I'm thinking of traveling to the following cities in Europe. Thoughts?
I'm thinking of traveling to the following cities in Europe next year in the summer. I don't know if I can see everything, but these are the places on my list. I'd like some general suggestions, anything would do, such as must-see places in city, recommended things to do, and even nearby cities that I should make the effort of visiting. I think these cities are pretty much accessible because they're all nearby in some way and it's easy to travel from one to another. I sort of put them in order of how I would visit them, but if someone thinks the order doesn't really work, please let me know. I'm thinking of traveling by train for most of the cities, but by airplane when necessary. Amsterdam Bruges Brussels Luxembourg Salzburg Vienna Budapest Prague Krakow Warsaw Berlin
Other - Europe - 3 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Your itinerary seems ok for Holland / Belgium / Luxembourg. I guess you have already an idea about the "classics" in each city so I'll give you some alternatives. Amsterdam: Make a bicycle tour around the Ijselmeer to Lelystad, take the Ferry to Volendam and ride back to Amsterdam. Bruges: Make a bicycle tour along the Damse vaart to Damme. Damme is the Hometown of Tyl Uylenspiegel (book). Tip: Watch the movie "In Bruges" with Colin Farell Brussels: Visit "Rue the Boucher" - restaurant district - for the atmosphere but don't eat there. Instead dine in the Belgaqueen restaurant near the opera. http://www.belgaqueen.be/ If you are a good sport you might enjoy a rolllerparade in the evening: a guided in-line skating tour in and around the major cities in Belgium. You usually can rent the necessary material. For Bruges: http://debrugserollerparade.be/ For other main cities: http://www.belgiumrollers.com/ If you have the possiblity and haven't been there I would add somewhere London and Paris as well. Welcome to the old continent and have fun!
2 :
If you want to go to Budapest check this: http://www.budapesttips.co.uk/ ! There are a lot of information about Budapest, accommodation, sights and attractions. Give a try for Budapest:) The prices are very cheap, and the hungarian kitchen is amazing:)
3 :
add Ljubljana. you can put it between Vienna and Budapest.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Certain group of conservatives: why do you hate Europe, particularly France, so much
Certain group of conservatives: why do you hate Europe, particularly France, so much?
*I said certain conservatives as I am also anti-abortion, pro-2nd Amendment, take a strong stance against crime, find much of modern popular culture coarse, prefer less govt. intervention in my personal life (such as what consenting adult I can have sex with or marry and what I may smoke in the privacy of my home ---very conservative ideals of limited govt.), and I like reading intelligent conservative writers/publications, e.g., The National Review, The Economist, The American Spectator, The American Conservative, David Horowitz, Charles Krauthammer, Pat Buchanan America owes its independence to France ---without Gen. Lafayette and the French help at Yorktown it is likely that we would never have own our independence. Also, France was one of the first countries to recognize our independence and they gave us the Statue of Liberty. They have a long and distinguished military history (look up Martel and Bonaparte and look up the Battle of the Marne ----even when they lost prior to WWII, they fought bravely to the death!) 2. Do you think that every single country in Europe has the same high taxes as Sweden and Germany? Where would you pick up this absurd notion ---it's about as logical as believing that all Americans earn the same exact salary ----go look up the tax rates for Ireland, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Malta and all the other countries. Some are high and some are moderate. 3. Where do you get this notion that Europeans are only allowed to use public, universal, "socialized" medicine? Why do you overlook that Britain and so many other countries also have a parallel private system ----hardly indicative of a truly socialist continent. Yes, there is private medicine in the nations of Europe, so stop pretending that everyone can only avail of public health care. 4. Gun control. Yes, Britain has draconian gun laws and so does Ireland, but Finland does not, neither does Switzerland, France permites licensed firearms and so do most of the other countries. 5. Freedom of speech ----all the nations of Europe save for Belarus have this, so why think that only your country has this particular liberty. 6. Euroweenies????? Considering how much blood has been spilled on that continent can you blame the nations of Europe for wanting to find alternate solutions besides genocide to work out differences? Why not walk into a bar in Belfast or Glasgow or Krakow or Helsinki and see how far that term will get you? Seriously, what is wrong with this particularly vociferous branch of right wingers and the Europe bashing ----I hear it all the time from the Beck/O'Reilly/Hannity/Limbaugh devotees who believe anything they hear ----I wouldn't care about these people and what they think if they weren't so vocal about their ignorance ----I stick to my own kind, people with advanced degrees, who speak several languages, read widely from writers with different viewpoints, have travelled widely, know Europeans as people, not as caricatures. Such ignorance yet so widely disseminated. Right, b/c genocide never went on in the new world ever. Tell that to the Aborigines or the Native Americans while you're at it. Only Europeans kill large amounts of people, eh? Er, "travelled" is spelled with two "l"s in most of the English-speaking world, and I was raised partially outside the USA in a country that was never saved militaristically by the US, thank you. I assume that if you see someone spell the word as "centre" you reprimand him as well for his lack of literacy. ...and nowhere in my text did I discredit the United States for its wartime efforts and heroism, however, 75% of German casualties took place on the Eastern Front, The United States fought alongside several other nations, most of whom stepped into the fray well before 1941. Also, explain to me just how you rescued Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus, the former Czechoslovakia and Hungary from Soviet domination. Oh, and it's so funny how if someone is a "dittohead" or a Beck follower who takes personal credit for liberating France well before his birth, he's an automatic socialist Obama supporter and America-hater. I guess being around so many ignorant people makes you forget that there are people with several conservative stances who do have a brain and prefer to use it. So, if one listens to Buchanan or went to college or has European friends, but is still anti abortion, pro-free market, loves the military, believes that the lazy aren't entitled to money supplied by the hard working he's a commie, lib pinko if he's not the cookie-cutter conservative of the Beck variety!
