This is a classic, apparently it's a real advert...
29 November 2008
Same hemisphere, different planet
Have just got back from Houston and was thinking about the stark differences, both culturally and politically, between Norway and the US.
Two anecdotes highlight the differences to me
Story 1:
Back in 1999 a friend of mine told me that she was going to have a baby!
She said, " I live in Norway, although I am not Norwegian; I am not married to the baby's father and yet the Government here is going to give me a years holiday*. How cool is that?"
I has to agree it's pretty damn good.
At the same time a friend of mine in the US who had worked for 10 years and then gone back to college said to me "we can't afford health care while I am studying, if my wife gets pregnant it will cost $10000 for her to go to hospital have a baby and come out the next day. That's assuming no complications. If she gets pregnant it will be a total disaster!"
I had to agree that was not very good...
Story 2:
I was doing research work with two oil companies in 1999. Saga (Norway) and Arco (US company in UK). Both were taken over by larger companies. In Saga the employees went through several stages, starting with denial, "the government will not let this happen", graduating to indignant protest, "well if they do take over there is no way that I will move anywhere!"
And when it did happen, by enlarge people either got a job where they wanted it, or huge a payout. There was no forced redundancy and no forced relocation.
BP walked in to ARCO on a Monday morning and sacked the entire UK staff (200+ people), 2000 lost their jobs globally. No discussion, no complaining, no chance to demand where you might like to live, just goodbye!
Thats the difference between Norway and the US. I know where I want to live, even with the high taxes!
And some statistics...
Work hours - Norway 8-3; USA 7-7, it's a long day at the coal face. "Honey, who are those small people living in my house?". "That's your children dear!"
Holidays - Norway 25+ days; USA 5 days. Which explains my many Americans are so geographically challanged. If you only have 5 days holiday, its not suprising you think Norway is in Africa.
Tax - Norway 40+%, USA 25%. And interestingly there is an inverse relationship to attitude towards paying.
Cars - Norway hyper expensive, USA very cheap, e.g. a Volvo XC90 cost 1 million nok ($160k) in Norway and $35k (210knok) in the US.
Health Care - Norway, universal and fairly good; USA, excellent with insurance but terrible if you are part of the 20% who don't have it. That is very scary!
Drink driving - Norway, having a beer and then driving is worse than child molestation, USA if you can walk you can drive.
Maternity leave - Norway 11 months; USA, none
Women in the work place Norway 70% and USA 60%, probably related to the above
Crime rates - Norway very low; USA variable, but locally its a war zone!
Obesity - Norway 8%; USA 30%
Life expectancy - Norway 80; USA 78. I was actually surprised they were so close.
Politics - the policies of the Norwegian right (Høyre), lie significantly left of the Deomcrats!
They really are poles apart, to me they are opposite ends of the spectrum on work-life balance, with the rest of the World (western world at least) laying somewhere between these two end members.
What is odd is that a lot of the settlers in America came from Scandanavia, not that long ago. That must surely suggest that the differences are driven by culture rather than genetics...
Two anecdotes highlight the differences to me
Story 1:
Back in 1999 a friend of mine told me that she was going to have a baby!
She said, " I live in Norway, although I am not Norwegian; I am not married to the baby's father and yet the Government here is going to give me a years holiday*. How cool is that?"
I has to agree it's pretty damn good.
At the same time a friend of mine in the US who had worked for 10 years and then gone back to college said to me "we can't afford health care while I am studying, if my wife gets pregnant it will cost $10000 for her to go to hospital have a baby and come out the next day. That's assuming no complications. If she gets pregnant it will be a total disaster!"
I had to agree that was not very good...
Story 2:
I was doing research work with two oil companies in 1999. Saga (Norway) and Arco (US company in UK). Both were taken over by larger companies. In Saga the employees went through several stages, starting with denial, "the government will not let this happen", graduating to indignant protest, "well if they do take over there is no way that I will move anywhere!"
And when it did happen, by enlarge people either got a job where they wanted it, or huge a payout. There was no forced redundancy and no forced relocation.
BP walked in to ARCO on a Monday morning and sacked the entire UK staff (200+ people), 2000 lost their jobs globally. No discussion, no complaining, no chance to demand where you might like to live, just goodbye!
Thats the difference between Norway and the US. I know where I want to live, even with the high taxes!
And some statistics...
Work hours - Norway 8-3; USA 7-7, it's a long day at the coal face. "Honey, who are those small people living in my house?". "That's your children dear!"
