Youtube hearted comments of Halfdan Ingolfsson (@Halli50).

Confused? You won't be after this episode of... This in-depth comparison dive (to the extent possible) you take us on is extremely informative, even if only to show how complicated this can be. As a citizen of one of the Nordic countries (crappy climate but high security) it is a no-brainer to me: Working to live a secure and comfortable life, very similar to most of my fellow citizens, is more important to me than the apparent rat-race of life in 'Murica. Of course I am biased, but who isn't?
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I spent 2 years in a multinational setting in Africa in the early 1990's (doing war zone relief flights for the ICRC). Coming from one of the Nordic countries I am used to North-European custom of just bidding everyone "Good morning", and I found the English/French-speaker custom of a "How are you/Fine, and you" ritual a bit over the top, ESPECIALLY after coming down to breakfast one morning feeling really miserable due to having caught a head cold (yes, just south of the equator!) and being asked "How are you" by one of my American colleagues. Well, I actually told him how I was (miserable! - he ASKED, after all) and he was actually offended! Apparently he was just going through the motions of a ritual, he was not really concerned about my heath at all. Where I come from, we simply wish everyone a Good Morning, no response required. Seeing a friend or colleague appearing under the weather will, however, prompt a concerned and sincere "hey, you look a bit off, is there a problem?".
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When a visitor is offered the fermented shark, he or she should do what the vast majority of the locals do in the same situation: Say "Thanks, but NO" - unless you are an adventurous soul, ready to try ANYTHING. Most Icelanders NEVER touch the stuff.
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The concept "Viking" is a job description, not an ethnicity. In modern times we would call them Raiders, Pirates or Pillagers. The vast majority of Northmen (Norse, Danes, Swedes, Icelanders) were traders and eventually settlers that assimilate into the cultures they settled in - while still leaving their cultural marks on said cultures. In the Sagas, the concept of "að leggjast í víking" literally meant "to commit to go viking", i.e.go raiding. The Vikings were the brutal bits of Nordic society that would be called "criminal gangs" today. They usually brought back a stolen loot and, one way or another, this kind of behaviour became normalized. In hindsight, the Viking age is a blemish on us, the Nordic nations.
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What originally drew me to the channel was that it was a glimpse into the ups and downs of the life of a normal, happy family putting down roots in a new social and economic environment. Then came came economic comparison videos, which were also interesting. I fully understand and respect your reluctance to publicize the part your children play in you life and will miss that.
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British "justice" used to be swift, brutal and not always fair. How many aristocrats were hanged at the time? Britain certainly has a lot to be ashamed of when judged by modern humanitarian standards.
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Have you noticed that when a family and one child pack for travel, the amount of baggage pr. individual is inversely proportional to the size of the individual: 50% for the child, 30%+ for the mother and the rest for the father. This is universally true in the modern world. PS. You are using the ski poles wrong: Put your hand UP through the loop so the straps are between the handle and an your palm, so the pole/strap will pivot between your thumb and your index finger. This is especially important when skiing. Second, you use the poles to push along one at the time, exactly like you swing your arms while walking. Additional point: Walking/cross country poles are long, they should reach your armpit. Alpine poles like you are using (bottom/middle of handles reaching your elbow) are less comfortable for walking.
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Seems like the entire executive staff of ALL the big pharma companies should be prosecuted internationally for shameless racketeering. In a life-and-death situation like this global pandemic, all the shameless 'Murican business practices should be outlawed, the distribution of patented information allowed to enable the appropriate handling of the pandemic. Fair compensation or royalties for using patented data is a foregone conclusion, but that is what Big Pharma fears most. This would expose just how they have been operating for decades: They have accepted public research funding (socialized the cost) and shamelessly exploited the results (privatized the profits). Simply and openly arranging for transparent "fair compensation" for their research and production costs would expose how they have been exploiting the cash cow that the US bogus "Health Care" system is. Every other developed nation has twigged onto this and collectively bargain for relatively fair drug prices. The US is turning out to be the center for corporate and political corruption but, then again, they are the the "land of the free", the only country where politicians can openly be bought and paid for.
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You seem to have all the building blocks for a happy and content future: An apparently very compatible couple, a happy child (ever-smiling Jack) and what appears to be a frank and sober appreciation of your current environment (Steady Germany) as well as a similar appreciation for your possible alternate environment (Madhouse USA). There will be bumps and upsets (there always are), but I have a strong feeling that you will find your way to a happy future.
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Not only RAISING a child, but an obviously HAPPY child! Any clip where Jack is not smiling is a rare clip...
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The English obviously were quite brutal in bygone eras - but so were all the other nations at the time, the German kingdoms, the French, the Russians and even the Scandinavians that are so peaceful nowadays...
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Happy Jack will be like all children: A virtual sponge when it comes to languages! The way things are going, he will be immersed in the German language and German culture. German will be his first (main) language. Speaking English exclusively at home ensures that he will be bilingual. Personally, I know Icelandic children that were raised in Luxembourg, and they were all comfortably conversant in 5 languages: Icelandic (spoken at home), English (parents being aviation professionals), German and French (school - as well as France and Germany being next door) and, obviously the local Luxembourg language. Many did, however, have a handicap - there was no obvious First Language until (or if) they went for higher education. You seem to be conscious of the pitfalls and well ahead of the game, so I predict Happy Jack will ace it!
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