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07-25-2002, 12:01 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Valencia, CA 91354 | |
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No, I wasn't saying the US are the "good guys." I was tossing something out on the table that runs counter to European perceptions of Americans as greedy SOBs.
Do us a favor and don't create false dichotomies, Bruce. You do it all the time, and that's why people are always "misunderstanding" you.
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07-25-2002, 12:05 PM
|  | Unprofessional TalkBass Contributor | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Brighton, England, UK, Europe | | Quote: Originally posted by Brad Johnson
Considering you don't know the scale of Anderson's transgressions, what Euro number are you comparing that unknown to? And no I'm not having a go at you, I'm asking a simple question | Not at all - I was just answering Brad's question above! He created the dichotomy!
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07-25-2002, 12:06 PM
| | Unprofessional TalkBass Contributor | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Brighton, England, UK, Europe | | Quote: Originally posted by Peter McFerrin
It's worth noting that Americans, probably out of guilt at the fact that our welfare state isn't the greatest, give 1% of US GDP to charity every year, compared to the 0.2-0.8% figure found in Europe. So, yeah, we're cold, moneygrubbing, materialistic SOBs, but at least we do some good in the world.  | And how about this for a dichotomy!!!! 
If the output of the biggest US companies is over-valued by up to 50% then 1% of GDP is a drop in the ocean!
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“Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity.”
Charles Mingus |
07-25-2002, 12:21 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The frozen north | | That aid number of 1% of GDP is unfortunately not true. The U.S. is amongst the least generous with foreign aid at 0.1 %. Take a look at http://www.globalissues.org/TradeRelated/Debt/USAid.asp. and the picture below: 
To makes things worse about half of that aid is direct military aid, and not to poor countries. |
07-25-2002, 12:23 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Valencia, CA 91354 | | | Anders: I mentioned that the US is stingy in non-military foreign aid.
The 1% figure was referring to charitable contributions, not direct government-sponsored foreign aid.
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Did I ever tell you, by the way? I never did like your face. |
07-25-2002, 12:30 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The frozen north | | | Peter, OK, it's perhaps a bit of an apples and oranges comparison. I have not seen any numbers for charity type contributions. I think it's a bit tricky to compare as I believe that type of contribution is partly tax deductible in the U.S. but not in Europe (?)
The sum total would of course be the governmentral aid plus charities. In terms of absolute amount the U.S. is probably the largest contributor, but not per capita by a long shot, and it's a pity so much of it goes to various military use and not humanitarian aid. |
07-25-2002, 12:41 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Valencia, CA 91354 | | Quote: Originally posted by Anders Östberg
The sum total would of course be the governmentral aid plus charities. In terms of absolute amount the U.S. is probably the largest contributor, but not per capita by a long shot, and it's a pity so much of it goes to various military use and not humanitarian aid. | You'll get no argument from me on that. I have no idea why we keep pumping military aid into Egypt (and I'm not gonna touch Israel with a twenty-meter pole).
If you subscribe to the Economist, check out the survey of the defense industry in last week's issue. It really lays into arms exports.
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Did I ever tell you, by the way? I never did like your face. |
07-25-2002, 12:41 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Kitchener, ON, Canada | | Quote: Originally posted by Anders Östberg
Peter, OK, it's perhaps a bit of an apples and oranges comparison..... and it's a pity so much of it goes to various military use and not humanitarian aid. | Hey Pete:
I don't know, chief - after scanning the graph he posted this guy sounds pretty smug to me, too. Damn Swedes - I'd call my company head office in Linkoping, Sweden to get additional corroborating data, but they are all in the midst of their 6+ weeks of government mandated vacation....... 
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07-25-2002, 12:45 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The frozen north | | Hey BIg O, I wouldn't have much reason to be smug, a lot of our aid have ugly connections to exports of our high-tech weapons systems...
We're all in the same boat. 
But just to add some actual smugness, I'm right now on my 5th of seven weeks of vacation.
Last edited by FretNoMore : 07-25-2002 at 12:47 PM.
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07-25-2002, 12:52 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Kitchener, ON, Canada | | Quote: Originally posted by Anders Östberg
Hey BIg O, I wouldn't have much reason to be smug, ....But just to add some actual smugness, I'm right now on my 5th of seven weeks of vacation. | Damn! And here I am hard at work on TB.... SSHHH!
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Cheers, Bob
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