🇬🇧BRIT Reacts To TEN THINGS ONLY AMERICANS THINK ARE NORMAL!

[@1971tallica]

The Pharmacy is run by the Pharmacist and assistants , the rest of the store has it own personnel running it, with it's own separate check-outs.

[@kabirconsiders]

I see.. so it’s basically a pharmacy and a grocery store in the same building

[@xJamesLaughx]

@@kabirconsiders Pretty much yeah. It is something that has come about due to us Americans and our always on the go, always on the move culture. One stop shops have become a big thing because of that. Everything you need under one roof. Get in, get get what you need and get out and on to the next destination lol.

[@Ivy94F]

@CLester Ah, now it makes sense!

[@determineddi2044]

If you look up CVS in the USA those are typical drugstores/pharmacies. They sell sweets, lots of seasonal stuff like decorations, medical things like powder, plasters, nappies.

[@spacetiger5076]

@@kabirconsiders kind of. I would equate it more with a gas station - everything’s usually more expensive than you would find in an actual grocery store. For convenience, one pays a little extra.

[@regeniatipton1930]

The sales tax not only vary from state to state, but also county to county within a state.

[@blaineadams7484]

The military thing is the backlash against how we treated our Vietnam vets when they came back. Many of us are children of those men and hate how they were looked at. The way Rambo was treated at the beginning of the movie was a thing

[@nicholaswilkerson4394]

Still kind of is

[@maryaltshuller885]

I remember back in the early '70s when I was in the seventh grade, all students were learning the metric system. There was a push to get everyone educated and onboard with the metric system. Then someone in Congress objected and the education was stopped. Just when I was starting to get it!

[@desireeray4765]

Same

[@lorirarich1875]

It was a late part of the Space Age push re math n Science. I was just out of high school so didn't have to but all the college Science majors and freshmen had to learn the complete system, still do. The only thing that stuck was the 2 liter jug of pop or soda.

[@mhm8922]

I was in elementary school and I remember that too. I even remember us getting brand new math books. But then it all went away. They should have continued teaching the kids. What’s wrong with knowing a bit more, even if they thought we might not use it? Most of what I learned in science I’ve never used, let alone discussed again in my day to day life. Math, on the other hand, is always being used.

[@damnimloomin]

We should have a mandated 30 year transition where all temperature at least is both metric and Fahrenheit like Canadas signage is mostly English and French is what I think! I’m tired of feeling stupid not understanding Celsius the rest of the metric system I have no real opinion on it would be nice but I like imperial more (I even think Fahrenheit makes a lot more sense for weather) but I’d still like to have a good grasp of Celsius without intensely thinking about the conversion

[@ianprince1698]

same in the UK they get things ready to go, then stop the UK has a mishmash of systems

[@user-harris]

Actually, the pharmacy is operated as a section of the store, only working on pharmaceutical. The cashier and other staff take care of the rest

[@marcuswilson6039]

We use Solo cups simply because they’re sturdy and come in a good size for parties. That’s it. The other brands were smaller and flimsy. After a while they became synonymous with parties and just became the brand of choice. We used the red ones because they were the ones most commonly sold. That’s basically it

[@Lelexlexie]

They're also perfect for measurement.

[@dannycarlow8204]

And they don't break

[@marilynk30]

Great answer!

[@VadulTharys]

LOL we even have a song about Red Solo cups.

[@aliciajames8038]

Lol and they're cheap! I found a red solo cup shot glass

[@Goxilla]

The drinking behavior of young "americans" is ridiculous! During my time at University in Germany we´ve had around 150 exchange students from all over the world from age 19-23. Amongst those were 6 ppl from the U.S. and the oldest were 20 at this point. Everytime we went out with a group of exchange students the americans were hammered after 2 hours in because they drank like the world was about to end. That led to them wrestling each other in the streets for everybody to see, they were loud and obnoxious. We couldn´t get into bars and clubs with these kids so it became a sport for us to find a way to get lose from them. When we asked them why they would drink everything that fast they answered "that´s how we do it at home". It was obvious that they had barely any experience with alcohol and simply couldn´t handle it yet. They were suddenly legal to drink in Germany and I guess they wanted to make the most of it^^ In most other countries you are legal to drink with 16 or 18 and it showed that those ppl had their crazy days behind them

[@BigBlake008]

With tipping, many servers wind up making much more than minimum wage. A lot of my friends were bartenders and servers in college, and they absolutely loved being tipped. Some would bring in $200/a shift on certain nights.

[@nbookworm]

In upscale restaurants, there is money to be made waiting tables for the right kind of worker. It's the greasy spoon workers who suffer--like people working in DENNY'S and BOB EVANS, or small mom and pop operations who are suffering; they are paid like $2.12 an hour, guaranteed, and the rest depends on people who probably aren't going to tip them above and beyond, and may tipn below the norm.

[@BigBlake008]

@@nbookworm those "greasy spoon" workers still make more off of tips than they would on minimum wage.

[@nbookworm]

@@BigBlake008 I don't doubt that, but they don't make what they're worth.

[@colinhefner6558]

US just be full of all kinds of pride a bit much for me at times particularly when argue amongst each other but when sum people fail to have an open perspective.... does that make sense? We create issues when we could debate about better thinds..things... I might be a bit school for some

[@aulduronsmith5577]

Tips are definitely taxed. 10% of their sales are withheld as are CC tips.

[@Jennifer-jt9cb]

The reason behind the red cups is that they're cheap and sturdy. You can refill your cup repeatedly and typically don't have to worry about it falling apart. And if ti does get busted up, you can just grab another one. It's also an age marker. At a lot of frat parties, they use those cups to mark the ones that are over 21 so they can't get busted for giving alcohol to anyone under age. The ones under 21 usually get blue cups for things like soda and water.

[@scrambler69-xk3kv]

Yes they are known as throw away cups.

[@storyteller2882]

Prefer NHS. I visited Scotland last spring, got a horrible infection from a bug bite, saw a physician, received antibiotics and what in the U.S. would be over-the-counter not covered by insurance medication--all for free. And I was a tourist. Just fabulous.

[@emmcccllkk7780]

I was a waitress and my paycheck after two weeks was always under $10. I only made money off tips. And there are people who refuse to give a 20% tip so it’s possible to make as much as $1000 a day (if you’re a bartender) or as little as $20 depending on how busy the restaurant is and who the customers are.

[@AprilGabrielle]

Yep. I'm a server and my checks are pretty much non-existent. I work solely for tips. But I work in an upscale restaurant so I don't actually mind all that much, but now the government taxes our cc tips.

[@ThatDamnPandaKai]

Actually the minimum you can earn a day is is $58. Standard minimum wage laws kick in for tipped workers if their daily tips do not equate to $7.25/hr x 8 hrs

[@beccangavin]

@@ThatDamnPandaKai I’m wondering who is responsible for monitoring this?

[@kvbstudios316]

@@ThatDamnPandaKai minumum wage for waitstaff is $2.13 per hour plus tips.

[@msdarby515]

I'm a nurse and working 36 - 40 hours in 3 days and being off the other 4 is the bomb. Now I've transitioned to a desk job and it's been difficult to adjust to working 5 days a week. Pretty much everyone I work with would be thrilled to go to a 4 days a week schedule with 10 hour days. But I don't see it happening.

[@G-grandma_Army]

I know before I retired I would have loved that. I did work for an oil company once where 1/2 of the employees worked 10 days and were off Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I was on the other schedule where we got off at noon on Fridays. I was jealous of the other 1/2, but my friends who worked full 8-5, M-F were jealous of me. Lol

[@enough_about_me]

I’d LOOOOVE a three or even four day work week..😢

[@RiverRatWA57]

I was an OTR refrigerated truckdriver and my work week was 70hrs long.

[@Ausecko1]

I'm a teacher at a rough school, and we definitely need to move to a 4-day week, but I never hear anybody talking about how it would apply to teachers, since most parents don't want to look after their own children an extra day per week

[@RiverRatWA57]

@@Ausecko1 I don't envy your job, I couldn't do it as duct tape and ZipTies are frowned upon. Back when I went thru school the Nuns used metal rulers across the knuckles and in public school the Vice Principal had a Big Damned paddle and would use it!

[@robertlarosejr.1535]

As an EMT I can say it definitely is expensive. Normally starts at $800 BLS and $1,200 ALS. That being said most ambulance bills aren’t paid by the people. So many bills are pushed to collections and get paid off through Medicade funds. Also just so people know nobody is denied service when calling 911. If you need medical assistance it will be rendered before even a mention of insurance.

