Fixing America--through the stores!
Does anyone have a reason as to why we do these things differently in America than Europe? Because we should work on changing them.
1. The metric system. Seriously, you guys. It's really a no-brainer. I'm 21 years old and I still don't know how many feet are in a mile--I think it's 5720, but I don't know! The point is customary measurements are fucking stupid. They're useless and I hate them and wish I could think more readily in metric. The fact that we're alone with Burma and Liberia in not using metric is a joke. So here's what we're going to do--spread the word that if we were on metric, our beers would be a full half liter--a full five oz more than this 12 oz shit we're drinking. Not only that, but maybe you'd be able to find German beer more often as they wouldn't need to convert to our bottles (Also as an aside, I like it how they sterilize and reuse their glass bottles instead of crushing and reforming them. Can we get in on that?). And might I add? That freaking Thomas Jefferson tried to get us to use the metric system 200 years ago? Wake up, America!
2. Sales tax. I do not have a problem with sales tax, but why on earth is it not included in the price of things automatically? Why does it say a coffee will cost $1.99 when it will really cost $2.11? This is also a no-brainer, and unlike changing our entire measurement system, it would be really simple to implement. You just...change the prices to make them a bit higher, and maybe have a sign saying that they include the sales tax.
2a. If the tax is now built in to the cost and everyone knows what they're getting, surely the prices can be more regular numbers--say $3 even instead of $2.99 or $2.95? Sure it sounds a lot cheaper, and it even is a little bit less to pay, but all time that fiddling with change can add up, and the length of lines would likely be cut down noticeably. This can't be done for everything, I'm sure, but a lot of things being at the nearest dollar, quarter or dime would be pretty easy to do. The only downside of this, of course, is that I'd lose the 16 cent tip people leave when they buy a coffee for $1.84 and then leave, but I am willing to bear that cost! Sorta.
3. A deposit on shopping carts--maybe this exists in America, but I sure haven't seen it. But it's very simple--you pay a quarter or .50 for a cart, you get it back when you return the cart. Voila! Parking lots aren't full of shopping carts, making it impossible to park. If we have it here...can it be used more? Kthx. Also, I sorta like that you-pay-a-minimal-cost-for-a-grocery-bag thing, encouraging people to use their own bags and reducing waste! It's pretty nifty!
These are just my opinions, of course...but I think that these would not be that hard to carry out and the fact that we haven't is kinda sad. Why haven't they been done?
1. The metric system. Seriously, you guys. It's really a no-brainer. I'm 21 years old and I still don't know how many feet are in a mile--I think it's 5720, but I don't know! The point is customary measurements are fucking stupid. They're useless and I hate them and wish I could think more readily in metric. The fact that we're alone with Burma and Liberia in not using metric is a joke. So here's what we're going to do--spread the word that if we were on metric, our beers would be a full half liter--a full five oz more than this 12 oz shit we're drinking. Not only that, but maybe you'd be able to find German beer more often as they wouldn't need to convert to our bottles (Also as an aside, I like it how they sterilize and reuse their glass bottles instead of crushing and reforming them. Can we get in on that?). And might I add? That freaking Thomas Jefferson tried to get us to use the metric system 200 years ago? Wake up, America!
2. Sales tax. I do not have a problem with sales tax, but why on earth is it not included in the price of things automatically? Why does it say a coffee will cost $1.99 when it will really cost $2.11? This is also a no-brainer, and unlike changing our entire measurement system, it would be really simple to implement. You just...change the prices to make them a bit higher, and maybe have a sign saying that they include the sales tax.
2a. If the tax is now built in to the cost and everyone knows what they're getting, surely the prices can be more regular numbers--say $3 even instead of $2.99 or $2.95? Sure it sounds a lot cheaper, and it even is a little bit less to pay, but all time that fiddling with change can add up, and the length of lines would likely be cut down noticeably. This can't be done for everything, I'm sure, but a lot of things being at the nearest dollar, quarter or dime would be pretty easy to do. The only downside of this, of course, is that I'd lose the 16 cent tip people leave when they buy a coffee for $1.84 and then leave, but I am willing to bear that cost! Sorta.
3. A deposit on shopping carts--maybe this exists in America, but I sure haven't seen it. But it's very simple--you pay a quarter or .50 for a cart, you get it back when you return the cart. Voila! Parking lots aren't full of shopping carts, making it impossible to park. If we have it here...can it be used more? Kthx. Also, I sorta like that you-pay-a-minimal-cost-for-a-grocery-bag thing, encouraging people to use their own bags and reducing waste! It's pretty nifty!
These are just my opinions, of course...but I think that these would not be that hard to carry out and the fact that we haven't is kinda sad. Why haven't they been done?