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Journal Com2Kid's Journal: What is up with Europeans and cell phones? 17

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Any teenager who spends the equivalent of $200(USD) or more on a cell phone needs to have the living crap beat out of them and some priorities put into their head.

Then again I guess that is what sort of children you end up with in socialist nations. No respect for money, after all, who cares when damn near everything necessary comes free? Bleh, little buggers wouldn't last half a second here in America, where a College degree is something a person is thankful for getting the opportunity to obtain. Damned be if a person has to actually save money to get there!

See a person learns these values such as conservation and prioritizing, rather then just farting around for another 4 years or so in what is basically an extension of public school.

It also means that any dip shit whose cell phone goes off in class get dirty looks from all those around him or her. Not only are that person's priorities messed up enough that they even own a cell phone, but they are disrespectful enough to have it going off in class!

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What is up with Europeans and cell phones? More

What is up with Europeans and cell phones?

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  • What sparked that little rant?

    It also means that any dip shit whose cell phone goes off in class get dirty looks from all those around him or her.

    Ha. I can only dream that cell phones in class would be banned or at the least get dirty looks. Being in uni in Ontario, I can say that that *never* happens. They go off with annoying regularity and with all their stupid ring tones...
      • Ha. I can only dream that cell phones in class would be banned or at the least get dirty looks. Being in uni in Ontario, I can say that that *never* happens. They go off with annoying regularity and with all their stupid ring tones...


      I had one Proffessor, great policy;

      If he heard your cell phone in class, you failed the course. Period.
  • Any teenager who spends the equivalent of $200(USD) or more on a cell phone needs to have the living crap beat out of them and some priorities put into their head.

    Can't argue with this part. The sister of one of the guys I work with managed to run up a bit even higher that that - in one month! She's a major texting-addict.

    Then again I guess that is what sort of children you end up with in socialist nations. No respect for money, after all, who cares when damn near everything necessary comes free? Bleh, little buggers wouldn't last half a second here in America, where a College degree is something a person is thankful for getting the opportunity to obtain. Damned be if a person has to actually save money to get there!

    Oh dear. You obviously haven't been over to Europe lately.

    For starters, 'socialism' in Europe only exists in a very watered-down form these days. It's getting much harder to find any differences between the Left-wing (Labour/Socialist) and Right-wing (Conservative) parties any more, with the result being increased disillusionment with the political process, low turn-outs at the polls, and more support for extremist parties. Hell, in the UK, New Labour are a better Conservative Party than the Conservative Party!

    And everything being provided by the State? Not any more - even France and Germany have had to take the axe to their citizen's benefits, in order to stabilise their economies (and boy do people get pissed when that happens!)

    See a person learns these values such as conservation and prioritizing, rather then just farting around for another 4 years or so in what is basically an extension of public school.

    Students today know that only do well - thanks to the changes above, they stand a good chance of being hideously in debt if they manage to finance their way to the end of their course, and with the prospect of joining a queue of other impoverished graduates chasing jobs for which, depending on their luck, they're either overqualified for or don't have enought real-world experience (really!) Meanwhile, the Government tries to get more people into higher and/or vocational education, while skirting around the issue of who's going to pay for it. Lovely. :(

    Oh, and most Universities over here aren't anything like Oxford or Cambridge.

    It also means that any dip shit whose cell phone goes off in class get dirty looks from all those around him or her. Not only are that person's priorities messed up enough that they even own a cell phone, but they are disrespectful enough to have it going off in class!

    I've no argument with that one. :)

    Final thought - you need to chill out a bit, no make that a lot, Dude! :)
    • Just a note about socialism in Europe: I live in Finland, and I don't know what's up now in Germany and France, but I can tell you Finland feels quite a bit socialist, and it doesn't feel too good, sometimes. See, if someone, who doesn't even have to be a finnish citizen, decides to make lots of children, they get substantial support from the state, and at a certain point (a certain number of kids) they get to be well-off, without working. This has been perfect for immigrants from islamic countries, expecially when these people had an agenda: they probably think we're stupid, because they come to finland, make a lot of kids, get a lot of my tax money and live a very good life, much better than mine, actually. I don't have my own apartement, yet, and can't take out a mortgage (not enough cash to put down, yet). Any wonder Islam is expanding in Europe?

