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General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Nilsen on August 23, 2003, 05:21:41 PM

Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Nilsen on August 23, 2003, 05:21:41 PM
Dang, i knew we where the richest country in the world but we passed Tokyo and NY :eek:



I hope i dont have to move there anytime soon

http://www.canoe.ca/CalgaryNews/cs.cs-08-23-0040.html (http://www.canoe.ca/CalgaryNews/cs.cs-08-23-0040.html)
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: GRUNHERZ on August 23, 2003, 05:29:38 PM
Well you do get "free" medicine dont you? :)
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Curval on August 23, 2003, 05:43:10 PM
Sorry...it ain't Norway (http://www.worldbank.org/data/databytopic/GNIPC.pdf)

On a per capita income basis another country takes top honours for being the richest...but not the most expensive.

:p
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Nilsen on August 23, 2003, 05:47:38 PM
free medic yes...

thx Curval, i may move back to oslo then :D

Im just happy that we beat sweeden in EVERYTHING :D


JensK.......?
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: rpm on August 23, 2003, 07:40:43 PM
Unless you are Kobe Bryant, then it's Eagle County, Colorado.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: GRUNHERZ on August 23, 2003, 08:57:52 PM
Funny how the USA and Japan with a magnitude more poulation  each are nearly as rich per capita as these butique countries.  Talk about the success of hard core hard working capitalism for bringing wealth to the masses! :)
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Curval on August 23, 2003, 09:21:51 PM
Quote
Originally posted by GRUNHERZ
Funny how the USA and Japan with a magnitude more poulation  each are nearly as rich per capita as these butique countries.  Talk about the success of hard core hard working capitalism for bringing wealth to the masses! :)


You mean "boutique" right?

lol..just checking.

But you are right man, no argument here.  All you gotta do is go to a Marina in Florida and just see how many million dollar yachts there are...and how many million dollar homes dot the landscape around the shoreline.  One Marina in one city.  Then multiply that out...

There are ALOT of very wealthy people in the US.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: GRUNHERZ on August 23, 2003, 09:26:23 PM
Lol i dont bother to spell stuff out here... :)
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Frogm4n on August 24, 2003, 06:04:22 AM
they also get free school
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: GRUNHERZ on August 24, 2003, 06:19:18 AM
Frogman you do understand that this all this "free" stuff is  finaced thought exhorbitant taxation, you know that, correct?
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Nilsen on August 24, 2003, 06:33:54 AM
yup, we pay some taxes...about +- 30% (income) and the rest is sponsored by:

white-haired Buddhist Norwegian grandmothers working for Mossad.

:D
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Frogm4n on August 24, 2003, 01:56:41 PM
i love how people think 30 percent is an exhorbitant amount of taxes. When that is pretty close to the average in the United States. But when you add health care costs, dental, etc. And what it would cost you to put a kid through school. It sure seems like we are getting screwed over here alot more.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Nilsen on August 24, 2003, 02:12:17 PM
Maybe the US spends abit much on defence and would be better off spending it on healthcare.......dunno

:)
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: GRUNHERZ on August 24, 2003, 02:21:22 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Nilsen10
Maybe the US spends abit much on defence and would be better off spending it on healthcare.......dunno

:)


This is actually true.  But the more accurate staement is that most of the world spends far too little on defense because in effect the USA is subsidizing defense for all of Europe, half the middle east, half of asia, and all of North and sount America.  Plus another reality is that the US private healthcare system is by far the most advanced and develops the vast majority of pahrmaceutical and biotech breakthroughs.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Staga on August 24, 2003, 02:27:26 PM
From CIA world factbook:
- Norway has been saving its oil-boosted budget surpluses in a Government Petroleum Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more than $43 billion.

-Debt  external: none


U.S.A
-Debt external: $862 billion (1995 est.)  

uh oh... (http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/)
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Frogm4n on August 24, 2003, 02:34:39 PM
the US health care system is great. For those who can afford it. So you have the wealthiest country in the world and also the most advanced yet, what was the latest figure? Like 40 million people have no healthcare let alone dental. Even turkey manages universal healthcare. I'm just waiting for mexico to be able to do it before us while the HMO sponserd polititians try to force us to believe that its evil socialism that will bring about the end times.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: GRUNHERZ on August 24, 2003, 02:35:00 PM
You belive the CIA?    Damn Staga thats firm cause for dissmissal from the Euro chapter of the DETH TO AMREEKA-DETH TO BOSH jihad society...  

