http://www.purpleslinky.com/Humor/Travel/14-Differences-Between-America-and-Australia-You-Need-to-Know-Before-Hopping-on-that-Plane.119788 Discussion about: Australia and America: 14 Differences That Can Get You in Trouble While Traveling http://www.purpleslinky.com/Humor/Travel/14-Differences-Between-America-and-Australia-You-Need-to-Know-Before-Hopping-on-that-Plane.119788#comment495259 Quite contradictory. ]]> Mon, 15 Dec 2008 05:40:09 PST http://www.purpleslinky.com/Humor/Travel/14-Differences-Between-America-and-Australia-You-Need-to-Know-Before-Hopping-on-that-Plane.119788#comment419767
What makes Australia so much better than the USA?

Is it because of any of the following?:

1. Is it because of a weak criminal justice system that seems to find reasons to let criminals go free instead of locking them up? You can go to any Australian news website or read any newspaper and read countless articles about repeat offenders that keep getting light sentences for serious crimes. Even muderers often go free.

2. Is it the need to blame its own obesity crisis on another country? Australia has had an obesity problem for several years, and is now the world\'s fattest country. But it is all America\'s fault.

3. Is it the lack of school-based extracurricular activities that encourage kids to work hard in class and stay in school? If you want your kids to play sports you have to pay for it. These kinds of activities also give kids the chance to go to univeristy for free. You don\'t have that here in Australia. That is why there are so many Australians going to American universities. Kids are encouraged to quit school instead of stay in school. I have heard on numerous occasions of teachers telling kids that they should just quit after year 10 and get an apprenticeship. Most kids that do quit school don\'t go on to get apprenticehsips.

4. Is it the nonchalant attitude towards education? You are allowed to leave school at age 15 or 16. Here where I live you only need 50% to pass. In all US states you are required to get at least 70% to pass. When I graduated from high school which was year 9 through 12 in the US we had to take 4 years of English, 1 year of Foreign Language,3 years of Physical Education,3 years of Science,3 years of Math, and 3 years of Social Studies/History to graduate. These are just the core requirements. That is not to mention all of the electives we had to take as well. There are no such requirements here where I live. They are too worried about computers when most people here don\'t even know basic vocabulary words. Most people that I have met didn\'t graduate from high school. You can see kids of school age walking around in public instead of going to school, and nobody cares. I know at least two parents who think that there is no reason for kids to finish school. One parent says look at me I turned out fine. She is 45 and works at a fish and chips shop.

5. Is it the blind eye turned to statutory rape? You have men with girls that are young enough to be their daughters. 17 year old boys chasing 12 and 13 year old girls. My stepson had a classmate who had a 18 year old boyfriend at 12 years old. Both sets of parents let them live together. Another one his friends\' dad was 40 with a 15 year old girlfriend. He threw her a sweet 16 and she was giving his 13 year old son alcohol. Now he is a policeman.

6. Is it treating women like pieces of meat? You can\'t go into a supermarket without seeing at least a half a dozen magazines that have the word sex on the cover and some half-naked girl on the cover. THe majority of the magazines have nudity in them. Girls as young as twelve can be seen walking around dressed like hookesr-in-training late at night. There was a tv commercial for feminine products that had this young lady walking around with an animated beaver. Its slogan was of coure \"take care of your beaver.\"

7. Is it pornographic magazines such as Penthouse being sold unwrapped amongst the rest of the magazines? I have seen kids as young as 6 looking at those magaznes. Nobody seems to care.

8. Is it the public television that shows nudity, sex, and profanity. Also on the radio.

9. Is it the underage drinking and smoking epidemic? I know parents who provide alcohol for their children. I also know of parents who buy cigarettes for their kids. One guy was a policeman.

10. Is it a government that encourages illegitmate children and teenage pregnancy by giving women thousands of dollars for just giving birth? Is it the 25% of the population that is on welfare?

