reading r/conservative to get some conservative voices on the interview and no word of a lie, none of the posts really discussed what Trump said rather attacked the interviewer and Biden and democrats.
It is a mental illness. There is no other way to describe it.
Everywhere is broken in some way. America has regressed since 2016 . Especially ethically . Maybe the black president was too much for some to take and now their underbelly is exposed and unleashed without fetter.( the irony of that word ) Trump the enabler of this
My office in Beirut is only reporting the one explosion in the port - Not saying the 2nd one didn't happen but just no mention of it so far for whatever reason
It's the preeminent superpower in the world. Both economically and militarily.
None of the current madness has changed that.
I don’t agree. They are still preeminent but they’ve lost a lot of ground. Both quantifiable and in soft power. It’s not nearly as attractive a place to go.
If Europe got its act together it could really capitalise on the US/China situation. Personally I wouldn’t be encouraging young folk to head to the US anymore...
‘IF YOU had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.” Genghis Khan
I don’t agree. They are still preeminent but they’ve lost a lot of ground. Both quantifiable and in soft power. It’s not nearly as attractive a place to go.
If Europe got its act together it could really capitalise on the US/China situation. Personally I wouldn’t be encouraging young folk to head to the US anymore...
I'm not denying they've lost ground but they are still pre-eminent. As you note yourself.
Another thing to note is that 'the US' is most definitely not some mono entity; it's very regional in nature. Living in NY versus living in Alabama is probably a bigger chasm culturally than any two places in the EU.
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
Trump now saying the Beruit bomb was an attack. He has no censor .
People say I should be more humble I hope they understand, they don't listen when you mumble
Get a shiny metal Revolut card! And a free tenner! https://revolut.com/referral/jamesb8!G10D21
Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To...View Post
Yeah, absolutely. Massive opportunity for Europe. The quality of life in Europe for the average person is just ridiculously higher than everywhere else in the world. Mainly because populations and politicians actually care about quality of life, probably due to being older civilisations. Could easily use that advantage to attract talent, and with talent comes companies.
No sign of that happening though. Europe has been the sick continent (in terms of economic growth) for decades now.
The fact that it started from a far higher capital base is the only thing keeping it afloat. Although of course that capital was built largely on pillaging all the other continents, which somewhat obviates your point about 'civilisation'.
I think we Europeans have a tendency to pat ourselves on the back and compliment ourselves on our difference to those awful Americans. Who have been eating our lunch for well over a century now.
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To...View Post
Wow you are missing the point rather impressively. Economic growth doesn't matter in the slightest if it doesn't translates into improved quality of life for the average person. The US growth has all gone to the top 10%. There's decent evidence that the average person in the US is now actually worse off than they were 30/40 years ago. US inequality makes the dodgiest Latin American country look enlightened in terms of inequality. Europe might be growing a lot slower but is ensuring that wealth is fairly shared. That's all that matters - quality of life, are people happy, are people protected, are people fulfilled. Economic growth is only a means of achieving those things. Stop looking at GDP!!
So what happens when Europe's negative/non-existent growth means we can no longer afford to pay for all the nice, fluffy, fulfilling things?
Or to put it another way: why would high achievers work hard in order to fork over more than half their income in taxes? They should go to Singapore, HK or the US.
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
So what happens when Europe's negative/non-existent growth means we can no longer afford to pay for all the nice, fluffy, fulfilling things?
Or to put it another way: why would high achievers work hard in order to fork over more than half their income in taxes? They should go to Singapore, HK or the US.
Wonder what Raoul means by “high achievers” in above post,
I bet he means privileged leeches in non socially beneficial jobs (ie financial services sector) who think that they’ve made it purely because of their own elbow grease. Let them fuck off to Singapore (zzzzz) or Hong Kong ( guess they haven’t been watching the news)
So what happens when Europe's negative/non-existent growth means we can no longer afford to pay for all the nice, fluffy, fulfilling things?
Or to put it another way: why would high achievers work hard in order to fork over more than half their income in taxes? They should go to Singapore, HK or the US.
Well I think we should encourage migration of young talent and integrate them properly for a start. Roll out the welcome mat and celebrate the diversity and educate the current population on the benefits. That’s the sort of thing which pays off irrespective of income taxes when people are successful.
A wider lens of measuring societal improvements beyond GDP is also needed but honestly I wouldn’t swap my earnings here (and tax rates) for double in NY or California right now.
I don’t know if I fit your high achiever tag or PSV58s leech tag but I doubt I’m alone.
‘IF YOU had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.” Genghis Khan
Or to put it another way: why would high achievers work hard in order to fork over more than half their income in taxes? They should go to Singapore, HK or the US.
Well I think we should encourage migration of young talent and integrate them properly for a start. Roll out the welcome mat and celebrate the diversity and educate the current population on the benefits. That’s the sort of thing which pays off irrespective of income taxes when people are successful.
A wider lens of measuring societal improvements beyond GDP is also needed but honestly I wouldn’t swap my earnings here (and tax rates) for double in NY or California right now.
I don’t know if I fit your high achiever tag or PSV58s leech tag but I doubt I’m alone.
