johnnydawg68
Chairperson, People's Front of Saint Domingo
Jeezus mate don't hold back. How do you really feel about us?
Why is America so ace?
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Jeezus mate don't hold back. How do you really feel about us?
Degs62
Player Valuation 10"
Just can't picture the JDawg as fat and loud somehow.
Come down under mate and see how good America could be
peskyrobot
Player Valuation: £6m
The beer. It's ace.
I made no mention of the NHS, and that chart is in response to other comments. Cheers.
johnnydawg68
Chairperson, People's Front of Saint Domingo
The job thing didn't work out to allow me to move there. Would still like to someday. At least for a year. Will have to save some money. I'll come visit next year though.
EvertruvianMan
Player Valuation: £1.5m
Obviously
[video=youtube;w7OlBdFIxbk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7OlBdFIxbk[/video]
[video=youtube;w7OlBdFIxbk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7OlBdFIxbk[/video]
My nhs comments were in response to other comments as well. Cheers
.....like a lot of countries, USA is great to visit but there's no place like home.
In retrospect I wish I hadn't mentioned the NHS, this thread has taken a turn for the political as a result.
Whilst the IDEA and PRINCIPLE of the NHS was and indeed remains marvellous, the funding structure it is based upon makes it unsustainable in the long term. Currently, there are greater demands upon the NHS than its funding can meet AND the management structure of the NHS leaves it vulnerable to poor budgeting. There is no political appetite for getting it back up to speed because to do so would involve either:
a) a substantial hike in NI; or
b) expanding the range of charges currently levied at point-of-use (such as prescription charges); or
c) barring certain groups from access to free healthcare on the basis that they have never contributed to the funding thereof(Non-resident non-EHIC holders, for instance); or
d) changing the rules re healthcare for "self-inflicted" illnesses, such as smoking-related illnesses in smokers.
In all likelihood it would take a combination of all the above, and a fundamental purging of the inefficient financial/management processes within the system, to make any significant difference, but the majority of the voting public would never accept it, as indicated by many of the responses on here.
As it stands, the NHS is steadily heading towards bankruptcy. As a result, most non-urgent care is delivered on the basis of "just enough, just in time" and that it what leaves people like myself waiting a year for an MRI on an ankle. In contrast, when my partner dislocated her kneecap and tore her ACL, he rinsurance provider had her MRI'd, x-rayed, seen by a consultant and operated upon within two weeks. That experience is what made me go private. Sure the NHS still treats life-threatening illnesses (unless you're on that Care Pathway thing, anyone remember THAT scandal?), and we all know someone who owes their life to some expensive treatment or medicine, but the fact is that these sorts of things cost so much money that the lesser stuff is being quietly cut all over the country.
So how do you solve that problem? My personal solution is private insurance, because I fear the NHS in it's current form will cease to exist within ten years, and shrink massively to be A+E only. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm not prepared to take that risk.
And whoever it was complaining about the cost of German healthcare..... go and have a look around a German hospital, you'll see what the money is spent on. Bloody AMAZING facilities. Far less overcrowding, no infection outbreaks caused by poor hygeine in hospitals.... it's what our NHS could be, if everyone put in a bit more money and we got some decent budgetary minds to run it.
Whilst the IDEA and PRINCIPLE of the NHS was and indeed remains marvellous, the funding structure it is based upon makes it unsustainable in the long term. Currently, there are greater demands upon the NHS than its funding can meet AND the management structure of the NHS leaves it vulnerable to poor budgeting. There is no political appetite for getting it back up to speed because to do so would involve either:
a) a substantial hike in NI; or
b) expanding the range of charges currently levied at point-of-use (such as prescription charges); or
c) barring certain groups from access to free healthcare on the basis that they have never contributed to the funding thereof(Non-resident non-EHIC holders, for instance); or
d) changing the rules re healthcare for "self-inflicted" illnesses, such as smoking-related illnesses in smokers.
In all likelihood it would take a combination of all the above, and a fundamental purging of the inefficient financial/management processes within the system, to make any significant difference, but the majority of the voting public would never accept it, as indicated by many of the responses on here.
As it stands, the NHS is steadily heading towards bankruptcy. As a result, most non-urgent care is delivered on the basis of "just enough, just in time" and that it what leaves people like myself waiting a year for an MRI on an ankle. In contrast, when my partner dislocated her kneecap and tore her ACL, he rinsurance provider had her MRI'd, x-rayed, seen by a consultant and operated upon within two weeks. That experience is what made me go private. Sure the NHS still treats life-threatening illnesses (unless you're on that Care Pathway thing, anyone remember THAT scandal?), and we all know someone who owes their life to some expensive treatment or medicine, but the fact is that these sorts of things cost so much money that the lesser stuff is being quietly cut all over the country.
