I love that I can criticize the country and not be put in jail. Because, let's be frank, I criticize because I love.

"• We have rights
• We have privileges"

ok then, well explain to me what the NDAA and Patriot act is

and btw, im not a brit, im a canadian, eh, and yes, i disagree with alot of my countries socialist policies, and do think the US, if brought back to its same ideals can once again be the greatest country in the wordl

*original ideals
oops

If you have five dollars, the United States government has five dollars.

""• We have rights
• We have privileges"

ok then, well explain to me what the NDAA and Patriot act is"

The day is coming soon when we will no longer have those rights and privileges. It's not just the obvious stuff like NDAA and the PATRIOT Act. All parts of the federal government are unconstitutionally intruding into our lives.

@Gun:

"A semi-functioning democratic socialist society appears to work better than a non-functioning capitalist republic. I'll give you that. But remember that the free market is the most powerful economic force known to man."

Yes it is… was… last time people really took the time to check. I'm only 16, so I don't know the 'long-term' extent of the economy personally, but I can say for certain that economic strategies change. Hell, mercantilism worked even for a little while. Point being that everything dies at some point.

To your environment line … it's a national problem. It can't be judged by what you are feeling when you walk outside. There is a difference between my home in a suburb than when I walk into the city, and there sure as hell is a difference between my home, the air in Israel, and the air in the Yukon. Nonetheless, I couldn't tell you which is genuinely cleaner. The environment is something I'm passionate about, mostly in regard to habitat destruction, but climate change/global warming is more scientific than anything. Doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

Pretty much agree with everything else you say, though immigration is touchy and I don't feel like messing with that ^_^

I'd like to point out one thing… you mentioned poor parenting leading to poor education, and to that I say amen brother… I teach - "teach" - first graders on Sundays and it has always struck me how uninvolved in a child's education the parent expects to be. Teachers are paid like shit and their parents think they hired a babysitter. When the student fails, the parents complain. If I do become a full-time teacher, my first response will always be along the lines of, "Don't worry, I'm sure you were just as stupid at their age." Then I'd hang up. Parents nowadays disgust me in more ways than that, but that's one of them.

" i disagree with alot of my countries socialist policies"

Ah ha ha ha ha ha.
I wish Canada had socialist policies.

Instead what we have is crony capitalism with a social safety net.

Free market trading is a fabulous theory but where do you really see an untainted non-manipulated market place, I'm sure there are some examples but not many.
Which is the country that has stuck most close to the principles of Free Trade over the years?

1. "Obesity is more fucking common than thin."

2. "Peanut butter & jelly, waffles and whatever, mom's apple pie, Mrs Fields cookies, McDonalds, Burger King, Starbucks, KFC…" throw on REAL cheeseburgers, pizza, American Mexican food, American Chinese food, American Japanese food, American Thai food, American Cajun food, American French food --- all of the BEST FUCKING FOOD EVER."

Can anyone tell me the relationship between 1 and 2?

Also, @bo_sox, Americans did *not* invent the apple, you're mistaken.

Finally also, @benguy "American Cheese"

American cheese? American cheese, anywhere outside of a cheeseburger, is utter crap. It's offensive that people even call it "cheese".

+1 Jamiet

American cheese is disgusting. Even on hamburgers it sucks ass.

Well, what you buy at the store isn't actually cheese. It is "cheese product" which is to say it isn't made like real cheese. You can get real American Cheese at a deli which tastes more like a real cheese, although still best used on burgers.

I need to read this whoel thread if someone thinks *anyone* "invented" the apple. That would be like saying someone "invented" grass.

Real cheese = Alsace and Brittany

And Jamie, I believe the apple was invented by a tree long before humans cared about who invented what. The Apple corporation - i.e Steve Jobs - happened in the USA.

Ah, I see the play on words jamie did there now... Funny, jamie.

And I guess Jamie didn't read my post… it was a contrasting post to cover both sides. That's where I am… some parts of the USA suck but some are awesome. Obesity sucks, but the food is great. You just can't eat three 1 1/2 pound burgers every Wednesday like this one guy does at the place I work and expect to stay thin, and there's a reason that he's uhh… not thin.

I did read your post, and I quite enjoyed it.

Did you enjoy it as much as the one top at table 5, as we call Mr. Wednesday, enjoys his three burgers?

I LOVE FOOTBALL AND WALMART!

There are plenty of criticisms to make about America, but since this is a thread for positive things....

