Random Questions about America

[Archangel Tyrael]

I'm singing in the rain, just singing in the rain!

What a glorious feeling, I'm happy again!

I'm laughing at clouds, So dark up above !

The sun's in my heart, AND I'M READY FOR LOVE !


Let the stormy cloud chase !

Everyone from the place !

[Deleted]

Just somethings i was wondering, if you can take your time to answer them, that would be lovely.

1- If you want to go to college/university but can't afford to pay it, what are your options? (i mean what can you do to go to university, aside from having to work yourself and save the money for it)

2- If you have some health issue and can't afford it (say you're below the poverty line), what can you do to get treatment?

3- Do you think health care in america - both private and public - is satisfatory?

4- Why is there such a fierce ''reaction'' towards people from other states/cities, within the States? For example, when i visited New York, i was wearing a shirt of some random Boston team (football/basketball don't really remenber what it was, and i'm not even american or like those teams, i was just using it because a friend gave it to me) and i got some people... well, let's say they didn't like to see me with that shirt and they pointed that out to me *openly*

5- Why doesn't America make use of more tramways/urban light rail systems (like the ones in Europe) and expand connection between the states with high speed rail system (like the ones in Europe, EuroStar; ICE; CAT and so on) ?

6- Last one, How bad is my English? :P be honest !

1. dont know
2, dont know
3. as far as i know, private health care in America is brilliant, but expensive
4. dont know
5. probably because its so much bigger than Europe, as in the distance between cities
6. it was fine.

sorry i wasnt much help :P

[Vanyali]

1. Scholarships. Depend on parents income, grades, or ability.

2. Free clinics, if there are any there, or medicare, which not everyone takes (government healthcare that's rather shitty)

3. Fuck no. I'm owed ~$400 because my insurance didn't acknowledge some of my payments into the deductible i have to meet to have them pay anything for visits. $100+ for ANY doctor visit for ANY reason regardless of where I go. Some only let you have x amount of x-rays/ exams/ whatever as well before you start paying for them (expeeensive)

4. No idea, not into sports.

5. Money and size. They'd have to be HUGE and no one wants to fit the bill... or see the benefits to it, since 99% of people here have a car and would rather use that then the bus/ tram/ train.

6. Didn't realize you weren't native writer >.>

[Archangel Tyrael]

1. dont know
2, dont know
3. as far as i know, private health care in America is brilliant, but expensive
4. dont know
5. probably because its so much bigger than Europe, as in the distance between cities
6. it was fine.

sorry i wasnt much help :P

well not much of a help aside the last question :P ! But it's a start ! :P

[justpixels]

1. Student loans or financial aid. Financial aid can be basically free if you file it correctly. Student loans must be paid back.

2. Medical/medicaid basically helps people out that are on some sort of disability. This greatly helps offset the cost of medical treatment.

3. Private healthcare is very satisfactory (it better be). Public healthcare, well there are free clinics. Not the best doctors but you get what you pay for.

4. Sports teams are like religions in certain areas of this country. Especially in New York where it is generally taken that a lot of people there are rude/devoted to their teams.

5. My guess is that America's auto industry has a huge hold over the government. A great way to create jobs and stimulate the economy is to make for more public transportation. Infrastructure is amazing for the economy. I'm guessing it is energy companies/auto companies preventing too much work for the public works.

6. Not too bad at all. I understood you fully and completely. Small, simple grammar errors here and there but nothing too serious.

[Archangel Tyrael]

3. Fuck no. I'm owed ~$400 because my insurance didn't acknowledge some of my payments into the deductible i have to meet to have them pay anything for visits. $100+ for ANY doctor visit for ANY reason regardless of where I go. Some only let you have x amount of x-rays/ exams/ whatever as well before you start paying for them (expeeensive)

6. Didn't realize you weren't native writer >.>

I've heard similiar things, so why is it private health care is so expensive there? That sounds really overwhelming :S

[Senka]

New York especially has very emotional people, but all across America people use Sports in general like a religion or drug to spice up their normal, dull lives. I don't know why especially Americans seem to be like this, but that's just how it is. So they take it way too seriously as if it's a constant battle between the teams, and they basically think that fans of their own team and the "enemy" team are actually part of each team. It's pitiful.

[pmgbro]

according to number #4. Boston vs New york (especially baseball Red Sox (boston) Yankees (new york)) has been a historic rivalry for centuries and will always be, in my opinion, the biggest rivalry in any sports in the USA. I'm not that surprised you got that reaction in new york lol

[Vanyali]

I've heard similiar things, so why is it private health care is so expensive there? That sounds really overwhelming :S

Eh. This is this insurance - have to pay $600 in fees before they'll pay for it. Other one I had was 15% of the visit every visit, which was better.

