NationStates Jolt Archive

I started wondering ... I've had a few people now tell me they'd want to emmigrate, many of them to the same places and countries. And there are a good few of the chosen destinations that I personally wouldn't consider for myself. I've visited them, and just honestly don't like them.

What places would you never want to live in? And I don't want all of you smartasses out there going "Iraq!", "Afghanistan!", or "North Korea!". I mean places that otherwise sound people go to live.

Me, the places I've come across recently that I wouldn't want to live in are Switzerland, Poland, the USA and Australia.

I started wondering ... I've had a few people now tell me they'd want to emmigrate, many of them to the same places and countries. And there are a good few of the chosen destinations that I personally wouldn't consider for myself. I've visited them, and just honestly don't like them.

What places would you never want to live in? And I don't want all of you smartasses out there going "Iraq!", "Afghanistan!", or "North Korea!". I mean places that otherwise sound people go to live.

Me, the places I've come across recently that I wouldn't want to live in are Switzerland, Poland, the USA and Australia.

Bwhahahah where I live now, it's just a shitty place to bring up the kids.

In before 30 pages of 'USA' replies.


Me, the places I've come across recently that I wouldn't want to live in are Switzerland, Poland, the USA and Australia.

Seems I'm a bit late.

Anyway, I'd never want to live in Marshall Minnesota... oh wait.

Paris, France. Honestly, I don't understand what the allure is. Aside from that, I'm American, so I can kiss any chance I have of being accepted goodbye.

I don't think I'd want to live in the US (I don't want an insurance company telling me when I can and can't seek medical treatment), I wouldn't want to live in Sub Saharan Africa, I also wouldn't want to live in much of the Middle East (being treated like crap because I don't have a penis doesn't really appeal to me), Poland doesn't seem too awesome, a lot of South America doesn't seem too awesome...

Glamourous fucking London.

What about Saudi Arabia or Iran or any of those other states that executes people just for being different? Do they count as places no soud person would live?

Barring them, probably China, Switzerland or any other place with a mostly homogeneous culture.

I'd miss the variety if the United States, but I think the UK or Australia might be nice places.

In before 30 pages of 'USA' replies.



Seems I'm a bit late.

Anyway, I'd never want to live in Marshall Minnesota... oh wait.

Sorry, I had to be honest there...
I hope it won't turn into a flame fest, but now that I think about it I've little hope.

Wolverhampton springs to mind. Frankly anywhere that gets really cold, never been very good at walking on ice.

I started wondering ... I've had a few people now tell me they'd want to emmigrate, many of them to the same places and countries. And there are a good few of the chosen destinations that I personally wouldn't consider for myself. I've visited them, and just honestly don't like them.

What places would you never want to live in? And I don't want all of you smartasses out there going "Iraq!", "Afghanistan!", or "North Korea!". I mean places that otherwise sound people go to live.

Me, the places I've come across recently that I wouldn't want to live in are Switzerland, Poland, the USA and Australia.

These, though Poland might improve now that the Ducky brothers are gone(incidentally, please tell me you watched the panel last night). And somewhere really hot. Wouldn't like that 24/7.

These, though Poland might improve now that the Ducky brothers are gone(incidentally, please tell me you watched the panel last night). And somewhere really hot. Wouldn't like that 24/7.

I did, but only the first part. BF wanted to watch Top Gear... why, what did they do?

new york city

I probably won't go to any countries that don't have food labeling laws. I most likely won't go somewhere that I don't already know the basics of the language (Arabic countries, some Asian countries).

I don't think I could live somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere very happily.

Georgia.

Oh, wait....



Damnit.:(

Australia (shitty weather, shitty internet connections), USA (no thanks to being added to a database with my fingerprints and tons of other personal information when I enter the country) and Denmark (I wouldn't want to live where I'm not welcome).

I did, but only the first part. BF wanted to watch Top Gear... why, what did they do?

Polish election special. They all made attempts at reading a bit about the elections in Polish. Aoebhin(I'm almost certian I fucked up the spelling) was pretty good, Colin was not. Then they had Brian Dobson on.

all of africa ,middle east and most asian countries

What about Saudi Arabia or Iran or any of those other states that executes people just for being different? Do they count as places no soud person would live?

Barring them, probably China, Switzerland or any other place with a mostly homogeneous culture.

I'd miss the variety if the United States, but I think the UK or Australia might be nice places.

Not were sound people would live. Many of them just live where they're born. I meant where sound people actually make the free decision to emmigrate to. Doesn't happen a lot with Saudi Arabia and Iran, does it? ;)

Barring them, probably China, Switzerland or any other place with a mostly homogeneous culture.
Nevermind the fact that Switzerland is officialy multicultural between German, French, Italian and Romansch, huh? Ya just need a few nuts to be thrown into the salad also?

and Denmark (I wouldn't want to live where I'm not welcome).
Ah, if only more people thought like this...

Anyway, for me.....England, France, Latin-America, Brazil, Africa, Asia, Russia, Eastern Europe, Sweden, Turkey and the arab world.

Nevermind the fact that Switzerland is officialy multicultural between German, French, Italian and Romansch, huh? Ya just need a few nuts to be thrown into the salad also?

Yep. The nuts are my favorite part. :)

Nuts, croutons, bacon bits... I want it all! :)

Well, Denmark (only there because I want my right to an education ;) ), France, Switzerland, Italy and the US are definitely not places I'd be interested in living. I've visited each and every one of them. Here are the reasons:

Denmark - It's open-minded on one-side (with regards to sexuality, mostly, even then...), but half the population completely ignores and even abhors the difficulties that they are putting immigrants through. By that, I mean that even EU immigrants have a hard time going there and that just shouldn't happen. I also hate the hypocrisies: They claim to be the most environmental, but ever since I've gotten here, half of the trash that I used to recycle I can't recycle anymore and the other half they only started recycling recently. They even stopped recycling one type of trash. So much for claiming to be environmentally friendly...

France - I'd prefer to live in Belgium. France is just bigger, lower quality and not exactly my type of place. A few notable exceptions make good tourist spots though.

Switzerland - Meh. I pass through there. It doesn't appeal to me.

Italy - I always feel out of place when I am there.

US - like France: too vast. If I had to live in N. America, it'd be in Canada, though I somehow doubt I could avoid the annoying suburbs there.

Not were sound people would live. Many of them just live where they're born. I meant where sound people actually make the free decision to emmigrate to. Doesn't happen a lot with Saudi Arabia and Iran, does it? ;)

I might imagine it happening quite a bit with Saudi Arabia, actually.

Despite the blatant sexism, oppression and so forth, there is an elite class ruling. That elite class will attract foreigners who want a lot of wealth in a place where they are free to oppress certain people. And the type of foreigners who are there for diplomatic reasons or just to make a lot of money off the sheiks.

Kinda sad, but I can actually imagine some people loving to go there. I wouldn't.

I don't think I'd want to live in the US (I don't want an insurance company telling me when I can and can't seek medical treatment), I wouldn't want to live in Sub Saharan Africa, I also wouldn't want to live in much of the Middle East (being treated like crap because I don't have a penis doesn't really appeal to me), Poland doesn't seem too awesome, a lot of South America doesn't seem too awesome...

You know, I really only had one time that an insurance company told me that they wouldn't pay for something. We ended up brokering a deal where they would pay for the surgery but I would have to pay for the hearing aid. You're talking about a guy who has 30 to 40 some odd surgeries in his lifetime, takes two medicines a day and some other medical stuff, insurance never told me that I couldn't take care of myself. Meh, maybe I just have good insurance.

As for me Paris France, meh I'm not seeing why everyone likes it, it's not exactly the nicest place around (clean it up dammit!) and I would much rather live in London, UK.

Yep. The nuts are my favorite part. :)

Nuts, croutons, bacon bits... I want it all! :)
Meh, to each his own.....but in all seriousness..you do know that Switzerland is probably the best example of multiculturalism gone right, right?

It's just that by multiculturalism, they mean between the four groups that the nation of Switzerland was created to represent. Germans, French, Italian and Romansch.

You can start in Zürich and be a technologically advanced, rich, capitalist "German-feeling" city. Then travel East to the Romansch areas and see those strange old famer people who only gave women the right to vote in the 90s, then drive down to the south and relax and have a big bowl of pasta and some grapa listening to people speak rapid fire Italian, in the Italian section. Then travel west, relax, sit in a cafe, have some wine or maybe some fondue and listen to the (much more Pro-Europe) Swiss-French chatting away in their French that is oh so impossible for me to understand. Or maybe that's not enough, maybe you need to go to Geneva or back to Zürich to meet people from all over the world working in these international cities.....

Meh, to each his own.....but in all seriousness..you do know that Switzerland is probably the best example of multiculturalism gone right, right?

It's just that by multiculturalism, they mean between the four groups that the nation of Switzerland was created to represent. Germans, French, Italian and Romansch.

You can start in Zürich and be a technologically advanced, rich, capitalist "German-feeling" city. Then travel East to the Romansch areas and see those strange old famer people who only gave women the right to vote in the 90s, then drive down to the south and relax and have a big bowl of pasta and some grapa listening to people speak rapid fire Italian, in the Italian section. Then travel west, relax, sit in a cafe, have some wine or maybe some fondue and listen to the (much more Pro-Europe) Swiss-French chatting away in their French that is oh so impossible for me to understand. Or maybe that's not enough, maybe you need to go to Geneva or back to Zürich to meet people from all over the world working in these international cities.....

See, personally I prefer the multiculturalism where people live together rather than next to each other.
I like the way Ireland is in the process of becoming a multicultural country right now, how the influences change the existing structures and ideas, how much richer the lifestyle is becoming. But to each his own, if you prefer isolated communities, Switzerland is your country, no doubts there.

Meh, to each his own.....but in all seriousness..you do know that Switzerland is probably the best example of multiculturalism gone right, right?

It's just that by multiculturalism, they mean between the four groups that the nation of Switzerland was created to represent. Germans, French, Italian and Romansch.

You can start in Zürich and be a technologically advanced, rich, capitalist "German-feeling" city. Then travel East to the Romansch areas and see those strange old famer people who only gave women the right to vote in the 90s, then drive down to the south and relax and have a big bowl of pasta and some grapa listening to people speak rapid fire Italian, in the Italian section. Then travel west, relax, sit in a cafe, have some wine or maybe some fondue and listen to the (much more Pro-Europe) Swiss-French chatting away in their French that is oh so impossible for me to understand. Or maybe that's not enough, maybe you need to go to Geneva or back to Zürich to meet people from all over the world working in these international cities.....

No Tex-mex. No Down East. No California(with 2000 distinct varieties of nutcase and climbing). No Amish cooking. No Chinatown. No Barrio.

You have no idea what multicultural means.

Yep. The nuts are my favorite part. :)

Nuts, croutons, bacon bits... I want it all! :)

Ohhh bacon!

See, personally I prefer the multiculturalism where people live together rather than next to each other.
I like the way Ireland is in the process of becoming a multicultural country right now, how the influences change the existing structures and ideas, how much richer the lifestyle is becoming. But to each his own, if you prefer isolated communities, Switzerland is your country, no doubts there.
And that's perfectly ok.:)

In the US: California, New York, most of the Southern states, and anywhere that gets so much winter that in the spring they think that 40 degrees F (refrigerator temp!!) is a "beautiful day."

Outside US: Any really leftist (by American standards) European country, England (too Big-brotherish...no CCTV on my streets thank you!), China, Cuba, any southern African nation, any Muslim country...I'm sure there are a few more that I missed but these come to mind first.

And that's perfectly ok.:)

Of course it is, who'd forbid it? :confused:

Within a half mile of other people.

You have no idea what multicultural means.
Yes, I do. What you don't understand is that just because America does this, and suffers (in the most multicultural spots) from lack of community, lack of unity, racial tensions, ethnic rivalries and ghettoes....does not mean that the rest of the world should adopt the American system, nor does that mean that the American system is the correct system.

Switzerland's idea of multiculturalism works MUCH better than America's.

if you prefer isolated communities, Switzerland is your country, no doubts there.

When I first went to Switzerland I was shocked that the people from each area didn't speak the language (in general) of any of the other areas. I was rather lucky that the Solothurn cantonal police have one person per station on duty who speaks French, as I was in a minor accident there (my friend was driving) and I don't speak much German, much less that bizarre Schweizerdeutche.

Of course it is, who'd forbid it? :confused:
I was trying to put the part I was commenting on in italics, forgetting that the whole thing goes to Italics. :p

It was in response to what you like...and I was agreeing with your "to each his own" thing by saying "yeah, that's perfectly ok"....just not what I agree with.

Switzerland's idea of multiculturalism works MUCH better than America's.

Wouldn't work for me.
I've been to Switzerland numerous times, and I prefer Canada, the UK or Ireland by far. I like a bit of change and new things around me, I don't particularly care for the feeling of living in a white ghetto.
Horses for courses, I think.

Yes, I do. What you don't understand is that just because America does this, and suffers (in the most multicultural spots) from lack of community, lack of unity, racial tensions, ethnic rivalries and ghettoes....does not mean that the rest of the world should adopt the American system, nor does that mean that the American system is the correct system.

Switzerland's idea of multiculturalism works MUCH better than America's.

I think we're going to have to agree to disagree. I think it's obvious that everything you consider a weakness in diversity of population, I consider a strength. Perhaps it's because I AM that diversity personified. I'm living proof that racial and ethnic mixing can make stronger people and not weaker people.

When I first went to Switzerland I was shocked that the people from each area didn't speak the language (in general) of any of the other areas. I was rather lucky that the Solothurn cantonal police have one person per station on duty who speaks French, as I was in a minor accident there (my friend was driving) and I don't speak much German, much less that bizarre Schweizerdeutche.

Oh, I know what you mean :)
Switzerland loves to present itself as a multilingual country, but in fact that simply means that everyone only speaks their own language and they communicate as little as possible with each other ;)

When I first went to Switzerland I was shocked that the people from each area didn't speak the language (in general) of any of the other areas. I was rather lucky that the Solothurn cantonal police have one person per station on duty who speaks French, as I was in a minor accident there (my friend was driving) and I don't speak much German, much less that bizarre Schweizerdeutche.
Well..the deal is....officailly...Swiss-Germans must learn French in school and "be able to speak it", beucase it is the second biggest language in Switzerland. For Swiss-French and Swiss-Italian, I'm not sure because I usually stay in the German areas...not including a small excursion to Geneva or to the Italian south where the Matterhorn or so....

But I digress, I think the Swiss-French and Swiss-Italians must learn German in their schools as the Swiss-Germans learn French.

Only problem is, most people usually don't care because they do not feel it's important, usually look down upon the other linguistical regions of the country and are focusing much more on English anyway. (School system places a huge focus on English, and rightly so)

Well..the deal is....officailly...Swiss-Germans must learn French in school and "be able to speak it", beucase it is the second biggest language in Switzerland. For Swiss-French and Swiss-Italian, I'm not sure because I usually stay in the German areas...not including a small excursion to Geneva or to the Italian south where the Matterhorn or so....

But I digress, I think the Swiss-French and Swiss-Italians must learn German in their schools as the Swiss-Germans learn French.

Only problem is, most people usually don't care because they do not feel it's important, usually look down upon the other linguistical regions of the country and are focusing much more on English anyway. (School system places a huge focus on English, and rightly so)

Well, with the Swiss-Germans generally refusing to speak German at all but to only use Switzerduetsch, I can't imagine the Swiss-French and Swiss-Italians getting very far even if they should learn German at school...

I think we're going to have to agree to disagree. I think it's obvious that everything you consider a weakness in diversity of population, I consider a strength. Perhaps it's because I AM that diversity personified. I'm living proof that racial and ethnic mixing can make stronger people and not weaker people.
Agree to disagree. Just so you know, I alwas judge people as individuals when I meet them, it is simply that when looking at the larger scale (for politics, for example) it is impossible to do so, atleast in my opinion. For instance, I obviously have problems with immigration and multiculturalism in America, in South Florida....but everytime I finish playing tennis, I go to this El Salvadorian place that serves the best steak, and I speak (and order my food) in Spanish to the people and sometimes chat with them.....

You can take it as the truth or not at all, I just want to show that there are two sides of me...the political side and the individual in person side.
Wouldn't work for me.
I've been to Switzerland numerous times, and I prefer Canada, the UK or Ireland by far. I like a bit of change and new things around me, I don't particularly care for the feeling of living in a white ghetto.
Horses for courses, I think.
Well UK has tons of ethnic and racial tensions now..it's always in the news....I don't think their multiculturalism is very succesful.
Canada is basically the same as America in the sense of ethnic tensions and multiculturalism, I've found....the notable differences are the immigration issue in America and the French-English multicultural problem in Canada.

Denmark (I wouldn't want to live where I'm not welcome).

Why wouldn't you be welcome?

Well..the deal is....officailly...Swiss-Germans must learn French in school and "be able to speak it", beucase it is the second biggest language in Switzerland. For Swiss-French and Swiss-Italian, I'm not sure because I usually stay in the German areas...not including a small excursion to Geneva or to the Italian south where the Matterhorn or so....

But I digress, I think the Swiss-French and Swiss-Italians must learn German in their schools as the Swiss-Germans learn French.

Only problem is, most people usually don't care because they do not feel it's important, usually look down upon the other linguistical regions of the country and are focusing much more on English anyway. (School system places a huge focus on English, and rightly so)

The Swiss-French family I know doesn't speak any German or Italian (much less Romansch) at all. They all learned a bit of English at some point or another, but none of them except the youngest boy (who is about to graduate high school this year) remember any of it. And they're not an uneducated family, the mother and daughter are nurses, the father is a teacher and the oldest son is a doctor.

The south of England, Belfast, Aberdeen, South Africa all come to mind

i wouldn't go to live in the USA, Australia or Thailand.

Aberdeen
Neither would I.

No radioactive greyness for me, TYVM.

i wouldn't go to live in the USA, Australia or Thailand.
I wouldn't want to live in poncy Edinburgh. :P

*starts Edinbugger vs. Weegie fight*

Well UK has tons of ethnic and racial tensions now..it's always in the news....I don't think their multiculturalism is very succesful.

Bloody hell, thats news to me, and I live here!

Naaaa man what you see in the news is not indicative of the what the nation on whole thinks.

Our multiculturalism is successful, and with each new generation getting better and better.

Well, with the Swiss-Germans generally refusing to speak German at all but to only use Switzerduetsch, I can't imagine the Swiss-French and Swiss-Italians getting very far even if they should learn German at school...
That's just a stereotype....they prefer to use Swiss-German becuase it's their language...and they are proud of it with all their different dialects and accents....BUT...every Swiss-German knows 100% perfect hochdeutsch as that is what they use in school (and they must use it in school) and that is what their media and politics is conducted in.

You probably just had a bad experience....but generally when Swiss are having a conversation with Germans or Austrians, they switch to high-German because they DO KNOW that outsiders usually cannot understand their dialects.

oh, and I'd never live in Belgium.

Agree to disagree. Just so you know, I alwas judge people as individuals when I meet them, it is simply that when looking at the larger scale (for politics, for example) it is impossible to do so, atleast in my opinion. For instance, I obviously have problems with immigration and multiculturalism in America, in South Florida....but everytime I finish playing tennis, I go to this El Salvadorian place that serves the best steak, and I speak (and order my food) in Spanish to the people and sometimes chat with them.....

Well, let me just finish by indicating that Switzerland could never produce anyone like me. *nod*

Why wouldn't you be welcome?

Only Danes are really welcome in Denmark.

Well UK has tons of ethnic and racial tensions now..it's always in the news....I don't think their multiculturalism is very succesful.
Canada is basically the same as America in the sense of ethnic tensions and multiculturalism, I've found....the notable differences are the immigration issue in America and the French-English multicultural problem in Canada.

I think you have to take the good with the bad. The UK, as far as I can tell, simply swapped class-tensions for racial tensions. The only difference in the overall climate is the presumed reason for the tensions.
I don't doubt that where multiculturalism is concerned, Canada and the US are somewhat similar, however personally I prefer the Canadian version. I lived in Montreal for a while and I can honestly say that the French-English "problem" gives that city a very vibrant, colourful, facetted and highly creative atmosphere.

Why wouldn't you be welcome?
Very popular in Denmark (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dansk_folkeparti)
The Swiss-French family I know doesn't speak any German or Italian (much less Romansch) at all. They all learned a bit of English at some point or another, but none of them except the youngest boy (who is about to graduate high school this year) remember any of it. And they're not an uneducated family, the mother and daughter are nurses, the father is a teacher and the oldest son is a doctor.
And most Swiss-Germans I know don't speak French either...but that doesn't mean they don't study it in school. It's just not something they usually care about, for multiple reasons, like I stated before....

Also, nobody speaks Romansch except some hicks out East.:D

*starts Edinbugger vs. Weegie fight*

Bit of an unfair advantage you have there what with living in the most violent city in Western Europe :p

Only Danes are really welcome in Denmark.

Never really noticed this :confused:

Very popular in Denmark (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dansk_folkeparti)

That's not why. They're not "Very popular" either. In fact, everybody hates them except themselves.

It's gotten to the point where they can actually have a basis for claiming to be discriminated against.

oh, and I'd never live in Belgium.

I'm curious... why?
Mind you, the only reason why I'd go to Belgium is for comic books, but still...

Never really noticed this

Ever tried moving to Denmark?

Oh the hoops you have to jump through... of course, I avoided all that, being Danish by birthright, but that doesn't mean I am not aware of the problems that just being born abroad gives me.

oh, and I'd never live in Belgium.

One of my mates is a native of Belgium, and I have to say he is the complete opposite of boring!

Very popular in Denmark

Not really. They're only popular amongst the people who vote for them. Everybody else hates them. It's gotten to the point where they can actually claim to be discriminated against.

But nobody takes hypocrites seriously. You can't discriminate and not expect to be discriminated against yourself.

You probably just had a bad experience....but generally when Swiss are having a conversation with Germans or Austrians, they switch to high-German because they DO KNOW that outsiders usually cannot understand their dialects.

Sure... that's why, when I was working in an internal helpdesk for an IT company, the Swiss callers would demand to speak to someone who spoke Swiss Germans, or hang up.

Bit of an unfair advantage you have there what with living in the most violent city in Western Europe :p
Quiet you. ;)

*chibs*

I wear as a badge of honour the fact that, AFAIK, Glasgow was, statistically, the most violent city in Europe, even beating Sarajevo during the Balkan wars.

I started wondering ... I've had a few people now tell me they'd want to emmigrate, many of them to the same places and countries. And there are a good few of the chosen destinations that I personally wouldn't consider for myself. I've visited them, and just honestly don't like them.

What places would you never want to live in? And I don't want all of you smartasses out there going "Iraq!", "Afghanistan!", or "North Korea!". I mean places that otherwise sound people go to live.

Me, the places I've come across recently that I wouldn't want to live in are Switzerland, Poland, the USA and Australia.

For me: France, Wallonia, parts of the USA and economic shitholes were corruption is abound.

Neither would I.

No radioactive greyness for me, TYVM.
i was born there, horray! i'm fully radioactive :D


I wouldn't want to live in poncy Edinburgh. :P

*starts Edinbugger vs. Weegie fight*

bah! edinburgh's way better cuz... cuz... i don't know,... cuz it's not glasgow :p when we got our trams and some more decent venues then we'll have a fight. edinburgh's blatantly better at the noble art of fistycuffs, there's bleeding royalty here and everything, don't get much more noble than that, hah!

Quiet you. ;)

*chibs*

I wear as a badge of honour the fact that, AFAIK, Glasgow was, statistically, the most violent city in Europe, even beating Sarajevo during the Balkan wars.

At least give Edinburgh the population of St Andrews to use as cannon fodder, if only to make me happy

Sure... that's why, when I was working in an internal helpdesk for an IT company, the Swiss callers would demand to speak to someone who spoke Swiss Germans, or hang up.

I got that from English people when I was working in a call centre.

A few even thought I was Pakistani for some reason

Not really. They're only popular amongst the people who vote for them. Everybody else hates them. It's gotten to the point where they can actually claim to be discriminated against.
They're the 3rd largest party, they're popular enough...plus the Danish government has given Denmark the toughest borders/immigration regulations in the EU...which is part of the DF idealogly (in the sense of immigration).
Sure... that's why, when I was working in an internal helpdesk for an IT company, the Swiss callers would demand to speak to someone who spoke Swiss Germans, or hang up.
Meh...personal anectdotes don't really mean anything when pushed with the fact that every single Swiss-German can speak/write/read/understand perfect High-German since it is a dominant part of their soceity, school system, legal system, political system and media....

Though if that was true, which it may be, you probably just had some assholes.

