This is my story and why I left the USA.

[onezero4u]

havetofly

hola....you know you lost ALL credibility when you referenced that communist pig Michael Moore right? haha the hypocrite who sued hollywood over not making enough money on his anti-capitalist movie...capitalism a love story....haha thats rich (pun)

theres a reason canadians sneak into US for medical proceeders...its faster and better....

govt run healthcare vs private sector is like pony express vs FedEx...

all you statists should consider disconnecting yourself from white house press conferences and sound bites....b/c its all lies & they dont have your best interest in mind when they want to take over industries....they just want to take over (for their own benefit)

[E_Irizarry]

Hi Uhl,

I'm happy that you broke the stereotype wall and moved to Colombia with your twin soul. I live in London and Monica, my wife, is Colombian from Medellin. I had never had a problem dating in my home country (Italy) and here in London, where I had a chance to meet or date girls from all walks of life and corners of Earth. And yet, I was absolutely blown away when I met Monica in Cambridge back in 2007. She seemed to be the perfect kind of woman, hot yet approachable, sexy and provocative without being slutty, with traditional family values yet independent and sophisticated. Most importantly to me, she was a self-made woman who never had an easy life, had to earn scholarships and take loans to complete her Mechanical Engineering and Masters degrees in a good university, and worked hard to find herself a nice career spot in a foreign multinational. She was in Cambridge to study English, on sabbatical and on her own money, whereby all of her Colombian classmates where rich spoiled kids looking for a foreign thrill on their papa's expense books. I had never met a young woman so beautiful, inside and outside, and so "complete". And to top it up, hooking up with her and winning each other's hearts was so natural and smooth, as we shared our views on life and love, our feelings and then our bodies and souls. For the first time from as far as I can remember, I could do all this by just being myself...no need to show masculinity or its opposite, show how much money or success I had or could have. It's one of those things that you know you can only call by its proper name: love.

I got married in Medellin and spent my honeymoon in San Andres, a wonderful Caribe island full of colours, good food and good people. Even though I only spent about 2 weeks in Colombia in total and Monica is obviously a massive bias on my judgment, I can't help thinking Colombia as a nice place to live in peace, have a healthier life-work balance and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Your impression of the safety levels in Colombia are absolutely true. I have recently read a report stating that Colombia has hit the lowest crime rate levels of the last 25 years. Nobody was killed in Colombia over this Xmas season. God, three people died over the same period in UK, two just in London, to make a comparison! Medellin is a very pleasant town, with good social and transport infrastructures. I haven't been to Bogota but they tell me it's a middle class paradise too.

All in all, I wasn't escaping from my life when I met Monica. Nonetheless I am grateful Monica gave me the chance to know Colombia and, as I like to think she is at least in part a product of her environment, loving her is also loving her family, her people and her culture.

Colombia es pasion Tell me more about your life there, I'm curious! You can PM me if you think it's more appropriate.

My [jim] hat's off to you! No homo. LOL But seriously though, my hat's off to you because you actually became married to her in Colombia, not anywhere in the Anglosphere! Smart motherf***ing move, mate. :O) You have my respect.

[E_Irizarry]

Hi Uhl,

I'm happy that you broke the stereotype wall and moved to Colombia with your twin soul. I live in London and Monica, my wife, is Colombian from Medellin. I had never had a problem dating in my home country (Italy) and here in London, where I had a chance to meet or date girls from all walks of life and corners of Earth. And yet, I was absolutely blown away when I met Monica in Cambridge back in 2007. She seemed to be the perfect kind of woman, hot yet approachable, sexy and provocative without being slutty, with traditional family values yet independent and sophisticated. Most importantly to me, she was a self-made woman who never had an easy life, had to earn scholarships and take loans to complete her Mechanical Engineering and Masters degrees in a good university, and worked hard to find herself a nice career spot in a foreign multinational. She was in Cambridge to study English, on sabbatical and on her own money, whereby all of her Colombian classmates where rich spoiled kids looking for a foreign thrill on their papa's expense books. I had never met a young woman so beautiful, inside and outside, and so "complete". And to top it up, hooking up with her and winning each other's hearts was so natural and smooth, as we shared our views on life and love, our feelings and then our bodies and souls. For the first time from as far as I can remember, I could do all this by just being myself...no need to show masculinity or its opposite, show how much money or success I had or could have. It's one of those things that you know you can only call by its proper name: love.

I got married in Medellin and spent my honeymoon in San Andres, a wonderful Caribe island full of colours, good food and good people. Even though I only spent about 2 weeks in Colombia in total and Monica is obviously a massive bias on my judgment, I can't help thinking Colombia as a nice place to live in peace, have a healthier life-work balance and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Your impression of the safety levels in Colombia are absolutely true. I have recently read a report stating that Colombia has hit the lowest crime rate levels of the last 25 years. Nobody was killed in Colombia over this Xmas season. God, three people died over the same period in UK, two just in London, to make a comparison! Medellin is a very pleasant town, with good social and transport infrastructures. I haven't been to Bogota but they tell me it's a middle class paradise too.

All in all, I wasn't escaping from my life when I met Monica. Nonetheless I am grateful Monica gave me the chance to know Colombia and, as I like to think she is at least in part a product of her environment, loving her is also loving her family, her people and her culture.

Colombia es pasion Tell me more about your life there, I'm curious! You can PM me if you think it's more appropriate.

a dude I learned a lot about this country..... this country is like Los angeles, you know horrible reputation but once u go there, u realize is not as bad as the media makes it out to be.... granted you need to be cautious in Medellin, but Medellin is a big city with 3million people, I'd say sort of like Houston back in the states.... and here just like in Houston or any American city you know that can't really just go into the crappy part of town..... and you know you need to be careful because well you're in a big city.....

in Medellin as long as you stay away from certain places you'll be pretty much ok. (once again just like in any big American city)

I havent had the chance to travel much but I know this country has a lot to offer so I am looking forward to it....

ANY QUESTIONS YOU GUYS HAVE I AM WILLING TO ANSWER TO THE BEST OF ABILITY!

Ta peligroso por ayi? (DAngerous in Medellin?) Te equivocas, pah-pah (You're wrong). Mido de altura a 190 centrimetros (6'3"), lindo (cute), grandote (big man) y ellos por ayi no me noquearon (Nobody bust my ass in a fight). Ademas, no hubieron peleas entre ellos y yo. (There were no fights between me and people of Medellin) Nos llevamos muy bien con uno al otro mientras yo estaba visitando Medellin. (We got along very well with each other while I was visiting Medellin).
Yo habia pasado bastante tiempo con las putas verdaderas. La mayoria de ellas fue muy bien alimentada...en lo como yo las prefiera. Por supuesto las he pagado plata pa que me sirvieron.
(I had spent enough time with real pro's. Most of them were healthy as a muthafucka ..just the way I like 'em. Of course I have paid them in order to get their services.

[onezero4u]

martianmay summed it up nicely....

f**k the nanny state says I

[have2fly]

The problem is it isn't free. The state is forcing people to pay others' medical bills.

No doubt American medical care has major problems. But IMO a lot of the inefficiency in American medicine is created by government meddling. The Emergency Room system you mentioned is part of the socialized medical care in this country. This system drives up costs for all insured people. America already has socialized medicine (Medicare, Medicaid, Emergency Rooms required by law to treat anybody that visits).

More government interference is not going to solve that problem.

On a slightly different note, he whole prescription drug system is both stupid and a violation of individual rights. You should be able to purchase any drug you want without a prescription. The prescription drug system forces people to waste time and money on unnecessary visits to the doctor, and often prevents them from buying the drugs they want. Pretty much any drug that's useful is illegal without a prescription or outright illegal.

A big problem with medicine is that people want excellent medical care without having to pay for it.

I wish we lived in a dream world where this is possible but it isn't. Medical care is a service not a right. No one has the right to medical care. Socialized medicine is inherently unethical, regardless of its broad appeal.

My heart goes out to people suffering from medical problems they can't afford to treat. But that is a job for concerned individuals like myself and private charities, not the state.

But don't worry. Socialized medicine will continue to grow in America, and we will eventually have a system like Canada.

Long live the nanny state!

