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sapituca · 08-06-2003, 10:09 AM

Just my 2cents of very, very superficial input:
I've been around the world a few times, lived in Brazil for 20 years (Rio); USA for 9 years (CA, PA, HI), and am now in Canada going on my 2nd year in Vancouver:
The girls are beautiful in Brazil and in Vancouver. In the US, you can find beauty but - generally - it does not come naturally. And people in the US are getting way, way, too fat.
Health care in Brazil and in the US sucks if you have no $ or insurance. In Canada it's not THAT good just because it's free (it isn't - you pay although it's subsidized), but it is MUCH better than the world average. The main difference here is you can not 'buy' treatment in detriment to others that may require more urgent care. If you need urgent care, you will get it no matter how much $ you make, who you work for or what's your family name, if you know what I mean. Is it good treatment? For the most part, yes.
The economy in Canada breathes on the US economy. If the US sneezes, Canada catches pneumonia. I am not even going to comment on Brazilian economy (or politics).
The US is way too focused on free enterprise and is too insular at this point. Canada is clearly heading the other way, adopting a European approach to things. I prefer the Canadian approach.
Public education in the US varies greatly depending on ZIP code.
In Canada, it's a bit better overall. If you go private, all three countries offer great schools - but cost is high. Public education in Brazil is the cause of many of that country's maladies.
Middle class in the US is huge, in Brazil is almost extinct and in Canada it is poorer than the US (you will have to live with a Toyota Camry instead of a Lexus).
Brazilian and US populations groups are huge and prone to class/race friction, Canadian population is a minimal fraction of both and although there's segmentation, it seems less prone to attrition (maybe because it's too cold to bother?).
In Canada and Brazil nudity on TV and public media are a common occurrence and are no cause for a national homeland security meeting.
In Canada it seems you will be soon able to smoke pot while marrying your same-sex partner undisturbed. In Brazil, while you can do pretty much anything undisturbed, you still can not legally do any of the above. On the other side, in the US (the land of the free) you can buy a .44 magnum with ease in most states, but you may be arrested for smoking a joint in your hot tub, for having an open alcohol container on your street of for selling Maxim at K-Mart.
Brazil is stuck with patriarchs, the US is heading back to Victorianism.

08-06-2003, 10:09 AM	#16 (permalink)
sapituca Upright Location: at home	Just my 2cents of very, very superficial input: I've been around the world a few times, lived in Brazil for 20 years (Rio); USA for 9 years (CA, PA, HI), and am now in Canada going on my 2nd year in Vancouver: The girls are beautiful in Brazil and in Vancouver. In the US, you can find beauty but - generally - it does not come naturally. And people in the US are getting way, way, too fat. Health care in Brazil and in the US sucks if you have no $ or insurance. In Canada it's not THAT good just because it's free (it isn't - you pay although it's subsidized), but it is MUCH better than the world average. The main difference here is you can not 'buy' treatment in detriment to others that may require more urgent care. If you need urgent care, you will get it no matter how much $ you make, who you work for or what's your family name, if you know what I mean. Is it good treatment? For the most part, yes. The economy in Canada breathes on the US economy. If the US sneezes, Canada catches pneumonia. I am not even going to comment on Brazilian economy (or politics). The US is way too focused on free enterprise and is too insular at this point. Canada is clearly heading the other way, adopting a European approach to things. I prefer the Canadian approach. Public education in the US varies greatly depending on ZIP code. In Canada, it's a bit better overall. If you go private, all three countries offer great schools - but cost is high. Public education in Brazil is the cause of many of that country's maladies. Middle class in the US is huge, in Brazil is almost extinct and in Canada it is poorer than the US (you will have to live with a Toyota Camry instead of a Lexus). Brazilian and US populations groups are huge and prone to class/race friction, Canadian population is a minimal fraction of both and although there's segmentation, it seems less prone to attrition (maybe because it's too cold to bother?). In Canada and Brazil nudity on TV and public media are a common occurrence and are no cause for a national homeland security meeting. In Canada it seems you will be soon able to smoke pot while marrying your same-sex partner undisturbed. In Brazil, while you can do pretty much anything undisturbed, you still can not legally do any of the above. On the other side, in the US (the land of the free) you can buy a .44 magnum with ease in most states, but you may be arrested for smoking a joint in your hot tub, for having an open alcohol container on your street of for selling Maxim at K-Mart. Brazil is stuck with patriarchs, the US is heading back to Victorianism.