It's a breath of fresh air to see a positive video about my country. Even though I'm proud to be American, I love and respect my European ancestry and heritage.
@@SotPSotPSotP No, it makes perfect sense...would you say, "I'm of German-Irish-Swedish-Polish-French heritage." or would you rather say, "I'm of European ancestry." ?
The distance thing made me laugh so hard. We stayed at an Air B&B when we stayed in Ireland. It was by Wicklow Lake, and had such a lovely view. We decided on one of the days, we would venture to Waterford to see the town and see the crystal process. Our host family - "So are you planning on staying down there for the night" Us - "oh no. We will drive down, and be home sometime this evening" HF - "seriously?! That is a 2 hour drive" US - "ehh. Not as long as we thought"
@@midnightrambler8866 This discussion triggers a memory from my long-gone youth. In the summer of 1972, my parents/younger siblings/self went out to visit my father's parents, who traveled from their home in NYC to Maine each summer. We flew out from San Francisco to Boston and rented a car (one of those big station wagons every family drove back then), dumped our luggage into a hotel room and went off to dinner across the river in Cambridge. Coming back, we somehow got turned around and headed the opposite direction (west instead of east), which we only realized after we drove past Lexington Green. Once my parents figured out that they'd gotten lost, and got going in the right direction, my father announced as he drove: "I'm hungry again. I want cheesecake.". My mother, who had known him for fifteen years and knew what was coming, slowly said "okaaaaayyyy"... My father took a hard right, and drove directly to the interstate. 2.5 hours later, at about 1 AM, we pulled up in front of the Turnpike Delicatessen in Kew Gardens, Queens, New York NY. We got out (my parents awake, we three kids zombies), and my dad had his cheesecake and his coffee in his old neighborhood deli. We then got back in the car, and drove the 212 miles back to Boston to crash. This story addresses two of Diane's points, plus a third she sort of edged around: 1) We are not hesitant to go long distances todo things we want to do. 2) We can get more or less whatever we want at any hour. 3) We want what we want when we want it. Not only do we *not* feel we must deprive ourselves of our wants, but we're confident it's actually possible to get them.
Well I'm glad that you guys envy us here in the United States, but I will admit I envy a lot of things about Europe and Europeans. I really do like these kind of videos because it shows me that there are people over in Europe that don't have negative opinions about the United States all the time.
I think that United States is still highly thought of. Why less would millions of people be standing at our boarder. United States is not perfect but nowhere is.
@@allenhill1223 LOL alot of europeans fly there for vacations, and shoppin, but moving there and settle down , you must have some kind of mental illness and the millions of ppl at your borders is not really a stamp of approvement , since most of them are refugees ........
Oh I envy Finland they get 30 days of vacation. The work week in the United States makes no sense it’s spread out for 5 days. We have money to fix problems but choose to monopolize on senseless problems. America isn’t so great.
@Paul Langland - - you seems to think that a critique of US is also critique of people. Not. Not at all, and nobody would ever assume it. It's the critique of the whole system in US, where people are treated simply like a comodity. Nothing more. Le tet me give you some perspective as somebody who worked in US (LA, NY, Alaska, Hawaii), and almost every country in EU, and also Japan, Hong Kong and Australia. And the long answer: The level of education has been declining for the past 15+ years in US, with a very poor health service for all (after all, you are just one serious car accident away from a total bankrupcy for the average family and the data is out there to double check), no proper employee protection and job security with a proper number of holidays (28 in my case + 1 extra day for every year of working, and I can move 5 unused days from the previous year; all of that excluding sick days and public holidays) or something like 40+ weeks of paid maternity leave & almost unlimited sick days, all of that is paid, no questions ask. Just a normal living. Good luck with it in US. And that is not even going into any medical insurance. Or even something crazy like military service that you have to go to in a lot of cases - just to pay for your education (when in my case it is pretty much free, and still much more is spend in US on a military contractors and corpos, and after all that nobody gives a crap about mental health of vets), almost at the top level with the number of incarcerated citizens per capita and private prisons (more than Russia or South Africa)... And... a gun crime (the Sandy Hook should have been an eye opener for all, but then Uvalde happened; and you also have almost 300+ mass shooting per year?!). So yeah, I have every right to compare that to a "normal places" around the planet, pretty much whole EU, northen countries in Europe, and a lot of other countries (especially considering education and pretty much "free" medical - yeah, I know I pay for tha with taxes, but it is like 2% of my monthly paycheck, but.... every medical check up after it, cancer checkup or a treatment!, or even something simple as diabetes = yeah all of that is "free" for me). No worries at all, and any medical bills cannot banckrupt me in anyway. None. None of them. I simply don't have to worry about it at all as I usually pay just for parking my car in front of a hospital... Edit: yeah, I forgot about working hours. I work from 8:00-16:00, or 9:00-17:00 or in some cases 10:00-18:00. All by the book. Any overtime has to be discussed way before. Usually is 1-2 weeks (and I don't mind it in this case at all). And usually I work 40h per week, no questions ask with a good salary, and everybody (including my boss) is OK with that. All about a balance between work and... living/life. At this point I've worked for: hedge funds, education sector (some top large Unis in the world), medical - private and public (example NHS in London), and also accountacy (in almost 20+ countries) and others. And the US is pretty much the only exception from it, from the above (well... there will be some hedge funds in London for example, which will work you like a horse, but that is pretty much an exception... everything else is quite normal). Edit: grammar here and there...
Walmart used to be open 24 hours until COVID-19 hit and then they started closing at night for cleaning and they found that the nighttime from the hours of 11 PM to 6 AM. They didn’t make as much sales as it cost him to have the employees so now they shut down and they are stock the shelves but we still have a lot of Walgreens open 24 hours
@@DianeJennings During good economic times, big chain stores in America, such as Walmart & Home Depot, open 24 hours at their stores which double as distribution centers. When the economy slows down, they revert to the same hours as their regular stores.
@pauljackson2473 Many of Home Depot's customers are building contractors or other commercial enterprises. You may find it funny, and I don't want to shock you, but the World doesn't stop, just because you went to sleep! Especially in a good economy, people work around the clock to get the most projects completed on time & under budget, as possible.
One thing you may not hear mentioned very often about tipping is, if you’re really good, and work in the right places, you can make WAY more money than a lot of average fixed wage positions.
way way more... my GF used to come in..middle of the night... I'm trying to sleep, and dump her tips on the bed and count them out..all giddy. she sometimes made a ton
@@blueboy4244 As it should be. A friendly, funny, down-to-earth server makes dining out SO much more enjoyable! I pay the restaurant for the food; I pay the server for the experience. (Just seven hours ago, I dropped a $20 tip on a $40 check. If it wouldn't be super-creepy [though I was with my daughter, so I probably could've gotten away with it], I would have asked the waitress's name and tried my darndest to return when she was working.) If I want indifferent service, there's always a government office I can go to.
Sadly, the pandemic cost us a lot of our 24-hour shopping and dining options. Even some big chains that had previously been known for providing 24/7 service started closing their doors overnight. Also, it's good to know that there are parts of Europe where it's not as much fun to get your rear kissed. I'm guessing that's in, like, northern Norway and Sweden, where the kissing would require removing the warm layers of clothing protecting certain sensitive bits from the extreme cold. But that's just a guess.
I was just fixing to say that, most all Walmarts I knew of were open 24/7 until COVID. What that had to do with stores starting to close again like they USED to back in the old days idk...
Even when the casinos in Las Vegas reopened, they actually were closed from something like 10 p.m. or midnight to 6 a.m. Las Vegas. Casinos. CLOSED AT NIGHT! Unthinkable...
It's funny that you mention hot places and cold places.. Where I live, I can drive an hour in the summer to spend the day at a beautiful ocean front beach, and in the winter I can drive 2 hours to spend vacation skiing on a beautiful snowy mountain.
