Was looking at Twitter this morning and saw a retweet from FLEP, by Charles Payne.
Breaking China Economic News
Reatil Sales decline
Industrial Production decline
Exports decline
Clothing sales negative first time in 16 years.
China looks to more stimulus to spark economic challenge but dozen of similar schemes have failed to provide spark or stop slide— Charles V Payne (@cvpayne) May 15, 2019
We can probably all agree, FLEP has keen insight when it comes to good news, hidden news, especially indicators of shifts in economics. Thank you, FLEP. Glad you’re on our side. It’s a good guess we will be seeing that tweet later on today in the News RoundUp.
So, I started thinking about what happens when 1.4 BILLION Chinese start to tighten their spending habits. I thought about how the Chinese economy works, how their system is set up, as compared to how the USA operates. We’re very different.
Although Chinese civilization is thousands of years old and America is a but a babe, the industrialization of China only occurred in the last 25yrs. The great move to the coast by roughly 600 million Chinese, is a new thing. Children of family farms left the interior and moved to bigger cities to join the factory workforce. Most of these workers still go home for Spring Festival, when China all but shuts down their factories for three weeks…. cuz it takes that much time to travel home and back again.
America was developed differently. Sure, we started on the coastlines but moved inland on rivers, and over the Appalachians fairly quickly. Our agrarian economy developed all over the nation. Cities sprung up, and trade flowed from the interior to the coasts and back again. We raced to build transcontinental railroads….. and then Eisenhower built the great interstates…… which beget terrific cars out of Detroit….. and truckers to move goods from coast to coast in three days. We even made movies ABOUT truckers.
Be honest. Who among us has NOT slipped in behind a friendly semi…… to join a CONVOY!!!!!!! Only in the USA.
We’ve done business in China since 2003. About three years ago, I had a huge problem with a client order. The factory, located in interior China, was working too slowly and I was going to miss the deadline for shipment to the USA. I wanted to move the raw slabs to another factory at the coast, so they cut to order quickly, making the ship. To move 2 containers, 800 miles, was damn near impossible and cost me a little over $6000. What was really funny….. it was an unknown problem for them…. something they had not encountered before. Wow.
To an American, if we want to move goods from Dallas to Memphis, Boston to DC, Seattle to San Fran, we call a trucking line, or use an APP on our phones, to schedule a pickup. We load at a dock, and the goods arrive in less than 24 hours. Not in China. Again, thank Eisenhower for your interstates. Ease of distribution makes everything else possible.
Remember the scene from the movie, “Hunt for Red October”, where the “Second” wanted to live in Montana, marry a round American wife, raise rabbits, and TRAVEL from state to state…. no papers…. maybe even own an RV and live in Arizona in the winter? Or visit an American grocery store? Freedom to travel, choices of where we want to live, THAT’s America.
I live in Mississippi, now, but I miss the food from my home towns of New Orleans, Chicago, New York, and Miami. As an American, I can order King Crab legs from Alaska, key limes from Florida for the pie, and bagels from my favorite deli in NYC, to arrive by tomorrow. In fact, most of these same things are available at my local grocery store, less than a mile from my home. THAT’s America, choices, freedom. Thank you, President Eisenhower.
Have you ever been to a grocery store in a foreign country, maybe 30 miles outside of a major city? I have. It’s NOTHING like the grocery stores in the USA. Choices are non-existent. Good heavens, we have 37 different kinds of toothpaste available. I can buy Turkish towels, grapes from Chile, or a blender from China…… in less than 20 minutes.
An old employee called me for 1/4″ rebar/20′ sections (he was being artsy-making a lawn ornament), which is almost non-existent. I searched on-line, while we were talking, found some in Seattle, and had it on his doorstep in less than 36 hours. God Bless America…… and Eisenhower.
Years ago, during the fall of the Soviet Empire, we were all in the kitchen one day, speculating on the primary cause. Some thought it was because of Desert Storm, and that the Soviets learned our weapons really did work. Others thought it was because of Reagan’s military build up = We outspent the Soviets. Husband spoke up and said, “No, it’s about food.” We were all curious about his odd answer and asked him to explain further. He said, “They can’t ship a potato across 13 time zones…. they have no roads…. how are they going to go to war and defend both coasts plus the Caspian Sea?”
But it all came to a head last night, when the realization finally hit me.
We got a call for the B&B from a potential guest at about 9:00pm, nice couple, looking for a room for the night. We were trying to figure out how close they were to us to give them directions. They were on the interstate….. Eisenhower’s interstate, which runs from Chicago to New Orleans. The wife said, “We just past a Circle K” Husband replied, “Well, there’s probably a Circle K at every exit ramp, can you give me another hint?”
