The U.S. has been touted as the "Greatest Country on Earth"...

[Biggles]

Over 20 years but the trigger for 6 weeks is 10 years (or something of that order).

The punctuality thing clinches it! I am not a morning person. As long as I average my 37 hours a week over a four week period (give or take 14 hours either way) everything is good. Ultimately it is the quality of the input that counts - not activity or attendance.

[Busyman]

Over 20 years but the trigger for 6 weeks is 10 years (or something of that order).

The punctuality thing clinches it! I am not a morning person. As long as I average my 37 hours a week over a four week period (give or take 14 hours either way) everything is good. Ultimately it is the quality of the input that counts - not activity or attendance.

Very good point. We do have some jobs that have "flex time" where you can arrive between certain hours but that's rare. 4 day workweeks are being experimented on.

You can be a sub-par worker and as long you arrive on time, you'll be ok. It's one downfall of unions over here although that's being rectified.

6 weeks is absolutely stunning for 10 years of work. Are your vacation and sick leave rolled into one?

edit: Some of our jobs require punctuality (like call centers) and some don't. They are treated the same, however.

[Biggles]

If I am sick I can self certify that I am ill for up to 7 days and 14 days in total in a year. If medically certified (doctor) then they will pay me for six months full pay and thereafter half pay for a further 6 months. Thankfully I have never had the misfortune to require that benefit.

That is probably quite good - even by European standards.

[Busyman]

If I am sick I can self certify that I am ill for up to 7 days and 14 days in total in a year. If medically certified (doctor) then they will pay me for six months full pay and thereafter half pay for a further 6 months. Thankfully I have never had the misfortune to require that benefit.

That is probably quite good - even by European standards.

Wow that is similar to where I work.

We can self-certify sick up to 4 days every 3 months (otherwise you get put on a Step which makes ineligible for a lonnnng time, it's complicated) which equals 12 days a year.

If medically certified I can be out up to 12 workweeks in a year without repurcssion (Clinton's FMLA Act). I don't know how long I get full pay except I'm still it getting now and I'm almost at 10 weeks. This is Sickness and Disability which runs alongside FMLA. Our pay drops down as time progresses also. I just don't know when.

As far as vacation, we don't accumulate it like most jobs (government, hospital). We re-up once Jan. 1 hits and of course bring along any carryover day/weeks.

[vidcc]

Everything everybody says about America is true to one extent or another.

What I'm wondering is why anyone says it at all, given how most seem to feel.

Are you possibly confusing dislike of whatever party happens to be in power (republican policies are disliked now by the people that liked democratic polices, as democratic policies were disliked by people who liked republican policies) with love of ones country? Today politically we have a incredibly devisive climate and one side claims that the other hates America because they disagree with the present political party policies. "Don't agree with the way Bush handles Iraq...you must hate america".....

I personally think America is a great place. To say it's the greatest would be subjective. I have lived in a few countries and in all honesty I can say that it's swings and roundabouts. We are better than many places at some things (IMO) and far infereior at other (IMO). It's not unpatriotic to think that others have some better ways.

So I think it's fair to allow anyone from any country to state that their country is the greatest. For that individual it may well be. That said to constantly say it to everyone else is kind of obnoxious.

On a slight deviation people from the USA do make a very false statement quite often. That is to call our president, whoever it may be, the "leader of the free world"...... we can't really back that one up

Does altruism exist to the same extent in America as it does in other countries?

Depends on the country. For a supposed "christian" country the USA does have a very selfish attitude domestically speaking.

[Busyman]

Are you possibly confusing dislike of whatever party happens to be in power (republican policies are disliked now by the people that liked democratic polices, as democratic policies were disliked by people who liked republican policies) with love of ones country? Today politically we have a incredibly devisive climate and one side claims that the other hates America because they disagree with the present political party policies. "Don't agree with the way Bush handles Iraq...you must hate america".....

I personally think America is a great place. To say it's the greatest would be subjective. I have lived in a few countries and in all honesty I can say that it's swings and roundabouts. We are better than many places at some things (IMO) and far infereior at other (IMO). It's not unpatriotic to think that others have some better ways.

So I think it's fair to allow anyone from any country to state that their country is the greatest. For that individual it may well be. That said to constantly say it to everyone else is kind of obnoxious.

On a slight deviation people from the USA do make a very false statement quite often. That is to call our president, whoever it may be, the "leader of the free world"...... we can't really back that one up

Does altruism exist to the same extent in America as it does in other countries?

Depends on the country. For a supposed "christian" country the USA does have a very selfish attitude domestically speaking.

Good post.

You've lived in other countries...do you think America, as a whole, is the greatest country to live in? (of course, in your opinion)

[j2k4]

Are you possibly confusing dislike of whatever party happens to be in power (republican policies are disliked now by the people that liked democratic polices, as democratic policies were disliked by people who liked republican policies) with love of ones country? Today politically we have a incredibly devisive climate and one side claims that the other hates America because they disagree with the present political party policies. "Don't agree with the way Bush handles Iraq...you must hate america".....

I personally think America is a great place. To say it's the greatest would be subjective. I have lived in a few countries and in all honesty I can say that it's swings and roundabouts. We are better than many places at some things (IMO) and far infereior at other (IMO). It's not unpatriotic to think that others have some better ways.

