are responsible for America going down the drain.

Read between the lines Mr. moderator.

Well, he praised America for giving him a chance so I'm happy about that!

You mean commercial registered vehicles f stop ,do you?You can keep van or truck in your driveway.America keeps surprising me though,I just learned that I can get myself semi-automatic rifle without any permits.


Here, here!!!

No, and that is the surprising part. Private pickup trucks not allowed in the driveway. Must be hidden in the garage.