[OT] [PW] [Long] America Bashing

"Yowie" wrote in message
...
"Adrian" wrote in message
...
Yowie wrote:
It gets complicated to compare, the US gallon is 3.785412 litres,
less than an imperial gallon (4.546092 litres). So at today's
exchange rate 79.5 pence per litre would be $5.765 per US gallon.
Which is still expensive by american standards.

By that conversion, we Aussies pay (in Aussie dollars) somewhere
between $3.78 and $4.15 per US gallon. Assuming that AU$=US$0.72,
that makes our petrol prices between $2.72 and $2.98 per gallon.

Yowie

So prices in Australia are about half the UK prices. Pity it's too far
to go to to fill up. ;-)

We have to travel further to go anywhere :-). I remember some English
friends bragging that they had done over 2000km in their two week driving
vacation. I laughed and said I have done 2000km in *two days*. When my
family emigrated from England, they were quite horrified how Australians
just seemed to get up and go without planning and taking lots of extra
provisions in case of an emergency. You see, a trip into London for us at
the time (about 50km) meant at least 2 week sof careful planning and
intinerary, notifying someone else our travel route and carefully booking
tickets well ahead. We all had to wear our Sunday Best, pack extra
jumpers,
a spare pair of underwear each, and bring enough extra stuff in case we
got
'stuck' somewhere. And so my parents were both horrified that my sister
and
I would wake up on school holidays and think "oh, what are we going to do
today?" and on a whim, just hop on a train and go to Sydney (100km away)
or
think "hmm, I feel like hot donuts", hop in the car, and drive the 100km
to
get to a donut stand famous for its hot donuts. I'd say that Australians
and
Americans & Canadians probably have a similar ocncept of "travel" and
"distance", whereas people in the UK and probably Burope too, have a quite
different concept of what constitutues "a long way".

Yowie

There are differences in the concept of "a long way" in different parts of
the United States too. A man who had moved to Southern California from New
Jersey probably said it best. He said, "If someone offered my parents
tickets to a Broadway play in New York (about 50 miles), they'd probably
turn them down, because that would be too far to go. If someone offered me
tickets to a bullfight in Tijuana (about 120 miles), I'd think nothing of
it." {Disclaimer - I personally do not approve of bullfighting, and have
never been to a bullfight, although I have been to Tijuana]

Even in Northern California, 50 miles is a lot farther than it is in
Southern California. Of course part of that is the roads. If you don't go
during rush hour, 50 miles may take an hour if a lot of the way is not
freeway. The chances are, you can make it in 45 minutes or so. In Northern
California, at least along the coast, it can take an hour and a half to two
hours to drive 50 miles.

Joy

"Kreisleriana" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 3 Jan 2005 13:41:02 +1100, "Yowie"
yodeled:

"Adrian" wrote in message
...
Yowie wrote:
It gets complicated to compare, the US gallon is 3.785412 litres,
less than an imperial gallon (4.546092 litres). So at today's
exchange rate 79.5 pence per litre would be $5.765 per US gallon.
Which is still expensive by american standards.

By that conversion, we Aussies pay (in Aussie dollars) somewhere
between $3.78 and $4.15 per US gallon. Assuming that AU$=US$0.72,
that makes our petrol prices between $2.72 and $2.98 per gallon.

Yowie

So prices in Australia are about half the UK prices. Pity it's too far
to go to to fill up. ;-)

We have to travel further to go anywhere :-). I remember some English
friends bragging that they had done over 2000km in their two week driving
vacation. I laughed and said I have done 2000km in *two days*. When my
family emigrated from England, they were quite horrified how Australians
just seemed to get up and go without planning and taking lots of extra
provisions in case of an emergency. You see, a trip into London for us at
the time (about 50km) meant at least 2 week sof careful planning and
intinerary, notifying someone else our travel route and carefully booking
tickets well ahead. We all had to wear our Sunday Best, pack extra
jumpers,
a spare pair of underwear each, and bring enough extra stuff in case we
got
'stuck' somewhere. And so my parents were both horrified that my sister
and
I would wake up on school holidays and think "oh, what are we going to do
today?" and on a whim, just hop on a train and go to Sydney (100km away)
or
think "hmm, I feel like hot donuts", hop in the car, and drive the 100km
to
get to a donut stand famous for its hot donuts. I'd say that Australians
and
Americans & Canadians probably have a similar ocncept of "travel" and
"distance", whereas people in the UK and probably Burope too, have a
quite
different concept of what constitutues "a long way".

Completely. Reminds me of the old joke: The difference between Brits
and Americans is that Brits think 100 miles is a long distance, and
Americans think 100 years is a long time.


Theresa

True, OTOH, what Brits describe as a 5-minute walk is often a half hour hike
to an American. ;-)

Joy

However, in my bridge-related activities I visit the USA twice a year,
and have met - if you include people I have played against - something
over 2000 Americans. Unsurprisingly my main view on Americans comes
from bridge playing ones.

--
David Stevenson

You're a bridge player? And a serious one it sounds like. It's a neat game, I
used to love it. But since I had so many surgeries I can't seem to remember the
cards enough to play anymore.