Politics - 11 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
LOL conservatives hate France bc France did not back us with Iraq, much like the world, they were right.
2 :
France totally owned them on Iraq, hows them freedom fries tasting now?
3 :
Conservatives do not hate Europe or France. However Europe and France are dominated politically by the Radical Extreme Left. We consider the Radical Extreme Left to be silly, naive and irresponsible at best, but we do not hate them even though we might make fun of them and make humorous comments about them from time to time.
4 :
The so-called freedom of speech in Europe is not so free. Go to Europe and make some politically incorrect statement or deny the Holocaust occurred. You will see just how free your speech is. War is not by its definition "genocide". War is fought to defeat the other side. Genocide is used to ELIMINATE all traces of the other side. Learn the difference between the two. Generally, the tax rates for income (save corporate taxation) is higher in Europe than it is in the US. Corporate tax rates tend to be lower in Europe. European nations cast aside their sovereignty for the dream of a European Union. I am unsure why any nation would allow foreign nations to determine their policies and laws. I hope such a thing never occurs in the US.
5 :
I'm pretty fiscally conservative, but very socially liberal. 2. That's a pretty big misconception about Europe that they are all socialists and communists. 3. Their private and public systems work hand in hand together better then ours. 4. Australia. In France you don't really need a gun no hunting or home defense really. 5. America was founded on freedom so we just like to think we have freedom of everything. 6. Europeans have a long history of warfare and bloodshed since the Roman times. We Americans do give off a war mongering stance, but we haven't learned losing lots and lots of men can have very hard toll.
6 :
i dislike france because they are dix to us even though we twice saved them from the Germans because the french fight poorly, and surrender easily.
7 :
Heck, even Bono doesn't like the French. Its not just an American thing. Why people don't like Europe ? Maybe it was the 80 million people they killed in the last 100 years
8 :
The most concervative people live in small towns and rural areas and they don't like cities because they believe that people who live in cities look down on them for their lack of cultural , which is true. Their least favorite cities in the US are New York and San Francisco which are the cultural centers of the East and the West coast. In Europe the Cultural and fashion center is Paris. Sweden is more left wing, Germany has started more wars but the French are the ones that make fun of us, and that is what really matters. PS The English hate the French too
9 :
Seems you answered your own question for us by exposing your arrogant elitist greater than thou attitude ~ As you said ""I wouldn't care about these people and what they think if they weren't so vocal about their ignorance ----I stick to my own kind, people with advanced degrees, who speak several languages, read widely from writers with different viewpoints, have travelled widely, know Europeans as people, not as caricatures. Such ignorance yet so widely disseminated."""" That`s what real American`s don`t like about anyone !! Even with all that elitist knowledge you claim to have possession of , you still can`t spell "traveled" correctly ! So maybe you should stray from all the liberal lame stream bias` media`s talking point opinions that you agree with , and go back to trying to figure out who you really are ? Lest you forget , there wouldn`t be any France today if not for the USA saving their azzes ( and all of Europe ) in WWII !! Maybe you have forgotten there once was a Soviet Union that held all of Eastern Europe under it`s communist oppression for decades ? Why is Eastern Europe free today ? Why is there a United Germany today , and not an East & West Germany as there used to be ? Why is there no Berlin Wall in existence any longer ? Why ? All because the USA didn`t abandon them , fought for them , fought with them , and freed them ! If not America , then who else would have done it ? No One , that`s who !! Shove your arrogance where the sun don`t shine ! You and Obama may want to convince the world that America needs to apologize for these things , but the true American`s despise people like you; and the one`s you agree with for diminishing America`s charitable goodness and also the sacrificies that our brave men and women who have given for the freedoms of countries that coudn`t do it for themselves !