OMG, see, totally Americanized view on things. Why is USA the only country without socialized healthcare??? Why why why Brits, Australians, French, Swedes, Germans are not switching to "American" model? Let alone, U.S. is probably the only country in developed world with outdated insurance-only based healthcare. Medical care is a service? OK, "cheeseburger and extra fries please!". Yeah, you get great service for everything in America, but in USSR or Europe being a doctor is not just a career to provide services, it is more of a devotion and wish to save lives. While we all know healthcare is just about business in America, no one gives a crap about people!

I understand that people have to pay for healthcare, but DAMN it feels good to pay 20 Euros for a visit to a doctor in France than pay $150 bucks to see a doctor in America! Also, in France there is 1 doctor, 1 room and no nurses, so you get undivided attention and care. No rush, no one is trying to see 300 patients per day to make the most money, in France they take their time, just like I remember they used to do it in Ukraine.
And if you are a French citizen, those 20 Euros are paid by the French government, so for you it is FREE.

Americans have awkward view on things. Pickup trucks drive me NUTZ. When I posted something like "Americans should buy smaller cars, somehow Europe lives just fine without pickups. They use vans for work and families get by with small cars just fine". Some dude posted right away: "You are arguing against American culture and way of life!" REALLY? Driving a pickup is an "American way of life"? Long live GM and Ford marketing departments! They brainwashed so many people!

You guys see healthcare in the same light. I was born and grew up under socialized healthcare and I was healthier than most Americans when I moved to this country without spending a single day at the gym, never watching my diet. Now that I lived in America for so long and did not have insurance while I was a student, the money I wasted on medical treatment could be enough to buy a brand new Toyota Camry. THAT IS WRONG! When richest country on Earth, that also already spends more money on healthcare than ANY other country, makes its citizens suffer so much? You know something is VERY wrong!

I don't care if Michael Moore is a piece of shit, he is an American afterwards! He cares about money, no wonder. His movie "Sicko" has many very valid points. I experienced them myself living abroad.

[djfourmoney]

Hi UHL congrats and good luck in Columbia


however, i have to call you out on one thing....healthcare is not FREE anywhere...one way or another you pay for it....

personally id rather pay a doctor directly for services rendered rather than an insurance company and wayyyyy more than the fuckin corrupt government who cant cant even do their own job let alone dream of running other industries. rant over.

enjoy latin america

C'mom man that's nit-picking at best. Most NHS are paid for through taxes. You pay for it, you never see it = Free

People think payment for services or products rendered is paying for something actually seeing money you earned (or not earned) leave your pocketbook = Not Free

Not all Governments are corrupt. There is a level of corruption everywhere because there is M-O-N-E-Y or POWER/CONTROL involved.

[djfourmoney]

when the govt pays for health care....that means WE pay for health care & mostly it means it will be wayyyyy more expensive than if you had to pay the doctor yourself directly. govt has a gift for mismanaging, corruption, greed and inefficiency that ends up being expensive either in taxes or national debt.

its heartwarming the 750k medical bill story , but that burden is put on others by coercion which im opposed to. just my 2 cents.

regards,

Doctor would come to your house, prescribe you something or just give you free pills to take and leave, and price for a visit? FREE! While in America you would rather drive yourself to E.R. instead of calling 911 to pick you up because it is SO expensive!

The problem is it isn't free. The state is forcing people to pay others' medical bills.

No doubt American medical care has major problems. But IMO a lot of the inefficiency in American medicine is created by government meddling. The Emergency Room system you mentioned is part of the socialized medical care in this country. This system drives up costs for all insured people. America already has socialized medicine (Medicare, Medicaid, Emergency Rooms required by law to treat anybody that visits).

More government interference is not going to solve that problem.

On a slightly different note, he whole prescription drug system is both stupid and a violation of individual rights. You should be able to purchase any drug you want without a prescription. The prescription drug system forces people to waste time and money on unnecessary visits to the doctor, and often prevents them from buying the drugs they want. Pretty much any drug that's useful is illegal without a prescription or outright illegal.

A big problem with medicine is that people want excellent medical care without having to pay for it.