Anyway, it's not like Germans LOOOOVE the Swiss. I've heard my fair share of Germans calling Swiss mountain hicks, backwards making fun of their language. It's always such a suprise when I open my mouth and I speak German in the Swiss accent....

Quiet you. ;)

*chibs*

I wear as a badge of honour the fact that, AFAIK, Glasgow was, statistically, the most violent city in Europe, even beating Sarajevo during the Balkan wars.

shit! he's got a chib. *brandishes rusty syringe*

I got that from English people when I was working in a call centre.

A few even thought I was Pakistani for some reason

I know one non-native speaker got that from a German at some point... but I have to admitthat this guy's German was very bad indeed.
But the Swiss did that really regularly, to all of us. Considering we were all working for the same company, I thought that was a pretty stupid thing to do.
Apparently, many of them went directly to their local support and had those poor guys call us to get a record for the problem....

At least give Edinburgh the population of St Andrews to use as cannon fodder, if only to make me happy
I, too, would be happy

shit! he’s got a chib. *brandishes rusty syringe*
Arrghhh!

I hadn’t factored the Leithers into the equation.

Meh...personal anectdotes don't really mean anything when pushed with the fact that every single Swiss-German can speak/write/read/understand perfect High-German since it is a dominant part of their soceity, school system, legal system, political system and media....

Though if that was true, which it may be, you probably just had some assholes.

Anyway, it's not like Germans LOOOOVE the Swiss. I've heard my fair share of Germans calling Swiss mountain hicks, backwards making fun of their language. It's always such a suprise when I open my mouth and I speak German in the Swiss accent....

I'm not claiming facts, I am simply stating personal experiences of working with Swiss people for 3 years.
I'm not saying they're all like that, certainly not, but the Swiss were in fact the only ones who ever pulled that one on the helpdesk. No Austrian ever got offended cause the agent couldn't speak Burgenlaendisch, and no Norther German ever even tried to talk Platt to any of us, as far as I'm aware.

I got that from English people when I was working in a call centre.

A few even thought I was Pakistani for some reason

And when I first moved back to London after some years in Manchester and Leeds, I got accused of being Scottish!

You'll be pleased to know I have fully regained my London accent.

And when I first moved back to London after some years in Manchester and Leeds, I got accused of being Scottish!

You'll be pleased to know I have fully regained my London accent.

I've yet to have such a disgusting accusation made my way thankfully ;)

And when I first moved back to London after some years in Manchester and Leeds, I got accused of being Scottish!
The shame! :p

It’s the same with my flatmate from Brixton. Up here, he gets teased for his Sarf Lundin accent, while back at home he’s called ‘Jock’...

anywhere too cold

anywhere too hot

anywhere too dry

anywhere too wet....



so, most places are a no-no, really :P



though i obviously wouldn't want to live up north ;)

I've yet to have such a disgusting accusation made my way thankfully ;)

Heh but wait, do you say yes, yeah, or aye?

Why wouldn't you be welcome?

I was half joking, but it's true that Danes don't much like Swedes. I know most Danes are decent people who probably wouldn't mind me, but I've been to Norway as well and I felt much more welcome there.

The shame! :p

It’s the same with my flatmate from Brixton. Up here, he gets teased for his Sarf Lundin accent, while back at home he’s called ‘Jock’...

The best of both worlds?

Thats not a bad effort y'now, but stretch that saaaarf out a bit.

Heh but wait, do you say yes, yeah, or aye?

I switch between Yeah and Aye at random really but people say Aye at home anyway so it wouldn't be a change

I would never move to USA. Visited there once for a couple of weeks, in Boston, and I ended up thinking that must be the worst country ever. And that was BEFORE 11.9.2001.

They're the 3rd largest party, they're popular enough...plus the Danish government has given Denmark the toughest borders/immigration regulations in the EU...which is part of the DF idealogly (in the sense of immigration).

And of every other party disregarding two: De Radikale and Enhedslisten.

So really, it's not because of them - every other political party hates foreigners too for one reason or another. Some like their jobs, some like their culture and some just don't like foreigners. DF is in the last section.

I switch between Yeah and Aye at random really but people say Aye at home anyway so it wouldn't be a change

Aye I know wot you mean, and sometimes I even slip a nowt into the conversation. Sounds bloody strange with a London accent.

I was half joking, but it's true that Danes don't much like Swedes. I know most Danes are decent people who probably wouldn't mind me, but I've been to Norway as well and I felt much more welcome there.

Norway definitely is far more welcoming :) They definitely make the effort to understand you.

That, and I have Norwegian family :p

This message board disturbs me sometimes. Six pages of posts and not ONE person picked North Korea, the land of starvation, complete government subjugation of its people and mass slave labor camps. Yet The USA repeatedly picked? WTF is wrong with you people.

Aye I know wot you mean, and sometimes I even slip a nowt into the conversation. Sounds bloody strange with a London accent.

I grew up in a family who use phrases like :

Go te th'on sheuch with they'ons (it is hilarious when your English girlfriend is utterly confused by what your parents are saying)

So anything I pick up in Scotland could only be an improvement

This message board disturbs me sometimes. Six pages of posts and not ONE person picked North Korea, the land of starvation, complete government subjugation of its people and mass slave labor camps. Yet The USA repeatedly picked? WTF is wrong with you people.

Read the OP for an answer to this

Read the OP for an answer to this

Doh my bad missed that part lol My rule of thumb is i dont ever want to live anywhere that you have to worry about getting malaria.

Well, I'll give you a couple of cities: Detroit, LA, Berlin, Paris, London, Warsaw, Shanghai, Beijing and all of Russia.

Doh missed that part lol My rule of thumb is i dont ever want to live anywhere that you have to worry about getting malaria.

Well, I don't think you can get malaria in N. Korea, but I might be wrong ;)

So anything I pick up in Scotland could only be an improvement
Ach, hod yer whisht, yon glakit bam.

Ach, hod yer whisht, yon glakit bam.

Ummmm only on a Wednesday?

Ummmm only on a Wednesday?

Ach, hod yer whisht, yon glakit bam.

trans.:

I say, keep quiet, you gormless person of dubious morality.

Well, I'll give you a couple of cities: Detroit, LA, Berlin, Paris, London, Warsaw, Shanghai, Beijing and all of Russia.

http://www.lmnotees.com/store/images/products/guys_217_M4.jpg

http://www.lmnotees.com/store/images/products/guys_217_M4.jpg

Fuckin' true. That's why I would not want to live there.

Ach, hod yer whisht, yon glakit bam.

trans.:

I say, keep quiet, you gormless person of dubious morality.

Yes and as I say, only on a Wednesday!:D

Ach, hod yer whisht, yon glakit bam.

trans.:

I say, keep quiet, you gormless person of dubious morality.

Seems like your looking for a battle of Incomprehensible Speech.

Awa wae ye a-fore ye git tae a-feared :p

Based on personal experience, I can say I'd never want to move to Red China. The place looks like a normal civilization on the surface, but it feels like what it is, a huge one-party police state.

Nor would I want to move to Mexico, unless we undo the mistake we made in 1846 and annex the place.

As to those who wouldn't want to move to the US: thank you for not immigrating. ;)

Yes and as I say, only on a Wednesday!:D
Well played. :p

Awa wae ye a-fore ye git tae a-feared :p
Fit?

Ach, ye’ve gan saft. Pure dunderheid.

I wouldn't care to live in France, I understand that they eat this fish that lives on raw sewage, which they dump right into the ocean. Besides, the Parisian French are among the most arrogant, racist people alive and French cuisine and wines are overrated.

I used to live in California, I wouldn't want to go back there - at least not to Southern California - I'm ok with Northern - they just need to become a separate state.

I wouldn't want to live in Japan - as a gaijin I would be treated with courtesy, but they are racist and the discrimination ranges from subtle to egregious depending on your ethnicity.

Come to think of it, the people of most countries are racist, or at least severely ethnocentric - where do they get off giving the US such a bad rap?

Where I am is great.

And Cabra, the USA is a big place, like most big places, parts of it are horrible and the people are wretched, but most of the country and the people are pretty decent.

Well played. :p


Fit?

Ach, ye’ve gan saft. Pure dunderheid.

Damn i'll have to resort to Dundonian

Eh Pal *mumble mumble*, ken?

*bottles you*

Damn i’ll have to resort to Dundonian

Eh Pal *mumble mumble*, ken?

*bottles you*
Touché.

Let battle cease.

I wouldn't want to live in the parts of europe that think multiculturalism is the best thing since sliced bread, anywhere that is warm, anywhere that everyone is dirt poor, all of asia, all of afrcia, south america (except Argentina), antartica, australia.

I'm considering going up to Canada, not because I like Canada, just because I reckon that theres alot of open space up there, and it should be suitably cold, as well as having some wildlife. I suppose somewhere in the northern interior of the USA may be just as good, with lower taxes. (maybe north dakota, idaho etc.)

For those who chose USA, why? I can see why many might not think its exactly a paradise, but last place you'd go to?

And Cabra, the USA is a big place, like most big places, parts of it are horrible and the people are wretched, but most of the country and the people are pretty decent.

This is definitely true. Going to one or two cities in the US and declaring that you don't like the US is (almost) like going to one or two cities in Europe and claiming you don't like Europe. Personally, I felt rather more at home in France when I lived there than I did when I lived in Colorado.

As to the OP, there are only two places I've been that I really care to live, Michigan and France. I've never really felt at home anywhere else, and I've traveled around a fair bit.

I wouldn’t want to live in the parts of europe that think multiculturalism is the best thing since sliced bread, anywhere that is warm, anywhere that everyone is dirt poor, all of asia, all of afrcia, south america (except Argentina), antartica, australia.
Would it not be easier to say you’d only like to live in the Northern USA or Canada?

If I may, why is the rest of the world out of the list?

As to those who wouldn't want to move to the US: thank you for not immigrating. ;)

You're welcome. :p

Skegness,Boston, Mablethorpe or Grimsby

Would it not be easier to say you’d only like to live in the Northern USA or Canada?

If I may, why is the rest of the world out of the list?

well, asia because its generally poor, and the parts that arn't are really crowded cities. Africa because its hot in parts and generally unstable. Europe... kinda crowded and I feel that ideologically I'd be at odds with most people, not the worst thing, europe would be the first place I'd go if I couldn't have my top choices. I can't say all of it because I don't have enough info on some places. Antartica, for obvious reasons (I like the cold, not lifeless wasteland). South america because things seem to be unstable there and every once in awhile people seem to do a revolution or ethnic/politcally motivated purge, Argentina was allowed in because it seems relatively stable (though I hear the economy tanked awhile ago) and has decent weather and some of the best steaks, so I hear. Mexico is out because it gets too hot, same with the carribean islands.

It makes more sense in the context that I would like to, when I have enough money, to buy a place out in the woods, to live a mainly agrarian life. And since I am most familiar and love most the sort of climate I currently live in it makes the most sense to stay with in that climate. But still be safe from the forces of people with ill intent, and to be insulated from the possiblity of revolutionaries or what have you coming to my door. Of course Its always nice to have the possibility of changing my mind if I find I don't like my decision.

Of course if you find that my analysis of the situation is wrong please feel free to enlighten me, it'd be nice to find somewhere that meets my requirements and is a little cheaper to live in and own land.

I started wondering ... I've had a few people now tell me they'd want to emmigrate, many of them to the same places and countries. And there are a good few of the chosen destinations that I personally wouldn't consider for myself. I've visited them, and just honestly don't like them.

What places would you never want to live in? And I don't want all of you smartasses out there going "Iraq!", "Afghanistan!", or "North Korea!". I mean places that otherwise sound people go to live.

Me, the places I've come across recently that I wouldn't want to live in are Switzerland, Poland, the USA and Australia.

Id love to live in ENGLAND still, as its fun there,, its small and well its cherpy
its obv a good country because of hte people moving HERE from the places that you first listed off, :cool:

Holland, because I'm not that good at swimming, and London, because it's mostly horrid.

I would never move to Britain since it seems like one of the most booring places in the world to live in. Visiting may be fine but not live in.

Southern USA is also at the bottom of my list. The west or east coast seems fine.

All of Africa, south and central America, Israel, both Koreas, Japan, the Eastern Bloc and France.

I would not want to live in the US (seeing as how I have no confidence for this country...) Also I would not want to live in the central parts of Africa because of unstable conditions.

Damn i'll have to resort to Dundonian

Eh Pal *mumble mumble*, ken?

*bottles you*
That read more like Paisley to me, but nm. :)

Outside of those countries that are currently horribly unstable I can't honestly think of many places I'd "never ever want to live", so I'll just go with never wanting to live in any large city, regardless of country.

