(August 5, 2012 at 7:10 pm)jonb Wrote: but It would all average out wouldn't it?

No, not if it's random. That's my point.

(August 5, 2012 at 7:14 pm)Napoleon Wrote: No, not if it's random. That's my point.

Yes it would if the results are averaged out that my-

argument

I guess I don't understand how you think that would work then :S

You are right about individual events, but the points total for each nation would be more acurate, and it might be a bit more fun

Lol, I would like to see the fat olympics to be fair.

There you are my cat in the hat

(August 5, 2012 at 2:35 pm)jonb Wrote:

(August 5, 2012 at 8:45 am)Justtristo Wrote: I can blame that on Australians having a grossly inflated sense of importance in the world. We think we are as important as the United Kingdom, while in fact we are about as important as the Netherlands or Poland.

Australia's natural resources are hugely important to the world economically, on the other hand what are the british providing for the world other than failing and corrupt banks, and if you lived in britain you would know that the only people who work here now are the Poles. And the Dutch provide all our drugs.

To give an example of where I am coming from, I keep an eye on the media in the United States and Australia is hardly ever mentioned. However the United Kingdom and even the Netherlands get mentioned more than Australia does. Although Australia does get more mention in the United Kingdom media, however that is not suprising since there are over 1 million UK born Australians and around 100,000 Australian born people in the UK.

(August 5, 2012 at 9:35 pm)Justtristo Wrote: To give an example of where I am coming from, I keep an eye on the media in the United States and Australia is hardly ever mentioned. However the United Kingdom and even the Netherlands get mentioned more than Australia does. Although Australia does get more mention in the United Kingdom media, however that is not suprising since there are over 1 million UK born Australians and around 100,000 Australian born people in the UK.

Ah, but there are motivations the media like to show our country is doing quite well, so American media is not going to show and awful lot of Australia which is not suffering so much in the world recession. Thus most Americans do not realise how badly paid they are.

(August 5, 2012 at 10:32 pm)jonb Wrote:

(August 5, 2012 at 9:35 pm)Justtristo Wrote: To give an example of where I am coming from, I keep an eye on the media in the United States and Australia is hardly ever mentioned. However the United Kingdom and even the Netherlands get mentioned more than Australia does. Although Australia does get more mention in the United Kingdom media, however that is not suprising since there are over 1 million UK born Australians and around 100,000 Australian born people in the UK.

Ah, but there are motivations the media like to show our country is doing quite well, so American media is not going to show and awful lot of Australia which is not suffering so much in the world recession. Thus most Americans do not realize how badly paid they are.

I would estimate that average US (before the recession) and Australian living standards are roughly equal. Although there is a lot more income inequality in the United States than in Australia. That figure is adjusted for a higher cost of living in Australia compared to the United States.

Although a case can be made that compared to the countries of Western Europe, living standards for median American is lower than of a median person say in France, Germany or the Netherlands. Even factoring in the recent severe recession in both Europe and North America.

Quote:I can blame that on Australians having a grossly inflated sense of importance in the world. We think we are as important as the United Kingdom, while in fact we are about as important as the Netherlands or Poland.

A bit of a non sequitor when speaking of the games. Sports mad Australia has an excellent record of success in the Olympic Games,which far outweighs our size.

I won't get into a fatuous argument about relative importance; it's irrelevant to me. Australia is my home and the centre of my world.