The Capital of the World!

[Odainsaker 2,136]

It's no different than comparing the huge continental swath of a nation like the U.S. with the tiny island nation of Japan, which is only the size of California. Considering how they still usually rank as the next major economy after the full U.S. and the EU, even while still in a decade of recession, perhaps they have the greater economy. But that is nonsensical too. Comparing the internally open economy of a definable U.S. with the internally open economy of a definable EU is a common and standard practice, and most measures now show the EU larger.

This reminds me, I was watching a documentary which was discussing various consumer protection laws in the EU. One of the interesting side impacts was that U.S. companies and exporters are starting to have to match their practices and products to the consumer protection requirements of the EU, some of which are now more stringent than those of the U.S. They now don't have a choice if they want to continue business in what it now the world's largest economy and its huge consumer base. If the EU is now setting the bar for global trade, perhaps the seat of the EU is already slowly becoming the effective global capital.

But now we are getting off topic...I vote Jalalabad, if for no other reason than to see Bush and some 170 or so other world leaders repeatedly try to say Jalalabad.

[callagrafx 3]

But now we are getting off topic...I vote Jalalabad, if for no other reason than to see Bush and some 170 or so other world leader's repeatedly try to say Jalalabad. quote>

That's the best reason yet...gets my vote

[ExiL3 10]

It's no different than comparing the huge continental swath of a nation like the U.S. with the tiny island nation of Japan, which is only the size of California. Considering how they still usually rank as the next major economy after the full U.S. and the EU, even while still in a decade of recession, perhaps they have the greater economy. But that is nonsensical too. Comparing the internally open economy of a definable U.S. with the internally open economy of a definable EU is a common and standard practice, and most measures now show the EU larger.

This reminds me, I was watching a documentary which was discussing various consumer protection laws in the EU. One of the interesting side impacts was that U.S. companies and exporters are starting to have to match their practices and products to the consumer protection requirements of the EU, some of which are now more stringent than those of the U.S. They now don't have a choice if they want to continue business in what it now the world's largest economy and its huge consumer base. If the EU is now setting the bar for global trade, perhaps the seat of the EU is already slowly becoming the effective global capital.

But now we are getting off topic...I vote Jalalabad, if for no other reason than to see Bush and some 170 or so other world leaders repeatedly try to say Jalalabad.quote>

HAHAHAH!!! I couldn't agree more!

[Uumke 0]

why discussing about the country's economies? what has that to do with the world capital?just pick a city and give some arguments

[jvlm.123 0]

How about Reykjavík, Iceland? Where the European and North American continental plates meet?

[Resender 18]

well since most people tend to use economy as a reason for the city

here in the EU they are indeed a lot of laws for consumer protection but allso laws that can prevent such great lawsuits as in the US

and the EU is indeed like the US a federal union consisting of multipale countries or states

there are indeed some crime problems in the western states but they are mostly caused by criminals that come form ex-soviet states

[mastermind25 0]

You missed of Brussles on the list HELLO it is the Center of the EU but it should be Geneva or Zurich i can't pick  

[Guinnessmonkey 0]

And not to accidentally go on topic, but: New York, duh.

The greatest city on Earth, NYC is not only the 2nd largest (counting metro area) city in the world, but is culturally, politically, and economically either the most powerful or right up there. New York is The City, so much so that it has become what we think of when we think of a large city. Are there still many people on Earth, after all, who couldn't instantly recognize the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building? Hell, I imagine that most would recognize the Chrysler as being in NYC, even if they don't know it's name.

Capital of the World, baby. If not NYC, then nowhere.

[Sticksboi05 2]

Originally posted by: Resender thze facts are that the EU econemy is at the moment larger then the US espacilly since the number of countries trading with the US is dropping just because US attitude agains the world

the only diffrence between the EU & US is that the US has turned this economical power into political power

allso consumption especially oil is much larger in the US making the EU far less dependent on it

example

a hummer2 consumes average 1 liter of gas per 1 kilometer

my car ,built in the EU in 1993, consumes average 1 liter of gas per 7 kilometers

i wouldn't believe a word the CIA says

the world first nuclear fussion reactor is called Iter its a prototype with the best change of working & is now under construction in the south of France (which is a EU member state), to be completed somewher in the 2010's

