Fens view of America

[NewDay2006]

This sounds typical to me.

I agree with Charlz.... sounds like you have talked to my wife on a few of these...

[Guest Tony n Terrific]

Once she does go to work, just wait until she gets her first paycheck and discovers the wonders of income tax. Be prepared for an explosion of great magnitude.

 

When we went through Li's first paycheck, I was reminded of a line delivered by the spoiled girl on "That 70's Show" when she got her first paycheck....

 

"And somebody please tell me, just who the hell is this Fica bitch?"

Why do you think the majority of American families are in debt up to their eyeballs? I read an article yesterday that 43% of American approaching retirement age have less the $10,000 saved for retirement. The governments get paid 1st and you can go to hell and then are forced to humble yourself to the state when the gold watch time comes.

[Sam and Fen]

Once she does go to work, just wait until she gets her first paycheck and discovers the wonders of income tax. Be prepared for an explosion of great magnitude.

 

When we went through Li's first paycheck, I was reminded of a line delivered by the spoiled girl on "That 70's Show" when she got her first paycheck....

 

"And somebody please tell me, just who the hell is this Fica bitch?"

Why do you think the majority of American families are in debt up to their eyeballs? I read an article yesterday that 43% of American approaching retirement age have less the $10,000 saved for retirement. The governments get paid 1st and you can go to hell and then are forced to humble yourself to the state when the gold watch time comes.

 

 

You got that right. I have a big refund due from the state of NY but they dont have money so god alone knows when I will see my money but in the meantime I am still expected to pay my other bills (sales tax) due to the state.

[A Mafan]

Once she does go to work, just wait until she gets her first paycheck and discovers the wonders of income tax. Be prepared for an explosion of great magnitude.

 

When we went through Li's first paycheck, I was reminded of a line delivered by the spoiled girl on "That 70's Show" when she got her first paycheck....

 

"And somebody please tell me, just who the hell is this Fica bitch?"

Why do you think the majority of American families are in debt up to their eyeballs? I read an article yesterday that 43% of American approaching retirement age have less the $10,000 saved for retirement. The governments get paid 1st and you can go to hell and then are forced to humble yourself to the state when the gold watch time comes.

 

 

You got that right. I have a big refund due from the state of NY but they dont have money so god alone knows when I will see my money but in the meantime I am still expected to pay my other bills (sales tax) due to the state.

 

Taxes suck.

I really like what Glenn Reynolds said about taxes today, which included a link/quote to "taxprof":

 

HMM: 52 Million (36%) of Tax Returns Pay Zero Income Tax. I think that everyone who votes should pay income tax. And the amount should go up and down with federal spending.

[warpedbored]

the topic is about Fen's views on America. Let's steer this back that way and away from politics.

[shenzhen]

Once she does go to work, just wait until she gets her first paycheck and discovers the wonders of income tax. Be prepared for an explosion of great magnitude.

 

When we went through Li's first paycheck, I was reminded of a line delivered by the spoiled girl on "That 70's Show" when she got her first paycheck....

 

"And somebody please tell me, just who the hell is this Fica bitch?"

Why do you think the majority of American families are in debt up to their eyeballs? I read an article yesterday that 43% of American approaching retirement age have less the $10,000 saved for retirement. The governments get paid 1st and you can go to hell and then are forced to humble yourself to the state when the gold watch time comes.

I don't like taxes either. However can anyone honesty say the reason 43% of Americans approaching retirement have less than $10,000 in savings is due to taxes?? I think it has more to do with our culture of "buy first pay later".

[A Mafan]

Once she does go to work, just wait until she gets her first paycheck and discovers the wonders of income tax. Be prepared for an explosion of great magnitude.

 

When we went through Li's first paycheck, I was reminded of a line delivered by the spoiled girl on "That 70's Show" when she got her first paycheck....

 

"And somebody please tell me, just who the hell is this Fica bitch?"

Why do you think the majority of American families are in debt up to their eyeballs? I read an article yesterday that 43% of American approaching retirement age have less the $10,000 saved for retirement. The governments get paid 1st and you can go to hell and then are forced to humble yourself to the state when the gold watch time comes.

I don't like taxes either. However can anyone honesty say the reason 43% of Americans approaching retirement have less than $10,000 in savings is due to taxes?? I think it has more to do with our culture of "buy first pay later".

Yeah...that is one huge difference between the US and China. We are mostly a credit card society, and China is mostly a saving society.

I can't tell you how many people have told me they figure they can "afford" something as long as they have room on their credit card limit, or as long as they can make the minimum monthly payment.

