Posted on 11/10/2008 8:32:00 PM PST by WesternCulture
"Countries are ranked across 30 distinct categories providing a rich perspective on strengths, weaknesses and opportunities. The rankings speak to qualities that compel consideration and assets that shape country reputations, perceptions and experiences. New categories to this year's rankings include best country brand for "Standard of Living," "Political Freedom" and "Advanced Technology."
World's strongest brands:
1. AUS 2. CAN 3. USA 4. ITA 5. SWI/CHE 6. FRA 7. NZL 8. GBR 9. JPN 10. SWE
Wow!
Italy won the Art & Culture race.
Italy also won the fine dining contest.
Will France ever rise as a nation?
As a Swede, I felt happy over winning the standard of living race - Volvo’s are the world’s most indestructable cars and meatballs build pretty competent ice hockey players!
Now that Neobama won we will be hearing about how wonderful we are for the next 4-8 years.
Notice 9 of 10 are in Western Civilization (you might argue that they all are).....and yet we’re in such a hurry to kill it by smothering our own culture.
I personally knew only one person who smashed a Volvo. Technically, it was the commercial truck that did the smashing. The Volvo “died” but the driver was unscathed.
Don’t forget Saab (both the cars and the aircraft).
“Now that Neobama won we will be hearing about how wonderful we are for the next 4-8 years.”
- All of a sudden, all of us Euroweenies love America.
Smooth like somethin’ straight oughtta Hollowood ..
“Don’t forget Saab (both the cars and the aircraft).”
- SAAB make good vehicles and thank you for acknowledging this, BUT:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v55JwuWDctU
Blasphemy! How dare you suggest that western culture may be in any way superior to any other culture. Weren’t you paying attention in high school? All cultures are equal!!!
/sarc
Like I said, both Saab cars and aircraft deserve kudos.
I have followed the JAS-39’s development since the late 1980s. I also loved the Draken and the Viggen.
I have always thought that the Euroweenies liked him because they hate Americ and wanted us to suffer.
1. Australia
They got their #1 choice right, you guys can squabble for #2 :-D
So where is Kenya on this list?
“I have followed the JAS-39’s development since the late 1980s. I also loved the Draken and the Viggen.”
- Draken and Viggen were decent planes for coming out of a small nation like Sweden at that time.
But Sweden could never have fended of the Soviet Union by itself.
Western European freedom at that time was dependent on the bravery and compassion of America - and every European who fails to understand this is a traitor to the pact that America and Europe once founded upon the remnants of what once was a continent where little boys and girls played.
Sweden has continued to be at the forefront of many areas of the global arms race thanks to the fact that American, British, French, Western German and Italian leaders have understood the value of our loyalty towards the ideal of freedom.
As well as our hatred towards Russian competition in the Baltics.
This does not mean that Swedes and Finns hate Russians.
But it DOES mean this:
Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are, by today, free to decide whoever they wish to cooperate and trade with.
Dixi.
In any case, the cooperation between SAAB and BAE Systems
“So where is Kenya on this list?”
- On top in terms of earning African dollars, at the bottom in the US dollar league.
You worry?
My 1974 Volvo committed suicide in 1986. The steering gear failed on a curvy mountain road.
No autopsy was performed. At $200, with a leaky gas tank, I was probably well rid of it.
Motor ran strong, though... and it had the special cachet of being my “first car”...permission to drive not needed...
“My 1974 Volvo committed suicide in 1986. The steering gear failed on a curvy mountain road.”
- I realize you didn’t address this question to me, but what I, being a Swedish Volvo owner, wish to respond from one freeper to another is this:
What do you reckon a 1974 Volkswagen/Toyota/Ford would’ve done to you on that particular road?
As great as it is they have some Islamic problems down there.
Well, it was more of an anecdote than a question...indeed, not a question at all...but to answer YOUR question...
I don’t know. I do know that I have owned a Ford, three Pontiacs, a Renault and an Opel since then, and was the primary driver (for business purposes) of a Toyota truck, and while all of them had something go wrong from time to time, none of them suddenly failed to repond to the steering wheel dring movement.
One of the Pontiacs blew a tie rod end once (part of the steering on one side) but I was able to maintain control with the other wheel and get it to the side of the road.
The problem with the ‘74 was, I’m sure, unique to that particular car. As I mentioned, it was 12 years old, and I paid $200 for it.
I forgot to mention the little Dodge Omni I had for about a year. It committed suicide as well...the engine liked to catch fire :) After the second one I started looking for another car :)
Everyone loves Australia.
Personally, I’d say Australia deserves to be loved by all. I say this for many reasons.
However, everyone that knows just a little about what USA has done for civilization loves America.
I would give my life up for America.
Today, Europe has the Euro and steer the world economy. But this doesn’t mean brave Americans did NOT walk by our side through two HELLS last century.
While European bankers forget upon European and World history, cities, families and parks where little boys and girls once played will not.
“Today, Europe has the Euro and steer the world economy.”
I may be misreading this, but they don’t steer the world economy by any means.
And I find it mind-boggling that the U.S. and China aren’t ranked under the natural scenery/landscape category. Perhaps it only applies to smaller nations with more uniform ‘beautiful’ scenery, but some of the most mind-blowing places I’ve visited have been in the U.S. and China. And I’ve been a lot of places ...
- If anyone “steers” the world economy at all today, it would be the alliance of European bankers and European governments.
Neither we Europeans, the Chinese or USA are today financially strong enough to completely dominate the world in terms of economy. The US IS, in theory, strong enough to bring about major changes, but I would say Americans in general, as well as American governments, care very little about TRYING to steer world economy.
Europe is a different story.
At least since the beginning of the 1970s, several European countries have been thinking that having one sole global currency - namely the dollar - has been unfavorable to the development of European economy.
I would say the financial elite of Europe was well aware that the introduction of the Euro would change world economic history in a way that gave them more power, otherwise the Euro never would have been launched.
But did Europe have the “right” to do it?
- Yes, of course.
Is Europe an enemy of America?
- Of course not. Europe has a moral obligation to support America and vice versa; to a large extent we share the same blood and regardless of our individual biological background, our sons and daughters are both the heirs of Western Civilization.
But we should continue to compete and continue to support the basis for global economic competition:
International free trade.
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