My Statement to Americans Who Slag off Yoorp
Hi! You're very welcome to come and visit first of all if you've got a passport. Please come and teach us: tell us how to be less of an overgoverned, underperforming, overtaxed bunch of soccer-playing wusses. The US is a freer place, the economy works better, people from the gutter just plain have more chances to make it, and there's so much more great stuff to watch on telly. Plus you saved our lives back there a few times. We are wracked with chronic jealousy.
Let's take a few comparisons to show how bad it is here. These are all between the US and Europe.
You know Germany? That economic powerhouse? For every one day of holiday Americans get the Germans get almost 3! Even in the UK they get twice as much! That's why our economies are so errr crap. I'd happily take half as much holiday.
Average paid vacation per year:
Finland 35.0 days
Germany 30.0
France 25.5
Sweden 25.0
United Kingdom 25.0
Netherlands 24.0
United States 12.0
Just goes to show what a bunch of lazy bastards we are. Those extra days spent behind your desk making money mean the US economy is juuuust dandy. The biggest in the world. I guess it's worth it, even though:
Deaths from malnutrition (per million):
Men Women
United States 7 13
France 4 9
United Kingdom 1 2
Norway 0 1
The land of the free and the Merican Dream, so all those people who die from no food in their mouths should just get themselves some proper work (I'm getting it!!!). Even those shirking work-shy babies:
Children under the poverty level:
United States 22.4%
United Kingdom 9.3
Sweden 5.0
Germany 4.9
Norway 4.8
(Keep repeating guys, "they get taxed more, they get taxed more, they get taxed more, they get taxed more ... ")
Yup, the land of the free. Having 4 times more people in prison per 1000 then the UK is worth it, in the name of constitutionally protected liberty:
Prisoners (per 1,000 people):
United States 4.2
United Kingdom 1.0
Germany 0.8
Denmark 0.7
Sweden 0.6
Netherlands 0.4
I suppose this is because the police are much more effective then in Europe, where we're a bunch of socialists ...
Annual reports of police brutality (per 100,000 people)
United States 92.5
United Kingdom 6.0
France 0.7
And my personal favourite:
Death row inmates:
United States 2,124
Europe and Canada 0
Darn, this is proof that the US system works. It's OBVIOUS that people follow by example ... if it's OK for the state to kill people, it must be OK for everyone else too!
Murder rate for males age 15-24 (per 100,000 people):
United States 24.4
Sweden 2.3
Norway 2.3
Finland 2.3
Denmark 2.2
United Kingdom 2.0
Netherlands 1.2
Germany 0.9
So, to recap: we're all jealous of stats like this. Not only are your taxes lower and economy bigger but you guys really do lead us in per-capita gun murder, rape, HIV, teenage pregnancy, working hours ... God, you lucksters even have to wait till 21 to buy a beer (think of the expectation when an American lad has his FIRST EVER BEER AT 21 ... priceless joy). AND your taxes are just plain lower any way you look at it. Lucky guys. You really did it get it right.
Yeh yeh yeh, I know, thanks for winning the Second World War for us, it was really kind and we wouldn't here if it weren't blah blah blah.
Sources:
<a href="http://www.korpios.org/resurgent/8Comparison.htm"; target="_blank">http://www.korpios.org/resurgent/8Comparison.htm</a>;
<a href="http://www.guncite.com/gun_control_gcgvinco.htm"; target="_blank">http://www.guncite.com/gun_control_gcgvinco.htm</a>;
(no, i don't think we're better then you.)
[ 06-27-2002: Message edited by: Harald ]</p>
Let's take a few comparisons to show how bad it is here. These are all between the US and Europe.
You know Germany? That economic powerhouse? For every one day of holiday Americans get the Germans get almost 3! Even in the UK they get twice as much! That's why our economies are so errr crap. I'd happily take half as much holiday.
Average paid vacation per year:
Finland 35.0 days
Germany 30.0
France 25.5
Sweden 25.0
United Kingdom 25.0
Netherlands 24.0
United States 12.0
Just goes to show what a bunch of lazy bastards we are. Those extra days spent behind your desk making money mean the US economy is juuuust dandy. The biggest in the world. I guess it's worth it, even though:
Deaths from malnutrition (per million):
Men Women
United States 7 13
France 4 9
United Kingdom 1 2
Norway 0 1
The land of the free and the Merican Dream, so all those people who die from no food in their mouths should just get themselves some proper work (I'm getting it!!!). Even those shirking work-shy babies:
Children under the poverty level:
United States 22.4%
United Kingdom 9.3
Sweden 5.0
Germany 4.9
Norway 4.8
(Keep repeating guys, "they get taxed more, they get taxed more, they get taxed more, they get taxed more ... ")
Yup, the land of the free. Having 4 times more people in prison per 1000 then the UK is worth it, in the name of constitutionally protected liberty:
Prisoners (per 1,000 people):
United States 4.2
United Kingdom 1.0
Germany 0.8
Denmark 0.7
Sweden 0.6
Netherlands 0.4
I suppose this is because the police are much more effective then in Europe, where we're a bunch of socialists ...