The idea that people will move just for more $ when they already have comfortable lifestyles is overinflated, some will (same as people from poorer countries come here, more of them because they have worse lives than us), most won't due to ties to where they live, inertia, feeling fulfilled already, whatever. I would earn something like 3x-5x what I earn in the US, I still don't want to go there, maybe for a short time. It can be a grim place and it is getting worse currently. When I'm choosing somewhere to live maximizing money isn't going to be at the top. It would probably be better for us for people that are that motivated by personal gains to leave. :P
My gf lost her job due to covid, where would I rather her be living when that happened? And for anybody in our family or that we care about? I'd like to support that place.
Well I think we should encourage migration of young talent and integrate them properly for a start. Roll out the welcome mat and celebrate the diversity and educate the current population on the benefits. That’s the sort of thing which pays off irrespective of income taxes when people are successful.
A wider lens of measuring societal improvements beyond GDP is also needed but honestly I wouldn’t swap my earnings here (and tax rates) for double in NY or California right now.
I don’t know if I fit your high achiever tag or PSV58s leech tag but I doubt I’m alone.
You're a highly achieving leech.
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
The idea that people will move just for more $ when they already have comfortable lifestyles is overinflated, some will (same as people from poorer countries come here, more of them because they have worse lives than us), most won't due to ties to where they live, inertia, feeling fulfilled already, whatever. I would earn something like 3x-5x what I earn in the US, I still don't want to go there, maybe for a short time. It can be a grim place and it is getting worse currently. When I'm choosing somewhere to live maximizing money isn't going to be at the top. It would probably be better for us for people that are that motivated by personal gains to leave. :P
My gf lost her job due to covid, where would I rather her be living when that happened? And for anybody in our family or that we care about? I'd like to support that place.
You wouldn't work in the states for a year or two to knock 5-10 years off your working life?
Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To...View Post
Checked the newspapers to see the story on Lebanon. But, nope, for the third month running the top story (and a fair few substories) is about pubs. Ye guys seriously need an intervention. Like the whole country. I'd imagine even the mamma bear Russians would be concerned about how obsessed you are with alcohol.
It's fake news dude! Hardly anybody gives a monkeys as far as I know. Many are going to riot though, if the schools don't reopen!
You wouldn't work in the states for a year or two to knock 5-10 years off your working life?
Well it's a trade off in things you value. I'd sure like to not have to work as long but at the same time I love my life here currently (and like my job). Friends, relationship, social events, hobbies (climbing, dancing, football, running a boardgame group, running a vegan insta I recently started - growing and we have some business ideas for which means I could eventually branch into working in an area I care about) and it is easy, I'm really happy. Moving would give me more money, more uncertainty - rebuilding all of that, and in the short term would take a lot of study/work that I cba doing right now (also much longer hours and stress day to day). So really it is a personal thing, what your circumstances are, what your goals are. I won't have kids, I'll have a lot of free time to enjoy myself always. I also think that people scraping to max/min things to stop working earlier should be instead looking into how they can pivot to something they care about.
Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To...View Post
Can't imagine you are really doing that - knocking ten years off the working life? Like presumably the rent is sufficiently high and loads of other things higher that it's not simply a case of making bank and returning with millions.
It's the compound interest you'd make on the extra money you'd save/invest. You can retire very early there if you are smart about it. The added expenses don't really breach the sheer difference in compensation if you are young, healthy, childless etc.
Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To...View Post
Can't imagine you are really doing that - knocking ten years off the working life? Like presumably the rent is sufficiently high and loads of other things higher that it's not simply a case of making bank and returning with millions.
Wouldn't have to be millions. Tar said 3-5x, taxes are lower in the US, come back and have no mortgage/invest the money.
Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To...View Post
Checked the newspapers to see the story on Lebanon. But, nope, for the third month running the top story (and a fair few substories) is about pubs. Ye guys seriously need an intervention. Like the whole country. I'd imagine even the mamma bear Russians would be concerned about how obsessed you are with alcohol.
It is traditional for the Irish news cycle to dissolve into meaningless bullshit in August.
It's somehow comforting to see this tradition maintained, even in the face of a pandemic.
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To...View Post
Checked the newspapers to see the story on Lebanon. But, nope, for the third month running the top story (and a fair few substories) is about pubs. Ye guys seriously need an intervention. Like the whole country. I'd imagine even the mamma bear Russians would be concerned about how obsessed you are with alcohol.
The idea that people will move just for more $ when they already have comfortable lifestyles is overinflated, some will (same as people from poorer countries come here, more of them because they have worse lives than us), most won't due to ties to where they live, inertia, feeling fulfilled already, whatever. I would earn something like 3x-5x what I earn in the US, I still don't want to go there, maybe for a short time. It can be a grim place and it is getting worse currently. When I'm choosing somewhere to live maximizing money isn't going to be at the top. It would probably be better for us for people that are that motivated by personal gains to leave. :P
My gf lost her job due to covid, where would I rather her be living when that happened? And for anybody in our family or that we care about? I'd like to support that place.
