Utter Nonsense ...

[dmartin92]

I am an American that has been living in France for the last 12 years. In 2009, I became a French citizen.

I think there is some truth in what you are saying, Photato. But the truth about the subject is super complicated. In a forum such as this, one could only make very broad generalizations, that are somewhat true, but also not quite right.

There are as many different stories and perspectives on the subject as there are different companies, businesses, and markets.

For lots of markets, the U.S. is the place you need to succeed, if you want to become a major player, worldwide ... but you don't need to be U.S. based, you just need to sell your products there.

You mention currencies, the Euro, etc.

Things change fast with that subject. Yes, early last summer there was some worry about the Euro, but now the worry has shifted back to the Dollar. The twin deficits of the U.S., 1) the Federal budget deficit, and 2) the Trade deficit ... these seem to me like two huge problems that could turn the U.S. into a very economically unstable nation. But maybe everything will work out great for the U.S. ... but the situation there is quite unpredictable. Gold prices have risen dramatically because the smart people with lots of money know how unpredictable things currently are.

And then there is the issue of energy ... such as oil ... the U.S. imports so much of that ... other nations do too, but gasoline is taxed much more in Europe, and so people use their cars less. A slightly different lifestyle.

... altogether, it's a complex mix of subjects ... and I wouldn't count the U.S. as being headed for serious trouble, but there are major, major issues that could effect its economic future, in a very bad way.

Maybe most of Europe will continue to flounder, as it has always has (except for Germany), but the risk of dramatic economic problems is less there. And the U.S. still has many, many good economic points.

It's a super complicated subject.

But is not the same, Europe is fragmented. There is this Divide North-South and towards the East, let alone the HUGE barrier of Language. Most British are Euro-skeptics, they don't even share the Euro Currency.

Recently there were fears of the Euro dismissal given the disparity with Greece, Spain Portugal and Ireland, brought by the crisis.
Another big difference is Natural Resources, The US has more.

 

[redridge]

It was an American, however, I think he was talking about an American product,....Remington Electric Razors.

 

[deleted_081301]

Just cos you read it in an American(or any other ) newspaper doesnt mean its true

some people believe that the UK is in Europe too BUT any one with a brain knows we are an ISLAND near Europe

israel turkey and the former Soviet states play in the European football associations "as do the UK teams ) but they arnt Europeans

If you want to take over the world, you have to be in the USA.
It is all about Market Size.

This is why Europe is consolidating into the EU, but they have a hard time convincing the populous why they need it.

You really haven't explored Europe have you.

No, I don't think Photato has. If he's concerned about market size and desirability...

United States population: 308 million
European Union population: over 500 million (nice market)

The USA is like a Major City drawing people from the Country Side.

So is Europe. The United States has an immigration issue with Mexico and Latin America because, as Photato says, the US draws people in. Well, it is exactly the same with Europe. Europe is facing serious issues because of the flood of immigrants from Eastern Europe, North Africa, Africa, and Asia because everybody wants in. The only people who don't know about this are isolated Americans who only read American news.

I've read in "American News" that Eastern Europeans are… Europeans : )
(your patronizing assumptions are inappropriate)

 

[Marty4650]

Just cos you read it in an American(or any other ) newspaper doesnt mean its true

some people believe that the UK is in Europe too BUT any one with a brain knows we are an ISLAND near Europe

Saying the UK "isn't in Europe" but is just "an ISLAND near Europe" is the equivalent of saying Japan isn't part of Asia and Long Island isn't part of North America.

In fact, Iceland is considered a European nation, and it's quite a bit further from the coast of France than the UK is.

Here is an official EU map of Europe. Note... this isn't from an American newspaper:



Most sources consider "Europe" to be the area west of the Ural Mountains, and this includes outlying islands, like the UK, Ireland, Iceland, Sicily, Sardinia, Malta, Crete, Corsica, etc.

Turkey lies in both Europe and Asia, with the Straits of Dardanelles and the Bosphorus being the dividing point.

--
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[dmartin92]

In fact, Iceland is considered a European nation, and it's quite a bit further from the coast of France than the UK is.

There may be some "official" way to define Europe, and maybe you're right in a technical sense, but none the less, my inclination is to balk at any suggestion that Iceland is in Europe.

