Why I Love Election Day

[Darlica]

And colour to color...


In Swedish school British English has been taught has the second language since the the end of WWII (before that German was the second language and British English the third language). UK being geographically closer to Sweden than USA that makes sense. Swedish kids today speak American English or are unable to separate the two variations.

[Swatopluk]

Well, I myself mix it to my liking. I prefer 'ou' but also 'ize'. And I have no idea what a native speaker would say about my accent (when I am not deliberately imitating my surroundings in an exaggerated way).

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

I find it really really hard to believe he actually said this? Does anyone know what he can have been basing the statement on? I mean, where does one get such ideas from?

We repeatedly had a news interview (US) with a republican voter who said he was disgusted with what had been going on for the last four years. It was actuallly quite painful to watch/hear. Do people really think, for example, that it is disgusting for poor people to have health care?

He said it-- I saw the clip where he said it to a reporter.   Truly a repugnant excuse for a human being.

[Darlica]

Well, I myself mix it to my liking. I prefer 'ou' but also 'ize'. And I have no idea what a native speaker would say about my accent (when I am not deliberately imitating my surroundings in an exaggerated way).

So do I, (I use movies instead of cinema of film for example) but we do it on purpose, because we have the choice. If nobody tells you there is a difference you don't get that choice, I sometimes avoid certain words or phrases because I'm aware that they can be interpreted in different ways and I don't want that.
I'm perfectly fine with American English, it's not a question about one language version being better or finer than the other. It's about not getting the choice.

[Swatopluk]

Be careful when talking about suspenders

[Opsa]

Don't worry about your accents. We USers usually find them charming, as well as any grammatical errors, as long as we know you're trying.

[Darlica]

Be careful when talking about suspenders

Yes, among other things... Never tried that one myself though.

[Aggie]

Oh carp, may I apologize for the entire US to Canada?

Decent Americans such as yourself (i.e. those inclined to apologize) have nothing to apologize for. Many up here are all too eager to embrace noxiousness, and as we are not inclined to produce quite enough of it ourselves, it must be imported.

Well, I myself mix it to my liking. I prefer 'ou' but also 'ize'. And I have no idea what a native speaker would say about my accent (when I am not deliberately imitating my surroundings in an exaggerated way).

I have the luxury of blending English forms, given our neighbours and heritage. 'ou' remains standard here, but many other spellings are Americanized.

[pieces o nine]

We repeatedly had a news interview (US) with a republican voter who said he was disgusted with what had been going on for the last four years. It was actuallly quite painful to watch/hear. Do people really think, for example, that it is disgusting for poor people to have health care?

Yes, since 100% of poor people are poor by choice and wilful laziness, you know. They believe that the poor (includes the 'working poor' -- people holding multiple jobs with extremely low wages and no benefits through any of them) should be creating "personal health savings accounts" and pay all medical costs out-of-pocket, rather than 'breaking' business by expecting the benefits of group insurance through an employer (which are still ridiculously high, thanks to 'the best health system in the whole wide world!"). If they can't afford a fancy schmancy healthcare (e.g.: any health care) they should toughen up and forgo it.

I'm still not sure how that's supposed to play out with no birth control, no "no" option, gratefully accepting all the babies god gives you -- even in the terrible instance of rape -- and having them at home with the assistance of your guardian angel, because you're uninsured and haven't saved up enough for maternity care, I guess.  But I digress....

[Swatopluk]

The lesser classes should simply not rut so much. And with less energy wasted that way, they could actually improve the bottom line of the job creators that grant them employment.

[Griffin NoName]

^^ P09  - I should not have asked !

I always forget it is always their own fault that people are poor.

Especially as we are having lots of dead people dying when they are fit for work http://rogergodsiffmp.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/roger-calls-for-suspension-of-atos.html

Actually what IDS and Greyling are up to in our DWP is little short of mass murder (so some claim).

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Poor people should die of hunger and disease as god intended, otherwise he wouldn't have placed them there in the first place.

Remember he who has will receive more and he who has little will lose the little he has.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

This cartoon seems apropos for the current conversation:

http://chuckleaduck.com/comic/forget-the-title/




___________________________

And in case the link doesn't work for your country? 

The point is basically this:

Child to Adult:   "I think it's silly to call it Obamacare."

Adult:  "What do you think would be better?"

Child:  "Weallcare.  'Cause we all do, don't we?"


.............      

Out of the mouths of babes, an' all that...

[Griffin NoName]

So right, it's sad.

[Aggie]

We repeatedly had a news interview (US) with a republican voter who said he was disgusted with what had been going on for the last four years. It was actuallly quite painful to watch/hear. Do people really think, for example, that it is disgusting for poor people to have health care?

Yes, since 100% of poor people are poor by choice and wilful laziness, you know. They believe that the poor (includes the 'working poor' -- people holding multiple jobs with extremely low wages and no benefits through any of them) should be creating "personal health savings accounts" and pay all medical costs out-of-pocket, rather than 'breaking' business by expecting the benefits of group insurance through an employer (which are still ridiculously high, thanks to 'the best health system in the whole wide world!"). If they can't afford a fancy schmancy healthcare (e.g.: any health care) they should toughen up and forgo it.

Up here, employer-funded health care is a white-collar perk and not the usual for non-specialist blue-collar jobs, but the government health care is generally adequate, if going downhill fast (miraculous cures are to be had, but the cost of said cures and the resulting limited availability of equipment, specialists and pharmaceuticals necessitate long lineups). A little money to private healthcare outfits, and those times can be sped up. It's increasingly two-tiered, at the cost of the public health care system.

I'd support privatized medicine if it was regulated such that private clinics were obligated to give a certain percentage of their equipment and physician time to the public system... say, 10%, or roughly one afternoon a week. Fair deal, I say... fund private health care *exclusively* from the corporate buck, and add capacity for free.  It'd also take pressure off the public system, to have an insurance-funded secondary system.

I'm Canadian and I support taxation in exchange for essential services and a caring country. Variable tax rates (most provinces) help ensure those who can pay more, pay more. I was happy to pay a whack of tax in years when I made a whack of money. I will certainly make less in the future and might need those services in years when I'm not contributing as much. The medical system has saved my life at least three times (relative to no treatment), and has prevented me from getting seriously ill dozens more, for free. Shit, raise my taxes if health care is starting to suck. I pay $64 a month based on last year's income (should be free this year, I can claw it back after filing taxes), and that stings, but bump up the income tax rate a % or two.  More for higher tax brackets, please. 

The only downside is that the private system can often afford to outbid the public system for doctors (we have brain drain to the US already, so we have to import doctors for public positions). Regulate that, too... cap wages/fees and disallow competition, minus perhaps modest bonuses. Let business be competitive, but not too competitive relative to the public system; this'll help shunt a greater ratio of slimeballs who are only doctoring for the dollar to the private system.