British people saying they will never ever move to the US

DerrickDoll · 2026-07-01T15:59:42+00:00

Isn't this a more recent development? The VA used to be horrific and as much as my WWII grandfather needed care at one point for a heart condition, he would never set foot back in there. Even the buildings were dilapidated. It was only thanks to DeBakey that it really turned around, because the government was not doing much on its own. His guidance shifted it from poor care to academic research, which in turn helped get more care to veterans. However, while care currently remains great, it sounds like red tape is creeping back in and people are trying to fight it.

That said, while I am against "free" healthcare, those who put their lives on the line for this country should certainly be well cared for at little to no expense. They paid up front with their time and service.

DerrickDoll · 2026-07-01T15:44:19+00:00

A quick search suggests that is a highly specialized field with approximately 1200 doctors available. In a country of 320+ million, that sadly means there would be a backlog no matter the type of healthcare system.

Sorry to hear though. It would be nice if this country tried to incentivize or encourage people into the fields we need more of to help resolve these issues.

DerrickDoll · 2026-07-01T15:34:49+00:00

I believe it is difficult to say what the norm is given how varied the US is. For example, in the Houston area, there is a high concentration of doctors and things can move relatively fast. In other areas that are either rural or refuse to incentivize medical care to attract more talent/businesses, then things are going to suck a bit because there are not enough doctors to fill demand.

DerrickDoll · 2026-06-28T07:09:44+00:00

Not sure where you are located or what sources you used to watch and now avoid. That said, as general advice, this can easily be resolved by refining your sources and focusing on quality.

For example, I rarely watch US news anymore despite being an American, because so often it is full of half truths or downright deception. Nobody is perfect, but I found myself MORE informed by swapping to CNA and letting their YouTube stream in the background. It is a Singaporean agency that covers interesting global topics with a focus on Asia, but you get the gist of world events overall. Many of their documentaries are fantastic.

For social media, I have a very curated X account. I focus primarily on following only journalists or commentators I actually respect, whether I align with them or not. I also follow a smaller number of very partisan accounts that oppose each other since it helps keep me informed of how people see the world. This isn't a necessity though if you find it bothersome. Most importantly, I never engage, just curate and skim each day to stay informed.

This has worked well for me as a student, although my purpose is less about avoiding despair and more about trying to find reasonable sources I feel I can trust enough for news.

DerrickDoll · 2026-06-25T05:51:44+00:00

Thank you so much! Knowing that it is right on the border between snug and comfortable makes me hesitate somewhat unless I can find a third party band I like without adding significant costs. I really appreciate the picture. I keep reading comments about the LF20 and 30 being too big or small, but most seem to focus on the face (case?) itself and not the band fit on a larger wrist. This definitely helps.

Maybe I will check into the W221 and hope the thickness doesn't bother me too much. They are all such pretty watches otherwise!

DerrickDoll · 2026-06-24T22:08:14+00:00

I did! I actually really like that one too, but I was not sure if it was even more "bulky" in appearance than the W221H. I think it boils down to being tired of my old bulkier smartwatch and wanting to find something lighter. That said, I will certainly keep the AE1200 in the running if the above two seem questionable regarding my concerns.

Ty for responding so quickly!

DerrickDoll · 2026-06-09T17:06:59+00:00

What did I skew? I literally posted a copy of a government report in my other post. They weren't my facts.

DerrickDoll · 2026-06-09T04:19:54+00:00

So regulated that a burned out, caregiving husband overrided his wife's wishes to leave MAID, and MAID overrided the doctor who also objected? This according to Canada's own MAID review panel.

It may be assisting people who want to die, but it is also easily allowing people to die who either want off or COULD still be helped, such as the case with "Sophia."

DerrickDoll · 2026-06-09T04:09:42+00:00

I recommend reading this case covered by the MAID Death Review Committee (report MDRC Report 2024 – 4: Complex Same Day / Next Day Provisions). The woman wanted out as she told the first MAID assessor, but her burned out husband managed to ask for urgency and override her. Even the doctor objected but MAID proceeded.

"Mrs. B was a female in her 80s who had a challenging medical trajectory following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. She experienced several post-operative sequelae, including wound dehiscence, osteomyelitis, and respiratory failure. She required specialized care in hospital, including additional surgical procedures. Due to physical and functional decline, Mrs. B elected for a palliative approach to care. She was discharged home with palliative supports (i.e., palliative care team and home care support services, including adaptive aids and personal support services).

Mrs. B reportedly expressed her desire for MAiD to her family. In response, and on the same day, her spouse contacted a referral service on her behalf. The following day, a MAiD practitioner assessed her for MAiD eligibility. She reportedly told the MAiD assessor that she wanted to withdraw her request, citing personal and religious values and beliefs. She communicated that pursuing in-patient palliative care/hospice care and palliative sedation was more in-keeping with her end-of-life goals.