:D
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: GRUNHERZ on August 24, 2003, 02:37:07 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Frogm4n
the US health care system is great. For those who can afford it. So you have the wealthiest country in the world and also the most advanced yet, what was the latest figure? Like 40 million people have no healthcare let alone dental. Even turkey manages universal healthcare. I'm just waiting for mexico to be able to do it before us while the HMO sponserd polititians try to force us to believe that its evil socialism that will bring about the end times.


Yes socialized medicine is a miracle!  They have managed to soilve all the supply/demand contradictions of such a system abd it will work wonders for a country of 300 million like the USA...
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: _Schadenfreude_ on August 24, 2003, 03:41:10 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Frogm4n
i love how people think 30 percent is an exhorbitant amount of taxes. When that is pretty close to the average in the United States. But when you add health care costs, dental, etc. And what it would cost you to put a kid through school. It sure seems like we are getting screwed over here alot more.


Ok forgive my ignorance but could somone explain to me exactly what the US tax rate is and how much one pays for health insuarance (or does the company pick that up) and how much do you for for schooling say childcare, junior school, high school and 4 years of college?
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: _Schadenfreude_ on August 25, 2003, 06:27:04 AM
So does no one actually know or is it you just don't want to tell us?
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Bluedog on August 25, 2003, 07:51:33 AM
Quote
Originally posted by GRUNHERZ
This is actually true.  But the more accurate staement is that most of the world spends far too little on defense because in effect the USA is subsidizing defense for all of Europe, half the middle east, half of asia, and all of North and sount America.  Plus another reality is that the US private healthcare system is by far the most advanced and develops the vast majority of pahrmaceutical and biotech breakthroughs.


He he...c'mon Grunherz, thats because if any other country on the face of this Earth spent even a fraction of the amount the US does on weaponry/defence, the US would be all over them in a flash......and mebbe a mushroom cloud. ;)
The arms race is over, and I believe we have a winner.
It's true though, if the US spent less on defence/weaponry, the rest of the world would spend the differance anyway, and that is a bad thing, a very bad thing. IMHO.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Ripsnort on August 25, 2003, 08:09:51 AM
Interesting stats Curval.  Here is a chart of the highest taxed countries in the world, interesting to see the US is down around 27th or so....

http://www.ssb.no/egnlish/subjects/12/01/skattoecd_en/arkiv/fig-200-12-13-01-en.gif
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: straffo on August 25, 2003, 08:11:59 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Ripsnort
Interesting stats Curval.  Here is a chart of the highest taxed countries in the world, interesting to see the US is down around 27th or so....

http://www.ssb.no/egnlish/subjects/12/01/skattoecd_en/arkiv/fig-200-12-13-01-en.gif


This chart proove that Belgium,France and Austria are scandinavian country :D

it hurt :(
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Bonden on August 25, 2003, 08:17:43 AM
Quote
Originally posted by GRUNHERZ
Funny how the USA and Japan with a magnitude more poulation  each are nearly as rich per capita as these butique countries.  Talk about the success of hard core hard working capitalism for bringing wealth to the masses! :)


Maybe i'm just ignorant, but please enlighten me - what, then, is a boutique hotel?
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Nilsen on August 25, 2003, 08:58:16 AM
Shhhhh!!!!

Dont tell anyone about our oil Gscholz....

You never know what the infidels may do :D
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Ripsnort on August 25, 2003, 09:40:09 AM
The pitfall of living in Denmark...high cost for transportation, the BMW 325 that sells for $28,500 in the US goes for $65,000 in Denmark (US dollars translated) :eek:

My 330ci coupe that I bought for $35,500 cost $96,000 in Denmark! :eek: :rolleyes:

(http://photos.e46fanatics.com/data/500/4373bmwprice1.png)

Edit: Had "Norway" instead of "Denmark"
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Ripsnort on August 25, 2003, 09:44:14 AM
In norway, they're not that much cheaper!  

