I love the Norwegian response to their pension fund problems.

If the majority of government revenues come from oil money, than at some point your money will run out along with your oil. Its as sustainable as our current energy system so #9 doesn't hold so much water in Norway.

Add to that the fact that Norway continues the barbaric practice of Whaling despite numerous calls to get them to stop. The IWF chairman of Norway basically makes up facts and says the science supports whaling.

Furthermore, if we're comparing military than Finland certainly beats Norway. Considering Finland fought both the USSR and the Nazi's whereas Norway never really even tried.

The only real productive countries in Europe are Germany and the UK. The rest are liabilities currently.

As to the currency crisis, it was idiotic to form the Euro in the first place. This is why the UK, Sweden, Norway, and others never adopted it (in addition to other reasons).

I wasn't talking about the NEK when I was talking about failing currencies, this is a post about Europe isn't it?

LOL JOEY44:

while we are naming wars, i have one for you, its called the Revolutionary War (AKA: THE GREAT BRITAIN GOT RAPED BY A BUNCH OF FARMERS WITH HUNTING RIFLES WAR). HEARD OF IT? way to make a fool out of yourself. (bitch)

we are talking about who has the best military CURRENTLY you fucking dumbass. but for the record, ever since the u.s. has existed it has been better than england at warfare (and everything else).

Whalen you are a bellend. How can you say something like that when you had Vietnam? Revoultionary war, if you look at it, it states that these 'farmers' were in fact armed by King Louis of France. Also France, Spain and Holland were all at war with us during this time so i'm not too sure this war was fought only against 'farmers'?

Your clearly not better than us at everything else. But i tell you what you are good for. Breeding fat, stupid, ignorant people (Whalen).

Obscurehero,

2 big mistakes at least in your assertions:

"The only real productive countries in Europe are Germany and the UK. The rest are liabilities currently."

False.
Concerning Germany, its economy is in complete stagnation since 10 years with a high level of unemployment.
Its demography ? --> total collapse
Poverty level ? --> increasing dreadfuly

The only point u could consider as a ggod point is its great positive trade balance. But it's actually a mistake that shows a bad understanding of basic economy. Actually it's only a signature of Germany's decline ! These facts are quite complicated to explain. But to use a simple illustration, a very positive (case of Germany and China) exactly as a very negative balance (USA) are the both faces of a same coin: abnormal, ecnomicaly aberrant.
Think of that: a german worker finally never sees the color of his production ! Ridiculous situation.
Only a balanced account (neither a positive nor a negative one) is economicaly safe.

Concerning the UK, I'm sorry but it's objectively a dead country now ! The UK is finished, no future. Its ecnomy was almost entirely build on the financial place of London. Everybody talks in the past about the UK now. And I dont enjoy about it, I like pretty much the brits.

You also say:
"As to the currency crisis, it was idiotic to form the Euro in the first place. This is why the UK, Sweden, Norway, and others never adopted it (in addition to other reasons)."

There too, you just forget to say that the currencies of these countries are all linked to the Euro. It's not because they dont belong to the eurozone that they're independant ! What do u think ?!


The rest of your remarks can't get any special comment more except maybe we can guess you're from Finland and you dont like Norway ? Interesting, interesting.

lol @ demography collapsing

Shev, didn't you once say that you were a scientist?

If yes, then I must say that your last comment was rather inappropriate.

I know its offtopic, but i dont get why the APA removed Homosexuality from DSM.

lol omar, if you are so certain you could have beat us in the revolutionary war, why don't you come try to take the u.s. from us right now. see what happens bitch.

1. i will give you

2.no way

3.no no way(Honda) (chevy)

4.your right

5.NO WAY!

6....

7. very funny

8. r u sure? lol

9. NO WAY WE WORK AS HARD AS YOU!

10. you got that one really!

so Charles...

I admit what I know comes straight from the NYT and NPR... aside from that I have no real knowledge just parroted!

But I do know some history: Hence my Finland comment.

As for Germany, I know they had the most capital to front Greece's IMF mediated "bailout" if you will. That's got to mean something. Britain is in dire straights, but I know that their economy at least showed a little bit more robustness than France, Spain, Italy, or Portugal...at least that's what I thought.

As for the currencies, I do realize that the Euro is highly tied to other currencies like the Franc, Swedish and Norwegian Kronor, and sterling...however, I also know these countries have much more control over their currency and they have reserves of other currencies other than just the Euro by which they can help stabilize their currencies.

That being said Europe does face severe problems if its economies are going to endure in the long-term.

Like you said, I imagine demographics are a considerable problem given what I know about the current xenophobic undercurrent of the far right...the current domestic demographic trends..and their current social programs which are quickly becoming maladies.