Ways to improve the US by becoming more like the rest of the world (1 Viewer)

[BobbyLayne]

Saw a topless woman in Bryant Park during lunch, sunning herself with her (presumably) bf sitting next to her. I spent 20 minutes staring at stock quotes on my phone.

BL >> iPhone >>>>>>>>>>> lawn

It was the best lunch I've had all year. More boobs would definitely take this country up a notch.

 

[Scoresman]

Less conservative parents who overprotect their children from things like nudity and alcohol.

 

[Fennis]

Anyone mention allowing boobs on television?

Seriously, we are way too uptight.

Get HBO, you pervert

We need boobs on basic cable.

How does law and order (the rapey one) pass muster with society but Janet Jackson's nipple doesn't? That is as bass ackwards as something can get.

If you want boobs, you can find boobs.

But the reason is simple economics. You start allowing nudity on basic cable and programming goes down because parents don't want their young boys seeing boobs and wives don't want their husbands seeing other women's boobs. Hearing talk of sex crimes, while awful, doesn't make men and boys all lusty (hopefully).

Uhhhhhh...this is exactly the type of uptight sexual repression rampant in this country that I was talking about. Rapey talk is okay but sacks of fat on a woman's chest are anathema. Murder porn on 20/20 or Dateline or the rapey Law & Order is perfectly okay but big 'ol floppy boobs sends 'em heading for their fallout shelters.

Bass ackwards.

I agree Law & Order SVU is awful TV, but I disagree that that is a reason to allow nudity.

My main point being that those who long for nudity, can find it with ease, so why the need to have it on basic cable programming?

It's not longing for nudity, there is nudity accessible to anyone at any time. The point is to demystify it. I will never understand why the human body is such a taboo for so many Americans. I wonder if these people wear bathing suits in the shower, robes to change clothes or change into their pajamas only when they're under the sheets.

We're a country of uptight prudes and our outlets are increasing violence. It's a terrible paradox.

They're boobs, everyone has them and we need to get over it.

I'll understand more than you'll... never know

 

[Ilov80s]

Less conservative parents who overprotect their children from things like nudity and alcohol.

I think the very liberal parents are equally an issue. Most parents today dote too much on their kids, are overprotective and overindulge their kids.

 

[Chaka]

Really? Are we trying to paint this with a political brush? Who ####### cares? We just need to get over this prudishness already. I sincerely think it is causing us real harm. I mean we are way too enthusiastic about violence but heaven forbid your six year old see a part of the human anatomy that they actually possess. What the hell is up with that? It's the wrong message.

 

[Chaka]

And we should demystify alcohol while we're at it and lower the drinking age too.

Buncha uptight hyper aggressive prudes we are.

 

[bigbottom]

Really? Are we trying to paint this with a political brush? Who ####### cares?

I don't think the terms conservative and liberal were being used in the political sense.

 

[Rick James]

Speaking of #### on TV...in Italy they're all over basic cable. late night phone sex advertisements with women fooling around with their funbags. it's fantastic.

 

[Scoresman]

Really? Are we trying to paint this with a political brush? Who ####### cares?

I don't think the terms conservative and liberal were being used in the political sense.

Right, my comment was not meant to be political.

 

[CBusAlex]

We need fewer whig parents and more bull moose parents.

 

[Cunk]

No tipping restaurant servers.

No tipping period. Do your ####### job.

Your unintended consequence would be higher prices.

Up around 10-20 percent would leave it the same price out the door.

I'm not sure how much the price raise would be, but your bill would ALWAYS be that price. With tipping you have the option of how much to tip based on how good the service was.

Service would suck since servers would have much less immediate incentive to work hard. It would be like the restaurants in China where there is no tipping... you have to flag down a waiter EVERY time you want something because there's no incentive for them to come and ask if you need anything.

It's kind of the same thing here in Argentina where most tip from 0-10% so there isn't a huge incentive to make sure your beer glass is full.

 

[Fennis]

****Official Lincoln Chaffee FFA HQ**** thread

Long-shot Democratic presidential hopeful Lincoln Chafee wants to put the country on the metric system.

