France is rated the top place to live in the world

DallasBlack wrote:

To be fair to the Frenchies there are the world's fair shair of arrogant rude jurks here in the U.S. As a matter of a fact people in general seem to be getting more selfish and rude as the years go on. There seems to be no respect for others and courtesy seems to becoming very rare these days. Or maybe I'm just turning into an old grump, who knows.

Oh, I am also part French.

I agree. People in general really seem to be getting worse and worse.

It's sad really.

Since this is turning into a genealogy/where-I'd-like-to-visit-thread, I'll throw my two-cents into the mix. My ancestry is Swiss, and I would like to visit for family historical reasons. I would also like to visit Germany and Austria because of the music history (I am a music educator, after all!) My ultimate European adventure though would be to visit the British Isles and tour historical castles, monasteries, and churches.

i never understood why Americans want to visit the UK for its castles and stuff. (assuming quoththeraven is american here).

i guess its cos youre nation aint old enought to have that sort of stuff

TheGooch wrote:

i never understood why Americans want to visit the UK for its castles and stuff. (assuming quoththeraven is american here).

i guess its cos youre nation aint old enought to have that sort of stuff

We have them but they're just re-creations. The ones in europe are ancient and historical. It's just like all the tourists from all over the world going to Yosemite national park here in California.

Quote :

i never understood why Americans want to visit the UK for its castles and stuff.

Please don't tell me you don't enjoy what you have right there in front of you every day. Don't take your country for granted.

oh no certainly not. i have been to plenty of those sorts of places and always been interesting

just i guess id never think of it as an attraction.

TheGooch wrote:

i never understood why Americans want to visit the UK for its castles and stuff. (assuming quoththeraven is american here).

i guess its cos youre nation aint old enought to have that sort of stuff

That's part of it. I also have always enjoyed the history, literature, and reading about the culture of Merrie Olde England! I know a lot of that has been romanticized over the centuries, but I genuinely would like to visit.

Metallic Blaze wrote:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/02/11/france.quality.life/index.html?hpt=C2


Just read this on CNN.com. I thought it was interesting.


According to International Living Magazine, France was voted the best place to live in the world - for the 5th straight year in a row.

Here are the top 10 places to live:

1. France

2. Australia
3. Switzerland
4. Germany
5. New Zealand
6. Luxembourg
7. USA
8. Belgium
9. Canada
10. Italy


They rated these based on many different criteria.

Australia should of been number one and Germany number two but I would say that since I am half German and also not only does Germany have an interesting music history when it comes to the classical music period but they have the 2nd best metal scene after England in Europe but they have

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

I will offer up one defense of the French, that being that I believe they are actually very nice, they simply have a different viewpoint of how to approach somebody than a lot of the West. For example, we would look over at a stranger and suddenly ask directions.... while to us it's very normal, you have to realize that in some ways we also need to see that too much of it can cross over into just kind of looking rude, and we need to be careful of doing that too much...i.e. I don't care about you, now I will demand information from you...and that's how they see it. If you try to make some friendly small talk first and basically talk to them rather than at them, they will warm up better. I think more of that attitude would do a disconnected Internet society like ours some good.

that being said:

DallasBlack wrote:

To paraphrase Blackadder:

I hardly think that a country of people who eat snails and would go to bed with the lamp shade if it but on a tutu is the best place in the world to live.

One thing I credit France for is the government is scared of its people. If the people don't get what they want from the government they riot in the street and generally possess a "Take no prisoners"attitude towards the government. It's a pity people in America and Australia werent like that when retard George W Bush and John Howard were in power

fingers wrote:

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

I will offer up one defense of the French, that being that I believe they are actually very nice, they simply have a different viewpoint of how to approach somebody than a lot of the West. For example, we would look over at a stranger and suddenly ask directions.... while to us it's very normal, you have to realize that in some ways we also need to see that too much of it can cross over into just kind of looking rude, and we need to be careful of doing that too much...i.e. I don't care about you, now I will demand information from you...and that's how they see it. If you try to make some friendly small talk first and basically talk to them rather than at them, they will warm up better. I think more of that attitude would do a disconnected Internet society like ours some good.

that being said:

DallasBlack wrote:

To paraphrase Blackadder:

I hardly think that a country of people who eat snails and would go to bed with the lamp shade if it but on a tutu is the best place in the world to live.

One thing I credit France for is the government is scared of its people. If the people don't get what they want from the government they riot in the street and generally possess a "Take no prisoners"attitude towards the government. It's a pity people in America and Australia werent like that when retard George W Bush and John Howard were in power

Or the current dumbasses in office now.

i never thought obama would do any better than any other president. you can say what you like pre election but then you get tied by the nature of the presidency

DallasBlack wrote:

fingers wrote:

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

I will offer up one defense of the French, that being that I believe they are actually very nice, they simply have a different viewpoint of how to approach somebody than a lot of the West. For example, we would look over at a stranger and suddenly ask directions.... while to us it's very normal, you have to realize that in some ways we also need to see that too much of it can cross over into just kind of looking rude, and we need to be careful of doing that too much...i.e. I don't care about you, now I will demand information from you...and that's how they see it. If you try to make some friendly small talk first and basically talk to them rather than at them, they will warm up better. I think more of that attitude would do a disconnected Internet society like ours some good.

that being said:

DallasBlack wrote:

To paraphrase Blackadder:

I hardly think that a country of people who eat snails and would go to bed with the lamp shade if it but on a tutu is the best place in the world to live.

