can the UK regain the spirit which made it a powerhouse a long time ago?

[Grandluxe]

Quote from Visaria:

11 public holidays in the US. Count them, buddy!

True, but many americans do not take additional vacation days and there is no statutory minimum in the United States. Many will either forgo it or convert it into pay.

Many Americans don’t even take the few days off given them.

According to a recent survey by Ipsos/Reuters, a whopping 43% of Americans don’t take all of the vacation time allotted to them. That compares to only 11% of French citizens, and 23% of Brits, who forget or decline to take all their due days off.

http://my.telegraph.co.uk/expat/sebastiandoggart/10144391/america-the-no-vacation-nation/

 

[Visaria]

I can only assume Americans have to work harder and forgo holidays, not because they love their jobs, but rather to make some more money in order to pay off the rather large debts they owe to financial institutions.

 

[CrackPipe]

Quote from Visaria:

All of this is bullshit. Candy brothers!!!

The vast majority of property in London is owned by Brits.

Define foreign company.

There's plenty of manufacturing in the UK. Do you even know which country is the biggest manufacturer of goods in the world?

i think you should skip embarrassing yourself.

of course i was referring to commercial property and high value residential property around areas like knightsbridge, mayfair etc. the candy brothers have just developed the most expensive apartment blocks in europe. of course, someone moving in such limited social circles as yourself probably has no idea of where these areas are or their significance.


the remainder of your questions will of course go unanswered as they so so obvious even someone of your inability should be able to struggle with an answer.

 

[Grandluxe]

Quote from Dragons Teeth:




source:http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/Timeoffandholidays/DG_10029788

Fine, but your link does say you are entitled to 5.6 weeks MINIMUM.

I guess that explains why the Prime Minister,chancellor of the exchequer, home secretary and met police chief were all on holidays during the riots

 

[Visaria]

Quote from CrackPipe:

i think you should skip embarrassing yourself.

of course i was referring to commercial property and high value residential property around areas like knightsbridge, mayfair etc. the candy brothers have just developed the most expensive apartment blocks in europe.

Of course, you were! If you only said so in your post. Nevertheless, most property even in that area is owned by locals. If you wish to refute me then please provide a link to a reputable source.

the remainder of your questions will of course go unanswered

Yes, i assumed they would, simply because you have no answers!

 

[Dragons Teeth]

Quote from Grandluxe:

Fine, but your link does say you are entitled to 5.6 weeks MINIMUM.

Saturday and Sunday are not factored as working days.

 

[Grandluxe]

Quote from Visaria:

I can only assume Americans have to work harder and forgo holidays, not because they love their jobs, but rather to make some more money in order to pay off the rather large debts they owe to financial institutions.

Many UK families are also in debt.

When you know you have for example, medical bills to pay for eventual medical care, you would work as much as possible. I am not suggesting that people should die because they cannot pay for it,

However the other extreme leads to the UK model which saps the SOUL of an entire nation. You have essentially disincentivizedthe whole country. I don blame you, if everything is provided for , why the hell should you work as hard? Why would you try your best to innovate and create companies like in the USA( APPLE, facebook,etc.)? After all you just have to levy a 50% tax, and 20% VAT to pay for all your needs.

 

[CrackPipe]

Quote from Grandluxe:

Ahhh I have a bit to say about this. The short answer is NO, Britain can never regain its predominance.

.....

Socialization in the UK started with the healthcare system the NHS, and Obama knows this full well, starting with Obamacare, and another 50-60 years of consistent social welfare, and voila, USA becomes a giant UK.

although you make some valid points, the last time i was in the uk, i had a different picture.

i cant help feel but you are assuming the whole of the uk are lower class. indeed, id venture to say most of the us lower class are no different from your description - and a good deal of the lower class in any society.

thats why they are lower class - they are too lazy to better themselves, and as you rightly say, would rather drink, loot, deal drugs etc.

i dare say things were much worse for the lower class in the times of hogarth in the uk when the uk was near its peak (i think)

 

[Dragons Teeth]

Quote from CrackPipe:

although you make some valid points, the last time i was in the uk, i had a different picture.

i cant help feel but you are assuming the whole of the uk are lower class. indeed, id venture to say most of the us lower class are no different from your description - and a good deal of the lower class in any society.

thats why they are lower class - they are too lazy to better themselves, and as you rightly say, would rather drink, loot, deal drugs etc.

i dare say things were much worse for the lower class in the times of hogarth in the uk when the uk was near its peak (i think)

Have a read at London Labour and the London Poor by Henry Mayhew.

 

[Visaria]

Quote from Grandluxe:

Many UK families are also in debt.

When you know you have for example, medical bills to pay for eventual medical care, you would work as much as possible. I am not suggesting that people should die because they cannot pay for it,

However the other extreme leads to the UK model which saps the SOUL of an entire nation. You have essentially disincentivizedthe whole country. I don blame you, if everything is provided for , why the hell should you work as hard? Why would you try your best to innovate and create companies like in the USA( APPLE, facebook,etc.)? After all you just have to levy a 50% tax, and 20% VAT to pay for all your needs.

I don't disagree. If there is free healthcare, education then there is less motivation to do stuff. OTOH, we do have many startups which become world class companies (e.g. Autonomy), but not in the same numbers as the US. The US is far more entrepreneurial.

Mind you, from what I read, the US has many entitlement programs too and plenty of taxes to pay for them!