930 Forums

Viva La France!

alex
Joined: October 07, 2003 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 950
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 04:29 PM UTC #
And a source you shall have.

It's interesting to read this stuff:

The U.S. government gave about $20 billion in foreign aid in 2004, and Jimmy Carter, Bono and Angelina Jolie cried about it, but then privately in the same year, individual Americans gave another $24.2 billion.

After the 2004 tsunami, the U.S. government pledged approximately $900 million to relief efforts, but American individuals gave another $2 billion in food, clothing and cash.

Americans per capita individually give about three and a half times more money per year, than the French per capita, seven times more than the Germans and 14 times more than the Italians.

Just some stuff to think about before you make snobby, ignorant generalizations (le sonick) about Americans.
sonickteam2
Joined: Unknown
Posts: 0
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 04:40 PM UTC #
Originally posted by Brandon Brendall, the thief:

Just some stuff to think about before you make snobby, ignorant generalizations (le sonick) about Americans.
i've lived in this country for 13 years, sir….so snobby perhaps…ignorant, not a chance.

and for the record, your "Stop crying and work to get a better job if you don't like what yours offers." comment was fairly ignorant in its own right!

so, touche buddy!
alex
Joined: October 07, 2003 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 950
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 04:44 PM UTC #
Oh, and I'm surprised this wasn't posted yesterday, since it was all over the place:

French workers biggest whiners, Irish happiest: study

French workers are the world's biggest whiners, according to a study published Monday which said the Irish complain least about their lot.

Britons come second to their Gallic cousins in the moaning stakes, followed by Sweden, the United States and Australia. Japanese workers have the lowest morale, but don't complain so much.

The lowest levels of whining were found in the Netherlands, Thailand and Ireland, according to the study by the FDS research group.

"It is interesting to note that after France, Britain and Sweden, the world's biggest workplace whingers are Americans, despite their having by far the highest levels of income," said FDS chief Charlotte Cornish.

"Compare them to Thai workers: while real levels of income are more than eight times higher in the States, more workers in the US feel their pay is a problem than in Thailand," she added.

The study, entitled "What Workers Want, A Worldwide Study of Attitudes to Work and Work-Life Balance", draws on data from 14,000 employees in 23 countries.

They were notably asked about their satisfaction with issues including pay levels and their work-life balance, as well as average working hours.

In terms of worker morale, Dutch workers are the happiest, followed by their Thai and Irish counterparts. The lowest morale of all is found in Japan, followed by Germany, said the study.

The study's authors noted that rightwing French President-elect Nicolas Sarkozy shouldn't expect things to become happier anytime soon, as he prepares to shake up notoriously strike-prone France.

"The UK and US, with their marked competitive individualism and unequal wealth distribution, both appear towards the top of the world's list of whingiest workers," said Cornish.

"The French come out on top – it seems unlikely that Nicolas Sarkozy's election and the likely shift to more Anglo-Saxon economic practices will make the workers in France any more happy with their lot," she added.


What was that, Rhett? French are happier?
sonickteam2
Joined: Unknown
Posts: 0
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 04:45 PM UTC #
Originally posted by Brandon Brendall, the thief:
And a source you shall have.

It's interesting to read this stuff:

The U.S. government gave about $20 billion in foreign aid in 2004, and Jimmy Carter, Bono and Angelina Jolie cried about it, but then privately in the same year, individual Americans gave another $24.2 billion.

After the 2004 tsunami, the U.S. government pledged approximately $900 million to relief efforts, but American individuals gave another $2 billion in food, clothing and cash.

Americans per capita individually give about three and a half times more money per year, than the French per capita, seven times more than the Germans and 14 times more than the Italians.

Just some stuff to think about before you make snobby, ignorant generalizations (le sonick) about Americans.
this data really shows NOTHING about the general caring of the us population. so, the richest country gave the most!!! nowhere in your americanized data does it say how many people contributed what money?

$2 billion in food, clothing and money? how do we know that $1.7 billion of that was donated by american companies and the wealthiest 1%? leaving the other 350 million people donated nickels and dimes.

i'm not saying thats the case, but simply this data really doesnt show jack-shit…but thanks for providing it!
alex
Joined: October 07, 2003 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 950
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 04:47 PM UTC #
Originally posted by le sonick:
i've lived in this country for 13 years, sir….so snobby perhaps…ignorant, not a chance.

and for the record, your "Stop crying and work to get a better job if you don't like what yours offers." comment was fairly ignorant in its own right!

so, touche buddy! [/QB]
Your statement was highly ignorant of the actual facts about individual giving in America.