[@robertjessen1554]

As an EMT in New Jersey at one point we had over 400 volunteer First Aid & Rescue Squads and there service was free ! Sadly that's going away.

[@saltpork]

This reminds me of when my dad owned two pharmacies. One day a man ran in off the street and asked if we were a drug store or pharmacy. I asked him what the difference was, and he responded "Do you sell beer?" I said 'No." and he replied, "Then you're a pharmacy." and quickly ran back out. LIve and learn.

[@SoniaAlese]

So is walmart a drug store? 🤔 They sell beer, clothes, etc...and have a pharmacy too. Target has a pharmacy now too.

[@annathorne7714]

it’s about $850 for ambulance ride And yes most people want better health care 😢

[@richardjones4662]

@@SoniaAlese depends on the state. About half of Kentucky is "dry"... each county decides whether it's legal to sell alcohol or not.

[@776alpha677beta]

Pharmacies do not “carry groceries”. CVS & Walgreens are general stores with a pharmacy inside in the back. They are not just pharmacies. Pharmacies are also inside hospitals and free standing - those types do not sell lettuce & bread 😂 Also pharmacy staff in CVS, Walgreens etc is separated from store staff. The pharmacist does not leave the pharmacy to ring out beers at the store section 😂

[@yg713]

You asked about the Mount Rushmore opening up scene. This is from a movie by the creators of South Park. The movie is titled: "Team America: World Police" and it is made using puppets. You would definitely enjoy reacting to it as it is just hilarious.

[@writerinprogress]

Oh yeah -- even the theme tune is a banger! "A-MERI-CA.... F%*K YEAH! Comin' again to save the motherf%*kin' day yeah!"

[@jordanzimmerman6812]

my mom has to choose between medications that she absolutely needs every month because she cant afford.... really she cant even afford the ones she ends up getting... but she for sure cant get all of them... and its sad

[@llewisdolphins]

It is more common than you think. Too many people have to decide between life saving medications or eating. It is so bad. I am so sorry she has to worry about that.

[@eddiehaskell1957]

My wife has a heart condition that she has to take an injection that cost $1,500 every 2 weeks. She lost her insurance because of Obamacare. We don't have $3,000 a month for medicine. She called Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and asked if they could help her. Regeneron ships every 3 months in a temperature controlled cooler that Fed-Ex brings to our doorstep, and it costs us $ 0.00....

[@valsyaranamual6853]

@@eddiehaskell1957 Glad you found a company that can help.

[@Bette-tp5gj]

Why don't you step up and help your mom other than complaining

[@jordanzimmerman6812]

@@Bette-tp5gj What is wrong with you? It isn't complaining it is an example.... one of fucking many.... of how fucked up things are and how outrageous it is .... why don't you step up and go fuck your self instead of being a giant douche

[@jefftucker975]

In the US, sales tax is not only state-to-state, but also municipality-to-municipality. Usually sales tax is only applied to non-edible goods however, some municipalities also put a nominal tax on all food items in the grocery stores. (I.E. Mesa, Arizona had a 1% sales tax on groceries when I lived there.)

[@debbiecantwell7739]

In Illinois there is sales tax on food, too.

[@wlg1223]

Where I live in Virginia, we have a state sales tax and then a separate tax for the city. If you go to a restaurant the tax is higher than a regular store

[@jenniferwilson2637]

Sales taxes are just crazy- there seems to be no rhyme or reason to what is or isn't taxed, and at what percentage. Some states have no sales taxes, some have upwards of 10% added, as well as state, county, and municipalities all levying their own. Some states tax everything, others exempt certain categories of goods. I live in PA, and most food at the grocery stores is not taxed (there is a small tax for convenience foods and "junk food"), and also not taxed are clothing and shoes.

[@virginiadurant9954]

Hi, TEXAS has NO TAX on food. States that do like ARIZONA. Should be ashame. Bless You.

[@Londronable]

@@virginiadurant9954 At the end of the day the money has to come from somewhere and if they don't tax X it just means they tax Y.

[@moore2life_2012]

About the pharmaceutical ads- I think I saw 3 of them just watching this video

[@minishmew]

Used to work for the State of Nevada Department of Taxation, the sales tax changes depending on the county you are in, not always the state. State is more for property tax. So if you are in one shopping complex that is classified as 'County One', and over the street is another shopping complex, however it is classified as 'County Two', you will pay two different sales tax even though they are across the street from each other. Chances are the difference in the sales taxes are minimal and you wouldn't notice the difference of $0.03 to $0.05, but it is there. Having one flat sales tax would make things easier on one part, but problematic on another. This is because minimum wage varies state to state. Especially with hospitality, where employers can get away with paying below minimum wage because workers get compensated on tips earned.

[@Timmycoo]

Man, my wife is from Malaysia and when we'd visit there, wait staff would expect me to tip just because I sounded American. But it isn't normal practice there. She has to constantly remind me that it's not a thing. The working too much part is not only America. Japan actually has a term for dying from overworking called "karoshi" and there's a movement against working too much.

[@LETMino85]

Or Korea. Also overworkers.

[@ebbhead20]

Japan finds it rude actually. You can get in trouble for tipping. This was on a youtube thing about what not to do in Japan. You're basically saying.. Hey you poor bastard i better help you! 😁

[@poppyssnoopy5835]

@@ebbhead20 WOW!! Good to know.

[@ebbhead20]

@@poppyssnoopy5835 im always surprised when some American goes.. Did you know they don't tip in France? Like Ellen DeGeneres had a guest tell her, and Ellen goes, yeah, same in... Some country she'd been to. Thing is... WE DONT HAVE TIPPING ANYWHERE OUTSIDE AMERICA FOLKS! So it's a bit annoying to me.. Its basically like a guy from Spain going..Did you know you can drink the tap water in Germany.? Again, tap water is fine in probably 80-90% of any country on the planet. And when it comes to Scandinavia the tap water is better than the bottled water that UK and USA sells. Thats how good it is here.. Better than anyting from a store. So yeah.. A lot is annoying as hell. Don't get me started in drinking. When people go.. So you can drink at 18 in Scandinavia right.? Eh, you could buy beer from a shop at 12 years old before 1998. They changed that. But we got beer from shops when I was a kid in the 80. The 18 thing was only about hard liquor. You went in as a kid and shopkeep got you 10 beers down from a shelf you couldn't even reach. And ID dont exist here. You had you citizens number on a card that was used to go to the doctor with. But no shop would ever ask for that. So theres a shitload of stuff we never knew was a thing apart from the US teen movies.. The card thing was funny to us. We did most things ourselves. Even girls getting the pill at 13 didnt need the parents to help with that. You just did that yourself.

[@ebbhead20]

@@poppyssnoopy5835 its Wanda Sykes and Ellen talking about France and then Ellen says, they don't tip in Australia either.. And thats always bothered me. Like it's a thing anywhere else but the US.

[@beee462]

I worked 11 years as a server. What a lot don't know is that your hourly rate plus your tips has to equal minimum wage has to equal minimum wager per hour. So, for example, I made $3.23 an hour as a server. After a 6 hour shift I made 50 in tips. So my total in hourly wage is $19.38 then add $50 for $69.38. Take that total and divide by the number of hours (6 in this example) and you get an hourly wage of $11.56. If for some reason that number is below minimum wage, the restaurant is legally obligated to make up the difference to meet minimum wage requirements. But that is how restaurants get away with below minimum wager salary.

[@randykillman6475]

Usually in the pharmacy there is a separate section at the back of the store for the prescription drugs and it is behind a counter. Only trained workers work with prescription drugs. Other workers manage the rest of the store. Red solo cups are popular for its sturdy design, resilient materials, opacity and large capacity. They are known for being able to withstand drops, easily stackable, and disposable while price accessible. Their characteristic red color may conceal the drinking contents. Americans like to use disposable items for parties. Solo cups happen to be a type of plastic that is easily recycled and that is also comparatively degradable. it might last for decades in landfill but not for millennia. They are red for easy clean up. Humans are very good at seeing and noticing red objects. We can glance around for anything bright red and pick it all up for cleanup. When we’re done the only bright red objects are maybe some flowers. Believe it or not: 2011. Country singer Toby Keith released his hit song, “Red Solo Cup.” It peaked at #1 on the Billboard charts and was certified double platinum after selling 2 million digital downloads!

[@lisarendine9791firecracker]

The pharmacy and the store are run by different people. Pharmacy workers are dedicated to the pharmacy only.

[@dawnkindnesscountsmost5991]

Pharmacies like CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens are pharmacies inside of large convenience stores, with the pharmacy having its own staff separate from the store staff. For even more convenience, many grocery stores have a pharmacy in their stores, too, again with its own staff separate from the grocery store staff.

[@jengries]

Nobody really answered the red Solo cup question, but it’s that at many large parties the host won’t have enough glassware for everyone attending, so you’ll buy a sleeve of 50-100 cups along with whatever other party supplies you’re picking up. Also, at large college parties it’s common for there to be one or more kegs of beer and they often give you the cups when you rent the keg(s) and tap. It’s less common for large college parties to be BYOB than for the hosts to just supply a keg and some bottles. BYOB requires multiple folks to be of legal age to buy alcohol while you only need a single upperclassman with a valid ID to grab a keg. If it’s a rent party someone at the door might sell cups for a few bucks, thus granting partygoers access to the keg.

[@angelaburress8586]

Because it has measurements in them to tell you how many shots

[@jennifergre8483]

Also. Don't forget the song. It's hilarious and adds to everything lol

[@kevinprzy4539]

Pharmacy’s are ran by Pharmacists and they only run the pharmacy, there’s other employees working the rest of the store. They could change the law and raise their wages but then the restaurants are just going to raise the prices on their food so they can pay the workers.

[@mage1439]

I think most of us would understand the raising of prices in restaurants if it equalled out with dropping tipping. But that won't happen. If servers were paid $50 an hour they'd STILL think they're entitled to tips.

[@Londronable]

I once calculated how much I would have to raise my prices if I doubled my employees wages to keep the same profit.(basically looking at employee expenses and revenue and go from there) For my business that would be a price increase of 6%.

[@sharonsmith5296]

@@mage1439 If servers were paid $50 / hour, no, they would not feel entitled to tips. They'd basically be grateful that they could now manage with just one job instead of having to hold two or three and still never have enough

[@mage1439]

@@sharonsmith5296 I've been poor all my life, so don't try to talk down to me about it like I'm some rich jerk who doesn't understand what struggle is about. And maybe I was a bit hyperbolic, but definitely you could pay servers a lot more, definitely a decent wage, and many would still expect tips. I've not been one, but I have been a busboy, and I was told to do my job worse because I was making them look bad. Because somehow apparently I, who had to keep the place cleaned, including the bathrooms and the floors, change out kegs behind the bar, go back and break down boxes, and often wash dishes during rushes, was able to check on the customers' needs better than the servers. That seems pretty much like them just not doing much, since I was apparently doing a solid 3/4 of the refills and other customer interactions while they stood in the kitchen gossiping.

[@sharonsmith5296]

@@mage1439 apologies ~ not meaning to talk down to you. The Very Few restaurants that I know of where they raised prices enough to pay their servers a decent wage and said flat-out, No Tipping, there was no pushback from the servers (and all the rest of the kitchen staff, busboys, ++), the servers++ felt respected, and they were all making a living wage, a dependable wage. What patrons had been paying in tips they gladly now pay in increased prices, and no tips. Everyone is happy and the business of the restaurant is succeeding nicely. Seems pretty much WinWin to me

[@nathanvega6281]

In Mexico you have to sing the Mexican anthem and pledge your allegiance twist a week while you are at school. On Monday first thing in the morning before classes and Friday before going back home.

[@Chill_Jill]

Regarding your sales tax question, the total amount of sales taxes is broken down into percentages for city, county and state sales taxes. It varies not only per state but per city and county, too.

[@williamjones7163]

I worked at grocery store in Arizona. Depending on by the item and where you bought it determined the tax. Liquor and cigarettes were always taxable. Food may be taxable if it was certain categories. Hot ready to eat food was taxable. Cold food and groceries were not taxable. Beer taxable. Soda not taxable. Toys, books, and magazines taxable. Candy not taxable. Now depending on the jurisdiction your in food may be taxable or not. A flat nation wide tax would be unworkable because sales taxes are micro applied to fund micro applications.

[@darcistephenson5359]

In Oregon, there is no sales tax, but we do pay a " bottle deposited fee" on alcohol and other beverages. Presumably to promote recycling as it is 10 cents per container if you take them to a redemption center. Also, to make up for no sales tax, everything else is taxed like crazy, including your pay.

[@Chill_Jill]

@@darcistephenson5359 👍👍👍

[@adamhamilton8158]

Most sales taxes are in a rough neighborhood of 7-12% of the price. Considering how literally two stores could be feet away from each other, yet one in city/county/state limits and other one not, it makes keeping all of those in store differences straight. Think of the VAT from country to country in Europe... then sub divide each country into counties, and further down to cities, and instead of just one sales tax rate per country, you've now got 100's of different sales taxes on any one product. It kind of becomes a logistical nightmare to try and keep it all straight, especially since the companies selling the products through a store will usually set the store price, such as 7-11 Corp setting the price of all products in each store the same for each, like Pepsi for $3, slushies at $1.20 for a large, etc. It would mean big companies taking time to calculate all the various taxes paid, from where, and so on. It's easier to just have a button that adds that sales tax and shows how much was charged for not only tax purposes, but to keep from wasting corporate time. This way the company can just pay one lump tax to whomever it is owed to every quarterly, and show proof in case of an audit.

[@KimInCalifornia]

Keep the private medical system. I lived in England and had the WORST health care in my life. I lived in Cambridge for two years and the hospital was short-staffed, my GP didn't know how to treat Lupus (I had to have him talk to my former American doctor), and the doctors spoke to the patients like we were idiots. I asked a doctor what my husband had and he said that he had "wonky hips!" British patronizing words for osteoarthritis. A friend of mine ended up in the hospital in Cambridge with an infection (she was a nurse) and they told her she had "buggies." She asked, "Do you mean a staph infection?" They reluctantly told her that she was right. The doctors always talked to me as if they were Gods who spoke a foreign language that I would never be able to understand. In the USA, my doctors EXPLAIN everything using a vocabulary that doesn't make you feel like an idiot. My doctor will give me any test that I request after we discuss it. I get called in once a year to discuss my health and my various prescriptions. The NHS was so overwhelmed that they told my husband he wouldn't be able to get a hip replacement for three years. We moved back to my home and the surgeons asked him, "When do you want your operation?" I'll take private care, thank you.

[@andrearay5134]

I literally just got lectured about working too much today. I just got out of the hospital after dealing with a 200/130 blood pressure that was causing INSANE headaches!!!! I like my job but will not die for it! Take care of yourselves people 💖

[@patriciacullen7328]

Andrea, WOW that's really high. Do you have a history of hypertension or was this your first experience? Please, get an at home blood pressure monitor and keep close tabs on it..I've had it for many years, but the first thing I do EVERY morning is take my blood pressure pills. I'll be praying for you.. Please don't ever skip your meds, monitor your BP, lower salt intake, and allow yourself to relax. Take care Andrea.

[@leighhallford894]

Red “SOLO” cup is often used when dispensing soda for all the guest because it’s disposable. No washing needed. (The company is called SOLO) 😂

[@BensSoZen]

And most kids aren't going to own enough cups anyway

[@sharonwilliams8552]

@@BensSoZen no one wants a bunch of non family members drinking off thier stuff as well

[@aj897]

@@sharonwilliams8552 Or dropping expensive cups that have to be bought over and over if they keep breaking, much better to spend $5-10 or so for 100 cups

[@chickie3376]

I worked for a big US chain pharmacy for 26 years. We had the pharmacy staff who pretty much stayed behind the pharmacy, and a “front store” staff who didn’t work in the pharmacy. Sometimes, some were cross- trained to work in both departments, though.

[@NurseEmilie]

I think I've said this before, but the pharmacy workers don't take care of the rest of the store. That's up to the store manager and his workers.

[@monagriffith5072]

People from Canada, a NHS, come to America to get treatments because the wait time is way to long in Canada. We need to keep our health care system. I did not have insurance for several years. Clinics give discounts and the government helps those who can’t pay.

[@CGC1954]

Actually the red solo cup came about because it was different than regular plastic cups and for parties you don’t want to have to wash real glasses so everyone turned to plastic and then the solo company got really smart and said well let’s make a fun one and they started with red and now they have all colors

[@josephmorneau4339]

The only reason we are called "America" is because of the rest of the world. When the country was first founded, citizens identified by their states. So you were a Virginian or a New Yorker. It was other governments that started calling us "America" because we were the only independent country in either continent named America.

[@kabirconsiders]

Interesting, i didn’t know that!

[@kimberlys8422]

RIP to Queen Eliabeth; But we're America because of the the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci

[@virginiadurant9954]

Hi Kimberly, You are so right. It is a very interesting story. GOOGLE IT people. Take Care KIMBERLY.

[@themourningstar338]

@CLester Exactly! I've said the same thing on other videos. What are we supposed to be called, USAers, Staters, Unitians? I do not understand why us being called Americans causes controversy with some people from other North and South American countries. Many times I've seen people online that are angry about it, stating that they are Americans too because they live on one of the American continents. It doesn't make any sense. We are the only country with the word America in our country's official name, and as you said there really isn't anything else to call us. But I guarantee that if we were called something to do with United or States, there would be people mad about that too since those words actually are part of other countries official names.

[@Londronable]

@CLester I agree it's less "Americans want to pretend they're all of the Americas" and more just the language not fitting. Language tends to follow the easiest path(Brits know how to pronounce Leicester these days for example).

[@jeffsherk7056]

When I got my first job as a busboy in 1978, I got paid $1.30 an hour, when the minimum wage was something like $4.45 an hour. Sometimes, my waiters only gave me $4.00 out of their tips for a night's work in a very busy restaurant. I had no idea how things worked, and did not know I was working for practically nothing.

[@laureliechapman1267]

My first job was as a waitress in a doughnut shop on weekends and four days a week after school - $1.90 per hour, 1976. In 2004 in Sedona, AZ, I was a server in a small restaurant earning $3.25 per hour, 25 cents more than the minimum. Not much difference in 28 years!

[@kcvail7409]

The pharmacy is run as a separate entity, only pharmacists sell prescribed items, pharmacists do not stock or run the cash registered where groceries are sold. There usually are no green produce items but you are usually able to get tylenol, ibuprofen, milk, eggs, limited beverages, probably some canned foods, soups, chips, and sweets. Things you might need/want if you are not feeling well. Maybe even some toys or makeup. The big grocery stores with pharmacies in them such as a Walmart, Kroger, Safeway, or Costco you can get just about anything but you must buy prescribed medications at the pharmacy, everything else at the other section of the store.

[@BrookieCookie91]

Lmao the pharmacy thing has me cracking up. It's totally separate from the store. Never will you ever see the pharmacist re-stocking the cookies and chips up on the shelves 🤣 They get paid way more to do what they do. Which is behind the counter behind a locked door in charge of hundreds to thousands of different strong meds to be distributed correctly which some people's lives depend on. Don't downplay their jobs!! 😆

[@Matty06001]

It depends. My daughter is a pharmacist for an independent pharmacy, and one slow day she found herself restocking the little knickknack shelves with ceramic bears and plastic doo dads. So, it really just does depend.

[@Lucailey]

Yea but, you can pay for your nonmedical items at the pharmacy section of the store

[@heatherhj2011]

These pharmacy stores also don't offer fresh items like produce or meat. It is strictly limited processed foods, milk, drinks, candy, chips ("crisps") and other boxed items. The big concern with the medical for most americans is that our health care quality will decrease if we go to an NHS system. They view it as the same as our current welfare medical system which doesn't provide service for vision or dental unless you can show that you make less than 200% of the poverty line. I am on disability and I have to pay out of pocket for dental and vision which runs me about $100 a month. Most people get private insurance through their employers which provides them with better converage, ironically though they spend less time using it because they spend more time working to build up their paid time off in order to use it on vacations or sick leave. The red solo cups...they are just a disposable drinking cup used for all sorts of events it just happens we see it used most often in movies associated with college drinking parties and they do come in different colors. Taxes...taxes are divided up into different categories and that video didn't really explain it well. Each state has their own tax system. In washington state for example we have sales tax and federal tax. The federal tax is tax on income only, so that means if you work here you inly pay federal tax on your income. When you purchase items in Washington state you pay a sales tax, this sales tax can differ from county to county, but this tax is broken up into different buckets after the fact. It will go to excise taxes, school improvements, roads, it helps pay for snow removal and public services in those communities. Now there are some states that don't have a sales tax at all, which really makes things confusing. Oregon for example has no sales tax, but they have a State tax. So at tax time you pay federal and state taxes. The state taxes does the same thing as sales tax, oh and in Oregon you still are not allowed to pump you own petrol! But then you have a state like Idaho where you have all 3, federal tax, state tax, and sales tax, which blows my mind how the communities and education facilities can be so poor. Each state and county within those stateshas full autonomy when it comes to their local and state tax structure.

[@LrngMn]

Sorry, Heather, I'm disabled, too, so don't need to go there, but wanted to say, several 'drug stores' round here in Manchester NH are like small food marts - frozen section, small produce offering, cake mix, bread selection, etc. Interesting.

[@MrHypnofan]

Another reason solo cups are common at college parties is many campuses (including my alma mater) have rules forbidding the drinking of alcoholic beverages from the original container. I think this is to cut down on glass bottles being used as weapons or having broken glass on the ground. Anyway, it was just easiest to grab the cheap plastic cups from the Quickie mart; and the red ones were/are the most commonly found color.

[@aydencook3965]

I suppose for the red solo cup is because frat parties usually have kegs of beer instead of glass bottles because it’s easier to clean up so you don’t have broken beer bottles around to break. And red was the only color in the beginning.

[@denisemiles1787]

Hello, I have a unique situation when it comes to medical. I’m Native American. I have my own clinics, Doctors and hospitals. I don’t get a bill or pay for anything out of pocket.

[@jwb52z9]

I love that about the Native American system. I just wish I had the money to find out if I have enough Native American ancestry to qualify.

[@JB-qu1co]

@@jwb52z9 Join the military; they have the same health/dental care as the BIA. Also have the same nonexistent taxes on tobacco and alcohol.. Not to mention the free room and board, free work uniforms and free meals. One thing to note; the medical staff in Army Hospitals prescribed the same pain killer for a headache that they did for a broken leg. 500mg Motrin.😂😂🙄🤣

[@janetmoreno8909]

In all these mass pharmacy stores the pharmacy is actually a separate section that only deals with drugs. The pharmacist isn't worrying about milk and shampoo,that's the store manager's job.

[@marisha530]

The tax thing used to give me anxiety as a kid lol I didn't know if I would have enough

[@mhm8922]

Me too!!! I remember me and my siblings saving up to buy gifts for Christmas and we always ran short. Lol. I’d forgotten about that.

[@Butterflyandhearts95]

I grew up in Texas. I turned 18 in March 1981 and could legally drink. In Sept of 1981 they raised it to 19. I couldn’t legally drink again until March the next year when I turned 19. Then during the year I turned 20, they changed it to 21. I could still drink but only if my 21 year old husband was with me. 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@renetitus1826]

Me too! But, I was married at 19 and we'd take our marriage license to the dance halls. Then, my husband was my legal guardian and could approve me having a drink.

[@stellaandes759]

My husband was in memory care across the street from the hospital, and he had to be transported by ambulance to the hospital across the street. Every time that happened, the bill was $500! I'm 70, and I recall in 8th grade, the math teacher told us the US would be going to the metric system so we had to learn it. About the only thing still in metric is soda in 1 or 2 liter bottles.

[@nbookworm]

People crack me up about the metric system, which is 10 times easier than trying to memorize how many ducks in a quart (jkjk). My mother has complained and resisted to this day (she's 83), saying that the metric system is too complicated. What she doesn't realize is that, EARLY in her career, she was responsible for measuring out medicine in doses that had to be calculated, and it was ALL measured in metric. I have NO idea what she thought she was doing!!!!!!!

[@virginiadurant9954]

Hi Annette, That was so funny.I hope everything turned out okay for the people she was doing the meds for. Bless You.

[@themourningstar338]

Metric is used across the board for our entire medical system (hospitals, medical equipment, medications, veterinary medicine etc.) and is standard for all of the different science fields and most engineering fields. It's used for a hell of a lot more in the US than just liters of soda LOL.

[@loveit7484]

500.00 Thats highway robbery!

[@happyjohn354]

Actually many of the younger generation use both US and metric but interchange them for what they are more comfortable for. For instance I use metric for distance but US for cooking.

[@RPGMendrol]

I live in the U.S. Long story: I have literally 40 things wrong with me medically, and many of the symptoms overlap. I once got taken by ambulance to a hospital despite telling them the problem wasn't urgent. The ambulance charged the trip as "life or death," and my insurer paid all but $50. Then the hospital changed the billing code from a "life or death" diagnosis to basically "anxiety." When the update made it to the ambulance company, they changed the code for the trip to "non-life threatening," and I got a follow on bill for $1,400! They essentially charged me for wasting their time! For a trip I didn't want to make in the first place!

