What is the best country to visit in Europe?

"Peter A. Stavrakoglou" wrote in message et...
"SMD" wrote in message
om...
"Paolo Pizzi" wrote in message
.com...
SMD wrote:

And in the process Europeans have created societies (some
European
countries) that have created a higher standard of living than
anywhere else in the world. Look at the Human Development Index
list
and European countries make up 15 or so of the top 20
countries.

BUT

The US comes near top of the list

Because the US is really TWO countries, one of rich white idiots
who exploit a much larger section of the population. It's no
coincidence that the US is a champion of inequality...

Which is why many people from all sorts of ethnic origin do well in
the US.

There is one flaw in all of your replies to Paolo - you are trying to
use logic with a person devoid of logic. As most of his posts
indicate, he has a heart full of hatred for anyone, particularly
Americans, who have different views than he does. We're all fascists
and racists in his valueless opinion. It is amusing to read through
his posts where one can quickly see that he is nothing more than a
crass unintelligent person who managed to learn how to use a computer.
What is even more amusing, sad even, is that he is an immigrant living
in the US who shares in the prosperity that this country offers - and
is unmatched by any other - yet he has such hatred for this nation.
He should simply leave and go back to his beloved Italy.

Too true. I shall stop wasting time in this debate and actually
investigate photography, my original aim.

In article ,
Dave Smith wrote:

Then I flipped over to BBC news where they were covering a number of
different battles going on across the country, masses of civilians fleeing
the war zones. As bad as Saddam was, it is plain to see why he and his party
acted in such a repressive manner. Anyone who thought that Iraq was ready for
democracy had a few screws loose.

Iraq may not be ready for democracy, but this does not mean that Iraqis
aren't better off than they were under Saddam. The impression I get
even from BBC news (of course, I'd prefer first-hand impressions of
someone who has been to Iraq recently, but for now I guess journalists
would have to do) is that Saddam was universally hated, and that
even people who want Americans out are, by and large, happy to be rid
of Saddam.

People who are fighting Americans in Iraq seem to want some kind of
Islamic theocracy. Even they don't seem to want Saddam back.

It's bad
enough to go to war on false pretences, but to try to convince us that the
results have been positive would require that the rest of us to be as
gullible as Bush's supporters.

All that I need to be convinced that the results have been positive
is the knowledge that, without Saddam and Baath, Iraqis have the
opportunity to create the kind of country they want. If they'd rather
kill and rob each other, that's too bad, but at least they'll have
noone but themselves to blame (they'll blame America, of course,
but that's only to be expected).

On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 18:28:24 GMT, "Paolo Pizzi"
wrote:

Hatunen wrote:

California has a large number of orchestras of varying quality.

Stress on that "varying quality."

California has only TWO professional orchestras that can compete
with those from major European or Japanese orchestras.

Ah. *Compete*. Anericans tend to look at personal participation
as the goal.

There is a lot lessdifference between the culture of a large
European city and a small European town and that of a large
metropolitan center in the US and a rural town. Not to mention that
places like LA have an abysmal record when it comes to classical
music in general. There is no place in Europe where 15,000,000 share
a SINGLE symphony orchestra and ZERO opera houses.

Nor is there in the USA, at least for orchestras.

That is if you include "fly-by-nite" outfits, student orchestras,
college orchestras etc... If you did that for a city like Tokyo,
you'd end up with no less than 60 orchestras...

Your point being...? Or did you intend to exclude those
originally and forgot to?

Outside major cities opera companies generally do not have
their own house, but many opera companies exist, using local
public halls.

Not exactly La Scala...

You seem to be more interested in the house than in the music.

************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

Hatunen wrote:
On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 18:28:24 GMT, "Paolo Pizzi"
wrote:

Hatunen wrote:

California has a large number of orchestras of varying quality.

Stress on that "varying quality."

California has only TWO professional orchestras that can compete
with those from major European or Japanese orchestras.

Ah. *Compete*. Anericans tend to look at personal participation
as the goal.

There is a lot lessdifference between the culture of a large
European city and a small European town and that of a large
metropolitan center in the US and a rural town. Not to mention that
places like LA have an abysmal record when it comes to classical
music in general. There is no place in Europe where 15,000,000
share a SINGLE symphony orchestra and ZERO opera houses.

Nor is there in the USA, at least for orchestras.

That is if you include "fly-by-nite" outfits, student orchestras,
college orchestras etc... If you did that for a city like Tokyo,
you'd end up with no less than 60 orchestras...

Your point being...? Or did you intend to exclude those
originally and forgot to?

Outside major cities opera companies generally do not have
their own house, but many opera companies exist, using local
public halls.

Not exactly La Scala...

You seem to be more interested in the house than in the music.

************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

shhh

Hatunen wrote:

On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 18:28:24 GMT, "Paolo Pizzi"

California has only TWO professional orchestras that can compete
with those from major European or Japanese orchestras.


Ah. *Compete*. Anericans tend to look at personal participation
as the goal.

I think he means they are as good as those in Europe or Japan
Of course, he says that California only has 2 that can compete with
major European or Japanese orchestras. That kind of makes sense since
California has a lot less people than Europe or Japan.


There is a lot lessdifference between the culture of a large
European city and a small European town and that of a large
metropolitan center in the US and a rural town. Not to mention that
places like LA have an abysmal record when it comes to classical
music in general. There is no place in Europe where 15,000,000 share
a SINGLE symphony orchestra and ZERO opera houses.

Nor is there in the USA, at least for orchestras.

That is if you include "fly-by-nite" outfits, student orchestras,
college orchestras etc... If you did that for a city like Tokyo,
you'd end up with no less than 60 orchestras...


Your point being...? Or did you intend to exclude those
originally and forgot to?

Why is are people limiting the definition of musical culture to
classical or opera music?? Is there no perception that culture can vary
by location? Speaking of culture, I notice Europeans are flocking to
American movies...

On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 19:09:52 GMT, "Paolo Pizzi"
wrote:

Scott wrote:

Maybe because everything you hear is censored bull****...


Same, old, tired argument.

...to which you obviously have nothing to counter...


Why bother? You're not interested in the truth anyways.

I am, that's why, unlike you, I don't limit myself to right-wing
US sources...


The Washington Post and the BBC are not usually referred to as right
wing. Must seem that way to someone far out in left field.

All of them.

wrote in message news:407468D3.1437.425049@localhost...
In your opinion

SMD wrote:

He should simply leave and go back to his
beloved Italy.

Too true.

Right, every naturalized US citizen should be kicked out
of the country if he/she doesn't agree with FASCISTS
like you. You still don't get it why I'm calling you a fascist
right?

I shall stop wasting time in this debate and actually
investigate photography, my original aim.

Good, put your tail between your legs and flee,
anonymous coward.

Hatunen wrote:

Outside major cities opera companies generally do not have
their own house, but many opera companies exist, using local
public halls.

Not exactly La Scala...

The "house" reflects the seriousness of the commitment
to bringing quality opera to the people. BTW, did you
know that opera in the US is only reserved to those
who can pay outrageous prices?

Scott wrote:

I am, that's why, unlike you, I don't limit myself to right-wing
US sources...


The Washington Post and the BBC are not usually referred to
as right wing. Must seem that way to someone far out in left field.

First of all you should show where exactly the BBC and the WP
have claimed.

Your attempt to lump BBC and WP together is ludicrous at best.