Billionaire flies 3 Kings players to Israel

Hey, every NBA player is league mandated to have valid passport if nothing else clearing customs for games in Toronto, Canada. My experience having lived in four countries (USA, Turkey, Portugal, Philippines) and traveled across five continents over decades is Americans in general travel far less than Europeans, even Canadians, and many other nationalities. I think only around half of American adults even have passport, most European nations it's approaching 90% or more and also high ratio in Asia and Mid East. I know Boogie's now been to China, Spain, Israel, several Caribbean nations and probably few other countries on his ever-growing international list. Hopefully, keeps getting those customs stamps as variety is the spice of life and if ever finds Sacramento stereotype boring off globe trekking from time-to-time.
 
PurpleHaze said:
My experience having lived in four countries (USA, Turkey, Portugal, Philippines) and traveled across five continents over decades is Americans in general travel far less than Europeans, even Canadians, and many other nationalities. I think only around half of American adults even have passport, most European nations it's approaching 90% or more and also high ratio in Asia and Mid East.
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In all honesty, you could fit all of the European Union in the footprint of the USA twice with room to spare. And until recently there was no need for a passport to travel to Canada or Mexico as a US citizen. Oregon is about as big as Germany, IIRC, so traveling ANYWHERE in Europe requires a passport. The USA (and, until recently, Mexico and Canada) has so much to offer and is so big lots of Americans do a significant amount of travel without one.

I'm not belittling your point at all, as I have traveled through most of Europe, visited a little of Canada, and been in at least 2/3 or so of the USA - I fully recognize the benefits of travel, including international/foreign travel, to the well-roundedness of a person. But in CA alone you can go from ocean to desert to giant redwoods to vast farmlands and never leave the state. Heck, the lowest spot and the highest spots in the contiguous 48 states are just about 2.5 hours apart by car and both are in California! So, at least from the point of view of visiting different environments, the US has a lot to offer anyone who lives here, even within the same state. If you throw in the folks in Minnesota vs. Alabama vs. Oklahoma vs. New York vs. San Francisco/Seattle vs. wherever, you can also experience quite a bit of native and international culture as well.

Just wanted to throw some perspective in on the need for passports and travel. Didn't mean to throw in a tangent. Carry on. ;)

Edit - In rereading my post, I guess I should correct myself and say "much of Europe" - including London, Amsterdam, Paris, Luxembourg, Basel, Lucerne, Venice, Florence, and Rome. So "most" would not be an accurate representation, but "much" would be more appropriate.
 
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I've already seen "an open letter to the NBA players traveling to Israel" about Arenson and the whole political thing. Apparently going to Israel with your teammates on his plane means that you are supporting his "side," responsible for the loss of innocent lives, and destroying the underpinnings of society. Can't just be some rich guy's jet that Omri lined up.

But hey, it wouldn't be a normal week without someone singling out the Kings for something "objectionable," so I'm relieved.

If I owned the team, I'd be posting all of these headlines on a bulletin board in the locker room to fire the guys up. Put them in "us versus the world" mode right before every game.
 
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Warhawk said:
In all honesty, you could fit all of the European Union in the footprint of the USA twice with room to spare. And until recently there was no need for a passport to travel to Canada or Mexico as a US citizen. Oregon is about as big as Germany, IIRC, so traveling ANYWHERE in Europe requires a passport. The USA (and, until recently, Mexico and Canada) has so much to offer and is so big lots of Americans do a significant amount of travel without one.

I'm not belittling your point at all, as I have traveled through most of Europe, visited a little of Canada, and been in at least 2/3 or so of the USA - I fully recognize the benefits of travel, including international/foreign travel, to the well-roundedness of a person. But in CA alone you can go from ocean to desert to giant redwoods to vast farmlands and never leave the state. Heck, the lowest spot and the highest spots in the contiguous 48 states are just about 2.5 hours apart by car and both are in California! So, at least from the point of view of visiting different environments, the US has a lot to offer anyone who lives here, even within the same state. If you throw in the folks in Minnesota vs. Alabama vs. Oklahoma vs. New York vs. San Francisco/Seattle vs. wherever, you can also experience quite a bit of native and international culture as well.

Just wanted to throw some perspective in on the need for passports and travel. Didn't mean to throw in a tangent. Carry on. ;)
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Totally tangential, but I had no idea where Mount Whitney was until I read your post. You taught me something today.
 
Warhawk said:
In all honesty, you could fit all of the European Union in the footprint of the USA twice with room to spare. And until recently there was no need for a passport to travel to Canada or Mexico as a US citizen. Oregon is about as big as Germany, IIRC, so traveling ANYWHERE in Europe requires a passport. The USA (and, until recently, Mexico and Canada) has so much to offer and is so big lots of Americans do a significant amount of travel without one.