I could live anywhere where I'm left alone to do what I want. In other words I wouldn't want to live in any place with a high risk of being harassed, sued, shot, food poisoned, attacked by wildlife or otherwise bothered.

try Romania on for size newbies

Europe, africa, most of asia, south america. I would be fine in austrailia and japan.

I started wondering ... I've had a few people now tell me they'd want to emmigrate, many of them to the same places and countries. And there are a good few of the chosen destinations that I personally wouldn't consider for myself. I've visited them, and just honestly don't like them.

What places would you never want to live in? And I don't want all of you smartasses out there going "Iraq!", "Afghanistan!", or "North Korea!". I mean places that otherwise sound people go to live.

Me, the places I've come across recently that I wouldn't want to live in are Switzerland, Poland, the USA and Australia.
Strange, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. Oddly enough, I'm even happy in Georgia to the extent that I wouldn't want to leave.

Any big city, Japan, China, Middle East (too hot), Southwest US (again too hot), probably some more but these are the ones that jump out.

Venus or Jupiter

Manchester and Paris.

I was half joking, but it's true that Danes don't much like Swedes. I know most Danes are decent people who probably wouldn't mind me, but I've been to Norway as well and I felt much more welcome there.

Sweden seems to be the black sheep of Scandinavia. I once saw a concert that had two musicians, one from Norway, the other from Finland. The piece they were playing was a Swedish folk song Classicalized by the Bartok equivalent of the North and one of them said: "It's interesting, you know, because I'm from Norway, and so-and-so's from Finland, and then in the middle is this godawful place called Sweden." He was joking (I think), but it seems to be a common enough joke there is some basis in fact.

As for places I wouldn't want to live: any place within 30 degrees of the equator, or any place where indoor plumbing, medical care, or anything like that would be difficult. So, much of Africa, the former Soviet bloc, and New Jersey are all out.

that really smelly country...you know which one I'm talking about :p

cookie for the reference...

I'm not claiming facts, I am simply stating personal experiences of working with Swiss people for 3 years.
I'm not saying they're all like that, certainly not, but the Swiss were in fact the only ones who ever pulled that one on the helpdesk. No Austrian ever got offended cause the agent couldn't speak Burgenlaendisch, and no Norther German ever even tried to talk Platt to any of us, as far as I'm aware.
I just came upon this and I thought of you.
You probably just couldn't understand them, even when they were speaking hochdeutsch ;) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTlYwKwZahk)

Wait for him to talk...

And Cabra, the USA is a big place, like most big places, parts of it are horrible and the people are wretched, but most of the country and the people are pretty decent.

Oh, I've no doubts there at all. But I would find it extremely difficult, if not absolutely impossible, to find a place to live that I would like there.
I'd be looking for a quiet, rural but UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES subburban place with good ethnic food shops, a good library, arts shops, nice small pubs, very good public transport to the nearest city (has to be 700 000 or over and has to have at least one city university), which offers nice pedestrianised shopping areas, a good variety of small ethnic restaurants, and a few theatres (if possible an opera house). Oh, and it has to be close to the sea, with summers that are rarely above 25 degrees.
And that's just my topographic specifications ;)

You people seem to know an awful lot of folks regularly emigrating to Africa, South Asia and the Middle East... :confused:

Oh, I've no doubts there at all. But I would find it extremely difficult, if not absolutely impossible, to find a place to live that I would like there.
I'd be looking for a quiet, rural but UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES subburban place with good ethnic food shops, a good library, arts shops, nice small pubs, very good public transport to the nearest city (has to be 700 000 or over and has to have at least one city university), which offers nice pedestrianised shopping areas, a good variety of small ethnic restaurants, and a few theatres (if possible an opera house). Oh, and it has to be close to the sea, with summers that are rarely above 25 degrees.
And that's just my topographic specifications ;)

Perth got that but no opera house that's Sydney where it's not cheap to live

Oh, I've no doubts there at all. But I would find it extremely difficult, if not absolutely impossible, to find a place to live that I would like there.
I'd be looking for a quiet, rural but UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES subburban place with good ethnic food shops, a good library, arts shops, nice small pubs, very good public transport to the nearest city (has to be 700 000 or over and has to have at least one city university), which offers nice pedestrianised shopping areas, a good variety of small ethnic restaurants, and a few theatres (if possible an opera house). Oh, and it has to be close to the sea, with summers that are rarely above 25 degrees.
And that's just my topographic specifications ;)

This sounds like you're describing where ever it is that you're living in Cork. I think Cork has over 700000 people anyway.

Perth got that but no opera house that's Sydney where it's not cheap to live

And Perth has summers that don't get and hotter than 25 degrees?
And no nasty bugs and spiders? (Forgot to mention those...)

This sounds like you're describing where ever it is that you're living in Cork. I think Cork has over 700000 people anyway.

Yup. Some places around Dublin would qualify, too, as well as a good few places in the UK, Skandinavia, Canada (although the summers there might be a bit too hot for me really) and possibly New Zealand.

And Perth has summers that don't get and hotter than 25 degrees?
And no nasty bugs and spiders? (Forgot to mention those...)

what we do ohh ,well you forget those thing when you are use to them and
New Zealand has more sheep then poeple

what we do ohh ,well you forget those thing when you are use to them and
New Zealand has more sheep then poeple

So does Ireland ;)

So does Ireland ;)

yur you should of not said a word as you really don't want what we call New Zealanders :D:p

Florida: Too flat, too hot, too humid, too full of... well I shouldn't say things that aren't nice. I don't know why anybody wants to live here.

Texas: various reasons, I'm sure you can think of them. Heat is also a factor.

Anywhere in the American South: Too hot and full of people who hate me, don't understand that their side lost the civil war, and talk in a way that I find unpleasant to the ears.

Utah: I would like to be able to listen to something on the radio besides "And Jesus said..." or "And the Angel Moroni said..." Also it's too far inland

Southern California: Too hot and smoggy

Anywhere more than an hour's drive/train ride from the ocean: I just can't deal with a landlocked environment. It makes me feel really uncomfortable.

Anywhere that's too flat: I need to see mountains somewhere on the horizon. I like having varied elevation. Makes things interesting.

the East Coast south of Boston: I can't stand humidity. At least not at that level.

Africa: I like a stable government that isn't a dictatorship. Also, it's hot.

The Middle East: I am not Muslim. I am not even a follower of any Abrahamic religion. I will blaspheme all of them if I damn well please. And then I will worship a different god. In many countries in this region, I would run into problems. Also, the region often is hot. Noticing a pattern?

China: I like to surf the net without having to go around the Great E-Wall

Indonesia: Hot and humid.

India: See above.

Russia: Something is wrong with your country when most people love the despot who is taking away civil liberties.

Mexico: Hot and polluted. With a government that gives even less of a damn about the poor than mine.

Central America: You should be able to guess by now.

South America: Many countries are really hot and humid, others have various problems that right now I'm too lazy to go into.

New Zealand: Wetas

Hawaii: The tropical cockroach. Nasty filthy things.

That's all I can think of. I know that people aren't regularly immigrating into all of those places, even a lot of them, but a couple of them fit that description and I basically just listed all the places I could think of that I wouldn't want to live in.

I don't want to live in USA, Iraq, South Africa, Antarctica, and Columbia.

In short: all places located in a war zone (or having a criminality rate) or having a too cold weather or just dumb places.

I wish I had my life on Rhodos.

Australia (shitty weather, shitty internet connections), USA (no thanks to being added to a database with my fingerprints and tons of other personal information when I enter the country) and Denmark (I wouldn't want to live where I'm not welcome).

Election is being announced in Denmark today, and there's a good chance we'll get a more foreigner-friendly government :)

Anyway, any big metropolis.

Oh, I've no doubts there at all. But I would find it extremely difficult, if not absolutely impossible, to find a place to live that I would like there.
I'd be looking for a quiet, rural but UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES subburban place with good ethnic food shops, a good library, arts shops, nice small pubs, very good public transport to the nearest city (has to be 700 000 or over and has to have at least one city university), which offers nice pedestrianised shopping areas, a good variety of small ethnic restaurants, and a few theatres (if possible an opera house). Oh, and it has to be close to the sea, with summers that are rarely above 25 degrees.
And that's just my topographic specifications ;)

There are places like that near San Francisco

Yup. Some places around Dublin would qualify, too, as well as a good few places in the UK, Skandinavia, Canada (although the summers there might be a bit too hot for me really) and possibly New Zealand.
I think New Zealnd is basically like a slightly warmer Ireland. Which sounds pretty sweet.
So does Ireland ;)

All glory to the wool covered overlords!

I've visited them, and just honestly don't like them.


I'd probabily wouldn't like living in the USA, except for New York, Boston or San Francisco. Also, I think that Japan would place too high a toll on my nervous system - people seem to thrive on stress and pressure over there.

Of the places I've visited, I'd never choose to live in:
Sarajevo - once was beautiful, though. Now... well, you know.
Zagreb and Lubljana - too small, and a bit backwater
Rome - too much chaos
Genova, Venezia and Marseille - dirty and smelly
Florence and Athens - dirty, smelly and also too hot in summer
Wien - beautiful, but looks like a cemetery
Plzen - too small, although there is one of the major attractives in the world: Prazdroj!
Stuttgart - its centre is just a large avenue, and the rest is a big suburb. meh.
Zürich - possibily the swiss city I like the less, together with Zug and Basel.

Generally, I've considered living in another city at least for a while, and my top ten would be:
1.Berlin
2.Praha
3.Paris
4.Köln
5.Edinburgh
6.Siena
7.Bern
8.Trieste
9.Geneve
10.Boston

I think New Zealnd is basically like a slightly warmer Ireland. Which sounds pretty sweet.
All glory to the wool covered overlords!

Don't forget Sardinia and Kashmir, then!;)

That toxic waste du-I mean New Jersey.

Also, I think that Japan would place too high a toll on my nervous system - people seem to thrive on stress and pressure over there.
*Enjoying the spectacular sunset over the Japan Alps while listening to the tolling of the temple bell and watching the apple farmers putter around their orchards* I'm sorry, you were saying something? ;)

For places I've never been too, I really can't answer, but for those I have...

I will NEVER live in Tokyo. I'd rather go live in Iraq, it'd probably be nicer in the summer than Tokyo.

Also just about all of California except for Placerville or extreme Northern California, like around Crescent City. I like to visit California, and I have a lot of family there, but I could never live there without going nuts.

Iran or Saudi Arabia.

Generally, I've considered living in another city at least for a while, and my top ten would be:
1.Berlin
2.Praha
3.Paris
4.Köln
5.Edinburgh
6.Siena
7.Bern
8.Trieste
9.Geneve
10.Boston

Yep just been to Prague and it really is a beautiful place. too full of stag parties though.

there are almost no places where I wouldn't want to live (although to be honest there are a lot of places where I wouldn't want to live for a long time.)

Yep just been to Prague and it really is a beautiful place. too full of stag parties though.

Same can be said about Edinburgh, I think ;)
It's a beautiful city, no doubt. But for some reason, I can't see myself living there. Maybe it's because anytime I've been there (sumer and winter), I've always been freezing to death.

Iran or Saudi Arabia.

How many people do you know who emigrated there?

I will NEVER live in Tokyo. I'd rather go live in Iraq, it'd probably be nicer in the summer than Tokyo.
I was thinking of the Tokyo-Osaka megalopolis. I cannot figure myself living in the country, I need a city, but Tokyo-Osaka is too much.

Same can be said about Edinburgh, I think ;)
It's a beautiful city, no doubt. But for some reason, I can't see myself living there. Maybe it's because anytime I've been there (sumer and winter), I've always been freezing to death.

Try a summer in Milan (38 to 42 °C, 90% r.h., ozone everywhere, NOx like crazy, no wind at all) and you'll start liking cold climates!

Try a summer in Milan (38 to 42 °C, 90% r.h., ozone everywhere, NOx like crazy, no wind at all) and you'll start liking cold climates!

I LOVE cold climates!
I ADORE cold climates!!!
Why do you think I moved to Ireland in the first place? ;)

But Edinburgh was just uncomfortably cold. I was perfectly fine with living through winter in Canada, but 3 days in Edinburgh and I thought I'd keep shivering for the rest of my life.
It might be the combination of cold and wet and biting wind that did it...

