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Nomi, I don’t speak french very well, I understand some, I remember a little from my 7 years in school. Take heart, practice with a friend! As a practical matter, I wish I’d studied Spanish instead.
“OK…I’ll grab a slice on Court Street before i round the corner and head down Atlantic.”
daveinbedstuy, let me know when you’re getting to the nabe, and I can prolly time it to meet you for a slice or summin’.
Weather permitting, I’ll prolly walk the Bridge on my way home (which I do unless I’m going out in Manhattan or unless it rains — I’ll walk in snow and cold and even that 103 degree day a couple weeks back, but I don’t ‘specially enjoy wind blown rain over the river).
On this planet, by American Republican standards UK is socialist. In reality it’s not much different than the rest of Europe. That is well to the left of the US and not socialist. Again, I’m using accurate descriptions and not those of the Palinista.
Also, personal income taxes are higher than in the US, even NYS.
Also again, I brought up declining middle class incomes DIBS. Your response was –
“If you are “middle class” and your income ACTUALLY DECLINED it’s because you didn’t work hard enough to get a raise and you got demoted.”
Now, my recollection of these times is somewhat spotty since I was young and pretty and stupid and not really paying attention — but still — from what I remember of the Reagan and Bush, Sr. eras, Western Europe was totally socialist. Dude. Even into the 90’s this was somewhat true. Mostly I remember gleeful and pretentious political science majors (most of whom now work for think tanks or teach) predicting that all of northern europe would become one giant breadline due to their socialist, (and therefore EVIL), policies of providing things like healthcare, education, etc, to all of their citizens.
How much better things were, they would enthuse, (as I looked for another jar of manic panic hair dye and turned up the Bauhaus album), under the American system, where the free market would ensure the best and most efficient health care and job creation for all! How lucky we were not to live under the thumb of an oppressive socialist regime… like England or Sweden or France!
Lucky, indeed.
Now, I am no historian but I think the way socialism has continued to be a bad word, even if the countries we pretend have it have changed, is very funny.
ishtar, I’ve never understood why people look at unions having some measure of job security (say, like needing a cause to be terminated) and some modicum of benefits, while they themselves have none, and think “Gosh, I wish my situation stayed the same and they lost their job security and benefits.”
I would, in an attempt to be civil, call such reasoning “foolish.”
Nomi, I don’t speak french very well, I understand some, I remember a little from my 7 years in school. Take heart, practice with a friend! As a practical matter, I wish I’d studied Spanish instead.
Someone say something funny.
They have, PBR, m4l. That’s good enough for me. Afterall, I’m not filthy rich.
“OK…I’ll grab a slice on Court Street before i round the corner and head down Atlantic.”
daveinbedstuy, let me know when you’re getting to the nabe, and I can prolly time it to meet you for a slice or summin’.
Weather permitting, I’ll prolly walk the Bridge on my way home (which I do unless I’m going out in Manhattan or unless it rains — I’ll walk in snow and cold and even that 103 degree day a couple weeks back, but I don’t ‘specially enjoy wind blown rain over the river).
UK . . . . all have center right governments????
On this planet, by American Republican standards UK is socialist. In reality it’s not much different than the rest of Europe. That is well to the left of the US and not socialist. Again, I’m using accurate descriptions and not those of the Palinista.
Also, personal income taxes are higher than in the US, even NYS.
Also again, I brought up declining middle class incomes DIBS. Your response was –
“If you are “middle class” and your income ACTUALLY DECLINED it’s because you didn’t work hard enough to get a raise and you got demoted.”
You clean your own toilets?
Now, my recollection of these times is somewhat spotty since I was young and pretty and stupid and not really paying attention — but still — from what I remember of the Reagan and Bush, Sr. eras, Western Europe was totally socialist. Dude. Even into the 90’s this was somewhat true. Mostly I remember gleeful and pretentious political science majors (most of whom now work for think tanks or teach) predicting that all of northern europe would become one giant breadline due to their socialist, (and therefore EVIL), policies of providing things like healthcare, education, etc, to all of their citizens.
How much better things were, they would enthuse, (as I looked for another jar of manic panic hair dye and turned up the Bauhaus album), under the American system, where the free market would ensure the best and most efficient health care and job creation for all! How lucky we were not to live under the thumb of an oppressive socialist regime… like England or Sweden or France!
Lucky, indeed.
Now, I am no historian but I think the way socialism has continued to be a bad word, even if the countries we pretend have it have changed, is very funny.
DIBS, not that you care that much, heard no draft beer either
But it’s true, DIBS! : P
ishtar, I’ve never understood why people look at unions having some measure of job security (say, like needing a cause to be terminated) and some modicum of benefits, while they themselves have none, and think “Gosh, I wish my situation stayed the same and they lost their job security and benefits.”
I would, in an attempt to be civil, call such reasoning “foolish.”