We technically have it in Canada too, except it's less direct. But a portion of the government's budget goes to funding the CBC.

(Although the amount of funding gets slashed every year)

I enjoy BBC programs, but I'm glad that i dont have to pay for it. They come on my PBS station for free and PBS only ask for donations, we dont have to pay a TV tax for it. I refuse to pay for cable TV, so i get all my TV free from my $10 cheap indoor antennae. I get all the major networks in HD and about 10 other non-HD channels and they are crystal clear. I'm glad i dont have to pay for TV, i feel bad for all the people here having to pay YEARLY taxes just to own a TV.

In Poland we have to pay license fee for radio as well :-)

Thats ridiculous. I really feel bad for you, but i never listen to the radio anymore, i listen to all my free music on Youtube. They have every song i want to listen to.

Germany tops even that: We pay about 15 € per month for a TV, and about 5 € per month for either a radio or a computer (the latter has been disputed at court, but as far as I know, the GEZ still tries to get money from computer owners). Out of sheer graciousness, if you already pay for one TV/radio/computer, you may use one computer/radio for free. As long as it's in the same flat. Things like car radios, which are not in the flat, of course have to be registered and paid for extra.

Yes and no, the hospital isn't allowed to turn people away for an inability to pay, but typically yes, you would have to pay for that.

As much as I'd like to defend the US on this, the reality is that it is every bit as indefensible and barbarous as it sounds.

Hospitals since the 80s have been required to treat any that show up in the ER, regardless of ability to pay, the people who do pay end up being the ones with insurance. Which is why we end up spending so much on health care. In pretty much any system the ER care is going to be the most expensive care and typically doesn't provide any preventative treatment.

With any luck that should change in a bit over a year when the last part of the health reform kicks in, but until then we have to live with our ridiculous system of health care.

What's really absurd though is that pregnancy is a preexisting condition and isn't necessarily always going to be covered. I'd be really curious as to how much that ultimately costs the public in the long run.

I haven't paid a single damn grosz into that RTV tax. Screw that nonsense. I live in an apartment block that is like a fortress. There's three doors between me and the outside world. No inspector can get in here without my permission. And the house I live in isn't under my name :P

Me to.
But I promise - when public TV starts to produce shows of the quality close to those from communism times - I'll start to pay. But I refuse to give funds to another 'quality' series of 'M jak miłość'

The only show I like is 'Ranczo' but it pales in comparison to 'Alternatywy 4'.

Heh, anything pales in comparison to 'Alernatywy 4' :-).
I wish polish comedies from that period weren't so 'hermetic' - I guess only Poles can fully appreciate it.

EDIT: Did you see BIG BANG - a polish movie by Kondratiuk?

It's set during our communist period. Most places know about communism only from history books. I still remember the long lines and the "kartki" along with the milicja vans riding around everywhere. Oh and the ridiculous inflation. I got 1000 PLZ as a first communion gift...6 months later it was damn near pocket change.

No but I saw "Mis" and "Seksmisja" ...

"O, nasi tu byli.."

Those are good movies but you should also see BIG BANG. There is virtually no action in it but, man, it's a masterpiece of acting. It's more like a TV theater show than movie.
Here is a link to fist part
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MCwVOAFZbc&feature=related

other parts are also available.
Just make sure you have a quiet, undisturbed 2 hours.

It's true.
If the babies don't have any money, the babies have to stay in the womb till they do get the money. That's why it looks like a lot of american women are so fat, their babies are low on cash and don't have good credit so they have to stay there

A disturbing number of Americans have a love the fetus hate the child mentality which really shows up in cases like this. Women can't abort the fetus, but society shouldn't help cover the cost either. For some nut jobs being raped is no excuse either.