Another Brit in the US

[Academic]

Hello,

I'm an Englishman who is now a legal permanent resident in your second smallest state - Delaware... The first state, the no sales tax state, the terrible air pollution and respiratory illness state..The state that even most Americans can't place on a map

My political views would most likely (incorrectly) have me labeled a communist here in the US, but really I'm just extremely liberal on social issues. I'm somewhat scared by the right wing mindset - the sort of people that believe 'Death Panels' are real, simply because Sarah Palin said so, and I find it extremely interesting contrasting politics in the UK with politics over here (the people, the coverage, the marches, the issues...). I am also 100% atheist, as are nearly all my friends and family (where I come from in the UK, under 2% of the population go to church), so find the religious lobby to be pretty scary too.

Looking forward to some interesting debate...

 

[xotoxi]

Welcome.

I am xotoxi...but most people just call me xotoxi.

 

[Midnight Marauder]

You're scared of too many things. You live in fear apparently.

Welcome to USMB, we have a whole forum for scared people -- the Conspiracy Theories forum.

 

[Care4all]

welcome! Where from Great Britain?

 

[Academic]

You're scared of too many things. You live in fear apparently.

Welcome to USMB, we have a whole forum for scared people -- the Conspiracy Theories forum.

Less than half of Americans believe that the theory of evolution is well supported by evidence. Around 1 in 4 believe that Jesus will return in their lifetime These are (unfortunately) facts rater than conspiracy theories.

welcome! Where from Great Britain?

Grew up in London but moved to Brighton after finishing University.

 

[GHook93]

Hello,

I'm an Englishman who is now a legal permanent resident in your second smallest state - Delaware... The first state, the no sales tax state, the terrible air pollution and respiratory illness state..The state that even most Americans can't place on a map

My political views would most likely (incorrectly) have me labeled a communist here in the US, but really I'm just extremely liberal on social issues. I'm somewhat scared by the right wing mindset - the sort of people that believe 'Death Panels' are real, simply because Sarah Palin said so, and I find it extremely interesting contrasting politics in the UK with politics over here (the people, the coverage, the marches, the issues...). I am also 100% atheist, as are nearly all my friends and family (where I come from in the UK, under 2% of the population go to church), so find the religious lobby to be pretty scary too.

Looking forward to some interesting debate...

Since you have been able to experience but the UK NHC system and America's free market system, please contrast both of them.

Specifically please addresses the long waits for non-emergency surgery. How long do you wait? Is it as bad as they say?

Enligthen some of us, but please don't say. It's just better!

 

[hjmick]

Oh great, another foreigner. One last message board membership for an American!

 

[GHook93]

Less than half of Americans believe that the theory of evolution is well supported by evidence.

First, this is well inaccurate and outright slander!
Second, if you are going to make an ignorant comment like this, then back it up. Because you seem like a snooty Brit snubs his/her nose at Americans, yet you choose to remain here!

Around 1 in 4 believe that Jesus will return in their lifetime These are (unfortunately) facts rater than conspiracy theories.

As a fellow atheist you need to get out more! I personally believe that the American Evangenical God-fears are some the nicest, most chartiable, most tolerate (unless your gay) and non-violent segments of American society!

 

[xotoxi]

Oh great, another foreigner. One last message board membership for an American!

I'm sure we could check the records and find that he is a registered foreigner, having signed up for USMB via the appropriate channels.

Had he hacked in...that would be a different story.

 

[Academic]

Since you have been able to experience but the UK NHC system and America's free market system, please contrast both of them.

Specifically please addresses the long waits for non-emergency surgery. How long do you wait? Is it as bad as they say?

Enligthen some of us, but please don't say. It's just better!

No system is perfect. How long you have to wait for a non-emergency surgery is often down to luck - it will depend on where you live and how high or low demand is for that surgery. If demand is low, and the right specialists are nearby it could be a very short wait. But if things are the other way round, you could wait ages. I had to wait almost 9 months for some non-urgent surgery and twice it was canceled at a couple hours notice (having had bloodwork done and been told not to eat x hours). I appreciate that this would not happen in the US.

At the same time, when I was a kid, my mother was involved in a serious car accident. Not only did she receive the same level of care as anyone else, but she also received plastic surgery and needless to say didn't have to pay a penny. At the time, my parents were both self employed and couldn't possibly have afforded health insurance had they been living in the UK, so in this sense having a National Health Service was hugely beneficial.

It's such a complex issues, that there really is no right or wrong. I love the health care I get here, but am also appalled by stories I hear from my wife (a school nurse) about the kids with no insurance and the consequences of their lack of healthcare coverage.

Less than half of Americans believe that the theory of evolution is well supported by evidence.

First, this is well inaccurate and outright slander!
Second, if you are going to make an ignorant comment like this, then back it up. Because you seem like a snooty Brit snubs his/her nose at Americans, yet you choose to remain here!

Around 1 in 4 believe that Jesus will return in their lifetime These are (unfortunately) facts rater than conspiracy theories.

As a fellow atheist you need to get out more! I personally believe that the American Evangenical God-fears are some the nicest, most chartiable, most tolerate (unless your gay) and non-violent segments of American society!

Evidence of my 'ignorant inaccurate slander'

Being new, I can't post links, but if you google "CSI polling opinion about evolution" the text blow comes from the top article


"the public appears to underestimate the scientific evidence supporting the theory of evolution. In a November 2004 Gallup poll, respondents were asked: “Just your opinion, do you think that Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution is: a scientific theory that has been well supported by evidence, or just one of many theories and one that has not been well-supported by evidence, or don’t you know enough to say?” Only 35% of Americans indicated a scientific theory supported by evidence, whereas 35% indicated that evolution was just one among many theories, and 29% answered they didn’t know. A similar result was found when the same question was asked by Gallup in February 2001.

Newsweek presented the question slightly differently in a December 2004 poll. Respondents were asked: “Do you think the scientific theory of evolution is well-supported by evidence and widely accepted within the scientific community, or that it is not well supported by evidence and many scientists have serious doubts about it?” Posed in this way, 45% of respondents indicated that evolution was well supported, compared to 42% who believed that scientists had serious doubts, with 13% answering they didn’t know"

More recent:
Put "Darwin-Birthday-Believe-Evolution" into Google:

"On the eve of the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth, a new Gallup Poll shows that only 39% of Americans say they "believe in the theory of evolution," while a quarter say they do not believe in the theory, and another 36% don't have an opinion either way. These attitudes are strongly related to education and, to an even greater degree, religiosity."

- These are polls conducted by experts, with margins of error less than +/- 4%. They are representative of the US population, because these are the views representative of the US population. Still think what I said was "ignorant inaccurate slander"?

I don't miss England partly because it's so full of 'Snooty Brits'. Despite spending most of my life in the UK, I'm actually half South African and Half Austrian, so tend not to label myself as anything in particular. The US is a far friendlier place than the UK, I have lots of family here, and I love my (American) wife and her family.

 

[GHook93]

Since you have been able to experience but the UK NHC system and America's free market system, please contrast both of them.

Specifically please addresses the long waits for non-emergency surgery. How long do you wait? Is it as bad as they say?

Enligthen some of us, but please don't say. It's just better!

No system is perfect. How long you have to wait for a non-emergency surgery is often down to luck - it will depend on where you live and how high or low demand is for that surgery. If demand is low, and the right specialists are nearby it could be a very short wait. But if things are the other way round, you could wait ages. I had to wait almost 9 months for some non-urgent surgery and twice it was canceled at a couple hours notice (having had bloodwork done and been told not to eat x hours). I appreciate that this would not happen in the US.

At the same time, when I was a kid, my mother was involved in a serious car accident. Not only did she receive the same level of care as anyone else, but she also received plastic surgery and needless to say didn't have to pay a penny. At the time, my parents were both self employed and couldn't possibly have afforded health insurance had they been living in the UK, so in this sense having a National Health Service was hugely beneficial.

It's such a complex issues, that there really is no right or wrong. I love the health care I get here, but am also appalled by stories I hear from my wife (a school nurse) about the kids with no insurance and the consequences of their lack of healthcare coverage.

First, this is well inaccurate and outright slander!
Second, if you are going to make an ignorant comment like this, then back it up. Because you seem like a snooty Brit snubs his/her nose at Americans, yet you choose to remain here!

Around 1 in 4 believe that Jesus will return in their lifetime These are (unfortunately) facts rater than conspiracy theories.

As a fellow atheist you need to get out more! I personally believe that the American Evangenical God-fears are some the nicest, most chartiable, most tolerate (unless your gay) and non-violent segments of American society!

Evidence of my 'ignorant inaccurate slander'

Being new, I can't post links, but if you google "CSI polling opinion about evolution" the text blow comes from the top article


"the public appears to underestimate the scientific evidence supporting the theory of evolution. In a November 2004 Gallup poll, respondents were asked: “Just your opinion, do you think that Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution is: a scientific theory that has been well supported by evidence, or just one of many theories and one that has not been well-supported by evidence, or don’t you know enough to say?” Only 35% of Americans indicated a scientific theory supported by evidence, whereas 35% indicated that evolution was just one among many theories, and 29% answered they didn’t know. A similar result was found when the same question was asked by Gallup in February 2001.

