25 most important countries

[Al B. Sure!]

Everyone's sleeping on France. #5 economy and #4 military.

[Asher]

Everyone's sleeping on France. #5 economy and #4 military.

But dead last in "taken seriously"

[Al B. Sure!]

But dead last in "taken seriously"

I was referring to France, not Canada.

Even though, from my understanding, half of Canada is like little France.

[OzzyKP]

Yea I know. They could move ahead of Germany too imho. But it is a tough call.

[Asher]

I was referring to France, not Canada.

Even though, from my understanding, half of Canada is like little France.

The fact that nobody takes Canada seriously is a deliberate strategy. It's just how it is with France.

[Al B. Sure!]

It's interesting that the US spends more on defense than the next 19 top countries combined

USA! USA! USA!

[Al B. Sure!]

The fact that nobody takes Canada seriously is a deliberate strategy. It's just how it is with France.

Stealth Nation Technology?

[KrazyHorse]

Every time somebody uses that phrase they owe me a quarter.

[Asher]

Stealth Nation Technology?

That's part of it.

We also take great pains to project a silly image to the world. Look at the Mounties. People seriously think this is how our police look:


We export cultural drivel which is only the most bland and uninteresting (Celine Dion, Nickelback, et. al.)

We are careful to be the most polite visitors any country will ever see.

All of this is strategic. All of this is to ensure no one thinks of Canada. We hide in plain sight, while pulling the strings of the most senior offices in all of the land.

[OzzyKP]

It's interesting that the US spends more on defense than the next 19 top countries combined

USA! USA! USA!

Yea, that's the trouble with any kind of list like this. It is almost laughable trying to rate the power of other countries. The US is so far ahead of everyone else in economy, culture, military, any other category you could think of. So perhaps a better chart would look like this:


1) USA (the other 42 states)
2) Japan
3) China
4) California
5) UK
6) Germany
7) New York
8) France
9) Russia
10) Texas
11) India
12) Florida
13) Brazil
14) Italy
15) Spain
16) Illinois
17) Canada
18) South Korea
19) Ohio
20) Saudi Arabia
21) Pennsylvania
22) Australia
23) Mexico
24) Turkey
25) Massachusetts

Especially with this awesome map that compares GDP in US states to other countries:

[Al B. Sure!]

The states in that picture, in case anyone isn't aware, are re-named as the countries which they have approximately the same GDP as.

[OzzyKP]

The states in that picture, in case anyone isn't aware, are re-named as the countries which they have approximately the same GDP as.

[KrazyHorse]

Unfortunately, some of them are quite far off. e.g. Calfornia's GDP ~1.9 tr, France's 2.7tr
NY 1.1 vs Brazil 1.6
Ohio 470bill vs Australia 1trill
NJ 470bill vs Russia 1.2 trill
Ala 170bill vs Iran 330 bill

etc

[Al B. Sure!]

Unfortunately, some of them are quite far off. e.g. Calfornia's GDP ~1.9 tr, France's 2.7tr
NY 1.1 vs Brazil 1.6
Ohio 470bill vs Australia 1trill
NJ 470bill vs Russia 1.2 trill
Ala 170bill vs Iran 330 bill

etc

shhh...

USA! USA! USA! DRILL BABY DRILL!







Canada...

[Asher]

USA: