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when austerity eats their ass, bring them back and let me hear them laugh. HereSince1628 Nov 2012 #1
They'll probably fix their problems before we fix ours because they believe in science MightyMopar Nov 2012 #2
don't bet on that. Many european nations have histories HereSince1628 Nov 2012 #3
Oh, reeellly? Seerieslly? Pleez, tell us more! This is hugh! Surya Gayatri Nov 2012 #10
Ok...for starters Germany, Italy, USSR, HereSince1628 Nov 2012 #16
So all of those Germans femrap Nov 2012 #63
Sure, Eastern European countries that you list...but what about the Western European CTyankee Nov 2012 #74
Ah yes, those odd trajectories. Like Germany's rise to 3rd largest exporter in the world Doremus Nov 2012 #77
gee there's a lot of that going around. most glaringly, the tendency to pursue HiPointDem Nov 2012 #54
They also believe in taxing the rich - n/t coalition_unwilling Nov 2012 #141
Won't be able to afford to. RC Nov 2012 #5
You can hear me laughing at you right now. Egalitarian Thug Nov 2012 #9
Well said. Sekhmets Daughter Nov 2012 #53
That is one hell of an indictment. But quite apt. - n/t coalition_unwilling Nov 2012 #142
So austerity is going to cause them to dig up their power lines and junk their trains for Lydia Leftcoast Nov 2012 #31
USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! frylock Nov 2012 #76
The American solution is the prune or remove the trees. LiberalEsto Nov 2012 #4
The stuff of comedy routines...hilarious, if it weren't so dangerous. Surya Gayatri Nov 2012 #28
Overgrown trees also fall on houses, people, etc. jp11 Nov 2012 #46
We had one of those in my neighborhood a few days ago! In the middle of the morning (after the CTyankee Nov 2012 #159
If Americans weren't so damn provincial they might get a clue that Egalitarian Thug Nov 2012 #6
It's what you don't see that's critical. Gregorian Nov 2012 #7
Actually, that has already happened. A tblue37 Nov 2012 #32
I remember an article in Scientific American years ago where some hotshot in... TreasonousBastard Nov 2012 #133
I once saw a documentary about the autobahns GCP Nov 2012 #154
There was a TV show called "America's Inspector" or something like that - CrispyQ Nov 2012 #145
Those silly Europeans. What do they know? Damn Socialists!!! Cali_Democrat Nov 2012 #8
I find it pretty embarrassing tblue Nov 2012 #11
They ought to go to Russia which makes up a big part of Europe Kaleva Nov 2012 #12
I suspect the writer was speaking of Western Europe's infrastructure. Surya Gayatri Nov 2012 #15
And he probably wasn't thinking of Spain, Portugal and parts of Italy like Sicily. Kaleva Nov 2012 #20
I suspect that even the southern, historically more impoverished regions of those countries Surya Gayatri Nov 2012 #30
Have you been to Albania? Or Serbia? Just to name a few.... GetRidOfThem Nov 2012 #97
Word! +1,000! Surya Gayatri Nov 2012 #108
Great to hear that the rest of Europe is doing that for Serbia and Albania. pampango Nov 2012 #147
Some of the fastest internet on the planet is in eastern Europe, putting even the west to shame. MichaelMcGuire Nov 2012 #153
Its the "Romneyization" of the utilities.... Laxman Nov 2012 #13
This past 4th of femrap Nov 2012 #70
They're called "derechos." kurtzapril4 Nov 2012 #96
I left out the 'er'.... femrap Nov 2012 #104
Wish I had a link, but am anecdote will have to suffice - 30,000 utility workers, mostly Flatulo Nov 2012 #99
Ha ha Americans are so dumb and it looks like a third world country! demhottie Nov 2012 #14
Europe's highspeed rail system did not exist in the postwar 1950s. Surya Gayatri Nov 2012 #21
key word *systematically*. Because they're disinvesting in the US & sucking out HiPointDem Nov 2012 #23
Precisely, the US tax system is a disincentive Surya Gayatri Nov 2012 #39
It also incentives the activities of vulture funds, according to david stockman. which means the HiPointDem Nov 2012 #41
And both political parties are equally guilty of the plunder. Surya Gayatri Nov 2012 #44
no doubt at all. incentivizing the plunder. HiPointDem Nov 2012 #55
And when I was in Denmark, I saw ads for broadband fiberglass Internet for the equivalent of Lydia Leftcoast Nov 2012 #33
France, where I live, has been shown to have the best Surya Gayatri Nov 2012 #42
It's the result of private sector 'free market' economies, instead of govt run economies of scale. ancianita Nov 2012 #50
But, the initial investment in "deep" infrastructure, which Surya Gayatri Nov 2012 #57