[@paulhammond6978]

Can you then sue the hospital to recover the cost, given that they made you take the trip even though you argued against it, and it was their decision to downgrade the incident that landed you with the extra charges? Though I guess that is extra hassle, and may land you with legal bills that wipe out what you might get back.

[@christinemalloy-brooks7540]

Red SOLO cups. Every teen keg party always came with a couple sleeves of red SOLO cups. The tips were the only way I could cover my bills in college. They paid $1.50-$3.00 an hour. The laws should change.

[@genericcartoonreactionchan3890]

Psychology can explain why red is the most popular color for Solo cups. This vibrant color is said to be associated with adventure, excitement, and energy. For this reason, red is often used by food and drink companies, like McDonald’s and Coca-Cola, because just seeing the color can increase our heart rates and evoke happy memories.

[@someonerandom256]

My husband is in the American Military, so our healthcare works a lot like the British system, where almost everything is covered (except dental is covered separately for the civilian dependents). He basically stayed in in order to make retirement, just so we would still get some healthcare coverage through the government.

[@dalebuck7168]

First Thank you to your husband and to you for your service. I spent 31 years in the Army before retiring and becoming a Professor/teacher. I also stayed longer than perhaps I should have for the health benefits. Now at the maturing age of 80 years + I am thankful for that decision. Between Medicare and Tricare for Life my dear wife and I have survived some anxious times without having to worry about how I was going to pay for health care. We are, thankfully, very healthy, active and looking forward to the future, thanks to the military's health care system.

[@OokamiShinjou]

The government takes money via taxes. You are paying no matter what healthcare system you have... unless it's paid for by charitable donations, rather than the government (taxes) or an insurance company. Complain about US cost but it's a fact that US healthcare is significantly higher quality than majority of nations. Doctors aren't overbooked for minor crap, so it's faster, and the doctors get paid higher salaries, meaning there is incentive to spend you entire adulthood studying your ass off for that doctorate. Canadians come to the US for serious illness for quality and speed, Americans go to Canada for cheap drugs. An overlooked fact.

[@elaniarkady7351]

This was in my recommended list. You have a very calm energy! I also really want to answer all of your questions! I'm a home care aid that works 10 to 12 hours a day no days off so 70+ hours in 7 days. I don't know what I'd do with a 4 day week.

[@tabitha4135]

That’s slave labour it will make you ill 😷 you need a rest ! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🌹

[@benicabanas9793]

Enjoy life maybe?

[@XRP2020]

Used to it but here's what I found...There is no general VAT in the US but various sales taxes, which means that there isn't a single tax rate that shops could easily include in all prices. Depending on the location, there could be a sales tax from the state, county, city or even other institutions (transport authorities, etc.) so you cannot even set a price and print labels for a state or a metropolitan area, let alone nationwide. Also, displaying lower prices is generally advantageous so as long as they don't have to do it, it would seem retailers have very little incentive to figure a way to deal with all this. Even if one would consider doing it (which is not the case as far as I know), they would just make themselves look bad compared to the competition. To use an analogy, even when several parties really wish to reduce their weapon stockpiles, it's too risky for one of them to disarm unilaterally and find itself alone without weapons when the others still have them (or in this case, display higher after-tax prices when everybody else advertises with before-tax prices).

[@Velvet]

The US is a pay-to-live society. As someone who’s disabled with a chronic condition & wheelchair bound, I would kill for the NHS. I only have Medicare for doctors & hospital visits so prescriptions, dental, eye are not included. My condition attacked my teeth and eyes. I’m currently having what will eventually be over $12k worth of dental work, need new glasses, and am drowning in medical debt. I can’t get care credit either. I get $850/month for disability with my meds costing $450/month. Let’s throw in $7-$850 every 2-3 months for dental work. Oh! And only $50 in food stamps. See how that math works out? Yeah, I’d be dead or on the street if it wasn’t for my parents and that’s not an exaggeration. It took me about 5yrs of fighting to even get on disability. So yeah, I would sell my soul for the NHS or something similar. I know it can take forever to get an appointment but I used to use the county clinic and it was similar.

[@DavidSmith-cx8dg]

When we went metric on joining the Common market it was confusing . We were taught mainly in imperial but also metric in later school years . When I started work new materials gradually turned up in metric but imperial was still needed for existing stuff .Bolts for example , were Bsw , Bsf. Ba. and the metric equivalents weren't exact and the treads were different .It took more than a decade for metric to become the norm . Even now It's easier for me to visualise mentally in feet and inches . The same with height and weight . For a Country the size of the US. It would be a massive undertaking .

[@pluck8913]

The red cups is two fold. One they are cheap and can be thrown away instead of having to be washed, so cleanup for a large party/gathering is easier. The second is Holywood. With the red cups, they make having to reshoot a scene easier since they all look alike. No need to worry about whether he had the blue glass or the clear one during a reshoot. Also since they are cheap they are less on the budget.

[@cuttiegrl159]

All good points, I completly agree. If your party has a keg or mixed drinks are you left to wash 80 cups after? That'd be wired. I always thought it was so movies could "show" underage drinking. It's more implied that it's alcohol. Of course we know it is... but the legal age being 21 makes it tricky for movies, no? Maybe it's a thing from older movie laws? I just think it's funny that the rest of the world thinks we use them all the time. 😂

[@MelaniePoparad]

As far as the metric system, my degree is in mechanical engineering and computer science. I am very familiar with both systems. Oddly enough, when i’m doing calculations, I prefer metric (metric is an observed system, while imperial is a derives system) but because i live in the US, my physical conception of measurements in my daily life is all imperial. Being surrounded with it from birth is a hard habit to break. Being in a metric area can make you feel incredibly unnerved, anxious and be confusing. I think a gradual transition where things are posted in both systems with the metric being the dominant measurement and starting kids with metric instead of imperial in schools might be a couple of ways to transition. It’d still be messy and we’d almost be forcing everyone to learn two systems, not just those of us who work in stem fields, etc.

[@mage1439]

The only place where I just hate the metric system is in human height. "I'm 189cm." No, I'm 6'2".

[@TracyII77]

Like other countries that started with the Imperial system, we will never fully transition. This is because while most mechanical items are now produced globally using the Metric system, construction/infrastructure items are not. This is because almost all houses, roads, pipes, etc. were designed and manufactured using the Imperial system. In fact, there are multiple different definitions of an inch within our infrastructure due to how different standards developed over time. This means that the average American is more likely to interact with the Imperial system than the Metric system. That does not mean we won't continue to adopt more and more metric usage.

[@JB-qu1co]

@@mage1439 The shit that throws me off is trying to figure if a woman that is 187cm tall and weighs "27 stone" is obese, average or a scarecrow. 🤔😲

[@PaolaBarrientos]

I grow up in Guatemala, Central America and we used to have Civic Mondays where we sang the national anthem, and recite the pledge of allegiance and done other activities related those two. So for me it was kind of normal when I came to the US.

[@annfrost3323]

Please tell us the words to the Guatemalan pledge of allegiance. Cannot even imagine.

[@PaolaBarrientos]

@@annfrost3323 the name of the pledge is "Bandera Nuestra" "Flag of Ours" Bandera nuestra, a tí juramos devoción perdurable, lealtad perenne, honor y sacrificio y esperanza hasta la hora de nuestra muerte. En nombre de la sangre y de la tierra juramos mantener tu excelcitud sobre todas las cosas, en los prósperos días y en los días adversos; velar y aún morir porque ondees perpetuamente sobre una patria digna Translation Flag of ours To you we pledge Lasting devotion Unending loyalty Honor, sacrifice and hope Until the time of our death. In the name of blood and land We pledge to keep your Excellency Over all the things, In the prosper days and in adverse days To be vigilant or even die For you, so that you might wave perpetually Over a worthy country Thank you for asking!

[@brunettealesoda]

im from california, born and raised but soy guatemalteca and i moved to guateamala 3 years ago and they also do civic mondays instead of the pledge of allegiance

[@liarwithagun]

A bunch of European countries used to have pledges and salutes to their country in schools, but after WW2 made nationism unpopular in Europe they did away with them. In fact, the USA pledge used to have kids do a 'Nazi Salute' but seeing the Nazi's do that gave the stance a bad look and people changed it (Just like with the Hitler mustache which was a 'hip' look fir the time).

