An interesting article in U.S. News & World Report about the lessons we can learn from the rest of the world. There’s some really interesting stuff.

My favorites: European urban planning, Dominican Baseball fanatics, German prostitutes as aides to the elderly. Least Favorites: Finnish charging rich people more for traffic tickets, French people have more meaningful conversations at dinner (?), UBER-Budget Airlines.

30 Valuable Lessons That Americans Can Learn From the Rest of the World:

Europe:

• Europe: Giving Drivers the Benefit of the Doubt–Less traffic lights, less accidents, go figure.
  
• Europe: Flying on the Cheap–charging for wheelchair usage could be considered extreme.
  
• Europe: Holes That Make for Better Roads–this seems so obviously a good idea.
  
• Europe: Cities With a Heart–cities that weren’t designed around car traffic are just cooler to hang out in.
  
• Germany, Netherlands: Making the Streets Safer for Cycling–biking is better.
  
• Germany: Novel Aides for the Aged–Prostitutes helping old people.
  
• Netherlands: Abuse as a Disease, Not a Crime–rehab as the focus for drug offenders.
  
• Netherlands: Below Sea Level? No Problem–New Orleans should be quite jealous.
  
• Finland: Sticking It to the Scofflaw–traffic fines assessed based on income
  
• Sweden: Straight Facts About the Birds and Bees
• Norway: Getting Paid for Parenting–we’re talking SERIOUS maternity leave.
  
• Denmark: Energy Efficiency From the Wind
• United Kingdom: Free Health Coverage for All–
• United Kingdom: Finding Yourself (and the World) in a Year
• Iceland: Pristine Reputation for Government
• France: Talking Is a World-Class Sport–the French are obviously smarter than we are.
  
• Italy: Food Not as Fuel but as a Way of Life

Carribean/Latin America:

• Dominican Republic: Where Ballplayers Are Born and Made–baseball gloves picked out while in the womb.
  
• Colombia: All Aboard South America’s Upper-Class Bus–public transportation not just for poor people.

South Asia:

• Japan, South Korea: Want a Drink? Pay With Your Phone–High tech
  
• Japan: Even the Toilet Is High-Tech–really high tech
  
• Japan: Skimpy Portions and Satisfied Stomachs–Americans are fat
  
• Japan: Communing Through Cleaning–
• Japan: More Stressed, but Still Safer
• Taiwan: The Afternoon Nap Attack
• Singapore: When You Litter, You Pay–$1000 fines and community service
  
• Bhutan: Smoke-Free at the Top of the World–First nation to completely ban smoking.
  
• Australia: Protection From the Sun

Central Asia:

• Afghanistan: Honored to Be Your Host

USNews.com: How They Do It Better

Posted at 10:01 pm by Johnny B

	Posted by BP @ 08/09/2006 10:34 AM PDT
	Wow…number one…this is so out in left field as to be interesting, and I just don’t know what to say, but two: Koan is not a word you hear often…is that your “word of the day” that you promised to use in everyday discourse?

	Posted by Johnny @ 08/11/2006 07:30 AM PDT
	I saw it in the Reader’s Digest and I just had to try it out. I can’t say but I least I know how it is spelled.

If there were no dogs in this world, what would man have to kick?

Posted at 09:05 pm by Johnny B

	Posted by Hemonster @ 05/05/2006 11:19 AM PDT
	I am a Rat…

It’s that time of year again, when all of the Canadian geese come back up for the summer. Often we have a flock that just hangs around in various places. Can’t hunt ‘em, which is a shame. Sometimes I feel like chasing after them Wile E Coyote style. Occasionally they get stuck in the parking lot of the mall, lost as, well, geese. Sometimes I can really relate to these guys.

Posted at 12:13 am by Johnny B

Mexicans are now performing powerbombs from the top rope that American’s won’t do.

Posted at 02:05 pm by Johnny B

In general I am skeptical of any self-proclaimed architects of the last fifty or so years. Many of them tend to be irascible socialists, and it shows in their work. For example, a new architecture building was built for the University opposite of the Football stadium. Everyone I know has the same impression, it is garish, and the million dollar tiles on the exterior look like they will drop from the sky at any moment. The inside is bare concrete straight out of Cold War Romania. Here is a picture of an astutely designed set of benches outside our tuition, state, and federal tax supported University. I know I am proud, because I sure couldn’t have designed benches any better than that.

Posted at 08:40 pm by Johnny B

Once you get past the stupid headline, “Why is Michael Steele a Republican”, this NY Times piece is pretty engaging, and Steele comes off as an affable and able campaigner, for what it is worth.

Posted at 08:26 pm by Johnny B

	Posted by BP @ 03/28/2006 09:09 AM PST
	Hey man…you got the happiness address in the Steele link.

Posted at 06:56 am by Johnny B

	Posted by BP @ 03/05/2006 01:48 PM PST
	Wow…Intermedia is basically a cable company. It’ll be interesting to see where it all goes. Nelson will most likely now be just a chunk of yet another publishing/media conglomerate.

Hey gang, if y’all are interested, I found this cool site that has “real cajun recipes”. Seriously, it doesn’t look that bad, and they have a blog, too! One of them is the son of Carl Abshire from Kaplan. Maybe somebody out there can track these guys down. Anyway, the link is on the left hand column of the page if anybody is interested.

Posted at 09:05 pm by Johnny B

	Posted by Chrissy @ 01/29/2006 02:08 AM PST
	Thanks for the link! Do you know Mr. Carl? Esther is just righdere. I bet you’ve got some good recipes…you should submit a couple

	Posted by john broussard @ 01/29/2006 05:05 AM PST
	I’ll look through the old Cessac family cook book. I’m afraid you might have everything already. I don’t know Mr Carl, but one of the readers and contributors might, which is why I threw that out there. Did Mr. Carl go to Abbeville high?

	Posted by Chrissy @ 01/29/2006 02:02 PM PST
	Cool I think he went to K-Town High!

Posted at 11:18 am by Johnny B