so glad im not american or in the united states.
Discussion
Derek Smith said:
unrepentant said:
turbobloke said:
An Indiana University study in 2014 showed that only 7% of journalists identify themselves as Republicans, down from 18% in 2002.
That's because 93% of journalists are pretty smart.News organizations make their money by feeding their customers prejudices back at them. That doesn't make them all equal, the readers of the Economist are flat out cleverer than those who read the Wail.
At least in UK broadcast media you have a regulator and the concept of balance. Talk radio in the US is scary!
scherzkeks said:
unrepentant said:
What a nightmare for businesses, having to deal with that.
You are free to support practices that put you at a disadvantage. Typical of many Americans, actually, which is why we don't have any social benefits by comparison. Kind of like Stockholm syndrome or something. 
The US system is too far the other way but somewhere in the middle is a sensible system.
iphonedyou said:
Derek Smith said:
Are you suggesting that the yanks don't suffer the same problem? My experience is that they suffer at least as much. That they think we do some things well - all my American friends praise the BBC to the rafters - but in general they react the same way as we do to foreigners. It is, I'm afraid, just as laughable.
If I had advert breaks every seven minutes and pharmaceutical advertising on TV I'd also praise the BBC to the rafters, to be fair.And usually it's at dinner time. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WHY DO WE NEED A TAMPAX AD AT 615PM.
Not to mention there are channels obsessed with murder crimes, usually women murdered, and for some reason - these channels are really popular with women. I do not understand that.
unrepentant said:
A friend of mine in the UK had a small antique furniture business (50 or so employees). He had a sales manager who got pregnant and announced that she wanted to take a year off and then return with reduced hours to resume her role. He couldn't afford to not have a sales manager for a year so he was forced to hire a replacement and then, when the first lady returned to work, employ them both. That's ridiculous and one of the reasons that employers in Europe are forced to think twice before hiring anyone.
The US system is too far the other way but somewhere in the middle is a sensible system.
One of our sales team is just back from 6 months maternity. She is part of a core team of 5, so it was practical, though challenging, for her colleagues to cover. In any case, it would have been totally and utterly impossible to have recruited anyone with the customer and technical knowledge.The US system is too far the other way but somewhere in the middle is a sensible system.
I see two sides to this; as an employer it's tough and, personally, I do think very small firms should receive support, but from the side of the employee (and especially in this specific case, where we all knew how much having a child meant to our co-worker) I think there are very good reasons for keeping the UK system.
One thing that seems to elude the US in some cases is that loyalty between employee and employer is a two-way street and to earn it, on the employer's side, requires more than just writing a paycheck every month.
For the purpose of discussion and clarity, I am a free-market capitalist.
unrepentant said:
A friend of mine in the UK had a small antique furniture business (50 or so employees). He had a sales manager who got pregnant and announced that she wanted to take a year off and then return with reduced hours to resume her role. He couldn't afford to not have a sales manager for a year so he was forced to hire a replacement and then, when the first lady returned to work, employ them both. That's ridiculous and one of the reasons that employers in Europe are forced to think twice before hiring anyone.
The US system is too far the other way but somewhere in the middle is a sensible system.
Why not hire a temp? The US system is too far the other way but somewhere in the middle is a sensible system.
Most Germans would consider the current state of parental leave a middle ground; I'd tend to agree. Family and professional life are almost incompatible today, and living on one income is no longer really feasible for many people.
The US is absolutely dreadful, and Germany is at best a livable compromise. And we aren't even touching on at-will employment, vacation time, healthcare, sick leave, unionization, or adjustments for inflation.
Edited by scherzkeks on Wednesday 3rd August 09:09
unrepentant said:
mikal83 said:
The "joke" that was with all my wifes friends was as soon as you got a job in Fl, you started to look for another one!
Florida has "employment at will jurisdiction" law fyi.
Many states have hire at will, including mine. Good employers and good employees have no issues though, ave tenure in the company I work for is 10.5 yrs. Just like in the UK good employees are valuable and businesses hang onto them.Florida has "employment at will jurisdiction" law fyi.
Hire at will doesn't mean employers are completely off the hook. If you fire someone without cause and they file for unemployment you're on the hook for it.
scherzkeks said:
Why not hire a temp?
Most Germans would consider the current state of parental leave a middle ground; I'd tend to agree. Family and professional life are almost incompatible today, and living on one income is no longer really feasible for many people.
The US is absolutely dreadful, and Germany is at best a livable compromise. And we aren't even touching on at-will employment, vacation time, healthcare, sick leave, unionization, or adjustments for inflation.
One recurring theme of my American friends, certainly since 2008, is that two incomes are needed to keep a decent standard of living. A few years ago one partner could take a job where the hours were convenient and travelling limited. Now, it would appear, both need to work full time. There are various fees that 'need' to be paid. If one partner is unemployed for any length of time, the whole lifestyle collapses. In the past, the partner with the less intensive job would only have to up their hours, etc. Most Germans would consider the current state of parental leave a middle ground; I'd tend to agree. Family and professional life are almost incompatible today, and living on one income is no longer really feasible for many people.