And working to get something better if you don't like it is kind of how things work here. It's not my fault you're some out of touch elitist who doesn't understand such things.
sonickteam2
Joined: Unknown
Posts: 0
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 04:49 PM UTC #
Originally posted by Brandon Brendall, the thief:
Originally posted by le sonick:
i've lived in this country for 13 years, sir….so snobby perhaps…ignorant, not a chance.

and for the record, your "Stop crying and work to get a better job if you don't like what yours offers." comment was fairly ignorant in its own right!

so, touche buddy!
Your statement was highly ignorant of the actual facts about individual giving in America.

And working to get something better if you don't like it is kind of how things work here. It's not my fault you're some out of touch elitist who doesn't understand such things. [/QB]
as i've already stated, your "actual facts" dont say patooey.

so what you're saying is basically that people who dislike their jobs but dont get new ones are lazy crybabies? just trying to get your point because apparently i missed it.
ggw
Joined: December 16, 2001 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 14237
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 05:08 PM UTC #
Brandon is correct – Americans give more, per capita and in total, than other nations (like 3x as much as Canadians, I believe). The American government, on the other hand, is way down the list.

If you want a source, just google per capita charity giving

You'll get lots of reports like the one below:

In an earlier report in Philanthropy, Tobin, Karp, and Weinberg write that, "a recent German study reports that on a per capita basis, American citizens contribute to charity nearly seven times as much as their German counterparts, and that about six times as many Americans as Germans do volunteer work…. Some 70 percent of U.S. households make charitable cash contributions…over half of all U.S. adults will volunteer an estimated 20 billion hours in charitable activities this year…. In short, American philanthropy is extraordinary by any world standard."
alex
Joined: October 07, 2003 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 950
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 05:08 PM UTC #
You want more? A good resource on this topic is, "Who Really Cares" by Arthur Brooks.

More findings:

-People at the lower end of the income scale give almost 30 percent more of their income than do those who make $1 million or more.

-The American working poor are, relative to their income, some of the most generous people in America today. The nonworking poor, howeverâ??those on public assistance instead of earning low wagesâ??give at lower levels than any other group. In other words, poverty does not discourage charity in America, but welfare does.

-24 of the top 25 states where people give an above average percent of their income were red states in the previous presidential election.

-Mississippi is one of the poorest states in the nation, but gives the most away.

-Conservatives give about 30 percent more than liberals, even though on average conservative-headed families make slightly less money.

-People who believe the government does not have a basic responsibility to take care of the people who can't take care of themselves are 27 percent more likely to give to charity.

-Religion is the single biggest predictor as to whether someone will be charitable. Religious people give to four times as much to charity, and not just to their own church but also to outside organizations and even explicitly non-religious charities.

Besides all of this, WHO CARES how many people contributed what money? I mean you're obviously off the mark when insinuate that Americans don't care, but even more obviously, if we're giving so much, SOMETHING is working, and it's working better than it is in Europe.

Originally posted by le sonick:
this data really shows NOTHING about the general caring of the us population. so, the richest country gave the most!!! nowhere in your americanized data does it say how many people contributed what money?

$2 billion in food, clothing and money? how do we know that $1.7 billion of that was donated by american companies and the wealthiest 1%? leaving the other 350 million people donated nickels and dimes.

i'm not saying thats the case, but simply this data really doesnt show jack-shit…but thanks for providing it! [/QB]
Rhett Miller
Joined: November 15, 2001 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 17762
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 05:16 PM UTC #
Thanks, but when I want an opinion on a country on something as subjective as "healthier, happier, and more attractive (which to me is in large part a reflection of the first two), I'll start by asking someone who has actually been there (preferably lived there), as opposed to someone who is prfoota.

Originally posted by Brandon Brendall, the thief:
Happier? Is that why they have so many riots and car burnings? Protests and strikes? Is that why 53% voted for a conservative president who ran a campaign on changing the status quo? Healthier, maybe, but I wouldn't call the French "happier" overall. And I have no idea why you threw in attractive, like that has any relevance.

The poverty rate is not a good indicator of the overall economy of a nation. The poverty rate is low in France because of massive government spending on welfare, which in turn has helped slow their economy…see my original post in this thread, which breaks it down.

And no, I've never been, but I plan on it sometime in the next few years.

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes,Japanese Golfer:
Have you ever been to France? Their people seem so much happier, healthier, and attractive compared to here, even with the smoking and red meat.