I LOVE cold climates!
I ADORE cold climates!!!
Why do you think I moved to Ireland in the first place? ;)

But Edinburgh was just uncomfortably cold. I was perfectly fine with living through winter in Canada, but 3 days in Edinburgh and I thought I'd keep shivering for the rest of my life.
It might be the combination of cold and wet and biting wind that did it...Really? I've never felt it that cold there but then maybe it's just the case that I'm used to it there. I've never really felt at home there though. Out of the places I've actually been to, I have to say London is 1 place I would never want to live, partly because of it's big city-ness so I suppose you could extend that to any settlement larger than, say, half a million people. I wouldn't particularly like a tundra or desert climate either. I think (mostly speculative I suppose) a rainforest would suit me best climate-wise.

Sorry I'm late.

Right now I'm not sure where I'd even WANT to live, let alone where I wouldn't want to live. New England has been good to me, despite the scitzophrenic weather, the traffic in the cities...and the fervor of Red Sox Nation.

Obviously I wouldn't even think of living in any nations with a greater than normal propensity toward totalitarianism (i.e. North Korea, Iran etc.). I don't think I could live in many African nations...don't like the heat.

Not sure I'd live in these places, but I'd very much like to visit:

- Japan
- Germany
- Ireland
- Netherlands

I'd probabily wouldn't like living in the USA, except for New York, Boston or San Francisco.
I've always found it strange when people say "I probably wouldn't like living in America"...as if that's even possible to say. America is such a huge country, even those living here have usually not seen all of it. See the thing about this country is, even if you hate living in..let's say, Miami, you move to Chicago and then if you hate that, you move to Denver, and if you hate that, Boston, and if hate that, New York, and if you.....

(And those were just example cities and by no means represent all of the country at all)

Every place is sooo different from each other that it honestly makes me laugh at the ignorance when someone says "I couldn't live in America". It's just as bad as the dumb Americans who say "I could never live in Europe"....well, how do you know that? Maybe you couldn't live in Norway, but what about Spain? Are they anything at all like each other? No, exactly...same concept applies here aswell.

There are multiple places I wouldn't live in America, and multiple places I would live...as with Europe, multiple places I wouldn't live and multiple places I would.

But my favorite is when people have a a 'slightly'(;)) anti-American bias say..."But I'd love to live in Canada"......:p
I have absolutely nothing against Canada and it's beautiful...but it's honestly not that different than alot of the American north-west....the only part of Canada that honestly is different, is French-Canada. I happen to like Canada, but that's fine because I also like America too.

Oh, I've no doubts there at all. But I would find it extremely difficult, if not absolutely impossible, to find a place to live that I would like there.
I'd be looking for a quiet, rural but UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES subburban place with good ethnic food shops, a good library, arts shops, nice small pubs, very good public transport to the nearest city (has to be 700 000 or over and has to have at least one city university), which offers nice pedestrianised shopping areas, a good variety of small ethnic restaurants, and a few theatres (if possible an opera house). Oh, and it has to be close to the sea, with summers that are rarely above 25 degrees.
And that's just my topographic specifications ;)
That's easy. Just try areas around Northern California, parts of Oregon around Salem, areas around Chicago or alot of the whole North-East.

Also, read the above.

Florida: Too flat, too hot, too humid, too full of... well I shouldn't say things that aren't nice. I don't know why anybody wants to live here.

Texas: various reasons, I'm sure you can think of them. Heat is also a factor.

Anywhere in the American South: Too hot and full of people who hate me, don't understand that their side lost the civil war, and talk in a way that I find unpleasant to the ears.


Southern California: Too hot and smoggy

First of, agreed about Russia.

Florida: Were you gonna say Old People? Or immigrants?... South Florida is an awesome place to live....

Texas: Also not a bad place to live....for some reason people think that because Bush is from there, all people are like him....but not at all. Also, do yo know how big Texas is, it's hardly not the same.

American South: Hardly not like what you said...maybe that's how it was 50 years ago or so....

So-Cal: Fair enough...

That's easy. Just try areas around Northern California, parts of Oregon around Salem, areas around Chicago or alot of the whole North-East.

Also, read the above.

As I said, those were just the topographic and climatic specifications ;)
AFAIK, Chicago is a little further away from the sea than 1 hour by bus (and after having been there, I can't honestly say that they've got anything I'd call a good public transport system even to their suburbs, let alone into rural areas).

I know that there's a certain gut feeling to defend the place you yourself have chosen to live in when people say they wouldn't want to live there, I tend to do that myself. But the reasons why I personally wouldn't want to live in the US aren't just topographical and meterological. I know there'd be less opportunities for me, I know I would find the political climate stifling, I know I would wince at many people's accents, etc. It's overall just not my kind of place.

But my favorite is when people have a a 'slightly'(;)) anti-American bias say..."But I'd love to live in Canada"......:p
I have absolutely nothing against Canada and it's beautiful...but it's honestly not that different than alot of the American north-west....the only part of Canada that honestly is different, is French-Canada. I happen to like Canada, but that's fine because I also like America too.


What, so I can't love French-Canada (which, incidentally, I do. If I ever went to Canada, I'd stay in Quebec) if I don't also love the USA? That's silly. :p

What, so I can't love French-Canada (which, incidentally, I do. If I ever went to Canada, I'd stay in Quebec) if I don't also love the USA? That's silly. :p
No, of course you can....but then French-Canda is only a small portion of Canada.

If you were saying "I could see myself living in Quebec, but not America or Anglo-Canda"...then the story would be differnet.:p

By the way, I have nothing against Canada. Its an excellent nation with nice people who I...to be honest...many times can't tell are Canadian until I really really listen to them say something Canadian or until they tell me they are Canadian.

As I said, those were just the topographic and climatic specifications ;)
AFAIK, Chicago is a little further away from the sea than 1 hour by bus (and after having been there, I can't honestly say that they've got anything I'd call a good public transport system even to their suburbs, let alone into rural areas).
I'm not even from Chicago but I have to defend it's public transportion. It's has very good transportion between the suburbs and the city and such...however, agreed..not into the rural area. Anyway, their lake is as much of a sea as anything. :p

I know that there's a certain gut feeling to defend the place you yourself have chosen to live in when people say they wouldn't want to live there, I tend to do that myself. But the reasons why I personally wouldn't want to live in the US aren't just topographical and meterological. I know there'd be less opportunities for me, I know I would find the political climate stifling, I know I would wince at many people's accents, etc. It's overall just not my kind of place.
If you don't like every different kind of accent found in America, then fine. As for politics...many different areas offer their own politics...from far left to far right..to libertarian to..I dunno..something else.

As for opportunities, I honestly think that America offers the most opportunities in the world...and I am a well travelled person and have seen alot of great countries in this world.

It's just when people say "it's just not my kind of place", to me that translates into an American saying "Europe is just not my kind of place". They both sound equally ignorant to me..and I can't help but saying to them: "Have you even seen all of Europe?" No..of course they havn't. So I'll say the same to you..."Have you even seen all of America?"....

Mexico, Saudi Arabia (And most of middle east except for a few exceptions), PRC, India, pretty much any country in Africa.

The middle of fucking nowhere.

Australia (shitty weather, shitty internet connections), USA (no thanks to being added to a database with my fingerprints and tons of other personal information when I enter the country) and Denmark (I wouldn't want to live where I'm not welcome).

Ozz isn't so bad. US I think your response indicates you have something to hide. :p The Denmark comment I must say that out of all the European nations I have been to they seemed the unfriendliest. However I just went to Copenhagen but never got the warm fuzzy feeling.

I would tell you which country(ies) I'd least like to live in. However, if I did I would probably be arrested if I ever was in any of their borders, so I won't name any names.

I'm not even from Chicago but I have to defend it's public transportion. It's has very good transportion between the suburbs and the city and such...however, agreed..not into the rural area. Anyway, their lake is as much of a sea as anything. :p

My father lived there for 3 years, and no, I'm really sorry, but it's not a good public transport system. It's nowhere near what I would consider acceptable.


If you don't like every different kind of accent found in America, then fine.

I've yet to hear one that I like. Most of them make me feel like shaking people and tell them to make an effort....

As for politics...many different areas offer their own politics...from far left to far right..to libertarian to..I dunno..something else.

I wasn't exactly talking about local politics ;)


As for opportunities, I honestly think that America offers the most opportunities in the world...and I am a well travelled person and have seen alot of great countries in this world.

I'm having a hard enough time getting my qualifications recognised here, let alone in a country that's not legally forced to recognise them ;)
The fact that her 4 years of studying to become a teacher would not be reconised in the US, and she'd have to do college again (and somehow pay for it), was what stopped my mother from coming along with my father when his company put him to the US on assignment.
I've got massive opportunities in the EU, but rather fewer outside. If that wasn't the case, I'd probably have moved back to Montreal quite a while back.


It's just when people say "it's just not my kind of place", to me that translates into an American saying "Europe is just not my kind of place". They both sound equally ignorant to me..and I can't help but saying to them: "Have you even seen all of Europe?" No..of course they havn't. So I'll say the same to you..."Have you even seen all of America?"....

And yet, despite the massive internal differences, I think you'd be the first to agree that there are some inherent differences between the US as a whole and Europe as a whole. And these differences are what make me prefer Europe and Canada to the USA overall.

My father lived there for 3 years, and no, I'm really sorry, but it's not a good public transport system. It's nowhere near what I would consider acceptable.
I've found it fine. The difference is that it only works in the local areas where as the European ones are state-wide or national....so that if you made a case against Illinios' public transit system (instead of just Chicago's) you'd be making a valid case...but Chicago's alone is quite good. Anyway, not that important....:p


I've yet to hear one that I like. Most of them make me feel like shaking people and tell them to make an effort....
Californian, Midwestern, New England, Boston, New York, Southern, Texan...I dunno, there's more but...whatever..if you don't like the accents, nothing I can do about that...I'm not a big fan of British accents, except for comical value. They just seem strange to me. But hey..that's natural...you're used to what you're used to.

I wasn't exactly talking about local politics ;)
National Politics change. The American system is by far the most flexible in the world.

I'm having a hard enough time getting my qualifications recognised here, let alone in a country that's not legally forced to recognise them ;)
The fact that her 4 years of studying to become a teacher would not be reconised in the US, and she'd have to do college again (and somehow pay for it), was what stopped my mother from coming along with my father when his company put him to the US on assignment.
I've got massive opportunities in the EU, but rather fewer outside. If that wasn't the case, I'd probably have moved back to Montreal quite a while back.
A very valid case. The EU does offer alot benefits for working between nations...though if we did not have to take these qualifacations into consideration, I'd say there is more job opportunity and success opportunity in America.

And yet, despite the massive internal differences, I think you'd be the first to agree that there are some inherent differences between the US as a whole and Europe as a whole.
Yes, but...while I'd agree that there are massive differences between America/Anglo-Canda and Europe...I'd say that there are just as many differences between European nations and cultures, maybe even more. Also..only French Canada is very very different to America. Anglo Canada is not...so if you are saying "Canada" when you simply mean Canada, well then you are really casting an unfair generalization on the majority of the country. It would be like judging all of America on New York or San Francisco, which are unique and not like the rest of the country at all.....

First of, agreed about Russia.

Florida: Were you gonna say Old People? Or immigrants?... South Florida is an awesome place to live....

Texas: Also not a bad place to live....for some reason people think that because Bush is from there, all people are like him....but not at all. Also, do yo know how big Texas is, it's hardly not the same.

American South: Hardly not like what you said...maybe that's how it was 50 years ago or so....

So-Cal: Fair enough...

No, I wasn't going to say either old people or immigrants.

Of course I know how big Texas is. Some areas of it are less distasteful to me than others. Would I want to live in any of its regions? No.

The American south isn't hot and humid? Um... I'm pretty sure it is... and much more conservative than here.

I can't stand most of So-Cal. Heat is a big issue, again, but isn't the only one by a longshot.

Los Angeles - but unfortunately I don't have much choice.

A shallow, car filled expanse of wothlessness and greed.

I've always found it strange when people say "I probably wouldn't like living in America"...as if that's even possible to say. America is such a huge country, even those living here have usually not seen all of it. See the thing about this country is, even if you hate living in..let's say, Miami, you move to Chicago and then if you hate that, you move to Denver, and if you hate that, Boston, and if hate that, New York, and if you.....

(And those were just example cities and by no means represent all of the country at all)

Every place is sooo different from each other that it honestly makes me laugh at the ignorance when someone says "I couldn't live in America". It's just as bad as the dumb Americans who say "I could never live in Europe"....well, how do you know that? Maybe you couldn't live in Norway, but what about Spain? Are they anything at all like each other? No, exactly...same concept applies here aswell.



