Confused Limey......

[Kindlychap]

I'm sure it's me - but what does DH stand for?

[pnhmrk]

I'm sure it's me - but what does DH stand for?

 

It's not just you - I'd wondered as well. I assumed that it stood either for something like Dear Husband or was an Americanism that we haven't picked up over here yet!

[mufi]

Dear heart.

 

David

[Texwell]

I thought DH was for "Dear Husband" and DW for "Dear Wife".

[travel-to-go]

It's not just you - I'd wondered as well. I assumed that it stood either for something like Dear Husband or was an Americanism that we haven't picked up over here yet!

 

I figured it out after a little bit of reading a few of these boards. But here, all along, I figured it was some British idiom! I guess it is "Board-speak"

 

Karie,

who hopes everyone knows her SO is her "Significant Other" which is much better than the 1980 census term of POSSLQ- "Person of the Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters"

[pnhmrk]

Who hopes everyone knows her SO is her "Significant Other" which is much better than the 1980 census term of POSSLQ- "Person of the Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters"

 

Why did your census say that a "Significant Other" had to be a "Person of the Opposite Sex"?:p

[travel-to-go]

Why did your census say that a "Significant Other" had to be a "Person of the Opposite Sex"?:p

 

Well, I was going to say something about that discrepancy. I think in 1980, we had not come as far as we have today in the enlightened views that people have a right to associate with whatever category of other person they please- well, at least until the present administration- where one can get sent to Cuba for associating with the wrong people- no matter WHAT our constitution says! But that exception has not yet been interpreted by "the powers-that-be" (except in certain really backwards states) to mean those who prefer their own gender for meaningful relationships. <G>

 

That's another reason I like SO better. Sure, some could think "Gosh, is Karie gay?" Well, so be it if they do. If I have an SO, then I am not prowling bars looking to hook up with someone, (presumably) so who cares what they think my sexual orientation is? That only matters if I am available and looking! Otherwise, it should be a non-issue!

 

So yes, it is quaint, and only lasted that one census, I think. Before that, I think it was "unrelated persons" no matter what the relationship.

 

Karie,

Who relates pretty well to Marc most of the time!

 

P.S. It has long been my dream to get to Cuba BEFORE it is opened to American tourism and we ruin it like every other island we have set foot on. Marc tells me if I play my cards right, read the wrong books, associate with the wrong people, and now, google the wrong subjects, I might get a FREE trip to the southeastern part of Cuba, courtesy of the US government! Gosh, I was hoping for Havana, and maybe the eco-tourism north shore area, but do you think I should apply for that program? <G>

[Kindlychap]

It has long been my dream to get to Cuba BEFORE it is opened to American tourism and we ruin it like every other island we have set foot on. Marc tells me if I play my cards right, read the wrong books, associate with the wrong people, and now, google the wrong subjects, I might get a FREE trip to the southeastern part of Cuba, courtesy of the US government! Gosh, I was hoping for Havana, and maybe the eco-tourism north shore area, but do you think I should apply for that program? <G>

 

My brother in law and his girlfriend went last year and had a great time.

 

Are Americans frowned on if they go to Cuba? Or is that a daft question?

[travel-to-go]

My brother in law and his girlfriend went last year and had a great time.

 

Are Americans frowned on if they go to Cuba? Or is that a daft question?

 

Not frowned on- Forbidden. Well, no that is not exactly true- We are not allowed to spend any money there.

My agency used to have a license to do educational trips. You had to go to Canada and fly from there. There are no direct commercial flights from this country. (There are some charters.) Additionally, one could only get a license for certain educational, cultural and charitable trips. You may also go there as a legitimate reporter, on assignment. The amount of moeny that could be spent, even under those circumstances was limited. I have a friend who ran the last Cuba Regatta. If you look on the web page of the U.S. Treasury, you will see the letter which was sent to him (redacted) accusing him of illegally spending money in Cuba (they slept on their boats, brought their own food with them. The wind was their fuel!) They threatened to take his sail boat and fine him a large daily amount. He has also gone, taking medicines and children's clothing donated to the Havana Jewish population and thier new synagogue (Approximately 500 families.) Our government, which has given communist China favored nation trading status, believes that by not allowing trade with Cuba, somehow the longest-serving head of state in the world will suddenly abdicate. Our country fears Cuba. I consider Castro to be a toothless dog. In reality, though he certainly does mistreat some of his citizens, and all is not rosy there (Where IS it al rosy?) Castro is surely no worse than some despots whose reigns of terror we have (IMHO) propped up or even created. The U.S. has been known, at times, unfortunately, for installing governements of South and Central American "banana republics" that we felt would would friendly to "American interests." While sometimes, they have been, (Depending on WHOSE American interests you're talking about) usually they have mostly been friendly to their own interests, usually greedy and power-hungry, and often wiilling to do almost anything to hold on to that power. We have not always tread wisely in the affairs of others' countries. I don't intend to get into political jousting here, and you will note that I do not mention particular administrations (ours or theirs) other than as it relates to Cuba. Indeed, Castro has done more for Cuba (less for America, of course) than Batista ever did, including making medical care and education available to all, not just the wealthy. Cuba has an admirable literacy rate (You can get these numbers from the US governments CIA fact book). Batista was very friendly to certain American interests- both criminal (Meyer Lansky's mob) and commercial (the sugar barons, who simply moved to the Everglades where they have done much damage and continued running the sugar plantations in the 'glades in the heinous ways they did in Cuba, and our congress made it illegal to buy sugar cheaper from other countries, hobbling our candy industries from free competition, but hey! We managed to get obese anyway!) Batista owned a house where I used to live. Fortunately, when he was run out of Cuba, the US wisely refused to grant him asylum. He went to Spain, instead. His old house in Daytona was converted to the Cuba musem, which school children and Girl Scout troops did field trips to when I was young.

