Report from the US, a nice but somewhat backward country.

On Fri, 12 Dec 2008 01:50:56 GMT, (John Kulp) wrote:

Not even close. We have tons of microbreweries that produce beers
that are every bit as good as any beer anywhere in the world.... Try a Sam Adams
sometime.

Jesus. You assert that we have a lot of great beer, and then you recommend Sam
Adams f***ing Boston Lager semi-dishwater. Pathetic.

Try something from Humboldt, or Rogue, or New Belgium (other than Fat Tire), or
Ommegang, or Mendocino, or hundreds of other great brewers.

If we could hijack Chimay, Sam Smith, Corsendonk, Fuller's, Brains, and Affligem
Dubbel, we'd hardly need Europe at all... 8

-- Larry

[Re-added rec.travel.australia+nz because of the references to Oz (and I
don't believe in splitting up running discussions, unless there is a
very good reason). Of course anyone is free to think/act otherwise.]

Lawrence Akutagawa wrote:
[...]

Just for your edification - in California the sales tax (about 8.25%,
depending on where in the state) is already included in the quoted per
gallon price of gasoline. A number of years ago it was excluded from the
quoted price such that the tax was calculated subsequently as per all other
taxable purchases. But no longer.

"tax", you pushed yet another one of my buttons (Perhaps that Sharx35
dude was right after all!?).

The tax thingie is rather confusing, needlessly complex, and, AFAICT,
has no advantages for the customer.

In most - but not all - cases, tax was excluded. As you say, the
percentage depends on the location and probably also on the type of
product/service. If you're buying one or a few products, it's hard to
impossible to give the shop attendant the exact amount or to (try to)
get as little change as possible back, until the cash register has
calculated how much you own. That is a nuisance, only takes addtional
time, and I see no advantage (*Is* there any advantage?).

In comparison, in Europe/Oz the sales price always includes the tax
(well, nearly always for Oz). In our country - The Netherlands - it's
even illegal to quote exclusive prices to 'consumers'. At minimal both
exclusive and inclusive have to be quoted, and even that is severely
frowned upon.

And it is always a good idea when driving an unfamiliar car for the first
time to check out all the controls - including the one releasing the gas
tank lid - before driving off. It is rather dicey to have to find the
windshield wiper control while going 70 mph in a sudden downpour at night.

Yeah, I normally do that, at least when there's some light, which
there (much) wasn't for our first rental.

One time, after driving from SFO airport to somewhere in Silicon
Valley, I found myself in front of the motel, unable to get the key out
of the ignition. Had to push some unkown button, which European cars
didn't/don't have. Quite annoying and embarrasing after a light flight
from Europe.

I didn't check the gas tank lid, but I filled up early and we had the
nice lady in the mirror, hadn't we!?

Hope you had a good time and saw some things different than from where you
are.

We had and did. If anything was even remotely 'familiar' it was Joshua
Tree NP, Mojave NP and Death Valley NP, and it was only somewhat similar
to the things we love in Australia, so we just had a cheaper - and sadly
enough much shorter - trip, than our 'normal' trips to/in Australia. Our
daughter asked "So the US is your new Australia?". Well it isn't, but
it's beautiful as well and comparisons are equally sillay as unfair.

I trust you were able to range as far north as Bodie and perhaps as
far east as Zion. You next go, try working in Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches,
Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point, Goblin Valley, Mesa Verde, Monument Valley,
etc. You won't regret doing so.

(Without looking them up,) Most of the places you mention don't ring a
bell. To be clear, we visited only California (and a tiny bit (Pahrump)
of Nevada) and only a *part* of CA (see above).

"Frank Slootweg" wrote in message
b.home.nl...
[Re-added rec.travel.australia+nz because of the references to Oz (and I
don't believe in splitting up running discussions, unless there is a
very good reason). Of course anyone is free to think/act otherwise.]

Lawrence Akutagawa wrote:
[...]

Just for your edification - in California the sales tax (about 8.25%,
depending on where in the state) is already included in the quoted per
gallon price of gasoline. A number of years ago it was excluded from the
quoted price such that the tax was calculated subsequently as per all
other
taxable purchases. But no longer.

"tax", you pushed yet another one of my buttons (Perhaps that Sharx35
dude was right after all!?).

The tax thingie is rather confusing, needlessly complex, and, AFAICT,
has no advantages for the customer.

In most - but not all - cases, tax was excluded. As you say, the
percentage depends on the location and probably also on the type of
product/service. If you're buying one or a few products, it's hard to
impossible to give the shop attendant the exact amount or to (try to)
get as little change as possible back, until the cash register has
calculated how much you own. That is a nuisance, only takes addtional
time, and I see no advantage (*Is* there any advantage?).

In comparison, in Europe/Oz the sales price always includes the tax
(well, nearly always for Oz). In our country - The Netherlands - it's
even illegal to quote exclusive prices to 'consumers'. At minimal both
exclusive and inclusive have to be quoted, and even that is severely
frowned upon.

And it is always a good idea when driving an unfamiliar car for the first
time to check out all the controls - including the one releasing the gas
tank lid - before driving off. It is rather dicey to have to find the
windshield wiper control while going 70 mph in a sudden downpour at
night.

Yeah, I normally do that, at least when there's some light, which
there (much) wasn't for our first rental.

One time, after driving from SFO airport to somewhere in Silicon
Valley, I found myself in front of the motel, unable to get the key out
of the ignition. Had to push some unkown button, which European cars
didn't/don't have. Quite annoying and embarrasing after a light flight
from Europe.

I didn't check the gas tank lid, but I filled up early and we had the
nice lady in the mirror, hadn't we!?

Hope you had a good time and saw some things different than from where
you
are.

We had and did. If anything was even remotely 'familiar' it was Joshua
Tree NP, Mojave NP and Death Valley NP, and it was only somewhat similar
to the things we love in Australia, so we just had a cheaper - and sadly
enough much shorter - trip, than our 'normal' trips to/in Australia. Our
daughter asked "So the US is your new Australia?". Well it isn't, but
it's beautiful as well and comparisons are equally sillay as unfair.

I trust you were able to range as far north as Bodie and perhaps as
far east as Zion. You next go, try working in Bryce, Capitol Reef,
Arches,
Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point, Goblin Valley, Mesa Verde, Monument
Valley,
etc. You won't regret doing so.

(Without looking them up,) Most of the places you mention don't ring a
bell. To be clear, we visited only California (and a tiny bit (Pahrump)
of Nevada) and only a *part* of CA (see above).

Frank Slootweg wrote:

11. Americans don't realize that you don't *have* to 'deep' fry fish.
Americans do, however, realize that if you don't want fried fish, you
shouldn't seek out resturants that sell only fried fish.

My point (which you snipped) was/is that there *are* no other
restaurants (in those areas). So apparently many/most Americans *do* want/
tolerate such 'food'.


If you are reffering to 395, I certainly remember places to
get good fish in both Lone Pine and Bishop.

Doug McDonald

"Frank Slootweg" wrote in message
b.home.nl...
[Re-added rec.travel.australia+nz because of the references to Oz (and I
don't believe in splitting up running discussions, unless there is a
very good reason). Of course anyone is free to think/act otherwise.]

Lawrence Akutagawa wrote:
[...]

Just for your edification - in California the sales tax (about 8.25%,
depending on where in the state) is already included in the quoted per
gallon price of gasoline. A number of years ago it was excluded from the
quoted price such that the tax was calculated subsequently as per all
other
taxable purchases. But no longer.

"tax", you pushed yet another one of my buttons (Perhaps that Sharx35
dude was right after all!?).

The tax thingie is rather confusing, needlessly complex, and, AFAICT,
has no advantages for the customer.

In most - but not all - cases, tax was excluded. As you say, the
percentage depends on the location and probably also on the type of
product/service. If you're buying one or a few products, it's hard to
impossible to give the shop attendant the exact amount or to (try to)
get as little change as possible back, until the cash register has
calculated how much you own. That is a nuisance, only takes addtional
time, and I see no advantage (*Is* there any advantage?).