I agree. Even within one state you get enormous differences. New York (city) is quite different from Albany or Buffalo, just as Los Angeles is quite different from San Francisco.

Granted, there are whole states and regions here that I would not like to live in, but that's mostly because of some experience and/or a little knowledge of them.

I've never been to florida, but it doesn't seem like a good place to live. Why do old people always move there? When I'm old I'm not going to move to some boring place with nothing but hurricanes and crocodiles.

Los Angeles - but unfortunately I don't have much choice.

A shallow, car filled expanse of wothlessness and greed.

Wow, sounds like you like the place even less than I do.

The middle of fucking nowhere.

funny, that is exactly where i want to live

:p

No, I wasn't going to say either old people or immigrants.
What was it?

Also, I'm not jewish, but I have jewish friends who are really into israel. I don't understand why you would walk right into the middle east every year and be really happy about it. Israel seems like a nice place and all but the location is terrible.

I've never been to florida, but it doesn't seem like a good place to live. Why do old people always move there? When I'm old I'm not going to move to some boring place with nothing but hurricanes and crocodiles.
Old people move here because the weather is (almost) always warm and sunny...and there is alot to do here but it's also a good place to just relax.
I agree. Even within one state you get enormous differences. New York (city) is quite different from Albany or Buffalo, just as Los Angeles is quite different from San Francisco.

Granted, there are whole states and regions here that I would not like to live in, but that's mostly because of some experience and/or a little knowledge of them.

Yeah, agreed.

Wow, sounds like you like the place even less than I do.

I'm in London atm so it doesn't matter so much but when I have to go back I will be so jealous that you get to live in San Francisco :upyours:

Old people move here because the weather is (almost) always warm and sunny...and there is alot to do here but it's also a good place to just relax.I like to relax, but I can't imagine ever saying "I'm old now, I need to spend the rest of my life relaxing."

It's not really fair for me to judge these places without being there though.

I would never move to USA. Visited there once for a couple of weeks, in Boston, and I ended up thinking that must be the worst country ever. And that was BEFORE 11.9.2001.Wow, what happened to you there? I'm from around boston, and I've never thought of it as that bad.

Earth.

I hear it is wrought with strife.

Maybe I could live here. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonization_of_Titan)

I like to relax, but I can't imagine ever saying "I'm old now, I need to spend the rest of my life relaxing."

It's not really fair for me to judge these places without being there though.
South Florida is actually awesome, honestly. I love it. And..I'm 18...not old. :p

There's TONS to do.

South Florida is actually awesome, honestly. I love it. And..I'm 18...not old. :p

There's TONS to do.

Yeah, but if you're 18 and right wing you might as well be old

Any place where Dysentery is very common is off my list.

Yeah, but if you're 18 and right wing you might as well be old
Most people get more conservative with age...because age brings wisdom and acceptance of reality. I've just skipped the aging part, got more conservative, learned the wisdom of the ages and accepted reality during my teenage years.

Most people get more conservative with age...because age brings wisdom and acceptance of reality.
That old piece of nonsense rears it’s ugly head...

More likely some people get conservative with age because the status quo they enjoyed when they were younger has changed, and they want a return to the 'traditionalism' that they remember.

That old piece of nonsense rears it’s ugly head...

More likely some people get conservative with age because the status quo they enjoyed when they were younger has changed, and they want a return to the 'traditionalism' that they remember.
Or they realize that the idealism they enjoyed in their younger years and in college and such fades to dust when met with the real world, supporting your family, raising your kids, doing your job, obeying authority...ect

That old piece of nonsense rears it’s ugly head...

More likely some people get conservative with age because the status quo they enjoyed when they were younger has changed, and they want a return to the 'traditionalism' that they remember. Yep, that's all it is. Nothing more.

I doubt that anyone gets conservative with age, it's just that society changes and the older people get the less likely they are to change along with society.

My grandmother was considered very liberal for her time. She took chemistry in college just to prove she could, at a time when women weren't even supposed to go to college. But she hasn't changed much since her college years, so now she would be considered pretty conservative. She thinks humor can be dangerous because it causes people to "disrespect life," and she thinks that writers are a drain on society. Maybe these views where accepted when she grew up, but they're old fashioned now.

Not all old people are like that of course. Some of them actually adapt. Most of them don't want to.

I doubt that anyone gets conservative with age, it's just that society changes and the older people get the less likely they are to change along with society.

My grandmother was considered very liberal for her time. She took chemistry in college just to prove she could, at a time when women weren't even supposed to go to college. But she hasn't changed much since her college years, so now she would be considered pretty conservative. She thinks humor can be dangerous because it causes people to "disrespect life," and she thinks that writers are a drain on society. Maybe these views where accepted when she grew up, but they're old fashioned now.

Not all old people are like that of course. Some of them actually adapt. Most of them don't want to.

And the less they change... the more they want to conserve. Hence become conservative.

I think more than anything, principles are easy when you're in college and when taxes start coming out of your paycheck they get a bit harder.

Not all old people are like that of course. Some of them actually adapt. Most of them don't want to.

Just like how many of them don't want to shower very often, which gives them that musty, I-just-burnt-myself-on-an-electrical-outlet smell.

Uuuugh.

Scandinavia.

Or they realize that the idealism they enjoyed in their younger years and in college and such fades to dust when met with the real world, supporting your family, raising your kids, doing your job, obeying authority...ect

Why obey authority? I mean, besides authority coming round to grind you into a pulp if you don't.

Or they realize that the idealism they enjoyed in their younger years and in college and such fades to dust when met with the real world, supporting your family, raising your kids, doing your job, obeying authority...ect

Not that I'm saying that some things shouldn't be conserved... I'm all for conserving the environment, conserving social securities, etc. But the one thing about this planet and this life is, it'll never stop changing. If you focus too much on conserving, you might miss the point at which it's better to adapt and move on ;)

I find that even well into my 30s, I haven't lost many of the ideals of my youth. Actually, I found that the world can be a harsh and scary place at times, but that in most cases, society and friends will shield you from the worst. And I still feel that this fact obliges me to support them in turn to the best of my abilities.

Why obey authority? I mean, besides authority coming round to grind you into a pulp if you don't.

I believe that authority will only have as much influence on you as you allow. There's always choices. :)

Californian, Midwestern, New England, Boston, New York, Southern, Texan...I dunno, there's more but...whatever..if you don't like the accents, nothing I can do about that...I'm not a big fan of British accents, except for comical value. They just seem strange to me. But hey..that's natural...you're used to what you're used to.


It's a matter of taste. There are a good few British accents that provoke much the same reaction (of wanting to shake the speaker until they make an effort). I do love the Irish accents, though. Dublin for laughs and Cork for the beautiful rythm.


National Politics change. The American system is by far the most flexible in the world.

I politely beg to differ. The American system does not in practice allow for more than 2 influential parties in national politics. Coming from a country with currently 9 parties forming parliament, 3 of which are forming the current government, I think I can claim that there are other political systems that are by far more flexible and opend to change than the US one.


A very valid case. The EU does offer alot benefits for working between nations...though if we did not have to take these qualifacations into consideration, I'd say there is more job opportunity and success opportunity in America.

Well, I didn't want to say it as I thought it would be both biased and impolite, but I've long been under the impression that the USA offers the most chances for people who arrive without qualification.
People with qualification usually seem to be better off elsewhere....


Yes, but...while I'd agree that there are massive differences between America/Anglo-Canda and Europe...I'd say that there are just as many differences between European nations and cultures, maybe even more. Also..only French Canada is very very different to America. Anglo Canada is not...so if you are saying "Canada" when you simply mean Canada, well then you are really casting an unfair generalization on the majority of the country. It would be like judging all of America on New York or San Francisco, which are unique and not like the rest of the country at all.....

Ok, I think I should clarify that I wasn't referring to all of Canada. I don't know all of Canada, I'm specifically refering to Quebec and Ontario. I've lived in both places, and found them rather different from the USA, and more to my liking.

I've always found it strange when people say "I probably wouldn't like living in America"...as if that's even possible to say. America is such a huge country, even those living here have usually not seen all of it.

Why is it so strange? After all, we italians are continously bombed by media coverages about the USA, so at least we get some info about that.
Generally, the things that really make me say "USA isn't the place for me" are:
1.politics over there sucks even more than italian politics
2.violence
3.lack of history (I'm used to a place where even small churches in the city outskirts are about 800 years old and built over previous churches and roman temples)
4.horrible social services, horrible education system
5.religion as a fundament of society, and anti-atheism
6.legal system
7.cooking and housing
8.ultraliberist economy
9.deserts, tornadoes and hurricanes

so, in America I would choose those cities who are somewhat more Europe-like and less Bible-Belt-like.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy your idea that the difference between Miami and Seattle is just the same difference between Palermo and Hammerfest. :rolleyes:

4.horrible social services, horrible education systemNot a problem if you live in a wealthy area with great public schools and have good medical insurance.

5.religion as a fundament of society, and anti-atheismThis isn't a problem everywhere either, I was raised in america as a unitarian universalist and surrounded by atheists.

9.deserts, tornadoes and hurricanesYou've got a good point here, but you left out earthquakes, fires, blizzards, and floods. The desert is actually really nice because it has so little humidity. Summer in arizona is more bearable than summer in new england.

Why is it so strange? After all, we italians are continously bombed by media coverages about the USA, so at least we get some info about that.
Generally, the things that really make me say "USA isn't the place for me" are:
1.politics over there sucks even more than italian politics
2.violence
3.lack of history (I'm used to a place where even small churches in the city outskirts are about 800 years old and built over previous churches and roman temples)
4.horrible social services, horrible education system
5.religion as a fundament of society, and anti-atheism
6.legal system
7.cooking and housing
8.ultraliberist economy
9.deserts, tornadoes and hurricanes

so, in America I would choose those cities who are somewhat more Europe-like and less Bible-Belt-like.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy your idea that the difference between Miami and Seattle is just the same difference between Palermo and Hammerfest. :rolleyes:

1. It depends where you move. When I visited Italy, Berlusconi was still the PM, and from everything I've heard, he's a complete sleaze.
2. Hmmm... somehow I managed to grow up without being shot or robbed, despite this being a problem according to you.
3. There have been people here for thousands of years. Not always the same people, but people nonetheless. And Italy as a united country is only a little over a hundred years old. Of course our churches aren't 800 years old, the people living year 800 years ago didn't build Christian churches or temples in the Roman sense.
4. Depends where you live. I agree, the health care system here is still lagging behind. However, there are still places with great schools. Plus, you cannot tell me that you will get a "horrible" education at say, the University of California.
5. Religion as a fundamental of society... well, if you're talking about Utah or Mississippi maybe... not really the case around here. Here (where I live) we support the separation of church and state. I'm only anti-people who are anti-me, a group which includes both theists and atheists.
6. Legal system? You mean trial by jury, innocent until proven guilty and all that? It's basically the same shit all western nations have.
7. Cooking and housing? What the hell kind of a gripe is this? There's no one preventing you from cooking whatever you like. And as for housing, we have apartments, duplexes, condos and single family homes. Much like most western nations.
8. You mean it's too capitalist? I agree, though where I live it's a little less so.
9. Oh come on. That's just ridiculous. Not all of the US is Oklahoma or Louisiana. Here in coastal Northern California, we have much the same problems that Italy does. That is, earthquakes. The US is simply too big for you to assume that the natural hazards of one area affect another part of the country at all.

Oh, and I wouldn't say that Miami to Seattle is like Palermo to Hammerfest. More like Naples versus Hamburg.

There are plenty of places in America that aren't the bible belt. Like the entire west coast, for example. Not to mention the North-East.

The south of England, Belfast, Aberdeen, South Africa all come to mind

Interestinly, Belfast is one of the few places in the world where I could see myself being happy living there.

Agreed on England and Aberdeen, though.

Interestinly, Belfast is one of the few places in the world where I could see myself being happy living there.

Agreed on England and Aberdeen, though.

Why?

Why?

Why what?

Why what?

Why wouldn't you want to live in England/ want to live in Belfast?

Why obey authority? I mean, besides authority coming round to grind you into a pulp if you don't.
Because in a efficient soceity, there will always be those above to give commands and those below to recieve them.
Not that I'm saying that some things shouldn't be conserved... I'm all for conserving the environment, conserving social securities, etc. But the one thing about this planet and this life is, it'll never stop changing. If you focus too much on conserving, you might miss the point at which it's better to adapt and move on ;)

I find that even well into my 30s, I haven't lost many of the ideals of my youth. Actually, I found that the world can be a harsh and scary place at times, but that in most cases, society and friends will shield you from the worst. And I still feel that this fact obliges me to support them in turn to the best of my abilities.
I'm also for conserving the enviornment, but also for conserving alot the economic practicies and social structures...I'm a big believer in "if it's not broken, don't fix it."

