French Economics

that's beyond crazy from an economic standpoint.
The average Aussie has about 2/3 the GDP of the average American. Now you wanta talk scubba diving and tennis, you got us hands down.
 
Sometimes Topster old son, it's not about money, it's about quality of living. I admit we're lucky because of where we are (happy accident re climate and all the rest of it) but a society's values make it a worthwhile (or not) place to live.

I enjoy visiting the States (well I did, not that keen now - sorry, the airport business is a real pain) and never hesitate to babble to anyone about how it's great to visit (I can talk the leg off a bloody table) but live there? No. I just don't share some of your values.

There are a lot of American values I admire. The emphasis on individuality is great to a point, but when it becomes a shibboleth it becomes less than useful.

The way average workers are treated is crap in the States. Great if you're a millionaire or better, crap if you're on an average wage.

Great for consumers (much better than here, consumers here are treated like shit but that's because of our small domestic economy and high levels of corruption in business - insider trading here is almost a sport, it could get on ESPN) but shopping isn't everything is it?

And I won't go on about health care.

I get six weeks leave a year. I have heaps of long service leave. I have so much sick leave I don't know what to do with it (not that I'm keen on using it). I'm not and never will be wealthy but that's because I'm not in a high-earning occupation, but I will have and will have even after retirement, financial security. I'm not that unusual as an average/slightly higher than average wage earner.

But you'd probably label me a "loser" Toppy. That's another thing I don't like about American values. We call people who are struggling "battlers". There's a mix of pity and admiration in the term. The bloke who has an older car, who doesn't live in a flash suburb, who just gets by in financial terms, he's a battler (I'm not being sexist, just reaching for a bit of symbolic mythology here for the sake of the argument). But I get the feeling you might label him a "loser".

Nope, great to visit, lovely people, wouldn't want to live there.
 
Diuretic said:
Sometimes Topster old son, it's not about money, it's about quality of living. I admit we're lucky because of where we are (happy accident re climate and all the rest of it) but a society's values make it a worthwhile (or not) place to live.

I enjoy visiting the States (well I did, not that keen now - sorry, the airport business is a real pain) and never hesitate to babble to anyone about how it's great to visit (I can talk the leg off a bloody table) but live there? No. I just don't share some of your values.

There are a lot of American values I admire. The emphasis on individuality is great to a point, but when it becomes a shibboleth it becomes less than useful.

The way average workers are treated is crap in the States. Great if you're a millionaire or better, crap if you're on an average wage.

Great for consumers (much better than here, consumers here are treated like shit but that's because of our small domestic economy and high levels of corruption in business - insider trading here is almost a sport, it could get on ESPN) but shopping isn't everything is it?

And I won't go on about health care.

I get six weeks leave a year. I have heaps of long service leave. I have so much sick leave I don't know what to do with it (not that I'm keen on using it). I'm not and never will be wealthy but that's because I'm not in a high-earning occupation, but I will have and will have even after retirement, financial security. I'm not that unusual as an average/slightly higher than average wage earner.

But you'd probably label me a "loser" Toppy. That's another thing I don't like about American values. We call people who are struggling "battlers". There's a mix of pity and admiration in the term. The bloke who has an older car, who doesn't live in a flash suburb, who just gets by in financial terms, he's a battler (I'm not being sexist, just reaching for a bit of symbolic mythology here for the sake of the argument). But I get the feeling you might label him a "loser".

Nope, great to visit, lovely people, wouldn't want to live there.
Click to expand...


Great post.
 
diabetic,
a lot of other second rate country's feel country envylike you. Our avrage worker makes way more than yours. And has way more options
 
Topper is lost on our contries economics and now he is commenting on French economics ?

I guess it is the look they are worse than we are rationalization thing.
 
Topspin said:
diabetic,
a lot of other second rate country's feel country envylike you. Our avrage worker makes way more than yours. And has way more options
Click to expand...

I don't have country envy Top, I know when I'm well off and what works for me, that's all. Hey it's not perfect here, the previous lazy slob conservative government has bequeathed us an inflation problem (courtesy of capacity constraints) but we'll probably not get the sort of social problems that haunt your country because we won't put up with unfairness in our society.

Oh and using "diabetic" instead of "Diuretic" is a bit weak. Accurate but weak.
 