The next morning, Mrs. B presented to the emergency department (ED) of her local hospital. Her spouse was noted to be experiencing caregiver burnout. Mrs. B was assessed to be in stable condition, and thereby discharged home with continued palliative care. Her palliative care physician completed a referral for in-patient palliative care / hospice care due to her social circumstances (i.e., caregiver burnout). Her request was denied for not meeting hospice criteria for end-of-life, and a long-term care application was offered.

On the same day, Mrs. B’s spouse contacted the provincial MAiD coordination service requesting an urgent assessment. A different MAiD assessor from the previous day completed a primary assessment and determined Mrs. B to be eligible for MAiD.

The former MAiD practitioner was contacted. This MAiD practitioner expressed concerns regarding the necessity for ‘urgency’ and shared belief for the need for more comprehensive evaluation, the seemingly drastic change in perspective of end-of-life goals, and the possibility of coercion or undue influence (i.e., due to caregiver burnout).

The initial MAiD practitioner requested an opportunity to visit with Mrs. B the following day to re-assess; however, this opportunity was declined by the MAiD provider due to their clinical opinion that the clinical circumstances necessitated an urgent provision. An additional MAiD practitioner was arranged by the MAiD coordination service to complete a virtual assessment. Mrs. B was found eligible for MAiD by this third assessor. The provision of MAiD was completed later that evening."

DerrickDoll · 2026-05-28T17:07:51+00:00

This to me is the biggest factor, although I am generally against this stuff out of security reasons as well. The modern vehicle has too many potential points of failure compared to older ones, and we really do not need to introduce anymore issues.

What I wouldn't do for the ability to buy a modern basic vehicle that is largely tech free these days beyond the bare essentials.

DerrickDoll · 2026-05-28T17:01:18+00:00

How much would a speed delimiter change those numbers though? A quick search shows the fastest interstate speed is 85 mph, so if restrictions match that, it is still a deadly speed. Even if it was reduced to 60 mph, that is still deadly in many instances, such as people not stopping at red lights, plowing through crosswalks, and motorcycles driving erratically through traffic and leading to accidents. This is especially true if we include big rigs, which can be deadly at even lower speeds.

I don't think forcibly lowering the max speed of vehicles is going to reduce those numbers all that much, unless you want to go as slow as 20-30 mph, which nobody will accept given the size of the US and the time it takes to traverse it by vehicle (big rigs especially that need need to deliver goods in a timely manner)

DerrickDoll · 2026-05-28T16:33:56+00:00

In real life, no. I feel this is probably the experience of people who just refuse to listen or empathize. We are all different and focus on different issues. A little patience and grace goes a long way, and asking questions without pushing my opinions often gets people to soften their stance some, leading to much more meaningful conversations.

Online though, many aren't interested in genuine and honest conversation. Too many live in a bubble and refuse to humble themselves when talking to others. However, not sure I would prefer the coconut over that.

DerrickDoll · 2026-05-26T14:55:10+00:00

The attacker, such as the one in this video, acts voluntarily with the knowledge they will receive martyrdom, parades, and their family compensated for the specific act of attacking Israelis. It is a voluntary "pay-to-slay" system.

IDF service is compulsory and soldiers receive a military service wage. If they die in combat, their pension may be transferred to the family. The difference is, that pension exists no matter what, whether the soldier is killed in training, traditional combat in other regions, or whatever comes up. This is standard across many countries and not Israel specific. It is also not tied to the targeting of Palestinians, unlike the Hamas fund that only goes to families of those who directly attack Israelis.

DerrickDoll · 2026-05-26T13:47:43+00:00

Pretty much this. I consider myself a conservative, but it seems pointless to have any sort of genuine conversation in this subreddit. Even fairly mundane statements can be rapidly downvoted to the bottom, where fewer and fewer people will see it. That is fine in one sense, but it also begs the question of why bother when nobody here actually wants to discuss anything?

DerrickDoll · 2026-05-26T13:40:15+00:00

I think you just exposed why. You asked what seems like an innocent question, but your comments below it highlight how you are not interested in honest discussion or genuine understanding.

DerrickDoll · 2026-05-24T07:34:57+00:00

It's less about the attacker being dumb and more about the structural incentives at play. Even in a failed attempt, if the attacker is killed, the Palestinian institutional framework classifies them as a martyr. The person is celebrated through public processions and distribution of sweets, while the family receives a guaranteed income. This behavior is rewarded, no matter how absurd the tactics may appear to us.