Anway, I'm hardly an extreme social conservative at all, I'd say I'm pretty moderate on it...some libertarian tendancies and some social conservative ones.

And perhaps you havn't gotten more conservative because (if I remember correctly) you don't have a family to support, children to raise, a high paying job with a boss to adhear to and such.....

And that was just out of memory, so if I'm wrong, please correct me. I didn't mean to be rude at all.:)
I believe that authority will only have as much influence on you as you allow. There's always choices. :)
I don't think so. Authority is everyone and the sooner you get in line with it, the sooner you advance in soceity. From your parents raising you, to school, to the police, to your university teachers, to your job, to your government....

I politely beg to differ. The American system does not in practice allow for more than 2 influential parties in national politics. Coming from a country with currently 9 parties forming parliament, 3 of which are forming the current government, I think I can claim that there are other political systems that are by far more flexible and opend to change than the US one.
Yes but given that America is a two party system...that means the party in power can get alot more done and change much more radically than in a parliament where there usually it's very difficult to get alot done. For instance, look at the country between Clinton and Bush....or Truman and Eisenhower, or LBJ and Nixon...ect

I'm not asking you to say that you liked these changes...only to admit how quickly American politics can change. Now, there is no reason that a good change and come about just as rapidly. For instance, I know it's a long shot but what if Ron Paul got elected President? (Not saying you agree with him but just stay with me) The Republican party would then make a change away from neo-conservatism and into more of a Capitalist, Small Goverment, Nationalist, "America first" idealogy that is totally against non-interventionalism.....every policy there is different from the neo-conservative policy. There are many things they are doing that are not capitalist, they have a huge government, not nationalist (won't deal with border issue), and are devoted to policing the world.


Well, I didn't want to say it as I thought it would be both biased and impolite, but I've long been under the impression that the USA offers the most chances for people who arrive without qualification.
People with qualification usually seem to be better off elsewhere....
I think it offers the most opportunities for both kinds of immigrants. Although I think we're gonna have to agree to disagree on this one.


Ok, I think I should clarify that I wasn't referring to all of Canada. I don't know all of Canada, I'm specifically refering to Quebec and Ontario. I've lived in both places, and found them rather different from the USA, and more to my liking.
Ontario...well what are you comparing it to? Boston or whever in the USA you've been? Quebec, yeah, very much so.

The deep south (Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, and maybe Arkansas).
Large cities.
Rural areas.

Places I WOULKD like to live:
New York state
Most of New England (although New Hampshire owes me a BIG apology for voting for Bush).
Suburban areas
Canada (except Alberta and the frozen north)
New Zealand
Australia, maybe (southeastern portions only).

Hmmm, that's a hard one. Barring the middle eastern and African shit holes, much of Russia I wouldn't want to live in (unless I'm rich). Some deeply christian parts of America, China, maybe some parts of scandinavia where the music is just too bad.

I wouldn't like to live in the US.No offence,americans are incredibly ignorants,nationalists and stupid.Is a dictatorship of a party,Democrats and Republicans are just the same.In Greece we have 5 parties in the parliament,socialdemocrats,conservatives,communists,socialist and a far-right and a lot of greens,maoists,fascists taking part in the elections.I could live in a country which fights scientists like Peter McLaren because they have a different opinion and claims to be "free world",or is responsible for millions of deaths in Iraq and Afganistan.

Spyros

Because in a efficient soceity, there will always be those above to give commands and those below to recieve them.


Why should authority be obeyed unless it proves itself worthy of being so?

Camden, NJ.. Japan..

Why wouldn't you want to live in England/ want to live in Belfast?

Because.

Because in a efficient soceity, there will always be those above to give commands and those below to recieve them.What makes you think so? Which society do you know of that you would consider efficient anyway? Perhaps it is just the case that you have not really seen any society organised without anyone inherently having authority over another but not that it can't be done. I don't think it is worth it even if that would be the case as I value freedom and equality of rights more than efficiency.

Australia (shitty weather, shitty internet connections), so you don't like desert, rainforest, grasslands or temperate climate?

If you come to Australia and don't like the weather, just wait another 5 minutes.

I wouldn't want to live on /b/ island... fuck.

I'm also for conserving the enviornment, but also for conserving alot the economic practicies and social structures...I'm a big believer in "if it's not broken, don't fix it."

Ah, but what if you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant?
Or if you see that economic practices destroy environment, or social strucutres destroy individuals?
It's always a matter of deciding your priorities, I think.


And perhaps you havn't gotten more conservative because (if I remember correctly) you don't have a family to support, children to raise, a high paying job with a boss to adhear to and such.....

And that was just out of memory, so if I'm wrong, please correct me. I didn't mean to be rude at all.:)

I've got a very good job, it pays enough for me to live happily and without having to worry about money too much.
I don't have children yet, but I'm planning to have them within the next 5 years.
And given my experience of years working with children teenagers in organised youth groups, I have the distinct feelings that they will make me less conservative than I am now. Children tend to do that to you, they believe in ideals and will question you whenever you don't live up to them.


I don't think so. Authority is everyone and the sooner you get in line with it, the sooner you advance in soceity. From your parents raising you, to school, to the police, to your university teachers, to your job, to your government....


The only people who have authority over me are the people I LET have authority over me. I fought my parents whenever they tried to wield authority I wasn't ready to give them (and ususally won, twice by simply leaving home for a while).
School was there to teach me, not to discipline me, and I can honestly say I never had a teacher who even tried to discipline anyone.
I don't see police as having an authoritarian influence on my life, I can't remember ever speaking to a policeman other than to ask for the way. Police here are called "guardians of the peace", and that's all they are. Not much authority involved if you ask me.
My job has no authority whatsoever over me. I work, I get paid. It's the simplest form of contract. They can't and won't force me to do anything I'd disagree with, and if they tried I'm free to leave.
And what sort of authority would my government have over me?


Yes but given that America is a two party system...that means the party in power can get alot more done and change much more radically than in a parliament where there usually it's very difficult to get alot done. For instance, look at the country between Clinton and Bush....or Truman and Eisenhower, or LBJ and Nixon...ect

I'm not asking you to say that you liked these changes...only to admit how quickly American politics can change. Now, there is no reason that a good change and come about just as rapidly. For instance, I know it's a long shot but what if Ron Paul got elected President? (Not saying you agree with him but just stay with me) The Republican party would then make a change away from neo-conservatism and into more of a Capitalist, Small Goverment, Nationalist, "America first" idealogy that is totally against non-interventionalism.....every policy there is different from the neo-conservative policy. There are many things they are doing that are not capitalist, they have a huge government, not nationalist (won't deal with border issue), and are devoted to policing the world.



Well, truth be told, the only difference I perceive between Bush and Clinton is in capabilities. Both bombed Iraq, but Clinton managed to do it without losing face to the rest of the world and blowing millions on it.
The way I see it, you have two massive parties, each trying to get as many votes as possible. That means that they tend to go for the lowest common denominators where their policies are concerned, as they both aim to please virtually everyone.
In European systems, it's the small parties that make the vital differences, they are the ones bringing new policies and issues to the political scene, they don't aim at all and everyone, but simply at people who think the way they do. They are idealistic where the large parties are indecisive, and in being able to gain access to the parliaments with only a handful of candidates and then forming coalitions, they prove a massive influence on the policies of the big ones.
Just look at the influence that both the Green Parties and the neo-fascist parties in Europe have, and how they change the political climate by winning just three or four seats in the parliaments.
And compare it with how long it took for the political scene in the US to pick up on environmental issues, let alone integrating them in party programs.

USAmerican politics is extremely persona-centered, European politics is far more issue-focused.


Ontario...well what are you comparing it to? Boston or whever in the USA you've been? Quebec, yeah, very much so.

Chicago, New York, San Fransisco and Charleston, South Carolina. Plus what I've seen and heard from others, family, friends, NSG posters, documentaries, etc.

I wouldn't want to live on /b/ island... fuck.

Neither would I. That sounds like a horrible place to live.

I would never want to live in the United States of a Belt Between Canada and Mexico (conventionally "the US") -- except in Hawai'i, which is not in the said belt anyway.

I would never want to live in Saudi Arabia, most of Africa (all of English-, Arabic-, and Portuguese-speaking Africa, and most of francophone Africa too).

I would also not want to live on the Antarctica until global warming makes extensive agriculture possible locally, and I mean growing bananas, pineapples, mangos and such.

Balseros Cubanos on anything that floats, boats, rafts, inner tubes, floating cars, trucks and taxi cabs across 90 miles of shark infested waters, Cuba under the democratic government of President Fidel and President Raul for life.

I started wondering ... I've had a few people now tell me they'd want to emmigrate, many of them to the same places and countries. And there are a good few of the chosen destinations that I personally wouldn't consider for myself. I've visited them, and just honestly don't like them.

What places would you never want to live in? And I don't want all of you smartasses out there going "Iraq!", "Afghanistan!", or "North Korea!". I mean places that otherwise sound people go to live.

Me, the places I've come across recently that I wouldn't want to live in are Switzerland, Poland, the USA and Australia.Anyplace with the name "Horse" or "horse" in it.

I would never want to live in the United States of a Belt Between Canada and Mexico (conventionally "the US") -- except in Hawai'i, which is not in the said belt anyway.


Do you actually have a reason besides irrational hatred of said nation?

Top of the list for me are any of the middle eastern countries ... not an alcholic but the odd drink now and again is nice

Switzerland .... after reading and posting in that other thread i cant imagen anything good about that country barr some of its history and old buildings which is no reason to move anywhere for me

Poland ... similar reasons to above

Spain .... well actually i wouldnt mind living there but they dont really like the brits

Italty ... wtf is up there... how are the mafia still in control of a lot of it (barr that which is a big thing i think i could live there)

Scotland .... they still hate the english for something that happened yonks ago


.... if it wasnt for idiots with stupid views id prob be happy to live in any of those places

Top of the list for me are any of the middle eastern countries ... not an alcholic but the odd drink now and again is nice

Switzerland .... after reading and posting in that other thread i cant imagen anything good about that country barr some of its history and old buildings which is no reason to move anywhere for me

Poland ... similar reasons to above

Spain .... well actually i wouldnt mind living there but they dont really like the brits

Italty ... wtf is up there... how are the mafia still in control of a lot of it (barr that which is a big thing i think i could live there)

Scotland .... they still hate the english for something that happened yonks ago


.... if it wasnt for idiots with stupid views id prob be happy to live in any of those places
Switzerland: Well their immigrantion policies favor educated, rich or highly skilled Western immigrants, so I doubt an English immigrant or two would be highly controversial in Switzerland....Also, regardless of if you like it's politics or not, Switzerland is universally thought to be one of the most naturally beautiful countries on earth and gets millions of people there each year visiting it's natural beauty.

Poland: I wasn't aware that it was in the same situation as Switzerland. What do you mean?

Spain: Spain is quite nice, I think to visit or to study in....but I don't think I could live there...it's just not an efficient enough country for me...people are very nice, good people though (generally). Same goes towards Italy though I suppose Italy's north is a bit better.
Do you actually have a reason besides irrational hatred of said nation?
"I wouldn't want to live in those mid-lands between the Atlantic and Russian."
Also sounds a tad bit ignorant huh. I love it when people think they they can just say they'd "never live in America" although they don't realizie that there it would be just as stupid as saying "I'd never live in Europe".....:p

Spain: Spain is quite nice, I think to visit or to study in....but I don't think I could live there...it's just not an efficient enough country for me...people are very nice, good people though (generally). Same goes towards Italy though I suppose Italy's north is a bit better.

You may want to check out Catalonia. Not only is Barcelona a great town, the Catalonians are the most "German" of the Spanish.

Scotland .... they still hate the english for something that happened yonks ago
aces

That rules out a lot of countries then :p

You may want to check out Catalonia. Not only is Barcelona a great town, the Catalonians are the most "German" of the Spanish.

*lol
Now, that's hardly a compliment, is it? :P

Anywhere that may have a used camel lot.

