System 7.5 Sucks Less
The conference proper started today with back to back sessions until the weekend. In preparation I took early leave from the Chieftain last night, but not before sharing a Guinness with a couple of guys from Apple. They were very interesting - I'd read a lot of emails they've wrote, but it is always fascinating to meet the face behind the email moniker. As I was climbing the stairs back at the hostel however, I came across a bit of a gathering in the social area of the hostel. A bit of a conversation with some entertaining Irish students turned into a few drinks with an American, a Puerto Rican fella and some more Irish folk. Americans often find that Australians talking to other Australians speak far too quickly and without clarity, but amongst the Irish, this American didn't have a chance! They have a impressive ability to maintain three parallel conversations each travelling at the speed of thought. Like Teds at home I think this hostel will prove to make going to sleep before midnight very difficult indeed.
San Francisco is stereotypically American. I was a little complacent coming here - having been a couple of times before, and didn't expect to be shocked again, at the everyday cultural differences in this city. All those Americanisms we are introduced to via television are reflected here in genuine reality. Three ton Tacomas, F350's, and Suburban/Excursions are the vehicles of choice in the city. And the roads are easily wide enough to accommodate them. There is an awfully unnecessary dominance of 4WD vehicles on the roads - even many of the taxis are large 4WDs. Most of the cars have city-scrapes, the obvious signs of a carpark rumble or scuffle with another car. Most of the 4WDs on the other hand, are immaculate. Shiny, clean and not even a cut in the tyres. There's a TRD (Toyota Racing Design) 4WD getting around here that is in showroom condition. It was lifted a little, but being surrounded by all things massive, I didn't think of it as particularly large. On closer inspection, I found it was wearing 36" Super Swampers. For those that don't know, that's some very meaty tyres to be driving on the road on!
At every intersection the cars perform a regular horn symphony. The acceptable response to a loud horn blast is a longer horn blast. And justification for the original horn blast is completely optional.
The meals are huge, and you will continually be offered upgrades and upsizing of your order, as well as options on how the eggs or meat are cooked. And they are greasy, fatty and oily. I'm serious - it sounds stereotypical or clich�, but relative to Australia, it's quite clearly the case. Cereal is very rare, and where it does exist, it is sugar coated. Instead, breakfast is eggs and sausages when you buy it, or more commonly cakes. Donuts, bagels, buns, tarts, anything sugary or fatty is in. Of course, I'm not a fan of sweet things, so this is a particular sore point for me. Give me some weetbix and full cream milk any day.
iPod advertising is almost sickeningly prevalent. As I first exited the train and entered the station below the Civic Square area of San Francisco, the large colourful iPod posters are quite enchanting. It is very nice to see Apple pushing their culture in the wider world, instead of the preaching to the converted they are accused of doing in Australia and elsewhere. But soon it became obvious that that poster was one of a constant collage around the station. All the way out of the station every pole, every wall, every spare visible space was covered with iPod postering. The iPod advertising style is very nice, but to be visually bludgeoned by it gets a little tiring.
And in some silly "meet other cultures to learn about yourself" nonsense, here's something I've noticed about Australians. We swear an awful lot. Particularly "fuck" and blasphemies. Of course, we swear a lot better than the Americans, but still, it is a little excessive.