#I'm back
11 messages in this thread
Kevin,
I'll be watching for the results of your election. There seems to be a shift
back to the good old days of big government. In one of the news weeklies I get,
France is mentioned as having the best social benefits–5 weeks paid vacation
for everybody, good health care and government jobs for everybody, since the
government owns a lot of the businesses. It's too bad they still have ten
percent unemployment and a stagnate ecomomy.
Paul
Paul,
Only 5 weeks ? That's 25 days ie about average for most European countries.
I get 30 days myself and that seems standard for Germany.
Adrian
Except that the record length of the legendary average German vacation is
being noted as a factor in its low and declining productivity.
Of course, I haven't gone to work for 15 years, so who am I to complain?
And I've often taken very long holidays….
Jack,
I just want to wish you, as a resident of Maryland and a historian,
congratulations on the anniversery of the founding of Maryland by Lord
Baltimore on this date.
Paul
Ah, yes. We all had to be reminded by the news of the Day, since it isn't
even enough of a holiday here to suspend the parking meters. They do a big deal
down in St. Mary's City, though. They used to do it where Leonard Calvert
planted the cross on St. Clement's Island, but 358 years has eroded it down to
where the cross kind of just sticks out of the water far from shore.
Jack,
That doesn't sound quite right. Germany and Japan were always cited as 'model'
economies to us English; however, as the UK economy was always in a mess…..
Adrian
Adrian,
No wonder the Germans build luxury cars–you have the time (and roadways) to
enjoy them. August seems to be the big vacation month in Europe, fortunately my
vacation ended there as things were closing up for that month. I don't think
Americans display the passion for month long vacations that the Europeans seem
to have.
Paul
Yes, the only month I will visit Paris is in August, when there are no
Parisians there.
I have to admit that I am a little worried about our election. The choices we
have are not that great, now that Campbell is running for PC Leader it will
help the party. So with the lack of leadership in the other parties the PC's
might win again.
Kb
Kevin,
I haven't read much or have seen much coverage of the Canadian political
battle, but I'm sure you are going to be ready to vote. I hope it turns out
well for you. I guess there's a little apprehension down here from North Korea
withdrawing from nuclear non-proliferation treaty and the political battles in
Russia. I hope we don't have to go back to the cold war mentality. Congress
always uses these events as an excuse not to trim defense spending. I've come
to the conclusion we'll never get cuts so the next best thing is to go along
with the grow the economy program. I hope that works because it will be less
painful to a whole segment of our society.
Paul
The danger with a nuclear North Korea isn't that it will use them; it would
simply cease to exist if it did and it knows it. What is far worse is that they
appear to be manufacturing the damned things to SELL….