      The numbers work out approximately like this: if you have 3 kids and both parents are without a job, you'll make about the same money as if both parents did have an average finnish salary! Now don't you think that's nuts? So, for me socialism doesn't feel that good.

      I understand you're in UK. How do these numbers work out over there?
      • The numbers work out approximately like this: if you have 3 kids and both parents are without a job, you'll make about the same money as if both parents did have an average finnish salary! Now don't you think that's nuts? So, for me socialism doesn't feel that good.

        I understand you're in UK. How do these numbers work out over there?

        No such luck over here. State benefits are a major political football, with large sums going into fraud prevention, whilst things like child support and the state pension lag behind. Even so, the UK is still the destination of choice for asylums seekers - an idea that increasingly draconian immigration policies have done little to dispel.

        Needless to say, there is resentment towards immigrants over here - rather ironic given our history (the British Empire, the Commonwealth), and the racial and cultural diversity throughout the UK.

        One more thing - socialism ain't totally dead in the UK. The trade union movement, the traditional supporters of our Labour Party, are becoming more vocal in their opposition to the Labour Government, due to a combination of factors - the retreat from pledges made at the last election, the lack of support for manufacturing industry, the perceived inability to control big business, the perception that power is being concentrated in the Executive rather than Parliament, and the perception that the Government would rather use spin-doctors to attact their detractors that address their grievances.
  • Bleh, little buggers wouldn't last half a second here in America, where a College degree is something a person is thankful for getting the opportunity to obtain.

    I'm not sure where you are going to school but if that is the sentiment of the students that you know there then that sampling is definitley skewed towards the tail of the distribution. My experience as a student and as a faculty member is the Americans have a greater tendancy not to put a seriously high-priority on their education. I find the European and Asian students to be far more serious at American universities and colleges. The source of this stems from the fact that anyone in this country can go to college. There are so many opportunities for post-secondary education here that are convieniet and you can always secure a low interest student loan. A university education in the UK may be free but not everyone will have the opportunity to get it.

    My policy about cell phones in class: The first day of class I distribute a policy sheet. At the very end I state that if you bring a cell phone into class that you must put into silent mode. If a cell phone activates during an exam the student is penalized 5 points per ring (10 points if it plays the theme from Star Wars continously). This has been pretty effective.

      • My policy about cell phones in class: The first day of class I distribute a policy sheet. At the very end I state that if you bring a cell phone into class that you must put into silent mode. If a cell phone activates during an exam the student is penalized 5 points per ring (10 points if it plays the theme from Star Wars continously). This has been pretty effective.


      In one class somebodies cell phone went off turning a test. (one of three tests during the year, something like 20% of the grade in the class for each test) The proffessor told the student to get up, turn in the test paper, and leave.

      Amen.
  • Is that what they're feeding you? Well, MonTemplar has already set you straight on that one.

    Anyway, about mobiles: They're mainly a fashion accessory, like trainers (snekers to you) or whatever. The mobile market is also a lot more developed over here, owing to the geography. Get a wider world view before you start generalising about groups of people you know little about.

    And people can spend their money on wtf they like.

    I looked long and hard for one that worked well and was cheap. I failed. I have a crappy little Sony CMD-J70 and it is a piece of shit. I Wish I still had my Nokia 3210, that was a rock solid piece of kit.

    Ali
      • Anyway, about mobiles: They're mainly a fashion accessory, like trainers (snekers to you)


      People who spend over $200 on fashion items are ALSO ridiculed. I can ridicule who I like, thank you so very much. :-P If people are allowed to think that an overpriced cell phone with a ton of non-legitimate features is a "worthwhile" purchase, I am allowed to think that such people are nuts.

