Post by: Novus on Sat, 28 February 2015, 01:48:51
Post by: fknraiden on Sat, 28 February 2015, 01:50:09
Post by: bueller on Sat, 28 February 2015, 01:53:03
Post by: fanpeople on Sat, 28 February 2015, 02:01:30
Post by: katushkin on Sat, 28 February 2015, 02:05:36
I like food, guns and football. America is my spiritual home.
Post by: clacktalk on Sat, 28 February 2015, 02:05:58
inb4 freedom
yo don't count scotland out
(http://media1.giphy.com/media/m12GiqBQywgbS/giphy.gif)
Post by: bueller on Sat, 28 February 2015, 02:07:45
I too, would love to live in America.
I like food, guns and football. America is my spiritual home.
Totally forgot about guns. I looooooove shooting but after the gun buyback in the 90's it's pretty hard in Australia.
Post by: katushkin on Sat, 28 February 2015, 02:07:54
inb4 freedom
yo don't count scotland outShow Image(http://media1.giphy.com/media/m12GiqBQywgbS/giphy.gif)
They couldn't even vote for their own freedom. They counted themselves out.
Post by: bueller on Sat, 28 February 2015, 02:10:52
Post by: katushkin on Sat, 28 February 2015, 02:40:33
Oh yeah and you guys have good internet. Another point for living in the US. And Amazon Prime. And Taco Bell. AHHHHH****ITIMMAMOVE
Mmmmm, you would have to live in one of the half a dozen cities with Google Fiber, and Provo is the best option..? Maybe?
Ah, but Amazon prime is 2-3 days, in the UK it's next day ;) And we have Taco Bell. And up to 146Gb internet :)
But no decent NFL and no guns...
Post by: iri on Sat, 28 February 2015, 04:26:16
Post by: steve.v on Sat, 28 February 2015, 04:33:31
Post by: Novus on Sat, 28 February 2015, 04:56:02
Post by: jacobolus on Sat, 28 February 2015, 05:42:12
Japan, S. Korea & Switzerland are far more safer, innovative, and more affordable places to live.You think it’s more affordable to live in Japan, South Korea, and Switzerland than in the USA? Haha. How are you determining “affordable”?
A few places in the US are not very affordable (Manhattan, San Francisco, various suburbs filled with rich people). Most of the country is quite affordable though by European or East Asian standards. At least as far as housing, food, basic amenities are concerned.
If you’re a single parent working an entry level job and trying to put a kid through college, then America is certainly less affordable than places with solid government-provided healthcare and education services. If you’re a middle-aged professional, America is much more affordable.
“Safer” is probably true, but has a lot to do with the heterogeneity of the US, which is a large diverse country, unlike the three you mentioned which are tiny, urbanized, and homogenous.
“More innovative” is pretty tough to call. How do you rank or measure innovation?
Post by: noisyturtle on Sat, 28 February 2015, 06:03:22
Post by: Findecanor on Sat, 28 February 2015, 06:03:33
Is America the best country in the world?America is not a country but a continent. America is composed of the subcontinents North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean islands and Greenland.
Well, it is not yet a country: the government of the second-most largest country on the continent tends to dominate the continent, politically and economically. There is a lot of domestic propaganda in that country which tends to make the majority of its inhabitants inward-looking, cocky about their nationality and ignorant of the outside world.
:-*
Post by: katushkin on Sat, 28 February 2015, 06:08:05
Yeah, America isn't cheap on a level with Brazilian favellas, or the slums of India, but America has one of the largest average house sizes in the world, you have the largest cars, and you have an economy that is as close to self-sufficiency as you can hope to get in our modern world.
Switzerland is a really nice place, and I too would love to spend time in Japan, and I would move to South Korea tomorrow if I was single lmao. But they are far from cheap.
Post by: bueller on Sat, 28 February 2015, 06:08:24
Japan, S. Korea & Switzerland are far more safer, innovative, and more affordable places to live.You think it�s more affordable to live in Japan, South Korea, and Switzerland than in the USA? Haha. How are you determining �affordable�?
A few places in the US are not very affordable (Manhattan, San Francisco, various suburbs filled with rich people). Most of the country is quite affordable though by European or East Asian standards. At least as far as housing, food, basic amenities are concerned.
If you�re a single parent working an entry level job and trying to put a kid through college, then America is certainly less affordable than places with solid government-provided healthcare and education services. If you�re a middle-aged professional, America is much more affordable.
�Safer� is probably true, but has a lot to do with the heterogeneity of the US, which is a large diverse country, unlike the three you mentioned which are tiny, urbanized, and homogenous.
�More innovative� is pretty tough to call. How do you rank or measure innovation?
Affordability is one reason I'd like to get out of Australia. I've pretty much given up on the idea of owning a home here, houses are so ridiculously over-priced I just can't see the benefit of home ownership when I'm locked into a half a million dollar, 25 year loan. I'd rather put my money in the bank and have them pay ME interest than paying the value of a house in interest over the life of a loan.
Post by: Findecanor on Sat, 28 February 2015, 06:17:01
Affordability is one reason I'd like to get out of Australia. I've pretty much given up on the idea of owning a home here, houses are so ridiculously over-priced I just can't see the benefit of home ownership when I'm locked into a half a million dollar, 25 year loan. I'd rather put my money in the bank and have them pay ME interest than paying the value of a house in interest over the life of a loan.Over here, that is the price of a good apartment. A house near an urban area costs at least twice that. And the interest rate is around zero. Actually, the interest rate is currently negative if you are a bank loaning from the national bank. The low interest rate is a large contributing factor in why the housing prices are so inflated. I expect the local economy to crash soon.
Post by: bueller on Sat, 28 February 2015, 06:20:13
Affordability is one reason I'd like to get out of Australia. I've pretty much given up on the idea of owning a home here, houses are so ridiculously over-priced I just can't see the benefit of home ownership when I'm locked into a half a million dollar, 25 year loan. I'd rather put my money in the bank and have them pay ME interest than paying the value of a house in interest over the life of a loan.Over here, that is the price of a good apartment. A house near an urban area costs at least twice that. And the interest rate is around zero. Actually, the interest rate is currently negative if you are a bank loaning from the national bank. The low interest rate is a large contributing factor in why the housing prices are so inflated. I expect the local economy to crash soon.
Yeah our interest rates in Australia are around 4-5% per annum - I'd need to pay $20K a year before I even start making a dent in a $500,000 loan. No thanks.
Post by: azhdar on Sat, 28 February 2015, 07:05:40
Post by: heedpantsnow on Sat, 28 February 2015, 07:09:04
When I lived in China, I could see a similar trend there as well. Not as overt or accelerated, but there nonetheless.
Is this trend prevalent in Oz or GB? Does anyone else feel like this?
Post by: katushkin on Sat, 28 February 2015, 08:09:03
I love my country, but I hate that people get along less and less and "feel offended" more and more with the society catering to that. Bleh.
When I lived in China, I could see a similar trend there as well. Not as overt or accelerated, but there nonetheless.
Is this trend prevalent in Oz or GB? Does anyone else feel like this?
It's pretty much the same everywhere.
Post by: bueller on Sat, 28 February 2015, 08:11:30
Post by: heedpantsnow on Sat, 28 February 2015, 08:44:17
Australia isn't too bad for the PC police but then again we have other problems here - overt racism for one.
Well I have a bit divergent view on that...living overseas you get called all sorts of s**** ("foreign devil" in China, "****ty tourist" in Thailand, etc). I just learned to get over it. If you get pissed every time somebody calls you something you don't like, you'll spend your whole life miserable. And it's not anyone else's fault but your own.
Sorry if that comes off a bit strong.
Post by: bueller on Sat, 28 February 2015, 08:46:16
Australia isn't too bad for the PC police but then again we have other problems here - overt racism for one.
Well I have a bit divergent view on that...living overseas you get called all sorts of s**** ("foreign devil" in China, "****ty tourist" in Thailand, etc). I just learned to get over it. If you get pissed every time somebody calls you something you don't like, you'll spend your whole life miserable. And it's not anyone else's fault but your own.
Sorry if that comes off a bit strong.
I'm white so I don't experience it, I just have to live with the ignorant ****s who spout it. I should learn to let things go but I can't help myself most of the time.
Post by: Belfong on Sat, 28 February 2015, 09:31:05
Post by: bueller on Sat, 28 February 2015, 09:34:46
Racism in Australia? Really? As in discrimination at work or more than that?