& there were a lot of european scientist involved in the manhattan project

a workingnuclear fussion reactor could produce as much elektricity as 1000 à 10000 nuclear fission powerplantsquote>

No, we have the larger economy.  The world would be in more trouble if the US economy crashed then if yours did.  Like I said, your a European who can;t accept the fact that the CIA has some brains.  Go join the legions others in your category.  Whatever, it was carried out in the US, directed by an American and was conducted by US workers so it was a US invention.....(Manhattan Project/Atomic Bomb)

[Haljackey 17,380]

Originally posted by: Guinnessmonkey And not to accidentally go on topic, but: New York, duh.

The greatest city on Earth, NYC is not only the 2nd largest (counting metro area) city in the world, but is culturally, politically, and economically either the most powerful or right up there. New York is The City, so much so that it has become what we think of when we think of a large city. Are there still many people on Earth, after all, who couldn't instantly recognize the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building? Hell, I imagine that most would recognize the Chrysler as being in NYC, even if they don't know it's name.

Capital of the World, baby. If not NYC, then nowhere.quote>

Sorry, I just gotta quote you on this..   New York is the 3rd largest by metro area.  Please do not use false facts because it can confuse us.  Besides, you are an American, and we are looking at an international capital.  Your vote still remains valid, but please have a more international-based facts.  This is an international fourm by the way.  I appoligise if ive been kinda hard but it really bothers me when information displayed isnt valid and when people partitoise about one specific country on an international fourm.

As you can see on the chart above, Mexico city, New york, Sao Paulo and Mumbai are all very close together.  If  current growth rates continue, New york will slip to 5th spot by around 2010 because of the rapid growth in Sao Paulo and Mumbai.

10 Largest cities by metro area on Earth according to wikipedia/CIA

Rank	Metropolitan area name	Country	Definition	Area		Population estimate	Population density

[AAK 1]

I'm going to have to stop reading wikipedia. The New York City article states that the metro has a population of 18.7 million, whereas the article on the metro intself says it's got 21 million.

[DarkEldar 6]

Kuala Lumper because it has the petronas towers i've been there

[WowBackwards 0]

On SSC we generally regard NYC to have 21 million, if only because the LA forumers insist that LA has 18 or 19 or whatever, and we can't allow ourselves to be smaller than LA, haha.

Of course, I don't know if changing those standards also changes the standards we measure the international competition by, so I can't automatically say it's in 2nd place.

However, New York City's biggest edge over Tokyo is its diversity.  Tokyo is like, 99% Japanese and doesn't have the best reputation for its acceptance of outsiders.

[Resender 18]

No, we have the larger economy.  The world would be in more trouble if the US economy crashed then if yours did.  Like I said, your a European who can;t accept the fact that the CIA has some brains.  Go join the legions others in your category.  Whatever, it was carried out in the US, directed by an American and was conducted by US workers so it was a US invention.....(Manhattan Project/Atomic Bomb)quote>

[PhilsCafe 8]

Has this become a EU vs. USA thread now... *sigh*?

[Sticksboi05 2]

I'm not getting into politics...I'm not anti EU but come on, we developed ther atomic bomb. All the testing was done here. Gadget was built here etc. You contributed but we finished it. It's jut like the WWII argument. We didn't win the war for Europe but we contributed. But let's not start an EU vs US argument.

[callagrafx 3]

I'm not getting into politics...I'm not anti EU but come on, we developed ther atomic bomb. All the testing was done here. Gadget was built here etc.quote>

Dont forget, the only country insane enough to use the horrific thing on human beings. I really don't think that's something to be proud of, do you?

[poops2u 2]

Right now, New York, but perhaps in a few decades, Mumbai (Bombay) if they get their act together and clean the city, provide jobs to the slum dwellers, broaden diversity, continue booming economically etc., etc.

-P2U

[Camedia 0]

USA is a beautiful country, and you have to remember that the Americans have European roots (except for the indians that is). For Spain and Portugal and some other European countries were very powerfull and competition with the amount of settlements and land space destroyed other cultures and inhabbitants.

As some countries governments made a small curtain hanging before the poverty, you will start to think that the government is corrupt. As I think America is, blaming Bush is easy... He isn't the only president that can't handle a country that size.