10 :
just because a person calls themselves "conservative" doesn't mean they're intelligent or even well read. otherwise for example they'd know finland has more civilian machineguns per capita than even switzerland (mainly do to an incredibly small population) and far more than the US
11 :
I'm a conservative and I love France. Traveled there many times. As for your little history lesson/rant above (I actually agree with you one most but it still comes off as ranting), just because something works in Western Europe, it does not mean it will ever work in the USA. Your comparing apples to oranges and our current administration would love the USA to become more akin to the Western European way of thinking than most Americans are willing to try. That's why the conservative pundits hate the idea. It will not work in the US. We love our liberty and are afraid of Big Federal Govt. coming and controlling our lives. Also, you come off as believing that all Europeans love their respective governments and I can tell you for fact that most of the hard working, MONEY making ones I have met DO NOT like the direction that their governments have taken them in. I love how loonies such as yourself listen to those conservative pundits and get frothing out the mouth. It's because of fear and you should be afraid. For every liberal in this country, there are six conservatives. Now that Obama has come into office, America has woken up out of lazy dream and the public is starting to take action! My advice to you is shut-up and turn off Fox News or leave.
*I said certain conservatives as I am also anti-abortion, pro-2nd Amendment, take a strong stance against crime, find much of modern popular culture coarse, prefer less govt. intervention in my personal life (such as what consenting adult I can have sex with or marry and what I may smoke in the privacy of my home ---very conservative ideals of limited govt.), and I like reading intelligent conservative writers/publications, e.g., The National Review, The Economist, The American Spectator, The American Conservative, David Horowitz, Charles Krauthammer, Pat Buchanan America owes its independence to France ---without Gen. Lafayette and the French help at Yorktown it is likely that we would never have own our independence. Also, France was one of the first countries to recognize our independence and they gave us the Statue of Liberty. They have a long and distinguished military history (look up Martel and Bonaparte and look up the Battle of the Marne ----even when they lost prior to WWII, they fought bravely to the death!) 2. Do you think that every single country in Europe has the same high taxes as Sweden and Germany? Where would you pick up this absurd notion ---it's about as logical as believing that all Americans earn the same exact salary ----go look up the tax rates for Ireland, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Malta and all the other countries. Some are high and some are moderate. 3. Where do you get this notion that Europeans are only allowed to use public, universal, "socialized" medicine? Why do you overlook that Britain and so many other countries also have a parallel private system ----hardly indicative of a truly socialist continent. Yes, there is private medicine in the nations of Europe, so stop pretending that everyone can only avail of public health care. 4. Gun control. Yes, Britain has draconian gun laws and so does Ireland, but Finland does not, neither does Switzerland, France permites licensed firearms and so do most of the other countries. 5. Freedom of speech ----all the nations of Europe save for Belarus have this, so why think that only your country has this particular liberty. 6. Euroweenies????? Considering how much blood has been spilled on that continent can you blame the nations of Europe for wanting to find alternate solutions besides genocide to work out differences? Why not walk into a bar in Belfast or Glasgow or Krakow or Helsinki and see how far that term will get you? Seriously, what is wrong with this particularly vociferous branch of right wingers and the Europe bashing ----I hear it all the time from the Beck/O'Reilly/Hannity/Limbaugh devotees who believe anything they hear ----I wouldn't care about these people and what they think if they weren't so vocal about their ignorance ----I stick to my own kind, people with advanced degrees, who speak several languages, read widely from writers with different viewpoints, have travelled widely, know Europeans as people, not as caricatures. Such ignorance yet so widely disseminated. Right, b/c genocide never went on in the new world ever. Tell that to the Aborigines or the Native Americans while you're at it. Only Europeans kill large amounts of people, eh? Er, "travelled" is spelled with two "l"s in most of the English-speaking world, and I was raised partially outside the USA in a country that was never saved militaristically by the US, thank you. I assume that if you see someone spell the word as "centre" you reprimand him as well for his lack of literacy. ...and nowhere in my text did I discredit the United States for its wartime efforts and heroism, however, 75% of German casualties took place on the Eastern Front, The United States fought alongside several other nations, most of whom stepped into the fray well before 1941. Also, explain to me just how you rescued Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus, the former Czechoslovakia and Hungary from Soviet domination. Oh, and it's so funny how if someone is a "dittohead" or a Beck follower who takes personal credit for liberating France well before his birth, he's an automatic socialist Obama supporter and America-hater. I guess being around so many ignorant people makes you forget that there are people with several conservative stances who do have a brain and prefer to use it. So, if one listens to Buchanan or went to college or has European friends, but is still anti abortion, pro-free market, loves the military, believes that the lazy aren't entitled to money supplied by the hard working he's a commie, lib pinko if he's not the cookie-cutter conservative of the Beck variety!