(http://www.starracer.us/FINLAND/DSC00504%20copy.JPG)
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Nilsen on August 25, 2003, 10:12:12 AM
The boat i ordered a few weeks ago for delivery in april cost me 2500000,- NOK incl everything.... that should be aprox  326,081 USD  :eek: :eek:

Cant say i look forward to the first payment :(
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Nilsen on August 25, 2003, 10:28:54 AM
hehe, got some money from selling the family business this spring.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Ripsnort on August 25, 2003, 10:31:42 AM
Quote
Originally posted by GScholz
You moron! The second one is Finish!!! :D


Bah, Finns, Norweigskinheads, they all look alike! :p
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Nilsen on August 25, 2003, 10:39:17 AM
Yup, we are like americans and canadians ;) except for the language (yeah yeah,  some speak french there)
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Ripsnort on August 25, 2003, 10:43:29 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Nilsen10
Yup, we are like americans and canadians ;) except for the language (yeah yeah,  some speak french there)


My Great Grandfather on my Fathers side is from Stockholm, my Great Grandfather on my Mothers side is a "Dover" from England (Our family tree goes back to the Dover Castle).  I'm about as "White boy" as you can get.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Nilsen on August 26, 2003, 06:26:25 AM
Staga...

Our petrolium fund is now: 101,4 billion USD, and is growing by 10-15 billion every year. Foreign debt is still 0$

This money is partly invested in foreign companys and some is just sitting there collecting interest.

Nice to know we have it there for a rainy day or two.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: GRUNHERZ on August 26, 2003, 10:20:54 AM
So nilsen and gscholz tell me whats it's like for ypu two sucessful and productive guys to be forced to pay more than double price for your goods just to have "free" medicine?  Gscholz how much health insurance and other things could you have purchased for $40,000, hell think if you could have invested that money....  But of course you dont have that option, the state knows best....  :rolleyes:

Bonded: by boutique I mean small and/or homogenous financial center type countries, they tend to rich as hell but that only works at small numbers.

For example norway has only 4.5m people, and its by far the "biggest" up there until you get to the USA and Japan at 280 and 120 mil. respecytively.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Curval on August 26, 2003, 10:31:45 AM
Hey Nilsen,

Had dinner with some Swedish clients last night.

This one should irritate you:

The subject of the most expensive city to live in the world came up.  Someone at the table put forward Stockholm.  This thread enabled me to correct them.

Then one of the guys, who obviously isn't a big fan of the Norweigens, said..."They are like the Arabs with their oil.  They don't actually WORK, as a nation, they just collect royalties on the extraction (by large oil companies) of their oil."

He then went on to ask,

"Can you tell me the make and manufacturer of a Norweigen car?  Airplane?  Pharmacutical company? etc, etc?"

I said no.

He said "That proves my point rather well."

Your thoughts?

  ;) :p
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: GRUNHERZ on August 26, 2003, 10:35:37 AM
Thanks curval, that explains my point rather well too...  :)

Btw the name for your house should be:

Casa de Super Jizz
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Bonden on August 26, 2003, 10:36:12 AM
Grunherz - thanks :)
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Nilsen on August 26, 2003, 10:37:59 AM
Well Grunherz, i dont know wich system is best .
Our welfare system benefits those that are less fortunate and are at the bottom of sosciety. The middle and upper class have "less" buying power than they could have had but they still have a very good family economy. (Of course the rich get richer in our economy aswell and always find "smart" ways of awoiding taxes)

Personaly i think its better that the system benefits those less fortunate than the rest of us.

In the US you have a better chanse of getting very rich if you work hard but i also guess that if you are among the less fortunate you have a far worse personal economy / healthcare and quality of life.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Ripsnort on August 26, 2003, 10:45:23 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Curval
Hey Nilsen,

Had dinner with some Swedish clients last night.

This one should irritate you:

The subject of the most expensive city to live in the world came up.  Someone at the table put forward Stockholm.  This thread enabled me to correct them.

Then one of the guys, who obviously isn't a big fan of the Norweigens, said..."They are like the Arabs with their oil.  They don't actually WORK, as a nation, they just collect royalties on the extraction (by large oil companies) of their oil."

He then went on to ask,

"Can you tell me the make and manufacturer of a Norweigen car?  Airplane?  Pharmacutical company? etc, etc?"

