>>>>>>>>>>>>>Terry, why don't we simply let these people believe that they are best. We, who know better, can just laugh at them and with them. For some reason ignorant people often seem happier.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>Hi Tore
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>Well, their country MAY be best but they have nothing to judge it by. I won't actually say I know better - I may be better off in the USA than here, I don't know. I certainly would have a higher standard of living, possessions-wise, but quality of life???? I live on the S coast, where I have to search around for a job. I could walk into one, maybe, in London. But I couldn't bear to live and work there, or commute to there. So lower std. of living here but higher quality of life. Now, in Canada, or the States, I would miss being able to walk to any of 20 of my favourite pubs (not mentioning the rest that I don't care about, or have never visited!). I would miss the ease of catching a bus, to be out on the Sussex Downs within minutes of leaving home, the better TV, etc.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>It's all to do with what is important to you. Where I live I wouldn't say it's the best place in Britain to live - but I don't know of anywhere better. It is so with the Americans. Difference is I don't brag about where I live or how much money I have, etc.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>I agree. I know, and the UN knows, that Norway is the best place in the world to live, but I'm happy with not everyone accepting that. :-)
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>I thought that would be sweden :)
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Walter,
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Depends on which report you read, and when it's written. Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switserland, Canada and a few other countries alternate on being the "best" country to live in. As far as I recall, also Holland is usually very high in these "ratings", usually higher than USA. But don't mention this to any Americans, or this thread will force Michel to upgrade his servers earlier than he plans to.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Well, try to remember that those lists are put together by left wing liberal pinko commies. ;)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>If so, how come Cuba, China and North Korea are never on the top?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I said 'left wing liberal pinko commies', not idiots. ;)
>>>>>
>>>>>And still Canada usually is one of the top 5? :-))
>>>>
>>>>Yeah, we've been dropping steadily. With good reason. The gap between the well off and the badly off has been widening in recent years. The number of the former has grown some, but the number of the latter has grown much faster. That is not a good sign. Partly it's due to Canada's poor attitude toward skilled immigrants (more doctors and engineers driving cabs than ever before), and partly it is due to our taking more of a cue from our neighbours to the south.
>>>
>>>Nice to see that you remember about your neighbors when things turn bad.
>>
>>We've been importing U.S. culture for years. Unfortunately we don't seem to be smart enough to sort out the wheat from the chaff.
>>
>>I guess that's why we have so much 'reality tv' on the tube up here these days. ;)
>
>Please, there are no such things as U.S. or Canadian or something else culture. In reality there is a culture and there is an absense of culture. Anyone takes what he likes and blaming the source (by inventing it on spot) is not fair. Basically, if someone got no culture, it's always local.
>Btw, I didn't get from your message that Canada experiences mainly cultural problems. Sorry, if I misunderstood.

I think we're using the word 'culture' in different ways. I think there is a U.S. culture. Gun ownership for example is a U.S. cultural phenomenon. Canadians treat the ownership of guns very differently. If you are talking about 'culture' as in the opera, art etc, then I agree that ther is no real distinction between the U.S. and Canada. Wait, I take that back. In Canada, in order to be considered an item of culture, a piece of art, book etc, must be about Canada. If not, it is looked on askance. Canada has a culture of insecurity. That's why we have such nonsense as 'Canadian content' rules for tv, radio, football etc. The U.S. would never dream of instituting such lunacy as U.S. content rules. The U.S. attitude is let's compete. If you're good enough to beat me, then so be it. In Canada, it's let's compete, but you have to give me a handicap because I'm merely a Canadian. Our football league, for example, has an MVP award, and a 'Canadian MVP' award.

Yes there are differences in our cultural makeup.