Politics - 11 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
LOL conservatives hate France bc France did not back us with Iraq, much like the world, they were right.
2 :
France totally owned them on Iraq, hows them freedom fries tasting now?
3 :
Conservatives do not hate Europe or France. However Europe and France are dominated politically by the Radical Extreme Left. We consider the Radical Extreme Left to be silly, naive and irresponsible at best, but we do not hate them even though we might make fun of them and make humorous comments about them from time to time.
4 :
The so-called freedom of speech in Europe is not so free. Go to Europe and make some politically incorrect statement or deny the Holocaust occurred. You will see just how free your speech is. War is not by its definition "genocide". War is fought to defeat the other side. Genocide is used to ELIMINATE all traces of the other side. Learn the difference between the two. Generally, the tax rates for income (save corporate taxation) is higher in Europe than it is in the US. Corporate tax rates tend to be lower in Europe. European nations cast aside their sovereignty for the dream of a European Union. I am unsure why any nation would allow foreign nations to determine their policies and laws. I hope such a thing never occurs in the US.
5 :
I'm pretty fiscally conservative, but very socially liberal. 2. That's a pretty big misconception about Europe that they are all socialists and communists. 3. Their private and public systems work hand in hand together better then ours. 4. Australia. In France you don't really need a gun no hunting or home defense really. 5. America was founded on freedom so we just like to think we have freedom of everything. 6. Europeans have a long history of warfare and bloodshed since the Roman times. We Americans do give off a war mongering stance, but we haven't learned losing lots and lots of men can have very hard toll.
6 :
i dislike france because they are dix to us even though we twice saved them from the Germans because the french fight poorly, and surrender easily.
7 :
Heck, even Bono doesn't like the French. Its not just an American thing. Why people don't like Europe ? Maybe it was the 80 million people they killed in the last 100 years
8 :
The most concervative people live in small towns and rural areas and they don't like cities because they believe that people who live in cities look down on them for their lack of cultural , which is true. Their least favorite cities in the US are New York and San Francisco which are the cultural centers of the East and the West coast. In Europe the Cultural and fashion center is Paris. Sweden is more left wing, Germany has started more wars but the French are the ones that make fun of us, and that is what really matters. PS The English hate the French too
9 :
Seems you answered your own question for us by exposing your arrogant elitist greater than thou attitude ~ As you said ""I wouldn't care about these people and what they think if they weren't so vocal about their ignorance ----I stick to my own kind, people with advanced degrees, who speak several languages, read widely from writers with different viewpoints, have travelled widely, know Europeans as people, not as caricatures. Such ignorance yet so widely disseminated."""" That`s what real American`s don`t like about anyone !! Even with all that elitist knowledge you claim to have possession of , you still can`t spell "traveled" correctly ! So maybe you should stray from all the liberal lame stream bias` media`s talking point opinions that you agree with , and go back to trying to figure out who you really are ? Lest you forget , there wouldn`t be any France today if not for the USA saving their azzes ( and all of Europe ) in WWII !! Maybe you have forgotten there once was a Soviet Union that held all of Eastern Europe under it`s communist oppression for decades ? Why is Eastern Europe free today ? Why is there a United Germany today , and not an East & West Germany as there used to be ? Why is there no Berlin Wall in existence any longer ? Why ? All because the USA didn`t abandon them , fought for them , fought with them , and freed them ! If not America , then who else would have done it ? No One , that`s who !! Shove your arrogance where the sun don`t shine ! You and Obama may want to convince the world that America needs to apologize for these things , but the true American`s despise people like you; and the one`s you agree with for diminishing America`s charitable goodness and also the sacrificies that our brave men and women who have given for the freedoms of countries that coudn`t do it for themselves !
