🚀 go-pugleaf

rdavis@convex.com (Ray Davis) writes:

>Adrian.Waterworth@newcastle.ac.uk (Adrian Waterworth) writes:

>>As for the availability of
>>different goods and services, I find it hard to believe that the range
>>of products available in the US is so much greater than those in any
>>other developed nation.

>Really it is.  You wouldn't believe how much more the selection
>and variety is in most areas of merchandise.  I know it's hard
>to believe, but if you grew up in the states and find yourself
>living elsewhere, you wonder how folks can put up with so little
>choice and such crap quality (in *some* cases - not all!).

	Hmmm.  Still not convinced.  Although I would not say that I
have travelled widely, I have visited the US, one or two bits of Europe
and bits of North Africa.  The only place that seemed to have a more
restricted range of goods/services than anywhere else was Tunisia.  And
it was a long time ago when I was there, so presumably things may have
improved by now.

>On the minus side, us Amis have to put up with a buttload of
>competition between all these companies, which results in much
>too much advertisement [the `s' for your benefit B-)].  Aaaargh!
>Most of europe isn't plagued with the everpresent billboard in
>yer face.

	I'll go along with that sentiment.

>>From a personal point of view, I cannot think
>>of anything significant that I might want to obtain that I couldn't
>>obtain here in the UK.

>Well how could you if you don't know what you're missing, or you're
>not used to the selection?

	A perfectly valid statement, except that I have visited the US.
Now, although I was only in the States for a short time and only
visited a couple of places (so you may say - perhaps correctly - that
my experience was not representative), I didn't see any commodity on
sale in the US that I couldn't buy (if necessary, in some equivalent
form, i.e. different brand name/manufacturer but same product) over
here in the UK.

	Mind you, one thing that I will admit to is that many (most?)
goods are cheaper to buy in the US than they are in the UK.  So maybe
all of that competition does pay off after all! (Even if the endless
advertising does become a pain in the sit-ons.)

>>Adrian.Waterworth@newcastle.ac.uk

>What ever happened to the old castle?

	Good question.  When I find out, I'll let you know.

			Cheers!
				Ade.

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