Some more observations on England...

I've been in England since the day before the election and will be back to the good ol' U.S. of A. next Saturday night!

Here are some more observations about life in England:

1) Cars are much smaller because gas is much more expensive.

2) BBC TV is a weird mix of talk shows, reality TV, the occasional US show (just had Brothers and Sisters on), some old American movies (BBC5) that no one ever watches any more, and British sit coms and dramas. It is not really very compelling to me but I guess this really isn't news - I used to watch BBC TV 10 years ago when I was in Korea to keep up on the news but it wasn't so hot there either and I get BBC America on DTV in the states but hardly ever watch.

They DO seem to have a lot more in the way of news and investigatory journalism on TV (BBC1) than in the states however.

This hotel only has over the air broadcast not Sky Satellite TV so the channel choices are very limited. I suppose it is better for Britons with a dish.

I wonder if having bad TV programming is by design - i.e. to get people out and about and excercising more?

3) British commercials make no sense and often don't try to actually pitch the product at you. The British commercial for joining the British Army really makes no sales pitch at all other than to tell you where to go online to sign up. It's nothing at all like the elaborate campaigns used by the US DOD to get people to sign up.

4) They have a program over here to get everyone on a bicycle tax free as a way of reducing fuel dependence, Greenhouse gases, and improving everybody's health.

5) They take recycling very seriously over here.

6) England seems a VERY literate country. All the signage is actually thoughtfully written out and avoids all the crazy hieroglyphics we use in the states to warn people of dangers. My hotel door suggests for instance that you "should not run and shout in a fire alarm as this tends to promote panic."

The English seem to be in love with learning and reading unlike most Americans.

7) Time telling in England: They don't use "past" or "until" here apparently - It's not HALF PAST EIGHT or EIGHT THIRTY over here..it's HALF EIGHT.

8) Today is "Remembrance Day" - what we used to call Armistice Day and now call Veterans Day in the States.

Until Saturday...

Doug D.
Cambridge UK

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