10 :
just because a person calls themselves "conservative" doesn't mean they're intelligent or even well read. otherwise for example they'd know finland has more civilian machineguns per capita than even switzerland (mainly do to an incredibly small population) and far more than the US
11 :
I'm a conservative and I love France. Traveled there many times. As for your little history lesson/rant above (I actually agree with you one most but it still comes off as ranting), just because something works in Western Europe, it does not mean it will ever work in the USA. Your comparing apples to oranges and our current administration would love the USA to become more akin to the Western European way of thinking than most Americans are willing to try. That's why the conservative pundits hate the idea. It will not work in the US. We love our liberty and are afraid of Big Federal Govt. coming and controlling our lives. Also, you come off as believing that all Europeans love their respective governments and I can tell you for fact that most of the hard working, MONEY making ones I have met DO NOT like the direction that their governments have taken them in. I love how loonies such as yourself listen to those conservative pundits and get frothing out the mouth. It's because of fear and you should be afraid. For every liberal in this country, there are six conservatives. Now that Obama has come into office, America has woken up out of lazy dream and the public is starting to take action! My advice to you is shut-up and turn off Fox News or leave.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Why do people think the U.S. is better than the E.U
Why do people think the U.S. is better than the E.U?
When you consider it, life the European Union is much better than the life in the United States in almost every way. The E.U has a larger economy, more wealth, more citizens, better education and better quality of life. Population Size: The European Union (EU) has about 500 million citizens (492 million according to some figures). The United States only has 310 million citizens. Economy: The European Union has the worlds largest economy. Europe also has the most Fortune 500 companies. The Euro (currency) is stronger than the US dollar. The United States is the country with the largest debt in the world. The external debt of the U.S.A is more than $13,399,859,000,000.00 (94% of GDP in 2009) Wealth The European Union has a GDP (millions of USD) of $16,447,259, whereas the United States only has $14,256,275 (in 2009) . In terms of overall gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita, the United States only ranks 6th in the world, behind several European countries who are on top of the list. The E.U has the highest GDP (purchasing power parity) in the world. Several European countries (such as Luxembourg, Norway, Iceland, Ireland, Switzerland and Denmark) has a higher GDP (per capita) than the United States (in other words, people are wealthier than in the U.S.) In several European countries people work fewer hours than anyone else in the world, yet European countries are also among the most productive in the world. US workers are claimed to be the world's most productive, but they put in more hours than Europeans to score higher, according to a study by the United Nations. World View & Culture The average citizen in the United States has a very limited view and understanding of the world. Only one in five Americans has a passport. The number of Americans who have a passport, according to the State Department, is 68 million, or around 22% of the population. That means roughly only 1 out of 4.5 Americans can even visit Canada, let alone travel to anywhere else in the world. So, only about 22% of Americans own a passport and only 10% of those actually leave the country. Multilingual: The majority of European citizens speak more than one language. Most Europeans can speak at least two languages, and a significant amount can even speak three or more languages. English is the language most widely spoken in the EU, even though only 16% speak English as their mother tongue. Nearly 50% of all EU citizens can speak an additional language. 89% of pupils in the EU learn English. Yet there are 45 indigenous languages are in everyday use in the E.U and of these 11 are official languages of the E.U. Yest, only about 9 percent of Americans can speak another language (in most cases, only ONE other language). [Note: Even the president of the United States, Barak Obama, can only speak one language - English. Perhaps he is one of very few "world leaders" who can speak only one language?] Education The education system of several E.U countries is significantly better than the U.S. Finland is widely known to have the best education system in the world. The education system of the United States is placed near the bottom of the list, according to the United Nations. The United States is 18th on a list of 24 countries. Lifestyle: Europeans walk and bike more. Europeans use more public transit, and drive economical cars. Europeans eat well. They eat more healthy than Americans. Medical care in most E.U countries is much more advanced than the U.S. Most other major industrialized nations provide universal health coverage, and most of them have comprehensive benefit packages with no cost-sharing by the patients. The United States, to its shame, has some 45 million people without health insurance and many more millions who have poor coverage. Vacation: The United States is the only developed country with no required minimum vacation days. The seems the average American dutifully work him/herself into an early grave. ;) Typically, the American workers are granted only 10 working days with 8 national holidays per year. Countries in the European Union has a required minimum number of vacation days, that range between 20 days and as much as 42 days. For example, elderly employees in Austria received as much as 42 days leave per annum. Another example: according to the European Occupational Health and Safety, on average Swedish workers took 44 days off work in 2004. Military power: The USA dominates the world in military power- since it spends more on its military budget than anything else. However, the European Union alone, has more military personnel than the USA (not even counting other east European countries, not part of the E.U). The USA has a total of about 1,445,000 active military personnel, with 850,000 reserve personnel. The European Union has 1,536,274 enlisted personnel, with 4,156,680 total reserves.
