Pipe Smoking on "The Amazing Race"!

[rmbittner]

I was pleasantly surprised to see that one of the challenges on last night's "Amazing Race" was to learn, from Kalihari bushmen in Botswana, how to start a fire and then use that fire to light the pipe of one of the tribe's chiefs! Nearly every team attempted this challenge, but only one was able to complete it successfully. (The husband of one of the more annoying couples thought it would be easy, since he makes his living selling cigars. . .and pipes. "But I prefer to light my cigars with a fine lighter," he said. Only one of several comments that just made him and his wife sound like egotistical jerks. And, no, he was NOT one of the ones who actually succeeded at making fire.)
The bushmen were smoking what looked like large-bowl straight billiards -- though I don't know what they were made from -- that looked like they had no stems. The men put the pipe's shank in their mouth and smoked it that way, blowing out prodigious billows of smoke and clearly enjoying it.
I have no idea what was in the pipes, whether tobacco or some other leaf they grow there. And I'm guessing I'd have never been able to smoke whatever it was!
Bob

 

[dragonslayer]

Probably a lat bomb lols. Just goes to show, pipe smoking is a skill.

 

[numbersix]

Nice my wife and I enjoy the Amazing Race but missed last night's show - will watch online, it will be fun to look for that.

 

[tbradsim1]

I will make a harsh comment, not something I like to do, but The Amazing Race can kiss my ass, The Hanoi segment frosted my ass, they have apologized, too little too late, Hanoi should have been not ever considered for a segment, I will say I don"t watch it but let me say This is America you watch what you damn well please but to see a gaggle of morons play around a downed aircraft that you know a brave American was killed or captured was revolting, I apologize for my language, but not my feelings, God bless America. The old cajun

 

[rmbittner]

Cajun:
Even though I don't share your experience, I do understand where you're coming from. But, to be honest, they didn't really "play around" the crash memorial; they got a clue and then left. I thought it was actually very telling that the wreckage -- though part of a "memorial" -- was in what looked like a fetid pond that hadn't been looked after for years. (And some local taxi drivers didn't even know where it was.) All of that to say, it felt to me like this was a "memorial" that modern Vietnam cares little about. And I think that's appropriate, given that it's celebrating a part of the country's history that, I trust, is forever in the past.

 

[tbradsim1]

Mr Bittner I hear you, but when they go to a communist song Fest celebrating Ho Che Men and they don"t walk out or jump up and protest, we are lost sir, what is next a clue left in Daku? We let this happen Sir,? Do you remember Rockfellers Freedom scenes with the man rising up at a town meeting and protesting, where are we? The old cajun

 

[rmbittner]

I don't want to see this thread go too far into political territory -- that certainly wasn't my intent -- but I do have to say that the Race contestants had no idea what was being sung at the communist song fest. (Yeah, I was astounded by the lyrics to that song!) We only know what it was about because the producers added subtitles after the fact.
That said, they -- and we the viewers -- are getting a picture of the world we wouldn't otherwise have, complete with warts and uncomfortable truths. I think it's easy to think that the world is made up of Americans who happen to speak different languages. I think it's a good thing to be exposed to things we don't agree with and don't understand.
But I was born in 1961. . . I don't have the personal memories or the first-hand emotional reaction to these events as you clearly do. But believe me when I say that I absolutely mean no disrespect here.

 

[numbersix]

communist song Fest celebrating Ho Che Men and they don"t walk out or jump up and protest, we are lost sir

I did see that too, and my wife and I were like "well, here's some good old fashioned Communist mind-control"
One of the reasons I watch the Amazing Race is to see other cultures and how they live: right or wrong, good or bad. It shows people, cultures and areas that the typical travel shows don't - which is the main reason I like it. So seeing the propaganda song was, at least for me, an educational thing. It's a chance to view Vietnam as it is today - under strict government control. No excuses, no apologies, just showing it as it is.
In fact, recently I've seen some travel shows go to Vietnam and they made it seem like it was a great place to visit. No hint of what the government or propaganda was like, so this scene was an eye-opener. In that way, I think it did a service.
My wife and I visited China a couple of times and we got to see the culture and speak with people. Some were fiercely loyal to the state, others more curious about the U.S. - but the propaganda was always there, but in subtle forms, in children's songs and especially in the news, where you could see censorship everywhere.
But as guests in their country and no real way to do anything about it (sort of like the Amazing Race contestants situation in Vietnam), we viewed it less with disgust or anger, but more with an intellectual detachment.
Of course, we come from different eras Bradley, I was born in '62, so I can respect your feelings. Perhaps if I were in your shoes, I'd feel the same way as you.

 

[uberam3rica]

The only thing I know about Hanoi is that is where John McCain was held. They didn't teach us about the Vietnam war in high school. I just know what my dad has told me. He lost a lot of friends. During the war and after they came home. He actually tried to enlist, but was denied, because he wasn't healthy enough(he had leukemia when he was younger).

 

[trailspike48]

Garry Owen Bradley, my feelings aren't quite as strong buy Hanoi Jane can kiss mine.