I said no.

He said "That proves my point rather well."

Your thoughts?

  ;) :p


So, Norweigens = Professional Welfare State Slackers?  They'd vote Democrat if they lived in this country.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Nilsen on August 26, 2003, 10:58:31 AM
hehe :D

It may sound like thats the case but we hardly use our oil income at all, its it put in the petrolium fund for use when our oil/gass is expended in 50-100 years.

True, we dont make airplanes and cars but we have other industries as well.

We export technology, fish/fish products and other stuff to. Until ww2 we had the largest merchant navy in the world (ALOT where sunk trying to supply brittain with what they needed). We still have some very large shipping companys that have not yet flagged out.

If we did not have oil we would still export more than we import.

As to sweedes talking crap about norway, that does not come as a suprise to me :D , we do the same about them. It has been like this for years and there is no hard feelings. Its kinda like to siblings teasing eachother (canada/us).
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Ripsnort on August 26, 2003, 11:09:56 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Nilsen10
As to sweedes talking crap about norway, that does not come as a suprise to me :D , we do the same about them. It has been like this for years and there is no hard feelings. Its kinda like to siblings teasing eachother (canada/us).


But, we're not teasing, Canada is seriously the red-headed step-child of the North American continent(Socialism, screwed up politics, etc).  I can only assume the same of Norway.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Nilsen on August 26, 2003, 11:11:53 AM
LOL :D
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Ripsnort on August 26, 2003, 11:17:05 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Nilsen10
LOL :D


We have a name for fish like you in the Pacific Northwest..."Steelhead". Its basically a cross between a Sea-going trout and a salmon.  They get their name from the ability to throw a hook from their mouth at will, thus the name "Steelhead" :D
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Urchin on August 26, 2003, 11:19:41 AM
Well, someone asked earlier about the cost of healthcare, college expenses, etc.  

Since I'm going back to school (and paying for it myself this time ), the cost for my school is ~4,000 a semester (8k a year), figure 500-700 dollars for books per semester (1,000-1,400 a year), so roughly 9 to 10 grand a year.  That is a public school, I commute there.  You can about double that if you live on campus.  And as I said before, that is a public school, not a private school.  Private schools run in the area of 30 to 40 grand a year.

Health care (just medical, no dental or vision or etc), last I checked it was around 300 a month, for me and only me.  You can get it a lot cheaper if your company offers it as a benefit.  Needless to say, I haven't had health insurance in quite a while.

Sorry Grunherz, I know capitalism is the "holy grail" and all, but your "average joe" gets ****ed up the bellybutton in our system.  Maybe you come from a wealthy family or something, who knows.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Curval on August 26, 2003, 11:28:50 AM
Urchin...very very true.

I audited a company in Arizona a few years back.  When I looked at the payroll I couldn't believe the low wages that were being paid to some employees.  The reason...they got health care benefits and would accept such low wages just to have it.

I couldn't figure out how some of these people could survive.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Urchin on August 26, 2003, 11:37:03 AM
They can't, and that is what is going wrong with our society today.  Right now I'm a college student, I work as a substitute teacher, and I work in a gym (ok, ok, I probably wouldn't HAVE to work in the gym, but I like working there).  I make 6.50 an hour at the gym, figure 130 or so every two weeks.  Since I just started going back to school, I can only work 2 days a week as a sub, making 90 a day.  Thats 180 a week, 360 every two weeks (before taxes.... the government TAKES 25% of that... and I still don't get free healthcare or education or anything that those evil socialists over in Europe get).  I also don't ALWAYS work 2 days a week because sometimes the jobs just aren't there.  I'm 25, I live at home.  Now thats partly because I'm chicken**** and assume I couldn't make it out on my own on that paltry amount of money (without getting several roommates anyway), and partly because I'm realistic and know I couldn't make it out on my own on that paltry sum of money.  