Annual reports of police brutality (per 100,000 people)
United States 92.5
United Kingdom 6.0
France 0.7
And my personal favourite:
Death row inmates:
United States 2,124
Europe and Canada 0
Darn, this is proof that the US system works. It's OBVIOUS that people follow by example ... if it's OK for the state to kill people, it must be OK for everyone else too!
Murder rate for males age 15-24 (per 100,000 people):
United States 24.4
Sweden 2.3
Norway 2.3
Finland 2.3
Denmark 2.2
United Kingdom 2.0
Netherlands 1.2
Germany 0.9
So, to recap: we're all jealous of stats like this. Not only are your taxes lower and economy bigger but you guys really do lead us in per-capita gun murder, rape, HIV, teenage pregnancy, working hours ... God, you lucksters even have to wait till 21 to buy a beer (think of the expectation when an American lad has his FIRST EVER BEER AT 21 ... priceless joy). AND your taxes are just plain lower any way you look at it. Lucky guys. You really did it get it right.
Yeh yeh yeh, I know, thanks for winning the Second World War for us, it was really kind and we wouldn't here if it weren't blah blah blah.
Sources:
<a href="http://www.korpios.org/resurgent/8Comparison.htm"; target="_blank">http://www.korpios.org/resurgent/8Comparison.htm</a>;
<a href="http://www.guncite.com/gun_control_gcgvinco.htm"; target="_blank">http://www.guncite.com/gun_control_gcgvinco.htm</a>;
(no, i don't think we're better then you.)
[ 06-27-2002: Message edited by: Harald ]</p>
Comments
xxx
Harry
<strong>The mere fact that you took time to post all of this points to an insecurity that remains in you. Thanks for the info..we're still the greatest!</strong><hr></blockquote>
Insecurity? Don't you mean lack of faith both in God and in the Red, White, and Blue? Please, get off your pious Federal horse.
Explain how he could be "insecure."
Yes, we do have tons op prisoners, which is not something to be proud of. This is due to poor education. All the time we hear about school districts cutting programs and budgets. The real problems with our schools is we have a fear of classes with more than 20 people in them. This means we hire unnecessary teachers which wastes the money. Also, step into a second grade class room and you will see a library of up to 100 videos of Telletubbies, Barney, etc. Also, teachers get ridiculous retirement packages. I know a teacher that retired at age 50 and now makes 115% of his working salary. That's what's wrong with our education and that is one of the main reasons we have so many prisoners. BAD EDUCATION SYSTEM.
Also, as for the death row inmates, what is wrong with executing people that committed terrible crimes? Nothing.
And that police brutality stuff is absolute bullshit. It's the police's job to enforce the law. They should do that in the best way possible in the situation. We are so obsessed with political correctness and people's feelings that if a police officer sprays pepper spray in a criminal's face, the offer get's put on administrative leave and the whole friggin thing gets investigated for months. Absolute absurdity.
Jesus, I could go on and on about this kind of stuff, but it's hard to make good points in such limited space. All for now.
[ 06-27-2002: Message edited by: G4Dude ]</p>
<strong>We indeed are "the land of the free." People are free to waste their lives living in the gutter. They can get a job if they want to. We don't give them tons of services like in Europe. We feel that it is their responsibility to make a good life for themselves.</strong><hr></blockquote>
That's the point I'm making! All those people who can't afford food and die as a result are lazy bastards who should go and get a job instead of choosing to die in poverty and miserable hunger. I'm getting it, I'm getting it!!!
America needs some work but the funny thing is we ( unlike some countries ) have the resources ( and freedoms ) to do so. It only requires the will.
Now let me make sure that you equated higher pay for teachers with a weaker education system. Is that what you just said? That is the most complete bullshit I've ever heard. Teachers should be very well compensated. I don't even think I need to mention the reasons why...
We need more money for education. MORE MONEY!
<strong>
America needs some work but the funny thing is we ( unlike some countries ) have the resources ( and freedoms ) to do so. It only requires the will.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Yes, it requires the will to put partisan differences aside and do what is best for the country. All policies should be based on a liberal-Republican/conservative-Democrat point of view. It will never happen.
[ 06-27-2002: Message edited by: G4Dude ]</p>
<strong>Excuse me, did you just argue against higher pay for teachers? I think you did!
Now let me make sure that you equated higher pay for teachers with a weaker education system. Is that what you just said? That is the most complete bullshit I've ever heard. Teachers should be very well compensated. I don't even think I need to mention the reasons why...
We need more money for education. MORE MONEY!</strong><hr></blockquote>
No. I argued for the elimination of teaching positions that are in reality unnecessary. I argued for the elimination for the absurd pensions that these teachers get. There has been a big debate about it right here in Oregon since this crazy retirement system was made public. I NEVER said "lower teachers pay."
but I will say that blaming the education system when his idea of why it is bad is idiotic is just plain lame.... when you blame you Be-LAME.
This kind of thought about education then blieves that the way out of the educational mallaise is by TESTING . . . or just heavier "standards". completely misinformed.
THe problem with our education is that we think that it should be equivalent to uploading programs to hardware: and that we think that getting educated is teh same as consuming a product.... hell I paid for this good gimme that info. we think of knowledge and understanding as products that we paid for rather than as experiences that we go through that transform our being as humans. .
