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US income inequality at record high
- Thread starter Tony Flow MMMM
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Dear Goddess, you just gave me nightmares. Please, no part two - wrap it up, people.
While I agree with you 100%, he may not
http://www.space.com/19739-nasa-mohawk-guy-state-of-the-union.html
When you have a PhD, you get to choose your haircut.
Though even if you do have a PhD, you probably aren't being paid a massive salary in government funded research. 
Don't listen to him. He's Canadian, if course Delaware looks appealing. Anything to get out of America junior:sly:
Calm down Britain Jr., you damned rowdy teen.
Here's some more interesting meat to chew on:
The X-axis is Gini coefficient, a measure of income inequality. Countries on the right are less equal than ones on the left.
The Y-axis is PPP-adjusted GDP per capita, i.e. "US $ value of the number of loaves of bread the average person can buy" (PPP is good because it gets around the "different countries have different costs of living" factor).
Posted without comment so as to stimulate discussion.
OK, so check out the GDP per capita of the most "equal" countries. I'll think I'll stick with the U.S.
Though even if you do have a PhD, you probably aren't being paid a massive salary in government funded research.
Could be worse. The pay scale for government research isn't exactly bad, and PhDs can do a lot of other things. Many are doing quite well as entrepreneurs, consultants, or at high levels in business. A high level of education also greatly reduces the risk of experiencing long periods of unemployment when things do go bad.
And it's a pleasant culture.
True of course.
Was talking about the previously mentioned NASA guy with a mohawk, who'll presumably be government funded.
Wait... was the roof the economy and the windows the socio-economic status of the poor? Or was the roof taxes and the foundation the rich? Or was it the windows are evil bankers and the siding was the working class? Or was it the deck furniture is the guy working at McDonald's and the carpet was the "rich fat cat 1%er"? I'm so lost right now.
What we need are some government regulators and inspectors to come in here and tell the unionized construction workers making $75 an hour plus benefits to swing a hammer how to fix this $35K house with $4.8 billion dollars worth of repairs! THAT will get it done! (right up until we get about $4.1 billion dollars into the repairs and we still haven't even finished the roof so we need more money.)
Hey, I don't come across nearly as mean with all the smileys and junk. I shoulda' been using those little bastards all along!
A few miles from me there's an area with little 35K type houses. They flood are repaired for mondo dough, flood repaired for mondo dough. Repeat.
Then there's NOLA. Keep in mind the Dutch can built houses in flood zones with excellent results.
We can't
There is no nation anywhere near this size like that. All the ones that come close are the size of a New Jersey, or some of them a small town and are homogenizes societies.
The comparisons you recommend is impossible since there's no nation in the world, or maybe the universe that compares to the US as far as so many people have so much.
BawanaRik said:
Good point, it is surprising that is legal.
I see you're coming around, thanks for helping me express my point.
Have you ever been there? Gas is 10 bucks a gallon. Food cost a fortune. And they tend to homogenious societies.
That means not you. You've made it clear that you don't pay taxes. You have to get used to that real fast. The VAT in most of these places to 20 %, or over. I think you'll find they live in housing about half the size of the US. And although I think this a good idea, it would take getting used to.
Go price a car in Switzerland, Or an apartment or a gallon of gas. I believe gas is 2 bucks, a liter. And they pretty near lack a state financed welfare system.
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But the trains run on time and crime is low. Possible due to the fact that adult males in Switzerland are required to train and posses an Assault Weapon.
People in the US see Europe as this hippie paradise where everything is free.
The fact is Europeans have two basic differences from Americans.
A They realize there's no such thing as a free lunch. All programs must be paid for or they can't continue.
B Nobody lives forever.
I am surprised at many things that are legal in the US. This thread is closing die to hitting the 1 K mark peacefully.
Hurrah!
Here's a question for both sides. What are YOU going to do about it? We can't change what happened.
I'm not planning on relocating yet, but I'm keeping my eyes peeled. I don't anticipate being canned soon, but I've stashed away a little just in case.
I'm not planning on relocating yet, but I'm keeping my eyes peeled. I don't anticipate being canned soon, but I've stashed away a little just in case.
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