Now, am I a ****up?  Sure, that isn't even an issue.  Fortunately, I'm not a ****up with a family, or I could guarantee you MY kids would turn out just as ****ed up as I am, and probably worse.  I think even Grunherz would understand that if someone makes less than ~$20 an hour with full benefits, they can't support a family.  Want to guess how many kids have parents (or even worse, parent) working two jobs with no benefits just to feed their kids and keep a roof over their head?
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: _Schadenfreude_ on August 26, 2003, 12:02:05 PM
Up to $45,000 we pay 22% tax, healthcare is free, most companys offer health insuarance to cover full medical, dental and vision -  mine costs me $10 a month - company picks up the rest.

Education - tuition fees are low - you have to pay towards them - about $2,200 for a 3 year degree - Gov picks up the tab - if you are bright enough and work hard enough an Oxford degree is yours for the taking.

If I lose my job I get benefits for 6 months, bout $300 per month thereafter means tested - Gov pays for the interest on my mortgage so I won't lose my house if I do lose my job.

This is for Uk - France, Germany etc have far more generous benefits

I also get a 10% bonus 25 days leave a year with a further 8 days public holidays - subsidised meals in company canteen, share option etc.

I've spent quite a lot of time in the US on biz - great weather, lots of space, nice people....but
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Siaf__csf on August 26, 2003, 12:13:56 PM
Apparently Grunherz still feels his ears wet from swimming after a jump from his refugee boat.

Don't worry bud, I'm sure the immigration office is assured already that you love your new country.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Nilsen on August 26, 2003, 12:36:06 PM
"Stealhead" ... il like it ripsnort :D

If there is anything i have learned about this BBS is the ability to see when im getting hooked... i then try to gently pull it out using a :D

Sometimes it takes awhile for me to realise tho...especialy if im drunk when posting :D

Grunherz is the one that usually keeps me hooked the longest ;)
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Maniac on August 26, 2003, 01:15:39 PM
Quote
Im just happy that we beat sweeden in EVERYTHING


Huh? whats this drivel? you are happy that Oslo is the most expensive Town?
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Nilsen on August 26, 2003, 01:25:29 PM
no maniac, best in EVERYTHING :D
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Maniac on August 26, 2003, 01:31:18 PM
Well i have a bigger dick then you, thats one thing that _never_ gonna change...

So there, have an nice one...
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Ripsnort on August 26, 2003, 01:31:26 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Nilsen10
no maniac, best in EVERYTHING :D


he means "Everything from the Waist up" :D
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Nilsen on August 26, 2003, 02:02:42 PM
Such foul language maniac, your mother should wash that mouth.

Ripsnort.... im not that fat, my waist doesnt start at my toes............yet  :D
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Frogm4n on August 26, 2003, 02:31:00 PM
the way things are going, free school and healthcare make up for any taxes you end up paying in the long run. Plus you end up with a healthier more educated society. of course who knows if it could work in a country like the US. The closest example's would be japan or france.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Staga on August 26, 2003, 06:26:23 PM
Last spring the company I've been working for moved their factories and storages 100km north and I wasn't interested to move after them. Got a nice "golden handshake" and my unemployment checks are bigger than what some of my friends earn in their jobs (got pretty nice salary = paid more money for union = bigger checks if unemployed).

Last monday I was interviewed by a couple consultants for a course for process managers, done with co-operation with EU, consultant office and companies offering works, and later at same day a "human resource manager" from a company near where I live called and asked if I'd be interested to visit them and talk about if we could find a way to use my skills in their company.

Yeah; I've paid chitload of money as taxes but now it looks that I got most of them back as a unemployment checks, free courses in management schools, free health care etc etc.

Sigh, it looks like I'm heading back to office again... anyway the summer is about over and I don't have any better things to do right now (it's getting cold and windy in the sea so it's not that fun anymore to skip from wave to wave at 40knots...)
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: GRUNHERZ on August 26, 2003, 10:13:39 PM
So basically you have been an unemplyed unproductive lazy  leech for 1.5 years while "earning" more than your employed friends...

Wonders!
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: GRUNHERZ on August 26, 2003, 10:53:02 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Urchin


Sorry Grunherz, I know capitalism is the "holy grail" and all, but your "average joe" gets ****ed up the bellybutton in our system.  Maybe you come from a wealthy family or something, who knows.