Freedom of religion.
Freedom of speech.
Our written, enforceable constitution.
Our court system.
Economic freedom / free market economy.
General personal freedom.
Strong criminal defense protections.
Amazing military.
We barely care at all what the rest of the world thinks of us and of what we do.
Our religiosity (it's less than people think, but still far more than most western countries).
Our cars (and roads).
Creedence Clearwater Revival.
Our guns (and the right to have them).
Our accents.
Americans' generosity.
Basketball (it was invented here, albeit by a Canadian).
Baseball.
Texas.
Dr. Pepper, Coke, McDonalds.
Cheap and good steaks.
The hamburger!
Fried chicken.
The rest of our food.
Our holidays.
Our families.
Our inventiveness.
Our beautiful land.
The feeling of opportunity.

And that is enough for now. Hopefully it goes without saying that no disrespect is intended to other countries, a great many of which are also incredible, and all of which have something to be proud of. But America's an amazing place, and I feel very blessed to live here.

Is it true that the blood type of a large % of market traders on Wall St is B+

@ bo_sox48

"To your environment line … it's a national problem."

You're from New England, correct? I won't dispute the fact that the environment sucks where you are. But to say that the environment is a national problem is a little far-fetched. The environment is great anywhere outside of the cities. As long as man is burning fossil fuels, the environment will suck in urban settings. In any case, the government has no money to deal with the problem. Personally, hydrogen fuel cell technology is exciting to me. Plug-in electric cars are a joke. And let's not forget that the environment and energy problems will be forever solved as soon as someone figures out how to sustain and control a fusion reaction.

"Pretty much agree with everything else you say, though immigration is touchy and I don't feel like messing with that ^_^"

Fair enough. I'll stay away from it on this thread unless someone else wants to talk about it.

@ NigeeBaby

"Free market trading is a fabulous theory but where do you really see an untainted non-manipulated market place, I'm sure there are some examples but not many."

What's happening in America right now is the direct result of crony capitalism and government interference in the market. As for an example, I would cite 19th and early 20th century America. Not entirely free, but as close as reasonably possible and it created the biggest economic and imperial powerhouse in absolute terms in world history.

@ Jamiet99uk

There was a time, long ago, when people ate that food and didn't get fat, back before we had a consumer-based economy, suburbs, and a sedentary lifestyle. I could go to McDonald's every day for the rest of the year and not gain a pound, because I work off what I eat. That's what I was referring to when I cited the "wussification of America" as a problem. No one is motivated to get off their fat asses anymore and either work out or get a job that entails standing and moving.

Anyone who thinks Americans are assholes has never been outside of the cities. Try visiting the rural Midwest or Southeast. Best hospitality known to mankind.

I'm from Indiana… name doesn't mean shit. And yes, the rural AIR QUALITY is fine, but the environment suffers like it does anywhere else. Air quality =/= environment. That's the whole point of what I said.

And yes, HFC technology - any biochemical fuel cell technology - is really exciting.

The government has plenty of money to put into important things like sustaining the wildlife in the west and restoring it in the east if they'd stop fighting wars that don't matter and cut costs of basic things that can be sustained locally.

GunF - that would be crazy to assume all Americans are assholes, do you actually know anybody who thinks that?
If not then why did you mention it.....

I like NW ohio and michigan woods. Especially the black swamp and oak openings areas. I found this really cool flower in OO once and come to find out I found the one single patch it grows wild on the whole earth, its called a gay lily. I like when the may apples fruit so I can go hunt for turtles. I like how I'm on a major bird migration route. I like how where I live has some of the most fertile soil in the world, right next to the biggest source of fresh water in the world, and right across the invisible line to the north is the largest pop of deer in the world. I like seeing wild sunflowers.
I cant really extoll american freedoms and liberty because I really dont think we have that here. Sure its worse other places but thats immaterial. I cant think of many good things about america except the woods/wildlife and national park system that protects old growth forests (kinda at least)

that empire shall fall horribly :))))

@ bo_sox48

Than what are you basing your claim on? Water quality? Erosion? Wildlife health/numbers?

"The government has plenty of money to put into important things like sustaining the wildlife in the west and restoring it in the east if they'd stop fighting wars that don't matter and cut costs of basic things that can be sustained locally."

Or cut entitlements. The wars have been relatively cheap compared to the rest of government spending. Why do you people always insist on going after the wars? You could pull out of Afghanistan tonight, disband the military tomorrow, and we'd still be up to our eyeballs in entitlement debt.

@ NigeeBaby

"GunF - that would be crazy to assume all Americans are assholes, do you actually know anybody who thinks that?"

The use of the word "all" was admittedly a generalization on my part, but I hate how many people from other parts of the world openly criticize the United States and its people when in reality, it's actually a damned good country and damned good people. This sarcastic thread that *you* posted being a case in point.