[@tshelton5111]

No sales tax in Oregon...... which is great for those who are visiting, but its residents pay higher income taxes to cover all of those road repairs, education and so on. Personally, I wouldn't mind having a sales tax....that way, everyone who visits and uses our roads and resources are pitching in on the costs.

[@Sassyglbeauty]

The metric system- I mean, it’s all to what u are raised to use. What u learned as a child, will usually just make more sense than trhing to learn a new system.

[@brentrice8407]

You really need to check out the song Red Solo cup. That should clear some things up. And another thing she didn't say about pharmaceutical stores is that the food in those stores are usually more expensive than your average store such as Walmart and target.

[@Itsme60804]

What’s interesting is that we all learn arguably more about the metric system in school than the imperial system… also, I work in a lab and the metric system is basically all we use. Everything is in terms of kilograms, grams, micrograms, liters, milliliters, and microliters.

[@HurricaneJD]

I think the metric system is dumb..... That plane weighs about 5 billion kilograms just sounds dumb the numbers get way too high if you ask me and they need to be scaled down to smaller numbers

[@ginakerns9903]

I agree. I was taught the metric system first in school and use it now in the medical field. We should switch over.

[@Itsme60804]

@@HurricaneJD The imperial system would actually make the numbers bigger; 1kg≈2.2lbs. The next unit up from kg is “tonnes” or “metric tons” where 1 tonnes=1000kg

[@MountainBabyRoses]

@@Itsme60804 8,000 lbs = 4 tons = 3,628.739 kilograms.=3.628739 metric ton Still dont get it.😥

[@ESUSAMEX]

The people who work in the pharmacies only deal with the medication even if the pharmacy is in a supermarket or small store. In fact, the pharmacy has its own separate hours which are normally different for the store.

[@brandylu2941]

The US absolutely needs to change their medical situation. No one should have to go into debt for medical expenses. I would love a single payer system in the US.

[@michele-kt]

As far as that whole ambulance/insurance thing goes, I've ridden in an ambulance twice and I never saw a bill. I don't know where you got that information from. Where I live in NY, if you're seriously ill, you do not wait weeks or months to see a Dr or a surgeon like I hear you must in the UK or Canada. Then your NHS can decide whether they'll allow you to get the care you need and they can turn you down if they determine you're too old or too sick!! Holy cow!!!! It's common practice for Canadians to cross the border to get medical care in the US. . Also we can choose any Dr we want and if you don't like your Dr you can change at any time. Oh, and no one ever ever gets turned down for medical care. If your poor and can't pay hospitals have special systems for that and the government also has special insurance for poor and or old people.

[@karenjewell6543]

You said everything I was going to!I'm in Michigan & the Canadians that have serious health issues & can afford it,often come to the states..Free is only good if you're alive..We definitely need something to make it more affordable,but not what they have going on.

[@michele-kt]

@@karenjewell6543 Yes. What we need is inter state companies. Now insurance companies cannot sell insurance in different states. If they could sell nationwide, it would create competition and competition creates lower prices. Also insurance companies should let people pick what they want coverage for. Young people most likely don't need to be paying for long term care and men, no matter what the woke crowd says, do not need to be paying for obstetrics and gynecology.

[@momD612]

The groceries in a "pharmacy" are quite limited. Just maybe 3 or 3 aisles for canned/box foods, chips, sodas, etc. And 1 cooler/freezer section. There's definitely no fresh foods/produce. It's a very minimal selection, and more expensive usually than a grocery store or Walmart. I'm speaking of Walgreens & CVS types that I've been to in FL, GA, TN, & TX. 😉🤷‍♀️

[@lorainefleeman6011]

Sometimes you can find bananas, or some such near the cash registers, but that's it.

[@b_period9949]

I recently was in hospital for over 6 weeks in Belgium. The bill I received was about 500 euro, which was the personal part charged for me. Total bill was around 30.000 covered by health care system. The extra 500 is covered by my private insurance on top of the government one. So total bill for staying 6 weeks in the end was about 50 euro for me, all the rest was covered. Which was just for some extra's like coffee or tea outside the meals included.

[@kdmcollegebd2012]

Being in the HealthCare field means taking the metric for everything. Along with military time. So,we know both.. Even though I no longer work my clocks/ phones are still in military time. I tend to wake up confused. So, that way I know if it's AM or PM. It tends to look the same here in the Midwest whether it's daytime or nightlife. Unless it's between 9-4.

[@KiraBKADestroyerOfWorlds]

Those red (or blue) plastic cups are Solo (branded) cups; they're used for drinks at parties because they won't break if dropped, and can be thrown away (or recycled) after use, instead of having to be washed. Solo is just the popular brand, mainly because they're high-density (which makes them durable), and have a textured exterior surface, which makes them easier to keep a grip on your drink--especially if it's iced or very cold, which causes condensation on the outside of the cup.

[@llewisdolphins]

The red solo cups are sturdy disposable cups. When you have a party and to make sure there are enough cups we buy disposable red solo cups. And when people are drunk they have no clue which drink is theirs so they get a new one. No broken glass from glasses being dropped and a constant flow of alcohol to keep the party going. And way cheaper than replacing a ll your glasses at every party. As for taxes, they should be the same across the whole country and should already be calculated in. Even for us Americans calculating sales tax is frustrating and annoying. The pledge is something I am rather proud of. I think people are trying to change the U.S. too much from what it was built to be. Oh and fir soldiers in the military, they can drink at 18, but only in specific places under control by the military. They still can't go to a normal bar and get a drink. I have always been a fan of changing it to 18 across the board. They are adults at 18 and should be free to embrace everything that comes with adulthood. I agree that minimum wage should be forced for every profession and not make people work for scrapes and hope to God people tip well. It isn't fair. Tips should be left for those who went above and beyond, or just gave phenomenal service. Like a thank you from the patron and not required to put a meal on the servers plate. Healthcare is a mess in the U.S. and having a uniform system would solve so much for everyone. We have people that go through cancer treatments and end up homeless because they can't pay their mortgage. It would not be hard to implement. We just have a greedy selfish government that really doesn't care what the people need, or want. We really should go metric, we have to learn the metric system in school, but then never use it until we are outside of the United States. It never made sense to me. Having everyone on the same measurement system would give the world a universal language when it comes to numbers. So many things that should be changed, or adopted, but our politicians do not want make anything easier for us. Like working 50 plus hours a week and still barely getting by. It's ridiculous and that alone causes health problems and suicides. I honestly believe our politicians need to step back and look at what a mess they created and to realize, it isn't that hard to fix. Hope this helps 😊.

[@TheoIndustries]

I like to think we measure mainly in time and objects. It’s about a 2 hour drive south etc… or the cooler can fit 24 cans 😂

[@parawolfwolfsbane9524]

Same that’s how it was growing up in my family and such. My friends growing up we used minutes/hours because traffic lol

[@francegamble1]

I miss my medical insurance from Japan. Seriously miss that. We have insurance, but my daughter was ran over by a vehicle in May. It shouldn't have been a problem for her, but even at 10 years old she cried the next day about how expensive being in the ICU was going to be. I told her we would pay anything to keep her alive. She still kept asking for weeks how much it cost us and if we were going to be in trouble for the ambulance and hospital. Plus the two surgeries and three ER visits after she was sent home.

[@eddiehaskell1957]

Where do you live?

[@francegamble1]

@@eddiehaskell1957 In the USA right now.

[@Jezzebel1313]

And now imagine you are a single mum with 2 jobs but still starve the last 3 days of every month. People die because of this health care system.

[@francegamble1]

@@Jezzebel1313 I know. We are the lucky ones. I did just get a call that we owe over $300 for the ambulance ride, but that isn't going to break our bank anyway. It is just that our insurance has paid everything it will for the accident now. Everything from now on is out of pocket.

[@Jezzebel1313]

@@francegamble1 It's madness, isn't it. I hope your daughter feel much better now.

[@mid_century_me]

I was 17 when they changed the drinking age. However, my dad was in the military and drinking age has always been 18 on base.

[@schriftstellerin11]

It’s only 18 on overseas bases; in the U.S., it’s still 21. Source: I’m a career officer

[@bryonensminger7462]

No the Pharmacists and their assistance just work in the pharmacy the store department has its own people not to mention that most large grocery stores have pharmacies attached so you can go to a regular grocery store and get your prescriptions there

[@_starfiend]

In the UK lot of the bigger Tesco's Sainsbury's Morrisons etc. will have pharmacy sections where there is a qualified dispensing pharmacist working. Anything bought there is paid for there, not at the main checkout. It is a pharmacy within a grocery shop.