Sherry

"Sherry " wrote in message
...
However, in my bridge-related activities I visit the USA twice a year,
and have met - if you include people I have played against - something
over 2000 Americans. Unsurprisingly my main view on Americans comes
from bridge playing ones.

--
David Stevenson

You're a bridge player? And a serious one it sounds like. It's a neat
game, I
used to love it. But since I had so many surgeries I can't seem to
remember the
cards enough to play anymore.

Sherry

You too after a lot of surgeries? Bad memory? Me too.

Tweed

Sherry wrote
I don't agree with you that Americans
deliberately "wind up" people.

Americans wind up others in my experience: but I never suggested they
*deliberately* do so.

I understand. But remember, David, no one "winds you up" unless you allow them
to do so. If "Americans" wind you up, but it's not deliberate, then maybe the
person should look at themselves, and isolate the real reason they feel "wound
up."

I do not like people bragging. I am sorry: that's it. OK, about
their cats, no prob. You think I should not mind people bragging? You
have a right to that view. But I believe it is, at the very least,
impolite to brag.

--
David Stevenson Storypage: http://blakjak.com/sty_menu.htm
Liverpool, England, UK Emails welcome
Nanki Poo: SI O+W B 11 Y L+ W++ C+ I T+ A- E H++ V- F Q P+ B+ PA+ PL SC
Minke: SI W+Cp B 2 Y L W+ C++ I T A- E H++ V++ F- Q- P B PA+ PL+ SC-

Sherry wrote
However, in my bridge-related activities I visit the USA twice a year,
and have met - if you include people I have played against - something
over 2000 Americans. Unsurprisingly my main view on Americans comes
from bridge playing ones.

You're a bridge player? And a serious one it sounds like. It's a neat game, I
used to love it. But since I had so many surgeries I can't seem to remember the
cards enough to play anymore.

One of the virtues of the game is it can be played at so many
different levels. If I survive into old age - which I doubt with my
medical situation [1] - and can no longer play well I still expect to
play and enjoy it.

[1] No sympathy necessary: none of my problems are major in the way that
other people's on this NG are. But there are *so* many of them!!!

--
David Stevenson Storypage: http://blakjak.com/sty_menu.htm
Liverpool, England, UK Emails welcome
Nanki Poo: SI O+W B 11 Y L+ W++ C+ I T+ A- E H++ V- F Q P+ B+ PA+ PL SC
Minke: SI W+Cp B 2 Y L W+ C++ I T A- E H++ V++ F- Q- P B PA+ PL+ SC-

I do not like people bragging. I am sorry: that's it. OK, about
their cats, no prob. You think I should not mind people bragging? You
have a right to that view. But I believe it is, at the very least,
impolite to brag.

--
David Stevenson

No, not at all. I respect your point of view. I was just really trying to
understand the term "winding people up". Because, to me, that means
deliberately baiting someone; pushing their buttons on purpose. It's obvious
now that's not what you mean.
I think boastfulness irritates anybody.
But you English. You're always so dang polite. :-)

Sherry

Wow. Why is it so much more expensive?

Taxes. I do wish it cost more in the States as the States really does need to
*start* getting away from its complete over reliance on petrochemicals as if it
did it would make some serious steps to moving away from being the world's
biggest polluter. We in Britain need to use less too - this is *not* a "USA
bashing" post.. it is fact that the USA, with less than 5 percent of the
world’s population, consumes roughly 25 percent of the oil, 29 percent of the
gas, and 21 percent of the coal.

Cheers, helen s



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"David Stevenson" wrote in message
...
One of the virtues of the game is it can be played at so many different
levels. If I survive into old age - which I doubt with my medical
situation [1] - and can no longer play well I still expect to play and
enjoy it.
David Stevenson

We have a neighbor who competes at Bridge, so I guess she is not a beginner,
but not at your level.
She has some friend (a married couple) who have what must be the greatest
job in the world. They teach people who are on vacation on cruise ships how
to play Bridge. They not only get paid, they cruise for free. They must be
pretty good because they can pick which cruises they will be on.
Not only to they get to go all kinds of places, they get to do what they
love to do, get paid for it, and still have time to do the touristy things.
Not too bad a way to spend a "retirement."
Annie

dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers wrote:

Wow. Why is it so much more expensive?


Taxes. I do wish it cost more in the States as the States really does need to
*start* getting away from its complete over reliance on petrochemicals as if it
did it would make some serious steps to moving away from being the world's
biggest polluter. We in Britain need to use less too - this is *not* a "USA
bashing" post.. it is fact that the USA, with less than 5 percent of the
world’s population, consumes roughly 25 percent of the oil, 29 percent of the
gas, and 21 percent of the coal.

Up to a point, I agree. However, it's not only our
gas-guzzler autos that are the culprits. You might consider
the fact that much of the U.S. gets a lot colder in winter
than most of Europe - hence it requires a lot more heating
oil, coal and natural gas to keep warm in winter. Although
buildings in our South and Southwest might be better
insulated than they are (which might cut consumption
somewhat), construction methods in the Northern portions of
the country seem adequate, it just gets colder there than in
much of Europe. How does consumption in NORTHERN Europe
(Finland and Scandinavia) compare with the U.S. figures?