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Post by chaoman45 on Nov 30, 2011 11:14:16 GMT -6
Being in America, I honestly don't know much about the other countries and the current events pertaining to them. For instance, Ireland has the IRA and its continuous struggle. That's about it I know about Ireland, which is still more than I know about Canada, Finland, or whatever.
So, I'd like to know what you think are the biggest current issues in your country so I can get a better understanding. Even if they SEEM obvious, they might not be that apparent to those abroad.
In America:
-Economic issues thanks to the Credit Crunch -Heightened coverage about sexual abuse, especially minors -A feeling of losing prosperity in the international community because of outsourcing -A bunch of Fatty fat Fatties -The "Entitlement" Generation
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Post by Cabi.net on Nov 30, 2011 12:06:10 GMT -6
We don't have that much of a problem with the IRA anymore, to be honest. Sure, there's still hatred in some parts and there are some very, very infrequent attacks by both the IRA (Real or Provisional) and Unionists. But it's nothing compared to the situation a decade ago.
Honestly, the biggest problem I have with the IRA right now is that a load of ex members are trying to get into positions of power. Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness have tried recently. The former was voted into Dail (Parliament) and the latter ran for President but lost. (Thank God.)
To go on a tangent, I'm actually disappointed with the Irish people for getting behind these people. Their promises are stupid and unrealistic and they still think that Ireland should be a 32 county country. (Meaning "We should totally go get Northern Ireland back from those Brits, right!?!?!?!?!?" No. No-one cares about that anymore.)
I think the coverage of sexual abuse is a world-wide thing at this stage. There are huge stories about members of the Catholic Church abusing kids. The church handled these accusations awfully and as a result the vast majority of Irish people are distrusting of the Church. About time too, ever since we were were an independent country we were more or less controlled by the Catholic Church. Laws weren't passed because the church didn't like it, contraception wasn't legalised until 1978 and divorce wasn't allowed until 1996. This was only after a public refrendum where it was barely passed. 50.28% to 49.72%. Yeah.
People are becoming more embracing of other cultures and new things such as divorce and the like. People's attitudes are still a bit off for these things. We're still a very old fashioned country at heart. It's things like this that I don't like and are huge reasons for me wanting to leave once I have my degree under my belt.
Another problem in the country is unemployment. We're sitting at 14% right now. New jobs are being made, funnily enough. The problem is that they are all in the technology sector. Irish people don't know how to computer (Hell, we only got the shitty broadband we have now in the last 3-4 years.) and as a result aren't filling them.
There are other jobs available. People just aren't qualified for them though. Many, many people in rural Ireland (i.e. Anywhere that isn't Dublin.) didn't even finish secondary school, our equivalent to high school. Why? Because they could get jobs either working in a factory or in a farm from 14-16. They dropped out of school to do this. It wasn't a matter that they couldn't afford it, school's free here. (If you take out transport/book costs. You can get grants for those though.) They just did it because they could. The people who did finish school/actually went to college went abroad. England, Australia, America, anywhere.
Now the people who didn't finish school are stuck in a problem. They are being let go of their old jobs (The factories are closing/farming isn't as big as it was.) and haven't got the qualifications for new ones. So what do they do? They repeat their last year of secondary school and go back to college. Everyone is going to college now. Hell, why wouldn't you? It's only €2,000. That means everyone can go! Except they can't. Because so many people are going back to college, the requirements for the courses has skyrocketed. That means unless you get an amazing result in your Leaving Cert (End of school exam.) You're out of the running. I got 320 points, a pretty decent result. I didn't get any course I wanted to get. (Granted, I'm kinda glad that I didn't but still.)
Another problem over here is the health service. It's gone to crap. Yeah, it's free and all that, but it's not even worth it. Hospitals are closing and the ones that are staying open are dirty, old and overcrowded. We can't do much about it though. We owe the IMF so many billion euro that we can just about pay off, Germany owns us (More or less) now and the Euro is collapsing. But hey, we're doing the best out of the bailed out countries!
Oh, yeah. The weather's terrible over here too.
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Post by chaoman45 on Nov 30, 2011 12:28:41 GMT -6
Oh yeah, health care sucks here, too. Doesn't Ireland have universal health care though? America's the only FW country without it, though we might in a few years. I just want to gauge how it works before hating it unconditionally.
Also the sex abuse thing from Sandusky had parallels to the Church, but now people are exploring how much we idolise college sports because Legendary JoePat got fired and rioting began.