In the workplace is much more covert but depending on the socio-economic circle you're in it can be very prevalent. It's stupid too, a lot of people have no problem with asians or blacks from outside Australia but as soon as our indigenous people come up they turn really nasty.
Post by: katushkin on Sat, 28 February 2015, 09:35:59
Racism in Australia? Really? As in discrimination at work or more than that?
In the workplace is much more covert but depending on the socio-economic circle you're in it can be very prevalent. It's stupid too, a lot of people have no problem with asians or blacks from outside Australia but as soon as our indigenous people come up they turn really nasty.
It's funny that pretty much most other places are racist towards immigrants, where in Australia it's the immigrants who are racist towards the natives.
Post by: bueller on Sat, 28 February 2015, 09:58:59
Racism in Australia? Really? As in discrimination at work or more than that?
In the workplace is much more covert but depending on the socio-economic circle you're in it can be very prevalent. It's stupid too, a lot of people have no problem with asians or blacks from outside Australia but as soon as our indigenous people come up they turn really nasty.
It's funny that pretty much most other places are racist towards immigrants, where in Australia it's the immigrants who are racist towards the natives.
Don't get me started man, I've actually asked pointed that out to people before but all you get is a blank stare or the typical "yeah, well, they'd still be chucking spears if it weren't for us" sort of bull****.
Post by: paicrai on Sat, 28 February 2015, 10:01:43
(https://pgcooper1939.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/garrus-screenshot-20080912.png)
Post by: Photekq on Sat, 28 February 2015, 10:05:36
Post by: bueller on Sat, 28 February 2015, 10:12:32
If it weren't for America's monstrous, unethical government, then I do think it'd be the best country in the world. But.. Yeah..
Australia isn't fairing much better unfortunately - I'm utterly embarrassed to have our country represented by Tony Abbott, the guy is a complete ****.
Post by: heedpantsnow on Sat, 28 February 2015, 10:12:36
If it weren't for America's monstrous, unethical government...
+1
---------------
Also, didn't know about the Australia situation; thanks for the insider perspective. I'm sorry to hear that.
I guess immigrants in the US screwed over our natives pretty good too.
Post by: hwood34 on Sat, 28 February 2015, 10:14:01
So from everything I've gathered about Tony Abbott, the guy is pretty much the worst thing to happen to Australia?If it weren't for America's monstrous, unethical government, then I do think it'd be the best country in the world. But.. Yeah..
Australia isn't fairing much better unfortunately - I'm utterly embarrassed to have our country represented by Tony Abbott, the guy is a complete ****.
Post by: paicrai on Sat, 28 February 2015, 10:14:32
If it weren't for America's monstrous, unethical government, then I do think it'd be the best country in the world. But.. Yeah..says the guy that had a nigel farage avy
Post by: bueller on Sat, 28 February 2015, 10:18:59
So from everything I've gathered about Tony Abbott, the guy is pretty much the worst thing to happen to Australia?If it weren't for America's monstrous, unethical government, then I do think it'd be the best country in the world. But.. Yeah..
Australia isn't fairing much better unfortunately - I'm utterly embarrassed to have our country represented by Tony Abbott, the guy is a complete ****.
Pretty much. Some of his finest moments include giving a knighthood to the Queen's husband (why?), making himself the minister for women and winking on camera to his mates when a senior citizen is complaining about having to work a sex line to make ends meet. He's an arsehole through and through and the quicker he gets out of power the better.
Post by: cmadrid on Sat, 28 February 2015, 10:41:34
If it weren't for America's monstrous, unethical government, then I do think it'd be the best country in the world. But.. Yeah..
QFT
Post by: katushkin on Sat, 28 February 2015, 10:53:23
If it weren't for America's monstrous, unethical government, then I do think it'd be the best country in the world. But.. Yeah..says the guy that had a nigel farage avy
We have Farage, does'nt mean he is going to get voted in. *crosses fingers*
But in all seriousness, I don't think America's government is all that bad. I would rather live there than anywhere in the middle east. I would rather be a woman in America, or be an atheist in America. Spying on people is bad, but so what, big deal. At least your wife can drive and you don't get hacked to pieces for not wanting to worship some pie in the sky.