. I know this for a fact... unlike G4dude and his 'vast wordly experience' (still living at home?)... because I teach and have taught for years . . . one: funding makes a real difference to the quality of the environment wherein learning takes place. Two: more and more, people are being trained by the attitudes prevalent in the media and in governemet that there is no other purpose to education then to acquire job skills... unfortunately this short sighted corporate model leaves people impoverished such that even if they do have the skills they don't have the smarts to grow beyond the facile programming of the class room.
but I don't want to dwell on this
I woyuld say that the main point that G4dude misses and so do so many Americans. . . is that we are part of a society... a civilization and by paying taxes we contribute to not just the government but to the possibility of our generally having a better mode of living . . . In europe they know how to live . . there is decent public transport . . .people work they are not 'lazy' . . but they are also not desperate.
the main connection missed by G4dude is the connections between crime, our refusal to believe that we live in a society, (our tax burden), and the misguided belief that we are so much freer than Europeans.
I also find it ironic that the first word after "what's wrong with executing...?" is Jesus.
I think that the truth of the American model is revealed in WorldCom . . . and thankfully revealed before Europe truly embraced our business model . . as they began to do more so each year.
[ 06-27-2002: Message edited by: jimmac ]</p>
You want to know why people commit heinous crimes? One of two reasons and two reasons only: they're pscyhotic (and I don't mean "courtroom insanity" - that kind doesn't count in my book) or, their parents did a LOUSY FVCKING JOB of raising them. Dirt simple. Has nothing to do with math scores, nothing to do with what's in your wallet, nothing to do with where you live or what you wear. If your parents instill simple human values from an early age, you would rather die than take the life of another.
As for all Europeans being lazy-ass, government-subsidized, football playing gypsies...
...no more so than all Americans being a bunch of lazy-ass, food-stamp-lickin, trailer-park livin, Jerry Springer marathon-watchin, couch potatoes.
By the way, I KNEW there was a reason Finland had such excellent hockey players. In addition to having 8 months of outdoor ice, they have like 35 paid days off a year! AMAZING!
<strong>Hi! You're very welcome to come and visit first of all if you've got a passport. Please come and teach us: tell us how to be less of an overgoverned, underperforming, overtaxed bunch of soccer-playing wusses. The US is a freer place, the economy works better, people from the gutter just plain have more chances to make it, and there's so much more great stuff to watch on telly. Plus you saved our lives back there a few times. We are wracked with chronic jealousy.
(no, i don't think we're better then you.)
[ 06-27-2002: Message edited by: Harald ]</strong><hr></blockquote>
hmmm. I have to ask, what was the point of this? Was someone here bashing Europe? I must pay more attention.
Yes, our crime rates are higher, we get less time off, our education system needs work. Perhaps we should take the <a href="http://www.usaid.gov/"; target="_blank">money we give to other countries</a> and fix our myriad and vexing ills. <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
<strong>
Yes, our crime rates are higher, we get less time off, our education system needs work. Perhaps we should take the <a href="http://www.usaid.gov/"; target="_blank">money we give to other countries</a> and fix our myriad and vexing ills. <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>
Why should you do that? You pay a fraction in foreign aid compared to Europe especially compared to the average income per capita. As I have shown in another thread Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Holland use more money in foreign aid than the whole of US. Denmark alone use about 3% of its GNP (including the enviromental help to eastern european countries)
Come on US you can do it too
(Link to the BBC)
[ 06-27-2002: Message edited by: murbot ]</p>
once social context plays a very very real detirming factor in the developement of individual morality and value. Ask any parent if they have complete control of what their children think.
Not only that but inndividuals are very very effeced by their environment as far as how they feel about themselves and what they think there possibilities are.
Crime happens for three reasons... people are screwed up( both psychotic and from bad family scew up in this catagory), or they are in despair and feel it profoundly, or they really have no recourse but to steal or pimp or sell bad things (this of course, doesn't happen in America)
The second catagory results from systemic environmental conditions that create a weak social fabric: lack of value structures grounded in healthy minds bodies and communities, and physical living environments that are felt as worth inhabiting. . . . . meaning: bad schools, no public infrastructure worth anything, no flow of goods products and jobs, no oppurtunities and no sense of possibilities . . . these are real things that result in the real social feeling of despair and lead people to do criminal things to get by and or because the authority and its values which would allow such conditions does not seem worth respecting.
The myth of the absolutly sovreign individual is the most destructive myth a culture can hang onto (its good in small doses though).. we are living in this world among each other and what we do effects one another profoundly . . . we share language and so at the core of what we are and what we think we are made up of a shared medium . . . seeing as we are at core a dialogue with ourself and the world through language.
<strong>
Why should you do that? You pay a fraction in foreign aid compared to Europe especially compared to the average income per capita. As I have shown in another thread Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Holland use more money in foreign aid than the whole of US. Denmark alone use about 3% of its GNP (including the enviromental help to eastern european countries)
Come on US you can do it too
...and don't forget that Ireland donate more money per head for charitable organisations than ANY European country or the U.S.