Finland way ahead of U.S. in many ways

Honolulu Star Bulletin ^ | 12/12/03 | Nancy Bey Little

[GrandmaPatriot]

The article about Finland in your Dec. 7 Travel section was interesting. We like to think that we are the most advanced country in the world, but that seems to apply only to weapons, and many others (even in "Old Europe") are far ahead of us. Helsinki, a small capital city of 500,000, has an underground metro and light-rail trams. Finland has the most successful economy in the world and provides its citizens with many social benefits: education through graduate school, generous child-care leave, $100-per-month child payments until age 16 and health care. Our radical right-wing would sniff "socialism," but they are way ahead of us. And they are not squandering billions of dollars and human lives by invading other nations.

[TASMANIANRED]

The Finns, have perfected air conditioning. It is practically free, especially from October to April.

[IGOTMINE]

COWABUNGA!

I need a moment alone...

[razorback-bert]

I don't see any diversity!

[LadyDoc]

If Finland is so perfect, why is their suicide rate among the highest in the world, and twice the rate for the USA?

http://www.mcdl.org/Stats/gnpsuicide.htm

and their population is "stable" because a lot of Finns have emigrated elsewhere, and the birth rate is low...indeed, by 2030 the population will begin to fall...

http://reference.allrefer.com/country-guide-study/finland/finland40.html

[beckett]

We're in general agreement but just one small point. Finland has a pop. of about 5,200,000, not less than 2 million.

[cwb]

Thanks...see my correction at #77.

[mikenola]

Why is Finland so famously neutral?

Maybe because they are so comfortable in the security that the UNITED STATES has provided for them.

They can afford those "fabulous social benefits" because AMERICAN workers are toiling away producing arms so the Finns don't have to.

I send a third of my income to Washington in taxes. A third of that third goes to defense. Do you think any of the Finns are grateful for the security my hard work provides them? (I'll give you two chances, but you'll only need one)