Other - Cultures & Groups - 7 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
From an early age Americans are told how great they are ''God's Gift'' how they saved the world from both the Nazis and the Japs (LMAO!). Basically that the USA is the best in everything. I wouldnt be suprised if some think the industrial revolution started there also. Some of them even think they speak ''proper'' English. Then again this is just my opinion from observation. But please remeber the EU is not a country and most of the inhabitants speak only one language of the certain countries official language. That is where the USA wins its one nation with a majority langauge being English. 2 hours on a train and im in another country where they all speak another language I do not understand French! a few more stops and they are speaking Dutch and German!
2 :
less terrorist attacks in the USA.
3 :
wow thats a lot of words. i got bored after the initial question. well to answer the question it is because the US is better. its that simple
4 :
That's a lot of justification for someone who seems so sure. Who are you trying to convince?!
5 :
You do realize that nearly no on in the EU identifies itself as a citizen of the EU insomuch as they are citizens of their actual country. FYI, the number of active military personnel doesn't define military might.
6 :
Maybe it's our bright and shiny personalities? OR All of those bright and shiny nuclear weapons? Sounds to me like you just want to bash the USA...do you often judge a people based on their government? It's hard enough just being yourself now you have to worry because some strange person in the world doesn't like your country. Thanks for giving me a complex. Given that the "Good guys" in the EU haven't won a war without US backing I'd say try to be a little less hostile (unless you were on the "bad guys" side). The EU is a lot older than the US as far as a world power goes anyway. You would think that the EU would be a lot more advanced than you say it is. Even with all of that I harbor no ill will towards the EU after all with out the EU there wouldn't really be a USA remember that it was political and religious oppression that got this country started once the government took over well we all know how governments can be. I can assure you that at least 1/2 of the legal residents of the USA are way more upset about all of those things than you are.
7 :
Yanks are so arrogant
When you consider it, life the European Union is much better than the life in the United States in almost every way. The E.U has a larger economy, more wealth, more citizens, better education and better quality of life. Population Size: The European Union (EU) has about 500 million citizens (492 million according to some figures). The United States only has 310 million citizens. Economy: The European Union has the worlds largest economy. Europe also has the most Fortune 500 companies. The Euro (currency) is stronger than the US dollar. The United States is the country with the largest debt in the world. The external debt of the U.S.A is more than $13,399,859,000,000.00 (94% of GDP in 2009) Wealth The European Union has a GDP (millions of USD) of $16,447,259, whereas the United States only has $14,256,275 (in 2009) . In terms of overall gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita, the United States only ranks 6th in the world, behind several European countries who are on top of the list. The E.U has the highest GDP (purchasing power parity) in the world. Several European countries (such as Luxembourg, Norway, Iceland, Ireland, Switzerland and Denmark) has a higher GDP (per capita) than the United States (in other words, people are wealthier than in the U.S.) In several European countries people work fewer hours than anyone else in the world, yet European countries are also among the most productive in the world. US workers are claimed to be the world's most productive, but they put in more hours than Europeans to score higher, according to a study by the United Nations. World View & Culture The average citizen in the United States has a very limited view and understanding of the world. Only one in five Americans has a passport. The number of Americans who have a passport, according to the State Department, is 68 million, or around 22% of the population. That means roughly only 1 out of 4.5 Americans can even visit Canada, let alone travel to anywhere else in the world. So, only about 22% of Americans own a passport and only 10% of those actually leave the country. Multilingual: The majority of European citizens speak more than one language. Most Europeans can speak at least two languages, and a significant amount can even speak three or more languages. English is the language most widely spoken in the EU, even though only 16% speak English as their mother tongue. Nearly 50% of all EU citizens can speak an additional language. 89% of pupils in the EU learn English. Yet there are 45 indigenous languages are in everyday use in the E.U and of these 11 are official languages of the E.U. Yest, only about 9 percent of Americans can speak another language (in most cases, only ONE other language). [Note: Even the president of the United States, Barak Obama, can only speak one language - English. Perhaps he is one of very few "world leaders" who can speak only one language?] Education The education system of several E.U countries is significantly better than the U.S. Finland is widely known to have the best education system in the world. The education system of the United States is placed near the bottom of the list, according to the United Nations. The United States is 18th on a list of 24 countries. Lifestyle: Europeans walk and bike more. Europeans use more public transit, and drive economical cars. Europeans eat well. They eat more healthy than Americans. Medical care in most E.U countries is much more advanced than the U.S. Most other major industrialized nations provide universal health coverage, and most of them have comprehensive benefit packages with no cost-sharing by the patients. The United States, to its shame, has some 45 million people without health insurance and many more millions who have poor coverage. Vacation: The United States is the only developed country with no required minimum vacation days. The seems the average American dutifully work him/herself into an early grave. ;) Typically, the American workers are granted only 10 working days with 8 national holidays per year. Countries in the European Union has a required minimum number of vacation days, that range between 20 days and as much as 42 days. For example, elderly employees in Austria received as much as 42 days leave per annum. Another example: according to the European Occupational Health and Safety, on average Swedish workers took 44 days off work in 2004. Military power: The USA dominates the world in military power- since it spends more on its military budget than anything else. However, the European Union alone, has more military personnel than the USA (not even counting other east European countries, not part of the E.U). The USA has a total of about 1,445,000 active military personnel, with 850,000 reserve personnel. The European Union has 1,536,274 enlisted personnel, with 4,156,680 total reserves.