And I can't help but wonder what poll results would be if you asked 2000 people in Iceland if they live in Europe. I really think the overwhelming opinion of folks in Iceland is that they do NOT live in Europe ... they live in Iceland. Period.

Wouldn't that, what people that live in Iceland think, count more than any "official" definition ?

Here is an official EU map of Europe.

Yes, "official".

Turkey lies in both Europe and Asia, with the Straits of Dardanelles and the Bosphorus being the dividing point.

Yeah, most people would agree with that.

Sorry we disagree, but I just think you are putting too much emphasis on this "official" definition.

A lot of it is just perception. Most people in Ireland probably see themselves as being in Europe. They have the Euro. But in the UK, some folks look at things differently, and apparently "DickyUK" is one of them.

But many other Britons would disagree with him, I think.

But Iceland ? No, Iceland isn't in Europe.

 

[Photato]

Ok this is drifting off topic but...
Isn't The Falklands (Las Malvinas) part of Argentina.?
Why the UK then claims it as its own.?

Just cos you read it in an American(or any other ) newspaper doesnt mean its true

some people believe that the UK is in Europe too BUT any one with a brain knows we are an ISLAND near Europe

israel turkey and the former Soviet states play in the European football associations "as do the UK teams ) but they arnt Europeans

Going by this Logic China is part of Europe and Japan is not part of Asia. lol

Look dude, Geopolitical Areas are defined by a multiple set of parameters. Historical, Ethnological, Physical, Cultural, etc, etc.

The overwhelming consensus is that Britain is part of Europe.

 

[dmartin92]

Look dude, Geopolitical Areas are defined by a multiple set of parameters. Historical, Ethnological, Physical, Cultural, etc, etc.

The overwhelming consensus is that Britain is part of Europe.

I'd agree with you, to some extent, but I really think you're missing the point.

From both a "historical" and "cultural" perspective, to some extent, Britain is not part of Europe.

Hitler never took control of Britain, and they drive on the other side of the road, and many of them are quite happy that they are "British", which in their "cultural" perspective, is something different and unique, different than being European.

There are no doubt a hundred easy examples.

There are many subtle differences where Britain is kind of a "special case", and that's the way the are. The person you are disagreeing with is a classic example.

You can't tell people what they are. They decide themselves what they are... the British especially.

 

[bobn2]

DickyUK wrote:

Here is an official EU map of Europe. Note... this isn't from an American newspaper:

This is out of date. Romania and Bulgaria are both members. Iceland is now a candidate.

--
Bob

 

[deleted_081301]

Europe is a continent Britain is an Island off the coast of Europe ...please do not confuse political european intitutions with the Continental land mass iceland also is not part of geological Europe nor is Ireland

Look dude, Geopolitical Areas are defined by a multiple set of parameters. Historical, Ethnological, Physical, Cultural, etc, etc.

The overwhelming consensus is that Britain is part of Europe.

I'd agree with you, to some extent, but I really think you're missing the point.

From both a "historical" and "cultural" perspective, to some extent, Britain is not part of Europe.

Hitler never took control of Britain, and they drive on the other side of the road, and many of them are quite happy that they are "British", which in their "cultural" perspective, is something different and unique, different than being European.

There are no doubt a hundred easy examples.

There are many subtle differences where Britain is kind of a "special case", and that's the way the are. The person you are disagreeing with is a classic example.

You can't tell people what they are. They decide themselves what they are... the British especially.

 

[deleted_081301]

The Falkland islands are British becouse the people want to remain British and have been setled by British people for a few hundred years also they are over 400 miles from Argentina with that logic then surly most of california must be Mexico

Just cos you read it in an American(or any other ) newspaper doesnt mean its true

some people believe that the UK is in Europe too BUT any one with a brain knows we are an ISLAND near Europe

israel turkey and the former Soviet states play in the European football associations "as do the UK teams ) but they arnt Europeans

Going by this Logic China is part of Europe and Japan is not part of Asia. lol

Look dude, Geopolitical Areas are defined by a multiple set of parameters. Historical, Ethnological, Physical, Cultural, etc, etc.

The overwhelming consensus is that Britain is part of Europe.

