is it difficult to speak English?

Candy   Fri Nov 04, 2005 10:27 am GMT
That would be Americans and Canadians, Adam (and many others, probably)
I think you're exaggerating 'slightly'!
(Why am I even responding to Adam??)
Guest   Fri Nov 04, 2005 11:38 am GMT
"Why am I even responding to Adam??"

Because his only concern is to prove the 'superiority' of his country, not to share some information, and it gets on your nerves?
Sander   Fri Nov 04, 2005 12:12 pm GMT
=>England is about 5 times larger than the Netherlands. Britain is about 10 times larger. <=

Yes, and we live longer,are happier,give more to charity ,have better healthcare,are wealthier,we have far less teenaged mothers,less crime and less McDonalds restaurants per capita.

Fuck you.
Candy   Fri Nov 04, 2005 1:39 pm GMT
That'sa bit of an over-reaction, Sander (Britain IS quite a lot bigger than the Netherlands, although I don't know exactly how much)
And how are the Dutch wealthier? By what measure?
(I'll grant you the teenaged mothers, though!) :-)
Guest   Fri Nov 04, 2005 1:49 pm GMT
Life expectancy in NL: 78.81 years
in UK: 78.38 years

Netherlands:
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$481.1 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.2% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $29,500 (2004 est.)

UK:
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.782 trillion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.2% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $29,600 (2004 est.)

http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/nl.html
http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/uk.html
Candy   Fri Nov 04, 2005 1:50 pm GMT
Guest = me
Sander   Fri Nov 04, 2005 3:53 pm GMT
You seem to have different sources than I have...

http://www.nationmaster.com

And how come you have so many (relative I know) teenage mothers?
Guest   Fri Nov 04, 2005 4:11 pm GMT
=>England is about 5 times larger than the Netherlands. Britain is about 10 times larger. <=

<<Yes, and we live longer,are happier,give more to charity ,have better healthcare,are wealthier,we have far less teenaged mothers,less crime and less McDonalds restaurants per capita.>>

..... wear clogs, live in windmills by canals and grow tulips for a living.
Sander   Fri Nov 04, 2005 4:13 pm GMT
Go drink warm beer, eat your disgusting fried fish, and go make a 16 year old pregnant.
Candy   Fri Nov 04, 2005 4:16 pm GMT
Biggest economies by purchasing power (GDP PPP, $billion)
6th in the world: UK, 1420
18th in the world: Netherlands, 436

Highest GDP per head:
12th in the world: UK, 23,920 US$
13th in the world: Netherlands, 23,860 US$

(The Economist, 2004 figures)
A Dutch guy told me recently that salaries are on average 10% higher in the UK, but I can't confirm that.

<<and we live longer,are happier>>
Highly subjective, surely? How on earth is that measured? <<And how come you have so many (relative I know) teenage mothers? >>
I really don't know. Lack of proper sex education, opportunities for girls with minimal education perhaps?
Do you still want to know my real name, or shall we just argue about economics?? :-)
Sander   Fri Nov 04, 2005 4:24 pm GMT
=>That'sa bit of an over-reaction, Sander (Britain IS quite a lot bigger than the Netherlands, although I don't know exactly how much) <=

And what does this say or mean? Kazachstan is bigger than the Netherlands still we have twice the amount of people...

=>And how are the Dutch wealthier? by what measure? <=

In many ways, according to my sources an average British person makes $120,- more than an average Dutchman, but the Dutch pay way more tax than the British, (42.3% for a single worker compared to 29.7% in the UK) not even mentioning the tax on consumer products (from cars to soda.) but this assured us that we are ensured against practically everything and can enjoy fantastic free healthcare and many other things for which a British person would have to pay ;-)
Sander   Fri Nov 04, 2005 4:27 pm GMT
=>I really don't know. Lack of proper sex education, opportunities for girls with minimal education perhaps?
Do you still want to know my real name, or shall we just argue about economics?? :-) <=

I still want that name , please PM me!!!! :-)

But on a more serious note, do those teen mothers all have different backgrounds or do they all come from a certain cultural-economical herritage?
Sander   Fri Nov 04, 2005 4:28 pm GMT
Btw,

=>Sander Fri Nov 04, 2005 4:13 pm GMT <=

Wasn't me.
Candy   Fri Nov 04, 2005 4:33 pm GMT
<<And what does this say or mean? Kazachstan is bigger than the Netherlands still we have twice the amount of people... >>
Well size of country is meaningless (Australia is a zillion times bigger than the UK with a third of the population). I just thought you'd over-reacted to Adam's post as the UK is undeniably bigger than NL, but thinking about it, it was *Adam* after all.....I suppose his point was to 'prove' that he UK is 'better'! :-)

<<and can enjoy fantastic free healthcare and many other things for which a British person would have to pay ;-) >>

And how do we pay for healthcare, except indirectly through taxes?? Heard of the NHS?? ;)

<<But on a more serious note, do those teen mothers all have different backgrounds or do they all come from a certain cultural-economical herritage? >>
Oh, I'm not sure we should get onto that here! That's a whole can of worms! Maybe PMing would be better. I have some ideas that I don't really want to share here. (Language forum!)

I have to give up the PC now (I HATE having to share!!) but I'll PM you later this evening (promise!) :-)
Candy   Fri Nov 04, 2005 4:35 pm GMT
<<Btw,

=>Sander Fri Nov 04, 2005 4:13 pm GMT <=

Wasn't me.>>

Good to hear! :-)
(I don't drink beer at all, warm or otherwise...!)