Newsweek presented the question slightly differently in a December 2004 poll. Respondents were asked: “Do you think the scientific theory of evolution is well-supported by evidence and widely accepted within the scientific community, or that it is not well supported by evidence and many scientists have serious doubts about it?” Posed in this way, 45% of respondents indicated that evolution was well supported, compared to 42% who believed that scientists had serious doubts, with 13% answering they didn’t know"

More recent:
Put "Darwin-Birthday-Believe-Evolution" into Google:

"On the eve of the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth, a new Gallup Poll shows that only 39% of Americans say they "believe in the theory of evolution," while a quarter say they do not believe in the theory, and another 36% don't have an opinion either way. These attitudes are strongly related to education and, to an even greater degree, religiosity."

- These are polls conducted by experts, with margins of error less than +/- 4%. They are representative of the US population, because these are the views representative of the US population. Still think what I said was "ignorant inaccurate slander"?

I don't miss England partly because it's so full of 'Snooty Brits'. Despite spending most of my life in the UK, I'm actually half South African and Half Austrian, so tend not to label myself as anything in particular. The US is a far friendlier place than the UK, I have lots of family here, and I love my (American) wife and her family.

Well rebutted!

I appreciate your input immensely especially on healthcare! I look forward to reading more of your posts!

 

[publicprotector]

Get out of the US as fast as you got in, it has no future.

 

[Midnight Marauder]

You're scared of too many things. You live in fear apparently.

Welcome to USMB, we have a whole forum for scared people -- the Conspiracy Theories forum.

Less than half of Americans believe that the theory of evolution is well supported by evidence. Around 1 in 4 believe that Jesus will return in their lifetime These are (unfortunately) facts rater than conspiracy theories.

But, this is nothing to be "scared" of. I see already you'll love the conspiracy forum.

 

[Sunni Man]

Not another freaken limey


Well, welcome anyway!!!!

 

[Academic]

You're scared of too many things. You live in fear apparently.

Welcome to USMB, we have a whole forum for scared people -- the Conspiracy Theories forum.

Less than half of Americans believe that the theory of evolution is well supported by evidence. Around 1 in 4 believe that Jesus will return in their lifetime These are (unfortunately) facts rater than conspiracy theories.

But, this is nothing to be "scared" of. I see already you'll love the conspiracy forum.

JFK never landed on the moon.

Not really into conspiracy theories. But I don't think this means it's strange to be scared by the fact that we live in such a technologically and educationally advanced age, and yet so many people don't believe in things that there is good evidence for and yet believe in far more fanciful things that there is absolutely no evidence for.

 

[hjmick]

You're right, JFK was dead by then. Besides, his Addison's would have disqualified him from the program.

 

[Luissa]

welcome you commie bastard!
just joshin!

 

[Kalam]

Welcome. You have my sympathy for having to live in Delaware, but welcome nonetheless.

 

[asaratis]

Hello,

I'm an Englishman who is now a legal permanent resident in your second smallest state - Delaware... The first state, the no sales tax state, the terrible air pollution and respiratory illness state..The state that even most Americans can't place on a map

My political views would most likely (incorrectly) have me labeled a communist here in the US, but really I'm just extremely liberal on social issues. I'm somewhat scared by the right wing mindset - the sort of people that believe 'Death Panels' are real, simply because Sarah Palin said so, and I find it extremely interesting contrasting politics in the UK with politics over here (the people, the coverage, the marches, the issues...). I am also 100% atheist, as are nearly all my friends and family (where I come from in the UK, under 2% of the population go to church), so find the religious lobby to be pretty scary too.

Looking forward to some interesting debate...

Welcome, Redcoat! Why is it that you prefer living in the United States?

I can't imagine a 100% atheist being scared in a religious setting.

Call it what you like. If some bastard or group of bastards employed by the government to ration the available health care to the available patients makes decisions that deny attention to selected candidates, those bastards can rightly be called a Death Panel...they decide who gets treatment and who doesn't, given that one of the two will die without the treatment being rationed. If you think it wouldn't be a partisan rationing, you have a serious problem and should seek help immediately...before it becomes rationed.

 

[Mr Natural]

Welcome to the message board.

I have a question:

Why do you people drive on the wrong side of the road?