Mock the French all you want

[Avatard]

They work less, they look great and now it turns out that the French – and citizens of six other countries - are richer than us, too.

http://lifeinc.todayshow.com/_news/2010/10/15/5295665-good-graph-friday-the-international-wealth-gap

[nhgunnut]

They are also lazier , more entitled and there standard of living is in decline. Apart from that I ad mire what they have done with Health Care (not Health Care Insurance)

[Avatard]

Their standard of living is just fine, and in fact, better than ours.

They work less hard, take care of their own (health), even send their kids to college, and STILL live better, and make more money.

Taking care of your own isn't just the right thing to do, it's a sound strategy for success, apparently.

[pauldun170]

The chart and the conclusion seems to be a bit misleading.

They are taking average wealth and comparing it with varying population levels and different currencies. (going against the dollar)
I need to take a closer look before saying anything.

[t-homo]

Because America is slowly turning into trash.

[goof2]

I suspect much of the issue for the US in those rankings is due to our real estate market. Somewhere around 30% of mortgages in the country are for more than the house is now worth (in too many cases it is for way more). When the largest single "purchase" most people make becomes a large liability for many it will effect the average net worth for the population. It also doesn't help that all the countries that are "ahead" of us have older median population ages than the US does. For some countries it is as little as a year, others are up around five years. Older people tend to save more and have less debt.

I'd also agree with Paul that there is probably something else going on here. The article mentions the Swiss number increasing by 60% but misses both Australia and Norway jumping 300% in ten years. A compounded annual growth of 12% over 10 years indicates there are other factors affecting the numbers than just saving and paying off debt.

Either way the problem for the French isn't with personal finances, it is their government's finances. Government spending in France is more than half the country's total GDP, and they reach that level with deficit spending. That is not a sustainable model.

[Homeslice]

They are also lazier , more entitled

And attitude galore......Still mad about not being able to sustain an empire anymore

[Adeptus_Minor]

And attitude galore......Still mad about not being able to sustain an empire anymore


So they did what we should be doing and took care of business at home? :scared:

[Papa_Complex]

They work less, they look great and now it turns out that the French – and citizens of six other countries - are richer than us, too.

http://lifeinc.todayshow.com/_news/2010/10/15/5295665-good-graph-friday-the-international-wealth-gap

Thank you. I will continue to mock them.

[Avatard]

Yeah, me too, come to think of it.

But the fuckers are kinda kicking our asses.

[Papa_Complex]

Yeah, me too, come to think of it.

But the fuckers are kinda kicking our asses.

... as their government edges closer and closer to bankruptcy? I bet they're thinking that EU thing wasn't such a smart idea, after all, right now.

[goof2]

So they did what we should be doing and took care of business at home? :scared:

Your statement assumes the contraction of their empire was voluntary. For the most part it wasn't.

[Trip]

Taking care of your own isn't just the right thing to do, it's a sound strategy for success, apparently.

Depends on what kind of success you want. China is going to own the world and they don't really give a shit about their serfs.

Our serfs have gotten too entitled, we need to put them back in their place.

[t-homo]

America, two time world war champs.

[Papa_Complex]

America, two time world war champs.

Two, one, and one.

[Adeptus_Minor]

Your statement assumes the contraction of their empire was voluntary. For the most part it wasn't.

I wasn't making any such assumption...contrary to popular belief, I did actually stay awake during history class. (granted, that was over a decade ago and I hear that most of history has been re-written since then)

[goof2]

I wasn't making any such assumption...contrary to popular belief, I did actually stay awake during history class. (granted, that was over a decade ago and I hear that most of history has been re-written since then)

The way I read it was you stated "They did" when it wasn't anything they actually did. The dwindling of their empire was done to them, not by them. Maybe I was reading too much in to your phrasing.:shrug:

[101lifts2]

LOL..are you serious Avatard? WTF does AVG wealth have to do with anything? The only thing this means is that the top U.S. earners have to divide up their wealth amongst 308 million poor people instead of France's 65 million poor people.

Try using the median wealth...AND if the bank owns your house, it isn't yours.

[Adeptus_Minor]

The way I read it was you stated "They did" when it wasn't anything they actually did. The dwindling of their empire was done to them, not by them. Maybe I was reading too much in to your phrasing.:shrug:

I was just talking about what they've done since, but according to some of these other posts, they aren't even doing that right. :lol:

[fatbuckRTO]

Two, one, and one.

That's a pretty dated score card.

[Papa_Complex]

That's a pretty dated score card.

Well it's an Eastwood quote, so it can't be bad.

How about three, one, one, and two called on because they went to triple overtime?

[VatorMan]

The French do whip the sh!t out of the rabble-rousers and keep the tourist areas well....touristy. Smart people. Plus they make some damn tasty cheese and bread.

[fatbuckRTO]

Well it's an Eastwood quote, so it can't be bad.

How about three, one, one, and two called on because they went to triple overtime?
Gunny Highway was 0-1-1, according to Major Douchebag. But personally, I don't count forfeits called by the manager.

[Papa_Complex]

Gunny Highway was 0-1-1, according to Major Douchebag. But personally, I don't count forfeits called by the manager.

Damn, I think you're right. Can't remember if he was talking about post-WWII.

[fatbuckRTO]

Damn, I think you're right. Can't remember if he was talking about post-WWII.

:lol:, I'm a Marine. If there are two movies in recent history I should be able to quote, they are Heartbreak Ridge and Full Metal Jacket. At least, the first half of Full Metal Jacket.

(ETA) Now choke yourself! With my hand, numbnuts!

[Papa_Complex]

:lol:, I'm a Marine. If there are two movies in recent history I should be able to quote, they are Heartbreak Ridge and Full Metal Jacket. At least, the first half of Full Metal Jacket.

(ETA) Now choke yourself! With my hand, numbnuts!

I was an Air Cadet. All I got was coefficient of lift and this damn t-shirt.

Does quoting Monty Python's Dead Parrot Sketch count?

[fatbuckRTO]

Does quoting Monty Python's Dead Parrot Sketch count?I would say it's a more authentic representation of military life in general...

[Particle Man]

And their women have hairy pits...

[Papa_Complex]

I would say it's a more authentic representation of military life in general...

I would have thought that this was closer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol5Dfs7jqFI