Having said all of that I am not trying to judge a whole country of 20 million based on the actions of a few. Too bad some people can\'t do the same when it comes to a country of 300 million people.I just get annoyed when Australians always bad-mouth the US and Americans when there are plenty of bad things going on in their own country.]]> Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:47:05 PST http://www.purpleslinky.com/Humor/Travel/14-Differences-Between-America-and-Australia-You-Need-to-Know-Before-Hopping-on-that-Plane.119788#comment365591
And another thing.. I've found that straight talking Australians having business dealings in the United States have a lot of trouble because no-one seems to really speak their mind. There are layers of political correctness and hypocrisy that need to be scraped off a conversation before the real issues are addressed. And WHAT is it about every American I've met reading me his/her bloody resume and stating his/her business title like I even care? In Australia we aren't impressed with titles just ability. I'd rather deal with Canadians they seem more well.. real.

I've had great fun in the United States I love the food and even the beer and the people are really friendly if a little slow sometimes especially when it comes to having an idea what is going on outside their borders. But I always leave feeling some pity for the local inhabitants and sheer relief that I have somewhere better to live.

NB* One benefit of knowing next to nothing about the outside world is not knowing how much better it is to live in the other English speaking countries. They do say that ignorance is bliss...]]> Fri, 24 Oct 2008 11:41:26 PST http://www.purpleslinky.com/Humor/Travel/14-Differences-Between-America-and-Australia-You-Need-to-Know-Before-Hopping-on-that-Plane.119788#comment342449 ]]> Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:21:14 PST http://www.purpleslinky.com/Humor/Travel/14-Differences-Between-America-and-Australia-You-Need-to-Know-Before-Hopping-on-that-Plane.119788#comment340311
Most Americans are more concerned with what is going on in their own communities instead of worrying about what is going on in another country thousands of miles away. That doesn't mean Americans don't care about the rest of the world or are dumb. I just think there is a lot going on the US, and you should be more concerned with the issues in your own country. The reson why Australians may be aware of so many things about the US is 75% of the news,tv, and movies are from the US. Some Australians like to believe that they are smarter than Americans, but I think a lot of what Australians know about the US is taken from tv and not from school.I have been surprised at the low education requirements here where I live.
The US is too large and diverse to make accurate and correct statements about it. Going from one state to the next can be like going to a different country. ]]> Mon, 13 Oct 2008 03:02:27 PST http://www.purpleslinky.com/Humor/Travel/14-Differences-Between-America-and-Australia-You-Need-to-Know-Before-Hopping-on-that-Plane.119788#comment333323
As to the bears while out in the woods. I worked for the US Forest Service before getting married, and was in scouts my entire life. I came across 3 bears in those 23 years..... and all of them ran as the were more scared.... that was also while I was in some VERY remote locations.... normal tourist campers will have no problems.

Also, you will find the service in resturaunts in Australia a lot more lax that in the US. In Australia, the waiters and waitresses get paid the same amount no matter what they do, where as in the US, they are paid a minimum wage, which is very low, and then rely on their tips for most of their money, therefore encouraging them to give better service....]]> Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:07:25 PST http://www.purpleslinky.com/Humor/Travel/14-Differences-Between-America-and-Australia-You-Need-to-Know-Before-Hopping-on-that-Plane.119788#comment308271 which of course we arent. you dont mess with america
and all youre doing is trashing us.
this is all a bunch of crap]]> Sat, 27 Sep 2008 09:09:25 PST http://www.purpleslinky.com/Humor/Travel/14-Differences-Between-America-and-Australia-You-Need-to-Know-Before-Hopping-on-that-Plane.119788#comment299429 ]]> Tue, 23 Sep 2008 02:50:21 PST http://www.purpleslinky.com/Humor/Travel/14-Differences-Between-America-and-Australia-You-Need-to-Know-Before-Hopping-on-that-Plane.119788#comment299427
Check out this crazy website about Cultural Differences between US and AUS, theres some crazy generalising going on. Its hillarous.

http://www.convictcreations.com/culture/yankaussie.htm

Just a warning though it\'s not trying to be funny which makes it a bit scary.

P.s don\'t think all australian can\'t spell just becuace i can\'t
]]> Tue, 23 Sep 2008 02:49:06 PST http://www.purpleslinky.com/Humor/Travel/14-Differences-Between-America-and-Australia-You-Need-to-Know-Before-Hopping-on-that-Plane.119788#comment288861 ]]> Wed, 17 Sep 2008 06:32:08 PST