And how is their economy "wrecked" if nobody is living in poverty?
alex
Joined: October 07, 2003 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 950
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 05:18 PM UTC #
Originally posted by le sonick:
so what you're saying is basically that people who dislike their jobs but dont get new ones are lazy crybabies? just trying to get your point because apparently i missed it.
I'm saying that if you don't like the benefits your job gives you, rather than whine about the government not forcing private businesses to give you vacation time, you should probably work harder to get to a job that gives you what you want.

Obviously, with the current state of the French economy, government mandated 30 day vacations and 35 hour work weeks do not work.
alex
Joined: October 07, 2003 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 950
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 05:21 PM UTC #
It certainly didn't seem like a subjective argument when you used it to counter a point about poverty rates and the overall economy.
Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes,Japanese Golfer:
Thanks, but when I want an opinion on a country on something as subjective as "healthier, happier, and more attractive (which to me is in large part a reflection of the first two), I'll start by asking someone who has actually been there (preferably lived there), as opposed to someone who is prfoota.
HoyaSaxa03
Joined: March 22, 2004 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 7053
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 05:23 PM UTC #
Originally posted by Jaguar:
More proof that Americans are over-worked
i think what's even more interesting is how the 40 hour work week has been completely abandoned by so many in the private sector … seems like if you want to be upwardly mobile, you need to work 60+ hours a week
sonickteam2
Joined: Unknown
Posts: 0
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 05:32 PM UTC #
oh no!!! proven wrong again by another government working yuppie! damnit. how can i keep being so stupid.

how about this one?

americans value money over time spent vacationing with loved ones.

discuss.
sonickteam2
Joined: Unknown
Posts: 0
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 05:33 PM UTC #
Originally posted by Brandon Brendall, the thief:
You want more? A good resource on this topic is, "Who Really Cares" by Arthur Brooks.

god bless arthur brooks, a true american!
brennser
Joined: October 21, 2002 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 3760
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 05:37 PM UTC #
good point Hoya….maybe its just living in DC but it constantly astounds me how so many people are completely defined by what they do, how hard they work, how little vacation they take…..I'm engaged in a more or less constant low level war of attrition with my boss because I like to take my vacations in 2 week chunks - you'd swear the world was about to end

I'm lucky that I generally only have to work 8 hour days and even with that I only get to see my kids for an hour or two each day after you factor in getting to and from work…….my neighborhood is filled with lawyers working 80 hour weeks and many of them have basically subcontracted out care of their kids to nannnies/au pairs etc

Originally posted by Hoya Paranoia:
Originally posted by Jaguar:
More proof that Americans are over-worked
i think what's even more interesting is how the 40 hour work week has been completely abandoned by so many in the private sector … seems like if you want to be upwardly mobile, you need to work 60+ hours a week
Rhett Miller
Joined: November 15, 2001 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 17762
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 05:39 PM UTC #
Well sure, if you count church tithing as charity.

Originally posted by Brandon Brendall, the thief:

More findings:


-Conservatives give about 30 percent more than liberals, even though on average conservative-headed families make slightly less money.

[/QB]
[/QB]
vansmack
Joined: October 04, 2001 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 19725
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 05:39 PM UTC #
Originally posted by le sonick:
americans value money over time spent vacationing with loved ones.
While this may be the prevailing thought on the East Coast, it is certainly not on the west coast.

My working time on the East Coast can be described as live to work (it's all about where you went to school, who you work for now, etc.).

My working time on the West Coast can be described as work to live (it's all about what you do after work - work is just the means to get there).

I live in a state that is happier than France and has a larger economy than France by itself.

If the French had a better work ethic we wouldn't have had to bail them out of two World Wars. They can piss off.

Oh yeah, and our wine is better too. There, I said it.
godsshoeshine
Joined: September 18, 2003 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 4826
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 05:40 PM UTC #
if you want whining, just mention 'france' around a republican
brennser
Joined: October 21, 2002 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 3760
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 05:41 PM UTC #
yeah, and also foreign remittances from immigrants to folks back home I believe make up a huge portion of US charity care

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes,Japanese Golfer:
Well sure, if you count church tithing as charity.

Originally posted by Brandon Brendall, the thief:

More findings:


-Conservatives give about 30 percent more than liberals, even though on average conservative-headed families make slightly less money.

[/QB]
flagos
Joined: August 08, 2006 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 500
Re: Viva La France! May 17, 2007 at 05:54 PM UTC #
Oh yeah, and our wine is better too. There, I said it.
Oh, it looks like you havent tried Chilean wine, specially a carmenere…mmm, thats a lot better than california or French wine…
← Back to board