From: rdavis@convex.com (Ray Davis)
Subject: Re: US as No. 1 (3 data books)
Organization: CONVEX Computer Corporation, Richardson, Tx., USA
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 18:53:53 GMT
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

jac54@cas.org () writes:

>	This argument ignores local variations in standards of
>	living in the U.S.

Your right, of course - there is a lot of variance between locals.
Although I've lived in many parts of the US it's been mostly near
a metropolis of some sort.  But I'm comparing places like California,
Colorado (even small towns), Dallas, Orlando, Tampa/St.Pete, etc, to
London (any place in the British Isles), Frankfurt (any place in Germany),
and other Euro cities I've visited.

>	As far as quality is concerned, I think you have that mixed up.

I won't agree.  Overall, I think US quality is better.  No - cars are
definitely NOT included!  B-)  Nor machinery - although Black & Decker
seems to be equal with Bosch in most of what I've used.  But in the
grocery and drug store, there isn't nearly the selection and quality
IMHO.  I would agree that it depends on the item.

>	Did you
>	ever wonder why European products have been making so much
>	headway in the U.S.?  Helpful hint: they're not cheaper.

No - I never wondered at all!  It's the same reason Hagen Daas is
called Hagen Daas even though it's made in New York.  And why many
items have french names, though they have squat to do with France.
Or why a lot of things in Europe have US names or slogans or writing
on them, and often products are advertized with US idealisms (old 50s
cars, James Dean images, etc).

The perception is better.  Grass is always greener.  If it's European
it must be great (even though most dummies don't notice the small print
noting the US manufacturer).

>	Ah yes, the wonderful Colby Longhorn cheese for example,
>	chanterelles and edible boletes are available on every
>	street corner in the U.S.  Spare parts for my De Vilbiss
>	airbrushes are unobtainable over here, try finding Humbrol
>	paints without having to offer up the first-born male child.
>	Going back to food, the U.S. offers some of the worst sausage
>	it has ever been my dubious privilege to taste.  Oscar Meyer
>	would cause riots in the streets in Poland, never mind Germany.

I never saw longhorn in my markets.  But I won't argue that there
are some things you can only get in certain places.  Goes without
saying.  But sausage!?  The breakfast sausage in the UK is so fat
it makes be vomit!  And here in the sausage capital of the world
(if Polska will excuse me) a Frankfurter is nothing more than a long
Oscar Meyer wiener.  And though the Bratwurst, Nurnberger Bratwurstchen,
and Polish Salamis are much better, you can't find anything even
close to Jimmy Dean's breakfast sausage (which I enjoy once in a while).

The markets here have a cereal selection of about 4 kinds.  And
if anything is a remake of a US brand (Pops, Smacks, Cap'n Crunch),
the quality sucks.  No cereal is not popular here, except muesli,
but I can see why!

There's a choice of one peanut butter and maple siryp is next to
impossible to find.  But you'll have a hard time (but it's possible)
finding Nutella in the states.

The pork meats here in Germany are better than in the states, but
the beef stinks.  It's not corn fed.  Chicken is often smaller
and sometimes fatter.  The meats in the UK aren't even worth
mentioning for the most part.  In 5 years I've found ONE artichoke
worth eating.  But the apples here are great.  Potatoes here are
small and flavorless compared to the hearty Idaho.

Most of my German friends, who frequent the states, keep lists of
things to stuff their suitcases with.  Things that are either not
found here, or are much much cheaper.  Can you imagine paying $150
for a $40 pair of Adidas?  And Adidas is a German company!

Anyway - there's a lot to like here, and it'll be missed some day.

Cheers,
Ray