The main problem is that you pay $150+ for a first visit, all so you can fill out forms and speak with the doctor to schedule more visits, then spend another $60-100 for the next visits ~_~ Paying lawyers to cover their own ass because if someone burns themselves on the car door leaving the place they'll sue the doctor for "giving them cancer". hhngh.

[Archangel Tyrael]

5. My guess is that America's auto industry has a huge hold over the government. A great way to create jobs and stimulate the economy is to make for more public transportation. Infrastructure is amazing for the economy. I'm guessing it is energy companies/auto companies preventing too much work for the public works.

Well i think high speed trains are a good way to open up jobs, even more so considering how many cars there are in America. Though i have no clue wether it's worth it for America at this moment.

[Senka]

Also, insurance in America (though probably all over the world; I wouldn't know) is practically legalized scamming here. Insurance companies always do whatever they possibly can, like using loopholes in laws, to get out of paying. That's why health insurance has been a huge political issue for the past few years and still is.

[eriseis]

I've heard similiar things, so why is it private health care is so expensive there? That sounds really overwhelming :S

Huge barriers of entry in medical schools along with an overly litigated and bureaucratic medical system.

[Archangel Tyrael]

New York especially has very emotional people, but all across America people use Sports in general like a religion or drug to spice up their normal, dull lives. I don't know why especially Americans seem to be like this, but that's just how it is. So they take it way too seriously as if it's a constant battle between the teams, and they basically think that fans of their own team and the "enemy" team are actually part of each team. It's pitiful.

according to number #4. Boston vs New york (especially baseball Red Sox (boston) Yankees (new york)) has been a historic rivalry for centuries and will always be, in my opinion, the biggest rivalry in any sports in the USA. I'm not that surprised you got that reaction in new york lol

thanks for this one. I think my friend wanted to screw with me on purpose then lol :P

[anveena]

1. Scholarships and student loans.

2. Medicaid you can get on if you meet the requirements for it and there's also free clinics.

3. Private healthcare is pretty good but is rather expensive. Public healthcare I don't know much about =/

4. Some people take sports a bit to seriously over here.

5. Don't really know, but my guess is the lobbying by the auto industry and the size of the nation.

6. Better than mine D=

[Autofollow]

Just somethings i was wondering, if you can take your time to answer them, that would be lovely.

1- If you want to go to college/university but can't afford to pay it, what are your options? (i mean what can you do to go to university, aside from having to work yourself and save the money for it)

2- If you have some health issue and can't afford it (say you're below the poverty line), what can you do to get treatment?

3- Do you think health care in america - both private and public - is satisfatory?

4- Why is there such a fierce ''reaction'' towards people from other states/cities, within the States? For example, when i visited New York, i was wearing a shirt of some random Boston team (football/basketball don't really remenber what it was, and i'm not even american or like those teams, i was just using it because a friend gave it to me) and i got some people... well, let's say they didn't like to see me with that shirt and they pointed that out to me *openly*

5- Why doesn't America make use of more tramways/urban light rail systems (like the ones in Europe) and expand connection between the states with high speed rail system (like the ones in Europe, EuroStar; ICE; CAT and so on) ?

6- Last one, How bad is my English? :P be honest !

1. If you can't afford it, there are some states that will provide it for free if you are a state resident for over a year. You would just need to move to that state and live there until you qualify.
2. There is Medicare and Medicaide for people that truly can not afford health care. There are programs for children's health care as well.
3. Yes, I think it is satisfactory. But, I have good health insurance and have had to use it. Chances are, if my doctors hadn't figured out a problem I had a few years back when I went to the ER I would be dead right now.
4. You will find low class people in any society. Unfortunately those are the ones that stand out. if you think about it, most of the people that you met probably didn't care what shirt you were wearing. Imagine the people that will pick a fight with you over what football (soccer) shirt you wear in Europe. Same thing I think.
5. When our country was first growing, we did use them more. But then we "fell in love with the automobile" and people branched out quickly further than the railways go. We still have them, but they mostly just provide close transportation around a few major cities. There are some rail lines that travel longer distances between cities.
6. If you hadn't mentioned that English wasn't your native language I wouldn't have noticed. It is perfectly fine.