Holidays - Norway 25+ days; USA 5 days. Which explains my many Americans are so geographically challanged. If you only have 5 days holiday, its not suprising you think Norway is in Africa.
Tax - Norway 40+%, USA 25%. And interestingly there is an inverse relationship to attitude towards paying.
Cars - Norway hyper expensive, USA very cheap, e.g. a Volvo XC90 cost 1 million nok ($160k) in Norway and $35k (210knok) in the US.
Health Care - Norway, universal and fairly good; USA, excellent with insurance but terrible if you are part of the 20% who don't have it. That is very scary!
Drink driving - Norway, having a beer and then driving is worse than child molestation, USA if you can walk you can drive.
Maternity leave - Norway 11 months; USA, none
Women in the work place Norway 70% and USA 60%, probably related to the above
Crime rates - Norway very low; USA variable, but locally its a war zone!
Obesity - Norway 8%; USA 30%
Life expectancy - Norway 80; USA 78. I was actually surprised they were so close.
Politics - the policies of the Norwegian right (Høyre), lie significantly left of the Deomcrats!
They really are poles apart, to me they are opposite ends of the spectrum on work-life balance, with the rest of the World (western world at least) laying somewhere between these two end members.
What is odd is that a lot of the settlers in America came from Scandanavia, not that long ago. That must surely suggest that the differences are driven by culture rather than genetics...
28 November 2008
Friday Joke - the Iraqi Footballer
The Liverpool Football Club manager flies to Baghdad to watch a young Iraqi play football. He is suitably impressed and arranges for him to come over to Anfield.
Two weeks later Liverpool are 4-0 down to Man Utd with only 20 minutes left. The manager gives the young Iraqi striker the nod and on he goes. The lad is a sensation, scores 5 goals in 20 minutes and wins the game for Liverpool. The fans are delighted, the players and coaches are delighted, and the media love the new star.
When the player comes off the pitch he phones his mum to tell her about his first day in English football. 'Hello mum, guess what?' he says 'I played for 20 minutes today, we were 4-0 down but I scored 5 goals and we won. Everybody loves me, the fans, the media, they all love me.
''Wonderful,' says his mum, 'Now let me tell you about my day. While you were out playing football and having fun, your father got shot in the street and robbed. At the same time your sister and I were ambushed, gang raped, and beaten up and your brother has joined a gang of looters.
'The young lad is very upset. 'What can I say mum? I'm so sorry.'
'Sorry!' exclaims his Mum, 'Sorry is not good enough, it's your fault we moved to Liverpool in the first place!'
Two weeks later Liverpool are 4-0 down to Man Utd with only 20 minutes left. The manager gives the young Iraqi striker the nod and on he goes. The lad is a sensation, scores 5 goals in 20 minutes and wins the game for Liverpool. The fans are delighted, the players and coaches are delighted, and the media love the new star.
When the player comes off the pitch he phones his mum to tell her about his first day in English football. 'Hello mum, guess what?' he says 'I played for 20 minutes today, we were 4-0 down but I scored 5 goals and we won. Everybody loves me, the fans, the media, they all love me.
''Wonderful,' says his mum, 'Now let me tell you about my day. While you were out playing football and having fun, your father got shot in the street and robbed. At the same time your sister and I were ambushed, gang raped, and beaten up and your brother has joined a gang of looters.
'The young lad is very upset. 'What can I say mum? I'm so sorry.'
'Sorry!' exclaims his Mum, 'Sorry is not good enough, it's your fault we moved to Liverpool in the first place!'
Courtesy of Katharine
27 November 2008
The six stages of academic fame
I have noticed that as you rise up in the festering lava pool of academia there are certain set stages in your career. These are illustrated by what happens when you go to conferences and meet people.
Stage 1 - You stare in awe at all the famous people who's text books and articles you have read.
Stage 2 - You go up to someone and say "Hi I'm John Smith" and they don't seem to care.
Stage 3 - You go up to someone and say "Hi I'm John Smith". They say "ah your John Smith!"
You are not sure why they have heard of you and your worried that it might have more to do with your bar antics than your science.
Stage 4 - You go up to someone and say "Hi I'm John Smith". They say "yes I know".
Stage 5 - You don't bother to introduce yourself because you assume people will know who are and/or you can't remember who you have and havn't met before and stage 4 is getting embarassing.
Stage 6 - Some first year PhD student comes up and says "Hi I'm Dave Jones" and you stare blankly at them while thinking "so what".