 

[graybalanced]

Ok this is drifting off topic but...
Isn't The Falklands (Las Malvinas) part of Argentina.?
Why the UK then claims it as its own.?

DickyUK wrote:
Going by this Logic China is part of Europe and Japan is not part of Asia. lol

Look dude, Geopolitical Areas are defined by a multiple set of parameters. Historical, Ethnological, Physical, Cultural, etc, etc.

Right. The Falklands aren't part of anything....they're islands! Why is Hawaii part of the US? Borders are drawn by governments. Half the borders in the Middle East and Africa don't make any sense at all from a cultural point of view, they were arbitrarily partitioned by the West.

 

[deleted_081301]

this is a map(outdated map) of the European union NOT a map of Europe

and if you look closely you will find that Morroco is nearer to Europe than England,scotland.wales and both irelands..its allso debatable as to wether the scandinavia countrys are geographically in Europe too.. and IF iceland is classed as Europe then most of the north African countrys qualify too

DickyUK wrote:

Here is an official EU map of Europe. Note... this isn't from an American newspaper:

This is out of date. Romania and Bulgaria are both members. Iceland is now a candidate.

--
Bob

 

[deleted_081301]

China is acctually part of the eurasian land mass "eurasia"as is russia japan is an island off of the asian continent

Going by this Logic China is part of Europe and Japan is not part of Asia. lol

Look dude, Geopolitical Areas are defined by a multiple set of parameters. Historical, Ethnological, Physical, Cultural, etc, etc.

The overwhelming consensus is that Britain is part of Europe.

if you really belive that then you are either ignorant (in the real meaning of the word not the offensive meaning ) OR you are Stupid in any sense of the word you chose

Britain does not fall into any of your catagories ??? "Historical, Ethnological, Physical, Cultural"

 

[bobn2]

China is acctually part of the eurasian land mass "eurasia"as is russia japan is an island off of the asian continent

Going by this Logic China is part of Europe and Japan is not part of Asia. lol

Look dude, Geopolitical Areas are defined by a multiple set of parameters. Historical, Ethnological, Physical, Cultural, etc, etc.

The overwhelming consensus is that Britain is part of Europe.

if you really belive that then you are either ignorant (in the real meaning of the word not the offensive meaning ) OR you are Stupid in any sense of the word you chose

Britain does not fall into any of your catagories ??? "Historical, Ethnological, Physical, Cultural"

Actually the whole discussion is a commentary on the identity crisis of Brits. probably the only place in the world where most citizens couldn't tell you the correct name of the country they are citizens of.
--
Bob

 

[deleted_081301]

Actually the whole discussion is a commentary on the identity crisis of Brits. probably the only place in the world where most citizens couldn't tell you the correct name of the country they are citizens of.
--
Bob

i can Bob allthough i am English (a country) i am in fact a citizen of
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe

It is a country consisting of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

but i have no identity crisis I am English and not European like my mexican friend Phototo implied

 

[bobn2]

Actually the whole discussion is a commentary on the identity crisis of Brits. probably the only place in the world where most citizens couldn't tell you the correct name of the country they are citizens of.
--
Bob

i can Bob allthough i am English (a country) i am in fact a citizen of
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Now you've given it way, surprisingly few citizens of the UK know that even though it's printed on their passport.

a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe

It is a country consisting of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

Which is where it gets confusing, when we insist on using 'country' differently within the UK than we'd use it outside.

but i have no identity crisis I am English and not European like my mexican friend Phototo implied

Well, I'm not going to make a big thing of it, I think you displayed a teensy bit of an identity crisis just there.
--
Bob

 

[deleted_081301]

not really a crisis bob i just object to being called a European lol
by the way have you ever wrongly called a Canadian an American

 

[Patco]

... with that logic then surly most of california must be Mexico

Some of it is, of course - the California Peninsula is part of Mexico

--
Patco
A photograph is more than a bunch of pixels

 

[tinternaut]

They happen all the time and don't have to make sense to anyone but the people making the move.

--
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[Izu]

Hitler never took control of Britain, and they drive on the other side of the road, and many of them are quite happy that they are "British", which in their "cultural" perspective, is something different and unique, different than being European.

That's the same in any country of Europe... we all are happe to be French, German, Italian, Spanish and so on...