 Clipboard.... Your story, your life Keith Rietman writes, Do European people really know the value of being above average height!?? Recent transatlantic and inter Asian company promotions show a concerted bias towards taller employees when it comes to climbing the corporate ladder. Look at the percentage of European, especially north European white collar employees in a ratio to that of the population. I'm not saying this has damaging consequences or that all Europeans expatriates are taller than their homegrown counterparts. So why do American companies see things so differently? I hope it is just based on ability and skills not where your forefathers once lived or how much taller Europeans seem to be these days compared to my fellow Americans or Yanks as they sometimes call us. OK, it's a well know fact that Americans are on average 3 to 4 inches smaller than Danish, Dutch, Scandinavian and even English men and woman, but am I the only one to put two and two together in thinking it' their size that counts. It all boils down to who has more influence. If you are tall then people listen, people buy, people don't interject and most of all PEOPLE BELEIVE! These days it seems with height comes respect and with respect comes higher salaries and social climbing. In the longer term where will all this end? will we literally become a two tier nation? I hope not, maybe just maybe someone over the Atlantic will start to look at the ability levels of smaller men and woman and do the reverse, maybe just maybe © copyright 2001-2008 TIME     Your views Your ideas Your lives l J, of Los Angeles writes; I write to you instead of giving a testimonial praise. I have a cautionary message. I used to hate it when reformed smokers were always preaching about the ills of the weed and how stopping smoking is so good. Well it seems the same can occur when you grow taller. Short people didn' used to bother me, but now I find them irritating! this is caused because I am now almost 5' 10 inches tall, and I was only 5' 7 in height. What of the friends I had who were the same size asme? do I shun them now I have joined the tall club, won't it be a lonely place for me being tall. It's a case of the grass is always greener on the other side,then you get there and look back only to find you loved what you had beforehand. What I mean here is that some things are physical and some or psychological. A physical change in my height has started a chain reaction in my mind which is not helpful. Looking back I only wanted to be taller because of the psychological impact it was having on my confidence. Seems I can't win. BE WARNED.   
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