 

I've weaned myself from that with one self-reminder:

Only suckers pay interest on any declining-value item (99% of the time, anything except for a house).

 

Fen will mopslap Sam daily until he has no debt (unless he already is virtually debt-free).

[Feathers268]

Preaching to the choir!

 

One thing you will learn.

 

It will take time to find authentic Chinese food restaurants, in my case I know of two in the Rochester area.

 

Economy has been getting to my wife, she wants to work a good job only to not be able to find something, seems fixated on moving to NYC, sorry not giving up my job just yet to do that, and I have told her any possible increase in pay will just get eaten up by the higher cost of living down state.

Jen has this same fixation. All or our problems will be answered by moving to NY. I've recently made some headway by showing her the cold and snow on the eastern coast vs. our sunny weather and 74^ temps here in CA.

To her, American Chinese food still sucks, but she is learning to like some American places. Sizzler now tops her list.

[Guest Pommey]

One car one person......only drive drive, no walk, no excersice.

That is why Americans fat in the butt and the gut.

 

Americans have an ego

 

Economy bad but restaurants always busy.

 

And the best........I run my business ALL WRONG. That is not how it is done in China.

 

Chinese food in America sucks.

 

 

she nalied it fast

[Stepbrow]

Just curious about any more of Fens view of America. What's the latest Sam?

[Sam and Fen]

Just curious about any more of Fens view of America. What's the latest Sam?

 

 

Nothing new really.

She has realized I do not have the patience for shopping, so now that the weather is warm she walks down to Target or Khols and spends hours there "browsing".

 

I pulled "American tradition" on her this Saturday for my first guys night out since she got here. I am now allowed to this once every few weeks.

[dnoblett]

Preaching to the choir!

 

One thing you will learn.

 

It will take time to find authentic Chinese food restaurants, in my case I know of two in the Rochester area.

 

Economy has been getting to my wife, she wants to work a good job only to not be able to find something, seems fixated on moving to NYC, sorry not giving up my job just yet to do that, and I have told her any possible increase in pay will just get eaten up by the higher cost of living down state.

Jen has this same fixation. All or our problems will be answered by moving to NY. I've recently made some headway by showing her the cold and snow on the eastern coast vs. our sunny weather and 74^ temps here in CA.

To her, American Chinese food still sucks, but she is learning to like some American places. Sizzler now tops her list.

Funny you say that my Yu switched from NYC to LA, again NO-WAY!

 

Told her Job market not good, people moving OUT of California, people living in tents because they can no longer afford their homes.

 

Yu sometimes feels that for some reason BIG-City is where to be, this may be the case in China, however not necessarily the case in the USA.

[TLB]

One car one person......only drive drive, no walk, no excersice.

That is why Americans fat in the butt and the gut.

 

Agree in large part, though I think westerners' butts are naturally a bit bigger than those of Asians; that being said I do think our lack of everyday exercise combined with high fat meals she has nailed

 

Americans have an ego

Everyone has an ego; she's not used to how Americans express theirs

 

Economy bad but restaurants always busy.

would this not be true in China in a bad economy?

 

And the best........I run my business ALL WRONG. That is not how it is done in China.

no comment here

 

Chinese food in America sucks.

I agree for the most part; and I also think western food in China sucks as well. As someone has pointed out, it's not Chinese food really, it's Chinese-food-made-to-American-tastes

[Sam and Fen]

We have also had similar conversations and also about the xchange rate of the Chinese currency.

 

Two things I have learnt:

 

If I say anything negative about China she does not like it and gets angry and defends it to the core.

 

She is also very scared about me saying bad things about China on here. She thinks the Chinese government will find out and she will never be able to go back to China.

[credzba]

We have also had similar conversations and also about the xchange rate of the Chinese currency.

 

Two things I have learnt:

 

If I say anything negative about China she does not like it and gets angry and defends it to the core.

 

She is also very scared about me saying bad things about China on here. She thinks the Chinese government will find out and she will never be able to go back to China.

 

Sam,

 

I think we all have wives who think the way Fen does.

My wife and I often gripe about something or other in China, however there is no doubt we both want to go back to China in the future .. but ...

 

My wife is back in China for 2 months after living in America for 2 years. She told me that now that she has lived in America for a while, she can see some things she likes better in America than in China.

 

From my view, this is a huge step as I know many things are bad in America, but I also know good things. Same for China, there are bad things and good things about living in China.

 

Being able to look at each, and appreciate the good parts takes time, but I think most of our wives will get there.

 

As for our wives defending China, well that is just expected. You can talk bad about your own family/country/whatever, but if someone ELSE says something bad about those same things, you defend them to the end.. It is just human nature.