Post by: Computer-Lab in Basement on Sat, 28 February 2015, 10:54:58
I'd rather live in Canada
Post by: cmadrid on Sat, 28 February 2015, 11:01:50
If it weren't for America's monstrous, unethical government, then I do think it'd be the best country in the world. But.. Yeah..says the guy that had a nigel farage avy
We have Farage, does'nt mean he is going to get voted in. *crosses fingers*
But in all seriousness, I don't think America's government is all that bad. I would rather live there than anywhere in the middle east. I would rather be a woman in America, or be an atheist in America. Spying on people is bad, but so what, big deal. At least your wife can drive and you don't get hacked to pieces for not wanting to worship some pie in the sky.
I think our government is terrible.. and getting worse. Particularly for people that don't live here.
Post by: iri on Sat, 28 February 2015, 11:06:22
America sucksmove then.
I'd rather live in Canada
Post by: katushkin on Sat, 28 February 2015, 11:07:30
I think our government is terrible.. and getting worse. Particularly for people that don't live here.
Having a foreign policy >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Isolationism
Post by: Photekq on Sat, 28 February 2015, 11:18:16
says the guy that had a nigel farage avyWhat do you think I mean by monstrous & unethical?
You don't agree with UKIPs views, and that's fair enough man. Everyone's entitled their opinion. Hell, I only agree with some of their views. I just like Farage.
However, thinking that Farage could transform the UK government (which is already pretty ****ing bad to begin with) into something as bad as the US govnerment is just straight delusional. Even if he were the worst PM the UK has ever seen (impossible thanks to Blair, that ****ing cockroach) and it were a majority government, it would still be impossible.
By unethical & monstrous I mean :
-States agreeing to keep the prison system above 90% capacity constantly, resulting in people being arrested & imprisoned for FAR longer than they should be for BEYOND petty crimes. This is all in the name of profit for those who own the prisons, prisoners are worked like slaves for companies such as Microsoft, Nike, Apple, etc.
-Kill thousands & thousands of innocents (this is a massive understatement) in order to improve the USAs political and economical position, or even to just control the population. These deaths come in the form of false flag attacks, needless wars under the guise of 'protecting our people & country', etc. etc.
There are so, so, so many more things I could list, those are just two of the worst I can think of.
Post by: cmadrid on Sat, 28 February 2015, 11:29:46
says the guy that had a nigel farage avyWhat do you think I mean by monstrous & unethical?
You don't agree with UKIPs views, and that's fair enough man. Everyone's entitled their opinion. Hell, I only agree with some of their views. I just like Farage.
However, thinking that Farage could transform the UK government (which is already pretty ****ing bad to begin with) into something as bad as the US govnerment is just straight delusional. Even if he were the worst PM the UK has ever seen (impossible thanks to Blair, that ****ing cockroach) and it were a majority government, it would still be impossible.
By unethical & monstrous I mean :
-States agreeing to keep the prison system above 90% capacity constantly, resulting in people being arrested & imprisoned for FAR longer than they should be for BEYOND petty crimes. This is all in the name of profit for those who own the prisons, prisoners are worked like slaves for companies such as Microsoft, Nike, Apple, etc.
-Kill thousands & thousands of innocents (this is a massive understatement) in order to improve the USAs political and economical position, or even to just control the population. These deaths come in the form of false flag attacks, needless wars under the guise of 'protecting our people & country', etc. etc.
There are so, so, so many more things I could list, those are just two of the worst I can think of.
Absolutely destroying every country south of us in this hemisphere with the 'war on drugs' then getting pissed off when poor people try to escape the drug cartels by coming here. You think the government would have learned from Prohibition..
Post by: Candyflip on Sat, 28 February 2015, 11:35:11
Wonderful, not the best, define best. It could be better; in a lot of ways. Japan, S. Korea & Switzerland are far more safer, innovative, and more affordable places to live.
Switzerland has the reputation of being one of the most expensive countries in Europe, same goes for Japan in Asia. Safer than the US? Probably but that is also true for most of European countries.
As for the OP I would rather stay here and enjoy free health care and (almost) free education for now.
Post by: Computer-Lab in Basement on Sat, 28 February 2015, 11:37:42
i'd rather live in the states than in the middle east, yeah.America sucksmove then.
I'd rather live in Canada
would if i could
Post by: baldgye on Sat, 28 February 2015, 11:39:45
Post by: Computer-Lab in Basement on Sat, 28 February 2015, 11:42:54
Everywhere is a diffrent shade of ****.