[@christysoto7686]

Omg Kabir I literally LOL’d @ 20:33 when u threw shillings in w the imperial measurement. 😂😂 And my whole life here in the western part of the US I’ve never heard anyone say that 12 thumb widths makes a foot. Everyone has different sized (n shaped) thumbs! Thats silly.

[@jwb52z9]

That's how the inch supposedly came about as a "thumb width", but no one ever says whose thumb it was originally.

[@Itsme60804]

Apparently back in the day a “foot” was whatever size the King of England’s foot was. But that wasn’t practical because each King had a different foot, so they standardized it… and the U.S. stuck with it.

[@marxmaiale9981]

Sales tax isn't listed in the sales price for various reasons, most major is for consistency of pricing. Sales tax can differ between states, counties, municipalities, and districts. With the rules for what is taxed being different in each. I've had to setup sales tax's for some areas were the tax's can be applicable depending on eat in / take out, quantity of items sold, and all kinds of weirdness that any normal person could not be expected to know or memorize.

[@lindylou18]

But the shop manages to do it when you pay for it so why can't they do it when they are pricing it up? I think it's another trick like putting 1.99 instead of 2.

[@marxmaiale9981]

@@lindylou18 Advertising area's far exceed taxation area's. For taxation purposes consider the US to be the EU, each state/country has their own series of tax rates and what taxes apply to what product are different. Many counties/parishes have their own taxation levels as do Cities. Some cities have multiple different tax districts further complicating the issue. With multiple different taxation layers going in their own rates and triggers, advertising a correct out the door price becomes difficult to impossible without changing the base price per store. Even this is impossible in several districts in terms of food pricing as taxes can vary depending on quantity purchased and/or eat-in or take out.

[@lindylou18]

@@marxmaiale9981 it does seem super complicated, especially if the tax alters according to the quantity or whether its eat in or out!

[@janice7408]

I live in one of four US states that doesn't have sales or state taxes. We do have dinner tax and property taxes. I've always thought the red cups were used to hide the use of alcohol, especially for the underaged drinkers.

[@lasagnasux4934]

I live in Indiana. Sales tax, income tax, property tax. Just about ever tax short of a carbon tax.

[@janice7408]

Well, you'll have to move to New Hampshire, Delaware, Montana, or Oregon!

[@MountainBabyRoses]

I also live in 1 of the 4. As our property tax is higher the some other states, and we see a lot of travelers through our state, I kind of wish sales tax was a thing. I think it is "hidden" in our gas however and hotels.. So we get a little from travelers .. It is lovely ordering things online though and seeing that "suggested" or guess of sales tax turning to "$0!" We've been going to a Menards out of state to save some $on our house build and seeing that we saved hundreds is nice and then you see $100 in sales tax and ... Kind of cry inside.

[@oldfogey4679]

Janice my state doesn't have sales tax either! But I thought there were 6 states without sales tax?

[@janice7408]

@@oldfogey4679 I only know what I Google, lol. Apparently Alaska doesn't have a sales tax either, however several of their municipal governments do. That's five, not sure which would be the sixth.

[@JefferyIngram]

The irony with drinking and the military is you can drink underage if and only if you are stationed overseas. I was deployed to west Germany at the end of the Cold War, I came back after the end of the Gulf War and got carded in uniform at a airport Restaurant

[@JulieLWilliams]

The reason the 4-day work week won't work is we have A LOT of entrepreneurs who can't afford to only work 4-days. My husband and I, for example, own our own Mortuary Transport business. People die 24-7, so we are on call 24-7. I would prefer to keep my current medical situation because I don't go to the doctor, and I shouldn't be responsible for someone who does.

[@laurataylor8717]

The thing that's funny to me, some people seem to believe if you have even a drop of alcohol before the stroke of midnight on your 21st birthday your growth will be stunted or something. I've seen people afraid of it, like there must be a medical reason why the legal age is 21. Even I, who was a "goody two shoes" growing up, started drinking when I was 19. My parents gave me wine when I was really little but that doesn't really count, unless you're one of those people who is scared of it.

[@VelkanAngels]

It sure would surprise me if it stunted growth xP. I'm Danish, Danes are among the tallest people in the world and you can drink mild alcoholic beverages here once you're uh... 16, I think (might be 15, I forget) and at 18, you're legally an adult. Meaning there's nothing you're legally barred from doing on account of your age. Danes are pretty alcoholic ontop of that and I remember my first time being drunk was when I was 11-12. Not that it was a regular thing but none of the adults had a problem with it cause... Denmark, I guess.

[@Sandman60077]

From watching many youtubers from different parts of the world I'd say most refer to the US as America. Whenever I travel though, if someone asks me where I'm from I always say the United States, just to avoid any confusion.

[@Msboochie2]

People I’ve met traveling and relatives who live in the Americas usually say “the states”. People from other parts of the world generally say “America” in my experience.

[@LadyOfSummer]

I live in a state without sales tax and it took getting used to when I moved here. I use to round up every item I purchased to get a general idea of how much everything was going to cost.

[@TanyaQueen182]

I agree with you. I'm American and NEVER say "I'm American" I say "I'm from the States".

[@Salty_Balls]

Commie

[@chb2551]

1) A flat sales tax wouldn't work nation-wide. Like the clip showed, some sales taxes are made for local benefit, while others are for the state benefit. The sales taxes don't go to the federal government. Sales taxes stay within the state they're enacted in, which is why they differ so much. For example, in my state of Washington, there is no sales tax on food items with the only exception being pop/soda. I believe that it was because that was considered to be a cause of health issues. What many people who don't live in the U.S. tend to forget is that the U.S. is a group of 50 individual states with their own laws, governments, and tax legislation. Those 50 states fall under the umbrella of a larger government that institutes some laws that are for the entire group, but for the most part, the states are left to their own decisions on what laws to enact. For example, the federal government has set laws banning the use of Marijuana. However, many states have decided not to agree with that law and have allowed Marijuana to be used inside their borders. The federal government can't step in and stop those state governments from setting their own laws regarding it's use because those governments aren't breaking any part of the Constitution of the U.S. by allowing Marijuana use and sales. The federal government can arrest individuals that are caught by federal police breaking the federal law and can send them to a federal prison, but they can't spend the financial resources to go out to try to arrest everyone breaking that law since they don't have unlimited resources and they have more important uses for those resources that they do have. Unlike countries like Italy, France, etc, the taxes collected from sales don't go directly to the country's government, they go to each state's government. A person's overall income is taxed and is sent to the federal government to keep it running and provide the protective umbrella for the entire country. Such as providing for the military, disaster relief, etc. Besides that overarching federal government umbrella of laws and regulations, each state is pretty much a country unto itself, to decide what laws are made and what is taxed and what isn't. Think of it like the EU. There are a number of rules and regulations that are required for members of it, yet each country makes their own laws and regulations under the combined agreed upon rules made by the EU as a whole. I hope this helps explain why each state has its own tax laws and rates. 2) I haven't figured out why people who can't even use their own system of measurement correctly complain about how someone else decides to standardize their system of measurement. The metric system doesn't just skip from Centimeters to Meters, yet those who use the system don't use those measurement marks. Also, what happened to the measurements larger than a kilo- anything? The metric system stops at 1 kilometer. If it's the best system, that makes the most sense, why does it stop there? There used to be a measurement for 10 kilometers, but for some reason it was dropped? Why doesn't it continue on? I could continue to explain how the metric system is just another arbitrary system of measurement but, it's too much trouble. Those who wish to use the arbitrary unit of measurement known as the metric system, are more than welcome to use it. Just don't hassle me for using a different arbitrary unit of measurement called the imperial system. They're both standards of measurements that have been working fine for centuries (well besides the changes made to the metric system a few decades ago, but that's neither here nor there), so I say, "if it aint broke, don't fix it."

[@thatoneguy4240]

I enlisted in the US Army at 17. When I drank on post, they could care less how old I was. I was in the military. That's all they cared about. And tips are mostly for service oriented jobs like waiters/ waitresses or attendants of some sort.

[@Lafly84]

When I was 18 NY changed it to 19. Turned 19 and they changed it to 21. My first duty station was Bliss at El Paso - Mexico was 10 minutes away so no drinking age restrictions.

[@dianeleitch7049]

Couldn't care less..

[@lazylady8591]

The US has individual taxes levied by cities counties, states (which are often larger than countries in the EU), the federal government, and even taxes in Native American reservations. Perhaps one unified tax would make sense except the US is meant to have the individual states more powerful than the federal government so that the control of government is held primarily by the people living in the local area or state. To make one unified tax would make the federal government more powerful.