I wish we lived in a dream world where this is possible but it isn't. Medical care is a service not a right. No one has the right to medical care. Socialized medicine is inherently unethical, regardless of its broad appeal.

My heart goes out to people suffering from medical problems they can't afford to treat. But that is a job for concerned individuals like myself and private charities, not the state.

But don't worry. Socialized medicine will continue to grow in America, and we will eventually have a system like Canada.

Long live the nanny state!

Libertarian much?

I have no health insurance, which in America is tied to employment. I don't qualify for Government programs like Medicaid (MediCAL in California) because I am not old enough (55) and not young enough (need to be under 25, I'm 41). So even in this "Socialized Medicine" you detest I get nothing and "Fall Through The Cracks". Private Charities? That's a laugh, you sound like Michelle Bachmann, I suppose you'll suggest having a car wash next? I have tired to use Free Clinics, they won't help me because I am not "Poor enough" or a Woman. Lucky for me when I had a slight infection I went to the hospital as they will not refuse anybody and got some help, cost me $170 which has since has been charged-off.

You have no concern about anybody but yourself and you're immediate family don't try and blow sunshine up our asses. You're always free to live in a country like Afghanistan where the corruption of the Government is off the chain and you really have to do for self. You can even grow your own Opium if you you willing to deal with the Drug Lords.

There you go totally self made.... Farm land I'm sure is cheap there, no Government for services to speak of (hardly).

I love these sorts of post that are based solely in ideology and not reality on the ground.

[djfourmoney]

The problem is it isn't free. The state is forcing people to pay others' medical bills.

No doubt American medical care has major problems. But IMO a lot of the inefficiency in American medicine is created by government meddling. The Emergency Room system you mentioned is part of the socialized medical care in this country. This system drives up costs for all insured people. America already has socialized medicine (Medicare, Medicaid, Emergency Rooms required by law to treat anybody that visits).

More government interference is not going to solve that problem.

On a slightly different note, he whole prescription drug system is both stupid and a violation of individual rights. You should be able to purchase any drug you want without a prescription. The prescription drug system forces people to waste time and money on unnecessary visits to the doctor, and often prevents them from buying the drugs they want. Pretty much any drug that's useful is illegal without a prescription or outright illegal.

A big problem with medicine is that people want excellent medical care without having to pay for it.

I wish we lived in a dream world where this is possible but it isn't. Medical care is a service not a right. No one has the right to medical care. Socialized medicine is inherently unethical, regardless of its broad appeal.

My heart goes out to people suffering from medical problems they can't afford to treat. But that is a job for concerned individuals like myself and private charities, not the state.

But don't worry. Socialized medicine will continue to grow in America, and we will eventually have a system like Canada.

Long live the nanny state!

OMG, see, totally Americanized view on things. Why is USA the only country without socialized healthcare??? Why why why Brits, Australians, French, Swedes, Germans are not switching to "American" model? Let alone, U.S. is probably the only country in developed world with outdated insurance-only based healthcare. Medical care is a service? OK, "cheeseburger and extra fries please!". Yeah, you get great service for everything in America, but in USSR or Europe being a doctor is not just a career to provide services, it is more of a devotion and wish to save lives. While we all know healthcare is just about business in America, no one gives a crap about people!

I understand that people have to pay for healthcare, but DAMN it feels good to pay 20 Euros for a visit to a doctor in France than pay $150 bucks to see a doctor in America! Also, in France there is 1 doctor, 1 room and no nurses, so you get undivided attention and care. No rush, no one is trying to see 300 patients per day to make the most money, in France they take their time, just like I remember they used to do it in Ukraine.
And if you are a French citizen, those 20 Euros are paid by the French government, so for you it is FREE.

Americans have awkward view on things. Pickup trucks drive me NUTZ. When I posted something like "Americans should buy smaller cars, somehow Europe lives just fine without pickups. They use vans for work and families get by with small cars just fine". Some dude posted right away: "You are arguing against American culture and way of life!" REALLY? Driving a pickup is an "American way of life"? Long live GM and Ford marketing departments! They brainwashed so many people!