Post by: cmadrid on Sat, 28 February 2015, 11:43:12
Everywhere is a diffrent shade of ****.
The **** is always browner on another shore? ;)
Post by: SpAmRaY on Sat, 28 February 2015, 11:49:07
Is America the best country in the world?Obviously
Post by: katushkin on Sat, 28 February 2015, 11:51:10
Post by: demik on Sat, 28 February 2015, 12:03:02
Post by: paicrai on Sat, 28 February 2015, 12:03:47
Everywhere is a diffrent shade of ****.lol
Post by: cmadrid on Sat, 28 February 2015, 12:04:48
Nah too many Mexicans taking our jobs.
(http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Yv7B0pGrwC8/maxresdefault.jpg)
Post by: whizzard on Sat, 28 February 2015, 12:09:25
-States agreeing to keep the prison system above 90% capacity constantly, resulting in people being arrested & imprisoned for FAR longer than they should be for BEYOND petty crimes. This is all in the name of profit for those who own the prisons, prisoners are worked like slaves for companies such as Microsoft, Nike, Apple, etc.
I am glad that more people are noticing this. The prisons have become out of control money makers, and there have been many cases of Judges being corrupted by "gifts" for filling them up. Why does America have more people imprisoned than any other country yet claim to be a beacon of freedom? Is America just full of law breakers? This is a major problem, and it is never talked about by the media. The court system is not about justice.. it is about one thing... MONEY. I think just about the worst thing you can do to a human being is put them in a cage and stripping them of a few years of their life, in a lifetime that is relatively short. If you ask me locking someone up for petty crime is cruel and unusual punishment. Even not paying a speeding ticket can land you in jail eventually if not taken care of.
It worries me that building, staffing, and running prisons is done by private businesses... we are just asking for it. More and more are built every day. And sentences seem to be handed out so flippantly by the courts. They let poor people who can't afford a defense feel like they are getting a deal if they cop a plea and let them lock them up for an arbitrary time over a small offense... while people who can afford it get let go all the time. As far as the forced labor... I guess you reap what you sew... almost everything in Walmart is made by an imprisoned Chinese person, looks like the Chinese model is coming on over to the US.
I don't like to get political on forums because it just ends up badly... but I was just happy that this is starting to get some attention. More people need to speak up about our chock full prisons.
Post by: jacobolus on Sat, 28 February 2015, 12:19:12
1. Too much money in politics
2. As a corrollary to #1, too much corporate power, including horrible regulatory capture, defanging of most regulatory agencies in the past few decades, and few institutions standing up for workers needs or general human needs
3. A really ****ty media / advertising culture that has turned everyone into zombie consumers with no empathy (a bit exaggerated maybe, but only a bit)
Post by: iri on Sat, 28 February 2015, 12:26:27
Post by: steve.v on Sat, 28 February 2015, 12:36:59
i'd rather live in the states than in the middle east, yeah.America sucksmove then.
I'd rather live in Canada
No need to force anyone; they have a choice.
Post by: iri on Sat, 28 February 2015, 13:21:14
i'll show up in your dreams and force you to get a giant pink dildo.i'd rather live in the states than in the middle east, yeah.America sucksmove then.
I'd rather live in Canada
No need to force anyone; they have a choice.
Post by: paicrai on Sat, 28 February 2015, 14:05:20
Post by: cmadrid on Sat, 28 February 2015, 14:11:21
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/02/23/pennsylvania.corrupt.judges/
Ciavarella, 58, along with Conahan, 56, corruptly and fraudulently "created the potential for an increased number of juvenile offenders to be sent to juvenile detention facilities," federal court documents alleged. Children would be placed in private detention centers, under contract with the court, to increase the head count. In exchange, the two judges would receive kickbacks.
Post by: tbc on Sat, 28 February 2015, 14:15:04
America sucks
I'd rather live in Canada
you don't know what you're getting into....
Canada still technically includes Quebec, one of the most whiny populations on earth, especially their students.
Post by: drewba on Sat, 28 February 2015, 14:20:07
It's just a TV show and I've read an article or two that debunk some of the facts but this clip captures what I sort of feel about 'Merica.
EDIT: oops, the1onewolf beat me to the link on page 1