So how do you solve that problem? My personal solution is private insurance, because I fear the NHS in it's current form will cease to exist within ten years, and shrink massively to be A+E only. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm not prepared to take that risk.
And whoever it was complaining about the cost of German healthcare..... go and have a look around a German hospital, you'll see what the money is spent on. Bloody AMAZING facilities. Far less overcrowding, no infection outbreaks caused by poor hygeine in hospitals.... it's what our NHS could be, if everyone put in a bit more money and we got some decent budgetary minds to run it.
njligernj
Player Valuation: £15m
... but you just did! Better luck next time not mentioning things.
While not the be-all-end-all of judging quality of life it is a fairly important indicator with it being the biggest purchase most people ever make in their life. My posts are too long for most people's tastes without me mentioning every single variable in play; I just mentioned what I feel is one of the more important (of many).
I believe I am allowed to make two separate points. I said "I'd rather make $30k in the US than in the UK." I used $30k because it was my income level back then and so what I had the most direct experience with in comparing the two countries.
I do *also* think the average working class person is better off (although that hinges on the definition of working class) but I did NOT intend any link between that figure and my earlier post (which is precisely why I didn't make any). That was your assumption (which you then successfully defeated with your argument ... straw~!).
That said it did make me wonder what the average wage would be (don't take this as me trying to prove a point to you about if $30k is working class; I would agree the average is likely lower than that ... I just wanted to explore the topic and I'm not arguing with you) ...
The 2011 Median Income of US households was $50,054 per annum.
The median wage in the US per person is $26,695 (median is better to use since the rich drive the average household income into the $60k range.)
Do you think the middle/upper class represents 50% of the USA? (Not hypothetical.)
"Depending on class model used, the middle class may constitute anywhere from 25% to 66% of households." - Wiki.
If it's 25% then that would mean essentially 25% of working class are above $27k (ignoring the 1% as their inclusion don't really change much in this). If it's 66% then obviously you wouldn't have anyone working class over $27k. It seems most official sources can't agree on what working class is so we probably won't manage it here.
Doesn't really matter since I never intended any connection between those two points but just found it an interesting subject to look into for five minutes.
There are numerous ways to live legally in the US which can expire: student visa, work assignment with multi-national company, sponsored work, investment visa etc. Even the green card you can win is (IIRC) technically only valid for 10 years (although the renewal rate and path to citizenship on that path is very high).
Despite what the average American thinks it's actually really difficult to stay in the US legally. When I said I was leaving because my visa had expired and I had no way to stay legally (despite having lived there for over a decade) most of them were literally unable to grasp the concept that I couldn't stay if I wanted to -- they were mostly under the impression it was an open-door policy.
Around 68% of people in both the UK and US own their own home. So again it comes down to how you define the income bands. I'd have some of that 68% made up by working class; you wouldn't. Fair enough.
That 68% would certainly include a lot of "blue-collar" jobs and things some people might define as "working class." It's a tricky term.
Nice little dig there with "you failed it" ... no need for that stuff mate we're just having a discussion and I never had a pop at you personally.
I never said nobody has a good life in the UK. That would be absurd. There was zero implication there -- that is just in your head. I just think the average American is better off:
http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-livin...ountry1=United+States&country2=United+Kingdom
Consumer Prices in United Kingdom are 24.08% higher than in United States
Consumer Prices Including Rent in United Kingdom are 21.61% higher than in United States
Rent Prices in United Kingdom are 15.83% higher than in United States
Restaurant Prices in United Kingdom are 35.78% higher than in United States
Groceries Prices in United Kingdom are 11.24% higher than in United States
Local Purchasing Power in United Kingdom is 32.79% lower than in United States
Add in my earlier post about the quality/size of home you get for your money in the US v. UK and I'm not sure what you are seeing here that makes you feel differently.
No need to be offended. If I say Man U. were the best team last year it doesn't mean that Man City were an utterly useless team of crap footballers. They are also (as much as in pains me to say) a pretty damn good team. If I think the US is the best (and keep in mind I do not currently live in the US so I'm not being biased to my home here) it doesn't automatically mean England sucks. It's a top 5/10 place to live in my book which makes it one of the best. Both England and the US crap all over most places most people live. We're all the best! (but there are degrees of bestness).
njligernj
Player Valuation: £15m
Top bloke.
Oh no!
What?
That's my calling card!
TBH I thought I already had won the multi-quote strap!
What multi quote effect above, nothing to see here.
Don't we live longer, die less often as children and have less crime in the uk than the us?
And less suicides and less unemployed.
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