Sure, there probably is a Circle K at every exit ramp. Once the interstate went in, the 7-11 or Circle K pops up. Then, we get the gas stations, a hotel, a grocery store, dry cleaner, small businesses, bigger factories, a residential community, etc. It’s how we developed our economy…… and it all started with the interstates. China doesn’t have them and neither does Russia…… not like we do in the USA.
Take a look at Europe. One would think Europe would have roads and distribution on par with the USA. Italy has great “stradas”/interstates and Germany has the famous “Autobahn”. Yet, have you ever tried to take the coastal roads in Italy? It’s scenic, sure, but it takes forever and it’s nothing like AIA in Miami to Palm Beach or US1 in California. Small town France is terrific for public transport back to Paris, but try moving a truckload of goods from Normandy to Nice.
Central and South America are far worse. Have you ever driven in Mexico? Or Columbia, Chile…… even Brazil from the coast up to Minas Gerais? Wear comfortable clothes if you do, cuz you’ll have to change your shorts when you arrive. Yes, we are spoiled in the USA. Our roads and interstates are a luxury.
Heck, as the story goes, the REASON Eisenhower was inspired to build our interstates was because of his experience moving trucks, equipment, men and supplies around Europe during WW2.
It makes me wonder, what do you suppose it’s worth, our distribution system as a whole, to our GDP? What kind of an advantage does it give us above other countries? The train woke me up this morning at 5:00am. Instead of complaining, I was happy. It’s the sound of America on the move. Goods being shipped. AND it wasn’t long ago our tracks were in serious jeopardy of being pulled up. Now, we have 5-6 trains a day. Gotta love it.
We take it for granted. We’re all familiar with the ease of travel in the USA. Because we have a B&B, we take frequent last minute trips if we are not booked for a few days. All of our vacations have to be spontaneous. I have a packing list, taped to the inside door of the closet, so I don’t forget something. Makes it easy to put together a quick go-bag. I’m thinking no one in China or Russia does the same thing. Travel can be spontaneous for us.
One of our QTreepers is in Florida right now. She posted that she was sipping wine and feeding crackers to the turtles. I miss those little turtles and mentioned it to husband. He gave me an impish grin, checked the spot on his wrist where he once wore a watch, and said, “Ya’ know, we can be there in 7 hours.”
Yeah, in America, we could. Thank you, President Eisenhower.
It might be time for a Cannonball Run….. to the beach.
We’ll see you, somewhere on the road……. in America! We are eastbound and down…. very soon!
Hit the road this summer….. America is a beautiful place.
As I was reading this great post another thought came to mind, Daughn…..
When a hurricane strike (or some other disaster), great Americans like the Cajun Navy respond within hours because not only do they possess the needed shallow-draft boats, but they can get to the affected area very, very quickly.
GOOD point, FGAC!
Our Cajun Navy….. awesome.
FEMA, Red Cross, power companies, even insurance companies…stage resources, equipment and supplies just outside of area expected to be heavily damaged / devastated by hurricanes. Then roll in relatively quickly.
I’ll NEVER forget Hurricane Katrina.
Our boys were SITTING on the border, an ARMY behind us, and that dumbass Kathleen Blanco would NOT declare an emergency for three days!
Exactly, recalcitrant governor failed to follow established protocols in order to stymie the federal response to the relief effort. It was the first disaster ever to be called so far ahead of time allowing for all that aid to be set up and ready to go. In short the relief effort was sabotaged. The amount of red tape at the time to get the federal government to roll in the aid already moved into staging areas was so minuscule you could of cut it with one pair of scissors. Just report your National Guard strength and commit to a very modest cost share with the Federal Gov. Gen Honore was waiting on just that so he could release the aid. This was a level of political treason never seen before and the media played along acting dumb just to discredit President Bush.
Personally thinks the General should of grew a pair and cut the tape himself. Bush would of backed him up and the state could latter haggle over the cost share. Its not like that part isn’t going to happen anyway. He was the one closest to the problem and should of seen the game being played. After him Brown should of recognized what was afoot, but was likely flabbergasted that simple protocols were not being followed.
Safest place in America = Truckstop.
Best place to drop a dirty rotten pedophile, with a sign on their back that says “Dirty Rotten Pedophile” = A Truckstop.
“….Truckstop….” Ain’t that the truth!!!
….
