Booman Tribune ~ A Progressive Community

Open Thread

by BooMan
Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 05:01:39 PM EST

If America isn't the bestest country ever, what country is?

Open Thread | 29 comments (29 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

.
Education and universal health care for all. A great economy with Rotterdam harbor, multinationals Philips, Shell and Unilever and the Dutch sitting on immense gas reserves at Slochteren. Plenty of freedom in a tolerant society, relatively speaking. Great historic feats with Erasmus, Boerhaave, Astronomy, Rembrandt and Vermeer.

"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."

by Oui on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 05:56:38 PM EST

Re: Satisfied Where I Live (4.00 / 3)

Yes. Holland is my favorite country as well. I feel so free from consumerism, etc when I am there. And the people are so loving. I've been there like 15 times and can't get enough of it.

by RandyH on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 06:00:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Hey, you!! (4.00 / 3)

Stop bragging! :) You'll only make us depressed.

And I'm not kidding. I'll give one example: It's amazing what a decent public transit can do for a country. I come back home and I'm just disgusted. This is not the best we can do.

I guess that's what drives me--we can do so much better than we are doing, in so many spheres.

I think Obama should bring back that line, "It's as if they take pride in being ignorant." I am just so, so, so sick to death of that mindset.

I know that no society is perfect, of course, but you're so lucky not to have to deal with this kind of thing.

Presumptuous is the new uppity.

by AP on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 06:18:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Mmmmmm, Nederland (4.00 / 2)

I got to visit there about 30 years ago and would love to go back again. I didn't see as much of the country as I would have liked as I was on a limited budget and waiting for a visa so I could travel on, but I did get to see a little of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Massluis (the city where the pension I stayed at was located) with a side trip to Hilversum to tour the studios of Radio Nederland Wereldomroep (the Dutch World Broadcasting service). Must have been a slow day, as one of the announcers whose voice I'd heard for years gave me a guided tour and allowed me to watch him tape one of his programs.

When I traveled (like to Hilversum or from Massluis to Rotterdam) I took the train, which was very quick, efficient, and as I recall cheap. At one station I was a bit surprised to see the platform covered with armed soldiers; later I figured it must have had something to do with the Moluccan uprising, which was going on at the time.

I'm doing a panel on Blogs and the Media at VCon, Oct 4, Vancouver BC

by Omir the Storyteller (omir.the.storyteller -CAT- gmail -DOG- com) on Wed Aug 20th, 2008 at 01:55:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Soccer Thrillers in Beijing (none / 0)

Men: Brazil-Argentina [Dutch spoken]

Women: Brazil-Germany

Bolt breaks 200 meter WR

IHT - Bolt breaks 200-meter world record, gaining 2nd gold medal

"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."

by Oui on Wed Aug 20th, 2008 at 01:21:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

Costa Rica comes to mind.

Latino Político | "We are condemned to kill time, thus we die bit by bit." - Octavio Paz

by Man Eegee (man.eegee at gmail.com) on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 08:04:01 PM EST

Re: Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

If America isn't the bestest country ever, what country is?

It's a no-brainer: France, for sure!

"ne te courbe que pour aimer..." René Char

by Melanchthon on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 09:23:59 PM EST

Re: Open Thread (4.00 / 5)

Seems to me it's typical for folks from the States to pose this sort of thing in a hierarchical, competitive, pecking order sort of way. The last time I tried to mention that numerous indices place the US below, often far below other countries on important issues, and offered Canada as an example of some of them, my comment was immediately perceived as saying Canada was "the bestest." People in the US have a zero-sum hangup on this, mostly because they've been brainwashed for so long into the comfortable delusion that they're #1 in everything that it's threatening to learn that their government and media have been withholding the truth from them to keep them pacified and undemanding. In my view, every country has strengths and weaknesses and we can all learn from one another.

by Dubh on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 10:43:12 PM EST

Re: Open Thread (none / 0)

Personally, I'd like to live in the altered state of Drugachusetts.

John Mccain Called his wife WHAT??

by brendan on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 05:06:47 PM EST

Re: Open Thread (none / 0)

I thought you already did.

by CabinGirl on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 05:12:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Open Thread (none / 0)

no, I live in Philadelphia, PA, where it's not the heat, it's the stupidity.

which, incidentally, makes Philadelphia and analog for the rest of the country.

John Mccain Called his wife WHAT??

by brendan on Wed Aug 20th, 2008 at 11:18:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Open Thread (none / 0)

Lemme come and visit you often!

by sleepybread (sleepybread@myway.com) on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 06:13:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Open Thread (none / 1)

I just got back from China a couple days ago. It's pretty cool, I must say, and the people there are very welcoming and kind. But I'd rather live in the U.S. Even though our media isn't exactly 'fair and balanced' at least it isn't truly state-run either...I don't think one can fully appreciate the free flow of information until it's gone.