Went all crickets on you right? n/t GoneOffShore Nov 2012 #107
Still waiting! LOL! Surya Gayatri Nov 2012 #109
Would you be femrap Nov 2012 #73
Femrap, I sympathize totally with your feelings about Western Europe... Surya Gayatri Nov 2012 #98
I've never femrap Nov 2012 #100
You sound like a lady after my own heart...I always Surya Gayatri Nov 2012 #106
I caught the end of femrap Nov 2012 #129
I left the US to live in Europe in the late 70s. A couple of years earlier, Surya Gayatri Nov 2012 #135
Ah, to live in France! I've visited several times, and think it has everything! WinkyDink Nov 2012 #85
I understand why you loved it, WinkyDink. The quality Surya Gayatri Nov 2012 #103
That's OK, we have other ways. we just declare war on the people, with the same HiPointDem Nov 2012 #24
and who can forget Germany's huge solar energy initiative back in 1951? frylock Nov 2012 #83
Another contestant for the dumbest post of the year. Egalitarian Thug Nov 2012 #116
Is this Sexist Pig Week? demhottie Nov 2012 #124
Got nothing to do with you being a woman, just your writing stupid things. Egalitarian Thug Nov 2012 #127
My point about US infrastructure being behind European infrastructure due to WWII demhottie Nov 2012 #128
You seem to think that I was aware that you are a woman, I wasn't. Egalitarian Thug Nov 2012 #131
You called me dumb and said I should be watching the Real Housewives because you're a sexist pig demhottie Nov 2012 #134
If you are really an attorney then you know the difference between writing Egalitarian Thug Nov 2012 #136
Exactly what I thought demhottie Nov 2012 #140
I'm so happy that you were not disappointed. If you go looking for offense, Egalitarian Thug Nov 2012 #146
No, it's worse than that; it's shockingly ignorant Spider Jerusalem Nov 2012 #138
who owns utilities in German? grasswire Nov 2012 #17
mostly publicly owned eom amborin Nov 2012 #26
Germany also benefitted from substantial rebuilding in the 50's. NutmegYankee Nov 2012 #18
the 50s were 60 years ago. HiPointDem Nov 2012 #25
And the US Subways and bridges are even older. NutmegYankee Nov 2012 #29
not where i live, they're not. nor in the country as a whole. the average age of a HiPointDem Nov 2012 #34
The article was discussing New York and the Northeast. nt NutmegYankee Nov 2012 #38
"the average age of an American bridge is 42" -- where does it say "in ny & the NE"? HiPointDem Nov 2012 #45
It was in the first paragraph. Did you read the article? NutmegYankee Nov 2012 #47
this is the first paragraph: HiPointDem Nov 2012 #48
Wrong Article. I was discussing the OP's article. As is the rest of the thread. nt NutmegYankee Nov 2012 #49
I saw that & appended my post. average age of bridge in new york state, for example, HiPointDem Nov 2012 #51
I was thinking of the GW or Brooklyn bridges. NutmegYankee Nov 2012 #56
nyc = not spread out. & little difference between nyc and say paris in that regard -- HiPointDem Nov 2012 #58
The OP article was comparing Germany to the Northeast. NutmegYankee Nov 2012 #59
Title: "Europeans Are Laughing At U.S." HiPointDem Nov 2012 #65
And the meat of the article discusses Germany vs. Northeast NutmegYankee Nov 2012 #67
well, i agree with you there. but my post was to counter the idea that somehow HiPointDem Nov 2012 #69
I agree with you on rail and broadband. NutmegYankee Nov 2012 #71
"8 times for more than 8 hours in the last 16 months"! Surya Gayatri Nov 2012 #62
It's power lines on poles. NutmegYankee Nov 2012 #64
What worries me femrap Nov 2012 #78
I LOVE Europe, BUT! There's money when you don't support a major military presence. WinkyDink Nov 2012 #19
like the Billion+ we're spending in the middle east: amborin Nov 2012 #27
+1,000! Surya Gayatri Nov 2012 #35
Hey, don't look at me; I'm on your side! I was just sayin'! WinkyDink Nov 2012 #82
our infrastructure is decaying because the ruling class has been disinvesting in the HiPointDem Nov 2012 #22
Ask New York City about their aquaducts that bring drinking water from the mountains upstate. byeya Nov 2012 #36
They won't be laughing if on a visit here a bridge they are crossing collapses under them. It's no Raine Nov 2012 #37
You'd think private industries would strive to make great products and services adieu Nov 2012 #40
for the same incomprehensible reasons that detroit continued making big honkers HiPointDem Nov 2012 #43
good post. fil62793skx Nov 2012 #122
Reminds me of Greece and Turkey ErikJ Nov 2012 #52
Turkey is hardly Europe. Except for the motorway west into Istanbul.. :) Lars77 Nov 2012 #86