You guys see healthcare in the same light. I was born and grew up under socialized healthcare and I was healthier than most Americans when I moved to this country without spending a single day at the gym, never watching my diet. Now that I lived in America for so long and did not have insurance while I was a student, the money I wasted on medical treatment could be enough to buy a brand new Toyota Camry. THAT IS WRONG! When richest country on Earth, that also already spends more money on healthcare than ANY other country, makes its citizens suffer so much? You know something is VERY wrong!

I don't care if Michael Moore is a piece of shit, he is an American afterwards! He cares about money, no wonder. His movie "Sicko" has many very valid points. I experienced them myself living abroad.

Nothing I can't stand more than Might Is Right/Self-Made White Americans right Fly? What bugs me more is the Black People that believe they have some connection to this mindset.

Instead of leaving they want to fight for their piece of dirt they have here. I got news for them, the Government will be looking for them really soon.

[djfourmoney]

djfourmoney, do you think government will fight the blacks?

You mean will Blacks fight back? Likely in some pockets but not all...

[have2fly]

Jeez! Exactly what I meant by "American" view on things. I see it much easier.

People have to have access to healthcare, it has to be universal because just as Michael Moore pointed out: "Americans lose healthcare availability just when they need it most - when they lose employment."

I don't care how you call it - "service" or "right", it has to be provided no matter what happens to you because that's why government exists in the first place - to take care of its citizens.

Again, I point out one more time - American medical system is a "hive" of corruption! Everything is run by private companies with lobbyists, everyone is taking advantage of government-run programs and make millions on "fake bills" to Medicare and Medicaid. There is SO much bureaucracy in American healthcare that I am not even sure where to start. There are hundreds of thousands of people that work in "billing" departments - those departments are not needed and can be eliminated in "socialized healthcare" - it saves billions of dollars! Then we go for doctors and hospitals charging as much as they want - really? Who said 1 time visit to the E.R. is worth $5,000? If you take away 100% private-run hospitals and introduce government-run hospitals, that will knock-down prices and enforce better competition.

Again, money and private interest is not the only way healthcare can be managed. Government does just fine with managing police, FBI, Post Office, firefighters, libraries etc. Creating a government-run healthcare hospital network will benefit everyone, or just creating a government-run insurance for people that make less than $100,000 per year for example. That's the beauty of it, government isn't asking for a profit, unlike owners of CIGNA or Blue Cross Blue Shield. Eliminating private run medical insurance companies will again save BILLIONS that owners of those companies put into their pockets right now, but in the same time thousands of Americans go bankrupt because they can't afford medical treatments. CEO's making millions in bonuses, thousands selling houses to pay for treatments! Wow, great f***ing system to rob poor people and make rich richer. You want to keep private insurance? Fine, but make those companies compete with the government. However there is a catch - they will not be able to do that! Government will offer better services for fraction of the cost!

Yes, non-profit system means "socialism", that damn scary word Americans are frightened to say since they are born. However, this website is devoted to inspire traveling to those countries that have socialized medicine. Those people that live under socialized medicine are much healthier than Americans! Availability of doctors in much poorer countries is amazing! We are also shocked by looking at the pictures of gorgeous model-looking women that grew up being treated at those scary "socialized" hospitals.

Again, Americans will change their mind once they live abroad for a few years. Even American women change and marry foreign guys once they live abroad for a while. I've seen it myself, American women just need to understand what has been missing in their life.

[djfourmoney]

This whole thread has gone off topic because of somebody's views on how Government should be run. Okay I get that; Funny how many people go on and on about the Government should give them Freedom. Freedom to discriminate as well right? That's what Rand and Ron Paul generally believe, public shame will work, but will it? It didn't work after Reconstruction, it didn't work after Jim Crow. The solution was not to make Black and Brown dependent on the State, but that's largely what has happen, due to poorly constructed programs. Which allow Conservatives and Libertarians to demonize Social Safety Net Programs.

MartianMay/onezero4u you both seem to live in some sort of alternate reality. Where structural racism is still a real problem and no liberation of the economy and social structure will fix that basic problem, especially when some White resort to violence against others just for being different from themselves.

As I said I like post like these they turn logic on its head...