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Post by Cabi.net on Nov 30, 2011 12:48:44 GMT -6
Oh yeah, health care sucks here, too. Doesn't Ireland have universal health care though? America's the only FW country without it, though we might in a few years. I just want to gauge how it works before hating it unconditionally. If done right it works well. It's just that right now we don't have the money to keep up and keep our hospitals up to standard. It doesn't help that if you were smart enough to get your doctorate you wouldn't be sticking around Ireland. So there are staffing problems too. Also the sex abuse thing from Sandusky had parallels to the Church, but now people are exploring how much we idolise college sports because Legendary JoePat got fired and rioting began. I remember reading about that. I saw a few photos with demonstrators too. It's all stupid. People just seem to think because people look up to them that they are incapable of doing anything wrong. It's not a good thing at all.
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Post by Jafar on Nov 30, 2011 13:07:31 GMT -6
Problems with Canada? A major one is general ignorance about Islam... Trust me, in Vancouver, if someone is anything but a Muslim, they'll likely be given some pity-based rights or some entitlement, but if they're Muslim, they get slandered or dumped on... For following a religion that the sound mind supports, and which is a rewarding way of life. This discrimination stems from the Canadian government's "We're not Euro-Canadian favouring... Well, actually we are, but we won't admit it outright, just subtly through our policies" attitude.
Sexual abuse and the mistreatment of women, drug abuse, high taxes, welfare regulations that leave a lot of struggling families off welfare, medical waiting lists, I could go on... Though really, Canada has less problems than a lot of other countries. But it still has problems. The world in general does right now. I keep out of politics because all voting options are injust in some way or another, and my support goes only to what is fully right, not a compromise.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper was asked what the biggest threat to Canada was in September. He said, "Islamists", when Canada has economic issues to deal with. While I agree that violent, misguided groups, such as the Saudi Arabia-based and North America-rampant Wahabbis, who claim to be Muslims but actually hold a creed contrary to Islam in so many ways, are threats to everyone, labeling "Islamism" as a threat to a country is completely wrong. Wahabbis aren't Muslims, they just claim they are and then go against the Qur'an by killing themselves at the same time as killing others. This leads me to what is the major problem in Canada, and around the world: Ignorance.
If more people got out of their mental cages and used sound judgement and became humble and looked into the true meaning and purpose of life, more people would be happy. But governments aren't willing to do this. It's up to the individual to find peace in a mostly corrupt world.
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gatorbite92
Moderate Trainer
Surgeon in training
Posts: 162
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Post by gatorbite92 on Nov 30, 2011 15:20:34 GMT -6
Quebec specifically has problems with francophone terrorism correct? If I remember correctly, you can get firebombed for having a sign in English bigger than a sign saying the same thing in French.
Also, America has a problem with illegal immigrants. I know that the media blows it out of proportion and makes a farce of the issue, but I worked with six Guatemalans over the summer, and they drive costs down for chefs, waiters, and bus boys.
Oooh! and drugs. Soooooooooo many drugs. At my college we have a big cocaine problem with some of the fraternities (NOT mine), and weed is extremely popular among some of the students. I don't have a problem with the weed, but coke is just a bad idea.
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Post by Zombie Clown on Nov 30, 2011 15:52:53 GMT -6
wow reading this thread really makes Australia's problems seem minimal. What have we got though? Well, we have an election coming up in the next two years and the problem is we are given the choice between a red headed clown (no not Ronald) and a balding fitness freaked, speedo wearing, moron. In other words we either pick Moron A and die or Moron B and die. In fact I'm not really sure what either would do for our country if re/elected. Moron A has been keeping things tight and closed while Moron B has been slandering anyone who isn't on his side.
The other main two problems would be Asylum Seekers, in every other country they are shot dead when they cross the border, what happens in Australia? Your given somewhere to live food to eat water to drink and you don't have to pay for any of it, now our big problem is "How do we stop them coming to our country?" hmmm lets think about this one real hard and maybe we can work something out.
that's our main problems.
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Post by Gooman on Nov 30, 2011 16:00:54 GMT -6
For following a religion that the sound mind supports, Either you phrased that really badly or you're insulting everyone who isn't a Muslim. I rarely get offended and that offended me >.> my support goes only to what is fully right, not a compromise. Now that... that just isn't a good idea. First of all, expecting to find a politician to get behind you agrees with you exactly is hopelessly over-optimistic. A compromise in your favor is all you can really hope to get in a democracy, short of overthrowing the government. Secondly, where do you think the stereotypes about Muslims being Radicals comes from? (I'm sorry if this is a bit off-topic; the generic America problems have already been mentioned, so I don't really have anything to directly add.)
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Post by chaoman45 on Nov 30, 2011 21:32:54 GMT -6
People just seem to think because people look up to them that they are incapable of doing anything wrong. It's not a good thing at all. Very on point. Well, we have an election coming up in the next two years and the problem is we are given the choice between a red headed clown (no not Ronald) and a balding fitness freaked, speedo wearing, moron. In other words we either pick Moron A and die or Moron B and die. In fact I'm not really sure what either would do for our country if re/elected. You accurately described American politics.
