It's time to close all our military bases over there and cut off all other aid to them.

Such a backwards people.

Enjoy dhiminitude!

ScubaDude1960: It's time to close all our military bases over there and cut off all other aid to them.

Please do.

You pretty much already have, at least where I am.

i blame karl rove

I have five weeks vacation in the US... public sector FTW.

The city design though and not-fatness, I honestly do think some of that would be nice to have (it's slowly trending that way in places anyhow). $4 gas is only helping.

Best of both worlds, should be the goal.

They also don't get buttraped by Big Medicine.

HansensDisease: They also don't get buttraped by Big Medicine

because their governments assume that role

/nothing is free

They also don't have Comcast, Blue Cross/Blue Shield
or Bank of America. (yet)

What's your point?

We'll all be speaking HTMLchi-spanglish by then anyway.

This is all assuming we get past 2012.

albo: because their governments assume that role

good.

bureaucrats have tiny weens.

GaryPDX: This is all assuming we get past 2012.

Other generations had the bomb, mine has 2012.

"Dude, there's no future, let's just get stoned."

naveline: Other generations had the bomb, mine has 2012

1984, Y2K, et cetera...

2012? I think they just got bored.

naveline: GaryPDX: This is all assuming we get past 2012.

Other generations had the bomb, mine has 2012.

"Dude, there's no future, let's just get stoned."

Dude thats 4:20

The EU goes backwards every time they let a new member in these days.

Let me ask you a question then: why are you working so hard?

Having lived the European lifestyle for awhile, I have to say it has a LOT going for it. Don't knock it til you try it. There's days when I regret leaving.

It's not like America or Canada, subby, and sometimes, that's a good thing.

/I finally get to use this one.

And yet they have CERN...

Considering that the US can no longer claim to be an industrial power, that science is actively discouraged, and that we are rapidly plummeting into a third world economy, I would have to say we have no business pointing fingers at anyone else.

eddyatwork: Considering that the US can no longer claim to be an industrial power, that science is actively discouraged, and that we are rapidly plummeting into a third world economy, I would have to say we have no business pointing fingers at anyone else.

But what about all those suits? All those dollars whirring around Wall Street? God-damn it man, do you think they're working so hard on nothing?

I bet those Europeans still think that digital watches are a pretty neat idea.

Don't forget that when numbers are calculated for the EU, the astronomically advanced states of France, Germany, Great Britain, and the Low Countries (BeNeLux) - which are actually economically, culturally, and intellectually ahead of the United States - are being offset by such traditional backwaters as Slovenia, Estonia, Slovakia, and Hungary - which drive down the averages of the EU.

Or you could just point and laugh and claim that the system doesn't work like a bunch of moranic farkers.

They're free internets.

eddyatwork: Considering that the US can no longer claim to be an industrial power, that science is actively discouraged, and that we are rapidly plummeting into a third world economy, I would have to say we have no business pointing fingers at anyone else.

Unfortunately for your post, we're still an industrial power, science is funded by taxpayer dollars, and even in the current recessionary climate we're one of the strongest economies on the planet.

I'm pointing fingers at your post.

Can we just bomb the EU?

(I'll fly the plane.)

GaryPDX: This is all assuming we get past 2012.

Ugh, I've called you out before, but you are the epitome of douchbaggery. Get over yourself, fool.

and there ain' t a god-damned thing anyboody can do about it. you know why? Because we got the bomb, thats why. Two words: nuclear farking weapons. OKAY? Russia, Germany, Romania, they can have all the democracy they want, they can have a big democracy cake walk right thru the middle of Tianamen Square, and it won't make a lick of difference, because we got the bombs. OKAY?

lexslamman: Don't forget that when numbers are calculated for the EU, the astronomically advanced states of France, Germany, Great Britain, and the Low Countries (BeNeLux) - which are actually economically, culturally, and intellectually ahead of the United States - are being offset by such traditional backwaters as Slovenia, Estonia, Slovakia, and Hungary - which drive down the averages of the EU.

Or you could just point and laugh and claim that the system doesn't work like a bunch of moranic farkers.

THIS.

eddyatwork
Considering that the US can no longer claim to be an industrial power, that science is actively discouraged, and that we are rapidly plummeting into a third world economy, I would have to say we have no business pointing fingers at anyone else.

You had better be careful, that kind of post attracts the black helicopters. Wacko.

Given that the EU recently added new members from eastern europe this is no surprise. leave it to the wankers at the torygraph to write rubbish like this.

eddyatwork: Considering that the US can no longer claim to be an industrial power, that science is actively discouraged, and that we are rapidly plummeting into a third world economy, I would have to say we have no business pointing fingers at anyone else.

Haiti would like to have a word with you...

The USA is also at pre 1979 levels of industrialization when compared to itself.

Oops.

You know for all of thier supposed culture, and class one thing escapes me. Why on earth do you have to pay to use a bathroom?

Think about it, they have about a good 1700 year or so head start on us developmentally speaking, and they haven't got the means to answer one of life's most important daily biological functions.

For all of the U.S.'s faults with rare exception you can find, and use a restroom with little trouble in practically any urban environment.