I'm not belittling your point at all, as I have traveled through most of Europe, visited a little of Canada, and been in at least 2/3 or so of the USA - I fully recognize the benefits of travel, including international/foreign travel, to the well-roundedness of a person. But in CA alone you can go from ocean to desert to giant redwoods to vast farmlands and never leave the state. Heck, the lowest spot and the highest spots in the contiguous 48 states are just about 2.5 hours apart by car and both are in California! So, at least from the point of view of visiting different environments, the US has a lot to offer anyone who lives here, even within the same state. If you throw in the folks in Minnesota vs. Alabama vs. Oklahoma vs. New York vs. San Francisco/Seattle vs. wherever, you can also experience quite a bit of native and international culture as well.

Just wanted to throw some perspective in on the need for passports and travel. Didn't mean to throw in a tangent. Carry on. ;)
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I don't know. I think PurpleHaze's point has at least some validity. While you have traveled extensively, I'm not sure your the norm. I was a military brat so I been blessed the opportunity to go abroad but both in my time in California and especially here in Kentucky (overlooking several of my co-workers have California ties) many of the folk I've met have essentially never left their local. Many people for some unknown reason to me, make the same trip again, again AND then again ........... go figure. Just my two cents.
 
I wonder if Boogie and others realize that because now have visited State of Israel will be officially barred from entering any Arab country (except Egypt, Jordan and Morocco) plus several non-Arab Muslim states. That is IF passport was stamped by Israel customs which I've heard can now be requested with instead small paper insert in lieu of the stamp. Thus will Boogie ever get to see the incomparable Donte Greene playing for his team in Dubai - aw chucks?!;)
 
PurpleHaze said:
I wonder if Boogie and others realize that because now have visited State of Israel will be officially barred from entering any Arab country (except Egypt, Jordan and Morocco) plus several non-Arab Muslim states. That is IF passport was stamped by Israel customs which I've heard can now be requested with instead small paper insert in lieu of the stamp. Thus will Boogie ever get to see the incomparable Donte Greene playing for his team in Dubai - aw chucks?!;)
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That seems like the kind of thing Omri would have known, and been sure to explain to the other travelers.
 
whozit said:
I don't know. I think PurpleHaze's point has at least some validity. While you have traveled extensively, I'm not sure your the norm. I was a military brat so I been blessed the opportunity to go abroad but both in my time in California and especially here in Kentucky (overlooking several of my co-workers have California ties) many of the folk I've met have essentially never left their local. Many people for some unknown reason to me, make the same trip again, again AND then again ........... go figure. Just my two cents.
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Oh, I agree with his post to a certain extent and definitely agree that it is good for folks to travel. It gives perspective and makes someone more well-rounded (and the way I eat when I travel, it definitely makes me more well-rounded!). And I have also met folks in the Sacramento area who hadn't traveled farther than say San Francisco or Lake Tahoe. Inconceivable to me!

But just using something like (an assumed) number/percentage of passports doesn't strike me as all that valid to make your point considering my previous post, etc.

I never disagreed with anything PH said, and agree with his general sentiment.
 
Warhawk said:
And I have also met folks in the Sacramento area who hadn't traveled farther than say San Francisco or Lake Tahoe. Inconceivable to me!
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How sad. There's so much out there to see, so much to take in, so much to experience beyond our borders.

My trips overseas have been priceless and I hope to move overseas in the not too distant future. I can't imagine not seeing more of the world, let alone never leaving NorCal. But some simply aren't interested. My father in law has five Euro countries bordering his and not until he was basically dragged on a train to Italy to see his grandson did he finally leave his country. 60 years, had never left. And, he hated that train ride as well as Italy and swears he'll never travel again. Ha.

To each their own I guess.
 
PurpleHaze said:
I wonder if Boogie and others realize that because now have visited State of Israel will be officially barred from entering any Arab country (except Egypt, Jordan and Morocco) plus several non-Arab Muslim states. That is IF passport was stamped by Israel customs which I've heard can now be requested with instead small paper insert in lieu of the stamp. Thus will Boogie ever get to see the incomparable Donte Greene playing for his team in Dubai - aw chucks?!;)
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No ofense, but what you describe is not true, and that's part of why the guys are better off seeing for themselves... :)

Even American players that PLAYED A WHOLE SEASON in Israel can enter any country in the world.
There are no limitations, in fact (at least when professional sport is concerned). Believe it or not - even an athlete bearing an Israeli passport, a native born Israeli jew, one that has even served in the Israeli army (!), may enter Dubai!!
(Israel's top-seeded tennis player, Shahar Peer, played there several times)
 
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rainmaker said:
How sad. There's so much out there to see, so much to take in, so much to experience beyond our borders.

