Is Germany the model country?

[lilelvis2000]

I thought Mr. Clarkson lived on the Isle of Man?

[lilelvis2000]

BTW where does Germany rank on the happiness and HDI lists?

Well Germans are happier but rank lower on the HDI. hmmm...

[Francko]

Reading between the lines, Francko, I see you are being bullied in Swissland too. I told you: by running away you can't really escape yourself and your victim mentality.

HTH

Most managers are idiotic anywhere. I do not expect anything different anywhere. At least, I didn't have to sell my soul and become one of them by pulling off the pants as you had to do because you realised you are not good enough to do your job. And the victims are the ones like yourself who get daily abused but use vaseline not to feel the pain, we are the fighters who fight back and keep doing what we are good at and we like, despite how difficult it gets sometimes.

Ah, and your knowledge of economics is crap too and your information is clearly outdated.

[sasguru]

Most managers are idiotic anywhere. I do not expect anything different anywhere. At least, I didn't have to sell my soul and become one of them by pulling off the pants as you had to do because you realised you are not good enough to do your job. And the victims are the ones like yourself who get daily abused but use vaseline not to feel the pain, we are the fighters who fight back and keep doing what we are good at and we like, despite how difficult it gets sometimes.

Ah, and your knowledge of economics is crap too and your information is clearly outdated.

Ah Francko - your words betray you...

[milanbenes]

Crikey,

that was certainly revealing !

Milan.

[Sockpuppet]

In my experience they are far too protective of the trees.

[All_Day_Breakfast]

Look at the facts:

1) Largest exporter in the world, although far from being the largest population.
2) Has coped with the equivalent of incorporating a large and poor 2nd world country (East Germany). The idea that we could do that is laughable.
4) Affordable and high quality housing, whether buying or renting. No artificial housing boom.
5) Has a budget surplus
6) National debt is a fraction of the UKs, even with a larger population
7) Excellent vocational and apprentice system, so craftsmen and workers are second to none in quality.
8) Has 10% unemployment - I suspect this is similar to ours if we ignore NuLab figures

It's far from perfect, but these are impressive facts.
-

All that matters is that you are a complete wnaker, now go away and don't come back

[milanbenes]

crikey

whatever next ?

Milan.

[Pondlife]

My €0.02

Having worked in Germany in the late 90s and being back there now I have noticed a couple of things;

Firstly, the working environment is far more relaxed now than then. People will work their contracted hours and no more (I believe working more than 40h/wk is illegal but I have no direct source). No one is under any pressure to work more hours (unlike the UK). They take a proper lunch break rather than the sandwich at the desk, as was before. But most importantly - The work gets done! (unlike the UK). That said, finding someone to take responsibility for anything is nigh on imposible.

Secondly, Management consult the workforce. The staff councils are brought into any and all business related discussions and as such the workforce have less of a 'them and us' mentality.

Public Transport - €1.65 gets me across the city and a ferry over the river. Trains are every 3 mins, clean and modern. Other day the ferry left 4 mins early but went back so that he left on time.

The only things I really here locals winge about is taxes, especially the solidarity tax to pay for infrastructure in the East. And depending on where you live, education. Apparently it's becoming more expensive and kids have to provide their own text books.

All in all it seems like they have the work/life balance a bit better than we do and I haven't heard a single person bleat on about house prices. Not saying it's a utopia though

[richard-af]

I thought Mr. Clarkson lived on the Isle of Man?

Yep. And the Cotswolds, too. He's SUCH a maggot. All designed to stir the pot, and get more exposure. Which it has.