Greetings from the land of the free...... (Long and possibly boring)

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Thought I'd point out how lucky we are to live in OZ, I'm in California for 5 weeks on training for work and it's an "interesting" place to say the least.
I'm in Sunnyvale which is in the middle of Silicone Valley and I've had quite an eye opener, it's been 14 years since I was last over here and then I was travelling about, mostly in the country so this was bound to be a different experience.
Firstly the poor buggers are in the middle of a really bad recession, We went looking for some bits and pieces today, plug adaptors for our phones etc and we went to a few malls, they all look like they are on their last legs, for those in Canberra imagine Belconnen Mall with half the shops shut down, Kmart and Myer being the survivors, at 09:00 on Sunday morning, Its really a bit sad. Cars are cheap and finance on them is also, anyone fancy a 0% lease on a new Honda?
Houses are pretty much the same prices as home though, and the Mortgage rates are a bit cheaper. The stuff the banks get up to is a bit scary, Imagine if your credit card went from 0% to 28% with no notice because the bank found out that you had a bad debit 5 years ago with another financial institution? (Minge, I've just found a way to build that BA you've always wanted )


TV is crap, 40 channels on the tele and the only thing worth watching on Friday night is a reality show about how Boyd Coddington builds rods. I wont mention the ads that reccommend a cure for feminine odour and itching, maybe they don't shower as much as us........

The news is something to be really scared of, CNN and Fox are everywhere, even McDonalds, and are so off centre in their reporting. It's no wonder the American populace is uninformed, the only focus is how the US is bringing democracy to the rest of the world, Today the headline was about some poor girl who has been a vegetable for 10 years and her husband wants to turn off her life support. The government has subpoenaed her to appear so that she has to be kept alive. Regardless of the feelings you may have on the subject you've just got to feel sorry for her and her family. More info here, http://www.usatoday.com/news/washing...congress_x.htm

The TV news had the secretary for defense revealing her blueprint for democracy for China, wonder if the Chinese know or care... This isnt the exact story but have a look and you'll be glad we have the pinko left wing ABC. Nice to have the facts interpreted for you.
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/p...20050314.shtml

So far I've only heard one loud V8, a 1990s Camaro with a very loud exhaust being driven like it was a WRX on Chapel St on Friday night, irresponsible, but it bought a smile to my face.
There are a few older cars around but a lot of them are sitting in driveways with covers on them, very few dating back before the early eighties though.

I'm a bit confused as to where the seppos do their shopping, today we drove a very long way before we found a supermarket. We wanted to try and avoid having McDonalds every night and went in search of groceries. Saw 4 GT350 Mustangs but do you think we could find a supermarket (not really, the closest we came was a 2000 GT ).
Maybe they are too busy eating out to buy groceries? I've never seen so many sizzler / pizza hut / Mo's family restaraunt clones.

I've seen a few nice trucks though, plenty of v10 Dodge rams and three F150 Lightnings so far.

Oh well, tomorrow we're off to look at San Francisco and then we've got to do some work, the worst part is there is no Easter break, they dont get Good Friday or Easter Monday holidays, there goes the road trip in the mighty Grand Prix (www.pontiac.com) to Vegas It handles like a locomotive in sand, has the turning circle of a small bus but it's a rentathrash (TM ) and I'm not paying so I've got no cause to complain.

Enjoy life in the best country in the world boys and girls, I'm off to poison someone with overproof Bundy now.
Regards,
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