Stage 1 - You stare in awe at all the famous people who's text books and articles you have read.
Stage 2 - You go up to someone and say "Hi I'm John Smith" and they don't seem to care.
Stage 3 - You go up to someone and say "Hi I'm John Smith". They say "ah your John Smith!"
You are not sure why they have heard of you and your worried that it might have more to do with your bar antics than your science.
Stage 4 - You go up to someone and say "Hi I'm John Smith". They say "yes I know".
Stage 5 - You don't bother to introduce yourself because you assume people will know who are and/or you can't remember who you have and havn't met before and stage 4 is getting embarassing.
Stage 6 - Some first year PhD student comes up and says "Hi I'm Dave Jones" and you stare blankly at them while thinking "so what".
25 November 2008
US Car manufacturers - a dilemma...
Very interesting to see the mental conflict that is facing some of our more republican friends...
The great car manufacturer bail-out question.
The issue is fairly simple:
These people would never buy anything other than an American car. Despite the fact that they are ugly, uneconomical, badly made, horrible and wollowing to drive, expensive to run and generally shitte, they love them.
The same people are also totally committed to the free market. If a company can't hack it then it should be left to go under. You should not use tax payers money for bail-outs. Actually in their opinion there shouldn't be any tax.
So there is the dilemma, let Ford, GM et al go under and have to drive a Toyota or go against your deeply held moral beliefs and approve a bail out.
Ha ha - I am glad my life is simple
The great car manufacturer bail-out question.
The issue is fairly simple:
These people would never buy anything other than an American car. Despite the fact that they are ugly, uneconomical, badly made, horrible and wollowing to drive, expensive to run and generally shitte, they love them.
The same people are also totally committed to the free market. If a company can't hack it then it should be left to go under. You should not use tax payers money for bail-outs. Actually in their opinion there shouldn't be any tax.
So there is the dilemma, let Ford, GM et al go under and have to drive a Toyota or go against your deeply held moral beliefs and approve a bail out.
Ha ha - I am glad my life is simple
Long way home...
Went out on Friday night with Roy and a few beers turned into a few more and then a couple more. The world was put to rights and then some more. Great evening. As we left the bar, Roy proved that he wasn't really worthy of living in Texas but opting to walk home - yes leave the car and walk, in Houston. I should have realised it was going to go to shit.
We walked for a while and then parted our ways. Roy directed me to Dairy Ashford, which is a big long street with my hotel at one end. What could possibly go wrong? So I turned on to the street and started walking. I walked and then walked some more.
After about half an hour I was starting to think that Roy's perception of distance was skewd by driving all the time. After an hour I was getting seriously peeved. There was not to many people around and those that were either looked scared or very dodgy, or both.
After about two hours I had a sudden dawning flash of realisation. I pulled out my phone and got a map on the internet which proved what I had just realised - I had been walking in the wrong direction.
I have the sense of direction of a fridge!
So at that point I went to a garage and managed to call a cab. Eventually made it home at 5am!
Next day when I was out in the car I clocked the distance... 7 miles.
Hmmm Probably a bit more drunk than I had thought. At least I was sober when I got home.
We walked for a while and then parted our ways. Roy directed me to Dairy Ashford, which is a big long street with my hotel at one end. What could possibly go wrong? So I turned on to the street and started walking. I walked and then walked some more.
After about half an hour I was starting to think that Roy's perception of distance was skewd by driving all the time. After an hour I was getting seriously peeved. There was not to many people around and those that were either looked scared or very dodgy, or both.
After about two hours I had a sudden dawning flash of realisation. I pulled out my phone and got a map on the internet which proved what I had just realised - I had been walking in the wrong direction.
I have the sense of direction of a fridge!
So at that point I went to a garage and managed to call a cab. Eventually made it home at 5am!
Next day when I was out in the car I clocked the distance... 7 miles.
Hmmm Probably a bit more drunk than I had thought. At least I was sober when I got home.
21 November 2008
The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
Fantastic open letter to the Kansas School Board requesting that the theory that the World was created by the Flying Spaghetti Monster should be taught alonside Creationism and Intellegent Design. The Kansas school board are the group that insisted that ID is taught alongside Creationism in science classes.
I agree totally and would like to point out that science is mearly an opinion and there are many potentially correct theories, all of which should be given even weight, not just those two.
See http://www.venganza.org/
I agree totally and would like to point out that science is mearly an opinion and there are many potentially correct theories, all of which should be given even weight, not just those two.
See http://www.venganza.org/
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