If you were making 3-5x, assuming you mean 300-500% more and not 3-5% more then I’d say she’d prefer you were in the USA and she could be there not working and you’re both better off.
If you were making 3-5x, assuming you mean 300-500% more and not 3-5% more then I’d say she’d prefer you were in the USA and she could be there not working and you’re both better off.
Imagine meaning 3%-5% more, ha! She wouldn't be better off mentally that's for sure. Also could she even live in the country? I'd get sponsored by a company, not so sure about how it works for partners. What about if I want to move to London with her, I'll probably have some deal cos I'm Irish but she'll have to get a visa there too. Let's see how that pans out.
Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To...View Post
yeah. maybe I'm more doubting the general premise. Presumably a large amount of the higher payment is in deferred stock options that you need to spend a few years for them to vest. I'm guessing he's on maybe €80-120k in Dublin. They're not realistically paying a cold hard €500-600k in Silicon Valley no matter what. Maybe $200k base and $200k vested options. But thats not a situation where a years work gives you fuck off money. Base salary is maybe €170k then, and rent is probably +50%. You'd be lucky to walk home with an extra €50k in savings, not least as a few weekends in Las Vegas and Michelin Star vegan restaurants will eat a fair chunk.
Imagine meaning 3%-5% more, ha! She wouldn't be better off mentally that's for sure. Also could she even live in the country? I'd get sponsored by a company, not so sure about how it works for partners. What about if I want to move to London with her, I'll probably have some deal cos I'm Irish but she'll have to get a visa there too. Let's see how that pans out.
Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To...View Post
yeah. maybe I'm more doubting the general premise. Presumably a large amount of the higher payment is in deferred stock options that you need to spend a few years for them to vest. I'm guessing he's on maybe €80-120k in Dublin. They're not realistically paying a cold hard €500-600k in Silicon Valley no matter what. Maybe $200k base and $200k vested options. But thats not a situation where a years work gives you fuck off money. Base salary is maybe €170k then, and rent is probably +50%. You'd be lucky to walk home with an extra €50k in savings, not least as a few weekends in Las Vegas and Michelin Star vegan restaurants will eat a fair chunk.
Yeah I was just taking the premise at face value. Just seems like a weird calculation that a short-term change wasn't worth years of labour.
I heard that Van was very moved when he heard about this tribute, so moved in fact that he called up each of the participants so he could tell them to fuck off in person
Only a very tiny number of people in any business are going to be brought to the US to be paid 2x never mind 3 or 5x what they are earning here. Also if you are worth that much to them there you are doing something wrong not to be getting more than you need here.
Life is very very short and going to live in an inner circle of hell, having your childrens life chances destroyed by being brought up as Americans just so you can get ahead in the Trumpian way of playing life as a game where the lad who dies with the most money wins is about as stupid a s it gets IMO.
Well I think we should encourage migration of young talent and integrate them properly for a start. Roll out the welcome mat and celebrate the diversity and educate the current population on the benefits. That’s the sort of thing which pays off irrespective of income taxes when people are successful.
A wider lens of measuring societal improvements beyond GDP is also needed but honestly I wouldn’t swap my earnings here (and tax rates) for double in NY or California right now.
I don’t know if I fit your high achiever tag or PSV58s leech tag but I doubt I’m alone.
Have to admit swapping it for hk or Singapore and moving from a house with a garden to a massive city sounds even worse than California. Covid aside I wouldn’t be making that choice with my family but especially now.
Life is very very short and going to live in an inner circle of hell, having your childrens life chances destroyed by being brought up as Americans just so you can get ahead in the Trumpian way of playing life as a game where the lad who dies with the most money wins is about as stupid a s it gets IMO.
That's a good rant. 8.5/10 imo.
Back on form sp!
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
Have to admit swapping it for hk or Singapore and moving from a house with a garden to a massive city sounds even worse than California. Covid aside I wouldn’t be making that choice with my family but especially now.
I know quite a few people in Singapore who absolutely love it but it's a very artifical life - pure expat lifestyle, with added maid service. And of course the added antiseptic weirdness of Singapore itself.
'Asia for people who don't like Asia' was a real zinger of a description of it.
HK would be more craic.
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To...View Post
It's the apartments that kill you though. Know a highly successful trader based in HK and all his wealth gives him is a nicer district for his small box to live in 30 stories high. Was chatting to him with the baby in the background and imagining that Dublin tenements back in the day would have been calmer. Same in Paris. €300k and you get to send your kids to school in a nicer district but good luck getting more than 70 square metres apartment space. Unless you've inherited wealth these big cities are fairly woeful.
Substitute 'any megacity with limited room to sprawl' and you get the above; it's not like it's some sneaky thing you only discover after you get there.
He does get to eat dim sum whenever he wants though, the bastard. Good tradeoff imo.
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
South America: Uruguay and Chile
North America: Costa Rica and somewhere in the Deep South for the bbq and the accents
Europe: Somewhere in classical mitteleuropa like Prague or Budapest and Trieste
Asia: Sri Lanka (food, cricket) and South Korea
Africa: Botswana and Mozambique
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
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