Preconceptions
Feb 10th 2005, 4:47 am
#61
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Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Mid West >> UK
Posts: 1,239
Re: Preconceptions
Originally Posted by Yosser
My preconceptions of America was lots of beautiful women with really big tits.....glad to say my preconceptions were spot on!
Feb 10th 2005, 4:51 am
#62
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,877
Re: Preconceptions
Originally Posted by ladylisa
shhh my husband will want to relocate to where ever you live
LA then I guess
Feb 10th 2005, 1:59 pm
#63
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Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 3,338
Re: Preconceptions
Originally Posted by Eskimo
LA then I guess
Or Miami....must be something to do with the sun
Feb 10th 2005, 3:54 pm
#64
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Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Mid West >> UK
Posts: 1,239
Re: Preconceptions
Originally Posted by Dan725
Or Miami....must be something to do with the sun
Feb 10th 2005, 7:59 pm
#65
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: East Seaxe
Posts: 72,531
Re: Preconceptions
Originally Posted by Manc
I posted this before.
The idea of the American dream is long gone. It's puritan 200 years old and it doesn't relate to people any more. One cannot come to Ellis Island, work in a sweatshop for a few months and with the earnings go and buy 100 acres in West Virginia to be self sufficient. However the dream of self sufficiency still lives on, but now it's all greed, getting ahead of your fellow man whilst shoving him down whilst you're on your way up.
The past 10 years has seen a new European dream based on totally different values, secularism, diversity, social equality, communities, friendships and leisure time. The trouble is, the Europeans have an inferiority complex and are not as blatant about bragging about the great things in Europe. The new European dream needs to be ratified within two years with the signing of the EU constitution. If Europe bottles it, then the experiment has failed. But I ask you, is it not better to persue a dream of friendships, leisure time, communities and social well being over the persuit of money and materialistic ideals?
I think if you ask most people they'll say yes.
EU has the largest economy in the world, with 10.2 trillion dollars annually, and I reckon it is just a matter of time before OPEC starts trading in Euro's. Airbus has overtaken Boeing. 4 out of the 6 largest banks in the world are EU based.
The average EU worker has more production per man hour than the average US worker. They have more vacation time in the EU yet, still get the job done.
You cannot look at Europe simply as individual countries, because the youth of the EU are beginning to see themselves more and more as European and not Italian/Dutch/Danish etc etc.
America is good. But the American dream is dead. It was worth dying for, but the New European dream is worth living for. I just hope the UK especially doesn't bottle it with the Euro and the constitution.
The idea of the American dream is long gone. It's puritan 200 years old and it doesn't relate to people any more. One cannot come to Ellis Island, work in a sweatshop for a few months and with the earnings go and buy 100 acres in West Virginia to be self sufficient. However the dream of self sufficiency still lives on, but now it's all greed, getting ahead of your fellow man whilst shoving him down whilst you're on your way up.
The past 10 years has seen a new European dream based on totally different values, secularism, diversity, social equality, communities, friendships and leisure time. The trouble is, the Europeans have an inferiority complex and are not as blatant about bragging about the great things in Europe. The new European dream needs to be ratified within two years with the signing of the EU constitution. If Europe bottles it, then the experiment has failed. But I ask you, is it not better to persue a dream of friendships, leisure time, communities and social well being over the persuit of money and materialistic ideals?
I think if you ask most people they'll say yes.
EU has the largest economy in the world, with 10.2 trillion dollars annually, and I reckon it is just a matter of time before OPEC starts trading in Euro's. Airbus has overtaken Boeing. 4 out of the 6 largest banks in the world are EU based.
The average EU worker has more production per man hour than the average US worker. They have more vacation time in the EU yet, still get the job done.
You cannot look at Europe simply as individual countries, because the youth of the EU are beginning to see themselves more and more as European and not Italian/Dutch/Danish etc etc.
America is good. But the American dream is dead. It was worth dying for, but the New European dream is worth living for. I just hope the UK especially doesn't bottle it with the Euro and the constitution.
Here's more about what Manc was saying. (It's a 6-pager, so only if you have time for a read.)
http://www.utne.com/pub/2004_125/promo/11349-1.html
He sounds a bit as though he's trying to sell Europe to someone, but it's full of interesting ideas anyway.
Feb 10th 2005, 8:24 pm
#66
Not living a 9 to 5 life
Joined: Jun 2002
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 11,061
Re: Preconceptions
Originally Posted by ladylisa
shhh my husband will want to relocate to where ever you live
NC Penguin
Feb 10th 2005, 8:47 pm
#67
I love Marmite, she don't
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 454
Re: Preconceptions
Nice thread.
I do think taxes are less in the USA but then I was an employer in the UK paying myself. That was 40% top rate. 10% NI and 10% NI again (as employer). In the UK therefore I was paying 60% Here it's about 35%
Higher earners are rewarded more because there's a good cap on Social Security and other things like Healthcare are a fixed cost and not a % of salary.
I was successful in the UK and brought my company here. However, being in the USA I was able to sell it which I don't ever think would have happened in the UK.
Houses are so cheap here and HUGE for the money but then that's because they don't have to be built to withstand 6 months of rain Seriously, house prices here (unless in the city) hardly go up in value.
A mis-conception is of course healthcare. Everyone thinks it's great in the USA. It can be but 1. It is NOT cheap. 2. They just want you out of hospital ASAP in fear the insurance won't pay and 3. it's a mess trying to get your insurance to pay what your are entitled and we battle them every year. The big thing over the UK is the hospitals that insurance covers are generally spotlessly clean.
