From: kaldis@remus.rutgers.edu (Theodore A. Kaldis)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc,soc.culture.canada
Subject: Re: U.S.A. vs Canada
Date: 11 Oct 92 16:31:20 GMT
Followup-To: talk.politics.misc
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

In article <1992Oct9.205056.3224@mdivax1.uucp> robinson@mdivax1.uucp (Jim Robinson) writes:

> Eric Tholome (tholome@bangalore.esf.de) wrote:

>> Since some of you are comparing the U.S.A. and Canada, I thought I'd
>> ask you the following question: it seems generally admitted that
>> Canada (on average) is a better place to live than the U.S.A. (on
>> average again.  Please no comment, this isn't the question yet!).

But comment is certainly warranted here.  _WHO_ is it that says Canada
is on average better than the U.S.?  Canadians?  Hardly a credible
source WRT this question.  In order to ascertain the veracity of the
above claim, all you need do is perform the "gate" test.  It goes like
this: put gates around every country in the world.  Then, open all the
gates.  In which direction will the people go?  By far and away, the
largest number would go to the U.S. (except for certain misfits like
Jim Robinson, but good riddance anyway).

>> But what about California? I've spent quite some time in several
>> different places in the U.S.A. and lived a year in California (near
>> SF).  Well, it seemed to me that California was really far above the
>> average American state, especially around SF.

California certainly is above the American average, but has been
suffering lately because several years ago that chump Pete Wilson
thought he could play ball with Willie Brown.  Consequently (and
unfortunately), California is now heavily overtaxed.  SF, on the other
hand, is certainly a very pretty city, but it has a very high
concentration of loony-lefties, and also of a high number of
individuals who suffer from a particular malady and who are coddled in
that city as a viable "community".

>> Unfortunately, I've never been to Canada (but I'm sure I'll make it
>> soon).

What's unfortunate about it?

>> Therefore I'd like to know how you, netters, would compare California
>> with Canada, especially with the West Canadian Coast (Vancouver, ...).

No comparison.  California is a very beautiful place while Canada is a
ficton that only exists in peoples' minds (a point which will become
painfully evident after the upcoming referendum).

>> In other words, when Mark Bartelt quotes his visitors saying about
>> Toronto: "it's a much nicer (and more fun) place to live than whatever
>> (US) cities they're currently living in",

Mark apparently mistakes insincere politeness for truth.  If Americans
really felt that way, then they would be moving to Toronto.  But they
don't, so they're not.

>> has he had this reaction from people living in the Bay Area of SF?

Hopefully yes, but unfortunately even they aren't moving there in any
great proportions, either.

>> And if it turns out that, YES, Canada is even better than California,
>> well, I'll take the next plane!  :-) >

Take the next plane -- but make sure you stay north of the St.
Lawrence, the Great Lakes, or the 49th parallel.

> SF is one great city, and I could probably live there fairly happily.

Try the Castro district -- I'm sure you'll love it.

> Santa Cruz also seems nice, although a bit small.

Santa Cruz is a very pretty town (it was the backdrop for the
fictional town of San Paulo in the Clint Eastwood movie _Sudden_
_Impact_).  But it is also a refuge for all kinds of loony-lefties,
'60's hippy-dropouts who have let time pass them by, and other
assorted weirdos.  I'm sure you'd fit right in.

> However, Southern CA is, IMHO, an entirely different matter.

Yes, sensible people live there.

> I lived in Brea & worked in Fullerton (Orange County) for two years
> and I can't say enjoyed it very much.

Completely unsurprising.  This comes from a man who abandoned the U.S.
to live in Canada.

> If you like suburbs (and suburbs, and more suburbs, and malls) than
> you will like where I was.  If you don't well.... Also, I found that
> for a sizable percentage of the people I met, the (negative) Southern
> CA stereotype really did apply.

And what stereotype is that?

> I really enjoy where I live now (wrt scenery, people, available
> activities, weather)

I.e, he likes getting rained on.

> and would probably only consider moving if I could not satisfy career
> objectives here.  However, having said that, if I were to move, it
> would probably be to somewhere on the west coast: Seattle, Portland,

As I said, he likes getting rained on.

> SF area.

Or at least walking around in a fog.
-- 
The views expressed herein are my   ||  Theodore A. Kaldis
my own only.  Do you seriously      ||  kaldis@remus.rutgers.edu
believe that a major university as  ||  {...}!rutgers!remus.rutgers.edu!kaldis
this would hold such views???       ||
Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc