On Sat, 06 Mar 2004 08:30:08 -0800, Sloopy > wrote:

>> Nothing to do with ethnicentrism. The US is a socially backward
>> country. That's pretty much the opinion of the REST OF THE
>> WORLD, you know, those 5 billion people right-wingers like you
>> usually choose to IGNORE.
>
>That's why our entertainment is voraciously consumed worldwide and more
>people want to immigrate to the United States than any other country in
>the world...even Paolo couldn't wait to live in this great country.
>
>I can guarantee you I'd never move to Italy!

Your entertainment is consumed worldwide because there's just so
much of it and at a higher standard than most local offerings which
is mostly due to bigger budgets, being able to employ multiple (10+)
writers for a sitcom for eg.

Just because more people want to immigrate to the US doesn't mean
you should start chanting USA USA USA, there's other factors involved
such as locality *poke mexico* and of course that flood of exported
American media would act as a form of advertising. They see that the
US could offer a better life and act on it.. I doubt many would consider
all their options and look into crime rate, education, health system etc.

There was an American on a talk back radio show here the other day
who said he had been living here for 15 years.. He told a story about
how on arriving he had asked a local about the bad areas to steer
clear of, he was told Guildford.. He kept that in mind and later while
entering the area he told his passengers to wind up their windows.
They were confused and asked why. It turns out that a 'bad' suburb
here simply consists of lower priced houses. With that he decided to
stay, he said it's just like the US only without the bad stuff.

Despite what you're led to believe, there are plenty of places around
the world just as good or better to live. A recent survey taken by
British ex-pats to determine the most liveable places backs up that
fact with no US city breaking the top 20.

I don't intend to knock the US, I just find it so annoying that so few
Americans seem to know or care about what's outside their borders
yet spout off as if they do. Hell a lot of them seem to think that
democracy and freedom is somewhat unique to their country,
including the president!