Now that is interesting. Throughout California, all taxes are included in
the per gallon price such that what you pay - strictly for gas - is what is
displayed on the pump. So if the pump says the purchase is for $20.50, then
you pay $20.50 for gas at the register. Of course if you pick up some odds
and ends (snacks, etc.) at the register you will have the sales tax added
onto the nominal price of those items. That pump price, by the way, does
include federal and state fuel taxes - which are separate from the sales
tax. And to make things even more murky, that sales tax is calculated not
just on the cost of the fuel, but on those federal and state fuel taxes as
well...at least it did back when the sales tax was excluded from the pump
price. A label on the pump itself details the various fuel taxes per
gallon.

And it is always a good idea when driving an unfamiliar car for the first
time to check out all the controls - including the one releasing the gas
tank lid - before driving off. It is rather dicey to have to find the
windshield wiper control while going 70 mph in a sudden downpour at
night.

Yeah, I normally do that, at least when there's some light, which
there (much) wasn't for our first rental.

One time, after driving from SFO airport to somewhere in Silicon
Valley, I found myself in front of the motel, unable to get the key out
of the ignition. Had to push some unkown button, which European cars
didn't/don't have. Quite annoying and embarrasing after a light flight
from Europe.

I didn't check the gas tank lid, but I filled up early and we had the
nice lady in the mirror, hadn't we!?

Hope you had a good time and saw some things different than from where
you
are.

We had and did. If anything was even remotely 'familiar' it was Joshua
Tree NP, Mojave NP and Death Valley NP, and it was only somewhat similar
to the things we love in Australia, so we just had a cheaper - and sadly
enough much shorter - trip, than our 'normal' trips to/in Australia. Our
daughter asked "So the US is your new Australia?". Well it isn't, but
it's beautiful as well and comparisons are equally sillay as unfair.

I trust you were able to range as far north as Bodie and perhaps as
far east as Zion. You next go, try working in Bryce, Capitol Reef,
Arches,
Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point, Goblin Valley, Mesa Verde, Monument
Valley,
etc. You won't regret doing so.

(Without looking them up,) Most of the places you mention don't ring a
bell. To be clear, we visited only California (and a tiny bit (Pahrump)
of Nevada) and only a *part* of CA (see above).

Do a net search of some of the places I named. Particularly if you like
nature, you'll like visiting those places the next trip here. In fact, you
can make a two week or so loop from Las Vegas visiting those areas. One
example - if you've enjoyed the scenery in those old Westerns (particularly
those John Wayne movies like Stagecoach, The Searchers, Fort Apache, She
Wore a Yellow Ribbon, etc.) you'll like and appreciate Monument Valley. A
bit more modern are the beginning scenes of Back to the Future Part III,
filmed also in Monument Valley.

Lawrence Akutagawa wrote:

I trust you were able to range as far north as Bodie and perhaps as
far east as Zion. You next go, try working in Bryce, Capitol Reef,
Arches,
Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point, Goblin Valley, Mesa Verde, Monument
Valley,
etc. You won't regret doing so.
(Without looking them up,) Most of the places you mention don't ring a
bell. To be clear, we visited only California (and a tiny bit (Pahrump)
of Nevada) and only a *part* of CA (see above).



"those places" are "just" east of where you were in California. They
are past the southern tip of Nevada over in (mostly) Utah.

They are the "high desert" that is so iconic of the American west.
You know, the big red sandstone formations. Ultra spectacular.

Doug McDonald

Frank Slootweg wrote:
Mike O'Sullivan wrote:
Frank Slootweg wrote:
Hmmm! Before going to the US, I looked at AT&T's and T-Mobile USA's
websites. I didn't find anything like that on the AT&T site (Don't get
me started on AT&T sites.), and the T-Mobile USA site specifically said
that you could get SIM-only only via their website (and because that
required a US ship-to address, that was no option (not counting the
poorer (than AT&T) coverage)).