[Deleted]

5. probably because its so much bigger than Europe, as in the distance between cities

USA 9 826 675 km²
Europe 10,180,000 km2

[Archangel Tyrael]

1. Scholarships and student loans.

2. Medicaid you can get on if you meet the requirements for it and there's also free clinics.

3. Private healthcare is pretty good but is rather expensive. Public healthcare I don't know much about =/

4. Some people take sports a bit to seriously over here.

5. Don't really know, but my guess is the lobbying by the auto industry and the size of the nation.

6. Better than mine D=

Since (i'm assuming this by the few that replied to this thread) there's this notion that America is too big for high speed trains, then what is being done about your motorways? or Roadways?

I've heard american roadways were really good, but are in serious need for repairs in some areas, why not make improvements then? That would open jobs and help the economy wouldn't it?

Also - How good are public universities in America? (and also if there are any like the ones we have here in Europe, for example in Germany in most states/cities you just have to pay a small student union fee of 50 euros, requirements obviously change from city to city and state to state but a lot of places are like that in here)

[Herecius]

1- There are thousands of private scholarship opportunities (and federal aid opportunities) for those willing to search for them and do the work needed to apply for them/qualify for them. Federal aid will be extremely helpful to those that really cannot afford to go to school at all, but will only be truly helpful at a somewhat less expensive state college, as opposed to an expensive premier university.

2- You can still go to the hospital. They will bill you and it will hound your debts, but they will treat you. The real problem will show up when it's an illness requiring extended treatment (crohn's disease is an example of this), because while hospitals will do immediate treatment, without being able to pay bills, they can't continue it over a long period of time. This is unfortunately a place where the system starts to break down, and the public healthcare initiatives are really aimed at those situations, despite all the hype they get about ruining healthcare on a whole. There is Medicaid, but the system really wasn't designed with extremely long-term (life-long) treatments in mind, and it struggles to cope.

3- I think it can be, if the people setting them up would look to make them actually practical, instead of screaming at each other about ideological differences.

4- It's just ferocious competition when it comes to sports. Also, your example is one of the fiercest competitions in the country, that's just Boston/New York. I was on a train once in NYC-to-New Jersey when somebody yelled 'METS SUCK' and I thought the train was going to explode.

5- Some cities do, and the US does have an extremely extensive rail ystem, but it sees more use as freight than it does passenger travel. The stereotype that 'Americans love their cars' is quite true, as many will simply prefer to drive themselves a long distance instead of take a train or even an airplane. It's also why we have one of the most extensive and impressive highway systems in the world.

6- Your English is excellent and I would believe you if you told me it was your first language.

[Stede]

1 - There are loans that are pretty straightforward to get, some of which have their interest subsidized by the federal government. The caveat is that these loans cannot be discharged via bankruptcy, can only be consolidated once (no refinancing later for a lower rate), and the interest you pay on them is tax-deductible as long as you don't make too much money.

2 - There are programs called Medicaid for the very poor. In America, it is unlawful to refuse life-saving medical treatment on the basis of the abliity to pay. This usually means that hospitals have to charge the people who can pay higher prices to make up for the fact that others can't / don't pay - Even though Medicaid exists, there are still people who it does not cover. EIther they make too much money to qualify or they are expected to work.

3 - Yes and No. The quality is fine. The accessibility needs work. "Public Healthcare" is a bit of a misnomer. The last government-run hospitals belong either to the military or a small handful of states. Most hospitals are private businesses. Some say the for-profit model of private hospitals inflates the cost of healthcare.

4 - That's New York. They don't comprehend that there are other cities in America. To make it worse, they are rivals with the sports teams in Boston.

5 - Because we're not as densely populated, overall, and much of the population growth is recent. Many northern cities and urban areas have mass-transit systems that work well, while many southern cities do not. This is somewhat a result of the how industrialization spread throughout America, and it's directly related to historical factors such as the agrarian economy of the south and the industrial economy of the north throughout much of the 19th century.

6 - It's fine

[Linkedblade]

1: You are required to do the FAFSA (Federal Application for Student Aid), which depending on your means the Federal Government may give you grants (money you dont have to return). Also depending on which state you live in you have options there. There are plenty of scholarships available. Sometimes depending on your field of study there may be some money or waiving involved to help the costs.
2: There are free clinics available. Depending on where you live there is plenty of charity care.
3: It's decent, so it's satisfactory. I really haven't had any problems with it. Most of these terrible stories are dimwits.
4: It gives people a reason to not like each other. Easy fix, just don't associate yourself with any teams.
5: Well that's a funky thing. Most people have vehicles, so the federal government focuses on highways. Transportation is left to the States or cities to handle.
6: Better than most people I know lol