We set up at a fleamarket on weekends when we do not have gigs. We end up talking to Truckers from all over the country every time we do. LOVE the truckers (and Eisenhower too!)
…
I have driven in Paris France 😱, All over Germany, Italy, England, Australia, Switzerland… Canada, Mexico😲
I have traveled from Germany to the UK by car. Flew to Atlanta GA and then by jeep to California for a Caving Convention. I then hitched a ride with different cavers back to New York to see the parents before flying back to Germany. How many ordinary Chinese can do a trip like that in a month? (Caving all the way of course. I have seen the inside of more countries, literally …)
Until I had horses at home, I thought nothing of jumping in the truck on Friday and driving several hundred miles to go caving over the weekend, only to return dragging @$$ on Monday morning. Heck we had it down to a routine. Pack the truck on Thursday night, meet in the parking lot of the guy who had to work the latest and off we went. I even had my truck set up with a cap and a false floor we stored the gear under so people could sleep in back during the trip. Trips were ususaly 6 to eight cavers so distance was only limited by how far we could drive in a night.
I love truckstops. Got to experience a number of them on our last big roadtrip between IN and the ocean west of Portland OR. We did partial campground and partial hotel both ways. Our van was equipped with sleeping arrangements and even a porta-potty so we were free to choose.
I desperately wanted to overnight at truckstops after a potty and food stop at, I think a Flying J. There was a potty line, and a shower hostess offered me to use the potty in one of their shower areas. I was impressed at the cleanliness compared to the campground near Salt Lake City.
Wish we could do a winging it trip again. DH is 6’5 with shoulders proportionate so he isn’t quite as comfy in the van as I am. I love it.
When I was young, I was so metro and stupid. I didn’t understand and thought truck stops were “icky”.
When I moved back here, a whole new world opened up.
I was finishing a degree at Ole Miss, headed home and ran out of gas, a mile from my exit.
A semi truck driver picked me up…… walking in 98 degree heat. He said, “I wouldn’t want my wife out here walking.”
Boyfriend, husband to be, picked me up at the truck stop and YELLED at me for getting in a truck. He said, “You could have been in Minnesota before we found out where you were.”
I said, “Pffffttttt. He was only about 5’4″ – I could have taken him.”
He was a PERFECT gentlemen and stayed with me until husband-to-be arrived. I bought him lunch.
I trust motorcycle jocks and truck drivers before some man in an electric car. Hee,hee.
East bound and down … well, no actually. We’re going to be Southwest and down tomorrow going to my wife’s home town (New Orleans!) for some food!! Oh, did I mention there’s a family wedding involved? 🙂
I may even pass by Bonnabel High school and wave! Just sayin’ .. 😉
OMGosh – I’m so jealous!
Daughn – knew you’re interested in these…the reception is going to be at the old Federal Reserve Bank, now called the Federal Ballroom on Carondelet Street
http://www.federalballroom.com/home.html
gotta come home on Sunday, so no Commander’s for me 🙁 … so no late lunch with their .25 martinis !!
I miss it so much.
Oh my goodness. I loved camping at the state park on the north side of Lake P. And the food in NOLA and even that north of Lake P is great.
Love your playlist Plain Jane.
Maybe Buddy Guy would call you Feels Like Rain Jane 😉
LOL. Could be, maybe.
Another great analogy dw24/7 👍
Without the roads we have, a lot of things stop to happen in our economy.
Went to the Keys last week for few days just to get away. It was great!
Oh gosh, we did a road rally from Ft Laud to the Keys one time. What a great weekend.
I could go to the grocery store and have fun on the journey, but to get out, stretch, blow the dust out of the carburetor is a good thing.
Just four days for a very leisurely trip from near the tip of Lake MI to the Keys about 5 years ago. Amazing. Didn’t camp though.
Got a phone call on the way home during a stop in Hancevill, Alabama at the shrine Mother Angelica built. https://www.olamshrine.com
DH’s uncle died. We made it home back to IN that night. Yes, thank Ike.
You can DRIVE Plain Jane!
🙂 Yep.
Yes, the road Flagler put in. Decades ago, my family stayed in a house that was a line shack for the workers who put the original railway in down to Key West. We were about 2/3s of the way down the line of Keys.
Nothing like that 7 mile bridge. We knew we were getting close. Open the windows and smell the sea!!
The first time we drove over it was in dark. Thankfully.
I hat bridges like the Tampa Bay bridge, but that 7 mile bridge only just fascinated me. I think I was silent the whole way across, just lapping up the beauty of the water, and the smell of the air.
