Rain

sharke
Rain, I feel much the same about this country now, it's not perfect but aside from its problems it does embody the free-wheeling principles of individual freedom and self-responsibility that have always bubbled away inside of me. I don't feel any allegiance at all to the UK, as much as I love it's natural beauty and certain aspects of the British character (like the humor).

When I first got here I lived on Nantucket for a year and was immediately impressed by how many people had built their own house, and took their own trash to the dump etc. Little things like that, lol....

My wife actually ended up feeling bitter as she realized just how much she'd been held back. If you try and stand out in Quebec, you only get a slap on the wrist and a collective "Who does she think she is?"
 
As a singer and a performer, she was quickly labeled "too intense" for the masses, despite being recognized because of a couple of platinum musicals. She didn't fit with the herd mentality - she's way too strong and proud. Quebecers like cute, humble, victims types.
 
Metal fans loved her. And gays - because they have a taste for all things extravagant, they adored her as the next big diva. Actually, there's one guy that does an impersonation/lip synch number... That's kinda weird, you know. lol
 
When we were building the case for the green card, we realized that if you could do such a thing as translate her accomplishments to US equivalents, we'd probably be hanging around at Bon Jovi's place or having tea with the Osbournes.
 
But hatred for ambition and that obsession for french back home just limited her options so much. You can't just say "I"ll take my chance on Broadway" back home. Thinking big is the ultimate sin.
 
 

The same is true about the UK to some extent. The negativity gets you down. I wonder if the weather has something to do with it, lol. There's often a strong element of animosity toward success in Britain. Exactly the same as you describe in Quebec. Who does he think he is. I remember years ago wearing shades on a sunny winter day in Newcastle, because, well, it was bright....and the looks I got walking through the city center. Someone actually called me a "tosser." Things have probably changed a little since then but not that much. I still have some great friends back in the UK but it's sad to see some have condemned themselves to a life of drinking, watching TV and moaning about life on Facebook. And I've had my share of animosity because of where I am now and what I'm doing. I have a couple of friends who tell me about things people have said behind my back when the subject of me came up in conversation. First of all I'm willingly living in the Great Satan, America. There is this huge well of hatred against the US in Europe. And most of them get their whole view of America from things they've seen on TV and read on right-on blogs. Anything but actually live here and experience for themselves. If I try to set them straight on certain issues they just accuse me of having been "brainwashed by Faux News." I'm no fan of Fox News, but they say that without having seen it for themselves - it's just become a slogan by which anyone in Europe takes a swipe at Americans. 
 
Not too long ago I said something on Facebook which someone I'd been friends with for 20 years without a cross word disagreed with, and he launched into this tirade of abuse about how I should never come home because nobody wanted me here and how I should just stay in the US with my "fortune" (I'm not rich at all, just mildly comfortable, but to a 40 year old who by choice has never worked in his life like this guy, I'm a millionaire apparently). And if you do have success here, there are some who refuse to believe that it's through your own hard work. Apparently you've just exploited the fact that America has raped the rest of the world and are sharing in its ill-gotten wealth. Meanwhile they sit at home "on the sick" with some vaguely identified and impossible to diagnose "condition" (usually some variant of "my head isn't in the right place") which has meant they've never worked since they left school, and they're adamant that their financial situation is the result of the "system" being against them 
 
There's a British psychiatrist who writes under the name of Theodore Dalrymple and he wrote a great book called "Life At The Bottom" which explains in great detail (often very humorously but tragically at the same time) how the great British spirit has been destroyed by the welfare system and replaced with a culture of complaining and whining. Each chapter was published on the City Journal website and I found this page which helpfully links to them in the order they are in the book. Have a read if you get time. I recognize so much about attitudes in my home country here, and found myself laughing out loud even though it's sad at the same time. You might recognize some of your own home country in here too: https://winteryknight.wor...tom-online-for-free-2/

Maybe if people could take a time machine trip to the days when people lived in fear of polio or smallpox they might get a more balanced perspective.  I understand how emotion causes things to weigh differently.  In politics and similar opinion driven subjects it "makes sense" to be unable to see things objectively, but when it comes to matters of science there is a lot more hardcore data to reel in our emotions. I feel bad for his nephew too, but feeling bad does not change facts. Having access to so much data via the internet means it is rather easy to find correlation between almost anything if one is determined to and even easier to post links to bizarre exceptions.  I'm sure if i searched long enough i could find a case of Flinstone vitamins killing someone :
 
actually took 5 seconds http://empirenews.net/man-dies-after-overdosing-on-flintstone-vitamins/
 