Diuretic said:
I don't have country envy Top, I know when I'm well off and what works for me, that's all. Hey it's not perfect here, the previous lazy slob conservative government has bequeathed us an inflation problem (courtesy of capacity constraints) but we'll probably not get the sort of social problems that haunt your country because we won't put up with unfairness in our society.

Oh and using "diabetic" instead of "Diuretic" is a bit weak. Accurate but weak.
Click to expand...
I would personally use Dianetics. But then I'd be made fun of by other Buddhists for hassling another religion.
 
Topspin said:
that's beyond crazy from an economic standpoint.
The average Aussie has about 2/3 the GDP of the average American. Now you wanta talk scubba diving and tennis, you got us hands down.
Click to expand...

The median American has about 1/3rd or so the GDP of the median Australian, now that we're just pulling statistics out of our asses.
 
Damocles said:
I would personally use Dianetics. But then I'd be made fun of by other Buddhists for hassling another religion.
Click to expand...

They'd frown at you Damo. I think that's about as bad as Buddhists get (outside of military engagements I mean).

I know I've misused others' nicknames, Watermark was one I remember. It's wrong and I was childish to do so.
 
Diuretic said:
They'd frown at you Damo. I think that's about as bad as Buddhists get (outside of military engagements I mean).

I know I've misused others' nicknames, Watermark was one I remember. It's wrong and I was childish to do so.
Click to expand...

Was that skidmark, waterbaby, waterfuck, or waterbitch?

My name is a compound word, and therefore can be made of in a multitude of ways. There is no name more misused than mine.

BTW, making "diuretic" into "diabetes" probably makes your name a bit more positive.
 
Watermark said:
Was that skidmark, waterbaby, waterfuck, or waterbitch?

My name is a compound word, and therefore can be made of in a multitude of ways. There is no name more misused than mine.

BTW, making "diuretic" into "diabetes" probably makes your name a bit more positive.
Click to expand...

Waterbaby.

I've said this when I've been asked but the nick came from registering on a forum and having to find a nick. At the time I was taking a diuretic and it was on the desk in front of me in its little green jar. Yes I know, I have no imagination but the good nicks are already taken by the time I arrive.

I've also said this before too but it's still true - I'm just glad I wasn't taking Preparation H at the time.....
 
Diuretic said:
Waterbaby.

I've said this when I've been asked but the nick came from registering on a forum and having to find a nick. At the time I was taking a diuretic and it was on the desk in front of me in its little green jar. Yes I know, I have no imagination but the good nicks are already taken by the time I arrive.

I've also said this before too but it's still true - I'm just glad I wasn't taking Preparation H at the time.....
Click to expand...

Yes, I know that, I wasn't asking lol...
 
Mottleydude said:
Europe is behind us because eastern europe was broken by 50 years of communist rule and western europe is still saddled with their aristocratic and colonial legacy.
Click to expand...

"Behind"? In what ways?

Pleeeease rabbit on about the number of billionaires in the States. Pleeease.

:clink:
 
Diabetic, you have to face a lot of corruption eh?? I bet there are plenty of other problems too. I get 6 weeks of vacation and more sick days than I would ever need, not that unusual.
I wondered why all I heard about were mining companies in Aus, too bad. It's nice to have unlimited options in making a real easy living. Envy on Aussie!!!
 
Topspin said:
Diabetic, you have to face a lot of corruption eh?? I bet there are plenty of other problems too. I get 6 weeks of vacation and more sick days than I would ever need, not that unusual.
I wondered why all I heard about were mining companies in Aus, too bad. It's nice to have unlimited options in making a real easy living. Envy on Aussie!!!
Click to expand...

You're projecting Top. I'm not envious, I made that clear. I would not want to live in the US for many reasons.

Yes, we have a lot of corruption in business here, but then corruption is endemic in business anywhere, it's how things are. A system that is built on the notion of exploitation and competition has corruption as part of its day to day functioning.

Mining companies are doing well and so are their workers (that doesn't flow through to the general population though). Of course it's causing all kinds of uneven bumps in the economy here which is a problem for the federal government in trying to pull the levers on the economy. Our government is battling inflation, the legacy of the previous, lazy regime. We've got a boom and we need to cool it down lest inflation get out of hand because of capacity constraints.

But the depressed US housing market is a boon for some. An ex-premier of Queensland who is now a trade official in LA (or will be) has just bought himself a place in NC at a bargain price. I don't suppose he's going to be an orphan in hopping in to your lousy housing market to make a buck
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top