Comments on: Living standards in London http://bellagerens.com/2010/01/15/living-standards-in-london/ inde vides agilem bella gerentem Mon, 23 Apr 2012 03:13:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Luke http://bellagerens.com/2010/01/15/living-standards-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-16431 Luke Fri, 30 Mar 2012 23:22:15 +0000 http://bellagerens.com/?p=874#comment-16431 You are making your example of basing your experience on London- a very unique section of the United Kingdom that is is VERY unrepresentative of the rest of the country. You are making your example of basing your experience on London- a very unique section of the United Kingdom that is is VERY unrepresentative of the rest of the country.

]]> By: bellagerens http://bellagerens.com/2010/01/15/living-standards-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-1468 bellagerens Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:54:13 +0000 http://bellagerens.com/?p=874#comment-1468 Meh. It is kind of a pity-me story. I suspect, however, that she lived in London during the early Livingstone years, before the lovely Oyster Card etc. Also, as you say, she is a New Yorker - and so what is normal non-poor behaviour for people in the American 'burbs would seem like plebe customs to her anyway, like taking one's lunch to work or having a clothesline. (Particularly in the US South, where sunlight is the preferred clothes-dryer and home-packed lunches are tastier than what you can get elsewhere and often contain Southern family favourites like chicken salad and homemade cake. In the South, the working man who hasn't got a nice packed lunch is deeply pitied.) Meh. It is kind of a pity-me story. I suspect, however, that she lived in London during the early Livingstone years, before the lovely Oyster Card etc. Also, as you say, she is a New Yorker – and so what is normal non-poor behaviour for people in the American ‘burbs would seem like plebe customs to her anyway, like taking one’s lunch to work or having a clothesline. (Particularly in the US South, where sunlight is the preferred clothes-dryer and home-packed lunches are tastier than what you can get elsewhere and often contain Southern family favourites like chicken salad and homemade cake. In the South, the working man who hasn’t got a nice packed lunch is deeply pitied.)

]]> By: Alex http://bellagerens.com/2010/01/15/living-standards-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-1467 Alex Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:32:48 +0000 http://bellagerens.com/?p=874#comment-1467 I should perhaps take back the bit on "does anyone believe this sob story". I should perhaps take back the bit on “does anyone believe this sob story”.

]]> By: Alex http://bellagerens.com/2010/01/15/living-standards-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-1460 Alex Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:56:41 +0000 http://bellagerens.com/?p=874#comment-1460 Owning and operating a car is expensive in London because it's a huge dense city. You might think Megan would get a clue from the fact she lives in New York City. In fact, she lives in <em>Manhattan</em>. <em>They lived in smaller quarters</em> !!! See above. Hanging out clothes to dry and bringing lunch (this took me two reads to parse into English): these are American class markers that don't carry the same significance in the UK. (Some US suburbs have bylaws against clothes lines. This isn't economics, this is pathology.) <em>When I lived there, I literally could not afford to eat meat regularly or take the tube to work, and as a consequence wore holes in my shoes. (In fairness, I was being paid in dollars and the exchange rate was awful–but I wasn’t the only one walking to save money.)</em> Does anyone else believe this sob story? That aside, note that she is blaming "British poverty" for her (American, or at least dollarzone) employer's exploitation. Psychologically interesting. Also, you know what's considerably cheaper than the tube? Buses. <em>Everyone</em> in London uses the buses. But in the US, of course, getting on a bus is a political/class statement. Owning and operating a car is expensive in London because it’s a huge dense city. You might think Megan would get a clue from the fact she lives in New York City. In fact, she lives in Manhattan.

They lived in smaller quarters

!!! See above.

Hanging out clothes to dry and bringing lunch (this took me two reads to parse into English): these are American class markers that don’t carry the same significance in the UK. (Some US suburbs have bylaws against clothes lines. This isn’t economics, this is pathology.)

When I lived there, I literally could not afford to eat meat regularly or take the tube to work, and as a consequence wore holes in my shoes. (In fairness, I was being paid in dollars and the exchange rate was awful–but I wasn’t the only one walking to save money.)

Does anyone else believe this sob story? That aside, note that she is blaming “British poverty” for her (American, or at least dollarzone) employer’s exploitation. Psychologically interesting. Also, you know what’s considerably cheaper than the tube? Buses. Everyone in London uses the buses. But in the US, of course, getting on a bus is a political/class statement.

]]> By: bellagerens http://bellagerens.com/2010/01/15/living-standards-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-1435 bellagerens Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:02:56 +0000 http://bellagerens.com/?p=874#comment-1435 w00t! I look forward to the day. But let us never forget to give thanks that for the moment, at least, our beer is among the free-est in the country! w00t! I look forward to the day. But let us never forget to give thanks that for the moment, at least, our beer is among the free-est in the country!

]]> By: hrothgar http://bellagerens.com/2010/01/15/living-standards-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-1434 hrothgar Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:00:57 +0000 http://bellagerens.com/?p=874#comment-1434 I found an interesting story in the paper today. Supposedly the Man's considering abolishing ABC. North Carolina's alcohol may soon be liberated! I found an interesting story in the paper today. Supposedly the Man’s considering abolishing ABC. North Carolina’s alcohol may soon be liberated!

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