It is very healthy to question the things we put in out bodies and to continually revisit what we think we know.  What is not healthy is to go on witch hunts based on nonsense.

sharke
 
 
The same is true about the UK to some extent. The negativity gets you down. I wonder if the weather has something to do with it, lol. There's often a strong element of animosity toward success in Britain. Exactly the same as you describe in Quebec. Who does he think he is. I remember years ago wearing shades on a sunny winter day in Newcastle, because, well, it was bright....and the looks I got walking through the city center. Someone actually called me a "tosser." Things have probably changed a little since then but not that much. I still have some great friends back in the UK but it's sad to see some have condemned themselves to a life of drinking, watching TV and moaning about life on Facebook. And I've had my share of animosity because of where I am now and what I'm doing. I have a couple of friends who tell me about things people have said behind my back when the subject of me came up in conversation. First of all I'm willingly living in the Great Satan, America. There is this huge well of hatred against the US in Europe. And most of them get their whole view of America from things they've seen on TV and read on right-on blogs. Anything but actually live here and experience for themselves. If I try to set them straight on certain issues they just accuse me of having been "brainwashed by Faux News." I'm no fan of Fox News, but they say that without having seen it for themselves - it's just become a slogan by which anyone in Europe takes a swipe at Americans. 
 
Not too long ago I said something on Facebook which someone I'd been friends with for 20 years without a cross word disagreed with, and he launched into this tirade of abuse about how I should never come home because nobody wanted me here and how I should just stay in the US with my "fortune" (I'm not rich at all, just mildly comfortable, but to a 40 year old who by choice has never worked in his life like this guy, I'm a millionaire apparently). And if you do have success here, there are some who refuse to believe that it's through your own hard work. Apparently you've just exploited the fact that America has raped the rest of the world and are sharing in its ill-gotten wealth. Meanwhile they sit at home "on the sick" with some vaguely identified and impossible to diagnose "condition" (usually some variant of "my head isn't in the right place") which has meant they've never worked since they left school, and they're adamant that their financial situation is the result of the "system" being against them 
 
There's a British psychiatrist who writes under the name of Theodore Dalrymple and he wrote a great book called "Life At The Bottom" which explains in great detail (often very humorously but tragically at the same time) how the great British spirit has been destroyed by the welfare system and replaced with a culture of complaining and whining. Each chapter was published on the City Journal website and I found this page which helpfully links to them in the order they are in the book. Have a read if you get time. I recognize so much about attitudes in my home country here, and found myself laughing out loud even though it's sad at the same time. You might recognize some of your own home country in here too: https://winteryknight.wor...tom-online-for-free-2/

That's it! Who would have thought that Quebecers, who are raised to see Brits as the hostile, merciless imperialistic invaders, actually had so much in common with them... lol My wife and I will love this book I'm sure.
 

Sharke,
 
Due to privacy reasons: I will not provide medical reports to support my claims here on these forums.
 
I have already made it very clear to you that I'm very upset --- considering what I have witnessed firsthand the dangers of vaccinations, the death of a child, but yet again you offended me. Can you at least quit quoting and replying to me on these forums. I'm done this this topic.
 

Sharke, now you see why it is pointless to attempt a rational discussion on this type of issue
 
 
I think it's been very polite for the most part.
 
Anyway, who really knows what is going on? I sure don't.

There are scientists and medical professionals saying vaccines and GMOs are harmful and other professionals say just the opposite; and some of these experts have corporate sponsors. What is a lay person supposed to do?

You make the best choice for your particular circumstance and hope for the best.

My major gripe with the U.S. medical system is the health insurance companies. I don't mind a doctor turning a profit or a hospital for that matter; but health insurers are making enormous profits and always trying to increase them.

One way to do that is increase health premiums and/or provide less services and payouts for those premiums.

I have no idea if socialized medicine would be a good fit for the majority in the U.S. I just wonder why we're the only industrialized country that does not have it. If our system is so great you would think a few other countries would pattern us.

I assume every country is doing their best to keep medical costs to a minimum and every patient will pay the price for that.

Hi - all. Let's let this one go.
 
Thanks, 
 
Bob Bone