[@beautifulbliss5883]

Yup, I don't care which party is in charge, I don't want give the federal government more power. No thanks. 👋

[@jaycooper2812]

In my childhood home growing up we were not allowed to wear our shoes in the house. My mother would throw an absolute fit if you did. But I noticed over the years that the carpet stayed cleaner and didn't need to be replaced as often. I know that my mother replaced the carpet in her house only 3 times in the 35 years she owned it and most people who allowed shoes to be worn inside would have to replace the carpet every 5 years or so. When my mother sold her house the buyers commented on how beautiful the carpet was and was shocked when they were told that it was over 15 years old at that time. My mother also owned her own carpet steamer and steam cleaned the carpet every 4 to 6 months which is another reason why the carpet stayed in good condition.

[@QuisletEsq]

The sales tax: each state sets their own tax. And even within a state various cities can add their own tax. Much like each country in Europe sets their own tax. Products can be shipped to various states. It would be a logistical nightmare to have the price include the various taxes that may apply.

[@Cheryl1965]

In terms of insurance. I live in Massachusetts, in the northeast of the US, a liberal state and I’m self-employed. I’m in my 50s and have no major medical conditions. I purchase my own health insurance because there are no other options and it cost me almost $900 a month. On top of that I have a $2000 a year deductible. And I have an $8500 maximum out-of-pocket expense for major medical procedures. This is considered a good plan. The only step-up would be 1200 a month and there would still be deductibles and out of pocket requirements. With all of the coverage and deductibles I pay, when I was injured last year and had to call an ambulance because my leg was broken I got a bill from the ambulance company for over $2000. And the ride was only a 10 mile ride. My insurance ended up covering about 800 of that and the rest was up to me. It is completely insane in the United States when it comes to many things, including terrible healthcare burdens on citizens. As a dual US/Irish citizen, I’m considering a move to Portugal or some other European country with a better quality of life, affordable healthcare and lower cost of living. I love my country because i was born and raised here, but there are terrible problems here. Particularly in the last 6-7 years.

[@janeknisely4383]

Speaking of US sales tax... I remember in the early days of the internet, state governments had no idea of online commerce. For nearly 10 years I shopped online to save 6% on every item. Then they figured it out. And Amazon (and others) starting calculating the tax based on your shipping location.

[@shag139]

Which is dumb. It makes it overly complicated having to know the sales tax in every state and locality. It should be based on where the item ships from.

[@mage1439]

@@shag139 This would never be allowed. The companies would just set up shop in a non-sales tax state. All of them.

[@loveit7484]

Yes! Recently on Amazon theyve added " estimated sales tax. Seriously? They can figure it out? What if its wrong amount, will less be refunded to me? Nope! Always about the almighty dollar & greed.

[@shag139]

@@mage1439 you think every company is going to put all their shipping centers into the 5 states with sales tax? Amazon couldn’t do that and meet all its current promised shipping times (prime etc)

[@anastasia10017]

it used to be that if you bought something from out of state and the store had no store in your state, then there was no sales tax. now they tax all sales.

[@s.j.hunter3995]

I live in Canada, we have Provincial sales taxes (PST) which vary by province, GST, HST. The thing I loved about visiting Britain was the price you see is the price you pay, so there is no shock at the checkout. In Canada we have to walk around the store with our smartphones using the calculator. Ridiculous. Your initials comments were spot on.

[@gerble36]

Tis why I love living in Alberta. No PST. I guess I am more mathematically thinking then others, never had a problem adding 5% to the prices naturally. It's not really hard if you get used to it. 5 cents per dollar, simple and easy. If you don't wanna get too far into it, just round the total dollar amount up to the nearest full dollar and then add up the tax, 5 cents per dollar ( or 12,13,14 or whatever the total tax percentage is if you have PST/HST). It's really not that hard, shouldn't need a calculator.

[@jonok42]

My take on the Pledge of Allegiance is that we are a nation of people from all over the world. The Pledge gives us something to unite us as a nation. A way to say we are a country not because we are all the same, but because we choose to believe in a democracy together. Otherwise we are just a bunch of people living in a space with nothing to keep working towards a united goal.

[@MsKeylas]

so you need that cringey jumping through the hoops created by religious zealot to feel united? I feel sorry for you. Desire to achieve goal where everyone is happy should be enough to feel united

[@Ssalyer41]

The US is huge and the states to some degree operate as individual nations(some more than others). The taxes differs so much from place to place because of this. Many companies operate in multiple states and so standard practice was to print price stickers to only include base price, as that was mostly universal. Currently it would be very easy to add tax to the items even accounting for tax differences. I think they don't just so they can list a lower more attractive price.

[@rurumg2322]

When I went to visit the USA from home UK, I was flabbergasted when she was looking at me for a tip. We tip in the UK as well, but discretional. Not compulsory .

[@LetsgoVegas]

I agree with you on number 1: I started calling the USA the USA in high school cause I was like well there are two whole continents..... but then I noticed a lot of overseas people called it America and have kind of fell back into the habit of calling the USA America.

[@marydavis5234]

USA= United States of AMERICA, the US is the only country on the North American Continent that has the official word America in its full name.

[@susanlevy652]

Canada usually calls USA "The States".

[@writerinprogress]

I'm in the UK, so I'm old enough to have been at school when they taught both, side-by-side. So I grew up with knowing that 1 inch=2.5 cms, 1 ounce=25g, 1 foot=30cms, 1 pint=500ml...handy for things like cooking - until you get to the US recipes where they measure things in 'cups'...!

[@dustee]

Things are measured in cups, a 1/4 a cup 1/2 cup 3/4 cup, and all measurements in between those cup sizes, as well as teaspoons tablespoons, etc, as well as ounces. Can you imagine putting a 'cup' of salt in a small recipe?

[@shirleycampbell1026]

@@dustee Easy. Canadian here who learned metric same time as training to be a nurse. Recipes in North America are by measurement not weight. 1 teaspoon = 5 cc, 1 tablespoon =15 cc, 1cup =240 cc, 1 USA pint is 2cups/16 oa., 1British pint is 20 ounces/500 cc, a British quart is 5 cups, a USA quart is 4 cups, a liter is 4 1/2 cups. Weight in Canada is in pounds, height in feet/inches. Temperatures in Celsius but oven temperature is Farenheit. We drive in kph but estimates in km, miles but usually time needed to get there. Confused yet...seems normal here. Just like the old shillings, etc before pence and pounds!

[@MountainBabyRoses]

@@shirleycampbell1026 my head hurts 😅 nice try though. Metric has always been that allusive... It sounds like it should make so much sense... But never sticks with me. Heck I still get confused by ounces when referring to liquid vs dry ingredients.

[@GenoX2]

@@dusteeJust curious. Why would you put a cup of salt in a recipe?

[@Paula58]

The red cups are sturdy, convenient and cheap, also they come in a variety of colors, I guess most people just like the color red.

[@richardshaw7673]

Our medical system sucks! It costs too much and delivers substandard care much of the time. Its funny that many Americans say they can't understand metrics when our money is metric! The penny is also called a cent for a reason. Same root word as CENTimeter! By the way most Americans will identify by their State of origin i.e. I (this commenter) am a Texan. If we need to refer to citizens of our fellow states we will say "American" as there is no other universally accepted word for all of the USA's citizens. "Yank", used in some parts of the world, is, due to the Civil War, offensive to many citizens of the Southern US. As a retired Union Activist, I always pay a 20% tip as I am aware the server is not being paid a reasonable wage. The tipped minimum wage is only $2.13 in most places. The standard minimum wage, in most places, is $7.25 per hour (it hasn't been raised since 2009). In the US many full time, minimum wage workers require public assistance to live. America has raised capitalism to the level of a religion. The underlying motive for most things is greed or the need to protect the greedy, i.e. the 1% who now rake off 40% of the nations wealth! The 1% get away with this by pushing 'culture wars', racism, sexism this prevent ordinary citizens from realizing they are being shafted!

[@malalaz66]

Your question about sales tax what are you ask would you want to have the same sales tax for the entire country? I would say for those who live in an area that has higher sales tax like New York and LA and San Francisco, of course you’d want one sales tax for the entire country because they probably would just do an average. But if you live in a small town in a small‘s or a small city where they have a low sales tax they wouldn’t want that because they would probably end up paying more sales tax than they would for their own area. That’s just my take on it