One thing I credit France for is the government is scared of its people. If the people don't get what they want from the government they riot in the street and generally possess a "Take no prisoners"attitude towards the government. It's a pity people in America and Australia werent like that when retard George W Bush and John Howard were in power

Or the current dumbasses in office now.

The current Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in Australia isn't a dumbass or awful but he is however the most bland, beige, insipid Prime Minister Australia has ever had

fingers wrote:

DallasBlack wrote:

fingers wrote:

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

I will offer up one defense of the French, that being that I believe they are actually very nice, they simply have a different viewpoint of how to approach somebody than a lot of the West. For example, we would look over at a stranger and suddenly ask directions.... while to us it's very normal, you have to realize that in some ways we also need to see that too much of it can cross over into just kind of looking rude, and we need to be careful of doing that too much...i.e. I don't care about you, now I will demand information from you...and that's how they see it. If you try to make some friendly small talk first and basically talk to them rather than at them, they will warm up better. I think more of that attitude would do a disconnected Internet society like ours some good.

that being said:

DallasBlack wrote:

To paraphrase Blackadder:

I hardly think that a country of people who eat snails and would go to bed with the lamp shade if it but on a tutu is the best place in the world to live.

One thing I credit France for is the government is scared of its people. If the people don't get what they want from the government they riot in the street and generally possess a "Take no prisoners"attitude towards the government. It's a pity people in America and Australia werent like that when retard George W Bush and John Howard were in power

Or the current dumbasses in office now.

The current Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in Australia isn't a dumbass or awful but he is however the most bland, beige, insipid Prime Minister Australia has ever had

I was refering to the two leaders here in America, Dumbo (Obama) and Ms. Botox (Nacy Palosi).

I voted for Obama. He's doing the best he can with what was handed to him.

Don't blame him for what he inherited.

I didn't vote for the man but I keep thinking it's ridiculous how a lot of people are flipping out after 1 year when they voted for 8 years of the prior administration. And not a lot horrible of note has even gone on in the last year. Gah.

Not to derail thread further, just had to put it out there. Doesn't really have to do with the posts.

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

I didn't vote for the man but I keep thinking it's ridiculous how a lot of people are flipping out after 1 year when they voted for 8 years of the prior administration. And not a lot horrible of note has even gone on in the last year. Gah.

Exactly. Good post.

Politicans are not to be trusted on any level..... they are what ruin this country just my opinon take it or leave it........

Addy wrote:

Politicans are not to be trusted on any level..... they are what ruin this country just my opinon take it or leave it........

Actually, I can agree with that. Politics is dirty business. As for Obama inheriting stuff, it's been over a year, eventually if things don't get better your going to have to turn it on Obama. You can't keep blaming someone who is gone and keep in mind the Democrats (Obama's people), have been in control of congress since '07 and congress is where most policy is done. Everybody is quick to go after a president but there is separation of powers so the blame can't be put on just one branch. Bush has a fair share of the blame but you can't place it completly on him. However, this is something I know we'll disagree about so let's keep that in mind before we have an all out political discussion.

DallasBlack wrote:

I was refering to the two leaders here in America, Dumbo (Obama) and Ms. Botox (Nacy Palosi).

I think you actually meant the 3 Stooges Larry(Pelosi), Curly(Biden), and Moe(Obama). Nyuk, nyuk,nyuk. The lovliest collection of confused politicians in American history if there ever was one.

Metallic Blaze wrote:

I voted for Obama. He's doing the best he can with what was handed to him.

Don't blame him for what he inherited.

That's not true. He is spending billions while we are still severly in debt and throwing money around to his Lobbyist supporters. The bank and auto bailouts were unnecessary. These companies have continued to pay their executives huge paychecks and "bonus's" even while the everyday person suffered. He is more of the same in a different way... don't be fooled by his speaking skills and niceguy front.

Addy wrote:

Politicans are not to be trusted on any level..... they are what ruin this country just my opinon take it or leave it........

Agreed. Big government leads to oppression. They want to tell you how to live your life and what insurance you can have (if any at all).

how did this get turned into US politics?

France has always been a place i'd love to visit. many on that list are. i've got the money, but never the time.

mc666 wrote:

how did this get turned into US politics?

I don't know... I think fingers said something that DallasBlack responded to. And the ball kept rolling.

mc666 wrote:

how did this get turned into US politics?

France has always been a place i'd love to visit. many on that list are. i've got the money, but never the time.

We never seem to stay on track here, whether for good or bad. I think it's just the way this forum works a lot of the times.

A few months ago, my best friends aunt came to visit the US from France. From the way she describes how it is over there, I've realized I'm on the other end of your spectrum MC. I've got the time, but not the money. I've always wanted to taste their wines and cognacs directly from them in their own land.

I'd love to visit France too. Also Ireland, England, Germany, Scotland, and some other places. I'd also like to visit Spain, Turkey (the good part), Italy, and Greece again. Europe is such a beautiful area of the world with a rich history that goes way back. However, I don't see it happening (maybe one or two of those places but not all of them).