I came from a stagnant communist country... My father came to this country alone with a few dollars and made a better life for our family through his hard work and constant learning. We're not rich. I plan to do the same the best I can with my education. Stop whining (no offense) go to school and do the same for yourself and your family. FWIW youre on the right track... Could you live with yourself as a man if you got a system like Stagas where you are a lazy unproductive jerk leeching off for 1.5 years your fellow hardworking citizens who struggle to pay 100% car taxes and all the other taxes while you go play watersports and recieve income that is HIGHER than most of them?

Oh yea its a wonder, why even bother to get a job when youre $$$$ better off being unemployed, not mention the free time...

I guess I'm curious as to what you actually want Urchin.. You say the gym job pays you 6.50 an hour. Well do you want the govt to raise that wage by law, lets say set a min wage above that to lets say 7? 8? 10? More?  Then what? Imagine you are the Gym manager and you have a certain budget, well that would mean the cost of one of his purchases, your work, has gone up with no real increase in productivity - youre still doing the same exact thing but now at a higer cost to him.  In your personal life what do you generally do when the price of a certain good goes up? Chances are you consume less of it or find a substitute. Why do you assume the gym manager will be any different? He might cut your hours, maybe fire you and replace your services with some cheaper alternative like maybe a bussiness that provides personal trainers to gyms at a lower unit cost - for example this happends to janitors sometimes. Of course he could raise prices, but then fewer people might go the gym and revenues would fall.  

I guess my point is that you are not isolated from everyone even if seems to be imperonal and uncaring, which it is.  So your best bet is to stick it out at school, get a skill, and make more money - in the long term thats the best way to get ahead in the USA. This way you are in stronger position for yourself and present better reasons for employers to hire you at the wage level you desire.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Staga on August 27, 2003, 11:02:43 PM
Quote
Originally posted by GRUNHERZ
So basically you have been an unemplyed unproductive lazy  leech for 1.5 years while "earning" more than your employed friends...

Wonders!


err are you having problems to understand my english?
anyway in here last spring was 4months ago.  
I really wouldn't have to tell you this but actually I've been trying to find a new job for me but as you know (well you would know if you'd been working for last 17 years) in holiday season it's pretty hard and after all I'm not a bus driver or a sanitor :)
In last 17 years I had to split my summer vacansies to two or sometimes to three parts, sometimes I was called back to work when I was already in my summer place, I spent new years eves in the work makeing inventories and so on... Yes, I've enjoyed my first real vacation in a frigging decade  :)

Dear Grünhertz; after you have been working as long as I, spent too many weekends at work and 16 to 20 hour workdays then you might have a right to judge my doings :)
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: GRUNHERZ on August 27, 2003, 11:07:39 PM
Took last spring to mean last year spring... :) But still unemployment payment greater than that of many working people are an invatation to abuse. Thats why I dont think its so wonderful a setup.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Staga on August 27, 2003, 11:47:55 PM
Well I paid more taxes in a year than some of my friends in two; IMHO I have a right to get some of that money back.
Heck even the car I bought had over 10.000 dollars of taxes on it's price tag...

My unemplyment checks are this big only for first 500 days; after that they would shrink pretty badly.
I don't mind; I have no intentions to stay at home that long.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: GRUNHERZ on August 28, 2003, 12:00:12 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Staga
Well I paid more taxes in a year than some of my friends in two; IMHO I have a right to get some of that money back.
Heck even the car I bought had over 10.000 dollars of taxes on it's price tag...

My unemplyment checks are this big only for first 500 days; after that they would shrink pretty badly.
I don't mind; I have no intentions to stay at home that long.


500 days, a year and a half.... :)  But imagine you wer allowed to keep those $10,000 in taxes and even more on your income and had invested it or even just saved it, you would have been better off.  

Oh does everyone get same level unemplyment benefit? Does a bus driver get the same as you do if he lost his job?
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: SLO on August 28, 2003, 08:03:34 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Ripsnort
But, we're not teasing, Canada is seriously the red-headed step-child of the North American continent(Socialism, screwed up politics, etc).  I can only assume the same of Norway.



wonder if they have a 'MOST' self-centered country in the world.....

Bet ya RIp's country would win hands down

OH ya.....we just ignore people like RIP:D
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Maniac on August 28, 2003, 08:05:35 AM
Quote
Oh does everyone get same level unemplyment benefit? Does a bus driver get the same as you do if he lost his job?


