25-03-2004 06:25									#61
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quote: Originally posted by Comrade Tassadar America used to be pretty good. But then its populace become uberignorant, uberarrogant, and such....But we've gotten into the business of importing everything (even our educated populace is imported) and thus, we prosper.

Became?

	25-03-2004 06:26									#62
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quote: Originally posted by chegitz guevara My friend used to say, "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull****." That's what we are. A nation of bull****ters . . . with guns.

The "with guns" is the answer to your original question, che

	25-03-2004 06:28									#63
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quote: Originally posted by Sava actually... capturing German and Japanese scientists in WW2 were a bigger factor. Be executed or help America develop the most deadly weapons in the world. Tough choice.

How did we capture German or Japanese scientists during WWII? By the time we got to them, the war was either already over or almost so.

We didn't capture them; they fled here earlier.

	25-03-2004 06:34									#64
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quote: Originally posted by Whoha that isn't true, there will always be jobs, because it doesn't matter how efficient that factory is if it has no customers.

What the? Are you trying to say something or make a point?

Perhaps you quoted the wrong post for your reply?

	25-03-2004 07:05									#65
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quote: Originally posted by Kucinich How did we capture German or Japanese scientists during WWII? By the time we got to them, the war was either already over or almost so. We didn't capture them; they fled here earlier.

Einstein, Fermi and a bunch of others fled.
von Braun and a bunch of others were "captured".
It's almost 50/50.

	25-03-2004 07:11									#66
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quote: Originally posted by Kucinich How did we capture German or Japanese scientists during WWII? By the time we got to them, the war was either already over or almost so. We didn't capture them; they fled here earlier.

wow... you need to go to more history classes

	25-03-2004 07:33									#67
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Not really, no.

In the European front, we didn't even reach Germany until near the end of the war on that front - our troops weren't anywhere near there before. Our troops never even landed in Japan until after the war was over.

	25-03-2004 07:53									#68
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quote: Originally posted by Kucinich In the European front, we didn't even reach Germany until near the end of the war on that front - our troops weren't anywhere near there before. Our troops never even landed in Japan until after the war was over.

Yes but when you got there German rocket/jet propulsion scientists from Penemunde etc got quickly shipped to the US. Von Braun is the most famous of them, but most of post-war research in rockets, jet engines and in some other areas was done by German scientists imported to the US.

	25-03-2004 07:58									#69
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IIRC, we have shorter vacation time than most (all?) European countries, which probably contributes to increased productivity.

	25-03-2004 08:09									#70
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quote: Originally posted by Pekka WalMart won't hurt from it, because they offer jobs that anyone can do. So profit wise, they should keep the pay in the minimum where they still get the job done, because they can always get someone else to do it if someone quits or is fired.

The job market may tighten up though for semi-skilled workers. They probably already have trouble in some regions with a tighter labor market.

	25-03-2004 09:16									#71
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quote: Originally posted by ErikM Yes but when you got there German rocket/jet propulsion scientists from Penemunde etc got quickly shipped to the US. Von Braun is the most famous of them, but most of post-war research in rockets, jet engines and in some other areas was done by German scientists imported to the US.

I thought we were talking about during the war...

	25-03-2004 09:19									#72
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Don't talk about the war.

It just boggles my mind that so much wealth can be created by blowing it out our asses. I'll bet if we worked half days but harder at it, we'd create as much wealth.

	25-03-2004 09:21									#73
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The US is so wealthy imo, because of our very capitalist system. Capitalism, with some minimal regulations, has time and time again shown itself to be a powerful engine for generatiing wealth.

A secondary factor includes our european heritage (technology and advanced culture) that we recieved without the accompanying political infighting that plagued europe, devestating the people during two world wars.


I think primarily capitalism though because the richest nations on earth for their size (US, Germany and Japan) are all the most capitalistic.

Not that this is necessarily the best thing. Studies show that mere money will not generate happiness, and that the happiest and most advanced countries in the world are in fact Northern European social democracies, not American type capitalist.

http://botany1.bio.utk.edu/skeptic/...tue-ethics.html


http://www.swt.org/share/modernity-sciam-1203high64.pdf


This is why, while I'll admit America has the most wealth, I do not think it has the most prosperity.

	25-03-2004 10:16									#75
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The reason America seems to be so prosperous is because commies have not taken this country over.

	25-03-2004 10:18									#76
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The reason America is so wealthy is because of random chance.

	25-03-2004 10:24									#77
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I think as long as the upper class Americans are prosperous at the expense of the middle and lower classes, they will continue to get all gushy about how prosperous the entire country is.

	25-03-2004 10:30									#78
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quote: Originally posted by chegitz guevara We do such half-assed jobs on everything. Everyplace I turn around I see slipshod work, uncaring employees, half assed jobs. We put massive effort into getting stuff done before its ready, rush, rush, rush, then drop the project and run on to something new. How did we build an empire this way?

I disagree completely. Maybe it's where you work.

The old Puritan/German work ethic I've seen in every place I've worked is just phenominal.

Personally I think Americans work TOO hard.

My pops who retired 2 years ago, after 40 years on the job, says that people work WAY harder than they did when he started, and that much more is expected of the average employee.