 

I finally did some research into how it came to be that we have a Navy base on Guantanamo. This was a result of two things, the 1898 war that ended in the redistribution of Spanish lands in the new wrold. and the Platt Amendment, with a lease signed in 1903 for the Guantanamo land, and a new lease signed in 1934 with Batista. Casto has refused to cash the lease checks sent by the American government every year since the revolution (1959). The agreement states that the lease can only be ended or altered by mutual agreement. Hence, we haven't agreed, and we are still there.

 

It's a very weird and particular situation, all ballled up in political grandstanding on both sides. Castro offered to send fully equipped medical teams to help out after last year's disasters in the Gulf. We refused (Cuba has excellent medical system, to the extent they are able with U.S.'s refusal to allow them to purchase medical technology and supplies from us) We have offered help after Hurricane Michele (Which I was evacuated from in the Keys) Castro refused. The politicians make their points while the people bleed. But that's politics for you.

 

Karie,

Who, as you can tell, has strong feelings on the ridiculousness of most governments, at times. YMMV

And yes, I respect that Castro made the lives of many there miserable, and We even cruised on the QM2 in January with someone who left his homeland due to the excesses of Castro's regime. I respect his feelings, and experiences, and apologize in advance if my diatribe has hurt or offended anyone.

[pnhmrk]

P.S. It has long been my dream to get to Cuba BEFORE it is opened to American tourism and we ruin it like every other island we have set foot on. Marc tells me if I play my cards right, read the wrong books, associate with the wrong people, and now, google the wrong subjects, I might get a FREE trip to the southeastern part of Cuba, courtesy of the US government! Gosh, I was hoping for Havana, and maybe the eco-tourism north shore area, but do you think I should apply for that program? <G>

 

The free trip's only a single - when you get there there's no way back:( You wouldn't have Internet access - I'd miss your posts:(

[mufi]

P.S. It has long been my dream to get to Cuba BEFORE it is opened to American tourism and we ruin it like every other island we have set foot on. >

 

We were there last year and it is somewhere special.

 

You could always come to UK and become A British citizen .....hang on though, then you would exchange your B. for our B. And our B. has got to be more of a b...... than your B.

 

But you could make it to Cuba.

 

David.

[bobby1119]

I'm sure it's me - but what does DH stand for?

I, too, thought it was only me... given some of the stuff I read on the boards, I thought it might mean "da hubby..." :rolleyes: Thank God, it doesn't!

 

Keep Sailing!

[belldebb]

Our college has a study abroad trip with Cuba and has for the past 6 years.

It is taken from Dec. 26-January 15th every year.

The students fly to Miami and then a smaller jet from there..

so, some can go and spend!

[travel-to-go]

Our college has a study abroad trip with Cuba and has for the past 6 years.

It is taken from Dec. 26-January 15th every year.

The students fly to Miami and then a smaller jet from there..

so, some can go and spend!

 

That would be under an educational license. When Bush cracked down on Americans going to Cuba and tightened up the rules, Cuba responded by making a rule that American groups had to use Cuban guides, even if they had people on the trip that knew the area well (As our group leader did) Both America and Cuba changed some rules that made it more difficult and more expensive. When we had to re-apply for our license, we decided not to.

 

I had the chance to go, and chose to go to my thirtieth High School reunion instead (I had not seen any of these people since High School)I couldn't afford to do both.

 

Karie,

Who will get there some day!

[LunchCompanion]

What does IMHO and YMMV mean?

[pnhmrk]

What does IMHO and YMMV mean?

 

In my humble opinion

Your mileage may vary (where's YMMV mentioned? It's not a phrase I'd have associated with cruising - on a ship at any rate!)

[travel-to-go]

IMHO= In My Humble Opinion- And being humble, I can't be self-impressed, so your opinions is as good as mine!

YMMV= Your Mileage May Vary- Synonymous with the fine print. In the US, we have EPA (Environmental ProtectionAgency) mileage ratings on cars tested under "standard" conditions (Which are not standard for most people at all!) At the end, there is always the disclaimer, Your Miileage May Vary or Actual Mileage May Vary- You know, depending n whether you drive the car in normal real conditions with real people who weigh over 98 pounds in them under real circumstances at speeds of over ten miles an hour in fourth gear! <G>

 

In other words, "This is how *I* interpret something or feel about something . but don't be surprised if you get different results.

 

Karie,

Who knows that insanity is trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results

[Colin_Cameron]

What about IIRC?

[oldgit]

I like this thread a lot. It's so educational. If it continues, George Bernard Shaw's description of the British and the Americans as "two nations divided by a single language," will cease to be true and some "clever clog" will have to come up with a new cliche to sum up the relationship.

[pnhmrk]

George Bernard Shaw's description of the British and the Americans as "two nations divided by a single language."

Two nations at war over a single language?:p

[Transatlantic Tom]

What about IIRC?

 

Colin:

 

I believe it means "If I Remember Correctly".

 

Tom

[Colin_Cameron]

Obvious once you know really.

 

Thanks, Colin.

[travel-to-go]

What about IIRC?

If I remember Correctly

 

Any more?

 

Karie,

who has learned over the years.....mostly that there's a lot she still doesn't know!