There’s another one, across Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans. Low to the water, and 26 miles long. Feels like you’re floating on the water.
Wonderful.
I love that drive. We stayed on the north of the lake, and drove back and forth maybe 3 times to experience NOLA by day.
BTW, the WWII museum in NOLA is a really great place to spend a lot of time. Really fascinating to DH especially. His dad was a medic at the end of the war. France and Germany.
His parents wrote to each other EVERY day dad was in the service.
We have all the letters. DH’s dad would include the letters his mom wrote to DH’s dad, so she could keep all their correspondence.
What a treasure. The letters were so important to our soldiers.
We have father-in-law proposal to mother-in-law, Christmas Eve, Battle of the Bulge. I had it framed. Priceless.
Love that WW2 museum. Gunner won an award there for an essay one year. Another excuse for us to go to NOLA. With my parents in NOLA and my grandparents up here, I could make that drive — almost blindfolded.
It’s a straight shot.
Wish I could go again.
Our SIL, daughter and the kids went with their delux pop-up. She loves to find dives and great local food joints. They covered all contiguous 48 with the kids by the time they went off to college.
Anyway, she always had someplace we just had to go to eat. Her sources were right. Great food.
We didn’t find any gator to eat though. We had some great gator decades ago in the Everglades, and I still want some.
Which in Tampa? The Frankenstein? I don’t like any of the ones in Tampa, but then I’m used to truss bridges over wide rivers.
The one that collapsed. Don’t remember what it was called. Back in ‘82, I was pregnant with our youngest, had flown into Tampa with DH, and oldest kids. I was freaking and was convinced that a boat would hit a support piller and dump us in. DH and kids laughed at me.
Fortunately my tension was broken by a passing motorcyclist. He was literally laying over his cycle, feet straight out behind him as he passed us. It made us all laugh at his apparent craziness.
Anyway some years later, a boat or something did hit a piller of that bridge, and put cars in the salty drink.
A few years later DH was in FL for something from work, and he phoned me in the middle of the day. “Guess where I am?”
Dunno I said. His host was driving and they were at the summit of that bridge. The panic attack hit me once again. I almost slammed the phone on him.
You are in MO area perhaps? Lots of those bridges there. I drove them many times when I visited daughter dearest. Now since DH retired, we go together so he drives.
I’m less than 20 miles from the Mississippi-Missouri confluence. We’re actually having bridge woes here in STL right now. The annual or bi-annual, I’m not sure if they do it every year or every other year, eyeball inspection on the Jefferson Barracks Bridge which is the outbelt bridge over the MS to the south found a crack that had to be fixed immediately, so it is closed with diversion to the bridge that’s being repaired downtown. The people that live in IL and work in MO to the south are having to find new and creative ways to get to work.
I imagine it is a huge problem to find ways around those bridges. When I travel to visit the kids in the area, it appears to me that if most any bridge was out, one might have to travel many, many miles to get to the destination.
Yep. Especially from the Illinois side.
Sunshine Skyway bridge is my favorite Tampa Bay bridge, I grew up snook fishing every bridge in Florida but of all Skyway was best snook fishing bridge in Florida
First trip across that bridge with Mrs. t.i.m. was in a Mustang convertible from Miami to Key West.
What a trip it was 🙂
Oh yes, you HAVE to have a convertible.
First trip husband and I took, he was in California to meet with their Atty Gen on the big whistle blower case and invited me out. It was our second date.
I arrived and got to the car and it was a cheap thing. No. In California? I traded for a convertible. We left Sacramento and drove down US1 to LA to meet others. We’ve been together ever since. Nothing like the wind in your hair.
First (and only) wife got home from that trip and went out and got a convertible. Was one her dreams when she was a kid to have a Mustang convertible.
Alas old age caught up with us and we traded it for something more comfy. No,not a Buick.
She really loved that car 🙂
You have my empathy. I cried when I had to get rid of the Alfa for a minivan.
Sad face.
Don’t forget our airways! The ease of traveling by air has also had an effect on how we travel and things are shipped. We use to operate a boarding facility (30 + years with a 5 year hiatus in the span, so over a 35 year span). The first five or six years, it was not unusual for people to take extended vacations, 10 days to 3 weeks.
They would go visit family, the longer trips were usually by auto, and farther away.
