The UK rips the US a new arsehole

OK...so a few updates.  First and most importantly, I'm still homeless.  Tomorrow I'm viewing a place about a 20 min walk from the University by Highstreet.  I REALLY REALLY want to find a place more permanent.  I guess I must have sounded desperate on the phone, because the guy I spoke with chuckled at me when I offered to pay the first 6 months rent upfront and quickly added "or more if needed".  Keep your fingers crossed!  As an alternative, I'd be happy to move into the library.  I've found my "nook" where I can sit with great views of Meadows sipping on coffee (side note-the Starbucks here is WAY better than ones in the states.  Everything is less sweet, though I'd still choose the Coffee Bean over pretty much anything.)  I'm embarrassed to say I'd rather spend an hour in the library than at a pub.  I guess it's true what they say, as you get older, you become your mother.  Though, I consider myself lucky, since my mom is a great woman to aspire to become.

In other news, today was my first whole day of class.  I came to two very important realizations 1. I can never work on Wallstreet cause I suck at trading, and 2.  the UK thinks very highly of themselves and thinks we (from the US) are incredibly inept.  To elaborate on point number 1.  Not only do i possess an inchoate knowledge of economics, I'm awful at negotiating, and am too ready to settle (ironic, since in life I tend to do the opposite).  In the lecture, the professor kept referring to classical economics as a point of reference.  As I sat there, trying to rack my brain for any smidgen of classical econ, all I could think of was laissez-faire, that in turn got me thinking about the tea party(bag)ers.  Not very helpful.  For the group part of the class, we were separated into two groups, buyers and sellers.  Each of us had a individual reservation price, that we could not go above/below, the point, obviously being, to make the most profit by selling high or buying low.  I, not aided by my low reservation price, made a profit of .08 cents, where as other people were making way over 1 dollar (or rather quid).  On to point 2.  Also in the class discussion part of the class, we went over an article written last year talking about the US healthcare system and reform.  The Brits were very quick to point out that the US is both prodigal and selfish, savoring ideas of "choice" and "individuality" over what is more economically sound.  And although this is a rather apt description, I had to kindly remind them that not all of us are like that.  The media plays a huge role in Americans inability to think for themselves, on top of which, the insurance and pharmaceutical companies, afraid of loosing their monopoly, pour tons of money (our money) into convincing the public that a single-payer health system is a breach of American ideals.  Americans choose not to think for themselves and do research, but instead opt to be lazy and repeat whatever they hear on FOX news, or other news sources for that matter, which unfortunately use rhetoric to confuse their listeners, forcing them to focus on "patriotism" etc. instead of the true underlying issue.  Which, to be fair isn't all the media's fault, or the insurance companies funding the nonsensical and misleading adverts/campaigns.  I personally blame lack of education (why I'm in favor of changing the voting laws, requiring a BA/BS degree or a US politics and economic proficiency test to vote).  Anyway, I felt like a child being scolded for making poor decisions.  I just wanted to cry out apologetically, "It's not me!  I'm one of the smart ones!"  or in defiance, "Well just remember who kicked your ass in 1776 and had a democratic government when you were still paying tithings to the monarchy."  At least we can agree on one thing:  Thank god we're not French!