For Norwegians, the US is the

[RandomGuy]

A crash course in social democracy.

Some years ago, I faced up to the futility of reporting truths about America’s disastrous wars, and so I left Afghanistan for another mountainous country far away. It was the polar opposite of Afghanistan: a peaceful, prosperous land where nearly everybody seemed to enjoy a good life, on the job and in the family.

It’s true that they didn’t work much–not by American standards, anyway. In the United States, full-time salaried workers supposedly laboring 40 hours a week actually average 49, with almost 20 percent clocking more than 60. These people, on the other hand, worked only about 37 hours a week, when they weren’t away on long paid vacations. At the end of the workday, about four in the afternoon (perhaps three during the summer), they had time to enjoy a hike in the forest, a swim with the kids, or a beer with friends—which helps explain why, unlike so many Americans, they are pleased with their jobs.

Often I was invited to go along. I found it refreshing to hike and ski in a country with no land mines, and to hang out in cafés unlikely to be bombed. Gradually, my war-zone jitters subsided and I settled into the slow, calm, pleasantly uneventful stream of life there.

Four years on, thinking I should settle down, I returned to the United States. It felt quite a lot like stepping back into that other violent, impoverished world, where anxiety runs high and people are quarrelsome. I had, in fact, come back to the flip side of Afghanistan and Iraq: to what America’s wars have done to America. Where I live now, in the homeland, there are not enough shelters for the homeless. Most people are either overworked or hurting for jobs; the housing is overpriced, the hospitals crowded and understaffed, the schools largely segregated and not so good. Opioid or heroin overdose is a popular form of death, and men in the street threaten women wearing hijabs. Did the American soldiers I covered in Afghanistan know they were fighting for this?


https://www.thenation.com/article/after-i-lived-in-norway-america-felt-backward-heres-why/

[DMC]

*yawn*

[spurraider21]

*yawn*
i think you meant *chirp*

[Chris]

*yawn*

[boutons_deux]

The oligarchy has LIED for decades to Americans how America is "exceptionally" the best country, actually the country preferred by God.

Other industrial countries are run so much better for everybody, better transportation systems, just more systematic, better, much cheaper health/education systems, better thought out, much more personal security and convenience.

By comparison, America is the backward Wild West, every MachoMan Rugged Individual for himself, and fuck (even better, shoot) everybody else, while the oligarchy fleeces everybody, loots the country into prolonged shittiness for the lower 80%

[TeyshaBlue]

I spent some time in Norway awhile back. 2 trips when I was touring and a 3rd trip and 2 month stay to help establish a studio for a friend of mine there.
Norway has alot of positive aspects..education, healthcare, wages, more emphasis on work/life balance.
On the otherhand, its hella expensive to live there. Real Estate is out of sight. Dining out is very expensive as well. Most of the activities we are accustomed to are just flat expensive. Taxes are pretty stiff as well. My buddy was around 30% and he was not particularly well off. The Norse are a little insular and pretty nationalistic as well. Takes awhile to establish relationships. Also, forget about working there unless you speak the language.
The studio I helped set up went through a thorough permitting and inspection process. Not unfair, but you better have your shit in order before you begin.
I have no Idea how Hans and Ans scraped up enough cash to buy the property.

The comparisons between Norway and the US make me giggle. Norway can pull alot of things off because of scale. DFW has a larger population than all of Norway.

[AaronY]

I spent some time in Norway awhile back. 2 trips when I was touring and a 3rd trip and 2 month stay to help establish a studio for a friend of mine there.
Norway has alot of positive aspects..education, healthcare, wages, more emphasis on work/life balance.
On the otherhand, its hella expensive to live there. Real Estate is out of sight. Dining out is very expensive as well. Most of the activities we are accustomed to are just flat expensive. Taxes are pretty stiff as well. My buddy was around 30% and he was not particularly well off. The Norse are a little insular and pretty nationalistic as well. Takes awhile to establish relationships. Also, forget about working there unless you speak the language.
The studio I helped set up went through a thorough permitting and inspection process. Not unfair, but you better have your shit in order before you begin.
I have no Idea how Hans and Ans scraped up enough cash to buy the property.

The comparisons between Norway and the US make me giggle. Norway can pull alot of things off because of scale. DFW has a larger population than all of Norway.
Good post.

[spurraider21]

Good post.
i thought it was ok

[DarrinS]

Let’s check back on Scandinavian countries after a decade or so of cultural enrichment from shithole nations.

[spurraider21]

Let’s check back on Scandinavian countries after a decade or so of cultural enrichment from shithole nations.
their constitutions will probably by replaced by sharia and all of scandinavia will be a giant no-go zone by 2019 imo

[pgardn]

I spent some time in Norway awhile back. 2 trips when I was touring and a 3rd trip and 2 month stay to help establish a studio for a friend of mine there.
Norway has alot of positive aspects..education, healthcare, wages, more emphasis on work/life balance.
On the otherhand, its hella expensive to live there. Real Estate is out of sight. Dining out is very expensive as well. Most of the activities we are accustomed to are just flat expensive. Taxes are pretty stiff as well. My buddy was around 30% and he was not particularly well off. The Norse are a little insular and pretty nationalistic as well. Takes awhile to establish relationships. Also, forget about working there unless you speak the language.
The studio I helped set up went through a thorough permitting and inspection process. Not unfair, but you better have your shit in order before you begin.
I have no Idea how Hans and Ans scraped up enough cash to buy the property.

