On Tue, 29 Jul 2003 12:50:37 GMT, Omphalos <omphalos@wp.pl> wrote:

>On Tue 29 Jul 2003 08:25:27a, Angkor  <void@what.nop> wrote in
>news:a8c7e73a1264f75d39a3b1f5d3d46c3b@free.teranews.com: 
>
>> On Tue, 29 Jul 2003 13:59:38 +0200 (CEST), "Omphalos" <omphalos@wp.pl>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> On Tue 29 Jul 2003 08:13:45a, Angkor  <void@what.nop> wrote in
>>> news:1d2bdbf367b8fda01d9c142af644e843@free.teranews.com: 
>>>
>>>> On Tue, 29 Jul 2003 12:07:10 GMT, Omphalos <omphalos@wp.pl> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> On Tue 29 Jul 2003 04:20:33a, "zolota" <zolota3@REMOVEshaw.ca> wrote
>>>>> in news:l7qVa.579581$Vi5.14415479@news1.calgary.shaw.ca: 
>>>>>
>>>>>> "Kevin Gowen" <kgowenNOSPAM@myfastmail.com> wrote in message
>>>>>> news:bfv0la$j85nb$1@ID-105084.news.uni-berlin.de...
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Ray Fischer wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Kevin Gowen <kgowenNOSPAM@myfastmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Ray Fischer wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> RonG <rgesell@mb.sympatico.ca> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> On Sat, 26 Jul 2003 05:01:16 +0000, Omphalos wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> For years I always read about how much harder Japanese worked
>>>>>>>>>>>> than other countries. Apparently the tide has turned,
>>>>>>>>>>>> according to an International Labor Organization report,
>>>>>>>>>>>> Americans work more hours now than any country in the world.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Hours worked per year:
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> US   1,979
>>>>>>>>>>>> Japan  1,842
>>>>>>>>>>>> UK  1,719
>>>>>>>>>>>> Germany 1,480
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Productivity per worker (in US $):
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> US  $54,870
>>>>>>>>>>>> Belgium $53,370
>>>>>>>>>>>> Canada $44,870
>>>>>>>>>>>> Japan $40,870
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> If you calculate productivity per hour Belgium and France come
>>>>>>>>>>>> out on top.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> I think the longer # of hours worked in the US is due to
>>>>>>>>>>>> opportunity; there has been a lot of work available in the
>>>>>>>>>>>> past decade and people take advantage of it. I would expect
>>>>>>>>>>>> lower productivity per worker in Japan since there has always
>>>>>>>>>>>> been a lot of overemployment, keeping workers on that you
>>>>>>>>>>>> don't really need. This raises business costs but lowers
>>>>>>>>>>>> social costs associated with unemployment.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> All things considered, I think I'd rather live in France and
>>>>>>>>>>>> have 6 weeks vacation a year.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Don't forget that in USA about 60% of the population is
>>>>>>>>>>> employed. In Europe its between 45 and 52%. Not only are are
>>>>>>>>>>> Americans earning more,
>>>>>>>>>>> but there are more of them earning more.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> But in the US the greater productivity is going to make the
>>>>>>>>>> already rich even richer.  Less of that earning actually goes
>>>>>>>>>> into the pockets of the earners.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> How so? The already rich are earners.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> They "earn" the wealth generated by others.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Why the scare quotes? It seems to me that they earn wealth by
>>>>>>> forming corporation and providing jobs. You nice little scare
>>>>>>> quotes suggest that there is something wrong or illegitimate about
>>>>>>> this. You can't honestly be objecting to anyone ever having an
>>>>>>> employee, right? 
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> The US has a high and rapidly growing disparity between rich and
>>>>>>>> poor. 
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Cites, if you please? Of course, the disparity does not matter. All
>>>>>>> that matters is if the poor are not as poor as they once were. They
>>>>>>> aren't. There is no reason to gripe about the disparity except for
>>>>>>> jealousy. 
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> The increases is worker productivity have resulted not in an
>>>>>>>> increase in the incopme of the typical worker,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Let's see some numbers about the typical worker. Of course, I see
>>>>>>> little reason why an increase in worker productivity should lead to
>>>>>>> just an increase in worker pay. Increase their pay to give them
>>>>>>> incentives to work harder, but remember that increased productivity
>>>>>>> means a more efficient workforce. That means it is time to fire
>>>>>>> some workers. Surely you have noticed that the economy has grown
>>>>>>> while unemployment has gone up? 
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> but an enmourmous increase in
>>>>>>>> the income of the wealthy corporate executives.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Good for them. The purpose of a corporation is to make a profit for
>>>>>>> shareholders, not to pay workers high wages or provide health
>>>>>>> insurance. 
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The rich are rich because they keep doing what makes them rich. The
>>>>>>> poor are poor because they keep doing what makes them poor.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> The american may have the highest income, or the best choice of
>>>>>> foods, but does he have the best life? More of his people are in
>>>>>> prisons than in any country on earth
>>>>>
>>>>> That's because we actually punish those who break the law.
>>>> 
>>>> That's because you have so many more who break the law than any other
>>>> country on God's earth.
>>>
>>> Wrong.
>> 
>> You have the highest per capita of your population in prison.  You are
>> the most criminal society on the planet - deal with it.
>
>So what?
You're a bunch of criminals from your unelected leader down.  Deal
with it.

>At least we won't end up like Western Europe, where in 50 years the
>population will be half of what it is today
And I care about that because?  Here's a hint: I don't live in Europe.

> while the US will continue
>growing. Face it, America is still where everyone want to be. 
Just keep telling yourself that and you may eventually believe it.  I
could name 20 or 30 countries where I'd rather be than your nasty
little colony.

--
"Ken Ehrett was a sock"
Sable washes her dirty laundry in public in message <18623a1b000ce9180a7290769e4a6775@free.teranews.com>