The point I'm trying to make is that it is very, very hard to compare societies. Even using published statistics is hard, because of different assumptions and interpretations and expectations. Europeans come over to Florida and think they understand America. Americans go over to London and think they understand Europe. Neither has a clue about the other.

asdf, I think your point here, is in fact the point...of why these kind of articles have, are, and will be posted...because most of what we hear about Europe is from the US media (wouldn't you agree?), which more often than not is parroting some neo-con view of "Europe" (and often not too kind). AS IF, Europe were a single entity, rather than a compley place, which is really doing pretty damn well. So, we push back with other views...and it is important to put this out there, as a contrast. Heck, the US doesn't even agree to ILO standards of what is agreed upon unemployment statistics (as someone noted in another discussion), so Americans fall off the people counted as unemployed, when they stop collecting unemployment, whereas this isn't the case in Europe...and, unemployment usually lasts longer and pays better in Europe...so the "low" unemployment rate is a myth (or, more accurately, a lying statistic).

Anyway, as I am also an American (residing in Europe), I know that though many places in America are different from each other, as a whole Americans are MUCH more homogenous than Europeans are. Its much easier to compare Americans than Europeans, actually.

"Once in awhile we get shown the light, in the strangest of places, if we look at it right" - Hunter/Garcia