So now I'm the proud owner of a beautiful, but totally useless
(outside the US), AT&T GoPhone Nokia 2610 phone [1]. It cost me all of
US$ 19.99 (without tax, mind you (Don't get me started on the
without-tax thingie.)), so I'm not complaining. *And* it includes a charger
which is 110-240VAC (not 240VAC-only), so I can use it everywhere for
all my Nokia phones (albeit with plug-adapters, which are needed
anyway)!
I use an unlocked Nokia.
and I've never had any trouble in Canada buying a Fido SIM card.

Very interesting, but I wasn't and we weren't talking about Canada,
was I / were we!? :-)

It's North America, but if the information is uninteresting, feel free
to ignore it.

"mcdonaldREMOVE wrote:
Frank Slootweg wrote:

11. Americans don't realize that you don't *have* to 'deep' fry fish.

Americans do, however, realize that if you don't want fried fish, you
shouldn't seek out resturants that sell only fried fish.

My point (which you snipped) was/is that there *are* no other
restaurants (in those areas). So apparently many/most Americans *do* want/
tolerate such 'food'.

If you are reffering to 395, I certainly remember places to
get good fish in both Lone Pine and Bishop.

With "in those areas", I was referring to the coastal places I
mentioned, specifically Morro Bay (just above San Luis Obispo) and
Fisherman's Warf in San Francisco.

*Fisherman*'s Warf and mostly crappy (deep fried) fish? A rather
strange combination, I would think! Case in point: We had
some rather decent (grilled) fish (swordfish, salmon etc. shrimps) in a
restaurant at Fisherman's Warf, but when the waitress gave us our menus,
she said that today's special was salmon. When we asked if it was fried,
she said yes! Sigh!

On 395 we stayed in Bridgeport (i.e. before Bishop). We had deep fried
stuff there, but it was just a simple, mostly take-away place, so we
can't complain about that, and the deep fried fish wasn't that bad.
Actually it was the best of the few times we had it.

We also stayed in Lone Pine, twice. First time we didn't even look for
fish, but had some very nice pizzas (Mind your own bloody business,
Alan! :-)). I can't go into details about our second stay because that
would reveal too much information in this public forum. (However, you
can probably put two and two together, and come up with something quite
close or equal to four.)

Mike O'Sullivan wrote:
Frank Slootweg wrote:
Mike O'Sullivan wrote:
Frank Slootweg wrote:
Hmmm! Before going to the US, I looked at AT&T's and T-Mobile USA's
websites. I didn't find anything like that on the AT&T site (Don't get
me started on AT&T sites.), and the T-Mobile USA site specifically said
that you could get SIM-only only via their website (and because that
required a US ship-to address, that was no option (not counting the
poorer (than AT&T) coverage)).

So now I'm the proud owner of a beautiful, but totally useless
(outside the US), AT&T GoPhone Nokia 2610 phone [1]. It cost me all of
US$ 19.99 (without tax, mind you (Don't get me started on the
without-tax thingie.)), so I'm not complaining. *And* it includes a charger
which is 110-240VAC (not 240VAC-only), so I can use it everywhere for
all my Nokia phones (albeit with plug-adapters, which are needed
anyway)!
I use an unlocked Nokia.
and I've never had any trouble in Canada buying a Fido SIM card.

Very interesting, but I wasn't and we weren't talking about Canada,
was I / were we!? :-)

It's North America, but if the information is uninteresting, feel free
to ignore it.

I think the Canucks (sp?) would probably take offense at the "North
America" classification! :-)

But seriously, please feel free to post anything you like or/and to
ignore me. After all, this is Usenet, isn't it, so anything goes. I just
thought it was funny that you responded to a posting with subject "...
US ..." and splattered all over with "US[A]" this, "US[A]" that, but gave a
non-US related response. But then again, we Dutch are easily pleased.

On Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:34:44 +0100, Frank Slootweg
wrote:

.... But then again, we Dutch are easily pleased.

Not if the quality of your cheese is any indication. Or your rijstafel.

But then you do have the strangest "Chinese" restaurants... 8

-- Larry