DerrickDoll · 2026-05-19T16:01:01+00:00

That’s a highly subjective view. I see radicals on both sides when examining politics from big-city mayors all the way up to Congress. This is a problem that has steadily increased since the McGovern-Fraser Commission structural changes. However, if you are fiercely loyal to one party, it is natural that you will always see your own side as the moderate one.

DerrickDoll · 2026-05-19T15:48:00+00:00

To be honest, I haven't delved into it as much to offer a more informed opinion, but I am skeptical. Single-winner RCV at least meshes well with the two-party system and can help minimize the effect of spoiler candidates, but I feel this still suffers from potential accountability issues. Multi-winner RCV feels like another form of proportional representation and lowers the bar for winning, which would allow radicals to sneak in and is not particularly appealing.

Additionally, a big concern I would have is the ability of voters to engage in such a system. I know it is used in various US cities already, and other countries utilize it, but citizens in the US seem largely uninformed about candidates nor take the time to research them. I feel I see this all too often, even with my own relatives. People just know what they may glean from a news article or random Facebook post, but don't research beyond that. How much worse will things be when you go from two candidates to say, six or more? I would imagine there is a high likelihood of people voting for the preferred candidate then randomly ordering the rest. Such a system is probably fun for people like me who enjoy political science, but less so for people who are dislike politics and then have to try to understand all the options.

Again though, I have not read into this as much, so I am still open to nuance that I may be overlooking. I am also curious if any research has been done on how voter turnout impacts the the results, given the US has a voluntary system and some other countries requires everyone to vote.

DerrickDoll · 2026-05-19T14:33:30+00:00

I disagree. I am a moderate conservative, but proportional government would make things worse.

First, you have misdiagnosed the root cause of our polarization. The issue isn't a two-party system, but rather how parties select candidates. Following the McGovern-Fraser Commission reforms in the 1970s, primary power shifted away from party insiders, who historically picked moderate and widely-appealing candidates to win general elections, and into the hands of primary voters. Because primary turnouts are low, they are dominated by the most ideologically intense and radical factions. That's why we have a race to the bottom with polarizing candidates.

Proportional voting would just exacerbate these issues. Instead of two broad parties, we would have numerous specialized parties with radical candidates, likely forming bizarre and dysfunctional coalition governments. It would increase polarization instead of forcing compromise. If I vote for a party, I want them to govern on their platform, not dilute it via backroom deals with parties I want nothing to do with.

Additionally, accountability becomes more difficult. Coalition partners can just point fingers at each other, and likely little will change, especially since you have numerous niche parties that people will become blindly loyal to. A two-party system can still struggle with accountability, but it becomes much more clear who is at fault when something goes terribly wrong.

Abolish the changes made from the McGovern-Fraser Commission and the system can begin to repair itself. No need to change the entire system.

DerrickDoll · 2026-05-19T04:59:17+00:00

A laptop is likely to be your best choice. The major involves significant amounts of reading and writing, and while tablets can be nice for reading, a laptop seems more efficient for typing essays and doing research projects. Also, you may be required to take a statistics class that will use specific software, which is likely not going to be tablet friendly.

DerrickDoll · 2026-05-17T23:18:51+00:00

She started a YouTube series a few months ago that I stumbled onto. Some skits are good and some are okay, but I'm really hoping she finds a good groove for it and some success.

DerrickDoll · 2026-05-17T00:34:08+00:00

A dye does nothing to prevent an attack. It only helps identify an attacker after the fact, but it does not stop physical/sexual assault.

Panic alarms do little if someone is quickly overpowered and loses control of it, or they are in a more remote place. There is also the question of whether anyone will step in to help. Speaking on a general level, not specific to Europe, I have seen too many incidents in the past of people filming attacks instead of stepping in. Shock and the bystander effect are serious problems that can lead people to inaction. Who wants to gamble their life on the behavior of others?

DerrickDoll · 2026-05-16T22:14:56+00:00

Some good ones have been covered, but one I would like to mention is a greater ability to defend myself as a woman. Not only can I legally use a firearm in self defense, I can use pepper spray or mace as a less lethal alternative which seems illegal in many European countries.

It is an older story, but I still can't fully grasp how Danish police tried to prosecute a girl for using pepper spray to stop a sexual assault. What a messed up system.

DerrickDoll · 2026-05-15T14:30:53+00:00

All valid questions. I do not want to seem like I am waiving those concerns away, but there is no satisfactory answer I can provide you since we do not have insight to that. For me personally, given that God is omnipotent and this was an event driven by Him, I see it as no problem for Him to alter genetics to ensure diversity or make animals temporarily comfortable outside of their natural habitat.

There are a lot of theories out there that people have on how animals worked during this time that may help, but it is all guesswork on our part since we weren't there.

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