Why is it they cannot embrace this concept? Perhaps the reason we are so more advanced is that everyone is wandering around looking for somewhere to take a piss.

whatshisname: The EU goes backwards every time they let a new member in these days.

kinda like the US did 200 years ago?

I went to Wal-Mart today and I saw some FATTIES.

This CLEARLY proves that Europe is superior to the U.S.

lexslamman: Don't forget that when numbers are calculated for the EU, the astronomically advanced states of France, Germany, Great Britain, and the Low Countries (BeNeLux) - which are actually economically, culturally, and intellectually ahead of the United States - are being offset by such traditional backwaters as Slovenia, Estonia, Slovakia, and Hungary - which drive down the averages of the EU.

If you're going to do that, then to be fair you have to exclude the traditional backwaters like West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, etc. And then the numbers come out in favor of the US again.

/"culturally advanced", my ass

We left Europe in the 18th century for some reason.
Isn't history taught anymore?
Why revert back to socialism?

/it don't work

"At the same levels of research and development"?

Sounds like someone phoned in two pages of bullshiat where a 1,000 page book was needed.

That's gonna leave a mark.

Oh, they're fat alright. Nearly as fat as Americans.

lexslamman only lists the "usual suspects" which most Americans would think would be backwaters. But Spain, Portugal, Malta, Corsica, Greece and even Italy are also pretty piss poor in funding basic research through government funding.

Even in the advanced countries, areas like East Germany, Wales, Sicily, and Walloonia are economic and academic backwaters.

Greece and Spain are almost bankrupt, don't expect either to ever have a higher percentage of GDP dedicated to research than the present amount. At least not until after the baby boomers all die.

eddyatwork: Considering that the US can no longer claim to be an industrial power, that science is actively discouraged, and that we are rapidly plummeting into a third world economy, I would have to say we have no business pointing fingers at anyone else.

LOL you're a moron. It's called "shifting economy"

Oznog: and there ain' t a god-damned thing anyboody can do about it. you know why? Because we got the bomb, thats why. Two words: nuclear farking weapons. OKAY? Russia, Germany, Romania, they can have all the democracy they want, they can have a big democracy cake walk right thru the middle of Tianamen Square, and it won't make a lick of difference, because we got the bombs. OKAY?

You know I never really got that bit.. I mean yeah the US has the bomb, but so does Russia, the UK, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel. Other countries like South Africa used to have them but disarmed, and there are a few suspected ones like Syria and Iran. Add to that countries that have the expertise but dont (Japan for example) and it aint that special. Okay so the US has the most... but who's the most likely to actually USE them? Nowdays probably not the USA..

Back on topic tho, the baiting headline there will probably reel in a few indignant replies and get a few chest thumpers who don't understand how these things work, going "FARK YEAH! U.S.A! Who sez we're slipping?".

Nice work subby! :)

Wait a second. You mean that merging the economies of over two dozen countries into a single market didn't result in all of the countries suddenly becoming über-productive?

You mean to tell me there was some sort of leveling effect instead? I never would have guessed this in a million years.

Congratulations on constructing the economic equivalent of a U.N. peacekeeping force.

Europe is Europe. The USA is the USA. Why does everyone want them to be the same thing?

I like it different.

clgrin: And yet they have CERN...

By CERN I imagine that you are talking about the Large Hadron Collider...Right? Saying they have CERN is like saying we have NASA. It is a multinational research organization.

For the purposes of boasting... The Large Hadron Collider, while very very very cool, wasn't that ambitious of a project. It is only slightly larger than Fermi Lab. It is half the size of what we were planning in the late eighties and early nineties when we laid down the plans for the Super Conducting Super Collider(aka the hole in Texas).

Fark Europe. If you want to live there, farking live there. But don't bring it here. Personally, I like the USA the way it is just fine. Sure, there could be some improvements but doing things the "European" way isn't one of them.

trapped-in-CH

Let me ask you a question then: why are you working so hard?

Having lived the European lifestyle for awhile, I have to say it has a LOT going for it. Don't knock it til you try it.


I've tried it and frankly, I'll knock it


/not my cup of tea

They're just jealous because we can take showers everyday.

Counting the holidays I get off, I get 4 weeks and 3 days of vacation a year. Count my sick days and I get over 7 weeks. Plus I get my student loans repaid.

Wow, I'm just realizing the magnitude of the awesomeness that is my new job.

NYZooMan: Europe is Europe. The USA is the USA. Why does everyone want them to be the same thing?

I like it different.

THIS.

/both have they advantages and disadvantages

RamblingKey: lexslamman only lists the "usual suspects" which most Americans would think would be backwaters. But Spain, Portugal, Malta, Corsica, Greece and even Italy are also pretty piss poor in funding basic research through government funding.

Even in the advanced countries, areas like East Germany, Wales, Sicily, and Walloonia are economic and academic backwaters.

Greece and Spain are almost bankrupt, don't expect either to ever have a higher percentage of GDP dedicated to research than the present amount. At least not until after the baby boomers all die.

How so? Not being a troll, just curious. I've traveled to Wales before, but never spent more than a few days in the country.

/Shock and awe, I'm actually trying to learn something on Fark
//Which probably means I will learn nothing at all...