My trips overseas have been priceless and I hope to move overseas in the not too distant future. I can't imagine not seeing more of the world, let alone never leaving NorCal. But some simply aren't interested. My father in law has five Euro countries bordering his and not until he was basically dragged on a train to Italy to see his grandson did he finally leave his country. 60 years, had never left. And, he hated that train ride as well as Italy and swears he'll never travel again. Ha.

To each their own I guess.
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The previous lab manager in our office was in his mid 50's, grew up in the Sacramento area, and had never been to Yosemite! Other than Reno, I don't think he'd gone out of state or farther than maybe Redding.

We finally convinced him to get to Yosemite a number of years ago and he loved it. He then went on two cruises to Alaska! I guess we just broke him out of his shell!
 
Ron said:
No ofense, but what you describe is not true, and that's part of why the guys are better off seeing for themselves... :)

Even American players that PLAYED A WHOLE SEASON in Israel can enter any country in the world.
There are no limitations, in fact (at least when professional sport is concerned). Believe it or not - even an athlete bearing an Israeli passport, a native born Israeli jew, one that has even served in the Israeli army (!), may enter Dubai!!
(Israel's top-seeded tennis player, Shahar Peer, played there several times)
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Sounds like this is exception for athletes but not everyday regular folks.

http://quitealone.com/2013/04/02/end-of-the-israeli-stamps-issue/
 
You get a necessary better perspective of California and, yes, the USA by traveling in the other continents and particularly Europe. As stated above, such travel.is really broadening for Americans BECAUSE we are so big and so diverse. All the other continents really trump us in history.
 
it delights me to see a few kings players participating in an important global conversation, if only in a tangential manner. no matter where along the political spectrum one lies, i think it's healthy for young professional athletes to invest their energies in issues larger than themselves, if only to draw further attention to those issues; that's the power of their platform, after all. historically, professional sports have often been a site of political statement. it seems a shame that these sports have been scrubbed clean of their potential for provocation and social engagement, and have instead been molded into the image of slavish corporate devotion...
 
Padrino said:
it delights me to see a few kings players participating in an important global conversation, if only in a tangential manner. no matter where along the political spectrum one lies, i think it's healthy for young professional athletes to invest their energies in issues larger than themselves, if only to draw further attention to those issues; that's the power of their platform, after all. historically, professional sports have often been a site of political statement. it seems a shame that these sports have been scrubbed clean of their potential for provocation and social engagement, and have instead been molded into the image of slavish corporate devotion...
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You're right on the edge of the precipice. ;)
 
ninjabiscuit said:
Totally tangential, but I had no idea where Mount Whitney was until I read your post. You taught me something today.
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From the top of Whitney, or as close as you can get to the top, you can see Death Valley, the lowest spot in the United States. It's also the general location of the biggest earthquake to hit california back in 18?? something or other. I believe it killed every living soul in the town of Lone Pine...More worthless bits of information. It's a beautiful area and I recommend seeing it to anyone that hasn't. Mammoth Lakes is just a stones throw away near the town of Bishop. OK, I'm done.....
 
rainmaker said:
How sad. There's so much out there to see, so much to take in, so much to experience beyond our borders.

My trips overseas have been priceless and I hope to move overseas in the not too distant future. I can't imagine not seeing more of the world, let alone never leaving NorCal. But some simply aren't interested. My father in law has five Euro countries bordering his and not until he was basically dragged on a train to Italy to see his grandson did he finally leave his country. 60 years, had never left. And, he hated that train ride as well as Italy and swears he'll never travel again. Ha.

To each their own I guess.
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I have cousins that live in St. Louis that have never been out of St. Louis county their entire lives. One cousin commented to me, that it doesn't matter where you go, it's all the same. Very sad commentary.
 
VF21 said:
You're right on the edge of the precipice. ;)
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haha, well that's where i will remain; i'm not voicing my opinion on any political issue in particular, or intent on coaxing out the opinions of others on any political issue in particular, but i do think it's important to point out that people didn't always finger-wag at the intersection of sports and political statement. from the united states' 1980 olympics boycott to nelson mandela's understanding of how sport might help combat apartheid to nba players displaying solidarity in light of donald sterling's bald-faced racism, we've seen how professional sports can exemplify unity, decry injustice, and draw attention to issues of importance. it's very easy to be cynical about everything in the age of the social media-fueled instant outrage machine, and i just find it encouraging to see a few kings electing to participate in a global context...
 
bajaden said:
From the top of Whitney, or as close as you can get to the top, you can see Death Valley, the lowest spot in the United States. It's also the general location of the biggest earthquake to hit california back in 18?? something or other. I believe it killed every living soul in the town of Lone Pine...More worthless bits of information. It's a beautiful area and I recommend seeing it to anyone that hasn't. Mammoth Lakes is just a stones throw away near the town of Bishop. OK, I'm done.....
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Do you remember reading about the earthquake in the paper? :p
 
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