Alcohol and Illegal Immigrants

I would like to make clear that this site in no way condones the breaking of any state of federal law. I feel that I need to make this clear after looking at the search terms that have brought people to my site. Two in particular caught my attention: “Working in California without a Green Card” and “can I drink beer at age 19 in California”; I want to make quite sure that people seeking advice on these illegal activities or any others will not find answers to their questions here.

The second of these questions asked of Google puts my blog right at the top of the second page, in position 11 of 3,160,000. It is good to see that I am only just outside the top ten experts in California on booze.

Packing my Bags

Occasionally, in the UK, boy scouts or some similar organization will offer to pack your bags at the supermarket. In the US, having your bags packed is part of the normal service. In fact at most shops it is all but impossible to pack yourself, even if you wanted to, as the bags are not accessible to the customer. Strangely, for a country in which tipping is an important part of the service culture, you do not tip people for this activity. I can’t say that I miss the struggle to open the plastic bags and fill them while the next person glares at any fumble that might delay their turn.

Translation
Supermarket (UK) = Grocery Store (US)

Electric Bathrooms

In the UK electrical safety rules required that the only way to switch on a light in a bathroom was a pull-cord; switches were not allowed. The only sockets allowed in a bathroom are for shavers. In Europe, the light switches for bathrooms seem to be fitted outside the room and similar restrictions apply for power sockets.

Here in the US, light switches and power sockets are commonly fitted in bathrooms. The power sockets often fitted close to sinks. This allows the use of hair dryers and other electrical items in the bathroom. It is not uncommon to find hotel bathrooms have coffee machines plugged in alongside the sink. The one nod to the safety implications is that hair dryers have warning labels attached to their cords advising against use of the devices while in the bath.

Our Friends Electric

A visit to any shop that sells kitchen equipment here is to be surrounded by more gadgets than you can imagine. There is however one gadget conspicuous by its absence; the electric kettle. Americans still seem to boil water using stove top kettles. You can buy lots of these old-fashioned kettles, but at most a shop will stock a single electric kettle. Those that are available are shaped like an old-fashioned kettle, rather than the more energy efficient cylindrical designs that are the norm in the UK.

My Chrysler is as Big as a Whale

I have been looking at cars. Currently, I drive my wife’s car, but when I start a job I will need one of my own. It is a very different car market in the US, the only European mass market producer with a presence here is VW, so I have to learn about it from scratch.

The most obvious thing one notices is that cars are larger. With the exception of the BMW produced Mini, the smallest cars are Ford Focus size. These small cars are in a minority on the roads. It seems that cars of any size in a minority on Southern California roads with many Americans driving pick-up trucks, four-wheel drive vehicles, and people carriers. It is alarming how quickly one adjusts to this situation; I took a test drive of a Lexus IS 250 and commented to my wife that its small engine was a bonus. The Lexus IS 250 has a 2.5liter engine, which would be considered a large engine in the UK. Mind you compared to the 5.7liter Hemi engine that is an option for the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger, the Lexus seems positively underpowered. It will be interesting to see if the price of petrol will encourage a move to more economical vehicles.

Mind you, high petrol prices are relative to the historic expectations of the US. Petrol in LA is now about $2.85 - $3.00 a gallon, down from a high of $3.10 - $3.25 a few weeks ago. This compares to an average price of $6.50 per US gallon in the Slough area of the UK.

Visiting the Lexus and Mercedes dealerships in Irvine was an experience in is own right. You are greeted and offered refreshments, bottled water from Mercedes and cappuccinos from Lexus. The Lexus dealer not only had TV screens in the waiting room, but a plasma screen in the gents’ urinal. Should you buy a car from either dealership, they will offer free carwashes for as long as you have the vehicle and a free parking and shuttle service to Orange County Airport.

Translations

Four Wheel Drive vehicle (UK) = SUV (US) (Sports Utility Vehicle)
People Carrier (UK) = Minivan (US)
Petrol (UK) = Gas (US)