The only people who have authority over me are the people I LET have authority over me. I fought my parents whenever they tried to wield authority I wasn't ready to give them (and ususally won, twice by simply leaving home for a while).
School was there to teach me, not to discipline me, and I can honestly say I never had a teacher who even tried to discipline anyone.
I don't see police as having an authoritarian influence on my life, I can't remember ever speaking to a policeman other than to ask for the way. Police here are called "guardians of the peace", and that's all they are. Not much authority involved if you ask me.
My job has no authority whatsoever over me. I work, I get paid. It's the simplest form of contract. They can't and won't force me to do anything I'd disagree with, and if they tried I'm free to leave.
And what sort of authority would my government have over me?
Wow... ::moves to Dublin:: I've heard bizzies, pigs and cops but not "guardians of the peace". I do see these things as authority figures but I've always see the appropriate response to authority as rebellioin not obedience. The government has authority thru the police cos they make the laws. The police are there to enforce laws no matter how stupid they are. It doesn't quite make sense for them to be there to show the way cos any1 could do that.

Wow... ::moves to Dublin:: I've heard bizzies, pigs and cops but not "guardians of the peace". I do see these things as authority figures but I've always see the appropriate response to authority as rebellioin not obedience. The government has authority thru the police cos they make the laws. The police are there to enforce laws no matter how stupid they are. It doesn't quite make sense for them to be there to show the way cos any1 could do that.

Yes, and the people are there to elect the government.
See what I mean? People only have as much authority over you as you let them have.

I would never want to live in the United States of a Belt Between Canada and Mexico (conventionally "the US") -- except in Hawai'i, which is not in the said belt anyway.
Do you actually have a reason besides irrational hatred of said nation?

Of course I do have a reason.

Moreover, it is idiotic to imply that I have "irrational hatred" of any nations, as that was NOT explicit in the post you quoted -- and especially as I have listed in that same post quite a few other countries in addition to the country that for some weird reason made not others but you yourself go irrational, assume something that was not there and project your own fears and prejudices onto ME.

[QUOTE=Lackadaisical1;13158558]I'm considering going up to Canada, not because I like Canada, just because I reckon that theres alot of open space up there, and it should be suitably cold, as well as having some wildlife. I suppose somewhere in the northern interior of the USA may be just as good, with lower taxes. (maybe north dakota, idaho etc.)[QUOTE]

Try Montana. I hated it, but for all of the reasons it sounds like you would love it. It is slightly larger than Germany, with only 900,000 people. It is a winter wasteland for about 7 months a year (they climb frozen waterfalls for fun!!), and the wildlife includes bears, deer, buffalo, elk, moose, and all of the typical forest critters. Big mountains in the west, plains in the east, and still almost no people to be found. The biggest city has less than 100,000 people.

*lol
Now, that's hardly a compliment, is it? :P
Depends on what you like....

Depends on what you like....

Well, true. If you like Switzerland, Germany would be a watered-down version really ;)

Well, true. If you like Switzerland, Germany would be a watered-down version really ;)
Yeah...but he was saying that that area was the most "German" (in the sense we're speaking of here) of Spain...though obviously less so than Germany itself or Switzerland (which I guess would be the most "German" in this sense;)).

I like Germany alot, but Bavaria is my favorite part.

Yes, and the people are there to elect the government.
See what I mean? People only have as much authority over you as you let them have.I don't quite understand how you get from the first statement to the last here. There are some problems with the first statement tho. For 1 thing, it's not a case of the people's ideas getting heard. It's a case of a minority of the people getting their voice heard and the rest choosing which of those is best. It is difficult for new parties to be elected as people usually end up voting for parties who have already won. I could also be nitpicky and say the phrasing's wrong cos the people are there in their own right and not there with a purpose to electing a governemnt for themselves. It is certainly far from being as bad as it could be tho.

I don't quite understand how you get from the first statement to the last here. There are some problems with the first statement tho. For 1 thing, it's not a case of the people's ideas getting heard. It's a case of a minority of the people getting their voice heard and the rest choosing which of those is best. It is difficult for new parties to be elected as people usually end up voting for parties who have already won. I could also be nitpicky and say the phrasing's wrong cos the people are there in their own right and not there with a purpose to electing a governemnt for themselves. It is certainly far from being as bad as it could be tho.

The government makes the laws, the police enforce the laws, the people make the government.

And depending on what electoral system your particular country decided for, more or less diverse parties are being elected to represent the people.
It's not at all difficult to form a new party and get elected into government in most countries. Take the Green Party in Germany, for example. Founded in 1980, made it to parliament in opposition in 1983, formed part of the ruling coalition from 1998 - 2005.
However, in 2-party systems like the US or the UK, small parties hardly ever make it to the top, and most certainly not so easily. Those systems just aren't flexible enough to allow for more than 2 big parties.

The government makes the laws, the police enforce the laws, the people make the government.

And depending on what electoral system your particular country decided for, more or less diverse parties are being elected to represent the people.
It's not at all difficult to form a new party and get elected into government in most countries. Take the Green Party in Germany, for example. Founded in 1980, made it to parliament in opposition in 1983, formed part of the ruling coalition from 1998 - 2005.
However, in 2-party systems like the US or the UK, small parties hardly ever make it to the top, and most certainly not so easily. Those systems just aren't flexible enough to allow for more than 2 big parties.I was referring 2 the latter sort of party system only cos that's where I live. In such places, would you consider what the ruling parties put through to be a fair representation of what the people want? Even if people still have representative democracy, I think it would work better if you did it by voting on the particular policies (and the particular members of the parties that support that policy) rather than on a whole package, most of which you might agree with but there will be other things you don't agree with.

Of course I do have a reason.

Moreover, it is idiotic to imply that I have "irrational hatred" of any nations, as that was NOT explicit in the post you quoted -- and especially as I have listed in that same post quite a few other countries in addition to the country that for some weird reason made not others but you yourself go irrational, assume something that was not there and project your own fears and prejudices onto ME.

And your reason is? There are few things that the entire US has in common, besides a variation on the English language, a system of government and a flag.

Utah.

Utah.

Sometimes... you can say so much with so little... I agree...

Not a problem if you live in a wealthy area with great public schools and have good medical insurance.
I think I'll take my eurocomfy almost-free national health service and schooling...

This isn't a problem everywhere either, I was raised in america as a unitarian universalist and surrounded by atheists.
Well that's better than I thought.


You've got a good point here, but you left out earthquakes, fires, blizzards, and floods. The desert is actually really nice because it has so little humidity. Summer in arizona is more bearable than summer in new england.

I left them out because we get them too. Plus volcanoes in the South and gigantic landslides in the Alps.

Oklahoma.






Oh, wait.





Yep, Still in Oklahoma. *sigh*

Anywhere that's not America, really.

Acceptable substitutes include Australia, Canada, the UK, Japan, maybe France, South Africa or South Korea if you paid me.

well i wouldn't want to live in the tropics or anyplace else with a monotonously warm climate, or any place where there are temperatures in the hundreds (f obviously not c, 100c and i think we'd all be dead) for more then a couple of a days at a time more then twice a year.

i wouldn't want to live anywhere the most powerful military on the planet was being sent to invade, though i guess all of those were being excluded in the op. except only the more obvious examples were mentioned, and do we really have any way of knowing where how or why the're going to hit next?

i really prefer forested mountains to coastal valleys or inland deserts or praries, and i wouldn't want to live in any country that was built entirely arround the idea of any one organized belief, reguardless of what that belief might happen to be. i'd like to VISIT bhutan, but that's as close to a one belief country, and probably just about the only one of them, i'd be interested in doing even that.

i'd also not ever want to live in any country that had only automobiles and no trains.

i'd really rather not live in any country that didn't have a lot of narrow gauge railways and/or monorails, which almost limits the choices of places i would to switzerland and japan.

i'd really prefer to live in a country where the dominant belief was neither christianity nor islam, and whatever it was, no one was fanatical about it either. or chauvanistic for that matter.

if i throw in how rotten i am at languages and that the only one i speak adiquately is amerenglish, that i think, in combination with my other 'anti-preferences, just about eleminates everyplace on this earth or anywhere else.

so wherever i go, is a compromise of at least some of them.

=^^=
.../\...

I would never ever want to live in the USA. Ever.

Hawaii.
Maybe?
I don't know if I hate anywhere enough to never ever live there.
But anything that is in some large scale conflict would probably be ruled out.

Brasilía or Rio de Janeiro

Then after those, anywhere in France.

Of course I do have a reason.

Moreover, it is idiotic to imply that I have "irrational hatred" of any nations, as that was NOT explicit in the post you quoted -- and especially as I have listed in that same post quite a few other countries in addition to the country that for some weird reason made not others but you yourself go irrational, assume something that was not there and project your own fears and prejudices onto ME.

And your reason is? There are few things that the entire US has in common, besides a variation on the English language, a system of government and a flag.

you are really boring with your persistant demands for a reason for the US of all places but not for other locations, even though I have listed MANY countries I do not want to live in.

So what is this? An assumprtion that it is OK for a person about whom you do not know anything (ME, that is) not to want to live in Saudi Arabia but not OK not to want to live in the US? How pathetic of you...

Anyway, just to get rid of your pestering, here are the reasons I do not want to live in the US (which I have visited way too many, i.e. 4, times and for too long a time: for a total of 3 months -- a week once would have been enough):

very bad system of government;

quasi-legal Anglo-Saxon case so-called "law";

bad English (bad pronounciation, bad sppelling);

ugly flag;

ugly coat of arms;

worthless toilet paper type of currency;

horrendous history of discrimination and oppression of rightful owners of the land (Firts Nations/Native Americans);

horrendous history of the treatment of Africans snatched and forced into slavery;

no state health service like in Europe;

no social security like in Europe;

no good public services like in Europe;

a total lack of centuries and millennia old buildings like all over Asia and most of Europe...



All in all: simply not my type of environment, just like Saudi Arabia or Lybia (for some of the same and some totally different reasons).


The fact that New England is beautiful in late October and that there is some good food in Louisianna is by no means enough to override all other problems of the irrelevant country of the USofA.

bad English (bad pronounciation, bad sppelling)

lol

Typos are not bad spelling.

But to write *harbor, *harmonize, *jail, *theater instead of the correct forms "harbour", "harmonise", "gaol" and "theatre" is very much so.

Sorry to spoil your fun, but I'm not going to engage in silly nationalistic dickwaving over spelling.

I do not have fun at all on this specific topic.

But a pushy little thing persisted on why I would never live int he US, while (s)he was not interested why I would never live in Saudi Arabia, so I felt I had to enlighten him/her/it.

Else, spelling has nothing to do with nationalism. The whole world except that one country I do not want to live in spells the word "harboUr" properly (including the northern and bigger neighboUr of the US -- Canada).

I do not have fun at all on this specific topic.

But a pushy little thing persisted on why I would never live int he US, while (s)he was not interested why I would never live in Saudi Arabia, so I felt I had to enlighten him/her/it.

Else, spelling has nothing to do with nationalism. The whole world except that one country I do not want to live in spells the word "harboUr" properly (including the northern and bigger neighboUr of the US -- Canada).

Again, if you're trying to get me to rush to the defense of American spelling it's not going to work because I just don't care.

On a side note, I spend quite a bit of time in Canada and I've seen both spellings of many words used there. Of course, I see both spellings here, living in a border area and that may be why I'm not horribly offended by minor differences in spelling.

I would never ever want to live in the Domincan Republic. I went there on vacation once and that was enough for me.

I would never want to live in Canadia with all the smelly, stupid Canadans.

What? Canada sucks.

I would never want to live in Canadia with all the smelly, stupid Canadans.

What? Canada sucks.
No worries there, you wouldn't pass the spelling test. :p

horrendous history of discrimination and oppression of rightful owners of the land (Firts Nations/Native Americans);

horrendous history of the treatment of Africans snatched and forced into slavery;This really isn't fair. It has nothing to do with our current laws about minorities. Whatever country you come from, your country has also done disgusting things in the past.

I do not have fun at all on this specific topic.

But a pushy little thing persisted on why I would never live int he US, while (s)he was not interested why I would never live in Saudi Arabia, so I felt I had to enlighten him/her/it.

Else, spelling has nothing to do with nationalism. The whole world except that one country I do not want to live in spells the word "harboUr" properly (including the northern and bigger neighboUr of the US -- Canada).


No, the rest of the world spells wrong. The correct spelling is harbor and neighbor. Everyone knows that, fool.

No, the rest of the world spells wrong. The correct spelling is harbor and neighbor. Everyone knows that, fool.
Seeing this discussion I do not want to live in a place where English is spoken as national language.