I do think taxes are less in the USA but then I was an employer in the UK paying myself. That was 40% top rate. 10% NI and 10% NI again (as employer). In the UK therefore I was paying 60% Here it's about 35%
Higher earners are rewarded more because there's a good cap on Social Security and other things like Healthcare are a fixed cost and not a % of salary.
I was successful in the UK and brought my company here. However, being in the USA I was able to sell it which I don't ever think would have happened in the UK.
Houses are so cheap here and HUGE for the money but then that's because they don't have to be built to withstand 6 months of rain
Seriously, house prices here (unless in the city) hardly go up in value.A mis-conception is of course healthcare. Everyone thinks it's great in the USA. It can be but 1. It is NOT cheap. 2. They just want you out of hospital ASAP in fear the insurance won't pay and 3. it's a mess trying to get your insurance to pay what your are entitled and we battle them every year. The big thing over the UK is the hospitals that insurance covers are generally spotlessly clean.
Feb 10th 2005, 8:59 pm
#68
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 235
Re: Preconceptions
Originally Posted by Dan725
Or Miami....must be something to do with the sun
Feb 10th 2005, 9:01 pm
#69
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 235
Re: Preconceptions
[QUOTE=Bob]Errr...surprised at cost of some of the food and how different it can be, like bread, and the use of corn syrup in everything...QUOTE]
Corn syrup Bob, around here its cheese .. wots with the cheese on everything??? lol
Corn syrup Bob, around here its cheese .. wots with the cheese on everything??? lol
Feb 10th 2005, 10:25 pm
#70
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Dahn Sarf
Posts: 287
Re: Preconceptions
Originally Posted by franc111s
I do think taxes are less in the USA but then I was an employer in the UK paying myself. That was 40% top rate. 10% NI and 10% NI again (as employer). In the UK therefore I was paying 60%
My preconception was about the amount of crime. As long as you don't live in the big cities, it seems to be much safer here than the UK.
In the UK we lived in a nice part of town, but still went to bed with all the windows double locked and the alarm on. And it didn't matter where you parked, outside the house or in the city centre, if you left anything, even a CD, in your car, you'd come back and find a broken window and the item nicked....
And as for guns - five hundred yards from where my mother lives in the UK two cops were shot to death last year (at the same time), and a half mile away on a different occasion some nutter walked into the local pub waving a shotgun...
That's something I don't miss about the UK..
Feb 10th 2005, 10:36 pm
#71
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: Preconceptions
Originally Posted by Big Vern
And as for guns - five hundred yards from where my mother lives in the UK two cops were shot to death last year (at the same time), and a half mile away on a different occasion some nutter walked into the local pub waving a shotgun...
That's something I don't miss about the UK..
That's something I don't miss about the UK..
a weird thing I didn't expect....people going into banks with motorbike helmets on and it not be a problem...well seeing someone in a helmet is probably a big surprise anyway *l*
Feb 10th 2005, 11:14 pm
#72
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 2,894
Re: Preconceptions
Originally Posted by NC Penguin
Alone or with company? 
NC Penguin
NC Penguin
With the Memsahib, I leave the solo times to you youngsters who have to rush everything.
Feb 10th 2005, 11:17 pm
#73
Gurning up a storm!
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Just moved back to NH from UK after the wife and I tried living in UK
Posts: 80
Re: Preconceptions
Originally Posted by woodsey
I know what you mean, I have everything I want and more, but try telling people who have **** all that all they really need in life is their fellow man, what they want is stuff!
Bo!
Feb 10th 2005, 11:26 pm
#74
Gurning up a storm!
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Just moved back to NH from UK after the wife and I tried living in UK
Posts: 80
Re: Preconceptions
Originally Posted by Big Vern
I had the same thing myself, it just about put me out of business...
My preconception was about the amount of crime. As long as you don't live in the big cities, it seems to be much safer here than the UK.
In the UK we lived in a nice part of town, but still went to bed with all the windows double locked and the alarm on. And it didn't matter where you parked, outside the house or in the city centre, if you left anything, even a CD, in your car, you'd come back and find a broken window and the item nicked....
And as for guns - five hundred yards from where my mother lives in the UK two cops were shot to death last year (at the same time), and a half mile away on a different occasion some nutter walked into the local pub waving a shotgun...
That's something I don't miss about the UK..
My preconception was about the amount of crime. As long as you don't live in the big cities, it seems to be much safer here than the UK.
In the UK we lived in a nice part of town, but still went to bed with all the windows double locked and the alarm on. And it didn't matter where you parked, outside the house or in the city centre, if you left anything, even a CD, in your car, you'd come back and find a broken window and the item nicked....
And as for guns - five hundred yards from where my mother lives in the UK two cops were shot to death last year (at the same time), and a half mile away on a different occasion some nutter walked into the local pub waving a shotgun...
That's something I don't miss about the UK..
We live in a quiet respectable neighborhood.
I think the English are more neurotic or paranoid or something, or more aggressive, it makes them a little more violent than other nations. I think this streak goes way back to before the Napoleonic wars - and may have even been a benefit when fighting battles (in less enlightened times). Wierd really...
just my historical 2Cents.
Moooo!
Feb 11th 2005, 12:18 am
#75
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: Preconceptions
Originally Posted by Suffolk Bumpkin
Yeah - not to make a big thing out of the doom and gloom aspect - but we had some guy running around the neighborhood stabbing young girls over Christmas. It freaked my wife out a little - and has helped make up our minds to move to the US - NE, where that sort of thing just doesnt happen.