Millionaire Challenge

guitarman001

Big passive income.... if only.
Isn't it very hard to get into the States nowadays? Their holidays are lacking and health costs a LOAD. Might visit to check the place out, though.
Reality is £40k+ is way more than the average Joe gets.

GSMAnon

Jeanetteathome wrote: »

Nothing like reducing a whole nation down to a few choice stereotypes is there? Given a streak of anti US feeling running through the media it's hardly surprising that such stereotypes abound. However if you spend time in the US and get to know actual Americans then you find something quite different.

I'm sure many of the stereotypes I used are redundant in many of the "blue" states of the U.S., but still, I'm not sure it is a place I would enjoy.

For the record I don't pay too much attention to the media, and my stereotypes are based on interactions with Americans, and they seem to be backed up by statistics... although admittedly, not interactions that I've had IN America.

Anyway, having lived in the UK all my years, I don't have much difficulty describing the UK with a few choice stereotypes... so I don't think that experience of the country will necessarily reduce my ability to do that with conviction!

Now in Canada there is a requirement for skilled people but you'll find that in provinces like Quebec they have strict - very strict - policies about being able to speak French, they can be very unpleasant about this if you go there. Not very welcoming.

Yes, I'm aware of this, you're right. I don't think it's quite so strict in other provinces, but it does count as an 'bonus' in those other provinces to be able to speak French. Unfortunately, I don't speak a word of it, but I reckon I'm a good candidate in all other respects.

Canada, in general, seems a nice place to be. Much bigger properties for similar prices, for a start, and I'm led to believe that the purchasing power of the Canadian dollar is very strong.

Jeanetteathome

GSMAnon wrote: »

I'm sure many of the stereotypes I used are redundant in many of the "blue" states of the U.S., but still, I'm not sure it is a place I would enjoy.

For the record I don't pay too much attention to the media, and my stereotypes are based on interactions with Americans... although admittedly, not interactions that I've had IN America.

Anyway, having lived in the UK all my years, I don't have much difficulty describing the UK with a few choice stereotypes... so I don't think that experience of the country will necessarily reduce my ability to do that with conviction!



Yes, I'm aware of this, you're right. I don't think it's quite so strict in other provinces, but it doesn't count as an 'bonus' in those other provinces to be able to speak French. Unfortunately, I don't speak a word of it, but I reckon I'm a good candidate in all other respects.

Canada, in general, seems a nice place to be. Much bigger properties for similar prices, for a start, and I'm led to believe that the purchasing power of the Canadian dollar is very strong.

You can't sum up *any* country or people in stereotypes at all , and shouldn't for it blinkers the veiw , it's just not a good idea as it - lets face it - based on nothing more than poor media coverage and xenophobia. My daughter is married to an American and he and his family and their extended family and friends and the community they live in a re delightful.

My brother lives in Canada and in the big cities it's OK but the economy isn't that good and services can be very hit and miss like Helathcare etc.

GSMAnon

Jeanetteathome wrote: »

You can't sum up *any* country or people in stereotypes at all , and shouldn't for it blinkers the veiw , it's just not a good idea as it - lets face it - based on nothing more than poor media coverage and xenophobia. My daughter is married to an American and he and his family and their extended family and friends and the community they live in a re delightful.

My brother lives in Canada and in the big cities it's OK but the economy isn't that good and services can be very hit and miss like Helathcare etc.

There's nothing wrong with using information to this effect...

The US is statistically far fatter than most countries, the education system is objectively worse, with less people going through college, and those who do paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for it. It's an extremely religious nation, with up to 82% professing to be religious and 40% going as far as to disregard science for religious reasons.

The nationalism and pride in the nation is rife... with almost all schools pledging allegiance to the flag regularly, etc.

Gun crime is obviously a lot more rife, and guns ARE everywhere. And the police thing is just a cultural thing... they're taught to always be suspicious of everybody and are very boisterous... always quick to pull the pistol. But that's probably the right culture for their country, given that any random person on the street could be carrying a lethal weapon.

I haven't said anything that isn't shown by statistics... okay, statistics don't apply to EVERYBODY, but they increase the likelihood of you being right about an individual when you make assumptions about them based on statistics...

I.e. I'd be right more often than I'm wrong to first assume that any given American is:

- Overweight
- Owns a Gun
- Is a nationalist
- Is a Christian

I'd be wrong for SOME, yes, but I'd be right a LOT more than I'm wrong.

Jeanetteathome

GSMAnon wrote: »

There's nothing wrong with using information to this effect...

The US is statistically far fatter than most countries, the education system is objectively worse, with less people going through college, and those who do paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for it. It's an extremely religious nation, with up to 82% professing to be religious and 40% going as far as to disregard science for religious reasons.

The nationalism and pride in the nation is rife... with almost all schools pledging allegiance to the flag regularly, etc.

Gun crime is obviously a lot more rife, and guns ARE everywhere. And the police thing is just a cultural thing... they're taught to always be suspicious of everybody and are very boisterous... always quick to pull the pistol.

I haven't said anything that isn't shown by statistics... okay, statistics don't apply to EVERYBODY, but they increase the likelihood of you being right about an individual when you make assumptions about them based on statistics...

I.e. I'd be right more often than I'm wrong to first assume that any given American is:

- Overweight
- Owns a Gun
- Is a nationalist
- Is a Christian

I'd be wrong for SOME, yes, but I'd be right a LOT more than I'm wrong.