amborin Diclotican Nov 2012 #60
Our tax money has gone to rebuilding and defending Europe since WWII GiaGiovanni Nov 2012 #61
What is the US military defending Europe from in the here and now? LanternWaste Nov 2012 #66
Ask NATO GiaGiovanni Nov 2012 #114
DING DING DING DING! MisterJones Nov 2012 #68
I imagine it is rather more convenient to attribute LanternWaste Nov 2012 #72
Yeah... you don't know very much about Europe. sibelian Nov 2012 #75
Mister, you really have to keep up! You should get a passport and do some travel and really CTyankee Nov 2012 #80
Care to guess why the EU got the Nobel peace prize? Lars77 Nov 2012 #87
What exactly are you talking about? davidthegnome Nov 2012 #88
Europe is also cleaning up after the US-led invasions in the middle east. Quantess Nov 2012 #143
"defending Europe"? Hardly. Protecting U.S. corporate interests? More likely. WinkyDink Nov 2012 #84
+1,000! Surya Gayatri Nov 2012 #115
The Marshall Plan helped Europe from 1948 to 1952. They have done well since the end pampango Nov 2012 #150
Suburban sprawl and inner city neglect/decay is main reason ErikJ Nov 2012 #79
"white flight" was engineered. just as "white return/gentrification" is being engineered. HiPointDem Nov 2012 #95
Koch brothers trying to increase sprawl/ prevent gentrification return ErikJ Nov 2012 #101
gentrification = ethnic & class cleansing in the cities, ghettos in the suburbs. HiPointDem Nov 2012 #105
Gentrification = urban renewal = good ErikJ Nov 2012 #110
no, it doesn't mean diversity, and you can prove it yourself by looking at the increased HiPointDem Nov 2012 #111
NYC is special. Most regular cities its great. ErikJ Nov 2012 #118
Where in Europe is there NOT suburban sprawl? Sen. Walter Sobchak Nov 2012 #112
Metro density much higher in Europe ErikJ Nov 2012 #120
No, spending over 50% of all our revenues on corporate welfare for the last 60 years Egalitarian Thug Nov 2012 #117
it's not so much they can't afford to sprawl; they have urban planning policies against it, to prote amborin Nov 2012 #137
Not fair. They use Socialism. We only have "The Free Market".... Junkdrawer Nov 2012 #81
Fair point. Instead of concentrating their wealth on creating billionaires through corporate welfare Egalitarian Thug Nov 2012 #119
where is the video of "laughing" Europeans? ha Divine Discontent Nov 2012 #89
I have to agree about the infrastructure rightsideout Nov 2012 #90
Yep, we are a joke to the rest of the world! johnq45 Nov 2012 #91
Americans: "Europe" is not a country! Lars77 Nov 2012 #92
Okay... I think almost everyone knows that, seriously. davidthegnome Nov 2012 #94
It was ment to be light hearted and humorous... Sorry Lars77 Nov 2012 #121
It's okay davidthegnome Nov 2012 #123
I have an MA in American studies and i've studied in west kentucky. Lars77 Nov 2012 #126
I'm laughing too Amaya Nov 2012 #93
I remember my Junior High Civics teacher laughing at Europeans aint_no_life_nowhere Nov 2012 #102
i very well remember that mentality and the absolute *stupidity* of americans HiPointDem Nov 2012 #113
Greece is one of the more poorer countries in Europe Harmony Blue Nov 2012 #125
So DU'ers just lap this shit up... There was a HUGE power outage in Europe in 06. KittyWampus Nov 2012 #130
And how long did it take to restore power? n/t Egalitarian Thug Nov 2012 #132
Power failure for one hour, six years ago Spider Jerusalem Nov 2012 #139
LOL! You think that's the only power failure in Europe? It was the 1st on google KittyWampus Nov 2012 #160
And yet the fact remains that American infrastructure sucks quite a bit more on average Spider Jerusalem Nov 2012 #164
ONE hour, six years ago... TeeYiYi Nov 2012 #144
Okay, now I'll just post a bunch of other European power outages.... Denmark KittyWampus Nov 2012 #161
London KittyWampus Nov 2012 #162
Munich two days ago. KittyWampus Nov 2012 #163
No-one said Europe never has them Spider Jerusalem Nov 2012 #165
Fail n/t GCP Nov 2012 #156
Republicans hate infrastructure spending ThoughtCriminal Nov 2012 #148
This important artice can be summed up in one sentence ; typeviic Nov 2012 #149
This framing will do more to inspire change duhneece Nov 2012 #151
Message to Europe: America is fully prepared to litigate over the crumbling of our infra­structure! DreamGypsy Nov 2012 #152
We were busy building shit in Iraq elehhhhna Nov 2012 #155
30+ years of Reaganomics is why we are behind AZ Progressive Nov 2012 #157
k&r butterfly77 Nov 2012 #158
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