In Sweden you get an percentage of your income... like 70-80% i think...

I think its the same there...
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Nilsen on August 28, 2003, 08:08:24 AM
same here manic, i belive you get 75% of your average income the last 2 years before you lost your job. You get that for about a year i think and you loose the right to that money if you say no to a job offering.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Urchin on August 28, 2003, 10:53:56 AM
Sorry Grun, the 'best way to get ahead in the USA' is to be born rich.  What I want is a country where everyone gets paid a living wage, where everyone has access to health care, and where everyone who could make use of it has access to free education.  Granted, I'm not an economist, so I couldn't tell you what would happen if the minimum wage was raised to to 12 or 13 dollars an hour (which I would consider the absolute minimum floor for being able to sustain one person).  Knowing what I do about people, I'd wager that the greedy rich ****bags that run this country would probably just raise prices 400% so that there wouldn't be any real difference anyway.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Staga on August 28, 2003, 11:35:15 AM
In here you pay a certain percentage of your income as unemployment insurance tax; earn more = pay more.
Now if you lose your job you're going to get a pretty small checks.
If you're also a member of union and pay for them too then if you lose your job you're going to get money from two sources (in same checks thought): basic part comes from government and additional part from union.

Low salary workers get bigger benefits: If you earn 2.000$/month you would get maybe 1300$ as unemployment checks but with 4000$/month maybe 1800$ or so.


Oh well, looks like that company I visited wants to hire me after the management course. Bad thing is I talked with couple workers over there and it seems like it's not the best place to be.
Two earlier chiefs/superintendents left the company pretty fast 'cause upper management gave idiotic orders.
Anyway I don't have to sign a contract with them before april so I'm free to leave them and begun to work with another company if I or the consults will find a place which is more interestsing :)
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Nilsen on August 28, 2003, 11:46:48 AM
Ok thx Gscholz...
Never been on unemployment so i wasnt sure :)
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Ripsnort on August 28, 2003, 12:05:46 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Nilsen10
Ok thx Gscholz...
Never been on unemployment so i wasnt sure :)


I was unemployed for 8 months once, but refused to accept unemployment compensation.  Its welfare with a different name.

Edit: Dang, this sat there for 2 hours, no takers. :D
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Curval on August 28, 2003, 01:46:03 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Urchin
What I want is a country where everyone gets paid a living wage, where everyone has access to health care, and where everyone who could make use of it has access to free education.  


At first I thought you might want to check out Cuba or China...then I realised that Canada fit the bill rather nicely.:D
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: GRUNHERZ on August 28, 2003, 10:00:04 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Urchin
Sorry Grun, the 'best way to get ahead in the USA' is to be born rich.  What I want is a country where everyone gets paid a living wage, where everyone has access to health care, and where everyone who could make use of it has access to free education.  Granted, I'm not an economist, so I couldn't tell you what would happen if the minimum wage was raised to to 12 or 13 dollars an hour (which I would consider the absolute minimum floor for being able to sustain one person).  Knowing what I do about people, I'd wager that the greedy rich ****bags that run this country would probably just raise prices 400% so that there wouldn't be any real difference anyway.


Quite honestly Urchin your whole problem is that you are not educated well enough and I dont mean that as a putdown of any sort - I'm simply saying that you will laugh at those statements you wrote after you take a few college level econ classes. :)

 
As for the idea that only the allready "rich" can prosper in america, well i thought that too about politics, that only rich sons like gore and bush or the kennedys got to be natioanl leaders. But thats not true at all, and that fact is amply demonstrated by Bill Clinton who was born to poor drunk trailer trash parents but through his hard work and intelligence he earned addmittance to the finest schools here and abroad , went on the become a lawyer, a succesful local politicann, governer and of course president.

The point is, go to school and allow yourself to learn stuff so you dont stay uniinformed and unhappy like you are now and instead give the economy solid reasons to provide you the income level you desire for yourself and your family.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Staga on August 29, 2003, 01:56:04 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Ripsnort
I was unemployed for 8 months once, but refused to accept unemployment compensation.  Its welfare with a different name.


I don't know how it's there but in here, as I said earlier,  you're paying certain percentage of your salary to the government as unemployment insurance fee, and if you join to the union some percentage for them for unemployment fund.
I can't see any difference if you pay the money to the government or to the private owned insurance corporation.
At least you know that when government is running that service you don't have to be afraid that someone collects the money, takes a flight to the southern america and leaves you without any insurance :)

btw same goes with health care; it's not free but we all have paid our share of it in taxes.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: NUKE on August 29, 2003, 02:23:55 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Curval
Urchin...very very true.

I audited a company in Arizona a few years back.  When I looked at the payroll I couldn't believe the low wages that were being paid to some employees.  The reason...they got health care benefits and would accept such low wages just to have it.

I couldn't figure out how some of these people could survive.


no offence Curval, but I have never known anyone in my life that took a job at low wages just to get health care.

Arizona's cost of living is among the lowest in the country. A nice BIG house in Phoenix that cost 150-200k would cost you a million or more in many areas of California for instance.

When I was making $300.00 a week, I rented a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house for $600.00 a month ( 1988) . I also at that time paid for my school, car, Harley sportster motorcycle, worked 40 hours a week, and had/treated for cancer, nice guitars, a descent 8 channel recording studio...... all on my $300.00 a week and living on my own.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Curval on August 29, 2003, 06:59:31 AM
Quote
Originally posted by NUKE
no offence Curval, but I have never known anyone in my life that took a job at low wages just to get health care.

Arizona's cost of living is among the lowest in the country. A nice BIG house in Phoenix that cost 150-200k would cost you a million or more in many areas of California for instance.

When I was making $300.00 a week, I rented a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house for $600.00 a month ( 1988) . I also at that time paid for my school, car, Harley sportster motorcycle, worked 40 hours a week, and had/treated for cancer, nice guitars, a descent 8 channel recording studio...... all on my $300.00 a week and living on my own.


No offense taken at all.

You have provided a better explanation than the controller of the company did.

Amazing what $300 a week can get you there....you're right I imagine.  Everyone seemed to have a nice car etc.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Maniac on August 29, 2003, 07:00:26 AM
Quote
I was unemployed for 8 months once, but refused to accept unemployment compensation. Its welfare with a different name.


How much tax do you pay on your monthly income rip?

I have to pay 32% thats about 800 dollars an month that i dont get anything from... And ive been working for  10 years straight and in all of that time i have payed 32% of my monthly income...

Thats an whole lot of money... And on top of that you have to pay an extra fee each month too be able to "recive" money when you get unemployed... If you dont pay this extra fee each month then your out of luck...
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: Nilsen on September 01, 2003, 04:07:03 PM
Curval:

I just saw a report today that norwegians actually are the most productive in the world (according to http://www.ilo.org)

so i guess we are not lazy oil arabs or whatever that sweede said :D
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: trolla on September 02, 2003, 08:42:09 AM
I was injured badly in my job, (living in norway) and was at aged 36 trying got get myselve used to the tough going home for the rest of my life.

That did not happned cause we have somthing called a a sosial security program that re- educates  people into jobs they can do even if sllightly disabled.

what i got is a 5 - 6 years re- education for free (no cost) + beeing paid for doing it (well 60% of my earlyer income) and now i have  only 2 years left :)


I have no bad feelings about it either cause i prolly paid the dubble in tax as a worker before, but im sure glad the system works.

There will always be dark sides about a sosial security program that cost a lot of money but it is worth it for the 90 % of people that actyally need it.

call it sosialism or whatever but it gives more back to the comunity than it cost all in all.

in 2 years im back in work instead of sitting on my bellybutton (prolly drinking) and being productive again my age is then 42 and I can still work for 25 years and pay my taxes with a smile.
Title: damn, Oslo is the most expensive city in the world..
Post by: trolla on September 02, 2003, 12:55:03 PM
forgot to say my grades, is at the top 10 at campus in my category.
And that is not because I have a high iq or somthing but I am doing my school work as  when i worked meaning 7-10 hours a day +++ somthimes.

It is freaking funny to see the youngsters start racing 2 weeks infront of a exam and getting rapidly red in their faces and having panic.

Im pretty much done then rofl :D


PS ! as you see im not styding English lol :)
Can prolly do better writing but for a message board i dont bother hope you understand.