Funny you mentioned Georgia. It's probably subliminal since a bunch of TV shows and movies are filmed there due to tax credits or subsidies. In the credits for those shows there's a Georgia peach logo and name. However there's states nearby with no or almost no filming.
Yes, we lured a significant amount of film production away from California to business friendly Georgia. There is more currently being filmed here than anywhere else.
In the BC years (Before Covid) I had 2 Walmarts within a 10 minute drive that were open 24 hours but the rona killed that off. But there are still some 24 hour grocery stores, McDonald's and other fast food places. Georgia has one of the biggest TV & movie filming hot spots outside of LA, they give great tax breaks, so it's funny you seemed to pull Georgia out of thin air.
@@DianeJennings Yep, Georgia isn't just big, it's the biggest. Georgia passed California back in 2016 as the state where the largest number of feature films are made. Atlanta is the epicenter of the Georgia movie and TV industry. As you watch new US-made movies, if you watch until the end of the credits you will be surprised how many of them have the Georgia film industry peach logo.
@@jonm1114 New York has a lot of TV production. Especially daytime, talk, and variety. Even the Tonight Show is back in NY after years of being in LA. And, of course, most national news shows originate in NY.
I really admire the comedy that comes out of Europe, especially Irish & British comedy, I think it’s a bit underrated in the US. I really admire a lot of the arts from Europe, Architecture, music, design! It’s all top tier to me:)
Hi Diane! I'm not the best with technology. Once, to save money on electricity, i wired my toaster and the electric blanket together. But then, I started popping out of bed! Happy Friday!
You always give me a reason to smile Diane. Remember that America is like all of Europe in one country size wise, so hopefully we would have a lot to offer,lol. Tyler Perry has an incredible studio in Georgia, not sure all states do but Ga, it's a big yes. Thanks Diane, that was fun.
Speaking of family history, that's one good reason why Ireland fascinates me as my great-great grandfather (a Gallagher) left Country Donegal in the 1835 at the age of 10 and went to....Canada....and later came to the US. He passed in Michigan in 1903. I also have a great-great-great-great grandfather (a Corner) who was born in Ireland in 1776 and later moved to Canada and passed there in 1848. You never know but going back that far we could be distant cousins 😉.
After being in some pretty iffy places internationally. I do appreciate the lack of corruption here. Not so much in Europe either. So be very glad you are where you are, Diane. Some cultures you are expected to pay an accommodation fee to get anything done. And when someone from the US is seen approaching, the prices double.
Hey Diane, regarding easy traveling, imagine this…in San Diego tomorrow morn I can drive two hrs to Big Bear and ski half a day and then in the afternoon I can walk over to Swamis and do some sunset surfing. No flights, minimal costs… Also don’t have the Los Angeles traffic or smog..
Always appreciate your insights and observations Diane. Your videos are the highlight of my week. Thank you for your content. Have an excellent weekend! 😎👍
Wow, did not notice the dog until around 10:33! Amazing how some of them can camouflage against the various blankets and pillows. My two pups do it all the time.
Every city has multiple TV stations. A friend who lives in Delaware gets stations in Washington DC , Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Ocean City, Maryland.
Talking about the family history part remnds me that I'm 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation American in a sense. My father's mother was born American but her parents were Polish. My father's father was born Belgian but became American. My mother is from Chipiona, Spain.
As for the specialists, I grew up in Kansas City and we could get someone in for anything. Now I live in Corpus Christi and if I need help, it's nearly always a handy-man and not a specialist. By and large, that's ended with disappointing results. I miss my specialists. As for the open stores, I wish we had chippies and fish stands open until like 2. I loved that in Wales.
I remember my first time in Germany.... everything closing in the evening, removable key deadbolt locks inside the house, lack of AC, and of course castles everywhere were definitely culture shocks xD
Mine was - travelers bathroom between unlocked front door and locked entrance to house proper. Southern Germany. And Switzerland - member of my crew (reserve military) had a machine gun in "his military closet". Me - not worried about being robbed and a thief taking it. Him - oh no, they would be killed if caught and put in jail.
Your comment about American stores being open all the time (which is only true for a small number of stores, usually convenience stores/gas stations) reminded me of one of my favorite jokes from the comedian Steven Wright....... I went to a 24 hour convenience store the other night and when I got there, the employee was locking the door. I said "What are you doing, the sign says 'open 24 hours'" and he replied "Not in a row"!
Thanks Diane. It's nice to hear your take on good things when a lot of other people are complaining about this and that. On a side note, Chewie looked really tired and barely moved. Don't keep him up too late, ha.
Walmarts and grocery stores used to be open 24 hours in most places prior to the pandemic, but since they have restricted their hours of operation, and unfortunately have not gone back to the way it was before.
If you work in a decent restaurant, your tips are normally very good. During my college years I worked for a restaurant and made almost twice the minimum wage as a busboy. Girls I went to college with worked weekends in bars and make the equivalent of 1,000 on a weekend. So, many workers who get tips do well.
There is a downside to having so many specialists - it's hard to find someone who is a generalist. Sometimes you don't know what specialist you need, and there's nobody who does a range of things well enough to get the job done.
I love when you do your list videos. We used to go to a restaurant after the bars closed at 2AM. That was nice to put something on the booze before crashing. I still felt like hell the next day. Say hi to the editor please.😃
1) The Internet's expansion into Europe may have been a collaborative effort by European nations, but it was without question invented/created in the US during Cold War for military communications because of the constant threat of a nuclear attack by the USSR. It started in the 1960's, when the US Military contracted the RAND Corporation, where Paul Baran created packet switching to make it possible for computers to exchange information. After that, DARPA, a technology research agency of the US DOD (Department of Defense) created "Internet Protocol Suite", more commonly known as TCP/IP, which is still the backbone protocol that powers the internet with IP4 (& now IP6). By the mid 1970's, several major US businesses at the time including HP, Xerox, & DEI were involved in the project and so were major US universities like Stanford & MIT. This collaboration led to the first major wide area networks, known as SATNET and ARPANET, which combined together created the first military network, between the US & UK (and I believe Norway) using both satellite and wired communications. In the 1980's, the US Congress created the independent agency known as ICANN, which governs registration of domain names and made civil use of the internet legal in the US. After that, the US opened it up to the world, assigning a 2 letter top level domain name for each nation in the world, like .ie for Ireland. Allowing each nation to create their own registries with their own laws. 2) Walmart was 24 hours before Covid, the change to 11pm was supposed to be temporary, but surprise, surprise, 3 years later it's still 11pm
Yes, it's more accurate to say Americans created the Internet, but Europeans ran with the GUI interfaces developed in the U.S. in the 60's and 70's and created the World Wide Web ("www," y'all).
Most people call it tipping. I still call it a gratuity. It helps me put in perspective that it's not an obligatory surcharge, but a reflection of the experience I just received. I gave a 300% tip once when I was treated like a king, but I have also given nothing when I was treated like an inconvenience. BTW - I envy Europe because they have Diane Jennings. Cheers.
That is the way tipping works for me too. You can earn a great tip or no tip. To be honest, no tip is extremely rare for me, mainly because most people who work for tips do a pretty good job. It is a pleasure to give a big tip to someone who goes out of their way to make your experience special. They earned and deserve it. The rare places that automatically add a gratuity don't seem to understand what a gratuity is.
It's almost like you could call America the "land of opportunity" I have worked hard and done well here in the USA and (coming from nothing) it has played out in well my own life so I'm grateful for what is possible here. Thanks for posting, you perspective is interesting and entertaining
So refreshing to hear that, it seems that we are focusing on the loud and angry Americans who have not taken advantage of the vast opportunities that we cherish. Invest in America says Warren Buffet.
The gig economy mindset has destroyed entire industries, including college and university professors. Currently about 70 percent of classes, for example, are taught by adjunct faculty who get paid far less, have no office and have no benefits. Most want to become full-time, but budget cuts and shifted priorities have made a once solid and desirable career into exhausting gig work resulting in poverty. Numerous other examples of the emerging gig economy exist, and it wrecks people's lives while enriching a few who do little or no work to gain wealth.