      • And people can spend their money on wtf they like.


      Now that, is a matter of opinion. :P

      • I looked long and hard for one that worked well and was cheap. I failed. I have a crappy little Sony CMD-J70 and it is a piece of shit. I Wish I still had my Nokia 3210, that was a rock solid piece of kit.


      Does it make calls? Stop bitching. Phones are for PHONE calls. That is it. I got my phone free with my calling plan. Bragging about your phone model does about as much good as bragging about the size of (your/your SO's) breast engagements, it only goes to show how shallow a person's priorities are.

      • The mobile market is also a lot more developed over here, owing to the geography.


      Well the crack/cocain market over HERE is also a lot more developed due to the same reasons. You don't see me bragging about that do ya?

      • Get a wider world view before you start generalising about groups of people you know little about.


      How much wider do you want me to get than "Kids spending hundreds of dollars on cell phones rather then putting money in bank"?
    • Oh, and Europe would get less "You are all socialists, suck it down" rants if they stopped going off on how DAMN FREAKIN PROUD THEY ARE TO BE SOCIALIST and stop insulting America for "Being so backward and behind in the times in implementing socialist policies for the good of all."

      Many American's here bitch about HOW socialist we have become and there is a rather large movement to get rid of what socialist programs we have. Europeans laugh even more at that. Stop laughing at us and we'll stop laughing at you.
      • Many American's here bitch about HOW socialist we have become and there is a rather large movement to get rid of what socialist programs we have. Europeans laugh even more at that. Stop laughing at us and we'll stop laughing at you.

        I think that this is actually the saddest part - too often people (particularly those in power) like nothing better than to try and show up other nations in a bad light, and harangue them about their 'failings', as a means to distract attention from their own. The art of propaganda is alive and well in the 21st century.

        This is why I make it a point to read the newspaper in the morning, and watch the news in the evening - so that I have some idea of what is going on in the world, and what my elected leaders are doing about it.
          • This is why I make it a point to read the newspaper in the morning, and watch the news in the evening - so that I have some idea of what is going on in the world, and what my elected leaders are doing about it.


          I have found that my best world education tends to come from talking to college students from all around the globe. Thank you internet! In the past I have spent hours just chatting with other users doing cultural comparisons. It is scary to think that in some places McDonalds is the only "foreign" food that a region may have! Ickys.
          • Well Kid, you just do not get what I was saying earlier so I won't bother typing again, and I'm too tired anyway.

            Chatting to people on the internet is hardly a cultural experience, buy a plane ticket and go visit places. Get off the nice scenic tourist trails designated for your type [ignorant rich* yank] and meet the locals, see how people survive.

            Oh yeah, and our leaders are elected! heh...

            Ali

            *You have access to the internet, so it's my guess you're living on >$1 a day. That puts you in a better position than the majority of people on this planet.
  • Does anybody else find it a bit ironic to be on the one hand, going on about Europeans being socialist (and using the word as a kind of insult, like many Americans seem to), and then on the other hand, going on about how other people should spend their money the way the way he* thinks they should?

    OTOH, I do agree with some of the other sentiments- whilst I was at university, I often felt like going postal at people whose mobiles went off during lectures. Don't remember it happening during exams tho.

    *-I don't know Com2kid's gender, and couldn't find it on the website. I presumed male (the normal Slashdot default!!), sorry if I got that wrong :P

      • *-I don't know Com2kid's gender, and couldn't find it on the website. I presumed male (the normal Slashdot default!!), sorry if I got that wrong :P


      Either that or a lesbian. *G*

      I have had plenty "stop thinking I am an idiot just because I am male!" rants in my journal, though the last one was a fair while back. *G*

      • Does anybody else find it a bit ironic to be on the one hand, going on about Europeans being socialist (and using the word as a kind of insult, like many Americans seem to), and then on the other hand, going on about how other people should spend their money the way the way he* thinks they should?


      Just when the socialism starts bordering on communism, and the line is soooooo thin. . . . .

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