"There are only two other countries that aren't metric, Myanmar and Liberia. And so it's time for America not only economically but symbolically to join the rest of the world," Chafee, a former governor and U.S. senator from Rhode Island, said.

"I know that many in the scientific community, the health care community, that have to deal internationally, the business community, are saying this is way overdue," Chafee added. "Ronald Reagan talked about it. Others have talked about it."

If he wants to rename "soccer", I will start knocking on doors for Chafee.

well, it was a run

 

[FreeBaGeL]

Metric system and more of a focus on quality of life seem like the big ones.

Also, aren't European countries typically a lot less politically divided? A republican and democratic candidate represent completely opposite stances on the majority of issues almost like they represent two completely different countries. In European countries aren't most people generally in agreement on most things and it's only little things that divide the candidates? I could be totally off base on that.

 

[jonessed]

Metric system and more of a focus on quality of life seem like the big ones.

Also, aren't European countries typically a lot less politically divided? A republican and democratic candidate represent completely opposite stances on the majority of issues almost like they represent two completely different countries. In European countries aren't most people generally in agreement on most things and it's only little things that divide the candidates? I could be totally off base on that.

No.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

Metric system and more of a focus on quality of life seem like the big ones.

Also, aren't European countries typically a lot less politically divided? A republican and democratic candidate represent completely opposite stances on the majority of issues almost like they represent two completely different countries. In European countries aren't most people generally in agreement on most things and it's only little things that divide the candidates? I could be totally off base on that.

You are. It varies from country to country (not every nation in Europe is exactly the same), but political parties on the continent run from racist, nationalist parties like the National Front all the way to the Greens and openly communist-inspired parties. Republicans and Democrats are virtually identical by comparison.

 

[El Floppo]

Metric system and more of a focus on quality of life seem like the big ones.

Also, aren't European countries typically a lot less politically divided? A republican and democratic candidate represent completely opposite stances on the majority of issues almost like they represent two completely different countries. In European countries aren't most people generally in agreement on most things and it's only little things that divide the candidates? I could be totally off base on that.

No.

 

[roadkill1292]

Metric system and more of a focus on quality of life seem like the big ones.

Also, aren't European countries typically a lot less politically divided? A republican and democratic candidate represent completely opposite stances on the majority of issues almost like they represent two completely different countries. In European countries aren't most people generally in agreement on most things and it's only little things that divide the candidates? I could be totally off base on that.

You are. It varies from country to country (not every nation in Europe is exactly the same), but political parties on the continent run from racist, nationalist parties like the National Front all the way to the Greens and openly communist-inspired parties. Republicans and Democrats are virtually identical by comparison.

On the other hand, the party or coalition in control is actually held responsible for the nation's governance. Most western European citizens have come to expect that their government manage the nation's affairs in an effective and efficient manner. There is no one else to point to if things go badly.

 

[El Floppo]

Metric system and more of a focus on quality of life seem like the big ones.

Also, aren't European countries typically a lot less politically divided? A republican and democratic candidate represent completely opposite stances on the majority of issues almost like they represent two completely different countries. In European countries aren't most people generally in agreement on most things and it's only little things that divide the candidates? I could be totally off base on that.

You are. It varies from country to country (not every nation in Europe is exactly the same), but political parties on the continent run from racist, nationalist parties like the National Front all the way to the Greens and openly communist-inspired parties. Republicans and Democrats are virtually identical by comparison.

On the other hand, the party or coalition in control is actually held responsible for the nation's governance. Most western European citizens have come to expect that their government manage the nation's affairs in an effective and efficient manner. There is no one else to point to if things go badly.

there's always the muricans.

 

[jonessed]

Metric system and more of a focus on quality of life seem like the big ones.

Also, aren't European countries typically a lot less politically divided? A republican and democratic candidate represent completely opposite stances on the majority of issues almost like they represent two completely different countries. In European countries aren't most people generally in agreement on most things and it's only little things that divide the candidates? I could be totally off base on that.

You are. It varies from country to country (not every nation in Europe is exactly the same), but political parties on the continent run from racist, nationalist parties like the National Front all the way to the Greens and openly communist-inspired parties. Republicans and Democrats are virtually identical by comparison.

On the other hand, the party or coalition in control is actually held responsible for the nation's governance. Most western European citizens have come to expect that their government manage the nation's affairs in an effective and efficient manner. There is no one else to point to if things go badly.

Any country with fair, democratic elections hold their government accountable via that process. What kind of differentiation are you trying to make here?

 

[Christo]

Metric system and more of a focus on quality of life seem like the big ones.

Also, aren't European countries typically a lot less politically divided? A republican and democratic candidate represent completely opposite stances on the majority of issues almost like they represent two completely different countries. In European countries aren't most people generally in agreement on most things and it's only little things that divide the candidates? I could be totally off base on that.

Yes, you are.

 

[The Future Champs]

Has anyone mentioned "siestas"? Page 3 babes?

 

[roadkill1292]

Metric system and more of a focus on quality of life seem like the big ones.

Also, aren't European countries typically a lot less politically divided? A republican and democratic candidate represent completely opposite stances on the majority of issues almost like they represent two completely different countries. In European countries aren't most people generally in agreement on most things and it's only little things that divide the candidates? I could be totally off base on that.

You are. It varies from country to country (not every nation in Europe is exactly the same), but political parties on the continent run from racist, nationalist parties like the National Front all the way to the Greens and openly communist-inspired parties. Republicans and Democrats are virtually identical by comparison.

On the other hand, the party or coalition in control is actually held responsible for the nation's governance. Most western European citizens have come to expect that their government manage the nation's affairs in an effective and efficient manner. There is no one else to point to if things go badly.

Any country with fair, democratic elections hold their government accountable via that process. What kind of differentiation are you trying to make here?

Bolded it for you. The distinction is pretty important.

 

[jonessed]

Metric system and more of a focus on quality of life seem like the big ones.

Also, aren't European countries typically a lot less politically divided? A republican and democratic candidate represent completely opposite stances on the majority of issues almost like they represent two completely different countries. In European countries aren't most people generally in agreement on most things and it's only little things that divide the candidates? I could be totally off base on that.

You are. It varies from country to country (not every nation in Europe is exactly the same), but political parties on the continent run from racist, nationalist parties like the National Front all the way to the Greens and openly communist-inspired parties. Republicans and Democrats are virtually identical by comparison.

On the other hand, the party or coalition in control is actually held responsible for the nation's governance. Most western European citizens have come to expect that their government manage the nation's affairs in an effective and efficient manner. There is no one else to point to if things go badly.

Any country with fair, democratic elections hold their government accountable via that process. What kind of differentiation are you trying to make here?

Bolded it for you. The distinction is pretty important.

How are our politicians not held responsible?

 

[roadkill1292]

Metric system and more of a focus on quality of life seem like the big ones.

Also, aren't European countries typically a lot less politically divided? A republican and democratic candidate represent completely opposite stances on the majority of issues almost like they represent two completely different countries. In European countries aren't most people generally in agreement on most things and it's only little things that divide the candidates? I could be totally off base on that.

You are. It varies from country to country (not every nation in Europe is exactly the same), but political parties on the continent run from racist, nationalist parties like the National Front all the way to the Greens and openly communist-inspired parties. Republicans and Democrats are virtually identical by comparison.

On the other hand, the party or coalition in control is actually held responsible for the nation's governance. Most western European citizens have come to expect that their government manage the nation's affairs in an effective and efficient manner. There is no one else to point to if things go badly.

Any country with fair, democratic elections hold their government accountable via that process. What kind of differentiation are you trying to make here?

Bolded it for you. The distinction is pretty important.

How are our politicians not held responsible?

It's too easy for either party to duck responsibility in our system. But for the next couple of years, the Liberals, for example, will be held absolutely accountable for Canada's state of affairs in a way that Democrats and Republicans here are never subjected. Even if one of our parties holds a legislative majority, there is no specific party plank that all members agree to adhere to. Anybody can run and win and bring his/her own special interests along with them.

 

[urbanhack]

they are held responsible by continuing to get re-elected?

 

[Sand]

Metric system

Lincoln Chafee seems to be pretty available these days.