A country should be based on it's government, but on it's population. Though I know there aren't much patriots in America, the government is based on patriotic idealism. Everyone has his own opinion about things, and for freedom we have to respect everyone's thoughts.

Europe also has problems, but these problems don't include starting a war with oil rich countries. It's time to work on the prosperity and well-being, not spending money in the army and plotting. It's time to stop being selfish and think about the others!

On-Topic: Sertainly not New York. For it could have a large number of inhabitants, and could be very productive. Not everyone has a chance to survive there. There could be free clinics (which is very good!), those clinics do have long queue times and don't operate some wounds. Education is very limited... No, New York certainly isn't the capital!

To be the capital of the world the city should atleast have all of it's residents happy and productive, ALL of them!

[PhilsCafe 8]

The Atomic Bomb... certainly a ground breaking invention. So, maybe Los Alamos should be our World Capital then...

EU vs. USA comparisons are pointless, their structures are too different. The U.S. is a nation while the EU is far away from being one, even if the EU constitution passes, there still would be 25 sovereign countries with their own foreign affairs, military and self-interest. Economically they might be successful but it's still a long road for European integration... but don't get me started on this one...

[Sticksboi05 2]

Originally posted by: Camedia USA is a beautiful country, and you have to remember that the Americans have European roots (except for the indians that is). For Spain and Portugal and some other European countries were very powerfull and competition with the amount of settlements and land space destroyed other cultures and inhabbitants.

As some countries governments made a small curtain hanging before the poverty, you will start to think that the government is corrupt. As I think America is, blaming Bush is easy... He isn't the only president that can't handle a country that size.

A country should be based on it's government, but on it's population. Though I know there aren't much patriots in America, the government is based on patriotic idealism. Everyone has his own opinion about things, and for freedom we have to respect everyone's thoughts.

Europe also has problems, but these problems don't include starting a war with oil rich countries. It's time to work on the prosperity and well-being, not spending money in the army and plotting. It's time to stop being selfish and think about the others!

On-Topic: Sertainly not New York. For it could have a large number of inhabitants, and could be very productive. Not everyone has a chance to survive there. There could be free clinics (which is very good!), those clinics do have long queue times and don't operate some wounds. Education is very limited... No, New York certainly isn't the capital!

To be the capital of the world the city should atleast have all of it's residents happy and productive, ALL of them!quote>

So you're basically insulting us while trying to compliment us.......We may've started a war with oil rich countries but which continent started both of the two most destructive conflicts in human history.....

[Camedia 0]

@Sticksboi05

You're right, our history isn't one to be proud of... We all make mistakes, we all do. But we can learn from those mistakes, we learned in a certain way that some things trigger war. It's the best to avoid those things, war is only good for one thing and that's broading your borders. Making everybody listen to you. That's wrong.

Europe  has a horrible history. But you have to know that conflicts like those are caused by one person in matter. Although I'm Belgian I know most of the Germans were against WWII. I want you to know Belgium was neutral all the time, the Germans just made us go with the Entente. Our country has very strong believes, which some don't care...

If you know a certain country is labelled with a traumatic history, you should atleast try to let your own country not suffer the same mistakes.

Like PhilsCafe said Europe excists out of much different habbits, and who am I to start complaining about our (worldwide) policy.

[Resender 18]

Belgium was indeed neutral from 1831 untill 1914

when it was froced to chose in either letting the germans through and giving up neutrality

or

signing up with the allies giving up our neutrality

we chose the latter & that was WWI

& yes we Europeans & the rest of the 'free' world don't approve attacking oil rich states

that

a)have nothing to do with Bin Laden or al-quada or even moslim extremimen

b)letting more dangerous nations like Iran & North Korea 4 years of liberty to do what they want

[callagrafx 3]

So you're basically insulting us while trying to compliment us.......We may've started a war with oil rich countries but which continent started both of the two most destructive conflicts in human history.....quote>

And which continent sat on the sidelines while genocide on a massive scale was taking place?