My son in law doesn't own a gun , runs marathons regularly.

So thats two down.

The other two are of ZERO consequence - you appear to be labouring under the illusion that *nationalism* as you call it , so beloved of the French too and most other countries is a bad or undesirable thing , just because you don't like your country you assume that others don't like theirs. Many countries swear allegiance to their countries or flags, nothing wrong with that but seemingly if the US citizens do it it's some how wrong.

As to religion - each to their own, I don't subscribe to this thing about bashing Americans about religion whilst fawning over other nations whose citizens all go to church/mosque/temple/synangogue.

lets be utterly honest here at New Year - it's about petty Xenophobia sin't it? the USA being the last and probably ONLY country where this sort of Xenophobioa towrds is allowed and applauded.

ferox666

Jeanetteathome wrote: »

My son in law doesn't own a gun , runs marathons regularly.

So thats two down.

The other two are of ZERO consequence - you appear to be labouring under the illusion that *nationalism* as you call it , so beloved of the French too and most other countries is a bad or undesirable thing , just because you don't like your country you assume that others don't like theirs. Many countries swear allegiance to their countries or flags, nothing wrong with that but seemingly if the US citizens do it it's some how wrong.

As to religion - each to their own, I don't subscribe to this thing about bashing Americans about religion whilst fawning over other nations whose citizens all go to church/mosque/temple/synangogue.

lets be utterly honest here at New Year - it's about petty Xenophobia sin't it? the USA being the last and probably ONLY country where this sort of Xenophobioa towrds is allowed and applauded.

Exactly. Not only were his stereotypes offensive, they were completely inaccurate from my own experiences in USA and with American people both there and here in the UK.

I wonder if he is so critical of nationalism and religion amongst the nationalist, religious islamic countries in the middle east. Of course not, that would be "racist" wouldn't it....oh the double standards...

GSMAnon

Jeanetteathome wrote: »

My son in law doesn't own a gun , runs marathons regularly.

So thats two down.

The other two are of ZERO consequence - you appear to be labouring under the illusion that *nationalism* as you call it , so beloved of the French too and most other countries is a bad or undesirable thing , just because you don't like your country you assume that others don't like theirs. Many countries swear allegiance to their countries or flags, nothing wrong with that but seemingly if the US citizens do it it's some how wrong.

I find it wrong in any country because it doesn't make sense... being proud of where you're born is about as logical as being proud of how many freckles you have or what colour your eyes are.

I like that aspect of Britain... that we don't REALLY care too much about our flag and our pride, we don't think Britain is the be all and end all, etc.

As to religion - each to their own, I don't subscribe to this thing about bashing Americans about religion whilst fawning over other nations whose citizens all go to church/mosque/temple/synangogue.

Don't worry, you can be rest assured that I'm as judgemental of any religion in any country as I am about Christianity in the US.

lets be utterly honest here at New Year - it's about petty Xenophobia sin't it? the USA being the last and probably ONLY country where this sort of Xenophobioa towrds is allowed and applauded.

Hmm, no not really. I like to take each cultural practice and attitude on its own merit. I really don't mind 'foreign' cultures coming to the UK or going elsewhere if I can see readily that they will contribute positively to that nation. I DO mind when I can see readily that a cultural practice/value/attitude will do damage upon being imported to another country...

It would be a terrible idea to introduce the right to bear arms in the UK, for example, and we should resist that... one aspect of that resistance is actively condemning other countries that do have that right.

GSMAnon

ferox666 wrote: »

Exactly. Not only were his stereotypes offensive, they were completely inaccurate from my own experiences in USA and with American people both there and here in the UK.

I wonder if he is so critical of nationalism and religion amongst the nationalist, religious islamic countries in the middle east. Of course not, that would be "racist" wouldn't it....oh the double standards...

I'm one of the biggest critics of Islam and Islamic nations you will find. You can be rest assured I'm as critical of Islam as I am of Christianity, Judaism, or any of the rest of them!

It's not racism, or even xenophobia... there's white Muslims, British Muslims, there's black Christians, Asian Christians, etc. It's not even really religionism because I don't discriminate against one particular religion or group of religions... I'm critical of ALL religion.

I suppose you could call it culturalism, but even then, there are ASPECTS of each culture that are positive and aspects that are negative... I like to take them all on their individual merit. For example, I'd happily bring the food culture of Pakistan to the UK, but not the cultural practice of honour killings, sexism against women, human rights issues and theocracy.

I am aware that it is perceived as being more controversial to criticise Islam and Islamic theocracy, and that's something I resist fervently, and certainly don't let it muffle my criticisms one way or another. It's a sad day when your criticism for a certain group is muffled out by fear or political correctness, but I like to think I'm actively resisting and fighting that appalling trend by speaking my mind without prejudice.

As for whether or not what I said was offensive, I'm not sure I particularly care. As long as they're true (and statistics show that they are), then that's all I really care about.

I'm aware that they may be inaccurate with respect to YOUR experiences, but a few anecdotes does not amount to data. What the data suggests is that your experience was an exception to the general trends shown by statistics.

GSMAnon

Anyway... plenty of threads about religion and foreign policy elsewhere on the internet. Back to talking money please .

Derivative

I do find the replies to your post fairly strange.

Claim: "Many americans are fat".
Rebuttal: "My son isn't".

Clever.