Re: Is this really, that terrible compared to UK?
 

Sorry, that's just not my experience, I've found the service comparable to the US.

Re: Is this really, that terrible compared to UK?
 

I'm of the opinion that there's nothing wrong with guns. I just think that with ownership comes great responsibility and I don't see why people kick up a fuss about need some stricter controls in small arms ownership.

What is wrong with getting a medical note to say you are of sound mind, not suffering depression and getting a criminal background check to own a weapon? Sure it'll take more than a few days and be a inconvenience, but isn't that a small price?

It's not like buying a coffee machine, yet the whole gun debate seems to equate it to the same significance.

It is all very amusing...people here would hate the government stance in Austria if they think people are so over baring on this issue, over there, if you fail your driving test 3 times, you've got to take a medical to prove you are of sound mind because they can't believe anyone could possibly not have issues or be stupid to fail that often. I've seen the theory book, it's 3 inches thick :lol:

Re: Is this really, that terrible compared to UK?
 

Even better when they blame the immigrants and that's why they left the UK :D

Re: Is this really, that terrible compared to UK?
 

I think part of the major issue is the complete lack of consistency.

Not just health, but even gun laws.

Things can be great in one state, but polar opposite next door. It's very hard for there to be a change and equal comparison if someone were at the top end and thinking they might lose out, compared to someone on the other end of the scale who would have most to gain, etc.

Re: Is this really, that terrible compared to UK?
 

Re: Is this really, that terrible compared to UK?
 

You're being obtuse. The court found that there was "a substantive constitutional right to own slaves". How much clearer a right - in US terms - is there? The final arbiter on what is and isn't a "right" is the Supreme Court's interpretation of the Constitution. In this case they found a constitutional right to own slaves.

My substantive constitutional right to own slaves has been removed.

Re: Is this really, that terrible compared to UK?
 

There is no "magic" point where "growing old" commences. For differing people with differing genes it might start earlier - or later - than the age of Medicare eligibility. And that is the problem with making a carte blanche statement about people being better off growing old in the US as too many people in the US find out to their cost. Personally, I'm more inclined to pin the concept of "growing old" more to when statistics tell us that rates of serious illnesses such as cancer and heart disease start to grow exponentially. And that's a decade or so before the current age of Medicare eligibility. Sure, those illnesses can occur at any age, but the reality is they rarely do.

And yet the US spends 50% more as a percentage of its GDP on healthcare for no discernible benefit in terms of the major indices of health outcomes... Pretty amazing givne everyone gets "crap service" on the NHS.

Re: Is this really, that terrible compared to UK?
 

I'd take issue with this. To my eyes, it's not so much a case of "whinging" but making sure that those who haven't got here yet are fully aware that this isn't the land of milk and honey that many thing it is.

A lot depends on your circumstances of moving here and where you move to. If my UK employers hadn't closed the data center I was going to manage 2 weeks before our move, I'm sure my experience would have been different and a lot more positive. As it was, I arrived in the US in January 2002 with my wife, 2 cats, a dog and no job. No big deal I thought. I hadn't interviewed for a position in the UK for over 10 years. Companies came to me, not the other way around. I had a good degree from one of the top universities in the UK. But guess what? I found out that UK work experience doesn't count for squat in the US. That's not whinging, it's a fact. My degree in theoretical physics is useless when looking for IT jobs. They'd rather you had a 30 year old computer science degree.

I ended up selling cars for over a year just to get some money in. Then, I did land a nice IT job through contacts I had made there (in my experience, the US is all about networking, especially employment wise). Great I thought. A nice network engineering gig at $35 per hour and medical for the family. My paycheck come up at the end of my second week. It was more than a little light. Upshot was that they decided they couldn't afford the $35 an hour so they were paying me $12 an hour and I could like it or lump it. By the way, they back-tracked on the medical too. My options? Leave or sue. No real employment protection here. Just to rub salt on the wound, I found out they were charging a premium to clients for my services because of my knowledge and experience.

Nowadays, I'm running my own consulting business. I don't make great money, but it's comfortable. I live in a geographically beautiful part of the world. As others have said, the US is very, very diverse, even within a state. I live in Oregon. To most people, that will bring up a vision of a tree covered, rainy, liberal bastion in the north west. Not if you cross to east of the Cascade mountains where I live. I have a friend here who moved from rural Louisiana. He says this is the most "redneck" place he has ever lived. It's very right wing and xenophobic, not just to foreigners, but to anyone from outside the area. Pretty ironic considering that tourism is the main industry. Why am I here? My wife moved here to be close to an old friend. They no longer talk. Oh joy!

So, in summary, my experience is that if you move here with a good job lined up and to a place you feel you fit in, then it could be a good move. Just be aware that it is a foreign country. Things are done differently and attitudes are very, very different. It's a culture shock, no matter how much American TV, films or other culture you drink down. As I said, it's not a case of whinging, it's making people who haven't made the move aware of some of the pitfalls.

Would I still move? Yes I would, but only with a decent job and to one of the more cosmopolitan areas.

Re: Is this really, that terrible compared to UK?
 

"Substantive" ranks right up there with "virtually". You get virtually spotless dishes with Wow Detergent! People see "virtually spotless" and think "spotless"... but they don't mean the same thing. People see "substantive constitutional right" and they think "constitutional right"... but they don't mean the same thing!

At any rate, I stand by my assertion... you're welcome to disagree!

Ian

Re: Is this really, that terrible compared to UK?
 

as is the Supreme Court. I know who my money's on :)

Re: Is this really, that terrible compared to UK?
 

I'd heard it was renamed as well....:D

Re: Is this really, that terrible compared to UK?
 

Wow. If someone from rural Louisiana says that your neighbourhood is the most redneck place he has ever been - it must be pretty darn redneck. Can't be worse than Arkansas though (if this thread is anything to go by). Check out the weird Confederate shrine in the photo at the bottom of the page.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=179479

Re: Is this really, that terrible compared to UK?
 

Seriously, maybe apart from the confederate flags, you could take photos like that in any part of the US I've visited.

Re: Is this really, that terrible compared to UK?
 

What? - Even this

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/...a653c996_o.jpg

Most redneck place I've seen so far was in Vermont of all places - I think it was called Searsburg. It was all the more surprising as it comes at you out of the blue after a couple of pristine villages then all of a sudden it's like you have been transplanted to the Ozarks.

Re: Is this really, that terrible compared to UK?
 

I think the post 17 on that thread summed it up for me....at least on the states I've been to.

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You can find similar trashy scenes in many, if not most, states in the country (including California and Sarah Palin's Alaska). I've seen areas of Hawaii that would totally shock most people.

The extent of it varies from state to state, though. From my travels, it's most noticeable in the south, and I don't think that should be a surprise considering the amount of poverty.

There are probably people all over the world who would never guess we have such poverty in this country (including cultural poverty).

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