When we came back after our hiatus, things had already started to change. People weren’t taking the long vacations as often. And for a while, people cut back, period. Then people started going again, but shorter trips. And NOT visiting family as much, but still on the go and traveling more by air. I looked at the travel patterns, and people were still taking about the same amount of travel time, but in short bits. People would tell me they couldn’t afford the long trips any more, and they would tell me about their trips, usually basic info for emergency contact if necessary. But in my opinion, they still were spending the same amount, but not realizing it because of poor money management skills, particularly those who would tell me they couldn’t afford the long trips any more, but still went and did a lot of spendy weekend activities.
One of my clients, who I still sit for occasionally, in the last 2 years has been able to take extended vacations, even with teenagers. So that tells me they are in a better position financially. (Being in PNW, I’m not sure they realize why though!)
Amen.
Between the roadways, air, rail, and ships, we have it made. We are lucky.
First LONG vacation I took as an adult was to Italy. Changed my life.
…me too!! We were married in Firenze (San Miniato al Monte)
Hey, last time I was there I was shopping for real estate.
Great article. Reflection on the simplicity and efficiency of the Interstate System. Yep, originally, IIRC, Interstates a military readiness focus. Rapidly move military equipment East – West – North – South to sea / air ports quickly. Very major factor in Military readiness.
Reaped huge dividends in business sectors. Have read, business aspects of Interstate efficiencies were not fully appreciate in early stages of Interstate design and build out. Wow.
Another benefit as Daughn highlights…pleasure…”get away” for a few day(s)…Americans hit the road on a whim. 100% American tradition. So, nope. Not giving up my truck or Jeep for any tree hugging BS line out of Socialist D-Rats selling a Green New Deal! This is America!!!
Simplicity and availability of Interstates a major aspect of why I simply will NOT fly in the US. Retired and the Interstates allow me to get, where I want to be in a reasonable amount of time. No driving to airports, waiting in airports, delayed or cancelled flights, rude airline folks, inconsiderate travelers, rent a car… Drive when I want, for as long as I want…
Much like Daughn points out in Europe, and China, road systems across Asia crappy. Japan’s roads generally in great condition. Problem is near total gridlock in cities. Philippine roads charitably crappy. Both countries require a fair amount of time to simply get to an expressway. Ditto South Korea. Limited exposure in Taiwan and Thailand the same.
Amplifying the Interstates – linkage to other transportation modes – rail and air. Including inland inter-modal ports. Simply brilliant!!!
So very, very blessed to live in America!
I didn’t realize when I posted the link, but the Cannonball run link…. at the end…… it’s dubbed into GERMAN.
No kidding.
German.
No other country has it as good as we do, here.
One of my all-time favorite movies! So un-PC it would never be made today.
I actually found Italy to have decent transportation, and their superhighways the last time I was there were pristine.
Not that I drove. In Tuscany, we took buses which were relatively new and very clean.
My problem with the Interstates is that they go THROUGH the cities and downtown areas, thus breaking up the continuity. It’s really rather annoying, especially when getting directions since half the travel time is getting to the highway when it’s faster to take the streets even with the stoplights. Around here, I avoid certain highways at all costs because the drivers think they are driving on NASCAR tracks. (And then this week, one of the major bridges over the Mississippi was inspected and found to have a crack that required it to be closed, thus diverting traffic to the one that’s been under repair construction for a couple years. It’s A MESS.)
Frankly, once I discovered airplanes, driving more than six hours anywhere was just out unless we’re moving cars. Interstate system aside, it’s just more efficient, and with Southwest, relatively cost effective. To each their own on that one.
And really, the cheapest freight mode is rail. No it is not the most convenient, but if you notice, a lot of trucking containers are shipped long distance that way. Cars are as well. Coal is shipped on the UP tracks daily. And then there’s the barges. They get backed up in flood years.
In the end, we need it all.
I do LOVE to drive. First trip to Italy, I got off the plane at Fiumicino and rented a 12 cylinder Alfa Romeo Convertible. The drivers are crazy. I literally CLOSED my eyes three times because I knew I was going to get hit.
All was well, made it home unscathed.
An added BONUS to not flying would be……
No CNN!
Ahh… CNN
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0j2DRIlg5vhqRC5JGSrhPaqbg#Granville,_NSW
hehe!
Let’s hope the pilots don’t watch CNN
For me, flying has gone from being a mildly glamorous means of transportation to drudgery. Cramped. Kind of dirty. I feel like I’m in one of those 50s era movies where they show the rich American crammed into a third world bus with the chickens and the goats as they balance on their poorly sprung seat bouncing over potholes and trying to hang onto their hat.
But a road trip over the wide open spaces in my comfortable car, Jimmy Buffet (my favorite road trip music) on the radio, cruise control… I like to see the USA…in my Chevrolet…(except I don’t have a Chevrolet, but that’s beside the point).