[djfourmoney]

martianmay, yes true. But on the other hand the US never had the joice. As being a superpower it gained a lot. It could make the world rules. Only with that could Dollar be the world currency. English the world language, US lifestyle the world lifestyle etc.

The problem when the US will no more dominate the world it could be isolated. Pacts would be made against it. For example Russia and China together and maybe Germany also. It woul be a matter of time when the US would be attacked. That is a serious problem. You can´t show any weakness otherwise you will get bitten. The overall risk is too high. But that´s why superpowerd i history could not last.

I like your comments. But the U.S. is very well positioned geographically. We only border Canada and Mexico, and have two oceans helping to protect us. Any large scale attack (bigger than Pearl Harbor) would be detected well in advance and we would be in an ideal position to detect it.

It doesn't take a huge military to defend the U.S. The problem is that many of our presidents/political leaders have delusions of grandeur and want to run other countries.

Influencing other countries requires a huge military. And the military industrial complex may well be an integral part of the economy now. The little wars our stupid presidents run rack up lots and lots of cash for military contractors while sending our kids off to die for nothing and bankrupting the public.

Its not delusional, its the Military Industrial Complex.... A man of war warned us as he left office, you think he was lying? Try to cut funding to any defense system and watch the roaches start scrambling to keep jobs in their districts.

Lots of cash the Government could give us basic services for. The "Free Market" does not solve everything. The Government shouldn't prevent smoking??? I think its pretty confirmed now that Smoking is not good for you at all and not for the people around you. Killing yourself "slowly" or "quickly" should be discouraged at all times.

We have enough money to provide everybody with basic services (health care, shelter, food) and still run a surplus, fund the military and do whatever projects you want.

That is not a nanny state and of course your rants don't address the coming Energy Crisis, Collapse of the Dollar, Hyperinflation and Moral Decay....

[djfourmoney]

djfourmoney,

I think a lot of our disagreements just come down to a difference of values.

Freedom is really important to me. As long as I am not infringing on the rights of others, I want to be left alone to live my life the way I see fit. I do not want to be pestered (or worse forced) by government to live my life a certain way, even if that way is healthier or makes others around me happier.

I want to be able to smoke. I want to be able to start a business without drowning in red tape. I want to be able to eat unhealthy food and live a sedentary lifestyle. I want to be able to purchase firearms. That doesn't mean I will smoke or start a business or eat a disease-promoting diet or buy guns, but I want to have a choice. I want to be free to make my own choices and bear the consequences of those choices.

Maybe you value security more than freedom. There definitely is a trade off.

Some people think socialism would be paradise. And maybe it would be for them. But to me it would be hellish, because no matter how healthy or comfortable or secure I was I'd know I had little freedom.

That's some choice... Unhealthy Habits for the sake of being Unhealthy because you think that's freedom of choice. That's what is called a false choice. My parents smoked, almost a pack a day. They quit about 20 years ago and likely saved their lives in the process. The choice is if you want to live or die. By the way, if you choose to smoke and then have to have a lung removed, who is going to take care of you if you can't do it?

Is it then a choice to not have medical assisted living or dying just because nobody gives a f**k about you?

Is Europe complete socialism, no and I wish people would stop believing we have to have a complete Free Market/Capitalism or Communism/Marxist/Socialism in America. We can have a little of both and actually we do in MANY cases...

Again this about LOGIC not Personal Opinion. You "believe" you need freedom, which is an opinion. There are plenty of places you can live that require your full undivided attention at all times.

I hardly see the current state of Government in America as constraining. Government uses Red Tape on Small Business because the Game is rigged. Its much easier to force you to jump through hoops than for some company who has paid the Government to put laws in place to prevent competition in the market.

Racism is systemic and you won't solve it by not leveling the playing field. You can do this by providing care for all. Education is important. When we had a argo economy we had free education K-6. When we had an industrial economy, we went up to 12th grade. Now in the Information Age, we should have free Higher Education.

Only the US says, you need to go into debt to go to school.

Besides what happens when Automation really picks up speed? - http://marshallbrain.com/robotic-nation.htm



Get out in front or get run over, we'll have many paid services anyway in the very near future weather you like it or not.