So I think it's fair to allow anyone from any country to state that their country is the greatest. For that individual it may well be. That said to constantly say it to everyone else is kind of obnoxious.

On a slight deviation people from the USA do make a very false statement quite often. That is to call our president, whoever it may be, the "leader of the free world"...... we can't really back that one up

Does altruism exist to the same extent in America as it does in other countries?

Depends on the country. For a supposed "christian" country the USA does have a very selfish attitude domestically speaking.

The U.S. is a representative republic with a capitalist economy.

As one who denounces any mixing of Christianity with government, and is not himself a believer, you have no credibility or entree to speak of christian "selfishness".

Given that-

Would you prefer to pay more taxes?

.53 of every dollar the government here collects goes to entitlements, .09 to debt service, and about .21 goes to defense.

The remaining .17 could be defined as discretionary, or subject to budgetary whim.

We work more than most other "civilized" countries already.

Apart from all that, I think you're attempting to make this thread into something I hadn't intended.

I do find mself wondering what shape opinions in here would take if/when a Democrat sits in the White House.

My point was to elicit specific observations about the U.S. as well as other countries for the sake of discussion.

It would be terribly presumptive to ask this be pinned, but I do see this as a potentially long-running thread, and one in which certain clarifications can be offered, fears allayed, or misapprehensions corrected.

The French say, Vive le difference! (I've never been sure why), but the sentiment never seems to be extended to the U.S.

Our culture (that which we may be granted to possess, anyway) is belittled as shallow and cheap, and it's influence around the world is loathed even by those who enjoy it.

I agree and regret that the only culture we've managed to export is of the sort meant to generate profit.

Many other dynamics interfere with genuine understanding, but I find it beneficial to kick those cans down the road with discussion, not out-of-hand rejection.

Perhaps this is too broad a subject for this board; I wouldn't want a thread of this type to crowd out other action or become merely a bitch session.

Maybe it won't work.

Time will tell, huh?

[maebach]

The US has basically no history or culture that it can call its own, so makes up for this with rampant commercialism.

I really don't see anything great about that.

I know, even canadia has more culture and history

[Busyman]

Are you possibly confusing dislike of whatever party happens to be in power (republican policies are disliked now by the people that liked democratic polices, as democratic policies were disliked by people who liked republican policies) with love of ones country? Today politically we have a incredibly devisive climate and one side claims that the other hates America because they disagree with the present political party policies. "Don't agree with the way Bush handles Iraq...you must hate america".....

I personally think America is a great place. To say it's the greatest would be subjective. I have lived in a few countries and in all honesty I can say that it's swings and roundabouts. We are better than many places at some things (IMO) and far infereior at other (IMO). It's not unpatriotic to think that others have some better ways.

So I think it's fair to allow anyone from any country to state that their country is the greatest. For that individual it may well be. That said to constantly say it to everyone else is kind of obnoxious.

On a slight deviation people from the USA do make a very false statement quite often. That is to call our president, whoever it may be, the "leader of the free world"...... we can't really back that one up


Depends on the country. For a supposed "christian" country the USA does have a very selfish attitude domestically speaking.

The U.S. is a representative republic with a capitalist economy.

As one who denounces any mixing of Christianity with government, and is not himself a believer, you have no credibility or entree to speak of christian "selfishness".

Given that-

Would you prefer to pay more taxes?

.53 of every dollar the government here collects goes to entitlements, .09 to debt service, and about .21 goes to defense.

The remaining .17 could be defined as discretionary, or subject to budgetary whim.

We work more than most other "civilized" countries already.

Apart from all that, I think you're attempting to make this thread into something I hadn't intended.

I do find mself wondering what shape opinions in here would take if/when a Democrat sits in the White House.

My point was to elicit specific observations about the U.S. as well as other countries for the sake of discussion.

It would be terribly presumptive to ask this be pinned, but I do see this as a potentially long-running thread, and one in which certain clarifications can be offered, fears allayed, or misapprehensions corrected.

The French say, Vive le difference! (I've never been sure why), but the sentiment never seems to be extended to the U.S.

Our culture (that which we may be granted to possess, anyway) is belittled as shallow and cheap, and it's influence around the world is loathed even by those who enjoy it.

I agree and regret that the only culture we've managed to export is of the sort meant to generate profit.

Many other dynamics interfere with genuine understanding, but I find it beneficial to kick those cans down the road with discussion, not out-of-hand rejection.

Perhaps this is too broad a subject for this board; I wouldn't want a thread of this type to crowd out other action or become merely a bitch session.

Maybe it won't work.

Time will tell, huh?

Another good post. Yeah I hope this thread doesn't turn into a Dem/Repub thread as well.

[j2k4]

Another good post. Yeah I hope this thread doesn't turn into a Dem/Repub thread as well.

Thanks, and I sincerely don't want this to be a "political" thread.

Politicians are the same wherever you go, and I'd prefer to leave them out of this.

I don't recall anyone hereabout dumb enough to tout their country as possessing "the greatest politicians the world has ever known".

That Galloway character is entertaining as all get-out, but I don't recall anyone willing to claim him, apart from The, of course.