The interstates are fabulous for getting from point A to point B, but I sure like being able to get out and go on the secondaries to really see the countryside. You can still find quirky, unique, local things amidst the suburban sprawl of fast food chains and Jiffy Lubes.
When you take the car, you can take everything you need!
And when you take your TRUCK you can haul your ‘home’ with you.
I have probably stayed at a motel/hotel/B&B maybe a dozen times in my life. The rest of the time it has been sleep in the truck, car, tent or under the stars. I am too much of a cheapskate to pay for a room.
We cavers could afford our weekend trips 2 to 4 times a month because we usually stayed at ‘caving huts’ or in my truck or just camped out, usually without tents. The funniest time was in Alabama when the skies opened up and we decided to sleep under a picknic shetler in a small town park.
The local cop came around to shoo us ‘vagrants’ away. So first he asked our names and occupations.
Hubby – 2nd Lt US Army SIR!,
Me – lab manager
Tom- Police Officer,
Joel -( the Big Black Bear**) snarls LAWYER with an evil grin.
The poor cop gulped and wished us a nice evening.🤣
**Think AG Barr in his prime, puckish sense of humor, built like a linebacker with a thick crop of black hair, hairy arms and a spectacular mustache.
Thank our State Troopers and local law enforcement, who look out for us on our streets and highways.
They are there for us when we break down.
They keep us from reckless driving and endangering others.
Without them, we might have bandits preying upon us on the roads like in the Middle East, Asia, South America and Africa.
Law Enforcement officers’ jobs are dangerous and many have paid the ultimate sacrifice.
TODAY, May 15 is National Law Enforcement or Peace Officers Memorial Day!
Remember these brave men and women in prayer and thank them when you see them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_Officers_Memorial_Day
President speaking at the Peace Officers Memorial right now.
God Bless. Love my police dept’s.
OOOOooooo, William Barr is there too
Did I see some jackasses in uniform turning their backs on President Trump?
Huh? I didn’t see it. Not sure.
Maybe it was the angle of the camera with officers sitting at right angles in the other section of chairs. Or a group acting as marshals. It was so fast, I’m not sure.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/
wonderful memories often start with 2 words…
ROAD TRIP!!!!!!
thanks for the great reminder of something else that makes America GREAT!
Let’s GOOOOO
Vacation! was another good movie from back in the day!
It’s a hundred and six miles to Chicago, we have a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark, and we’re wearing sunglasses. 🙂
OMGosh, how could we ever forget the Blues Brothers!
The interstates were built for military readiness as mentioned above. What is less well known is that there was a requirement that every so often (50 miles + or -) there has to be 5 miles of straight road for use as a runway.
And the origins of it pre-date the Depression, actually. Eisenhower just happened to be president when the plans were finally ready and they could get the legislation passed.
I used to travel (drive, mostly) all over Europe on business. One thing that struck me really odd were the freeways in Belgium, which would be lit up for a couple of miles, then dark for a couple of miles (at night, of course). As it turns out, that lighting is also in support of defense, with the alternating light/dark as some sort of guide, in case there needs to be an emergency landing (in less that 2 miles 🙂 ). We do have many Autobahnen here in Germany, but some (like the A5, A6, and A8 down south) get incredible traffic jams (Staus) during school and other holidays. When they’re not clogged, they’re incredible.
But the Greens are trying to kill that all off. The folks here are starting to fight back, so maybe it’ll get better. My rolling breadbox (Touran minivan) tends to stay in the right lane (right-wing conservative car, too 🙂 ).
One thing about the spread of civilization; indeed the interstates fostered (or Foster’s-Freezed) the spread of civilization across America, but a century before, the roads of steel began it all, with the transcontinental railroad, which just celebrated the 150th Anniversary of the Golden Spike (with BigBoy 4014 in Live Steam attendance!). Of course railroads can’t reach everywhere, but for long hauls, they can’t be beat, with LCLs (less-than-carload lots), piggyback and intermodal transports, and tankers everywhere (not just oil).
Having said that, Eisenhower’s persistence and vision were fundamental in the building out of America’s infrastructure (not just roads). I think his military background, which of course included logistics, helped immensely. Many people look(ed) at him as sort of a caretaker president, after FDR and the bombast of Truman, but I think Eisenhower will be looked upon much more kindly by history than many have viewed him in the last 40-50 years.
