Quoted: Quoted: the next question is, are you going to deny your US citizenship? Well, I have to get mine first.  I came here from elsewhere and I'm a resident alien, not a citizen (yet).

Where are you from? And don't tell us a stork brought you...  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: the next question is, are you going to deny your US citizenship? Well, I have to get mine first.  I came here from elsewhere and I'm a resident alien, not a citizen (yet). Where are you from? And don't tell us a stork brought you...

I'm from Canada.  It's too socialist for my liking; I came here to be (more) free.

How much money have you got?

www.privateislandsonline.com/

We need a poll on whether or not to keep IAMLEGEND...  

Quoted: We need a poll on whether or not to keep IAMLEGEND...

Yeah, and I see some asshat actually bought him a membership.

<monty python voice>  Well *I* didn't vote for you!

j/k IAMLEGEND.  

Quoted: Quoted: I really don't want to leave, esp my home state of Indiana!  I am just so sick and tired of all the crap, and being powerless to do anything about it.  It all just seems hopeless. I've been to 17 other countries. Trust me, we've got it good and we're WAY ahead of the curve. Most of America is sane. Don't let little sound bites from the news networks get you down. AMERICA ROCKS!!

Same here.

Folks tend to focus on the bad too much and miss the good. Best bet is to reopen ones mind and look for the stuff that makes America the best. I have been to more countries than states and I say we are the BEST ever.

Quoted: We need a poll on whether or not to keep IAMLEGEND...

Come on man!  I won the free membership AND the airsoft ridicule contest (proceeds donated to Pantino defense fund) with the infamous 'Goat Pic'!

ETA: Or did you mean keep me in the US?   Gulp!

Quoted: Quoted: We need a poll on whether or not to keep IAMLEGEND...   Yeah, and I see some asshat actually bought him a membership. <monty python voice>  Well *I* didn't vote for you! j/k IAMLEGEND.

I thought you would put a "j/k Olyarms" too or else it's like you're still calling him an asshat.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Norway still the world's best place to live For the fourth year in a row, the United Nations has ranked Norway as having the highest standard of living in the world. Sweden, Australia and Canada are next in line, while the United States is further down the scale The annual ranking is based largely on average levels of education and income, combined with expected length of lifetime. The report measured standards of living in 177 countries around the world. Other Nordic countries also ranked high, with Iceland in 7th place, Finland 13th and Denmark 17th. Norway's gross national product per person amounted to USD 36,600, beaten only by Luxembourg. Its men and women are expected to live to an age of 78.9 years and Norway is one of 19 countries in the world with no measurable rates of illiteracy. Researchers for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) also weighed countries' degrees of cultural freedom in their analysis. They called cultural freedom a "basic human right," and awarded high scores in this year's UN Human Development Report to countries that accept immigrant cultures in addition to their own. Norway's cultural diversity has blossomed in recent years, and public policies are aimed at integrating various ethnic groups and promoting tolerance. Norway also was lauded for its high literacy rate in addition to educational levels and material wealth. Norwegians themselves generally point to their country's scenic beauty, recreational opportunities, clean water and fresh air. The United States landed in eighth place on the list, while France, for example, was 16th. The worst countries in which to live are all in Africa, according to the UN report. All 23 nations at the bottom of the list were African, with war-torn Sierra Leone in last place. Ah, Norway. It is nice.  I went there in 2003 to shoot machine guns.  It is very expensive due to gov't giveaways.  Example:  a large pizza and 2 cokes was 350NOK, or about $52.  And the diversity celibrated in the article means that Norway is importing many problems from other countries that will further drain the public coffers.  It is a beautiful place, but pretty damn cold.  Taxes are very high, and you'll have to drive one of those little Euro turd cars and not your big American gas hog. little Euro turd cars Switzerland: -Decentralized small Goverment -Low Taxes -EXTREMELY high salaries -The only country besides the US where guns are a RIGHT and not a privilege. -Very good gun laws and CCW -Good property rights -No homosexual marriage or adoption, only certain tax reliefs. -Abortion regulated -Strong anti EU feeling, EU membership was rejected twice by 80% and 77%. -Retirement system based on personal accounts. -"Cooperation" with the EU refused by about 45% of the population. -Capitalist system, 4 of the 5 major parties are capitalists. -Nice mountains. and last but not least, American Auto shops (with Trans Am's, Dodge pickups and Firebirds) are all over the place yes... well switzerland is a neat place.. however i dont think they let many people emigrate there.. but man i love mountains and snow and switzerland is a nice place for that... never forget this story.. a guy i worked with was in switzerland visiting some folks he knew. They had a case of grenades in the kitchen. something about all citizens part of the militia and everyone is REQUIRED to have some military training and keep their military stores distributed amongs the citizens at large....

It is far easier to live and get naturalized in Switzerland than most people would think, the thing is, you have to be from a country that the people in your community like. If your american, canadian, italian, spanish it's no problem at all; the italians and spaniards came a long while ago as guest workers and americans/canadians/swedes/indians etc are considered to be good friends so no problem either. If you're german, it can be a little tricky, and if you're ukrainian/albanian/bosnian and stuff like that: fuhggedaboudid

I like it in Wyoming, though its only in week or 2 chunks I get to visit

Quoted: It is far easier to live and get naturalized in Switzerland than most people would think, the thing is, you have to be from a country that the people in your community like. If your american, canadian, italian, spanish it's no problem at all; the italians and spaniards came a long while ago as guest workers and americans/canadians/swedes/indians etc are considered to be good friends so no problem either. If you're german, it can be a little tricky, and if you're ukrainian/albanian/bosnian and stuff like that: fuhggedaboudid

You sound as though your Swiss, so I must assume you know what you are talking about.  However everything I've ever heard is that it is almost impossible for a regular joe to become a Swiss citizen.  As even natural born Swiss are not guaranteed citizenship.  Also isnt there a law, that foreigners cant have a job that a Swiss can perform?  That could make things difficult.  Also Switzerland is a VERY expensive place to live.  So even if there were no other obstacles, that alone could make it impractical.  And last I've heard that the Swiss do not like outsiders.  So a foreigner could find himself quite lonely.

Quoted: Turn off your TV. That's the most important thing to do first. You will feel much better.

Truer words have never been spoken. The less TV I see the better I feel and the happier I am.

I get feeling the same way sometimes - then I jump in a plane and head off to Aruba for a week with no TV, Laptop, Cellphone or Pager. Decompression changes your outlook on everything.

My choices in your situation would be Switzerland or New Zealand for an extended stay.

Or... like he said, just turn off, better yet kill your TV.

Quoted: Quoted: Oh, alright!  You convinced me, I'll stay! ETA: Am I too easy? You didn't even put up a fight. Welcome back!

WOW  You get to come back without ever leaving...Well, Welcome back!

I wonder if America won't one day break into separate Republics.
With the Mexican invasion to the south and the liberal invasion on the east and west coast. What's left??
I understand where efpeter is coming from. I keep thinking that some where like WY, MT, CO, AK may be a better bet for some of us "normal" folks.

Quoted: The wife and I have both been pretty moody for the last few days, so last night we started talking.  We both realized we are just sick and tired of everything that goes on here. People with any common sense are so rare.  There are people who actually believe that a twelve year old girl should be able to get an abortion without her parents permission.  There are people who actually believe that the "government" has to give them food, shelter, and cash.  There are people who actually believe that God should be banned from every public place.  There are people who actually believe allowing illegal immigrants into the country to work is more important that preventing nuclear weapons from being smuggled into the country to kill millions of citizens. I could write a few hundred things, but it would only make me madder.  The real bitch is everytime some politician gets a wild bug up his ass and tries to do the right thing, he is shut down by the supreme court. For the first time in my life, I have to begin to question the viability of the United States of America.  I served my country, I wave my flag, I pay my taxes.  I find myself asking why?  I believe it is a foregone conclusion that the US is dying.  It will take some more time, but the process has begun.   Now I face the difficult question of what to do about it.  I don't think there is anything I can do to "cure" the US.  So, I have to conclude that the best option is to just leave.  Call me a rat if you want, but this is a sinking ship.  It's the f'in titanic steaming for an iceberg. My question is, is there any country on Earth that still has freedom?  How do I even begin looking?  Am I just turing into a wild flake?

I truly wish people would just revolt..... it'd give them a fair chance to fight back against injustice and tyranny. yet the apologists and tag-alongs are always trying to make excuses. This place has sunk because we have allowed it to. The founding fathers warned of this and yet even now, the people on this very board make light of it. Sure they bark quotes and post stupid sing-song "from my cold dead hands" but the reason this country has sunk is because nobody has had the guts to stand up for what's right. as the old saying goes, we all have the government we deserve.

I have been many places in the world. Norway is very nice, but exspensive and cold as hell.

Croatia on the other hand is a real jewel. It is primative yet modern, it is hard to describe. If you wanted to visit a prospective new home i would suggest it. They love Americans. They are actually quite rare there......America is still the best of all. But it may not be in the coming years.

If we played things right down here 140 years ago, we'd have our own little paradise down here in the south.

Don't leave, we need you, the best thing about the US is it is always changing and you can change it, with your money your voice and your vote.  Don't get discouraged, pick one thing and change it.

I will not go anywhere. In my lifetime, I promise you, I will see another war for freedom here in America and I will not hesitate to fight in it.

Quoted: Quoted: Turn off your TV. That's the most important thing to do first. You will feel much better. I was about to say this.  +1

+1  Watching TV will make you sick (because it is sick).

Quoted: How much money have you got? www.privateislandsonline.com/

What would happend if you bought one of those islands and tried to form your own country?

I am told Croatia is beautiful this time of year and with well placed bribes nothing is out of the question.

Quoted: This is the best place on Earth.  The grass is NOT greener.  Fix here or move somewhere worse.

+1

Or build your own island.

Siberia

Italy

Quoted: Quoted: It is far easier to live and get naturalized in Switzerland than most people would think, the thing is, you have to be from a country that the people in your community like. If your american, canadian, italian, spanish it's no problem at all; the italians and spaniards came a long while ago as guest workers and americans/canadians/swedes/indians etc are considered to be good friends so no problem either. If you're german, it can be a little tricky, and if you're ukrainian/albanian/bosnian and stuff like that: fuhggedaboudid You sound as though your Swiss, so I must assume you know what you are talking about.  However everything I've ever heard is that it is almost impossible for a regular joe to become a Swiss citizen.  As even natural born Swiss are not guaranteed citizenship.  Also isnt there a law, that foreigners cant have a job that a Swiss can perform?  That could make things difficult.  Also Switzerland is a VERY expensive place to live.  So even if there were no other obstacles, that alone could make it impractical.  And last I've heard that the Swiss do not like outsiders.  So a foreigner could find himself quite lonely.

Yep I am swiss, from Zurich ZH currently living in Basle BS.
-If you're american it is easy to become a citizen. You need to live a couple of years in country, know one of the 4 official languages, pass a little history test and your community will have to vote wether to grant you citizenship or not. If you're turkish or bosnian you will be rejected because we have had a LOT of problems with those nationalities (they make about 60% of our prison inmates), on the other hand if you're american it's no problem at all. I know several americans who got naturalized and have american/swiss double citizenship.
-Nope, there's no such law, it's quite the opposite actually: because of the bilateral relations a person from the EU can work and live in switzerland without any paperwork or hassle.
-Switzerland is very expensive it's true, but you retire as a millionaire thanks to the low taxes and the salaries. A sales assistant in switzerland earns as much or even more than a doctor in Germany.
-It's not true that we don't like outsiders, it all depends on where you are from. We don't like people from the Balkans, but the USA is one of the countries we happen to like. There's a reason why there are huge Country music festivals, pickup shops and cowboy themed bars and restaurants all over the place. Not to mention that our biggest political party was openly rooting for Bush during the election, and sent a delegation to the RNC in New York. I don't know many countries who did that, let alone european countries

Yeah, and how can you argue with the inventors of Swiss cheese?  Yummy!

I second the suggestion to come to Texas.

If shit REALLY hits the fan, and the US somehow becomes an entirely socialist nation, at least we can secede, we're the only state that can do that without an implicit declaration of war... actually I don't even know if that'd work, we'd still be stuck with millions of illegals

Italy.

Sure they're socialists but, they're ITALIANS first so...the commie part really doesn't work worth a shit as far as really making life suck.

Lot'sa dark-haired cuties runnin' around too

Dark-haired Women, pasta, sunshine and vino...?  What's not to like?

Quoted: . You need to live a couple of years in country, know one of the 4 official languages, pass a little history test and your community will have to vote wether to grant you citizenship or not.

Woot! A swiss friend told me it was 7 years.
I live near the border and i'm thinking about moving to swiss at the end of my studies cause swiss is actually the best place for a jobless errr i mean archeologist

Quoted: Yep I am swiss, from Zurich ZH currently living in Basle BS. -If you're american it is easy to become a citizen. You need to live a couple of years in country, know one of the 4 official languages, pass a little history test and your community will have to vote wether to grant you citizenship or not. If you're turkish or bosnian you will be rejected because we have had a LOT of problems with those nationalities (they make about 60% of our prison inmates), on the other hand if you're american it's no problem at all. I know several americans who got naturalized and have american/swiss double citizenship. -Nope, there's no such law, it's quite the opposite actually: because of the bilateral relations a person from the EU can work and live in switzerland without any paperwork or hassle. -Switzerland is very expensive it's true, but you retire as a millionaire thanks to the low taxes and the salaries. A sales assistant in switzerland earns as much or even more than a doctor in Germany. -It's not true that we don't like outsiders, it all depends on where you are from. We don't like people from the Balkans, but the USA is one of the countries we happen to like. There's a reason why there are huge Country music festivals, pickup shops and cowboy themed bars and restaurants all over the place. Not to mention that our biggest political party was openly rooting for Bush during the election, and sent a delegation to the RNC in New York. I don't know many countries who did that, let alone european countries

I'll be right over!