Diane!!!! OMG! I just can't imagine a drunk student Diane out looking for snacks at 2AM. LOL. Keep up the awesome work and please stay safe! Excelsior! Heff
Love your vids. Yes, lots of conveniences here in the states. But can’t wait to leave. Lots of expats leaving now more than ever, especially since a lot can work remote.
As a retired Navy guy, I have traveled to Europe, the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf areas several times. If I had to pick a favorite country in Europe, I would pick Spain. The few ports that I had visited there were fantastic. All of that being said, I feel that many of my fellow Americans have no idea how well they actually have it here. Only folks that are from other countries, or folks that have traveled outside of the U.S. for an extended amount of time can/will see it. Thank you Diane, for this video. If only we could get a couple million more people to watch it and then let your message soak in. It will be then, and only then, that we could possibly change the minds of some of the people that put this country down...
Here in America the main places open throughout the late night hours are only places such as some fast food restaurants like McDonalds, Rite Aid (a convenience store and or stores of the same purpose), music night clubs, pharmacies, and some food trucks. But, this varies from state to state. I'm mainly describing my hometown of Manhattan, New York City and our other five boroughs. In small towns across the U.S., almost everything closes very early. Usually by 6pm, all that you will see is people in cars going home from work. If that.
There USED TO BE "SOME" Walmarts that remained open 24 hours -- BUT that was BEFORE all the crazy COVID shut-downs ... and once things finally "opened up again" (for the most part), they NEVER went back to the previous model of having SOME 24-hour Walmarts (at least in all the places I've been to).
Diane, thank you for the kind words! But you missed the best thing about America. If you emigrated to the USA and went through the naturalized citizenship process, you can become every bit as American as I am. If I moved to Ireland (or anywhere else) I could never EVER claim to be "Irish" (or British, or French, or Austrian or whatever).
About being excited about old things. The first time I went to Spain (I was working for a Spanish company) one of my coworkers took me for a little tour of Madrid. She told me that she was sorry that I wouldn't see much neat old stuff as the city was very new being only 500 years old.
Diane, re. the weather at around 5:40, on a winter day several years ago, I had a "brain storm", and decided how far apart I could find the hottest and coldest places in the country. I ended up with Honolulu at 85F and Fairbanks, AK, at -40, which is a spread of 125F at the same moment in the same country. That still blows me away. Re. open stores at all hours, there's usually at least 1 store in the local chain, if not several, which are open 24/7. Then, re. our enthusiasm for castles, etc., I'm sure you have that same enthusiasm when you see Grand Canyon, or a 100-story building. I'd bet it goes both ways. Nevertheless, thanks for the compliment. We have TV and radio stations everywhere--that's true. But, re. movies, they get filmed in locations quite often, rather than in a studio or on a set.
I envy the rooted individual cultures in Europe. Whether it's Irish culture, French, Spanish, etc. They are different. The food, architecture, traditions. All different.
@@protonneutron9046 Go to rural Alabama, then go to the Hamptons, then go to suburban Seattle, then go to Amish country in Ohio, then go to downtown Baltimore...tell me they are similar in any way except language.
@@TheSwissChalet VERY similar. Except for some of the Amish, same language, same currency. Same political parties, similar foods to be found. Same chain stores. Rent an IQ and go see for yourself.
@@protonneutron9046 I've been all over Europe to almost every US state. Except for the different languages and topography/climates, there is much of the same in Europe...modern building after modern building...everything cubical in shape and design...except for the old traditional architecture...which a lot of it isn't even used anymore...it's all been converted into tourist attractions (cathedrals, ancient ruins, palaces, etc). Modernism and CHAIN stores and restaurants abound there...just like here. And no, the Hamptons are not like small town rural South...and mountain towns in Colorado are nothing like the East Coast tourist trap cities. Except for chain stores and restaurants...(which, like I said...are everywhere on earth) there is much difference specifically in the PEOPLE.
The walmarts that were 24 hours changed during pandemic for overnight cleaning, and now they kept it that way. Most places have 24 hour gas station/convenience stores, but beyond that it is mostly in bigger cities where you will find things to do at 3am.
Funny you mentioned Georgia when talking about the TV/film industry. Georgia has a huge film industry as a lot of shows and movies are actually shot there. Oh and some studio you may have heard of does tons of work there. I think they're called Marvel.
In the '80s, the only fast food place open after 9:00pm was " White Castle"...if you went in after 9:00pm or so, you might be the only sober person in the place...
Yes, a lot of states have film industries. The states will sometimes subsidize filming there. Hallmark once used the town I grew up in as a village in Vermont. I hear it was interesting because they shot in July, and the story was set in a snowy winter. Artificial snow all over for a week.
Georgia does have it's own entertainment industry but a lot of it still comes out of Hollywood. It's just cheaper to film here. So there's probably more behind the scenes work
Have you managed to get your purse fixed somewhere? On the topic of stores being open, that is not entirely true any more, at least in my smallish town. The local Walmart and another grocery store here were 24 hours, but when COVID hit, they both reduced hours and started closing at 9 PM. The Walmart is now open from 6 AM to midnight, but so far has not resumed a 24-hour schedule. Larger cities are different though. Presumably they have enough demand to justify staying open continuously. I'm shocked your new chair has not arrived yet. After that stream, I decided that I should replace the old wooden chair in my office with something more comfortable (but not as fancy as ED's space chair), and ordered from Amazon, and it arrived two days later. The only envy that springs to mind about Europe is that you generally have a lot better public transportation than we do here.
I get too sad when I look at it so light I’ve just put it in a drawer. I know! They keep saying it’s coming but I’m giving it Monday and then I’m telling Amazon on them.
I'm a retired American. I've seen most of my country, but it's my dream to see all of the history you are surrounded by. The old architecture would be wonderful to see, but I'd be even more excited to stand in the places where so much of western history occurred. And like most Americans, I have ancestral ties to several western European countries, including Ireland, and I would love to see those places. One ancestor, who signed the Declaration of Independence, came from a family in what I think is now called County Offaly.
My ancestors are Scots-Irish and they migrated from Scotland to Ireland settling in Ulster in Northern Ireland so they were known as Ulster Scots. Being from Georgia, there were many Irish that settled where I grew up (Dublin) and going to school there were many Irish names. I think that is why many Americans are more interested in ancestry because of our being such a melting pot of peoples from many nations of the world. Enjoy your retirement. I'm getting close to it that I can smell it now. 🙂
The "Free Refills" is a funny one. The places with free refills give you a twenty ounce (or more) cup. The places without free refills give you a ten ounce cup and fill 70% of it with ice almost guaranteeing that you buy a second drink.
I think one reason Americans are awed by the old history of Europe is the young age of most places. For example I grew up in Oklahoma. It was mostly populated by Native Americans until 1889. The town I grew up in was founded in 1903.
Your right about the Three-hour travel time being nothing. America has a serious car culture and the road trip itself is seen as a adventure or pleasure. Your family or friends load up on snacks and drinks spend some off time where all you have to do is talk to each other. while headed to whatever destination you want. Now there is some things we envy about Europe, 1. History, Yes Americans are big on history for some reason. 2. Pubs, Yes, we try to copy the concept, but it's just not the same.
"There’s this meme that tech culture is solving one problem: “What is my mother no longer doing for me?” Or, as George Packer put it in 2013, “It suddenly occurred to me that the hottest tech start-ups are solving all the problems of being twenty years old, with cash on hand, because that’s who thinks them up.”"
Diane it has changed since Covid. Stores like Wallmart used to be open 24 hours. Now Wallmart is closed at midnight and open at 6AM. Most do this. Alot of fast food places close between 10PM to 1AM mostly and not open 24 hours. Gas stations and drug stores are about the only things open 24 hours now and you cant get prescriptions filed at night but you can buy other things in the store.
I agree with vacationing here in the U.S. Anything I want to do I can find here without leaving the country. There are even cities made to look like European cities, look up Leavenworth, Washington. What I envy about Europe is the size. I can drive in the states for 24 hours and still be in the states. Driving for 24 hours in Europe would get me through multiple countries which just seems more interesting.
The "always open" thing is very location specific. Large cities will have "always open" stores where they have enough traffic that can support the staff to keep stores open that long - even so, you'll find that only specific store locations are always open - not every store. For example, in the Orlando area - there are two main drug store chains (Walgreens and CVS). Most locations are open until 9pm but a handful of strategic stores are open 24hours. However, in many larger cities, we normally have enough late or always open stores you can normally find something open at any hour - even if it's just a gas station.
It was funny how you mentioned Georgia and was wondering if it was a big production state.... Georgia in the past few years has become HUGE -- They film a lot of the Walking Dead show there.
I live here in the US. I’ve been a soldier in the army for 25 years. I wish the world were a place were we didn’t envy each other. The grass is greener where you water it.
Hello Diane. It wasn’t that long ago that things like air conditioning, and electricity weren’t common place in much of the USA either. When my grandparents were growing up, they never had air conditioning, cooked on stoves heated by wood, and picked cotton by hand.
This, and I had it instilled in me that you see if something can be fixed before throwing it away. Not long ago, we used to have tv and radio repair shops in lots of towns. But as I wrote that I realized the last one I remember closing was about 20 years ago... that time going faster as you get older thing is weird!
Everything in Las Vegas is still open 24 hours. That's because of all the workers at the casinos. They may get off work at 2 or 4 in the morning and want to pick up groceries or get something to eat.
If an "at will" employee is fired without cause, it goes against the employers unemployment insurance. For that reason and to avoid discrimination suits, most companies have consistent written policies and procedures in places for firing.
there are also studios in other states because they want on site scences, like in tucson az, etc, but these are independents that rent the studios out to all other studios
I love these kind of videos. You are providing a service that enables us to find the commonalities and explore our differences, all presented in a fun way. I think people in the United States enjoy learning about our ancestors because we are such a relatively young nation. I think some of us appreciate the antiques and old architecture etc. because we don't have that historical mind set. And that is not to say that don't enjoy our modern conveniences, I absolutely do. It just makes me really sad to see beautiful structures torn down just to build something new that is not constructed as well and would never last. Those of you across the pond seems to blend the old and new together so much better than we do. We sadly are a disposable minded nation. Thanks Diane
I envy public transportation in Europe. My parents are from Germany so we would visit my cousins and grandparents every other summer. It's so much more integrated and just works so much better. My oldest brother lives in Switzerland the last 25 years and he's never needed or owned a car; if he needs a car he gets a rental when they visit a place with less public transportation options, or need the flexibility a car gives while traveling. However, where he lives he bikes or takes public transport every day for work. Unless you need to go someplace at 2am, public transportation in Europe will get you there in most cases just fine.
Miss Diane, as a 60 year old I still get overwhelmed on the cereal aisle at H-E-B (big Texas grocery store). I usually leave with several boxes of different brands. I eat a bowl for my first breakfast and one later that night.
From Texas - I wanted to tell you just how much I enjoy your videos. Always enjoyable and warm hearted. Unfortunately, here in America there are pc/woke leftists who want to destroy our Constitution and freedoms and turn America into a totalitarian state. Many of the things you marveled at in this video would be mostly gone if those people (if you can call them that) succeed. They want the government to run everything. Our government is in crisis and those of us that want freedom and free enterprise are holding on. So, keep your perky can do attitude going. We here in America need your good will and prayers.
I remember seeing a chart on Wikipedia about 20 years ago, listing the average bandwidth of household broadband connections country by country. I remember feeling humiliated that the average speed in the US at the time was 3Mb, while it was 8Mb in Portugal and 40Mb in Lithuania.
Check out the North Carolina State Fair, every year they have a competition to see who can out do everything else, a few years back there was a deep fried bacon double cheeseburger and the bun was two Krispy Kreme doughnuts!
Things about Europe that I envy as an American: quality public transport, both within and between cities/countries; respect for the "old stuff" instead of just knocking it down and putting in a high rise building; the reverence for the natural world, instead of building out and wiping out old forests or up to the stratosphere, Europe tends to use space more wisely (who the f /really/ needs a 3,500 sq ft house for a couple?)
The biggest thing I envy about Europe is how much more common it is for people to be fluent in another language. Yes we have bilingual people here as well, but from what I've heard at least, its much more common for Europeans to speak 4 or 5 languages. I guess thats due to different countries being so small and so close in distance to each other.
So, what languages should Americans have as a second language? Mandarin, Spanish, Creole, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Polish, German, Vietnamese, Tagalog? Because I've lived places in the U. S. with significant populations that spoke each of those languages.
It's a breath of fresh air to see a positive video about my country. Even though I'm proud to be American, I love and respect my European ancestry and heritage.
Europe is not a country each country is very different
@chakito And I have ancestry from multiple European countries, and thus why I chose that word
@@SotPSotPSotP "Europe is not a country". WOW! Really?!
@@AslanKyoya1776 then why you talking about european ancestry it makes no f sense
@@SotPSotPSotP No, it makes perfect sense...would you say, "I'm of German-Irish-Swedish-Polish-French heritage." or would you rather say, "I'm of European ancestry." ?
The distance thing made me laugh so hard.
We stayed at an Air B&B when we stayed in Ireland. It was by Wicklow Lake, and had such a lovely view. We decided on one of the days, we would venture to Waterford to see the town and see the crystal process.
Our host family - "So are you planning on staying down there for the night"
Us - "oh no. We will drive down, and be home sometime this evening"
HF - "seriously?! That is a 2 hour drive"
US - "ehh. Not as long as we thought"
Ikr. Europeans say an hour's drive is "far away," that's nothing here, we drive that distance every day
The classic phrase is: The difference between America and Europe is that in America 100 years is a long time. In Europe 100 miles is a long distance.
@@dvdraymond I like that.
A two hour drive. That's cute!
@@midnightrambler8866 This discussion triggers a memory from my long-gone youth.
In the summer of 1972, my parents/younger siblings/self went out to visit my father's parents, who traveled from their home in NYC to Maine each summer. We flew out from San Francisco to Boston and rented a car (one of those big station wagons every family drove back then), dumped our luggage into a hotel room and went off to dinner across the river in Cambridge. Coming back, we somehow got turned around and headed the opposite direction (west instead of east), which we only realized after we drove past Lexington Green.
Once my parents figured out that they'd gotten lost, and got going in the right direction, my father announced as he drove: "I'm hungry again. I want cheesecake.". My mother, who had known him for fifteen years and knew what was coming, slowly said "okaaaaayyyy"...
My father took a hard right, and drove directly to the interstate. 2.5 hours later, at about 1 AM, we pulled up in front of the Turnpike Delicatessen in Kew Gardens, Queens, New York NY. We got out (my parents awake, we three kids zombies), and my dad had his cheesecake and his coffee in his old neighborhood deli. We then got back in the car, and drove the 212 miles back to Boston to crash.
This story addresses two of Diane's points, plus a third she sort of edged around:
1) We are not hesitant to go long distances todo things we want to do.
2) We can get more or less whatever we want at any hour.
3) We want what we want when we want it. Not only do we *not* feel we must deprive ourselves of our wants, but we're confident it's actually possible to get them.
Fountain drinks you get at restaurants cost them 1 to 1.5 cents per ounce, that's why they give free refills. They have big margins.
Plus, on average most Americans don't take advantage of it. I've never refilled a cup in my entire life
7:15 This is the trope about Europeans thinking that 100 miles is a long way, while Americans think that 100 years is a long time.
Before the pandemic most Walmarts were 24 hr.
I work nights at Walmart and do not want them to ever return to all night hours. I have enough to deal with at night already 😅
@@NoobToobJamarMemes 2nd shift workers would like walmart back on 24 hours, and people that have issues with crowds would too
Plandemic
I liked the 24 hrs. I work until 11pm, and often 3am.
Man I miss 24hr Walmart since I work nights.
Well I'm glad that you guys envy us here in the United States, but I will admit I envy a lot of things about Europe and Europeans. I really do like these kind of videos because it shows me that there are people over in Europe that don't have negative opinions about the United States all the time.
I think that United States is still highly thought of. Why less would millions of people be standing at our boarder. United States is not perfect but nowhere is.
@@allenhill1223 LOL alot of europeans fly there for vacations, and shoppin, but moving there and settle down , you must have some kind of mental illness and the millions of ppl at your borders is not really a stamp of approvement , since most of them are refugees ........
Oh I envy Finland they get 30 days of vacation. The work week in the United States makes no sense it’s spread out for 5 days. We have money to fix problems but choose to monopolize on senseless problems. America isn’t so great.
Grass is always greener type stuff lol. I’m envious of better public school systems 😅
@Paul Langland - - you seems to think that a critique of US is also critique of people. Not. Not at all, and nobody would ever assume it.
It's the critique of the whole system in US, where people are treated simply like a comodity. Nothing more.
Le tet me give you some perspective as somebody who worked in US (LA, NY, Alaska, Hawaii), and almost every country in EU, and also Japan, Hong Kong and Australia.
And the long answer:
The level of education has been declining for the past 15+ years in US, with a very poor health service for all (after all, you are just one serious car accident away from a total bankrupcy for the average family and the data is out there to double check), no proper employee protection and job security with a proper number of holidays (28 in my case + 1 extra day for every year of working, and I can move 5 unused days from the previous year; all of that excluding sick days and public holidays) or something like 40+ weeks of paid maternity leave & almost unlimited sick days, all of that is paid, no questions ask. Just a normal living. Good luck with it in US.
And that is not even going into any medical insurance. Or even something crazy like military service that you have to go to in a lot of cases - just to pay for your education (when in my case it is pretty much free, and still much more is spend in US on a military contractors and corpos, and after all that nobody gives a crap about mental health of vets), almost at the top level with the number of incarcerated citizens per capita and private prisons (more than Russia or South Africa)...
And... a gun crime (the Sandy Hook should have been an eye opener for all, but then Uvalde happened; and you also have almost 300+ mass shooting per year?!).
So yeah, I have every right to compare that to a "normal places" around the planet, pretty much whole EU, northen countries in Europe, and a lot of other countries (especially considering education and pretty much "free" medical - yeah, I know I pay for tha with taxes, but it is like 2% of my monthly paycheck, but.... every medical check up after it, cancer checkup or a treatment!, or even something simple as diabetes = yeah all of that is "free" for me). No worries at all, and any medical bills cannot banckrupt me in anyway. None. None of them. I simply don't have to worry about it at all as I usually pay just for parking my car in front of a hospital...
Edit: yeah, I forgot about working hours. I work from 8:00-16:00, or 9:00-17:00 or in some cases 10:00-18:00. All by the book. Any overtime has to be discussed way before. Usually is 1-2 weeks (and I don't mind it in this case at all). And usually I work 40h per week, no questions ask with a good salary, and everybody (including my boss) is OK with that. All about a balance between work and... living/life.
At this point I've worked for: hedge funds, education sector (some top large Unis in the world), medical - private and public (example NHS in London), and also accountacy (in almost 20+ countries) and others. And the US is pretty much the only exception from it, from the above (well... there will be some hedge funds in London for example, which will work you like a horse, but that is pretty much an exception... everything else is quite normal).
Edit: grammar here and there...
Walmart used to be open 24 hours until COVID-19 hit and then they started closing at night for cleaning and they found that the nighttime from the hours of 11 PM to 6 AM. They didn’t make as much sales as it cost him to have the employees so now they shut down and they are stock the shelves but we still have a lot of Walgreens open 24 hours
Oh interesting
@@DianeJenningsand another pharmacy, CVS, some locations
@@DianeJennings During good economic times, big chain stores in America, such as Walmart & Home Depot, open 24 hours at their stores which double as distribution centers. When the economy slows down, they revert to the same hours as their regular stores.
@@sparky6086 Home Depot open 24 hours. I can’t imagine someone doing home repairs at 1 in the morning. LOL. J/K
@pauljackson2473 Many of Home Depot's customers are building contractors or other commercial enterprises. You may find it funny, and I don't want to shock you, but the World doesn't stop, just because you went to sleep! Especially in a good economy, people work around the clock to get the most projects completed on time & under budget, as possible.
One thing you may not hear mentioned very often about tipping is, if you’re really good, and work in the right places, you can make WAY more money than a lot of average fixed wage positions.
way way more... my GF used to come in..middle of the night... I'm trying to sleep, and dump her tips on the bed and count them out..all giddy. she sometimes made a ton
@@blueboy4244 As it should be. A friendly, funny, down-to-earth server makes dining out SO much more enjoyable! I pay the restaurant for the food; I pay the server for the experience. (Just seven hours ago, I dropped a $20 tip on a $40 check. If it wouldn't be super-creepy [though I was with my daughter, so I probably could've gotten away with it], I would have asked the waitress's name and tried my darndest to return when she was working.)
If I want indifferent service, there's always a government office I can go to.
Too true. I've a friend who generally tips 40%, sometimes more when someone is particularly nice.
Sadly, the pandemic cost us a lot of our 24-hour shopping and dining options. Even some big chains that had previously been known for providing 24/7 service started closing their doors overnight.
Also, it's good to know that there are parts of Europe where it's not as much fun to get your rear kissed. I'm guessing that's in, like, northern Norway and Sweden, where the kissing would require removing the warm layers of clothing protecting certain sensitive bits from the extreme cold. But that's just a guess.
😂
@@Capohanf1 Lucky! My city got got hard by the riots and still hasn't gotten back to normal. Everything closes early. Many things closed permanently.
I was just fixing to say that, most all Walmarts I knew of were open 24/7 until COVID. What that had to do with stores starting to close again like they USED to back in the old days idk...
Ass-kissing is an art. Not everyone can do it without years of study and practical experience.
Even when the casinos in Las Vegas reopened, they actually were closed from something like 10 p.m. or midnight to 6 a.m. Las Vegas. Casinos. CLOSED AT NIGHT! Unthinkable...
It's funny that you mention hot places and cold places.. Where I live, I can drive an hour in the summer to spend the day at a beautiful ocean front beach, and in the winter I can drive 2 hours to spend vacation skiing on a beautiful snowy mountain.
Funny you mentioned Georgia. It's probably subliminal since a bunch of TV shows and movies are filmed there due to tax credits or subsidies. In the credits for those shows there's a Georgia peach logo and name. However there's states nearby with no or almost no filming.
Yes, we lured a significant amount of film production away from California to business friendly Georgia. There is more currently being filmed here than anywhere else.
And Atlanta alone is a major TV market with multiple stations, Not to mention CNN is based there.
Since the pandemic stores close much earlier in the US. No more 24/7 grocery stores, most close 10pm now. 😢
Georgia actually does have a thriving film industry. 😁👍
Yeah The Walking Dead filmed 11 seasons in Georgia and many other movies and shows are filmd there as well
Which Georgia?
@@charlestaylor9424 the one in America, you know the place in this video is focused on. 🙄
@@kikibigbangfan3540 I'm thinking of the European one, it has an old and well established film industry.
I used to get so confused when I'd read that Stalin was from Georgia.
In the BC years (Before Covid) I had 2 Walmarts within a 10 minute drive that were open 24 hours but the rona killed that off. But there are still some 24 hour grocery stores, McDonald's and other fast food places.
Georgia has one of the biggest TV & movie filming hot spots outside of LA, they give great tax breaks, so it's funny you seemed to pull Georgia out of thin air.
No way! I just picked a random place
I love bc used like this🎉🎉
@@DianeJennings Yep, Georgia isn't just big, it's the biggest. Georgia passed California back in 2016 as the state where the largest number of feature films are made. Atlanta is the epicenter of the Georgia movie and TV industry. As you watch new US-made movies, if you watch until the end of the credits you will be surprised how many of them have the Georgia film industry peach logo.
@@jonm1114 New York has a lot of TV production. Especially daytime, talk, and variety. Even the Tonight Show is back in NY after years of being in LA. And, of course, most national news shows originate in NY.
@@DianeJennings Tyler Perry built his own movie studio there! Between taxes and union rules, it's generally cheaper to film there than most places.
I really admire the comedy that comes out of Europe, especially Irish & British comedy, I think it’s a bit underrated in the US. I really admire a lot of the arts from Europe, Architecture, music, design! It’s all top tier to me:)
We do like old things 😁😁 and family heritage……I can trace my Dad’s family back to Kent England to 1313….great stuff Diane!!!!🇨🇮🇺🇸
Hi Diane! I'm not the best with technology. Once, to save money on electricity, i wired my toaster and the electric blanket together. But then, I started popping out of bed! Happy Friday!
😂😂😂
You always give me a reason to smile Diane. Remember that America is like all of Europe in one country size wise, so hopefully we would have a lot to offer,lol. Tyler Perry has an incredible studio in Georgia, not sure all states do but Ga, it's a big yes. Thanks Diane, that was fun.
Speaking of family history, that's one good reason why Ireland fascinates me as my great-great grandfather (a Gallagher) left Country Donegal in the 1835 at the age of 10 and went to....Canada....and later came to the US. He passed in Michigan in 1903. I also have a great-great-great-great grandfather (a Corner) who was born in Ireland in 1776 and later moved to Canada and passed there in 1848. You never know but going back that far we could be distant cousins 😉.
After being in some pretty iffy places internationally. I do appreciate the lack of corruption here. Not so much in Europe either. So be very glad you are where you are, Diane. Some cultures you are expected to pay an accommodation fee to get anything done. And when someone from the US is seen approaching, the prices double.
Hey Diane, regarding easy traveling, imagine this…in San Diego tomorrow morn I can drive two hrs to Big Bear and ski half a day and then in the afternoon I can walk over to Swamis and do some sunset surfing. No flights, minimal costs… Also don’t have the Los Angeles traffic or smog..
Always having a place to eat or a place to go get stuff is definitely handy 😊👌
Always appreciate your insights and observations Diane. Your videos are the highlight of my week. Thank you for your content. Have an excellent weekend! 😎👍
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Wow, did not notice the dog until around 10:33! Amazing how some of them can camouflage against the various blankets and pillows. My two pups do it all the time.
Every city has multiple TV stations. A friend who lives in Delaware gets stations in Washington DC , Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Ocean City, Maryland.
Aw! That's so encouraging! Thanks for the kudos for the opportunities we have here.
Talking about the family history part remnds me that I'm 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation American in a sense. My father's mother was born American but her parents were Polish. My father's father was born Belgian but became American. My mother is from Chipiona, Spain.
As for the specialists, I grew up in Kansas City and we could get someone in for anything. Now I live in Corpus Christi and if I need help, it's nearly always a handy-man and not a specialist. By and large, that's ended with disappointing results. I miss my specialists. As for the open stores, I wish we had chippies and fish stands open until like 2. I loved that in Wales.
I remember my first time in Germany.... everything closing in the evening, removable key deadbolt locks inside the house, lack of AC, and of course castles everywhere were definitely culture shocks xD
Mine was - travelers bathroom between unlocked front door and locked entrance to house proper. Southern Germany.
And Switzerland - member of my crew (reserve military) had a machine gun in "his military closet". Me - not worried about being robbed and a thief taking it. Him - oh no, they would be killed if caught and put in jail.
Your comment about American stores being open all the time (which is only true for a small number of stores, usually convenience stores/gas stations) reminded me of one of my favorite jokes from the comedian Steven Wright....... I went to a 24 hour convenience store the other night and when I got there, the employee was locking the door. I said "What are you doing, the sign says 'open 24 hours'" and he replied "Not in a row"!
Thanks Diane. It's nice to hear your take on good things when a lot of other people are complaining about this and that. On a side note, Chewie looked really tired and barely moved. Don't keep him up too late, ha.
We are super tired atm
But it's al.ost dinnertime!
Talking about Georgia, the state makes like ten times the revenue in video game production over film. Come to Atlanta and act in a game, Diane!
Walmarts and grocery stores used to be open 24 hours in most places prior to the pandemic, but since they have restricted their hours of operation, and unfortunately have not gone back to the way it was before.
The US is a big country. There are still 24 hour Walmarts my friend. Waffle House is definitely open 24/7
Always lovely to listen to you, Diane. Thanks!
If you work in a decent restaurant, your tips are normally very good. During my college years I worked for a restaurant and made almost twice the minimum wage as a busboy. Girls I went to college with worked weekends in bars and make the equivalent of 1,000 on a weekend. So, many workers who get tips do well.
There is a downside to having so many specialists - it's hard to find someone who is a generalist. Sometimes you don't know what specialist you need, and there's nobody who does a range of things well enough to get the job done.
I love when you do your list videos.
We used to go to a restaurant after the bars closed at 2AM. That was nice to put something on the booze before crashing. I still felt like hell the next day. Say hi to the editor please.😃
Thanks will do!
Georgia is one of the biggest tv & film locations outside of New York & California ( or Louisiana) .
Thanks for sharing these things Diane!
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1) The Internet's expansion into Europe may have been a collaborative effort by European nations, but it was without question invented/created in the US during Cold War for military communications because of the constant threat of a nuclear attack by the USSR.
It started in the 1960's, when the US Military contracted the RAND Corporation, where Paul Baran created packet switching to make it possible for computers to exchange information. After that, DARPA, a technology research agency of the US DOD (Department of Defense) created "Internet Protocol Suite", more commonly known as TCP/IP, which is still the backbone protocol that powers the internet with IP4 (& now IP6).
By the mid 1970's, several major US businesses at the time including HP, Xerox, & DEI were involved in the project and so were major US universities like Stanford & MIT. This collaboration led to the first major wide area networks, known as SATNET and ARPANET, which combined together created the first military network, between the US & UK (and I believe Norway) using both satellite and wired communications.
In the 1980's, the US Congress created the independent agency known as ICANN, which governs registration of domain names and made civil use of the internet legal in the US. After that, the US opened it up to the world, assigning a 2 letter top level domain name for each nation in the world, like .ie for Ireland. Allowing each nation to create their own registries with their own laws.
2) Walmart was 24 hours before Covid, the change to 11pm was supposed to be temporary, but surprise, surprise, 3 years later it's still 11pm
Yes, it's more accurate to say Americans created the Internet, but Europeans ran with the GUI interfaces developed in the U.S. in the 60's and 70's and created the World Wide Web ("www," y'all).
Most people call it tipping. I still call it a gratuity. It helps me put in perspective that it's not an obligatory surcharge, but a reflection of the experience I just received. I gave a 300% tip once when I was treated like a king, but I have also given nothing when I was treated like an inconvenience. BTW - I envy Europe because they have Diane Jennings. Cheers.
That is the way tipping works for me too. You can earn a great tip or no tip. To be honest, no tip is extremely rare for me, mainly because most people who work for tips do a pretty good job. It is a pleasure to give a big tip to someone who goes out of their way to make your experience special. They earned and deserve it. The rare places that automatically add a gratuity don't seem to understand what a gratuity is.
Nice video! Thanks for posting. Yes, "Opportunity"!
You are so freaking hilarious! Thank you for bringing smiles and fun to life!
Aww shucks 😊
You are a trip !! LOL ! Love your enthusiasm . Have a great weekend !
It's almost like you could call America the "land of opportunity"
I have worked hard and done well here in the USA and (coming from nothing) it has played out in well my own life so I'm grateful for what is possible here.
Thanks for posting, you perspective is interesting and entertaining
So refreshing to hear that, it seems that we are focusing on the loud and angry Americans who have not taken advantage of the vast opportunities that we cherish. Invest in America says Warren Buffet.
The gig economy mindset has destroyed entire industries, including college and university professors. Currently about 70 percent of classes, for example, are taught by adjunct faculty who get paid far less, have no office and have no benefits. Most want to become full-time, but budget cuts and shifted priorities have made a once solid and desirable career into exhausting gig work resulting in poverty. Numerous other examples of the emerging gig economy exist, and it wrecks people's lives while enriching a few who do little or no work to gain wealth.
Diane!!!! OMG! I just can't imagine a drunk student Diane out looking for snacks at 2AM. LOL.
Keep up the awesome work and please stay safe!
Excelsior!
Heff
2:27 😂this is so very true. Once again, population size allows for specialists to make a living doing insanely specific things.
Europe has 750 million and the EU has 450 million, the USA only has 330 million, Europe is also slightly bigger than the USA.
Love your vids. Yes, lots of conveniences here in the states. But can’t wait to leave. Lots of expats leaving now more than ever, especially since a lot can work remote.
As a retired Navy guy, I have traveled to Europe, the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf areas several times. If I had to pick a favorite country in Europe, I would pick Spain. The few ports that I had visited there were fantastic. All of that being said, I feel that many of my fellow Americans have no idea how well they actually have it here. Only folks that are from other countries, or folks that have traveled outside of the U.S. for an extended amount of time can/will see it. Thank you Diane, for this video. If only we could get a couple million more people to watch it and then let your message soak in. It will be then, and only then, that we could possibly change the minds of some of the people that put this country down...
Here in America the main places open throughout the late night hours are only places such as some fast food restaurants like McDonalds, Rite Aid (a convenience store and or stores of the same purpose), music night clubs, pharmacies, and some food trucks. But, this varies from state to state. I'm mainly describing my hometown of Manhattan, New York City and our other five boroughs. In small towns across the U.S., almost everything closes very early. Usually by 6pm, all that you will see is people in cars going home from work. If that.
There USED TO BE "SOME" Walmarts that remained open 24 hours -- BUT that was BEFORE all the crazy COVID shut-downs ... and once things finally "opened up again" (for the most part), they NEVER went back to the previous model of having SOME 24-hour Walmarts (at least in all the places I've been to).
Diane, thank you for the kind words! But you missed the best thing about America. If you emigrated to the USA and went through the naturalized citizenship process, you can become every bit as American as I am. If I moved to Ireland (or anywhere else) I could never EVER claim to be "Irish" (or British, or French, or Austrian or whatever).
24hr stores used to be more common. However, after the pandemic. A lot of that has stopped with no chance of coming back.
Walmart was open all night before the plague... Wish they would go back to being open all the time.
About being excited about old things. The first time I went to Spain (I was working for a Spanish company) one of my coworkers took me for a little tour of Madrid. She told me that she was sorry that I wouldn't see much neat old stuff as the city was very new being only 500 years old.
Over in Europe, "modern" renovations on architecture happened in the 1600s. 😂
@@katherinemurphy2762 true!
Diane, re. the weather at around 5:40, on a winter day several years ago, I had a "brain storm", and decided how far apart I could find the hottest and coldest places in the country. I ended up with Honolulu at 85F and Fairbanks, AK, at -40, which is a spread of 125F at the same moment in the same country. That still blows me away.
Re. open stores at all hours, there's usually at least 1 store in the local chain, if not several, which are open 24/7. Then, re. our enthusiasm for castles, etc., I'm sure you have that same enthusiasm when you see Grand Canyon, or a 100-story building. I'd bet it goes both ways. Nevertheless, thanks for the compliment.
We have TV and radio stations everywhere--that's true. But, re. movies, they get filmed in locations quite often, rather than in a studio or on a set.
I envy the rooted individual cultures in Europe. Whether it's Irish culture, French, Spanish, etc. They are different. The food, architecture, traditions. All different.
You have that in the States, too. They're just regional.
@@PierzStyx LOL! Not to ANY degree like Europe.
@@protonneutron9046 Go to rural Alabama, then go to the Hamptons, then go to suburban Seattle, then go to Amish country in Ohio, then go to downtown Baltimore...tell me they are similar in any way except language.
@@TheSwissChalet VERY similar. Except for some of the Amish, same language, same currency. Same political parties, similar foods to be found. Same chain stores. Rent an IQ and go see for yourself.
@@protonneutron9046 I've been all over Europe to almost every US state. Except for the different languages and topography/climates, there is much of the same in Europe...modern building after modern building...everything cubical in shape and design...except for the old traditional architecture...which a lot of it isn't even used anymore...it's all been converted into tourist attractions (cathedrals, ancient ruins, palaces, etc). Modernism and CHAIN stores and restaurants abound there...just like here. And no, the Hamptons are not like small town rural South...and mountain towns in Colorado are nothing like the East Coast tourist trap cities. Except for chain stores and restaurants...(which, like I said...are everywhere on earth) there is much difference specifically in the PEOPLE.
The walmarts that were 24 hours changed during pandemic for overnight cleaning, and now they kept it that way.
Most places have 24 hour gas station/convenience stores, but beyond that it is mostly in bigger cities where you will find things to do at 3am.
Funny you mentioned Georgia when talking about the TV/film industry. Georgia has a huge film industry as a lot of shows and movies are actually shot there. Oh and some studio you may have heard of does tons of work there. I think they're called Marvel.
In the '80s, the only fast food place open after 9:00pm was " White Castle"...if you went in after 9:00pm or so, you might be the only sober person in the place...
Yes, a lot of states have film industries. The states will sometimes subsidize filming there. Hallmark once used the town I grew up in as a village in Vermont. I hear it was interesting because they shot in July, and the story was set in a snowy winter. Artificial snow all over for a week.
That’s so cool 😊
@DianeJennings you were thinking during the Twitch of the Farrelly brothers. They've filmed several of theirs around here. RI gives them a tax break
Good video, wonderful creator, keep up the great work.
Georgia does have it's own entertainment industry but a lot of it still comes out of Hollywood. It's just cheaper to film here. So there's probably more behind the scenes work
Oh interesting!
"Hollywood" movies are mostly filmed outside of California.
@@lordfunnybone4092 Especially since California went super restrictive on Covid lockdowns.
You forgot the most important one, which is freedom and guns, which go hand in hand. Without one, you don't have the other.
6:13 I think it’s just like have specialised tradesmen, population size allows for specialised stores & markets.
Have you managed to get your purse fixed somewhere? On the topic of stores being open, that is not entirely true any more, at least in my smallish town. The local Walmart and another grocery store here were 24 hours, but when COVID hit, they both reduced hours and started closing at 9 PM. The Walmart is now open from 6 AM to midnight, but so far has not resumed a 24-hour schedule. Larger cities are different though. Presumably they have enough demand to justify staying open continuously. I'm shocked your new chair has not arrived yet. After that stream, I decided that I should replace the old wooden chair in my office with something more comfortable (but not as fancy as ED's space chair), and ordered from Amazon, and it arrived two days later. The only envy that springs to mind about Europe is that you generally have a lot better public transportation than we do here.
I get too sad when I look at it so light I’ve just put it in a drawer.
I know! They keep saying it’s coming but I’m giving it Monday and then I’m telling Amazon on them.
Ride public transportation enough and you will want to avoid it like the plague.
Happy Friday! I really love this video. Have a great weekend.
😊
I'm a retired American. I've seen most of my country, but it's my dream to see all of the history you are surrounded by. The old architecture would be wonderful to see, but I'd be even more excited to stand in the places where so much of western history occurred. And like most Americans, I have ancestral ties to several western European countries, including Ireland, and I would love to see those places. One ancestor, who signed the Declaration of Independence, came from a family in what I think is now called County Offaly.
My ancestors are Scots-Irish and they migrated from Scotland to Ireland settling in Ulster in Northern Ireland so they were known as Ulster Scots. Being from Georgia, there were many Irish that settled where I grew up (Dublin) and going to school there were many Irish names. I think that is why many Americans are more interested in ancestry because of our being such a melting pot of peoples from many nations of the world. Enjoy your retirement. I'm getting close to it that I can smell it now. 🙂
Hey D and C!
better get ur rest for the weekend to have fun then! 🎉
The "Free Refills" is a funny one. The places with free refills give you a twenty ounce (or more) cup. The places without free refills give you a ten ounce cup and fill 70% of it with ice almost guaranteeing that you buy a second drink.
IIRC Wal Mart had 24hrs open until Covid. But we have 24/7 stores here if you have to do your grocery shopping at night.
The Europeans are very good at leisure (festivals, celebrations, relaxing, etc.) in all four seasons.
I think one reason Americans are awed by the old history of Europe is the young age of most places. For example I grew up in Oklahoma. It was mostly populated by Native Americans until 1889. The town I grew up in was founded in 1903.
Your right about the Three-hour travel time being nothing. America has a serious car culture and the road trip itself is seen as a adventure or pleasure. Your family or friends load up on snacks and drinks spend some off time where all you have to do is talk to each other. while headed to whatever destination you want.
Now there is some things we envy about Europe,
1. History, Yes Americans are big on history for some reason.
2. Pubs, Yes, we try to copy the concept, but it's just not the same.
Opportunity. Too bad alot of people forget that. Thanks for your optimism.
"There’s this meme that tech culture is solving one problem: “What is my mother no longer doing for me?” Or, as George Packer put it in 2013, “It suddenly occurred to me that the hottest tech start-ups are solving all the problems of being twenty years old, with cash on hand, because that’s who thinks them up.”"
Diane it has changed since Covid. Stores like Wallmart used to be open 24 hours. Now Wallmart is closed at midnight and open at 6AM. Most do this. Alot of fast food places close between 10PM to 1AM mostly and not open 24 hours. Gas stations and drug stores are about the only things open 24 hours now and you cant get prescriptions filed at night but you can buy other things in the store.
I agree with vacationing here in the U.S. Anything I want to do I can find here without leaving the country. There are even cities made to look like European cities, look up Leavenworth, Washington.
What I envy about Europe is the size. I can drive in the states for 24 hours and still be in the states. Driving for 24 hours in Europe would get me through multiple countries which just seems more interesting.
You can add Helen, Georgia to the list, too. 🙂
@@outtahere321 Just looked it up. I drive to FL about once a year, looks like a side trip. Thanks.
@@outtahere321 why would anybody go there? Nothing there.
The "always open" thing is very location specific. Large cities will have "always open" stores where they have enough traffic that can support the staff to keep stores open that long - even so, you'll find that only specific store locations are always open - not every store. For example, in the Orlando area - there are two main drug store chains (Walgreens and CVS). Most locations are open until 9pm but a handful of strategic stores are open 24hours. However, in many larger cities, we normally have enough late or always open stores you can normally find something open at any hour - even if it's just a gas station.
It was funny how you mentioned Georgia and was wondering if it was a big production state.... Georgia in the past few years has become HUGE -- They film a lot of the Walking Dead show there.
Thanks for the video
I live here in the US. I’ve been a soldier in the army for 25 years.
I wish the world were a place were we didn’t envy each other.
The grass is greener where you water it.
4:35 you DID say not to take you too seriously at the beginning 🤣
Hello Diane. It wasn’t that long ago that things like air conditioning, and electricity weren’t common place in much of the USA either. When my grandparents were growing up, they never had air conditioning, cooked on stoves heated by wood, and picked cotton by hand.
😮
This, and I had it instilled in me that you see if something can be fixed before throwing it away. Not long ago, we used to have tv and radio repair shops in lots of towns. But as I wrote that I realized the last one I remember closing was about 20 years ago... that time going faster as you get older thing is weird!
Everything in Las Vegas is still open 24 hours. That's because of all the workers at the casinos. They may get off work at 2 or 4 in the morning and want to pick up groceries or get something to eat.
If an "at will" employee is fired without cause, it goes against the employers unemployment insurance. For that reason and to avoid discrimination suits, most companies have consistent written policies and procedures in places for firing.
Nice
there are also studios in other states because they want on site scences, like in tucson az, etc, but these are independents that rent the studios out to all other studios
I love these kind of videos. You are providing a service that enables us to find the commonalities and explore our differences, all presented in a fun way. I think people in the United States enjoy learning about our ancestors because we are such a relatively young nation. I think some of us appreciate the antiques and old architecture etc. because we don't have that historical mind set. And that is not to say that don't enjoy our modern conveniences, I absolutely do. It just makes me really sad to see beautiful structures torn down just to build something new that is not constructed as well and would never last. Those of you across the pond seems to blend the old and new together so much better than we do. We sadly are a disposable minded nation. Thanks Diane
I envy public transportation in Europe. My parents are from Germany so we would visit my cousins and grandparents every other summer. It's so much more integrated and just works so much better. My oldest brother lives in Switzerland the last 25 years and he's never needed or owned a car; if he needs a car he gets a rental when they visit a place with less public transportation options, or need the flexibility a car gives while traveling. However, where he lives he bikes or takes public transport every day for work. Unless you need to go someplace at 2am, public transportation in Europe will get you there in most cases just fine.
That's an advantage of having cities develop at a time when everybody walked everywhere.
Walmart used to be open 24/7, but not since the pandemic.
I thought so!!!
Miss Diane, as a 60 year old I still get overwhelmed on the cereal aisle at H-E-B (big Texas grocery store). I usually leave with several boxes of different brands. I eat a bowl for my first breakfast and one later that night.
Waffle House never closes. You want breakfast at 3 am on Easter Sunday, no worries. America has an endless supply of waffles!
Nicely done!
From Texas - I wanted to tell you just how much I enjoy your videos. Always enjoyable and warm hearted. Unfortunately, here in America there are pc/woke leftists who want to destroy our Constitution and freedoms and turn America into a totalitarian state. Many of the things you marveled at in this video would be mostly gone if those people (if you can call them that) succeed. They want the government to run everything. Our government is in crisis and those of us that want freedom and free enterprise are holding on. So, keep your perky can do attitude going. We here in America need your good will and prayers.
AMEN Texian...I live in the drug filth/homeless of California
Diane, Georgia does have a thriving movie and television industry. The show Ozark was filmed in Georgia.
1:34 ironically, I get the impression some tech takes longer to become common place in the US due to population size & economic variation
I remember seeing a chart on Wikipedia about 20 years ago, listing the average bandwidth of household broadband connections country by country. I remember feeling humiliated that the average speed in the US at the time was 3Mb, while it was 8Mb in Portugal and 40Mb in Lithuania.
Check out the North Carolina State Fair, every year they have a competition to see who can out do everything else, a few years back there was a deep fried bacon double cheeseburger and the bun was two Krispy Kreme doughnuts!
Things about Europe that I envy as an American: quality public transport, both within and between cities/countries; respect for the "old stuff" instead of just knocking it down and putting in a high rise building; the reverence for the natural world, instead of building out and wiping out old forests or up to the stratosphere, Europe tends to use space more wisely (who the f /really/ needs a 3,500 sq ft house for a couple?)
you could have the same quality of public transport if only riders were willing to pay for what they want.
I remember when many, not all, Walmarts were 24 hour. Then, as they drove competitors out of business, they started closing at night.
The biggest thing I envy about Europe is how much more common it is for people to be fluent in another language. Yes we have bilingual people here as well, but from what I've heard at least, its much more common for Europeans to speak 4 or 5 languages. I guess thats due to different countries being so small and so close in distance to each other.
So, what languages should Americans have as a second language? Mandarin, Spanish, Creole, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Polish, German, Vietnamese, Tagalog? Because I've lived places in the U. S. with significant populations that spoke each of those languages.