[manman99 2]

ILL Tonkso

The Big 3 world class Unis. Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge. Only one of them is in Boston :s                                                                                                                   Sry I really dont know how to copy and I know that this was a while ago Tonks, but Princeton University is the USA's  most efficient University, it was on my homepage on the news not lonng ago naming all the best Universities in the country, and Princeton University, Princeton NJ is the best n the country, so change Harvard to Princeton.  But anyway, I choose NYC as the Capital of the world, because it used to be the finacial capital of the world BEFORe 9/11, so by rebuilding the Freedom Tower it may reclaim its power as the financial capital.

[SpartanBadger 4]

what has happened to this thread. we've got people trying to start political debates who can't spell or use proper grammar and other people using flawed and opinionated *facts* to support their convictions...I think some random city on an island nation would serve as a good world capital; that way it's a majority-neutral area, at least I would hope so.

[Resender 18]

Originally posted by: Camedia USA is a beautiful country, and you have to remember that the Americans have European roots (except for the indians that is). For Spain and Portugal and some other European countries were very powerfull and competition with the amount of settlements and land space destroyed other cultures and inhabbitants.

As some countries governments made a small curtain hanging before the poverty, you will start to think that the government is corrupt. As I think America is, blaming Bush is easy... He isn't the only president that can't handle a country that size.

A country should be based on it's government, but on it's population. Though I know there aren't much patriots in America, the government is based on patriotic idealism. Everyone has his own opinion about things, and for freedom we have to respect everyone's thoughts.

Europe also has problems, but these problems don't include starting a war with oil rich countries. It's time to work on the prosperity and well-being, not spending money in the army and plotting. It's time to stop being selfish and think about the others!

On-Topic: Sertainly not New York. For it could have a large number of inhabitants, and could be very productive. Not everyone has a chance to survive there. There could be free clinics (which is very good!), those clinics do have long queue times and don't operate some wounds. Education is very limited... No, New York certainly isn't the capital!

To be the capital of the world the city should atleast have all of it's residents happy and productive, ALL of them!quote>

Actually the Eu & the US differ not so much on political level

all the states in the US are sovereign states

as for my lousy spelling i've never leatned to typr blind (no i'm no illiterat, i just got a light mental handicap that prevents me to use all my fingers at once)

as for my reason for

the US does not deserve to be home of the world capital at the moment

as for politics lets see

war in Iraq

official US reasons (i saw that 75 min speech powel gave to the UN to justify the war & I remember every word of it)

1)WMD (none found/none ever excisted)

2)link al-quada (saddam even was againbst al-quada)

so the only 2 official reasons for the war are null avoid

add to this that the oil field under Iraq is the largest known oil field in the world & the republicans attitude of making the rich richer & the poor poorer

i'm not against a 2 party state but from a european perspective growing up in a multi party system the republicans are the worse of the conservative parties out there

& if you're talking about genocide being ignored by someone you should look at the other side of the conflicts in the middle-east because the present US attitude looks like Israel is always the victim

at the momen we need to unite the world & close ranks not blow up every alliance & treaty done between US, EU, Russia & other great states all for the enrichment for a few men

& at a last comment on the issue George Bush jr worked a some big shot at Enron (just before the scandal broke lose), he was under investigation for frauding 900 million US $

the charges & the investigation were dropped when he became candidate for president

we could allso pick my hometown of Gent, reason the treaty of Gent was signed here (treaty in which the UK officially recognized the US)

& humans have been known to use the area to settle for the last 50000 years

[mancoolman 3]

A city in Canada should be the capital of the world. Mainly because Americans dont want it in Europe, and Europians dont want in in the states. Being Canadian all you hear from this is, bla bla bla econamy bla bla bla EU bla bla bla US. So in true Canadian fashion we'll have it just to shut the rest of the world up.

p.s. the main reason for a capital city is potitical safety not econamy or crap along those lines.

O and you cant choose the EU it contain around 20 countries so they would have to do like the states and have stateless distirt to make i work

[callagrafx 3]

I think everyone has missed the most obvious...the capital of the World is "W"

[Charles Rodulfo 0]

@Resender

But does the EU have a higher power like the president?

That is the biggest difference, EU is a group of nations. US is a group of states (which is treated as a province) that forms one nation.

@mancoolman

That's not being neutral, having it in Canada favors Canada. It has to be in a neutral country for it to be stable.

@callagrafx

yeah, you're right, people in this thread were misled to think that what we are trying to find here... it's actually "W" LOL!