The US is absolutely dreadful, and Germany is at best a livable compromise. And we aren't even touching on at-will employment, vacation time, healthcare, sick leave, unionization, or adjustments for inflation.
Edited by scherzkeks on Wednesday 3rd August 09:09
I was bemoaning to one American couple the fact that I did not see my two younger children in their early years. I was working long hours and took, on average, just three days off a month. My two younger kids must have thought of me as the bloke who sleeps in the big chair on occasion. I had no one to blame, it was our choice, one which we regret but then you have to cope with the fallout of your mistakes.
They told me that their son had only been able to get a job that required a 13-hour day if travel was included and that the mother worked for 12 hours. Their kids were middle teens, but they hardly ever saw them. Weekends were a day long and they did not always coincide between parents. He had never seen his son play in a competitive football match, the sport being big in his kid's life when at school. Two weeks off a year. That's no quality of life.
They had a lovely house, full medical - including teeth, which, given the emphasis I assume is not always so - but ironically were terrified of falling ill and having to take time off to see a doctor.
There is a lot wrong with this country but the same goes for every one. Its a compromise.
mikal83 said:
And don't get me started on vacation time............or lack of it!
The problem with vacation time is two-fold. One, there is far too little of it, and second, one typically cannot even use the time one is given. In nearly every professional job I held before moving, it was not out of the ordinary for colleagues to have up to 100 days of unused vacation saved up -- vacation accumulated over years that they couldn't use.
scherzkeks said:
The problem with vacation time is two-fold. One, there is far too little of it, and second, one typically cannot even use the time one is given.
In nearly every professional job I held before moving, it was not out of the ordinary for colleagues to have up to 100 days of unused vacation saved up -- vacation accumulated over years that they couldn't use.
Varies by state doesn't it? I know some colleagues in the US don't take vacation for the last 5 years of work so that they get a slightly earlier retirement.In nearly every professional job I held before moving, it was not out of the ordinary for colleagues to have up to 100 days of unused vacation saved up -- vacation accumulated over years that they couldn't use.
scherzkeks said:
mikal83 said:
And don't get me started on vacation time............or lack of it!
The problem with vacation time is two-fold. One, there is far too little of it, and second, one typically cannot even use the time one is given. In nearly every professional job I held before moving, it was not out of the ordinary for colleagues to have up to 100 days of unused vacation saved up -- vacation accumulated over years that they couldn't use.
How to people raise children in the states ?
They're off school for half the year on their mega summer holidays, and parents don't appear have enough combined holiday to cover it!
But getting to school age is easy compared to when the kids are infants, nurseries seem like they need to be open 0600 - 2100 daily and so cost even more than they would here due to staffing man-hours ?! ( well the ones that haven't already been sacked because the boss was in a bad mood that day and that poor sod was the first person they saw! )
Its seems completely incompatible with any form of family life and desire for stability.. its not living.. its just working yourself to a stressful death
Are there any plus sides i'm missing that make it work with family life in the states ?
They're off school for half the year on their mega summer holidays, and parents don't appear have enough combined holiday to cover it!
But getting to school age is easy compared to when the kids are infants, nurseries seem like they need to be open 0600 - 2100 daily and so cost even more than they would here due to staffing man-hours ?! ( well the ones that haven't already been sacked because the boss was in a bad mood that day and that poor sod was the first person they saw! )
Its seems completely incompatible with any form of family life and desire for stability.. its not living.. its just working yourself to a stressful death
Are there any plus sides i'm missing that make it work with family life in the states ?
Edited by SystemParanoia on Wednesday 3rd August 11:29
SystemParanoia said:
are there any plus sides i'm missing that make it work with family life in the states ?
Some companies have really good creche facilities. Especially in Silicon Valley/CA.Some environments are heavily protected (e.g. Federal employees) and the hours are not as intense.
Vaud said:
SystemParanoia said:
are there any plus sides i'm missing that make it work with family life in the states ?
Some companies have really good creche facilities. Especially in Silicon Valley/CA.Some environments are heavily protected (e.g. Federal employees) and the hours are not as intense.
but they prefer to just do the salary sacrifice childcare voucher thing.
Sounds like you have to cherry pick the company you work for in terms of the extra benefits instead of everything else.
SystemParanoia said:
That's something i've been fighting for over here tbh
but they prefer to just do the salary sacrifice childcare voucher thing.
Sounds like you have to cherry pick the company you work for in terms of the extra benefits instead of everything else.
Yes. Some companies are really switched on. Other US companies are still running in a UK 1960s model.but they prefer to just do the salary sacrifice childcare voucher thing.
Sounds like you have to cherry pick the company you work for in terms of the extra benefits instead of everything else.
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