	25-03-2004 10:42									#79
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America? Prosperous?

No offense to my fellow Americans, but enjoy it while it lasts. The EU is going to become the next superpower. This is not to say that I like what's going to happen, but it WILL happen. Someday very soon, America will "fall" underneath the shadow of the EU. You can count on it.

	25-03-2004 10:44									#80
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apple sucks

so does the book of matthew verses 1 though 6

	25-03-2004 11:52									#81
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quote: Originally posted by LiberalAtheist The US is so wealthy imo, because of our very capitalist system. Capitalism, with some minimal regulations, has time and time again shown itself to be a powerful engine for generatiing wealth.

True, but wealth creation in a capatalist nation decreases with time. GB, the first nation to industrialize under capitalism and dominate the world economy, was once the wealthiest nation on earth, but with success came maturity and wealth creation slowed. The same thing is happening in the US, and within the next century probably some other nation will create more wealth.

	25-03-2004 13:27									#82
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you need to get out to the real world.

The rest of the world is this way.

My buddy in the navy (who was filipino) told me of the condition of the ships in the Philippine navy. He was onboard the ships. The maintenance on those ships were terrible. There were wires hainging out everywhere he said.

And other countries were like this, although perhaps not as bad.

I have been to Italy, I was not impressed with their work ethic. I have been to Greece, same. The middle east was a joke. Spain- joke. France- joke.

Now I haven't been to Korea, Japan, or Korea- things may be different over there.

So Che, spend some time onboard a U.S. navy warship, and then get on warships from other nations.

Now onto housing. Houses today are more complex than houses in the past (with regards to wiring and utilities at least). And face it, most houses are built by illegal aliens. Not to say illegal aliens can't build houses like americans, they could if properly trained. But they are used to building houses in Mexico which don't meet the same standards as the U.S.

Last edited by Dis on 25-03-2004 at 13:40

	25-03-2004 13:37									#83
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quote: Originally posted by Edan IIRC, we have shorter vacation time than most (all?) European countries, which probably contributes to increased productivity.

bingo!

Americans actually work more hours than most nations in the world. I think China, Japan, and Korea beat us though.

	25-03-2004 13:38									#84
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quote: Originally posted by monkspider The reason America is so wealthy is because of random chance.

You expect us to believe that?

	25-03-2004 13:44									#85
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quote: Originally posted by Dissident quote: Originally posted by Edan IIRC, we have shorter vacation time than most (all?) European countries, which probably contributes to increased productivity. bingo! Americans actually work more hours than most nations in the world. I think China, Japan, and Korea beat us though.

I can do as much work in 6 hours when i'm fit then I can in 12 hours when tired.
Working insane hours does not allow for better productivity.
To put it in different words; better have two people working for you (normally) then have one doing the job of two people.

	25-03-2004 16:59									#86
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quote: Originally posted by monkspider The reason America is so wealthy is because of random chance.

No, geography.

	25-03-2004 17:11									#87
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quote: Originally posted by alva I can't do as much in 6 hours when i'm fit then I can in 12 hours when tired. Working insane hours does not to better productivity. To put it in different words; better have two people working for you (normally) then have one doing the job of two people.

If the government would get its nose out of employment it might actually be worthwhile to do this economically. Unfortunately for both employer and employee it costs a lot just to get one employee hired and trained, as the employer has to do more paperwork, pay for more benefits, do more training etc. If the government / American society would get employers out of the business of supplying benefits and the employer's share of payroll taxes a more rational approach to hiring might become financially viable, as the initial cost of each employee would drop.

	25-03-2004 17:28									#88
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quote: Originally posted by Dissident I have been to Italy, I was not impressed with their work ethic. I have been to Greece, same. The middle east was a joke. Spain- joke. France- joke.

Nice selection of countries, all famous for their impressive work ethic

	25-03-2004 17:42									#89
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@sikander

quote: I can't do as much in 6 hours when i'm fit

Should have been...

quote: I can do as much work in 6 hours

I edited it, but since you quoted me...

	25-03-2004 18:08									#90
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It's a bit like Civ I think. If you start off on a large continent with a lot of resources and your only neighbour is easily shrugged aside you soon have a thriving civilization and you can go on expanding happily for quite a while.

If your micro-management is not the best maybe you expand a bit slower but the natural advantages still mean you thrive.

Being a young country also helps, I think, in that the initial immigrants were vigorous folk - people willing to up sticks and had off to a new place far from home where they hoped to make a better life. And the generations that followed were born into a world where everything had yet to be done, there was no expectation of simply settling down into some stagnant social set up such as you can sometimes find in countries with a longer history.

A large population is also a benefit. There are few barriers to trade within the US - it has been, I imagine, and continues to be the biggest free trade area around. And the domestic market is big enough to support industries which need a big market and to allow economies of scale to be easily exploited.

Shoddy workmanship strikes me as being reasonably to be expected in a busy and bustling environment. Perfectionism is more to be expected of people who have less faith that there is always going to be a good use for the time otherwise taken up by taking excessive pains. Spending a fixed period of time making two good things each providing 90% of what they are capable of providing rather than the same amount of time making one of them capable of operating at 100% efficiency may often make good sense.