Other - Cultures & Groups - 7 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
From an early age Americans are told how great they are ''God's Gift'' how they saved the world from both the Nazis and the Japs (LMAO!). Basically that the USA is the best in everything. I wouldnt be suprised if some think the industrial revolution started there also. Some of them even think they speak ''proper'' English. Then again this is just my opinion from observation. But please remeber the EU is not a country and most of the inhabitants speak only one language of the certain countries official language. That is where the USA wins its one nation with a majority langauge being English. 2 hours on a train and im in another country where they all speak another language I do not understand French! a few more stops and they are speaking Dutch and German!
2 :
less terrorist attacks in the USA.
3 :
wow thats a lot of words. i got bored after the initial question. well to answer the question it is because the US is better. its that simple
4 :
That's a lot of justification for someone who seems so sure. Who are you trying to convince?!
5 :
You do realize that nearly no on in the EU identifies itself as a citizen of the EU insomuch as they are citizens of their actual country. FYI, the number of active military personnel doesn't define military might.
6 :
Maybe it's our bright and shiny personalities? OR All of those bright and shiny nuclear weapons? Sounds to me like you just want to bash the USA...do you often judge a people based on their government? It's hard enough just being yourself now you have to worry because some strange person in the world doesn't like your country. Thanks for giving me a complex. Given that the "Good guys" in the EU haven't won a war without US backing I'd say try to be a little less hostile (unless you were on the "bad guys" side). The EU is a lot older than the US as far as a world power goes anyway. You would think that the EU would be a lot more advanced than you say it is. Even with all of that I harbor no ill will towards the EU after all with out the EU there wouldn't really be a USA remember that it was political and religious oppression that got this country started once the government took over well we all know how governments can be. I can assure you that at least 1/2 of the legal residents of the USA are way more upset about all of those things than you are.
7 :
Yanks are so arrogant
Monday, November 1, 2010
But I don't Wanna go to Europe
But I don't Wanna go to Europe!!!?
So here is the issue - When my wife was fresh out of high school she had the opportunity to go on this Choir Tour. The Tour group went on this 3 week journey where they traveled to England,France,Germany,Switzerland,Luxembourg,Italy and then fly home out of Brussels. She had great fun and made lots of memories. Now her sister is at the same age and she is going on the same choir tour. My wife singed us up to go on the same trip as chaperons. On the one hand I am excited to have the opportunity to visit all these places. My mother-in-law is paying for my ticket too. So it's a "free" once in a lifetime trip,but I am apprehensive about the trip. - First, I am not very excited about the traveling around in a bus full of High School Seniors and Grads. - Second, I just got laid off at work when my company was bought out by a competitor.I am not really looking forward to being the job interview and saying "Oh and in July - I am going to need 3 weeks off". - Finally, I know this sounds kinda pathetic, but I have Two dogs. One is a 7 year old Pomeranian and the other is 15 year old teeny pom that weighs four pounds. My mother-in-law gets offended if I suggest that she does not watch my dogs while I go on this trip. I worry mostly about the senior dog. I worry about the other one too because she is one a diet and my mother-in-law thinks people/animals who try to lose weight are ill or something.( I have told her to please not give her table scraps and she said that my vet was a jerk and then continued to feed my dog.) My main concern with the senior dog is his age. He does not eat his food as well when we go on short 1 week vacations, and I would hate for his kidneys to shut down while we are away or something like that. He has a collapsing trachea that we have been controlling with Robitussin. I worry that the MIL would not give him his medicine when he needs it. And then with both dogs there is my biggest worry...... The PUG. My mother-in-law has a rather chubby little 1 and half year old pug. They don't exercise it very much and she spends most of her time in the kennel. When they let the pug out she runs around like she is on fire. This would not bother me too much, but there has been little to no discipline for this devil dog. As a result she runs around nipping,biting,and jumping on and around whatever she can whenever she is out. Her oly discipline when she is like this is "grab her and put her back in the kennel". I have given this dog a chance and I have decided that - I hate this dog. As much as I hate the pug - MY dogs hate it 100 times more. I worry that this little demon will, at the very worst, hurt my one of my dogs while they are gone. At the very least, seriously make them more depressed. The last time we had my little yoda pom in the same room as the pug they got into a fight. My mother-in-law is one of those hobbit lookin people who can't touch their toes without making a grunting noise and I worry if she will be able to reach down and stop a fight should one occur. What should I do? Stop worrying? See if I can get outta this trip? What would you do?