Whenever we come back to visit, we’re amazed at the grocery (and other) stores. We do have some huge stores, e.g. Metro, which is like Costco, and KaDeWe up in Berlin, which I’m told is like the Great Mall of America (or whatever it’s called). I’ve not seen it, but my wife and son say it’s YUGE (yep, I had to work, sniff).
I think Kalifornistan, in terms of produce, has even more bountiful displays in the stores than most other states. I remember barrels and barrels of hot peppers and other fresh veggies, HUNDREDS of them. And they had to be refilled on a daily basis, if not more frequently. Then again, the lines…. ohhhh, the lines. There was a FedCo in LA (like Costco, but bigger) that had 40 (!) registers (sounds like a computer) and each register had a line of 15-20 people waiting… That was 40 years ago; don’t know if they’re still in business. But still; LA, where everything is bigger and more spread out… (oops, almost sounds like me 🙂 )…
I think if more Americans realized just how fortunate they are, they might be willing to fight a bit for it. Having parents who lived through WWII and the depression, I guess I inherited their appreciation of how great things are (and I just have to look around over here to confirm that). Then again, it’s probably their fault that I’m kind of a packrat 🙂
P.S. Highway 1 going up the coast of California from LA to SF is a beautiful drive, with *cough* plenty of time to appreciate the beauty of the coastline when following one or more motorhomes 🙂 Also a good road for DXing AM radio stations from Hawaii, at night…
Great post, Cuppa, as always.
Wow, Berlin has a Costco?
Actually not a Costco, but KaDeWe, a huge (and I mean YUGE, I tell ya, YUGE) store/complex/mini-city. It stands for Kaufhaus des Westens; Wiki has an atricle about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaufhaus_des_Westens . Apparently only Harrod’s is bigger (in Europe). Sadly, both are non-European-owned…
The Costco-like store I meant is called Metro, and caters to small- (and medium- and big-) business owners (restaurants, hotels, offices, etc.). So they have a lot of the same things that Costco does, also at great prices. Of course, if you don’t have your own biz, then it’s no can do, unless you have a friend who can get a you a guest card (sort of like Fedco was). Because of the VAT (Value [supposedly]-added tax laws, commercial folks get a large tax reduction, sometimes as much as 7% or 19% depending on the VAT category. This is (at least in part) why the membership is restricted. My brother-in-law has a membership, and sometimes I’ll go there with him and buy lots of stuff in sizes I have no business buying 🙂 Nothing like three kilometers of food-grade plastic wrap to get you going 🙂
Metro is probably in most large cities (Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, etc.). There are other warehouse stores for those of us who are mere mortals, but they’re not at cheap, and not as big (sniff). Nothing like buying 22 pounds of flilet at one go (though there were larger packages there). If only they had RoudTable Pizza Dough blanks (then again, they don’t freeze their dough).
And the commercial baking equipment….sigh…
“three kilometers of food-grade plastic wrap”
I do wish we lived closer Cuppa.
We would have a heck of a time shopping at a Sam’s, Costco, Metro.
I have to keep a strict list…. cuz I want everything.
Didn’t know that. Makes great sense. However I doubt Chicago area drivers would pull over to the right hand lane to open up space in the passing lanes for even an airplane. They all drive leisurely in the passing lane when they drive into IN.
To Police everywhere – with sincere gratitude.
(With a special recognition to Peace Officers that may be perched on the branches surrounding our tree.)
Police Appreciation & Gratitude
Polish your badge and see the shine,
Put on your blues one more time,
Check your weapon double, through and through.
“See you soon” to those you love,
A quick prayer to God above,
To serve and protect . . . there’s so much to do.
You are there for when they call,
You are there throughout it all,
Every single time they need you, you appear.
They spit on you and curse you,
And scream aloud to kill you,
But do your job you will, your duty’s clear.
And they say it to your face,
You’re a pig and a disgrace;
You stay the course, though the streets be mean.
Millions support what you have done,
My deepest thanks, though I’m just one,
You’re braver and better men than most have been.
Actually, all the coast to coast race movies started with this one. Not much of a script, but to show off the cars, they really didn’t need one.
THAT’s the one I was thinking of. Thanks, Dep.
YW. Sorry the Corvette got totaled in it, but that Cobra’s purr. Mmmm……
This article gave me chill bumps.
#americadammit
Welcome Catherine!!!!!!