Tengo un sueño.

by ejmw (ewitham (at) umich (dot) edu) on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 05:12:36 PM EST

Re: Open Thread (none / 0)

Rachel Maddow got her own show on MSNBC!

From Keith

9 PM ET starting on Sept. 8th. I wonder what will happen to Dan Abrams? But this is perfect. She'll follow Keith's show.

by RandyH on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 05:32:27 PM EST

Oh, you beat me to it! (none / 0)

I AM SO OVER-THE-MOON HAPPY ABOUT THIS!!!!

Yes, I meant to shout. :) While I think she and Olberman have a good rapport, and I always loved to see her on Countdown, she is MORE than talented enough to carry her own show.

And now she is. I'm just so, so happy. This is wonderful news.

Presumptuous is the new uppity.

by AP on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 05:50:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Oh, you beat me to it! (4.00 / 1)

This is so awesome. We have a bona fide librul on teevee! YAHOO!

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to you country.

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 08:28:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Oh, you beat me to it! (none / 0)

More from NYT

And Keith should be able to get Alison Stewart to come back as guest host. She's had her baby now and her NPR show got canceled. So she's probably available now.

by RandyH on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 05:53:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Oh, you beat me to it! (none / 0)

I actually like Rachel better than Keith. In real life she is such a wonderful and intelligent person. Keith Olbermann is sort of an asshole on a personal level, I understand. He'd better watch out. She could surpass his excellent ratings in a short time.

by RandyH on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 05:58:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Oh, you beat me to it! (none / 0)

You've met her? Very cool. She and Michelle Obama are my girl crushes! Unabashed intelligence from women is just so scary--somebody might feel intimidated or something.

Stupidity and stereotypes are easier.

I'd never expect this from the Peacock, but I'm absolutely elated.

Presumptuous is the new uppity.

by AP on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 06:10:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Oh, you beat me to it! (4.00 / 1)

No. I have not met her. But I've been paying attention to her for years and we're about the same age and we grew up in the same general area and she's just really cool... and incredibly intelligent and talented. And she's a bit of an LGBT hero to those of us watching for success stories. Our hero.

by RandyH on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 06:25:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Oh, you beat me to it! (none / 1)

I KNOW. This is huge for LGBT kids and girls in general. They can see an example of a SMART, engaging and successful woman and know it's possible for them, too, instead of some vapid, hair-twirling twit.

Presumptuous is the new uppity.

by AP on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 09:20:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Oh, you beat me to it! (none / 0)

I agree with RandyH -- I like Rachel better than Keith. I was hoping that she would either take over Countdown or that she and Keith would split the show 50/50.

Also, I think that Alison Stewart is horrible.

by KansasVoter on Wed Aug 20th, 2008 at 12:05:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Oh, you beat me to it! (none / 1)

Whoot! I just read Keith's diary over on DKOS.

I really enjoyed Rachel's subbing-in during Keith's last vacation -- the extended time gave her more of a chance to be herself. I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of show she comes up with! She's so incredibly sharp and quick on the air, like a breath of fresh air.

I've enjoyed her spots on Countdown too -- she and Keith have a good rapport, so hopefully they can occasionally comment on each other's shows.

After years of not watching ANY TV at all, I'm finding myself watching almost every evening -- at least Countdown (and the Daily Show/Colbert)... I may have to break down and get a decent TV.

Keith Olbermann speaks for me.

by JanetT in MD on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 06:10:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Open Thread (none / 1)

South Ossetia. Fireworks every night!

by Bob In Pacifica on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 06:48:52 PM EST

Denmark (none / 1)

Free Health Care, Free College, relatively low taxes, plenty of bicycles and plenty of hot blondes.

by The Voice In The Wilderness on Tue Aug 19th, 2008 at 11:45:02 PM EST

Where else? (none / 0)

Esperantujo

also described here

I'm doing a panel on Blogs and the Media at VCon, Oct 4, Vancouver BC

by Omir the Storyteller (omir.the.storyteller -CAT- gmail -DOG- com) on Wed Aug 20th, 2008 at 01:48:10 AM EST

Re: Open Thread (none / 0)

Norway or Holland, probably Holland. Belgium isn't too bad.

Pax

Night and day you can find me Flogging the Simian

by soj on Wed Aug 20th, 2008 at 05:44:16 AM EST

Kenya! (none / 0)

The Underground Railroad

by Oscar In Louisville on Wed Aug 20th, 2008 at 06:54:47 AM EST

Tiger sez: (none / 0)

Thupid Giraffe!!! stomp stomp stomp

I love that video!!

by martini on Wed Aug 20th, 2008 at 01:02:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Open Thread | 29 comments (29 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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