The comparisons between Norway and the US make me giggle. Norway can pull alot of things off because of scale. DFW has a larger population than all of Norway.

Bergen is amazing.

Absolutely beautiful.
But the stuff the fish mongers sell... Whale meat? F'N awful.
Plus lots of pressure on the younger folks to keep the older folks comfy as well. (Taxes)
saw a bunch of old folks with really expensive mountainside places overlooking the ocean, they were retired postal workers and such, kinda nuts...

[TeyshaBlue]

Lillehammer was absolutely stunning.

[pgardn]

Lillehammer was absolutely stunning.

Isnt that where they have the really good skiing?

[mingus]

Liberal outrage over this is just another example of rampant PC & arms are for hugging culture.

Live in Haiti. Then tell me it's not a shithole with a straight face. It's a shithole. And just like a lot of other truths that may hurt ppl, no amount of liberal hugging changes it. Haiti is better off knowing that country is a shithole that needs to get its act together, rather than being told some blowjob liberal bullshit.

[DarrinS]

their constitutions will probably by replaced by sharia and all of scandinavia will be a giant no-go zone by 2019 imo

My Swedish ancestors settled in an area of Minneapolis that is now known as ‘Little Mogadishu’.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfmywzjdtRM

[TeyshaBlue]

The held the winter olympics there, remember.

They are surrounded by ski areas. Kinda like Steamboat Springs/Arapaho Basin Colorado on speed.

[pgardn]

The held the winter olympics there, remember.

They are surrounded by ski areas. Kinda like Steamboat Springs/Arapaho Basin Colorado on speed.

Damn.
I love Crested Butte myself.
Ok so I would love it most likely.

[boutons_deux]

Norway GOVT, StatOil, used the oil revenue from the North Sea to help all the citizens. Pretty much the same is true NL used North Sea gas revenue for all of NL.

Private oil companies in USA use their profits only for themselves and their investors, unregulated capitalism being the best system for the wealthy few capitalists to screw the largest number of non-wealthy non-capitalists.

[TeyshaBlue]

:rolleyes

[Chucho]

I spent some time in Norway awhile back. 2 trips when I was touring and a 3rd trip and 2 month stay to help establish a studio for a friend of mine there.
Norway has alot of positive aspects..education, healthcare, wages, more emphasis on work/life balance.
On the otherhand, its hella expensive to live there. Real Estate is out of sight. Dining out is very expensive as well. Most of the activities we are accustomed to are just flat expensive. Taxes are pretty stiff as well. My buddy was around 30% and he was not particularly well off. The Norse are a little insular and pretty nationalistic as well. Takes awhile to establish relationships. Also, forget about working there unless you speak the language.
The studio I helped set up went through a thorough permitting and inspection process. Not unfair, but you better have your shit in order before you begin.
I have no Idea how Hans and Ans scraped up enough cash to buy the property.

The comparisons between Norway and the US make me giggle. Norway can pull alot of things off because of scale. DFW has a larger population than all of Norway.

Indeed. +1

Understanding of proportional correlation throws this myth in the garbage. Norwegian are basically White Nationialists with shitty accents.

[baseline bum]

Lillehammer was absolutely stunning.

I thought that show sucked

[DMC]

The held the winter olympics there, remember.

They are surrounded by ski areas. Kinda like Steamboat Springs/Arapaho Basin Colorado on speed.
Is that where Vonn broke her leg?

[rmt]

their constitutions will probably by replaced by sharia and all of scandinavia will be a giant no-go zone by 2019 imo

Is this sarcasm or some insider knowledge?

[clambake]

Is this sarcasm or some insider knowledge?:lol you need help?

with this?

[Spurtacular]

:cry For the regressive left, the US is a shithole (when a Repub is in office) :cry

:lmao

[Spurtacular]

Let’s check back on Scandinavian countries after a decade or so of cultural enrichment from shithole nations.


Liberal outrage over this is just another example of rampant PC & arms are for hugging culture.

Live in Haiti. Then tell me it's not a shithole with a straight face. It's a shithole. And just like a lot of other truths that may hurt ppl, no amount of liberal hugging changes it. Haiti is better off knowing that country is a shithole that needs to get its act together, rather than being told some blowjob liberal bullshit.

[Spurtacular]

My Swedish ancestors settled in an area of Minneapolis that is now known as ‘Little Mogadishu’.


:rollin As someone who has lived in Minneapolis, I can fully appreciate this slam!

Let me just offer his white guilt response for ya:


:cry But no-go zone hyperbole :cry

[TeyshaBlue]

Is that where Vonn broke her leg?

I dont remember. She breaks something every 30 days. She's the Evel Knieval of skiers. :lol

[Splits]

Is this sarcasm or some insider knowledge?

lmao holy shit

[monosylab1k]

My Swedish ancestors settled in an area of Minneapolis that is now known as ‘Little Mogadishu’.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfmywzjdtRM
:lmao your side supported a child molester who wanted a Christian-only Congress.