To participate in the Bi-Centennial celebration at Yorktown Virginia my DH and I borrowed by brothers old old old pop-up camper … big heavy thing and towed it down with our 1978 Pontiac Firebird … dark red, a real beauty. I know driving down the interstate’s the cars behind only saw the camper .. not the car 🚗 .. lol
What wasn’t funny is the vapor lock the bird 🦅 was doing … and Georgia was a nightmare back then as the road was up and down a lot but it’s been leveled off .. thank goodness …
We’d drive to Florida on vacation with two boys, to Yellowstone .. one 6YO the other 2 YO .. packing smart packing was imperative .. and road trips along the east coast .. and a 12 hour drive to the upper peninsula of Michigan with #1 son when he almost 2 YO ….
… sumo .. 😉👍❤️🇺🇸❤️‼️
😃👍❤️‼️‼️ Daughn 😉
The best of days!
It was a blast …. 😉👍❤️‼️
Then —– there’s the whole genre of DRIVING MUSIC.
This one was Gunner’s favorite, before we took him to school in the morning. My little 1st grader. I can see him rockin’ in the back seat.
I will be making the trek with my wife and our pig (Muh Shu) up I-95 from Jacksonville to NYC on Sunday, June 9th. I am flying back with our daughter and our dog (Coco) on Monday, June 3rd. That way Muh has all the back to herself.
It’s a great drive Flep!
And for our Canadian friends…
When you think of early trains you think of Buster Keaton and The General.:
But here is a film Buster made for Canada… Talk about a TRIP!
To bad they do not make actors like Buster Keaton and Harpo Marx any more.
And TIm Conway (RIP). Just passed away yesterday… Here he’s trying not to break character as Carol gives some comedic payback 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7KpqXLxFck
Watch Tim at around 6:50 (if you’re impatient 🙂 )… Boy, oh boy, is he fighting it…
He is hilarious. Never gets old.
America is a beautiful place, too bad so many business people shit on it all in the name of profit margin, remind you of anyone???
The Rockefellers….
I’m thinking, the goal of every good Presbyterian was to make so much money we could fund a building at our alma mater.
Carnegies, Vanderbilts. Astors, ……. look at Sloan Kettering, Princeton, Harvard…… it’s endless.
Bravo!!!!
Again rereading this I fully agree. The highway system is amazing.
And adding to the fact how many Europeans don’t understand how big the USA is. I had a family member think they could drive to Las vegas and back to where we live in one day. FYI you can’t….I mean you could try but no way in heck….
Great post as always, Daughn, but I do beg to differ on foreign supermarkets. 🙂
‘Have you ever been to a grocery store in a foreign country, maybe 30 miles outside of a major city? I have. It’s NOTHING like the grocery stores in the USA. Choices are non-existent.’ Not in France.
Twenty years ago, I was at a weekend business conference in a small village ‘maybe 30 miles outside’ of Paris. One of my then-colleagues and I spent an hour of our free time at the local supermarket, which was within walking distance. I bought a lot of coffee and some French shrink-wrapped delicacies to bring back to the UK.
Loads of merchandise, loads of choice — in 1999. Loyalty cards, too. The woman at the till asked us if we had one. When we said no, she asked us if we wanted one.
Happy days. 🙂
Churchmouse……. Paris doesn’t count. I could eat the scraps off plates in Paris and dine better than anywhere else in the world.
I’m swooning……… just thinking about it.
Italy is the same way. Has anyone ever had a BAD meal in Italy? Anywhere in Italy?
Although—
Never been to Spain…..
I don’t mean to argue, but this was 30 miles outside of Paris — using your criterium. If someone had helicoptered you in, you wouldn’t know you were even near a capital city.
YES, I have had two BAD meals in Italy. They were TOTAL CRAP: pizza (Rome, 1978) and pasta (San Remo, 2003).
Re Spain, I have two incidents to relate about theft. I got one of my classmate’s stolen money returned at a family-run place in the 1970s because I barked at the owner. Amazingly, the housekeeper suddenly found it underneath the mattress where it had been originally. The second time, 2005, I knew someone who was robbed in Las Ramblas in Barcelona. She was from Scandinavia and was shocked. Unfortunately, hers was a robbery and run.
I’m giggling, Churchmouse. Anything involving Paris and food…. well, it just isn’t fair to compare.
Yes, but it clearly wasn’t Paris — AT ALL. 🙂
Similarly, for the UK, a lot of the hypermarkets are outside of town centres to reach the surrounding towns and villages. So, if I say ’30 miles outside of London’, please don’t think ‘London’.
Incidentally, most Europeans living in London consider our fair capital to to have the best range of food in the world. An international group of us got together for dinner one night around 17 years ago. The Spaniard said so, as did the Frenchmen present. The Spaniard said she enjoyed working in London for that very reason. She does not work in a cooking-oriented profession, by the way.