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Post by Zombie Clown on Nov 30, 2011 22:03:48 GMT -6
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Post by SeriousJupiter on Dec 1, 2011 8:13:12 GMT -6
Finland has a presidential election coming up soon, and I don't have a clue of who to vote. I don't know a lot about politics nor do I really care about it, just like the majority of people about my age here in Finland, if news are to be believed.
Our problems are pretty much the same as elsewhere in the world, but we have less "Fatty fat Fatties" (I think) and I believe our health care system actually works, though I'm sure many people would disagree if I said that to them. Also, I don't know exactly how much sexual abuse, drugs and unemployment we have here, but we do have them here.
One thing I remember being on the news a lot lately is fake doctors. I've lost count of headlines about impostors who have been working as doctors for years without getting caught until recently. I don't know why they all suddenly get revealed or come clean, but I think it's just despicable that those people have lied to everyone for years and have had lives entrusted to them without having any real competence to deal with them. I say they all should be locked up, but unfortunately some of them get away, and I remember reading that the police actually knew that one doctor was an impostor, but didn't do anything about it. Unforgivable.
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Post by Jafar on Dec 1, 2011 13:04:33 GMT -6
For following a religion that the sound mind supports, Either you phrased that really badly or you're insulting everyone who isn't a Muslim. I rarely get offended and that offended me >.> I stated a fact. Islam is mentally logical. You being offended at me stating that fact offends me. Which is why I avoid politics altogether, as I stated. The Muslim way of life differs from the way most of the people in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia live, so non-Muslims in those countries tend to brand it as "radical", when really if they learned the truth about the religion they'd realize its benefits. I'm not going to lie: if more people followed true Islam, the world would be happier. Why most of the world is miserable now is because most of the world has forgotten what truly benefits us and what truly harms us. If you want me to explain further why then the option of a new thread for that specific topic exists.
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mechy
Moderate Trainer
*chomp*
Posts: 348
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Post by mechy on Dec 1, 2011 14:36:50 GMT -6
Err Jafar, I think he wasn't saying he was offended at you saying Islam is logical, but rather that the way you worded it gave impression that you were implying that everyone else is not of sound mind.
At least that's what I gather, so tis just a conjecture.
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dravarian26
Moderate Trainer
AKA D_Master_Funk (Squid)
Posts: 265
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Post by dravarian26 on Dec 1, 2011 16:06:34 GMT -6
I'm not going to lie: if more people followed true Islam, the world would be happier. Why most of the world is miserable now is because most of the world has forgotten what truly benefits us and what truly harms us. If you want me to explain further why then the option of a new thread for that specific topic exists. If people followed the true form of almost all major religions things might be better. But then again what is the true form? I really can't think of a single religion where all ideas are universally interpreted the same way. I'd like to add a bit about America's problems that I know about, ya know seeing as I live here and all, giving an intro on Brazil's problems would be silly after all. The biggest thing that I know about going on currently is the Occupy movement. Fortunately for this thread, I've been seeing it in many other countries around the world as well so I'd like to see your guys' opinion on it. I know in America many are scornful of it and rightly so, I mean they are very disorganized and don't have a clear message. I personally agree with some of the things being said, but then again so many things are being shouted and protested that its impossible not to agree with some of them. The biggest thing though seems to be the vast gap between the rich and the middle-class/ poor. As someone who still needs to find $35,000 a year for the next 4 years in order to go to college so I can maybe get a good job, I personally dislike my lack of money and lack of opportunities to get money. That's not including the payments will need to be made for a house or a car in a few years, I hate being in debt and it really scares me knowing that I will be spending the rest of my life in it.
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Post by Jafar on Dec 1, 2011 21:09:50 GMT -6
Mechy, any sane person has a sound mind. Just that a lot of people in modern society don't use it very often.
Also Dravarian, true Islam is really simple. What Muhammad taught was really simple, but many idiots in history threw their own opinion in and complicated matters for a lot of people. Thankfully true Islam is still preserved in associations that use logical proofs and explanations, and in the fact the Qur'an has not been changed since it was revealed, as opposed to the alternations made to the Bible revealed to Jesus, and the changes made to the original Torah revealed to Moses.
In summary true Islam preaches gratitude to God through fair treatment of others and discipline-building obligations. It gives purpose to people, and a lack of a sensible purpose is what is driving many people in modern society into holes.
Also, rich-poor gap is a problem worldwide, Dravarian. But I'm poor and happy. True wealth is in the heart, not the wallet, I've learned. Still I would of course like to see some financial equality.
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