Other - Europe - 1 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
If you decide to go, simply put yur 2 dogs in a reliable kennel...with your vet, if he boards dogs. Tell your MIL your dogs will be going to the kennel...then do not discuss it any further. If you get a good job possiblity...then that nixes the trip. tell your wife you cannot go on the trip , that the new job takes priority. Be kind, but firm, and encourage her to go ahead. Do not discuss it with your MIL..your new job would be more important...period. Stand up, be kind but firm, or prepare to be subject to the whims and domination of MIL for ever.
So here is the issue - When my wife was fresh out of high school she had the opportunity to go on this Choir Tour. The Tour group went on this 3 week journey where they traveled to England,France,Germany,Switzerland,Luxembourg,Italy and then fly home out of Brussels. She had great fun and made lots of memories. Now her sister is at the same age and she is going on the same choir tour. My wife singed us up to go on the same trip as chaperons. On the one hand I am excited to have the opportunity to visit all these places. My mother-in-law is paying for my ticket too. So it's a "free" once in a lifetime trip,but I am apprehensive about the trip. - First, I am not very excited about the traveling around in a bus full of High School Seniors and Grads. - Second, I just got laid off at work when my company was bought out by a competitor.I am not really looking forward to being the job interview and saying "Oh and in July - I am going to need 3 weeks off". - Finally, I know this sounds kinda pathetic, but I have Two dogs. One is a 7 year old Pomeranian and the other is 15 year old teeny pom that weighs four pounds. My mother-in-law gets offended if I suggest that she does not watch my dogs while I go on this trip. I worry mostly about the senior dog. I worry about the other one too because she is one a diet and my mother-in-law thinks people/animals who try to lose weight are ill or something.( I have told her to please not give her table scraps and she said that my vet was a jerk and then continued to feed my dog.) My main concern with the senior dog is his age. He does not eat his food as well when we go on short 1 week vacations, and I would hate for his kidneys to shut down while we are away or something like that. He has a collapsing trachea that we have been controlling with Robitussin. I worry that the MIL would not give him his medicine when he needs it. And then with both dogs there is my biggest worry...... The PUG. My mother-in-law has a rather chubby little 1 and half year old pug. They don't exercise it very much and she spends most of her time in the kennel. When they let the pug out she runs around like she is on fire. This would not bother me too much, but there has been little to no discipline for this devil dog. As a result she runs around nipping,biting,and jumping on and around whatever she can whenever she is out. Her oly discipline when she is like this is "grab her and put her back in the kennel". I have given this dog a chance and I have decided that - I hate this dog. As much as I hate the pug - MY dogs hate it 100 times more. I worry that this little demon will, at the very worst, hurt my one of my dogs while they are gone. At the very least, seriously make them more depressed. The last time we had my little yoda pom in the same room as the pug they got into a fight. My mother-in-law is one of those hobbit lookin people who can't touch their toes without making a grunting noise and I worry if she will be able to reach down and stop a fight should one occur. What should I do? Stop worrying? See if I can get outta this trip? What would you do?
Other - Europe - 1 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
If you decide to go, simply put yur 2 dogs in a reliable kennel...with your vet, if he boards dogs. Tell your MIL your dogs will be going to the kennel...then do not discuss it any further. If you get a good job possiblity...then that nixes the trip. tell your wife you cannot go on the trip , that the new job takes priority. Be kind, but firm, and encourage her to go ahead. Do not discuss it with your MIL..your new job would be more important...period. Stand up, be kind but firm, or prepare to be subject to the whims and domination of MIL for ever.
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